This review may contain spoilers
Legen-DAIRY!
I was so excited for this series. All the teasers, the reels, the videos I saw got me so hyped up that I had some sort of expectations coming in to watch the series. However, I have never seen the two main leads in any series before so I don't know either of them.But let me tell you right now that this show is so overyhped and overrated. I was just plain disappointed. I don't even know why I kept watching but I did so I am not going to feel bad about spending time to review this but I should. This series talked about a legendary female general and seriously, there was no legendary female general from this show. I was expecting a bad-ass female character but all we got was an infantilized version of a romance female lead. You can not be serious that this woman has been a general, has led an army, has won multiple battles, and has even gone undetected as a woman in the military for so long? Granted, we are expected to suspend belief but come on now, this is just overreach. I don't mind her physique and looks, but her behavior and demeanor does not befit a general. Who gets drunk in a military camp and almost gives herself away multiple times? Ridiculous. The whole cutesy version female lead won over the strong woman that we could have gotten. That is such a pity because this could have been a really great series with a great premise.
On the other hand, I enjoyed the fight scenes but they weren't as grand or epic as you would expect - again, where is the legendary? The first few episodes were ok. The pacing of the series was pretty smooth since the episodes were shorter than usual. But honestly, it felt like the latter part of the series just dragged on. This whole series totally missed the mark. It could have been great, it could have been legendary, but it just ended up flat.
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Locked in for life!
This show was just what I needed right now. Just when I have been very disappointed with K-dramas of late, here comes C-dramas saving the day! This series has me on a chokehold. I have watched many costume period dramas, both Chinese and Korean, and this one has been one of the better ones, in my opinion. The cast, costumes, production, cinematography, setting, story, dialogues, action, every single thing is just top-tier. The only disappointment I have with this drama is that it was only 36-episodes long or short. Usually C-dramas run forever but this one was just too short for me. I even had to stop myself from watching it just to make it last longer!!!I love the mix of drama, action, comedy, politics, history, and romance in this series. There is definitely something of everything. I was hooked from episode 1 and couldn't stop watching it. I do feel like they could have done more towards the end because it felt a little rushed and not enough time was spent on the ending but that is why I am complaining how short this 36-episode series is!
The ML and FL's chemistry is chef's kiss. They both are amazing in their roles. The supporting cast is perfect. The subplots are easy to follow and flow into the story well. I would kill for a Shao Wei. All the funny and sweet things he does for Man Man are just so endearing. I was just a rollercoaster of emotions while watching this show.
Honestly, if you have never watched a Chinese historical/period costume drama and want to try it out, this is a really good place to start. Well, this is the perfect one to start with! It is a masterpiece.
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My dearest series, indeed!
It took me forever to finally watch this show. I have had this on my watchlist for a while and I finally had time, energy, and fortitude to be able to watch this. And let me tell you - it was well worth it. I was both sorry I waited so long to watch it, and sorry I already watched it and it finally ended. It was a masterpiece, for lack of a more eloquent term to describe it.Lately, I have been on a K-drama slump and have really been struggling finding good series to watch and so I have been either rewatching old favorites or watching C-dramas or J-dramas. However, this one really made me remember the good old days of K-drama, especially the really fantastical storytelling of historical dramas of the past like Jewel in the Palace, Empress Ki, Jumong, The Great Queen Seondeok, to name a few.
My Dearest is one of the best historical dramas I have seen so far. It had all the right elements to make the series into such a beautiful saga of love, loyalty, friendship, found family, and fealty. The leads did such an amazing job - I fell in love with Lee Jang Hyun and Yoo Gil Chae. Namkoong Min and Ahn Eun-Jin were phenomenal. The supporting cast also made the whole series flow beautifully. The cinematography was the perfect backdrop to the storytelling. The soundtrack just wrapped your heart and soul. I swear, this series has me on a chokehold. I love this show so much.
WATCH IT. YOU WILL CRY. BUT IT IS WORTH IT.
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Revenge on revenge on revenge
Revenge? Check. Political intrigue? Check. Family drama? Check. Action? Check. Loyal friendships? Check. Romance? Check. Slow-burn romance? Check, check! This series really has it all. I mean, too much of it all, in fact. The revenge alone would have you going for hours. It was really engaging and I enjoyed how the revenge plots played out. It was pretty satisfying. The acting of both Wu Jinyan and Wang Xingue are topnotch. They were perfect for their roles. I could not have imagined a more perfect Xue Fangfei and Xiao Heng. They also have good chemistry. The side characters also did great. Totally love (and hate) the Eldest Princess Wanning. She was awesome and loathsome in her role. I also loved the cinematography of this series. It was so beautiful and added to the total vibe of the series. The breathtaking shots and angles were key to taking the storyline further.Now, there are some things that I thought were problematic about this series. This was 40-episode long. Did it need to be that long? Honestly, yes and no. Yes, because it had so much to tell, and also no, because some plotlines just dragged on, and I felt that some scenes were unnecessary. And as much as the revenge plots were all resolved in the end, it all were just too good to be true and too convenient. And well, that ending? I usually do not mind an open-ending like that but seriously, you had me watch for 40 episodes and go through all of that just to give me a vague ending? That was just really painful and really unsatisfying, even unfair. I don't want to think of the end, please just give me a happy ending, for real!
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No tangles!
This was a refreshing break from some heavy dramas I've been watching lately. It is simple, short, and sweet. There's really nothing revolutionary about the story. It is a sweet coming-of-age love story wihich tries to show that you should and could be loved just as you are. In a society and culture obsessed with certain beauty standards, it is nice and a breath of fresh air to have something albeit simple to remind us that there's more to beauty than what the eyes see.The show has no real complicated plotlines, it is a relaxing watch. It is light and a heartwarming watch. I recommend it if you have about 2 hours to kill and just want to have a break from long series, or heavy dramas.
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Twisted fate
I am quite unsettled by this series. The plot twists, especially in the first part of the series, were just diabolical. I can say those really came unexpected. Not sure if it was in a good or bad way, but it did push the story further.The whole story is very interesting. Definitely not for everyone and it takes some getting used to. If you're not typically into stories about immortals and mortals who cultivate mystical powers, this might go way over your head. It does take a lot for the world building to settle and be more relatable.
I have generally liked Bai Lu, she did an amazing job as A'Yue/Li quing yue. That character has to be the most exhausting and frustrating with all that it had gone through. But I really came to watch this for Joseph Zeng. That man can do no wrong. He was the perfect Bai Jiu Si (bae juicy!) He played the role of tsundere deity like he was born for it. I am a little disappointed with their chemistry though - I mean, they are a good looking couple but I didn't really feel excited about their romance at all. If they give me Bai Lu and Joseph Zeng in a modern drama, I would definitely watch them together again.
Again, this series is a lot. It is pretty emotional. It tries to teach a lesson about love, forgiveness, revenge, and choices, among other things. I was let down with the ending, because what the hell happened? It just felt like it was all over the place, some characters were not fully developed, and some storyline subplots were dropped or completely forgotten.
I recommend this if you are a masochist. This is definitely a good series for you.
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Fun show
This was such a fun series. I did not expect it to be quite as entertaining. I mean, I really had no expectations when I started watching it but it was enjoyable over-all. The story was about a young shaman trying to protect her first love who is plagued by bad spirits. What could go wrong? Well, everything.It is about young love so it was sweet, charming, and fun. It explored youth, growth, and the complexities of first love. That is always something I enjoy watching. The backstories of the characters were also interesting. I particularly enjoyed all the shaman scenes - those were fun to watch.
This show was not meant to be serious at all. It is just to entertain, something to pass time, for fun. The two leads are cute and have good chemistry. I even liked the love triangle. It was not problematic at all. I also love a good slow burn romance, might not appeal to all, but that's really my kind of romance.
It's a short series, so if you're looking for something not too time-consuming, not too depressing or serious, just lighthearted and funny, this might be for you!
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Yin and Yang
This show is brilliant. I love how this show just hurts and heals. It was both painful yet heartwarming.This is the story of two sisters. A story of a culture that expects too much yet gives too little.
Park Bo-young is an amazing actress. No question about this. She played the part of twins like there were actually 2 actresses. You can tell which is which. She acts with such restraint and force, it just works. She's definitely one of my favorite K-actresses. I would watch anything she's in!
This series is 12-episodes short/long, it is engaging and the story is character-driven. The pacing of the story is seamless and does not drag.
If you want a story about empathy, healing, identity, family, and some intergenerational trauma mixed in, this is for you.
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The sisterhood of the traveling romance!
At first, I was only really interested in this because I have come from a family of 5 sisters myself. The story of family always hits home with me because I have a strong relationship with my parents and sisters. This did deliver on that front because the show was able to showcase the intense relationship the sisters have with each other as well as to their mother. I really liked how far they would go to support, protect, and even defend each other especially in times of crises and danger.This show was pretty extensive because it covered the love stories for each of the five sisters! And it did it in 5 arcs as well. The episodes were broken down into parts that were dedicated to the romance and stories for each of the sisters. I think that made sense that it gave the focus to one couple and their love story. But since the whole series was about the family and the sisters, it still gave us glimpses and bits and pieces of how the other sisters and their lives are like as each sister and couple came back home. It does show how family dynamics work in a huge family, as well as how the personality of each sister really affects their relationships not just with their sisters and mother, but with their spouses and their family, too! It was pretty entertaining and I particularly liked some couples (like Li Kangning and Li Haode's story arcs).
I generally liked the entire series. It was enjoyable and refreshing. There was a good mix of romance and comedy, as well as suspense, action, and some drama. It did get a little predictable for each of the story arc. You get the same kind of plot for each of the couple - love/hate or enemies to lovers (something like that), then some family drama about the groom's family not being accepting of the bride and having to drive her out of their home, the groom being accused of something and having to give up the bride, wanting to or drawing up a divorce letter of some sort, then of course, getting back together... It kind of gets exhausting at the end because it happens about 5x. So in the end, it gets kind of boring and towards the end of the series, you just keep wanting it to just end. And honestly, since there are 5 stories, we really don't see all of the stories developed as much. We miss out on the details on the relationships of the other couples because they jump from one to another.
Overall, it lacked focus and depth because the storylines were all over the place. Would I still recommend the series? Yes. If you like some lighthearted romance and family drama and do not mind watching 36 episodes, try it out.
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Satisfying watch!
This show was good. I love a rebirth plot. But honestly, I wish they did more with that premise. Sure, the FL knew of her past life but aside from profiting from it and using her knowledge of it to steer herself away from her former marriage, there was really very little she did to counter anything else. Ok, granted there was little she could really have done to change the course of "fate" or history, but I felt like there could have been more done with that past life knowledge. It got a little frustrating at times. How do you know the past, have a book about it, a monk that knows about the future, and still have no clue? Uh, okay.Over-all, the FL and ML chemistry is amazing. I love it. They were both great in their roles though I think the ML was better and probably outshone the FL. I particularly love So Mo. It was just a pity we got robbed of the long white-haired So Mo for the rest of the series, that would have been the better one of the two So Mos, in my honest opinion!
The cinematography was top-notch. The scenes were beautiful. What I loved most about this series is that all the minor characters' stories were given time and space to really be fleshed out and flow into the whole narrative. You can understand the entirety of the story and how each of the characters contribute to the whole. I love that. This was well-written and carefully thought of.
The ending was very satisfying. I really enjoyed this series.
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