Reviews

Started this with many questions. Is it a fantastic movie? Will she be turning 17 after eating something or smelling something?

It began with Liang, leading a “perfect” life. She wakes up before her boyfriend to look beautiful, weighs herself to check if she's in shape, and prepares breakfast—all narrated by her, emphasizing how she’s been doing this for 3656 days. But today was different because she thought her boyfriend would propose. It was a misunderstanding, though, so in rebellion, she pulls out the snacks and starts eating while watching TV.

That's when she sees the advertisement for The Lifetime chocolate...

When she eats the chocolate, her mind reverts to her 17-year-old self. She discovers she's been in a relationship for 10 years and never painted or studied in France as she once dreamed. So, she starts doing whatever she wants for 5 hours, then returns to being 28-year-old Liang, with her best friend watching over her.

The plot was surprisingly not that bad. The dynamic between her present self and her 17-year-old self was entertaining—they bicker because they're opposites but learn to compromise and help each other. However, they can't both live: each loves a different man, one enjoys her youth and the thrill of life, while the other struggles with a 10-year relationship. One paints with passion, the other struggles to find that passion again. It's as if her 17-year-old self came to wake her up, saying, "This is not what we wanted. We are the same person. We have to change, we have to thrive. It's never too late."

Even though I guessed the ending, I couldn’t stop watching. It couldn’t have ended any other way.

So yeah! Because I enjoyed the movie, it was funny, light, and the surprise of finding Darren Wang was a treat. I’m giving it an 8.5/10.

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hmm

I just recently started this, So far I am enjoying this series, mostly because of the side characters, I find my self either smiling or laughing, not really a fan of the leads but their interactions are enjoyable to watch. I’ll probably update this review once I get deeper into the whole series, but again so far it is enjoyable to watch because of the antics, and the side characters are so interestingly funny (in a good way)

so far it’s lights so I’m not sure if there will be any serious scenes along the upcoming episodes, if you want something light, & not too heavily dramatic, I think this is a good watch, evidently I haven’t dropped it so I really find it fun and amusing.

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Emotional driven drama

The name is silly and could turn you off thinking this is some cheap melodrama. It also starts weak and the story is common, but the emotional value is skyrocketing very quickly. That's the main weapon of this k-drama. You ain't gonna watch this for a perfect production, but for the sentimental value.

Highly recommended watch when you're in the mood to receive emotions, otherwise you might get judgy and agree with other low-score reviewers. Don't waste this watch if you're mood is wrong, it's one of those you will remember forever if done at the right time, enjoy!

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Xianxia and I aren't going to be friends

I promised myself that if I can't make it through to the end, I'm crossing off Xianxia's in the future, unless Cheng Yi is involved. I only made it to the end of L&R through bias alone ? It's a genre I feel the culture clash in, really hard, and when you already have a belief system in place and notions of what a 'deity/immortal/God' is, it can be very difficult to watch a very human, politically motivated soap opera happen with divinities as the characters. And that's just the concept standing by it's self.

This follows the trend of every Xianxia, I've tried to watch before it. Visually, gorgeous. Everyone is fantastically dolled up in plastic head gear and fabulous costuming and I usually enjoy the lore. This time round there was a lot of emphasis on the elements and how that creates the true form of the Immortal and the elemental power they can wield. That's a fun idea. It also ties back to the title and the 'water and fire dont mix' mantra. Jinme is a frost flower, water, Xu Feng is a Phoenix, fire, and Run yu is a Water dragon. She is engaged to Run yu, water with water, but is supposed to fall in love with Xu Feng. The fire will burn her.

Likewise, her mother also shared a similar fate. She was a Lotus, in love with Jin Me's father, the Water deity, and had a tragic affair with the Heavenly Emperor, who is fire.

The costuming and the lore. That's what I love about the Xianxia genre. It's incredibility creative and I enjoy that. But that's where the love ends. Just like the characters, the Xianxia genre and I are different elements. I don't know which one, but we clash a lot.

This is not a case of 'go watch disney' kind of mentally. Without drama, there wouldn't be a story. That's the point of fiction, to be entertained, to be inspired, to find something within the story to hold dear to your heart as you travel through your own trials in life. But when the drama doesn't make sense or is clashing with your own outlook in life, you're not going to like the story for it has nothing to offer you.

One of my favourite characters, is the anti-hero. I like watching the underdog win. In this story, it's very clear from the start who the underdog is, so I'm going to adopt him very quickly and cheer for him, and that is our second ML, Runyu, played by the very elegant Luo Yun Xi, who I must say, I've only seen him in Till the End of the Moon, which I also dropped, and I've already got a little soft spot for him.

(I really hope he's not getting the Cheng Yi treatment and just forced to play the abused Prince all the time)

So when the plot eventually arrives around episode 8, I know that things are going to get really messy.

Our FL is our standard, so innocent but is really just the usual village idiot that these genres seem to like having. Massive LOL to her guardians, who are told she is to have a love trial and protect her from pain and they basically bubble wrap her so she has no emotional intelligence to protect her from foretold pain. The seal is meant to stop her from feeling romantic love not stop her from using her brain. She clearly has one, as she's bargaining for spiritual energy to help her friend, who sacrificed herself to save her. Understandable. She's not unfeeling, just blinded to romantic love. And she has to stay in the flower realm for 10 thousand years so that she doesn't experience her love trial. So of course that's not happening.
As the plot unravels, we see that Jinme is going to have a similar situation to her mother, only this time, has not one clue how to navigate it because she's been emotionally and spiritually suppressed by magically seals and her Guardians. Ahh, yes, the Immortal's Wisdom at play here.....huh?

Our ML is our typical self righteous, golden child who is pretty aloof at first but somehow falls in love with Jin me like he's never seen another woman before. Was it her talking about putting on weight on her chest? The feeding you kiss? Trying to eat his testicles when they first met? Was he seduced as opposed to love? A lot of sexual build up with these two, but no emotional. We as the viewer know that he's feeling something very intense. Jin me is completely oblivious but I was going with it. Let it unravel.

Back to Runyu, it is shown that he is also feeling something but the big thing for me here is that he's distant despite his affection. And it's a gentle affection, like a crush almost but he has an emotional wall up because he's engaged. I understand by ep 19 that he's clearly been neglected and abused and the Heavenly Empress is trying to find a reason to execute him because he's a threat to the throne. And I'm guessing 'her' throne, not the ML.
Why are we using the word 'deity' for a very, very human situation? I clash with this narrative.

My interpretation here is that, this promise of a wife, has been what he's held onto and has been embarrassed repeatedly that this promised wife wasn't even born yet. So when he discovers that it's the girl he's been crushing on, he is naturally over the moon that he finally won't be alone. It was a cold move the way he made sure to secure that promise but I understood it. That's not drama for dramas sake. That was a clever move. I applauded. Not even a few episodes later, in comes the ML with his manipulation because he's 'in love' and it's meant to be justified.

I know where this is going and the other low rated reviews just confirm it.

I'm going to be on Run yu's side no matter how far he falls later because I understand him. When he finally breaks, it will be him I will be crying for and not the so called 'good guys' who pushed him to that point. And this is where I realise that me and Xianxia aren't going to be friends, because here we are again. The relationship between the audience and the characters is what creates the support for a show and the emotional drive of the audience. I can't support an eternally dense FL who is that way because it's supposed to be cute and it drives the narrative. Or a ML who so far, is just determined to get what he wants. I have no other reason to feel empathic for him. I haven't been shown any, other than he's randomly obsessed with the FL for some reason. Much like his father.
Nor an Uncle who is also determined to get the ML the girl he wants. While ignoring the feelings of his other nephew simply because he said so. That's also very painful favouritism to the golden child that everyone loves. To hell with Run yu right?

I'm going to cheer for the character trying to keep his or her head above the water and for some reason, in Xianxia's that's always the so called 'Villain'. I've danced this dance before, I can already sense how the writing is going to go and I know I'm going to hate it because that's not what I'm looking for in a story.

I don't even want to say this is for a 'younger audience' even though it's a knee jerk reaction to do so because it 'feels' immature, and that's not fair to the younger generation. Life makes the person regardless of age.
The narrative is to support the main couple but all I see is sexual tension and that's not love.
I see the potential for an emotional bond with Run yu because that's where my emotional connection is. I don't care about the leads because I have no reason to and at episode 20, that's a bad sign. To know that the writing is just going to make a villain out of him, then I'm going to be a villain too and hate everyone with him, and be left disappointed with him.

Jin me's father, mother and the Wind deity is what you are looking for. That is real love, loyalty and friendship. Unless it changes later lol

Damn, this is long ?

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ALMOST GOT A STANDING OVATION

The plot is nice, intricate and somewhat logical. You might think it's not logical at all, but when you place yourself in the characters' shoes, you'll know why they at the way they did. Still, plot holes and cliches are still there.
For the acting, however, it's not good when the main character can't cry. Taehi didn't shed any real tears in the movies, thus, I can't feel him. The other actors did great on their parts.
The camera work on this series is very basic, it did its job, but didn't not stand out.
Overall, i'm impressed by how the story is planned out and organized. I would recommend every bl fan friend of mind to watch this.

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Taiwanese BLs are my favourite

Of the three, Obsessed is what gave it the higher score, as on its own I'd give it a 9. Fair warning the characters are a little toxic but the story and acting were incredible. I really fell in love with Teddy Ren and was so sad to see he didn't do anything else after this.
All three had interesting and unique stories and I'm glad I watched them, Taiwanese BLs just hit different for me.
There were a few familiar faces, particularly the guy from Beloved In House: I Do I liked his role in the first installment although until the ending I did think it was going to disappoint me.. it didn't.
For being 7 years old I think they aged well and recommend them.

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Pinky promises

I remember watching this as a drama a couple of years ago and not liking it very much: I found it messy, lacking chemistry and with low production value. Ever since then, I keep stumbling on occasional review and feeds post and they are all praising it highly. So I decided to rewatch it as a movie and to see if my original appreciation still holds!

Unfortunately it does! Even though I like this concept of red string of fate, it was nevertheless underwhelming. The motif of the red string is repeatedly used in different ways throughout the film which I found rather original: scarf, rope, pinky promise.... The characters are complete opposites: a cold debt collector and his fiery dancer debtor. Their relationship and bickering was nice, the actors were very much at ease with each other and yet still something was missing. They looked like they were not in synch while filming. The rest of the characters are just caricatures, barely sketched clichés: the cruel lady boss, the idiotic flamboyant sidekick, the mean rival (actually we never find out what happened to him after they spent so much time on him and when he left their last showdown with a cocky smirk!). And the sets? Pretty winter scenery but no heating inside: it was very cold on sets - that is very obvious!

Again, we have a korean mother who abandons her child after getting him in debt and cutting all means of communication with him. Are korean parents really this cruel? This is something that keeps repeating in k dramas so there must be a sliver of truth there. And that truth is ugly and it paints korean parents in a very bad light!

But everything considered, it is an OK single watch!

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Home is whatever makes you happier.

I feel like i have a lots of things to say and none of them will ever be enough to express how much beautiful this BL was.
The story of this show is just so damn gorgeous and during all episodes i sincerely couldn’t stop loving all of characters. Tian’s character developed is beautiful, the way he looks at “his” kids and the villagers and recognize them as his friends and family is beautiful. I love how every villager slowly opens their hearts to Tian.
Phupha’s character is such an enigma that we slowly understand as the series progresses and flows. How he shows his love and care for Tian through his eyes it’s amazing.
This BL was like the sun peaking through the clouds after the storm. Aof I hope you have a free pass for heaven or whatever happy place that’s somewhere out there. It’s my third BL wrote by you and keep surprising me. Man, I love you.
Longtae and Tian besties forever.
Here are some quotes from this BL TO MAKE YOU FCKING WATCH IT FOR GOD SAKES PLEASE DO IT:

“Where we feel safe and happy, that place is home” - Chief
“So this is the happy feeling from doing something for others” - Tian

Also Drake my sweet boy you really are everywhere, give him a main role please, he deserves it.

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Better than expected

My friend suggested Brush up Life and I will forever thank her.
It was such a nice break from pointless and predictable romance dramas out there.
The story is so unique that got me hooked from the 1st episode.
Be warned, there is 0 romance , and it mainly focuses on the bond of these school friends.
As a woman in my mid 30's it was extremely relatable and thought provoking.
Even though I did get frustrated by the main protagonists choices sometime, I understood that this is a realistic portrayal of a person that is flawed, she obviously made many mistakes. Also, coming from a different culture some of her choices to become better person were definitely ... interesting. I saw some other comments here criticising the drama for being too "western" and falling victim of western ideologies; I think this person was watching a completely different drama.

This is a beautiful depiction of Japanese society and beliefs but at the same time it contains universal truths about relationships and the meaning of life.

All the characters, even side characters were well built and were very realistic; just humans trying their best to navigate life to the best of their abilities.

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Though I did not like how the story leads to, it was overall lovely and funny!

Lovely Runner delivers a true rom-com moments and up-beat-ness which I enjoyed for the most part. The characters are likeable, very bubbly with laugh-out-loud jokes a lot of times, especially the ones involving the friends and families. It was interesting and great to see the story through different timelines without it being confusing – which is essential for a time travel drama. I loved that the couple is cute and trusting of each other. Their romantic scenes were wonderful and were shot beautifully.

Well, at some point I started losing interest. I was expecting they eventually would address Sun-Jae & Im Sol's insecurities that we saw in the beginning, but they focus on the murderer involvement. This part of the story was so uninteresting. Every time the episode is about to end, this mysterious guy appear and whatever he does gives no tension. The accident and incidents happening were repetitive so they did not make me care or anxious anymore. Overall, still a fun watch, though, it gave me motivation to look forward to Mondays!

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