Eleison

I'm just saying that it's totally doable and not shocking that they could find that info. In SK, I imagine it would be similar to the U.S.

You can find teachers' addresses in the U.S. using Google. In fact, you can find ANYONE'S address in the U.S. It stinks!

😅😅😅

The first trailer was giving mild horror/suspense vibes. Along with that, people are saying the FL has multiple personas in her head/people in her imagination--is this kind of horror-y, then?

Seems very different from what he's done so far, though (as far as dramas)!

Tan Jian Ci!!! 🥰

And I miss the subtitle after Rebel:

"Thief Who Stole The People."

Such a great subtitle.

Unless it's a blood splatter aesthetically and beautifully showcased across a cheek or nose or eyes. 😅

The end was my favorite part! I thought the last 1/3 was so exhilarating.

Yes, very good. It's probably my second or third favorite sageuk of all time after Under The Queen's Umbrella, and neck and neck with Sungyunkwan Scandal (I really liked/agreed with @xXabsintheXx's review).

So sad it's gone from Viki 😭

Finally finished it!

It's definitely a bit slow, especially in the second half. I'm not sure the writer/director did as much research as they could have to make this believable, but I love BJT and the FL did fine, too (but what was up with her styling? 🤦‍♀️), though they felt more like close friends than lovers. That said, there were some great scenes/moments and very cozy parts, but I think it felt kind of drawn out overall. The best parts were Xing Kelei's missions when he and Mi Ka's skills/work overlapped.

It took FOREVER for the 2MC to get together, and the 3MC (Shao and Keyao) also felt more like close friends than lovers.

I got a kick out of a comment from Kelei when Keyao was telling him about the Allen Research Center (which I assume the implication throughout was it was in the U.S.) and how awful the working conditions were and the crazy hours, and he said, "Those evil capitalists." 😅 The irony of this scene was not lost on me: this was said by someone who wasn't ever able to take a day off without being on call, and who could get summoned at a moment's notice to do work at any and all hours. 🤔🧐 (And to be fair, she did say afterwards that those who graduated became coveted doctors, but that whole scene was demonizing a work ethic that is shown in literally every single modern Cdrama I have ever seen. Couldn't come up with a better jab at the U.S. than that?🤦‍♀️).

I also liked some of the OSTs!

👍

Also, the Emperor! He was great, and I loved him. Better than many adult Cdrama emperors by far. He knew who the trustworthy people were, and I could have watched a whole spinoff with him planning and plotting and cleaning house with Ye Xian and Chen Yan Yun. 😅

It's honestly really silly that Xing Kelei gets called on his time off to help with hostile situations. Does a city that big not have enough elite SWAT members to give their guys who are off-duty... time off? If you think about it too much, it's laughable (Descendents Of The Sun was more convincing in this respect because they were in the military, which makes it feel more realistic when they get "called in" because they're a special team who respond to a military crisis, not SWAT members responding to a domestic one).

It'd be like calling a fireman in to handle an emergency while he's off duty and at home or something, which is actually ridiculous when you think about it--it's already too late at that point for him to be of any help since emergency situations must be addressed VERY quickly.🤦‍♀️

I'm not sure I'd describe what Jin Zhao felt initially (or later) toward CYY was instinct or a lack of feeling safe. I think it was fear (not of him, but of how things could go wrong; and this, especially after what happened with her parents).

Both for Jin Zhao and her half sister, both softened at the prospect of marriage when they felt safe around the men who wanted to marry them--that they wouldn't abandon them, that they wouldn't use them, and that they truly cared about them, not just what they could get from them.

I also liked that the drama showed that the other types of relationships: those built on desperation/settling to escape their family (Wan Xue), puppy love based on more superficial qualities (Xuan Qing, Jin Zhao (as well as her half sister's crush on Ye Xian)) and a relationships built on looks/status (Gu Lan) all fell apart/never materialized. I think that was interesting.

CYY wasn't at his best when he found out about Xuan Qing and Jin Zhao, but I think it was more complicated than you make it out to be (but I'll admit, he was being petty and stubborn/possessive a bit, too).

I think it's also important to remember how differently he acted toward Ye Xian than Xuan Qing, and that had a lot to do with how differently those two characters went about their relationship with CYY and Jin Zhao. Ye Xian was not furtive or secretive, not trying to hide and sneak and infiltrate back into Jin Zhao's heart.

The Xuan Qing/Jin Zhao stint had the added element of CYY realizing she had liked Xuan Qing, and that came as a complete surprise to him and he was hurt she never told him (I wondered if he also felt bad for tearing them apart--like he had potentially ruined Xuan Qing's and Jin Zhao's puppy love; he broke the bro code, but didn't know it. I liked that the show didn't tell us ALL the reasons he was angry--there was DEFINITELY more to it than what he admitted to Jin Zhao when they made up).

I really liked that it was in a forest. It hid the small numbers of extras so it felt more realistic and not distractingly small in numbers. It drives me nuts the way they have these "huge" battles with a 100 extras spread in haphazard fashion over a large stretch of dirt (there's no way they fought battles with so little rhyme or reason to formation or strategy)--it just kills the vibe every time. 😅

The only Cdrama I've seen that had good battle scenes with armies in my opinion was the second season of Nirvana in Fire.

This was a lovely watch, overall!

I loved the development of the characters, and I liked how they gave plenty of indicators for why four dudes would like the FL--she was definitely a catch!

All the characters had flaws (some more than others) and moments where those flaws impacted others in harmful ways, and I liked the humanness of the characters shown in this way. It helped them feel more like real people (and I also enjoyed watching some of the more flawed characters improve).

It took me a little while to see the FL as a perfect match with the ML, but eventually, I very much saw it and was fully Team CYY. CYY was flawed, too, and had some moments that made him look less than stellar (I honestly thought he toed the line of integrity himself at times, despite realizing he ultimately disliked this quality in his mentor). But I liked how they showed the men falling for different facets of her character, and enjoyed watching Ye Xian and Chen Yan Yun get completely enamored by her quips, integrity, love for upholding what was right, and confidently speaking her mind when others wouldn't.

Jin Zhao had lovely connections with all four men, but only Chen Yan Yun was her match. Ye Xian grew up because of her, Xuan Qing just got flattered by her attention, and Ji Yao just loved her seflessly and devotedly simply for being herself. At first I was worried her deference toward Chen Yan Yun would shake out in a power imbalance in their relationship (I kinda liked the feeling of not knowing how he'd end up with her (even though I knew he would) since the other connections were made so much clearer and obvious from the get-go), but those fears gradually melted away as she warmed up to him and became more herself around him after realizing he was a sweet marshmallow under that official, imposing facade.

And wow, Ye Xian stole my heart. Will I get attacked for saying I thought his acting was more interesting than Ci Sha? He just had such good expressions while Ci Sha's beauty sometimes carried his scenes. It was a nice touch having Ye Xian save/tend to the kitten, Baopu--one might argue it was for visuals and such, but I think it was symbolic; Ye Xian was a lot like that cat--he had a simplicity about him that felt very pure, while also being wildly unpredictable at times when he'd turn on a dime if angry (cats do that! They'll lash out of nowhere when they get scared or anxious 😅). I usually don't get 2ML syndrome, and 2MLs in Cdramas are often narcissists and jerks, but Ye Xian was appropriately layered: adorable, infuriating, and pitiable all at the same time (and played very well by Win Win, I thought--he nailed the tender, prickly, spoiled brat (who's also ironically starved for love) perfectly). I also loved his relationship with CYY--how utterly trusting of CYY and good-hearted he always was, except when he loses his temper which is clearly a childish part of him that bursts out of him when he feels out of control and helpless. Even when he had good reason to mistrust CYY, he placed himself in the older man's steady hands again and again. And CYY never abandons him! Always fighting behind the scenes for him--first, out of kindness and thoughtfulness, and later because of Jin Zhao (despite knowing Ye Xian loved her!), which shows how generous and gracious CYY is towards him--and that he trusts, Ye Xian, too. Their unspoken alliance and friendship was one of the sweetest things in this, and the most unexpected, happy surprise of the drama.

Ye Xian's story was quite sad, but fitting. I don't agree with those who say the way his thread resolved was random or completely unnecessary. It was foreshadowed from the beginning.

Xuan Qing was more infuriating than anything else, but I'll admit he also had a difficult situation to navigate. Unlike Ye Xian's humble, childlike trust of CYY, Xuan Qing thinks a little too highly of himself, is actually more insecure and jealous of CYY (Ye Xian is like a wounded animal dying for love, affection and care--Xuan Qing is afraid to lose his image, and Ye Xian doesn't care about that AT ALL 😅), and tends paint himself as a victim. CXQ DOES have a tough hand of cards--who could argue he doesn't? But again, unlike Ye Xian, he refuses to recognize all CYY had done for him, and that was what led to his tragedy.

The end was not horrible (and not the dreadful thing I imagined from the comments). However, the last three episodes DID feel rushed and edited down to the bare bones of most necessary scenes which left huge gaps in the storytelling which did not exist in the earlier episodes (i.e. how/when did Jin Zhoa reunite with Qu Ping? Why did CYY HAVE to be the one to go to the north? etc.)-- it just raced to the end with scenes missing galore and let you fill in the gaps. It was clear the skeleton of an interesting ending and the beats of a good plot were there, they just didn't have time to develop it. I only felt like the rushing really affected the last three episodes, though.

Would have been a 9 but for the ending. An unexpectedly enjoyable Cdrama, and I also liked the BGMs. Definitely recommended!

I think Flourished Peony/In The Name Of Blossom (have you seen those?) does a better job innovating in a new/unexpected way on the dynamics of the MC (in that the ML never saves the FL, and he acts in an equal manner with her in a way that is SUPER uncommon in Cdramas, even costume dramas which innovate more on couple dynamics than the modern dramas (from what I've observed, at least)).

I'm at Episode 17.

This one has more traditional couple dynamics so far, in the sense that the ML does save the FL quite a bit, haha, and while the FL starts out being kind of intimidated and in awe of the ML (he's older, buttoned-up, and has an aura about him that commands instant respect), he slowly invites her into realizing he's not someone to be afraid of, and gently treats her like his equal. He is very thoughtful of her, always thinking of what she needs. He falls first, for sure, but is very subtle and tender in his pursuit. She slowly starts to come round and get more comfortable/trusting of him, and less deferential.

In her interactions with the 2MLs (Xuan Qing and Ye Xian) she's just more aggressive, irreverant, fiesty and fiery because they are her age and even though Ye Xian is of a high rank, he doesn't command the same respect Lord Chen does, so she walks all over him and he kind of loves it and fights right back. 😅

So, it's only with the ML that she respects him in a way that would make a suitable match (at first I didn't know how felt because she looked up to him, but he's been slowly evening the playing field and beckoning her to his level); she admired Xuan Qing in a puppy love sort of way and admire him, and saw Ye Xian as a comrade, but Chen Yan Yun is truly her match (but she hasn't realized it yet, as of where I'm at 😉😅).

Episode 16: Further confirmation that no one important ever dies falling off of cliffs in Cdramas.