Perfect chemistry
Song Wei Long and Zhao Jian Mai have perfect chemistry! Every time they are on screen together, you literally get sweetness overload. There were so many sweet moments and scenes that made me swoon and kick my feet. I totally loved their love story. There is something to be said about being with somebody who always chooses you and shows you they love you in so many ways. That is top tier love.Now, let me be honest in saying there are some parts of this show that were a little off-putting, like the background effects in some scenes. Like who are they kidding with those green screen scenes? I am sure they have a better budget and tech than that?! That was just poorly done IMO. Some plots were drawn out and unnecessary too and I thought didn't really contribute or felt like was completely addressed.
But I would still recommend this for the love story, the OST, and just the over all vibes and visual of the main leads.
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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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Michelin Star: 1
This could have been a good drama but it fell so flat in so many ways. First of all, I do love a good time travelling trope especially if it is executed well (Mr. Queen, anyone?) but this was just such a mess. I was curious how the story would unfold so I kept watching, but the ending really disappointed me.Loved the food and how the episodes were written around them. The effects when they tasted the food were pure comical but I guess that's the point. I did not feel such great chemistry between the two leads though. I was not entirely convinced of the two of them being passionately in love or into each other. I mean, I do adore Lee Chae Min, he did a great job with the role. I just didn't think the two of them made me feel anything special. As for Yoona's character, I mean, for someone who came from the future and knows the future - she really did not do anything much except with the food. It was such a letdown. How can you time-travel to the past and not try to change things with the knowledge you have?
As for that ending, I can't accept that they just left it like that. Such a cop out. I just felt like it was rushed, not overly thought of, and they just decided they didn't need to explain it. The end. So frustrating.
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Worth the "price"!
This was phenomenal. From acting alone, this deserves all the stars! You will never be shortchanged if the series has Kim Go Eun. And with Jeon Do Yeon in the lead too, this was a masterful artwork in acting. There is no boring episode. Each episode in the series had me biting my nails and clutching my heart. Such a good suspenseful show that will definitely keep you thinking and guessing all the way to the end. It is only 12 episodes so it is a quick watch, something you can definitely bingewatch while on sick bed (like I did). Definitely worth it.Was this review helpful to you?
Love love love
UPDATE:FInished the series and it is chef's kiss! I love love love this show. I am sad that it finally ended, and that we only got 28 episodes - I definitely could watch more of Yu and Xiu. It was the perfect ending- stay after ending credits for the "real ending"! They couldn't have closed the series in a better way. Definitely worth the watch. So far, this is one of my favorite modern C-dramas. I will not stop talking about this show and its characters. LuYu Xiao and Chen Xing Xu were perfectly cast for this. I adore both. This was such a really well-done romance drama. 10000/10!
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19 episodes in and I am in love. This has to be my most fave C-drama of 2025 so far (even of late!) I ate up the premise and everything else about this series so far. I love both main leads, the story - I usually find it hard to understand parallel stories but this one with the VR and real life plots intertwined makes so much sense. I mean most get it difficult to work but this series does it seamlessly and consistently. It also furthers the story. I am so invested. I am just loving everything, and excited to watch the rest.
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Lost in translation
Let me preface this by saying I am a HUGE Kim Seon Ho fan. I have loved him in all of his works and have always supported him. So I went into this series primarily because of KSH. And, I also have been loving Go Younjung lately. Totally loved her in Alchemy of Souls and Moving, so I had no doubt that this series would be good because of the two of them.And it would have been if they focused on the romance in this romcom. It was giving! They had such great chemistry - KSH and GYJ looked great together! Both fresh-faced, wholesome and not, beautiful, and those winning smiles! But no they had to ruin the plot with some mental health issues drama. I totally understand that they may be trying to make a point or something but they totally missed it. The story still could have been great without all that depressing drama which was not even properly addressed. I mean, if you are giving us something to go to therapy about might as well get us into therapy and healing by the end of the series?
Suffice it to say, I was frustrated with this series. Yes, I loved all the sweet and cute moments but damn, they really had to ruin it. KSH and GYJ were amazing. And so were the rest of the cast, the scenes were so beautiful - I can't believe they had such a big budget for it to just be a total letdown. I was not impressed. But it was still a good watch. However the short 12 episodes felt more like a chore and pledge of allegiance to Kim Seon Ho - which in a way, it really was. I only finished it because of him.
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Fate done right!
This is how you do lovers through lifetimes. This was quite epic in a lot of ways. I loved both main leads in this show. The chemistry was great. It was a beautiful love story, and that ending was just what this show needed. I enjoyed this series a lot and didn't want it to end. I usually hate amnesia trope but they were able to do it right (and about twice!) in this series.Was this review helpful to you?
Short and Sweet
I did not have a lot of expectations with this one, but just needed a break from the costume dramas I have been watching of late but I was pleasantly surprised at how good this show was. It was pretty short that you can bingewatch in a day (as most professionals do), but also entertaining. It is quality drama. I enjoyed the legal cases, the office and courtroom drama, the hint of romance, and the overall vibe of the series. This was well-done. It was satisfying to watch from start to finish. The main leads did a great job. If you're looking for a quick watch with a good story and great acting, this is for you!Was this review helpful to you?
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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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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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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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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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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Sweet and Cute
I mainly watched this because of Lin Yi. And apparently, this has been the 3rd Esther Yu series I have watched in succession. Baby girl (as what my 11 year old calls her after seeing a few series of her because she says she sounds like a little kid), really delivered in her role. Count on Esther to do the perfect cute, sweet, and naive FL. Lin Yi was gorgeous as usual. I am not sure if he did all his stunts but those were pretty cool too. I think this series was just ok. There's sweet moments that I enjoyed but nothing that was really special, to be honest. One thing that was really nice about the show was that it gave time to the other plots and love teams, too. I do love the music in the series as well as all the beautiful mountain and scenic shots.Was this review helpful to you?
Fork in the road
I totally ate this series up. The main leads had such crazy chemistry that it was just intense. I had to keep checking myself on why I am swooning over sibling love, but I just simply think they are two kids who grew up together and end up falling in love. I read fantasy romance so the plot isn't something I would consider weird or gross. I mean, once you get past that, it is a really cute and sweet drama. I enjoyed it so much. My 11 year old who watched with me sometimes kept asking why the girl aka Jiang Mu aka Esther Yu sounds like a kid, LOL. Well, this series was definitely trademark Esther Yu series. I don't hate her. She was in her element. As for Jian Zhao, He Yu really owned it. I just really had fun with this and such a good one to end the year.Was this review helpful to you?
