K-Drama 
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A bit too meta
The beginning was too silly and I wasn't convinced this is the drama for me. And then, bam! The end of the first episode they made me cry. When she saw her dad and hugged him 🥹😭This made me hope for a hidden potential. And wasn't it much of a risk to continue watching. With visuals this beautiful and clear scenographic image it was very pleasant to watch (OST didn't steal my heart but it was still objectively very good).
And it all was looking very good until I reached the love confession and all of my engagement plummeted. Sad, very sad.
But it happens very often. Suddenly without angsty will-they-wont-they situation plot cannot hold on to the tension by itself. And the FL's disappearing act didn't help the matter. I get that it was part of the plot and the message (we cannot forget ourselves while loving someone) but not having lead actress 'present' for the best part of the second half was very disengaging. It also didn't help the matter that she had no personal conflict or agenda that would make matters interesting. It was there at the beginning, but then she truly became this clueless, sunshine side character.
The ending was... something. I hate open endings, but I hate boring endings more. This one was kind of both, but I didn't hate it. I do not love it either. At least there was some kind of vision and the plot twist. It was just a little bit too meta for me. And too much was revealed at the end. Sitting there confused for the better part of an hour is not what I count as a good time.
*how come they couldn't even have a kiss here, but in other dramas they almost go at it (looking at you Pursuit of Jade). Just wonder. It's so prudish for agult people to only hold hands and kiss on the forehead.
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Good first part
i just finished Love Game in Eastern Fantasy, the first part was very fresh and interesting but the second part it didn’t really interest me. Maybe because there 4 main role but the relations between character sound not that deep with the second part. Overall its a good drama, enjoyable.The CGI/FX are very good, nice visual.
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A Bittersweet Landing: Great Premise, Half-Baked Execution????
I kind of have a mixed opinion about this drama. I liked the premise, but somewhere in the middle it went off-track and ended bittersweet. 😶🌫️😶🌫️*I really liked the ML character. 😍😍He thought he was a supporting character in the game that he had created, but he certainly underestimated his potential. The entire story is about him learning to love himself, being confident, and facing reality.
*ML's acting was amazing. He did a good job in portraying the emotions. Be it his childlike behavior, the innocent looks, or his pitiful face, one cannot stop loving him. His costumes and his white hair look were the best...😍😍
*The FL's character was supposed to help the ML realize his emotions and help him face reality. She did help him, but her character didn't stand out. Also, her childlike acting and her voice were kind of annoying, but still digestible.
*The second couple had stories of their own, but the stories didn't have an impact. It was kind of bland. I really liked the Bamboo Shoot character. It was cute and energetic. The music was also good.
*I think this drama is overrated. I felt most of the elements in this story were half-baked. It all started as a game, but in the middle, the game turned out to be some fantasy drama, and in the end, it finished as a melodrama. 😅 But anyway, I liked the emotional twist in the end.
OVERALL: A BORING GAME THAT ENDED WELL 🚶♀️🚶♀️....
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I had a lot of fun watching this. Even though I wasn't quite fond of the "game" theme in the beginning, I got used to it.
There were some really good surprises during the story which probably comes with its game setting. I felt a bit in the dark about the original novel story here, different as I usually know it from other dramas of this kind. So, I had flatout no idea where this was going and in which way the FL was changing the plot or had to go along with it. But it didn't become less entertaining. It always remained exciting.
In the end the story created a grand finale which didn't seem that way at first. It was even somewhat poetic and presented an even bigger surprise.
The main couple's romance developed quite nicely, and they got some really emotional, heavy moments together. I just love their way of acting, especially their dramatic, heart throbbing scenes. And they got an even more touching finale.
On a side note, even though the SML was the SML, he always felt somewhat inconspicuous. He had his important tasks and moments, but he always felt like a cloud or something.
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Amazing story and acting, uneven ending
This is an amazingly creative writing, a very unusual Chinese xianxia trope, which is a high praise.Acting, cast, music are all on point. There are some episodes first half that’s more draggy than necessary but for most part you can’t skip. For this I deducted half point.
The other half point deducted is the ending. It could have been done better. Don’t worry it is a good ending but having invested 31 chapters, we deserved more closures to all the characters.
Overall highly recommended and enjoyable. This year is truly a good year for cdrama watchers.
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why in the world did i watch this sooner?
i really regret not starting this sooner because this drama is excellent. i love the plot and how everything is connected in the end. i love the main four characters, even though not all of them are great actors by my standards. that being said, the chemistry between them is amazing - not just between the couples, but among all four. for the first time in a long while, the secondary couple actually feels meaningful and not just there to fill time. the cinematography and costumes are also fantastic. if you're hesitant to watch this, just do itWas this review helpful to you?
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Mix of Fantasy & Romance
I thoroughly enjoyed watching these Leads in a previous collaboration so I was quite excited to watch this one, but unfortunately I didn’t enjoy this nearly as much as their drama, “Moonlight”. *Note: if you’re disatisified with this one’s ending (typical of this genre), go watch that one! 😉It’s not that this drama was bad, per se, I just felt like they didn’t allow the actors to show their full potential in the romance department. Like… where were the kisses?! They have great chemistry so I was simply disappointed that it wasn’t allowed to fully bloom like I know it can. If you don’t watch it as a romance fan, though, & only go in for the fantasy aspect you’d probably enjoy it more than I did.
Again, this is NO SHADE on the cast, they all played their roles very well. It simply didn’t satisfy the romantic in me. 💕
_________\\__________//________
-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-
.
…
….
……
The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : None 🙅🏻♀️
- Together : ep.20 👩🏻❤️👨🏻
- BreakUp: Nope 💝
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Entertainment at it's finest!
My curiosity was worth it! The rave about this drama made me curious and it was worth it! It was wholesome and entertaining! The story has an unexpected depth into it, but it somehow fumbled in the end, it would have been nice if they polished it even more to give proper and satisfying closure. But I guess they wanted to add the charm of an open ending. But I must say it takes a lot of skill and talent to be able to reach and convey that aspiration of open endings. I must say in the story an open ending was only a tease they could've packed it up nicely but the decision to go to the former has added popularity and intrigue to the already entertaining story.I must say the 4 leads chemistry is the best! That's really hard to achieve cause not a lot of dramas with main and 2nd leads have successfully achieved such chemistry! They all work well effortlessly good together that they even have reality show just for the fans of this drama alone!
If you are looking for a break from the usual costume dramas this one is a must try. Entertaining with bits and pieces of lessons to live by!
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If not for the ending..
I started this drama because of Esther Yu and Ding Yuxi’s chemistry offscreen, especially during that award show. I’ve also heard people recommending this drama, which is why I gave this one a try.Honestly, I was getting bored of the “getting sucked into another world” plot and did not find this particular one interesting either. However after watching the first episode, I instantly got hooked! I would say that this drama is a light option of its kind (the demon slaying, magic costume type of drama). Among similar-themed costume dramas that I’ve watched, this one had the perfect balance of romance, comedy, familial relationship, and demon slaying plot. The story was not draggy and was well-written. I find it interesting how Miao Miao was transported into a game and had to complete missions narrated by the game operator. The game theme is definitely a fresh and entertaining concept for me.
In terms of acting, I’ve got nothing to say other than all the actors did an incredible job! Even Lu Yu Hao did an amazing job at portraying the cute Cui Cui. Esther Yu was so adorable when acting as Miao Miao. I even find myself saying that she’s cute multiple times. Also, Ding Yuxi’s facial expression was art! His facial expression was so captivating especially his eyes and eyebrows. I have to say that among his dramas that I’ve watched, Mu Sheng is his best character. I also want to give a shout out to Zhu Xu Dan and Yang Shi Ze. Zhu Xu Dan has such pretty eyes and she was perfect for the role of Mu Yao. Yang Shi Ze was also so manly and dependable as Liu Fu Yi. Not to mention, the make up, hairstyle, and outfits of all the actors was perfectly executed. They all looked so good!
Everything was perfect until the ending. I guess the writer just gave up. I remember looking forward to the ending and the plot twist that other people mentioned. The excitement gradually decreased when the team went to rescue Mu Yao. Then I started repeating “huh?” when Miao Miao asked the game operator to repeat the scene (?) so Mu Sheng won’t die.. Ugh, messy. Not to mention the plot twist in the end. Everything was so rushed I didn’t have to time to process it. Also, I am aware that time travel dramas often have open endings so I learned to not put expectations on the endings, however Love Game in Eastern Fantasy was so promising, which is why I ended up looking forward to them meeting again in real life but yep, was disappointed (again) with the ending.
Although so, I really enjoyed watching this drama. I even binged it in one sitting. The ending definitely sucked but everything else was worth the watch!
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drowning in this drama
What an amazing drama! Though it's a common plot in fantasy novels, the direction that this drama takes it makes you want to keep watching more and more. I'm 27 episodes in and i feel like this is one of the perfect castings and perfect stylings as well -- especially for ding yuxi, he looks STUNNING in this styling; shuxin always looks pretty regardless but this styling elevated it even further. I love that this drama doesn't put the supporting or 2nd leads to the side but helps build up their stories and it's definitely helping the story! I'm actually using this drama in my senior thesis so I'm really enjoying catching small details for it. I think this is honestly one of the best costume dramas of the year!Was this review helpful to you?
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One of the most fun cdrama in 2024
Acting and chemistry was 💯 am hoping to rewatch mooonlihht after this and asusume its continuous of this show i laughed and cried and was happy watching this show and honestly I want more episodes, the emptiness am feeling after finishing it .what am going to do ?I liked the story calls its flaws out like fml in the end saying it's not perfect story telling. It embreaces its flaws and makes fun watching
Am not one of the people who have problems with yushuxin voice i love her and her dramas and adding another xinxin drama on my fav lists
Ding yuxi am so happy he is getting his flowers he is such pleasing to watch and fine actor i keep replaying scenes to watch his expressions
Lastly i want 3rd time for thier chemistry i will forever be fun of them dince moonlight i loved them now lgief can i get third one
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Mission: Steal My Heart - 100% Complete!
To start this love letter of mine, I would like to say that I came in completely oblivious to the plot and drama genre. I had seen tiny glimpses of Xuanhuan dramas before and thought that they would never be my cup of tea. It's safe to say that I couldn't have been more wrong, and I'm so happy that I gave this show a chance.It's very rare to find a drama with such a captivating storyline and rich world full of unique, lovely characters. The acting and overall production quality made this an immersive experience that kept me in its warm embrace until the end. Every plot twist and moment of character development was built in such a meaningful way. In a nutshell, I felt connected, and that's no easy feat.
As I'm at a loss for words, I'll just let my tears speak for themselves. Almost feels like I'm saying goodbye to a dear friend now that the drama is over. We had such an adventure together. It was full of laughter, love, hope and sorrow. We lost loved ones and learned to face hard truths. Most of all, it was a journey of growth. It changed me, and that's how I know it was one heck of a ride.
Finally, I cannot thank my fellow reviewers enough for convincing me to dive into this drama. As most of you promised, it truly stole my heart. Mission 100% complete 📕
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