Nelly

A downward slope

OVERALL
Season 2 of Fox's Summer starts out great...then descends into madness. Watch if 1) you're desperate to know what happens after Season 1, or 2) you REALLY like backstories. Think twice if 1) you're looking for well-developed romance, 2) you like well-written plots, 3) you hate repetitive, unnecessary flashbacks.

THE STORY
This review is only for SEASON 2 of Fox's Summer. This season starts strong, really strong. But by episode 4 or 5, things begin to look weird. First, I recently have been complaining about romantic dramas that don't show the "falling in love" properly to jump right into the "we're in love" stage. Fox's Summer 2 does the complete opposite. After an entire season of "falling in love", when the "we're in love" stage begins, the romance turns into nothing. Absolutely nothing. If it weren't because the couple keeps reminding us that they're dating (but literally reminding us, with "but I'm your girlfriend!" or "but we're dating now!"), we never would have known, because they don't look like it at all. I'm not saying this because I think heavy skinship is a must in dramas. I don't think lots of skinship is necessary in romance (even though it's welcome!). But with or without skinship, you need to show some cute, fun, juicy couple scenes. How can we root for the couple otherwise?

Secondly, While the OTP backstories were interesting in season 1, they were essentially that, BACKstories. A bit of extra info about the main leads. Somehow, in season 2, the backstories become the primary plot. A drama that was pretty much a rom-com in season 1 turns into a workplace/melo drama out of nowhere. Another thing I couldn't stand were the flashbacks. They were already bad in season 1, but they become unbearable in season 2. Lastly, there're the skyrocketing inconsistencies. FL ends season 1 living in some place and starts season 2 living somewhere else, no explanations given. Characters with good communication decide not to communicate anymore, others continue to go from good to evil and back. People on their deathbed end up in conversing in their living room in the next scene. Mmm...what? It feels like season 2 was written by entirely different people from season 1, and didn't get the memo about what the drama was about. Such a disappointment.

THE ACTING
Same as season 1. Tan Songyun is fine, male lead is not, and they have zero chemistry. There was hope of some chemistry in season 1, there is nothing at all in season 2.

THE MUSIC
Same as season 1.

THE REWATCH VALUE
Definitely low.

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Pretty good for a harem story!

OVERALL
This drama has a lot of things going on: murder-mystery, slow-burn romance, harem drama, political intrigue...but somehow, they combine nicely into a plot that is, if not the best, definitely entertaining enough to keep you watching until the end! Watch it if 1) you like smart female leads, 2) you need plots with few holes, where everything serves a purpose to the story, 3) you want to be surprised by a few plot twists. Think twice if 1) you need fast-paced, smexy romantic scenes, 2) you hate harem drama or political intrigues, 3) you are easily and greatly bothered by repetitiveness in dramas.

THE STORY
This drama has a lot more strengths than weaknesses, but the weaknesses weigh a lot, so they are worth considering. Let me start with the good. First, one thing that's clear about this drama is that it pushes a feminist agenda. FL is gifted in embroidery and wants to work for the people, but women at the time had to marry and stay at home, and that's one of the main conflicts of the series. I found this to be one of the best aspects of the show because the drama depicts the condition of women and Shiyi's frustration and avantgarde personality in a very realistic way. She's the odd sheep in the herd and it's really hard work for her to try to do what she likes to do. Secondly, I really enjoyed FL, Shiyi. What's great about the FL of this drama is that she's strong and smart, but in a feminine way. These days we see lots of strong FLs but they tend to lean more towards typical masculine traits (eg. Changge from Long Ballad, FL of Oh My General of My General and I), or be somewhat non-gendered and not caring about either masculine or feminine stuff. Shiyi is absolutely feminine. Her hobbies are typically female and she does all typically female tasks well. I think it's great to show that femininity can come with the strength and the smarts too. Another thing that's cool is that you can see how much power and influence she has over everyone around her, because all character and relationship developments in the drama are linked to her. She's just boss. And then one last positive aspect of Sword & Brocade is the romance. I personally am very bothered by love lines with crappy development, and it's kind of on the rise these days. It's common to see the OTP fall in love out of nowhere or go through a decent "falling in love" period, but the falling in love doesn't actually make sense. That's not the case with this drama. It takes FOREVER for the love to bloom, but it's realistic, and I was living for it. The journey is just as important, if not more, than the destination, and I'm glad this drama got it.

On the bad side, for someone like me who's not particularly fond of harem stories, Sword & Brocade feels EXTREMELY repetitive. It's literally 40 episodes of scheming evil women. The murder-mystery and political intrigues spice it up a bit, but by the end, I was kind of getting tired of the never-ending harem drama. It felt like more of the same. Always some girl trying to shame, frame and ruin another girl's life, and sometimes with no valid reason. The ML's mother was not helping at all; she was like a broken record. 40 episodes of her doing and saying the same thing, over and over again. Another think that irked me a bit were the few inconsistencies. There aren't a lot, but there are one or two instances in which the behavior of a character (especially FL at some point) seems extremely out of sync with how the character's been portrayed, or an event felt too forced/ridiculous. These issues aren't bad enough to make you stop watching, but they do make the experience of watching Sword & Brocade less enjoyable with time, especially the harem drama, so beware!

THE ACTING
It worked! In general I have no complaints for the main cast. I liked Wallace here more than in General & I, his character was MUCH better. Same thing for Songyun, I tried watching Under the Power before but couldn't stand her character. Shiyi is much better. Chemistry-wise, there are some sparks between them but it's not the most impressive couple in the chemistry department. They make up for it with cute and fun scenes though, so it's fine! I didn't like the stereotypical character of Consort Qian, but the acting was okay. Honestly, my only complaint is the acting of one of the kids - but it was kind of hilarious too, so I let it pass!

THE MUSIC
Quite good. Won't keep listening to anything now that the show's over but it actually left a positive impression on me!

REWATCH VALUE
I'm writing this review after watching the drama a second time, so it definitely is a drama you can watch again. However, maybe not without skipping some parts!

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Enjoyable...with some skipping

OVERALL
This drama is really the prototype of "slice of life". Watch it if 1) you like dramas with a mature feel, 2) you're looking for a fun couple and cute lover antics, 3) you're a fan of character development. Think twice if 1) you can't stand a drama with no main plot, 2) you easily find small holes in plots and that annoys you, 3) you are expecting a FL like the one of Yanxi Palace.

THE STORY
I feel like this drama is very niche. Only the true fans of slice-of-life series will appreciate all of it. I'm not one of them...so I could only watch it with consistent fast-forwarding. On the plus side, it's gorgeously done and feels very mature and natural. No childish, quirky background music like in many historical C-dramas. No slapstick comedy or in-your-face jokes. THAT I like A LOT. It takes ages before the OTP gets going, but when it does, you fall for it. The romance is definitely the best of the show, not just because they have fun scenes or they're cute, but because there is some relationship growth (which almost never happens in dramas). I wish the drama had spent more time on it! FL is depicted as a mature, smart, strong character, and the best part is that we really get to see her evolve throughout the drama, resolving traumas she has due to her upbringing. There's really a lot to like about Story of Minglan.

But, but, but...it's WAY too long. I understand why the drama includes certain parts (to set up the character development), but many of them could have been much shorter - like maybe 2-3 episodes long instead of 10-15. Honestly, apart from the first 5 episodes or so (which are fast-paced because they're about childhood events), I almost get the feeling that the story only begins around episode 30. That's nearly halfway through the drama! If you know anything about storytelling arc, that's like spending half of your story on the exposition/introduction! It's too much. Something else that bothers me about Story of Minglan is the obvious decline of FL after her marriage. As a single girl, she's smart and cunning, always five steps ahead of others, but as a married woman, she can't even see what's in front of her and constantly needs the help her husband *sigh*. There are smaller issues with the drama, such as some aspects that seem unbelievable, some repetitive lines or the very unsatisfying ending scene (the ending isn't bad per say, it's just kind of random?), but these two are the most serious problems in my opinion. If you're fine with the pace and the decline of FL, the drama is definitely worth you giving it a try.

THE ACTING
I heard FL and ML were played by a married couple. That explains a lot haha I didn't feel that there was chemistry between the leads but they looked comfortable and natural with one another and that's what sold the couple. Individually, I liked her more than him. Minglan goes through hell, and because Zanilia is expressive, she really makes you feel that. Secondary cast was also quite good, especially Minglan's legitimate mom. I just have a problem with the villains. It's just so stereotypical the way they act, I don't like it - but I'm sure it was on purpose and isn't a reflection of their acting ability.

THE MUSIC
Mild and fitting background music. Cute opening too. There's nothing I'll listen to now that the drama is over, but I was digging how music was so scarce, and you had lots of scenes with only silence or ambient sounds in the back. Such a breath of fresh air, when compared to the excess of sound we get in many dramas!

REWATCH VALUE
Completely? Not very high. I think I will definitely go back to this drama but I'll skip the first 1/3 and start when the real action begins...and even then, there'll be skipping involved. That's the problem with slice of life. Since it's not a story, but just a collection of episodes in someone's life, you don't necessarily care about all of them.

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Alternative title: Love in Times of Royal Conflicts

OVERALL
This is a feel-good drama, not because of fluff or comedy (there's literally none in here!) but because it has a "good always wins" plot that gives you little frustration, and as a bonus, is actually gripping enough to binge. Watch it if 1) you like strong female leads, 2) you're picky about production and you need good cinematography, 3) you enjoy political intrigues. Think twice about it if 1) you like well-written and emotional love stories, 2) you like when the good guys sweat a bit, 3) you prefer dramas with a light mood/feel.

THE STORY
The best thing about this drama is its production. You can tell this was produced by someone used to film production because they really made clever, significant choices with lighting, sound and décor. All of it converges to create a dark and depressing mood/feel, which echoes the claustrophobic and tragic environment of nobility and royalty. And that's what the story is essentially about; the toxicity of the political sphere in Great Cheng era. (Just needed to fangirl over technical stuff!)

The plot is also, for the most part, quite fine. Political intrigues are coherent and they level up as the drama progresses (which is great because sometimes schemes get dumber as the story evolves). Characters have depth too, even (and especially) secondary ones. The title is misleading, main girl isn't really rebellious (she sometimes even comes off as submissive), but she is definitely strong and mature. Main guy is quiet but he's not the cold brooding type (yay!), he's actually pretty nurturing and kind. The biggest problem with The Rebel Princess is that the romance is meant to be an important part of the drama but it doesn't convince at all. Part of it is lack of chemistry between the leads, but part of it is the fact that the love story is SO underdeveloped. The protagonists go from strangers to lovers in the space of...1 episode? And then spend the rest of the drama being deeply in love. We definitely needed to see the process of them learning to care for one another. Plus, conflicts are important for relationship growth, and it doesn't feel like there's any growth in the OTP because they literally never fight.

Apart from the relationship, another downside to the drama is the way the good guys ALWAYS win. Except for once in the drama, you never really get the impression that they took on a serious blow. This isn't terrible, it makes for a more enjoyable watch, but it feels somewhat unrealistic. The ending (second half of the last episode) is also very rushed and incoherent. THAT BEING SAID, the drama is totally binge material. It's gorgeous and the never-ending schemes keep you watching until the last minute. Even though the OTP isn't swoon-worthy, you still end up rooting for them.

THE ACTING
Other reviews already mentioned the age situation, so I won't - plus, to be honest, I don't think it matters. Sure, the cast is older than the characters they play, but they look compatible with one another, so what's the problem? In general, the cast did well, especially Zhang Ziyi, but in terms of chemistry between actors (not just between the main leads but also with the secondary cast) I didn't feel much. Dramas like this highlight how acting isn't just about individual performance, it's also about the dynamics with other actors. In this case, they weren't that great. It doesn't stop you from enjoying the drama, though, so I guess it's okay.

THE MUSIC
It was fine, though there wasn't any song I felt like listening to on my own. Honestly, I was just grateful the music wasn't excessive and loud like in some other C-dramas (*cough* Oh My General *cough*).

REWATCH VALUE
It's quite high. Not super high because the drama is lowkey depressing, but it does end well and it is an enjoyable watch so I just know I'll watch it again.

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Could Have Been Better

OVERALL
This is the kind of drama that makes you think you should be a screenwriter because you could do it better. Still, you can watch it if 1) you care more about political action and war than a love story, and 2) you like the smart, calm and composed type of female leads. If 1) you hate when the OTP is separated for ages, 2) you can't stand incoherence and production flaws, and 3) bad acting ruins it for you, then skip.

THE STORY
I started this drama, gave it up, read the novel and then went back to the drama just to see how it changed the plot. Turns out as an adaptation, the drama isn't THAT bad. The novel makes the female lead smarter and is more coherent, but it also has weird stuff going on. The show takes that out and add a few better parts. The biggest issue with the drama is that the romance is SO underdeveloped. I don't get WHY the FL ends up loving the ML and when exactly it begins to happen - when that is super clear in the novel. And it's not just that, every aspect of the love story feels rushed or too sudden. That's ironic, since the romance is supposed to be central to the story - that's why it's called "The General and I".

There are a few changes made that also take away coherence in the plot. For instance, it's not clear why FL avoids ML for a long time - where in the book it makes sense. Some other changes are just a bit annoying. Too much protagonism is given to the young master FL used to follow, in my opinion. In general, I was just expecting the drama to be a lot more about strategies, given that FL is supposed to be a genius strategist. I was also disappointed by the production. Transitions weren't super well made, sound was also kind of off/weird at places.

On the good side, I really liked the FL, and I liked that she could be so useful in war. The drama has such a good premise, but it just feels underwhelming, unfortunately.

THE ACTING
Wallace is okay. I have to say I didn't like him here as much as I did in The Sword And the Brocade, but he was okay. Angelababy completely failed to impress me, but to be fair, even though her acting was not up to par it still worked well with her character, who's supposed to be kind of reserved and calm and expressionless. I don't have much to say about secondary characters. They didn't make a lasting impression.

THE MUSIC
I didn't like how sometimes characters were supposed to play a traditional tune on an instrument but a modern-like instrumental track would play. And sometimes the music felt extra.

REWATCH VALUE
Low. I don't really think there is anything that would drive me back to this drama anytime soon.

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OVERALL
Excellent drama that you should watch ASAP. What's great about it is the blend of the historical and romcom genres. There's action, there's history, there's fantasy, there's comedy, there's romance; a little of everything for everyone, so no need to hesitate, just dive in. Maybe think about it if you don't like love stories. But it doesn't hurt to watch one once in a while, and this one's worth it.

THE STORY
In three words: cute, interesting and fun. Although the premise is not very original, the story is flawless and incorporates enough innovation to make you forget it. For one thing, although it's a time-travel plot, forget the hundreds of clichéd jokes and plot elements typically recycled in these types of stories. In here, the guy who time travels is so smart, he can infer and deduce how to do things, and faces all situations with complete calmness. Forget the happy-go-lucky girl with little backbone and neurons. Here, the girl is good-humoured, but she's also playful (best part of her, I think) and perseverant. Their interactions are absolutely addicting, but what's great about the drama is also the interactions between them and other characters, and the back and forth between present day and past. All conflicts and complications are coherent and understandable, and the humor is good. Nothing to complain about, except that the show was too short.

THE ACTING
First lead role for Yoo In Na and she did great, even though it wasn't clear just how much was acting and how much was her being herself. Ji Hyun Woo joined my A-list. I'll be watching out for him now. He's good. Also, their chemistry was very palpable, and that's not just me saying it. There was a big scandal after that drama too. The actor made a public love confession and the actress soon followed. Guess that's why it just felt so real.

THE MUSIC
Good stuff, and always right at the right time. I just can't give it a 10, because I didn't like any of it enough to put it in my mp3. But it was good stuff. I especially liked the gayageum instrumental tracks.

REWATCH VALUE
Top of the list. Whenever I'm bored, I rewatch it. Short, good and fun, nothing better.

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Cliché Central

OVERALL
Sometimes melodramas are worth the roller-coaster ride, and sometimes...they're not. This is one of these times. I recommend skipping this drama, no ifs, unless, you know, you're desperate.

THE STORY
This drama was supposed to be my cup of tea. I mean, it has mature vibes, good actors and a child. And yet, it turned out to be the complete opposite: a melting pot of melodramatic clichés, with a bland female lead and an over-the-top mean male lead. What's really tragic with Because of Love is that you can clearly see this is a prehistoric drama. The world has moved on from many of the annoying tropes of this series, such as never-ending misunderstandings between the leads or the idea that family has to be united by blood. It's totally out of fashion. Dramas are trying to show more communication between their leads these days, not less, and as Go Ahead shows, 21st century is about acknowledging the ties that aren't made by blood. Watching Because of You feels like regressing back in time, and not in a good way. I for one have zero nostalgia for these old TV tropes.

I have to mention, on the positive side (and it's really the ONLY positive point) that the OTP has two or three AMAZING scenes. Like really great love scenes. So good that they keep you watching to see if there's more...but there isn't. The drama is so busy with being overly melodramatic that the romance ends up receding to the background. After 24 episodes, I got sick of waiting for the greatness teased by these few scenes and dropped the drama. Bottom line: just skip.

THE ACTING
Good, but that was to be expected. Both actors are pretty seasoned, they know what they're doing. Their chemistry was also off the roof, which makes it all SO frustrating because the drama could have been much better if it had been exploited to the max. Sigh. Oh, well.

THE MUSIC
Inexistent haha I'm sure there was, but I only remember the LACK of music! It's something that I usually like (a lot better than the excessive background music we hear in 70% of dramas), but in this drama it sometimes made me sleepy...

REWATCH VALUE
Null.

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Watch for the thrills, not the romance

OVERALL
It's a decent disaster drama but a subpar relationship drama so watch it if you're into the former, not the latter.

THE STORY
There are things I really like about this drama. Three, to be exact. First, female lead is probably the most mature I've seen. I LOVE how she is completely unbothered by the cliché third-wheel girl who's convinced she can get Male Lead even though he doesn't want her. Female Lead has zero insecurity around the relationship and saves us from the usual jealousy scenes. She also has a lot of self-respect and dignity and doesn't let people trample all over her. Secondly, I really appreciated the representation of people with "disabilities" through Male Lead's sister who is deaf. What I like is that they didn't confine her to a bubble, she ended up being just like any other character and having her own love story. The third thing I really liked was precisely her love story, which is really cute and relatively drama free. Apart from these three things, I also enjoyed the disaster situations in which the main cast was found and seeing some of the work rescue teams do to help people. This drama really makes you appreciate the effort of people who put their lives at risk every day to save complete strangers.

But there are many issues with this drama that were just hard to swallow. First, I wasn't a huge fan of Male Lead. He's not terrible, I've seen worse, but he doesn't come off as supportive of Female Lead and some of the thing he does, especially towards the end...it's just a letdown. I couldn't appreciate the character afterwards. Secondly, the main love story is pretty much a fail. It starts out fine, then becomes increasingly watered down so that by the end you don't feel a thing for the OTP. There aren't many emotional scenes, there isn't much skinship either, it's just underwhelming. Lastly, there's a third couple that is absolutely insufferable and is getting WAY too much screentime in my opinion (especially in the second half of the drama).

Overall, it's a decent filler. Feel free to watch when you're bored. Just don't expect too much and don't come in for romance.

THE ACTING
Ok.

THE MUSIC
Ok.

REWATCH VALUE
Not very high.

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Migraine-Inducing

OVERALL
This drama can be enjoyable if you're good at suspending your disbelief...and your values. Watch it if 1) you like the fantasy genre, 2) you like stories that take you on a journey, going through a gazillion plot changes, 3) you'll be happy with a few sweet love scenes. If 1) immature female leads make your skin crawl, 2) you get confused easily, and 3) you can't stand rushed endings, then skip.

THE STORY
I need to start by saying two things: 1) I know this drama is linked to another one, but I didn't see it, so I'm the new, fresh viewer (not the fan of Eternal Love), and 2) I don't usually watch xanxia, it's not my go-to genre. For anyone not like me, then the following review may not be very useful, but if you identify, read on!

I decided to try the drama out because I saw some clips on YouTube that looked fun and cute. From episode 1, I could tell it'd be a rough ride. Let me start with the good stuff. First, there really are fun and cute scenes between the leads. Not too many, not the ULTIMATE best (see Love Designer for that!), but still good enough to keep you going until the very end. Secondly, not going to give much away, but a part of the drama takes place in the mortal world. That part was definitely the best of the drama. It's more realistic, the characters are more down-to-earth, the plot is more coherent, and it makes you really emotional. And...that's it.

Now for the bad. The absolute worst of this drama is the FL. She acts like a five year old 95% of the time (the 5% she doesn't is when she's in the mortal world). I have a lot of difficulty understanding how she's supposed to be attractive to the ML...which leads me to ML, who's too expressionless for my taste. That makes everything worse because he's like a statue and the FL is like...a prepubescent child. It just felt so weird to root for them. And then there's the issue of the FL being dehumanized a few times in the drama, which really brings that weirdness to a whole new level because not only is she demoted to an immature child, but also to an animal and an object. And then there's the fact that the plot jumps from one problem/world to the next and they don't seem to be connected at all, which is confusing. And then there's the fantasy elements that aren't explained well. And then there's the rushed ending. And then there's the flashy surreal visual effects... There's just too many issues that were hard to digest, I couldn't fully enjoy it.

THE ACTING
Despite hating her character, I still liked Dilraba's acting the best, just because she makes it seem so natural. I was not too impressed by Vengo, though it could also be the role. He definitely seemed better in the mortal world part. I need to see him in something else to confirm. I can't say much about their chemistry because, like I said, the romance made me feel kind of awkward at times, given how they depicted the FL. I don't have much to say about second leads either. They weren't particularly endearing, except maybe the demon lord.

THE MUSIC
...yeah...

REWATCH VALUE
Low. I can just watch YouTube clips to jump straight to the worthwhile scenes.

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Watch it for the thrill

OVERALL
A drama with a unique premise (a police squad going after financial crime) that has at the least the advantage of being innovative. Watch it if 1) you like police dramas, 2) you like mature dramas, 3) you like big production dramas. Skip if 1) you want a few laughs, 2) you're looking for well-written romance, 2) you're looking for well-written, period.

THE STORY
I wanted to love it, but by the end, I just kind of liked it...and the key is on the "kind of". The drama started out promising but just slowly went downhill.

The Good
- I hate everything tied to economics but what kept me going with this drama was the whole financial crime aspect. The drama does a good job of showing how it can really devastate lives and that the chase is as thrilling as with violent crimes.
- I was living for the mature vibes of this drama. So many C-dramas nowadays seem to be produced for teenagers haha I'm not saying it for the cast (you have mature dramas with young actors, like Long Ballad), it's the way it's filmed, the attention to the script, the music, amount of lousy clichés, etc. It's good to see a grownup drama for a change.
- One character is really complex and totally makes the drama better for being there (even if he's not necessarily a good one, or a bad one, to be fair).

The Bad
- Top of the list is the absolute disaster of the love story. Romantic scenes are forced and random, ALL THE TIME. It's not because you can't ship the leads or because the actors don't know how to act. It's because of bad writing. TERRIBLE writing.
- The writing and production is at its worst in the second half of the drama. Characters that are smart start acting like they aren't, and it's one bad transition after the next. For instance, a character is in a hospital one scene and in the police department the other like nothing happened. Wth?
- To be honest, financial crime works too slowly. Parts of the drama felt kind of draggy.
- The ending is lackluster.

THE ACTING
Veteran actors here, so you pretty much have good acting. I just took out points because there's no chemistry between the leads.

THE MUSIC
Typical thriller music, but the good kind.

REWATCH VALUE
Low, bro.

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OVERALL
Good drama that achieves relatively more balance than other action shows that try to merge comic, dramatic or romantic elements to their plots. Watch if 1) You want to see a Taiwanese drama that isn't predominantly a love story, 2) You're looking for something addicting. Don't watch if 1) You like flawless plots and characters, 2) You like closed, everyone-is-happy-and-in-a-couple endings.

THE STORY
First Taiwanese show I dive into that isn't dominantly a love story, and I'm quite surprised. Without being anything out of this world, the plot was relatively coherent and the action scenes, relatively well-done. The drama has enough suspense and cliffhangers to keep you watching, but still leaves room for a complicated love square, some comedy and a few dramatic scenes. The two main characters are well-developed, and at least one of the two main girls is likeable. There's also a good play with the title of the drama, Black and White, because at least one character starts out seeing everything in two colors, and ends up having to recognize that much of the world is actually grey. There's a few things that irked me while watching. Sometimes, characters randomly appear at some places to find clues and there's no explanation as to how they got there. Characters betray others or act in a certain way without any explanation. Plot elements are presented once, and then they never go back to them. The ending, without being incoherent or overly dramatic, is also a bit dissatisfying.

THE ACTING
Vic Zhou and Ivy Chen were great and had terrific chemistry. Janine Chang was good; Mark Chao, every now and then. Overall a good cast, well-fitted for their roles.

THE MUSIC
So-so. Good for the show, not a good match with my tastes though.

REWATCH VALUE
Definitely rewatchable.

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OVERALL
Very good drama, one of those that make you think and leave you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. Watch if 1) You're looking for hot guys, 2) You want something addicting, 3) You have a strong heart. Don't watch if 1) you're looking for a love story (quasi-inexistent in here), 2) You're very easily scared.

THE STORY
I have to start by saying that my review is entirely biased by the fact that I am one of the most fearful people on the face of the Earth.That being said, objectively and subjectively speaking, this show is awesome. When the story starts, you think that it's taking one path, but soon realize that it's taking an entirely different one. Far from feeling cheated, you realize it makes perfect sense, because the drama asks one question from episode one, are monsters born or created, and its premise is to leave you to decide of the answer when the show's over by making your own interpretations of all the events and of the ending. There is no particular flaw or mistake in the plot elements of the story. All characters have their distinct personality and a dark side that slowly comes to light. Their interactions are really important, words are chosen with lots of consideration. Many philosophical questions are raised. The purpose of the drama is to make you think, more than anything else. It's deep, it's intriguing, it's terrifying, it's addicting, it's everything a show should be, but I personally had a hard time while watching it. Spent many sleepless nights.

THE ACTING
Very good acting. At the time, I think many of the actors were not quite known, but now they've played in many dramas (Kim Woo Bin, Sung Joon, Kim Young Kwang...). What's great about this drama is given how complex the characters are, how everyone seems so innocent at first and then slowly reveal a dark side, and given the story and the range of emotions that they go through, the roles demand some skills, and none of the actors failed to deliver.

THE MUSIC
Great music for the show. Many songs are in English and they fit right in. Being a fan of classical music, I knew Vivaldi's Nisi Dominus before White Christmas. Haven't been able to listen to it after this drama though. The show converted it into one of the freakiest tunes.

REWATCH VALUE
It's so good, that unless you're fearful; you'll watch it more than once. And even if you are, you might end up watching it again, like me, to show its awesomeness to someone else. But after a while, it might lose charm, since a lot of it rests on the element of surprise, that you won't have anymore.

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The last third ruined it

OVERALL
My headline says it all. Great until roughly ep 18-19, terrible afterwards. Watch it if 1) you're curious to see just how good it was until then and how bad it gets later, 2) you really have nothing else to watch. If none of the above, skip.

THE STORY
The beginning of this drama reminded me a lot of Long Ballad. Not the plot (it's quite different), but the concept; this is essentially a Romeo and Juliet story between two people from opposing nations. I quite liked Long Ballad, so this drama was right up my alley. And it stayed right up my alley for 20 eps because:

- Female lead was exactly as I love them, super smart, super mature, super poised
- Male lead falls quick for female lead, which I enjoy
- Male lead isn't treating her like crap all the time
- They have good banter and exchanges
- They outwit their enemies and each other
- The (female) costumes!

But then the series hits its last third and all hell breaks loose. It's as if they switched writer - or the writer procrastinated and wrote the last ten eps in two hours. Things become repetitive, characters stop making sense, it drags, it drags, it drags, and the drama keeps adding "impossible" challenges to overcome without ever addressing the previous ones. Finally, the last two eps come, and suddenly, magically, all the impossible challenges are no longer impossible, the dragging stops because it has to, and we get a rushed ending that feels totally dissatisfying because 100% forced.

20 eps are more than 10, but the last 10 manage to completely ruin the first 20. I don't think I can recommend this drama to anybody.

THE ACTING
I liked it. I've been tough with Angelababy in the past, but I think her acting was fine here. There was some chemistry with male lead too. Not bad at all! Too bad the writing is so disappointing.

THE MUSIC
No comment.

REWATCH VALUE
Not high.

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Would be perfect...without the kids

OVERALL
Awesome human, superhero drama. Watch it, no ifs, because there's something for everyone to like!

THE STORY
I'm not a fan of superhero stories (God knows Hollywood has made enough for anyone to grow sick of them!), but I like stories that combine fantasy/sci-fi with the real world. That root the superheroes in reality. Moving is one of them. There's teenage angst, there're political conflicts; there's romance, there's tragedy. Yes, it's a story of people with superpowers, but it's also A LOT more than a story of people with superpowers.

The Best of this drama:
- The structure of the drama is pretty interesting. It gives away information little by little and keeps you wanting more
- The writing is *chef kiss* You can really tell writers thought it all well, from the episode titles (which are so meaningful!) to some of the lines.
- The long flashbacks, which reveal the backstory of the cast and connect all the mini-plots (there are few) together
- The overarching plot, which is about used people who rebel against the people using them
- The "parent" storylines (especially Bongseok's parents)
- Our teenage ML being overweight (I'm all for this representation!)
- The female characters are all so well written in this drama. Strong and with character, but each in their own way. That's great!

The Worst of the drama:
- Nothing, objectively, but subjectively speaking, I couldn't care less about the kids haha I would have loved a Moving focused entirely on the parents. Probably why I won't like S2 haha
- Also, if I want to be picky, I would say that gore needs a purpose. Sometimes it felt extra for no reason in this drama...

THE ACTING
Fab, fab, fab! It would be hard to pick a best actor in here. They were all SO amazing!

THE MUSIC
Pretty good!

REWATCH VALUE
Average, just because if I rewatch I'm definitely I'm skipping the teenage drama parts!

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Sometimes gripping, Sometimes not

OVERALL
If you're looking for some adventure, even if it's rough around the edges, and a bit of romance, but fun and worthwhile romance, watch. If you're looking for a deep and well-written plot, or convincing CGI, or both, skip.

THE STORY
I started watching this drama when I had nothing else of interest to watch. I binged a couple of episodes when it got good, skipped parts in other episodes when it got boring. Before I knew it, it was over. My verdict is, it served its purpose. It's a good filler, but nothing more.

On the good side:
- There are enough twists to surprise you in the adventure plot, and you start out with enough mysteries to unfold to hook you
- The romance is surprisingly fun, with some comedy and some melodrama towards the end (but good drama, you know, the kind you want to happen to spice up a love story)
- FL is how I like them (strong, smart, but kind), ML is also how I like them (a bit aloof but nice)
- Most secondary characters are endearing and you won't feel the need to skip their parts
- The setting is fresh and interesting (no more Shanghai, yay! I LOVE that most of it happens in the desert)

On the bad side:
- Special effects are horrid in this drama, like REALLY bad
- You can get lost and confused in the fantasy elements and the way the plot is nonlinear (ie. the characters have a goal, but they keep going on side quests or tangents or wtv). It also makes the drama feel draggy at times.
That's it! haha But careful, the bad weighs nearly as much as the good (maybe even a bit more)!

THE ACTING
Good stuff! There are a couple of emotional scenes and the actors delivered!

THE MUSIC
Quite okay!

REWATCH VALUE
Uff...not high haha I might rewatch the romance parts. I liked those! The rest was a bit too much of a wild ride. I think experiencing it once is enough! :)

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