This review may contain spoilers
I almost dropped it but I'm so glad I didn't!
The concept was new and interesting but to be honest I found it really hard to watch especially the first few episodes. I just can't grasp the idea of the filter that changes the appearance of Su Cheng Cheng that lead to deception. I just got very curious as to how the story will progress eventually that's why I kept on watching it whenever I don't have anything to watch. It's kinda weird as well that Tang Qi's character always ends up falling in love with Su Cheng Cheng's other appearances, and not her true self. But then if you think of it, Tang Qi already had a misconception with Su Cheng Cheng from the start since he thought she tried to bully him during their school days. This led to him not really opening up his heart and mind to Su Cheng Cheng directly.To be fair, this drama is really fun to watch. My most favorite one is the alpaca episode, it's been a while since I laughed this hard on a drama. Yet again, I almost dropped it at episode 20 when Quan Sheng Tang was killed (like Su Miao) as I felt real pity on Tang Qi (bro, if it was me I already went crazy) but then everything unfolds and he decoded what was really happening. After this, everything went well especially the romance arc of Tang Qi and Su Cheng Cheng (binge-watched this until the end lol)
One of Tang Qi's lines summed up the message this drama is trying to convey: "The filter only changes your appearance, but not your inner self. What I like is the imperfect you." It's very fitting to today's beauty standards as everything is judged based on appearances and most of us are really not confident with our looks leading to insecurities.
Overall, I loved this drama although it gave me a hard time grasping the concept but I think that's one of the beauty of it. You just need perseverance to unlock the hidden gem this drama has. It's my first time watching Tan Jianci and Li Landi and they really are one of the best actors in China. They perfectly delivered both comedy and chemistry! Hoping they could have another rom-com in the future!
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Glorious Screwball Comedy
A true screwball comedy is rare in this world. It requires masterful acting to balance the physical and emotional comedy. Comedy is hard so the success of this show is a testament to the skill of the acting, especially Tan Jian Ci who manages to balance situations without letting it be overacting. He keeps the audience believing even when it is ridiculous. Landy Li does brilliantly moving between a range of characters in silly situations. She reminds me of Katherine Hepburn. The support characters are all clever and are well performed. The story develops with skill without breaking believability even when the audience in some part of their head knows this is too silly for words. I laughed so hard and I keep laughing.Was this review helpful to you?
A Modern Day Fairy Tale
I think the best way to enjoy this series is to avoid thinking of it as something that could really happen. Instead, it should be thought of as a combination of Cinderella, The Ugly Duckling, and maybe even Beauty and the Beast. DON'T TAKE IT TOO SERIOUSLY! Think of it as a live action cartoon. It's one of the funniest dramas I've watched recently.The main female lead has been told she's unattractive her whole life. (Who could think of Landy Li as being unattractive? Anyway...) She has a chip on her shoulder because of this, and has basically given in to the idea that she's ugly. The main male lead is a brilliant scientist with very low EQ. After a disaster at their class reunion, he makes a thoughtless statement about her appearance, and things go downhill from there.
However, the female lead has a good heart, and as a reward for a kindness she extends to someone she receives a bracelet which is actually a gadget that serves as a 'filter', changing her appearance so she seems to be a glamorous woman...and various other personas.
The male lead is unaware of this and falls in love with the glamorous woman, not realizing her true identity.
It sounds confusing...and it is to begin with as the characters try to figure out how to deal with the situation, but it's also very funny. Both Landi Li and Tan Jian Ci have excellent comic timing, and they can both sell the set up so the viewer can believe it might happen.
As the female lead goes through several iterations, the male lead finds himself growing fond of an alpaca and falling in love with another one of her personas. He does some soul searching, trying to figure out why he's so fickle, not realizing they're all the same person. As mentioned in the drama, he may be responding to her pheromones....her body chemistry. Whatever the cause, he continues to find them fascinating.
The OST for this series is outstanding, and I've listened to many of the songs several times.
I enjoyed this series quite a bit. There are some angsty parts which serve to make the viewer consider how society views people who are considered beautiful compared to those who are supposedly less so. The main characters have to decide how they really want to view themselves and each other.
My only minor complaint is the ending of the second couple's story. I think that should've been left out of the series, and it could've ended with 30 episodes. However, that didn't affect my overall enjoyment of the series, and I'll probably watch again at some point.
Watch it with an open mind, and have fun!
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An excellent RomCom about life lesson that showed inner beauty outshines external beauty
Filter is a romantic comedy about society's view of beauty. Su Cheng Cheng has low self-esteem and relies on the filter bracelet to change her appearance, not realizing that her inner beauty attracts Tang Qi. The drama is funny and offers a good life lesson about inner beauty outshines external beauty.Tan Jian Ci and Landy Li acted excellently in this drama, especially Tan Jian Ci. I didn't know he could act in comedy. The supporting cast is also good, especially Huang Si Rui, who played Lin Yuan, Su Cheng Cheng's best friend. I enjoyed this drama very much.
Synopsis: Su Cheng Cheng is an ordinary woman who gains a high-tech bracelet that lets her change her appearance. Using it to help others, she unwittingly captures the heart of Tang Qi, a man losing his eyesight, through multiple personas. As she hides her secret, Tang Qi suffers repeated heartbreak. Will she reveal the truth, and can they find happiness without deception?
My Reviews:
1. Acting: 8
2, Script: 8
3, Music/OST: 8
4, Production Quality: 8
5. Cinematography: 8
6. Rewatchable: 8
7. Onscreen Chemistry: 8
Overall Rating: 8
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It is not a mature one
Kids would enjoy this drama more. At the start, the drama introduces a girl who is strong, and people around her are either amazed or shocked by her strength. However, she doesn’t consider herself beautiful and often compares herself to others because she has marks on her face.She falls in love with a boy but doesn’t know how to behave around him. So, she takes advice from her friends and follows whatever they suggest. Unfortunately, this leads to misunderstandings. The boy thinks she is trying to overpower him with her strength, while she assumes he finds her unattractive.
As they grow up, their misunderstandings persist. Every time they communicate, she misinterprets his words and wishes to look prettier. This is where the bracelet ,a filter come into the story.
I liked the love story and all the characters, especially the female lead’s mother, father, sister, and friend. I also enjoyed the chemistry between the second leads.
Previously, I mentioned that kids would enjoy this drama more. However, since it is rated for ages 15 and above due to kissing scenes, it may not be suitable for younger audiences.
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Ridiculously funny and out of the world morbidness
This is probably the only drama where I find the ML character quite displeasing, there is zero relationship development between the ML and FL from the first episode all the way until when the ML found out about the filter. I don’t feel like the FL has very strong feelings towards the ML either all through out before the truth was found out. Everything was all about trying the hide, lie and role play to coverup another lie. Unlike other fake identity dramas where there is still a relationship development like the ML will recognise some habits of the FL in their fake skin and all, it isnt the case for this, it feels like there is a huge gap between ML and FL whether they are in the real or fake self. I actually prefer the characters of the side couple and their story, they make more sense and give a cute vibe between them.However the plot is so ridiculous and out of the ordinary, extremely absurd that I got to finish watching this drama to see how else they can make my mind be blown away by its absurdity…..
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what a DISAPPOINTMENT ????
I was so excited to watch this show. I saw some trailers on YouTube and found it really funny. I guess the best parts were in the trailers.
Plot: a 30 something years old girl (still in love with her middle school crush..yup, I know) is not doing great. She feels society discriminates her because of her looks. One night she receives a magic bracelet that gives her the ability to change her appearance.
I'm only 6 episodes in and I am starting to get annoyed.
Let's start with our FL. She feels others have an advantage over her because of them looking ''better than her". Sure. That can be true but she doesn't put in any work.
She is interviewed for a job which requires some attention when it comes to attire and so on. Well, she puts on some jeans and a sweater and calls it a day. The recruiters were assholes? Sure. But she wasn't willing to do anything to win them over.
She finally lands a job thanks to her sister's connections and basically doesn't do any job (I know she is busy being su miao but her colleagues don't know that)and is so sad because her colleagues are not welcoming her. Girl, you got hired not through your hard work and are absent half of the time, what do you expect?
Male lead: oh man. Where to start with this guy.
First of all I like the actor. I saw him before in "lost you forever" and he was AMAZING. Here? Not at all. His acting here is so bland.
His character is a creep. He falls in love with su miao over her looks and even wants to marry her!! He barely knows her and she keeps rejecting him.
He basically stalks this girl and forces himself into a home to see a girl who said no multiple times.
When the FL lead is injured and ends up in an hospital she tells him straight to his face she doesn't want to see him anymore. He obviously comes again the next day.
He is a creeeeeeppppppp.
Talking about the drama in general they try so hard so be funny but everything falls flat. I didn't chuckle not even one time.
The only positivea in this drama are her best friend and the "lucky" guy. They are good comedic relieves and have good chemistry.
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Funny and entertaining but too long
A seriously funny show that catches you off guard with its humor making you quite literally laugh out loud. Definitely one of the funniest shows I have seen in a while, at least at parts. The humor in this show lands well and is spaced appropriately and the actors that all play the variations of ChengCheng are phenomenal in connecting the small nuances of the character creating a convincing thread between them. A little heavy handed at times but the overall messaging of loving yourself and looking beyond appearance creates a pleasant story. An drama that is able to entertain with its moral compass but falls a little short making it just your average watch.There are many things I truly loved about this show. The idea of beauty is not only skin deep, the comedy, and the actors abilities to portray the same character in different bodies convincingly. But what fell short for me were some of the character arcs and relationship progression. When it comes to ChengCheng and Tang Qi I felt like their dynamic was not properly explored prior to him discovering the truth. Had the drama opted to let him see the things he liked about the personas also in Cheng Cheng's true form and allowed him to begin to like her naturally that way I think I would have liked that more. But he never really shows her any interest until he realizes the truth and Cheng Cheng did not seem overly interested in him after being heartbroken over her crush ending in the very beginning. So the lack of chemistry and natural relationship progression was missing leaving a disconnect. Also Tang Qi lacks proper character development. His character goes from fairly silly in his pursuit in the beginning making his character a bit aloof but once together he seems almost like a different character.
This drama is also too long. There were a couple arcs that could have been omitted and brought the show to 24 episodes and I think that would have saved a bit of the fatigue I began to feel while trying to finish this. The grandma and pregnancy arcs were unnecessary to me and did not add much value to the overall show. The sponsorships for this show also began to feel very very obvious with the overuse.
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One of the funniest CDramas, such a Creative Story
Oh wow. This show was hilarious. I have not watched a Cdrama where I laughed as much out loud as I did with this one. It was hard to believe that landi Lin is not beautiful but I understand the concept and where they were going as someone who also was never viewed as beautiful growing up. This story begins and continues with nothing but misunderstandings, some hilarious, some quite torturous of the ML.Don’t go into this show looking for reality.. this show is just pure fantasy and fun. It’s also very funny. There were also periods where I was grinning so much my mouth hurt.
I loved the second couple in this drama, I loved their relationship and how cute they were. I loved the way they talked too.
Overall, I loved their creativity of this show. It’s definitely something different fun cute and enjoyable. There were periods where I was like, ok I’m ready to move on from the constant misunderstandings but the overall concept and story was so good. Highly recommend!
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Funny but flawed story
A quirky but entertaining story about a woman who can change her appearance and the man who unknowingly falls in love with every version of her. It’s part romcom, sci-fi/fantasy, and office drama all rolled into one eccentric package.Neither of the leads are particularly likable at first — one has low self-esteem and gets tangled in a web of her own lies while the other comes across as rude and fickle. But both are pretty self-aware about their faults, and as the two work out their conflicts and misunderstandings, we get a different kind of take on an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers plot.
However, one thing bothered me that made an otherwise fun show less enjoyable: Some of the behavior that the female lead resorts to in order to hide her multiple identities is cruel and emotionally manipulative. She feels bad about it, but keeps doing it anyway. How she treats the male lead is played for laughs (and many of the circumstances the two get into are hilarious) but if you look past the humor, she’s pretty heartless. His anger is fully justified when he finds out the truth, and in my opinion he comes to terms with it a little too easily. But this being a drama, love conquers all.
Regardless of how the characters are written, the actors do a fine job. This is my first time seeing Tan Jian Ci in a comedy. His male lead is a serious, highly intelligent person forced into absurd situations, and he shows a lot of range in what must have been a challenging role. Landy Li successfully portrays the female lead as a woman with an inferiority complex who has to learn some self-acceptance. I also appreciated that the leads’ best friends (also the second couple) are well-rounded and interesting in their own right, more than just a side storyline.
This drama definitely falls in the “something different” category. It’s not perfect, and the way the moral of the story comes across can be a bit heavy-handed at times, but it has a unique plot that avoids the usual romcom cliches and a good cast, along with some decent-looking special effects and nice background music. While the last few episodes are a bit anticlimactic, it has a cute ending.
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Seeing Beyond The Filter
I give Filter a 10 out of 10 because it truly has everything. This drama delivers comedy that you don’t even see coming, friendships that feel mutual and real, supportive family relationships (which is so refreshing to see), sci-fi elements that add a mysterious edge, and case-solving moments that actually had me on the edge of my seat.What makes Filter stand out most is the message it sends. It makes you reflect on beauty standards, gender roles, and the expectations that society forces on us. It shows how both women and men are often trapped by unrealistic beauty standards shaped by social media and societal pressure. What really stood out to me is how it explores the emotional and mental struggles people face just to “fit in” or feel valued. It’s not just about vanity—it’s about acceptance, identity, and being seen for who you truly are.
One of the biggest lessons I took from Filter is the truth about first impressions. Yes, first impressions go a long way—but this drama shows that your first impression of someone might not be the truth. Sometimes it’s just an illusion—a version of that person you created in your mind based on looks, rumors, or surface-level details. It reminds us that people are so much more than what they appear to be at first glance.
And the romance? Beautiful. Su Cheng Cheng and Tang Qi’s love is so pure and sincere that you can’t help but smile every time they’re together. Their relationship isn’t just about falling in love—it’s about misunderstandings, healing, and relearning each other along the way. That’s what makes their story so special and meaningful.
Filter really taught me that beauty is temporary, but someone’s soul, kindness, and genuine heart are what truly matter. It makes you question: Are you seeing people for who they really are—or just through a filter?
I love that this drama wasn’t just emotional or deep—it was also funny, entertaining, and just fun to watch. The humor balanced out the serious themes perfectly. It’s rare to find a drama that can do both so well.
Overall, Filter is more than just a drama—it’s a reminder to all of us to stop judging people by appearances and start valuing the things that really last. Highly recommended.
overview
This drama does an excellent job blending sci-fi elements with real-world social issues like beauty standards, giving it a refreshing twist compared to other dramas with similar themes.
The concept of "seeing beyond the filter" applies not just to physical beauty but also to the emotional walls people build around themselves.
I really appreciated how the supporting characters actually contributed to the story and weren’t just there for filler—they each had their own growth and meaningful moments.
The balance between comedy and deeper reflection was handled really well. One minute you’re laughing, and the next, you’re genuinely thinking about your own biases and assumptions.
The romantic pacing was steady—not rushed or dragged out—which made Su Cheng Cheng and Tang Qi’s relationship feel believable and earned.
First impressions as illusions is such a clever theme throughout, not only in relationships but in how we view everything—even ourselves.
Watching this drama reminded me how much social media filters can change the way we see the world and even our own self-worth.
Worth rewatching, not just for the plot but for catching all the small symbolic details you might miss the first time.
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To all the audience who deserve a quality one
First, I want to applause the plot. Cheer to the scriptwriter and the director. The plot itself is a rare case for the live action series. At first I thought this is the manga-adapted drama. It's very creative, fun and kinda like a sci-fi one but they managed it very well without obvious plot holes or nerves wrecking ones. Eventho you want to question "ah ah" but eventually you will feel like "oh yeah, nothing wrong with this" haha. Second , love the acting of the characters not just the leads but all the supports and of course cannon folders you may say . The acting of the male lead here is the best i must say. His every micro-expression is on point and you will follow along his confusion, questioning, heart beating and heart breaking. I felt really funny yet sad and pity him. You won't see a typical overbearing president here with their cocky personality. He is a normal person with his own strength and weakness. The female lead played really well too, especially when she said she felt really good when she turned into a pretty girl but she loved herself more than the fake appearance that was loved by everyone. She supported and encouraged every normal girl out here without belittling the one with outstanding appearance too. This was well appreciating. All in all, Filter is for those who got fed up with the typical artificial love-bubbling in every 3 minutes or dog-blooded drama where females have to suffer to get empathy point. The leads are adults who can handle their own businesses and very down to earth. I rate this as The best drama of 2025 .Was this review helpful to you?
