Rumi

Keeps you interested only to a good stretch; emotional grip will (barely) keep you until the finale

In my review on its first season, I mentioned that I chose to keep watching until the end because of the characters.

Well, that didn’t fare well for me as I found my interest steadily waning as the story progresses, to the point that I heaved a sigh of relief once I finished the last episode.

To finish the second season, there was a lot of fast-forwarding that happened, and it took me a lot of effort to stay focused on the screen.

Consistent pacing is one of the things I look for, and I appreciate how this was implemented well for the series.

However, this became a drawback, as the type of storytelling in the first season no longer worked for the second season—the development got lost in the slow pacing, and consequently, the series did not progress at a good rate.

And as a series with morally gray characters, I understand that there is a long list of things that they need to resolve and reconcile with, but there has to be a better way of interpreting this.

Still, it’s also the characters that made me want to stay until the end (that, and add a lot of patience in the equation). I had formed an emotional investment in them that made me want to see what their choices would be like and how it would ultimately affect the closing of their chapters.

Thankfully, the ending did not disappoint, and it served as a really good closure for all of the leads. Although with my strong biases towards the characters, I would want a different conclusion.

Overall, I wouldn’t say this series is not good, but it's something I wouldn't mind missing out on.

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Romance hard carried the entire series

It came highly recommended to me, so I was genuinely excited to dive into a mix of mystery and romance.

The characters made a strong first impression: a smart, capable male lead and an equally—if not more—brilliant female lead.

Their dynamic was built on mutual competence in their respective fields, which translated well into romantic chemistry. They matched perfectly, at least in that aspect.

I also appreciated the attempt to make the cases “complicated,” but even as a non-technical viewer, it was easy to spot how illogical and far-fetched they were. That made the mystery side of things harder to take seriously.

The characters also felt flat. The leads were portrayed as flawless and perfect, which stripped away the opportunity for depth, especially considering the themes of revenge and justice they were supposed to be navigating.

If you’re here for the romance, it’s a decent watch. But if you’re hoping for good mystery or detective work, this is not the best choice.

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Comparable to average-highly budgeted youth dramas

… but it’s not without flaws, because the series’ strong points also became its weakness during the second half.

The good
- Decent cinematography for a low-budget web series.
- Impressive cast performance.
- Decent chemistry between ML and FL (the height difference is great, too!)
- Good flow, pacing, and storytelling in the first half—even comparable to average-highly budgeted youth dramas. Hooks you right in during the first episode.
- Good soundtrack.

The bad
- Inconsistent camera works.
- The relationship of ML and FL has a weak foundation. The romance peaked without the getting-to-know process. The shift from infatuation to a full-blown romance was not the best kind, and it does not give a clear distinction of where the relationship actually stands. I just couldn't tell if the way it's written is intentional.
- The secondary characters' antihero situation is poorly written and a mismatch of how their characters are.
- Everything crashed during the second half. Flew high up with impressive formatting during the first episodes but fell down pretty quickly due to inconsistency. Some stories were introduced, but not properly wrapped up. Additionally, the ending was a huge disconnect, like it was trying to be something that it wasn’t.
- The soundtracks were all good, but sometimes, they were used inappropriately, in a way that the lyrics of a song would not match the mood or the theme of a scene. Sometimes, they come off a bit awkward and intrusive, especially when a scene does not really require a background song.

Overall, I’d still give credits to where it’s due: despite the bad fall during the second half, I still think that this fared better than some youth dramas who had the advantage of budget and a full-length airtime.

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Warmth in the mundane

Watching Resident Playbook gave me the same feeling when I watched the Hospital Playlist series, most especially because they share the same universe, directors, creators, and screenwriters.

Like Hospital Playlist, it has a quiet and steady pacing with themes that tackled life minus the fiction cliches, tropes, and conflict.

It fills me with amazement how a series that merely used the different point of views of the main, secondary, and tertiary characters as the main storytelling device yielded high emotional impact. For a material like this, a writer would need tremendous talent to not turn it into a bore-fest.

I’m very contented with the ending and I’m usually good with a single season wrapping up the entire story, but for someone who’s now emotionally invested in the characters, I would like to see more of their journey (I am secretly hoping for a second season).

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Drama’s emotional grip is good; it’s something that you just can’t stop watching

I was one of those who was eagerly waiting for this drama, but was immensely put off by iQIYI’s intervention that ultimately led the team to rewriting the conclusion into a sad ending, as advised by AI (I have so much to say on this subject, but that will be an entirely different discourse).

With that, I initially pushed this series further down my watch list, with no intention of picking it up at the moment. However, I noticed the good ratings steadily persisted despite the backlash it received. And I took that as a sign.

There’s nothing unique about the plot and the CGI and OST are decent at most.

There is nothing groundbreaking about it at all, if I’m being honest, but as someone who has watched over a hundred of dramas, there’s a slim chance that I'd come across a new material anyway.

What’s good about this drama is that the writer didn’t undermine its audience and treat them as ping pong balls—the writer demonstrated authority and knew exactly where the direction is headed (except for the ending) and it shows in the script, pacing, and quality of writing in general.

In fact, Ren Jialun himself said that the script is well written that we can immerse in it.

Aside from the consistency and the overall good quality, the cast delivered so well, especially Ren Jialun.

What I like about his acting style is subtlety. He knows how to add just the right amount of emotion and nothing over the top. I could feel he is fully in control of what he is trying to deliver, which makes him a good actor.

Although I didn’t find the FL’s character enticing at first, her character grows on you. And as you watch further, you kind of start to realize that Song Zu Er also did a good job portraying her character, too.

There is a good chemistry between the leads as well.

There are still some lose ends, but personally, they're something not difficult to overlook for this drama. For the entirety of the series, I decided to turn off my brain and ended up having an amazing experience.

Despite the sad, frustrating, and unsatisfying ending, with controversies surrounding the use of AI, the series is actually good and an enjoyable watch—the good ratings on this one are reliable!

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Like a hot cup of chocolate on a rainy day

A close, realistic representation of the realities of growing up, understanding your parents, falling in love, growing apart, finding oneself, and learning what's truly important.

The series did not fall short of clichés, love triangle (it's a love square, actually) and the usual misunderstandings among the couples, but the amount added is just quite right that it does not leave a bad taste, at all.

One of the best things about the series is that the characters, and this is not entirely limited to the leads, are written with depth, which did not incarcerate them to a specific character archetype—a good case of deviation from the usual youth drama formulas.

The female lead is one of the best written female leads I've encountered. She may be the usual innocent, shy at first, goody-two-shoes, hardworking female lead type, but what is different about her is her emotional maturity. She is not book smart but is able to navigate life with wisdom.

The male lead is the usual happy-go-lucky, "bad" student, carefree, and sporty heartthrob, but he’s also someone who consistently grows as an individual. Something I appreciate about how the male lead's character is written is how he is not deprived of ignorance, vulnerability, and stumbling blocks in his life that he cannot overcome alone despite his male lead role, underlining that he is actually young, imperfect, and still needs growth and guidance along with other peers his age.

As a couple, they do not shy away from openly expressing affection and discontent, acknowledging defeats and gaps in their personal life and relationship. Their growth as a couple is so beautiful and heartwarming and it is portrayed without much pretense.

The secondary characters did not get left behind in the story department as they were written well, too. The selfishness of second female lead and the grit of the second male lead are actually just the perfect representation of the bubble we built around ourselves when we were young.

The perseverance of both the secondary characters that scrapped their elbows and knees is, in fact, redirection in life that intended to lead them to where they should be—this realistically mirrors a type of love you can only look back fondly on, but something that must be left behind.

There is some heaviness on the themes as the series tackles death, social status, family background, family roles, grief, loss, unrealized dreams, and finding purpose and identity, but they're conveyed gently that it feels like you're sitting down and catching up with an old friend, talking about the beautiful old days, sharing wisdoms in life, laughing about the things you cried about, and sighing, yet bracing yourself, for what's yet to come—all these while cooped up somewhere nice and warm with a cup of hot chocolate, as you wait for the rain outside to pass. This, with a really good music playing in the background (OST is also really, really good!).

We haven’t reached the half of 2025 and yet I found one of the best youth dramas, and not just of this year.

Watching this gave me a pinch in the heart, as it made me recall my youth that I can never take back.

Watching the characters finally learning how to “go home” after soldiering on as adults in the real world gives me a wishful thinking that maybe, I’ll get to go home myself someday. That the right things and people will find me eventually without trying too hard.

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With managed expectations, it can be a cute rom-com without the unnecessary conflicts

Disclaimer: I have already come across a lot of Falling into Your Smile clips on Facebook and Instagram before I picked up the series, so I dived into the drama knowing what would happen in certain scenes, more or less. With this, I had anticipated that the romance aspect wouldn’t have much effect on me, taking into account the “immunity” I thought I developed from watching a lot of spoiler videos. Surprisingly, I still felt the butterflies—and loads of them.

The love story is definitely the strongest point and the highlight of this drama. Even with scenes that I have already watched a number of times before, I still found myself pausing some episodes just so I could take my time to breathe and recover, as the fluttering sensation in my stomach got a bit overwhelming.

Xu Kai’s portrayal of the tsundere, cold, taciturn male lead was decent—I can see he tried his best depicting the subtle shifts in expressions, which felt natural and nothing over-the-top.

The romance aspect is undeniably in full swing. So much so that the male lead fell too fast and hard, which also makes the relationship arc as one of the major flaws of the series.

In the first meetings and episodes, the male lead was already giving the female lead a kind of special treatment to some extent, without any (pre-)established notion. This left no room for the development of the romance structure: the male lead almost went all in, like he was already in love with female lead from the get-go, failing to provide the viewers the journey of getting to know and falling in love.

Another flaw of this series is Cheng Xiao’s portrayal of the female lead. Sadly, her unamused eye expressions do not help the audience distinguish the emotions she was trying to portray. With this, I think it was Xu Kai who carried the romance and made it work.

Other than this, the pacing and writing are quite decent: the series started with a narrator ala Gossip Girl, seemingly in charge of an online e-sports gossip platform, who helped establish in setting the story and introducing the characters. The narrator is not omnipresent in the entire series, as a switch in perspective/point of view between the leads is observed, but it was a good tool in storytelling.

As someone with zero background in e-sports, the series still got me engaged even during the actual games. While I have no absolute understanding of what was happening during the competitions, I was still able to enjoy and take part in the team camaraderie.

I appreciate how the games have their own animations as well and I didn’t feel the need to know the technicalities of the games, such as its purpose and characters, as I feel this could make the story unnecessarily convoluted.

There were also no unnecessary conflicts and filler episodes, which I really like, and the second leads and secondary characters have had the chance to resolve their own conflicts.

Overall, there is nothing extraordinary nor unique in the series, but this will make a good choice if you are looking for an easy watch, modern rom-com without the unnecessary filler dramas.

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Momentum fades...

The show started really strong—even if the plot wasn’t entirely new, it was solid, and I appreciated that the FL didn’t “lose” her character after being transmigrated into another world. I also liked that they didn’t dwell too much on the transition from a master‑disciple relationship to romance (you know how one character usually gets stuck in an annoying denial phase, refusing to accept the budding romance and acting meaner to divert).

I appreciate that they didn’t shy away from intimacy, but the introduction of dual cultivation felt lacking and unpolished. Since I haven’t read the novel, I had to look up what the heck FL was doing on the unconscious ML’s body—while in their soul manor, they were also being intimate. I don’t mind intimacy, but I wish it had been given more context and grace. Perhaps censorship played a role, but there must have been a better way to introduce it. The way it wasn't properly set up felt off and honestly gave me the ick.

Initially, I liked the FL’s acting, but as her character went through different phases, I wished she had conveyed more varied expressions instead of relying mostly on wide eyes to signal emotional disruption. The ML’s acting, on the other hand, was strong. He was meant to portray a calm, tsundere demeanor, and he did so without exaggeration.

Overall, the plot began with promise but eventually dragged. There were numerous plot holes, and secondary characters weren’t given enough space. The latter part felt rushed and unrealistic, and the urgency to wrap things up was palpable. By the time I reached episode 30, I found myself fast‑forwarding through most of it.

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Melancholic reverse-harem whose flower boys have character depth

I dove into the series mainly because of the reverse-harem tag—the hopeless romantic in me was feeling low, and I’ve figured that a reverse-harem could aid as my instant gratification.

Little did I know that the series is actually a wrong choice for romance. Still, it’s definitely the right choice for everything else that makes a good wuxia.

I say that it is not the right choice for romance because it is not (just) a love story. Rather, it is a story that explores the characters and the heavy weight they carry, which shackles them as they trudge along their grueling realities, including their journey in love.

The series takes its time in storytelling, but I love how the writer was able to turn this into an advantage by using it to build character depths.

The characters are multi-dimensional and as an audience, I get to explore how a character’s traits and motivations are shaped.

My favorite thing about the series is the lack of pretense in storytelling.

I cannot say that it’s raw, but the series does not hide the characters’ flaws, nor it tries to adorn them with moralities for the sake of the protagonist role that they play—the main characters do not wear ornaments that would make them likeable and their actions justifiable. Instead, their decisions are in congruent with their experiences and the emotional response that stems from them (because of this though, I developed a strong bias against the female lead, who is cunning, selfish, manipulative, and emotionally immature —I never disliked a female character as strongly and personally, she does not deserve to end up with any of the men at all!)

The dialogues are not pretentious as well, but the impact is not minimized. The exchanges between the characters cut deep and they have lines that could stay with you.

All in all, the series is not excellent, but it still fairs good. The pacing is slow, but controlled and measured, enough to keep you on your toes—and I say this as someone who initially wanted fluff but got a poignant tale of loss and longing instead.

This was far from my expectations, but I will stay for the second season because I was made to root for the characters (except the female lead).

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A scenic slice-of-life that slowly loses its soul

What I Liked

- This was my first Liu Yi Fei drama, so I had no prior performances to compare it to, but I really liked her portrayal of Xu Hong Dou. The nuances she brought to the character, even in the way she spoke, felt incredibly fitting and natural.

- Similarly, I appreciated Li Xian’s interpretation of his role. I don’t have much to reference since the only other drama I’ve seen him in was Go Go Squid! (2019), which I unfortunately dropped. Still, it’s clear he’s a good actor.

- The early episodes captured slowness, stillness, and simplicity beautifully. There were moments when the scenery took center stage—no background music, just the sound of wind rustling through leaves or birds chirping. It grounded the viewer in the moment.

- Emotional scenes weren’t overacted. Instead, they were quiet and restrained, letting raw, adult emotions speak for themselves, often paired with a well-chosen OST.

- The story began with the female lead navigating burnout and grief, but it didn’t stop there. It gave emotional depth to the supporting characters and villagers too. You don’t just root for the leads, you end up caring about the entire community.

- The romance was paced well and felt realistic. Both leads acted their age, transitioning from acquaintances to friends to romantic partners in a way that made sense. I also appreciated how healthy their relationship was. They didn’t hold each other back and respected each other’s priorities.



What I Didn’t Like

- The slow pacing worked—at first. It’s a slice-of-life drama, so that’s expected. But as the series went on, it felt like the writers got complacent. The slowness became a crutch, and the story started to feel aimless. Side plots lacked weight, and character development—especially for the leads—stalled, which was disappointing given the show’s premise.

- The storytelling began to feel a bit too on-the-nose. Characters often sounded preachy, delivering monologues about life and its meaning in moments where natural dialogue would’ve been more effective. It felt like the show was forcing moral lessons onto the audience, rather than letting the characters learn and grow into them.

- The drama also leaned heavily into tourism promotion—clearly aiming to showcase Yunnan, which, to be fair, it did beautifully. The villagers’ stories, especially around improving the local economy to keep the younger generation from leaving, were compelling. But I wish it hadn’t been packaged so overtly as a tourism campaign. The story was already strong on its own.

- After the leads got together, the narrative lost momentum. With no further character development, it felt like the show had nothing left to say, which was frustrating, considering how promising it started.

Honestly, this could’ve been a tight 30-episode series. Instead, it dragged. The emotional weight and quiet power of the early episodes slowly faded, until I eventually couldn’t bring myself to finish it.

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OK enough if you’re in a drama slump and would want to get by with something easy

This is not the worst youth drama series, but it’s also not the best. Personally, it’s something you randomly grab off the shelf when you’re starving, so anything that would fill the stomach would be alright as long as you get by.

The tone and style were definitely aimed at being lighthearted, romantic comedy (although it attempts to go slightly beyond that in the end), however, I still find some of the conflicts silly and absurd. I wish the writer attempted to write more realistic conflicts that would actually happen in school as young adults, not something obviously and directly plagiarized from someone’s daydream.

I also found myself clenching my fists a few times because of how utterly cringey some scenes can be, but I couldn’t help but keep watching until the end because the leads are adorable and their chemistry is there.

And I think that’s the strongest point of the show. They make it seem like they’re really in love, especially Tian Hong Jie as Zhang Ruo Xi. With a few improvements here and there, I’m hoping he could land on a huge project to show more of what he can offer. And oh, Chen Kang, too!

There are loose ends and rushed and cramped narratives, but the most disappointing of all is how the second ML’s story concluded. He deserved a better ending, even if it means not pairing him up with another secondary character.

Technically wise, there are also numerous hiccups that I’ve observed, so to enjoy the drama, it’s best to turn off your brain and just let the youthful romcom take the lead.

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This is one of the best dramas in 2025 – and I know we’re not halfway through the year yet

An audacious claim, one might think, but I am typing this with a bad case of headache–from too much crying.

I am also currently wrapped up in a bittersweet anguish that comes from being reminded that a beautiful story is not always happy. And I think that what the series made me feel would stay with me for a long time.

The series does not have an outstanding nor a unique plot. A grim reaper traipsing in the human realm, and unexpectedly, bumping into romance? There are plenty of dramas who have already done that.

To be honest, I’m quite on the fence on the chemistry of the leads as well.

But, none of these matter. At all.

First, while I’m hesitant about the leads’ chemistry, their individual performance is stellar.

I just know that Gong Myung and Kim Min Ha were made for their role as they have portrayed their character really, really well.

Second, the story is not linear, and the expositions come in trickle.

As the plot is not unique, viewers might feel like they have already caught up and figured everything out after some time, until a little plot twists here and there would come right out of the gate—a great surprise, not overbearing, and something that may or may not make sense (ending is not conclusive).

Still, everything felt easy, smooth, and natural, despite the coalescence of fantasy, romance, youth, comedy, and melodrama genre–this is how you’ll know a writing is great.

I am also in awe by the brilliant use of plot devices in setting the tone and resolving an issue. This comes in (unremarkable, small) objects, color grading, and events. They do not initially stick out, assuming they’re intended to not stand out, but the lightning bolts and realizations would definitely come in the end.

The pacing is good and steady that watching it almost felt like a walk in the park—literally and figuratively. Viewers wouldn’t have to labor to catch up or slow down. The stride is just perfect.

There is consistency in the series, too.

Aside from romance, the series explores some really heavy themes: death, grief, and life.

Technicalities aside, what I love about the series is that it didn’t come off preachy about the grandeur of overcoming pain and choosing to live on.

Some may find comfort in the series, but personally, it felt like the story of my pain is being told.

The only bad thing about the series that I could think of is that the ending is not conclusive, which could be a dealbreaker for a lot of the viewers.

Still, I think there is beauty in not knowing everything. This way, like in real life, the story would feel authentic—harsh, real and meaningful.

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Clichés done right: Romance, comedy, and writing that clicks

I’m not sure if it’s just the algorithm, but I’ve barely seen anyone talk about this drama, and I honestly don’t know why.

I LOVE everything about it. Sure, it’s packed with clichés (the entire plot practically rests on them), but after years of watching Kdramas (and now Cdramas), I’ve learned that clichés don’t automatically lessen a show’s quality. At the end of the day, it always comes down to the foundation: the writing.

From start to finish, the writing stayed consistent, and that alone made the series such a joy to watch. I don’t even know where to begin with my favorite parts because there are so many:

1. Characters act their age. Despite traumas and past experiences, they behave like adults. No one’s dumbed down to fit a romcom stereotype, which I really appreciate.

2. The FL tries. She’s rigid and uptight because of her trauma, but she makes an effort, and that makes her relationship with the ML healthy. Yes, there are clichés, but they communicate.

3. ML is a green flag. A rich kid, a company president, AND a green flag. WHATTTT.

4. Clichés aren’t overcomplicated. No endless twists or “twists of twists". No childhood connection (OMG YESSSSSS!!!!). The pacing was perfect, like the writer mapped it out on her best days. It’s not exhausting to watch. In fact, you’ll have to stop yourself from bingeing until sunrise.

5. Secondary characters matter. They’re not dumbed down either; each has their own narrative. And the second FL is smart, too. Which I really like.

6. Comedy that actually lands. The romcom here is genuinely funny. The timing of the jokes was spot‑on, and the quirky sound effects (some I’d never heard before) elevated the whole experience. Nothing felt forced. It was all so natural.

I just love this series. I love the cast. I love their performances. Yes, it’s cliché‑driven, but executed so well that it doesn’t need a grand twist. Just solid, consistent writing and really, really good execution. I think this is going to be one of my favorite romcoms!

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A rare find in the time slip jungle: A drama you won’t fast‑forward, where consistency shines

I’m just realizing that a good drama doesn’t need to hinge on one heavily scrutinized trait—technical or otherwise. Honestly, I’m not sure if this review will make perfect sense, but here’s what I mean: this drama isn’t flawless, yet I’ve been struggling to find one that’s simply good (average at best) without hitting that discouraging midway slump where I want to drop it. And now, I’ve finally found a series that I genuinely enjoyed from start to finish, without the urge to fast forward through scenes. That’s rare these days.

What I love most is its simplicity. No frills, no smoke curtains to disguise a weak plot. It’s straightforward, respects its audience, and keeps the pacing tight.

The writing isn’t perfect, but it’s consistent. No filler arcs, no unnecessary love lines. Even the flashbacks and sharp scene transitions, while imperfect, don’t ruin the experience.

The characters are written honestly. They’re perceived exactly as they are, without forcing the audience to see them a certain way. The leads are mature, communicate well, and stay in sync without overexplaining every unresolved issue. They’re smart and scheming, but never cross into that frustrating “borderline evil” trope.

And that plot twist, wow!!! I didn’t see it coming, and the best part is it wasn’t overhyped. It landed naturally, blew me away, and still made perfect sense!

As for the time slip trope, in most Cdramas, it is treated as a mere crutch, like a device to make it seem like there’s more depth when it’s really just an accessory. But here, it finally has purpose, woven into the story in a way that elevates the narrative.

In the end, I’m just really happy. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride without skipping scenes, which is reason enough for me to give it a high rating.

Also… Zhang Wan Yi, please go back to Hengdian!!!!!!

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