TTR - The Truth Review

Not the worst but total nonsense

I like the fact that it’s only 24 episodes and 15 minutes each.

The story is unique and different, but that’s where the positives end.

The usual C drama rubbish where the villains are constantly plotting and scheming to kill our heroes and they are completely oblivious or don’t care.

The biggest crime of this drama is the FL leads sister. She plotted and schemed against our heroine for 75% of the drama until she realised that everybody on her side betrayed her.

She even tried to kill her and our male lead several times, but this was completely brushed under the carpet because she was alone and needed help from our heroes.

There was no accountability, no reflection, no apology, NOTHING.

You lost me then I’m afraid

Read More

Hating it until episode 31

This is a tricky one because there’s 38 episodes at approximately 40 minutes each. They obviously spent a bit of money on this and the cast are all really good looking people and the acting was pretty good.
However, for the first 30 episodes I thought I was going to score this a 1 because I really hated the fact they kept falling for the villains schemes and traps willingly. I get the trope and I get it’s a vehicle to move the plot forward but the story just felt terrible and I thought it was a pile of horse crap Because they just kept letting the villains go every time they stopped one of their despicable schemes which were all targeted at their deaths.

Anyway, the story got good from episode 31 when he remembered he was a prince and I thought the story was actually good but I couldn’t forget how frustrated I was for the first 75% of the drama hence why I can only score at a five. I liked how the main villains all got their comeuppance and we got a happy ending.

Again, I understand the story was romance driven but the sub plots and political intrigue were lacking. Style over substance..

Read More

Frustrating from the beginning to the absolute bitter end

There are 24 episodes at approximately 45 minutes each and it’s clear they spent a bit of money on this drama.
The women are stupid, immature, incapable and weak and by episode 10. I’m completely sick of the FL.
She’s totally useless. She wouldn’t solve a single case and would be dead without ML intervention every time. She’s just an oxygen thief at this point and makes it unwatchable.
When she was collecting money for the flower show, she still can’t do anything but rely on the ML to bail her out.
Why did she take responsibility from Ms Deng in the first place? Because she’s an overwhelming idiot is the answer.
SHE LITERALLY CAN’T DO ANYTHING.
In episode 11 when the whole family were having a meal together, everyone was stupid about their own love lives but switched on to everyone else’s. The family is ridiculous.
ML helped them sooooo much, but they have the audacity to not only disapprove but actively go against him. WHY? This was never made clear apart from FL being their ‘precious daughter.’
The marquis is used to move the plot forward by introducing new characters felt like a blunt hammer. No finesse at all. Soon as anyone is threatened in the slightest. Like the marquise’s Steward telling Ms Cleng they might visit associates if she doesn’t accept the Marquis invitation. They immediately fold like a pack of cards. It’s weak and lazy writing.
Annoyed me that everyone is just waiting for the Marquise to attack them. No one ever takes any initiative, but as soon as they foil his plans, they just wait to be attacked by him again.

In episode 18 or 19 the FL best friend’s ex fiance was allowed to destroy her shop and after he got beaten up by our ML he was allowed to just walk away without taking any responsibility or paying for the damages??????
Stupid, ridiculous nonsense as usual.
Episode 21. Qiyue, Qiyue, Qiyue (the foreign land princess). Is the most idiotic, stupidest woman in the world.
Why are women in Chinese dramas as thick as pig poop?
It’s embarrassing at this point.

They decide to give the marquis an honourable burial????? which just comes across as weak and pathetic nonsense

In episode 24 why is the FL constantly torturing Qiyue when she could just say that Mr Huang is the painter, the painter is the Emperor?. ABSOLUTE GARBAGE.
I must admit, their wedding is kind of cute, but it was ruined by our ML and FL wedding where she ran away to take a matchmaking wedding emergency during the middle of her own ceremony. The ending is not cute or funny but quite ridiculously stupid.

I also feel that the FL‘s family should be kow towing to the male lead at least 100 times a day because he clearly was too good for her and all of them.

Read More

If you don’t have power and influence, you are literally nothing

This is an interesting story, but not in a good way, but I’ll get to that.
It takes place in the Qing Dynasty and revolves around our male lead Gu Pingyuan who goes to the capital to take part in the imperial exam but is tricked into thinking his mother is ill and he causes a scene and gets exiled for 10 years in the harshest of lands where he is surrounded by evildoers but uses his wit and intellect to stay alive. He finds love but has to separateand escapes the hell hole and is reunited with his family. He then goes into various different businesses and is constantly challenged by the establishment but manages to thwart their plans at every turn making several enemies.. though these people including his father, ms Su, various officials and royalty all plan his demise and death he always manages to find a way out. The story finishes with him going back to his wife and them living a peaceful life, even though he is declared officially dead..

The problem with this story is too many to list, but the point I will make is that it is supposed to be about Aspiration. The show uses Gu Pingyuan as a highly idealised aspirational figure. The issue I have with this is that it makes it very clear that the average Joe literally has no chance to succeed. The fact that only a person of Gu Pingyuan's extraordinary caliber can survive and effect change highlights just how flawed and brutal that society was.
They also try and show us this is about Nationalism/Patriotism: The core message emphasises that qualities like intelligence, resilience, and integrity, when dedicated to the good of the nation, lead to ultimate triumph and national salvation. This suggests that extraordinary individuals are needed to correct systemic injustice, and shows the average person is disposable.
But in my opinion, all this show does is reinforce Hierarchies. The status quo. Influence matters above all else, and the system is so brutal that typical hard work won't save you. My perspective views the show as subtly discouraging mass dissent and encouraging reliance on exceptional, virtuous leaders.
So while the show aims for a message of "virtue triumphs," the mechanics of how it gets there (requiring the ML to be essentially a genius superhero with incredible luck) inadvertently support the reasoning that the average person doesn't stand a chance.
It’s clearly Chinese state propaganda and this stems from this contrast between an individual's struggle and the state's message of strong, morally sound leadership being necessary to overcome challenges.

My final thought is I also hated the fact that every time somebody did something to the ML not only did he forgive them but he somehow found a way to reward them for their despicable actions by either becoming allies and cooperating with them in business or allowing their business to flourish successfully .

The whole thing is just stupid.

Read More

Every single character is excruciatingly annoying

A couple of questions need to be asked first.
1. Is this the worst Chinese drama of 2025 with so many popular actors?
2. Is this a disaster from beginning to end?
3.Is the female lead in the conversation for worst female lead of all time?

There were only 24 episodes at approximately 45 minutes each and I can answer the second question. The answer is no because the first handful of episodes were okay but then it became a complete and utter shambles.
My first complaint is Yao Fu. She was an integral part of the plot to wipe out Shenqyue Sect and stabbed female lead through the heart to kill her but because yan Qing gave her a scolding she was completely exonerated from all her crimes. Total garbage.
Secondly, every time the villain said anything against anybody it was immediately taken as gospel yet as soon as the heroes had suspicions of the villains villainy they required a copious amount of evidence before they were even allowed to accuse them.

I could go on, but my final thought is on the female lead.

She betrayed, abandoned her sect to cozy up with the sect that were responsible for the slaughter and imprisonment of her people because she loved the male lead who was a top dog there.

Morally bankrupt garbage. TOTALLY USELESS.. and I will forget this before I start my next drama. Waste of time.

Read More

A masterpiece of absolute crap, Narcissism and Divine Stupidity

If you enjoy watching a supposedly "elite" military general treat the creator of the universe like a footstool while he thanks her for the privilege, then this is the "masterpiece" for you. For anyone else with a functioning grasp of logic, hierarchy, or basic human decency, The 39 episode 45 minute each The Legend of Shen Li is an infuriating exercise in "Rubbish Writing."
The "General" Who is Just a Bully
The Female Lead, Shen Li, is marketed as a "badass warrior," but by Episode 15, it’s clear she’s just a narcissistic brat with a spear. She struts around the Immortal Realm with a level of "raisin cheek" that defies belief. Whether she’s laughing in the face of her betrothed while he’s literally trying to save a city from lethal miasma, or nearly strangling a prisoner because he said something she didn't like, she is consistently unlikable, impulsive, and cruel. She hasn't earned her status; she just screams the loudest and hits people who can’t hit back.
The Divine Lord Turned "Simp"
Then there’s the Male Lead, Xing Zhi. He is the last Ancient God—the literal pillar of the universe—yet he spends the entire drama "simping" after Shen Li like a brain-dead servant.
She commits a war crime? He feeds her a snack.
She orders him around like a medical intern? He complies with a smile.
She disrespects the entire chain of command? He looks on with "affected indifference."
His "devotion" isn't romantic; it’s pathetic. Watching a cosmic deity lose his dignity for a woman who treats him with contempt isn't "goals"—it’s a character assassination. By Episode 31, when he’s ready to sacrifice the safety of the entire world for her, the writing has officially collapsed into a logic-void.
A World Without Rules
The show completely ignores its own world-building. The Spirit Realm acts like they own the place despite being entirely dependent on the ML’s power to keep the Abyss from swallowing them whole. The Immortal Realm is a collection of useless bureaucrats who let a "vassal" General walk all over them. There are no consequences for her arrogance, no respect for divinity, and no growth.
Verdict
The only reason this show gets high marks is because fans are blinded by the lead actors' previous chemistry. Strip that away, and you’re left with two toxic leads burning down the universe for a relationship that feels entirely unearned. I didn't want to see them win; I wanted to see the Abyss swallow them both so the universe could finally have some peace from their combined ego.
Don't waste your time. It's 39 episodes of a God acting like a waiter for a brat.

Read More

This show is an 11/10

The best show and by far the best Chinese drama I have ever seen. I love the story, the cast, the music the side characters. EVERYTHING. I’ve re-watched it three times in the space of 18 months.

Key moments for me:
1. Looking after him while he was getting his appendix removed because he had no family was very moving, tender and touching.
2. Defending him in the restaurant when the stalker girl confronted him was exquisite.
3. In a flashback scene with him bowing to her parents for looking after him after his mother‘s death had me in floods of tears.
4. The scene at the airport when she thought her parents had scared him away and she chased back after him was absolutely everything. The sincerity of her confession, the way the realisation of her hidden love came across his face was giving so much and more.

I even like the villains, especially the stalker girl whose dad was killed by his dad was just the right side of demented.
The brother was a top boy and both sets of friends had depth and character.

I must watch for anyone who likes sweet love with not too much angst.

Read More

Could’ve been so much better had the writers not given up on the last two episodes

There are 21 episodes at approximately 10 minutes each and I really like the story.
Two incognito lovers and it turns out that one of them is the emperor.
There is lots of angst and misunderstanding before the ML and FL finally get together and it all flowed quite well.
However……
The acting was mediocre at best apart from the FL who was actually quite good. The villains were all despicable and over the top in their villainy, but I could accept that.
What I can’t accept is how they completely butchered the last two episodes.
Not only did his half brother and the Empress Dowager try repeatedly to assassinate our ML, the half brother even plotted a rebellion and committed treason.
What did the ML do?
Not only did he let him off, but he actually gave him the throne……..My mind is blown..
If this wasn’t bad enough, we then had the empress dowager poison the female lead making it look like she died after being repeatedly let off by the ML and confined to a luxury palace as punishment. They just completely wrote her out of the story at the end so we don’t know whether she was arrested, executed or was confined to her luxury Palace..
It’s like they gave up in the last two episodes because they could’ve had a hidden gem, but they completely wasted it with the terrible ending. It turns out the FL didn’t die and they lived happily ever after. Whatever. Just total rubbish.

Read More

Started off pretty good, but I was disappointed with the FL by the end

For 24 episodes approximately 10 minutes each it really wasn’t too bad. If this was going to be the story for a full length drama, I would’ve probably been pulling my hair out.
Overall, it was alright and I like the fact the male lead was part of some clandestine justice league trying to keep the city in check from his evil overlord sister.
The FL was an assassin sent to infiltrate the palace to kill the evil overlord sister but it was all part of a scheme by the ML to have her by his side because she can cure his poison.
Anyway, by episode 19 I was really beginning to question the FLs decision-making. Not only was she impulsive and blaming the ML when the truth came out and the whole heart blood debacle. She also played with the 2ML’s feelings for the entire time..
She really didn’t care about him or his feelings and use him as a shield which ultimately led to his demise and her crying so heartbrokenly, you would think that she was actually in love with him when she didn’t actually care about him at all.
Anyway, I quite like the fact that most of the villains got proper justice even though they had to drag it out over 24 episodes which was still infuriating and they all got their throats slit and died instantly. The ML and FL did NOT end up together..

Read More

When apologies, just forgive all you’re ridiculous and henious crimes

I thought this show was fairly non-offensive to begin with. 24 episodes at 10 minutes each and it was generally quite boring.. low budget, low quality where everybody seem to try their best.

Then 75% of the way through at the beginning of episode 18 it turned into a complete nonsensical farce. The Guardian who was by the ML side throughout turns out to be a spy for the villain and he immediately forgives her because she apologises and kneel down.. the FL’s sister prostitutes herself to a villain and kills him but none of this is ever exposed or even mentioned apart from her looking depressed and becoming jealous because the FLNML are together when she was in love with him. She then even kidnaps the FL so she can be sold but is immediately double crossed by the ridiculous love rival for the ML and his immediately forgiven.. the love rival who threatened to kill everybody changes her mind and they let her go without even an apology because she’s powerful and influential. The whole thing just stank and was completely rotten to the core by the end.

What even made it funny was when the spy was apologising to the ML for betraying him she even sounded completely dumbfounded at how ridiculous it was that he was forgiving her. That’s how stupid the show is.

Read More

Quite a hard watch to begin with, but ultimately quite a gripping tale

I enjoyed most of this 24 episode 10 minute drama because it all came together perfectly by the end. The heartless tyrant, Emperor and the naive silly girl resolve all their misunderstanding satisfactorily after her rebirth.. it was quite gripping how we got there with him killing her by mistake because he was insane and her punishing him after her rebirth with pretty brutal torture. Turns out he was drugged by his evil Mum who appeared late in the show which made him act insane. I enjoyed it most of the political intrigue except the Mum’s appearance near the end, but it all worked out well.

Read More

What kind of utopian nonsense is this? Where every evil act gets you a free pass

So the story is set around e-commerce market which is interesting I suppose and the ML and FL are superstars particularly the FL. But that’s the only good thing I can say about this drama.

It is so excruciatingly bad that I wished I’d never watched it. I get it it’s an idol drama and I get you’re supposed to suspend belief but……

The female lead is immature, reckless, impulsive, bratty and stupid yet she is the CEO of a large company. Hmmm? The male lead is immature at the beginning has a significant character development where he matures into a fine man however he never calls out the bratty behaviour of the FL and just constantly placates her.

The main antagonist Chen Lang commits five gross acts of atrocities against our heroes company trying to destroy their livelihoods and business and when he is finally backed into a corner because of another heinous crime of plagiarise some designs he is immediately forgiven and maintains control of his company thanks to the ML’s father.

I’m totally baffled and struggling to understand how the message of forgiveness and redemption can be soo twisted that it leaves me utterly disturbed at this kind of storytelling.

Read More

I hate the female lead with a passion

All I will say about this show is that she left for six years finding out she was pregnant and not letting the ML know and then turns up and despite an apology I never fully feel satisfied at the gravity of her unforgivable actions in robbing her son and his father of five years of his life because she was just selfish and immature. It’s quite disgusting actually that this has scored so high because he forgave her so quickly that iy just made me think this is common place in China for a parent to be separated from their kid for many years and it regarded as being not a big deal because I’ve seen it in many dramas..

Read More

Moral of the story. Make your partner feel as insecure as possible

So this story is basically from the FL‘s perspective. The ML was there and though he wasn’t irrelevant, it was really all about her.. there are 24 episodes at approximately 40 minutes each and the FL is persistently annoying, self absorbed and selfish throughout. They both try and make each other as insecure as possible at every opportunity which is not cute, it’s not endearing, it’s just stupid. All the female characters were pretty pathetic and all had a big attitude problem which again makes the show annoying and frankly rubbish. The MLs sister chasing after the pathetic business rival made her look unbelievably ridiculous. The FL‘s best friend had an attitude problem and kept flip-flopping between preferring the ML and the love rival which also look pathetic. The FL constantly encouraging the love rival was ridiculous because he never had a chance but she kept annoying the ML by constantly being in contact with him.. he wasn’t much better and for such a wholesome family show. I really wonder if Chinese people find this kind of stuff entertaining because it’s annoying and frustrating. The business rivals Mum committing crime such as kidnapping and attempted murder was just brushed under the carpet because she turned herself in yet the rest of her company and son went unpunished which just doesn’t seem right.

Read More

A showcase of Chinese excellence in their emergency services

This is my kind of show. It’s compassionate, empathetic, wholesome and really showcases Chinese excellence in their emergency services through the special police force and skilled doctors.. they dragged it out for 40 episodes at 45 minutes each, but I still enjoyed it. A couple of things I didn’t like were the sister story.. they ended up being rewarded for bad behaviour and though they explained it well because their father was the MLs captain and mentor before he passed away the ML and his sister felt a duty to take care of them but at the point where they were given an opportunity to start living their life properly they could’ve added some remorse or redemption or gratitude from the two sisters rather than them just staring in silence while the sister basically saved their lives. The other part I didn’t really like was the bus hostage scene. It was basically the FL‘s fault because she was sticking her nosing where it wasn’t required trying to be a hero.. even when another passenger who was clearly an undercover police officer because he had a thing in his ear was telling her to mind our own business. She still decided to meddle and caused all the ensuring chaos which nearly cost the ML his life and we didn’t get to see any reflection from her actions after she created that big mess. Overall, I really enjoyed it and it really is my cup of tea this kind of drama. Well done.

Read More