Lynn

The Boy Next Door

While I am not a big fan of the ML, I watched him in "Something in the Rain" and quite enjoyed watching him. He's very easy on the eyes to be sure. :o) I liked FL in "Because this is my First Life" and so, I thought I'd give this drama a shot since I had pretty good impressions of them.

No regrets watching this drama but it doesn't stand out as supremely outstanding for me.

What I Liked:
- ML is definitely easy on the eyes. He's, certainly, a lovely boy to have next door. :o)
- The cast was generally esteemed. The veteran actors really rocked their roles and I especially liked the characters Jae Suk and Hye Suk. They acted so well. At the end of the drama, I remember these two characters the most.
- I also liked the character Myeong U. He managed to stay pleasantly cute in this drama from start to end. I quite enjoyed his moments on screen.
- Because the cast was great, they managed to carry the whole 16 episodes from start to end.
- A happy enough ending while quite rushed.

What I Considered "Meh":
- I didn't like FL's best friend, Mo-Eum. I found her acting stilted and rather unnatural. She came across as trying too hard to perform well. The love-line between her and Mr Mudflat Man wasn't anything exciting or touching IMO. I fast forwarded their moments together.
- I read that another reviewer found the premise that rich ML would be staying next door to very poor FL rather unbelievable and I found that this reviewer had a good point. This part didn't make much sense but I guess we have to suspend disbelief. I also didn't like FL's mother whom I viewed as quite mad and bipolar. Why would someone create such a ruckus in the streets and wallop one's daughter for all and sundry to gossip about? It seemed very illogical. It was also quite odd for her to be drumming her frustrations away.
- The love that FL had with her ex-husband-to-be wasn't romantic or exciting either.

In all, I found this drama just an okay watch. It wasn't full of riveting moments and nail-biting tension. I watched it because of ML. Luckily, the veteran cast carried things through quite nicely from start to finish.

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A long-drawn whodunit with lousy cast

I watched this as the reviews and rating were both good. I saw a few short clips and thought that this drama could be worth the while. I was wrong.

Pls don’t watch! Don’t watch because:
- The young male lead is so annoying. He is, IMO, a poor actor. He isn’t handsome so it’s even more annoying to watch him on my big screen. It’s like he sullies my screen! He is not handsome at all and the part where he went ‘Oh Kang Hee’ or something like that with a very close up shot of his thin, unsexy lips left me traumatized and it was terrible when there was a recap on it. Oh my! Double trauma.
- The female lead, IMO and I’m entitled to my opinion just like you are entitled to yours, is not good-looking too. She’s a bit weird looking. She looks like the toad in ‘Frog and Toad’. She’s not sexy and she’s not the best actress out there. Quite painful to watch.
- The plot is a whodunnit plot which is so long-drawn that I couldn’t take it and dropped this show. I’ll just get the information later on. This drama is too insufferable. I cannot continue watching it to find out. No way.
- The plot, thus far, is draggy and longgggg.

My heartfelt advice is: Don’t waste time! Watch something else! Don’t even embark on this!

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How much do you desire to be in the spotlight?

I really enjoyed this drama and thought that I had written a glowing review for it prior but gosh, realized belatedly that I had not. Here is the glowing review!

This drama is realistic and the acting cast is da-bomb!

What Stood Out:
- Excellent performance by the actresses! Wow.
- The plot was riveting. I wanted to go from one episode to the next. I have not watched such a great Taiwanese drama in a long time.
- Many scenes were mind-blowingly powerful and they remind etched in my mind. When Ya Chih went through her divorce and she said “I’m in pain”. I felt her heartbreak, her heartache, her anguish, her shattering pain. The times when Pang Chieh tried her best to help her starlets under her care.
- The songs were catchy and pretty jazzy.
- Drama shows a side of show biz aside from the glamour.

What I Hated:
- Shih Ai Ma was most hateful and heinous and disgusting. She took advantage of those who cared for her. She took advantage of the pure hearts, sincerity and goodness of others. A total ingrate! A total scumbag! Hateful!
- Well, Ya Chih’s husband wasn’t any better since it takes too hands to clap. He took advantage of his wife’s niceness. He succumbed to temptation when he shouldn’t have. Instead of distancing himself from the bitch, he went for her. His downfall and hers!

Overall, this is a gem of a drama series and I highly recommend it! It’s excellent! :o) please watch - the excellent acting will catch your attention and blow you away at the same time! <3

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It's always been you, over and over again despite the years that have gone by.

I went into this drama without research. I saw the high rating and dived right in. I'm glad I watched this gem.

What I Loved:
- The FL - I watched this drama because of Bai Lu. I have watched several of her dramas and she's a good actress who's getting better and better.
- The ML - I watched him for the first time in earnest her. He's so easy on the eyes - tall, charming and handsome.
- The costumes were gorgeously elaborate and intricate. I loved the attention to details as well as the bold and beautiful use of colours. I liked how Fan Yue was so manly about all the sequins and glitter that adorned his navy hued costumes. He looked stunning. The costumes for the ladies were very pretty too.
- The plot was different from what I had previously watched. Also, it was highly engaging and interesting. I would say that there was not a dull moment. The fact that everything was explained and linked well made me very pleased indeed.
- The acting was top-notch for this drama. The leads were fabulous and the supporting cast was excellent too. Fu Ling was so pretty and her character turned out to be complex in a good way. Actually, all the characters turned out to be complex in very good ways. I enjoyed watching how things panned out.
- The OST was amazing and suited the different scenes so well. The OST is now on repeat at the moment.

Well, having given this drama a 10/10 generously... I think there's nothing bad to say on the whole.

I enjoyed this ride and I am thankful to the actresses, actors, directors and so on for making this wonderful drama for viewers' enjoyment. <3
They performed so well! <3
LIKE! <3

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The Power of Love

The first 1/3 of this show was quite amazing and I was hooked by the engaging plot and how FL would live a better life moving forward having been given a second chance. Things moved along fast and there was plenty of drama to keep things interesting. The next 1/3 was all right. I wanted to know how things were going to be resolved. This next 1/3 is the point of FL and ML’s marriage onwards. It was quite a good watch. The next and last 1/3 was painful to continue and I took a long time to finish the drama. things got a little draggy and it was now longer interesting as ML and FL had become a little dull.

What I liked:
- Engaging at first.
- ML and FL suit their roles and are good-looking. However, FL doesn’t stay attractive from start to finish as I started noticing that her mouth was very slightly crooked.
- Plot is ok. Things do get tied up.

What I didn’t like:
- Song Han was such an ass and so was his father. They are heartless and cruel people.
- FL’s uncle was all kinds of crazy and ruthless due to his hunger for power. He was disgusting.

Overall, this show is all right. It is better than others but others may be better than it. Perhaps fast forward the dull parts?

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Invest Lovingly in One's Relationships with Others to Get Loving Returns

What I Like:
- The father, Li Hai Chao, wins best father of dramas award. He is so giving of himself and everything that he has. He tries very earnestly to parent his daughter and to parent the other two boys. He remains in character the whole time and he makes me laugh and cry. He has really showcased his excellent acting chops in this drama. I am bowled over by his impressive performance from start to finish.
- The very close and loving relationship among the three kids is something which makes me envious. Isn't it nice to have someone rush to you with deep concern whenever you need help? Isn't it nice to have someone to depend on and to get warmth from when faced with hardships and frustrations?
- The idea of acceptance. Li Jian Jian and her father simply accepts the two boys. They do not abandon them in challenging times. Rather, they rally around in such times. How nice!
- Ling Xiao is handsome and so tall. To me, his romantic relationship with Li Jian Jian is not forced at all. I find it believable. He seems like a very good kisser.
- The explanations about different characters' motivations and actions are, to me, welcome. I like knowing the backstory and why a person behaves the way he or she does. The explanations help to tie everything together and to provide proper resolution.
- A happy enough ending where things are tied up pretty nicely. Explanations are given, conflicts are resolved, misunderstandings are cleared, people are forgiven, people learn to live for themselves and not to be manipulated and subservient. Most importantly, people move on and GO AHEAD with what they want to do, what they want to achieve, who they want to be with... they GO AHEAD with life itself.

What I Don't Like:
- Ling Xiao's mother wins bitch of drama-land award. She remains hateful from start to end. She is unreasonable, manipulative, selfish, warped in her thinking, has victim-mentality and refuses to seek proper help. She tortures Ling Xiao from start to end. I hate that she puts words into other people's mouths instead of being forthright with her own feelings and thoughts.
- The line: "It's for your own good". First, how do you know what's good for me? Second, if it is good for me, why am I so unhappy? I think this line is hateful as it shows that there is poor / lack of communication. If the different people/ parties communicated well with one another, many bad situations can be avoided. Of course, people have to accept that everyone's different and that there are different strokes for different folks.
- Hateful characters like Tang Can's mother, Zhou Miao, Xiao Cheng Zi, Chen Ting's mother, Chen Ting's brother -- hate them so much. Self-absorbed people with a ridiculous sense of self-entitlement.

I guess what this drama informs us at the end of the drama is that one needs to GO AHEAD with life as best as one can. For instance, Li Hai Chao lost his wife and unborn son but he did not turn out like Chen Ting. One should try to get rid of one's demons or at least to appease them so that these demons won't rear their ugly heads all the time and disrupt one's life and that of others'. Mental health is as important as emotional health and physical health. Talk things out like what He Mei did towards the end of the drama. Invest in one's relationships with great TLC and one will reap the sweet rewards. Kindness begets kindness. Love begets love.

My recommendation: Please watch! It is a very good drama with excellent actors and actresses. The plot is pretty riveting too. I'll say - GO HEAD WITH "GO AHEAD"!

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Excellent because of heart-throb -- Vin Zhang <3

I am suffering from withdrawal from the very charming and very suave and very handsome Vin Zhang as Xu Yan Shi. My O MY, he is the embodiment of gentlemanly gorgeousness! I love seeing him on my screen. He is like a god!

What I love about this drama:
- Vin Zhang, ML, as XYS. Oh goodness. He is seriously a good-looking fellow! His presence and appearance take my breath away. He is well-built and manly. (I loved him in The King's Woman and I am thrilled to see him here.)
- I like how the character, XYS, is written and portrayed. He just takes things as they come and he tries his best to do the right things and the best things possible. It is no wonder that his "underlings" adore and respect him so much. If I had such a capable and sacrificial leader, I would too.
- I like the FL as she is an excellent actress but I wonder if another actress will be even more suitable for her role. However, as she is a fine actress, she does justice to the drama.
- The many kissing scenes are exceedingly hot! Woo hoo! :)
- I like that the leads are truly into each other. They do not fool around with others after making promises to commit as a couple. I like the bit of "healthy jealousy" in that the leads get jealous when there is reason to. They are not crazily jealous and do ridiculous things. I also really like that XYS is secure and that he tells FL to be herself and to show-off her wealth and style if she wishes to.
- I like that, in this show, it is the FL in charge and in control. She is the one who has the immense wealth to be the mover and shaker. Usually, it is the ML who is the "chaebol" type and the FL is the little woman in need of saving and such. Here, the FL is fully independent and fully capable. She does not need a man to complete her life. She is whole and autonomous. I really like this! She wants to be with him because she wants him in her life and not because she requires saving or that she feels that she lacks a man.
- The supporting cast are not the best actors and actresses in my opinion but they try and they are, generally, not hateful. In fact, I am quite fond of the supporting cast. The grandpa is cute. The little "underlings" are quite cute too.
- There are plentiful things happening in the drama which serve well to keep me riveted. I like a good story.
- I like that the bad guys get their just deserts which felt really great!
- The ending is an extremely happy one (for all the good guys)! I love happy endings even if they are cliché.

What I do not fancy too much:
- Some parts are a little draggy. But, just use FF button.
- I do not like the bad guys but we need action which comes from villains.

Overall, this drama is a lovely one because of the leading man, Vin Zhang as XYS. He is such a gorgeous gentleman in the show. I want to present him with "Boyfriend of the year (2023) award" for his stunning, convincing and lovely portrayal of XYS.

I love XYS and I love Vin Zhang as XYS! <3

I foresee myself re-watching the lovey-dovey scenes which showcase the handsome ML in all his absolutely delicious glory!

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Slice of life plot with great acting~!

I was wavering between giving this 7.5/10 or 8/10. In the end, I decided to give it the higher rating because of the stellar acting from the entire cast. :)

What I liked about this drama:
- An engaging slice-of-life drama which made me want to go from one episode to another to find out what would happen next.
- In general, this drama was fast-paced enough and things moved along.
- The acting from every single member of the cast was stellar and I was, frankly, blown away by how natural they were as the people they were acting as!! :)
- This drama is interesting enough and the ending is fairly happy with everything tying up for the main cast.
- Lao Huang was a gem of a friend and I liked how the friends were there for one another.
- I liked the chemistry between Yao Yuan and Shen Si Yi. They looked good together.

What I didn't like:
- I hated the characters who constantly f-ed themselves up, namely, Cheng Nan and Guan Yue. Cheng Nan was all sorts of insecure and he did not cherish his relationship with Lu Ke, who gave her all into their relationship and was sincere to him. He was a bast*rd to cheat on her. He did not deserve her love and affections.
- I hated Guan Yue because she was constantly just very loud in the show. She was very shouty and she didn't have the best of brains. How can a designer simply give her design away to anyone at all? This isn't about trusting the other party. This is about protecting one's "baby" with one's life. Would you hand over your baby to a stranger even if the stranger is a famous person? The answer is a big NO. She was so senseless and the fact that she blamed everyone else, like Lu Ke, and made things go from bad to worse and worst was insufferable to watch. I hated seeing her on-screen. She also did not have chemistry with Ye Zhou and I felt that Ye Zhou was much more sensible and was too good for her. (However, the fact that she could make me be filled with wrath indicated that she was a very good actress because she had performed her role well.)

Overall, I enjoyed this drama. It was a good enough ride!

I recommend this drama to others. The acting is stellar and the 2 female leads (especially Shen Si Yi) are real good-lookers. Their fashion was great! Both looked like models from glossy magazines. I like how real / human the characters are. A great slice-of-life drama that should be enjoyed! :)

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Fantasy-based Magic Martial Arts

I was encouraged to watch this drama because it received good ratings and was supposed to be good. However, I hesitated for a long while as I am not a fan of "wu xia". I finally decided to watch it because I had run out of good shows to watch and because the lead is Yang Yang. I am glad that I embarked on this "journey". It has been a ride.

What I liked:
- The leads have good chemistry. Even though I am not a big fan of the female lead, she pairs well with Yang Yang. Her acting has also improved a lot IMO.
- Yang Yang. He is a handsome lad and he looks good on my TV screen.
- Both leads are powerful in their martial arts and I especially love the fact that the female lead does not require saving by others. She is very powerful and is capable of saving herself and other people. I really love the fact that she is not a stereotypical silly damsel in distress. I like that she is smart and badass.
- The plot is intriguing enough despite the "omg are you sure" moments which border on illogical (but bear in mind that this is a "wu xia" drama.
- The acting throughout is good.

What I didn't like:
- Yang Yang's father in the drama was all sorts of insecure. I mean: Why would you cripple your son by giving him a drink to weaken him? I would only wish for my son to be a stronger person and not a weaker person. His motives were insane and inhumane.
- Yu Wu Yuan was a super villain. I didn't like him from the start because of his face. He looked fussy and hard to please. It was painful to watch him and his evil stratagems.
- Feng Ju's mother and Feng Ju were not pleasant either. Feng Ju's mother was a witch. She was positively evil. She wanted to kill her own husband to put her son as the king. I mean: Which wife does this? Also, she refused to acknowledge her firstborn son. Heartless mother and self-absorbed human being.

Overall, this drama is worth watching! :) I enjoyed the ride although I feel that the ending can be made much happier. I love happy endings (that's why).

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Exciting, Intriguing and then, Hmm.

The first 1/3 of this drama was exciting. Plenty of things were happening and there was great excitement as to what would happen next! I thoroughly enjoyed the first 1/3 of this drama.

The second 1/3 of this drama was intriguing. There was plenty of suspense and I kept guessing as to what would happen next. I am pleased to say that I truly enjoyed the second 1/3 of this drama.

The third and last 1/3 of this drama was ‘meh’ and ‘huh’ and ‘hmm’ for me. After the exciting ride at the start, the last part of this drama was quite a letdown. Despite the ‘happy-ish’ ending, the final part and very last episode felt rushed and abrupt.

What I liked:
- plenty of excitement and intrigue at the start and middle
- good-looking actors (though still young and not the most able but good enough)
- many lovely characters like Gu Yue Shuang
- the female lead was intelligent, shrewd and resourceful - I like that she wasn’t a pushover and that she had a good, strong backbone

What I didn’t like:
- plenty of bloodshed but I understand it’s a war drama so …
- patriarchal attitude from the oldies
- Pei Shao Jun and Tan Sang Yu were insufferably annoying - every time they appeared on my screen, I felt great angst

Verdict: Can watch. Much better than other dramas out there but, viewer may wish to fast forward the third and last 1/3 of this drama.

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Intense.

I was fairly intrigued by the premise of this drama and I decided to watch it because I like the female lead. She’s pretty and kind of cute.

What I liked:
- intense drama with a lot, a lot of things happening
- plenty of unexpected twists and turns
- it’s a long-drawn chess game which lasts 49 episodes
- never know what will happen so you have to go episode after episode
- the male lead is handsome (it’s my first time ‘meeting’ him and he’s quite fine
- the female lead is pretty and quite fine too

What I didn’t like:
- crazy eunuch - he’s nuts and hateful
- too many twists and turns - I was quite confused and puzzled (but things do get solved and explained which is good)
- quite bloody with plenty of deaths

A drama worth an 8/10 is a drama worth watching in my opinion. If you are thinking of whether to watch or not, I’d say watch if you have time for 49 episodes.

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Slice of life that was at times quite draggy.

I was drawn to this drama because of Liu Tao and because of the good reviews that I had read.

I watched the whole drama and I must say that I was at first impressed and intrigued but as the drama progressed, I felt quite disappointed that a show which had much potential turned out rather ‘meh’ towards the end.

What I liked:
- The actors and actresses are skilled and honed in their craft. They acted excellently.
- The show is a slice of life drama and many parts of the show are relatable and enable viewers to discuss about both real life and reel life. For instance, the part where Chen Jiao Rui suffered from postnatal depression was very raw and real. Her hatred towards her husband, who wanted a child but didn’t support her much in terms of childcare and her personal needs, touched a raw nerve.
- The characters were very human and very complex. No one is perfect just like in real life. The characters also learn and grow as the drama progresses.
- I like the strong female characters.
- It’s an adult show — in that youngsters may not fully get the issues raised in the drama.

What I didn’t like:
- The drama became draggy after one-third of it was done.
- The characters are very flawed and thus, are very frustrating. Dr Mo Ming was certainly 莫名其妙. He did many questionable things as a doctor and I wondered if he was kind of incompetent and crazy as both a husband and a doctor.
- The young adult called Yan Zhi was super frustrating. He was so immature!
- The ending was a fairly happy one but it was a quick ending. Episode 40 tried to tie up loose ends but… it did not have enough time to do a very good job at providing closure. Perhaps, drama is trying to reflect life — closures do not always happen in real life.

For me, I look at at least an 8/10 to determine if I’d watch a drama. For this, I’d only give 7.5 / 10 at the most. I would not highly recommend it.

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Glad the show is pushing boundaries and challenging stereotypes

I decided to watch this drama after reading others’ reviews and because of Xu Kai. I watched the male lead in Arsenal Military Academy and found him pretty great. (I think he’s better in AMA than in this drama though.)

Watch this drama because:
- I like that the female lead is feisty enough and that she is able to hold her own fort. She’s a force to be reckoned with without taking away her femininity. I think there’s no need to be a man to play e-sports and she shows that a woman can do the job as well as or perhaps, even better than a man.
- I like that boundaries are being pushed and stereotypes are being overturned and challenged. The person who can do the job is the best candidate for that position regardless of the person’s gender.
- The cast is quite good on the whole. Watchable.
- Makes viewers understand e-sports a bit more.
- Plot is fairly interesting.
- There is sweetness and fluff.
- I like a strong female lead and a faithful male lead.
- Happy ending.
- The second female lead is cute.

What I didn’t like:
- Some parts were frustrating (as with almost all dramas).
- Some actors took a while to get okay like Old K.
- About 3-4 episodes after ep 20 were confusing and painful to watch because the male lead was not communicative.

Overall, a good enough watch. I would not give it more than an 8/10 though.
A ‘can-watch’ drama.

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Secret Garden is my not so secret pleasure

I watched this when it was released back in 2011 and even though ten freaking years have passed, I still go back to rewatch this gem whenever I miss Hyun Bin (and Ha Ji Won).

This drama is a must watch because:
- Hyun Bin - enough said. He’s a dream!
- Ha Ji Won - she’s a great female lead / actress.
- the sizzling chemistry that feels so good and feels so real
- swoony Hyun Bin - in the drama, he is so cute and handsome and funny - love!
- the story is fantastical and yet believable
- the supporting cast is great
- the music is so well composed and lovely to listen to
- rewatchable and one of the best ‘classic’ k dramas out there

The part that I didn’t like:
- male lead’s mother is crazy


This drama is wonderful! I love it. I love the leads! I love Hyun Bin!

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The Land Gives as long as we look after it with love and care

I went into this drama not knowing what to expect and boy, I am glad that I watched it. I want to recommend this drama to other viewers. Before I start my review in earnest, I would like to add that I do think that this drama is more for mature viewers. It is not an idol type of drama. It is not a romance-centred type of drama.

What I Liked A Lot:
- The cast was amazing. The actors and actresses did not have "ou bao" and were not obsessed with posturing and being peacocks for the audience. The cast looked almost perennially dirty and shabby and yet, they shone because of their stellar acting. Every single actor and actress did his or her part beautifully. I believed that they were who they portrayed themselves to be in the drama. Big thumbs-up for the solid acting. For example, I was very moved by how Ning Xue Xiang squeezed his son, Ning Ke Jin, when he came back after a long time. The father missed the son and wanted to know that he had truly come home. He wanted to feel his physical presence. It was so poignantly done. Ning Xiu Xiu's growth and development was great to watch too. I liked how she came to love Feng Da Jiao who had, from the start, loved her and did not look down on her in anyway at all. She was fine the way she was and whatever way it was. His love for her was solid and faithful. We need more of such sincere love and such upright people.
- The plot was excellent. Essentially, everything was explained and things came full circle. For instance, the bandit shouted that Ning Xiu Xiu remained pure despite being in their den and everyone was highly relived that she was pure and inviolated. As a viewer, I too felt immense gratification to have this important knowledge shared with those who needed to know. Next, the part about how everyone came together to fight the bandits was very riveting and so moving, I was hooked by the force of how they came together as a force to reckon with to keep the baddies out. Furthermore, different actors and actresses all had their important moments. For instance, the silly lass had a baby and Tie Tou adopted the boy. Yin Zi old man and had him wrapped around her little finger which was so gratifying to watch too. The plot was truly excellent.
- The ending was good too. I liked how Ning Xue Xiang decided to burn his crops and not give them to the Japanese. However, it was sad that Susu died. Susu’s life and that of her sister-in-law’s were sad to watch. I wished that they had a better outcome and ending.

I’d say, there’s a lot to like for this drama. Thus, I’m not going to do a “What I Didn’t Like” for this review.

This is a superbly made drama with an outstanding cast. I’d say it’s more for mature viewers but it’s truly an excellent drama.

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