Shin

Okay-ish !

Not much to put as a review ..this is one of those stories that either you like cause it tickled your good mood or you dropped cause you were just feeling moody and irritated that day .

A pre-independence themed revenge plot with its own fluff. The best part playful dynamics between the ML’s sister-in-law, who thinks he’s her husband, the ML, who pretends to be her husband in front of the FL he secretly likes, and the FL, who’s here to kill him thinking he murdered her father, keep the drama quirky.

The antihero was clearly the writer’s favourite—starting neutral, then turning into a ruthless villain, suddenly finding patriotism thanks to the ML,'s speech , and finally dying like he is some sort of victim. Three U-turns later, he remains unsummarizable.

Direction, styling, and cast were impressive for a short-format drama. Music was decent and suited the tone.

The ending might feel problematic to some, but in freedom-struggle themed dramas, sacrifice often replaces the expected happy ending.

Read More

ENDLESS LOOP OF MALE LEAD DENIALS AND VILLAIN REAPPEARANCES

Alright, so this drama started strong—like a solid 8/10 type strong. The first 10-12 episodes? Pure gold. The character dynamics were tight, the plot had momentum, and the leads’ budding chemistry? Chef’s kiss. You could actually feel the tension, the excitement, the romance simmering just beneath the surface.

But then… plot twist—someone clearly snatched the script away from the original writer and handed it to a confused intern on caffeine withdrawal. The last 30 episodes? Felt like a completely different drama.

Let’s talk about Mr. Morality aka the Male Lead. In the beginning, his unwavering principles and moral compass had me swooning. But soon, that same "righteousness" turned into full-blown annoying inflexibility. I wanted to reach through the screen and shake him. He went from "Wow, what a man!" to "Sir, can you not?"

Thank the drama gods for the Female Lead. She stayed rock-solid from start to finish. Captain of the army, martial arts master, drop-dead gorgeous, smart, kind, and could probably break your bones while reciting military strategy. And guess what? She didn’t simper around the ML like a lost puppy. She knew her worth, stayed cool under pressure, and handled her personal and professional life like a boss. People who criticized her conduct? Probably grew up under a rock in a deeply patriarchal setting. They just can't handle watching a woman with political aspirations or being pro at court politics .. but they definitely enjoy the plots where Male leads manipulate and abuse the FL .. force them into choices ... And it's quite disappointing most of such viewers are female ..anyways For me, she was a total inspiration.

Now let’s show some love to the supporting characters: FL’s badass dad, her physician BFF, the ML’s army bros, and his surprisingly layered father—actual scene-stealers.

Costumes and sets? Meh. Not terrible, but for a wuxia drama, I was hoping for more oomph.
Fighting choreography? Loved it.
Music? Let’s just say... I didn’t add anything to my playlist.

Now, brace yourself: by episode 12, the plot enters repetition hell. One villain makes six comebacks. SIX. I mean, is he immortal or just has frequent flyer miles to escape prison?

Also, ML’s character becomes a confusing blend of “sweet talker or spineless romantic?” I honestly couldn’t tell what was genuine and what was just... there for the drama.

Do I recommend it?
Yes—but with conditions. Definitely check out the first 10 episodes. They’re worth the time. After that, continue at your own risk... or if you just enjoy watching chaos unfold.

Read More

Legends say they are still watering their wives till this day ... ?

Watched my expectations being compromised to hell cause I watched this drama right after finishing moonlight mystique.🥺🥺
This drama? Whew. Mediocre in every sense 😮‍💨—from the plot and characters to the casting. Nothing screamed “worth my time,” so I skipped generously and brought it down from 35 hours to a more survivable 25-ish. Trust me, darling, you’ll do the same. The show is packed with pointless segments and characters that add about as much value as a decorative pillow on a park bench. 🫡

The plot? It starts out meh. The first 5-6 episodes are okay-ish, but I doubt many viewers would be sold on such a weak pilot. Things do pick up around episode 6 and stay interesting until 25. Then? Back to mediocrity. Episodes 31–40? Full-on disaster. 👎👎

Spoiler Alert: The ending is absolute garbage.
And don’t even get me started on how they tried to cover lazy screenwriting with lame excuses like “filial piety” or “heaven realm duties.” I mean… TO HELL WITH THAT. Nobody’s buying these ancient justifications anymore, sweetie.😑😑

Characters:

FL: She’s a rebel—cool. Strong, independent, makes money, uses her brain. Amazing. Until… she spares ML’s father and I was like “THANK YOU, NEXT.” 🥱

SFL: A sweet girl turned strategic queen. I liked her. She wanted freedom and stayed classy—even if she played from the sidelines she didn't leave a displeasing taste in my mouth.

ML: Ugh. A second-tier disappointment. He can save the world, but not his own love life from daddy dearest. His endless forgiveness? Exhausting. 😷

SML: Half the time, he’s getting wrecked. His insecurity from daddy issues and succession vendetta are addressed… but meh, didn’t really help.🤕

Birdy (FL’s demon BFF): My absolute favorite. Period. 😘😘

Puppy boy: Surprisingly better than the SML.🥰😍

Useless Crew:

ML’s mom: No backbone, no impact, and somehow... endless screen time. 😖

ML’s younger bro: More useful as wallpaper.😣



Casting:
Landy Li (FL), He Xuan (SFL), and Wang Lina (Birdy) carried the show on their backs. Chen Xingxu? Eh. Chemistry with Landy was decent, but he looked a little too seasoned for the role. Still like him though.

Styling:
Typical wuxia/xianxia fare. Nothing mind-blowing like TTEOTM or LBFAD, but passable. Bonus points for the accessories.

Music:
One word—Sa Dingding. Her voice in “EST”? Absolutely stole the show. The only thing I genuinely loved about the entire series.

Read More

u recklessly made me fall in love with u, how can u be so heartless to leave me in such cruel way.

Now when I was almost sure I will not feel anything about this 'author transmission into novel' plot anymore, here I am caught up again with my over flowing sentiments. Normally I don't cry in such drama but BLAME IT ON THE ML's AMAZINGLY ACTED SAD SCENES oh boy !! I cried ..I cried a lot ... Everytime he shed a tear with that helplessly adorable face ( specially the last episode) i can't stop mine. Would have I felt the same if it were for any other actor ... ABSOLUTELY NOT ..
Moving on to the plot which was slow in my opinion..I mean it lacked a lot of substance ... Cause a lot of time was wasted in unnecessary mini plots .. FL and ML are both talented and good looking actors but my vote is obviously for the ML

Ending of the story felt little dragged or derailed ... But i guess the story writers wanted to end it into something different from regular ending where author in real world compromises with the lookalike of ML ..
Overall I find this drama very interesting.. I might as well watch it again some day ...

Read More

Short drama that lived higher than my expectations

First of all I am a huge fan of revenge plots ... When a woman is getting revenge on man it becomes thriller or grey ..and in contrast when a man delivering his shot to deliver his revenge on a woman ..it becomes a passionate love story ...this drama serves you the latter ...
Story starts with the ML coming to FL's town to take his revenge against her for what she did to his family and got his father killed 5 years ago. Despite his efforts he can't get over his feelings for her ..and all these years he seemed to stuck into the same loop " did she even loved me for real even for a moment? ". As the story unfolds we see the reason behind FL's actions (not giving any spoilers) .. the entire plot is based on freedom struggle era in china. Everything from cars,trains , telephone to costumes gave the retro (pre retro vibe).

The FL is quite beautiful and I loved her acting as well ... In the same way ML was equally talented and good looking ..both making a perfect duo ... Their chemistry had a good spark to it .. (though at times I felt the FL is reluctant to give a proper smooch scene) other than that everything seems fine.

For first few episodes you will see a passionate kissing scene in every episode.. later cools off to a no kiss climax, what a waste for a story that had so much heat in the pilot episode

But even with it's flaws this drama was still very enjoyable.

Recommended ❤️

Read More

I don't wanna watch Xu kai doing such horrible drama ever again

The story is crap ..not gonna lie this was one of the weakest plots that I have ever seen. Why I say so ?? Cause you will watch 3/4th of the drama still won't feel attached to the story ... The feeling of excitement to watch the next episode was totally missing ..just imagine the amount of disappointment.

Xu kai is a fantastic actor He delivered best on his part but in the end he can only play his own role .. I feel bad for him as don't know for what reason but his chemistry with his co-actors has been compromised in last couple of shows ...in best choice ever it was the same .. I hope he gets some beautiful and talented co-actress who will bring out his charisma again ...

Esther yu was terrible like she is in most of her dramas.she was the same in 'Love between devil and fairy' two years back .. her acting skills haven't improved at all,she is hopeless. In fact the rest of the cast performed way better than her. I don't know how chinese casting works but she has no chance to sign even a junior artist role for the third class acting skills she owns.she is the only grade less actress who gives kissing scenes in a child voice, making it even morally incorrect.

The plot was stuffed with a lot of details but somehow the mess created was so much that it lost its core ... The plot was bulky in itself plus There were a total of 4-5 couples having their own love story which were dragged to the last altogether.. an Absolute CHAOS .

a few more things 'louder than dialogue' background music ..basic and ugly costume .. multidirectional approach with no straight execution of parts were responsible for not delivering the drama in its whole potential

If i have to summarise, it was just the hard work of the entire cast ( minus Esther yu) that kept the drama breathing otherwise there was no hope whatsoever.

Read More

Fate of The Devil God

In my opinion "fate of the devil god" would have been a better title for this drama.

this is no doubt by far one of the best drama i have seen (not the bestest best though)... everything from story ..to cats to overall execution is top notch. here are my positive thoughts about it :

1) Cast: the casting just couldn't have been better every actor did best justice to their roles.Leo was funstatic as War God ... cute as tiantin jin.. divine as juimin and fierce as Devil God. similarly bailu resonated with all three role she played. the side cast was equally convincing with their act.

2) character setting : there are so many like literally so many characters in this show but somehow every character is put in such a harmony with the story line that you would not feel confused or mis outs on their names ... Everything from the actor faces to over all personality of these characters is easily distinguishable otherwise with so many characters it becomes quite difficult to keep a track of each and every one of them.
ML's character is evil in Outlook yet a kind soul and hopeless lover .. he will make you cry for him. FL's character is fairly good as well she turned a big hypocrite in the ending episodes though, SHE MADE THE MESS AND TURNED THE CASE WORSE THAN IT ORIGINALLY WAS.

3)plot: if you talk about the overall plot , it was fine .. entertaining .. engaging but as per 40 episodes it had a lot of shortcomings ( will discuss in negative points)

4) Beating the reality ~ vFX and special effects .. a total treat to my aesthetics.

5)Refined and detail oriented set design... my fav were war lord residence and devil lord's palace ... the two were set so much in contrast and you can actually see through them the hard work of designing team.

6) thrilling action scenes ..sword fighting ... extensive use of designer martial art weapons and brilliant fighting choreography.

7)Styling and costume were breath taking .. from war god appearance to devil lord dark costume ... chef's kiss (the last goddess costume was not very impressive though)

now the negative or maybe be not so positive points :

1)story went smooth till ep 20 but after that i am not gonna lie but my enthusiasm dropped by 50 % .. right from ep 22 to 29 .. and later 35 to 39 ..things were on rinse ..repeat ..fashion .... the art of using misunderstanding to derail the core matter is used and abused multiple times that it led me to think if the writer has stuck into his own Bo're life.
2) The LARGER THAN LIFE hoe factor who literally destroyed their two lives just by sowing silly doubts .. but what was more interesting that no matter what chaos she create , she will still be left loose with a insignicant warning.
3) Makeup malfunction: not worth mentioning cause it commonly never happens that you can see the foundation cracks on actors face so clearly.. all the actors had the same shade of off white emulsion on their faces .. plus i dont think MuA had any understanding of touch ups or setting sprays in his mind.

anyway .. the overall essence of the drama was warming .. and this is definetely going into the lists of my fav. 💞💞💞💞💞


PS: SOME PEOPLE COMPLAINT ABOUT HAVING WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS CAUSE THE DRAMA ENDED TRAGICALLY WITH ML'S DEATH ... WHEREAS I , WAS LOWKEY WISHING FOR IT. AFTER WATCHING HIM GOING THROUGH ALL THE BETRAYAL AND PEOPLE ABANDONING HIM FOR ABSOLUTELY NO GOOD REASON . I WANTED HIM TO GO BEYOND THE WORLDLY EMOTIONS AND DIE LIKE A HERO.

Read More

There is no reach to PERFECTION but this one was very close to that

A story that you can cherish as a re-watch ..
I am going to put it in point for better understanding.

A) Points that make it a series worth your time :

1. blend of huge range of genres (romance,comedy,action,thriller,suspense,feel good,crime & little melodrama) a perfect balance of all .
2. An amazing cast ... Not just the leads but even the supporting cast was the best ... Cant point a single glitch in the cast.
3. A story with good writing and consistent pace. plot was to the point and writing was indeed remarkable...there were no cringe/ cliche' as far as dialogue writing is involved ... All characters have nice screen timing and their dialogues complimented the characters in a way that viewers will feel attached.
4. Chemistry between characters/connection between the character was indeed perfect ... We often look for chemistry between the leads ..but in this particular series I felt the warmth of every relationship..like the character of Su Jui'er's mother was so beautifully played that you can actually feel it through the screen ... Same goes for Chi Lan's sisterly love for Han Zheng or Jun'er's friendship with Han Zheng and Su Jui'er,her God father's love for Jui'er . We often ignore the connection between side CHARACTERS but this series made these relationships so impactful almost impossible to ignored.
5. fantabulous fight scenes and clean VFX ... I rarely re-watch fight scenes but in this particular series I actually replayed the fights scenes quite a lot of times.
6. No absurd kitchen politics or vamp slapping bullshit ... The story was clean ..there were no cheap concubine/ex-fiance crap... It was just about two people who come together by fate ..fall in love ... Chose each other to spend their lives with ...simple as that ...and that's how I personally like it.
7. Even the villain was handsome ... Entire main cast was good looking specially male characters ... Han Zheng , Jun'er , Crown prince, Mu yan etc including Female character like chi Lan.
8. Female characters with amazing action scenes ... I enjoy the series that have female characters performing action scenes ... ChiLan provided me with that thrill.
9) LOVELY CLOSING SOUND TRACK
10) happy ending ...

B) Points that I felt about this story that could have been worked on :

1. Female Main lead character could have been better ... I loved her character so much ..she is smart ..comic ... Independent... Intelligent... Beautiful.. but I still felt her character lost a the emphasis during final few episodes .. may be because they wanted to portray her as a saviour of the entire Qi clan but I personally expected her to come up with some smart alterative solution instead of just giving up on her life, given that she was the smartest character of teg entire series I can't just accept her to chose a flat and boring solution. If you know what I mean.

2. Some characters just disappeared in thin air and never got the final verdict ... For example the character of Qian king,he appeared in previous episodes then he disappeared like that ... Come on he was the king atleast Give him some scenes especially when you are discussing political matters between two tribes you are supposed to put some scenes with their leaders.

3. Happy ending but with loose ends ... Where the hell did Mu yan go ??? He was the main villian,still he got a single episode appearance ... On top of that he was not given any closure.

4. Plot unexplained - fragments of story like ..death of real crown prince-princess, Jui'er's father's attempt to steal the Qi amber fire, mu yan association with snow flake organisation ...etc ..there were a lot of fractions in the story that were left unexplained.

5. Crime cases were quite less ... Single case took more than necessary time to solve which lead to inability to accommodate more important things .. in my opinion the crime cases were stretched a way too much.the writers could have accomodated more details in story if it were not for the stretched cases.

6. Happy ending with absurd twist ... ML becoming simple Quin and FL going bizzare with Qi powers was the most childish and nonsensical ending twist that I have ever seen ... For a story with a wavelength like this one I didn't expect such irresponsible twist .. I would have appreciated a rather simple ending instead of this cheap twist.


Taking all points in consideration I still think the good outweighs the bad by many folds ..

**** making it one of the best shows I have ever seen***** ..

STRONGLY RECOMMENDED ( just watch it you will not regret )

Re-watch value : good

Read More

Not bad ..Not spellbinding..

The initial 6-7 episodes, I was this🤏close to ghosting this drama. Why? Because it opened with the most overused xianxia starter pack ever. ML lying unconscious in his core for a century in the middle of nowhere, only to be awakened by the FL. This savior is conveniently a lookalike of his ex lover who betrayed him and killed him. Add the usual human vs demon feud with elf, fairy and immortals making wildcard entries, opportunists of both sides taking advantage of the situation to exploit the innocent ones.
The storyline feels like a neatly stitched quilt made from leftover pieces of popular xianxia dramas, Literally everything felt like hitting a Deja vu.
Anyways Episode 9 onwards the plot starts taking shape.. it's not like you will escape the cliches but they will be less obvious at this point.

Now, let’s talk cast. HMH is my favorite, no debate. His acting, his voice, his screen presence, chef’s kiss. But compared to the emotional hurricane he was in Love in the Clouds, here he feels… restrained. Subtle is fine, but some expressions feel oddly flat. Especially those past-life romance scenes with Niag’an. I’ve seen this man look at a co-star like the world stops spinning, but here the gaze felt vacant, almost awkward. His character in the drama is also TOO direct, there is nothing much to do apart from reciting the dialogues with a straight face and shedding a tear or two every now and then... I’m still hopeful he’ll level up in later episodes, and I’ll happily eat my words if he does.

This is my first Tang Song Yun drama. I get the hype now. She’s good, very convincing, especially her youthful and childlike voice. Since this is my only exposure to her work, I won’t overanalyze. She’s doing her job well, and I’m content. Her character is charming , naughty , smart and willful just the right blend and she is doing a good justice to it.

The chemistry between the two is okay-ish, Not skipping-a-beat-type dynamic.

Ironically, the supporting cast and guest appearances stole more of my attention...Wang Duo, Chen Xing Hai, Wang Xi Wei and especially Zhou Li Ying, her character has not even been introduced properly and she is already overshadowing the FL.

Technically, the drama delivers. Fight scenes look more like casting-spells magical rather than mechanical. The CGI sets are gorgeous, especially the demon realm. Pink glowing grass, silvery skies, glittery blue waters, tiny living herbs with baby houses. Cute overload 🥰❤️ Styling and wardrobe though? Meh. Very safe, very recycled. I’ve seen this look before in LBFAD and Sword and Fairy. Nothing fresh.
And the BGM was good which is again similar to a very popular xianxia, IYKYK (hint : Xu kai is the lead)
So yeah, for now, I’m holding on for the cast and praying the plot finds its spine.


PS: I will edit this review if things improve.

Read More

"Fangs of fortune- A tale of strength, sacrifice and heroic battle"

Why I loved it so much :

1. A perfect mix of genres: The drama delivers on every front—romance, friendship, feel-good moments, thrill, action, comedy, drama, and tragedy. It’s a rare balance that caters to multiple tastes.


2. Depth in storytelling: While the pace is slow, it’s deliberate. Each subplot is crafted to fill gaps and tie loose ends, creating a deeply harmonious narrative.


3. Impressive cinematography: The framing, camera angles, and techniques used are absolutely top-notch, elevating the viewing experience.


4. High-quality VFX: The visual effects are clean, realistic, and immersive. The editing team truly deserves credit for making the fantasy elements believable.


5. Exquisite set design: The attention to detail in the sets is breathtaking. The Demon Hunting Bureau, in particular, stands out as a masterpiece of design.


6. Talented cast: Almost every actor delivered stellar performances. While one or two might not have fit their roles visually, their acting made up for it.


7. Memorable background music: The combat music and other tracks are beautifully composed, reminiscent of the enchanting vibes from Love Between Fairy and Devil.

8. Dancing in the ending soundtrack .. I know I am weird to like a show for this ..but seriously it was quite refreshing to see the cast dancing to their show's soundtrack ... The steps were easy I am dancing you should try it as well ;)



About the cast

Neo hou as Zhao yuanzhou:

Neo Hou is the one who introduced me to the world of C-Dramas, starting with Being Back from the Brink, my very first Chinese drama. He has never let me down. His charm, brilliant acting, mischievous expressions, spot-on comedic timing, and calming smile—everything about his character in this show was a delight to watch.



Zhuo Yichen : a warrior who is strong-willed, righteous, kind, compassionate, funny, and deeply tragic. Tian Jia portrayed this fascinating character with remarkable justice.


Li lun: more of an anti-hero than a villain, carries a strong sense of justice and a deep kindness for his people. This character added significant depth and complexity to the leads' role .. and the actor (yan an) playing it was more beautiful than the FL herself 😂 😀 ❤️❤️ I am in love with him.



Pei Shijing: the Demon Huntress, is a character with a tsundere quality that suits Cheng Xiao’s poker-face expressions perfectly. Watching her evolve as an actress has been impressive. From her flat expressions and character in Falling Into Your Smile to portraying a compassionate, graceful fighter in this drama, Cheng Xiao has truly come a long way.


Bai jiu : a timid, funny and cute kid ..played by lester lin ... This child actor is so damn talented he played two completely contrasting characters ( bai jiu and li lun) so effortless.. very impressive ..it hard to believe he delivered such outstanding performance at the age of just 13 years old


The parts where this show lacked appeal


1) Wen Xiao : I don't like lame/sickly/weak/useless/low IQ FLs at all I mean I can’t think of a single thing that would have changed if she weren’t part of the story. She was utterly useless—couldn’t fight, fall before someone even slapped her.The so-called goddess was the biggest liability—completely useless—while so many others died, one after another, paying the ultimate price to save the world. I hated her character even more after jiu died. Even a child gave his life heroically to save the world, yet she selfishly clung to her life like
it held more value than anyone else’s. While others bore the weight of impossible choices,sacrificed themselves in secret, including the child who quietly fulfilled his duty and died
,she had the audacity to pretend she’d do the same. All for what? So others would stop her, convince her to live, and throw their lives away instead. She wasn’t a goddess; she was a parasite, feeding off the heroism of those who deserved far better.

Not up my alley ...SORRYYYY !!

2) tiresome climax and depressing ending . . If the outcome is going to be as the past (like that of ling long and bingyi's) why would you write a new story in the first place. I kept anticipating they will bring a different outcome but .. well!! I don't know what else to say.

3) actress playing FL is good ..her acting was amazing but in some episode I felt like she is looking too mature for the role for example when they went to kulun episode 15 .. though her demoness was quite seducing and bold I liked her more in that role.


The show is worth every praise and more .. is the reason why I write such a comprehensive review.

Read More

A Modern-Day Rom-Com with a Body Swap Twist? Count Me In

This drama is a charming, modern-day rom-com sprinkled with a delightful body swap twist. And let me be honest—body swap plots are a guilty pleasure of mine, but the opposite gender swaps? Absolute gold. Nothing beats a man literally stepping into a woman’s shoes (and cramps and periods), while also navigating the chaos of someone else's life. It's funny, awkward, and revealing in all the right ways.

In this story, a popular male idol from a boy band switches bodies with an entertainment reporter. As expected, they’re thrown into each other’s complicated lives—he faces cutthroat journalism deadlines, she deals with obsessive fans and spotlight pressure. And yes, through these chaotic shared experiences, they slowly fall in love. Predictable? Absolutely. Still enjoyable? Definitely.

But what really hit home?
The show doesn’t shy away from highlighting the toxic fandom culture in Asian entertainment industries. It reflects on how the media and obsessive fans milk controversies from celebrities’ private lives, often pushing them to tragic extremes. It’s a powerful statement—especially with real-life parallels of stars who’ve succumbed to this pressure.

The constant friction in the leads’ relationship, worsened by the whole body-swapping mess, actually adds to the emotional depth. It’s not just fluff—it has teeth.

What Worked:

The cast. I’ve seen Xin Cheng in Justice in the Dark—he delivers again, effortlessly. Liang Jie? Always a gem. Even the supporting cast did justice to their roles.

The wardrobe. Clean, on point, not flashy but believable for their roles.


What Didn’t:

Ost/BGM? Meh. Totally forgettable. Could’ve added more emotional impact but didn’t.


The Plot Holes That Drove Me Mad:

1. The evil reporter/photographer wasn’t punished. Like seriously? That dude violated privacy and caused real damage? What message are we sending here?


2. ML’s parent issues were unnecessarily dragged. Bad parenting is practically a genre in itself now. Either portray it with nuance or cut the drama short— Stop whitewashing crap parenting.


3. The ending twist. Ugh. Don’t even get me started. So all of this was just an exaggerated version from FL’s novel? Excuse me?! In her novel version, he’s a savior. In real life, he’s a whiner who complains to her about not being understanding enough ?they fight a lot before They broke up like they were not even on talking terms .. and in real life they met after the little galaxy band got disband i mean you actually took away the very life of this story ....

Seriously Who came up with this ending—because I want to throw my slipper at them. why you have to mess with the already decent closure.

*** i wish i can unsee the last ten minutes of the final episode


4. The Second Male Lead trope. Why do writers always make FL choose the richer, more powerful ML over the kind, dependable (and obviously less successful) SML? So much for “love > status.” If you’re going to sell a romantic fantasy, at least stop repeating the same hierarchy every damn time.



Final Verdict:
Despite the mess the drama is still a fun, feel-good, one-time watch.

Read More

Grudges over Sword and Resurrection issues

This series is lengthier and takes more time than what it's worth. finishing it felt like winning an Olympic medal in patience. and As if the plot itself wasn't frustrating enough that they wrote such ridiculously confusing ending.
Genre are fantasy drama romance —starring the painfully talented Xu Kai and Bai Lu—had all the ingredients for a hit, but someone clearly dropped the plot, then tripped over it for 56 episodes straight.Honestly, it felt like the writers mistook “epic” for “eternal”, because sitting through all 56 episodes was like serving a life sentence.


Let’s begin with the plot:
The first half is a circus, and the Second Female Lead is its headlining clown. She has a personality that screamed, “I’m not helpful, I just enjoy chaos.” literally a walking mayhem. She couldn’t teleport to save her life (literally), yet had the Messiah Complex deluxe edition. Every time she tried to "save" people, she ended up creating a domino of disasters that even the FL couldn't dodge—because guess what? If this human catastrophe dies, the FL dies too. Yay, soul-binding!


The second half? Ah yes, the FL's Magical Resurrection Saga where our Male Lead (ML) deals with deep emotional constipation and homicidal urges—cute? Not so cute.
Also, Immortals repetitive meet-ups which felt like a weekly kitty party with the same tea. And That golden cockroach deity —I mean, the recurring deity— who refused to die no matter what.

The cast :

Xu Kai? Still slaying.
Even when the story collapsed, he stood tall, delivering with subtlety and restraint. Definitely better than his "Best Choice Ever" phase (which was neither the best nor a choice anyone should’ve made). I’m holding out hope for his future pairings with Tian Xiwei and Zhou Ye—please resurrect the glory days!

Bai Lu?
I wasn't very impressed with bailu's acting (perhaps we should call it overacting) and cringeworthy body language , I mean it was so pissing to watch her wrap her hands around Xu kai's face everytime she helped him suppress the evil inside him atleast change the pattern, damn it! put those hands on his head neck shoulder whatever be creative . Her acting smiling and being in love with him was so plastic, people smile like that when they curse someone in the mind but don't want to show it.

Others ??
Creating their share of chaos.


Verdict?
Watch it once if you’re bored and have a skip button handy. .

Read More

In the world of Black coffee MLs, Li Xuan is my Caramel Latte ❤️

Started this drama with absolutely zero expectations (honestly, the title sounded like a discount version of a bigger hit), but OH BOY...this show snatched my soul and didn’t even apologize.
I binged the entire thing in one heroic sitting, fueled by snacks and sheer awe, and not once did I hit a boring patch. Not even a pee break boring.

Plot:
28 episodes—the magic number. Not too many where you’re drowning in filler flashbacks of past lives, and not too few where you’re left screaming “BUT WHAT ABOUT THE EVIL UNCLE?!” It’s paced like a pro.
Major props to the writer for keeping the headless-chicken misunderstandings to a bare minimum.
No concubine drama, no endless ‘who’s poisoning who’ marathons—just tight storytelling with just the right amount of suspense, plot twists, and sprinkle of feel-good humor that kept me more hooked than my midnight fridge raids.
This is my kind of plot, I tell you. Chef’s kiss.

Characters:
The ML (Male Lead) was a delicious breath of fresh air. He’s set up to be the nation’s future superhero but he’s out there living like a part-time troublemaker, full-time sweetheart.
Responsible but not suffocating.
Smart but not soul-crushingly serious.
Honestly, Li Xuan gave me the warm fuzzy vibes every drama needs. If stoic male leads are black coffee, he’s a perfect caramel latte.
The FL (Female Lead)? Gorgeous, angelic, basically heaven’s intern. Not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but divine intervention seems to have her on speed dial.

Side characters? Certified gems. No cardboard cutouts here. Special shoutout to Prince Mu and his sister—icons only.

Cast:
Xu Kai was an absolute menace in the BEST way possible.
It’s 2025 and after having seen his entire filmography, I can confidently say: he ate this role like it was his last meal.
Way better here than his bigger hits like Falling Into Your Smile and Sword and Fairy. His constant "what the hell is happening" expression? Oscar-worthy. Had me howling.
He brought the Dylan Wang aura, but in his very own chaotic, lovable way.
Wu Jia was a sweet FL, though girl could really take a masterclass in “how to look alive while not emoting.”

BGM/OSTs:
Someone give the background music team a raise.
The electric guitar riffs made me want to air-drum dramatically in my room.
And the OSTs? Living rent-free in my brain, throwing house parties.

Ending:
Written with actual brain cells.
FL’s lifespan got nuked (rip saintess) but then they peaced out to the mystical realms to live their best immortal life together.
Wholesome, romantic, slightly tragic? Yes.
Perfect? Double yes.

Overall:
This drama isn’t about flashy costumes or over-the-top bougie banners; it’s just a straight-up feel-good serotonin injection with a banging story and cast that felt like family by the end.
New favorite unlocked.

Read More

Fine but not the type of story which needs two serving seasons

I personally always appreciate the story which are weave around women financial independence and emotional freedom, well This was one of those finest stories throwing light on the challenges women faced when they made their debut in the business industry back in the time. The gender bias and societal pressure associated with it.

Beautifully written concept and artists did a tremendous job playing their respective characters. I am not a very big fan of yang zi as her work previous works haven't impressed me much .. i find her always treading in her comfort zone of playing subtle, graceful and straight-flat characters, not taking any challenging roles .. while she is playing a similar role in this drama also but I seriously couldn't have think of any one else playing mudan ..this character is created for yang zi ... Moving forward lo Xian was amazing ... His playful character definitely forced life into this drama, .. in fact the entire cast was good. No comments on the Chemistry of leads as you need some amount of romantic scenes to do that but This season just showed them as friends.

There were few things that were a little odd about this drama ..
1) after episode 8 ( to around ep 25) there is not much progress in plot or any development in character. It will not be an exaggeration if I say there wasn't any story in between these episodes.. but just repeated pattern of character creating chaos and characters handling it.

2) i understand this show is named flourished peony ..but It felt quite weird as to see how flowers have become the centre of karma in the entire world ... There is inheritance of flowers... Flowers are being treated as symbol jealousy ...people are being executed if flowers wither and ranked up if flowers are doing fine .. everyone from royals to nobles to common person is seeking her peonies as if it is the end of this world.(Gimme a break)

3)horrible ost ..

4) there were a little but visible cinematic mistakes .. she is getting her left hand operated but wears bandages in right ... In many scenes continuation he is holding the stuff in her wrong hand as if there was nobody to tell her about this. (Anyways that's not such a. Big issue)

5) no need for season 2 : they could have just skip over the repeated nonsense and finished the show in 40 episodes in single season instead of wasting viewers' time and planning an another season.

Read More