Daytimel

The concept of showing past and present moments side by side had promise, and the cinematography and OST were beautifully done. However, the pacing dragged so much that I felt I could’ve started from episode 20 and still gotten the full picture. The character development lacked depth, and the female lead remained emotionally flat throughout. While the male lead had charm, he felt too idealized, like he was written solely to support the female lead’s arc. It made him less believable and took away from his character's individuality.

The leads had some chemistry, but many of their scenes felt forced rather than organic. The uncle subplot wasn’t convincing, and the sudden murder twist near the end felt like a rushed device to push Wen Yifan toward growth. Side characters were forgettable, and the grandpa had more screen time than necessary, without contributing meaningfully to the story.

Casting-wise, this drama could have hit harder with different choices. As much as I like Bai Jingting, I didn’t fully buy him as Sang Yan. Someone like Victor Ma (Sang Yan from Hidden Love) could’ve brought more energy and emotional nuance to the role, he would’ve absolutely nailed it. The female lead also lacked emotional presence, which made it hard to feel invested in her journey.

The ending offered some closure, though most of the final episode was just a recap of earlier scenes.
Overall, a visually appealing drama with a few interesting elements, but let down by uneven writing, flat performances, and missed potential.