Minalapinou

Addictive Die & Retry about redemption instead of revenge with a thrilling, dangerous romance

My second favorite 2023 drama after Till the End of the Moon and would you know it, it's another dark, sexy and twisted angst-fest with Bai Lu as its lead. The hype was sky-high, and it did not diasppoint. It is by no means a perfect drama, the story can feel rushed, the palace politics are hard to follow, and the production is of average quality with some weird lighting and framing choices (hate them or love them, here come the Chu Yui Bun lens flares and close-ups), but the plot is gripping. Bai Lu has chemistry with every character, and her (incredibly hot) slow-burn romance with Zhang Ling He's scheming and secretly unhinged teacher is rich, intense, and pays off wonderfully. It's sort of a harem, Jiang Xuening has three suitors who are based on classic tropes (childhood friend, incorruptible lawman and mysterious teacher) and after trying to convince herself that she wants the most righteous one that she missed in her previous life, she ends up falling for the most dangerous instead. Xei Wei is fascinating, and I kept rooting for him despite his ruthlessness and controlling tendencies. This is how you write a flawed character ! Yan Lin was also great, only Zhang Zhe was a letdown, and I don't know if I should fault the script or the actor (maybe both). I also really liked how the politics were cleverly intertwined with the romances and destinies of all characters, it made it all the more gripping, and the rythm was flawless. This is the kind of show that hooks you right away and never let go. I was sad to see it end, 38 episodes went by like nothing.

Read More

Moody gothic romance with the perfect cast and amazing visuals

Loved it ! Nothing was really doing ot for me lately in vertical land, I was dropping things left and right, when that happens I tend to go back to basics, and a classic gothic Beauty and the Beast retelling with a bulletproof cast and strong production values fitted the bill perfectly. It didn't disappoint, I watched it in one go, wished it was longer. At first glance it looks like a vampire romance but I insist, it's more a B&B retelling : he's a powerful but frightening cursed man in a big manor surrounded by roses and concerned butlers and maids, his rival is the real beast, she is the cure, etc. There is some vertical tropes like a fake evil bestie, wet dreams, forced kisses and the obligatory aphrodisiacs-induced sex (I really wished we got more scenes about their romance when they were younger and the seduction more natural, we were robbed), the usual toxic workplace dynamics, but overall I think the drama manages to be its own thing thanks to the dark fairytale aesthetic that didn't felt cheap (ZZD costumes were a bit extra and cosplay-ish but also fabulous, no complaints) and a focused plot that didn't meander in useless fillers. Zhu Xiao Xue was delightful, she looked like a doll and played her ingenue role well. I hear the frustration about the writing and the fact that some things could have been cleared faster and dangers avoided if the ML was more honest, but I think the drama's idea was to convey that he can't face her with the truth like when they were young but can't stay away either, torn between his desire and his wish to protect her by keeping her in the dark (the fake fiancee story is not a bad cover). Anyway, I ate it up.

Read More

Who's a good boy

Another great find thanks to the amazing r/CShortDramas reddit page, casting is smoking hot, plot is very fast paced (never a dull moment), all wrapped in an efficient, no-frill direction. Hou Cheng Yue is, on the surface, your standard sub desperate poor girl who has to sell herself to save her family and Zhang Ji Jun your usual dom CEO who wants to take advantage of it and trap her in his snare, the very first scene teases a classic take on the trope, but !!! The dynamic changes immediatly when she's sent (or rather, he sents her to himself) to have sex with a poor, downtrodden crippled heir bullied by his evil rich family. Of course it's him (there is a hilarious "only in fiction" Superman/Clark Kent disguise going on with glasses and black/white styles), but she wants control in the relationship (big "only I can bully him" vibe) and he's more than happy (and horny) to give it to her. It's very kinky, very hot (both actors can kiss) with amazing choreography and fun dirty talk. I do have one regret : a very naughty part of me kinda wanted her to discover the truth earlier and play with him more, like, by cheating on him with his dom CEO alter ego, that would have been a fine, thrilling little revenge for all his manipulation, but the drama didn't go there. The plot itself doesn't really matter to be frank, we are here for another kind of "plot", but I did enjoy the psycho mom and psycho fiancee who raised hell for their sick version of love.

Read More

Once bitten...

I was in the mood for an angsty scumbag husband redemption romance, so I was tempted to watch this one. It's done on a shoestring budget (the leads have like, three outfits they rotate until the end), but it does have a strong leading pair in Ben Wang and Wang Yun Yun, who deliver the required devastating thousand yard stares and barely suppressed sobs. Both main characters were dealt a terrible hand in their arranged marriage, and she pushed loyalty to extremes while he never gave her the slightest chance to prove she's not the money grubbing schemer he thinks she is. Opinions may vary, but I do think he deserved a chance to win her back, as the basis of their first marriage was so fraught with lies and misunderstandings. Also she had the sweetest in-laws, always a plus. The plot got weird at times (I never really got why the grandpa had to keep his grandson so much in the dark about a rival family schemes, and the little arc abroad was clumsy) but the central romance is gripping enough to make up for it. For all the ones who see potential in SMLs who fall in love after the breakup, have a weakness for scumbag exes (I love mess, the scumbags are kinda hot at times, and if you give one Ben Wang's face, well...), don't necesseraly root for the perfect rebound boyfriend and like to see a good grovelling/redemption arc, it's a great watch.

Read More

A hot, short mess

I have so many questions, and so little answers. First let's get this out of the way : the title makes no sense, it's not about redemption at all, it's a period revenge story (chinese title is "Run Wild") with a plot I've seen several times where FL becomes a concubine of her family's killer who stole her house and has an affair with his son. Second, don't ask me about story details, the subs were so bad I could have watched it without them and get the same level of understanding (actually I think I could have benefit from turning them off, as they were so confusing), third ; what the hell was up with the format ?? Did they intend to shoot a horizontal mini, ran out of budget and went for 2 minutes, vertical length episodes (while having only one hour of scenes to work with) ?? Some transitions were just...missing, new characters went in and out of the plot faster than we could get their names. No way the initial script intended the show to be that disjointed. And last, but not least, am I crazy or was there supposed to be a romance between Yun Mo and Rong Yan ?? Is there an uncensored version out there were she's having an affair with her AND Tian You ?? Is it a one-sided love ? The drama heavily hints towards it, but it has already so little time to develop its story, why add a secondary romance ?? I have no idea who the ML is as a person by the way, no time for his character to be explored. Okay with all this out of my chest, let's focus on what the drama did well : kiss scenes. They were fire. Masterpieces. Need to be framed and taught in school. Great abs, at some point he's rolling in the snow half-naked to cool her fever, 10/10 boyfriend material. Costumes and songs were very pretty, the drama is a strong advert for the talent and beauty of its main cast. It's a frustrating experience, I think there was potential for a good, addictive mini drama in here, but as is it still made an impression.

Read More

Warring hearts

The first couple of episodes are some of the most action-packed and colorful I've seen, never showing signs of slowing down, and by some miracle Fated Hearts managed to never relent until the end. What a show ! Sometimes it's a bit overwhelming (everyone is shouting ! The music and sound effects are so loud !) but it's blood-pumping and thrilling. The mature cast is perfect for this angsty romance of warriors who are fatal ennemies but still recognize each other's valor since they are made of the same cloth. I have yet to see a middling performance from Chen Zhe Yuan and he's killing it as unhinged prince Sui Ge, serving bitch royalty with hot temper and slutty looks all day, all night. I hadn't seen Li Qin in anything before and I'm conquered, ready to follow her charismatic commander anywhere. Both are dominating the show by their presence and high-octane, moody relationship. This is made by the Kunning Palace team, who has a clear talent for writing crazy power couples. There is a scene where he says he wants to cut her into pieces and tear her limbs, and it's the hottest thing. I'm sad the secondary male cast is on the weaker side, their roles are great but Chen He Yi and Zuo Ye are not giving us much beyond perfect skin, shiny hair and smoky eyes (to be honest Zuo Ye did okay, but Chen He Yi is so wooden you can't even tell what he's supposed to be feeling). Thankfully the show has an excellent secondary female cast (Xia Meng and Xu Xiao Sa delivered), some truly great acting from the veteran cast and an ace in its sleeve in Qin Tan Yui as a broken ennemy emperor, whose completely unexpected affair with the princess gave a new exciting life to the final arcs.

Read More

Do not try this at home

I think you can ignore most of the medical blabber they throw at us. The "psycho" behaviour of the hero is a cover for his fears and the heroïne clearly has a saviour complex, forgetting it's best to help yourself before helping others. On the heroïne violating every ethical codes imaginable : yeah she does and should be banned from practicing, but I think the drama did a good job at showing why she did it, how she fell head over heels for him, and how she paid a hefty price for it, their relationship being more akin to a purgatory than a paradise.

Directing wise it has a legit director in Zhou Jiu Qin, and it shows. He made some much talked-about shorts this year like this one, Dark Side of the Sun, The Love of a Fool, and Debauchery. What can I say, each one is pushing the limits of what verticals can do, getting the best out of their cast (To Love a Fool is often described as the best work of Ma Xiao Yu, same for Zhang Chi here, and even if Towers of Whispers had weak writing IMO, its opening was striking and the drama did a great job at showcasing Jerome Deng's talent). I think he's amazing at directing broken but resilient, unhinged heroes as Zhang Chi's performance was mesmerizing. First he looks like some pop idol picked straight from an edgy hit clip, with his million-dollar teethy smile, perfecltly messy hair strands and see-through mesh tops ( if you want a ref, his styling made me think a lot of the wet, sad, skinny puppy look of TXT's "LO$ER=LO♡ER" era). Second, he plays the "psycho" lover part very well, he's a devoted puppy who will bite if provoked, but since his lover is no angel herself and made the first move, the drama never becomes an endless chase where only the ML is crossing lines. On the contrary, it's the fact that they a are so much alike that makes the heroïne run, as she's not ready to face her own trauma (yet).

The drama could have gone to very dark places in its second part, but it doesn't resist the appeal of using some convenient external evil plots to bring the characters back together. I would have liked them to be a bit more daring (does he really have to be yet another CEO nepo-baby whose family rival is trying to usurp, with an obsessive fiance trying to possess him like a trophy ?) but I guess paying tribute to the format's most used tropes is not the worst choice, as they could have really stumble if they had tried to be more ambitious with the script, since they were already treading dangerous waters with the premise.

So overall I don't think the writing is amazing or that it should be taken seriously about mental health, but for what it is, a dark romance about broken lovers and a heroïne coming to terms with the fact that a "normal" relationship is probably not for her, facing the consequences of her actions and the impact of what she endured on her life, it was damn good.

Read More

Picked it up to have a good laugh, stayed for the secondary romance

A very fun, but also very forgettable contract marriage romance. As I feared, Kim Yong Dae is once again too lifeless for my taste, but props to the show for writing his character in such a way that it doesn't really impact the story. Shin Minah is hard carrying the main romance, and she's helped by a wonderful direction. The plot is okay, but it's trying a bit too hard to be modern and trendy for my taste. I feel like the writer did a better job with the contract marriage in Her Private Life, but that one had the huge advantage of having a very strong couple of lead actors who tend to elevate even mediocre scripts. In truth at a point I kept watching this one mainly for the secondary couple. Their story was way more interesting, and they had lots of chemistry. On that subject, their spin-off Spice Up our Love was a bait and switch, not as sexy as promoted, but it was still very entertaining. Overall No Gain No Love is a good pick if you're missing laugh-out-loud romances, but you can find much better in Shin Minah's catalogue.

Read More

Tempted

Republican era version of the Prince is Too Wild plot with Chen Si and Lui Xi Yu. Loved the contrast between the bubbly, petite actress and Chen Si's lean, sighthound stature and menacing energy. Girl is over her head when she accepts to become his mistress and he's clearly setting a trap for her to fall into, but she's not exactly reluctant. Their dynamic was both cute and sexy, a difficult mix to blend well, but the young actors balance it perfectly : she's not so innocent while he's not so jaded. She wants to explore, he teases and pushes her but not too hard, waiting for her to take the bait (such a fun dynamic). This is my first Chen Si drama and I'm impressed, he's got talent. A very strong pick if you want to watch a Republican era romance leaning more towards romantic comedy with a dash of spice than Noir thriller.

Read More

Not as steamy as advertised but still really strong

In spite of its title, sexy poster and scandalous opening where we see the heroine having an affair with the son of her new husband after seducing them both at the same party, this is a surprinsingly tame, sweet and sincere love story that doesn't have the usual trashy stuff found in these period minis. Is it a bait and switch ? Totally. Feast on that fantasy first kiss, because it's (almost) all we get ! It is frustrating to see the sensuality of the first episodes disappear in favor of a very classic courtship, and the heroes not taking advantage of all the opportunities they get to ravage each other right under the nose of their enemy, but it is also relaxing to not have all the usual tropes like forced kisses and shrewish ladies slapping people around. On that point, the usually evil stepmom is kind of adorable ?? Overall it's so serious and invested in its characters and story, it might have work even better as a longer show. I still mourn the lack of skinship, you can't just show this electric opening and then ask us to forget about it !

Read More

Cute mini for xianxia lovers without time to invest in a 40 to 60 episodes epic

Fei Li is Jing Yuan, a demon lord whose powers have been sealed in a world where demons are hunted and killed by cultivators, is protected and healed by Fusheng, the Phoenix Queen played by Ming Jia Jia, who is trying to marry an immortal sect leader. A very fun and cute hodge-podge of xianxia tropes. It's speedrunning various xianxia plots often at the sacrifice of smooth transitions and logic, but manages to feel like its own story (or at least cliffnotes of its own story...). One of its main influence is The Legends so if you want a quick version of that, Seal of Love fits the bill nicely. You can fill the gaps with the meat of other, longer dramas. Problem is, the last arc is obviously missing, but if the second season is never produced you can take the last scene as a typical xianxia open ending. Maybe my favorite Richard Li drama ?

Read More

Great meta romance that holds hup against classics of the genre

The plot is bonkers : an evil novel rival girl gets a conscience and is recast in a story as the female lead, she has a heart disease that forces her to kiss the male lead to survive, but instead she strikes him into a coma and kisses his half-brother who is the villain that will kill her the day of her wedding. It's on par with Extraordinary You and Lost Romance, it just works. It's very funny (the dialogue and meta humour can be hilarious and all the part where Yehan gets confused about his feelings for Luo Qing is great), the leads are rock solid, and if you don't think too hard about it, the laws of the novel world kinda make sense. Overall very refreshing and addictive. It looses steam at the end but stops right in time and doesn't overstay its welcome.

Read More

Basic revenge and rebirth story that transforms into a lovely romance

Can you have too much flirting in a romance ? I don't think so, and even if it was a bit cheesy at times, I found myself grinning stupidly from ear to ear in front of those two adorable fools in love. There is nothing new about the plot, it's the same old revenge story about a woman scorned by her husband and some green tea, being given a second chance to basically make them suffer her wrath, and finding love with Mr Perfect (who is alos her fake uncle) on the way, but there was something about it that was mesmerizing. The opening scene is arresting, we find our firecracker expert heroïne in red being branded and burned alive screaming bloody revenge on everybody, and then she wakes up in soft white sand, in a pavillion, in a meadow, far from the crowd in her young uncle's estate, meeting with a handsome and mysterious man in black who will become her ally and so much more. How to resist ? I adored the visual of the show, it feels very natural, with great use of warm colors and lighting. If I had to pick a word to describe the drama, it would be lovely. The actors were lovely, their story was lovely, the visuals were lovely. It can be a bit surprising to get a sweet romance after such a violent opening but it was fitting, because the drama is not purely about revenge, it's also (and mainly) about learning to trust and love again. A wonderful little find that deserves praise.

Read More

The longest promise was not fullfilled.

Ooh boy this drama. I thought I was in for a delicious slow-burn romance between a fiery princess and a wounded prince who longs for love, but instead I got endless, boring conspiracies between kingdoms I did not care about and a tedious love rival who refused to go away. I did love it at first (hence the not so terrible 7/10 rating). I love the aesthetic of this drama, very poetic and fairy-tale like (the dancing !), and the combats are pretty cool. I fell for Ren Min's energy and I get the fuss about Xiao Zhan. As I love contrasts, I loved their couple visually (I'm in the minority apparently). A shame the show doesn't exploit their playful chemistry, they barely kiss and get together too late. This drama is weirdly paced, dragged by this overly complicated storyline about the war between merfolks and the kongsang clan. Most of it is a set-up for Mirror : A Tale of Twin Cities, and it doesn't fit. Usually in xianxia the big identity secret is about the leads. Here it was about the hero of another show, and it was difficult to care about the underlying plot as a result. The show is also marred by a slough of mediocre secondary characters, like the tepid second prince, his tepid lover, her scheming sister who can't decide if she wants to be good or bad, the lamest evil clan and an exhausting tragic rival, Yuan, who takes way too much place in the plot at the expense of our main couple's story. As Zhu Yan's caretaker and her ancestor's husband it's very hard to take him seriously as a candidate for her affections, and in the end he becomes a walking plot device. What a waste of Wang Chu Ran, Lu Yu Xiao and Alen Fang's talent. The show started very strong, but slowly became a borderline unwatchable mess. It feels like a prequel to a show I don't even want to watch.

Read More

Straight to the point murder mystery with a delicious serving of romance

The plot is your über classic, you-killed-my-father-prepare-to-die (and let's solve a bunch of murder mysteries along the way) type of revenge story, with some trendy tweaks like the indentity switch, but this show wants to focus on the mystery, adventure and romance parts, rather than the gimmicks framing it. As a result it's very straight to the point, and more importantly, well-paced. The first mysteries are intricate enough to sustain our attention, and the tension escalates when our heroes reach the big city and get into the Prince's murder. I was not sure what to think of the main couple at first, their mutual crush was a bit on the nose, but after watching so many slow burns (some without payoff) I was very happy to see our leads get together faster than expected and all over each other (so many kisses, I was in romance heaven). They are so complementary, a true power couple : she will get sh*t done, and he will kick ass. It didn't hurt that the leads were played by two of my favs. Overall this drama is surprinsingly great at writing romances, and their sweetness balanced out the dire darkness of the cases. The production is not lavish whatsoever, it's a true case of strong writing, acting and directing covering for the smaller scaled budget.

Read More