Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 35

‘Close To You’ Series Review: Love in Loops and Bicycles

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Soft gazes, stolen kisses, time loops, and unexpected reunions… the 2025 Korean mini-series Close To You by GND Studio delivers four bite-sized love stories, all available to watch on YouTube.

Spanning eight episodes in total, each story unfolds across two episodes, each under 14 minutes, great for web viewers seeking quick breaks between work or chores. Also, of-course, if you’re looking for a simple, fluffy, cozy romantic show.

The first, titled Riding a Bicycle, features one of the cutest pairs in the series, offering the quintessential ‘friends to lovers’ tale. Actors Yoon-woo and Jae-hyeop play friends Do-wan and Jae-yul, who’ve just finished high-school and are looking forward to University life. The two friends spend the night and next morning together, cycling along the Han River in a tender, slow-burn setup. The actors are incredibly cute together, and it’s pretty obvious they are smitten with each other and want to be more than friends.

In fact, three out of the four stories revolve around the ‘friends to lovers’ trope. The second, Friendship Bracelet, is an offbeat tale about Si-hwan (Kim Jung-seok), who uses a time-travel bracelet to rewind a meeting with his friend Joo-chan (Park Jae-ha) he secretly loves. Each time he rewinds time, he attempts to confess his feelings in a “better” way. The time-loop adds a touch of comedy, though the chemistry between the leads is a bit lukewarm.

The third short, The Last Diary, follows Ha-min (Kim Hyeong-seo), a young man vacationing in his countryside home – only to discover he must share the space with a stranger: a charming guest who turns out to be his mother’s friend. It’s the only story where the protagonists are strangers at first, and the only one with a surprisingly poignant ending.

The final entry, Sunset Boulevard, is a workplace romance where two former university friends reunite. Kwak Geon-Hee plays Taeyoon, who joins a new work-place, only to realize his beloved Uni senior Hyunwoo (Ji Yoon-Jae) is also his colleague. The two used to be in the same film club, but when Hyunwoo pretends to not remember Taeyoon, the former reminds him of a memory that makes Hyunwoo uncomfortable, changing their dynamic completely.

While GND is a small studio, the budget constraints aren’t visible, as the creators manage to deliver well-shot, soft, and cutesy romances. The setting are limited, but that’s what adds a intimate, cozy layer to the show. Admittedly, all of them feel a bit fleeting, but the chemistry, especially in the first story, is worth watching. Yoon-woo and Jae-hyeop should totally get their own full-fledged rom-com.

Rating: 3.5 on 5. Watch ‘Close to You’ on YouTube.

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Lost in Starlight: Netflix’s First Korean Animated Film Is a Sci-Fi Romance

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“Never forget Jay, somewhere in this universe, there is someone always supporting you”

Kim Tae-Ri voices the protagonist, Nan-young, an astronaut thrilled at the chance to explore space and travel to Mars. Chosen for a Mars probe project, her journey takes a turn when she crosses paths with Jay (voiced by Hong Kyung), a musician. The two bump into each other on the street, and sparks fly instantly. But will Jay ever see Nan-young again, or will he lose her to the stars?

The animation is vibrant and colorful, reminiscent of the palette from Netflix’s 2022 animated film Entergalactic, another romantic tale, though grounded on Earth despite its cosmic name. In contrast, Lost in Starlight offers glimpses of Nan-young’s life beyond the atmosphere. As she floats through space, her heart remains tethered to Jay on Earth.

How their story unfolds, and what the Mars probe project means for Nan-young’s life, seems to be at the heart of the film. Directed by Han Ji-won, the teaser is dreamy, sparkly, and intriguing. Lost in Starlight premieres on Netflix on May 30. Watch the trailer on YouTube, it’s also embedded below.

Alienated #1 Review: Off To A Weird Start

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“Today marks the day that extraterrestrial aliens have made contact…”

Issue #1 of the 2025 comic-book series Alienated by Taki Soma, with art by John Broglia, starts off with a shocked family watching a live broadcast where a reporter announces that dead aliens are being found across the globe, while she stands right in front of one of the bodies. A pretty good opening that immediately sets up the basic premise.

The first chapter mainly focuses on how several dead aliens are scattered around the Earth, but one grandfather finds a live one in his closet, barely clinging to life. In true cinematic fashion, the grandpa, named TJ, presses the alien’s chest, giving him CPR and reviving him. Now, he and his grandchildren team up to keep the alien, whom they simply name ‘Alien’ (LOL), safe from the prying, dangerous eyes of the rest of the world.

The first issue is only 25 pages long, and that’s pretty much what happens in this opening chapter. It does end on an interesting cliffhanger, hinting that the alien knows about an impending danger to Earth. However, he’s still learning the human language with TJ and the kids, so he cannot communicate what’s going on. Although the fact that Alien is seemingly the only survivor of what could’ve been a mass escape from their home planet, humans should be worried about what comes next.

The artwork is colorful, bright, and slightly old-school, and the funniest part about Alienated is the alien’s character design, a very cliché human-like form, almost like E.T., with big beady eyes and a shriveled grey body.

Honestly, I’m not sure what to make of this comic-book series just yet. I’ll need to read a couple more issues to form a solid opinion. It’s planned as a six-part series, so let’s wait and watch.

Alienated is also on Kindle Unlimited.

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Heesu in Class 2 Review: More Like ‘Teens in Class 2’

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

‘Heesu in Class 2’ is the kind of title that makes you want to be invested in the story of the lead character, Heesu, but somehow, a whole lot of other characters keep interrupting our view of Heesu’s world — like the guy who sits behind Heesu and joins a knitting class to impress his crush. It’s a subplot that wasn’t even part of the original webtoon this Korean series has been adapted from. But okay, let’s discuss the plot first.

Directed by Park Kyung Min, the ten-episode series stars Ahn Ji Ho as Lee Heesu, the baby of his family, with three feisty older sisters constantly entangled in romantic drama. What about Heesu? Well, he’s popular at school for giving dating advice to fellow teens but has never been in a relationship himself and is stuck in unrequited love with his childhood best friend Chan Young (Cho Jun Young), a star athlete who constantly changes girlfriends. When handsome neighbor and class topper Kim Seung Won (Lee Sang Jun) starts paying a lot of attention to Heesu, a new romance brews. But can Heesu in Class 2 truly move on from Chan Young?

The series focuses on two major romantic subplots: one is Heesu’s feelings for Chan Young and his growing bond with Seung Won, while the other follows Chan Young falling in love for the first time with a student named Ji Yu (Kim Do Yeon), who turns out to be his favorite YouTube singer, Summer. Ji Yu is introduced a little later but quickly becomes central to both Chan Young’s and the viewer’s heart. Kim Do Yeon adorably emotes Ji Yu’s sunny dual personality, an ‘ice princess’ at school but a warm, goofy friend behind the scenes, Ji Yu shares strong chemistry with Seung Won too. Lee Sang Jun is charming as Seung Won, playing a nerdier, less musical counterpart to Ji Yu.

Heesu in Class 2 tries to balance both couples equally, though at times Chan Young and Ji Yu’s romance seems to dominate, mostly because it moves faster. Meanwhile, Heesu and Seung Won’s love story is a slow burn, capturing their shy struggles with confessing their feelings. Seung Won, though seemingly aloof, is hopelessly in love with Heesu and even invents a fake crush to get closer to him. Their platonic build-up has a few sweet moments but definitely deserved more screen time.

Ahn Ji Ho is adorable as Heesu, a sweet dreamer who loves stargazing and solving other people’s problems, skills honed by growing up with three outspoken sisters. Kim Han Na, Park Kyung Hye, and Jung Ye Nok play the sisters, adding comic relief through their constant bickering and love-life messes. Their chaotic dining table discussions subtly shape Heesu’s view of romance. Honestly, more scenes with the sisters would have been more enjoyable than some of the unnecessary focus on Chan Young’s tennis playing in the show.

The webtoon kept a razor-sharp focus on Heesu, with all other characters revolving around him. The live-action series, however, often pushes him to the periphery. So many major changes from the source material were made that the showrunners could have renamed the series to lower expectations about Heesu’s screen time. They should’ve taken notes from Netflix’s Heartstopper, another comic adaptation that balances multiple relationships without sidelining its leads. In Heesu in Class 2, just when a scene starts to build excitement between Heesu and Seung Won, especially in the last few episodes, the focus abruptly shifts to Chan Young and Ji Yu. The 2024 Korean series ‘Love in the Big City’ is an even better example of how the creators keep a tight focus on the primary protagonist of the show.

Cho Jun Young is very cute as Chan Young, you can see why Heesu is hopelessly smitten, but it’s still absurd how clueless he remains about Heesu’s feelings despite them spending so much time together that you’d think they were twins. In the webtoon, Chan Young is far more perceptive and aware of Heesu’s interests. Similarly, Ji Yu’s character was just a regular girl in the comic, but the show turns her into an aspiring K-pop singer, adding several trope-y angles. Ironically, for a series where music becomes important, Heesu in Class 2‘s background score and songs aren’t very memorable.

All that said, the cinematography is breezy, the cast has good chemistry, but those hoping for a faithful adaptation may leave disappointed. Overall, Heesu in Class 2 is a cutesy drama best suited for viewers looking for a light high-school romance featuring multiple protagonists, but not necessarily a deep dive into Heesu’s story.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars. Watch the series on Viki.

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Babygirl Review: Nicole Kidman’s Hot CEO Affair Is A Cold Mess

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Are women in power any different than men?

Written and directed by Halina Rejin, Babygirl follows Romy, a successful woman CEO, and her lurid affair with a young intern, which jeopardizes her family life with her husband and two daughters. We’re already used to seeing men in power chasing younger employees, so except for the gender swap, it’s not entirely a new premise. But with stars like Nicole Kidman and Antonio Banderas headlining it, there’s an added zing to the film.

I was excited to watch this, but here’s what immediately frustrated me about Babygirl – Harris Dickinson, who plays Samuel, the young intern Nicole Kidman’s Romy sleeps with, is a total dick from his very first interaction with Romy. In the first few minutes of the film, the two coincidentally meet right before he is about to start his first day as an intern at Romy’s firm. An unhinged big dog goes berserk on the streets, heading dangerously toward Romy, giving her a near panic attack, but before the dog can bite or scratch her, he is distracted by Samuel, who calms the dog down. It’s not his dog.

“How did you get the dog to calm down?”

Romy asks Samuel a few minutes after he is introduced as one of the new interns by her junior.

“I gave it a cookie.”

“Do you always carry one on you?”

“Why? Do you want one?”

WTF?

Who in their right mind talks to their CEO like that on the first day of their job, especially when you’re completely at the bottom of the pile, just an intern expected to fetch coffees? This is after he already asks her a rude question at the interns’ meeting and is practically shooed away by Romy’s assistant over his insolence.

And Romy doesn’t even say anything. She stutters like an idiot and doesn’t behave like a woman at the top of the ladder at all. You wonder if there’s some backstory – and there really isn’t. Of course, the core part of the story is about how Romy’s sex life with her theater husband Jacob (Antonio Banderas) is completely vanilla and how she craves exciting, deviant stuff in bed, including being humiliated. But unless Samuel somehow already knew about her inner desires, his first interaction with her makes no sense whatsoever, and would, in reality, get him fired on his first day. It’s not even like Samuel is made to look like salivating material on his first day, he is wearing a suit, but he looks like some homeless dude who borrowed someone else’s clothes for the day.

The problem is that Halina Rejin never lays a believable foundation for Romy and Samuel’s affair. Their dominant-submissive dynamic kicks off from their very first scene together, without any buildup, making the story feel flat and emotionally unearned. As a result, Babygirl lacks the tension and curve of highs and lows that could have made their relationship (and the film) truly gripping.

Once the sexual affair between the older CEO and intern is underway, their dynamic does become interesting, with Samuel’s hot-and-cold behavior toward Romy becoming more believable. Babygirl is filled with sexual scenes involving the leads going to seedy hotels and sweaty pubs, acting out their ‘forbidden’ desires. And while Romy gets a huge kick out of sleeping with the young, hot intern, she is also constantly anxious about being found out. A CEO sleeping with an intern is the kind of thing that gets a CEO fired after all.

Romy’s constant shift between pleasure and paranoia is one of the highlights of Babygirl, with Nicole Kidman fantastically expressing these emotions. However, toward the end of the film, Romy is handed ‘woke’ lines that make no sense for her character, who is likely in her late 40s or 50s (the age is never spelled out, but Nicole was 56 when the film came out). The 2002 film Secretary, starring James Spader and Maggie Gyllenhaal, was far grittier in its exploration of a deviant sexual relationship between a boss and an underling.

In the climactic conflict, Romy tries to blame her childhood experiences for her mistakes and even cites how therapy hasn’t helped her. But in a fitting moment, her husband calls her out for being a terrible human being using nonsensical excuses to justify an unforgivable breach of trust.

The ending is a mess but finally gives Romy a true moment of power and a convenient closing chapter. Overall, Babygirl is a film that could’ve been so much more but ultimately ends up just another steamy movie about a person in power starting an affair with a young employee and getting away with it.

Rating: 2.5 on 5 stars. Watch Babygirl on Prime Video.

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Nawab Review: This Short Film Celebrates Canine Love

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

‘Bhabhi he is such a good dog, aapko abhi tak pyaar kaise nahi hua issey?’ (Translation: How have you not fallen in love with him yet?)

Aparshakti Khurana plays Nikhil, a man who sets out on a mission to find a new home for his beloved pet dog after his wife leaves him, refusing to take the dog along, in the short film Nawab.

Written and directed by Mansi Jain, the ten-minute film opens with Nikhil having a restrained argument with his wife over their collapsing marriage. Then there’s Nawab, a beautiful black Labrador, who now faces the threat of homelessness due to his owners’ separation.

Nikhil first tries to rehome Nawab with his own sister-in-law, highlighting all of his pet’s best qualities – making you wonder how he hasn’t fallen hopelessly in love with the sweet boy himself. In desperation, Nikhil even considers leaving Nawab at a pet shelter. However, the more time he spends trying to escape his responsibilities, the more perspectives he gains about pets and what it truly means to be a pet parent.

Since Nawab is only ten minutes long, the adorable black Lab doesn’t get quite as much screen time as pet lovers might hope. However, the climactic moments are comically entertaining, and overall, this short film delivers a sweet little lesson on canine love.

Rating: 3.5 on 5. Watch ‘Nawab’ on Prime Video.

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Flowers of Evil Volume 7 Review: New School, New Friends

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

This is what we needed! A total change of scene in Flowers of Evil by Shuzo Oshimi, which follows Kasuga, a young, nerdy boy corrupted by a twisted bully at school. Volume 6 of the manga series ended with an intense cliffhanger, showing Kasuga and Nakamura stepping onto the main stage at the summer festival with a huge knife, intent on committing a drastically violent act to shock the town.

The first chapter in Flowers of Evil Volume 7 reveals the aftermath, with the teens failing in their stunt to stun the town. Kasuga’s parents, who were already at the end of their tether with his unruly antics, act on their warnings and move away. As a result, the bulk of the new volume follows Kasuga settling into a new school and living a rather ordinary life, although he clearly still misses Nakamura. Readers don’t learn her fate, at least not in these chapters.

Kasuga’s personality shift is stark. From being obsessively disruptive to match Nakamura’s disgust with all things “normal,” he reverts to being a quiet introvert. However, he isn’t a total loner and has made new friends. If there’s one unfortunate change in Kasuga, it’s the fact that he gives up reading, his once-beloved hobby, which Nakamura never cared for. But a new character, Tokiwa, a beautiful, popular girl from another class, reignites a storm inside his heart.

At this point, Kasuga and Tokiwa’s relationship isn’t romantic; they simply bond over books. But it’s evident that this strange new friendship between the “hot girl” on campus and the odd new boy is going to stir trouble. Kasuga’s friends are already suspicious, shocked, and unhappy that Tokiwa talks to him, while she won’t even cast a glance at them. Plus, she has an older boyfriend who looks like he could be trouble.

It is Charles Baudelaire’s Flowers of Evil, once Kasuga’s favorite book, that stirs up things in his life again. But where his new school life will lead him remains a mystery. The fresh setting breathes new life into the series, otherwise, as I’ve said before, Shuzo Oshimi probably should have ended it by Volume 4, because things were getting overstretched. With new characters on the scene, there are exciting plot possibilities on the horizon.

The most interesting twist in Volume 7 is the introduction of Tokiwa, who seems to be an even bigger bibliophile than Kasuga. Tokiwa also displays some arrogance and subtle manipulative traits like Nakamura, but her personality isn’t nearly as destructive. She’s friendly on the surface, has regular friends, and goes to karaoke parties – however, what’s really going on in her head is anybody’s guess. I enjoyed this volume a lot more than the last two and am genuinely looking forward to seeing where the story goes next.

Rating: 4 on 5. ‘Flowers of Evil’ is on Kindle Unlimited.

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Sirens Trailer: Sibling Rescue Mission Meets Cult Chic

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“What is this place? And why does everyone look like an easter egg?”

Devon used to be super close to her sister Simone, but things take a dark turn when she discovers her sibling has fallen dangerously under the spell of her new boss, Michaela Kell – a woman who runs a cult-like business on a posh estate. Determined to save Simone, Devon does everything she can to convince her to leave. But breaking free from a magnetic cult leader’s grip? Never easy.

Netflix has unveiled the official trailer for its upcoming thriller series Sirens, starring Julianne Moore as the enigmatic Michaela Kell. Meghann Fahy plays the fiercely determined Devon, who’s hellbent on rescuing her sister Simone, portrayed by Milly Alcock. The trailer opens with the familiar melody of Gotye’s Somebody That I Used to Know, only to reveal it’s actually Doechii’s viral track Anxiety, which cleverly samples the same tune, a sharp and timely music choice, considering the song’s massive popularity on social media right now.

The plot looks refreshingly offbeat, and Julianne Moore nails the role of the charismatic, manipulative “super boss” with ease. Meghann Fahy and Milly Alcock also showcase a fun, love-hate sibling dynamic as Devon and Simone. The platinum-haired Simone, who could’ve walked right off the set of Stepford Wives, is so far gone under Michaela’s influence that she doesn’t even flinch when offered a piece of her boss’s half-chewed gum. Ew. LOL.

So, what exactly is Michaela Kell’s deal? And will Devon save her sister from the creepy boss’ clutches? Thankfully, the trailer doesn’t give much away – leaving viewers to tune in and unravel the mystery themselves.

The series will be streaming from May 22 on Netflix.

Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing Review

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

People do not talk about it enough, but parents creating and running social media accounts for their babies and kids is problematic. And forcing kids to make content every day? That would be a serious labor law violation in a more fair world. The three-part Netflix documentary Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing exposes how “momager” (slang for “mom manager”) Tiffany Smith built a multi-million dollar empire by exploiting her preteen daughter, Piper Rockelle, along with several other children who were recruited to work for Piper’s channel.

The documentary features over half a dozen YouTube stars who used to be part of Piper’s online “squad,” but eventually quit due to the way they were mistreated and allegedly abused by Tiffany Smith. Some of them were only 11 or 12 years old when they started working for her—including Tiffany’s own niece. Nearly everyone has been talking about the Netflix series Adolescence, which is inspired by real events, but it’s Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing that deserves more attention, as it gives voice to real kids whose lives were shaped by social media, and not in a good way.

From being forced to work 16 or more hours a day to having their “first kiss” staged for views, the kids reveal several disturbing experiences they underwent while working under Tiffany. There are numerous audio and even video recordings that demonstrate Tiffany was far from the ideal “momager.” At first, I didn’t want to watch beyond the first fifteen minutes of the documentary, because you get a clear idea early on of how these kids were exploited on their path to online fame. But it’s an important eye-opener for anyone who still thinks children making content on social media is all smiles, games, and fun. It’s not.

Episode three of Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing focuses on the lawsuit filed by eleven former members of Piper Rockelle’s “squad” against her mother, Tiffany Smith, alleging several serious forms of misconduct. After leaving the squad, these kids reportedly faced intense backlash from Tiffany, including online trolling and interference with their income streams. The lawsuit even prompted an FBI investigation, though no significant action was taken. If there’s one thing the kids remain united on, it’s their support for Piper – whom many of their mothers describe as Tiffany’s first victim, manipulated and exploited by her own parent.

“Kidfluencing,” as the documentary calls it, is a highly unregulated industry that continues to fly under the radar of lawmakers across the globe. Bad Influence thus is a chilling reminder that when parents use their children for fame and profit online, the cost is often a lost childhood. If nothing else, this documentary underscores the urgent need for clear legal protections and accountability in the world of child content creation.

Watch the docu-series on Netflix.

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Budding Crisis Issue #4 Review

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Okay… Budding Crisis is a totally random historical-fantasy fiction comic book series by MK Reed, Jonathan Hill, and Allie Drake. But at least the art is consistent, and the primary themes in each chapter still revolve around the magical Onamanthe plants. Sort of.

I wrote in the review for Issue #3 that readers simply need to move past the previous chapter and not expect a lot of connection in the next one, but I’m having a hard time doing that myself. I want to know what happened to the trio in the last chapter during their wild goose chase for the mysterious Onamanthe plants. What are Bert and Petra from Issue #2 up to? But since I was also curious about what happened to the guy who got turned into a snake in Issue #1… I finally get that answer here.

Titled The Patients, Chapter 4 of Budding Crisis follows Jonas as he struggles to find a way to turn Commander Opfic, now a healthy, bright pink snake, back into a human. The creators also introduce a new world of wrestling, with Jonas becoming friends with a wrestler who gets him access to a clinic known for healing all kinds of wounds with magic. Maybe the doctor there could turn the snake back too?

How is this series supposed to be only five issues? There better be multiple volumes coming out afterward, but given how fragmented and random the chapters are currently, it’s no wonder there isn’t a lot of buzz over Budding Crisis. Honestly, though, the art is fun, and the magical story holds a lot of promise. I just wish the creators had focused on fewer characters and delivered a sharper plot.

With only 25–30 pages in each issue, it’s going to be a near miracle if they manage to bring all the chapters together in the fifth issue, which is set to be the final chapter in the series. If they do achieve that, I’ll give the final chapter a 5 out of 5. But for now, it’s 3 stars from me.

Rating: 3 on 5. ‘Budding Crisis’ is on Kindle Unlimited.

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