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Welcome to Dark River's Gritty Universe

Truth to be told, I’m pretty lazy to create reviews nowadays as my schedule is super-duper tight, deadlines looming ahead, with my fragile health condition added to the chaos. However, since I love Dark River so much that I badly want to become its member, I’ve decided to take this job once again. I guess I’m going to ramble a lot, so please bear with me…

“Tales of Dark River” aka “Blood River” (暗河传) is a spinoff story of Zhou Munan’s much-loved wuxia universe including “The Blood of Youth” and “Dashing Youth”, two of which excel in their own way in terms of storytelling, acting, stellar CGI, and many more (despite some drawbacks in the latter). There had been numerous proposals of bringing “Tales of Dark River” into a live-action series, but it only got into the way last year, which excited the hell out of me. Previously, I did do some digging into the OG source and also watched its donghua (thank God they didn’t make much deviation from the original story or else, I’m going to be so disappointed).

So, what is Dark River? Basically, it’s a dark organization composed of elite assassins from the three families – Su, Xie, and Mu respectively. In “The Blood of Youth”, it is mentioned once that the Su excels in swordsmanship, the Mu in poison and mechanism alike, and the Xie in blade technique (we only see this part in this show, but not TBOY) and fistfights (perhaps). At the beginning of the first emperor’s reign, there was no Dark River at all. However, three of Dark River’s ancestors escaped from the Shadow Sect (which used to protect Tianqi City from the dangers lurking behind) and set up a new organization for themselves. Their surnames, of course, became the three main families. The three families are led by each family master, with a main leader on their top. On the other hand, there’s also Soul Reaper Hall above the main leader, who controls the whole organization from behind the curtain and receives assassination orders from all sorts of clients.

In the Dark River, there has never been a rebellious spirit and everyone is more of submissive blades rather than getting themselves killed, until it produces two hot-blooded souls, which is none other than Su Muyu and Su Changhe. Su Muyu, previously named Zhuo Yue’an (the young master of Swordless City), was abducted to Dark River after his hometown was massacred by the Dark River (out of 93 assassins dispatched, only 18 came back alive). In the Dark River, he had no one to rely on and had to learn killing arts as well as multiple skills to survive in this hellish underworld (well, you know how Dark River works). There, he met a fellow assassin-in-train, Su Changhe, who had always been in Dark River as far as he could remember. The two quickly formed a strong brotherhood and always protected each other’s back despite being threatened not to do so. Another fun fact that I want to tell you is their contrasting personality. Su Muyu is more of a cool-headed rationalist with a tinge of thrifty vibes and frequently concocts plans in their mission to bring Dark River out of the darkness within (despite so, he claims he needs to do it in order to keep Su Changhe in check) while Su Changhe is more silver-tongued, flamboyant, a bit of reckless, bloodthirsty, and exceptional in acting skills (shown in the latter part of the show). This unlikely pair turn out to be complimenting each other’s weakness and together, they can bring down an expert martial artist in just one fell swoop. Later, Su Changhe will become the main leader as Su Muyu declines that position and takes up Su family’s leader instead. As they lead the Dark River towards the light, they will face numerous challenges from the society and imperial courts alike as Dark River has been imprinted to the stereotype that all of its members are bloodthirsty killers even when they are not.

Joining their comrades are Bai Hehuai (Medicine King Valley’s physician and Su Muyu’s love interest), Su Zhe aka Uncle Zhe (Hehuai’s goofy father), Mu Yumo (Spider Woman of the Mu Family and Tang Lianyue’s love interest), Mu Qingyang (Master of the Mu Family and loves to pose as a fake diviner), Mu Xuewei (Poison Flower of the Mu Family), Tang Lianyue (Black Tortoise of Tianqi City and Tang Clan’s most treasured disciple), and many more.

So far, I’m invested in their acting skills and it’s no doubt that Gong Jun and Chang Huasen create the best bromance chemistry ever. This is one of Gong Jun’s breakout roles other than “Word of Honor” and he really nails the role of assassin pretty well as if he had embodied this character before (FYI, if you’re curious, you can also check out WHO where he plays an unhinged psycho-like lunatic – it’s also a great watch. Just feel kind of sorry for him when “The Legend of Anle” and “Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Red-Moon Pact” flopped. He deserves better in the future). Meanwhile, Chang Huasen continues his streak in his male lead roles and I must say he’s such an eye-candy even with that dangerous smirk of his (I’m sorry that I can’t watch “Whisper of Fates” and “Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Sword and Beloved” in one go. If not, I could’ve met him three times lol). Peng Xiaoran surprisingly does well as the feisty Yumo and she has a considerable amount of chemistry with Zhang Shi’an, who plays Tang Lianyue. Meanwhile, Bai Hehuai is my least favorite character and I don’t really know how to explain it aloud (as usual, romance sucks in Zhou Munan’s universe, so don’t expect much of it). Special mention to Qiao Zhenyu, who portrays the humorous Uncle Zhe in a fun way and his dialect is pleasant to hear too. Another special mention is to Geng Le (who plays Mu Mingce, the former patriarch) and Li Daikun as Mu Ciling, the wacky expert in King Yan Palm.

OSTs, costumes, background, and CGI are well done and deserves a thumbs-up. Of all the places, I think I love Jiuxiao City the most, especially the intricate Spider Nest.

Overall, it’s a great watch and a 10/10 for me. I don’t how the rating can plunge down to 8.1, but do give a shot because it’s worth your time for all of the episodes. Also, I don’t expect you to give me like on my review anymore since it’s been very late given how long “Tales of Dark River” had ended. That’s all I’ve got to say. Good luck and happy watching!!!

P.S.
A quote by Su Changhe
“Who’s the real patriarch here? Me or him? Why does he always make the decisions the whole time?”
Me: Ending up in endless laughter

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My Little Baby Jin An is actually a Red Flag

Welcome back to my review and I hope you guys won’t be bothered of how I’ve been delaying my review for ‘Shadow Love’ since I’m too lazy to get ahold of it myself. It’s been quite a messy week with my dropping ‘Love in the Clouds’ and support ‘Tales of Dark River’ instead. Moreover, I’m also skipping ‘Whispers of Fate/Shui Long Yin’ because I don’t see the point of watching it and the ML isn’t my favorite. Another thing that I’m skipping is ‘Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Sword and Beloved’ due to my trust issue against Cheng Yi (Fu Shan Hai’s failure contributes much for it. I’m indeed a great fan of his, but I can’t seem to buy his act anymore).

Alright, it’s time to get back on track. Back in 2024, I’d learned about the existence of ‘Shadow Love’ as one of Jiu Lu Fei Xiang’s works (one of the novelists whose works I truly enjoy). I immediately read the novel in one go since it wasn’t that lengthy and I was ecstatic when I found out that Ryan Cheng and Song Yi would be headlining the cast for this show. So now, what’s my take of it? Scroll down below and we’ll be rocking…

The story tells about two warring dynasties – Taijin and Yao, who have been on edges against each other for years. However, the Yao State always has the upper hand because of their master strategist and also one of the royal family’s members, Duan Aodeng. Prior to the main event, Duan Aodeng’s brother was abducted by Empress Qin, with the aid of her underling Jin Wujian (formerly Wuling Mount’s disciple). To save his brother, Duan Aodeng sacrificed himself and became the host of Jade Linglong, losing his memory in the process. Nevertheless, this ancient artifact also brought about supernatural power for the amnesiac Duan Aodeng.

After escaping from Empress Qin and co, Duan Aodeng comes across Li Shuang who’s battling against some Yao soldiers. Without any hesitation, Li Shuang takes him back to Lu City and names him Jin An as she wishes for peace for both dynasties and Taijin would brim in prosperity. As both of them spend time together, Jin An becomes her emotional anchor whenever things come up and the two create a meaningful bond in the process. As they navigate the complexities of battlefields and imperial courts between the two dynasties, a powerful love blooms beneath the shadow, setting a masterpiece in a tale of love and war (at least, it’s not a flash in the pan).

This time, I won’t be mentioning about the script quality as it fits most of my requirements and I’m glad a love triangle is done right with lots of tension and jealousy in it. Second couple, as I see it, is fitting for each other too, mainly because they’re obsessed with medical and herbs despite their clashing point of view towards the world.

Acting is superb as always. Ryan Cheng and Song Yi shine in their respective roles and what’s more, their chemistry is firing hard that I always feel butterfly in my stomach. Even when the amnesiac arc wears off, the story is still pretty entertaining, though it’s a pity I only watch until ep 33 due to ‘Love in the Clouds’. By the way, Bi Wenjun has gotten better and better in every project, and I hope he can get more roles like this in the future – he deserves better. As for the rest of the casts, I also appreciate their effort in fleshing out their characters, so kudos for all.

OSTs, costumes, backgrounds, setting, and props are as pleasing as always since I don’t find any of them troublesome.

Overall, a highly recommended show if you’re into romantic tension, war-mongering countries, blazing chemistry between the leads, a jealous third wheeler, and many more. It’s a 10/10 for me, for sure. Okay, time to end my review. Good luck and happy watching!!!

P.S.
As the title of my review suggests, Jin An can be described as a red-flag boy just by looking at the way he stares at his love rival. You’ll know when you have a good look at him.

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All-Time Hilarious Banger

'The Comic Bang', if I must say, is also another drama which is trapped in iQIYI's dungeon for years since 2021 due to copyright issue (if I'm not mistaken). It is adapted from a well-known Japanese manga 'Monthly Girls Nozaki-kun', though I haven't read it myself. By the way, I first came upon 'The Comic Bang' when I happened to scroll through iQIYI's upcoming dramas and surprisingly, I don't regret picking this up even though it has less buzzed viewership and crooked rating. Want to know what's the story about? Keep reading below yes...

So, this show revolves around a shoujo manhua artist named Lu Yeqi and his to-be girlfriend, Zuo Qiandai, who keeps screwing up her confessions. However, as a science student, Yeqi lacks the idea and inspiration of what makes a shoujo manhua better. With the help of Zuo Qiandai, he begins to rediscover his life and also finds numerous materials for his manhua, which he will later use to confess to Qiandai. Alongside them are the flirtatious flower boy Chai Ziyu, the tomboyish drama queen Lu Dao, the strict drama club's president Gu Zhengxing, the devilish and bold bad girl Zhou Jieyue, and the cute yet dumb basketball enthusiast Jiang Ruosong. Over time, they face hardship and crisis together and find their self-growth in the process, ultimately cementing their relationship as a cohesive manhua team.

Okay, so the plot's nothing special, but the screenwriter manages to utilize every single trope into a slapstick comedy without being too cringe or too dull - everything fits just seamlessly. In each episode, there will always be funny stuffs revolving around the seven of them. I can't help but keep roaring with laughter till my stomach hurts because the scenes are just damn too funny to resist. I also like the part where they fight for Mr. Gong Jian's right to reclaim his old job (he's Yeqi's editor or something like that) and the final part when the racoon-guy Qian Ye is hit unconscious by another manhua artist, You Li (Yeqi's former neighbor).

Acting wise, I only know Shen Yue, Jenny Zeng, Zhao Yiqin, and Wu Yuheng out of the whole casts, but most of them do greatly and truly capture the essence of each character straight out of the manhua. The production team also does their best to create the atmosphere with Japanese-like vibe, so that the watchers will be drawn into the show more than they expect to be.

Costumes, background, settings are pleasant to eye and there's no over-the-top designs. OSTs are okay-ish, but they don't hook me much.

If you're in a need for a light-hearted comedy youth drama, then 'The Comic Bang' is for you. It can also be your stress-reliever after facing a great deal of real life pressures, exams, and many more. Don't hesitate to try this drama and you'll know why it is very enjoyable (kind reminder: do not look at the misleading 7.8 rating). Okay, this is the end of review, good luck and happy watching!!!

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Bright Time: As Bright as the Sunshine

Guys, we are all aware that BL shows is technically banned in China, most of which are stuck inside each platform’s dungeon respectively, and none of them will be seeing the light of the day. In other words, they are trapped in the obscurity of darkness for eternity until somebody can lift a hand to help them get out of this confinement. What I mean is that most of BL shows need to have international airing permit or cut down several intimate scenes so that the show can be censored safely without unnecessary conflicts.

This case also happens in Bright Time, the show that I will be reviewing today. Back in 2021, Bright Time had got the airing permit but never got the chance to air, supposedly because of the BL vibes in it. After 3 years of uncertainties, Bright Time finally aired in July 2024 though it was not overly hyped unlike other popular romance shows. Dating back to November, I coincidentally found Bright Time as I was scrolling at MDL as usual, while keeping my face to the grindstone for end-of-year exams. At first, I thought this was going to be another old-school drama where they deployed all sorts of tropes into one dish. But lord, was I proven wrong?

Bright Time’s story revolves around seven youths consisted of the wild and unruly Lan Jinghui, the stone-faced straight-A student Ling Dong, the cute and adorable Xiao Xiaohua, the foodie Xia Qingtian, the optimistic class monitor Chen Luyang, the playful Ma Yiming, and the school belle Xu Mengyu. Together, they bravely face the challenges of highschoolers’ daily lives and learn the importance of friendship and self-discovery and embark on a fantastic journey to find their true selves.

Actually, the plot focuses more on Lan Jinghui and Ling Dong’s storyline, with Xiao Xiaohua as the ‘mediator’ so that Bright Time can pass censorship. Widely known as an unruly bad boy, Lan Jinghui becomes notorious for his silly pranks and constant neglection of schoolwork. Therefore, his father and the principal, who happens to be an old friend of his, decide that Lan Jinghui is better off to be tutored by the cleverest student in the class, which is none other than Ling Dong. When they first encounter each other, Ling Dong is dismissive of Lan Jinghui’s antics but still has to teach the ruffian for greater good. Unexpectedly, Ling Dong’s daily routine is turned upside down by Lan Jinghui’s sudden appearance and thus marks the start of a heartwarming and passionate story of the youths who want to pursue their dreams and be each other’s life companion.

If you’re a BL lover, you’ll immediately discover that this show is a BL disguised as an ordinary friendship drama. There are a lot of not-so-intimate scenes where they sleep or lie on the ground together, or perhaps when they hug each other for a certain period of time. I’m sure there are more of it, but since the shitty censorship is playing cruel, we can’t have dozens of scenes like this (it’s already such a fortune that it doesn’t get banned like other BL)

I must also appreciate for the actors’ phenomenal acting especially Hao Fusen and Bian Cheng. Hao Fusen is a talented young actor who can easily capture the essence of Lan Jinghui’s character and he’s definitely a force to be reckoned with. His facial expression is also on point, which makes me easier to relate to his character. In contrast, Bian Cheng plays the cold and aloof Ling Dong, a role which is neither challenging nor complicated. Despite this, he still pulls off Ling Dong’s character seamlessly and also explores a wide range of emotions with the aid of his good micro-expression. I’ll also looking forward to seeing his future works – bet he’s going to be a rising star lol. Also, the other actors also contribute to the success of the show, and I would like to commend them for tackling and understanding each character pretty well.

OSTs, cinematography, costumes, sets, and backgrounds are of high-budget value and look pretty nice. I can’t help but fall in love with the song that they sing at the Art Competition – it’s quite something, I must say.

Overall, a brilliant ten of out ten. I highly recommend this show for those who’re still longing for BL or perhaps who want to see an outstanding high-school drama amongst a bunch of flops drifting here and there. Have a good watch and good luck!!!

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This is the Best Depiction of a BADASS & SHAMELESS Couple

I've never expected much of this drama, but after reading the synopsis, I was hooked up entirely. Assassin-themed plot is my favorite and given the visuals of the supporting casts, I was more than encouraged to start this. Alright, let's just begin, shall we?

A Journey to Love was set in two fiction neighboring countries, An and Wu, who have borne longtime grudge. Okay, so the reckless Emperor of Wu decided to attack the An and look what it had become... he was kidnapped by the An who put a bounty on his head.

Meanwhile, a retired leader of Liu Dao Hall - Ning Yuanzhou, was requested to seize back his position and immediately lead the Wu diplomatic team to negotiate with the An with the hope of getting back their emperor. Aside from that, Ning Yuanzhou also encountered a badass yet shameless former An assassin (Scarlet Guard), Ren Ruyi aka Ren Xin. She grudgingly agreed to become the part of the diplomatic team after he ensured that she could leave wherever she wanted as long as she explained all sorts of things regarding the An.

Eventually, their teams consisted of the flirty Yu Shisan, the clever teenager Yuan Lu, the stoic Qian Zhao, the cheerful Sun Lang, and also the lonely princess of the Wu, Yang Ying. Together, they embarked on a journey and shared the moments of joy and sorrow together. At the country of An, their band expanded to the brave Chu Yue and the delulu Li Tongguang.

Eventually, the mastermind would be the Emperor of An and the second prince of An whose mother was Ruyi's former superior. It is quite predictable, but of course, we need evidence and proves to make sure they're the culprit. Nonetheless, it's still very twisty, though.

The bloodbath in the last episodes was unnecessary at all. Why should you kill those characters who only had their developments after venturing into An? To me, it's unacceptable. However, the writers perhaps thought that they've died as patriotic heroes and have no regrets to die for the country. In my opinion, Ruyi and Yuanzhou could've been dead after the attack of the Beipan. I previously thought that they were going to live in seclusion after everything was settled. But fate was playing a cruel joke on them. That's my only disappointment, though.

Acting is bearable and I've got no trouble regarding it. In fact, I didn't feel the main leads' chemistry despite their flirty actions. On the other hand, I would like to appreciate Liu Shishi for playing such a badass girl like Ruyi. She is fit for this kind of character and I'll will be waiting for her in 'Kill My Sins' and 'Fox Spirit Matchmaker 2'. Liu Yuning did perfectly in his first ever lead role and he looked charismatic too. The MVP here might be Yang Ying, portrayed flawlessly by He Landou. She has the most character development here, from the shy and lonely princess to a brave and decisive prince. Special mention for Chang Huasen who played the delusional Li Tongguang too perfectly. I really rooted on him and couldn't help to like him. The master-disciple dynamic between Ruyi and him is one of the good aspects of this drama. I can even feel their chemistry. :)

Opening OST is the best, which is sung by Liu Yuning (aside from beautiful voice, he's good in acting. He's an excellent all-rounder (reminded me of Mo Qingcheng in Love Me, Love My Voice)).

Despite the bloodbath, I still love this series. Overall, a ten out of ten. However, I need to use fast-forward button in order to watch quickly (due to my tight schedule and exam last year). If you love this kind of plot, you won't regret this. My suggestion is to give this a shot and you'll be entertained in no time. Good luck in watching.

P.S.
Surprisingly, I didn't use the fast forward button in Li Tongguang's scene. He's just too pitiful to be skipped forward. Wkwkwkwkwk.

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Fighting for Justice in the Injustice World

Vigilante is based on a webtoon with the same name. Prior to watching this, I've read the webtoon to get better understanding but stopped halfway after I completed the series.

To date, this is, perhaps, one of the best miniseries in k-drama land. It blends action, thriller, psychological, and crime genre perfectly. It uses 'fighting for justice in my own way even though it's wrong' trope heavily. We see the ML (Kim Ji-yong) had a traumatic past as his mother was murdered and the murderer got a short-sentence in prison. After ML grew up, he came across the murderer again and beat him brutally. At last, he made up his mind to become a vigilante (a serial killer, to be precise) - to protect the world and the innocent people from injustice by dealing with the criminals with his own hands since the law couldn't be trusted anymore.

Nam Joo-hyuk portrays Kim Jiyong seamlessly and expresses various emotions versatilely - he's as good as a pyscho, I really love it. Yoo Ji-tae also does well as Cho Heon - a detective who was sent to arrest the vigilante. I'm really impressed by Kim So-jin - the one who acts as Choi Mi-ryeo - she's maybe some kind of lunatic, but she still got her own sense of justice and was willing to help the vigilante as she could as possible. Lastly, Lee Joon-hyuk as Cho Kang-ok is a great fan and a big support of vigilante as well - like his funny banter with Ji-yong...

I've no more words to describe it anymore - but yes, this dark tale deserves more attention from the public and the rating could've gone higher. After Vigilante, another miniseries, which is 'A Killer Paradox', tries to duplicate it, but falls short compared to this one. If you love pyscho plot with a blend of action thriller genre, you can give this a shot. Warning: Lots of bloody and violent scenes, don't try it at home.

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My Very First Memorable C-Drama

My adventure in the world of c-drama couldn't have happened if it wasn't for Love and Redemption. Looking from the synopsis, I have been hyped by this show and always wanted to watch it until I got the courage to.

In the first few episodes, everything was great especially the Hairpin Conference in which they had to catch a legendary monster in the wilderness. This conference also contributed to the first encounter of the ML and FL. Later, after 4 years old separation, they bumped into each other again, but ML seemed to stay away from the FL many, many times. As the story progressed, FL found out shocking evidences and the real identity of the ML. Then, they tried to heal each other and began spending more time together.

In my opinion, it could've been shorter, though. I skipped nearly all the scenes of the 'so-called self-righteous' sect leaders and the evil sect's scheme, crafted by the second lord of Lize Palace.

The friendship between Yu Sifeng, Chu Xuanji, Chu Linglong, Zhong Minyan, Xiao Yinhua, and Ruo Yu is one of the great aspects of the show. Their cute banter in the beginning is very funny before the show got angsty.

I become a hardcore fan of the ML because of this drama, but not for the FL (who is banned for tax evasion).

I've rewatched this, perhaps, 4 times already. Yeah, it's a very amazing drama and I love it very much. But, I do remind you to only look for the couple's scenes and skipped those unnecessary stuffs.

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A Mixture of Action, Thriller, Mystery, and Investigation

In my opinion, this is, perhaps, the best wuxia drama throughout the world of c-drama. This is also the second Cheng Yi's project that I've ever watched after got hooked up by 'Love and Redemption'.

The plot is craved perfectly and executed well. There is no single filler in every scene. The actions are... WOW!!! If you tread the story carefully, you can see that every case intertwines with one another - from trivial small cases to important great cases. In the end of the show, there is a little twist and turn which will determine the ultimate villain and the main lead (Li Xiangyi) real identity. I'm impressed at how the main leads try to solve the cases even though each case is a bit illogical in modern times (maybe people at those times believe more in superstition). I even paused for a little while to figure out how to solve the cases, but ended up being puzzled. If you just want to enjoy the show, you can ignore those illogical stuffs and keep going on. Anyway, it won't deflect you from watching this masterpiece.

We have 3 main leads (Li Xiangyi aka Li Lianhua, Fang Duobing, and Di Feisheng) with different personalities and styles. So it's no wonder why they always bickering. Previously, Li Xiangyi was an arrogant and selfish boy with great martial arts skills, who only wanted to be the best in the martial arts world and never cared how other felt towards him which would lead his friends distrust him. However, he still had a good side of him which was being wise when making decisions. Now living in Li Lianhua's persona, he has turned into a sly old fox (as how Fang Duobing branded him) and become more deceitful. No matter how deceitful and sly he was, he just wanted to live a good life in his remainder days (this is the reason why he decided to leave the martial arts world for good). Cheng Yi once again showed off his cool acting skills and he really is a versatile one, showing ranges of emotions in every scene.

Fang Duobing was a young master of Tianji Manor. He was a typical spoiled little brat who recently ventured into the vast world. He trusted people too easily which got him into troubles many times. As the show progress, he started becoming mature and make a skillful detective in Baichuan Court. Joseph Zeng nailed his role quite well and his baby face fitted his character as well.

Di Feisheng is Li Xiangyi's arch nemesis. After Li Xiangyi's downfall, he began to investigate this case secretly and found out that Li Xiangyi was still alive. His purpose of living was to have another duel with him. Di Feisheng might not be your typical antagonist, although he was considered as the king of demon in Jinyuan Alliance, he still had a kind personality beneath. Xiao Shunyao did well in here and I'm impressed by his portrayal of Di Feisheng.

How about the rewatch value? Of course, it's going to be a high one. So far, I've rewatched 3 times and I still can't move on from this show. The ending is either a happy or a sad one - I don't want Li Lianhua to die just yet so let's just say he has now lived in a secluded life and is now enjoying his days (I feel sorry for his 2 friends, I wish they could be together and reunite once more).

Don't hesitate to watch this masterpiece. You won't regret your time. I guarantee you, soooner or later, you will be captivated by the engaging plot. Happy watching!!!!

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A Masterpiece Ruined by a Superficial Script

I've been anticipating Wonderland of Love when I was just a newbie in c-drama. I even read the titbits of the novel posted on the discussion forum of MDL. However, things weren't as good as it seemed to be and you will know why as you scroll down my review.

This drama tells about 2 generals of the best armies (Zhenxi Army and Cui Army), Li Ni and Cui Lin. At first, they tried to be one step ahead of each other and resulted in both bickering nonstop. Li Ni was a prince trying to hide his identity from the others. Only the Zhenxi Army knew the real identity of his. Meanwhile, Cui Lin was a woman in disguise. She called herself Lieutenant He in the Cui Army and had an adoptive brother to take her identity. What I liked the most was the funny banter in the Zhenxi Army (including those gangs of bandits). The plot sounds perfect for me, but there will always be loopholes in it and brace yourself for the outweighed cons.

Halfway through the show, I started to fast forward 2x because the story was so, so INFURIATING and I wanna knock some sense into the characters. Li Ni's dad was perhaps the DUMBEST emperor I've ever seen. He couldn't even see that his two elder sons were plotting against him. Cui Lin's adoptive brother, Liu Chengfeng (or what other user called him as Lost Cause Fruit Loop) turned into a delusional and obsessive character as soon as he found out that Cui Lin had no feelings towards him. He always TRIED to get Li Ni killed by plotting everything from the beginning to the end (how I wished to strangle him to death). Prime Minister Gu's daughter, Gu Wanniang was an obsessive character as well. When Li Ni didn't reciprocate her feelings, she began to feel resentful towards Cui Lin and also want her killed. Prime Minister Gu's arc wasn't the best if you compare it to Sun Lang's arc. His character wasn't powerful enough and there wasn't any backstory for his plot with a certain tribe (sorry, I've forgotten the name, whatever it was called). This may be caused by lazy scriptwriting and the writer perhaps wants to add fillers so that the drama looks rather long. It could've been cut into a shorter one.

The chemistry between the leads (Xu Kai and Jing Tian) are super hot and you will love the flirting between these two. Also, honorable mention to the second couple, Tao Zi and Xie Chang'er - they're the best second couple and a green-flag one too. The Consort (forgotten her name as well) does well with Sun Lang too.

Opening OST is the best one and other OSTs aren't quite memorable.

No rewatch value for me. I can't stand this drama anymore. One time is enough, there's no need to watch for the second time except if you're in a drama slump. Overall, a decent show ruined by a bad script and filled with dozens of delulu characters.

P.S.
I apologize if my review is a bit offensive.

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Life in Zha Zha Ting is Never Flat

Truth to be told, I wasn't really interested in "Dazzling" when the promotional poster came up in MangoTV Conference 2025 or 2024 or whatever year it was, as the story gave off that kind of summer carefree vibes that I couldn't bother to discern. Moreover, the plot is quite simple - 2 high school teenagers meet in a coastal village, and their lives are turned upside down - that sort of set up has been recycled multiple times by other youth dramas and I perfectly know how this drama is going to fare with its predecessors. Nonetheless, I started watching because it is written by the same author who pens "Speed and Love", Shi Jiuyuan. Since y'all know I have a deep affinity for "Speed and Love", I can't possibly miss "Dazzling" despite being starred by the two leads that I particularly don't like at all. Let's rock, shall we?

The story revolves around two troubled youths, Qing Ye and Xing Wu. Qing Ye, a high-and-mighty pampered germaphobic little princess from Beijing, is sent away to Zha Zha Ting when her father's business empire crumbles and is particularly unhappy with this arrangement as she has been used to living like a grand princess in the city, not in a modest and unassuming small village with all of its obnoxious inhabitants, ranging from noisy neighbors, creepy perverts, and even her ostentatious aunt, Li Lanfang.

Meanwhile, Xing Wu is Qing Ye's cousin (they are not blood-related, as Li Lanfang was previously adopted by Qing Ye's grandparents before she ran away after being found pregnant with Xing Wu inside her belly). Having lived under torrents of piling debts scraping here and there to make ends meet, Xing Wu decides to suspend his studies and focuses on making money to help his mother put food on the table. Because of that too, Xing Wu develops an indifferent attitude towards other people and dislikes Qing Ye on their first encounter as her prickly personality often gets under his skin. However, beneath the hardened bad boy shell, he's actually good in the heart and often helps other neighbors in need, sometimes without charging money from them. Whenever Li Lanfang gambles the money away to play mahjong, Xing Wu will always look for more opportunities to earn more money. Aside from that, he's also deeply passionate about Qing Ye and wishes to stay by her side forever.

Meanwhile, Xing Wu is Qing Ye's cousin (they are not blood-related, as Li Lanfang was previously adopted by Qing Ye's grandparents before she ran away after being found pregnant with Xing Wu inside her belly). Having lived under torrents of piling debts scraping here and there to make ends meet, Xing Wu decides to suspend his studies and focuses on making money to help his mother put food on the table. Because of that too, Xing Wu develops an indifferent attitude towards other people and dislikes Qing Ye on their first encounter as her prickly personality often gets under his skin. However, beneath the hardened bad boy shell, he's actually good in the heart and often helps other neighbors in need, sometimes without charging money from them. Whenever Li Lanfang gambles the money away to play mahjong, Xing Wu will always look for more opportunities to earn more money. Aside from that, he's also deeply passionate about Qing Ye and wishes to stay by her side forever.

Heavily marketed as a summer drama, "Dazzling" does it job pretty well by showcasing the mundane life of the coastal villagers and how their interactions impact the whole society. Despite the fact that the leads always end up getting into multiple troubles, the screenwriter does a nice job in concocting the resolution and how they still persevere through sheer tenacity and nominal sum of money. The neighbors are surprisingly kind-hearted, jovial, amiable, and supportive of the mismatched family, often lending a hand when they are in dilemma (to the point of letting them staying at their houses in the arson case arc). I also like how the screenwriter portrays the leads to be sanguine in spite of their predicaments and the way they pull themselves together. Most families would've wallowed in grief, frustration, anger, or even a combination of those. They also have a healthy friendship bond with the teenagers there, ranging from the boisterous Hao Chenggong/Huang Mao, the loyal Fan Tong, the art enthusiast Shi Min, the 'bitchy' Cao Fan, and the lovesick straight-A student Ye Yingjian. Together, they establish a study group in preparation for Gaokao with Qing Ye becoming their tutor. Oh yeah, I also love grandma as she is one of the most crucial pillar in the family's little house as the moodmaker of the day.

I understand that this is a coming-of-age teen drama with tons of recycled cliche scenes to display the sizzling chemistry of the main leads amidst the hustle and bustle of the coastal village. I also have a perfectly-timed premonition when a cliche is to be applied and even make some mental notes to embrace myself in the repetitive cycle of rinse-and-repeat. Honestly, a simple high school drama's material isn't that much to begin with, so the screenwriter needs to rake his/her brain and find several feeble excuses to make the episode's counts longer than necessary, including the issues that the family must face in every single episode. From piling debts, salon's vandalism, the neighbor creep, the laptop robbery, arson case, Cao Ping's inability to redeem himself, and lastly dear daddy fetching her back to Beijing, the couple seems to be plagued with endless problems that come out of nowhere as if there were such coincidences in the world.

What is more, I've noticed that "Dazzling" has a myriad of similarities with "Speed and Love", in terms of characters, plots, and even their personalities. I'll list down everything below:
1. Qing Ye's high-and-mighty attitude VS Jiang Mu's spoiled princess act
2. Xing Wu's fondness of fixing miscellaneous stuffs VS Jin Zhao's omnipotence in repairing mechanical things
3. Hao Chenggong and Fan Tong's bond VS San Lai and Jin Fengzi's
4. Li Lanfang as an irresponsible and selfish parent VS Jin Qiang
5. Ye Yingjian's infatuation to Qing Ye VS Pan Kai's lovestruck mode towards Jiang Mu
6. Shu Han is Wan Qing 2.0, minus the brother
7. Qing Ye's daddy VS Chris (Jiang Mu's stepfather)
8. Arson case VS vandalism case
9. Both FLs have the same mindset to set the MLs' path to the bright side
10. Officer Xu VS Officer Lu

As for the acting, I guess I find several problematic points here. Firstly, I'm not fond of Li Yunrui since the catastrophic "Go Back Lover", and I feel that I'm not really liking his model student or even adult vibes - but, he conveys the emotion pretty well during the burnout scene plus his bleached hair is like an icing on top of a cake - he would make a good street punk in another time. Secondly, I feel awfully cringy with Gabriella Guan's acting because she attempts to create several histrionics which doesn't bode well with her character's personality, especially the salon's promotion in the marketplace and him taking her away from the cafeteria after her uniform is stained by food. Moreover, she seems to force her voice to be pitch-high and tries to enunciate every word in a very-slow-mo pace (oh my god, seriously?). Another thing is that Qing Ye is such a sweet talker, and I hate sweet talkers the most because their words often hide ulterior motives beneath and I'm not going to be fooled a second time. For other casts, I have no idea of who they are, except Bian Tianyang (always goes all-rounder playing sidekicks in every drama he stars in) and Wang Jiaxuan (the guy who plays Meng Ruihang, another lovestruck boy who falls in love with Qing Ye - previously, I had seen him in "Amidst a Snowstorm of Love" as Yin Guo's younger cousin, Meng Xiaotian and in "A Journey to Love" as Li Tongguang's attendant). Their acting is quite fine, I must say, because they really embody the village atmosphere so well that I feel I have been thrusted into the same society as well. I may not have grown in a village like them, but I settle down in a suburban area of my city, so we naturally cherish every precious moment in our lives, especially my friends in school.

The OSTs are meh if you compare them with "Speed and Love". Liu Yuning's is the best out of the 6 songs, but I still end up deleting it from my device because it disrupts the flow from "Sing Me to Sleep" by Alan Walker to "Easy Love" by Sigala. Liang Yongqi's is a tad of cringy, but it grows on me after multiple listens. Li Yunrui and Gabriella Guan's is a no-no to me and don't ask me why I say this. Duan Aojuan's is the most cringy song I've ever heard from this drama, as if the melodies were distorted, truncated, or whatsoever. Yao Chen's is too melancholic to my taste, as if I had been listening to a maudlin farewell song. Jeffrey Dong's is decent and has me singing it on loop.

Overall, a not-so-good experience of binging through "Dazzling". However, if you are into heartwarming family drama or realistic romantic relationship, then this drama may be designated for you. One more thing, you'll have to suspend your disbelief for a little while as things can get unrealistic (I mean the conflicts). For me myself, I won't be watching it for the second time since it's not that worth it. That's all for my review, good luck and happy watching!!!

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A Light-Hearted and Fluffy Show to Help You Reminisce Your Youthful Memories

Truth to be told, I wasn’t expecting much when I suddenly dropped “Generation to Generation” due to its awfully choppy editing with lack of chemistry and emotional impact added to the top of the list. I was getting bored at that time and decided to have a sneak peek at “Too Young to Love”, although I was 100% fully aware that it might only offer an ordinary cliché story about high school romance and other predictable tropes whatsoever. Still, due to my itchy fingers, I finally skimmed through the first 22 episodes as I didn’t watch the ending (needless to ask, it must be a happy one).

So, the story is centered around two individuals who are pursuing their dreams in their youth, Yi Lan and Tong Xiaole. Well, they have this kind of neighborhood relationship and it’s pretty understandable for them to develop a platonic friendship. Yi Lan has always wanted to become a professional cellist like her mother but is constantly deterred by her father’s refusal due to her mother’s death in the past, which makes him traumatized and becomes hostile against Yi Lan’s dream. Meanwhile, Tong Xiaole always lives alone as his parents frequently goes to business trips, and because of lack of communication, they always clash whenever it comes to his university’s major. His father urges him to take financial major for it is widely known as a highly prospective major for employment these days. On the other hand, Xiaole has no interests in financial thingy and prefers the art of photography to create meaningful stories behind the lenses and frames of a camera. Joining them are Chen Fan – a wealthy chaebol heir who has a knack in composing songs, Qiao Mengmeng – the socialite of their group, and Luo Ningzi – a fellow cellist, at first she doesn’t see eye-to-eye with Yi Lan but they reconcile soon after, and also Chen Fan’s girlfriend whom he has a rocky relationship with.

As I emphasize on the upper paragraph, I’m deadly serious when I say I have zero expectation on this show, but it turns out be surprisingly… decent, yet not decent enough to take a nosedive on the second half (college life, adulthood, and etc.). Some issues are tackled realistically as my current high school life’s (for instance, fighting with parents over majors, pursuing your dreams instead of taking a lucrative major, homeroom teachers constantly got scolded by principals over scores, straight-A students’ choices in majors, and many more). However, some parts are also portrayed as illusions for us young watchers (organizing a little concert amidst the imminent Gaokao, running to the rooftop of school to set off fireworks (wow, we would be given a good beating for it if it really happened in my school), and other forgettable things).

For the acting, I guess it’s still laudable despite the cheesy dialogues. This is my second time watching Zhang Xinyi (I once sneaked in to “Be Passionately in Love”) and from my perspective, she still has rooms for improvements in the future (please don’t let her cry much, she’s beginning to remind me of my dearest friend who always cries whenever someone has an upper hand against her). For Xie Binbin, I don’t know what to say, but his role as Tong Xiaole seems to have a hybrid personality (half warm and half cold), which makes it harder to decipher his true feelings. Others are meh, but Luo Ningzi definitely deserves a praise for humbling the high-and-mighty chaebol boy.

OSTs are limited and I wish there would never be any singing concerts in the coming times. It’s totally frustrating to see the leads lip syncing while the original song plays in the background. Somehow, the sound and the lip just don’t match seamlessly. I’d better watch K-Pop MV instead of this.

Overall, a pretty mundane show to pass your time or maybe to ignite your past memories of adolescent years or even become a background noise while you’re multitasking. I’m sorry if my words are somewhat offensive (I’m not proficient in using euphemisms) to you guys and I hope you have a good watching experience. Good bye in “Pursuit of Jade”, good luck, and happy watching!!!

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Never Mess with Si Teng

If I have to admit, I did start this show without any expectation as I consider it to be some kind of distractions after hours of burning the midnight oil for mid exams. Surprisingly, I enjoyed the show thoroughly and here's my view about it.

Rattan's plot revolves around an alien who was mutated forcibly by Qiu Shan (one of the Xuan Sect masters) during the Chinese republican era, named Si Teng. Years of constant abuse by Qiu Shan had turned Si Teng into a vengeful creature. Qiu Shan finally lost his patience after finding out that Si Teng was in love with Shao Yankuan, a young master who happened to encounter her. Furious with Qiu Shan, Si Teng took revenge on him by allegedly telling every Xuan Sect master that Qiu Shan had revived a dirty creature like her. However, no one knew that Si Teng had split into two people, one was Si Teng and the other was called Bai Ying. After Qiu Shan was assumed to have been kicked out of the Xuan Sect, Bai Ying launched an attack on Si Teng and ultimately killed her out of resentment and jealousy. Her body was later buried by a rickshaw puller named Jia San who accidentally saw Bai Ying's evil deed.

Years later, a young architect Qin Fang goes on a trip to Danna with his girlfriend An Man. But, he never thinks that the trip to Danna will turn into a catastrophe as An Man is being tracked by some thieves who want Nine-Heaven Pearl possessed by An Man's benefactor, called Brother Zhao (I don't remember his name). Qin Fang is inadvertently entangled into the vortex of dangers and falls off the cliff after the chase by the thieves and An Man (in this case, the Jia family is also involved as Brother Zhao's wife is Jia Guizhi).

Beneath the cliff is where Qin Fang accidentally revives Si Teng the legendary alien. At first, he begrudgingly follows Si Teng and becomes her errand boy as he is the only one who knows her secret. Alongside Qin Fang, there are also Yan Furui (Qiu Shan's disciple), Wang Qiankun (a member of Xuan Sect), and other Xuan Sect members too. From mutual dislike to developing interest of each other, the couple enters the stage of love and tribulation and will their blossoming love defeat the so-called fate?

What I can say about the script is the screenwriter's prudent approach in utilizing plot twist to create mystery and thriller-like vibes so that the show doesn't go predictable like many other crappy shows apply. I never expect that such twist would actually exist, but it brings me a lot of satisfaction, to be honest. I won't spoil much for the plot twist, if you're curious enough just check out the show right now.

Jing Tian always shines as usual as a badass female lead and she radiates the aura of bossy and dominating yet caring and tender alien. This is my first show of Vin Zhang and he also does his role well as a loyal and green-flag man. Shout out to Zhang Yichi who plays the funny yet silly Yan Furui flawlessly, I always laugh at his quirky antics and whenever he bickers with Wang Qiankun, that's a bonus point.

OSTs are average and the BGMs are quite... creepy and eerie (just like those in horror movies, I even had my hairs stand out when the creepy BGMs started playing).

Overall, a very recommended show for those who love thriller and mystery genre, ogle for clever plot twists, and also for Wei Yu's fans (the novelist of Rattan). Do try it and you'll soon be addicted too. Good luck and happy watching!!!

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Off with a Bang, Out with a Dang

It’s been quite a while since I watched my last K-drama, The Impossible Heir, which I dropped at ep 4 because of the lackluster plot and unreasonable characters. Hence, I started avoiding K-dramas for months until I noticed Family by Choice at MDL. FYI, Family by Choice is a Korean remake of the much-loved slice-of-life drama Go Ahead. Previously, I’d watched Go Ahead but could only withstand 9 episodes so far. I was curious of what Family by Choice could do, therefore I decided to bite the bullet and give it a go.

Family by Choice’s plot doesn’t stray much to that of Go Ahead’s. It tells the story of unrelated-by-blood 3 siblings (Yun Juwon, Kim Sanha, Kang Haejun) who find solace on each other’s company and become parts of a found family alongside Juwon and Sanha’s dads. I see that they’ve toned down Juwon’s tomboyish attitude and made her look more girlish while the boys are no different with the OG version’s. For Go Ahead’s watchers, I’m sure you know about the boys’ toxic mothers and how much emotional impact they’ve caused on their children. However, in this version, they don’t seem to care much about it and make it looks like a normal family conflict (thank God Juwon isn’t jealous of Sanha’s new half-sister). Also, in the OG version, Park Dal (Juwon’s bestie) has a crush on both boys, but she’s only interested in Haejun here (so no toxic third wheel, which is a breath of fresh air for love triangle’s haters).

At first, the childhood and teenage years of the 3 siblings are very captivating and I really love their interactions. The way they support and heal each other is just so, so heartwarming that I nearly shed tears for them. Nevertheless, nearing the end of the show, their adult years start to drag here and there, and I quickly lost interest. To be honest, I stopped until ep 14 but still marked it as completed since I don’t want to drop shows anymore. I know there’s no point in watching the final episode anymore because it’s going to be an HE and them reunited once again as a family.

I have no comments on the acting, though – everyone seems to be doing fine with portraying each character’s complex emotion, a very crucial aspect when it comes to slice-of-life drama.

If you’re into slice-of-life and found family theme, you can try this out and it’s shorter compared to the OG version so that you won’t waste much of your time (the plot is similar, anyway). Good luck and happy watching!!!

Memorable quotes:
'Everyone is special in their own way' - Yun Juwon

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Another Stereotypical Show Saved by the Leads' Sizzling Chemistry

It's been long since I completed this show months ago. I've been delaying this review because I can't think of anything about this show except for the leads' chemistry. Finally, I get to write one today and this may be a short review concerning I have nothing much to say.

The plot falls to the same old face swap trope, same old newlyweds trying to hide their real identities, and blah blah blah. Though the plot is not that great and seems to be recycled, the actors' performances make up for it. I particularly like the first couple, especially Ryan Cheng - it's my first show of his and I can't wait for his next project 'Shadow Love'. I don't recognize other actors except him, but they've done a great job too.

Even though it's a mini drama, I still end up using fast-forward button to complete it in one go. If you're a fan of tropey shows, then this might be suitable for you. Since the duration is kinda short, it also fits for those who want to watch lighthearted and stress-free shows. As for the rewatch value, you'll have to consider it yourself.

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The Badass Female Tai Chi Prodigy and Her Grumpy Master

Actually, I’ve heard of this show long ago, but never have the courage to pick it up because the plot sounds simplistic and a little cliché. Few weeks ago, when I was scrolling through the review section, I read someone else’s review about this show, so I decided to give it a go. The funny thing is that I coincidentally watched it together alongside Link Click and there is the yet-to-be-aired Treasures Around, which means that I have been watching three of Bi Wenjun’s works in a row. I don’t even know if this is a coincidence or fate hahaha…

As I’ve said above, the story is really, really simple. To me, it is just a typical university romance plot which is targeted to younger audience, I suppose. It tells us about Feng Piaopiao (FL), a new transfer student at CMFU who took art and calligraphy major. Before I continue, I must say that CMFU is kinda out of place compared to other normal universities. Aside from art and calligraphy, CMFU had some ridiculous majors such as tai chi, judo, boxing, karate, taekwondo, and even swimming. Where can we find such a university in these days, bro?

Despite entering art and calligraphy major, Piaopiao never took interest in those things, and she only entered after having ‘stolen’ her grandfather’s artwork. Because of her grandfather’s flawless painting, Piaopiao was loathed by everyone and accused of cheating. One night, Piaopiao sneaked out to ‘borrow’ another of her grandfather’s painting, as the latter had been ruined by her rival, Jin Rou and Ai Jia. Unexpectedly, she met Wei Chu, the leader of CMFU’s student council who was also the heir to the same tai chi clan that her grandfather once betrayed. Unaware of his identity, Piaopiao rescued him after confronting the students of boxing major.

Wei Chu gradually grew suspicious of Piaopiao’s identity after several encounters. A little accident occurred, and Wei Chu’s legs were paralyzed and couldn’t walk for the time being. Feeling very guilty to Wei Chu, Piaopiao offered to help him do the household chores. In other words, she had become his ‘slave’.

Later, they developed a master-disciple relationship after Piaopiao’s grandfather acknowledged Wei Chu’s background. In addition to gruesome training, Piaopiao still had to do chores nonstop and face her grumpy yet demanding master. However, after spending some time together, Piaopiao and Wei Chu finally saw eye to eye and became more understanding towards each other.

The acting may not be top-notch since this show was produced back in 2018/2019, when they were still newbies or rookie actors. Despite them not being able to deliver their lines outstandingly, I still love their characters and am sure that there is still room for improvement in the future. I especially like Feng Piaopiao, the adorable yet badass little sweetie. Sun Qian embodied her role and captured the essence of Piaopiao’s character. I surely will look out for her future works. As for Bi Wenjun, he’s neither good nor bad, but mediocre at best. However, I think that he had done his best considering that this is debut role, but sometimes I feel that his expressions are a bit of wooden. Supporting casts are so-so, but still love them though. Also, the tai chi fighting scenes are executed well. You can see that the actors put much effort to bring out the essence of tai chi or so.

What makes me drawn into this show is the beautiful scenery of nature and the profound traditional Chinese arts and culture. You can see that every shot is taken meticulously, and view is breathtaking and refreshing while also incorporating the in-depth culture of Chinese. I suppose the production is reducing budget on the costume because they keep wearing the same clothes from time to time, but I do like the traditional hanfu that they wear at the competition. I have a slight complain on the ML’s outfit – why does he always wear tight-fitted sweaters? Is he having a cold or what?

Overall, a nice and fluffy watch. If you’re looking for some fluffy shows without many conflicts to relieve your boredom, you can give this a shot though you have to be aware of some illogical stuffs and plot holes. However, don’t expect heavy romance – the leads have few intimate contacts and only kiss 4 times throughout the show. I’m not here for the romance, so why bother? But, if you want some kind of heavy wuxia drama, you can skip this. Good luck and happy watching!

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