Overdo

Not worth 6 months of wait

Starting off it was still better till I assume episode 7. After that oh lord. The leads had no chemistry AT ALL and I don’t think there’s been a single episode where both of them ACTUALLY willingly loved eachother.

I see a lot of people who had issues with the ai intro but that wasn’t even important considering how bad the plot got.

I felt like I was watching a vertical drama with unnecessary drama. Ep 15ish till the end was really boring to a point I felt— “What even is happening in this?”

The ending was the cherry on top– It was so messy. I was hoping for a resolution, maybe it’s a sad ending or maybe it’s a happy one, but unfortunately it seemed as if the ending was hurried with no proper ending.

I mean you had 7 episodes till 40 episodes and you still give us a horrid ending?

In my opinion, it was not worth the wait AT ALL. I had so much expectations from this considering how well it was promoted but the direction was horrible, plot wasn’t well written and somehow the acting was cringe at some points too.

The only reason I’m giving rewatch value a 1 is because I apparently can’t leave it at 0 😓

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Overdo: Too Much Pain, Too Little Payoff

Honestly, Overdo was not an enjoyable drama for me. Even though the drama had a cast with actors who have already shown strong performances in other projects, the story itself was full of flaws. The plot felt weak, overly negative, and emotionally exhausting. Many events happened in a way that felt forced rather than natural, and instead of creating meaningful tension, the drama often relied too much on sadness, stress, misunderstandings, and darkness.
One of my biggest disappointments was the role given to Wang Churan. I personally think she shines much more in lively, clever, warm, and charming characters. In dramas like How Dare You, Are You the One, and Love Has Fireworks, her roles suited her much better. Those characters allowed her to show a fun, bright, energetic, witty, brave, loving, and kind side. She has a natural charm when she plays characters who are emotionally expressive, smart, playful, and full of life.
That is why Susu felt like such a poor fit for her. Susu was written as a dark, depressed, and emotionally heavy character who kept making wrong decisions. Instead of feeling deep or tragic in a meaningful way, her actions often became frustrating to watch. Her so-called love and care sometimes felt suffocating rather than touching, and her choices often caused pain for the person she loved. This made it very hard for me to connect with her character or support the romance.
Wang Churan is a talented actress, but this role did not highlight her strengths. In her better roles, she can be funny, smart, brave, sweet, and emotionally engaging. Here, however, the writing forced her into a gloomy and exhausting character who lacked the warmth and spark that usually make her so enjoyable to watch. It felt like the drama took away the qualities that make her stand out and replaced them with constant sadness and poor decisions.
I was also disappointed with the role given to Zhang Linghe. He has already shown in dramas like Pursuit of Jade and Story of Kunning Palace that he can handle strong, charismatic, and emotionally layered characters very well. In Pursuit of Jade, his performance had charm, intensity, and a natural heroic presence that suited him much better. He was able to show both strength and emotional depth, and his character felt far more engaging and believable.
In Story of Kuning Palace, he was even more impressive. His role had power, intelligence, emotional restraint, and a captivating kind of darkness. That character allowed him to show his strong screen presence and the kind of quiet intensity that makes his performances memorable. These roles fit him because they gave him complex, purposeful characters with emotional tension.
However, in Overdo, the character Murong Qingyi did not suit him at all. Compared to his previous roles, this character lacked impact, charm, and proper development. Instead of giving him a role that could show his strengths, the drama placed him in a poorly written character that felt flat and frustrating. Zhang Linghe is at his best when his characters have intelligence, emotional tension, dignity, and depth, but Murong Qingyi did not have enough of those qualities.
Another major issue was the writing. The story was full of plot holes and unnatural conflicts. The negative events felt excessive and sometimes unrealistic, as if the drama was trying too hard to be painful and dramatic. But darkness alone does not make a story deep. Without strong logic, believable character development, and emotional balance, it only becomes tiring.
The ending made everything worse. Instead of giving the story a satisfying or meaningful conclusion, it ended with a heavy feeling of sadness, frustration, and resentment. After watching so many stressful and painful events, the final impression was not emotional depth, but disappointment.

Overall, Overdo had potential because of its cast, but the weak writing, overly dark atmosphere, frustrating characters, and unnatural conflicts made it a disappointing watch for me. I would rather remember Wang Churan from her bright, clever, and lovable roles in How Dare You, Are You the One, and Love Has Fireworks, and Zhang Linghe from his much stronger performances in Pursuit of Jade and Story of Kunning Palace.
Rating: 4/10
Mostly for the actors, because the writing really did them no favors.

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ML: the punching bag

So quickly I’ll say this supposedly high budget drama looked cheap, used a lot of AI(ew) and the music was…woooo, horrific. Moving on, I have never sided with a republican era ML and never thought I would, until now. I won’t say much about the FL, I found her mostly unlikable and selfish but she had valid reasons sometimes. ML was a good guy despite his circumstances. He had good intentions, loved his brothers, he loved FL, he continued to obey both parents despite how they abused him. Now what does he get in return? Everyone around him(including FL) controlling, manipulating, hiding things from him and just being outright mean to his face. Some claimed to be doing these things for his sake out of “love”, but it was just completely ignoring his feelings and what he wanted. Now after spending 98.7% of the series being treated poorly, ML who sacrificed so much should get a happy ending right? LOL, guess not. ML has the *tiniest* glimpse of happiness before it all ends for him. And not only did the ML spend the entire drama miserable, all the other characters did too. Which made it miserable to watch and a waste of time.

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Overhate and Overhype at the same time.

This drama generated a lot of early hype. The teasers, pre-release photos, gorgeous costumes, and early plot hints created incredibly high expectations. The Republican era visuals looked stunning, and the cast seemed perfectly chosen for their roles.

After waiting for months for this drama to finally air, I ended up feeling disappointed. Putting aside the AI-generated opening sequence. Even though an opening is the first impression of any drama, especially one that so many fans were eagerly anticipating, I found the story itself to be the biggest letdown.

To be honest, I think the drama has managed to keep a lot of its viewers thanks to Zhang Linghe's popularity after The Pursuit of Jade. I was already struggling to continue after the first 10 episodes, but I kept watching because I wanted to see if it would eventually prove the haters critics wrong and become better in the second half.

But sadly the overall pacing and storytelling style felt more like a short drama than a large scale Republican era production. Important plot developments happened too quickly, while other scenes dragged on without adding much to the story.

Because of that, I think it's best to watch this drama with moderate expectations and simply enjoy the parts that work for you. If some scenes feel slow or fail to hold your attention, there's nothing wrong with skipping ahead. Fans of the main lead actors like me will probably still find plenty to enjoy, as both of them deliver solid performances and look absolutely stunning on screen.

I'm a fan of both Wang Churan and Zhang Linghe, which honestly makes this disappointment even bigger. Their acting is good, but in my opinion, a weak script prevents them from showing their full potential. I don't mind the ending where the male lead sacrifices his life for his country. In fact, I thought it was a meaningful and fitting conclusion for his character. My issue is everything that came before it.

For some reason, I never felt the chemistry between the two leads. I didn't truly believe they loved each other enough to make the sacrifices the story asked of them. Their relationship looked beautiful visually, but emotionally it never convinced me.

I also feel that Wang Churan once again chose a role that didn't showcase her strengths, similar to LHF. In many of her previous dramas, she completely captivated me with both her performance and charisma, but here I found myself appreciating her visuals more than her character. As for Zhang Linghe, he's as handsome and charismatic as ever, and I sincerely hope he gets more diverse roles in the future with stronger scripts that allow his talent to shine.

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The creative choices...INSANE

Like many others, this was one of my most highly anticipated of the year. And like many others, I ended up being really disappointed.

Let’s start with the good: the fashion looks great, and the physical sets look pretty immersive as well. We’ll get into bad CGI later, but when they’re actually filming around props and sets, everything looks decent. I really like the second chance romance and the revenge premise; there’s a really interesting story here, it’s just buried under all the other problems.

Now, for the bad. The acting is…questionable. I’ve seen both of these actors in other things and I know they’re capable of emoting, but the facial expressions and line delivery in this show feel unnecessarily dramatic and the dubbing never matches; dialogue is always delivered with the same loud, emotionless, intonation. There are moments where I can feel the chemistry between the leads (see Ep. 2 where ML sees FL for the first time) but other than that I wasn’t really sold on the romance at all due to the lack of build-up and wishy-washiness.

The plot is really choppy and the pacing is really weird; we’re jumping from one scene to the next without any sort of logical progression and without any time for the plot to breathe. There are time jumps all over the place and I’m never sure how long they are until they randomly say it in conversation. There is one big time jump in the last quarter of the show that introduces several tropes that I just dislike on principle, and it sort of just rehashes the exact same relationship dynamics all over again. The ending is confusing and unsatisfying.

Which brings me to the ugly; the editing choices in this show are just utterly BIZARRE. The rapid pacing and jumping from one scene to the next is emphasized by the fact that the music never stops. EVER. Seriously. There are moments where up to THREE different OSTs are strung together, back-to-back, sometimes within the same conversation. It’s insane. Sometimes the characters are just having a normal conversation and there is crazy violin playing going on the entire time.

Visually, the rapid zooms on character faces does the opposite of what’s intended, making scenes feel funny instead of serious and dramatic. There are some scenes that just should’ve been filmed from different angles to avoid weird reflections or cuts, or fights/slaps where we can clearly see that the characters were standing super far from each other and didn’t make contact at all. There are moments where the CGI is really bad and you can tell the actors aren’t interacting with their surroundings correctly. Zhang Ling-he is belly-flopping into a pond. Wang Chu-ran is floating vertically out of an airplane.

I feel like I also have to mention the AI intro. I’m glad they received enough backlash and changed it; it boggles my mind that they said it was supposed to “help viewers quickly grasp the protagonists' emotional backstory.” You had the actors on set and actual footage?? Put something together?? The new intro showed that they could and it would be even more effective storytelling. I hope IQIYI keeps receiving criticism for leaning into AI; I’m seeing more and more of it pop up in their drama intros, and viewers deserve better. My favorite, never-skip intros are the ones with adorable scenes, great songs, or really beautiful art.

In conclusion, I’m sad that this turned out the way it was because there’s a really interesting story here with actual high-stakes and consequences, and I grieve the show we could’ve gotten. “Provoke” is a similar premise and it’s a short drama, but it’s one I actually enjoyed if anyone is looking for something similar.

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Not even the cast could save this

The main issue with this drama—and the aspect most open to criticism—has been the consistently poor use of AI, which creates a sense of low quality. It wasn't just the terrible intro they had to change; the entire series constantly featured images that were clearly AI-generated.

On top of that, a dramatic story that seemed to have potential ended up relying on many excessively exaggerated scenes, giving the impression that you were watching a short-form drama. It didn't help at all in connecting with a story that carries such heavy emotional weight. That sort of thing works fine for rom-coms or series with a more lighthearted tone, but certainly not for this one.

It really saddens me because I was so looking forward to the series for the cast—I love both leads. But between the AI ​​and the terrible script, even they couldn't help the show fly by for me. I'll be waiting for another series featuring the two of them where they can actually give a proper performance.

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NO REGRET WATCHING IT! You enjoy Dark Romance & Toxic Love? You will like this!

DISCLAIMER: The most overdo thing about this drama is the hate it received. If you're interested, watch it to make your own opinion. I usually also check reviews to see if I should watch a show or not, but I never saw a show receive this much hate by people who dropped it so they don't even know what's the story is about anymore.

REVIEW: It was one of the show I was anticipated the most this year and I'm so glad I watched it! Since last year, the story and the trailer promised toxic love and red flags leads then guess what? We got served toxic love and red flags lead! I'm very happy about that. Is the drama top notch? No, we can tell the editing is not all that. But not one second I regret watching it. The setting and the fashion are beautiful, we really feel in the republican era.
This drama type is nonsensical over the top dramatic soap opera-like. A bit too much when it comes to the story, like how they purposefully make the leads suffer but it's not that bad of a show. We get that it's just part of the story, lol. The story is a mess and somehow that's what makes you want to keep going, because you can't guess what's coming next. It's a very entertaining show with a cast that have great chemistry and embody their characters well.
The characters are complex and it seems some people can't handle when characters are not good or bad but actually both because of their own trauma. We see the leads hurting each other more than loving each other, while also knowing they really are in love with each other and would die/kill for the other. Despite their toxic love, they are really made for each other.

I don't think you missed anything if you have not watched it, like it's not a must watch, but I do not believe it's the worst drama of the year nor of Zhang Ling He and you will waste hours of your life watching it either.
To me, it felt like the closest show one could get if you enjoy mafia/dark romance and want that in a cdrama. It's very unique in its genre and I appreciated the time I spent enjoying this drama and wondering what was coming next. ^_^

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So disappointed... "Overdo" is totally overrated ?

I just finished Overdo, and honestly, I'm so let down. Looking at what other people are saying online, it seems like I'm definitely not the only one.

They had a top-tier cast and a massive budget, but they completely wasted it. Because of all the obvious sponsoring, the show honestly felt more like a long commercial than an actual drama.

Here is what really ruined it for me (and a lot of other viewers):

The CGI is a joke: With that much money, how did the special effects look so cheap? It was hard to take seriously.

Too much overacting: I love this cast, but their acting was way too extravagant this time. It felt unnatural and kept pulling me right out of the story.

An exhausting plot: The story relied way too much on stupid misunderstandings. Just talk to each other! It got so frustrating to watch after a while.

That ending: After dragging us through all that stress, we get an open ending? It was so disappointing and left me feeling like I wasted my time.

Honestly, this drama is all hype and no substance. Save your time and skip it!

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Better Than Its Ranking Makes It Look

Honestly, I don't understand why Overdo is ranked so low. I almost got discouraged because of the ranking and nearly skipped it, but I'm actually glad I didn't. It's definitely not perfect, but it's nowhere near as bad as the ranking makes it seem.

I'll be blunt though the first few episodes can feel pretty boring. I wasn't completely invested at the beginning and I can understand why some people might drop it there. But once the story starts picking up, especially around Episode 15 for me, I became genuinely invested and wanted to know what was going to happen next.

One thing I'd seriously recommend is understanding the Republican-era setting before starting this drama. The drama doesn't explain everything clearly, so if you go in without knowing much about the historical/political context, some parts can feel confusing and painfully boring because you won't understand why certain things are happening. Once you understand the background, the story makes much more sense.

The acting was actually pretty good overall, but the drama can be really frustrating sometimes. There were moments where I genuinely wanted to yell at the screen because of the characters' decisions or the way certain things played out. Some of the writing choices made me question what the drama was trying to do, and there were definitely scenes where I felt the frustration more than the emotion.

And honestly, Murong Qingyi is definitely not Zhang Linghe's best role. I don't think the character suited him that well at all. Compared to his previous roles, Murong Qingyi lacked the impact, charm, intelligence, and depth that usually make Zhang Linghe's characters stand out. It's not that he acted badly I actually think he did a good job with what he was given but the character itself just wasn't strong enough. Zhang Linghe is much better when he's given a character with more emotional complexity, dignity, intelligence, and presence. Murong Qingyi simply didn't give him enough to work with.

Now let's talk about the part that absolutely destroyed me: my favorite characters literally ALL died. And I'm still bitter about it.

Some of those deaths were genuinely painful to watch, and there were episodes where I was just sitting there thinking, why are you doing this to me? But at the same time, I don't think their deaths were meaningless. Since the drama has such a strong patriotic element, these characters were willing to sacrifice themselves for the people they wanted to protect and for their country. Their choices were basically suicidal missions, and while it was incredibly painful to watch, I understood what the drama was trying to convey.

That doesn't make watching it any easier, though. If you can't handle watching characters you care about suffer and die, seriously prepare yourself before starting this. Some episodes were emotionally exhausting.

The production is probably my biggest complaint. The story had potential to be much more powerful with better execution, stronger camera work, and a more polished overall production. There were moments where I could see how good the drama could have been if it had been given a higher production quality.

But despite all that, I don't regret watching it.
So honestly, don't let the ranking decide for you. Give it a chance if the premise interests you and for your own emotional wellbeing, don't get too attached to your favorite characters. Because apparently Overdo has absolutely no mercy.

Overall, it was a good one-time watch for me.

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A Republican drama that isn't for everyone

Wow, this was a fantastic Republican drama!

It had everything that is vital to a good Republican drama. A fantastic ML (who doesn't have to be good looking but it doesn't hurt), a story so gripping that you can't help but feel for the character, morally gray characters, evil characters, romance filled with angst, danger, revenge, death, war, etc...

It was a hard, difficult watch at times especially the horrible abuse Murong Qing Yi had to live through. The fact that he survived it was in itself amazing but that he didn't lose his mind or become some person hellbent on revenge because of it was simply a miracle. Not only was he hurt, tortured, treated cruelly by his enemies but by his family (and it started when he was a child!), the very people who were supposed to protect him. But honestly, when the FL came along she was no better, blaming him for things he had no control over, some of her scenes were rage inducing.

After watching Overdo, I am astounded at the amount of hate this drama has gotten. I believe a lot of watchers came in after Pursuit of Jade expecting the same kind of story. Gorgeous hero, gets the feisty girl, they win against all odds and get to live happily ever after. But Overdo is a Republican drama. It's not sunshine, roses and happy endings. Its bread and butter is angst, couples/families tore apart from the ravages of war, drugs, revenge, etc..

I've read a good portion of the hate was partly because of the AI intro... ummm... there are some dramas with cartoony intros or even some with the battles that are cartoony/drawn, etc.. because they're cheaper to make apparently. The intro isn't the drama... so skip it. I don't watch the intro, complete waste of time. I'd rather get to the drama.

Another reason, if not the main reason is because of the ending. Zhang Ling He has spoiled his fans. Unlike other actors (I'm looking at you Ren Jia Lun) he's never taken a script where he dies or that doesn't end well. In almost everyone of his dramas it's a happy ending and he usually gets the girl.

Overdo is the exception. And I think he must have taken this role to prove he is something more than just a gorgeous face. He doesn't need to be what the haters called the 'foundation general', or even the pretty boy that always has to have a happy ending.

Overdo proved one thing beyond a shadow of a doubt and that is Zhang Ling He isn’t just a pretty face; he genuinely has the acting chops to back it up. Any argument to the contrary is purely academic.


Would I recommend watching Overdo? You bet I would. If you love Republican dramas, if you like watching an actor prove that he is more than just his visuals, if violence, blood and death doesn't bother you, if you can handle cruelty, if angst is right in your wheelhouse then give this one a try.

But there is a caveat. If you don't like Republican dramas, if you absolutely must have a happy ending, if you can't watch abuse, death, cruelty, angst, war, etc... you might want to skip it. This isn't the drama for you.

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Simping Gone Wrong

✅Simping Gone Wrong

Overdo is peak "Proud Simp" nonsense, and not the fun kind. The show wants you to believe it's a sweeping, tragic romance set in Republican-era Shanghai, but strip away the pretty costumes and dramatic music and what you're left with is one of the most one-sided, emotionally manipulative relationships in recent cdrama history.

✅The Setup That Could've Worked

Murong Qingyi (Zhang Linghe), the abused youngest son of a warlord family, falls hard for Ren Susu (Wang Churan) after a brief but intense connection. Classic melodrama setup. Tragedy strikes, he takes the fall for her, ends up in prison. Believes she died. Heartbreaking, right?

✅The Twist That Breaks Everything

She didn't die. She faked it. Escaped. And let him rot in jail for three years. No letter, no explanation, no looking back. When she finally resurfaces, she's engaged to marry his brother. The woman he destroyed his life for is about to become his sister-in-law. You'd think this would be the moment he wakes up. Nope.

✅The Simping Never Stops

Qingyi still pines for her. Still shows her affection. Still looks at her like she's the sun while she's standing there in his brother's arms. The drama frames this as "enduring love" and "love-hate entanglement," but let's be real—it's pathetic. There's a difference between devotion and self-debasement, and Overdo doesn't know where that line is. The man went to prison for her. She let him. He got out. She married his brother. And he's still chasing? That's not romantic. That's a mental health crisis.

✅The FL Problem

And Ren Susu? Zero remorse. The show tries to handwave her actions with vague "secrets she cannot reveal" and "pain she cannot express," but three years of silence while your supposed soulmate suffers for your sake isn't tragic it's cruel. When she finally faces him again, there's no genuine apology, no real reckoning. Just more mysterious suffering and emotional manipulation disguised as complexity. We're supposed to feel for her because she's "troubled," but all I see is someone who got away clean while her fall guy took the punishment.

✅What Kind of Romance Is This?

The show asks us to root for their reunion, to believe that love conquers all including common sense, self-respect, and basic human decency. But what kind of romance demands that one party suffer endlessly while the other faces zero consequences? Where's the balance? Where's the mutual growth? Qingyi doesn't grow from this; he just suffers more. Susu doesn't grow; she just keeps being mysterious and sad. Nobody wins except the writers who think suffering equals depth.

✅The Wasted Potential

It's frustrating because the pieces are there. Zhang Linghe brings real wounded intensity to Qingyi you genuinely feel his pain, which makes his inability to move on even more maddening. Wang Churan has the look and presence of a compelling tragic heroine, but the script gives her nothing to work with beyond "beautiful woman with secrets." The Republican-era Shanghai setting is gorgeous. The production values are solid. The chemistry between the leads is undeniable. All of it wasted on a dynamic that asks us to romanticize emotional abuse.

✅My final say on the drama

Overdo is a beautifully packaged drama with a rotten core. If you enjoy watching one character suffer endlessly while the other gets away with emotional negligence, congratulations—this is your show. For everyone else, it's a masterclass in how not to write a romance. Love shouldn't mean letting someone destroy you. It shouldn't mean forgiving betrayal without so much as an apology. And it definitely shouldn't mean simping for the person who let you rot in jail while they started a new life. Hard pass.

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Can someone explain the hate?

From the very first episodes, I found myself completely invested in the story. The plot moves at a steady pace, revealing just enough information to keep the suspense alive without becoming unnecessarily complicated. There are plenty of twists, shifting alliances, and emotional confrontations, but what kept me watching wasn't simply the revenge itself. It was watching how far the protagonist was willing to go in order to achieve it.
We're so used to female leads who always make the morally correct decision, even when they're supposed to be seeking revenge. Here, that's simply not the case.
Ren Susu / Fang Mulan is intelligent, manipulative, determined, and, above all, deeply flawed and I absolutely loved that. There were many moments where I completely disagreed with her choices, yet I never wanted the drama to change her. he's someone you're meant to question, sometimes even criticize. Her obsession often takes precedence over the people who genuinely care about her, and the drama never pretends otherwise.
The best example of this is her relationship with Murong Qing Yi.

I honestly lost count of how many times I wanted to reach through the screen and tell her to stop hurting him.
Poor Murong Qing Yi spends so much of the drama paying the price for decisions that aren't even his own. Again and again, he becomes collateral damage in a revenge that was never his to fight. He remains loyal, patient, and willing to stand beside her even when she gives him every reason to walk away. While I understand why she keeps making those decisions—because revenge has completely consumed her—there were several moments where the pain she inflicted on him felt almost unnecessary. It wasn't the kind of suffering that naturally came from the circumstances; it was suffering created by her inability to trust, to let go, or simply to be honest.
And yet... that's also what made their relationship so compelling.

Visually, the drama is a bit of a mixed bag.
There are scenes that look absolutely stunning, with beautiful costumes, strong cinematography, and emotional framing that elevates key moments. Then, out of nowhere, the CGI reminds you that the budget clearly had its limits. Some effects look surprisingly rough and occasionally pull you out of otherwise powerful scenes.

One thing I know I'll probably be in the minority about is the opening sequence.
I actually preferred the original AI-generated opening. I know it sparked a lot of criticism when the drama aired, but personally, I thought it fit the atmosphere much better than the replacement version. More importantly, it didn't spoil the story. The new opening uses actual scenes from later episodes, and I've never been a fan of openings that reveal moments I'm supposed to discover naturally while watching. I much preferred the original version because it created intrigue without giving anything away.

Overall, Overdo was a very enjoyable surprise. A gripping revenge plot, engaging twists, emotionally layered relationships, and, most importantly, a female lead who isn't afraid to be selfish, stubborn, and morally questionable made this a refreshing watch from beginning to end.

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