The rating of 8.1 on this drama is debatable
Ok where to begin with ... Let's go from bad to worstCast (bad): not a fan of ML i watch his shows from time to time but so far nothing impressed me. He doesn't look very lead material to me. The second ML/villain has distinctive looks but as such nothing felt extraordinarily good about his acting or character. FL is good despite her poor written character she kept the show alive solely by her acting and spontaneity.
Characters (worse) : every character from lead to villain to side characters is weak and poorly written. None of them is convincing even in the least or have any impactful projection. All of them just living their own arc of stupidity. Lead female character messed up a big deal but did nothing even after knowing her mistake .. ML got his life destroyed by FL but still can't think of any confrontation instead as soon as meets FL again he forgets what a fucked up life he was living for last nine years. Apart from this we have emotionally challenged mother and son duo on the lose. A teacher who keeps making cheap passes on fellow teacher. A teacher who is making pass on his students mother a mother whose son can study good is literally playing with entire parent association. As if it wasn't enough that we see the ML passing flying kisses and love letters to FL
Literally while sitting in the classroom - Disgusting!!! I mean man you aren't even freaking Highschool graduate take some time off and think about your pathetic status in a society like south korea. First you had dropout half way and now that you are back you still can't live up to the chance and messing things around .
Plot (the worst) - non-direction approach totally killed the joy. Though in the beginning two episodes it felt like okay there is a fine build up for upcoming events (may be a mellow revenge plot) but suddenly the writer took a nosedive and things lost their direction.. i won't be exaggerating if I say I completely forgetten why I started watching this show in the first place .. nothing written in the synopsis ever came true. It was a big disappointment almost betrayal as a viewer.
With that said I have had enough so i dropped it mid way.
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Nothing special for a betrayal-revenge story
I don't find anything different or unique for the overall storyline ... Simple betrayal to revenge plot ... I mean you are not missing anything even if you don't watch it ... There are already a lot of similar plot dramas in the market ... Infact this one is rather boring than the others. the story gets very flat after episode 6 ... For the FL is jewelry designer, the story writer has pushed too much stuff like jewelry project jewelry gala jewelry this and that ...( Don't know if even the real jewelry artists get these many things to do in that short span of time) ..I decide to drop it at ep 9.Was this review helpful to you?
Poop cake
I gave it a fair chance but everything from its plot, to characters and acting of the entire cast is upto no class .. the story writing seems to be done by some fifth grader ... events and their collaboration in the plot is making no sense plus the pathetic acting is adding that rotten cherry on top of this poop cake, just few minutes in first episode and i already got sick of FL over-acting..ML tried to deliver but as there is no sync from FL side chemistry seems like it will commit suicide any minute. In fact ML and the child character were the only people actually did their job properly.Some people have given this thing a decent rating but I am sorry I can't ... I have some high standards. I can't recommend this to anyone.
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This review may contain spoilers
Failed attempt to make a sci-fi x history x rpg drama
The story had a lot of potential but thanks to bad screenwriting and incomplete preface that the entire drama failed.The FL is supposed to eradicate a big in the game system ...and for that she needs to kill the lord of the city 99-100 times ... The plot was so unique but because the content was kept so secretive it twisted in a boring outcome ... In my opinion a proper narration about the game could have helped the viewers in better understanding of the plot ...
I dropped it at 11th episode may be the story will get interesting later on ...but seriously 11 episodes are already enough ... If a drama can't hold on to the viewers interest in 11 episodes than I don't think it's really worth watching ... Cast was good ,but again wasted .. hope some other writer can rewrite the theme in proper way ... The concoction of these genre is actually very interesting.
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SASSY saintess of the dark ❤️ NOBLE lord of the immortals
this drama had me hooked for the first 25 episodes—like, I genuinely thought I had discovered something better than the cult favorites like TTEOTM and Unchained. The storytelling, the characters, the intensity—it was chef’s kiss. But then... (sigh) someone really needed to tell the writers that less is more. Instead of wrapping it up in 30 episodes, they decided to give us filler arcs we never asked for. But anyway, let’s break this down properly because I have thoughts.1) Interesting Characters – No Basic Good vs. Evil Trope Here!
This drama didn’t serve the classic hero-villain formula; instead, it explored the angels and demons within each character. We got a main lead who starts as an immortal sect leader, then becomes a saint emperor, and finally, a demon lord (talk about career progression). The side lead? He starts off as a timid little guy but slowly reveals his morally grey shades.
But let’s talk about the real star here—our FL. She is:
✔ Sassy
✔ Smart
✔ Bold
✔ Straightforward
✔ Funny
✔ A queen who pursues her man without hesitation (no unnecessary pining here)
✔ Takes responsibility for the people she loves
Honestly, I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I said she’s one of the best female leads I’ve ever seen. And she stays consistently amazing till the very end, which is RARE.
2) The Plot – A Full Buffet of Genres, But...
This drama gave us romance, comedy, suspense, thrill, adventure—basically, everything packed into one show, and it was well-balanced. No genre overpowered the other, which is usually hard to pull off. The sweet romance and cute comedy moments were adorable. BUT…
❌ Too many filler arcs. Do I really need to know the backstory of every single character, from a bodyguard to a noodle seller? NO.
❌ Lotus of Life arc dragged on for too long. We get it. Move on.
❌ The goddess and her lover’s curse arc—completely unnecessary. I still don’t get what purpose it served in the grand scheme of things.
❌ Too many reincarnation parallels. I understood why the saint emperor, Pearl, and Fate had past lives—it made sense. But why was the royal bodyguard reincarnated too? I’m sorry, who asked for this?
And then there’s this plot hole: Xie Xuechen from the present goes back in time to help Mu Xuanling and dies, only to be saved by the Chaos Pearl. But what happens to the Xie Xuechen already existing in that timeline?? Crickets.
3) The Cast – Just Perfection
Sun Zhen Ni is already a favorite, thanks to TTEOTM, and she absolutely killed it here. Her voice modulations? On point.
Vin Zhang? Hottie alert. I’ve been obsessed with him since Rattan.
Wang Duo (Sword and Fairy) and Zhang Ya Qin (Ancient Love Poetry) added to the magic.
Special shoutout to the child actress playing young Mu Xuanling—she was insanely talented!
4) The Costumes – Fashion Goals
The Saintess of the Dark costume?? ICONIC.
Every single outfit was next-level, but the Demon Lord’s, Fate’s, and Goddess Pearl’s outfits were just wow.
The accessories? From chains to crowns—perfection.
5) OST – Small but Mighty
Unlike Guardians of the Defang and Love Between Fairy and Devil, which had an entire playlist of bangers, this drama only gave us one standout OST. But you know what? That one song was enough.
6) Set Design – Dark Abyss Was a Masterpiece
The details in Dark Abyss were stunning, and the lava valley VFX? SO REALISTIC.
That said, Snow City could’ve been better. I expected more from them on that one.
7) Why Wasn’t This in Full HD?!
I don’t know if they intentionally kept the quality low to hide set flaws, but even on streaming platforms claiming to be HD—it wasn’t true HD. And that’s a crime because I couldn’t even fully admire the details of the FL’s stunning accessories.
8) Action Scenes – An Absolute Feast for the Eyes
The first 15 minutes of the drama alone gave us a high-intensity Xie Xuechen and Mu Xuanling escape sequence. And that was just the start! Every action scene was flawlessly performed and choreographed.
9) My Favorite Takeaways
✔ Going back in time to meet your GF as a kid and getting jealous of your future self. (Peak romance!)
✔ Lip bite and love bites. Enough said.
✔ She fell hard, but he fell harder.
✔ Even after becoming the Demon Lord and suffering 10,000 years of punishment, he still couldn’t hurt her. The jealousy levels whenever he saw her with Fate?? Priceless.
10) The Ending – Satisfying, But…
They changed the course of time so that the Demon Lord never even existed because he willingly accepted his punishment. It was a good ending, but deep down, I wanted the Demon Lord to have his own closure.
Final Verdict:
This was an incredible drama that I will 100% rewatch. The first 25 episodes were near-perfect, and even with the unnecessary filler, it’s still one of the best fantasy romance dramas out there.
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If all encounters are reunions long overdue, i must have waited 1000 years to reunite with you
Different dramas hit differently to different people ... As for me "back from the brink" is the one that is going to stay at the top in my heart forever ..
The story along with its executive was superb,everything from VFX to background music was so spot on like the team behind the camera is as enthusiast as the actors in making this into a masterpiece piece.
We discuss about the cast and their acting ..the dragon King "tianyao" NEO , he played it so well I mean I have seen a lot of different actors playing dragon God dragon/King but he is the closet thing to a dragon King in my imagination..his eyes .. his expressions ...his smile ...the calmness in his aura ... Gosh ! OUTSTANDING... He makes you wanna worship him like a dragon God ...iykyk ... This was my first time watching him ( in 2023when I watched this show for the first time) and he left this everlasting impression that he is going to be my fav asian actor.
Zhou ye was as amazing as always ..she is the only actress who is so cute but doesn't rely on her cuteness, she actually works hard on her acting and her versatility in un-matched ... Her energy and dialogue delivery is so spontaneous. I love her 💖
Other actors were equally brilliant ..I can't pick out any negative things about this drama ...
(Shhh actually I can .... The only negative thing was ,it had only 40 episodes 😮💨😮💨😮💨😮💨😮💨😮💨
Good things come to an end so quickly ...)
Title tracks and OST were so good ...in fact the closing track was sung by NEO himself ...I put it as my ringtone ..hehe !!
Lastly ...
Am I going to watch it again ... ABSOLUTELY may be after 5-6 months ..I know I will never get bored of this one.
(Am I looking for season 2 .. Season 2 is not possible cause the original story in novel is completed in the show.)
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Playing 'em like a KEN DOLL
Very interesting drama ...am I talking about the revenge plot ??? No that's outdated ..this drama revolves around a very strong centre them viz. how to have two lovers and play 'em like a KEN DOLL ... Very refreshing.. if I say so to myself ... She was dating yet not dating (flirting) with these two men who are siblings actually... And none of them actually cares ... Younger brother is not bothered when he watches her sitting in the lap of elder brother sipping alcohol and kissing him .. all he says is let's get married ..and same happens when she fools around with younger brother in front of elder ... Wow ... I am beyond myself in awe ..One more thing whenever it's about FL taking revenge, either she turns a seductress or she needs help for four ML ...otherwise she cant plan or execute her revenge by herself.
Overall essence of the story was grey ...this time we see second lead getting his due credit and justice ... fL ends up with him ..after having four steaming foreplay with first lead of course ...
Cast was good ...and their looks and acting was also great
I didn't like the music
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Sometimes you just find your taste in something weird
A lot of people might find faults with this movie ...but I am weirdly in love with this one... Specially because of its soundtrack... That song was set as my ringtone for a span of entire year ... ML is very handsome And a good actor ..plus the writing of the plot was good ...I totally enjoyed this movie this movie.
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Ugliest FL in history
Okay!! ladies and gentlemen we are up for a long review here, so brace yourselves good ...Disclaimer : before you call me racist for using the word ugly ..let me tell you .. I don't care... I speak my mind out and try to support it with enough reason. Anyways I am not here for moral correctness ..
So let's begin
I have already read this manga and watched the anime numerous times as this is one of the most popular shoujo work out there. If I tell you about the plot .. of course movie adaptations are never as good as the real work . . Movie versions have lesser depth ..the substance is often missing and you have to compromise a big time of the overall spirit of the story .. and this is pretty much the deal in this case as well. The story itself is too inclined towards japanese culture extremes I mean I don't know what they get out of showcasing such lame Female lead characters.. most manga and anime have the same deal that is FL's world revolving around ML... SO BORING ...
Let's talk about the cast .. kento is good as ML I can't say this act has even half his real potential ..but what can he possibly do when his co actor is so pathetic . I mean seriously this is my first time watching an actress who has no looks and absolutely no acting talent at the same time she is playing lead... Wow!!! Firstly the character itself is so lame... Like Erika this 'I don't have fuck-to-do with life' high schooler has no future goals .. she needs to get a bf at any cost ASAP..why ?? Cause her friends talk about BDSM ... She is in high school but she has no exam worries ..she hardly opens her books .... her absolute focus in life is to become a bitch to this caramel hair coloured boy from another section .... DON'T KID ME she gets rejected by the boy (there wasn't any reason to accept her in the first place) and how she wins him back ... By crying .. yes . Crying with an ugly as F face .. I mean if crying can win me a decent man .. I would've cried an ocean to win Tom cruise.... Honestly I pity japanese people how come they tolerate such nonsense. My Korean fellas do way better than this.anyway Let's continue..
As if the character itself wasn't lustreless enough that they cast this horrible actress to play it .. seriously what's the deal with her???she has such flat as a cardboard 2D face, she looked ugly when she cried , uglier when she smiled. Even the climax was a disaster (go watch 1:48:00 to 1:50:00 and you will know) i was like somebody just take her face away from my screen please .....totally third class acting and fourth class dialogue delivery and unnecessary pauses and nodding ..... even the side actresses did a better job than this retard .. absolute crap ... Her limited talent is the reason why she can't establish a good chemistry with the ML. Such a shitty performance.
I don't know what else to say .. if you are a fan of this story better watch the anime or read the manga at least you will be provided with some story build up ...as far as this movie is concerned..sorry I can't recommend this crap ..
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JOINING HAE JO IN THE FINAL DRIFT OF HIS LIFE
The day we are born, our date of departure is also decided. Death is something we all know is inevitable, yet we're never truly prepared to face it. Without giving away too many spoilers, this is the first time I've seen a story where, instead of seeking a cure, the protagonist opts to do some last-minute homework. Out of the blue, he decides to find his father (a sperm donor), convinced that his disease was inherited from him—despite never considering that his mother could have been the carrier.Anyway, moving on, he ends up kidnapping his ex to accompany him on his adventure. Why? Because she's dealing with premature menopause, and somehow he decides to take her along. Logic? Don’t ask me. Maybe he just wanted to try his last shots at fertilizing her fallopian tubes before his time runs out—who knows?
Yet, despite all this absurdity, the story is surprisingly captivating. It made me laugh like crazy and cry like hell.
What I liked best:
1. Actors: The cast is incredible—seasoned artists, many of whom have been in the industry for decades.
2. Character depth: The leads, in particular (and everyone else, in general), have their own backstories that genuinely make you feel connected to and sympathetic towards them. For instance, the second lead, who has always been timid around his mother, undergoes significant character development. By the end, he transforms into a confident person unafraid to speak his mind.
3. Plot: The storyline is focused and concise, with no unnecessary detours. In fact, such narratives don't have room for conspiracy theories or melodramatic suspense.
4. Realistic ending: The male lead doesn’t survive. It’s tragic but also very realistic. Writers can pen countless miracles, but we know that in real life, such situations rarely end in a fairy tale.
In terms of the music, it was decent—perhaps not entirely to my taste, but it wasn't bad either.
I'm genuinely glad that Korean writers are experimenting with their typical storytelling tropes. We're moving away from the heavy makeup and designer outfits to something more raw, with imperfect backgrounds. Even the actors are expanding their range, taking on roles that go beyond merely being eye candy.
However, the re-watch value is zero. No matter how good it was, I wouldn’t recommend sticking to this gloomy story a second time.
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romance that transcends centuries and the longing that spans light-years apart
This drama truly deserves every bit of its massive fan following and even more. It's hands down one of the most beautifully crafted stories out there.Why I liked it:
1. Captivating plot: It maintains a steady momentum, with only a few lows but significantly more highs.
2. Outstanding cast: Kim Soo Hyun is an exceptional talent—words can't fully capture how phenomenal he is as an actor. While I'm not necessarily a fan of Jun Ji Hyun, I still enjoyed watching her performance. The rest of the cast was equally impressive.
3. A unique ending: Some might find the ending unsatisfactory, but I personally enjoyed it. Having read several stories with similar conclusions, like Gakuen Alice, I used to find such endings disheartening. However, over the years, I've matured to appreciate the depth of bittersweet conclusions. That said, I can’t deny that a part of me still wished for a more satisfying closure for the main characters.
4. A timeless love story: The romance that transcends centuries and the longing that spans light-years apart was incredibly moving.
5. The comedic relief: The humor added a sparkle to the parts where the story momentarily lost its momentum.
Areas where the story could have been improved:
1. Vague time-travel mechanism: There's little explanation of how he plans to travel back. Like, okay, here's a comet... now what? Am I supposed to throw a rope around it or just stand in front of it? At least provide some clarity!
2. Weak investigative elements: The writer seems to have limited knowledge of prosecution and detective work. The investigation scenes came off as lackluster.
3. A poorly developed female lead: The female protagonist's character felt weak and somewhat irrelevant. She didn’t contribute significantly to the story from start to finish.
4. Boring flashbacks: The scenes set in the past were quite tedious. I initially watched a few but soon realized they didn’t add much value to the plot, so I skipped them.
Lastly, the background music was delightful. Every time I rewatch this drama, its soundtrack keeps playing in my head for days afterward.
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Everyone is connected within six Degrees for separation- mathematics of Fate - Kevin becon
This show brilliantly exposes the harsh and ugliest sides of our society, showcasing how humanity can sink to new lows for selfish desires. It resonates deeply, especially in a world where social media can turn into a dirty game.But amidst the chaos, there is this beautiful relationship between an adoptive father and son that had me in tears(almost ten times!) This father’s unwavering love, refusing to dissolve the adoption, highlights a bond often overlooked in real life, where adopted children can feel discarded as soon as biological kids enter the picture.
Lee Jong Suk shines in his role; this was my first time seeing him as a lead, and I was thoroughly impressed. I adore male actors who can cry real tears instead of the exaggerated “I’m pretending to cry” faces. Major credit goes to the scriptwriter for weaving the story together like a stunning necklace, with suspense unfolding gracefully in every episode.
the comedy sprinkled throughout, ensuring there were no dull moments. Kim Hae Sook and Jin Kyung delivered exceptional performances, adding depth to their conflicting roles.
One more highlight was the opening soundtrack—it’s an absolute banger! While I did find the title misleading, as Pinocchio herself had little to do with the main story, it didn’t diminish my enjoyment. Overall, this show is a perfect 10/10. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a mix of heart, humor, and thought-provoking themes!
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Scalpels , sutures , ROSC and Romance
"Dr. Romantic" is hands down one of the best medical dramas out there, and after watching it for the second time, I’m sure I’ll be revisiting it again in the future. The talented cast, including the brilliant Han Seok Kyu, Yoo Yeon Seok, and Seo Hyun Jin, delivers standout performances. Even the supporting actors were incredible, giving the show a real family-like atmosphere in the hospital setting. It’s heartwarming to see such a close-knit group working together, making the hospital feel more than just a place of work.What sets it apart is the accuracy and care in portraying medical cases. I mean unlike many other medical dramas that lean on fictionalized or sensationalized content, the writers here did an amazing research. The procedures and medication names are realistic, adding an informative touch that doesn’t feel forced at all . Right ??
The chemistry between the lead characters ??? Oh my god !!! it literally goes beyond just the romance. Their dynamic as colleagues, friends, and mentor-mentee is so good plus the mutual understanding and unwavering support they show each other, both professionally and personally, felt so damn genuine.
the portrayal of the teacher-student relationship with teacher kom and pupils is spot on. Rather than taking a traditional approach, the drama shows a mentor who truly understands and nurtures his students, even the more rebellious ones., a completely unique take on mentorship.
I know a lot of people don't even pay attention to this details but this show has an exceptional cinematography. With a large cast and numerous chaotic hospital scenes, it would be easy for the camera work to slip up, but it’s flawless. It immerses you in the action, making you feel like you're right there in the ER, witnessing it all firsthand. My god I don't know if I was the only one to feel this.
So, you can say this drama was emotionally gripping, and realistic drama that leaves a lasting impression. So what else can you ask for ...really ???
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As such nothing MIRACULOUS of the sorts
Now that I have seen enough eerie in the drama this one felt little subtle to me .. but who are green to this genre might find it very refreshing. The story had balanced amounts of blood shed romance action horror suspence but still couldn't convince me enough as a viewer. Reason why ?1. Start was amazing but gradually story lost it's pace .. only two cases in the beginning were interesting ( brothel case and plastic prince case) later ones were not.
2. Story continuation was sort of abrupt , the dots of events were not connected properly making it a little confusing.
3. Main villain was lame ..I mean he was giving that villian vibe from the beginning but for all the buildup to his character as a villain final face off was too FLAT.
4. parallel couple was so unnecessary, I still can't understand their chemistry. I would rather have this male actor for the role of fourth most handsome men and portray the love rival for the main ML. (Casting him as a lame lover boy was such a waste)
It's not that the drama is totally un-watchable try watching few episodes and stick as long as you find it interesting.
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Glad this time it wasn't a doctor, they sent to the past.
Ahhh !!! Lovely !!! At last a writer thought of sending an forensic expert instead of doctor to the past .. otherwise I didn't even remember how many present- past travel series I watched almost all of them were about a person who is apparently doctor/medical expert by profession ...The storyline was very interesting and to the point as she travels to past, she right away starts using her expertise as forensic expert to solve cases .. like no beating around the bush ... Meanwhile she also is remembering these visuals that are related to her tragic present situation making the plot running simultaneously in present and past ... ( Won't give more spoilers you check out for yourself)
At last I will say for many series which dont actually have good writing but still a huge viewership , I think this one is quite Underrated .. i feel it literally takes a good amount of brain power to write such stories especially in short drama format.the writer need to be appreciated for the hard work.
Coming on to the cast both FL and ML did great job ... FL was a perfect pick for the character she is acting shades of her character so effortlessly.. her emotions goes 'on to off' as soon as she starts her investigation with the corpse with that peculiar way of dialogue delivery .. just amazing.
ML seems to be a new actor haven't seen him before this but he did a good job as well .. he was able to deliver the best in both of his characters.
Overall a good show .. 👍
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