potatocouch:
set in a matriarchal kingdom (LOLLLLLLL. Of course)
Weakness #1 π©
called "The War God of the Phoenix Empire". She's super cool and a FLAMING SWORD! I was so excited.
Okaaaayyyyyyy daaaaaaang
+ 4 pretty consorts, and she's got to basically get their Love Bar from 0% to 100% so she doesn't die.
Kiss, kiss, fall in love! Also, why is it always 4? It's either 2 or 4- never more, never less. Is 4 like the golden ratio of consorts to have? Any more and it's too crowded and chaotic, any less and it's not really a harem? Does it look better on the cover when it's symmetrical (I do like this, but why never 6? Too many dudes?)
fl trying to win over these 4 pretty, catty men who sometimes broke into fights with each other
Pretty and catty men π©π©π©
but it quickly got a bit too goofy for me. the newly transmigrated fl is really silly, and didn't keep the other host's powers, and well, again, I implore you to look at exhibit A: the man at the bottom right with blush blindness and hair growing out of his nose.
UUUUUUGGH I hate it when they make FLs stupid when transmigrating. I peeked at the intro and it seems like both original body and host were cool and collected so why when combined is she suddenly goofy?
And idfk what I'm even looking at in that pic.... Uuuuuuggh, idk, maybe I'll check it out if I ever run out of verticals to watch, LOL. The catty men are speaking to me.... but the silliness is holding me back
Also, I think I found the drama page: https://kisskh.at/789900-feng-xi
I wish I could time travel back to the beginning of the year when I was finding RR verticals that were right up my alley, like, every week.
Those were some good ol days π© The time will come again, it's just a lil slow moment rn
It's so fun watching the ML get brat-tamed!
Don't exploit my weakness like that!!! It's not faiiirrr
Arclei:
I had been hoarding a few badges I made (apparently over 100... wow...), so I added them to the index
As I was making a badge to fit my profile colors, I figured out how to improve the double long badges so they look less like two images and blend together better, so I updated them all xD
Before and after for those who care. I like them way better now ^^
Before:
After:
Also made a badge for that one scene from Dong Lan Xue. Y'all know the one.
His smile is SO precious there
Truly π₯Ή He's a giant cutie patootie.
I'M HYPERVENTILATING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CAN YOU MAKE ME A WALLPAPER COLLAGE FEATURING PICS 2 THROUGH 5?? I'll give you anything you want. Oh my GAWD. The BARE SHOULDERS IN PIC 2, Wallace. THE BARE SHOULDERS. Him putting the collar on himself in 3, the lighting of 4 (I can see his pretty beauty mark so clearly), and the stare + pose in 5???? Why didn't you tell me about these pictures????? Why have I been walking around not knowing they exist?? I swear his face card is one of my favorites/one of the best in vertical drama land. I just wish he had more RR/better projects in general. HLY and one other drama I can't remember the name of are his only good ones D:
Weakness #1 π©
I knew that would be tempting π
Sadly, you know that tag makes me wary, and unfortunately this drama did it again.
Matriarchy dramas playing in my face
Kiss, kiss, fall in love! Also, why is it always 4? It's either 2 or 4- never more, never less. Is 4 like the golden ratio of consorts to have? Any more and it's too crowded and chaotic, any less and it's not really a harem? Does it look better on the cover when it's symmetrical (I do like this, but why never 6? Too many dudes?)
I think it's simply easier to choose, write, and maintain four (or less) different character archetypes. The cutesy/subby one, the tsundere one, the flirty one, and the smart/principled one. Most harems always have these exact archetypes. Beyond these, you'd actually have to start getting creative with character attributes, and vertical screenwriters rarely wanna do that so...four or less it is lol. I'm sure runtime and budget play a part too. More hot MLs means more screen time and more actors to pay.
Pretty and catty men π©π©π©
That drew me in too πββοΈ
UUUUUUGGH I hate it when they make FLs stupid when transmigrating. I peeked at the intro and it seems like both original body and host were cool and collected so why when combined is she suddenly goofy?
The intro hooked me because FL was soooo cool, and it was a mostly female battle scene. I was like WOW. And again, I was fangirling over the flame sword. But nope, we couldn't have a cool FL. We had to get a goofy bitch from the future to come and take over π I hate it sooo much. FL is no longer intelligent or calm, and she can't fight.
I mean, you can watch the first 10 minutes or so if you're bored. I enjoyed it because of all the times "wife-master" was used, and the FL seemed to like all the consorts instead of just focusing on one. I also enjoyed the first plot point because it involved the cute subby consort begging the FL to save his sick dad, but totally expecting her to say no. He's pleasantly surprised and hero-worships her when she vows to help. He then goes to visit his dad, and one of the bad guys shows up and tries to punish them for their "insolence". This part kind of GAGGED me because it was older, catty dilfs fighting over the empress. The subby consort's dad was the empress's "plaything" so his son was illegitimate, and the bad guy was one of the empress's consorts or something like that, so his son was legitimate, so of course he was hating on the dilf plaything. We rarely get to see male consort infighting, much less by older men, so I was living for a few minutes. The bad guy hits the cute subby consort and FL swoops in to save the day. We even got the FL deliciously asking, "Show me where he hit you?" And ML adorably pointing to his cheek. The premise was interesting and it was going well, so I was really disappointed when it just got stupid.
Also, I think I found the drama page: https://kisskh.at/789900-feng-xi
Ooh, thanks!
I'M HYPERVENTILATING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lmfaaaaaooooo, you did it again xD
CAN YOU MAKE ME A WALLPAPER COLLAGE FEATURING PICS 2 THROUGH 5??
Sent in DMs π«Ά
I'll give you anything you want.
Anything, huh? Glory fic pt.3 pls n ty π
Oh my GAWD. The BARE SHOULDERS IN PIC 2, Wallace. THE BARE SHOULDERS.
I know, girl, I knooowwwwww π© with the beauty mark on his collarbone at that!!!!!
the lighting of 4 (I can see his pretty beauty mark so clearly)
And the tears in his eyes???? Lethal
Why didn't you tell me about these pictures????? Why have I been walking around not knowing they exist??
I.... I did- just.... a few days later... π
I'm actually surprised I was able to find the on pinterest and in such good quality too!!!
I swear his face card is one of my favorites/one of the best in vertical drama land. I just wish he had more RR/better projects in general. HLY and one other drama I can't remember the name of are his only good ones D:
It's a waste of a cutie patootie βΉοΈ we are being robbed
The cutesy/subby one, the tsundere one, the flirty one, and the smart/principled one. Most harems always have these exact archetypes.
Still pissed that only HLY came close to actually delivering these archetypes π Most dramas look more like
Beyond these, you'd actually have to start getting creative with character attributes, and vertical screenwriters rarely wanna do that so...
God forbid. But it's not just in verticals, tho- Men of the Harem and a bunch of manhwas I see always seem to have 4
The intro hooked me because FL was soooo cool, and it was a mostly female battle scene. I was like WOW. And again, I was fangirling over the flame sword. But nope, we couldn't have a cool FL. We had to get a goofy bitch from the future to come and take over π I hate it sooo much. FL is no longer intelligent or calm, and she can't fight.
Such a bummer- we could've had something really good. Maybe another to add next to HYL on the shelf, but I guess not... π
This part kind of GAGGED me because it was older, catty dilfs fighting over the empress.
I misunderstood for a bit and thought FL HAD BAGGED THE DILFS, PLEASE ππππ
The subby consort's dad was the empress's "plaything" so his son was illegitimate, and the bad guy was one of the empress's consorts or something like that, so his son was legitimate, so of course he was hating on the dilf plaything. We rarely get to see male consort infighting, much less by older men, so I was living for a few minutes.
That is still incredible, tho!!! π€©π€©π€©π€© It's SO rare to see older men in matriarchy dramas. Especially ones that actually have romantic entanglements!!!! I'm definitely watching the beginning at least!! β€οΈ
We even got the FL deliciously asking, "Show me where he hit you?" And ML adorably pointing to his cheek.
Loooooooooooove. We could've eaten so good π
A little (okay, very) late but I made a voting list for favorite RR dramas/movies of 2025. Cuz I think it'd be nice, even if I'm 6 months late to this idea, lol! I'll make the 2026 one coming January as opposed to June (I always have these ideas when it's too late, istg), but for now...
Favorite 2025 Role Reversal Drama/Movie
Go vote!
Finished Only The Wind Knows. Another movie that had been on my PTW for quite a while, but I was seemingly never in the mood for.
It's a story about a delinquent masculine girl and her one-sided crush on her childhood best friend. But it's more a coming-of-age story than a romance. FL was a great tough, one-of-the-boys kinda FL that was always picking fights and being too kool for skool. I loved her confidence and charisma, she really talked big and walked big. ML was less RR but he was totally her ride-or-die and had more caretaker vibes. Though he supported her in everything, even fights, he didn't seek them out and was more of a good boy to her bad girl.
But what stood out to me the most was how very "two guys best friends where one falls in love and the other doesn't realize it"-coded they were. Their friendship felt a lot less like a "ah yes, a GIRL and a BOY being friends", it was more like just two people and thus the characters could experience romantic growth in a way that straight couples rarely do in friends to lovers romance. Like, I loved how her friends, especially ML, never really treated her as "a girl" but just "a person" and how they allowed, and even encouraged her boyish, gentlewoman nature.
It's also worth noting that FL is extremely protective of ML and kinda possessive of him, too. She's constantly getting herself in extra trouble to keep him safe.
Overall, the movie was alright, but unable to be truly good. I don't tend to like coming-of-age stories 'cause they're pretty boring and this one was sadly no different despite the various things going on. It just felt so very aimless and like too much was happening, which meant not much was happening. By the end I was just wondering why they even bothered, lmao. I keep having that with Chinese romance movies where they cram a story that should've been for a series into a movie and then nothing gets the time or development it needs, so everything just feels kinda 'eh'.
It's still better than it's not, but I was hoping for a bit more?
The ending is also very rushed and just kinda happens, leaving you going "huh?", which, again, isn't the best feeling to be left with. Ending spoiler for those that might want it: Big climax, FL protects and saves ML but both are badly wounded and she ends up going abroad to study without saying goodbye to neither ML nor any of her friends. It then cuts to her several years later having recieved one of the many letters ML sent her throughout the years after learning she had had feelings for him all along only after she leaves... the end. Like, what's even the point of all that???
Also skipped through the drama for the allegedly RR secondary couple scenes of The Reason We Fall in Love and honestly, y'all, don't bother. It has everything it needs to be RR but it really isn't. She's his boss and quite a bit older than him, but their dynamic is honestly just egalitarian with a sprinkle of noona.
He's the cute, bubbly puppy type which is adorable (he's also SUCH a crybaby <3), but she's... NOT it. Very insecure in no interesting way and very meek despite the drama telling me repeatedly otherwise.
By the end, they even agree to be fully egalitarian, because obviously the one RR-leaning couple need to be kept in line while the other two trad couples get to live out their patriarchy-founded romance <3 Love that for me.
The only good part is that she's noticeably taller than him.
Wall of text incoming...
Better Man
I watched Better Man yesterday since it's another movie that's been high on my PTW list for really long and it was okay. It's the classic misogynistic POS ML that travels to a matriarchy and becomes a better man (ba-dum-ts). I did think dramas like The Other Half of Me and You did it better, this one almost felt like it sometimes made light of the issues it was trying to address in a way that didn't seem like dark comedy or anything like that, but moreso just... making fun of problems? Idk, the movie was way more problematic than TOHoMaY, while lacking the depth and seriousness of a series like Man's World (indian miniseries). It wanted to do both, so it kinda did neither.
It always amuses me in which ways stories will address societal problems and this one definitely deals with a lot of heavier ones like domestic abuse, possessive and controlling partners and mothers (like, extreme edition), pregnancy mistreatment, and even heavier topics... but it's all wrapped in a very... lighthearted package. I understand a certain level of comedy is required to tackle these issues and it not be as traumatizing as Man's World, but... this felt almost insulting π Like the way they... portrayed the gender role swap felt... idk. I think maybe it was a bad blend of gender stereotypes AND comedy that made all these feminine men seem more like they were making fun of women than that they were actually feminine, if that makes sense? That's kind of what it felt like to me. Not to mention that so much still felt very patriarchal. Like women still wore heels and make-up and the men barely looked fem tbvh- but it's also a Chinese comedy movie, so I won't destroy them for it, lol.
Also, not sure how I feel about them changing his daughter to a son in the matriarchal world. Like I get why they did it, but ML never seemed particularly misogynistic towards his daughter (past like, wanting a son to 'protect his family line', obvi), so it felt... again, weird?
The story also spends half its runtime with ML being a colossal, embarrassing POS (yes, half) and then gives us a nice second half-ish of him actually adapting to the matriarchy and having to deal with all the issues he previously enforced on women (including his wife), but also moments of joy bonding with his fellow men and kinda just living. Definitely the highlight for me, haha.
What took me completely by surprise was that he gets pregnant in the movie π I was genuinely not expecting that level of role reversal, but I'm quite happy I got it. Obviously his pregnancy is quite traumatizing cuz he's pregnant with a boy not a girl and his wife mistreats him through out (not flat out abusive, but she's absent and fucking around with other men type), then when he gives birth after an accident, there's obviously unfunny jokes and then he wakes up in the real world... and is relived but crying that he lost his baby but also relieved and idk, it felt... weird. Thankfully the pregnancy wasn't played for laughs, that was during a period of the movie where the comedy was toned down a bit and it worked in its favor.
Thankfully, unlike other dramas (*cough cough*), by the end, he actually does change, but I kept feeling like it wasn't really genuine? Idk if it was the way the actor delivered it (I had this a couple of times, like when he was crying and apologizing to his wife, it felt... disingenuous), but I wasn't sold. Or maybe it's the fact that he was so relieved to be back that made it all seem... less tasteful? By the end: his wife divorces him anyway, which I thought was a good ending for them. Just because man changed after all the shit he put her through doesn't mean she needs to forgive him or that it'll change how she feels.
I will give them credit for actually showing way more men 30+ in a matriarchy and some even 50+. I've watched a lot of matriarchy stories and there's usually a noticeable lack of any man above the age of 30, which I always complain about. Wouldn't say it was particularly well-executed here, but it was nice to see regardless.
I will never forgive them for removing the scene where he gets pregnant (winkwonk) tho, LIKE WHAT DO YOU MEAN I GET A BRIEF BTS SCENE IN THE CREDITS??? (β―Β°β‘Β°)β―οΈ΅ β»ββ»
Arclei literally just posted a huge wall of text about a matriarchy movie, and now I'm about to write a slightly smaller one (I very much enjoyed your review β thank you, Arclei π)
I recently watched a western movie called 'Ladies First' starring Sacha Baron Cohen and Rosamund Pike. It's a comedy, but it was surprisingly deep/thought-provoking and actually explored sexism quite well.
The main character, Damien (Sacha Baron Cohen), is a misogynistic, arrogant, chauvinistic ladies' man who is transported to a matriarchal world when he has an accident. Basically, Damien promotes Alex Fox (Rosamund Pike), a woman who has been working hard at a company for 20 consistent years, but has never been given any bonuses or promotions. However, she is only given the promotion to fill the numbers and make the company look "inclusive/diverse". The board of men constantly talk over her in board meetings and she is expected to keep smiling. She ends up quitting due to the lack of respect she faces, and this is when Damien hits his head by walking into a pole. In this matriarchy, Alex Fox is in the high position of the company instead, and he is instead in her place (before she quit).
The gender flip was done amazingly, very thorough and many examples. I saw many examples of typical roles in homes flipped, with people of all ages shown. Also, I laughed my head off watching this with my family, it truly was a hilarious satire/piss show.
AND WHEN I TELL YOU THE RR WAS THOROUGH, IT WAS JUST... UGH, done so well. Tiny things I noticed in the background really contributed to the whole world-building β like advertisements on billboards, stores, etc.
This movie really highlighted the struggles that women undergo in the corporate world, and some moments were very on point. There is a very obvious parallel in how Damien regards women, and then how he is regarded and treated. Before he gets transported, he
Before you start it, it is very important to understand that above all, this is a comedy and satire, so there are slightly unrealistic stereotypes throughout.
Please give this movie a go!
