This review may contain spoilers
Spoiler!!
Just from the synopsis, it’s clear that this isn’t an ordinary drama. It’s fiction, and it doesn’t try to hide that.People often say this drama is good, but it actually took me quite a long time to finally decide to watch it. There were a few reasons for that.
1. this is a dorama. Some people may not be used to the style and characteristics of Japanese dramas.
2. the romance here isn’t intense or overly dramatic. For some viewers it might feel slow or even boring, but in reality it’s quite touching and even exciting in its own quiet way—especially in episodes 1–6. People who prefer the more passionate style of Western romance might find it difficult to get into this kind of story.
3. the actors. Idk how popular they are in their own country, but some viewers might not find the cast particularly eye-catching. (I can assure you I’m not one of those people 🫰🌷.)
And again, this is a dorama. Some viewers may not be used to the acting style, gestures, or dialect typical of Japanese dramas. As we know, Han Hyo-joo acts very much like a Japanese character here—her speech and gestures feel similar to those of actresses in Japanese dramas.
In reality, the story itself is very simple, isn’t it? Two people who find each other and slowly complete each other’s lives. On the other hand, it’s also about the process of making chocolate—the same kind of chocolate I usually eat when I’m having a bad day. There aren’t any heavy conflicts or shocking plot twists. Unless the writer or director suddenly decides to go crazy, the ending is pretty predictable: they will end up together and live happily.
When I watched episode 2, there was a moment when they tried to hug each other in a very awkward way. The male lead was so curious about his feelings that he moved impulsively and rushed into the moment, only to become extremely nervous afterward as he tried to analyze what he was feeling. Meanwhile, the female lead was also surprised and nervous, but she realized that the hug didn’t feel unfamiliar or uncomfortable, even though he was technically still a stranger. That moment really touched me, and it was when I started to truly like this drama.
As for the FL, I immediately suspected that she was a Korean actress the first time I saw her—and after checking, it turned out I was right. Since this is a dorama and her character is a Korean woman living in Japan, I think the styling suits her very well. Her hair and makeup resemble those of a Japanese girl, but her face still has that distinct Korean beauty.
At first, I actually found her acting a little funny because she was acting like a typical dorama heroine—you know what I mean. It’s different from the acting style in Korean dramas. But after a while, I started to like it. In fact, it means she adapted well to the role.
As for her Japanese pronunciation, I’m not really knowledgeable enough to judge that, so I won’t comment on it.
The setting is also beautiful. The drama shows a calm and peaceful atmosphere of Japan: delicious-looking chocolate, fresh ingredients, and very aesthetically pleasing set colors. Everything fits perfectly with the tone of the story—a gentle love story that feels sweet, comforting, and healing.
Honestly, the cinematography even reminded me a little of the Korean drama Can Love Be Translated?, but this one has a softer, more delicate Japanese style.
As I mentioned earlier, the story is warm and simple—at least until episode 7.
This is where the conflict starts to appear, and I think this is where the story becomes slightly less convincing. The female lead makes several mistakes and awkward decisions, but the characters around her seem to forgive her very quickly, and the resolution happens almost immediately. For example, when her secret is revealed, people accept it surprisingly fast and even support her. The acting in these moments also feels a bit awkward and distant. Sometimes there are pauses where the supporting characters simply smile without saying much. The conflict and its resolution only last about two episodes.
However, after thinking about it, I realized this might not be a big problem. From the beginning, the drama clearly presents itself as a fictional and idealized story. So overall, it still works.
As for the ending… I don’t want to overanalyze it. Personally, I see that part as a bit of nonsense because I couldn’t find any connection between that scene and the main plot of the story.
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What kind of show is this?
Okay, this is the first time in my life I’ve watched a variety show about psychics competing against each other. The idea is honestly fascinating. The cases and challenges in each episode are clever and very interesting. They bring together tarot readers, shamans, saju readers, and different kinds of fortune-tellers, then make them compete to see who is the most accurate. It’s a pretty crazy concept.This show might actually be interesting for people who don’t believe in fortune-telling or the supernatural. At the same time, it doesn’t feel like the show is trying to force you to believe in those things (at least not for me). So what is the hidden message of the show? Is it trying to prove that psychics are real, or that they are fake? Anyway, I’ll stop overthinking that part.
There were a few things that bothered me while watching. Sometimes the judges’ reactions to the contestants’ predictions felt a bit exaggerated. Not only when they heard the readings, but also during moments like tied votes. At times it felt a little too dramatic. There were also moments that seemed to “sell sadness,” which reminded me of some TV shows in my country.
For example, there was one part where I felt really emotional and even cried while listening to one contestant’s story. The contestant’s tears felt very genuine, and it moved me enough to make me cry too. But when the scene suddenly cut to the judges, I stopped crying because their reactions looked a bit forced 😭 (just my personal opinion 🌷).
Another thing I noticed is that some scenes felt cut or edited out. I won’t go into detail, but maybe it was because of time limitations. There were many predictions that weren’t shown on screen. I understand that this might be to protect people’s privacy, but it was still a bit frustrating. It also felt like some contestants didn’t get enough screen time while others appeared much more often.
Well, things like that are quite common in Korean variety shows, so I’m not really surprised.
Aside from that, the show is good. The set design is amazing, the shamans’ costumes are impressive, and the background music sometimes gave me chills. Even the ritual in the final round looked like it was performed very seriously.
You should try watching The Battle of Fate. It’s definitely an entertaining show.
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One thing I can say for sure: this is a good drama.
I knew beforehand that the story wouldn’t have a happy ending, so it was actually quite difficult to finish. Still, I pushed myself to watch it until the end. In reality, I only fully watched up to episode 60, and I skipped quite a lot of the plot in the last 10 epsdEven though I skipped many parts near the end, I would still give the plot a high score. For the overall story, I’d probably rate it around an 8/9. The story is good, but for some reason I didn’t always feel excited while watching it. It took me a long time to finish this drama, especially the early episodes. Even around episode 50, it was still a bit difficult for me to keep watching, which shows that the story is quite heavy. There were also some conflicts that I didn’t fully understand. But again, it’s still a very good drama.
I really like the main characters and their dynamic and chemistry. At the beginning, I actually thought I wouldn’t like them, and I didn’t understand why people said their chemistry was good. But around episodes 30–50+, I finally understood why this couple works so well. I mean, I really like their character dynamics, the way they treat each other, and their love language.
However, toward the end of the story, I found myself liking Prince Helian more than Ning Yi. His love felt more sincere and honest, and I preferred his personality. It’s very unfortunate that his story ended tragically.
The acting and the way the characters are written are also very strong. Even from the beginning, I could see that the Emperor of Tiansheng wasn’t truly a wise man. All the prophecies and what eventually happened to him felt like karma. Personally, there wasn’t any character that disappointed me.
But if you’re looking for a romantic drama, I wouldn’t recommend watching The Rise of Phoenixes with that expectation.
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