Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 20

No Saints Nor Poets Issue #1 Review

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Thrilling Gondola races, terrifying sea monsters, flamboyant trident wielding protagonists, and a fictional world of mythical proportions, the first issue of ‘No Saints Nor Poets’ is a splash of thrills, excitement and fantasy.

Created by Iolanda Zanfardino (story), Elisa Romboli (art), and Ilaria Chiocca (colors), the story is set in a city called Serena, which was nearly wiped out by a catastrophic event known as the “Great Flood.” A towering wall divides the city, with the wealthy and powerful living in a gilded, gated district, while the rest struggle to survive in the flood-ravaged outskirts.

The opening pages introduce protagonist Flynn, a dashing, confident, mischievous con artist, racing through Serena’s waters in his gondola, hoping to make quick money in an illegal tournament. He returns home to Pierre, his work partner, a jaded former priest who prefers to earn their keep through legal means, usually by taking on transport jobs with their gondola. So when a mysterious stranger offers them a well-paying gig to deliver a package, the duo cautiously accept, only to be surprised by what they’re asked to transport.

The artwork in ‘No Saints Nor Poets’ captures the vivacious personality of Flynn with flair in his introductory scenes. Eliza Romboli’s bold, dramatic, clean strokes are perfect for high-octane storytelling, made livelier by Ilaria Chiocca’s spirited coloring through the pages.

In just 25 pages, Iolanda Zanfardino effectively establishes the playful camaraderie between Flynn and Pierre, while promising a colorful cast of characters set to appear in upcoming issues. But are they just work partners, or something more? Their flirtatious banter keeps the intrigue alive.

The climactic moments of the debut issue spotlight the stark class divisions and religious undertones of this new world, culminating in the reveal of a towering mythical deity who looks like he could give Zeus a run for his money.

Rating: 4 on 5.

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Giant Crush – Short Film Review

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‘Giant Crush’ is a cutesy, funny four-minute animated short about two mecha engineers tasked with battling a giant monster that’s tearing through their city. But before they can fight in sync, they need to sort out their tangled emotions.

Directed by Luke Lee, this student film starts off with a Godzilla-sized villain wreaking havoc, as two human protagonists gear up to pilot a giant robot and take it down. However, the male pilot is instantly love-struck upon meeting his charming co-pilot, making it hilariously difficult for him to switch into ‘fight mode’.

Featuring simple yet effective animation, and a lighthearted plot, ‘Giant Crush’ packs action, comedy, and a dash of romance into just four minutes. And the male lead’s character design might remind some of a grown-up version of Nobita Nobi from ‘Doraemon‘.

This isn’t so much a critical review as a wholehearted recommendation… because really, who’s dissecting a four-minute gem? Just go watch it on YouTube.

It’s also embedded below.

‘Good Boy’: K-Drama Summary and Ending Explained

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Korean drama ‘Good Boy’ opens with an unusual setup: Olympic medalists, including a boxer, shooter, wrestler, and fencer, are recruited into the Insung Police Department through a special government program. They’re brilliant athletes, but in the eyes of the regular police force, they’re not “real cops.” Mocked, sidelined, and given menial tasks, this group of misfits struggles to find their footing in a system riddled with bureaucracy and corruption.

Also Read: ‘Good Boy’ Series Review: Park Bo-gum Is All Punch, No Pause

Leading the charge is Yoon Dong-ju (Park Bo-gum), a gold-medalist boxer whose idealism makes him both endearing and frustrating. His colleagues include the ice-cold sharpshooter Han-na (Kim So-hyun), her ‘cool’ ex-boyfriend/fencer Jong-hyeon (Lee Sang-yi), and comic-relief team leader Ko Man-sik (Heo Sung-tae). Together, this misfit squad faces everything from drug cartels to murderous customs officers, slowly gaining respect, and making enemies along the way.

What starts out as a light-hearted buddy-cop romp gradually builds into a high-stakes thriller involving criminal empires, political cover-ups, and a massive web of systemic corruption.

The Core Conflict of ‘Good Boy’: Crime Meets Corruption

The show’s primary antagonist is Min Joo-yeong (Oh Jung-se), a high-ranking customs officer who orchestrates drug smuggling, money laundering, and targeted murders: all while maintaining a respectable public image. He’s untouchable, with connections in politics, law enforcement, and even the judiciary.

The tension escalates as Dong-ju and his team begin to uncover the full scale of Joo-yeong’s criminal empire. For Dong-ju, the mission is personal: the villain not only framed his friend Gyeong-il for murder but also had him killed in prison, staging it as a suicide after coercing a false confession.

Despite the growing stakes, ‘Good Boy’ never fully lets go of its comedic undertones. There’s bromance, romantic tension, undercover hijinks, and even the occasional slow-mo strut. Still, the emotional core remains the same: good people trying to stay good in a rotten system. Each victory comes at a steep cost, their special team is eventually disbanded, and Dong-ju’s own health begins to deteriorate due to “Punch Drunk Syndrome,” a condition linked to his boxing past.

Themes: Justice, Loyalty, and the Weight of Integrity

Beneath the flying fists and flashy stunts, ‘Good Boy’ is about perseverance. It explores how underdogs, even when cornered, can rise, sometimes literally. Dong-ju, despite his golden-boy image, is often reckless, overly trusting, and stubborn. Yet his moral compass never wavers, even when the system around him crumbles.

Friendship and loyalty play a huge role. The dynamic between Dong-ju and Jong-hyeon matures entertainingly from romantic rivalry to unshakable brotherhood. Han-na, while emotionally reserved, becomes the emotional anchor of the team, particularly in the final episodes.

The Ending, Explained (Major Spoilers)

In the latest episodes of ‘Good Boy‘, Dong-ju and his team begin to grasp the full extent of Joo-yeong’s power, he has truckloads of cash and influential people in his pocket. How did he get there? Flashbacks reveal that during his time as a government official in charge of file digitization, he discovered critical documents exposing major shipping companies’ irregularities. He weaponized this information to blackmail the wealthy, expand his influence, and outmaneuver even the crime bosses using cunning deception to rise to the top of the chain.

In episode 16, the final showdown unfolds in typical K-drama fashion: emotional, and dramatic. Joo-yeong, now cornered by both the Yakuza and the police, attempts to end his life before anyone else can bring him down. But Dong-ju intervenes, ensuring the villain faces proper justice.

Joo-yeong lands in jail, smug as ever, taunting Dong-ju that his high-level connections, including judges, will soon have him released. It’s an emotional punch to Dong-ju, who’s risked his life and career to bring this man to justice. But the athlete cop in unfazed, confident justice will be served, but in the end, it’s not the justice he had expected.

‘Good Boy’ ends on a grim note, only for the villain though. In prison, Joo-yeong is attacked by a prison official, clearly trying to murder him and perhaps pass it off as suicide. While we don’t see Joo-yeong die, it’s heavily implied that someone powerful orchestrated his murder to silence him, staging it to mirror the very tactic he used on Dong-ju’s friend Gyeong-il earlier in the series. Given the number of powerful people Joo-Yeong was blackmailing, very few would trust him to keep his mouth shut in prison. It’s karmic retribution, but it also reinforces a harsh truth: corruption runs deeper than one man. Even as Joo-yeong falls, someone else has already taken the reins of power.

The ending is bittersweet. Justice is served, but not by the book. Dong-ju wins, but at a personal cost. And Insung remains a city where power protects itself, unless someone decides to punch back harder. ‘Good Boy’ Dong-ju and his team of athletes all receive promotions and medals for their bravery and takedown of a criminal ring, ending ‘Good Boy’ on a largely happy note.

The series is available on Prime Video.

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Revenged Love Episodes 13-14 Review: Sweet Dates, Bitter Pasts

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Okay, from now on, we’re going to refer to ‘Revenged Love’ (逆爱) protagonist Wu Suo Wei (Zi Yu) as Wei Wei, since that’s how boyfriend Chi Cheng (Tian Xu Ning) calls him (earlier it was ‘dabao’) now. Everybody’s romantic lives is seeing progress in the show, and even though new trouble is never too far way, this romantic-comedy keeps the laughs coming.

Recap of Revenged Love Episodes 11-12: Wei Wei is now certain he’s fallen for Chi Cheng but struggles to come to terms with his newfound sexuality. His “master,” Dr. Jiang Xiao Shuai (Liu Xuan Cheng), schemes to trigger jealousy by falsely claiming that Chi Cheng’s first love, Wang Shuo, is back in town. Things escalate romantically as the two take their relationship to the next level, with Wei Wei even moving into his boyfriend’s new flat.

Meanwhile, Xiao Shuai’s own romance with Guo Cheng Yu (Zhan Xuan) also sees some progress, the two nearly hook up after hilariously inhaling an aphrodisiac by accident. Episode 12 of ‘Revenged Love’ ends with Wei Wei finally deciding to come clean about how he initially approached Chi Cheng to get revenge on his ex-girlfriend Yue Yue, hoping to start their relationship on honest ground.

Episodes 13-14 of ‘Revenged Love’

Titled ‘Top 10 Best Boyfriend’, Episode 13 of ‘Revenged Love‘ begins with Chi Cheng saying he has no interest in learning more about Wei Wei’s ex-girlfriend. Instead, the episode is largely an entertaining filler edition, giving the lead pair some romantic moments. So Wei Wei and Chi Cheng go on dates and indulge in cutesy couple activities like buying matching watches. The only trouble in their paradise comes when Wei Wei spends too many late nights at the office, and Cheng’s secretary tries to plant a seed of doubt in his master’s mind.

The ‘rivals to lovers’ dynamic between the leads in ‘Revenged Love‘ is comically cute, especially since Chi Cheng still has no clue he was dating Wei Wei’s ex-girlfriend. From cringing at Chi Cheng’s shameless flirtation, Wei Wei has now done a full 180, adorably enjoying and even seeking out his attention.

It’s in episode 14, titled ‘Get Rid of Your Sensitive, Inferior Past’, that the series introduces some serious drama and emotional conflict. Viewers learn why Dr. Xiao Shuai harbors such disdain for “playboys,” with flashbacks revealing a tragic history involving a manipulative older ex-boyfriend named Meng Tao (played by Birgit). Meanwhile, the infamous ex Wang Shuo (Liu Jun), the one who gifted Chi Cheng some of his beloved snake pets, is also back in town.

Those who’ve been waiting for meaningful progress in the secondary couple’s arc will enjoy these two episodes of ‘Revenged Love’, where Xiao Shuai and Guo Cheng Yu get more screen time than usual. Liu Xuan Cheng’s portrayal of Dr. Xiao Shuai is entertainingly charming, and new flashbacks add depth to a character who, until now, came across as a cheerful, playful, and dependable friend. Beneath the surface, however, lies a struggle with deep-rooted identity issues, ones he faces with quiet resilience and a sunny demeanor.

At times, the voice performance for Xuan Cheng doesn’t quite match the character’s energy, making certain scenes feel off. Just like actor Zi Yu has done his own dubbing, perhaps all the four primary actors in ‘Revenged Love’ must have done their own voices too. Although Shun Zi, who voices Tian Xu Ning’s Chi Cheng, is almost pitch-perfect in the role.

Overall, these new episodes are entertaining, with some warm Chinese New Year celebration scene, where both couples spend time together. Episode 14 of ‘Revenged Love’ ends with Wang Shuo’s unexpected return, which visibly shakes both Chi Cheng and Wei Wei. So maybe fans can discord in their love story in the next few chapters.

You can watch ‘Revenged Love’ on YouTube or Viki.

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Wall to Wall Review: Gimmicky Version of ‘Hell is Other People’

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

“Are you having a hard time?”

“Who isn’t?”

Netflix thriller ‘Wall to Wall’ is the kind of film that makes it very evident from that its protagonist is doomed. A middle-class worker, he’s crushed from all sides, spiraling deeper into debt as he falls for one capitalistic trap after another, the biggest one being his Seoul flat filled with nutcase neighbors harassing him with noise complaints. The premise sort of reminded me of the Korean webtoon “Hell is Other People”, except this one is nowhere near as entertaining or creepy.

Directed by Kim Tae-joon, Sharon S. Park, ‘Wall to Wall’ (Korean title: 84 Jegopmiteo) follows office worker Woo-seong (Kang Ha-neul), who pours all his resources to buy himself a flat in Seoul, but soon, the loan installments become bigger than what he makes in a month. As he sweats through two jobs to make ends meet, he is unable to sleep a wink due to noise seeping through the walls in his apartment. Things only take a more nightmarish turn when everybody in the building starts to blame him for noise pollution, a conflict that spirals out of control.

The opening seconds of ‘Wall to Wall’ immediately feel oppressive, kicking off with a montage of towering concrete apartments, all scarily similar, impersonal, and almost spooky. They represent the trappings of modern city life: a sea of humanity boxed together in apartments, mostly the aspirational middle class, going through the motions of work-slog-sleep-repeat. Woo-seong gives up all his savings to become a proud homeowner, but all of that elation washes away when the reality of loans becomes too heavy to bear, and he becomes what a colleague calls him: “house poor.” The film also subtly weaves in a ‘renters versus owners’ theme, highlighting how snobby homeowners look down on renters, a dynamic that will resonate with many viewers.

Well, after about the first half hour of ‘Wall to Wall’, the film becomes slightly insufferable, just like Woo-seong’s life becomes unbearably crazy. He is drowning in debt, his two jobs are soul-crushing, his neighbors are insane, and his colleague lures him into crypto trading with the promise of 800% returns based on “insider tips.” But you know in your gut nothing is probably going to work out for him. Kang Ha-neul is an excellent in his portrayal of the desperate Woo-seong, but the character is rarely likable or the sorts you’d want to cheer for.

Maybe I am not a fan of protagonists who dig their own graves, and definitely not a fan of the cliched modern trope of phone batteries dying on the one day your life depends on it. It’s not as if Woo-seong is lost in the forest, or lives with anybody who’d unplug him phone from charging and put their own phone instead. The twists feel far too contrived, annoying, and I simply wanted to give up after the first one hour of ‘Wall to Wall’. Some of the bizarre neighbor behavior is explained in the latter half of ‘Wall to Wall’, but even then, the turn of event don’t feel satisfactory. Instead, a lot of the stuff feels gimmicky.

If you are a patient viewer, stick around until the end, and you might appreciate the twists. I didn’t and this was definitely not for me. Bad movies ruin my day and after feeling like I lost precious time on this flick, I sure as hell do not feel like spending more time trying to sound critically objective in the review.

Rating: 4.5 on 10. Watch ‘Wall to Wall’ on Netflix.

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Sakamoto Days Episode 13 Review: Lu Powers Through (with Booze)

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

“Bad endings are only fun when they happen to other people”

OMG, the serial killers of ‘Sakamoto Days’ are all such drama kings and queens, it’s darkly hilarious. And as much as I enjoyed the action-packed, blood-laden episode, it also glaringly highlighted that the series could’ve been so much better with improved animation. But regardless, Episode 13 is climactic-level exciting.

Also Read: Sakamoto Days Season One Part One Review

Titled ‘Just Desserts’, the episode continues the battle between serial killer Saw and Shin at a convenience store. And while Shin might draw his newfound powers from his existing psychic abilities, Lu gains her strength from a more accessible source: alcohol! LOL! The opening of Sakamoto Days Episode 13 had me in splits, all thanks to Lu getting crazy drunk and then giving Saw the beating of his life.

As seen in Episode 12 of ‘Sakamoto Days’, the elite assassins from the ORDER are out to eliminate the death row serial killers released by Slur’s team. A parallel subplot focuses on Osaragi taking on a killer called “Dump.” Osaragi is the glum-looking assassin with the ‘Black Widow’ vibe, you know, dressed in a black gown, complete with a veil, as if she’s in mourning.

It’s easy to see why fans of Yuto Suzuki’s manga might feel let down by the anime adaptation, since the animation doesn’t quite match the intensity the action scenes deserve. But for viewers (like me) unfamiliar with the original, the story twists and quirky characters more than make up for the underwhelming visuals in ‘Sakamoto Days’. Besides, the background music this time around is a lot more energetic and engaging.

Surprisingly, main protagonist Taro Sakamoto barely appears in this episode, but with all the wild fights between the psychotic serial killers and familiar assassins, you hardly notice his absence. Overall, a totally fun edition, which ends with a sinister twist.

Watch Sakamoto Days on Netflix.

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Head Over Heels Episode 10 Review: Ghost in Love, Shaman in Trouble!

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Everybody is warning us against the ‘bad boys’ and ‘bad girls’, and here we are in Korean drama Head Over Heels, warming up to the charms of a ‘bad ghost’! The mischievous spirit Bong-Su, in protagonist Bae Gyeon-woo’s (Choo Young-woo) body, is winning over new friends with his casual, laid-back demeanor. Everybody except Seong-ah (Cho Yi-hyun) and Ji-ho (Cha Kang-yoon) is falling for the new version, unaware it’s not even human.

Quick Recap of ‘Head Over Heels’ Episode 9

Evil Yeom-hwa (Chu Ja-hyeon) begins performing a dark ritual to gain control over Bong-Su, but teen shaman Seong-ah manages to neutralize it. However, unbeknownst to Seong-ah, Gyeon-woo can now see ghosts and is edging closer to death. Still, thanks to his human talisman, he’s able to win the archery competition. Despite warnings to avoid ghosts, the episode ends with the lead pair attempting to stop a classmate from self-harm, as an ominous suicide ghost looms over him. The intervention results in Gyeon-woo drawing blood, allowing Bong-Su to fully take over his body.

Episode 10 of ‘Head Over Heels’ begins with Seong-ah realizing that Bong-su has been pretending to be Gyeon-woo. The focus of this episode is her effort to find a way to help Bong-su’s spirit cross over so that he will leave Gyeon-woo’s body unharmed. But that’s easier said than done.

Most of this episode is light-hearted in tone, with Bong-su having the time of his life pretending to be Gyeon-woo. He is excited, childlike, energetic, surprisingly friendly, and shows little interest in becoming Yeom-hwa’s evil deity. Bong-su also hilariously has a huge crush on Seong-ah and keeps clinging to her, though never in a way that’s too creepy, weird, or scary. If anything, Seong-ah is worried that everyone likes the Bong-su version of the archer way more than the real deal.

Cho Yi-hyun continues to shine as the charming teen shaman, while Choo Young-woo is a delight as the mischievous Bong-su. His dual role as the brooding human Gyeon-woo and the playful ghost who possesses him, gives Young-woo a great opportunity to showcase his range in ‘Head Over Heels’.

A parallel subplot follows Yeom-hwa doubling down on her effort to break Bong-su, even as senior shamans Dongcheon (Kim Mi-kyung) and Do-ryeong (Yoon Byung-hee) try to keep her in check. This episode also delivers lots of colorful shamanic rituals, including an intense, dangerous summoning ceremony at the creepy haunted house where all the supernatural trouble began.

With only two episodes left, this edition of ‘Head Over Heels’ is very entertaining, delivering a lot of simple, funny high-school moments between the teen characters of the show. Things however get dark, and tragic in the climactic minutes, marking a major twist in the tale, which will wreck those who have been rooting for Seong-ha’s happiness.

Watch ‘Head Over Heels’ on Prime Video.

Find the writer on Twitter and Instagram for more pop culture chatter.

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‘Good Boy’ Review: Park Bo-gum Is All Punch, No Pause

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

‘Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee’

Park Bo-Gum plays a Muhammad Ali quoting Gold Olympic winning boxer, who fights like the Punisher and heals like wolverine in the Korean-action comedy ‘Good Boy’.

Directed by Shim Na-yeon (The Good Bad Mother, Beyond Evil), the sixteen-episode series follows a group of Olympic medalists that joins the police force through a special recruitment program, only to find themselves mocked, sidelined, and stuck with bottom-rung duties. So when they get a shot at forming a special team led by Man-sik (Heo Sung-tae), it’s all about shedding blood, sweat, and tears to catch some big criminal sharks. It’s Park Bo-gum as the young, restless Yoon Dong-ju, the titular ‘Good Boy’, who is always pushing the team to take down the bad guys and clean up the corrupt city of Insung.

The show seesaws between fun, fury, and full-blown chaos, with fun first few episodes. The primary conflict revolves around the death of a customs officer in a hit-and-run case. Unfortunately for the killer, Yoon Dong-ju happens to witness the crime, so he is hellbent on nabbing those responsible. All clues point to senior customs officer Min Joo-yeong (Oh Jung-se), a seemingly ordinary government official who is, in reality, a nefarious crime boss with deep-rooted connections throughout the city’s power structures.

At its core, ‘Good Boy’ is a celebration of the underestimated, the underdogs. The athlete-cops, though exceptional in strength and spirit, are looked down upon by the rest of the Insung police force. From botched operations and comic mishaps to brutal street brawls and shocking betrayals, these underdogs earn their stripes, one busted ring at a time. The series is peppered with flashbacks to each of the primary character’s glory days as an Olympian and the cinematography is great in these scenes. Dong-ju’s boxing, Jong-hyeon’s fencing, and Han-na’s near celebrity status as the country’s best shooter are displayed with flair.

When not beating up criminals, Dong-ju is busy wooing colleague Han-na (Kim So-hyun), an ace shooter, but he faces competition from her ex-boyfriend Jong-hyeon. This love triangle is silly, sweet and offers romantic breaks in the otherwise violent laden tale. Kim So-hyun’s Han-na is a no-nonsense ace shooter with a sharp edge and a softer heart. While the romantic chemistry with Bo-gum isn’t sizzling, her character’s resolve and action sequences, especially in some of the later episodes of ‘Good Boy’, where she gets to rescue the men with her killer shooting, pack a punch.

Park Bo-gum carries the show with unmatched charisma, and emerges as the ‘Wolverine oppa’ in the show, always getting brutally beaten, but healing the next day like nothing happened. Whether he’s beaming like a golden retriever in a cop uniform or unleashing fury on the bad guys, Park Bo-gum as Dong-ju is endearing, intense, and thoroughly watchable. Lee Sang-yi as Jong-hyeon, the stoic ex-fencer, offers an entertaining foil to the cheery, sometimes childish Dong-ju. The fencer is grounded, mature, and consistently compelling. The bromance that slowly develops between them, full of respect and rivalry, ends up being one of the most fun dynamics in ‘Good Boy’.

Oh Jung-se as the villainous Min Joo-yeong is a chilling ‘bad boy’ of the series, giving this action-comedy a devious edge with his performance. Joo-yeong makes being evil seem effortless, bashing people to death like swatting flied, without flinching. His character also serves as a major source of suspense in ‘Good Boy’, making viewers wonder how does an ‘ordinary’ government employee become an unhinged, maniac crime-boss that isn’t afraid of any kind of consequences. His snide grins and sinister calm make him one of K-drama’s most memorable recent villains, even if the show doesn’t flesh out his backstory as much as it should’ve.

Lee Ho-jung plays ‘Drug Demon’, who works for Joo-yeong and is behind a new psychedelic drug simply called ‘candy’ spreading through the city’s streets. She is intriguingly wicked in the part, a lot more interesting than the perpetually ‘bored’ looking Han-na, although ‘Drug Demon’ doesn’t get enough screen time. Jeong Man-Sik plays another minor antagonist Oh Jong-gu, the former coach of Dong-ju. He is arrogant, corrupt, scheming, and one of the few characters in this action K-drama who can take on the gold-medalist boxer.

Heo Sung-tae, as team leader Man-sik, is the chaotic comic relief, though his character’s humor gets overused toward the end. Tae Won-Seok plays Jae-Hong, a former discuss player, whose part was the least entertaining and could’ve been trimmed down to give other sub-plots more space. For instance, viewers never get a clear understanding over why Han-na and Jong-hyeon break up and are made to fill up the blanks by themselves.

‘Good Boy’ starts strong but struggles with pacing in the second half. The core plot, a corrupt system being dismantled by a group of misfit heroes, is solid, and actions are served a generous dose of punches, bloodshed, car chases, and showdowns. But 16 episodes feel excessive, and the narrative begins to wobble under the weight of repetition: Dong-ju fights dozens of goons to near death, heals like Wolverine, returns for another beatdown. Rinse, repeat. Meanwhile, the evil Joo-Yeong always manages to give them the slip.

The action scenes, while exciting early on, lose their freshness. The final episodes feature long, drawn-out confrontations that echo earlier sequences, and the action choreography becomes predictable. The same can be said for the show’s emotional beats: Dong-ju’s health decline arc starts off powerful but is dragged too long, and is completely unrealistic. There’s also a tendency to over-glorify Dong-ju. Yes, he’s the titular ‘Good Boy’, but the constant halo-effect undermines the contributions of the rest of the team. Characters like Man-sik or even the brilliant Jong-hyeon often feel short-changed.

What Good Boy does get right, and keeps hammering home, is the central theme: perseverance in the face of institutional rot. The Insung police department is riddled with corruption, from commissioners to field agents, all puppeteered by Joo-yeong and his political cronies. The athlete squad, despite being mocked, isolated, and literally battered, refuses to back down. And every time they are successful in busting an illegal operation, the police commissioner (Kim Eung-soo in an amusing cameo) comically takes credit in the media for all the work, rarely giving them their due.  

The comedy mostly works, especially in the earlier episodes. Heo Sung-tae’s Man-sik is hilarious as the perpetually grumbling boss who indulges in funny antics. Even Dong-ju’s over-the-top optimism adds levity. But later, the humor feels forced, especially when juxtaposed with darker turns like brutal beatings, murders, and systemic collapse.

The final showdown between Dong-ju and Joo-yeong delivers on action and closure, albeit with some overindulgence. The constant glorification of Dong-ju and the decision to stretch tension over multiple false climaxes slightly undercut the impact. Still, the villain’s fall, the team’s vindication, and the city’s awakening to police corruption wrap the story with a satisfying full circle.

And yes, seeing Park Bo-gum flash that million-dollar smile in his cop uniform one last time? Worth it. If you’re looking for a K-drama that blends vigilante heroism, found-family feels, action-packed confrontations, and a solid redemption arc, ‘Good Boy’ makes for a fun, if uneven, binge.

Rating: 7 on 10. Watch ‘Good Boy’ on Prime Video.

Find the writer on Twitter and Instagram for more pop culture chatter.

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Head Over Heels Episode 9 Review: Ghosts and Deaths Loom!

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Oh no! Teen shaman Seong-ah (Cho Yi-hyun) has been trying so hard to protect her first love – the handsome, talented archer Bae Gyeon-woo (Choo Young-woo) – from ghosts, spirits, and trouble, but the dark world of deadly forces always finds him.

Recap of ‘Head Over Heels’ Episode 8

Despite being under the watch of senior shaman Dongcheon (Kim Mi-kyung), the evil Yeom-hwa (Chu Ja-hyeon) plots to turn the mischievous spirit Bong-su, currently possessing Gyeon-woo, into her deity. While the ‘good’ shamans worry about the spirit’s danger, Bong-su mostly comes off as a prankster. Seong-ah and Gyeon-woo’s blooming romance is complicated by Ji-ho (Cha Kang-yoon) finally convincing his feelings for Seong-ah too. Surprised, she promises to solve their love triangle after the exorcism of Bong-su from Gyeon-woo’s body. The chapter ends with Yeom-hwa doing a nefarious ritual to bind herself with Bong-su, putting Seong-ah crush in serious danger.

Episode 9 of ‘Head Over Heels’

This episode opens with Gyeon-woo realizing he can now see ghosts, a chilling sign that he’s drifting closer to becoming something supernatural, trapped between life and death. But with an archery tournament to win, he tries to carry on as normal, while Seong-ah, unaware of the full extent of his condition, does everything she can to keep him safe. Ji-ho also takes part in the competition, still peeved at the proximity between his friends.

Chu Ja-hyeon delivers a standout performance as Yeom-hwa in this episode of ‘Head Over Heels’, portraying a grieving mother turned antagonist after her seniors prevented her from reviving her deceased child through supernatural means in the past. While the emotional angle is effective, the “tragic mom turned villain” trope feels a bit recycled, especially since the series already explored similar territory with a baby ghost storyline earlier on.

The romance is thin in this chapter of ‘Head Over Heels’, although viewers do get a few cute moments between the lead pair. Most of the drama is focused on the battle of wills and shamanic powers between Yeom-hwa and the young, bright Seong-ah. The teen shaman starts falling ill, and with more evil spirits lurking around the school, her powers might not prove enough to keep things under control.

At this point, the show is beginning to feel just a teeny bit overstretched, but there are only three more episodes left to go. So hopefully the plot will have to pick up pace soon. Besides, episode 9 ends with a solid game-changing cliffhanger, a supernatural, spooky one!

Watch ‘Head Over Heels’ on Prime Video.

Find the writer on Twitter and Instagram for more pop culture chatter.

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The Village of Eight Graves Review: Wickedly Rich and Worth Every Minute

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

This is my first time reading a novel by Japanese author Seishi Yokomizo, but halfway through ‘The Village of Eight Graves‘, I was already recommending it to my mother, grandfather, basically anyone who loves a good murder mystery! I think I’ve found my next guilty pleasure author. Bye bye, Agatha Christie, the few of your books I haven’t read yet will have to wait while I devour more of Mr. Yokomizo’s work.

Translated by Bryan Karetnyk, Seishi Yokomizo’s novel is set in a mystifying rural village brimming with historical lore, tragedy, hidden treasures, multiple murders, superstitions, poisonings, and fear-mongering, a newcomer to ‘The Village of Eight Graves’ becomes the unsuspecting person of interest when an unknown serial killer goes on a murdering spree.

The village gets its name from a legend about eight samurai who, after being betrayed and murdered by the locals for their hidden treasure, cursed the land. Ever since, the remote mountain hamlet has seen periodic bloodbaths, believed to be part of the curse’s legacy. The story follows Tatsuya, a young city man who learns he’s the heir to the powerful Taijimi family, the wealthiest in the village of Eight Graves. But his return is shadowed by a string of murders, and suspicion quickly turns toward him, especially since his father was a killer too. The co-incidental visit of brilliant detective Kosuke Kindaichi helps Tatsuya solve the tragic murders before he becomes a victim of violence too.

The atmospheric world-building by Seishi Yokomizo in ‘The Village of Eight Graves’ is excellent, you’re transported to another era, a far-off land where the rural working class, solitary monks, mad murderers, and petty rumor-mongers co-exist awkwardly. The characters Tatsuya meets through his newfound identity as the Tajimi heir are all curiously interesting, starting with Miyako Mori, a beautiful and helpful young woman, and the first resident he becomes acquainted with.

His great-aunts, identical twins Koume and Kotake, eerie old women in charge of the family’s affairs and wealth, are total “weirdos,” whom Tatsuya describes as “monkeys,” though he clarifies they aren’t ugly, just small and shifty. Then there are Tatsuya’s two half-siblings, Hisaya and Haruko, both considered physically too frail to carry on the family name. He also has two first cousins, Noriko and Shuntaro, the children of his father’s brother, but the twins aren’t fond of them, choosing instead to favor the illegitimate Tatsuya. So if there’s somebody trying to frame the new man in town for murders, all those cut out from their inheritance serve as suspects in ‘The Village of Eight Graves’, well, at least those who don’t die.

Seishi Yokomizo, of course, also introduces some village politics and rivalries to add a few more suspects to the serial murders in the region, keeping readers guessing until the end. The novel is so engagingly written that halfway through the book, I was almost certain the ending wouldn’t disappoint, and well, it didn’t. Interestingly, the detective Kosuke Kindaichi doesn’t take too much space through the chapters, and some of the women characters are a lot more memorable. And that’s not a complaint at all.

Time slipped away as I read “The Village of Eight Graves”, and before I knew it, the clock struck 5:10 a.m. I finished the final page just as birds began chirping and a faint stream of sunlight filtered through my heavy curtains. Any book that keeps you up through the night and into dawn deserves a perfect score.

Rating: 5 stars on 5.

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