Review: ‘Undercover High School’ K-drama (2025)

I read this somewhere. Hope only exists for people who believe in it. – Oh Su A.

You guys already know how much I like thrilling dramas, especially undercover missions, and when I got to know Seo Kang Joon was making a comeback, I knew I needed to watch it.

Let’s talk with the star of the show, Jeong Hae Seong. If you know about me, you know I like male leads who are smart but, at the same time, have a charming and flirty personality. I loved his character; he is such a pookie. The thing I liked was that nothing overshadowed the drama; everything was perfectly balanced. Hae Seong was disguised as a high schooler, and I liked that they showed him being a student studying and taking exams rather than totally just working and missing classes, which makes it dumb and a high risk of exposure as a student he is not attending class but roaming around. He is so beautiful, his eyes are so captivating, and he looks so good in his school uniform. His fight scenes and him being the agent were a treat to watch. I think his character was written phenomenally.

Then we have the female lead, Oh Su A. I’m not going to lie; at first, I did find her annoying until both Hae Seong (in the drama) and I (in front of the TV) pointed out how she never truly looked at what was happening but just found Hae Seong guilty. Later, I started liking her after she understood what was really happening in the school. I liked how the character was also totally out of the box. She seems very sweet but can fight really well. I think she really balanced out with Hae Seong. I liked that after recognising the problems, she truly became a good teacher and cared for her students. Her bond with her students was a treat to watch.

Another thing that attracts me to watch a drama is a good team with a hilarious sense of humour. Hae Seong’s team whenever they came on the screen I laughed clutching my stomach because they were freaking hilarious. The scenes were everything, especially when they are trying to hide their mission, and episode four belongs to them.  There were no scenes in this drama that were boring.

The plot was so good, especially how cleverly the writers added different steps in the mission but disguised them as schoolwork, which perfectly balances out the plot. Talking about the romance part, it’s nil because in the last few moments of the drama, we get to see them as a couple; before that, there is nothing official between them, nor are they focused on it. We can say they were fighting and flirting at the same time. To be honest, I never really like romance in thrilling dramas. Here as well, the romance was not foreshadowed and went in flow, which I liked. The chemistry was very chaotic and beautiful, which fitted with the vibe of the drama.

The cinematography was excellent, and the vibe was so cool and fresh that I could feel comforting vibes. The dialogues were outstanding; we thoroughly understand the perspective of teachers and students relationship.

If you want to watch something thrilling but with a chill vibe, then I highly recommend this drama.

Life isn’t fair – Jeong Hae Seong.

My Rating: 10/10

Total Episodes: 12

Genre: Action comedy, spy

Till we meet again, Be Happy, Be Grateful, and Keep Smiling – a girl who likes to write.

Pause.

Pausing is powerful, it creates space to refocus.

When it is said that having too much and not having too much time standing in the same line makes so much sense to me now. Basically, when we are busy, we want free time, but when we are on a break, we get bored, isn’t it true? In life, when we are busy, we are busy in our brains, and as adults, finding time to pause never crosses our minds, which makes us so drained of life. Taking a break is so important that we often think it’s like wasting our time, but no, because just like physical being is important, our mental state also needs a rest. Ironically, we are so busy in life that we have to think about taking a break from our routine. Obviously, it is not easy to just say, and the mind will shut down, but think about it in a way by asking yourself questions about how much you need it. Everything needs a reset, and the same goes for your mind and body. When we continue to do work in auto mode, we become tired and drained, and life starts to become more stressful than it already is. That is why pausing is very important, as it helps you enjoy your life, and you can take a deep breath peacefully. What does pause actually mean? According to me, having a big breakfast without hurrying to get back to work, taking a slow walk to a favourite cafe or bookstore, or maybe just sleeping and watching FRIENDS. Things that bring you happiness from inside that will help you rebuild your vision for life are why taking a pause is important. Remember, in life, we have to look far ahead, so taking a pause in between will help you reach it slowly but happily. Sp of you were thinking of taking a pause, but are unable to just do it, and you will thank yourself later.

The pause is a place of power. Go there often.

Till we meet again, Be Happy, Be Grateful, and Keep Smiling – a girl who likes to write

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Book Review: Mile High (Windy City Series #1) by Liz Tomforde

Okay, every single thing that I have heard about this book screams for me to not read it at all. However, I thought how bad it could be and trust me when I say it was…(no words). I never thought I could ever dislike any book the way I dislike this one. The book follows the story of Stevie, a flight attendant who gets a new job working for the most egotistical and self-righteous diva in the NHL. She meets the hockey player, Zander, who is a huge playboy and a narcissist. Both hate each other, but can’t say the same about the attraction between them.

Let’s start with the character of Stevie. Did I hate her? No, but did I love her? No. In the beginning, I thought she would be a strong character with a curvy body and bold personality, but I was so wrong. She would have been such a great female lead, but she gave in so fast, and the reason for it is that I can’t even write it here because it was so embarrassing when I read it. I wanted to see her passion and her bold personality, but I was so disappointed. I liked that the author did a great job of portraying her insecurities with her body, but there is nothing else about her that I would call interesting.

Now, let’s talk about Zander. Sigh. What a character! I disliked him the second he was introduced. He thought Stevie wanted his autograph, which was not the case and got offended. Hello??? I hate male leads who try to be over-smart and absolutely annoying for no reason. In the first half of the book, he was giving me pick-me energy (side eye). The way he talked about his previous partners, I was not having it, and then his back story came, and that made me want to bang my head against the wall because apparently, it was a PR stunt?!?!

Then the storyline, what was it? I never knew I would ever read a book with this kind of storyline. The first shocking thing was that there was no mention of hockey at all. Where is the part about competition???? I couldn’t vibe with the storyline at all. I found a lot of potholes. Also, the storyline was kind of muh! Especially the PR stunt from Zander’s agent. Their interaction felt so forced. I hated their first interaction because I felt that the author kind of forced them to interact.

Another thing is that a contemporary romance being 600 pages blows my mind because there would definitely be a third-act break-up that I despise. In this book, there was and at 28%, a lot happened so I knew it would bore me to death and then I DNFed it.

Even though I have DNFed this book, I have heard that the series gets too good, so I am definitely going to give this author and this series another chance.

Rating: …

Side Note: I just want to clarify that this is entirely my opinion; you are free to love this book, and I am free to give my opinion on this book. I would be very happy if you loved this book, but please do not take this review to heart; it is okay to have different tastes. Thank You.

Till we meet again, Be Happy, Be Grateful, and Keep Smiling – a girl who likes to write.

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Living.

You will bloom if you take the time to water yourself.

Yesterday, I visited places where I used to go when I was not in a life crisis. It is so funny to me that some places remind me of my life, where I was happy and where I was living. I remember the time when living was not hard, and I didn’t have to think about what I needed to do next. And the next moment, I wonder why I can’t be like that anymore, why it is so hard to just live in the present and the endless questions. The sudden realization has led me to denial and deep thought about how I am just surviving the life that I should be living. The realization has opened my eyes to how my life has changed so much. I used to go out and see the world beyond the four walls and now how the four walls have trapped me in them. I have just become a person who thinks about what I need to do the next day and how much pending work I have to complete. And amidst where is the part where I should be happily living and looking forward to life. The sudden realization has awakened something in me that I just can’t let go of, and I feel sorry for myself because the routine I follow is the same, with my stress level is increasing. I really want to just sometimes relax and let it be because I know with time it will happen, and everything is going to be okay. I always think about why life has to be like that, why we have to fight every single day to live the life that is given to us, and maybe I will get the answer to this question when I truly understand when I get back and start living my life again. Maybe I should stop thinking about the next moment; maybe I should start living life the same way before. And I know I can do it; it is just the pressure of my own self that is not letting me enjoy my life.

The world around you is beautiful when the world within you is peaceful.

Till we meet again, Be Happy, Be Grateful, and Keep Smiling – a girl who likes to write

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Review: ‘My ID is Gangnam Beauty’ K-drama (2018)

“The true beauty of perfume lies in the fact that it cannot be seen. Scent is a beautiful thing that can be felt even with your eyes closed. I believe this intangible beauty will be somewhat of a consolation to those who are sick of this world that focuses on outer beauty.” – Na Hye Sung.

Remember, it is a 2018 K-drama, and I watched it at that time, so I am writing this review based on that time, but I still like it. Honestly, this drama is still one of my OG dramas to rewatch. So, basically, this drama talks about a college student named Kang Mi Rae who decides to get plastic surgery because of bullying. At first, she thought it was successful, however, her plan backfired when people started treating her badly and calling her names because of her plastic surgery. Her difficulty increases when her former middle school classmate, Do Kyung Seok, joins the same university.

Let’s begin with the character of Kang Mi Rae. The girl has gone through a lot since her childhood. Looking at her, I have realized that once someone calls you names or teases you for your flaws in childhood, no matter what, the person will grow up hiding and living in tension because of it. The same was true with Kang Mi Rae; she loved to eat food, and because of that, she was a healthy child, but being teased about it, she thought something was wrong with her face. Her character is so relatable because it took such a long time for her to realize she is perfect the way she is and that society will never stop calling her names, but that doesn’t mean she is ugly. Her character development was everything.

Then we have Do Kyung Seok, and in my opinion, he is one of the underrated green flags out there. I like male leads who are attentive, and if they are cold-hearted, then they should be blunt and straightforward. That’s how Do Kyung Seok is. The man literally notices everything, even though he talks so little. The majority of the time, he has come to the rescue of Kang Mi Rae and noticed every little thing about her was beautiful. I loved his character as he knows how to put people in their place and can judge people perfectly. I also liked that they kept him constant throughout the drama as he never changed after listening to people; he kept it that way only.

The chemistry, I would say, was awkward. I definitely did not look forward to their intimacy, not that there is much. If we look through Kang Mi Rae, she couldn’t believe that a handsome man like Do Kyung Seok would like her because of that, she isn’t able to digest dating him. While Do Kyung Seok is not good with emotions so their scenes were so awkward.

However, the reason I liked the drama was because of the storyline and Do Kyung Seok’s attitude. The story line truly shows that no matter how much we do society is never ever going to be satisfied, so do what makes you happy rather than live in the dilemma of the society that will bring you nothing except insecurities.

“Why do we have to be like this? We judge faces…We throw up and have surgeries…as if we’d die if we didn’t get pretty. Why do we have to do that? From now on, I will concentrate on what makes me really happy.” – Kang Mi Rae.

My Rating: 8/10

Total Episodes: 16

Genre: coming of age, drama, romantic comedy

Till we meet again, Be Happy, Be Grateful, and Keep Smiling – a girl who likes to write.

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Creating your own happiness

Being happy is a very personal thing and it really has nothing to do with anyone else.

One of the best things that I love about being an adult is that I know what makes me happy and what I can do to create my own happiness. Every individual is different; the hobbies might be the same, but how one does those hobbies is different. I like seeing humans enjoy something that they truly love; I love to see their passions and wish to have passion for things that I love. Growing up, I was a kid who was all over the place. I had no interest in anything like a hobby that I could do on weekends and brag about how much fun I had. It took me time to find what I truly love because I didn’t want to do things that are common and what most others do to fit in society. I truly wanted to find what makes me happy, and I know it will help me keep going. When I found out there are things that make some happy from the inside, I was content because that is why you need a cold winter when the harsh wind reminds you of your hardship, but doing what you love wraps you around like a warm, cozy blanket. Creating your own happiness is so important because nobody is responsible for your life; only you can make yourself truly happy. If you want to do something, do it, don’t think about others, it’s your happiness that counts the most in the end. Oh, to find things that make you happy is just a graceful fortune that one can own, and it doesn’t have to be big. Remember, finding joy in little things is what actual happiness looks like. So, get up and start doing what makes you happy. The world has already given you a lot of moments to be depressed, but you need to get up and do what makes you happy because, in the end, what matters is creating your own happiness.

True happiness is when we are happy with ourselves.

Till we meet again, Be Happy, Be Grateful, and Keep Smiling – a girl who likes to write

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Feeling more grateful.

I am grateful for the good energy flowing through me.

Life is unpredictable some days it makes us touch the infinity sky while some days it throws us on the ground so hard that standing up again becomes impossible. But I have learned whatever happens I need to accept it because life is also inevitable, the more fast I will accept the more I will move on and get better in life. There is no doubt that when life gives us everything we seem so grateful however when it takes us away from things we fall on the negative side of complaining and that is completely okay, I am like that too and should I say was. For a long time, my acceptance level in life has increased a lot I have become more calm about the chaos that keeps popping up from nowhere in my life and I wonder what? Whenever life throws something unpredictable towards me I think of people who are far worse than me and then too they are smiling. They are in a lot of pain but they have learned to smile in that pain and that makes me think how strong those people are. It is all about the mind and the perspective of how we see things if we look at it through a positive perspective then it makes living bearable. Because I accepted things, I have become more grateful for the life I am living. I am so thankful that my life is not exactly filled with thunderstorms, and I need to protect myself every now and then. Being grateful, not only means big things but it’s mostly about small things in life like your favourite food, good sleep, a good friend, and buying a book basically small moments that bring you joy from inside and a smile on your face. I say that life is not exactly a bed of roses as we will find thorns attached to it but that doesn’t mean we will ignore the beauty of the roses. I am feeling more grateful for life and I believe that you also have something that you should be thankful for, yourself!

grateful for small things, big things and everything in between.

Till we meet again, Be Happy, Be Grateful, and Keep Smiling – a girl who likes to write

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Review: ‘Love Me If You Dare’ C-drama (2015)

“You’re actually reading such illogical and groundless novels.” – Bo Jinyan.

“It’s a romance fiction, what logic does it need?” – Jian Yao.

This drama has put me in a chokehold since I have watched it. Chinese dramas can have cutesy and school vibes but they are also not behind when it comes to thriller and suspense dramas just like this 2015 drama, Love Me If You Dare. It follows the story of Jenny Jian Yao who starts a job as a translator in a mysterious lonely house and it turns out that the house belongs to a criminal psychologist, Bo Jinyan. Later a series of mysterious murders started to take place so Bo Jinyan and his assistant Jian Yao remarked on the journey to solve this mystery.

What can I say about this drama, it’s perfection. As you know I love thrillers and mystery dramas so when I saw this drama I knew I had to watch it and since then, I can’t seem to ever forget about it. It’s been a long time since I have watched it. I went into this drama thinking it was going to be a simple mystery thriller drama but I was so wrong, it is so intense. Let’s start with the character of Jian Yao, the female protagonist. I love how her character is so feminine and gentle but at the same time, she is so smart. Her aura is like a princess so charming and calming yet very intelligent. I loved that she was not shown as someone dumb for a thriller mystery drama.

Then we have the male protagonist, Bo Jinyan. What can I say about him, he has lived this character like no other. His eyes are so hypnotizing which makes the scenes more intense. His mind and how he knew what the criminal had done added a lot of creepiness to the drama. His aura, intelligence and sense of humour were amazing. The male lead did such an incredible job, I don’t think my words would ever be able to do the justice. His one-line comment with a serious face never failed to make me laugh.

The chemistry was just breathtaking. Their scenes felt so real, I don’t even think they tried because both felt so natural. Their scenes were also intense to watch, I could see their chemistry oozing. The romance was amazingly maintained in a thriller drama, I didn’t find it forced but it built up naturally.

The plot was everything, till the end I kept guessing what is the plot twist but still I was dumbfounded. The storyline is filled with angst, drama, suspense, and crime; everything is top-notch. I was legit rooted to my seat just to watch the next episode and get shocked every time. There is also comedy with Bo Jinyan one one-line comment and Jian Yao’s response. The cases were so intense I was so much deeper into finding out what would happen next. The investigation was mind-blowing and it felt so natural as I was also part of the same. The side characters were also very good and fun. The ending episodes were so intense but heartbreaking.

I highly recommend this drama but please check trigger warnings as much sensitive content is found.

“He thought you were my weakness. But actually, in truth, with you by my side, it makes me feel stronger, even more stable.” – Bo Jinyan.

My Rating: 10/10

Total episodes: 24

Genre: Crime, Suspense, Romance

Till we meet again, Be Happy, Be Grateful, and Keep Smiling – a girl who likes to write.

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Your own speed

Your direction is more important than your speed.

As an adult, there are a lot of things that I have realized the hard way, and one of them is that I have my own speed to achieve things, I have my own speed, and I should not feel bad if at a certain age I am far behind others. In the era of social media, when we look around, we see how fast the world is moving and people are moving too, but we are still stuck at the same page. I have felt that so many times. I have felt that I can’t do that, what is wrong with me, and a lot of why I can’t seem to find the answer. However, there is only one me in this entire world, nobody can be me and I can’t be someone else, so why should I compare myself with others? I think the world has made the perspective about how at a certain age the person should achieve this, but what about others who are fighting so much in their life to just survive? Why is it wrong to lag? Are we in competition with someone? There are many questions and accusations, but there is no sensible answer to them. I know myself, I know I am working really hard for my future and at some point in my life I feel like I need a break, I wouldn’t hesitate to do so because I deserve it. I have my own speed and if the world can’t accept it then I will create my own speed just to protect myself. I want to let you know that everything will set one day, maybe not today, but a day will come when you will look back and be grateful that you prioritised yourself and moved ahead at your speed. Remember we have to go far, so walking and running at your own speed is how it is possible. Walk at your speed, you don’t need the world to cheer you up at the finish line, you are enough for it.

Sometimes you need to slow down to speed up.

Till we meet again, Be Happy, Be Grateful, and Keep Smiling – a girl who likes to write

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Book Review: The Castaways by Lucy Clarke

I randomly picked this book very early in my reading journey, and it’s been a long time since I read it. Guess what? I have not forgotten it at all. Because I hated no wait, despised the ending of this book. The book follows the story of two sisters, Lori and Erin. Lori books a holiday for herself and her sister to Fiji, but a night before the flight, both sisters have a fight. So Lori ended up boarding the flight alone while Erin never boarded the flight. But here is the twist, Lori never reached Fiji and Erin can’t get hold of her, so as a reporter she is trying to find out what happened to her sister.

The book was so good from the start, full of thrilling, however, the end ruined it for me. It’s a long book with many characters in two different places and timelines. Throughout the book, I was so intrigued because apart from sisters, there were other characters as well, which were pretty intense. The book goes back in past with Lori’s point of view and in present it moves with Erin’s point of view.

Erin’s character was my favourite, even though she was messed up, she did everything to find her sister. Lori was my favourite until the end. There are other characters with their own story, and we can’t trust anyone, so that was pretty intense for Lori as well as for me. The plot was actually quite fast and it kept me engaged. Since it is more mystery than thriller, I was quite eager to see what actually happened to Lori, so I read it really fast. The plot was messed up, but in a good way, because we have different characters’ involvement and so much was happening, so I can’t even guess what actually happened.

The ending was not good at all. I read so much just to see this ending, I can’t believe it was so unfair for Erin. I didn’t appreciate Lori for the decision she made in the end. It would have made more sense if the ending was different because this ending made no sense. I just found out that it was adapted into a TV series.

Would I recommend? Maybe…

Rating: 3/5

Till we meet again, Be Happy, Be Grateful, and Keep Smiling – a girl who likes to write.

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