The most interesting part of the show was the shoes…
This was sort of a jumbled mess. It was definitely poor writing with poorly written characters. Sometimes the time portrayed in the show made things confusing. Sometimes they kept track of it and other times we had no idea how much time passed which bothered me. I prefer consistency. I actually wanted to see more of the shoes and shoe designs because it would have made for a better story.The Good
I liked that everyone used their own voices and seemed more mature. They could have went the childish route and that would have really made this story stale. I also liked the idea of the shoes and running. They at least tried to keep that part of the story somewhat coherent even though there were many other unnecessary plot devices surrounding the shoe business. Soundtrack was good.
The Bad
So many things. The plot was dragged out, the relationship was dragged out, the side character’s stories were dragged out, the breakup was dragged out, and the shoe business failures were dragged out. Most of these things could have been wrapped up much quicker than they were and there were so many unnecessary filler scenes and subplots. 1) The main couple’s relationship was somewhat unconvincing. They seemed like they could have both just moved on. 2) The teacher/student relationship was unnecessary. They seemed odd and out of place. Also not convinced. 3) The 3rd couple was the only somewhat convincing couple since they gradually built their relationship but they just weren’t interesting or better yet, the woman wasn’t interesting. Her character wasn’t very likeable so it was hard to care. 4) You cannot tell me that Mr. Wang actually liked Ding Zhitong…I’ll throw this out there but most of these people were stale in their acting which is probably why everything seemed unconvincing.
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Quick watch to pass the time
I feel like this was CDrama’s attempt to sneak in a BL drama since there is such a hard freeze on their release but it wasn’t really the best attempt. Very light on the romance.There were definite similarities from the K Drama, Mr. Queen with how they set up the plot. I’m sure they took their inspiration from that show but that’s as far as the similarities go.
Acting was mediocre all around and the plot had tons of holes in it. Editing wasn’t all that great either. The ending was very odd and incomplete. I wouldn’t watch it again.
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Non distinctive Xianxia
Xianxia’s typically follow the same routes and this one is no exception. It’s a standalone sequel to Ancient Love Poetry but didn’t compare, in terms of execution, to ALP.Plot
The story wasn’t uniquely theirs as it takes its queue from many other Xianxias and pieces it together within this story. Enemies to lovers, secrets, misunderstandings, self sacrifice, evil clans, reincarnations, etc. are all there. The typical makings of a Xianxia can be found in this show. Although it’s typical and has a sense of predictability, there are still moments that will make you smile.
Characters
If you are a fan of the cast then you may enjoy this one. I wouldn’t say this was some of the main cast’s best work but they performed to the best the role in this show can offer.
Although ALP wasn’t one my top Xianxias, it still has a higher rewatch value than this one. Visuals wasn’t high budget, nor was the production. Costumes were also typical. I enjoyed this for its simplicity and enjoy some bits of the OST but a one time watch is enough.
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Compelling story
This is a great movie with a quick runtime. It gets straight to the point with not a lot of dragging in the story. Kept me intrigued throughout. The visuals are good and the movie immediately draws you in from the beginning. The acting was pretty good along with the martial arts. Pretty strong plot but there isn’t much backstory to the main male lead but he’s still captivating. The story is about revenge and Justice. The OST went well with the movie and had a nice sound. A highly recommend watch!Was this review helpful to you?
A nice gem especially if you are new to CDramas.
I almost gave up on this story. I initially only watched a couple of episodes and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it in the direction it was going, but I decided to come back to it. I’m so glad that I did as this was a very well told story between the FL and two brothers.I watched this show when I was just getting into CDramas so I wasn’t familiar with the pacing and story arcs of Xanxias. As I’ve watched more, I can definitely see similar themes across Xanxias and this does follow that typical path that Xanxias go.
All of the actors did a really good job and were very well fit for the characters they were given. I also really enjoyed the OST as I’ve added a couple of songs to my playlist. I’ve definitely become a fan of all of the main actors.
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Good
-strong plot
-strong acting
-interesting characters
-production value
- OST
Bad
-characters with no backstories
-plot lost focus
-redundant characters
-love story was lacking at times (great kiss scenes though)
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So Good!
This was such a heart warming watch. I definitely enjoyed the Flower Street Families and their stories. One of my top watches so far for 2025.What I loved:
I was so invested in everyone and their stories. Not a dull moment from each character. I rooted for all of them and wanted to see them at their best, though I appreciated that they showed us them at their worst. Made for an amazing story of growth. I loved how real this show was. The characters were flawed, normal. Like your everyday people and strived for happiness and success. It made them so relatable. It was easy to connect with each character because the plot was so strong and executed so well. Such strong acting all around. I loved the story about their roots. I trace my own roots so that sat very well with me, as I too find excitement in learning more about my past.
What I didn’t like:
One major gripe was the music. I loved it but sometimes the music came in too loud and overshadowed the talking. It’s like they had the volume too high in some scenes. My only other issue was Siyi’s story. I wish we could have gotten more from her during her time away instead of at the very end.
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A beautiful story…
I loved this drama! It was so beautifully written and did an amazing job at delving into the relationships of a man who lost his hearing in adulthood. It had a great takeaway that everyone processes change differently. I’d highly recommend a watch.The Good
The acting was done wonderfully from all of the cast, especially since it focuses on the hearing impaired with cast members who aren’t hearing impaired. The story was well written and I appreciated the details the director included like the sound cuts that gave us a take on the sudden silence that comes with losing one’s hearing. I also loved the portrayal of the different relationships and connections surrounding the change in the main ML. With a shorter amount of episodes at a standard runtime, this was definitely a slow burn but executed very well. This drama gave us a real take on relationships without the cliche or forced romance. Really loved the OST.
The Bad
Though not really a bad thing, this was less of a romance and more of a melodrama as there were no kissing scenes. It didn’t really bother me but some may not appreciate it. The only other bad thing was sometimes the flashbacks were sudden and took a minute to realize it was a flashback as there were no real distinctive markers from present to past scenes.
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Lackluster
This show was a little disappointing for me since it was one of my most anticipated dramas of the year and I adore the cast. For me this came off pretty underwhelming and didn’t really stand out from other dramas in this genre.The Good
Amazing cast lineup. This show had a good range of decent traffic stars that can draw you in to want to watch. I wouldn’t say everyone was a good choice but most of the top players have decent enough acting skills to overshadow those who weren’t as outstanding. I also enjoyed the take on pearl diving as this was an unfamiliar concept to me and I appreciated how they tied it to the jewelry business. Lastly, the OST was good.
The Bad
The story was weak and couldn’t keep my attention. The writers/producers attempted to tell a story about a pearl diver caught up in the middle of the criminal jewelry world and set to take revenge. It’s a good concept but executed pretty poorly. The show was riddled with the same old cliches and plot holes that we see in other dramas in this category. The villain’s motivations were similar to so many other dramas that it became lackluster and unexciting. They also use way too many predictable plot devices to try to stir the audiences emotions but really they just fell short for me as I already saw them coming. Next, the romance up until the 27 episodes I saw was very underwhelming and unnatural. There wasn’t much of a natural buildup or connection between the leads to make me invested or believe they liked each other, especially with his initial treatment of her. Lastly, the production quality was pretty poor which was a little surprising. The CGI was very bad, the fight scenes weren’t the best, the costumes weren’t anything to brag about.
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Average
The first act was probably the best part of the show with the cat and mouse game. After that, the story lost its edge and became another commonplace revenge story with the same overused plot. Lots of predictability.I would say, the 2 lead characters were a little more interesting and dynamic than I’ve seen in some other dramas but their acting left me a little cold. While they were written better than most, their execution wasn’t great.
The villains were underdeveloped. Their motivations were simplistic and didn’t add anything new to the genre. The production value was okay. I will say the ending was decent. It gets a 6.0 from me.
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Much better than I anticipated but still has problems….
This definitely wasn’t the typical idol drama but still an idol drama with some cliches. I’d definitely recommend a watch if you are looking for a drama that isn’t heavy on the romance.The Good
The focus being on the brocade industry was definitely interesting and the highlight of this drama. I appreciated the costumes displaying beautiful intricate patterns and the show diving into how brocades are made. I also enjoyed the exploration of the class systems and how it tied in with the top brocade makers. It’s no different than what we see today with name brand clothes. Really interesting to see it in a historical setting. I think the acting was strong in this story as well especially coupled with the plot. The casting choice was good. Jing Chao as Cheng Fengze and He Lei as Ji Yaoting were two of the highlight characters who shined in this story. They did an amazing job showing the evolution of their characters.
The Bad
There were still some problems with this story especially when it came to plot and editing. The major gripe I had was with Zhang Hao Wei’s AI face. So many times you can see it warp or not express any emotions. It was terrible. The smart play would be to reshoot those scenes with a new actor if they must remove him or release it with him and just cancel him after they’ve aired all previously filmed productions. Next, the editing was off. Seems like scenes were cut at times and other times they would replay an entire scene in the next episode that’s slightly different than what we saw in the previous episode. Also, some characters weren’t developed enough. I would have liked to see more Zhuge Hong, the main Bloom Society members and Niu Jin’s character. They gave us a glimpse of them but I would have loved to get more backstory or some story from them. The romantic connection between our lead couple was lacking. She had a better connection with the other male leads than Yang Jinlan. They only really showed him saving her a bunch of times as a reason for why she loved him. Outside of that, it was hard to see why they liked each other. There were definitely plot holes but especially in the last couple of episodes because it was rushed. They should have fleshed out the last arc a little more and cut back on some other things in the previous arcs. Lastly, Niu Wuniang character was a little one dimensional and they did a poor attempt to try to get us to gain sympathy for her. The actress did just an okay job, she wasn’t really that interesting.
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Not bad at all
I quite enjoyed this mini series. This one was done decently with a pretty complete, more detailed story than the usual mini dramas.The Good
The plot was decent here and kept me engaged throughout the show. I appreciated that the love triangles were kept to a minimum and our main couple was the focus throughout. No real evil love rivals and annoying childish characters. It was a more mature romance as they recognized and acted on their feelings pretty early on. Definitely lighter on the tropes but a couple were thrown in (not the annoying fall into a kiss ones). The acting was also good here especially from our main leads. This almost felt like I was watching a fuller length drama. The production was standard for a modern drama but it had a nice OST. Oh and this has lots of romance and kisses. A very green flag couple.
The Bad
Wished some of the characters could have been fleshed out more but with this being a mini series, they were limited on time to do that. Also, it’s not a new story as it’s an older woman/younger man trope. Some may not like it. It also had the bad parents tropes which sometimes gets tiring.
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Loose Ending
Better than a lot of dramas out but still has its issues. Some predictability in some aspects of the story. It was still one that I enjoyed.The Good
Acting was decent and the story kept me engaged, although transmigration stories are similar, this one tried to do things a little different with the plot and tell a unique story. The main 2 characters were good and have nice chemistry. The FL’s character was very likable and had a strong personality. She definitely wasn’t perfect and did things good and bad which makes her interesting. She was a very rational character. Lots of action and great fight scenes.
The Bad
Although FL was rational, she was also irrational at times which made some of the subplots repetitive due to her repeated mistakes. Some of the characters weren’t that interesting. Also, a lot of unanswered questions like why she was in another world and what happened to them all at the end. Leaves plot holes.
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Nice little watch
I quite enjoyed this drama. Had a solid, engaging story. I do understand why this is rated lower than an 8 on here. Several factors, 1) it's not an idol drama so it does not have the "pretty people" that boosts the idol drama ratings higher than they should be. Also, the ending definitely brings the drama down, thanks to the censorship about soul swapping, transmigrations, rebirth, etc (if you've watched these type of dramas then you know).The Good
The plot was strong, especially if you enjoy soul swapping dramas. It's not a new concept but this one was definitely a fun watch because it had comedy, melodrama and romance well placed. It's a hidden gem for me especially among the high school dramas. The acting was rather good in this one, even from the supporting cast. Everyone played their roles very well and were convincing. Romance was definitely a strong factor here but didn't overshadow the story like most of these high school dramas do. It had more mature themes and plot to the show that made you care for the stories outside of the love connection. The final point I'll make is the high school setting was very nice, down to the outfits and even the attire of the kids outside of the school. This had a decent production value.
The Bad
I already mentioned that the ending brings this down and is why it's only getting an 8.5 from me. Could be higher if the censorship could remove that bit. There were some other aspects that didn't make logical sense in the story that I also wish the writers would not include it because it leaves one saying "yeah right, there is no way they would know that or that would not happen," but hey, it's a fantasy, fictional story so it gets somewhat of a pass.
Overall, I would still recommend this drama, especially for the more mature audiences because it's not necessarily a fluffy romance drama like many of those other high school dramas out there, if you are looking for that type of drama.
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No character consistency
This drama had potential, with a decent plot and the mystery elements but fell short in character consistency.The Good
The drama started off strong with the 2 leading characters Pan Yue, played by Liu Xueyi, and Yang Cai Wei, played by Zheng He Huizi. The story was intriguing with the crime solving elements and decent chemistry amongst the characters. The acting was strong and made it an interesting watch. We also had Shangguan Zhi, played by Ju Jingyi, introduced as the obsessed 3 wheel who brought a twist to the story. The costumes and visuals were really nice and the OSTs were also good. That’s as about a good as it got and then it went downhill…
The Bad
The main issue was the lack of character consistency after the face swap. Besides her appearance, her character arc/personality completely changed from being either of the 2 characters. On the one hand, we understand that she is pretending to be someone else but at the core she should have pretended to be Shangguan Zhi. Yang Cai Wai was reserved, calm, independent, with her guard up. Shangguan Zhi was possessive, cold, calculating and mean. Introducing Ju Jingyi as the main leads, she was neither of these things. Once the two girls switched, there was a clear difference in the characters and it was hard to connect Ju Jingyi as either Yang Cai Wei or Shangguan Zhi. This further made things unconvincing to know that she was actually the original woman. I’ve seen Ju Jingyi in lots of dramas and have enjoyed some but can’t help but think that her character is a little type cast, in which she is a copy paste version of the same character in every show she is in. I don’t see clear differences in her acting style from one project to the next. The directors should have also known better to make sure that there was consistency with the characters because old habits die hard. No matter if their appearance changed, the underlying essence/nature of that person would not.
Some people or fans of the leads may enjoy this. I myself am a fan of Liu Xueyi as he is an amazing actor but I had to drop this one because even his acting could not keep me interested. Make your own decision on whether to watch. It was a no for me.
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