This review may contain spoilers
An intricate slow-burn revenge drama with an oustanding CP | Loving Grandmother <3
"What has the world come to? The pure, loyal, and upright people are forced to continuously scheme just to get by." - Nanny ChangI was in the middle of watching this drama, totally enjoying the leads' chemistry when I suddenly got reminded who Feng Shao Feng is...my divorced CP. Dang!
I feel like it has been a long while since I watched a slow-paced slice of life drama like this; and I'm not gonna lie, it took me back to those days when productions took drama-making more seriously compared to how it is today. The quality of this drama alone is proof of how fast the market has changed for the past several years, and it's sad to think about how careless and rushed dramas are done nowadays.
I want to give credit to this drama for giving me the striking and satisfying slow-burn sensation I haven't felt in a long while. It offered well-structured characters and plot twists that clearly represented the daily life struggles of women during the primeval days in the most realistic and fascinating way.
Sheng Minglan's story from childhood to adulthood was excellently narrated, with moderate pacing that was neither too fast nor too slow, making it feel as if we were really growing up with her. The recounting of her sufferings was thoughtfully selected, with each scene effectively showing how she was molded and evolved into the person she is. The scenes are thoroughly and skillfully chosen, arranged to reveal her growth: from a witty little girl to an obedient and cautious teenager, and finally, to a meticulous and prudent young adult who showcases her well-hidden talents. She is a truly compelling character—one you can't help loving for her wonderful and amazing qualities. She's observant, analytical, and strategic when it comes to her plans, and her executions have always been intricate and accurate, making sure that they hit her target. This embodies her forbearance and resolute attitude when it comes to her goals and objectives.
The show started to get really interesting when she was given the chance to manage the household. Imagine going from being deprived of daily necessities to managing the entire household! That is what I consider her 'Rise of the Oppressed' moment, which commenced her real story and signaled the start of her grand revenge scheme. What I truly love about her are her tendencies to incite grand and twisted plots to seek justice and revenge for her loved ones. She shows no mercy to those she deems beyond salvation and worthy of punishment. Episode 64 specially got me crying. When her grandmother thanked her for managing the poisoning situation very well. That scene made me realize how amazing it is to have a doting and loving grandma like that.
Lastly, I guess I just want to say that I am happy that all the major antagonists ended up dying, a fate they well-deserved for the evil deeds they'd done. I'm also grateful that we got a rather peaceful and warm ending. Seeing the Sheng family reuniting with their spouses, with a hint of reconciliation with Molan, touched my heart. Nothing really beats familial support and unity.
"In usual days, you're tolerant about everything. But when pushed to a dead end, you would fight all out and let everyone just perish with you." - Sheng Old Madaam
Story - 10, What I truly love about this drama is its cohesive and clear plot. From the beginning till the end, it managed to keep the story going without having any noticeable major plot holes, and all the plot devices were efficiently utilized.
Acting/Cast - 10, I love the cast and the leads' chemistry is just on another level. Now I understand why they (Shaofeng & Liying) ended up getting married. FSF has this warm and fun vibe that made me wonder who the hell will not fall in love with a man like that? He's a walking chemistry!
Music - 10, I think they used a total of 2-3 songs on this drama and all of them sounds fine to me. I'm giving this a perfect score since neither of the songs nor sound effects put me off even once.
Rewatch Value - 10, Definitely! I'm in love with Minglan and Tingye's story; I wouldn't mind watching it again. It is highly recommended.
Overall - 10, I'm considering/categorizing this as a classic just based on how dramas are done today. This show brought me back to the good old days when people used to take drama-making seriously. This drama is a testament to how well dramas were made five or so years ago, compared to today's productions.
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Goddess of boundless kindness and getting killed | Unexpected but satisfying Comical Scenes <3
"Reduce again and again until you reach non-action. Through non-action you can achieve everything." - Yuan ZhongFinally, writing my review 10 days after I finished this piece due to some unforseen and unfortunate circumstances—phones got broken. Thank god it's all good now.
Anyways, this show feels extra special to me as it's the drama where I was able see and enjoy both Liu Xue Yi and Tang Yan's performances again after a long time. It's just a pity that it took me quite a while to write this down. However, I will still try to pour all my lingering thoughts about this story into this review.
What I love about this story is the relentless pursuit of Ji Tan Yin (FL) in protecting Yuan Zhong (ML) despite his aggressive charges and ill treatment to her. I love that she values life in general and view everyone as equal beings. Her perseverance and sacrifices became the very instrument that made Yuan Zhong's cautious and doubtful heart to falter and loosen up. She gave him the healing he needed after all the mistreatment he received and molded him back to the kind person he used to be. Truly, even the coldest heart will soften if you pour it love everyday.
"An apology that demands forgiveness is not a sincere apology." - Yuan Zhong
I appreciate that they never truly touch the "Forgiveness" topic but instead showed us that bad actions always have a negative consequences. It's satisfying because offering forgiveness isn't always the answer specially when the damage inflicted is too grave to be forgiven and the perpetrator is unrepentant about it. Oftentimes you gotta let the bad people suffer retributions in order for them to learn. Because if they don't suffer at all, chances are they'll just do it again. This also shows how people of intense greed can ruin everything without batting an eye—impenitent and ruthless.
What made this drama even more entertaining is their unexpected comical scenes. They are throwing unhinge scenes one after another that I ended up anticipating such silliness every now and then.
Additionally, the supporting characters also contributed a lot in making this drama enjoyable. I love every skits they inserted as it lightens the mood and I love that they gave us several episodes where the leads has to raise a baby till his teenage years (A'Xiu)—the process was weird and unusual but that's what makes it extra special. It's even my most favorite part of the story overall. Haha!
I also appreciate the dynamics they put into this drama. This could've easily been a straight out revenge story yet they served us humor one after another which lessens the grim tension each episode and helped us loosen up to gradually accept the insolent actions of Yuan Zhong (ML) and see him on a different light.
I would say that the main characters are well written—Yuan Zhong being revengeful after the persecution and injustice he experienced seems reasonable to me; and it will all make sense to see him go all out with it. But then, he was given a chance of redemption by Ji Tan Yin by treating him with utmost patience and consideration which gave him opportunities to unconsciously show his true self—kind, loving and considerate. This also proves that we can never judge a person not unless we know them personally; as some individuals have suffered long enough that they started building walls to protect themselves from people who might harm them.
Ji Tan Yin/Goddess Wu Shuang on the other hand is the true personification of a god. Being kind is one thing but seeing kindness out of the darkest and most cruel person is on a different extreme level. She is that person you will hate for her persistence and sympathy for everyone but also the very person you wished to be. I hope everyone can be as broad-minded and forgiving as her. If so, the world would be a much better place.
Also, Goddess of Craftsmanship? More of Goddess of boundless kindness and compassion. I know she excels in crafts reason why her title is specific to craftsmanship, but she definitely deserves a True God status. Like, wouldn't it be great if she's promoted through her genuine actions and service—the very first one in the heaven realm. Won't that be a great plot? Hihi! —P.S. She's also the Goddess of getting Killed. LMAO!
The above being said made me appreciate writers' who values the beauty of progressive story telling through the characters' morals and principles, and not just their emotional tendencies and impulsivity.
On a different note, I wanna talk about the 2nd CP and my urge to fast forward/skip whenever I see them on screen...It was not hate at first sight but more of seeing them as story goes on brings dissatisfaction to me. They got this chemistry that doesn't evoke further interest and curiosity—the kind of CP you wished to have been left out because the spark is not there and their chemistry isn't immersive and engaging enough. In short, boring! They're both serious and doesn't match the overall fun vibe the Main CP is giving. Which made them look dull and unappealing to me. They spoilt my mood better than the antagonists ever did. I am not sure when it started but most probably when the writer's fumbled that led them to the ridiculous path. They got the plot and substance yet I can't feel any emotional attachment for them. One good example is when Tang Hua chose to get stab instead of fending the attack using his sword...and he's a what? War Division commander? Ghadd!
They really should've given the 2nd CP role to A'Xue and Qian Lin instead. They're more fun to watch and matches the energy of the main leads.
Lastly, ending...I am not sure how do I feel about it but I am just glad they ended it in a way that gives hope for Ji Tan Yin (FL) to be resurrected.
P.S. Would've been great if they gave us a scene after Tang Yin got resurrected and they began living with Curly and the 5 Divine left hand spirits. That surely would have been chaotic at the same time super entertaining.
"Those who know and outdo themselves are enlightened and strong." - Ji Tan Yin
Story - 9.5, I love the message they want to extend to their viewers and I think they've successfully send it across. It's just that the 2nd CP was so boring that I always ended up rolling my eyes whenever I see them. Every other aspect of the story is great for me. Specially the comical skits they added on a lot of scenes.
Acting/Cast - 10, It's my reunion drama with both Liu Xue Yi & Tang Yan so I genuinely enjoyed it; and I'm also extremely satisfied with the supporting actors/actresses and their performances.
Music - 10, I enjoyed their music a lot. The insert songs are on point and really helps heighten the emotion/vibe of the scenes they're used in.
Rewatch Value - 9.5, I totally love it but again, watching it with the 2nd CP just irks me quite a lot. I don't wanna see them again. lol
Overall - 9.5, As much as I want to give it a perfect score, I just don't want to because of jow bothered I am of the 2nd CP. This is a great drama that's kind ruined by the unappealing story of the 2nd ML. They lowkey wasted a lot of time.
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My success is nothing without you | Love that is true & intense but is short lived.
First of all, I want to thank this drama for not slapping me with such a heartbreaking ending—when I know for a fact that it's going to be a sorrowful one no matter what.I truly appreciate the thought and consideration of whoever is behind this idea of minimizing the impact of YZJ death by giving us lowkey signs instead of shoving it in front of our faces. Like, thank you so much for going easy on us by delivering that tragic scene in a milder and less distressing way. I totally commend you for not using it as a clickbait to gain more attention and views for the finale of this story.
Diving into the story itself, am I the only one expecting Duanwu to go pearl diving again? Like, I waited patiently for it to come but it never happened. Then it finally occured to me after 30 episodes that she'll never gonna go back doing that job again as it's the sole reminder of how rough and painful her life was growing up, and how she had to work hard in order to vouch herself out of that predicament. It also made me realize that there are people who stops doing things they excelled the most not because they want to but simply because doing so suffocates them. So they would rather choose to avoid and completely abandon it by honing their other skills in order to gain more experience and transition to other things they have potential in doing.
Another thing I want to talk about is the exceptional execution of our main and supporting leads of their characters' role in the show—Yan Zi Jing as the revengful soul, Duanwu as the hardworking, wise and clever individual who want success and comfort in life, Zhang Jin Ran as the upstanding official who values justice and righteousness above everything else and Cui Shi Jiu as the redeemed villain who went through a handful of agonizing event which taught her to how to love and appreciate life better. This drama revolved around these characters and how they face their own demons and traumas in order to achieve their dreams and goals in life. They're the core elements of this drama who molded and animated it to be the outstanding show it is right now.
Love stories/relationships on this drama are one of the most sweet, memorable yet heart-rending for me. I totally appreciate the healthy rivalry and friendship between the Yan Zi Jing and Zhang Jin Ran so I never really expect them to pull off Yan Zi Jing dying and Duan Wu getting left behind. Specially after what they've done with Cui Shi Jiu and Zheng Zhi Heng...the progress of their love story was promising only for them to slaughter ZZH mercilessly—it was truly heroic and valiant though so I will give them credits for that—nonetheless, I would say that this drama is a tragic-themed story intricately enveloped in an enticing love story.
Phasing overall is good as they were able to highlight each stage of the main leads progress in terms of their personal growth and their romantic relationship. I even think that they did great in arranging the sequence of events in a logical and natural way on how they have to go through the trials and hardships in their respective lives to obtain the position and success they're trying to achieve.
Design, Costume, Colour Scheme, Editing and everything related to effects - are mostly nicely done aside from the Ship scenes. LOL I was never against of green screen utilization so I find it rather clumsy and funny whenever I spot some unpolished details but I am sure it's going to be big deal for others. In addition to that, the size of the ship doesn't add up to the number and size of the rooms being showed. Like, what do you mean multiple rooms of approx. 20sqft+ can fit that mid size looking ship? are you kidding me? When the ships interior is bigger than its exterior. Hahaha!
Lastly, I just wanna mention how crazy Zhao Lusi and Liu Yuning's chemistry is. Everytime they're on screen, it feels like they're some kind of breathtakingly gorgeous scenary I can't stop looking and taking a picture at. Their spark is so vibrant that I feel like they're illuminating the entire screen which makes me smile unconciously. + The thumb kissing scene on Ep.31 was the most phenomenal, romantic and iconic kissing scene I have ever seen for a couple or so of years now. Dang! They really got me rolling over my bed, all cramped up because of how thrilled I was during that scene.
I just wanna say here as well that I have watched Tang Xiao Tian as the 2nd male lead for multiple times now that I have automatically branded him that way in my head. I would love to see him take some cool and amazing main lead role cause right now I still can't see the main lead aura in him.
P.S. Cui Shi Jiu and Zheng Zhi Heng's love story is the dark horse of this story...too bad they killed ZZH. I still feel bad and regretful about that. Grr! What a bad decision!!!
Story - 9.5, Don't get me wrong, the plot and how it unfolds was good. It's just that the ending made me a bit disheartened, and not to mention how I see so much potential with CSJ and ZZH romance but they ended up using him as a plot device to redeem Cui Shi Jiu. Additionally, I feel like something's really off towards the end when Zhang Jin Ran was dealing with Prince Ying. It feels like he's got too much authority and power in him while the "Prince" felt powerless which made me watch those scenes with critical doubtful eyes.
Acting/Cast - 10, No words needed! I love every artists in this production and I would never have them any other way. Liu Yu Ning here was insane!!—his acting is so suave to me that all of his facial expressions, specially when he's smiling and mad are so attractive. Love him a lot. <3 + I would love to see Chloe Xie's other acting projects too. My attention was so drawn to her during the end.
Music - 10, I honestly didn't pay much attention to the music but the opening was exceptionally done. + I never felt bothered by any of the insert songs during my entire watch experience. I even feel like it helped heightened the emotions of the events at some point.
Rewatch Value - 10, Will definitely re-watch this drama if I happen to have some more spare time to do so. + This is the fastest drama I finished this year (I only procrastinated watching the last episode because I got no time to write my review) Hehehe...
Overall - 10, An overall good drama to watch for sure. I highly recommend this specially to those people who loves to watch empowered and skilled women succeed through their hardwork, ingenuity and dedication.
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Reverse Fate | To discover the unnotice feelings of the Insecure (ML) for the Conflicted (FL)
"Not to mention Qin, the world, revenge, nothing in this world can compate to her" - Xie WeiAfter looking back and analyzing the whole story, I believe this drama's main theme is "Finding and fulfilling the unnoticed and overlooked love" more than "Reversing life and fate" that most people perceived it is due to how the story was being told.
More so, finishing this drama made me realized that Jiang Xue Ning's journey to relive her life was not only to correct her past mistakes but mainly to discover the feelings of the man truly meant for her. Because her selfish desire and ambition in the past led her astray and made her the evil she has become and the only way to possibly reverse it is being with the man destined for her. Someone that can control and pacify her, in order to keep her from going the same path again.
Additionally, I enjoy the idea of the Main leads trying to rediscover and understand each other's real personality— Xie Wei finding out that JXN remained the same unyielding and compassionate person he unconciously fell in love with and Jiang Xue Ning comprehending XWs true intention and knowing the real reason why he's done the rebellion and all of the events that happened in the past.
In terms of how their love and affection was presented...I would say, I love and hate it at the same time. XWs assertiveness in expressing his love showed both dominance and savagery to me, which I find surprising and shocking even up until now. Those times he grabbed JXN by the neck will never ever sit properly to me. I feel like he's too fierce at times that it seemed like he's forcing himself to her (which is half meant) even when I know that JXN came to like him the more she understand and stay by his side. Nonetheless, that characteristic of his is one of the things I despise the most with other dramas and it feels like the writer is trying to get a way with it using his traumas and sickness which doesn't sit well to me at all no matter how they put it. And love it in the sense that XW is always ready to sacrifice himself for JXN. Like, man! He's too passionate and devoted to her that he's willing to be stabbed and killed by her... What an intense and tough love. I guess I am just glad as well that JXN reciprocated his love at the end because I am so sure he might self-destruct in no time.
Note: This made me recall of the time when JXN remembered XW giving her a knife assuming that it is to kill herself only for her to realize that it might actually given to her for protection and that she may have misunderstood him all those times. Another thing is her dream at the last episode when it is showed that XW trying to kill somebody which I think is, himself...because he's regretful and cannot accept the fact that his loved one killed herself right infront of him with another man in mind.
Love rivalry and Jealousy - I find enjoyment and satisfaction whenever Xie Wei is jealous of Zhang Zhe because he always go all out in throwing attitude all over the place showing his dissatisfaction and unamusement. While being extremely tolerant, understanding and been trying his best not to show jealousy when it comes to Yan Lin. What a double standard! Hahaha! One of my favorite Jealous scenes is on Ep. 33 when he cooked all those aweful tasting yet visually pleasing dishes because he's jealous of Yan Lin eating out with JXN. It's funny but why is he taking it out on the female lead? Seriously that man.
I also just wanna mention how I feel mad that it took them 10 episodes before the 2nd ML/Zhang Zhe finally appeared. I believe we could've gotten more delightful ZZ & JXN moments if he was introduced sooner. But then I kinda understand the reason and intention behind it as well. Because man could jave stolen the show if he's given more screen time than he has. 2nd ML syndrome is strong in this drama!
In addition to the 2nd ML... I do feel bad that he was set up to be emotionally distress when her Mother died because if that didn't occured he could've been the perfect fit for the FL. However, I am also glad that FL got to end up with the ML because I feel like he 'need' her to his life or else he's gonna be lost and caged again in his own traumatic experiences.
Lastly, the Kissing scenes were passionate, intense and sensual. I love how Zhang Ling He seemed to be enjoying every second of their savory kiss to the point where it looks like he's devouring Bai Lu's lips. *Grins*
"There's only victory or defeat in this world. There's no right or wrong." - Xue Shu
Story - 10, I honestly want to rate it lower due to the "Red Flags" I noticed but then, this is a drama after all and I will accept the fact that it's the writers imagination working to make his/her story more flavorful and interesting. The story is nicely written and I wouldn't mind it being a little longer, 38 episodes are inadequate. P.S. I'm glad that they didn't kill Princess Le Yang but I never expect them to kill You Fan Yin!!
Acting/Cast - 9.5, I love the cast and I truly enjoy each one of them. The only thing I have problems with is with Zhang Ling He's facial expressions...I find some of his expressions to be awkward and specially when he trying to act some big emotional (angry, traumatizing and agonizing) scenes. And thank heaves Hu Yun Hao/Emperor Shen Lang's acting improved as time went by because his acting at first wasn't giving/convincing.
Music - 10, I can vouch that all the music used here were good and they were all used accordingly to match the scenes. I also just want to commend the Music Dept/Team for using such 'realistic' sounds whenever they're playing the Qin. I really appreciate them for doing that.
Rewatch Value - 10, I'm not even thinking twice about this drama. Every episode is satisfying and I never really got bored while watching it. Highly recommend!
Overall - 10, I initially wanted to give it a 9.5 because of all the ratings people are giving it. However, I am really the type of person who give dramas I enjoyed and like their deserving mark no matter what other people says. So Here I am giving it a perfect score. Hahaha! Gonna stand on my own judgement and customs.
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Defying fate | The untold sufferings of the antagonist in finding love & overcoming her inner demons
"Hold the knife steadily when killing someone." - Lu HuaiHow are people giving this ingenious narrative a score leser than "Perfect 10" when it had executed beyond expectation all throughout? UNFAIR!!
I will be very honest and say that I started this drama with a prejudice of the plot and how will it unfold so I wasn't that amuse at first and is cynical instead of the story simply because of the reviews I have read here in MDL. However, let me tell you something...this drama is more than the reviews it received so far from its viewers and I think it deserves more recognition and popularity for how good it actually is. So I really want more people who may happen to stumble upon this review of mine in the future to know that this drama is one of those projects you don't see and encounter being produce often, so here I am encouraging you to just watch it and discard any unnecessary groundless preconceptions you have for this story and let yourself be the judge on how you want to view this drama after you finish watching it.
I will also say that the first several episodes may bring your skeptical thoughts go active and wild but please don't let that cloud and hinder your opinion and experience in watching this drama because I assure you that it offers more than just that. That this drama is a wonderful surprise in which you will only appreciate once you have deep dive into it and truly understand the message of the Writer. So I hope that anyone can watch this drama because they want to experience and see firsthand how it actually is compared to just watching it only to prove that this and/or that review is accurate.
I used to think that the writer wanted to gaslight Su Yun Qi (FL) by justifying all of her evil doings and making her appear as a heroine who are just doing things for revenge. But then, as the story goes on I realized that it's actually wasn't the case at all. In fact Su Yun Qi's nature never really changed nor did the writer tried even once to paint her as a good girl. Instead she stayed true to her character and remained an evil bitch the entire time which makes her more interesting and captivating for me. That's also when I realized that this story isn't about her turning into a new leaf or transforming into another persona but more on her personal growth as an individual by experiencing different feelings—grief and sorrow (for losing the most important person in her life), physical pain (that she almost never experience before), hardships and betrayal (coming from her own Father) and lastly, love and heartbreak (which took her a lot of time to finally accept and hold onto because of the reservations and hesitations she used to have)—thus it taught her to differentiate between what's truly important in life and be more appreciative and capable of accepting and loving someone even at the expense of her esteemed dignity.
Regarding the story flow and overall progression, I'd say that the writer and director had a clear and detailed plan on how they want to present and execute the story to make it appealing to its audience. The fact that this is a mini drama which runs 10-14 minutes or less each episode yet they still delivered seamlessly speaks a lot to me. I can see that they really go sequence per sequence for each episode and only selected what's relevant and crucial to the story line which truly impresses and satisfies me. The story progression all comes natural and I am honestly in awe with my familiarity with the characters, as if I was given background of them prior to watching the drama. It also fascinates me how they're able to introduce the characters and make them leave a lasting impression to its viewers which solidifies their role and purpose in the story.
Lastly I wanna talk about is the eerie yet unique chemistry between the Main leads. Both of them are visually good but what made me drawn to them is their menacing aura. They exude an intimidating air that sends this "I'm not someone you should mess with" message. They're like "Yin and Yang" that balances each other. Lu Huai being the kinder person who hides his soft heart through his stoic and ruthless facade and Su Yun Qi as his counterpart who's overflowing with evilness and dark energy. Love them both!
P.S. Watching this felt weird because I can't technically support the FL for how evil she is yet can't hate her as well. You just gotta love and hate her for unconditionally. A complicated yet brilliantly written character.
"From love comes sorrow and fear. Those who are away from love have neither sorrow nor fear." - Yun Sheng
Story - 10, I started this drama out of curiousity and I never really expected to like it this much. The story is mesmerizing and will keep you engrossed to it until the very end. The sequences and events are perfectly integrated which made it easier for me to understand the story. Another thing is that it will be impossible for anyone to question the plot because they left no plot hole in it.
Acting/Cast - 10, I'm pleased and highly satisfied. I'm not very familiar with the cast but I'm sure I have watched some of them in various projects before. Daisy Li (FL) stood out for me the most. She played, nailed and owned her character. What a terrific actress.
Music - 9.5, I honestly only heard one (1) song the entire time and I can't blame them for that (since their time is limited). Nonetheless, the music were utilized properly and they made sure that it highlighted the emotions of the scenes it was being used to.
Rewatch Value - 10, I sincerely wanna recommend this to everyone. Please do give it a try and experience this weird and unfamiliar yet fantastic feeling I have had while watching it. I assure you that it's all gonna be worth it!
Overall - 10, This is a truly unexpected drama for me. At first, I even thought that I will only give this a rating of 8.0 or 9.0 but look at me now? Hahaha! It was well created and produced and will make you realize that there really are many more sides of the story that hasn't been told and explored yet. So I implore everybody to just give it a try. I highly recommend this one.
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Lost in the aromatic dream | A wake up call that what doesn't kill you make you stronger.
"Don't be afraid. I'm alright. I'll protect you." - Hua Qian"Don't Worry. Don't be afraid. You have me by your side." - Hua Wen Ang
The above are two (2) of the most heartwarming yet heartbreaking moments and I can still remember how heavy these scenes are for me. The mere thought of my sibling/s catching a sword stab for me and my father taking the blame to cover my shits will be the trigger for me to lose my screws, go mad and never recover ever again; and to think that Hua Qian experienced it twice (2x) just made me realized how gravely injured, badly traumatized and maimed she was all those times yet still managed to pull herself together to redo her life to hopefully rectify the past mistakes she's done during her 'first' attempt of it.
First and foremost, I wanna tell people to just watch it and don't even give a damn about all the negative reviews you may find on MDL. Don't be dissuade by those subjective opinions and never allow them as well to take this opportunity from you to watch such an excellent drama.
This story is like a manual handbook that will teach you how to lookback on your previous actions—what you've done wrong, what are the things you could've dealt with better and actions/mistakes you should never do again. It's a narrative that will make you remember that life is only good for a lifetime, that there's no 2nd life at all. So you must seize the moment, face all your fears, own up to your past mistakes, make ammends by correcting them and live your life better with satisfaction and contentment.
This drama gave me so much life lessons, inspirations and warmth that for some reason I feel like I can handle the situations ahead of me much better now. This show reminded me that "Kindness will never go unnotice and will certainly be rewarded in the most satisfying and unexpected way possible" and I know it may sound exaggerated however this story is truly one of those dramas that will make you look back at your life while thinking to youself...Have I been nice enough?, Have I been appreciative of what I currently have?, Have I ever hurt someone without any valid reason? and so on. This is also one of the major reason why I want people to watch this drama; because I want them to take some moment to ponder on how are they living their lives so far... was it satisfying? is it worth it? and is it something that you can be proud of when you think about all of it decades from now? I hope people can find peace, realization and healing from this wonderful anecdote.
I originally want to talk about the 3 male leads—their difference, what I like about them and which approach I like better; but then, how can I do that when there's 2 different dimensions and one of them which happened to be the main focus of the entire story turned out to be a dream? I myself got flustered after finding out; because I tend to take notes of the scenes I find interesting and want to talk about so that I can use it as a go to guide to write my reviews but how can I use that now knowing that the 98% of the show is actually a dream? I know it sounds dramatic but it really is complicated...since the things I initally observed turned out to be a creation of Hua Qian's dream/imagination only.
Anyways, I just want to say that out of all the 3 ML, I love Hua Rong Zhou the best! It would have been a thrilling moment to see him settle down and live happily ever after with Hua Qian but dang! the plot twist killed that idea for me. I'm sad but not even a bit disappointed about it because I understand that some people, specially those who are going through traumatic experiences may/tend to create an imaginary friend for them to feel secured, protected and loved. I understand that it's Hua Qian's defense mechanism working. Because she needs someone who will be there unconditionally for her. Someone who will always choose her whenever and whatever happens.
Regarding Zhong Xi Wu, I was conflicted of him at first specially on how he acted on Hua Qian's dream. However, when his true intention and feeling were revealed at the final episode, I was like, "Damn! I was wrong all this time. This man is even more devoted and crazy in love more than I thought he originally was." This guy is the sole reason why Hua Qian is even still alive and able to "re-live" her life through her dream. He basically gave her another chance to life, a new direction and a redemption path to take. It was all thanks to him that she was able to deal with her obsession, devious desires, regrets, and her overall inner demons. He made her feel better and in good health (physically) as much as he can and thanks to all that, she stayed breathing and eventually woke up; and although the 1st 'wake up' attempt was a failure because she's still unable to distinguish between the reality and fiction (dream), the 2nd attempt finally turned out to be a successful one. As it served as a conclusion and agreement to herself that she can no longer live in that way—under the spell of her illusions and imaginations; and that sooner or later she'll have to face everything because after all she still has a whole world infront of her to face and conquer—which is the reality she's been escaping all this time, as she was unconcious, greatly harmed and traumatized of what had happened.
More so, I wanna say that this story is all about facing her own fears and mistakes. Owning up, dealing with them and correcting all of them (as much as she can). Not because she needs and is obliged to, but because she has to, as a healing and coping process of all the bruises, pain and sufferings she had inflicted to innocent people as well as to herself. It's a redemption for all the mistakes of her childish and immature self and also a stand that she's ready to move forward, ahead and infront of the excruciating experiences she went through. Which is an indication of growth and maturity.
In terms of overall costume, production set up and editing, I wanna say that it's either this drama received a good amount of budget/funding or the people workong behind the scenes are just truly talented, flexible and resourceful to make it seem like it. Costumes are beautifully chosen and well coordinated and although the households look relatively small and cramped, I was still able to see how nice, huge and grand it actually looks like inside. So I really want to commend the production team/staffs for their hardwork and dedication to make this production look pleasing and convincing.
Lastly, I'm still in awe on how flawlessly they pulled off the story to become just an imagination/dream when all this times I was convinced it's a time travel plot. I felt stupid for believing what they made me believe it was and it's also the reason why the distaste still lingers in my mouth till now. It's like I was played by both the director and writer...and up until this moment I still feel bad because my ship (Hua Qian X Hua Rong Zhou) can never happen.
P.S. Hua Rongzhou picking up slacks the very moment Hua Qian got divorced still amazes and fascinates me. This is probably my top most favorite part of the story + him fighting Zhong Xi Wu's guards perpetually for 26 months to obtain the information regarding Hua Qian's whereabouts. His growth from being a weak boy into a vigorous man deserves so much praise and admiration.
Story - 10, I love everything about this drama. The story itself was nicely written and although the dialogues aren't as complex, poetic and deep in comparison to the typical historical costume dramas, it was able to keep its own uniqueness and identity for being simple yet clear.
Acting/Cast - 10, I want to praise Zhou Ye for her outstanding execution of Hua Qian. She went all out and I can now consider her as one of the actress who can really act whatever role you give to her. Aside from that I'm also satisfied with the whole cast and I just want to mention how I admired Zhang Zheng Yang's acting here. He's unreadable to me and I love that he made me feel that way.
Music - 10, I love the full list of songs used. I feel like they fits the dramas mood/vibe so much and it is simply calming. Listening to the songs put me at ease. Kudos to Music Team.
Rewatch Value - 10, No words can make me turn my back on this masterpiece. Although the plot twist shocked and disarranged me quite a lot I still love this drama so so much!
Overall - 10, Isn't obvious? lol This show is one of those 1 in a million dramas that actually puts value on the story composition itself rather than having it just beautiful and attractive. It is well crafted and delivers a logical and meaningful message that's crucial and timeless for everyone regardless of age and status.
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A dying man's 2nd chance to life & his inescapable destiny prior to his death | A Peculiar Trio!
"Those who truly repent deserves a second chance in life" - Li Xiang YiHow can I not like this drama, honestly? I know that it has flaws that are too evident not to notice however the excellence of how it was created and produced completely made me look past its shortcomings. It is one of those good dramas you can't stomach to give lower ratings to, simply because it was crazily entertaining that you just end up letting those little silly imperfections slide in consideration of how good the entire story is. I feel like giving it lower than 10 (my own standard) will mean that some other dramas I had watched is better than this even if it's not.
Anyways, let me start this review by saying that I will certainly miss the uncanny dynamics of Li Lian Hua, Fang Duo Bing and Di Fei Sheng trio. I never expected their chemistry to be so good and I am totally pleased on how they portray the main antagonist to be someone reasonable and even go all friendly with the main protagonist. Isn't it nice and refreshing to see both characters go along so well once in a while? or is it just me? Lol. Maybe I got so tired watching the same shit go off again and again for the 2 most significant character of the story that I feel extremely satisfied watching them finally having genuine friendly relationship for once.
Above all, I believe that this story have become a platform for the Author to tell us that there is more to life. That life is limited and full of uncertainties, so we cannot be conceited that it will always remain stable and flourishing because it can be a bad bitch and turn its back against you in a blink of an eye. I feel like this story was created to show us the aftereffect and/or the future that no one has ever predicted coming. The story of how the ever thriving and most powerful young man fell off his grace and realized how multifaceted life truly is. It's his journey of rediscovering the other side of life that he has never seen and experienced from where he was back then. Thus making his current self uncurious and detached from the world he used to be part of. This also made me realized that the worst person to fight with is the one who doesn't have the will to fightback.
It also holds another valuable and important life lesson that the closest people to you can turn their backs against you and how you can gain mutual understanding and connection with your mortal enemy and even become BFFs. Lol!
Lastly, I think what made this drama unique and interesting lies on the way they made the main characters different from how they normally are. It gave this drama more color and substance because instead of fighting with each other they are instead solving cases and wandering around together building unanticipated bond that no one has ever expected of them before. It also further emphasizes on how unpredictable and constantly changing our life can be. That it can turn rivalry and hatred into something wholesame and can make years of intimate bond, affection, affinity and experience into a smelly nasty trash.
P.S. I just wanna say that I'm amazed by the pull over Lotus Tower. That's such an iconic infrastracture they built right there.
Story - 10, It was a unique story that is completely different from all the Wuxia I have watched until now. It feels like its main purpose is to educate and entertain; and when I said entertain, I meant E-N-T-E-R-T-A-I-N!! This drama is a whole mood! No dull moments at all and the story progression itself is nice and constant. Just bear through the ridiculous moments when the characters can't recognize their Leader simply because he's wearing a half mask and or he gained a little weight and you will be fine. Hahaha!
Acting/Cast - 10, Oh God! No questions at all! The 3 main leads killed it. The chemistry was insane. Like, I-N-S-A-N-E and I will never get enough of this Trio's interaction. They're so chaotic and lively together. Also, I have always known that ChengYi's a good actor but DANG! His portrayal here deserves some kind of award. I love his clever and unserious acting + His facial expression made his character even more mischievous looking. Hahaha!
Music - 10, I never really got to pay attention to the overall music because I was so engrossed to how good the drama is. But one thing is for sure and that is I was never bothered by it.
Rewatch Value - 10, One of those dramas I'm willing to watch again from the very beginning even right after I finished it. It was that good!
Overall - 10, I'm sure everyone has seen this coming. Hahaha! All I can say is that this is my kind of drama. A fun, entertaining and easy to watch one. If you're still comtemplating whether to watch this or not, then this is your GO SIGNAL to do so. It will never be a question if this is a hit or a miss because it straight up will always be a HIT!
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Taming the heartless Devil God | Love can soften even the ruthless and coldest Hearts.
Honestly speaking, after I completed this drama, various thoughts and opinion invaded my mind. I know this is going to be controversial but two of them are "How the heck is this the biggest Xianxia of 2022?" and "Is this really the best they've produced last year?" and even before anyone get offended, please let me explain why I feel and think this way.First, the introduction, pacing, story progression are fine—great even! However, the story itself specifically the plot seemed plain to me. I'm not saying it's bad but I kind of have high expectations for this drama being 'The best' of its peers last year (2022) and yet all we've gotten is a story which has scant thrill, climatic vibe and feel to it. I also wasn't hoping for an extremely complex narrative but wouldn't it be great if this has that mind-blowing and unpredictable sense to it? Something that can make you feel frustrated from guessing the future events and either get disappointed or satisfied at the end once the mysteries unfolds? I think what this drama is truly lacking/short of are the exciting and impactful climax and ending.
Second, Climax and Ending. This is when my uncertainty then later on dissatisfaction has truly kicked in. I expected the war to be an all out showdown of strength and power between the most powerful races of the story but for some reason they chose to shortened all those scenes and ended up focusing on the more dramatic side of the story. I mean, I get that the FL has to finally step up for the story to move forward, however, I feel like even that part wasn't executed good enough. I am displeased by the fact that they never gave us any decent battle at all. That's a supposed epic battle turned into a dust!! When it comes to the ending, all I can say is that they played it safe way too much. It was genuinely 'plain' period—Almost uneventful per se. The typical happy ending for everyone... Which is why I find it even more ridiculous and unbelievable that this was considered as most sought out drama of the year. Well, I guess, simplicity is truly the ultimate sophistication. Lol!
Moving forward... Something I found fascinating is the duality of the Main Leads. I know that exchanging bodies is not a new concept but for some definite reason, it helped this drama to define both of the characters and make them even more unique and interesting. Another big factor that made it happen is actually the Leads versatility and passion to their profession. The two of them did a great job executing 2 different personalities and it feels nice to see two individuals with contrasting aura and vibe build this perfect synergy and chemistry.
In terms of CGI, Color grading, Costume and Design, I would say that the production, styling and editing team are on the same page and has a clear communication on how they want the drama's overall visual and effects to look like. The only concern I have is with the ML and 2nd MLs battle costume. Damn! Those outfits looks heavy, disruptive and uncomfortable overall.
Lastly, I love that the progress of their love story didn't happen in a single day. Because love at first sight can get really irritating sometimes.
Story - 9.5, It was executed well but is lacking when it comes to proper utilization of hype and climatic scenes. Story flow and direction is really good, it's just that the way they played it safe by not adding any major plot twists kind of made this plain/bland for me. Nonetheless, this drama is still really good and very easy to watch.
Acting/Cast - 9.5, I got no beef with the set of Actors/Actresses in this drama. However, I Just have to address on how awkward some of their scenes are when they tried to act it out. I know a scene if it's meant to be funny or not and I can clearly say that the way they deliver some scenes/lines aren't as polished as they want it to be. Like it's not the best and they can still surely do better but since the Director said "it's okay" so they just settled with it... I got that feeling multiple times for this production and they're mostly from the supporting actors/actresses.
Music - 10, Okay, I will give credit to where it's due. The music and sound team did an amazing job in bringing out the emotions, life and vitality of the scenes for this drama. The OSTs played for each and every scene perfectly matched the vibe of the events it's used for and it truly elevated the mood every single time as well.
Rewatch Value - 9.5, I would still re-watch this honestly. Like I mentioned above, this is such an easy to watch drama and the only reason why I have those feedbacks is because I expected a lot more from this story but was instead provided with a 'bare minimum'. Like they can still give more but since it's 'good enough' so they just settled with it.
Overall - 9.5, First of all, It was never my intention to provide negative feedback on this drama. I even have high expectations and anticipations for this show. However, I guess it's my own conciousness speaking for myself.... that I'm not satisfied yet and is still looking/asking for answers on why they did it that way given all the potential it has. Nevertheless, this is definitely a good one and would still recommend it to anyone who's planning to watch it.
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A new standard for Xianxia Dramas. Experience how it feels to stumble upon a greatly priced fortune.
In summary, this is one crazy feel good party! This story breaks through the typical standards when it comes to Xianxia dramas. It won't even be a stretch if I claim that they birth-ed this whole new trend and I hope that more producer will realize that a story doesn't necessarily need overly complex plot to make the entire narrative fun and exciting. Just a hand full of evilness from some characters + hilarious and vigorous number of cast would be enough to make any story enjoyable and satisfactory.Even after I finished this drama, It still feels oddly satisfying to watch a Xianxia with such a comical and funny setup. This production embodied the words 'derp and meme' so much that as time passes by I find myself longing to see those scenes again. I got used to it and even longed for it in the long run. This story was made perfect by each and every element they poured to mold it the way it is. A rare masterpiece! 💕
Looking back... This production showed us plenty of focal points, however, one thing that stood out for me is its values—From the unconditional love Qingkui and Yetan shared despite their contrasting upbringings, the initially cruel turned playful setup of the Void Team, Human Emperor's love language and fatherly affection for his daughters, Indestructible bond between friends, Naturally playful nature of each character, Overwhelming fleeting emotions that can rule over hate, sorrow and revenge and last but not the least, Repentance for all the wrong decisions we've all made. It presents us the good-postive and bad-negative context of life. That life may be cruel, for sure! but it still depends on how we choose the path we're going to take. That life is not always about making the right decisions, moreso, a stand of choosing what can make us feel better and at peace. So, lead and live your life to the fullest by making considerably good decisions!
CGI, Color scheme and Overall design were great. I never felt off watching any of them. They're perfectly balanced and I just love their choice of colors. It is all in accordance to what we're used to all these years, however, the mood/vibe of the drama just made them extremely pleasing to the eye. Comfortable and cozy per se.
One last thing I can never miss to talk about is the crazy-crazy good dynamics of all the characters! They blended so well that it feels like a whole dang celebration whenever they're together. Specially those moments from Immortal and Void Squad. I will surely miss their funny antics and the non-stop chaos they served to make the story effortlessly entertaining. They're the bread and butter and/or peanut butter and Jam of this entire production. It won't be successful without them!
P.S. I wish there are more episodes to this drama. I need to see both Yetan and Qingkui living their daily lives with their loving husbands Xuanshang and Chao feng. + These couples were just fantastic duos. I swear they can add 40 more episodes of them being messy and chaotic and I won't get bored at all.
Story - 10, An unexpected and fulfilling story. It's a dark horse covered in sparkly glitters that may look absurd to everyone on the outside but is a precious fortune on the inside. It is a whole new class/category anyone has yet to see and experience before.
Acting/Cast - 9.5, The set of actors/actresses on this production are well selected and even when some of them do feel awkward at times they all improved and got better afterwards. I can't imagine anyone else doing their roles at this point. They've all made their impact and created their own standing grounds when it comes to the characters they individually portrayed.
Music - 10, Honeslty, I find the melody of this drama to be very relaxing and peaceful. It's harmonious and easy to listen to. Which is very nice compared to the heavily composed music out there that often distracts me from focusing on the show.
Rewatch Value - 10, I can even watch it again right now. No boring scenes and more importantly every single episode is well produced and created. I highly recommend this drama.
Overall - 10, I feel rejuvenated after finishing this show. Specially since the previous drama I watched was kinda disappointing. Lol. Anyways, I just want to encourage everyone to watch this. You will never feel bored, disappointed and irritated even the tiniest watching this drama. It is that GOOD.
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Appreciating & Loving the Beauty within Yourself + Strong 2nd Male Lead Syndrome <3
Let me just leave one of the best line in this drama."Don't say bad words about yourself, because doing that is equivalent to saying bad words to us (parents) as we raised you" - Sato Ai's Father
A story that truly deserves a loud round of applause!
This drama kept on breaking my premeditated rating as it progresses that I was left without any choice by the time it ended. Like, how am I supposed to give it a rating lower than 10 when It has been nothing but an absolute perfection all throughout?
Honestly, I planned beforehand to give this drama a rating of either 9.0 or 9.5 but how can I do that when it kept on improving each episode and has been exceeding my hopes and expectations as it moves forward?
I never really hate anything about this drama. It's just that I felt bad and disappointed that such strong 2nd ML was treated like that and I felt like he deserves better compared to what the writers has in-stored for him. Well, as a big fan of Akaso Eiji, I guess I should never watch him doing any supporting roles from now on. Hahaha~!!
Aside from that I actually got no other complaints over this drama. Instead, I wanna commend it for having such solid and well-created plot and story progression that never failed me till the very end.
In addition, I really find it smart that they've decided to give us timeskips to better present the outcome of the characters decisions of pursuing their dreams. It was a brilliant idea cause it all goes back to the real ideal and meaning of this drama which is "Loving and accepting the beauty within yourself and use it as an inspiration to achieve your dreams."
No other words needed! This drama maybe an adaptation but the whole production just made it different on its own creative and unique ways.
Story - 10, Brilliant and beyond satisfaction. This story could've setlled for something less but they didn't stop there and was able to give us a better ending by making the last episode of the drama a plot device to finally achieve the purpose and ideals of this show.
Acting/Cast - 10, The stars of this drama delivered their lines and executed their characters in the most enthusiastic and earnest way without any reservations.
Music - 10, Memorable, the intro of the main BGM just left a significant impression to me. Whenever I hear the word "Hydrangea" I would imediately start humming the tune of the song even when I don't know the lyrics.
Rewatch Value - 10, Highly recommended. Specially if you feel so down and low about yourself. This show can certainly help you get the motivation and appreciation you need to look at yourself in a brighter and more beautiful way.
Overall - 10, The entire production shall never settle for anything less. I feel like this drama adaptation even became more significant and unique because it was able to present its true concept and ideals to its viewers without having to ruin or overly do things.
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The clever & talented Princess and her 4 husbands + A great and extremely fun drama.
A drama that deserved more episodes compared to what it has right now. 40 episodes is inadequate!!Honestly, I only have good words for this drama. This piece is 1 out of many dramas I dare not slander or complain about in any way or aspect. It is THAT great! So let me start showering this drama review with nothing but positive and brilliant praises. Hahaha!!
First, I would love to commend the story's way of putting the scenes together. it was arranged in the most smartest way possible. Everything felt properly connected and intact and that made it more exciting and interesting to watch. Story build up was excellent and well-structured so it never felt lacking and confusing; Instead it made the drama a lot more easier for the viewers to watch.
Second is their decision to only focus on the Female Leads life and love interest. I was really fascinated by this side of the drama because it shows how they want to present it to people in a smooth and flawless way. Not only it keeps the viewers attention in one place but it also helps to fully indulge and focus themselves on the flow of the story + it made the drama more appealing and less complicated as a whole.
Third is the great synergy and chemistry among all the characters of this production. Just by the looks of it you'll know that they enjoyed filming it. This drama is full of positive energy and bright smiles that became one of the leading factors on why it's more comfortable to watch. I was so engrossed and excited each and every scenes that I was able to finish it in 4 days despite its 40 episodes.
Absolutely one of the best costume drama I watched ever since. It's a complete package of every single thing put all together + it didn't lack on any area which is very amusing for a drama these days. kudos!!
Story - 10, A well-written and excellently created story that shows how much hardwork the script writers must've invested into this to make it as perfect as it is right now. Every piece of it just fits perfectly together. Definitely one of the stories that will be difficult to be criticize by anyone in any possible way.
Acting/Cast - 10, Perfect set of talented and stellar actors and actresses. I was very satisfied of their character execution and their performance is over the top + I just enjoy the positive and radiant vibes they exuded.
Music - 10, Great choice of BGMs overall. I enjoyed and appreciate all of them and how they were picked to match and fit the vibe and mood of the scenes they were used on.
Rewatch Value - 10, The drama I enjoyed watching the most among all the chinese series I have watched since day 1 and I will never hesitate to watch it again.
Overall - 10, Masterpiece!! I will never stop mentioning how well structured, created and written this drama is. I feel like the people who worked on this drama are passionate about it and just decided to put their 101% the entire time they were shooting it. Definitely, a MUST watch!!
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Well-built Camaraderie & Cooperation from the MLs + Nothing beats a warm Meal shared w/ Loved ones.
I feel like the real essense of this drama is being united and making sure that you go home at the end of the day to share a warm meal with your loved ones. =)I really regret making it sit on my watch list for such a long time. This drama is such a heartwarming story that I would recommend to anyone who are experiencing different circumstances in life. For some reason it provided me great comfort and inspiration to move forward by looking back at my previous self and so, I hope that it can also help with other people to cope with all the predicaments they're going through with their lives.
This drama unexpectedly stood out to be one of the best Crime-Investigation drama there is. It is completely different from those who provides solid and thrilling action scenes but that what made this drama so unique for me. I love how it focuses on various aspects and views of life as well as providing great amount of family warmth and camaraderie that helps the whole narrative become more fun, enjoyable and interesting to watch.
Also, I might admit that it's not really perfect when it comes to story and the plot it took... More specifically towards the end where I found too much plot holes that was just added maybe because they lack another idea? or they just don't want to make Tang Fan perfect all the time but even with those, you can't just deny that they did extremely greatly with the rest of the story. So I'll just give it to them and consider it as something they overlooked. After all they still did great!
Other things I wanted to highlight is how this drama was presented in a lighter way? Antagonists were really bad but they weren't cruel enough to be considered as evil. That may seem like a bad thing but in all honesty it makes this drama easier to watch cause the protagonists can easily overturn the tides against them and let's all be honest here... Who even like to watch overly dark and heavily plotted drama in this stressful era we're at right now? All I care is to enjoy and have fun~!!
Laslty, Women Empowerment here specially at the end with Consort Wan is truly satisfying!! Like, Let's GO!! We all love authoritative and confident women. — ALSO, The Bromance with Tang Fan and Sui Zhou is something I squeal HARD!! Cause some of their scenes at the latter part of the story can pass as a BL inserts to be very honest. Hahaha.
Story - 10, As mentioned above it wasn't perfect and it definitely has some scenes where you'll find yourself saying "Wait, What? Huh??" but aside from those, the rest of the story do provide great progression and didn't disappoint in executing the highly thrilling and crucial scenes. So overall, it is still a Perfect score for me.
Acting/Cast - 10, Great acting from the Main and Lead Casts. Hell, even the side characters are good in their respective roles. Special mention to the actor of General Gao Yi. His facial expression is perfection. An expert I would say. The rest are really good as well. I love watching dramas without having to cringe over bad acting and this drama 'served' hard!!
Music - 10, Opening is really good and I must say that the inserts are really approriate and well suited as well. Kudos to the editors and music team for choosing the best music fitted for each scenes.
Rewatch Value - 10, I would love to. and I will surely recommend it to people looking for a crime-investigation drama that provides good story as well as positive character relationship and progression.
Overall - 10, Deserved!! I feel like I can never give it a rating lower than this. As stated in my bio, I don't care about other peoples view and opinion. All I care is how the drama performs and delivers its message and values as a whole and this drama surely did not disappoint and executed really well in different aspects.
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Pure Innocence... Experiencing Firsts and How-tos of Love together~! ♡
As Expected of Japanese way of story telling. It was silly, weird and hilarious (in a positive way) all at the same time. They've always had this unique spark and mood of their own that only them can execute and showcase perfectly.Hmm, how do I say it... Probably a breath of nice and fresh air after being exposed to heavy plotted dramas for such a long time. This drama made me feel awkward & shy because of Aoki's silliness while feeling warm & inspired towards Ida's way of accepting and understanding things even when it's supposedly 'weird' in generals point of view.
A Production who truly invested so much effort and time to showcase and convey how 2 guys will react to their first love considering it to be rather unusual and uncommon. It was like an introduction to trial and error of love and affection.
Definitely a 'Must Watch'~!! A drama that will make you feel all the butterflies roaming all around your system over and over again.
Story - 10, Although the drama was short but it was able to showcase the proper ways of how to deal and express ones intention and affection towards another in a nice and cool manner. More so, this drama made me feel inspired and enthusiastic towards love again.
Acting/Cast - 10, Awesome set of Actors/Actresses. The one who stood out the most to me is probably Michieda Shunsuke. This guy is full of emotion and expression that I wonder how the hell does he managed to show all of them in split-seconds. Would also like to commend Meguro Ren, Fukumoto Riko and Suzuki Jin for making the Main Cast lively and complete. All of them added their own color and spice to this drama.
Music - 10, I so love all of the songs but unfortunately Johnny's still sucks in putting their songs on mainstream platforms. I was still mad on how It's not available on Spotify. Like, come on! It's 2022. I've suffered so much downloading songs before with JUMP & Kisumai. Do I have to do it all over again?
Rewatch Value - 10, Instead of saying that I would never be tired of watching this drama over again. It was more of a precious memory I would love to watch again whenever I feel demotivated and disheartened towards love. It has that 'Cheer Up' vibe you'll want to watch just incase you suffer from a heartbreak or so.
Overall - 10, It was a precious and delicate story I would love to treasure for a long time. I would love to recommend this to people who's feeling demotivated because of love and also suffering from fear of confessing and showing their affection towards their loved ones.
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My Daily Dose of Comedic Relief — The Haggle Queen ♚
"The way to a man's heart is through his stomach" - This phrase fits this drama so well and is the total embodiment of the story.First and Foremost, WOW! Never expected this drama to be this good. I've got prejudice over this one for a long long time since I hated age gap between men and women but damn!! this drama proved me wrong and made me so engrossed and love it even beyond my imagination.
I feel like the writer and director knew what would people's opinion be over this kind of drama that's why they decided to throw us such a stoic, smug yet wacky ML and tada! it worked like magic. I mean as a viewer who had a negative opinion towards the drama even before I started watching it; Their decision to make him that way is like the biggest slap I could ever get for pre-prejudging it even before watching a piece of it and I totally deserve it.
Another thing is my beef over FLs supposed Bestfriends. I mean, they both look quite manipulative and user friendly during their introduction yet they made them so reliable and dependable as the show progresses and that's another slap on me again. SO!! There I conclude that this drama was created to bitch slap me everytime they see fit. HAHAHA~!!
Also, one last thing is the never ending hate the FL received from the MLs Mother, her Co-Workers, the Female Antagonists and so on. They all falter against such talented woman and I love it but I hated how they all used underhanded tricks to attack and set her up. Those moments truly infuriates me.
Anyways, this drama is brilliant and I never felt satisfied over a contemporary drama for such a long time (Well I've been watching costume drama for more than a year now... so... Hahaha~!!)
Story - 10, No doubts! This drama slap me over and over again to prove me wrong and I never reflected so much over a drama for such a long time. This drama satisfies and even went beyond my prejudice and expectations. It may not be perfect but it managed to pull through its main and sub plots exceptionally well.
Acting/Cast - 10, Stellar acting execution from a set of great actors/actresses. Got no complaints at all and I gotta commend how good they're as a whole. 1 actor who stood out the best for me is Lu Zheng. Like, Hell~!! His acting is on a different caliber. Probably the best among the stars of this drama. Would love to see more of him with his other acting projects.
Music - 10, Enjoyable and Fun Music. They accompanied the drama the best! They made the scenes extra colorful and fun to watch. The musis used for this drama complemented the drama as a whole.
Rewatch Value - 10, It took me quite awhile to finish it due to personal endeavors but supposedly I was to finish it within 4 days even in the middle of my packed schedule. Sadly it overlapped with my little summer get away and that explained how it got dragged for so long. Nonetheless, this drama is simply good and people need to watch it. I'm forcing everybody to. Hahaha~
Overall - 10, Everything combined, this drama is probably my best watch (Modern dramas only) so far this 2022 and there might be great one's I have yet to discover but this production cemented its prints within me. Definitely a good, sweet and fun drama to watch. A story for all ages.
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An Intelligent, Captivating, Direct and Smooth Sailing Drama~!!
I'm full of Adjective and Praises. But let me use those 4 as my main subject to elaborate and discuss how spectacular this production is.Honorable Mention!! I specifically love the little black and white imaginary space Chu Chu and Jinyu's creating whenever they're to re-enact and solve the case. Most of the time it provides the most skinship and romantic interaction from the both of them. Love it so much. <3
Intelligent - This show just kept on showing and shoving things right into your face. The cases and mysteries that are being handled were all complex and tricky but that didn't stop them from presenting us with such high accuracy explanation but also kept ME, personally, in awe at how splendid and well-constructive they were. A true Masterpiece!!
Captivating - The main leads and their chracters visuals might have been the expected icon when I mentioned the word 'Captivating' but that's not just that; The real reason why I love this drama so much is how the Characters behave and display their characteristics in a clever yet silly, sassy and entertaining way. I'm glad that they all have their own distinctive roles to show and they all nailed it. Wanna give credits to all the actors and actresses for doing a magnificent job. <3
Direct - Most of the dramas are flooded with bunch of plots and twist before going into the main hurdle just to show the heaviness and complexity of the final disaster the Protagonists have to went through; yet this drama chose the completely same plot but made it more direct and straightforward. They focused on 1 definitive subject then provided clues that will eventually gathered all the other hidden tricks and flaws and finally ended it with a Marvelous series of mind-blowing strategies and scheme to finally finish the main antagonist.
Smooth Sailing - Honestly, this is base on how I was shock to know that I'm passed the 3/4 of the drama even before I realized it. It completely caught me off guard on how smooth yet entertaining the whole drama is. Not even once this drama made me felt bored or tired of watching it. It always offers new, unique and interesting set of topics to watch and never failed in making them great. Hahaha~ This sound so biased but I'm just really in awe on how well-made and produced this drama is.
Story - 10, Story is a cut from the most excellent script there is and it never failed to showcase how good it is. I wanna commend the writer, producer and everyone who worked behind the camera to make this drama as great as it is right now.
Acting/Cast - 10, They portrayed their characters the best and even owned all of them. I enjoyed it so much thanks to their neat and clever execution of their scenes. I got nothing to say but words of love, adoration and praises.
Music - 10, Honestly, Music and BGM is the least focus of this drama but i'm quite satisified on how they didn't overly rely on BGMs and Music to set the mood. I also love the mysteric and quite thrilling opening instrumental of the drama. It reminded me a lot of those times I was watching The Lost Tomb Series and I just love it a lot.
Rewatch Value - 10, I would watch it again for sure. No words and flowery words needed. This drama will remain special and memorable on its own. I highly recommend this drama to everyone regardless of the genres they like.
Overall - 10, Perfection and Impressive. I honestly got no comaplaints and was extremely satisfied on how things went through. It was an easy drama to watch that will surely satisify anyone without any doubt.
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