I would like to start by saying: this is not really a school drama in the sense we usually understand it. While the plot takes place in the school, it’s more about the politics that go into being a teacher and how the school is running as an institution. We don’t get that many cute and lovable interactions between students and teachers, and it’s more focused on the power struggle between different departments, permanent and temporary teachers and other institutions involved in the education and internal struggles between doing what you find right and fitting into the environment.

That said, it’s not all rules and cold politics. We get to know an amazing variety of characters, with different motivations, behaviors and ways of dealing with problems, and as we watch, we learn that at times there is no good nor bad decision, but rather a variety of different choices and all of them have some pros and cons to them. The few interactions between teachers and students are truly meaningful and add to the emotional depth this drama presents.

I assume many people may not like Go Ha Neul since she at times acts really cute, unsure and innocent, but in my eyes she is actually a really strong character. With everyone saying she should not get involved or rebel against the system, she fights her battles and proves everyone wrong countless times. There is nothing wrong with being cute and strong at the same time. She wants to stay true to her beliefs, do what’s best for students and survive in a new environment. She makes mistakes but is quick to admit to them and learn from them.

The whole drama revolves around the daily struggles of realistic and complex characters with many flaws but even more good qualities. There are no really bad characters, just different people dealing with problems in different ways. While we might agree with some more than others, it's not hard to see the logic behind them all.

This was truly an emotional ride, which made me laugh and cry many times. By the end, I loved so many characters I disliked at the beginning, and it was all possible because of the amazing writing. We either got fantastic character development or a deep dive into their perspective, which helped us understand their reasoning. While the plot was not the most complex and thrilling, the relationships built between the characters were all we needed to fall for this drama's charm.

For whom: people who like complex and realistic characters, slow paced dramas that truly show problems from different perspectives, character driven dramas, beautiful cinematography.

Who may not enjoy it: people enjoying a lot of action, overdramatic style of filming and dealing with problems, high school dramas that center around students and not teachers, people that get bored with politics and behind the scenes of a workplace, romance driven dramas.

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The mundane pain that just makes sense.

Realistically speaking, I would not say it was as charming as season 1, yet the story itself was for sure more compelling. Yes, the delivery of the characters’ struggles had some misses, but I appreciate the realism of this season.

One thing I appreciated about it was the fact, it in fact had a plot. While many people wanted more fluff and the pair being all cute, I truly dislike the empty fanservice type of sequels. This was rather raw and I loved it. Seeing these characters struggle as individuals was great. A couple is not just a pair, they are also individuals. Some issues are personal, and while they might affect the dynamics between two people, the source of them is found somewhere else.

I also believe it was a smart choice to start the plot after the break up, without actually showing all the details of when it happened. Yes, seeing the in depth portrayal of how it affected Seo Joon would be great, it would also mean less time to see Ji Woo’s side of the story - and we truly got barely anything here anyway (more on that later).

Strangely, I liked the reasoning behind the break up too. I can imagine many people were disappointed. I know many people were disappointed, I was reading the comments as the drama aired. For me though, it all made sense. That's kind of how life goes. You don't always end a relationship because you have no feelings for the other person - sometimes it's one or a few bullshit reasons that at that specific moment of your life make sense, even though it does not for anyone else.

On the characters - Kang Seo Joon was as much of a loyal puppy as he was in season 1. It’s impossible not to love him. At the same time, I found his character miserably helpless and it was so amazingly human of him. The way he could not move on after a year, how he desperately tried to find any reason and opportunity to still make the relationship work, to be close to Ji Woo. How he did not take a “no” as an answer, how he came back after each emotional kick. It was obviously not a healthy approach, but being weak when faced with someone or something you love and care about is extremely relatable.

On the other hand, I agree with many that Ji Woo was not a likable character in most of the episodes. I hated his actions, but I also understood where he was coming from and how he ended up in such an emotionally exhausting and empty state. Being scared of being happy. Running away, because it’s easier to handle. Hiding your feelings and not knowing how to express your insecurities. He tried to be strong, but at some point it just all crumbled down and he decided to run away instead of facing the issues he had. I found his selfish behavior quite realistic and relatable.

That said, I wish some hints of his inner struggles were introduced as the show progressed, instead of dropping it all closer to the end. The show focused so much on Seo Joon’s pain in the first half, it was hard to relate and root for Ji Woo. I’m not surprised some viewers even wished the couple would not end up together by the end. We’ve got the answers for his behavior too late for some people to find the strength to care for his happiness. At some point, some viewers got tired of waiting and just gave up on him.

As for the other characters, I know the show faced a lot of criticism because of the inclusion of “useless female characters”, but I couldn't agree less with that. Not keeping your characters in a social bubble, where they only interact with each other is a good thing. People have other people in their lives than just their romantic partners. For me, adding more characters, be it female or male, is a good thing. It adds depth and layers to the main ones. They interact differently with different people, we learn more about them thanks to these conversations. They say things they would not say to each other, that are important to understand their inner struggles and thoughts.

If I had to complain about any characters, I would say Ho Min’s trainee/idol aspect came a bit out of nowhere and was not necessary - adding nothing to the plot. Seemed more like an afterthought than a planned plot point.

Now, to talk about one of my favorite aspects of the show - the shots. The scenery was just so beautiful and well placed as the transition scenes, it made the flow of the scene so much better than just faded to black. Production wise, it’s an obvious improvement compared to season 1, which itself was already really good for a smaller production like that.

The OST, ladies and gentlemen - what calming bops we've got. How perfectly they fitted the whole mood of the show. Not to mention, having the lead actors sing one of the songs was a perfect choice to make the delivery of the message and emotions even more hard hitting.

Acting wise - it was good. By now I’m a big fan of Son Woo Hyun. Can’t wait to see where his career will lead him. Kim Kang Min has improved a lot since the previous season. His delivery was more expressive and natural. Yes, we still got “crying with no tears, trying to squeeze a few drops like a lemon” scene, but overall, the performance was quite stable and good.

Overall, while I do prefer season 1 as a whole, I like the story of season 2 more. If I’ve got a bit more steady pacing for the characters and a few more hints about their motivations earlier on, I could possibly like it more than the previous installment.

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The campus love story of psycho and weirdo.

One of the sweetest things I have seen in quite some time. Keeping it simple was the blessing we all deserved. Extremely likable characters, where even their stubbornness could be viewed as cute and adorable.

The plot did an amazing job at setting up the dynamics between Jae Young‬ and Sang Woo, but also introducing them as separate characters with unique personalities. The introduction of the leads was done in such an effective way in episode one, I did not question their reactions and motivations in later episodes - I accepted that’s who they are and their actions made sense.

The plot that links Jae Young and Sang Woo is also believable, bringing up many funny interactions and ways of testing the leads' communication and patience. Enough screen time was used for it, so it never felt like a plot device that could be easily replaced, but rather an integral part of the story telling.

The gradual change in Jae Young and Sang Woo relationship was simply delightful to watch. We could see what moments were the turning points, what led to them, how they influenced the main characters. It was a well written and presented progression, and while the characters were falling in love with each other, I was falling in love with the show itself.

The thing that I appreciated a lot was how Semantic Error showed changing for people you are about is a normal thing, and sometimes you have to get out of your safe zone, but at the same time, they did highlight the importance of respecting and trying to understand the differences in personalities people might have. Mutual respect and mutual effort are the key to any relationship - be it romantic, platonic or professional.

The pacing was perfect, if we take into consideration the length of the show. They truly did their best not to waste the precious screen time on useless side plots that bring nothing to the table. Sure, Ryu Ji Hye’s character was not exactly needed, at least not in the way she was incorporated into the story, but it’s more of my personal view. I’m sure many viewers loved her the way she was and the role she played in the story.

Jang Jae Young‬ is probably one of my favorite male leads in any BL. Yes, he might be a bit of an asshole at first glance, but even his childish behavior was more entertaining and adorable, and less frustrating and annoying. It’s truly impossible not to fall for his charm. The guy shines the brightest when he tries to be patient and understand others. Him being so good looking is truly just a bonus, a cherry on top of his awesomeness.

Think of a completely opposite character of the social butterfly who goes with the flow - that’s Chu Sang Woo‬. His asocial personality was somehow endearing - he had his ways of dealing with problems, and was always straightforward about his expectations and rules. More often than not, I actually thought he was right in his approach - with freeloaders during university work, or setting boundaries with lecturers.

That said, I do think they went a little bit too far with his “robotic” characteristics. We get it, the boy has issues with dealing with his emotions. He needs time to understand them, he is flustered and sometimes scared. While all of this gave us many funny moments, sometimes I just went “okay, chill with the googling body malfunction”. Still love this child.

The supporting characters had enough screen time for me to believe they are more than just one dimensional fillers. Choi Yu Na was extremely cool, but also a caring friend, and Go Hyeong Taek was a ray of sunshine and cuteness that brought some fresh atmosphere on the screen.

I would not say this was an Oscar worthy performance from the cast, but it was on par with a lot of mainstream romance shows, not just BLs. Park Seo Ham truly aced the role of Jang Jae Young‬ - a lot of it was in his eyes. I replayed some of his reactions and scenes simply because I appreciated his performance in them.

Production wise, for sure the best we have seen so far from k-BLs. From the opening shot, the intro, the use of angles, light and shadows, to the set design - nothing I could possibly complain about.

I admit to adding the OST to my playlist. The songs are that good. Even if I have not seen the show and was not emotionally influenced and biased because of that, I would like them a lot.

Overall, this is a perfect sweet de-stresser. What adds to it are all the interviews and behind the scene videos that show the good atmosphere on set and great chemistry between the cast. You can see they enjoyed the filming and liked the story they were presenting on screen. Nothing better than people involved in the production actually believing in what they are creating.

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Ambitious project, maybe too ambitious.

This is exactly the type of a story that requires a longer format. It's not even about complexity, but rather the type of a storytelling - building it on the small hints about the connections and past events, the lasting feeling of familiarity between the characters that the audience cannot grasp at first. Slow buildup is not something you can achieve with less than 115 minutes or runtime.

I can clearly see the production team did their best, but some things cannot be overcome just by trying hard. Here’s the thing, I am not sure I would truly understand the whole plot if I was not checking out comments from people who read the webtoon. Especially Denis’ part of it, which also seemed to be made far more simple and passive? There was simply not enough time to present his side of the story and explain his feelings and motivations.

That’s about Denis, what about the other mains?
Dong Baek is such a stock character, the best of the NPCs. Rarely speaks when others argue about him right next to him, mostly interacting with people if they interact with him first. He acted the way the plot needed him to act, no matter if it made sense or not.

Yu Dam could have had far more depth and I wish we could see more… desperation and sadness? Taking into consideration his story, dude was way too chill about everything. Again, I do believe it was caused by the short runtime.

It does not mean I disliked everything about the show. I enjoyed the chemistry between the leads, I actually enjoyed how annoying Denis was and strangely he was my favorite character. I liked the production quality and the soundtrack. I loved the ending - truly. The conclusion and last few scenes were probably my favorite part.

Overall, a great concept that should have been kept on the shelf till the BL industry got bigger and more profitable, so they could do the story justice with enough support.

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The lost spark?

I have to sadly admit, this season was not that great. While it had amazing and fun moments, I was actually bored at times. While season 2 was also a bit disappointing in terms of the places they went to, the dynamics of the cast saved it. Here, the lack of So Min as a regular member could be felt and it was just not the same experience.

The guests were also the issue - some had little chemistry with regular members, some barely got any screen time since they barely interacted with others (Chan Young, I really like you, but during the whole episode you said like 3 lines…). I also feel like the regular members were a bit too focused on themselves and did not include the guests in the conversations enough. What’s the point of inviting people, when you end up just chatting and arguing among yourself?

I also do not understand why they cut down the number of games, when they were always one of the most entertaining parts of the show. With how most of the members are rather bad in them, it was fun to watch them try so hard while getting poor results. I’d take more games and less mukbang screen time anytime.

That said, I still enjoyed it quite a bit. There were some moments I replied a number of times - the debate game in episode 2 being one of them. Still love the cast and their interactions and chemistry, but I think it’s time to say goodbye to the show. The format starts to get boring, they have too many food related places.

PS. They get bonus points for using Woodz’s music more than once as a background song.

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Office drama that will evoke in you the makjang level of emotions.

A character driven tale on the workplace environment, self-worth, values, principles and one bug of a human being called Han Se Kwon that you want to step on with the heaviest shoes you own.

It’s not an overstatement to call this show a perfect office drama. Mixing realism with entertainment is not an easy task - On the Verge of Insanity managed to do that. With the variety of unique characters, it’s a story relatable even for people who never worked in a similar environment. It tackles issues like retirement, layoffs, job hunting, reassignments in the workplace, power struggle, but also more universal topics like acting in line with your principles, loyalty, friendship, selfishness vs selflessness.

The three main characters present different takes on life and dealing with problems. Dang Ja Yeong tries to go by the book, following instructions, seeing it as the best and most efficient way. Choi Ban Seok is a hardworking and loyal person, who is willing to risk his career if faced with moral dilemmas. There are many nasty ways to describe Han Se Kwon, and I’m truly forcing myself to stay civil here. Let’s say he represents the inferiority complex in the perfect way, spiced with his cunning and shady behavior.

As the drama progresses, we see how they manage to face all the problems happening in Hanmyung Electronics and what are the results of their actions. There is no plot that goes from point A to point B, as the drama focuses more on the relationships between the characters, different departments, higher-ups and the employees.

The comedy, though, how good it was! There is nothing better than situational comedy based on the character’s personalities and relationships. No cheap jokes that could work in any scenario.

The casting was a pure perfection. Each of the actors fitted their roles perfectly. Big props to Kim Nam Hee for his job on Shin Han Soo’s character, who became one of my favorites.

The production value is insanely good. I have truly nothing to complain about. The soundtrack has plenty of amazing songs from slow ballads to indie pop and rock.

Realistically speaking, this show might not have the same entertainment value for people preferring fast paced, plot driven dramas. There are many questionable choices made by all the characters, so if you look for a clear cut “smart at any occasion” or “good at any occasion”, you will not find it here. Characters excel in some areas, but fail on others - for me, that’s the charm and the realism of the show.

Overall, On the Verge of Insanity made me smile, laugh, cry, curse at my laptop, and hug my pillow. Vast range of emotions have been awoken and I’m so amazingly thankful. It’s a solid watch from the first to the last episode.

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The charm lies in the unique characters.

How I would describe the show: an unusual take on a typical romantic comedy. For starters, this show does not really have any leading plot line - there is no mystery to solve, as it often happens in rom-coms. It’s all about the characters, their relationships and them dealing with their current situation.

I do believe the characters are the best part of the show. They all have unique personalities with individual outlooks in life, personal dreams, motivations and values. Each and every one of them reacts differently to the given situations. That said, while watching their current self is fun, by the end of the show... I didn't really know that much about some of the main ones. All of the main characters have a really complex and deep set up, with many struggles happening in the past. Even the majority of the supporting roles are written in that way - they are supposed to convey some kind of serious issues and dilemmas. And while said setups, as the concepts, are as deep as the Mariana Trench, practically speaking, they were never fully explored and I didn't even get my head underwater while watching.

The show shines with the cast and their interactions. We've got a whole set of puppy-like male characters that are nice, polite, cute and understanding. On the other hand, we have strong, driven and outspoken female characters. The synergy was pure perfection. This led to many unexpected and extremely hilarious scenes. I just could not predict how the characters would react and behave. The comedy in this show has been just so fresh and fun, I could not stop laughing while watching some scenes.

While I honestly thought the main couple was amazingly adorable and enjoyed basically everything they presented, I didn't get as excited for the second one. Mostly I just felt bad for Young Hwa while watching his interactions with Dan Ah (especially at the beginning). Later, the lines delivered for their scenes became painfully corny and cliche...

The acting was on the top level. Im Shi Wan did an outstanding job portraying Seon Gyeom. The socially awkward and at times distant characters that mostly keep to themselves are extremely hard to present well - bad acting leads to the character looking robotic, boring and empty. Shi Wan, though, delivered the best performance I could imagine for this role. I cannot think of any actor or actress that was awkward or unpolished in their roles and portrayals. Top notch casting for sure.

The production value was good. The scenes were shot in an amazing way, as I would say: aesthetics on point. The unexpected turns in how the scenes were written were perfectly reflected by how they were filmed. I just felt a harmony between what the writer wanted to tell and the director wanted to show.

The OST was fine, fitting the show and scenes, but not that memorable? Only two songs truly caught my attention - “I Wish It Was You” and “Sorry”, taking the crowns as the best songs from the drama for me.

Overall, I enjoyed the show for its entertainment value, unique characters, funny twists and fresh, out of the box directing of certain scenes and plot lines. I wish they introduced less serious and complex backgrounds for the characters, focused on just a few and truly dive deeper into them. For me, having just 4 or 5 scenes in the whole show to address something is not enough.

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It's a variety show that's close to perfection. I have only one complaint, but since it's not a major one, I gave it a fair 9.5 rating.

STORY AKA CONCEPT

So freaking fun and refreshing. The best thing a director and writer can do is to invite viewers to enjoy the show more actively, and this is exactly what happened here. Guessing which places were real and which were fake was extremely entertaining (even though I failed more often than not). The concept was just something I have never seen before, and I have to say the scale was huge. They must have had some big $$.

One thing that I would change - more variety of the themes in the episodes. There has been just a little bit too much food. They could have had strange hobbies, surprising online celebrities, etc. Anything, other than food? That said, I must admit, the restaurants’ episodes were the most fun.

CAST

That's the core of the show. I cannot think of a better cast for it than the one we’ve got. Ladies were truly crazy, and Jae Suk was balancing the craze with the work perfectly. Even if the concept of a particular episode was "meh" for me, it was still extremely entertaining because of the interactions between the cast members.

Same goes for guests. Only Lee Sang Woo did not fit into the picture that well (hence I found that episode the weakest). It was fascinating to watch the male guests trying to understand the mess that is happening and try to match the hype.

MUSIC AKA PRODUCTION VALUE

Through the roof! I truly don't even want to think how much money was put into the production of all the places they made. I am simply amazed how they created whole fake businesses in a week, to the point it was almost impossible to distinguish them from the real ones. A lot of hard work and care was put into it.

EPISODES

As I said, not all episodes were equally entertaining. If I had to pick my favorites I'd go with: Sang Yeop episode (truly won everything. Jessi and Sang Yeop were unforgettable), Dong Yoon episode (I loved how dedicated he was to finding the fake place, and he had great chemistry with the cast) and of course Tae Hyun, who truly felt like the regular cast member.

Overall, this is a show I would recommend to everyone. Cannot think of one type of person who would not enjoy it. It had jokes, heart, amazing cast, mystery, elements of surprise. All I can say is - I cannot wait for season 2.

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You know how some dramas have extremely shitty endings, but overall are amazing and you still truly enjoyed them and did not regret picking them up in the first place?
Yeah, this ain't that.

It had a strong beginning and seemed like a fun, well executed cross-dressing show with tons of cliches that make you laugh. Later, it became so amazingly bad I could still enjoy it. But.. At some point every episode either bored or frustrated me.

The plot just seemed like a whole mess. The beginning was strong on romance and had minimal politics, just enough to create the tension between the leads. But then, closer to the end they dropped all the heavy politics' plots, but since I could not care about them with the lack of explanation and elaboration previously... What exactly was the point of it? And when they tried to be semi surprised who the main villain was, WHEN EVERYONE KNEW and they knew since they talked about it more than once. The string of ridiculous events that happened in the 2nd half (and especially the last two episodes) had me questioning my existence.

Another flaw of the show was the male lead. Literally everyone was a better man than him. Heck, the female lead was a better man than him. He had truly nothing going on to make him more believable and relatable. He was a huge block of muscles with little to no expression and personality.

Now to the practical effects. This show made me laugh like maniac while watching the attempted murder of a child. The bridge scene (if you saw the show, you know exactly what I'm talking about) brought me to tears with how bad it was. I had to stop watching for a good 15 minutes because I could not calm down from the silly giggle/mad laugh. If you don't have money for the proper props, use smart camera angles so the viewers know what's going on without you really showing it. Just... be a smart director.

This drama had nothing innovative or refreshing. If you can think of any drama cliche: this had it in. It had the strong and smart female lead, but only for certain episodes and scenes, since she went full 180 closer to the end. The only reason I finished watching it was for Wang An Yu and the doctor guy. While I loved them, I still regret wasting the time…

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What’s good? The actors are good looking and have great chemistry. The editing and pacing was surprisingly not bad, compared to TOSSARA. With just the four episodes they had, they did quite well presenting the story and building the relationship.

What’s bad? Whole first 5 minutes. You can’t just open a show with sexual assault and borderline rape. Not good. And no, just because the bed scene was not shown, does not mean I didn’t have a problem with it. Vee as a character has literally zero redeeming qualities. Watching him being sad and crying was a delight for my soul.

War did a good job. I quite enjoyed his character, even though he was a mess too. I don’t know... I watched the show because of his pretty face. That’s the tea.

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You’re never too old to enjoy life.

Allowing yourself to feel happiness, enjoy small things and create a deeper connection to other people at times might feel like either a luxury, unobtainable pleasure or inappropriate whim. Old Fashion Cupcake shows you how we all deserve happiness in our lives, and how growing older doesn't mean you need to put it aside.

Have to say, even though the romance was quite a treat, and the mutual pining was a blast to watch, the “anti-aging” plot was the one that grabbed my attention the most. Following Nozue on his journey to discovering himself again - outside of his daily routine and work, was fascinating and extremely heartwarming.

Togawa's low-key chase after Nozue gave me all the best feels and just enough angst at times to make me fall for the couple hard. I appreciated how he not only wanted to be with Nozue, but he was also truly trying hard to help him enjoy life, enjoy his work, and enjoy all the small things he was too afraid to try in the past.

Both main actors aced the roles. The passive attitude Nozue had for a lot of things, how he just tried to survive each day, how he fell into the routine and forgot how fun life can be - I could see that all in the performance. Kimura Tatsunari perfectly acted the small possessive and jealous moments, Togawa striving to help Nozue come out of his shell, the care and admiration - all and more.

Honestly speaking, it was just a fun, enjoyable short watch with some uplifting messages and moments that most adults (and younger folks) would appreciate to hear.

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Staying delulu is the solulu

That was an unforgettable journey for sure. Be it for interesting plot, great scenarios, entertaining main and endearing supporting characters, villains that are actually vile and will make your blood boil, beautiful set designs, fitting soundtrack… and the questionable ending - that one you will for sure never forget.

The Spirealm is simply addicting. Bromance was romancing hard and let’s be real, many people started this show because of the censored BL aspect. The same way once the characters enter the first door they cannot escape, there was no turning back for me after the first episode - I was completely in love with the drama.

Ruan Lan Zhu has an extremely enticing charm about him - carefree and confident nature with glimpses of worry towards Ling Jiu Shi that grew stronger as the show progressed. You know there will be angst brewing from day one and you cannot wait for it. I loved how fake he was in the games, shamelessly switching his personality whenever needed. I loved how he slowly became friends with people around him, how he started to care about them and was willing to change his ways to help them. Well presented, not over the top character development. Xia Zhi Guang’s performance just made what was already a well written character shine even more. His expressive eyes stole my soul and turned my brain off. Him being the perfect man makes sense when you think about the fact he was… well, not real. I guess Jiu Shi’s perfect man is also my perfect man, we share the type in the delulu land.

While I liked Ling Jiu Shi a lot, I did find him far less interesting as an individual. I enjoyed his interaction with other characters a lot and he was obviously the force that changed everyone around him with his empathic and emotional side, but for some reason I felt like they accidentally made him too perfect - smart, brave, caring, with a new different perspective that is usually right, driven. The dude had no flaws. Even things that were supposed to technically be negative - at times too emotional and impulsive, were never truly bad. Sadly, Huang Jun Jie did not save the few lacking aspects with his acting. Some performances can elevate the character, here they chopped some of its charm. The emotional scenes were just not it - quite awkward.

Then we have a whole bunch of supporting characters I adored: Li Dong Yuan wholesome “playboy” with a golden heart, Tan Zao Zao bravest of them all, Xiao Ke surprised badass, Zhuang Ru Jiao loyal sunshine. Even though these characters show up just for a few episodes here and there, they did such a good job with presenting their unique personalities it was impossible for me not to get attached. I am surprised how much their deaths hit me.

What’s more to appreciate? The villains. The worst crime a drama can commit is making their villains bland - you gotta either hate to love them, or love to hate them. And I for sure loved to bitch about them while watching. The way I sometimes had to pause the episodes, because they annoyed me so much. The way I could not wait for their demise. And for all that I am grateful. They made the drama more dynamic and the stakes real. They weren’t useless and inferior to the main characters - the similar skill level actually made the watch that more entertaining.

Cannot believe Yan Ba Lang’s Clark Kenting with a beard/lack of beard actually worked and I did not recognize him - I will admit though, I completely lost my brain while watching. No idea what kind of weird subliminal interfering signals this drama was sending, but I was blind to everything and could predict nothing. I was clowning hard with how confused I was about the most basic and obvious things.

All these characters could shine thanks to the game settings and let me tell you, the stories presented in them were actually interesting! When I don’t mind bromance separating and having episodes of them not interacting at all - that’s when you know they were selling a good plot. My favorite door was probably the second door - The Apartment. It was just so weird and creepy - the image just made me feel uncomfortable and unnerved, but in the best way possible.

Honestly speaking though - all the doors were great. The unique stories presented with enough detail and world building you got immersed whenever you liked it or not. The presentation leaned towards dark fantasy rather than horror, but I don’t really mind. I feel like extremely explicit gore would actually be distracting.

And then we have to bromance ( that b is silent). I’m just going to ignore the fact Jiu Shi fell in love with an AI modeled to literally be his perfect man and this is a top level of delulu behavior I have ever seen. I still love these two. Truth to be told, Ruan Lan Zhu carried the romance for most of the show with his loving gaze and overprotective nature. For obvious reasons he could, should, and even had to focus on Ling Jiu Shi. While he might have been written to support Jiu Shi, it’s not the reason why he started, but the reason why he stayed that matters. And let me tell you - he stayed because he loved the boy. \

We also had one of the best love confessions in any (b)romance drama” "Don't worry. I'll protect you. I'll protect you forever. Until your life comes to an end, or my life comes to an end". So what he was saying was "for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part" -low key wedding vows. Yes, the censorship made the production team be more “creative” with some scenes for example: ain’t no cheek stroking. Lan Zhu was just removing a car hair from Jiu Shi ‘s face - in the most tender and loving way ever, with eyes screaming worry and devotion.

The performances were mostly strong. Even the more questionable and wacky ones seemed to fit the given characters and scenarios (I am looking at you Zhang Ji Nan). Putting aside Xia Zhi Guang who obviously aced the role, my favorites were Liu Xiao Bei and Lu Meng Lin. I think they perfectly delivered the vulnerability of accepting their own death and it was heartbreaking to watch. As I already said, Huang Jun Jie did well for most of the show, but failed when it mattered. When the angst hit its tipping point and I kept being distracted by his delivery…

Now, let’s talk about the twist and the ending, because I don’t even know how I feel about it. I dislike it, but I cannot be mad about it.

Let’s start with the NPC twist. I almost had to take a break from the show when they revealed it. I did not predict it so I had smack in the face with that revelation hard. To my defense, I think I gave the drama too much credit to be a “decent” sci-fi, when it’s borderline fantasy, so the idea that an AI algorithm can interact with the real world, bleed etc. just never crossed my mind. Him not being real crossed my mind, but on a larger scale - nothing is real, which, depending on the interpretation, could be the case.

Anyway, him being this perfect makes sense when you get to that point of the story. I honestly think my negative reaction to that twist came from me focusing too much on the use of the NPC abbreviation. He is not your typical NPC, he is more of a conscious AI that in all aspects, cannot really be differentiated from humans. They basically made Lan Zhu Pinocchio. So while I hated it at first, the more I thought about it, the less bothered I became.

On the other hand, the longer I thought about the ending, the more annoyed I was. Personally I can see two different interpretations of the ending - either everything that happened in the game did not happen, and it was in fact the result of Jiu Shi’s coma or it all happened and the game can basically overwrite time and space, change the past, present and the future of the Earth and I don’t know what makes me more mad…

If we go with the first one, it’s a full on delulu clownery. What you are saying is - Jiu Shi got so immersed in the imaginary world his brain created, he dedicated his whole real life to create his fantasy world with his fake boyfriend where he can spend his second life. I’ve never seen a more romanticized version of pro virtual reality over real life in my whole life. Why does this interpretation make sense? When Jiu Shi woke up from the car accident, he saw all the players his brain created as people around him. It’s fair to assume he might have crossed paths with all of them one way or another in his daily life, without even consciously noticing them. It does not explain how he knew about the man living in Obsidian’s headquarters though. So while this theory seems fair at first, it fails at the end.

So we are left with “the game is just all powerful”. This makes perfect sense when we take into consideration the original novel is in fantasy and not sci-fi genre. There are no real rules nor limits for fantasy, but there are rules and directions for sci-fi - that’s why it’s so hard to change a fantasy story into a logical sci-fi. Here they obviously failed. It just makes zero sense, and what’s worse - it was so fucking unnecessary. They could have had exactly the same ending of Jiu Shi dedicating his whole life to create The Spirealm and rebuild all his friends who became NPCs and Lan Zhu, after he passed the 11th door without going back into past, before he got into first door, making it car accident and all the players having different lives in this alternative reality. I kind of felt cheated and all the moving and heartbreaking deaths started to feel cheap. Clearly, I did not vibe with the ending…

I think I would rather like the drama ending on the 11th door farewell scene. Make it sad, bittersweet and impactful instead of over the top and illogical.

All that said, I still loved the show. It’s not a perfect drama, but it is perfect entertainment for me. I was thinking about Spirealm daily, wanting to watch the next episode. I skipped some precious hours of sleep for “just one more episode” and spammed friends with reactions and opinions. I’m planning to binge rewatch it soon, maybe even start right away. Once I was in and watched that one episode, there was no going back.

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Lesson on maladaptive coping mechanisms.

I don’t think I've ever watched a drama where all the main characters needed therapy more than these three. Pathological avoidance, codependency, constant need for external validation, running away from the pain and sadness - building it up inside you until it reaches breaking point. "It's just tolerance, not acceptance" - delivered in the drama in context of sexuality, but it also quite well described the way the characters were dealing with loss. Tolerating the existence of the tragic past, not fully accepting what really happened. Escaping from anything that might force them to face reality.

Daddy issues, yes - you read it well. Surprisingly, no matter how strange the relationship might have felt, I could not stop myself from being pulled in and wishing it would have a happy ending. It seemed like the only way out of hell for both In and Wang (the mom can stay in hell as far as I know).

Many people told me this drama feels more like a play, and I have to agree. Not beating around the bush - I’m not much of a theater fan. Everything is amplified and exaggerated on stage, there is not much space for subtlety as it has to reach each and every audience member. 180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us somehow managed to keep the unique feel of plays while also being more detailed and approachable about it, making me fall for the charm it possesses.

All that said, I cannot say watching this drama was an enjoyable experience - it’s not a fluff romance you can relax to after work. All the characters are painfully frustrating, but observing their actions, witnessing their regret, being pierced by the hurtful things they say and buried under even more painful silence and unspoken truth… Felt like a solid dose of life lessons. What kind of person do you want to be? One that cannot face their own guilt? One that runs away from what’s important to them, cosplaying it as self-sacrifice? Or one that stays true to themselves, fighting for what feels right, while still trying not to hurt people around them?

For the acting - loved it for the majority of the show. Pond did an amazing job bringing Wang to life - I want to adopt and protect that character with all my heart. The skillful way he was able to present both youthful stubbornness, but also maturity that comes from pain he had to go through. Mam also impressed me, especially in more emotional scenes. While I did like Nike as In, and for most part I had no issue with his performance, there were moments of his line delivery that felt quite robotic, especially when compared to his co-actors.

The production and directing? Loved it. One of the aspects I appreciated the most was how some scenes played a bit longer, truly making it possible for all the emotions to settle in and have a bigger impact. The drama was both choking you with feelings and letting you breathe and take the moment for what it was, without distracting you, skipping right away to the next scene.

Overall, what a surprisingly interesting and intense watch. I feel like a lot of scenes could be dissected and have an essay written about their meaning - they just invite you to make your own judgments, reflect on the characters, their choices and how you might react in a similar situation.

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The ultimate sweet romance.

You think you saw unproblematic, cute, heartwarming and wholesome dramas? Let me tell you, none comes even close to Hidden Love. It’s an ultimate sweet romance.

Easily the best aspect of the show was how natural and real everything felt, and I’m not talking about just the romance. The relationship between the siblings? Exactly how it usually looks like in real life. The friendships? Hilarious and relatable - both for guys and the girls. How people act when they are drunk, sick, sad, happy, shy, excited - both the way it was written and then performed was just… natural, and that’s the best compliment a drama can get.

Still, the highlight, the core, the true beauty of Hidden Love was the blooming romance between Sang Zhi and Duan Jia Xiu. What started as a teen crush, turned into one of the most healthy and balanced relationships I have seen in any drama ever. Getting into the show I was afraid how they would handle the age gap. 5 years is not much, but it is not little considering the age Sang Zhi was. The writer did not disappoint.

What I loved the most about the relationship was the fact I could see true partnership between the leads. It was not an older guy just taking care of a younger girl sacrificing everything for her happiness. They also did not make Sang Zhi this unrealistically mature, 20 acting 30. They became each other's emotional support, they handled issues in a mature way while still believably presenting characters in their early and mid twenties. They also delivered some good kissing scenes, no fishes to be found on set ;)

And you know what’s great? The leads were amazing as a couple, but they were also great as their own individuals! While there were moments I found Sang Zhi’s behavior too sweet for my taste, it’s simply impossible not to love her. She was emotionally strong, empathic, driven and supportive. Then we have Duan Jia Xu - honestly too good to be real, and that makes me feel depressed. Good natured, patient, protective. But I also appreciated his own arc and the depiction of the loneliness he was facing.

What’s more to love? The sibling dynamics between Sang Zhi and Sang Yan. I’ve got both comedic and touching scenes. Yes, they might have fought a lot, but they also cared for each other deeply. And honestly? The bickering scenes between them were some of my favorite moments in the drama.

One thing that caught my attention production wise were the outfits picked for the characters. Not only did I love the slight couple matches Sang Zhi and Duan Jia Xu were wearing (even before they became a couple, their colors always matched), I also literally wanted to steal the whole wardrobe from Sang Zhi.

The acting from the whole case was so good it got me jealous watching. Jelly for the romance, the friendship, the family dynamics. It all seemed so real and so wholesome. I knew Chen Zhe Yuan is a good actor after watching Our Secret, but he was so much better in Hidden Love (even though I did not think it’s possible). Zhao Lu Si's little mannerism added to the realism of the character she was portraying and I could not stop smiling while watching her performance.

Anything I did not enjoy? Not that into the “debtor” story, or rather the closure it got. With how serious it was introduced, I expected something more to happen for it to end. I was also completely not interested in a love story of one of Sang Zhi’s roommates.

Overall, for modern romance fans, this is a golden standard. I’m extremely pleased I’m ending 2023 with this drama. Nothing better than entering the new year with a new found crippling loneliness after seeing the most perfect couple in dramas history.

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Over the top, on crack and hyperbolic, but somehow extremely relatable.

I’m not going to lie, semi-pro alcoholism is not exactly my cup of tea, but somehow, I did not mind it here. It might be the fact that realism went out of the window with the sea of alcohol they were drinking - it was both scary and impressive. I don't think I've drunk as much alcohol in the last 10 years of my life, as they drink in a week.

It’s all about these eccentric ladies and their daily struggles as they hit their 30s. Each of the 3 ladies presents a truly unique perspective and approach to life. At times, you might even question how they became such close friends, since the differences are so obvious. That’s one of the best parts of the show - watching them understand each others’ ideas, goals, views and opinions and accepting them.

The comedy is good, well placed, fitting the situation and built on characters' personalities and relations. It’s not all fun comedy though. Each of the female leads have to deal with either past or present traumas and problems, which adds a layer of depth I did not expect when I started the show. These stories also serve as a great social commentary about several issues. All the tears, all the used tissues.

It’s a drama that finds a perfect balance between friendship, work, party and romance. The writer and director knew exactly how much screen time each of these aspects needed to feel like a cohesive picture with no underdeveloped plotlines.

The cast did an amazing job with the characters they played. Were they slightly type-casted based on the real life personalities of the actors? Yes. Being a fan of A Pink, Secret and Super Junior in the past, I can clearly see some similarities between the characters and people who played them.

Overall, I just loved it so much. Being more or less the same age as the main characters, I could not stop myself from relating to a lot of situations they had to deal with, feeling nostalgic about their past, that often was similar to my past experiences. It’s not a perfect show, but for me it was. There was truly nothing that bothered me or I would change.

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