A Renascence in All Ways.

The Liar Game returns after a two year hiatus, completely invigorated with power and deviousness. This series might be one of the few sequels out there that outshined its predecessor.

☆ Kanzaki Nao-chan and Akiyama-kun are pitted along with Fukunaga (AKA the Mushroom from S1) two years after their last match. However, this time, they are headed for the semi-finals. The games in the second season are unflinchingly deceitful. While the players of the S1 were pulled into the labyrinthine game against their will and with no choice left, the players in this one are clearly worthy of the arena. Not only are they experienced with the workings of the game; none of them are completely unintelligent. The stakes are much higher and the opponents far more stronger. I felt incredibly like an imbecile while watching the games unfold. All of them appeared facile, but once they begin, they are a far cry from what the players were promised. The psychological play on human minds was boggling to watch. It was a battle of brains that was absolutely nerve-wracking and thrilling.
(As an added bonus, I inadvertently got to know the rules of all the games mentioned in Poker Face by Lady Gaga.)

☆ While the Nao-chan in season one was forced to become enlightened about the depth of human greed and deception, this season is where she actually proves her worth. She maintains the same personality as in season one, but it's evident that she has actually grasped the concept of the Liar Game. Still dubbed as "stupidly honest", I suddenly realized why she was an integral part of the game.
Akiyama Shinichi is still the prime mover, but he is forced to face opponents who are as skilled as he was at his craft. He is as eccentric and enigmatic as he was in the past, but we see different facets of his that we hadn't seen before.

☆ The production style is definitely outdated, but the comically dramatic laughter of the 'villain' was more sporadic than the first season, which is definitely an improvement. I also found the OSTs to be absolutely fitting for such a thrilling drama. I loved both the Capsule songs used: Sugarless Girl and Love or Lies.

☆ The first season was tamer and provided the perfect basement for the second to be built upon. I admire the writer for managing to maintain the mysterious aspect of the show and deepening the purpose behind the ridiculous game of deception. For once, I didn't find them to be desultory, but witty and intelligent. It was a true test of human nature. This aspect is given much more focus in S2, which is undoubtedly more explosive than the first.

I can see why fans of such psychological gaming shows find this absolutely unforgettable and riveting. It left me pondering about how the game represents the real world and how vacillating humans have become due to their guile. I couldn't dislike Nao-chan. Someone like her was not meant for a game like this, but she is ultimately the player who breaks all rules.

Japan adds their own flavor in all the dramas I've seen and they did their magic with this one as well. Definitely one of the few series that got me scratching my head out of sheer confusion, but kept me glued to the screen to know the outcome.

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A Bittersweet Twist.

Slice of life genres are rarely everyone's cup of tea. The realistic portrayal of life and relatable characters are what makes one fall in love with them. When dramas like Go Ahead peaked back in 2020, no one paid much attention to silly kids' genres dramas such as I Don't Want To Be Friends With You. MangoTV never bothered to subtitle it and it wasn't until six months later that Kukan Drama Channel decided to pick it up. And then the magic began...
-- The Plot:
Li Jin Bu, a 17 year old who is sick of her single mother's neglectful and careless antics decides to stay overnight at a Public Bathhouse as a sign of her displeasure and finds herself transported 20 years back to her mother's cold North Eastern hometown. Lost and confused, she has no choice but to track down the last person she had wanted to see: Li Qing Tong, her mother... who is completely unaware of who she is. Cooking up lies and jumping through hoops, guided by a mysterious man, Jin Bu takes it upon herself to change her mother once and for all.
--- The Duo:
Li Jin Bu is no angel. She is lonely, stoic and often ruthless with her words. She is perhaps, one of the most realest characters I've seen in a High school drama to date. Her mother, Li Qing Tong is not a bright one either. Slightly dumb with low IQ and high EQ, she tries her best and doing things the right way. As time goes, Jin Bu starts to grow up along with her mother and gets to know her from a different angle. The show explored the depth of their relationship perfectly. They go from mother-daughter to realizing that they are each others' best friends.
--- The Brotherhood:
Honestly, Chen Jun He, Duan Xiao and Ba Dan were characters that made me laugh and cry at the same time. Particularly Chen Jun He. His antics with his friends, his family and Qing Tong were the highlights of the show.
-- Romance:
I rarely ship ships. But, I'd die for Jin Bu and Duan Xiao. Subtle romance without words are my top weaknesses and this couple managed to hit all the feels the right way. Jin Bu never confessed outright to Xiao. And I understand why. But, she always put forward what he wants and tried to be her very best to him. Her sincerity and his trust were beyond heartwarming. Their every moment together was like a piece of treasure.
-- Overall:
I have no words to describe how much this drama means to me. It was in no way a perfect production, but it made me lose interest in other dramas for two months straight. The characters, the lessons, the sweet memories that it left for me can never be put down in words. But, I sincerely implore you to give this little gem a try. :)

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A Slow Descent Down the Hill.

First: if you are looking for the 'thrill' and anticipation that one experiences while watching Signal (2016), Beyond Evil, Mouse (both 2021) or Flower of Evil, this drama isn't for you. I will suggest this drama to anyone who is looking for a unique story of two brothers. The murder and psychological aspects all come in second.

I dropped this drama precisely at the 13th episode, then watched the final episode to sate my curiosity.
The number of times I've seen it recommended alongside other thrillers is what drove me to begin this. I should've not kept prior expectations beforehand; this would've saved the rating from getting tanked.

The story had a good start that is enough to pique my curiosity. It's already established that Lee Hyun had a traumatizing experience as a child. Now, back in Korea after his stint as a Criminilogy Professor, he is drawn to certain murder cases that revive memories about his missing brother. On the other hand, Cha Ji Ahn, a cop, has stalked him for 20 years while on search of a serial killer whose last known interaction happened to be with Lee Hyun.

I don't usually go off about female leads, but Cha Ji Ahn's character and her backstory were the weakest part of the whole plot. I never really cared about her past or romance with Lee Hyun, thanks to how the writers wrote her as an almost comical and cringeworthy caricature of a cop. The main poster doesn't include her and I can see why. (Her annoying nature becomes bearable after episode 8. She was not irritable when it came to scenes of crime discussions with her team, but I skipped everything else of hers involving a casual Lee Hyun.)

I loved Lee Min's interesting game of cat and mouse. This was what kept me going throughout the whole drama. Park Bo Gum and Do Kyung Soo blew the cap off with their performances in this one. DO, Lee Joon Young's younger self, was stunning in his portrayal of a complete psychopath, but his delivery of certain lines are going to be some of the most memorable ones in dramaland. (Particularly at the end of EP1 and almost his every flashback. Another person to add to the list of Bunny Serial Killers.)

Seo In Guk has potential, but the shifting tones in his character made me feel less emotional towards him -- it went from comedy to stoic all at once. The character Lee Hyun didn't seem to get a break. The scenes of his that I enjoyed the most were all the serious ones.

I found it hilarious that Lee Hyun got everything solved instantly with the help of the Art gallery director -- I must not have watched enough to know his true identity or this is lack of paying attention from my part.

By episode 8 or 12, I knew who was who -- biggest let down as the story seemed rather bleak and uninteresting after the big reveal. (EP12 has one of my most favorite moments: the conversation between the two brothers. Both actors delivered emotional and heartfelt performaces.) I fastforwarded quite a bit after that, eventually deciding to drop the whole thing as it did not seem to have what I sought. I will not be going back to this drama anytime soon.

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A Nice Snoozefest.

There. My review's title is my 'a few word summary ' of Breeze of Love.
Honestly, the actors were excellent and had chemistry/angst, but the story did not do a good job in capturing my attention. The characters did not seem to have been fully fleshed out.
The overall set up was reminiscent of Our Dating Sim, except that this one has the college as the backdrop, but unlike ODS, I did not quite buy into their relationship.
For one, the separation and the reason was cut up and stretched far more longer than necessary. Ban Dong Wook was frustrating to watch. His side of the story remained obscure until the end. I understood that he was the introvert of the story, but hey. I couldn't quite root for him.
I loved Do Hyun, though. Atleast, his reason for being pissed off was valid.

The trouble might lie in the fact that the flashbacks were just not sufficient/placed at the wrong timing for me to catch up to them.
Their relationship was nice to watch though, so give it a try if you want something light.

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"People Crave for The Normal."

As a person who enjoys binging thriller dramas, this one is sure to have ended up in my dropped/fast forward list had I tried binging it.

The very interesting discourses and comments regarding certain characters is what drove me to begin watching this drama. Slice of life dramas are not my forté. But, seeing such intense character analysis for a seemingly sunny drama was what made me curious.

Probably one of the most well loved dramas that premiered last year, "Our Beloved Summer" is the chronicles of Choi Ung and Kook Yeon Su, two vibrantly different personalities who are forcibly put together in high school to film a documentary. The Proximity Principle proved true and it's not long before their hateful relationship morphs into love. After a disastrously earth shaking break-up, they meet five years later. Now, grown up and absorbed in their own career paths, they are unexpectedly thrown together again. But, this time, both of them are determined to change for the better…

I suck at expressing emotions in general and have a penchant for accepting characters and the story as it is presented, hence watching this was personally a purely fun experience for me.

Be warned… the slice-of-life tag doesn't lie.
The story follows the ordinary lives of both Yeon Su and Choi Ung along with one major supporting character (Kim Ji Ung).

Sticking true to the tag, it's the characters who are the soul of the story. Though it began with almost little to no emotional attachment from my side, I slowly grew attached to them by episode 14. There is not much purposeful happening with the plot, so, if you are a fan of strictly plot driven stories, this drama isn't for you.

Kook Yeon-Su can sit together with Kat from 10 Things I Hate About You and I wouldn't bat an eyelid. Studious and meticulous in every aspect, she sets vigorous boundaries and rules to who or whatever crosses her path. Including Choi Ung. She has an almost aggressive reaction to everyone, trenchant and assertive with her words… which naturally makes her one of the most unlikeable students in her school.
I found her bravado tiring. But, the writers did a good job, taking time to explain her actions and errors.

Choi Ung is far from her strict good-girl regimen. He slacks off at class, is meek like a puppy and knows more social skills than Yeon Su. He understands what he has signed up for once he begins to date her. I loved how he was not driven by goals, but rather went with what his heart wanted.

The life outside their perfect bubble has an almost domino-like effect on them. These polar opposite duos had their own ways of expressing their emotions as a result. Yeon Su was more on the *tell* side of the sphere whereas Choi Ung was on the *show* side. They each await empathic responses to unasked questions. To me, this lack of understanding and failure to express themselves was the prime reason for their break up. Now, as adults, their tables have turned. They are much more aware of their mistakes and are ready to accept the error of their ways.

40% of the drama is seen partially through the eyes of the Documentary Producer, Kim Ji Ung, Choi Ung's best friend. He was a character whose presence was pivotal in understanding the leading ones. We see a deeper side of Choi Ung through him, his own personal troubles, his support and ear for Yeon Su, the rapport with his workplace colleagues… even Ung's manager and Sol - I were important.

NJ, an idol, felt really out of place. She was not annoying… but I didn't understand why there was so much time being invested in her story, which could literally be spliced out and kept as a different special episode. Her presence did incite major changes to certain characters, but I felt that the writers failed to portray her with more depth or importance. The main reason seems to be her lack of interaction with the major characters.

It's the actors who breathed life into the chara ters. They lived them. Even the minor ones. Choi Woo Shik was mind blowing in portraying the very insoucient Choi Ung. Rather than appearing lifeless and boring, he was vibrant and unique. Kim Da Mi had less internal monologues than Choi Ung, but the process of unwrapping her various layers was smoothly portrayed.

I didn't find the drama too funny, though. There were a few slapstick comedy scenes, but there was always a serious shadow in the background for more than half of the drama.

The soundtrack was overall pleasant to listen to with "Home" and "Christmas Tree" being my favorites along with the opening theme by Kim Hwan Hee.

It's a drama that I'm sure I'll probably never rewatch. But, sometimes you stumble upon a coin on the road and check it out.
As Mr. Park said to Ji Ung, people crave for the 'ordinary'. And so do I.

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A Compact and Warm Story.

I began this one in order to get out of a drama slump and it unexpectedly became one of my favorite short KDrama! What made this attractive to me was not just the romance, but the distinct characters and the struggles that they dealt with.
-- Taekyung struggled with being a loner; Shin Woo takes time to adjust and feel comfortable with strangers; Da On is bent on making everyone happy and never knows how to say no. Namjung is a cheerful and supportive friend wheras So Hee tries to get what her heart wants.
--- The pacing of the drama was excellent. With 16 episodes spanning around 29 minutes each, they managed wrap up everything quite neatly. There were some episodes I felt that would drag on certain parts, but it never did.
--- The relationship (including a love triangle) were surprisingly not too forced. Although, I still do not know when somebody is a bad actor, everyone's performance in this was highly convincing. They played and looked the part that fit their characters' personalities.
--- I loathe love triangles with deep intensity, and almost dropped this drama. But, this was one triangle/unrequited love that I felt was well written. There was no unnecessary pushing or pulling, but just went with the flow in the right way.
--- I found the setting and cinematography pleasing to the eyes. The OST in particular, was simple, but managed to capture the essence of the drama without going overboard. I was particularly happy to hear A.C.E, a band that I'd followed since their debut. (I particular loved the song Spark. Fever by Mooz is my next favorite. And the instrumental "You".)

It was nothing too special, but it had really warm vibe that we rarely get from many dramas.

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100% Warm Fuzzies.

When I meant that it was fluffy drama, I wasn't kidding. It's like an overdose of supposedly cute and sweet events leading to our leads falling in love, but I'm sorry to say that I found the main leads' storyline absolutely boring. I can't help but feel disconnected with their characters. Especially the three main female leads. I was able to enjoy scenes of them individually or with other supporting cast. But, once they were actually together, the 'comedy' part just fell flat. What was supposed to be funny came off as cringe.
I loved Zeng Li's scenes when she was having her internal monologues or just thinking by herself.
The cast was trying their best, but some scenes looked not so natural and in character.
Don't get me wrong, this drama is not unwatchable by any means. It's aesthetically pleasing and has warm color tones that puts one's mind at ease. And it was shot in several beautiful locations that I found breathtaking. I'd suggest this to anyone looking for a candy floss drama with beautiful locations, good looking actors (who attempted to bring justice to their role) and fluffy love.

Another thing that I loved was the small lessons and thoughts that each episode had. They were really heartwarming.

If I could pick a character whom I was actually curious to watch, it was Wu Ying (and Liu Yu Cheng as an extension). Their storyline was kind of off as well, but I found it more interesting to watch. Deng Hao Ran is another character whom I absolutely adore for spilling the truth to Ma Yi Yi. To be honest, all the characters grew on me, but there was something still missing in the main leads. I don't know why, but the story is beautiful as a whole.

The OST is really, really beautiful. But, there were some instances I felt that it did not fit the ambience.

Overall, I can say it was very enjoyable. The only trouble I had was this constant disconnect with some characters that made me skip multiple scenes.
I literally kangaroo hopped through the drama.

I think it's time for me to admit that I've grown too old for dramas like these. But, this certainly could've been much better or interesting. I couldn't help feeling like they tried too hard. Yet, I would certainly ask you to give it a try. It gives you a lot of warm fuzzies.

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Wrong Turn.

When a friend told me that this drama had the worst love triangle in the history of love triangles, I was tempted to watch it. Love triangles were a trope that I despiced with a viscious intensity, and I was curious to know why this one was labelled as the worst. Oh boy... nothing. Nothing could have prepared me for the terrible experience.
This is not a drama - this is a weapon of mass destruction. If there was any piece of entertainment that I coule choke to death, it would be this. I decided to write this review after going through my old posts about this drama and realized that my throat still got stuck whenever I thought about it... due to pure rage.

Yan Fei, a young businessman, is clearly unhappy and dissatisfied, both at work and in his relationship with Jimmy. When he accidentally drowns and is saved by a young boy Hai Qing, sparks fly. No amount of words can describe how much I am unable to buy their relationship. Just like the synopsis says, he gives his number to Hai Qing after sharing a steamy kiss... that did not even make sense. Flashforward a few days and Hai Qing has already lost the dude's number and is unable to call him.
Now Hai Qing... Dude is legit one of the worst brats I've ever seen in dramaland. He treated everyone around him like crap and switched personalities like those party lights that flash. I hated him in one episode, felt bad for him in the next, then hated him again. He was way beyond rude to his Grandpa. (Thank God. He passed away within the first four episodes. I'd like to think that he purposefully did it to escape the horror that was about to unfold on screen.) I pitied his future, but his horrible side managed to wipe away all my feelings for him.
I did not care about Yan Fei and Hai Qing. Even Jimmy seemed pitiable by the end of the drama. Ping Jun is the whole star of the show. He loved and cared for Hai Qing, yet he backstabbed and cheated on him without even an ounce of guilt. Yes, it is cheating. Hai Qing and Yan Fei's relationship had no build up. I don't think that one kiss can sweep you off your feet so much that your brain blew off to mars. They acted like some fated couple. I can believe that since they both are horrible in their own special way. Even Jimmy might have been crap, but so was Yan Fei to him. And Hai Qing needs some really good glasses. And a kilogram of common sense.
Ping Jun and Pinky saved the show. I didn't care about Yan Fei. I wanted to call the police whenever he showed up between Hai Qing and Ping Jun.
I don't know what the writer was trying to convey. Was he/she telling an intense love story? Was it about cheating? I frankly don't understand half the reviews praising this for its raw portrayal of real relationships. If this was how the human heart was... God Help me. I never want to fall in love.
The series did not shy away from kisses and steam. But, I did not care about anyone except Ping Jun. I wanted to snatch him away whenever he came on screen.
1.5 stars is too low. This one seems to have managed to attain all the stars ranging from 1 - 10. But, I intensely disliked the people whom I'm supposed to feel something for. And no way am I ever gonna watch this drama again.

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A Monster Calls.

The only Godzilla movie I have watched is that 1998 which, I would later learn, was universally panned by critics. So, this is my second Godzilla movie. (Or rather the first one from Japan.)
What I liked about this is not the monster or the CGI, which without saying, was stunning enough to land an Oscar.

In the backdrop of a war torn Japan, a kamikaze pilot, Shikishima Koichi, who, instead of going to fight a losing war, evades it by lying that his plane had mechanical troubles. The island in which he had landed for repair is soon attacked by a dinosaur like creature and when he is asked to shoot at it using his plane, he becomes frozen with fear, resulting in the death of the mechanics who worked there.
He returns home grief stricken, only to find out that his family was wiped out in the air raids. Now, slowly struggling to make ends meet, he accidentally picks up a lady, Noriko and a child whom she had rescued.
However, he is plagued with guilt and endless nightmares which hinders him from moving forward. Fate comes in the form of Godzilla, which had now become even more indestructible. Shikishima decides to set things right once and for all.

As usual, Japanese movies make simple events seem touching and this one was no exception. It dealt with grief, guilt, loss and the courage to move forward inspite of that all. Noriko, who has just lost everything as he had, had a much more positive disposition whereas Shikishima's inner monsters a him mad.
I liked the simple banter he shared with his co-workers. The movie stressed along on human feelings. All the cast members were excellent and managed to invoke the necessary emotions without overdoing it.

The Godzilla was plain scary. The way it crushed and destroyed everything on it's path was terrifying. I mean, some of the dog's barking as it approached and people screaming and fleeing is the stuff that triggers your worst nightmares. And the radioactivity thingy coming out whenever it was pissed was beautiful, yet, frightening.

All in all, I really enjoyed the experience. It's one of the few rewatch worthy movies I've seen in recent years and it's definitely worth a try.

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Second Chances.

I think it's time to admit that some types of mature romances aren't just for me. This was the case with this show.

Miyata Akihiro, a sincere and diligent editor of a business magazine by chance gets to meet his first love, Iwanaga Takashi while working on an article. However, he is still haunted by his previous experience as a teenager with the untouchable Iwanaga sensei, who had bet on their love. Now, as adults, Iwanaga once again expresses his interest in Miyata-san, who is determined not to fall for the easy-going Iwanaga-sensei again.

The characters, particularly Miyata-san is the reason I held on until the end. He was careful and cautious with his words and actions. I was never once annoyed or angered by his choices.
As for Iwanaga sensei... I have no idea about him even after the end. There was so much more to him than what was being shown, but I just couldn't feel anything for his character at all.
I enjoyed the flashbacks, but they seemed incomplete to the story, inspite of giving some glimpse into their past, particularly Miyata-san.
Both the actors nailed their roles, and the overall atmosphere of the drama was pleasant.
It seems to be one of those dramas, which I feel had a lot of potential, but somehow managed to miss me.

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Soothing and Memorable.

The trope of childhood friends falling in love is definitely out of vogue and dramas with recurring themes (often including the same scenarios) fail to impress, and rather irritate viewers instead.
Kimi Ni Wa Todokanai falls in the same league, but with that magical Japanese touch of making the simple seem the most beautiful, this has become one of my favorite dramas ever.

The seemingly quintessential, popular and well loved, yet introverted Ohara Yamato has a deep secret: he is head over heels for his less bright and extroverted childhood friend, Ashiya Kakeru.
He refrains from confessing, but when Kakeru expresses his wish for ‘having someone special’ and actively seeks company along with his friends, Yamato begins to lose control of his carefully guarded feelings.
The shift in tone of their friendship confuses Kakeru and the two best friends are forced to grapple with their emotions.

The trope might be a cliché, but I loved every single episode.
Its concise storytelling, excellent performances and chemistry from both the leading actors, coupled with adequate runtime made this a simple, yet memorable watch.

Also, the BGMs which were ridiculously spot on, aesthetics and a sprinkle of comedy, friendships and sibling relationships made this wholesome.

All in all, I will be definitely revisiting this little journey with the characters once again.

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Mindless Fluff.

‘Suspension of disbelief’ is a strong factor required to watch this drama – and once you've done it, this is quite enjoyable despite it having an absurd story.

A hotel heiress, Jin Zhi Xia, travels abroad and stumbles upon a soothing musician, Lin, whom she immediately falls for. She tells him about enjoying life as if there was no tomorrow and this is exactly what she does – throw herself into apparently a week/month old relationship which comes to and ugly end. The man in question disappears before she can find out her answers.
After an year of fruitless search, she finds him again as a completely new Fu Ze Yi, who has no memories about their encounter. What's more? He was a ruthless opponent who was attempting to buy her hotel, Aizhe, to expand his company.

The Characters:
Together with her cousin, Jin Bu Fan, and her uncle, the trio were some of the most hilarious characters I've seen in such an idol drama. Not only where they the least brightest individuals in the room, they were also comedic and innocent at the most unexpected times. [Someone commended on YT that the drama should be retitled as ‘three idiots run a hotel’, and the more I watched, the more I began to see why one would think so. Both the uncle and Zhi Xia kept making mistake after mistake, possibly because they underestimated who they were dealing with.]

EP12's hospital scene will always be memorable to me due to the sheer hilarity of the situation coupled with the neat acting. Joey Chua was really good.
Though not exactly the best, I have to give credits to the actor who played Fu Ze Yi and Lin - his eyes somehow appeared soft as Lin, and sharper as Fu Ze Yi .

Bonus points to this drama for making me look up Dissociative Identity Disorder – I've heard about it since long, but it turns out that some of the depictions, though over the top, where definitely in line with it. [Conversations with alternate identity, temporary amnesia, etc.]

All in all, a small cookie that can be eaten as a snack. Not deep, just pure entertainment.

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Depressing, but Memorable.

This drama is steeped in sepulchral undertones and it's evident that the entire message has a chance of missing its mark. It's not a 'story' per se, rather the journey of the characters in particular.

There is no mincing of words – An introverted, intelligent high-schooler, Mitsuru, loses his person, the popular Yamada Koichi in an accident, which happened right beside him. But, the ‘dead’ Koichi gets up in spite of clearly fatal injuries that should have killed him.
Mitsuru now helps his ‘living corpse’ of a friend to get back on track, but he starts to slowly realize that his presence is the only thing that keeps Koichi corporeal.

As a viewer, it's painful to watch as it is evident that Mitsuru was in self denial. He keeps trying to come up with reasons for Koichi to stick around and Koichi, knowing him, attempts his very best to keep Mitsuru happy.
In a way, Mitsuru, a usually quiet individual, speaks up and tries to get Koichi to live out his last wishes.

Mitsuru is a particularly hard character to play without appearing emotionless, so kudos to the actor for not making him seem indifferent. Koichi was much easier, but his story was sad in a way.

I watched this in January, and right now, all I can remember is Mitsuru crying. Hence, why I used the word 'memorable' fir the title.
It's depressing from start till the end. Maybe that's the pain of losing someone.
It's good for a slow watch, but I'll not suggest it to anyone who has had a difficult time getting over the death of a loved one.

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Awesome characters... on a high-speed rail.

Not going to lie, this one deserves an 8.5/10 for the first six episodes and a 5/10 for the last two episodes.
Also, it ends in the blink of an eye. It's like they mashed together clips of the whole thing, particularly the last two episodes. I don't know whether to be upset or angry. The actors were good, the premise was good and it had plenty of potential to be one of the better short dramas out there. And to an extent, it is.

This is the one time I truly wished that a drama had a longer run time. Or a second season even. (If it's an 8 episode series, it needs at least 20 minutes per episode. Or 10 episodes, if it's going to be 15 minutes each.)

So… what do I think? Take off the "BL spectacles" and view it objectively as a simple story between two childhood friends, Han Joon and Yoo Jae. However, their bond becomes uncertain when Han Joon starts to realize his feelings for Yoo Jae. Moreover, the struggles of their families puts a further strain on their lives.

The characters and the performance by the cast is what carries the whole 8 episodes. Kudos to them for managing to bring so much depth and emotions to life while being handed like… half the story?
There is so much angst in this one that I decided that the 'best friends to lovers' trope is one of the worst out there. (This one has a particularly noteworthy confession scene.) But, it gives a strange satisfaction when beautifully portrayed. It was stressful to see both Han Joon and Yoo Jae keep trying to keep their friendship alive.

I'm surprised by both the leads. Kim In Sung could really make the viewers feel 'broken'.
While Yoo Jae is getting pummeled by the majority of the viewers, I liked that guy. While Han Joon was more emotionally receptive, Yoo Jae struggled to express his emotions.
I've not looked much into the idol group SF9, but I did not realize how popular they were until Star Struck. Baek Zu Ho can definitely act.

Their chemistry was not bad at all. But, as the concept of time isn't conveyed well, it can appear off putting to many.

The characters needed time: they were not just dealing with their feelings, but also had troubles with their families. This was one part that was well paced in the first few episodes, but got thrown into the bin during the last two. Not that it was bad, but it was all too sudden. Han Joon with his mom and Yoo Jae with his parents.

Another thing? The timeline. The first four episodes took place over a span of four months. The next two focused on their college. The last two took place in about three months. (That's three months in twenty minutes, I tell you.)

On a side note, I never cared about kisses ever since I watched the Taiwanese movie Our Times (2015) and that had literally no physical interaction between the leads, but was just sweet. So, I forgive the directors because the rest of their interactions were gold.

The bad stuff is definitely the runtime which impedes a better written script. I also suspect that they cut off a few remaining bits too. Also, I'll never look at Ferrero Rocher the same way again.

Am I disappointed? Yes, badly. The slew of well plotted short dramas with a longer runtime or more episodes with a tight plot might've made viewers expect better from 'Star Struck'. I'll rate this a generous 7.5/10. Han Joon, Yoo Jae and even those smaller supporting characters are too sweet to not be given a second chance by anyone who stumbles across this review.

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Pleasant Office Drama With Lovable Characters.

This is one of those regular office romance dramas along with a lot of cuteness and stupidity thrown in the same plate. However, I immensely enjoyed this and its definitely one of the better short series out there. I'm not talking from the "BL" point of view. Rather from a regular drama objective.

When the spoilt heir of a famous company, Ho Joon, is forced to rely upon himself after causing troubles for his father, he has no options but to do as told. His stupid persistence and narcissism irks his new landlord, Seo Jae Yoon. However, Jae Yoon finds himself in a difficult situation when he finds out that the tenant whom he was trying to evict is his newly appointed Team Leader.

The runtime (more than 25 or 30 minutes for some episodes) and storyline was adequate enough to portray the emotional growth between the characters and how both of them slowly begin to understand their positives and the short comings. I was pleasantly surprised by the leading actors' performance here since in their last drama, their characters were not as voluble (particularly Kim Ji Woong, he was a delight to watch in this one).
The chemistry was natural and I particularly liked how everyone were just 'patient'. None of them were annoying or over the top. Both Ho Joon and Jae Yoon were intelligent in their own ways.
Nothing was rushed. And some scenes were genuinely comedic without trying too hard. One thing I will definitely not forget is when Ho Joon went, "How come he becomes stupid in Poongdeok Villa?" And then we have Jae Yoon skeptically ask in the next episode, "Are you a genius?"

I don't think I'll feel the same or whether I'll be able to rewatch it, but it's a satisfying watch, provided that you view it as a regular KDrama and not purposefully keep expectations.

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