cryswash

Novel meets a game

The novel and transmigration stories aren’t new in CDramas but not many are as good as this one. This was a fun, amazing watch.

The Good

The plot had a strong execution and was written well for about 95% of the drama with the exception of a couple of hiccups. Again, transmigration stories are common for CDramas but what made this one stand out was the integration of a novel into a game format and the acting. The drama had a great balance of story telling, romance and joy/fun and sadness. The characters were all interesting with our main 2 leads shining throughout. Their chemistry was just as good as it was in Moonlight. I also appreciated the production quality. The CGI, visual FX, costumes, sounds, and OSTs were all high quality and stands out from lots of 2024 dramas. Out of most CDramas in this genre, this one had a strong ending for me that wrapped up the story nicely.

The Bad

Had some throwaway episodes starting from around episode 18-26. The show took a slight downturn and had a couple of plot holes during these episodes that made it seem like they cut some scenes or just rushed some of the explanations. It made it difficult to watch especially since it was releasing an episode a day. I stuck it out for the leads.

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This show was a pretty good watch. I ultimately settled on an 8.5 for 3 reasons, 1) the characters were strong in this story but 2) they didn’t delve more into some of the more interesting characters and gave more screen time to the less interesting. For instance, the Wei generals should have been given more screen time and backstories. 2 of them, Wei Liang and Wei Qu had more banter but it was still surface level. Wei Xiao and Wei Duo became paperweights. They were always there but didn’t have much impact. Lady Yu Lou had too much screen time and became redundant after a while. 3) there was a good portion of the drama that almost seemed to lose focus of the bigger plot, or rather it started to focus on more menial things like Wei Shao and his jealousy or their random trust issues. These were lowlights for me because it stalled the larger story out.

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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Nice feel good show!

I quite enjoyed this drama. I went in not knowing what to expect as I didn’t read the synopsis nor watch any trailers. I am a fan of Zhou Ye and Tan Jian Ci and have enjoyed many of their dramas. This one was no exception!

What I liked:

This was a great cast. Everyone did well in the role they were given and both leads had a sense of realism that made you believe they were truly in love. Great on screen chemistry. I appreciate the versatility of the two leads. It gives them a chance to really show their acting range so they don’t become typecast in the usual drama types they go for.

I also enjoyed the OST. Many beautiful songs were sang and fit in well with the theme of the story. I especially appreciate the attention it paid to the profession of voice acting alongside of singing as it’s not something that is talked about much. It made me have a new profound appreciation for it.

Lastly, I enjoyed the overall story. It’s nice to see chill dramas that don’t have too much conflict happening. Gives an even balance to the highs and lows we feel with most of these dramas out here and allows us a chance to reset and prepare for the next drama. I loved the portrayal of all the characters and how normal they seemed. No whiny FLs, cold MLs, or strange plots that make you question the writers. This one was really fun and sweet. It was a beautiful love story but shows us that you can truly find love and build lasting friendships in some of the most unconventional ways and continue living a normal life.

What I didn’t like:

Although I loved the overall story, I still rate the story an 8.5 because there were some parts that seemed a little unreal. It was very prevalent with the FL being a little too reserved at times which sometimes made her seem more like a teenager in certain instances than an adult woman. She overall was very mature though. It is just a personal preference I have to see an adult woman act a little more adult-like but that is just my issue. Overall it didn’t take much away from the story because I still give it a 9.

This drama will not be for everyone. The story focuses on the day to day life of the characters. Some may say there is no real plot. If you enjoy the fluff/sweetness and slice of life dramas then give it a watch.

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Lost me

This story lost me. Started out pretty decent with the translation vs translation app battle but it went down hill fairly quickly.

First off, this show being about top notch translations was odd. The quotes that were read at the beginning of each episode was very laughable. There were lots of grammar errors and it was poorly spoken English. I study Mandarin Chinese so I can understand that learning a language completely opposite your own is a challenge. I know my pronunciation isn’t perfect but I also don’t market myself to be the best either. Wish they could have found stronger speakers to make it more believable.

I left this show for a couple of weeks thinking I would eventually come back to it but that definitely did not happen.

Honestly, the characters in this show were forgettable and rather dull. The main conflict between the couples seemed like child’s play. It was also unnecessarily drawn out and came off very shallow. I’d like to think that most adult relationships have deeper rooted problems that keep them apart and don’t drag out over so many years but maybe that’s in my bubble. Their issue didn’t seem like it was enough for a 36 episode show. This show could’ve been wrapped up in 20 or less episodes.

Basic production value, forgettable OST, and mediocre acting. Make your own judgement and watch for yourself.

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Story Dragged

This show was way too long. The story lost me around episode 20 but I held on until about episode 30 and couldn’t continue. The plot isn’t anything new but it’s a mini drama and fast paced so I assumed it wouldn’t be a drag. I was very wrong.

There were so many redundant repeated scenes and it got very old and tiresome. They dragged the main misunderstanding for far too long into the story so it became boring to watch. The overall acting wasn’t that great but not necessarily the worse. I felt that mostly everyone was overacting and didn’t come off natural.

I would say the main couple were passionate kissers and that was the only natural, decent thing about the show. Outside of that, the characters weren’t written that well. The decisions they were making were unnecessary and cliche. Too many tropes.

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Strong story…

I really enjoyed this one. Wasn’t riddled with plot holes and was a well written story. The ending didn’t bother me. I’ve come to expect these sort of endings in Cdramas. As long as they make sense and in this case, it did. Jiu Xuanye had a duty to uphold as Man Ying and that wasn’t Duan Banxia’s world to live in. Probably not safe for a human. That was my take from it.

The Good

Strong plot with some mystery. This had decent world building and character building. Gave us good back stories for our two leads so you understand their character setting and personalities. Also had strong acting and I was able to connect with the characters due to this. The supporting cast was also interesting and had strong acting as well. Next, I did like the mysterious cases they came across. I appreciated that there weren’t too many cases and they focused on a set few that were able to build up a good story behind it. I really enjoyed Chilian and Xingxian’s story the most. Also, the romance between the leads was good enough. You could see their connection. Lastly, production value was decent as well. Had good costumes, sets, visuals and sound. Great OST as well.

The Bad

Not too much that I didn’t like about this drama. Kisses were terrible but to be expected from Ren Jialun. So didn’t have a huge expectation there. Would have liked to see our second leads advance a little more in their relationship. It was more implied they were going down the path of a relationship at the end but never really got over that hump.

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Decent mini series

This was a decent watch. There were bits that I enjoyed and bits that I wish could have been better.

The best part was the production value. For a mini series, they spent a decent amount on costumes and sets. I loved that it was filmed on location because the settings were beautiful. Looked better than so many full length series that use bad visual fx and green screens to create their locations. The costumes, makeup and hair were nice too. No over filtering and extra bright pale makeup. Styling was pretty good for the ethnic groups. The acting was also decent with our two main leads and they didn’t add any random love triangles in the mix. Pretty decent romance between the two.

Now on the opposite end. What I didn’t like was the overall story, it was just okay. The story was a little on the weaker side and could have been better. The idea of the story was great as both of the leads had their lies and flaws which sets this story apart from other series. No one character was perfect. Where it fell short was in the execution. It was a lot of talking, telling us what happened or what they did instead of showing us. Also, some editing was off at times, with odd scene jumps that made me confused as to whether it was showing a past or current event. Also, wished they changed up the language. The ethnic names and styling didn’t go with the standard mandarin being spoken. Would have elevated it more but I know that is a hard ask.

I still overall recommend this as a watch because it’s one of the better mini series.

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As intriguing as season 1

This season will not be for everyone. Some may think that it is a filler season but that definitely wasn’t the case. It’s very much connected to the major story of the first season.

The Good

Strong plot that’s executed very well. This season still kept much of the appeal of season 1 with the introduction of new powers, high action and comedy. There was definitely more of a serious tone which I felt was a great build up to understanding the ugly bits of the outsider world. The introduction of the new characters was refreshing with their unique personalities and powers. I appreciate the writers and directors showcasing more and more interesting abilities each season. Everyone nailed their characters. I was vested in each one as they all brought something different to the overall story. Ma Xianhong was very interesting, even more interesting than the sinister pleasure with his cult leader qualities and preachy ways. He delivered great monologues and I’m interested to see more from the actor. Lastly, the soundtrack was fun!

The Bad

The obvious being the change in Zhuge Qing’s character but I will say that I was still very invested in his story and Luo Zheng pulled it off nicely. I also wish there were just as many episodes as season 1 so they could have given more depth and backstory into the new characters. We only saw a glimpse of their past.

I’d recommend this watch if you’re a fan of the overall story otherwise you may be disappointed if you’re just watching for your favorite traffic actors like Hou Minghao. I’ve seen some upset fans since he has little screen time. Although important to the story, he isn’t the main attraction.

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Poorly Written

This story was very poorly written. I completely fault the writers on this one. This story had potential to be better but fell flat.

The Good

The one saving grace was it had a little comedy that made me stick through it. The OST was also decent.

The Bad

Predictable plot, basic character setup with cold ML hiding his identity, lovesick ditzy FL, Emperor who is a dunce, jealous 2nd FL, corrupt ministers who get away with everything and Empress Dowager who only cares about power and image at the risk of selling her soul. This show had all the makings of every other basic, predictable setup along with many unlikeable characters, unnecessary misunderstandings and situations that defy logic. There was nothing different and was easy to guess what would happen. There was absolutely no character development in this story. Everyone was just going around in the circle making the same mistakes over and over.

I almost think the rating I’m giving it may be too generous but the actors did their best for what they had to work with. I’ve seen ML and FL in better projects. Hope they will all get something better for their next go round.

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Decent Story

I’m not sure why this one is tagged as Romance because it’s more melodrama and about family relationships. I enjoyed some aspects of the story, though it’s not an original idea.

The Good

The acting was done well for the characters they were given. Wouldn’t say the acting was profound but came off believable enough, though some acting was done better than others. I would say using seasoned actors helped the overall story. I appreciated the writers for allowing the Shanghainese to come through in the story to show more authenticity for the family. I also appreciated that our FL had a very strong personality because too many times in CDramas, the FL is usually nonsensical and strays too far from reality. The story with the FL and her mother was done well, though a lot of people probably dislike this since the mother came off terrible. Her character arch is believable in many families as I also have female relatives similar to her. The father was also believable as a passive individual who doesn’t like confrontation. I appreciated the presentation of the family, this part of the story sits close with reality and was the highlight of the show.

The Bad

Predictable story with some parts reaching. There were some unbelievable elements within the story such as our FL not knowing she was constantly surrounded by rich people that were close to her (ex boyfriend/grandma) and that no matter what, her life would be okay financially because she had 3 individuals in her life that could “save” her. Hey it’s drama land so it’s somewhat expected. The plot and characters are not an original idea and have been showcased on numerous other CDramas. I find most CDrama careers within stories focus on the same type of career arch’s as their setup: law enforcement, hotel management, financial sector, doctors, lawyers, esports gamer and always a CEO, director or some sort of leader as a main character. Because displaying the “it” person as a teacher, caregiver, restaurant worker, personal trainer, news anchor, labor worker, regular corporate worker, etc seems to be forbidden or not appealing enough in CDramaland. Sometimes these stories have too much emphasis on the career setup and not enough on the rest of their life setup and doesn’t allow for the story to stand out. You have the same character arch’s in the workplace setup: domineering leader, jealous coworker, and non serious assistant. Chemistry between ML and FL was a little lacking (though I blame the writing for not focusing enough on it) but points for allowing their relationship to build over time.

Overall it’s a decent enough one time watch.

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As good as expected

This was one of my highly anticipated watches of the year and it lived up to my expectations.

The bad

The only things I didn’t like was the random forced love connections they were trying to make with our leading men. They were clearly not interested but glad it didn’t take the same approach like Blood of the Youth and force it in the end. Also, the acting of Chen Du Ling left a lot to be desired. During her crying scenes, I couldn’t tell if she was crying or smiling. Definitely didn’t move me. The third thing was the constant vicious cycle that Di Feichang had with Jiao Li Qiao.. That story arc could have ended earlier on but they sort of dragged that out for the sake of having a story. Lastly, the OST wasn’t anything special.

The good

So many good things about this show. I still give an overall 10 rating even with some flaws because it was a uniquely written story that kept me engaged all the way through. There wasn’t a single throwaway episode. I appreciated how they kept the story progressing even when completing side cases. Many of those still connected to the larger story. I also loved how our 3 men used their real voices. It made things so much more authentic and the conversations and interactions between them seemed so natural. Definitely one of the more interesting and most fun leads in a show. Each had a different personality and brought something unique to their trio. Of course the acting was top notch in here. Besides Chen Du Ling, everyone else did such an amazing job, especially our 3 male leads. Hands down, this is the best show I’ve seen for them 3 to date. Next the fighting scenes were amazing. I wish we had more. It’s refreshing to see leads with good coordination and real martial arts pull off the scenes. It elevated the show for sure. Lastly, the visuals were beautiful. Pretty good CGI, costumes were good, high quality wigs with no visible lace fronts that I see quite a bit in CDramas. Also no CDrama tropes that most of us come to dread.

Watch for yourself but this one goes down as one my favorites. Make your own judgement.

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Had some highs and lows

This was a better than average show. Had some good and bad points that made me settle on a 7.5 score. This was one of my more anticipated dramas. I’ve seen a lot of people say that it isn’t a typical Xianxia but I found it to be pretty typical as it hits all the same major plot points of any other Xianxia. I was a little disappointed as this had potential to be better but fell short in the storytelling.

The Good

Liu Xueyi carried this drama with his multifaceted character arcs. His acting was top notch, some of his best work. He was able to pull off so many different range of emotions, especially for the different stages of his journey and the different roles he played. His long monologues were pretty impressive as well. I definitely liked the focus of the story being about sins and how it can affect humans and gods. It was pretty creative to see the evolution of Yuanzhong as it related to the five sins. There were also some interesting characters such as the weapon spirits. Very interesting set of individuals that I would have loved to see more of when they were all together. One last thing I really enjoyed was the background music with the clock ticking, it really gave the scenes a sense of urgency and mystery. Those moments actually made me pay attention more.

The Bad

There were lots of plot holes. The biggest one being Ji Tanyin’s soul oath. She made 3 oaths but it seemed to only trigger when it came to her identity. Also, the fact that the gods in discipline hall knew about what was happening in the mortal realm and who were good and bad but didn’t know what was going on in the heavens. Seemed like there were only 8 or 9 gods and one attendant, no other people there!? This made the divine realm seem very empty. Last major plot hole was during the activation of the five sins world ender, seems the destruction caused by Yuanzhong just got swept under the rug and he was still deemed a good person. It’s not like he didn’t have comets falling and destroying a city with people in it. Doesn’t matter that he didn’t complete it. Her soul oath should have activated and it should have activated when she fell in love with him but didn’t. The other downsides to this show were the story pacing. There were too many episodes and a ton of filler scenes. There were lots of times where the story was progressing and then it would just slow all the way down. Ji Tanyin’s character could have been elevated for me. Would have liked to see more conflict with her choice to save him or kill him to take the hand or to even struggle with understanding more of his nature. It was surface level, typically she just believed and followed his every word and shutdown anyone who had differing opinions about him. That leads into another major problem I had which was Ji Tanyin’s character consistency. Sometimes it seemed a little off. She was immediately cruel and harsh to Fu Yiu Jun’s character for no reason but nice to Qian Lin’s character even after knowing his initial intent. Made no sense to her character since she was supposedly kind to all. They made a point to mention that several times throughout the show so I thought that was written a little odd. Also some inconsistencies in Tang Yan’s acting. Sometimes I couldn’t tell what emotions she was feeling because she had no distinguishable affect. A good portion of the show, she didn’t emote well. Next, the second couple could have been cut out completely. Their love story added no real value to the overall story and they were very uninteresting. The love story with our main couple was a little bland for me as well so some of their scenes dragged when nothing much was happening. The final thing I will point out was the costumes, makeup, and sets weren’t great.

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A really nice watch.

I wasn’t anticipating this drama but definitely glad I came across it. It was very touching and sweet and one I’d recommend.

The Good

I loved how age appropriate everyone behaved and dressed. Many college age CDramas usually display young adults who seem more like 14 year olds for laughs and giggles. Sometimes it comes off really immature and out of place for college aged adults. The love triangle was done very tasteful and mature. No evil people. Misunderstandings weren’t dragged out too long and no unnecessary break ups. Next, I loved the overall plot being about compulsive lying. It was definitely a fresh idea and I appreciated the consistency of the lies and how it tied to mental health throughout the drama and visible growth as the FL began to heal from her past. I also really liked the imagery used for the ML with his constant need to wear all black as a representation of his morose feelings. As the story progressed, he began to eventually wear brighter colors like grays, blues and white to represent his uplifted mood. The friendships were definitely a highlight for me. The friends were extremely mature, talked through their disagreements and didn’t ruin friendships over crushes. The chemistry between all the couples were just right. Great job with the pairings and the romance was tasteful, sweet, and passionate. Great OST as well.

The Bad

I would say there was still some cliche moments and non unique ideas. The fake identity/secret comic writer isn’t a new CDrama concept and childhood trauma tropes are definitely nothing new with our main couple in CDramas. One thing that bothered me was they dragged the compulsive lying too far to the end of the story, even down to the final episodes. Even though the story wrapped up nicely, I wish that plot would have been solved sooner so we could have gotten more extended happy romance. People in these dramas need to learn the number to the police. With all the harmful crimes committed in a lot of these dramas, they let too many of the bad people get away with things. It’s very odd.

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