DramaAjumma

In my version of this story, I would have done it from Episode 2 or 3 onwards.
But in this version I would say somewhere between 14-16 when trust between them was at its peak after a few successful collaborations.

I think amnesia was done decently in Are You the One featuring Zhang Wan Yi. It's part of the story's premise and built into the plot in an effective way.

There are some really good short dramas that use amnesia as its primary trope:
One features a wife that had lost her memory due to a near-drowning incident. Prior to losing it she had a terrible relationship with her husband and was very distant from their daughter. But she doesn't remember any of it. Now that she's lost her memory, everyone pretends that everything has been great. Gradually as she interacts with outsiders, she picks up on discrepancies. This is a particularly good one that I saw on YT.

Another storyline (modern) features a FL who wakes up in hospital and regresses to when she was 18 and has no memory of what came after. She finds out that the good-looking man beside her bed is her husband but soon discovers that their marriage had deteriorated to the point of separation. Unknown to her and her husband she has repressed some terrible memories of abuse. There are a few variations on this story.

There are more amusing storylines of husbands who neglected their wives but after an accident, have a personality transplant and become very clingy.

The biggest problem of this show I think is how Taohua is written right from the outset. A lot of it is probably about stretching what could possibly be a 25 episode (or less) drama to a 36 episode one. I don't expect grand strategy from her but her perspective on how things should get done is narrowly problematic to say the least. Up to Episode 15, I was thinking perhaps there might be some justification for her to not come clean and get the support of Shen Zaiye to help deal with her "overlords". But after Episodes 17 and 18 what I see happening is her needlessly squandering all the goodwill she had gained by collaborating with Shen Zaiye in earlier arcs. I don't expect her to fall head over heels with him this early but I expect some degree of pragmatism on her part especially because she's a stranger in a hostile land trying to survive. Asking him for help seems to me to be the obvious next move. Afterall their goals intersect quite frequently. Her recalcitrant belief that they are adversaries is more imaginary than real. To me her character isn't written as a flaw but as a way of delaying plot developments. Quite conveniently she manages to come to wrong conclusion about Shen Zaiye so that she can get away with creating one degree of misunderstanding after another.

18 episodes later I have mixed feelings about this show. The main reason why I'm still hanging on is Liu Xueyi, who is by every metric a masterful performer. I love his performance here and the character he inhabits is quite a compelling one. I also feel that there's so much potential in the show in terms of the political cat and mouse that goes on among the royals and the Beiyan side of things. The premise is interesting (although the set-up is on the clumsy side) but the execution is patchy.

I have nothing against the use of tropes. In fact all stories use tropes. But tropes have to be used sparingly and well. I've seen amnesia done really well in short C dramas. Amnesia can be used to create mystery and suspense. In the hands of a good writer, tropes can be utilized well. In this show and in other C dramas on the other hand, tropes are used to prolong the push and pull or drag out inevitable confrontations. That's what annoys people.

(More under spoiler tags)

Even Wonder Woman in various iterations (animated or live action) is a team player/ collaborator.

My view is that C dramas storytelling will never attain the heights of Hollywood at its peak because of government restrictions. Unless of course showrunners learn how to be creative under the rod of government restrictions. It can be done. Hollywood in the 1930s, 40s, 50s and 60s was able to produce a lot of great stuff despite strict censorship laws. Also it seems to me that the C drama industry prioritizes quantity over quality. There are good C dramas but the quality begins at the script level. No amount of good looking actors can make up for an underdeveloped script that takes the easy way out.

My thoughts on the first 12 episodes.
https://40somethingahjumma.substack.com/p/the-princess-gambit-2025-first-impressions

Definitely inspired by the John Wick universe. The set-up is not bad and located within Korean gang warfare. For those who love to see a one-man killing machine breaking bones for a few hours, it's an entertaining way to pass the time. Not for the faint-hearted.

If the show is trying to make the case against polygamy, it's doing a darn good job of it. LOL.
Who wouldn't want to marry Liu Xueyi though? :P In all seriousness, it's politics as usual. When anything is politicized it tends to get corrupted.

If it's feeling like a drag, you shouldn't torment yourself. Afterall there are so many other C dramas to watch. :D

My first impressions write-up of the show. Only spoilers from first couple of episodes. Very impressed so far with the plotting.
https://40somethingahjumma.substack.com/p/legend-of-zang-hai-2025-first-impressions

I feel like I should stop at Episode 21 when everything's fine and dandy with loads of kissing. Heh. I can tell that things will go south pretty soon because she still hasn't told him about her trauma. Things are bound to go pear-shaped since this is a C drama. 😛

I loved him in You Are My Hero and Reset. But You Are My Hero especially -- watched that series three times.

I am surprised to hear negative comments about Bai Jingting because as far as I'm concerned he's the main reason I'm still watching the drama. He is such a great actor and a good fit for the role.

I am impressed with this show from the script level to the performances. Maybe it's because I don't watch as many K dramas these days as I used to but I don't remember the last time I watched a K drama that's this detail-oriented since Hospital Playlist, perhaps. It won't be for everyone considering the nature of the beast but it still manages to be nail-biting and heartwarming in places. I also enjoy how it plays with detective elements (similarly to The Auditors) while dealing with corporate protocols. I personally thought Lee Je-hoon was terrific here. The vibe shifts that he exuded were fascinating to watch. Depending on who he was talking to and when he was talking to them, his eye acting was masterful. He was certainly reticent but he did a lot of talking with his eyes. 😄

My kind-of review of Filter:
https://40somethingahjumma.substack.com/p/filter-2025-a-look-at-perception

I can only imagine the amount of research and thought that went into writing the scripts for this series. It's good stuff although I can't always keep up with all the industry jargon.

Occasionally, this gives me a Chuck vibe. When it's funny, it's very funny.

Yes. But it does move slowly.

Who would have thought Yang Xian has the best growth arc in the show? But a job well done by the actor and the writer. That said the pacing of the final arc is all over the shop. So many characters. I feel like the show could have done with more episodes fill in the gaps. In general I think the men are more interesting or better written than the women. But as I've noted before I think the show is really about the men and how marriage is a mechanism of maturing them.

Still, I had a great time with this one. It was a lot of fun. I love the scene at the end with Mrs Li surrounded by family. It reminded me of my childhood. A really heartwarming way to close off which had me grinning from ear to ear.
I will write a proper analysis when I get the time.