wow!
i watched this show last year with my family because my father found the female lead pretty. i thought she was okay looking, but the makeup made her look very fragile and a bit weak, so i was not really expecting much from this show. but wow, it was amazing.i really love the story. i have always liked plots like this, where the characters have to use their brains, and with elements like time travel. it genuinely impressed me because the storyline was so well done.
the acting was great. the female lead, male lead, and third male lead all had two characters to portray, and they did it so well. you could clearly tell the difference between the characters even though they looked the same. both the main cast and supporting cast really delivered, very solid acting overall.
the music was also great. the theme song was really popular last year, and i actually listened to it before watching the show. at first, i did not understand the hype because it sounded quite ordinary to me. but after watching the show, it felt completely different. if you pay attention to the lyrics, it basically tells the story of the drama. apparently, the composer created it after watching just the initial version of the first episode, which is really impressive.
so why should you rewatch this? because honestly, i do not think you can fully understand the plot on the first watch. i had to search things up after finishing it just to grasp the basics. when you rewatch it and already know what is going on, you will definitely understand the story much better.
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disappointing second half
this show was an interesting watch, but would i watch it again? no, because it is just too long.learning about the history was interesting since i had never heard of the military academy before this. but plot wise, some side characters really did not need so much development and screen time when their presence contributed almost nothing to the main storyline. they simply were not interesting enough to justify so many scenes.
damn this show… i feel so conflicted. some parts of the plot made me go “wtf” because it felt like conflict was created for no real reason, and again, certain side characters were given way too much focus. they were likeable at first, but the more screen time they got, the more tiring they became.
i genuinely do not understand how shen jun shan’s character changed so drastically in the second half. he started off as smart, capable, and someone who trusted xie xiang from the very beginning. during the bomb scene, he believed in her judgment even when the male lead doubted her. he was always there when she needed help.
then suddenly, he goes completely out of character and loses all sense of judgment. he starts questioning xie xiang’s theory and even stands by the villain’s side. like seriously, where did the logical, capable, and trustworthy second male lead from the first 20 episodes go? it honestly felt like the scriptwriters forced this change just to create conflict and push the female and male lead together. did they forget how they wrote his character in the first half? it was very disappointing and completely unnecessary.
considering what the second male lead became in the later half, i honestly think the female lead should not have ended up with either of them. the male lead was basically a bully, and the second male lead felt like a completely different person by the end.
acting wise, it was pretty good. the actors handled their characters well. even though i did not like the male lead’s hair and character in this show, kudos to him for his acting. same for the female lead, her character was charming, and it was interesting seeing bai lu in this hairstyle. but please… that wig should be removed and thrown far, far away because what was that?
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This review may contain spoilers
underwhelming watch
watching this in 2026 makes me think xiao nai is a red flag. no proper confession, no proper proposal, and the female lead even interns at his company for zero pay.in their 2+ years of dating, he has not met her parents at all. is it really that hard to find time to visit them? the first time her parents see him, it is already to discuss marriage. yes, marriage is ultimately a decision between the couple, but it is also the union of two families. everything feels rushed and the timeline makes no sense.
seriously, could they not have met earlier and gotten to know him better? this is a lifetime commitment. he could have at least taken some time to prepare for marriage after meeting her parents instead of jumping straight into it.
this is not romantic, it is not thoughtful at all. he never asked for her thoughts about marriage and just casually brought it up during a broadcasted interview before even asking her directly. she has no way to back out because now the whole nation knows? was her opinion and permission not necessary?
he also never asked for her thoughts on having children and just happily decides they should get married early so she can have two sons. she literally just graduated from university, why is there such a rush to push her into all of this?
another ick i have about this drama is the casual misogynistic statements and stereotypes. like what others have mentioned, it was unnecessary and made me uncomfortable. i understand this show was from 10 years ago so i am trying to close one eye.
the side characters were also unlikable. this did not need to be a 30 episode show, it felt unnecessarily draggy. if they had stuck closer to the novel, it would have been much better paced. instead, they added a lot of unnecessary plotlines for side characters that were not interesting. i have zero interest in seeing all the extra er xi, cao guang, meng yi ran scenes.
in terms of casting, it was not what i expected either. one of the only things i remember from the book was the female lead being described as having a very sexy, curvy figure and a more striking, mature beauty. but in this show, none of those descriptions really matched, so it felt awkward watching her roommates constantly hype up her looks at the start.
chemistry wise, it felt a bit off. yes, they have visuals, but their interactions came across as awkward. like what others have mentioned, you do not really get a sense of their personalities because there is barely any character development. all you really know is that they are good looking and smart.
many of the other reviewers mentioned solid points, that i fully agree with. I haven’t written a review in 5 years, but I have so much to say about this show, putting it in the comment section isn’t sufficient …
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could have been better
ok the ending was literally crap. it honestly felt like they were just trying to force a sad ending for the sake of it. brooo i waited so long to watch this show just because of wendy, and to be honest i am quite disappointed.it also felt a bit weird watching the cast together. the male lead was around 25 when filming, the female lead was only 15, and the second male lead was 17. i do not know, but the age gap really showed. they looked mismatched, like a secondary school student, a high school student, and an adult all trying to act as university students.
as for acting, i would give wendy about 4 stars. she did decently, but there is still room for improvement.
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