Bali

You Are My Lover Friend (2024) is a light, heartwarming and beautiful tale of a couple of young friends that are smart and strong on their own but become smarter and stronger when they are together, and their journey of over a decade of being each other’s stronghold through life's challenges and successes. Jiang Shi Yan as Zhang Xin Cheng and Wang Yu Wen as Tang Yang did a wonderful job bringing their characters to life. The leading couple, Zang Xin Cheng and Tang Yang developed a strong bond since their high school years and one can tell that his decision to become sworn brothers was Xin Cheng’s way to protect Tang Yang from gossip and still been able to be bosom friends without teachers’ and gossiper’s interferences. Some reviewers have complained that it took too long for them to acknowledge their romantic feelings for each other but this drama is about their journey from friends to “partners in crime”, building their own dreams, confidants, lovers, and establishing a life together for the rest of their lives.
This is a slow burn romantic drama but it is not a slow burn relationship. Their friendship was strong, reliable, trustful, fun, and adventurous; so, it is very clear that they will have some apprehension moving forward into a romantic entanglement that could jeopardize their friendship; but even so, after careful consideration, it was precisely that strong connection that allow them to recognize that, in order not to lose being able to be together in the future, it was much better to move forward with their feelings and love each other without reservations.
Not been a fan of slow burn romances, this one was an enjoyable one to watch. The supporting cast also did a fantastic job bringing their characters to life; their friendship with the leading couple was a riot and their bond is genuine and steadfast; also a pleasure to watch was the leading couple’s parents. Overall, this drama is well written and it has great performances from both main and supporting cast members. Enjoy it!

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Jade's Fateful Love (2024) is a nice historical fantasy romance drama. The drama has nice cinematography and choreography with a very engaging fantasy element that provides the couple with opportunities to spin the wheel of fortune into their favor. This fantasy element keeps is the most engaging part of the plot since the romantic storyline, although it remains faithful and steadfast, is not a heart throbbing one. The female lead has really good and sweet facial expressions that are in tune with the recurrent romantic events but the male lead, even when his character was well written, does not irradiate his loving feeling through his facial expressions. It is still nice to see how the main couple’s actions are in tune with one another’s feelings. The supporting cast could have done better but the acting doesn’t ruin the drama. Overall, this is a nice drama to watch while waiting for a great one to come. Enjoy it!

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Lost You, Found You (2024) is a great romantic wuxia. The cast did a very good job bringing their characters to life, and the leading couple, Gu Lin Yuan (Dai Gao Zheng) and Yun Fei Fei (played by Tu Zhi Ying, has splendid romantic and playful chemistry. This drama has a story of factions playing against each other as a background stage and the antagonists offer the male lead a position from which he can protect the leading lady. He’s the good guy turned antihero and loving protector. The leading lady is also a strong character that will stop at nothing in order to protect her beloved. They go through thick and thin but their love only get stronger through every trial. The story is well written and the drama has very good action scenes, cinematography, beautiful costumes, and pleasing settings. Overall, this drama is about the leading couple, once separated by inevitable circumstances, founding each again and, finally, been able to fight for a chance to be together. Overall, the drama is good, the romance is captivating, and the story is well performed by the cast. Enjoy it!

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Ru Guo Zhe Bei Zi Wo Hai Ji De Ni (2024) is a miniseries that was well performed, especially by the leading couple but, even though the leading male, Lu Zhao Wei (played by Yu Long), never stopped looking for his bride to be, Jiang Yuan Yuan (played by Yang Mie Mie also as / Zhao Wen) and five years later she reappears in his life, there’s no real romance happening throughout the drama because most of the plot is about the antagonists trying to get rid of the female lead and a leading lady with amnesia. The drama becomes very frustrating as it keeps the leading couple from recognizing each other until the end, to leave the viewer with just an affirmation that they will not be separated again.

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Blossoms in Adversity is not a love story but is a magnificent story about love, endurance, and above all, human resilience and growth within continuous adversity. The drama has a strong, intelligent, and quick-witted main couple that exudes a soulful and loving chemistry, even when they are not together. In this drama, even when the leading couple is the axle that holds the other characters together, each supporting character is vital to the flow of the story and, since the drama is female centric, one must say that the female cast did a great job bringing their characters to life. With that been said, all male characters, especially the patriarch of the Hua family, Hua Yi Zheng, played by seasoned actor Eddy Ko, had an important role in the drama that, whether there was a positive or negative influence, led this fantastic group of woman to blossom in adversity. The leading male, Gu Yan Xi, brilliantly played by Hu Yi Tian, is a constant source of trouble and support to the remarkable leading lady Hua Zhi, masterfully played by Zhang Jing Yi. There are extensive reviews about this drama and yes, there are some scenes that might have seemed unnecessary but they pass quickly with the fast pace of the drama. What makes this drama a 9.5 instead of a perfect 10 is the unnecessary breakup for the leading couple that could have used their wits to fool the Emperor and save their friends anyway and the nice but bland ending for the leading couple. That would have been the icing on the cake. Two characters that are worthy of been mentioned are the precious, peculiar, and lovable Shao Yao exceptionally played by Lu Yu Xiao and the tyrannical and selfish emperor that one loves to hate excellently played by Hai Yi Tian. All in all, this drama is a must watch and an excellent example of how “divided we fall united we stand”. Enjoy it!

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My Demon is a very good and fun to watch drama. Although there are many scenes that are relatable to other dramas, the cast did a great job bringing their characters to life, This drama is a fantasy romantic comedy that, even if it drags here and there, it is enjoyable to watch. The connections from their bloody past and the darker components of their thrilling present are set forth within the fantasy element of the supernatural forces of good versus evil and the endurance of a steadfast love that transcend time and circumstances. Even though the comparison with other dramas is difficult to miss, My Demon delivers a nice love story from past to present lives and there are some really good twists to keep the amusement going. The cast in the drama did a great job of bringing forth their characters’ storyline and the leading couple has a delightful playful aura and great romantic chemistry. Even if the drama is clichéd, it is very entertaining. Enjoy it!

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Love Son for Illusion is a very good romance fantasy drama based on a webtoon that is set within a fictional historical period. The leading couple is played by Park Ji Hoon as Sajo Hyun/Ak Hee and Hong Ye Ji as Yeon Wol / Kye Ra / Eun Hyo Bi. Sayo Hyun is a crowned prince that is dealing a dissociative personality disorder sharing his body with the wicked Ak Hee(this name translate as evil spirit) and Yeon Wol is the royal descendant of the fallen Yeon Dynasty whose family was murdered by their friend Sajo Seung (played by Kim Tae Woo) in order to usurp the Asatae throne and become king. Once he became the King, Sajo Seung was an irresponsible ruler living a life of debauchery. As for Yeon Wool, she became an assassin with the sole purpose of avenging her family by killing the King. The leading couple met as children on the day of the tragic event that took her family’s life and Sajo Hyun ends up saving her life; they meet again by chance ten years later setting the story of two deeply wounded people that happened to be connected by fate, support each other, and fall in love against all odds. The cast did a great job bringing their characters to life, the plot has some well integrated twists that support the antagonists' antics and lead the main couple to assist each other and fall for each other in the process. Although the ending feels a rushed, it is nice and satisfying, Enjoy it!

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Seal of Love is a very nice historical fantasy miniseries. This has a better first part in the immortal realm and it could’ve used another 15-20 minutes to conclude their encounter in the mortal real and meet again in the immortal one; and then, there is an apparent second season that was not film in 2023 which is really disappointing. Overall, the drama is nice but the leading female didn’t show any chemistry toward the leading male that did pretty well showing his romantic feelings for the leading lady, Overall, the series is a onetime watch and the first part is quite entertaining.

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I Want To Resign Every Day is a nice time loop miniseries. With each time loop, there is great character development for the leading couple, some comedy, and a nice slow burning romance. The transition from one episode to the other is nicely done and there is a logical flow to the story. Although the drama has an overbearing and narcissistic boss and an overworked secretary tired of her dominant and arrogant boss that she wants to resign as in the Korean drama “What's Wrong with Secretary Kim”, this drama has a well written time loop plot line. The leading couple has great chemistry that gets better as their story evolves and she discovers the real person behind the haughty boss and the reasons behind his attitude. This is a drama that could’ve been great if their intimate scenes were done better but, even as it is, the drama is very good and entertaining. Enjoy it!

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First time watching: Feb, 2019 Rewatch: Jan. 2024 Still fantastic!!!!

This is an amazingly well told story about a girl named Ming Lan. Don’t expect a torrid romance; the lead couple’s relationship takes time to develop but, once it does, it gives way to a great fusion of mind and soul. Understanding, and remembering throughout the drama, that Ming Lan grew up holding back her real emotions while cultivating her intellect, will be less frustrating. This drama has everything, from an excellent cast to cinematography, choreography... but what makes this drama great is the way the story evolves and how Ming Lan and Gu TingYe become a powerful force of love and brilliant minds working together, and sometimes, apart. Take your time and be patient because, although the drama can be considered slow paced, every episode really brings out all sorts of emotions. Enjoy it!

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This mainland China version is also a great rendition of the original “Fated To Love You” drama. Even though the drama has some minor differences that make the story a little bit distinctive, the main plot remains the same. This adaptation doesn’t have the farce characterization with absurd type comedy. The actors did a great job bringing their characters to life and the leading couple has very good and credible chemistry. The leading couple brought about a good range of emotions and really tugged at the heartstrings with their melodramatic rendition of a couple that went through immense loss and suffering. Overall, this drama is very entertaining. Enjoy it!

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By far, the best "Fated to Love You" remake version out there! Although this drama keeps the farce comedic genre, it is toned down compared to the original Taiwanese version making the drama better balanced between the comedy and romance. This version also has a unique storyline for the male lead but the overall plot follows the original story. The tear jerking moments are heart tugging and memorable. There is a fantastic gradual and consistent character growth for the leading couple who has great chemistry and did a phenomenal job bringing their characters to life. Although Lee Gun's laugh is annoying sometimes, I really like how he performed his character on this version. Jang Na Ra was perfect as Kim Mi Young. Enjoy it!

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This is a drama labeled as romance. It is more a romantic comedy that failed in the romance department. First of all, although there is a great character development for the leading characters, it takes forever! The leading male, Li Tang (Jerry Yang), portrays a man with “Peter Pan syndrome”, an adult who is socially immature, and supposedly unreliable. Jerry Yang does a great job delivering this character but his childish demeanor is overloaded with weird facial expressions and tiring playful attitudes which diminish his high level intelligence and problem solving ability. On the other hand, the leading lady, Fu Fang Si (Maggie Jiang), is a fashion designer with low emotional intelligence who mostly cares for her fashion label because of its attachment to her deceased father. For most of the drama, she is constantly bickering with Li Tang and blaming everything on him. Granted that he keeps a lot of things from her, but she is impulsive and quick to condemn him while she is very understanding and forgiving of everyone else that has stab her on the back. By the very end of the drama, and having been through thick and thin together, they grow to understand, love, and appreciate each other; but the journey only gives the viewer great playful interactions between the lead couple, masterminded business antics with conniving antagonists, and a flat romantic chemistry between Jerry Yang and Maggie Jiang. Although, most of the time, the leading couple’s story is full of banter and misunderstandings, they get their happy and successful ending. The rest of the cast did very well bringing their characters to life. Ron Ng (as Yin Hao Ran) and Viola Mi (as Cheng Xiang Nan) were also excellent portraying their heavy laden and complicated antagonistic characters. Overall, with patience and tolerance of some over-theatrical acting, the drama is entertaining enough while waiting for a great one to come!

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