This review may contain spoilers
Give LYN a Complicated Role and Make Him Sing a Killer OST, and He’ll Wreck You
ADWAD was not a perfect screenplay, but its strengths ultimately outshone its flaws. And the way it ended gave a perfect explanation for all the abrupt 180-degree turn of some characters (I’m looking at you CGH, 18th prince, the King).
I raised an eyebrow at 18th prince because he had no qualms about stabbing Nan Heng in the back—literally—and yet, he suddenly experienced a moral awakening? The same could be said for the King. He deserves an award for being the worst father of all time. His deep-seated hatred toward Nan Heng, stemming from NH’s maternal family, was irrational and frankly incomprehensible. His blatant favoritism toward the 18th Prince and his tendency to blame Nan Heng for everything were infuriating. And yet, by the end, he too underwent a sudden transformation.
Then there’s CGH. He wasn’t a villain initially, but he spiraled into obsession with no solid justification. It felt as though he forgot he had a brain.
But after the ending, I was suddenly laughing at the realization that even this pitfall of cliched character turn was mocked by this show as it was simply a script written for a drama. Ah, that was such a satisfying explanation.
LYT’s character did nothing especial, to me she was not that memorable. But man, I truly did not like that she badmouths NH every 2 seconds before she found out his other identity. She was so fixated on the script that even when NH implored that she tries to understand him with her heart, she continued to believe the script. Again, this character setup was only a script so that made me feel better. Her performance, however, was excellent. I can’t fault her acting at all—and her voice deserves a special mention. Not the high pitched and irritating voices we hear a lot in TV but a low, sexy voice that does not get on your nerves.
Now let’s dive into the best parts. I would commend the comedic timing, the OST and BGMs, the overall production, and LYN's portrayal of two characters.
The comedic timing in this show was impeccable. The OST and BGM elevated the experience tremendously. Chen Xue Ran is a musical genius—the background scores during comedic scenes were perfectly timed, while LYN’s voice in the OSTs brought emotional depth to every emotional confrontation.
The costumes, set design, and post-production were top-tier. It was clear the production team didn’t cut corners, and that attention to detail made watching the show a visual treat.
And then—Liu Yu Ning. His acting isn’t flawless or revolutionary, but he delivered his role far better than most traffic idol actors today. His micro-expressions were consistently on point. Every twitch of a facial muscle, every gaze, every resigned sigh was calculated and meaningful. His portrayal of Nan Heng—a character shunned by society, vilified by his own family, and his heroic achievements were twisted and used against him—was both heartbreaking and compelling. He wasn’t the type to cry loudly; instead, his quiet, suppressed pain seeped through the screen. It was powerful. LYN still has room to grow, but his performance here was incredibly moving. I wish him all the best in everything he does because as a person, you cannot help but appreciate such a hardworking, humble and real person.
Congratulations to the entire ADWAD team. You’ve created something bold, unique, and deeply enjoyable.
I raised an eyebrow at 18th prince because he had no qualms about stabbing Nan Heng in the back—literally—and yet, he suddenly experienced a moral awakening? The same could be said for the King. He deserves an award for being the worst father of all time. His deep-seated hatred toward Nan Heng, stemming from NH’s maternal family, was irrational and frankly incomprehensible. His blatant favoritism toward the 18th Prince and his tendency to blame Nan Heng for everything were infuriating. And yet, by the end, he too underwent a sudden transformation.
Then there’s CGH. He wasn’t a villain initially, but he spiraled into obsession with no solid justification. It felt as though he forgot he had a brain.
But after the ending, I was suddenly laughing at the realization that even this pitfall of cliched character turn was mocked by this show as it was simply a script written for a drama. Ah, that was such a satisfying explanation.
LYT’s character did nothing especial, to me she was not that memorable. But man, I truly did not like that she badmouths NH every 2 seconds before she found out his other identity. She was so fixated on the script that even when NH implored that she tries to understand him with her heart, she continued to believe the script. Again, this character setup was only a script so that made me feel better. Her performance, however, was excellent. I can’t fault her acting at all—and her voice deserves a special mention. Not the high pitched and irritating voices we hear a lot in TV but a low, sexy voice that does not get on your nerves.
Now let’s dive into the best parts. I would commend the comedic timing, the OST and BGMs, the overall production, and LYN's portrayal of two characters.
The comedic timing in this show was impeccable. The OST and BGM elevated the experience tremendously. Chen Xue Ran is a musical genius—the background scores during comedic scenes were perfectly timed, while LYN’s voice in the OSTs brought emotional depth to every emotional confrontation.
The costumes, set design, and post-production were top-tier. It was clear the production team didn’t cut corners, and that attention to detail made watching the show a visual treat.
And then—Liu Yu Ning. His acting isn’t flawless or revolutionary, but he delivered his role far better than most traffic idol actors today. His micro-expressions were consistently on point. Every twitch of a facial muscle, every gaze, every resigned sigh was calculated and meaningful. His portrayal of Nan Heng—a character shunned by society, vilified by his own family, and his heroic achievements were twisted and used against him—was both heartbreaking and compelling. He wasn’t the type to cry loudly; instead, his quiet, suppressed pain seeped through the screen. It was powerful. LYN still has room to grow, but his performance here was incredibly moving. I wish him all the best in everything he does because as a person, you cannot help but appreciate such a hardworking, humble and real person.
Congratulations to the entire ADWAD team. You’ve created something bold, unique, and deeply enjoyable.
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