I really like the storyline and pacing of this drama (especially since most episodes, including the opening and ending music, are under 14 minutes not the 20 minutes listed on MDL page). And of course, the acting from both leads is solid. The ending could have been clearer, but I’m pretty satisfied with it.
I am new to short/mini dramas, but wow this is such a good one that I ended up reading the novel (Marry The Villain) mentioned by a reviewer here, which seems to be what half the story is based on. The story is captivating, enhanced by the strong performances and great chemistry between both leads. I love the OST too. Overall, it’s a good production 🤩 For future viewers, don’t let the first episode or even the first five episodes deter you from watching. Keep going!
For me, the drama started off strong but then became somewhat repetitive relying on plot twist after plot twist. The most unnecessary part was the arc in episodes 31–36; they should have kept the ML’s background as it was originally introduced to viewers in the earlier episodes.
My take on the FL and ML casting: this is clearly a female-centric drama. In my opinion, there were two better options: 1. Give first billing to Guli Nazha and cast a lesser-known or less popular actor as the ML 2. Keep Hou Ming Hao as first billing but give him an equal storyline that emphasizes his ruthlessness and dedication as an official fighting injustice and corruption, as we saw at the beginning.
In the future, I hope to see Hou Ming Hao in a historical political drama. He would absolutely nail the role, just as he did in xianxia, xianhuan, and wuxia dramas.
This is the furthest I’ve ever watched a drama before dropping it (31 episodes). I don’t really mind what kind of ending a drama has, as long as it’s done well and stays true to the characters, their motivations, and the story. But after skipping ahead to the last episode, I completely lost interest in continuing. Honestly, it just feels like such a waste, especially with how good the production was and how great the main leads’ acting and chemistry turned out.
FSG and FYX started strong, but I kinda lost interest in them around episode 25 or 26, when XJS, XJY, and FXY’s story picked up. XJY and FXY is the real deranged red flag couple! So interesting to see where their story goes.
For future viewers, don’t let the first episode or even the first five episodes deter you from watching. Keep going!
My take on the FL and ML casting: this is clearly a female-centric drama. In my opinion, there were two better options:
1. Give first billing to Guli Nazha and cast a lesser-known or less popular actor as the ML
2. Keep Hou Ming Hao as first billing but give him an equal storyline that emphasizes his ruthlessness and dedication as an official fighting injustice and corruption, as we saw at the beginning.
In the future, I hope to see Hou Ming Hao in a historical political drama. He would absolutely nail the role, just as he did in xianxia, xianhuan, and wuxia dramas.