Sirenas

It's interesting the level of high scores this received and I wonder if it partially has to do with the exposure of being an original Netflix series. I'm still up in the air on firms like Netflix increasingly capitalizing on anime and the international sphere but eh.

You know the shows/movies where your eyes are glued to the set and you demand no interruptions? This one started off as such but then trails off a bit during the middle. The uniqueness of the plot is what really makes this one great but outside of it, it does still consist of the similar predictability you come across in many k-dramas. But also as with many k-dramas tropes, even while knowing the direction they're taking you in, you'll still give into the emotional roller-coaster.

In no way an expert in autism but the similar shortfalls found in the Good Doctor, was also evident here. While I love when anyone who is viewed as different in the world being celebrated for their differences and strengths, there feels to be a heavy hand in highlighting positives when convenient which causes inconsistencies through various scenarios. And maybe because it was only 10 episodes but the flow from switching focuses of your main characters didn't flow too naturally.

If you happen to be in emotional mood, prepare yourself with a tissue box. While it's not really as profound as it had the potential to have, it will still offer many viewers a good visualization of seeing things from a different perspective. It's worth the watch but hopefully they will follow up with a good continuation, particularly because of the ending where they tried to create some type of mystery but instead of creating anticipation, it felt out of place.

Read More

Foremost, this series is likely not for everyone. Although there is much less opera scenes than expected, this type of music/performance may not sit well with those less open-minded. Having been born and raised in the US, my exposure to Chinese opera has been minimal but fortunately being a first-gen, I still heard and saw enough through the media played by family members. So I'm really happy that there is a 2020 series that is looking to bring this wonderful art into display. Even for someone like myself who speaks conversational Chinese, the opera lyrics are still difficult to understand so I love that English subtitles are available. It's like listening to rap or other genres for the first time. Only if there is enough exposure, does one start to really begin to understand it. Now with that aspect out of the way:

The series was a solid 9.0 until around episode 30. This is when the plot takes a turn down soap opera lane a bit. They tried too hard to link everyone into having some type of familial relationship with one another which made it unrealistic with no added value. The other lesser negative is the unrealistic gun fight scenes and the unnecessary slow-motion effects during the other fight scenes. Otherwise, the action blend could have shone more.

Nevertheless, I was drawn in mainly by our two male leads from the very first episode. The contrast and underlying similarities between them created a chemistry that was addictive and fun. Cheng Feng Tai, is the true star here. He was able to portray the complexity of having to transition into multiple faces very well (and admittedly, his dimpled smile is too good). Shang Xi Rui comes as a close runner-up and I really adore the both of them on screen. There were also plenty of witty supporting characters such as Cao Gui Xiu and Du Qi who only added to the charm of the series.

There is a good surface attempt to explain the life route of opera singers, the royal family having fallen, and when Japan began its invasion. But for me personally, having read and seen many films and books that really dive hard into these events, these are just a backdrop to the ultimate love story in this series. And although I can't forgive the suffering Japan caused (read The Rape of Nanking or watch the documentary), I do appreciate that they didn't portray all the people of Japan as willing enemies.

There are some flaws that can't be overlooked with some parts of the plot and some loose ends that were never explained but everything else was done really well including the design set and outfits for the era and the incorporation of a bit of just everything. If there were some physical touch present between the leads (even if just hand-holding), I think it would have upped it by a notch. Although I took off some points for the mentioned factors, let's just say this is one of the series I made the effort to download for keeps.

Read More

Still binge-worthy but...

Very happy to state that season two was done well enough to remain binge-worthy for those who enjoyed season one.

However, there are some reductions in quality that I'm hoping doesn't get carried forward into the next season.

- The charisma between the team is starting to lose its appeal. There has been absolutely zero character growth and everyone's personality is growing a little stale. There is also a subtle feeling of trying to force upon the importance of each member in the crew. After so many episodes, I get it already. Pei Xi is great at drawing and Ying Tao is a backup bodyguard who is just average in comparison to Lu Li Feng, and Fei is a miracle healer. How many times does Su Wu Ming need to complement them for doing exactly what they've always done? The worst part is when they tried to suddenly get the whole crew to play detective in the last arc and Ying Tao is hinted at being Su Wu Ming's apprentice? The best character in the series was Su Wu Ming and all of this has really diluted him.
- While the overall mysteries are still quite interesting, the actual investigation and autopsies are no longer given as much detail and emphasis anymore. On multiple occasions, apparently despite Su Wu Ming having conducted his autopsies, he misses relatively key areas for some reason that required multiple additional autopsies. This again, takes a lot away from his character and his character's abilities.
- And while I'm not a big fan of any heavy-handedness on romance, the interactions between the couples (particularly in this season) has no charisma and the occasional reminder of them being a couple really adds no value.

Hoping in the next season, they try to implement more character growth. Also hope they don't continue to try to muddle the dynamic by getting everyone on the team to suddenly become master detectives. It would be like trying to suddenly turn Su Wu Ming into a master swordsman. Nevertheless, season two was still worth the watch despite the slight trailing off near the end.

Read More

Somehow Captivating

This review comes from a re-watch a couple of years after the first run. As with many of the newer historical dramas, it isn't without its common flaws. So why the higher score despite some shortcomings? Because it was fun to watch the first time and was still fun to watch the second time.

- Even if the acting is slightly cringe at times, the chemistry still manages to work and you'll still laugh out loud, then shed a few tears, and go back to laughing again. Xiao Zhan also does a good job in keeping the momentum going.
- Even if there are some plot holes and inconsistencies, the story and twists were well-paced and interesting enough to keep you wanting to get to the next episode even when it's already past midnight.
- Even if the action scenes are flimsy at times, it's too late to care because you're already drawn in to the plot.
- Even if the dramatizations can get a bit much as usual, it actually works well here for the comedy relief which balances out the grimmer undertones.

Despite having dropped other series for less, this one just manages to blend itself well. For a fairly long drama, it surprisingly had minimal draggy moments because the plot usually shifts when it threatens to reach that point. The underlying morals Asian films usually try to incorporate, is actually much more realistically done in this one. And although I don't agree with the romantic censorship, it works out well for me personally because romantic subtleties are usually much more meaningful.

Overall, it is a memorable one and it makes me think the novel must really be great.

Read More

This one is a rough one. I was considering dropping it after the first few episodes because of our leads. This is no fault to the actors themselves but the male lead just didn't quite fit the role he played though it's still passable. The female lead's role was (yet again) written as a cutesy character who's obsessed with the "cold bad boy" but is just incompetent and unprofessional if you pay attention to what value she brings supposedly as a cop of a special team. Sigh to the Asian draw towards having to incorporate the "cute" even when it doesn't work for the genre, but at least she doesn't wear high heels on the job.

The blend of the crime and romance aspects of the series feels forced/confused as if they didn't know which one to focus on. Then the humor and lightheartedness that was sprinkled on would have worked if it wasn't sometimes done with bad timing. There also wasn't too much chemistry between the two leads and the number of times they made him lean flirtatiously into her face to apparently make her feel uncomfortable (try counting the times) just became an irritating thing to watch. What is also up with the male lead and his alternating of two hairstyles? At first I thought they were attempting to use it to differentiate between the past and the current, but no. Choosing just one or the other would have worked a lot better for the purpose of the character.

Despite all the above however and while the crime aspect wasn't amazing, there is an interesting overall mystery with the male lead's backstory and where it leads. The rest of the supporting cast did a really good job to keep me focused so I quite enjoyed it while skipping the majority of screen time of the female lead.

The concept of society blaming and looking down on (in hypocrisy) the "monsters" they've created themselves is quite evident here which I love. Nothing to do with the actual plot. but let's say a group of children were raised in an environment where murder was as normal and natural as eating a meal, would it be moral to blame the children for living in the same fashion? Then let's say, a few of those children were fortunate enough to later be placed into a gentler and warmer environment, and learned they can feel and live a different way. Would it be moral to punish them for their past deeds from their prior environment? And then to add to the complexity, what if some of those children were just born and wired a certain way?

The strange empathy you may feel for what should be the "monsters" in this is what hits the spot. Who's the one who's really ignorant? Who's moral and who's self-justifying on their own learned morals?

It is definitely very unfortunate that outside of a great underlying plot, the series couldn't pull it off better.

Read More

Underrated

After a few episodes, I was so happy to finally find a series that really satisfied a craving that's been ongoing. It started off with such detailed humor and intellectual lightheartedness. The ML is a great cast for his role because he is capable of emoting different characteristics. Then there's the FL with her naivety and sweetness, a character type that I usually do not care for at all but with this one - she was super charming. With the ML's talent that balances on a thin line that can cross from light to dark, she was absolutely needed and perfect for him.

I love the uniqueness in how he grew his talents from mingling with prisoners and how he influences those around him. He's not one of those unrealistic and idealistic "always righteous" protagonists who bore you to death. He's someone who lives by his own standards and whims, whether they are always right or not, and someone who cares more about intentions and end goals. He's also capable of real empathy and not the flimsy judgemental type. The supporting cast were also very unique in their own way and they all mesh very well with one another.

The story is also quite unique in how he crosses between two very different cultural and judicial branches within the empire. So while the plot is political heavy, it's not your standard one-note. It's also one where you are constantly in anticipation of how our ML will handle all the crossroads he faces. The series does well in switching between lighthearted to dramatic before it starts to dive into the darker side.

Within the first 15 or so episodes, I was considering giving this a 10. But there are some sections that felt a bit dragged on and a few sections that felt a bit of an overreach, such as the one with the foreign envoys. Nevertheless, despite the 48 episodes, I didn't feel the need to speed up many sections at all. In fact, I wish there were even more episodes so that it can dive deeper into different arcs. As the series ended with what seems to only be halfway into its entirety, it's a shame that a second season hasn't been done... but it's still worth the watch.

Read More

Guilty binge despite its many shortcomings

This is one of those series that has enough flaws that you know you shouldn't be enjoying but yet can't help but to keep watching. The obvious and successful draw here is the brotherhood between our main leads. Although the acting isn't the greatest, the bond is endearing enough for me to find myself continually rooting for them and smiling at their scenes.

Positives:
- As mentioned, the brotherhood bond works. There are additionally a nice abundance of other interesting characters (almost too many). They both show character growth through the series and validate reasons for their individuality.
- For those who love action, there's plenty of it in this series to be satiated. The special effects are a hit or miss but nothing offensive.
- The plot moves relatively swiftly and while the lore is not necessarily unique, it was still interesting.

Negatives:
- One of the glaring downsides is the majority of the female characters - particularly the female lead. She didn't give a good impression from the beginning and she didn't have any character growth throughout. She also had zero chemistry with the ML but alas, her healer role was necessary. I just wish they stopped casting women in the series to be so... minimal and love hungry.
- The dialogue was too childish at times for a group of assassins. There are better ways to convey the message other than literally saying "I don't want to be a bad guy".
- It's another one of those series where despite huge and glorified attacks, people die from the tiniest cut on the throat.
- Because the cast was so huge, characters just popped in and out of scenarios and there's not much attachment to them.

Overall, it's definitely still a great low-stress entertaining series to watch. I did skip through almost all of the romance scenes which thankfully didn't last too long at a time. And although the ending was abrupt with too many missing plot holes, I did appreciate how it ended.

Read More

Biased Review and Vent

Out of the many series involving legal cases, there isn't anything particularly that makes this one unique with regards to the execution and resolutions of each case. However, it does touch on very real issues we have currently ongoing in our world without the over-dramatization of the actual issues.

There is one major overall aspect that I really love about the entire series because it hit a very personal sore spot. Since childhood, my blunt personality and nonchalance of what others thought about me has always been an easy target for others to put blame on for anything or everything. And our male lead in the series experiences this over and over again. Despite having earned his place through hard work and endurance, despite the fact that he knew there can be no resolution in the real world unless you play the game, and despite having proven over and over again his true intent... everyone around him continued to doubt him.

His pro bono team were pretty much useless on actually winning cases which would truly help victims but they judged and continued to judge him harshly on his methods. They celebrated every time there was a win and happily took credit but whenever there was ever the slightest potential shakeup, they would look at him critically again. They lectured him with their own personal idealistic views but can't exact real results without relying on him. They claimed he was arrogant but failed to realize their own deeply embedded egos and inabilities. People who like to think and feel passionately but can't execute any real results, so all they can do is stand on their imaginary pedestal and look down on others.

Even the one female I was rooting for to be his match, ended up betraying him. Despite the "happy" ending, I felt instead heavy sadness for the ML; he has been alone for so long and continues to be utterly alone in the end. He proved time and time again to have done everything with good intentions and overcame his own selfish desires to still choose to be good. But with just a whisper or a slight shift in climate, and the true hypocrites around him immediately casts doubt again. I really wasn't happy about him taking those ignorant dependents under his wing despite this because they are undeserving. Repetitive apologies doesn't take away the wounds from constantly being accused or doubted by the world who can't see outside themselves, much less be someone who can be there for others. At the same time however, I was paradoxically content with the ending because it's a very real depiction on how foolish the world can be. And now I shall go watch something that will throw me into a world further from reality to balance out.

Read More

Why is this series not more popular?

This series was impressive and exceeded my going-in expectations. One issue I consistently have with Chinese series these days is how unnatural the dialogues are but this one did a fantastic job. Also, many series with the legal theme tend to incorporate a substantial amount of bells and whistles or a "genius" character but this one didn't need it.

Plot: This is one of the most well-rounded portrayals of legal cases I've come across so far. It follows some pretty heavy cases (and some lighter ones) involving minors and does a really good job with the follow-through. They aren't just presenting a case for the dramatics, fantastically punishing criminals, and just moving on. They actually do a deeper dive into the sensitivities around working with children and teens which I really appreciate.

Characters/Actors: They chose the perfect cast especially with our main FL and ML. I love that our FL isn't just some generic eye candy that is needed to overcome shortcomings of acting skills. Additionally, the individual development of the more major characters and the chemistry between them are believable and heart-warming.

There are some flaws with the series such as a sliver of corny in one particular section and the plot flow wasn't perfect. The cases initially are done with a lot of depth and the second half started to get more muddled and rushed. But honestly, this didn't stop me from binging as there was minimal lag scenes. This really should have been a 40+ episode series.

Note that while some of the cases pretty heavy, there is an abundance of just fun and natural slice-of-life humor. There is also thankfully no ridiculous romance here. I've gone a little back and forth on the score due to the aforementioned flaws but compared to other series in this genre, it is deserving of the higher score. Highly recommended- it made me laugh, hold my breath, cry, and raised eyebrows.

P.S. Not sure why this is tagged as a thriller.

Read More

Solid historical drama

We need to bring back more historical dramas with this type of aura where no extravagance is needed and the focus is on the actual plot.

This series does a great job portraying a portion of Emperor Kang Xi's accomplishments and growth as a ruler. It's hard to explain but while it has all the typical political conflicts as with other series, it's done in very digestible way despite it spanning 40 episodes. They did a great job keeping the naturalness of human interactions which include an abundance of humorous moments alongside the more serious undertones. Fortunately, there is pretty much no dramatic romantic scenes or love triangles that deter from the main focuses. It's a great fictionalized depiction of actual history based on real people and events.

The minor negative is that there are slightly prolonged/repetitive scenes at times but not enough for it to get frustrating because the overall pacing is pretty steady from beginning to end. Note that there are some time skips throughout the series that may not be immediately obvious but you'll know if you've been paying attention.

Read More

Underrated?

I mainly tried the series out initially for Jang Hyuk (who didn't disappoint as usual) and found that the overall cast was actually quite fantastic. Having seen so many historical dramas, it's almost an expectation at times to come across one that follows the same general story. While this one sort of does, there is enough uniqueness to it that really makes it special.

The focus of the series isn't the standard political manipulations and catty dramatics. It's focused on individual ideologies, reasons for choices made, repercussions of those choices, and difficulties in empathizing. Our current political leaders can take a good lesson here. The series does a really good job with the magical pivoting of characters you may initially root for or characters you may initially detest, only to realize how little you knew of everyone once you are made aware of their past and intentions.

The underlying romance is built in quite naturally and it doesn't overwhelm the plot with excess. It's one of the rare historical series where I really didn't feel a need to fast-forward any scenes as it all served a purpose. It's an easy watch that is also quite emotionally impactful with good plot twists.

Read More

A Gem

Passed by this series on a number of occasions because yes, I did judge it based on its cover page/summary and assumed it was another palace drama with the typical romance story between a poor woman and the prince/king. However based on another reviewer's comment on the uniqueness to their story, I took a chance and wasn't disappointed.

Although the plot does seem to follow the usual servant girl turned concubine, the evolution of their romance is not as glorified as with some other historical dramas. It progresses more realistically in terms of how helpless women were at those times, without the option of having a choice when men decided to turn their attention towards you. While some women fantasize about social climbing and reaching a certain status, many don't realize what they are sacrificing in return.

I absolutely loved the FL and ML actors here as they did a fantastic job with both their subtleties and command of the screen. There are multiple complex webs of relationships with equally complex characters which really makes the series feel full. The pacing of the story was done really well with very little plot lag. Also while fictional, it does nod towards historical facts with respect to Royal Noble Consort Ui and Jeongjo of Joseon for that extra something special.

Read More

Based on a true figure in history

Series made like this is what made me really fall in love with Chinese dramas. Having seen this in 2024, I'm reminded yet again about how crude it makes many of the newer shows appear with focuses only "good-looking" actors, not-so-great CG work, cheap-looking and non-era related costumes, and mediocre plots. For the generations that are accustomed to the newer style of c-drama, it may take some effort for them to transition to these types of older ones.

However, if you are a plot-focused viewer who loves detective series, this is highly recommended. While it isn't perfect with some slight drags and would have done well with more character development scenes or character histories, the pacing of each case is still completely enjoyable. The actors are all as high quality as most older series are and both the story and subtle romantic relationships offers much realism. The only slight dramatization being that many cases being based on high-ranking officials and the idealistic portrayal of our protagonist, Song Ci (as with many other dramas). But it is refreshing that they depicted how his idealism was also his flaw. It was equally refreshing how female inequality in the field was highlighted through one of Song Ci's assistants.

Highly recommended and I'm hoping to seek out more of these types of series. These series are underrated because of its age and number of viewers, and unfortunately doesn't show up on the list of recommendations often.

Read More

Slice of Life Treat

I normally don't have much interest in slice of life genres but finally found one that gave a similar feel to The Fiery Priest with lesser dramatics. You wouldn't think a series following prosecutors living their day-to-day jobs would be interesting enough to pull off a 16-episode run but if a season two came out, I'd jump on it. Not only was the cast and their comradery fantastic, the cases based on real life that impacts regular people such as ourselves has the advantage of hitting close to home when it comes to empathy.

It's difficult to describe what makes this series great without it coming across as boring for those who are used to more action or romance heavy plots. All I can say is that it provides a great prospective on what prosecutors have to deal with or shoulder, while trying to balance the black and white facts of a case and humanizing the people involved. There's no dramatic tear-jerks but there is plenty of literal laugh out loud moments as well as warm and fuzzy moments.

All of the actors had great chemistry with one another that only continued to grow with each passing episode. There are some morals to learn and some self-reflecting triggers. Highly recommend for anyone who needs a break from heavy action, needs a good laugh, or just wants to watch something that manages to stay intriguing without the enhanced drama (other than some hilarious silliness). There's thankfully no romance other than a very adorable and lighthearted development between a young couple. Not sure why some reviewers felt the early episodes were slow when it was a good in-depth introduction of the team. I surprisingly never felt the desire to skip through any scenes or conversations.

Read More

Exceeded Expectations

This is one that does a good job with blending drama/horror, humor, and tear-jerking moments. I've been holding off on watching this for quite some time because this is a genre/plot that usually isn't done very well. But happily, it became one where I continued to look forward to every next episode until the last.

The main crew of the cast had fantastic chemistry with one another- one that makes you smile with them, cry with them, and root for them. The plot flow was done really well and there was enough "houses to sell" stories in addition to the main underlying story to keep it satisfying. (Sometimes feel tricked with other series where they start off with one or two individual stories and then just drag the rest of episodes into the main one.) It isn't the most complex plot you'll come across but it also isn't an overly simplified one. There are some plot holes but a perfect plot with heavy attention to detail isn't something that should be expected too much for a supernatural genre.

There is a light layer of corny such as the FL always being dressed in black and the ML being dressed mostly in white, etc. But in this case, it works well as it's part of the charm. It is quite difficult to be able to smoothly incorporate a natural lighthearted feel for a plot with multiple darker undertones, so the higher score for the series is well deserved. The only distracting negative was the very obvious ad placement/marketing in certain scenes where it took it a bit too far with the selling of the drinks/snacks/skincare. Nevertheless, highly recommend for anyone who is looking for a balance of emotional triggers.

Read More