Zhuo Mu (2025)

A Dark Revenge Romance Where the Leads Match Each Other’s Crazy

A rebirth revenge drama with a dark romantic core, where obsession turns mutual, revenge is methodical, and the leads match each other’s intensity perfectly. If you like devoted yandere MLs, power couples, and republican-era aesthetics, this one delivers.
The male lead is the highlight. He embodies that delicate balance between dangerous and tender-possessive, intense, but never cartoonish. His love is desperate (those puppy eyes🥺) yet restrained, obsessive yet sincere. It’s a performance that makes you sympathize rather than recoil, which isn’t easy with this archetype.

Unlike many revenge dramas, this one doesn’t sideline the romance. Love and vengeance are woven together, given equal weight, and allowed to breathe.

The costumes and cinematography elevate what could have been a familiar plot into something more memorable.

Savage revenge. Sweet-but-unhinged romance. Fire chemistry. I highly recommend it.

Leggi di Più

I ❤️ this republican era revenge tale because of leads' performance & chemistry

I have been a fan of Wang Zi Jia ever since I watched her in a mini drama titled First Choice. So I remember adding this drama to my playlist upon its release. I don't know why I didn't watch it immediately but yesterday I allocated time to watch this after reading comments by my reddit friends. I ❤️ it, more than the modern era version "Tear Night". I want to see more of Xu Yue in ML roles.

Trigger warning: Self-harm.

What I liked:
1. Acting - "Zhuo Mu" or its English title "Stupid Admiration" was excellent because of the leads. Wang Zi Jia showcased good amount of pity, mischief & reassurance through her character. Xu Yue blew my mind with his performance - his eyes were so expressive I could sense his love for her. The chemistry between Wang Zi Jia & Xu Yue was sizzling.
2. Romance - Possessive love that was masked with sweet love and ha I could accept it! Both were crazy for each other. Abundance of spicy & tender moments. The kisses, hugs, eye contact gave me the feels.
3. Setup - It felt like a typical republican era mini drama especially with forced love trope at the start. Those shackles at the start of the drama especially. Good production values.
4. FL characterisation - She was betrayed by her loved ones and when given second chance at life, she went ahead with revenge. I liked the punishment she concocted.
5. ML characterisation - He was protective and yearning for her love. Insecure but I found him more tolerable than Yao Guan Yu's ML in Tear Night (he made me distressed).
6. Supporting characters - I really liked ML's righthand man & butler / caretaker. That wedding scene was touching.
7. Duration - This drama was under 2.5 hours. Well-paced with right balance of romance and revenge.

What I disliked:
1. Antagonists - FL's family and ex-fiance were atrocious. Great that they got retribution.

Favourite scene
Bathtub

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