The Blossom Review

Hello, hello! 👋

Guuuuuys, June is right around the corner! 😯 We're halfway through 2026 already!


Doesn't that shock you? Because it definitely shocks me! Where does the time go?

Oh, well... the good thing is: a new month always heralds new K-dramas. June arrives with five exciting new titles (and all of them will be available internationally on different streaming platforms!). Which ones are you looking forward to the most?

Our complete calendar of new releases is now out on The Blossom Review 🌸: theblossomreview.com/new-korean-dramas-out-in-june… I hope you stop by! 😉

Over on Substack, we reviewed Ito Ogawa's upcoming novel Tsubaki Stationery Story, which you can find here:
theblossomreview.substack.com/p/tsubaki-stationery…

Next week, I'm coming back with a fresh-out-of-the-oven review, so I'll see you then!

Have a wonderful weekend ahead! 🥰

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12 hours ago | [YT] | 6

The Blossom Review

Hello, everyone! 👋

How are you all today?

MBC's Perfect Crown became the massive hit we all expected it to be, didn't it? With its luxurious production design and popular leads, Perfect Crown was bound to become a success -- and we all knew it.

But is that all there's to it? Only good looks and pretty pictures? 🤔

I think that, despite its goal to be a source of genuine entertainment, there's much about its narrative and characters we can discuss. And there's much to love about Perfect Crown, too!

Honestly, Perfect Crown conquered my little heart, and I can't help but feel slightly lonely without them this week.

Oh, well, shall we talk about Perfect Crown together? Our complete review of this tale of rebellious princes and sassy CEOs is now available on The Blossom Review 🌸 (theblossomreview.com/perfect-crown-review ), and our video essay is up on YouTube 👇

Have you watched Perfect Crown? What did you think about it?

And over on Substack this week, we shared our first impressions of Coupang Play's Bonjour Bakery. You can read it here: theblossomreview.substack.com/p/first-impressions-…

Have a marvellous weekend, and I'll see you soon! 😊

6 days ago | [YT] | 0

The Blossom Review

Hello, everyone! 👋

How are you today?

When I first heard of Fuji TV's Soda Master, I thought, "Oh, okay, interesting". I couldn't help but wonder whether I'd really be able to engage in a story about three 51-year-olds solving a decades-old mystery. Maybe I wasn't the target audience? Maybe I would find it technically good, but, personally, it just wouldn't resonate?

Imagine my surprise, then, when I found myself laughing and crying alongside these quirky middle-aged men, relating to their conundrums and rooting for their success. Soda Master conquered my heart with all its whimsical charm and fearless exploration of time, memory, and generational shifts.

Our complete review of Fuji TV's Soda Master is now available on The Blossom Review (theblossomreview.com/soda-master-netflix-review/ ) 🌸 and YouTube 👇 I hope you stop by and share your own thoughts on the show!

Oh, and over on Substack, we reviewed Chung Ji-young’s My Name this week. You can find it here: theblossomreview.substack.com/p/my-name-2026-revie…

Have a wonderful weekend ahead, and I'll see you soon! ✨

1 week ago | [YT] | 1

The Blossom Review

Hello, there! 👋

How are you?

K-dramas are fairly well-known for their ghost stories and/or shaman-led tales. Some of the most recent ones include MBC's Oh My Ghost Clients, ENA/Genie TV's The Midnight Studio, tvN's Head Over Heels, or SBS's The Haunted Palace, for instance. There's something that keeps pulling us back into the realm of the supernatural, which is probably why most of us spent the last two months in the company of SBS's Phantom Lawyer, a fantasy-dramedy that came to a close last Saturday.

Phantom Lawyer isn't extraordinary in any way, but it's a charming and fun journey of forgiveness, healing, and love. If you're looking for something sweet and entertaining, Phantom Lawyer might just be it!

Want to learn more about the show? Well, our complete review of SBS's Phantom Lawyer is now available on The Blossom Review 🌸 (theblossomreview.com/phantom-lawyer-review ) and on YouTube 👇. I hope you stop by and share your own thoughts about the show!

Have a marvellous weekend ahead, and I'll see you very soon! ✨

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 2

The Blossom Review

Someone said new K-dramas? 😍

Yes, April has come to an end and a new month always heralds new dramas. The month of May is full of exciting new releases. If I could, I think I'd watch all of these. What about you?

To learn more about all of these amazing new Korean dramas coming out in May, stop by The Blossom Review 🌸: theblossomreview.com/new-korean-dramas-out-in-may-…

And remember that, over on Substack, we reviewed Yoon Ga-eun's The World of Us and The House of Us this week. You can read it here: theblossomreview.substack.com/p/the-world-of-us-th…

Have a lovely weekend, and I'll see you very soon! ✨

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3 weeks ago | [YT] | 6

The Blossom Review

Hello, everyone! 👋

How are you today?

This week, we aren't talking about our usual human drama or romantic comedy. No, we're talking about a black comedy that can be... well, quite bizarre at times.

We're talking about tvN's Mad Concrete Dreams, a 12-episode exploration of South Korea’s obsession with real estate, the mirage of social mobility, and the all-consuming delusions born of human desire 😵‍💫

There are no heroes in this story. No angelic characters, no one we feel like protecting or even trying to understand. This is a story about selfish and desperate people willing to do anything for money.

Mad Concrete Dreams is a fairly thought-provoking, certainly dark journey that won't be everyone's cup of tea. If you're wondering whether you should give it a shot, why don't you stop by The Blossom Review (theblossomreview.com/tvn-mad-concrete-dreams-revie… ) or our video essay 👇 to find out? I might be able to help (don't worry, our review is spoiler-free!).

If you have already watched Mad Concrete Dreams, stop by so we can discuss the show's strengths and weaknesses, too! 😉

For the fans of Japanese television, remember that we reviewed TV Asahi's Silent Truth on Substack this week: theblossomreview.substack.com/p/silent-truth-netfl… 😊

Have a marvellous weekend, and I'll see you very soon! ✨

1 month ago | [YT] | 2

The Blossom Review

Hello, there! 👋

I'm here today to share a bit of a special note: This week, The Blossom Review reached 500 subscribers! 🥹

Can you believe it? Five hundred, guys! 🥰 I know that, in a world of YouTubers and TikTokers, five hundred might seem like a small number to some, but, to me, you're all so very special.

To me, you're five hundred beautiful human beings who I might not know personally, but whom I appreciate wholeheartedly.

The Blossom Review is a one-woman endeavour to explore Japanese and Korean popular culture through their cinema, television, and literature. I still have so much to learn, but I promise I'll continue studying and working very hard to share reviews, essays, and analyses that can help you look at these stories through a different perspective, celebrate those that make your days a bit brighter, understand why you love (or dislike!) some of them, or simply give you a space where you can talk about that show that you adore so much, but that no one else seems to recognise it even exists! 😉

I must admit that hitting "upload" every week is awfully nerve-wracking. I'm often (well... who am I kidding, more like "always") nervous and worried that my work could've been better -- that I could've been better. I'm not some editing wiz, and I'm far from being the Roger Ebert of Asian media, but that's the journey for all of us, isn't it? What really matters is to try despite our fears and our need for perfection. What really matters is to keep growing and improving. So, to those who have been here for a really long time -- observing me learn and improve so clumsily -- thank you. To those who have just arrived, thank you.

Thank you for your patience, attention, and support. Thank you for your generosity, for offering a bit of your precious time every week, and for sharing your passion and ideas with me ❤️

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Huge hugs with profound gratitude,
Karen

1 month ago | [YT] | 14

The Blossom Review

Hello, everyone! 👋

This week, we're talking about NTV's Sounds of Winter, a Japanese romantic drama that you can find on Netflix.

Perhaps you've never heard of it. Or maybe you saw it while navigating Netflix's thousands of titles and simply shrugged. Or you gave it a try and thought, "This is definitely not my kind of story".

I get it. Sounds of Winter isn't your everyday romantic drama. It's slow-paced, introspective, and often frustrating. It's one of the most unconventional yet rawest stories about love I've watched in quite some time, which made me develop a very special appreciation for it.

Let me tell you why Sounds of Winter is such a unique, well-delivered, and beautifully crafted series in this week's review -- even if you decide this is not the kind of story you're looking for right now! 😅

Our video essay is now out 👇 But for a deeper dive into the subtext behind Sounds of Winter, give our complete review a read on The Blossom Review (theblossomreview.com/sounds-of-winter-netflix-revi… ) 🌸

And over on Substack, we reviewed JTBC's The Practical Guide to Love, which you can find here: theblossomreview.substack.com/p/the-practical-guid…

Have a lovely weekend, and I'll see you soon! 🥰

1 month ago | [YT] | 1

The Blossom Review

Hello, hello! 👋

Is everything okay? I really hope so.

I know that it's been tough for everybody. Besides our own personal challenges, the world around us seems to become darker and more heart-wrenching every day, doesn't it?

So, sometimes, we're just not in the right mood for certain stories. It happens, and it's perfectly okay 🤷 JTBC's Still Shining, a romantic drama that came to a close last Friday, is one such story. Of course, the show does have its strengths and weaknesses, but most importantly, you need to be in the right mood to enjoy it.

After a short run full of romantic angst, low viewership ratings, and a very divided response from the public, we're analysing what Still Shining really wanted to convey, whether it conveyed such a message successfully, and whether this is the sort of journey you're in the mood for right now.

Our complete review of JTBC's Still Shining is now available on The Blossom Review (theblossomreview.com/jtbc-still-shining-netflix-re… ), and our video essay is here on YouTube 👇 I hope you stop by and share your own thoughts and ideas on the show!

Over on Substack, we reviewed TV Tokyo's Gimbap and Onigiri, which you can also find on Netflix. If you'd like to give it a read, you can find it here: theblossomreview.substack.com/p/gimbap-and-onigiri…

Have a lovely weekend ahead and take good care of yourself, okay? 😊

1 month ago | [YT] | 2

The Blossom Review

Hello there! 👋

How are you all?

I know that you're all excited about BTS's latest MV (understandable, I'm in love with it too! If you don't know what I'm talking about, "2.0" is a musical storytelling feat and a fantastic homage to Park Chan-wook's Oldboy! Yes, cinephiles, rejoice! 🥰), but this week, we're talking about TBS's Passing the Reins!

A few weeks ago, the lovely @agnesmariadominic3941 asked me if I could talk about Passing the Reins, one of the "quieter" releases from last year's Autumn kuru in Japan.

Re-titled “Passing the Reins” since the original “The Royal Family” would understandably lead to the wrong Google search results, the series is based on Hayami Kazumasa’s award-winning novel, The Royal Family. A horse-racing epic that spans nearly two decades, the adaptation was produced with the full cooperation of the Japan Racing Association (JRA), which ensured the filming of the most accurate and impressive sequences at actual racing tracks, training farms, and ranches ✨

I hope you join the discussion: our video essay is now out 👇, and our complete review is available on The Blossom Review (theblossomreview.com/passing-the-reins-the-royal-f… ) 🌸

And to the BTS fans out there, we reviewed Netflix's BTS: The Return over on Substack this week, too! You can find it here: theblossomreview.substack.com/p/netflix-bts-the-re…

I hope you have a fantastic weekend, and if you celebrate Easter, happy Easter! 🐰

1 month ago | [YT] | 3