CV_58

Welcome to the Coroner's Spooky Diary

Coroner’s Diary has been my long-awaited drama during a dry spell, and though it may not have huge buzz or ratings, it’s definitely a hidden gem worth supporting. The story follows Shen Wan, daughter of a Ministry of Justice official, who escapes an assassination attempt that kills her family. To survive, she impersonates her deceased uncle’s daughter, Qin Wan, and becomes a coroner in Jingzhou, solving bizarre murder cases while navigating dangerous family politics. Along the way, she gains the trust of Yan Chi, heir of Prince Rui and commander of Shuoxi Army.

The drama shines through its well-crafted murder mysteries, palace intrigue, and rich character development. Each case is carefully detailed with accurate forensic science woven into complex emotional and political contexts. The morally grey characters add unpredictability—no one is purely good or evil, and motives are layered and nuanced.

Unlike typical revenge-driven leads, Qin Wan seeks justice through law and intellect, which adds a refreshing depth to her character. Yan Chi complements her perfectly, with his green-flag boyfriend traits and hidden emotional wounds that echo her own struggles, creating a compelling dynamic.

The acting is stellar across the board, especially from Landy Li and Ao Ruipeng, whose chemistry is palpable even in subtle moments. Production values are high, with impressive costumes, props, and OST that enhance the storytelling without waste.

Notably, the secondary couple adds humor and heart, providing lightness amidst the tension. Their playful antics are a highlight, especially their boisterous brothel scene.

Overall, Coroner’s Diary is a thoughtfully written drama blending thriller, mystery, and historical elements. It’s far superior to many contemporaries and perfect for fans who enjoy suspense and layered storytelling. Highly recommended as an underrated treasure.

Happy watching!

For the full-length review, please click on this link yes...
https://myreviewforcdrama-bycv58.blogspot.com/2025/08/welcome-to-coroners-spooky-diary-truth.html

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A Heartfelt Story of Family Bond and Drugs

Welp, before "Eight Hundred" aired for the first time, I'd been banking on it since the story involves drug traffickers and a police papa (a conflicting trope which I love to see). FYI, it's an OG source, meaning that I can't predict too much from the synopsis given. On the other hand, I've turned into Xu Kai's anti (being an anti doesn't mean I'm bashing, criticizing this or that, and whatsoever you call names about, but I just simply have no interest over the actors I dislike, that's all) and reuters' leaked pictures had shown that he would be paired with Ancy Deng as his co-star. Okay, so let's just rock, shall we?

The story takes place in 1990s in Fengyang Town, a little suburban district of 800-radius-meter which houses the coal mines and entertainment sources for the populace there. Chen Hongbing is a very dedicated and upright police officer who vows to dismantle every single crime scene for the sake of justice. He also has a loving family including his fussy wife Ding Yue, his son Chen Hui, his father Grandpa Chen, and Chen Hui's lover Gao Songge. The family always spends their mundane life peacefully in Fengyang until the appearance of Peidun Cough Syrup disrupts the peace in the little town. Through several investigations and raids, Hongbing and his crew manage to secure several downlines of the cough syrup, but they never find out who the mastermind behind these scenes. Unbeknownst to them, it is Chen Hui and Songge who stage the layers of deception to gather money for Songge's kidney transplant. As they are risked of being discovered and arrested by the police, the couple has no choice but to create multiple webs of deception to lure the police away until they earn enough to perform the transplantation. Chen Hui has a golden heart to save Songge's life, but his method is clearly wrong as he was led astray when he encountered Tian Jinhai, the cough syrup's tycoon who coerced Chen Hui to join the underground market of drug traffickers. And I'm guaranteeing 100% that you will see a super duper BE in the end.

First of all, I need to appraise the screenwriter for being able to develop such a heart-breaking story while not being explicit in the process, giving the audiences chances to guess how the story works out and what kind of plot twist will happen in the moment of suspense. "Eight Hundred" also manages to incorporate Hongbing's daily life as a police officer and his mission in tracking down the traffickers (it reminds me of "The Truth" by Gong Jun and Sun Yi, but the former turned out to be a fiasco that I dropped it in ep 7), which I appreciate very much. Another thing, we can see Chen Hui's unhinged personality being unveiled, as he strangles Tian Jinhai to death. When the father and son confront each other, I feel their pain and love simultaneously since they just want to be an ordinary united family who can stand against all odds together.

For the acting, I must say Xu Kai nails Chen Hui character seamlessly as he transforms into an ingenious outlaw yet obedient son. His micro-expressions are always accurate, which helps you feel his emotional impacts whenever he breaks down or just wants the best for his family. Ancy Deng also does well as Songge, though I wish Songge could pry more into Chen Hui's issues instead of letting him settle everything by himself. As a couple, Xu Kai and Ancy Deng complement each other pretty well and the two of them have palpable chemistry, as romance isn't the main focus of the drama. Ding Yongdai captures the essence of Chen Hongbing the police papa too, as his emotional turbulence always takes me drifting into the story. Special mention to Hu Ke (as Ding Yue) and Qu Zhazha (as Liu Na) too because they have a unique sisterly bond although they only meet several times. And don't forget the car crash staged by Huo Kaiming too.

OSTs are not published openly, so I can't comment on that part much further. Sets, backgrounds, and costumes are full of 90s retro vibes, which can make you feel deja vu if you're one of those in that era. However, I wasn't born in 1990s, so I can't make any comparisons with the real 1990s.

Would I rewatch this? Maybe yes, if I'm in a drama slump period again. To date, I'm still waiting for VIP tracks as I have no penny to purchase express package. But, I've seen leaked spoilers of the ending, so I might as well include it here. Overall, a ten out of ten and one of the best crime dramas I've ever seen in these years. Good luck and happy watching!!!

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If You Have Five Chances Back to the Start, What Would You Do?

Finally, after a long bustling day, exams are over and I’m really happy to say that I’d be active in MDL again, especially on the review section (as I’m too lazy to reply comments nowadays). So, back in mid-September, I did complete ‘Mobius’ in several days of binging, to the point of abandoning ‘Shadow Love’ halfway. Last year, I’d read the original source and was pretty intrigued with the plot, especially the time loop stuffs (reminds me a lot of ‘Reset’) – sci-fi has never been my thing but I do love it very much and this show is no exception. Wanna know how the story goes? Scroll down below…

‘Mobius’ follows the story of a police officer named Ding Qi, who is a time loop perceiver – a person who can feel the loop of certain days and each day generates about five loops (which means you need to repeat the same action for five times straight unless you want to change the future) and the fifth loop will be the final result of previous loops. Ding Qi experienced this loop for the first time in his college years and he continues to utilize this power until his adulthood, becoming a successful and wealthy broker. However, he soon gets bored of it and wants to have a transition in his career, thus deciding to become a police officer instead in the hope of saving more people rather than doing nothing.

One day, his captain gets a new mission to protect the CEO of Moma Group, Mo Yuanzhi (he claims to have been threatened by someone who uses squid as the background picture) after a string of higher-up murders involving Han Song and Tang Shaorong. Without any hesitation, Ding Qi signs up for this case and becomes the big boss of the team. In Moma Group, he also reunites with his girlfriend, An Lan. As Ding Qi learns more about Moma Group and Mo Yuanzhi’s daily life, he begins to develop suspicion on him and uncover a shocking plot twist behind. Can they solve the puzzle created by the mastermind behind this case or will they fall into the same trap over and over again?

Alright, I must say that I TOTALLY fall in love with the script. It is so tightly-woven into 16 episodes that not even a single second is wasted for unnecessary scenes and everything happens in a rather fast pace instead of the usual sluggish one. Also, each character has their own unique motive and emotional depth, which make them more nuanced and distinctive from one another. The show also explores heavy theme such as trust, betrayal, self-growth, love, and many more. To be honest, I connect with this show easier as I also have similar struggles in my real life and hope that this show can serve as a cautionary tale for me. By the way, I also want to talk about the villains here (SPOILER ALERT!!!), which are none other than Mo Yuanzhi and his teacher Jiang Yuwen. If I must say, they have the most complex teacher-student dynamic I’ve ever witnessed. At first, Jiang Yuwen was outwardly dismissive of Mo Yuanzhi until he finally proved his teacher that he could make it. However, as time went by, Mo Yuanzhi grew into a self-absorbed know-it-all and also fell in love with one of the test subjects, Feng Wanqing, much to his teacher’s dismay. Aside from that, Mo Yuanzhi transformed into a different kind of person and was pretty obsessive in his quest of curing Wanqing, despite her pleas. Due to his disregard of Wanqing’s life, Jiang Yuwen had a huge dispute with Mo Yuanzhi, who resolved to kill him. But the murder attempt was failed because it was a time loop day. Big whoop, right? In the end, not only did he fail to kill Jiang Yuwen, but Mo Yuanzhi also lost most of the data needed to experiencing on the vaccine. So, what I want to tell you guys is that even the smallest dispute between a teacher and his student can put other lives in danger. The conflict may only involve the two of them, but what they don’t realize is the vortex that pulls other people related to them into this chaos. Even if you want to create a big rift, at least please don’t let innocent people get harmed. Another thing I want to point out is that neither of them are nice people with just intention of saving the greater good, definitely not. As the saying goes, your heart thinks differently with what you say. I won’t be spoiling further, so have a look on your own.

Now, to the acting. I’m absolutely in love with Bai Jingting’s new role and he’s awfully versatile, transforming from a green-flag boyfriend in ‘The First Frost’ to a justice-driven police in here (I’m not watching the former because I have a bad impression on rom-com, a matter of personal taste). He nails Ding Qi’s character so well that I don’t have anything to describe it anymore. As his co-star, Janice Man doesn’t disappoint too. Their romance may not be the best, but it’s still sizzling enough for the label ‘slight romance’. And… kudos to all the casts and crew for bringing out such a fleshed and refreshing story amidst a bunch of wacky plots.

OSTs, setting (in Hong Kong), action scenes, costumes are done superbly and I hope I can get to see the second season of ‘Mobius’ in the future (there is volume two with an entirely different case).

Lastly, if you’re a hard-core fan of sci-fi and thriller genre, this show might be for you. I swear you’re going to very addicted like me, no doubt about that. So, time to end this review, goodbye and good luck!!!

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A Decent Reboot of "The Lost Tomb"

After the end of "Archives: The Nanyang Mystery", I feel there is no harm in continuing "Time Raiders" and pick up where I left off last year. Basically, "Time Raiders" covers "The Lost Tomb" by Li Yifeng and Yang Yang and the first half of "The Lost Tomb 2" by Neo Hou and Cheng Yi. Most casts are fresh faces or newbies - so, this drama can determine where their acting level is.

"Time Raiders" focuses heavily on the Iron Triangle trio - Wu Xie, Wang Pangzi, and Zhang Qiling - as they explore dangerous tombs and develop a strong friendship bond in life-and-death situations. Wu Xie is a naive yet enthusiastic young man, and expertise in tomb raiding and antique appraisal, courtesy of his grandfather, Wu Laogou, and his third uncle, Wu Sanxing. Zhang Qiling is the current patriarch of the elusive Zhang Family (you can read more about Zhang Family in "Archives: The Nanyang Mystery" review), has a taciturn and serious personality, but loses his memory upon entering the Underwater Tomb of Paracel Islands. Wang Pangzi is someone whom Wu Xie accidentally befriends during the chaotic adventure in King Lu's Seven Star Palace. Despite having no history whatsoever, Pangzi is willing to help Wu Xie repeatedly, thus making the two of them into best friends. There are also Uncle Sanxing - a cunning old fox who has raided numerous tombs across China, Pan Zi and Da Kui - Uncle Sanxing's loyal followers (as the first arc ends, Pan Zi is severely injured and in a coma for a long time when Wu Xie sets off to the underwater tomb, and Da Kui sacrifices himself to save Wu Xie), and A Ning - a badass and no-nonsense mercenary girlie who has her personal agenda to enter the underwater tomb.

I'm not going to blab about the secret trap and historical philosophy of each tomb here, but I can give a rough outline of what happens in this drama. The first half indeed takes place in King Lu's Seven Star Palace. It is an eerie tomb where a giant dead soldier resides and guards the tomb from intruders, tons of corpse beetles that can feed on your blood any moment, a green-eyed fox corpse which can make people hallucinate, and a nine-headed snake cypress which is a huge carnivorous tree feeding on surrounding creatures. If you're into this drama, you'll have to prepare yourself for sudden jumpscares, zombies, eating plants, and more - basically, a treat for horror lovers, but not me.

In the second half, the group will explore the Underwater Tomb of Paracel Islands, where Uncle Sanxing's teammates once vanished and never came back until today. I actually don't watch this part anymore as I can't hold up more jumpscares in the following episodes. Underwater Tomb of Paracel Islands is actually a massive shipwreck which was deliberately sunk in the sea, and was constructed by a prominent astronomer and feng shui master at that era, Wang Zanghai (for those of you who are curious, you can check out "Legend of Zanghai" by Xiao Zhan and Zhang Jingyi). There are a myriad of strange things happening inside the shipwreck and perhaps, Uncle Sanxing's story might not be as simple as it seems (Aunt Wenjin's diary recorded that it was Uncle Sanxing who had been ogling to see the tomb, not herself, while he tells Wu Xie otherwise when being asked).

From the casts, I only recognize Xu Zhenxuan, Cheng Xiang, and Daisy Li (aside from that, all of them are unknown to me). However, coupled with strong script and gripping storytelling, the casts utilize all of their acting skills and eventually bring out Kennedy Xu's masterpiece once again. I especially like Pan Zi's actor, Cao Lei - his micro-expression when showing affection to Wu Xie really hits the nail and I can't help but root for him. On the other hand, Daisy Li somehow lacks the ruthlessness displayed by other actresses who have played Ah Ning before, including Li Man and Hankiz Omar. Xu Zhenxuan, Cheng Xiang, and Sun Ge Chuan Ye manage to recreate the iconic moments of the past Iron Triangle, and well, I love their comedic banters despite the danger lurking nearby.

As of now, I have no luck in digging through the OSTs on either Spotify or Weibo, but I can say it's such a nice song. Anyway, CGI, sets, and backgrounds are perfectly done, as if we were thrown into the real tomb, and somehow the tomb look like natural-made. I keep wondering to myself how ancient folks could build such intricate tomb as their final resting places - but that's how reality works.

For those who are Kennedy Xu's fanatic fans, "Time Raiders" is highly recommended to tomb-raiding lovers. It has an equilibrium ingredient of action, thriller, suspense, comedy, and mystery in one pack. And if you feel "The Lost Tomb" in 2015 lacks something, then you can try to rewatch the scenes through "Time Raiders". I'll be waiting for its season 2. Thank you for reading, good luck, and happy watching!!!

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The Rushing Adrenaline amidst the Heartfelt Bond of Friendship and Brotherhood

So, I was supposed to have finished writing this review last month back when I trudged along the whole 28 episodes straight after wallowing internally due to the chaos of "Love beyond the Grave" and "Veil of Shadows". I accidentally found "Pegasus" when I was searching for racing-themed drama, for I can't let go of "Speed and Love" and am hoping to discover something even better than the former. To be honest, I'd been going back and forth on whether I should start this series or not, given the so-so rating and the unfamiliar assembles of casts. Finally, curiosity won and I began to absorb myself in "Pegasus". Let's move on, shall we?

Basically, "Pegasus" is the drama version of a film with similar title, and it tells the story of a legendary China rally racer named Zhang Chi. Back in his prime days, he had completed very single race in an impressive record of time, clinched numerous championships and awards, and had the best companionship with his teammates (and his team is called Speeding) - the passionate racer-turned-financial-backer Ye Gong, the astute and beautiful manager (also Zhang Chi's childhood sweetheart) Li Xiaohe, the clumsy but reliable co-driver Sun Yuqiang, and the team's mechanics Ji Xing and Zhang Weiyi. However, as time passed by, Zhang Chi's performance took a nosedive due to the advent of new racers and better teams with abundant funding, sophisticated high-tech racing cars, and well-groomed rising rookies on the deck. The team later disbanded after Ye Gong's death (he was knocked over by a car when he walked his dog), and every one of them walked through different paths that no longer align to the same goal. Zhang Chi, desperate to rebuild the team from scratch, started doing odd jobs to make ends meet and managed to secure a place in Bayanbulak Rally Race. In that race, he succeeded in securing the first place, but due to the malfunction of the brake, he didn't manage to stop on time and his car fell from a high cliff.

In his coma period, Zhang Chi found out that he could transmigrate between the present and the past. However, he was transported to the body of a rich second-generation heir Lin Zhendong, who apparently had a scarred childhood and developed a detestation for racing due to personal reasons. In his new body, Zhang Chi proactively used every trace of his knowledge of future to prevent the team from disbanding, and the old Zhang Chi suffer from regret and haplessness, leading them to think that he was a mystical prophet. Things took a turn when the real Lin Zhendong possessed his body again, only to find that he had done ridiculous stuffs regarding rally racing. The clash of fire and ice continued for a while, given the two of them never saw eye to eye in terms of ideals and life purposes. The past Zhang Chi then introduced Lin Zhendong to rally racing and even encouraged him to realize his true dream, and that was when Lin Zhendong knew where his talent lay now and then. Together, the team navigate through the challenges in the rally racing world and carve a memorable tale of self-discovery, personal growth, and deep friendship bond.

At first, I wasn't really convinced with the plot, but I soon got over with it and even had some good laugh when the comedic scenes crashed in. The script is also carefully written, showing how dedicated the scriptwriter is to this drama. "Pegasus" also explores multiple themes about psychological and relationship warfare, and how we make the most decisive yet crucial choice in our lives. The dialogues are composed of a plethora of motivative quotes to remind us to keep fighting even though we are in the lowest point of life.

The OSTs are club-bangers as well, and I particularly like "Consequence" by Win Wei and "Destination" by Joshua Jin. Sets and backgrounds are breathtaking, especially the desert circuit. I must also praise the camerawork during the filming of racing scenes - all of them are meticulously taken and bring a sense of adrenaline rush in your veins, constantly wishing for the protagonists to win the race against petty opponents of course.

Overall, I highly recommend this drama for those who are hardcore racing fans like me, or even those who are already tired of superficial interactions and are looking for close-knitted friendship bond. I guess that's all I can write for now. Sorry if the review is kinda sloppy, because I've forgotten majority portion of what I watched back then. Good luck and happy watching (wait for "Dazzling" review too, okay?).

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Meeting Another Transmigrator is Such a Blessing

Welcome back to my dear review section, guys! I’m really sorry for the delay, but I need to restrain myself from writing new updates due to overload schedule and grueling exam, which (thank God) was completed last Monday. Since I have a lot of free time now, I may as well do my little business right now before I become a total couch potato lol. Let’s go rocking, shall we?

Disclaimer: I actually enjoyed and loved “How Dare You!?”, and unfortunately, I watched it later than other people, which meant the videos were removed by Bilibili and other pirating sites. At that time, I only managed to binge-watch until ep 13 (what a bummer!). What I’m trying to say is that the review will ONLY cover the first 13 episodes as I have no idea of what’s going to happen in the end. I know very super duper clear that I’m not supposed to make “How Dare You!?” as completed, but don’t you think it’s a pity to banish it to the dropped list?

The story is centered around a rookie corporate slave Wang Cuihua, who is tasked with reading a cheesy romance novel about transmigrated lovers in historical fiction setting (I forgot the title already) and finds it very hard to accomplish the assignment in one fell swoop. As she takes a subway back home, the time stops abruptly and another second, she is sent into the novel’s world, taking the identity of a cannon fodder character, Yu Wanyin, who is destined to die in the middle half of the story. As Cuihua navigates the palace politics and soap opera with the hope of returning back to the real life, she accidentally meets fellow transmigrator, Zhang San, who poses as a delusional emperor Xiahou Dan. Together, the two people on the same boat transform into an unbeatable duo as they concoct schemes after schemes to survive in the palace and ultimately find the path to go back home. Meanwhile, they also have to face interminable threats from Xie Yong’er, another transmigrator who has read the whole original source upside down, and Xiahou Bo, Dan’s little brother who’s been coveting his throne and is hellbent on usurping the power of the palace court.

Basically, there is nothing new about the plot except that we have two transmigrators instead of one (as in the case of other dramas with similar themes). The production team utilizes the source material shrewdly and create a combo duo who are always engaging in comedic bickering sprinkled with modern jargons and ancient speeches as well. The drama does sell a point in its comedy and humor aspect, which wins the heart of all watchers. On the other hand, we also get the glimpse of the life in harem and how consorts’ positions are being elevated at one time and discarded at some other point. However, sometimes I do feel exhausted with all this scheming here and there, especially Bo. I don’t really understand what his ultimate goal is, other than toppling down Dan. And we haven’t gotten the slightest idea of how Yong’er enters into the novel as well (or maybe it is exacerbated by lack of episodes that I watched back then). Overall, if you overlook the inconsistencies and focus on the humorous side instead, things will be much better for you, I guarantee.

Both Ryan Cheng and Wang Churan deliver strong acting with perfect timing in terms of micro-expressions. I totally feel the emotional scenes between them two and I wish so badly I had taken up “How Dare You!?” earlier. Daddi Tang and Hu Yixuan also perform well despite the stiffness in several scenes, but I won’t complain further. And shout out to Cui Yi, who plays Bei Shu (female version) so convincingly comical that I keep laughing out loud, with the most memorable scene being her digging up Bo’s kitchen courtyard to search for Xu Yao’s strategy book.

OSTs are nice, but I think they are decent at best, if you compare them with the OSTs of other dramas. Costumes, settings, backgrounds are lavishly styled as per a historical fiction drama would apply.

For the rewatch point, I’ll make it 10, but I’m afraid I won’t be rewatching myself as I have many more upcoming tasks plus I need to catch on with other ongoing dramas before they are removed abruptly as well. I guess that’s all I’ve got to say, thank you for reading, good luck and happy watching!!!

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An Inspiring Show for Those Who Aspire to Become Lawyers

Before I begin my review, I want to say happy new year to all of you and hope that 2026 is going to be another great year for C-drama world with lots of fantastic new releases waiting to be promulgated when the time is ready. I also hope that all of fellow watchers stay healthy and safe as we weave into the long-awaited new year. For this new year, I decide to kick off my journey by watching “All Rise”, which seems pretty absurd to me. If you want to know why, check my review below.

“All Rise” is an original-script-based drama which centers around the journey of how to become good lawyers. In this show, we’re going to see how the story unfolds as it is interpreted by several POVs of the characters – the no-nonsense workaholic Ren Jiatong, the enthusiastic rookie Jiang Chen, the blithe and loyal bestie Guo Xiaoyu, the astute chaebol lady Yan Fei, the desperado of the year Li Ke, the hardworking Huang Yue, and lastly Wang Lu (his appearance is too short to make an impression for me). Aside from them, some senior lawyers are also involved in the story including the unrequited couple Song Yifan and Bai Xiao, the group’s senior brother Zhou Nian, Jiang Chen’s dad, Director Zhuang, and etc.

Based on what I can construe from the script, I feel that it is written quite well in terms of urban working life and how teamwork looks like (I can relate with this case the most because teamwork is arduous with my lazy bums of friends and it’s always me who have to carry the whole group). In addition, it also shows how the law in China works and what acts that must be applied should the parties undergo legal path – unfortunately, it is festooned by a plethora of law jargons, none of which I can decipher well (a minus point for me – however, since I’m not a law-ish person, I can only let the show flows naturally, sigh).

To be honest, the cast is consisted of mostly new actors, where I can only recognize Hu Xianxu, Zhou Yiran, He Landou, and Huang Shengchi. In my opinion, all of them have done well and embody each character seamlessly. I want to give a thumbs-up for Zhou Yiran who manage to capture the essential points of Ren Jiatong’s character. Ren Jiatong is quite similar to me when it comes to personality – workaholic (believing that work should be done until burning the midnight oil), guarded against others (due to her dad’s accident), huge desire of winning, lonely and have no one to rely on emotionally. Her budding romance with Jiang Chen is so-so at best, as I’m more invested in Zhu Zhisheng’s two-timing against Guo Xiaoyu lol. Meanwhile, I also love the awkward relationship between Lawyer Song and Lawyer Bai – they seem to be going in circles but never get the chance to stay together.

As far as I can discern, production quality is a tad of nice (I don’t know the exact budget, yeah, but it’s maybe a lower one) among a bunch of mediocre dramas. OSTs are good too, especially “Circles” by Li Tianzi.

Unfortunately, I’m sorry to say that I don’t complete the whole drama and still stuck in ep 17 because I’m just too lazy to continue (those jargons really create a headache for me). However, if you do have keen interest in law, this might be a good show for you for they will show how the full law procedure of solving an issue with ruthless precision. But still, it’s a 10/10 for me because I don’t want their hard work go in waste. I guess that’s all I can say, goodbye and happy watching!!!

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The Weirdo, the Ducky, and the Woodman

Hi there, I’m back again for my latest review after a great deal of hustle and bustle in my holiday time. I was quite busy that I couldn’t even watch dramas properly just like I did at home. Thank God I’d completed “Treasure at Dawn” shortly before I went on holiday. I’ll keep this review as laconic as I can since I don’t have much impression of this drama anymore. Let’s rock, shall we?

To put it simply, “Treasure at Dawn” is a drama based on original script (not from novel’s adaptation) so it may be a bit of tricky to guess the plot as you don’t have any forerunner coming from the OG source. Sadly, this drama has also been jailed for almost 3 years (since 2023, if I’m not mistaken) by the shitty Youku and it only premiered this December without huge promotion and buzzing viewership. Let’s not talk about this unpleasant thing and get on to the next section.

The plot revolves around a mismatched bickering trio – the eccentric yet kind-hearted doctor Fu Sheng, the headstrong and no-nonsense Wen Jue, and the glib-tongued yet agile acrobatic dancer Gu Tian. At first, they only team up due to unfavorable circumstances and forced proximity as Fu Sheng is framed for the death of hundreds of physicians in Shangyi City (caused by his father). After this case, Fu Sheng and co travel to Xichuan City, where the real danger lurks behind. Together, they pool their skills to solve mysterious bizarre cases, which will lead them to an inexplicable truth buried for 20 years and how Fu Sheng’s father played a role in attempting to bring the truth to the light. Joining their team are Ying Ying (Hearsay-Capturing Pavilion’s owner), Hu Lu (Ying Ying’s adoptive little brother), Tuoba Ruo (Ma Gang’s female assassin), and the Wen family (including Wen Jue’s doting father Wen Yu and her protective brother Wen Jiu).

Based on my perspective, I think the script is done right according to a thriller murder mystery drama’s standard and the cases aren’t overlooked or overdone (the victims and suspects concerned also act so convincingly), which is a good thing to hear. Meanwhile, it also blends medical knowledge, anatomy of body, political storm, and treacherous palace soap opera so seamlessly that I can hardly find faults in every single detail. The punctual comedy timing isn’t overdone as well for I have a great deal of laughter from their wacky antics. The minor drawback will be the open ending as they go to the Central Plains to search for Fu Sheng’s master to cure Ying Ying (Gu Tian’s beloved) and the Treasure of National Books isn’t a treasure at all, but just an underground palace created by the late Emperor and how the current Emperor reflects on ruling his country (I thought we would be treasure-hunting, smh).

As for the acting, I have to say that everybody involved really nails his/her role flawlessly even though I have to put up with the witch doctors’ antics (that’s the most gruesome point of this drama, otherwise it will be a pretty nice experience). Li Hongyi has improved since “The Blood of Youth” and embodies Fu Sheng’s quirky yet naïve nature, proving him as a versatile actor. This is my first time watching Su Xiaotong, but I like her from the get go. Wen Jue isn’t your typical damsel-in-distress and a headstrong smart girl who always has to pull the boys out of the troubles they cause. It’s really rare to find such a character like her nowadays. For Yu Cheng’en, I really adore him as Gu Tian and deeply root for his brotherhood with Fu Sheng (he’s such an eye-candy too that I always ogled for his scenes lol).

OSTs are truly groundbreaking and club-bangers that I need to play it on a loop, especially the ones by Chen Lingtao and Zhao Lei. Backgrounds, settings, costumes are also stylish even though it’s not a high-budget drama (however, I don’t know if it is a fictional dynasty or a real dynasty in the past, but their costumes look atypical if you compare them with other historical dramas).

Would I recommend this? A 100% yes. If you’re into thriller murder mystery or trying to surf into medical world, then this show is for you (you don’t need to shut off your brain like “Love on the Turquoise Land”, believe me). You can also watch it for the comedy aspect or perhaps you’re into soap opera (trust me, it’s kinda superb). Okay, time to end my review here. Good luck and happy watching!!!

P.S.
I won’t reveal who’s the master boss here, so look out for yourself.

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"For Every Good Action, A Good Reaction Follows"

Truth to be told, I've been ogling for 'Weak Hero Class 2' because of its spectacular predecessor aka season 1. Straight after completing 'High School Return of a Gangster', I immediately jump to this show with high expectations. Thank goodness, everything goes smoothly for me. Let's delve into the plotline now.

The plot is centered around Yeon Si-eun's life as he transfers to a new school after a chaos ensued in his former school. For the sake of his promise to Ahn Su-ho, Si-eun doesn't want to get involved in fighting or brawls anymore. However, fate plays a cruel joke and he must face new threat in Eunjang High School as a syndicate dubbed 'Union' keeps targeting Eunjang's students. Alongside his newly-made friends - the timid and amicable Seo Jun-tae, the boisterous Park Hu-min, and his loyal sidekick Go Hyun-tak. Combining their wits and strength, they decide to end the fighting once and for all and bring the peace they yearn for.

What I can say about the plot is that it is the most gritty and well-written storyline I've ever come across. It truly lives up to the season 1's reputation. The characters also have emotional baggage of their own, which adds a layer of emotional depth on them. I can't help but love this show more and more, even binging it for 3 days in one go. I must be crazy already, aren't I?

Acting are superb as well. Each actor is shining in their respective role. Park Ji-hoon comes back to reprise his role as the dark Yeon Si-eun and this time he deals with darker circumstance, where the guilt and remorse consumes him. Another worthy MVP maybe Ryeoun - he captures the essence of Hu-min's character very well and explores a wide range of emotions in an excellent way, including how he confronts his former best friend Na Baek-jin. Other casts also give strong performance and kudos to all of them.

Overall, a must-watch masterpiece that you shouldn't miss. I also wish there would be 'Weak Hero Class 3' so that we can see Si-eun's final year looks like. Good luck and happy watching!!!

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When a Gangster Becomes Your Best Buddy

Prior to starting the review, I'd like to say that I'd known this show for quite a time, but never got the right time to watch it. My friend also did recommend it to me before I turned down her offer. Later, while I was skimming MDL, I looked through the show's page again and became intrigued once more, given that I didn't have anything to watch except the trashy 'Eat Run Love'.

The plot is focused on a 47-year-old gangster Kim Deuk-pal. Aspiring to enter the college, he was good with anything but fighting. One night, he encountered a high school student Song Yi-heon, who wanted to commit suicide due to constant bullying and his inability to befriend Choi Se-kyung, his classmate. Kim Deuk-pal succeeded in saving Yi-heon, but his soul got swapped and entered Yi-heon's body, while his own body was dead. Determining to accomplish the goals Yi-heon had set before, Deuk-pal decided to take this treacherous path and protect what mattered to him.

Based on my experience, I can see that the script is quite decent, but not really that outbreaking if you compare to other dramas revolving around fighting. Nonetheless, the soul swap is a bonus point and I also love Yi-heon and Se-kyung's interaction.

As for acting, I don't have much to say but AWESOME. Rising actor Yoon Chan-young is definitely shining in his respective roles, as the cheerful yet caring gangster and as the brooding and depressed teenager. Bong Jae-hyun (Golden Child) also does equally well and their friendship is one of the best aspects of this show. Shout out to those who play Deuk-pal's underlings too. They're too funny to resist and the way they are clueless of Deuk-pal's real identity is freaking hilarious.

Overall, it is a must watch and I regret not starting it sooner. Gotta go right now, so 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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A Decent Family Drama Blended with Funny Camaraderie of Mother and Son

While trudging on Fox Spirit Matchmaker, I accidentally found this show when I was looking on the main review section. I admitted that the casts looked average, and it might be a low-budget show. But it was the plot that made me glued to my seat as I skimmed through the whole 20 episodes.

The story revolves around the happy-go-lucky and cheerful Qi Yue, the stoic and no-nonsense top student Lu Xiao, and her grown-up yet childish son Qi Shuo, who claimed to have come to Qi Yue’s past time so that Qi Yue didn’t suffer in the future. Logically speaking, if you were Qi Yue and your son suddenly came out of nowhere, telling you that he came from the past using a time machine, would you be baffled? Nah, that was what happened to Qi Yue. Slowly, she started to acknowledge the existence of Qi Shuo. In order to avoid the misfortunes in the future, Qi Shuo became the matchmaker and persuaded her to pursue Lu Xiao as well as she could, because in his eyes, Lu Xiao was the best candidate for Qi Yue’s future husband.

The plot is actually nothing new in a generic family drama though there is a little element of sci-fi through the time travel trope. Fortunately, they don’t dwell very much on it and the plot picks up again where it leaves off. Another good aspect of this show is the bickering relationship between mother and son. You can see that they always argue for trivial matters every day lol. As noted by Lu Xiao, they have similar personalities too. Furthermore, there is no third wheeler which is a fresh air for everyone. All of Qi Yue’s friends are supportive of her and even help her to chase Lu Xiao. The ‘real’ future husband of Qi Yue, Xu Zhaoyang, also has a crush on her, but little does she know about his violent nature, and thus makes the wrong decision to marry him. After Qi Shuo convinces him, he decides to stop chasing Qi Yue and watches her being happy from afar. There is also Liang Yufei who is Lu Xiao’s close friend. She is indeed annoying, but after several episodes, she’ll also let go of Lu Xiao.

Though average the casts may be, they are able to pull off their characters seamlessly. Every arc is done perfectly though there are a few glaring plot holes. The ending is kinda of bittersweet, but I’m glad they make it this way. Personally, I find that Qi Yue has more chemistry with her son compared to Lu Xiao. I don’t know why, but I just can’t feel anything when Qi Yue and Lu Xiao are together (this is just a matter of taste, I suppose). The shooting locations, sets, and wardrobes are nice too.

If you want to watch something simple/short or a fan of bickering family drama, you can give this a shot and see if this is to your liking. Overall, a ten out of ten for this hidden gem. Good luck and happy watching!

Quote:
- Lu Xiao to Qi Yue
"Don't listen to what other people say. Just do what you think is right."

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An Amazing Tomb Raiding Show with Suspense and Slight Horror

Actually, I had done this drama last year while waiting for Neo Hou's new work which is 'Back from the Brink'. To my surprise, Cheng Yi also starred this drama, and I couldn't help but to get excited because two of my favorite actors actually collaborated together. Alright, I'll get straight to the plot and here we go...

The Lost Tomb 2 is the continuation of the previous story (The Lost Tomb) about Wu Xie and his group of tomb raiders. If I'm not mistaken, in previous one, they ventured through Seven Star King Lu Palace and found an artifact known as the Snake Eye Copper Fish. In this story, they went into a new adventure to the Underwater Tomb of Paracel Island to retrieve another Copper Fish. Aside from the Paracel Island, they also went to the Bronze Tree and a tomb that has been designated as a residence in the Republican era (that's all I remember, I'm too lazy for another rewatch). For your information, there will be a lot of flashbacks of Wu Sanxing's (Wu Xie's uncle) journey too. Thank goodness, they also sprinkled some humor here and there to ease the growing suspense of the plot.

As I've expected, the acting is wonderful from Neo Hou and Cheng Yi alongside the one who portrayed Pan Zi. They had a lot of bromances when they were together and even still had time to bicker how they were going to survive inside the tomb LOL. Credits for Li Man who pulled off the best version of Ah Ning that I've ever watched. Aside from the four main characters, I also like Xie Yuchen/Xiao Hua and Huo Xiuxiu (who were portrayed seamlessly by Liu Xueyi and Huang Yi).

Despite the good plot and nice character development, I stopped at ep 37 (somehow, they went to the Korean border by magic) and considered it as completed. If you're not into horror, you'd better avoid this one in case you're too frightened to continue (I once had a nightmare because of this drama LOL). If you like it, then this is for you. Good luck and happy watching!

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When a Lunatic Psychopath and a Former Assassin Form an Unlikely Duo

So, how am I going to start my review? For your information, I've dropped this on ep 5 before I picked up where I left off. As I continued further, the story became more and more interesting. So, let's just begin!!!

Alright, let me explain the plot first. It revolved around the former head of the Window of Heaven who stepped down from his position due to his own reasons - Zhou Zishu and the head of the Ghost Valley - Wen Kexing. As you can see, the both of them had very different personalities and it would be too UNLIKELY for the both of them becoming soul mates. After experiencing the ups and downs amidst the chaos in the martial arts world, they became more attached and decided to trust each other for this lifetime (just like those sworn brothers did, but I guess soul mates are on a more intense relationship, considering this is a censored BL).

I also want to specially mention a very important property which contributes to the story - the Glazed Armor. The Glazed Armor was made by the 5 righteous sects in the martial arts world. It was rumored to be keeping all sorts of martial arts techniques and manuals which have been hunted by lots of people. However, the actual KEY is the jade hairpin that Wen Kexing always wore - not the Glazed Armor.

I just can't help it, but I really root on Wen Kexing also known as the Lunatic Wen. He's a real psychopath and had deep hatred engraved in his heart. The last thing he wanted to do was to destroy the world and then pay for the sins he had committed. However, after he encountered Zhou Zishu, he changed his perspective and tried to cherish his life as possible.

Adding the depth of the story are Gu Xiang (Wen Kexing's loyal subordinate), Cao Weining (Gu Xiang's lover), and Zhang Chengling (an orphan who was defected by the Ghost Valley's ambush which killed his family in the process and also Zhou Zishu's beloved disciple). By the way, the sad ending for Gu Xiang and Cao Weining was unnecessary at all. Why should you kill them off and causing bloodshed again? That double-faced master of Cao Weining - he shouldn't have trusted him or this kind of accident wouldn't happen at all.

The acting is... WOW!!! Sometimes, I just can feel the main leads' bromance. I'm not a great fan of BL, but this drama has made into one. Shout out to Gong Jun who portrayed Wen Kexing flawlessly. I hope he will get more psychopathic roles in the future. Zhou Ye did marvellously too and it is where she showcased and utilized her full acting skills which helped her gaining popularity. Not a great fan of Zhang Zhehan, but his acting is commendable, I would say.

The set, CGI, and cinematography is quite nice to me. I don't understand why people said everything was fake and cheap-made. Overall, a ten out of ten and will probably rewatch when I'm in the drama slump.

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When You Mix an Illogical Story and a Cliffhanger into One Mess

Okay, I have to admit that I stumbled upon this show weeks ago just to kill time while waiting for Amidst A Snowstorm of Love's new episode.

The plot is nothing new for a xianxia drama and some scenes are rushed pretty quickly. I used fast forward and finished watching it under 2 hours.

The story focuses more on the FL and I feel that the ML got minimum screentime. There's no logic in the story and it follows typical xianxia tropes such as reincarnation, battle between immortals VS demons, and etc. The ending is a bit of cliffhanger and I wonder when will they start the second season.

The sets look quite nice plus the costumes and the headgears can be considered as decent (love the ML's hairstyle. It fits him so well). It's obviously a low-budget mini series, so don't expect too much of it.

It is an one-time watch so I don't think I will rewatch again soon.

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