Cortanaherondale

Did I start this show with high expectations? No. Did I end up loving it? Yes.

I went into it after only seeing a few edits of the main couple and a lot of hate toward the actress. But what stood out to me immediately was their chemistry, so I started it without expectations—and I absolutely loved it. Honestly, I wish I could erase my memory just to watch it again. It’s one of those very exciting, thrilling shows that is incredibly bingeable.

For me, the highlight of the drama was definitely the main couple. Their chemistry was amazing—easily the brightest and strongest aspect of the show. I’ve seen a lot of mixed opinions about their relationship, but I personally loved it. I was expecting a lot of drawn-out misunderstandings, especially because of her ex, but I’m so glad that didn’t happen. The conflicts were handled and resolved properly without unnecessary dragging.

Regarding the female lead, I know she received a lot of hate, but I genuinely understood her character and didn’t hate her at all. She was driven by revenge, but she was also someone who had lost her brother and her first love, which deeply shaped her actions. I loved that by the end, she was decisive about what she wanted. Even when her heart wavered, she never betrayed her husband, and that was something I really appreciated.

I also liked that her feelings toward her ex weren’t just romantic. He was family too—he was adopted by her father, so she grew up seeing him as a brother. That complexity made her inner conflict more understandable. Once the truth came out, she had no reason to hate him. If she hadn’t been married, she might have ended up with him, but she was married, and she felt safe with her husband. That’s why I didn’t hate her scenes with her ex. At the end of the day, she chose her husband, never betrayed him, and was honest with Hanshang.

I loved how her relationship with Hanshang developed. She gave him—and herself—a chance to love, even though she didn’t love him at first. She still tried, even before everything fully unfolded. Their scenes together had so much intensity and “fire.” I especially loved how he was the one chasing her at first, pushing her to love him, and then the roles reversed, and she became the one saying, “Let me love you.” That shift was amazing to watch. Even the divorce moment—I didn’t hate it, because it allowed us to see her run after him.

Jing Boran’s portrayal of romance was incredible. The way he looks at her, the way he melts into her presence—it genuinely felt like he was breathing her in. His acting is a big reason why the couple worked so well. His obsession, protectiveness, and dedication were portrayed beautifully. I loved all the small details—him always running to her, protecting her, the little moments like when she takes off his glasses.

The female lead’s acting was also very good. Especially in emotional and heavy scenes, like crying scenes, she delivered really well. She portrayed someone broken, torn, and exhausted by everything, and I think she did that in a very convincing way.

Jing Boran, though, was on another level. His portrayal of someone dealing with PTSD and anxiety was incredible. I especially appreciate how he plays “cold” characters—he never feels distant from the audience. Instead, he fully becomes the character. I also loved his interactions with the psychopath; the way he played those scenes was so engaging.

As for the ex, I didn’t hate him or his presence in the story. I actually felt really bad for him. He sacrificed so much, probably the most out of everyone, and when he returned, he had lost everything. It was sad, but I appreciated that by the end, there was no bad blood between them. The actors did a great job portraying this dynamic.

The entire cast was strong. Everyone delivered exactly what they were supposed to. I also think Qi Yan deserves special recognition—his portrayal of the psychopath was incredible. It was extremely believable, especially in the serial killer aspects. His dynamic with Hanshang was one of the highlights in terms of tension and acting.

Plot-wise, even without the romance, the show was gripping from the start. I personally love stories involving serial killers, thrillers, and psychological elements, so this really worked for me. It kept me curious, wanting to understand the characters and their dynamics. It was easy to follow, which is important for this kind of story.

My main complaint would be the ending for the villain—I wanted it to be harsher. It felt a bit unsatisfactory. I wanted him to suffer more, maybe face deeper consequences or even confront his past in a more impactful way.

However, I did like that the female lead was able to see what Hansheng went through at the end. It made sense for her to fully understand him moving forward and be there for him, just as he had always been there for her.

I also never really saw the male lead as “obsessive” in a negative way—I saw him more as protective and possessive, which made sense given their past and how she had always protected him.

Some honorable mentions go to Professor and Chief Tan—their scenes added a sense of family and lightness that balanced the heavier aspects of the show.

Of course, others might notice flaws, but for me, the couple’s chemistry carried everything. Their acting was incredible, and the story itself was engaging. It also reminded me a bit of Flower of Evil.

Another small complaint: the ending credits showed deleted scenes, and I couldn’t find them anywhere. That was frustrating because I would have loved to watch them.

Overall, I really enjoyed this drama. It’s fast-paced, gripping, and has amazing chemistry. It exceeded my expectations, especially since I didn’t see many people talking about it. It’s definitely one of my favorite dramas of 2026 so far. Lately, a lot of shows feel repetitive or more focused on visuals than well-written romance, but this one stood out to me.

I would definitely recommend it—especially if you go into it understanding the female lead’s character instead of judging her too quickly.