datura

Mood I like Qin Min's actor. Qian Qian is cool but I mainly I just like when she's bonding with Chang Yu.

I get so agitated when we switch to other characters. I just want to watch Xie Zheng and Chang Yu play house 😂

I'm not that far in yet so I imagine it'll probably get better, but so far, it's giving 5.5 lol. This drama has one of the weakest starts I've ever seen to still be rated an 8 on here

Oh perfect that's basically what I was hoping for. I've really been in the mood for equally yolked power couples lol. Also I love a hotheaded FL with a more grounded ML. The dynamic is just so fun to me. I haven't started it yet but the premise sounds pretty interesting so I will definitely give it a watch soon. Thank you for responding!

Against all odds, this was actually so beautiful and not creepy 😂😂 I always go in with low expectations when it comes to "basically siblings" shows (they're usually weird but curiosity keeps me watching them lol). There was an even greater risk with this story considering Wei Qian was Zhi Yuan's caretaker essentially. However, it makes a more sense once you watch the show. Overall, this is probably the best execution of this theme I've ever seen not just out of all BLs but out of all shows I've seen period.

I feel like I've been chasing the feeling this show gave me ever since I finished it with very little success 😭 Shenli was freaking cool and Xing Zhi was such a vibe. Despite both being kind of serious characters, they suited each other so well. Xing Zhi's humor and calm demeanor balanced out Shenli's rigidness and blood thirst lol. Shenli's love for life and passion for her realm balanced out Xing Zhi's numbness to the world.

The music was absolutely lovely. The romantic turmoil actually felt substantial and mature considering it had to do with the fate of the world. And the story running alongside their romance was also quite interesting too. I'm actually so sad I've watched this because now everything I've watched after it has not scratched the itch.

How is the power dynamic? To be honest, I don't love when an otherwise cool FL immediately loses her powers/authority and spends a lot of the drama weakened or bossed around by the ML (ex: Love In The Clouds). The ML being her conqueror is a red flag that I might not like it. However, You Are The One and Legend of the Female General have a somewhat similar situation (the former because she loses her memory, the latter because she goes from being his peer to him being her superior), but it didn't bother me in those two shows. So I figured I'd ask and see about giving it a chance anyway.

Justice for Taewoo 😔

Great show but I feel they spent way too long as siblings. They did a good job of not making it feel incest-y and weird, but the FL Ning still had brother zoned him so hard that there needed to be way more episodes to repair that than we were given 😂

I'm glad it wasn't just me 😂

For some reason they placed the second male lead in the center on one of the show posters, which is the one they used for the streaming service where I watched the show. So I went into it thinking Taewoo, the second male lead, was the main lead instead (I missed Jae Yeon's name in the synopsis). He immediately seemed like an interesting, somewhat melancholy character. I liked that he appeared more grounded and mature which personally I think is an aspect that is missing from a lot of these "I've fallen for an idol/actor" dramas. The main lead is often kind of immature, awkward, and/or socially unaware (and unfortunately this show does not deviate from that).

He starts off with feelings for Jae Yeon, so I'm getting excited to watch him fall for the actor. They even have a scene with tarot cards detailing his love life that, to me, implied he'd get a chance at love so I'm thinking omg cute, the actor is his chance at love. Except egg on my face, the actor is his brother 😭😭 I checked the synopsis and realized I just completely read the vibes wrong and that Jae Yeon, the guy he has a crush on, is the main lead.

I finished the show to give it a chance, but I still genuinely think Taewoo should've been the main character and romantic interest (except not as the actor's brother of course lmao). The airhead thing Jae Yeon's character had going on just wasn't working for me, and it doesn't help that the person who plays Taewoo (who isn't even credited here) was probably the better if not best actor in the show.

I agree and I think that contributed to the ending feeling lackluster. Like we get it. Fan Xiao is bonkers. Several of those Shu Lang basically living in captivity scenes could've been scrapped. I would've liked more time highlighting his change and Shu Lang's inability to stay away from him. Them outside Shu Lang's house in the rain is actually where I thought they were gonna reunite. That plus a little padding beforehand where Fan Xiao is trying to get Shu Lang back would've been better imo. Then we could've gotten a bit of time where they're caring for Tian Tian together and Shu Lang is slowly learning to trust Fan Xiao again.

Also maybe I'm wrong but I thought he did find out it was Fan Xiao? I kinda can't remember though.

I don't even mind that they got back together. I just think the last episode was very anticlimactic and overall a bit dull in execution.

Really enjoyable though the ending fell flat for me

Controversial opinion: I liked Da On more. I wish more dramas would just let the main character be with the person who is actually kind to them from the start. I've never understood characters falling for someone who was unnecessarily mean to them as soon as they met. I didn't dislike Shin Woo, he really grew on me towards the end, but I wasn't exactly rooting for him especially because of how much of the show Tae Kyung spent liking Da On. If they'd spent more time building Shin Woo and Tae Kyung's romance maybe I would have changed my mind by the time they got together

This show is like standing in a sunbeam on a perfect spring day. It just fills you with warmth

I think maybe because it's not out of the ordinary is what makes it so special to me. Like it's just two perfectly sweet people falling in love while they hang out with their friends on a school trip. It's a refreshing break from plots with arguing and trauma and love rivals causing conflict. Also the acting is great and it's shot beautifully, though that's pretty typical of JBLs

I guess agree to disagree? I think the male lead's story is stretched throughout the drama. It's also wrapped up in the female leads because they're connected, which is not a new concept. I do think the show focuses on the female lead more, and I can understand not enjoying that, but I personally did not mind which is why I think that people should come to their own conclusion rather than reading the reviews and writing the show off entirely. I truly don't think these type of complaints would be so frequent in reverse because that is what has been happening for years. Again, this is not uncommon.

I'm not saying people aren't allowed to complain about the balance of the show, but I don't think that imbalance makes it inherently sexist towards men and an issue related to gender inequality. I think it was just poor writing. And this is definitely not the worst a particular lead has been treated in a drama lol

This is a good show. The reviews are a little frustrating. For decades, many people did not kick up this much of a fuss at the power imbalance or sexism intertwined in the plots of almost every costume drama so far. It is incredibly common for male leads to be in high positions of power, the head of households, actual royalty, the most powerful being in the world, the female lead's literal boss. The female lead is often one step behind him, not as smart as him, not as strong, or not as well off.

This drama turns that dynamic on its head by allowing the female lead to keep up and even, at times, surpass the male lead. She commands respect and while she isn't faultless or perfect, she's ambitious, complex, and passionate underneath her cold exterior. The male lead is intelligent, funny, and has an endless supply of audacity. Because they're both so cunning it's creates a wonderful push and pull dynamic. They are well matched and have great chemistry. I do agree the latter half of the show drops the ball compared to the first half, but I still think it was an enjoyable watch, and I find claims that the show is sexist and promotes the oppression of men extremely ridiculous to be honest. Especially considering that several pivotal scenes challenge that very idea.

Aside from all that, the way the show explores sisterhood stands out beautifully more than anything. If nothing else, it's worth watching for that.

I'll also add that a show described as being LGBTQ can feature a variety of queer sexualities and identities. BLs are just that. Boy love. Sure they might throw in a lesbian side couple or in one specific instance I can think of, a gender fluid side story, but their storyline typically falls into the background and isn't very fleshed out. I've noticed a lot of LGBTQ shows will feature an ensemble cast that gets semi equal screen time, so it allows different kinds of relationships to really build.

For example, Pose or Gentleman Jack are LGBTQ shows. Heated Rivalry I would call a BL.