Apurva

The chemistry between Xu Kai & Tan Song Yun was lit!

It started out slow, and I wondered if it is just like Best Choice Ever, Xu Kai's character being rich and coming back from a foreign country to take over the business. Then we have Tan Son Yun's character that's pretty similar to Yang Zi's character, the only difference being their professions and knowing each other when they were young. Here's to hoping that it is better than Best Choice Ever because that one also had an amazing cast but result was so underwhelming. Xu Kai and Yang Zi made such a cute pair but the story lacked depth. I started out liking that one first as well, but lost interest by the end of it.

This one looks better. The best thing about Tan Song Yun is that she does her characters so well. It doesn't seem like she is acting. Her roles suit her very well. So far, I love her character & how she refuses to back down. The worst part about workplaces is when people refuse to stand up for each other & instead take pleasure when someone is down. This displayed sexual harassment & the harasser so well. When the harasser themselves try to pull the victim card, when they are called out on their obscene acts! It is sickening. How none of her coworkers see anything wrong in that is beyond me.

I'm so glad she quit that job. I agree with a lot of things Han Ting said but why on the earth is he trying so hard to alienate her? To be her position, starting a company with no support and backing requires a little faith as well. She seems like someone who could succeed once she understands where she is going wrong.

I look at women like Zeng Di in at think about how strong and resilient they had to be to reach the place they are now. But what a waste it is when such strong women resort to shady tactics when the man they like don't like them. For heaven sakes, find someone better who's into you. What a waste of good character. A few days ago, I watched Who Rules The World, Feng Xi Wu was such a brilliant character.

The breakup wasn't surprising since we knew that was gonna happen. It was sad to watch though. But Ji Xing took Shao Yi Chen for granted, hoping that he'll always be there. But Shao Yi Chen could have waited had he wanted her in his life, but like he said they wanted different things in life. Now, I think Ji Xing might be okay if there's any development of feelings between Yi Chen and her friend. With Han Ting at her side it, they can hopefully be around each other and be friends. Because Yi Chen is a nice guy.

I get that it seems like not a lot of time has passed since they broke up and he seems to have easily moved on. To be honest, he has moved on easily and that's one of the reasons why him and Ji Xing wouldn't have worked out long term. I do have mixed feelings about Wei Qiu Zi though, I get it is hard to move on from unrequited love. But she wasn't considerate of her friend's feeling. Had she waited some more and then confessed, I would have respected her. But she confessed not long after he broke up with Ji Xing. He turned her down. And once they got together, Yi Chen seems have completely gotten over Ji Xing. They should have found a proper way to break it to her. But she found out on her birthday. All in all, I think they'll work it out and be friends so all is good.

I have a feeling that Xiao might be married. Oh turns out he just had a child, I was just worried that the child came with a mother that he was still married to. Good save, but I worry that Su Zhi Zhou might change the dynamics. Worry because despite being a bit reserved Xiao seems like an okay person, SZZ is actually better but I want him to be with someone that wants to be with him as well.

They got together without any issues, so it wasn't really surprising that they had their first fight. This way they could figure out each other's line. They both were at fault with why they fought. Han Ting could have clued her in on why things had to be the way they had to be. While she is intelligent, she isn't as strategic as Han Ting and needs more time to come to the same conclusion. She shouldn't have let Zeng Di's word bother her that much. Of course she is going to feel hurt when she put in so much time and effort in the company. At the same time, Han Ting's hurt is also valid, he has been loyal to her but they need to draw boundaries and figure out what goes and what doesn't so this does not happen in future.

I am glad they resolved their differences. I'm glad that Ji Xing and Hang Ting both figured things out even though they needed a little help. I like that Han Ting actually accepted where he went wrong and Ji Xing also realized the complexity of the decision he made. I like Qin Li, he was a decent person who didn't push himself where he wasn't invited, not unlike Zeng Di. The extra episode was nice and at the same time bittersweet, at least they got to grow old together.

Read More

Will the Korean Addam's Family be scammed or embrace the scammer?

Ep 1: Love it. When I first read the description, my mind immediately thought, so we are getting some version of Korean Addam's family. It just has that kind of vibe. Initially, the FL didn't leave much of an impression but as the minutes passed by and we reach the end we see the real her and that makes this drama interesting. Even more so than the weird powers all the family members have. The entire Bok Family seriously vulnerable right now and may just fall for the scamster. It was funny seeing ML's mother try to paint all the red flag FL waved into green ones. I'm excited to see how this one goes.

Ep 2: Okay so much happened. First things first, the scene with the treadmill seems as if it is inspired by real life incident or some other drama, because for some reason I feel like I have seen the exact thing happen before. I can't remember where it was from though. Bok Dong Hee is so relatable right now, overeating is an affliction that's hard to break, especially when the food can make you feel so good. The ML also gives us a clear insights into depression, when he said that he is too depressed to be grateful to anyone. It can make one so selfish to ignore their child who is also suffering. Their family dynamics are such that they enable each other to avoid confrontations and that's the norm right now. Despite his addiction, the Gwi Joo's interactions with Da Hee are pretty interesting. I am still curious about the FL's family and how they come to be who they are.

Ep 3: Da Hee's family kinda got the wrong target this time around. They are trying to take advantage of the Bok Family's disorders but she'll only end up curing them. So, no pay day for them. The writers are going to keep me guessing if what comes out of Da Hee's mouth is the truth or Gwi Joo really did all those things when he went back into time. Love Ina though, in the previous episode she told Da Hee to run away from the crazy family. A call back to that was fun to watch. The ending was so damn good.

Ep 4: Each episode is another version of what will Gwi Joo's future self do only for his current self to be completely oblivious to it and I love it. It is fun to watch. Finally got to learn some interesting tidbits about Da Hee's family. And the episode ended with a good kiss. Apart from that, this episode was pretty tame compared to the previous one. Hopefully, it will pick up the pace again in next week's eps.

Ep 4: This was one of the most beautiful episode ever. The grandma is finally doubting Da Hee. I don't like that it is because her mom was ex-convict. She chooses to hold something that Da Hee's adoptive mother has done against her but falls for her poor me innocent act based on one dream. She clearly can't distinguish the good from the bad. I like Dong Hee, she doesn't let the FL's act fool her. She is also wary of FL's foster sister. I wonder if the person who saved FL was her uncle and not the ML. I'm so glad that Ina has some backbone. I wonder how it is going to play out. What an interesting episode. Can't wait to see what happens tomorrow.

Ep 6: Well they finally found out that Do Da Hee is a fraud, at least she admitted it herself rather than having someone else do it. I don't think they know what a grand wedding means, this was such a basic wedding. Ina's story is also getting interesting, I wonder though if the girl is going to bully her now. Gwi Joo really did fall for her, here I was thinking he was just going along with the flow. Next week's episode will be a bit sad, but I don't think Ina will cut ties with Da Hee, she might seek her out.

Ep 7: I gotta say this drama keeps getting better. So Gwi Joo & Da Hee at least have decided to embrace the scammer. I think the Gwi Joo's father will be okay with it to, his mother and sister might not be ready for it. This was a beautiful episode, can't wait to see the next one! Poor Da Hee gets slapped not once but twice.

Ep 8: We finally got to know more about Hyung Tae, the family muscle. He is such a softie. It was fun watching him blow the bubbles and loose at the game with Ina. The rest of the episode pretty much confirmed that it was Gwi Joo who saved Da Hee. I'm not sure what Da Hee's mom is going to deal with all of this. The tidbit about Gwi Joo's father also made him a little more interesting.

Ep 9: Why do they have to scare me like that. I though things were going pretty well for them, but all throughout the episode there was a foreshadowing of doom, as if someone was gonna die. According to Gwi Joo's mother it will be Gwi Joo, but looking at the preview of next week it seems like it is going to be Da Hee who might sacrifice herself. When the drama began, it never crossed my mind that it would have sad ending. I hope the next episode clears some things up for me.

Ep 10: Okay, false alarm. No one died yet, but I feel a sense of forebonding as if someone will in the future because why go into it having expectations up. I just hope that it is a happy ending for Ina, she deserves it after all the grief she has had to go through all her life. I hope even if Da Hee dies that Gwi Joo can step up and take better care of his daughter & if Gwi Joo dies so does Da Hee.

Ep 11: It was fun watching Grace, Da Hee, & Dong Hee kick the cheater's ass. Dong Hee was so blinded by love that she kept giving him countless chances and went out of her way to woo him & he again cheated on her. Even when he had Dong Hee by his side. I'm glad that Da Hee finally had a good talk with her mom. Now everyone has braced themselves for the future where Gwi Joo might die. I wonder what role Grace, Hyung Tae, & her mother, Baek Hong are gonna play in the future. Will they even be a part of Da Hee's family?

Ep 12: Oh, I never thought putting Dong Hee & Hyung Tae together might work but wow they look so adorable together! Ina and Joon Woo also were cute throughout the drama, often their first love was exactly what the drama needed. I am a bit disappointed with the way the story of him saving people from the fire turned out but to think about the plot wasn't all that novel. It is as expected, it started with him loosing his powers when he failed to save a person during a fire & ended with him saving his lover twice & his daughter once. The 5 year time skip is a bit much for my tastes, I detest time skips in the final episodes especially when there is a separation. At least we have cutie to lessen the blow. How do you tell your 5 year old to go back in time to get his father back? Imagine where the boy would end up, he could get hurt! Did that thought not cross Da hee's mind? Anyways, the ending was kinda meh. It would have been better seeing them together as a happy family once he returned.

Read More

Such a visual treat! The characters, the costumes, the actors, and the visual art are terrific!

I went in expecting something like Mysterious Lotus Casebook and it does have the same feel to it. However, this one actually has more depth. There are so many characters, I had to go the cast list and keep checking who was who until I was sure that I could recognize them.

The entry of the snake was amazing & he was in the spotlight that he seemed to like. Loved the fight scenes, the sword forest reminded me of the keys flying in Harry Potter. Baili Dong Jun's character seems so silly, kinda like Fang Duo Bing from Lotus Casebook. I am looking forward to episodes where Dong Jun starts training.

I wonder when next we are going to see Sikong Chang Feng. I liked him the best so far and hope that he is cured.

It was fun to watch Dong Jun's interaction with his family. He is such a brat to treat his father that way, but I see that there are no grudges between them. He is loved by all of them. They have fun together. His mother and uncle are also devoted to him. I'm afraid that the Dong Jun's father, grandfather, and master might die right at any given moment with the way things are going. Here's to hoping none of them die, but we know a few of them will die. Well the master's gone. Dong Jun seems like a bratty yet pretty resilient guy. I wish they would release more than 2 episodes daily. I know what's coming but Ye Ding Zhi is such a dependable person and cherishes Dong Jun so much. I don't want to see it all go awry! And at the same time, I want to know more about them.

They meet, they separate. I initially thought that they'll grow together but their paths aways diverge. What I like about Dashing Youth is that the characters are powerful and it is shown, their skills aren't nerfed the way they were in The Blood of Youth, when even the most powerful sword techniques always lost. It was good to see, Li Hong Yi as the founder. Hope we see more of him. Baili Dong Jun is kind of immature to accept Yue Yao's real identity right now. I remember Sword and fairy 4, Yun Tian He was so damn understanding and mature about everything Ling Sha did.

I feel sad for Ding Zi and Wen Ju, but it doesn't seem like the lot of them are that invested in their romances, they are much more focused on the fights and brotherhood. I get the alliance between Shadow sect and future emperor is important, but Wen Jun is just going to be a secondary consort who'll be neglected in the palace in the future. It is not even the polygamy that bothers me, Wen Jun has no choice but to marry him. She has not even the tiniest bit of feelings for her fiancé. The worst part of political marriages is that they exit! I mean do we as so called intellectual species lack even that bit of creativity or will to come up with a solution that doesn't hinge on forcing a woman or man to marry someone that would probably end up mistreating them? Nope, because we prefer it easy. I feel so disappointed in Prince Langya. Like Baili, I'm team Ye Ding Zi for this round. They did him wrong time and again, first his family now what could have been his chance at a decent family life. All for the so called greater good.

I always wondered how Xiao Yu / Prince Chi came into existence, especially with the Wenjun's if not dislike then disinterest in Xiao Ruo Jin. She has already been forced into a marriage so it wasn't difficult to follow that thread and consider that the same happened during their consummation. To this day, a lot of Asian families still force women into marriage disregarding how they will be treated afterwards. They are often married to men who think of them as property to used. So, Ruo Jin drugging her was not surprising. I'm surprised that people think it is out of character for him. Unless the writer of the novel comes out and says that's not what happened and they consummation was willingly done there is no point in defending. Ruo Jin wasn't an upstanding man in The Blood of Youth, he isn't one here either. He is going to be sacrificing his brother in future and with what happening to Wenjun, I am done. He will always be a coward in my books.

Okay, the funniest part of the drama is when they all take their sweet time showing off their moves just expecting the other party to wait and watch them build those moves. I enjoy the visuals but I'm surprised no one kills each other while that happens.

Thanks to Blood of Youth, I already knew how this one was going to end. So, no surprises there. Sometimes even in fiction the bad trumps the good. Have never liked Ruo Jin, have no idea how anyone looks at him with respect. He couldn't even get that bloody kingdom on his own, if not for Ruo Feng literally doing everything for him, while the sicko decides to invest in a fantasy that all his consorts are with him because they had a choice.

Poor Ye Ding Zhi, he was sacrificed for the peace of Beili by the righteous, long before he even decided to become a demon.

Read More

Beautiful! Every element of this drama is so stunning! (Except for the ending)

Ep 1 to Ep 6: I am not one to watch republic era dramas because for some reason I thought the clothes and styles were not all that, but boy was I wrong. They did such a wonderful job with the costumes, the hair, the set, and everything. Everything looked freaking great! It has also been a while since I have watched a vampire drama and man Gao Wei Guang happens to be one of the best castings for a vampire. He looks stunning. We have another horrible mom to add to the list of never endings horrible mothers in cdramas. These kind of mothers make me livid. Here's to hoping that she gets some of her own medicine. Li Ying Liang is not only a thug but he is so psychotic! He is an accident waiting to happen.

Ep 7 to Ep 10: Good thing the mom's out of the picture. Don't want to waste anymore time thinking about her. Looking at Ying Liang, it feels like he is gonna come undone any minute now. So far the relationship between the two leads is nice, I wouldn't have minded if there wasn't any romance in it, it is still a decent drama to watch so far. Especially when the Vampire, the doctor, and Mi Lan are in the room. But if they do end up together it wouldn't be so bad either. I am so over Li Ying Liang and his buddies trying going gaga over Shen Zhi Heng. Yay, we captured a live one. To what? Experiment. Idiots. Powerful captive escape and it always ends in bloodbath. With Shen's passive character he might not be into getting his own back, it feels like he and Ying Liang might end up being buddies by the end of it. Because no matter how much Ying Liang enjoys the thrill he is a pawn .

Ep 11 and Ep 12: Okie so Ying Liang is pretty much a giant ball of hate that doesn't care about anything else but revenge so far. I'm intrigued, but hope that Ying Liang acts a little more mature. Shen is being super carefree about his capture, I wonder how he is going to get out of this mess. Right now, I wonder if any of them are going to die by the end of it. It could be either Yin Liang or Situ Wei Lian since they seem to be competing for the same woman's affection. Or it could go the other way and they might kill off either our vampire or Mi Lan.

Ep 13 to Ep 15: Oh wow, so we got vampire brothers now. That was such a good twist, I never thought Wei Lan would be a vampire though, for a moment there in the last few episodes I wondered if Ying Liang was the brother. Shen is a complicated person, shouldn't he be happy that he has finally found his brother, now he wants to cut ties. I like Wei Lan and I hope they make up! Whoa there, I thought they killed off Mi Lan for a second, but then the vampire thing existed so kinda wasn't that surprised. I don't know what to think of Ying Liang's character, he seems to feel strongly about having killed Mi Lan by accident but that didn't deter him from charging on and trying to kill Shen later. Even later, he was more worried about Shen killing him than gutted about Mi Lan's death.

Ep 16 and Ep 17: The actors are good. Ryan Ren is doing a terrific job as Ying Liang, giving us all the crazies we can accept and more. The others are just as great. I forgot that it has only 24 episodes and I don't want to see it end. It will be predictable now, them dealing with the Mu Li Hua and her cronies.

Ep 18 to Ep 23: Everything was going well till episode 23, I mean it was the norm for the drama we have been watching so far. Yin Liang was being his natural self and I have come to like his character for all his weaknesses. I liked it when he got together with Jin Jing Xue and for a moment I thought that maybe he would return to her like he said. But his plans were always poorly thought out, delusional, and weak. So, I pretty much thought that this was the last time she would be seeing him. It was always easy to see that he liked her but knew that he was a shitshow of a person and therefore tried his best to stay away. At the same time, we have Situ Wei Lan, although he doesn't seem to understand love, he doesn't begrudge her the love she has for Ying Liang. He grows to love her and has been good to he since the beginning, but their relationship feels more like friendship. Maybe there will be a future when they grow closer.

Ep 24: Everything about the ending was poorly done. The visuals that I was so impressed with in the beginning were nowhere to be seen. They were very lacking in this last arc of the drama. I am not a fan of sad endings but I like dramas that focus on doing them well. (One and Only did a marvelous job at a sad ending) The episode was so messy, Ying Liang ends was like that of dinosaurs, there one moment, gone the next! Such a waste.

I'm gonna pretend that episode 24 doesn't happen and this novel ending will be real thing for me: https://kisskh.at/discussions/ru-yue/128589-novel-ending-if-you-re-curious

Read More

Cang Xuan is the one to watch this season.

Cang Xuan's character devolvement into a jealous man is what has me on tenterhooks. His feelings for Xiao Yao are finally going to explode, the previews of the future episodes look heartbreaking for all involved. Zhang Wang Yi is such a terrific actor, no other actor could have done a better job. What I have come to like about him is that once he figured out Xiao Yao's identity he did not ever treat her poorly. He looked out for her and it was reciprocated by Xiao Yao. It is just a twist of fate that his obsession took a romantic turn otherwise the bond they shared is truly amazing. Of course there will be a redemption arc for him, but this will result it Xiao Yao loosing more years with Jing.

I'm pretty sure that Xiao Yao & Ye Shiqi end up together, I'm all for it. I get why people get so mad at him, all he needed was just a little spine and he would have been a perfect character. I am not looking forward to the death of two pretty decent characters and it is hard to believe that they will be gone just like that.

Chenrong Xin Yue lost the chance to get into Xuan's good graces. Had she married him before, he would have treated her better. Now, she is here just for the prestige, her love was pretty shallow. But it is not like Xuan loves her or has the capability to do so. So, maybe they are well matched. It would suck if she doesn't pay for things that she does. I like her brother, he seems like a decent person and has been loyal to Xuan all throughout.

They went out of the way to make Tushan Jing appear weak. I'm really disappointed with the creators with regards to how they handled the final showdown between the Tushan brother. Before this, I never considered him weak, but the fight actually made it seem as if he couldn't fight at all. (I wonder if he was in a formation of some kind - I might need to rewatch the episode) But all the talk of fair fight from Tushan Hou suggests that there wasn't a formation. The fight scene should have been more charged. All the other scenes from these two episodes were more powerful compared to this one. His death seemed like an afterthought. We also finally see Fenglong do something against his conscience, taking credit for Jing's contribution. But with is last breath, he did manage to reveal the truth. I didn't want him to pay for his sister's mistakes. Despite her past, Chengrong Xin Yue had no redeeming qualities, only a brother who loved her would go to such lengths to save her life.

After completing the series, I have a new outlook on Xiang Lu. I did not like him in the first season at all, but I am not one to deny all he did for Xiao Yao. While he may not have been a good partner like TJ, he is the reason both Xiao Yao & TJ survived so far. He knew he wasn't right for her, so he did everything he could to make sure the right one ended up with her. He wasn't selfish with his love for Xiao Yao, he also made sure that she would have no regrets by leaving none of him behind. It is to be admired, the ability to love and let go. His death was gruesome and sad, I wish the rebel faction would have made better choices. But he died a hero who was loyal to his people till the end.

I agree with a lot of people, I am a bit disappointed that they treated the Xuan's killing TJ and the poisoning as an illusion, because it was in character for him to do it. I think that scene was sacrificed when the episodes were cut, so they had put in the Xin Yue's attempt on Xiao Yao's life and this scene together. It just felt that those emotionally charged scenes were all for naught. Cang Xuan's entire life was for the throne so it isn't surprising when he chose the throne over Xiao Yao. Had Xiao Yao even had any feelings for him, she would have been let down all her life.

Tushan Jing might have seemed like the safest choice for all and to some it may also feel like she settled, but Xiao Yao's love for him was undeniable. I'm pretty sure that even had she known all Xiang Lu did for her, she would have still chosen Jing. She would have felt indebted to Xiang Lu and conflicted because she did have some feelings but what she felt for TJ was far superior in her heart. Tushan Jing might not be the perfect ML that everyone wants or revers, but Like Xiao Yao I think he was gold. He was kind and ready to give up all and everything for Xiao Yao, how good for her that she fell in love with a guy like that. She needed that the most in her life.

I am bit confused about the ending though, if I got it right, XY died in their journey to compile the books. But there was no mention of TJ. I mean if XY died there's no way TJ would go on living not unless they had children. (I might have to rewatch this one again) Their visit to the Qinshui town also suggested that XY might be dead, here's to hoping that that's not the case and we get an extra episode for an epilogue.

Read More

When the Idol is a fan of his fan (So many adorable scenes): This is Peak Rom-Com!

It is finally here! I love both the leads so it is damn good to watch this.

That phone call made me cry. Wow, what a powerful 1st episode. I especially like the meet cute part of the relationship, how the people first connected. With these two, the first connection was over phone call and it was anything but cute. It was a wake up call for our FL and uplifting one at that. The ML came across as such a caring person, saying something so beautiful to a stranger, and he didn't say it because he was on the radio but those were heartfelt words. The rom-com gods must love me right now, coz we did get a very lovely meet cute of them meeting in person. Aww.

During his live concert, he looked so damn good in the white shirt, black pants and the almost red lips, in the middle of the podium, playing his piano reminded me of Taylor swift.

Loved the first episode, I was always checking how much of it was left and wishing that there was more of it. If only they made 2 hours long episodes. It was so damn lovely! I loved it so much, that I'm gonna go watch it again

2nd Ep: I was bit worried that the 2nd episode might not follow through on the promise delivered by the 1st one, but it was in vain. These two are so adorable. I love the kind of comedy that Kim Hye Sun brings to this, love her in the "Extraordinary You" and I'm kinda sad that she doesn't do such roles more often. The last few minutes of the episodes were eye-opening. Here we thought that this was one sided fan crush, but he knew & liked her before she even knew that he existed. I also like our SML, he has personality. I do wonder what their photo appearing at the end means. The scene is still the same except for that photo, does it mean that he still dies or that more changes need to happen in the past for the result to change.

3rd Ep: It started with a round of flying kisses. Oh god, that was so damn hilarious and something a teenage boy would definitely do. Can we name this episode, "When the idol is also a fan of his fan." Such adorable moments. Like his friend said, it was all about the timing and every time he tried to tell her about his feelings, something happened. I love how the episode ended, I thought the majority of it would be in the past, this back to the present is great. Now, the picture on the table makes sense, but is that picture going to get our Im Sol in trouble? Will she be a suspect? That's kinda farfetched but you never know. Gotta wait another day to figure out what happens.

4th Ep: What kind of weird memory loss does Im Sol have? Even if she had forgotten the things she did when her older self took over her body what about Sun Jae's presence during the times she was just herself? How did she completely erase everything about him from her life? Maybe, its the accident that led to it. This episode felt so damn short. Now, it is looking like he somehow contributed to the accident that led to her becoming a paraplegic. They are giving us the hints. It could be that he like many leads just carries guilt even though he isn't directly responsible for it. With the lack of information we have on Tae Sung, we have to wonder what role he played in all of it.

5th Ep: It was another episode with cute moments with our lovely leads. I felt like they aren't trying to create a SML syndrome here. Since, the SML doesn't have much of screentime with the FL, not like True Beauty. Sun Jae-ya is so damn adorable, more so than Im Sol. The ending was perfect, but from the preview of the next episode, it seems like a sad one. With Im Sol probably rejecting Sun Jae.

6th Ep: While the episode was good, and Sol's misunderstanding about Sun Jae's feelings was a bit frustrating but the preview for next weeks episode is wow! It looks so good, thankfully its going in the direction, I didn't expect. I tried reading the translated webnovel but its just so poorly translated and missing pieces, it was hard to read it. But from what I have read so far, the drama is better written.

7th Ep: I want to thank the creators for giving us such exciting rom-com after a while. It just make me look forward to every episode and enjoy each & every moment of it. Im Sol is just amazing. And it is glad to the the future Sun Jae retain his corny ways in the changed future. Can't wait for the next episode!

8th Ep: We thought they were gonna give us another lovey dovey episode. We got that, but along with that we also saw that Im Sol couldn't prevent what happened to Sun Jae. The ending was so heartbreaking. Ever since the last episode, it was understandable that the guy who kidnapped her might have had a hand in harming Sun Jae. There's still more than half of the series left, what more do they have in store for us? Im Sol going back in time again? I'm for it. Or Sun Jae having amnesia after he wakes up? Not really a fan of that arc. Hopefully he doesn't die this time. I'm a bit worried about the ending now. I assumed that this one will have an happy ending, but with the ways things are going, it might have an ending where Im Sol will be learning a lesson that she can't really change some things no matter how many times she goes back in time. (Here's to hoping that Sun Jae stops dying)

9th Ep: Why was this one so short? Finally got to see Tae Sung again. I like him as a character, from the preview it seems like we'll be seeing more of him at least in the next episode. The preview has me so anxious. Love the soft curls Im Sol was rocking. They really pulled the Spiderman kiss for the Geum & Hyun Joo and it looked good. I'm always glad to see In Hyuk, who tries to pull Sun Jae back from his insanity. Although Sun Jae's a bit delulu, his delusion is fed by Im Sol's mixed signals. Poor guy, gets his head messed up with.

10th Ep: Love that everything is out in the open now, a big thanks to Tae Sung who helped Sun Jae realize what Im Sol wasn't willing to tell him. But the current story makes me think they are going to pull an amnesia arc in the future, where Im Sol forgets about Sun Jae and her time travel, with Sun Jae having to woo her again. Hope that isn't the case, cause poor Sun Jae needs to get his happy ending. I wonder what's with the ending, does that mean Sun Jae won't be an Idol in the future? Im sol might end up traveling back again.

11th Ep: Now we know why Sun Jae is such a goner about Im Sol. He poured all his passion into it, like he once did with swimming. He is such a silly goose in love that Im Sol silliness feels toned down. Loved the scene where their families find out. Poor guy has no idea where those packets came from. Oh God, that was so fun to watch. His phone conversation with his friend: "Con? What Con? Unicorn?" Overall, a beautiful episode. If it keeps up with the performance, this drama has such a high rewatch value. Every moment is precious.

12th Ep: After a good run, this was just an okay episode. With only 4 episode left, things are coming to head now. Sol needs to start making better decision. Trying to do it all on her own is going to get her or Sun Jae killed. I'm also worried that Tae Sung might die.

13th Ep: So Tae Sung is finally a police office, we finally got a confirmation that he is one. Missed Sun Jae in this episode. We got to see less of him compared to Im Sol. You gotta love Im Sol, always going out of her way for Sun Jae. At first, it was because she was grateful and now because she has genuinely come to care for him. So Sun jae never met her, he never wrote the song about her, and never became a singer. But the kidnapper just won't quit, he's here again. We only have 3 episodes left.

14th Ep: That was such a nice episode. What I like about this drama is that they have so many new beginnings. It is good to see them meet time and again, experience a new story. It's nice to see that Sun Jae hasn't lost his charm. I wanted to hear more about his dating history. I'm a bit worried about Tae Sung this time around. Can't wait for the last two episodes even though I don't want it to end.

15th Ep: The only distressing part about this drama is the leads not putting their heads together to come up with a serious plan to get rid of the taxi driver. I mean the leads also had supportive parents, friends, siblings, all of whom could have helped them anytime they asked. But not, they didn't learn. Especially, Im Sol, she didn't think strategically at all. Her emotions were running so wild all the time she made one bad decision after another. Don't blame her though, in her place my mind would panicking as well. Sun Jae is truly a terrific character brought to life by Byeon Woo Seok, who has done justice to the role. No a single actor could have done a better job or even come close to what he brought to this character. I laughed so much during this episode as well. This is the 2nd last episode. I'm gonna miss Im Sol & Sun Jae. They better not give us a sad or open ending!

16th Ep: This episode gave us and Byeon Ooo Seok the happy ending that he deserved. This is going to be my all time favorite drama. Everything was just about perfect. I can't believe that it has ended. I still feel like there's going to be another episode next week. Wow, I think half of the world was addicted to Lovely Runner, because the entire drama was roses and sunshine with one recurrent issue that we felt would be resolved by the end. I just felt happy throughout the drama, not a single episode failed to make me laugh. I'm gonna miss seeing these two together, here's to hoping they collaborate on another drama together & do a wonderful job at it.

Now that it is over, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to find a drama with the same vibes. There isn't a drama with the same vibe. The story might not be all that unique but the absolute charm these leads brought to it turned it into a powerful rom-com that might inspire everyone.

Read More

After watching some failed adaptations, this feels like heaven!

This past year, I have been waiting for quite a few dramas based on books and webnovels to air, and I felt a bit disappointed with a lot of them.

Only Dou Zhao and Song Mo's Blossom has been terrific so far. Shen wan and Yan Chi have been my favorite book character in rebirth trope and I have re-read it at least twice for now. Right now, apart from this, I'm only excited about Legend of the Female General. If you are a fan of this trope and are looking for recommendations drop me a message, I have read so many this past year and shortlisted the ones i think are gold. I'm also open to recommendations from fellow readers.

Episode 1 to 12:
---------------------
About the actors:
> Let's begin by saying the cast is lit! Landy Li is so talented! They did such a good job in casting her for this role. I have been a fan ever since I watched Starry Love.
> I also like Ao Rui Peng and think is absolutely adorable, he has so much happy energy that even a grim role becomes a bit comedic. I am of two minds here, on one had i think that sure we don't have to be that strict let the actors make their characters their own, on the other, a part of me wishes he was a little more serious.
> The rest of the cast is also pretty good. I can't wait to meet the Eighth Young Lady, Qin Yan's sister who is in the capital. Although I don't see her name in the cast list.

About the drama:
> I am enjoying it immensely. I love to watch crime and romance, this is such a treat for me.
> The scriptwriter is doing well so far. The pacing is good, it doesn't feel rushed even when it covering so much. Although there were times when the execution seemed a bit abrupt but okay, this is so much better than what I expected.
> The characters are well adapted, i like what they have done even with the negative characters.
> The visuals are good, but i always find the underwater scenes so comedic, because they look very weird. I can't swim, if i tried to swim like that, i would definitely drown. Thankfully that scene was at the very beginning and i will only have watch it again during a rewatch.

Episode 13 to 22:
-----------------------
> Oh, these two arcs are my least favorite from the book, so I'm glad they don't take up a lot of time. The crazy doctor is done with, next up unveiling the corruption.
> They are both so adorable together. Love how the creators decided to put the onus of discovering Qin Wan's secret on Yan Chi. And it is good to have him uncover it sooner in the story. Yan Chi is definitely a green forest, one of the reason I had to like him so much. (Even in the original rebirth theme, Yan Chi accepted her identity without any drama. His only worry was loosing Qin Wan.)
> Yan Li, I had forgotten all about him. They chose such a good actor, the outfit screams Yan Li.
> Well, there she is, Qin Chao Yu. I am usually not a fan of watching women being pitted against each other, but for some reason this author made it so engrossing that it became one of my favorite part of the story. I wonder how the drama will handle it! From what I have seen so far, it looks promising.
> Oh, Ao Ru Peng seemed a little out of place in episodes 21 and 22 with the scenes in the palace, especially with everyone else having better posture. He did make it up by the end of the episode 22.

Episode 22 to 38:
-----------------------
> It is like watching the story unfold at 2x speed, you miss some important elements. This drama would have better served having two parts that explored the details a bit more. Because the parts that were omitted fed into the rich storytelling.
> Regardless, it was still a good watch. They got the ending just right.

Read More

I expected an angst-ridden mess, it has some angst but the love between the leads is ever present.

I didn't expect much from it because it seemed like one of those mini dramas with no coherent plot just focused on putting the leads together. Something like the drama "Lost You Found You", which had a decent cast but a flimsy plot. The actors are wasted on such productions. They need better written scripts. Fortunately, The Fragments Of Kylin doesn't have that shortcoming. Actually it is kind of perfect in this range of dramas. It has just the right mixture of everything.

I did think that FL was brutal to ML when he gave up everything to be with her but she left him. We get the noble idiocy but for me it is a stupid trope that gets everyone in trouble instead of keeping them out of it. It is hurtful to the other party no matter which one of the leads decides to be that noble idiot. But this was pretty tame, and the FL is pretty likable apart from that silly part. The ML is also a decent person. They are all just a bunch of likable characters.

Mo Lan's prejudice did not make any sense to me. In fact, he should have been the one to understand Shi Si and someone who fought against the prejudice everyone had against demons. I did not understand his character. But at least he wizened up.

Read More

What a disturbingly normal story.

In the first 10 episodes the FL is barely lifts her head to meet the ML eyes. Instead of feeling any chemistry between the two, I felt worried about her. Everything including their past and present relationship till episode 18 seems like the ML has the upper hand and FL just follows whatever he wants blindly. And so many questionable things happens.

The ML clearly broke up with her, told her he didn't want to see her again. Yes, the FL should have at least asked him why he wanted to, she for first time during their relationship decided to hold back. Her father forced her to move abroad and she had no way to contact ML since he refused to give her his contact details. Its 7 years later, the ML blames her saying that she just left and it felt like she broke up with him. And she apologizes.

Next, when she tells him she is divorced, he lashes out and says what makes her think that he could accept a divorced woman. He then shows up next day asks her to get married. The FL, no questions asked accepts again blindly.

Does the groom seem happy to be married? No!
Does he tell everyone that he is married? No!
His family comes to town and does he invite her to meet them? No!
She has to ask him why they are sneaking around when they are married.

What's more, she seems to have successful career, however he doesn't seem to praise her or even be proud to be her husband.

That's not even the worse:
An incident where the ML forcefully kisses her after he drinks a little, he comes back the next day apologizes for it and the heroine just shrugs its off as if its not a big concern and its acceptable. (And this is not a one off, another incident where he falls on her in jealous rage but stops himself)
Another incident with her fake marriage, another guy who got drunk and almost tried to force his attentions on her.

When the FL's ex-husband shows up threatening their marriage, he then suddenly does a 180 and becomes an husband who's actually interested in his wife. Then he realizes their marriage wasn't a real one and he wants to make it one. The ending was so bizarre because this guy was non-communicative and controlling.

Apart from the story, what was wrong with the show's stylist, I remember only 1 outfit that FL looked great in, it was when she showed up for a meeting with her ex husband. They went out of their way to make the FL look crappy at all turns. That woman was so gorgeous that she managed to make rock the botched pixie cut.

Read More

I had so much fun watching this! Things just go boom when the leads meet.

Ep 1: I have realized that Lovely Runner set the bar too high for all the romcom's to come, so I can't help but compare everything that comes out to it. However, I can't deny that I laughed a lot throughout the first episode. I was looking forward to the show, ever since I heard about it. The ML is the real draw, the FL doesn't look so good with those bangs, however her character is actually funny to watch. Honestly, at this point, her sister who eats her feelings is more relatable. I can't yet figure out what kind of a person the ML is but he is fun to watch. Bubbles are such a good substitute to cigarettes. Let's see if he actually sues her for murder.

Ep 2: Oh wow! Since the moment they first met, they have been going at each other and it is so fun to watch! The verbal match is amazing. The first 10 minute of the show so far are so hilarious, I just had to pause and write it all down so I don't forget things as I go. It was interesting and kept me engaged throughout the whole episode. I like watching dramas like this, especially while eating food, it makes me appreciate and enjoy the food more. For a moment there, I had forgotten the drama description that said the ML has a gf and she hasn't broken up with him yet. I kept thinking maybe she was an ex. But she is not just a gf but a fiancé. That was fun to watch!

Ep 3: Okaayyy. Fair warning, don't watch it on loudspeaker with your family around you. They make very explicit noises that make you feel like your family caught you watching a kissing scene on TV. I have my earphones on now so it is safe to watch. I got to laugh a little less compared to the last episode but it was still a fun one. They are all so silly, our FL's friend adds to the nuisance, making it more interesting.

Ep 4: Half of the time it feels like you are watching looney tunes, the scenes are so cartoonish and that's exactly what the show is all about. It brings back some of those funny cartoon memories patching it together with a comedic parody of Cinderella. You discover that her step sisters aren't that bad and her step mom is actually pretty decent, but all of them are just a little bit crazy in their own way, expect for the older sister. She seems rock solid so far. I wonder if the new guy they introduced in the episode just wants to take advantage of her because he is being too obvious about it. Well I was right, poor Cindy.

Ep 5 & Ep 6: I enjoy the interaction between the leads, but the bickering was toned down in these episodes. That kiss could have been better on the FL's part, but it looked good. That almost second kiss would have been better than the first one. The angle was right. The ML going out of his way to marry her off to other guy because he doesn't want to be abandoned is a bit sad. The fiancée and her family are so funny. I get that she has anger issues but I'm not really sure that she likes Cha Min. She rather considers him a possession. I hope the FL gives up on the SML, because it wasn't jealousy that made him say he liked her but competitiveness. In contrast the ML's feelings for her are quite real no matter how much he doesn't want to accept them. They are both so blind to how beautiful their life could be if they just stopped trying to live a loveless life.

Ep 7 & Ep 8: Cha Min blows so hot and cold, only Jae Rim can tolerate that kind of nonsense because they are both equally crazy. The SML has improved a bit but not by long. They totally got me with that imaginary scene with the leads kissing! I thought the drama was going in an another direction. He was kinda right, his mom was a little too late with the apologies. She could have made time despite how she may have been perceived. I just feel so sad for the boy that grew up being brainwashed by his father who couldn't keep his resentment to himself. He didn't give the boy a chance to form his own opinion but tried to indoctrinate him into his crazy beliefs about women.

Ep 9 & Ep 10: I wanted to see who the crazy ex fiancé was going to end up with & what happened to her crazy uncles as well. Overall, it was a nice story. I thought the last two episodes would focus on the happy ending, but we got one where they separate even though they weren't really dating. The last episode was good though. This should have been 16 episodes, so that we had some more crazy Cha Min & Jae Rim moments! They were adorable when they got together. This is definitely something worth rewatch.

Read More

Love the leads, the plot had potential but then turned out pretty senseless.

I have been fan of Zhou Ye since I first saw her act in Scent of time, the story just fit her so well. Her character seemed so tragic and she did such a wonderful job. I have also seen some of Lin Yi's dramas and he is also very good, so their interactions were fun to watch visually.

Initially, I liked the concept where he didn't know that he rejected the girl he was crushing on (online crush). But MLs character seemed pretty idiotic for not putting things together before she came out and admitted it. There were far too many similarities, including her mary sue act that she put on his saying. Even the FL took her sweet time figuring it out. That whole thing was just handled poorly and had me rolling my eyes, would have been better if things hadn't been so obvious.

Coming to the romance part, the ML was just too rude in his rejection. We don't owe anything to a person who likes us but at least the courtesy to not humiliate them. The FL did something very brave in front of all the students knowing that she might be rejected, the least he could have done was gentled his tone a little.

I'm glad that FL is not a doormat, it was fun to see her try to move on and not cling to someone who had rejected her so brutally. He later on tried to make up for it and I was onboard the make plan but his confession to her only came after she tracked him down when he had disappeared.

The supporting characters are kind of okay. Chen Xin Yi is cutie and I just feel like she could do much better than Jiang Jun Nan, who hadn't really noticed her ever.

I have only completed 20 episodes and I'm not sure, I want to finish the show.

Read More

Not bad, but not good. It was a okay drama with underutilized cast.

Ep 1: The leads first meeting was anything but romantic. Kinda reminds me of the lead from the drama "Love with flaws" & "Mad for each other". The FL calls the ML poopy pants, because their first encounter was when they were stuck in a lift and the ML had flatulence. It was embarrassing to watch, so skipped most of that elevator scene. I admit that parts of it were funny, but this is not a good start for the drama. So far, it seems more like a childish prank show rather than a well put together drama. And what the hell is wrong with everyone, his co-worker was the one who had an affair, so why are all of them hell bent on him taking the blame? Make it make sense!

Oh thank god for the last 15 minutes of the show, otherwise this drama would have been put on hold forever. Even still, it could have been so much better. But like I said, it did have a quite a few funny scenes. So, hopefully, there will be more of that in the next episode. I'll keep watching for that.

Ep 2: Nothing much to add. Things are still going slow even thought it is a short drama. The story and the setup would have been more suited for a longer daily drama. At least we see some interaction between the leads. There's something that's keeping me from dropping the drama but I'm not very moved by the way things are going.

Ep 3: Kept up with the same pace as episode 2. Things are moving too slowly. I wanted to hear the ML curse out the guy who kept him hanging for the position. However, he just whispered those curses in his ears. The thing I liked the best is the gradual growth of chemistry between the two leads. The SML seems more interesting at this point, I wonder why they broke up. (From their current dynamics it seems like it was pretty much his fault)

Ep 4: The leads have started taking interest in each other. So, I'm kinda okay with the romance part of the drama so far. The next week's preview looks promising at least. I wonder what's up with the little kid, who shows up now and then to motivate Ki Baek. The most relatable part about the series is the work environment both Ki Baek and Woo Joo have to deal with. When you are position at the top, everyone either envies you or tries to pretend that you didn't deserve it. They talk shit about you behind your back, and never apologize if they are caught doing it. They usually double down. While some have the luxury to quit such toxic places, some just have keep working and turning a blind eye becoming one with such systems. Anyways, finally, looking forward to the next weeks episodes.

Ep 5 & Ep 6: This was fun to watch. The FL is writer of the variety show, for a variety show creator, her & the team are very bad at planning. It has very few people with not enough power to pull in the ratings. Right now, Ki baek is like a polar bear that actually found its way amongst penguins. (Got to learn that fun fact today) But at least this episode was interesting to watch. Looking forward to the next one. Episode 6 was pretty much the same, the contestant on the show discovering each other. One thing that was revealed was that even in school both the ML & SML had same tastes in woman. Ki Baek clearly rejected his first love in this episode, I'm not sure why he next week's preview shows that he chose her instead of FL.

Ep 7: One moment Ki Baek was confessing his feelings for the FL and other he was choosing his first love, albeit only on the show and she blackmailed him. The variety show ended with the FL not choosing anyone. The FL and her ex didn't really have a heart to heart that would make up for the tension between the two, so a lost opportunity there. We get a short time skip to one month later when he finally tells her why he didn't choose her. It is kinda meh at the moment.

Ep 8: Man the woman who turned out to be the first love of all male contestants is nasty. I mean not only did she make such a bitchy move but had the guts to double down when called out on her shit. Nope. Met women like her in real life and they are not anyone's friends. I think it is about time Jung Heon starts getting over Woo Joo. It is finally the start of the relationship between the leads and its beautiful to watch.

Ep 9: It was a nice episode with Jung Heon & Ki Baek bonding over past memories. I like how Jung Heon is being a nice guy despite him having feelings for Woo Joo. Ki Baek is such a cutie, calling her pretty all the time. Woo Joo must feel so good to be appreciated genuinely like this, especially since everything else is falling apart for her. Her career has always been on the rocks, now her mom might have shown up.

Ep 10: Things are looking up for the couple, but with only 2 episodes left you can't say anything for the certain. Jung Heon is still miserable living as a star and I think it is absolutely getting to him. He looks so tired and listless. Ki Baek's family is a bit weird, I don't understand how he fits in with them. His father is a little better than the rest of them. We are still to see how Woo Joo deals with her biological mom.

Ep 11 & 12: The drama is sadly underutilized the cast. The story wasn't interesting enough, had it not been for the chemistry between the three leads, it would have been more of flop. My brother also watched the drama, he liked it so maybe it is about tastes. At times the drama had similar undertones as Call It Love, but it failed to match the feelings elicited by that drama.

Read More

Did not make any sense at all

The story is like someone said nonsense. They took a good concept and decided to just mess with it. The first episode did not connect with the whole story. There is such a visible inconsistency with the way the ML's character behaves in the first episode and rest of the show.

In the first episode, he is a man, who lets his so called beloved marry a chicken and then forces himself on her on their wedding night. In the rest of the episodes, he seems like a different person, not a great ML but kinda okay. I have seen another drama featuring this Guan Yue (Night of love with you) he did good job in that. However, in TRL something was missing. Also, his makeup was so poorly done. In the last episode, when the FL dies, he walks to her with no grief in his expression at all. But later a tear slips down his cheek. Just so underwhelming.

Read More

I got into the drama thinking it was just a sad ending. But it is a whole toxic mess.

"Are you at an age where you should be crying over some drama character that dies?" -Noh Eul

Yes. We are. But honestly the death wasn't even the saddest part of this drama. It was the relationship between the leads, it was so damn toxic. Had it not been for my curiosity and cast, this drama is far too overhyped.

From the first episode onwards, their relationship was doomed in my eyes.
The guy tripped her, she was limping.
He even stole evidence from her that could spoil his dad's reputation, she then got into an accident.
When he met her again, he left her in the middle of road nowhere where it was snowing and threw some money at her.
He then had the gal to be angry at her for not admitting that they knew each other.
When she rejected him because she had feelings for the other guy, he actually kicked her.
Let's not talk about the way he treated her once they actually got into a relationship.
There's more, he even kissed other woman in front of her, let her be humiliated and contributed to that humliation.

I initially thought the FL would have some kind of backbone and expected more from her, but she number of times allowed him to treat her like shit and then kept going back.

This is the kind of plot that gives me the ick. The romance happened for about a minutes, the most of it was heartbreak for the FL. While the actors had chemistry, in the story, the MLs feeling for the FL just suddenly happened. They didn't have that great of a backstory to begin with.

I came into this drama expecting to be wowed and shed some tears at the end. But I shed more tears of frustrations with the way the entire relationship was handled compared to when he died. Since that's where his story ends, here's to hoping she finally meets a decent man and begins a new life.

Read More

Wow!

I did not expect this drama to be so good. It was interesting from the get go.

The female lead pretty much carried the whole show, it was focused on her story and suffering.

It also included her relationships with:
It began with her ill-fated one-sided relationship with Zhong Ye Lan, who she tricked into marrying her.
They she ended up tangled with Zhong Xi Wu, who just controlled her life and decided to make major decisions that included life and death. (Spoiler alert: The real him did seem a bit different than the dream control freak)
She also met Hua Rong Zhou, who was greenest flag, her confidante, savior, and a person who loved her without asking for anything other than her company.

I didn't expect the ending. It was a bit abrupt and I want to see more of FL's journey once she wakes up. Hopefully, there will be a season 2.

Read More