Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 11

Andhera Review: Kinda Dark, Barely Scary

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

A young woman is chased by a ghost, spooked to the core, she runs in fear to her hotel, only to be consumed by ‘Andhera’, darkness personified as a malicious demonic entity in this 2025 Prime Series. And that’s the thing, the primary antagonist in this horror series is over-ambitiously abstract for the terrors to truly work. But well, it does have several watchable elements.

Created by Gaurav Desai, ‘Andhera’ follows Mumbai cop Kalpana Kadam (Priya Bapat) investigating into the disappearance of Bani Baruah (Jhanvi Rawat) over the course of eight episodes. The case leads Kalpana to doctor Prithvi (Pranay Pachauri) and brother Jay (Karanvir Malhotra), the latter claims Bani was consumed by the darkness, embarking on his own investigation with paranormal expert Rumi (Prajakta Koli) to prove that darkness has come to life.

The second episode of ‘Andhera’ introduces a new sci-fi element in the story, with Vatsal Sheth playing one of the antagonists, part of a group experimenting on people using electronic headbands. Child actor Mohit Prajapati plays Omar, a child who is kidnapped for these experiments. Surveen Chawla plays Ayesha, a professional who works at a high-end wellness retreat called Atma, where the same headbands are used on people for “therapy.” How these subplots tie into the Andhera haunting and killing people is the primary mystery of the tale. But for a supernatural horror thriller, the “scary” scenes just aren’t spooky enough, at least not for regular horror fans.

The third episode introduces a new comic-book nerd character called Jude (Kavin Dave), which appeared to be very random. Although Kavin Dave, as the nerdy, childlike Jude, brings some much-needed comic relief to ‘Andhera’. His character walks around with a lightsaber and is convinced that a comic book series could hold the key to understanding how to fight off the dark, demonic entity that’s consuming people. The visual effects in the ghostly scenes never rise above clunky, old-fashioned gimmicks that fail to scare.

I’ll give the creators credit for aiming high: they turn human fears, insecurities, and depression into a literal monster, a force that manifests physically to ruin lives. In ‘Andhera’, this darkness becomes more than just a villain, it’s depression itself, chipping away at the human spirit until all that remains is desperation and the shadow of death. Unfortunately, the execution isn’t up to mark. Mandakini Goswami who plays Bani’s mother Ushmi, is a lot creepier than the ghosts who appear in the show. She delivers a spooky performance as a grief-stricken mother suffering from strange hallucinations.

Most of the cast is very entertaining in their parts, but Karanvir Malhotra as Jay is the weakest link of the show. He plays central protagonist in ‘Andhera’, but his acting lacks conviction, is screechy and flails awkwardly in emotional moments. I kept thinking how actor Abhay Verma, who played the protagonist in horror-comedy ‘Munjya’, would’ve fit perfectly as Jay in this series.

Priya Bapat and Prajakta Koli on the other hand deliver strong performances as strong, independent young women with their own personal baggage. Priya Bapat’s Kalpana Kadam is in the closet, with unresolved guilt over a dark past. She gets a romantic sub-plot which moves too quickly and is rather contrived. Anand Ingle plays Kalpana’s junior Kanitkar, a jovial cop, who like Jude, serves some comic relief in the show. Prajakta as Rumi is a refreshing modern take on paranormal experts, who’re usually portrayed as over-the-top cuckoos. Karanavir Malhotra’s performance alongside these actors feels especially jarring.

The last few episodes of the show see cop Kalpana Kadam reluctantly team up with Jay, Rumi, and Jude to figure out how to defeat the ‘Andhera’. Of course, like any ‘good versus evil’ story, the protagonists will first have to overcome their own fears. The finale, episode eight, tips into sheer ridiculousness, dragging the story to a hollow “victory” for the protagonists, before tossing in a last-minute tease that the ‘Andhera’ is far from gone.

Watch ‘Andhera’ on Prime Video.

Read Next: The Thursday Murder Club Review (Audio Version Below)

5 Light Thrillers To Watch if You Liked ‘Thursday Murder Club’

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If you enjoyed Netflix’s ‘Thursday Murder Club’, a murder mystery that skips the dark twists and heavy gore in favor of a lighter, more playful tone, then this list is for you. Here are five more thrillers that don’t take themselves too seriously, sometimes even leaning into the silly, but above all remain highly entertaining.

All of these films are available on Netflix.

1. Murder Mystery: This is a totally silly but fun one! A globe-trotting, yacht‑based whodunit featuring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston as a mismatched married duo who after a chance flight encounter, find themselves solving a billionaire’s murder in glamorous Riviera style.

2. 7 Women and a Murder: In this Italian crime-comedy, seven women are locked in a mansion with a dead patriarch. Now they must sift through secrets, motives, and hidden agendas to uncover who killed the man of the house.

3. Knives Out: Probably a bit of ‘duh’ suggestion, but if you still haven’t seen this high-budget murder mystery that boasts a solid ensemble cast, go ahead and stream it! But we wouldn’t recommend the sequel (Glass Onion).

4. Monica O My Darling: This Indian neo-noir dark comedy is a zany, corporate murder mystery packed with plenty of twists and some good Bollywood songs. A secretary’s affair spirals into a murder plot, with plenty of retro flair, sharp dialogue, and office politics gone wild.

5. Murder Mubarak: When a trainer is murdered at Delhi’s elite club, a sharp detective (played by Pankaj Tripathi) dives into a comically twisted mystery involving the city’s ultra-rich, with some social satire on the side.

That’s a wrap on the list. Check our YouTube podcast out and subscribe to it. It’s embedded below.

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My Girlfriend Is The Man! Review: A ‘Demure’ Yoo Jung-hoo Is the Heart of Comedy

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Imagine a dude coming up to you out of the blue, claiming he is your girlfriend? What would you do? Well, in Park Yun Jae’s case, he gives the ‘dude’ a punch. And that’s how Korean romantic-comedy ‘My Girlfriend is the Man’ takes off!

Directed by Yoo Kwan Mo, the 2025 romantic comedy ‘My Girlfriend Is The Man‘ (Korean title: 내 여자친구는 상남자) is based on the webtoon ‘My Girlfriend Is a Real Man‘ by Massstar. Singer-actor Yoon San-Ha plays the primary protagonist Park Yun Jae, a university student happily dating his first love, Kim Ji-Eun (Arin). However, things take a crazy turn for the couple when the pretty Ji-Eun wakes up one day as a handsome man (played by actor Yoo Jung-hoo), with no idea how to become a woman again.

Also Read: 6 Ways ‘My Girlfriend Is the Man!’ is Different From The Webtoon

Spanning 12 episodes, ‘My Girlfriend Is The Man’ follows Ji-Eun’s chaotic, comedic journey as Ji-Hoon, the name she adopts for her unexpected male form. Naturally, her boyfriend Park Yun Jae completely freaks out, and even after accepting the bizarre transformation, he struggles with what it means for their relationship. The two agree to remain friends until Ji-Hoon turns back into Ji-Eun… but no one knows when, or if, that will ever happen. Unfortunately, this series isn’t as consistently funny as it should’ve been, failing to maximize its own comic potential. But well, it does deliver some hilarious moments.

Adding to the comedy, Ji-Eun’s writer best friend Yu-Ri (Park Joo-won) develops an awkward crush on Ji-Hoon, while her own sister Kim Ji-Hye (Choi Yoon-ra) can’t help but blush over how her sibling is suddenly taller, stronger, and undeniably hotter as a man. Luckily, Yu-Ri soon gets distracted by the charming Min Hyeon (Hur Hyun-jun), who works part-time at the cafe with Yun-Jae and is also a big fan of Yu-Ri’s books.

Singer-actor Chhu joins in episode three as Min-Ju, a lovestruck girl determined to steal Yun-Jae despite knowing he has a girlfriend. Her presence fuels Ji-Hoon’s jealousy and plenty of love-triangle chaos. Though Chhu is undeniably cute in the role, Min-Ju becomes increasingly grating and annoying as the series goes on. It would’ve been funnier if Min-Ju would’ve shifted her crush on the gorgeous Ji-Hoon, since everybody is also swooning over him in ‘My Girlfriend is the Man’, and rightfully so.

Lead actors Yoon San-Ha, Arin, and Yoo Jung-hoo shoulder their parts with aplomb. But Jung-hoo is the star of ‘My Girlfriend is the Man’, playing a woman trapped in a man’s body with grace, poise, and quiet charm. Jung-hoo’s Ji-Hoon is self-aware, and uncomfortable in a man’s body, so he makes extra effort to blend in, not stand out, or embarrass Yun-Jae, which is in line with the character’s considerate personality. San-Ha’s character Yun-Jae, on the other hand, is also quite likable; however, he can often be irritatingly spineless, especially around the flirtatious Min-Ju. Througout the show, there’s more of a platonic buddy chemistry between San-Ha and Jung-hoo, instead of chucklesome romantic tension.

Actor Park Joo-won emerges as the most entertaining supporting character in the show as Ji-Eun’s nerdy-cute BFF Yu-Ri. Her onscreen buddy chemistry with both Arin and Yoo Jung-hoo is fun to watch. Choi Yoon-ra too is delightful as Ji-Eun’s older sister Kim Ji-Hye, their sibling relationship is humorous, relatable. However, a significant sub-plot about Kim Ji-Hye being caught in a romantic love triangle with former classmate Hong Yeong-seok (Kim Jong-hoon) and the wealthy Jeong Ha (Jeon Soo-jin), was quite unnecessary.

The cinematography for ‘My Girlfriend Is The Man’ is bright, soft, and very summer-romance themed, although a significant chunk of the story takes place in the winter months. As with any Korean drama with a significant budget these days, there really isn’t much to complain about visually, it has a stunning lead cast, and even the supporting characters are mostly likable.

The climactic episodes pack in a bunch of twists, some of which are predictably formulaic, although one major revelation is quite surprising. And the show remains loyal to its “gender bender” conflict until the very end. Overall, this is a decent one-time watch, with its beautiful cast working in its favor.

If you’re looking for something beyond surface plot and visuals, try something else. The only show I can think of recommending right now is the Japanese drama ‘Kamisama no Ekohiiki’, which isn’t a gender-bender comedy but is a poignant, underrated series about a teenage boy waking up in a girl’s body, hoping to win over his boy crush.

Rating for ‘My Girlfriend Is The Man’: 6 on 10. The show is on Viki.

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Songs of Paradise Review: Saba Azad Brings ‘Noor’ to Mellow Musical

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

‘Songs of Paradise’ opens with a beautiful black-and-white scene of Saba Azad singing a Kashmiri song about inviting a beloved for a spring feast. The song is haunting, soulful, nostalgically retro and sets the tone for the rest of the tale.

Directed by Danish Renzu, ‘Songs of Paradise’ is inspired by the life of Raj Begum, the pioneering folk singer who became the first woman to perform live on Radio Kashmir, opening doors for future generations of women in the valley. In the film, Soni Razdan and Saba Azad (‘Rocket Boys’, ‘Who’s Your Gynac’) play protagonist Noor Begum at different ages, a character loosely based on the folk legend.

Soni Razdan is electric in the opening minutes of ‘Songs of Paradise’, embodying the older, seasoned Noor, a doting grandmother, yet a world-weary singer who distrusts journalists and demands uncompromising standards from her peers. Taaruk Raina plays a music scholar who persuades Noor to share her story. She recounts her journey from being Zeba Akhtar (Saba Azad), the daughter of a humble tailor who worked part-time doing chores for a famous local musician (Shishir Sharma), to becoming Noor Begum, the golden voice of Kashmir.

‘Songs of Paradise’ is a straightforward tale of Zeba’s rise from anonymity to radio star in the 1960s, a journey fraught with obstacles, the biggest being her strict, religious mother (played by the brilliant Sheeba Chaddha), who only wants Zeba to get married as soon as possible. Then, of course, there’s the classic ‘log kya kahenge’ conundrum, since at the time it was unheard of for women to sing in public in Kashmir. Interestingly, it’s the several men in her life who encourage, push, and support Zeba through her musical journey, which includes her father (played by Bashir Lone). Zain Khan Durrani plays Azaad Maqbool Shah, a poet, and eventual romantic interest for Noor.

You won’t find the fiery, frenzied energy of ‘Amar Singh Chamkila’, or the glitzy Bollywood glamour of ‘Qala’ in ‘Songs of Paradise’. Instead, there’s a steady tempo to this film, which starts to feel a little humdrum in the second half. Regardless, the lack of theatrical embellishments in the film has its own charm, it often feels like you are watching an art film from the 1980s or 90s.

Saba Azad brings an endearing vulnerability to the timid, self-doubting young Zeba, who remains consistently likable through the runtime. Zeba isn’t ambitious, fame-hungry, but possess an earnest love for music, and a natural desire to be more than just somebody’s wife. Singing on the radio offers her a way out of an otherwise stifling future. The playback singing for Saba’s character is done by Masrat Un Nisa, whose rich, resonant voice feels as though it’s been plucked from a forgotten era.

What stands out in ‘Songs of Paradise’ are the songs and the quiet evolution of its protagonist, shown through the contrast between the bashful, unconfident Zeba of her youth and the assertive, world-wise Noor brought to life by Soni Razdan. The shift is not just about age but about growth, from a young woman silenced by circumstances to a singer who knows her worth and guards her legacy with strength. Brownie points to the casting directors for choosing Saba and Soni for the roles, as they actually manage to come across as convincing versions of the same person.

The romance in the film is completely lackluster, but well, this isn’t a love story. The last 20 minutes do begin to feel tedious, but thankfully ‘Songs of Paradise’ doesn’t drag on, ending on a heart-warming tribute to Noor. If you’re in the mood for a no frills, simple, music-themed film featuring the sounds of Kashmir, check this film out.

Rating: 7 on 10. Watch ‘Songs of Paradise’ on Prime Video.

Read Next: The Thursday Murder Club Review (Audio Version Below)

The Thursday Murder Club Review: Contrived but Delightful (Bring on TMC 2!)

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram) Click here for audio version

Some might think 4 out of 5 stars is too generous for ‘The Thursday Murder Club’, but others might find it thoroughly entertaining despite its contrived and convenient twists. So… bite me. Or relax a little and dream about biting into all the delicious cakes, which get bigger cameos in the film than some of the secondary characters.

Based on the bestselling book of the same name by Richard Osman, ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ is set in a luxurious retirement society called ‘Cooper’s Chase’, where pensioners Elizabeth (Helen Mirren), Ron (Pierce Brosnan), and Ibrahim (Ben Kingsley) gather every Thursday to solve cold cases. They make new resident Joyce (Celia Imrie) a honorary member, since she is a former nurse and would bring them some much needed medical expertise. And when Tony Curran (Geoff Bell) the co-owner of ‘Cooper’s Chase’ is found murdered in his home, the club gets excited to crack an active case.

The sheer excitement with which Joyce rushes to call an emergency meeting of ‘The Thursday Murder Club’, to inform them of Tony’s murder is hilariously delightful. The gang cleverly ropes in the help of Donna de Freitas (Naomi Ackie), a new cop in town, bored of menial duties. Elizabeth and Joyce promise to get Donna on the investigating team, if she provides them with updates on the Tony Curran case in exchange. Ron and Ibrahim set in motion a comical scheme to convince DCI (Detective Chief Inspector) Chris Hudson played by Daniel Mays, to get Donna onboard his team.

Of course, like any good murder mystery, ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ offers up multiple suspects, chief among them Ian Ventham (David Tennant), the co-owner of Cooper’s Chase, who was locked in a dispute with the now dead Tony Curran over turning the retirement village into a more commercial venture. Ron’s celebrity son Jason Ritchie (Tom Ellis) and Ian’s employee Bodgan (Henry Lloyd-Hughes) seem a little suspicious too.

A significant sub-plot thus is about the fate of Cooper’s Chase, the beautiful sprawling property, that’s home to the club and many other pensioners, who absolutely love the place – it’s scenic, ornate, with all kinds of comforts, including swimming pools, art classes, and emotional support llamas (yes, those cute camel-like creatures). Still, the greatest comfort Cooper’s Chase offers isn’t the pools or classes, but the bonds and community spirit its residents share.

Helen Mirren is fantastic as the unsaid leader of the pack, always on her feet, assertive, calculative, and almost Sherlock like in her deduction skills. However, it’s Celia Imrie as newcomer Joyce who quickly became my favorite character. It might have something to do with the sumptuous cakes she is always baking or the fact that she goes to a ‘protest’ rally with coffee. I mean if I could apply to be Joyce’s best-friend, I would. Who doesn’t want a friend that’s always baking cakes and getting you coffee?!

Think of ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ as part of the new “cozy murder mystery” wave: safe, soft, fun, and maybe too polite for die-hard true-crime nutters (like me). But it’s easy on the eyes, full of charm, and if you can forgive a few wild coincidences that magically solves a decades-old cold case, it’s a pretty convincing package.

Rating: 8 on 10. Watch ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ on Netflix.

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‘Karna’s Wife’ Book Review: Info Dump Kills Potential

Rating: 1 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Between starting ‘Karna’s Wife’ by Kavita Kané and finally finishing this re-imagination of mythological hero Karna’s life through a fictional wife’s eye, I read about 12 other books. Granted, some of them were short comics, but the list also includes the entire ‘Poppy War’ trilogy by R.F Kuang, each of which is over 600 pages long, twice the length of ‘Karna’s Wife’. And that’s how disappointingly boring this novel is.

The story follows Uruvi, a princess born to King Vahusha and Queen Shubra of the fictional Pukeya Kingdom, who falls in love at first sight with Karna when she sees him at a public combat exhibition in Hastinapura, where warriors display their skills. Defying expectations, she dares to choose Karna, the Sutaputra, son of a charioteer, over the legendary archer Arjuna. For a young princess raised in the lap of luxury, the social and political implications of becoming Karna’s wife are staggering.

What Kavita Kané does is take the best of Mahabharata’s heroes, rehashes their story just as we know it, and makes it insanely mundane to read by populating the book with annoyingly long, repetitive dialogues. I love it when novels focus more on action, dialogues, and not descriptions, and even though ‘Karna’s Wife’ is heavily dialogue based, the exchanges are blandly verbose. If a good editor had edited this book, it would’ve been cut down by a 100 pages, and then surely, it would’ve been a lot more readable.

Uruvi, the central character, is first introduced as a love-struck young woman, who is slightly charming and cute in the first few pages, but quickly becomes a whiny, privileged brat as the story progresses. Her romance with Karna feels fairly generic, and their conversations are dominated by clashes over Uruvi’s disapproval of his friendship with Duryodhana. Her interactions with Karna’s first wife and mother-in-law are barely explored, surprisingly thin for a story centered on “the wife”. And even the descriptions in the book are rarely to help readers visualize the surroundings, instead, they are long info dumps about what Uruvi might be thinking. Sample the following para:

“It wasn’t really in Uruvi’s nature to look down on people, but she often caught herself thinking the royal ladies were abominably dull, without any intellectual interests that made life so fulfilling. Most were smug about their wealth and status, but capable only of mediocre thoughts. Though they were mothers, their intellectual level remained unfailingly stupid. They read nothing that was worthwhile. They liked to talk more often about themselves or the latest piece of jewellery they had got for themselves. These pitiable women were devoured by petty jealousies and obsessed by pettier rivalries. They were malicious. Cushioned by wealth and power, they were pathetic in the smallness of their minds.”

Ironically, Uruvi’s own interest rarely extends beyond her husband, despite being described as a “healer”, a skill we hardly ever see in action. Essentially, this book is about Karna’s wife bitching about everyone else, particularly the Kauravas, while simmering with jealousy over Draupadi on the suspicion that Karna harbors feelings for the Pandavas’ wife, a theme already explored in countless other reimaginings of the Mahabharata.

There’s very little originality in ‘Karna’s Wife’. The only time the storytelling shines is when the author writes about material that is already considered canon in the world of the Mahabharata. I couldn’t get myself to read beyond 3–4 pages a day, until I reached the last few chapters. The last 20 percent was gritty and exciting, and that’s because it focuses on the 18-day Kurukshetra War between the Kauravas and Pandavas, not Uruvi.

If you’re looking for modern reimaginings of epic Indian tales, I’d recommend ‘The Mahabharata: A Modern Rendering’ by Ramesh Menon, an excellent retelling of the epic war (for 18+ readers), and ‘The Palace of Illusions’ by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, which is written from Draupadi’s perspective. Both of these books were five-star reads for me.

Rating for Karna’s Wife: 1 star on 5. The book is also on Kindle Unlimited.

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‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’ Teaser Is Big on Bollywood RomCom Vibes

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“Quick intro de deta hu, mera naam hai Sunny Sanskari…”

Bhai yeh kaisa naam hai? Chalo, thik hai…!

The 50 second teaser for ‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’ opens with Varun Dhawan dressed as budget Bahubali, as he promises a ‘quick intro’, but only reveals his name. Meanwhile, Sonu Nigam’s familiar melodious voice croons the his 1999 song ‘Bijuria’ in the background. And that might be the best thing about the teaser!

The teaser doesn’t give away much clue as to what the story might be, but promises to be a wedding themed romantic comedy, packed with lots of songs, ‘heartbreakers’, and mayhem. Janhvi Kapoor plays Tulsi Kumari, while Sanya Malhotra, & Rohit Saraf play the secondary lead couple of ‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’.

Directed by Shashank Khaitan (‘Dhadak’, ‘Ajeeb Daastaans’), produced by Hiroo Yash Johar, Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta & Shashank Khaitan, one can see several glimpses of Karan Johan films in the teaser. The film is set to release on October 2.

Watch the teaser on YouTube, it’s also embedded below.

Dan Da Dan Season 2 Episode 9 Review: Epic Flashy Fights and House Repairs

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

It’s K.O. time in ‘Dan Da Dan’, with a leveled up Okarun ready to annihilate Evil Eye Yokai. Okay, well… the plan is to bring it under control and not wipe it out of existence, since Jiji wants to be the Yokai’s friend and all that. But still…!

Quick Recap of Dan Da Dan Season 2 Episode 8: Aira and Okarun take on the bizarre musical spirits haunting their school, a battle that helps Okarun find his rhythm and unlock a faster, stronger side of himself. Elsewhere, Bootuber priest Manjiro urges Granny Seiko and Jiji to exorcise Evil Eye, warning that the Yokai is far too dangerous to keep around. The episode closes with Okarun returning to Momo’s place, vowing to help Jiji protect Evil Eye, and challenging the Yokai to a fight.

Dan Da Dan Season 2 Episode 9

Titled “I Want to Rebuild the House”, this edition wastes no time diving straight into the thrilling battle between Turbo Okarun and Evil Eye. The color scheme switches to a dizzying neon red-blue-purple palette, with Dan Da Dan’s signature fight music playing in the background, while the animators deliver an epic face-off that’s over within a few minutes. All the while, kitty Turbo Granny quietly sits on Okarun’s shoulder, which is hilariously cute, since she’s usually screaming expletives at everybody.

The whole Evil Eye mess gets wrapped up not with brute force, but through some crafty scheming by Turbo Granny and Okarun. Does it make sense? Not really. Is it funny? Absolutely – and let’s be honest, no one’s watching this anime for logic anyway.

Like the title suggests, the rest of this ‘Dan Da Dan’ episode focuses on everyone helping Granny Seiko rebuild her house, which was destroyed by the Evil Eye Yokai. So even though everyone packs their bags to head back to their own homes, all the primary characters pitch in on the rebuilding effort. The chapter also delivers some funny, jealous interactions between Momo and Aira.

The last few minutes shift to some school drama, with Jiji going back to attending classes, but the threat of Evil Eye replacing him always looms, leading to a riotous school day. Rampaging demons, flashy fights, a weird new alien, heart-warming teamwork, friendly banter, romantic rivalry… there is a sprinkling of many elements in the chapter.

This was a bloody-fun episode, and the animators did a fantastic job with the ‘Evil Eye versus Turbo Okarun’ fight sequence. I wish it had been longer, but then it could’ve run the risk of becoming repetitive, so perhaps the length is perfectly timed.

Stream Dan Da Dan on Netflix or Crunchyroll.

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My Girlfriend Is The Man! Episodes 11-12 Review: Happy Ever After, Kind Of

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Arrgh, okay, for the series finale of ‘My Girlfriend Is The Man!’, the writers serve us lukewarm tea, when they could’ve given us a rollercoaster ride packed with comedic highs and emotional lows. Everything is a little mid (Gen Z slang for average) in the closing leg, except for some really cutesy cozy moments between Ji-Eun (Arin) and Ji-Hoon (Yoon San-Ha) in the opening few minutes.

Recap of ‘My Girlfriend Is The Man! Episodes 9-10’

Ji-Hoon (Yoo Jung-hoo), Yun Jae, Min-Ju, Yu-Ri (Park Joo-won), and Min Hyeon (Hur Hyun-jun) take a short trip to visit Ji-Hoon’s grandfather on a picturesque fishing island. Throughout the day, Min-Ju keeps flirting with Yun Jae and even sneaks a kiss on his cheek. Instead of lashing out, Ji-Hoon admits that he may never turn back into Ji-Eun and suggests they break up. But in a twist, that very night Ji-Hoon does transform back into Ji-Eun, who immediately stakes her claim on Yun Jae and tells Min-Ju to back the hell off. The couple spends some happy moments on cute dates, while everybody else who doesn’t know about Ji-Eun’s gender-shifting secret starts to wonder where Ji-Hoon disappeared.

Meanwhile, the love triangle between Kim Ji-Hye (Choi Yoon-ra) and Jeong Ha (Jeon Soo-jin) fizzles out when the bespectacled Hong Yeong-seok (Kim Jong-hoon) rejects them both.

Back to Episodes 11-12 of ‘My Girlfriend Is The Man!’

Episode 11 of ‘My Girlfriend is the Man!’ opens with Ji-Eun getting cornered by her rival Min-Ju (Chhu), who finally pieces together that Ji-Eun and Ji-Hoon (Yoo Jung-hoo) might actually be the same person. Min-Ju lashes out, accusing Ji-Eun and Yun Jae of making a fool of her. And how does Ji-Eun respond? With an apology. To the same Min-Ju who spent the entire series scheming to steal her boyfriend. Seriously? Our girl deserved a biting comeback, not a lame “sorry.”

The episode packs some serious drama, with Ji-Eun reverting back into Ji-Hoon and finally breaking up with Yun-Jae. But then comes an unnecessary twist: Yun-Jae’s mother discovers he’s dating Ji-Hoon and nearly has a heart attack. Aside from outing her as a homophobe, this subplot adds nothing, it’s not funny, not tragic, just out of place. Sure, it technically triggers the couple’s breakup, but the writing already had them drifting apart, especially once Min-Ju reveals that Yun-Jae has won a scholarship to study in the U.S.

Episode 12 of ‘My Girlfriend Is The Man’ is all about the post-breakup developments in the lives of the primary protagonists. While Yun-Jae is busy studying in the U.S. and avoiding the ever-flirty Min-Ju, Ji-Hoon, back home, is working hard for a writing competition and forging his career as a budding author. Writer best-friend Yu-Ri of course mentors Ji-Hoon, while secretly dating Min Hyeon. It’s kinda comedic how Yu-Ri tries to hide her romantic relationship for no reason at all. Yu-Ri and Min Hyeon’s romantic side story could’ve used more screen space than the triangle Kim Ji-Hye is entangled in.

Oh, and even though it looked like Ji-Hye’s “first love” story was over with Hong Yeong-seok, she continues to send him gifts and pursue him romantically. Even though I didn’t think this subplot was interesting, actor Choi Yoon-ra is endearing as Ji-Hye, especially when she is trying to cheer up Ji-Hoon as the elder sister. The playful sibling relationship between the sisters is a lot more fun to watch than her romantic troubles.

Anyway, after a very small time-skip, episode 12 of ‘My Girlfriend is the Man!’ serves a happy ending for the lead couple. The climactic moments are light-hearted and sweet, bringing the gender-bender chaos full circle at the café where Ji-Eun first met Yun Jae as Ji-Hoon. Although, you do feel like actor Yoo Jung-hoo, who was the standout star of this series, was robbed of a proper climactic closure.

Overall, ‘My Girlfriend Is the Man!’ is a silly, fluffy, one-time watch for K-drama fans, with a beautiful lead cast. Korean drama ‘A Good Day to be a Dog’, where the lady protagonist turns into a dog every night is another show you might enjoy, if you’re looking for silly comedic romances.

Watch ‘My Girlfriend Is The Man’ on Viki.

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‘Mononoke Chapter II – The Ashes of Rage’ Ending Explained

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The enigmatic Medicine Seller returns in ‘Mononoke’ Chapter II, once again to the ornate chambers of the Ōoku, where politics, desire, and spirits intertwine. The film shifts its lens to the power struggles among the Shōgun’s concubines, each scheming for influence and a place in the ruler’s bed.

Court Politics and Lady Fuki’s Rise

With the former head of the Ōoku dead, Botan Otomo is appointed as her successor. To curb favoritism, Botan enforces a new rule: the Shōgun’s nightly visits will rotate among the women, ensuring no one monopolizes his attention. She justifies this by claiming it will improve the chances of producing a fertile heir.

The decision enrages Lady Fuki, a proud, ambitious beauty from a humble merchant background, who had been enjoying the Shōgun’s repeated summons. Her advantage is stripped away, but fortune soon smiles on her: she becomes pregnant. If she carries a son, he could be the next heir.

But palace intrigue is merciless. Influential courtiers, fearing Fuki’s rise, pressure the Ōoku’s doctor to administer an abortive medicine to Lady Fuki.

A Mononoke Awakens

Before the plot can unfold, terror strikes. A vengeful Mononoke manifests, killing its first victims in bursts of fire. The Medicine Seller, armed with his enchanted dragon blade, begins his investigation. If you remember, he needs to know the ‘truth’ about the spirits nature to be able to subdue it.

The spirit’s fiery nature leads him to the tale of Lady Suzu, a concubine from two decades past, who is known to some as the ‘ghost of the grand chamber’. Suzu had perished in a blaze while pregnant with the Shōgun’s child. At first, the Medicine Seller suspects she was murdered to prevent her child from inheriting the crown. Both he and Lady Fuki condemn the palace’s cruel system, where women deemed “unfit” to bear heirs are forced into abortions.

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The revelation is darker still. Lady Suzu was not killed; she chose to abort her pregnancy after being warned her child would destabilize the royal family, by her own father. However, she isn’t able to live with her action. Consumed by guilt and grief, she transformed into a Mononoke, a spirit of regret, endlessly bound to the Ōoku. Her violent haunting is not mere vengeance; it is also an attempt to protect Lady Fuki from suffering the same fate.

The Medicine Seller confronts Suzu’s Mononoke, unveiling the truth behind her torment. In the process, Lady Botan’s father, the mastermind behind Fuki’s intended abortion, is also killed.

In the end, the Medicine Seller exorcises Suzu’s anguished spirit, releasing her from regret. Lady Fuki, unlike Suzu, keeps her child, breaking free from the cycle of forced loss. The Ōoku survives, scarred but changed, while the Medicine Seller departs, his duty complete until the next Mononoke stirs.

Watch the ‘Mononoke’ movies on Netflix.

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