A nice drama about second chances, though not without flaws

The whole "BFF had a falling out, then meet again years later" trope is nothing new. Initially, I was fairly curious when I saw the trailer, but not enough for me to want to check it out. I only decided to take a look because there wasn't anything else better to watch (lol).

The first three episodes were a bit hard to follow. There were some confusions with the mix of flashbacks and present times, and character development felt dragged. However, episode 4 onwards, things got better as the story became clearer, and it was easier to figure out which were flashbacks and which were present times. Despite this, the back-to-forth felt inconsistent. There were times when I couldn't figure out if the flashbacks were following a timeline or not. Or, they'd start the episode with a flashback, and I'd be confused about the events before it hit me that oh, it's a flashback. I'd say the sequence of events could've been better. However, they did help explain why Ji and Achi's personality and behavior in the present.

Basically, this is your typical best friends fell in love, but were driven apart by misunderstandings and miscommunication, only to reconnect ten years later. I have to give Achi props for willing to take that risk of reconnecting with Ji, not knowing whether or not Ji would say yes. Both Junior and Fluke are great actors, and even though the plot feels disorganized at times, they have done a fantastic job bringing Ji and Achi's story to life.

I'd say this is one of the better works from Mandee, though it's a shame that they didn't put in much effort in promoting this series.

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A beautiful love story

FINALLY, a historical BL love story that didn't end in tragedy. I am absolutely in love with this series. Although they've changed some things from the novel, the setting, the acting, and the chemistry between the cast really enriched the story as a whole. The pace of the show was a bit slow for my taste, but I think they did it so that you'd have time to appreciate the Thai culture and history, and of course, the architecture of the houses. Also, the OST is absolutely fantastic, and really showcased the love and emotional connection of the two leads. Overall, I'm really happy with how this series turned out, and I can't wait for season 2 to come out.

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Somehow, they made it work

I rarely watch C-dramas because they tend to be repetitive. Due to their many regulations and restrictions, there's not a lot of room for creativity. Yet, with The Rise of Ning, they managed to take a supernatural and angst-ridden novel and make it entertaining. There is a good mix of humor and angst, with a lighthearted take on the relationship between the two protagonists.

In terms of acting, it's good to see Ren Min's acting has improved. There are still some struggling moments, but she has a better grasp of her character this time. Zhang Wan Yi is in his element with Luo Shen Yuan. I found myself comparing this character with Cang Xuan (from Lost You Forever). While he's a good actor, it would be nice to see more versatility with the characters he play in the future. Ci Sha is definitely a breakout star in this drama. I've never hated a villain so much in my life. It's almost as if the character Lu Jia Xue was made for him. The support cast is very strong, so there's never a dull moment in the series.

Overall, the show did a good job telling the story of two pseudo-siblings who found comfort in each other, and their tough yet rewarding journey in revenge, coming to terms with the past, and finding love. While the show felt dragged towards the end, I applaud the production team for their efforts to keep viewers entertained throughout a whopping 40 episodes.

In the end, is it perfect? No. Is it original? No. Is it worth watching? Definitely.

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I want to like this, I really do...

To start off, I've been a fan of Kim Ha-Neul since My Tutor Friend, and Rain... well, who doesn't know Rain? The man is an international star. So I was excited when I found out they'd be starring in a drama together. The trailer looked good, and I was looking forward to watching the series as soon as it come out.

And then... well...

This isn't the first k-drama revolving around chaebol family drama. There are tons out there, from The Heirs to Sky Castle to the more recent ones like Penthouse and Reborn Rich and... well, you get the idea. There's this fascination with the rich and the ultra rich. We may not like that they treat money like toilet paper, but hey, they're still entertaining AF.

That being said, I gotta say, with Kim Ha-Nuel, Rain, and a stellar cast that included the lovely NS Yoon-G, I'd expected something good, or even amazing.

And I was let down.

The beginning and the backstory were well-established. The pace of the series was good, but then halfway through the series it started to feel rushed, which made the plot seem messy. I found myself pausing every 15 minutes in order to process what was happening. There were a few times when I wanted to drop this, but I kept watching because I wanted to find out what would happen to O San-woo and Seo Do-Yun in the end.

Which brings me to the acting.

The acting was amazing, but sadly, it felt wasted on this particular show. While I was drawn to O San-woo, I felt like 90% of the time, she didn't know what to do with herself. On the other hand, I found myself rooting for her as she decided to fight back after living in a decade of abuse, and gradually regained control over her life. As someone who was once in a toxic relationship, I could relate to her struggles and her journey to rediscover her voice and identity. I was however, bummed that they didn't go in-depth with it. Then again, with a complex family of characters, it could be challenging to get everyone's story out.

The chemistry between the two leads was... interesting. It's not zero chemistry, but it wasn't the intense staring contest you see often in kdramas, either. Instead, we see a slow burn type of relationship building, where two broken people learned to care and trust someone after suffering some form of trauma. It might not be something everyone could appreciate, but Rain and Kim Ha-Neul managed to make it work.

Overall, this isn't the worst k-drama I've watched, but it's not the best, either. If you're a fans of Kim Ha-Neul or Rain, then you might enjoy this. Otherwise, there are better chaebol-related kdramas out there.

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The phrase "idiots in love" took on a whole new meaning in this series

This show has been on my "to-watch" list for over a year, but I didn't have a chance to actually sit down and watch it until a month ago, and... well...

Ever heard of the phrase "idiots in love?" In this series, Dao and Kluen were idiots and then some. One is a dummy who harbors a secret crush , while the other is a blockhead who has trouble expressing his feelings. The two go to the same school, and are in love with each other, but both are too scared to admit it.

They seemed destined to never cross paths, until one day, when Dao was about to leave to study abroad. Encouraged by his best friend, he confessed his feelings to Kluen.

Kluen response? "Have a safe flight."

*Facepalm*

Nontheless, Dao took that as a sign of rejection and was devastated, and left Thailand with a broken heart.

A year later, Dao returned to Thailand for college, and lo and behold, who did he see? Kluen, the very same guy who (in his POV) rejected him. Bad enough that they had to take part in the school pageant together, but they also had to live in the same dorm for the duration of the competition.

Clearly, someone forgot to check their horoscope that morning. (j/k)

Thus begin a "second chance" type of love, in which Dao tries to forget his "unrequited love" for Kluen and simply be his friend, while Kluen does everything (from being helpful to just downright possessive) to get close to him. That is, everything short of confessing his feelings.

I rarely have a love/hate relationship with a series, but this one falls under that category. Watching this show was like going on a rollercoaster ride. My emotions went from "awwww, that's so sweet" to "FFS, just kiss already!" to "why am I wasting my time on this show?" to "it's about d**n time someone does something" to "Jesus effing Christ, can you two be any dumber?"

There is something about the way Dao and Kluen interact that makes the whole angsty love journey very realistic, and you can't help but root for them. At some point, it becomes obvious to everyone (but Dao) that Kluen was hopelessly in love with him. I mean, the guy used his mom's birthday to lure him to his house. And really? Did Dao seriously think he changed his own bandage and applied the ointment while he was drunk? *smh

On the other hand, the pace of the story is somewhat erratic. The beginning and middle were fine, but then towards the end, everything became rushed. The conflict, resolving of the conflict, and the love confession all happened within two episodes. It's as if the screenwriters realized they'd taken up 6 episodes with the storyline, and not wanting to cut anything out, simply wrapped up the story quickly.

Despite everything, Star in my Mind is a decent series. Sadly, character development was poorly written, but I think it had to do with the fact that the series only had 8 episodes. The acting is not bad, but if Dunk and Joong want to keep up with their fellow GMMTV artists they'd need to step it up. Maybe take some acting classes. The one saving grace of this show would be the OST. These two should form a duo and aim for the music market. Their vocals are so well-matched.

Overall, this series is not bad, but it's not particularly good, either. Compared with other BL series that aired in 2022, and the ones that are currently airing this year, there are many better options. Hopefully, JoongDunk's acting would improve in the future.

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