Dramas Completed: 2026

This was more enjoyable than I expected. I appreciated that it was light and easy to watch and something you can just switch your mind off. Mature adult romance....and it didn't hold back on the intimacy which kinda makes it different from other dramas. Maybe it did lack some emotional depth but overall a decent watch if you keep expectations low.

The cast carried the weight of the drama and the great set designs, costumes and cinematography made it memorable, however the plot particularly after the halfway mark loses some balance and becomes less cohesive with the political/court aspects. I love the soundtracks especially 'A Single Thought' ❤️ Overall a visually stunning production despite some flaws.

Side note: Started this a week before it ended so trying to avoid spoilers was hard given how popular and hyped this drama was.

This was a short, sweet and fluffy mini drama which was refreshing to watch considering how intense the previous drama was. An easy watch and I enjoyed the interactions of the main couple. Keeping my expectations low made me enjoy the drama more than I expected.

This was an emotionally intense and healing drama. It delves into a topic that's sensitive and not often touched upon in C-dramas. I like that it had an authentic feel, the main couple had ordinary jobs with a normal looking apartment etc. What really took my heart was how supportive the male lead Qin Nan was under difficult circumstances and that's when the benchmark is tested....when a person hits rock bottom does the partner show strength to carry through...that's the real test. Acting was good with both leads, it felt natural and there were some tender moments. However there are flaws which is why I couldn't rate it higher. There were some actions/decisions particularly during the last few episodes which were just frustrating (and unnecessary....). I also couldn't fully understand their relationship at the beginning of the drama given how much the Qin Nan loved Si Bei. His love for her went above and beyond and I would have rated the drama higher if certain aspects stayed consistent. Also the drama could have been much darker....there was one part I almost held my breath because I thought 'no way...they wont go down that road would they?' but I think it wouldn't have passed censorship anyway. I'm glad I came across this drama because delving into darker topics that are not explored much in C-dramas is worth watching. 

Not settled on a rating yet. Undecided whether I want to be generous or not xD. I will be honest....the whole drama felt a bit performative like a rosy picture, both leads were wealthy, they got internships and jobs easily after graduation etc. It tried to portray their lives as inspirational but it lacked depth and substance to carry weight. Things did happen in the past for the male lead so it didn't go smoothly at one point but his struggles felt glossed over. The pacing was slow to the point it tested my patience lol. By the time I got to ep 26 I couldn't believe I had another 10 eps to go. The business side was totally boring so I had to skip. There are plus points: The romance was sweet and developed nicely. I liked the couple's interactions, it felt natural and their support and mutual respect for each other. What I like to call the After Story was so good...I wish more romance dramas had their final episode like this one. There were a few nice tracks and everything looked extremely pretty and aesthetic. It just lacked some depth and weight in the story. 

Edit: rating is 7.5. It just didn't have enough impact for me to rate higher. Also I need to be more selective with modern romance C-dramas....they seem to follow a similar format. So unless I am very curious about a pairing or the story looks like it can offer more I will be selective going forward.