From Promise to Disappointment: Dropped
This is a drop review—commentary on over half the season.
I hosted an end-of-year poll rating the best dramas of 2023, and this one was among the winners. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a favorite of mine, and I ended up dropping it around episode 26. While I loved the opening story and narrative, the strong female characterization, the comedic banter and chemistry between the leads, and especially the villain played by Liu Xueyi—who was beautifully layered and morally gray—I felt that by the midpoint, the rich and compelling story began to devolve. The narrative shifted to focus heavily on the main and second male leads, leaving what was supposed to be the female lead’s story in the background.
Of course, these are just my personal impressions of why it didn’t work for me. As I mentioned, it did win a group poll, so I’m simply offering the other side of the coin for this watch.
I hosted an end-of-year poll rating the best dramas of 2023, and this one was among the winners. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a favorite of mine, and I ended up dropping it around episode 26. While I loved the opening story and narrative, the strong female characterization, the comedic banter and chemistry between the leads, and especially the villain played by Liu Xueyi—who was beautifully layered and morally gray—I felt that by the midpoint, the rich and compelling story began to devolve. The narrative shifted to focus heavily on the main and second male leads, leaving what was supposed to be the female lead’s story in the background.
Of course, these are just my personal impressions of why it didn’t work for me. As I mentioned, it did win a group poll, so I’m simply offering the other side of the coin for this watch.
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