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Sadly enough this drama does not touch my heart
I was intrigued by this drama after seeing a few people raving about this drama on reddit. I started this series in August 2024 as I remember watching it during my trip to Seoul. I only completed this series in early December 2024. I struggled a lot. I pushed myself to finish this series after watching another series that I put on hold but resumed and finished.What I liked:
1) Supporting characters - I really like the camaraderie amongst Always employees. At first, I thought they would be competing with each other since it's a cutthroat business. However they had a harmonious relationship, which I appreciate. I also like Yoon Seo's manager and boss.
2) Acting - Great performances from the cast even from those with underdeveloped roles. Park Kyung Hye was brilliant in her role as she managed to convey different emotions of Dan Moon Hee. She made me laughed in one scene and almost cry in different scene.
3) Thriller - I like the dark arc the most e.g, the stalking, the murder case.
4) Shim Hyung Tak - Wow he is handsome. Anyway he has the best lines in the series. My favourite scene of his is during his analogy of rose and vase. Poetic and hilarious!
What I disliked:
1) Yoo In Na's voice - This is my first drama of Yoo In Na. When I write review, I don't judge an actor or actress physical attributes but I'm sorry that I cannot stand her childlike voice. I have no issues with Yoon Seo characterisation because she grew a lot throughout the series.
2) Writing - I feel like the writing is uneven. The stalking and murder cases were exciting and engaging but once we get the office and dating scenes, this drama wasn't enjoyable. I fast-forwarded to 2x speed after episode 11. I think Touch Your Heart had too much filler scenes and this series should only have 12 episodes instead of 16 episodes.
Favourite scene
Dan Moon Hee talking about her crush who has no feelings for her. Heartbreaking.
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Good start but lost its steam in second half
I was impressed with Deng Kai's acting in Broken the Heart so I was excited to watch this series.What I liked:
1. Deng Kai's acting - I must say I like his acting here more than his acting in Broken the Heart because Murong Cang is more likeable and his make up here is less villainy.
2. First half of the series - was engaging. I kept wanting to go on watching.
3. Supporting characters - I love Fu Gui. His rivalry with Female lead Ji Xiang / Yunjiao was hilarious to watch. I also am surprised with Princess Xue Ping's character growth. I like her ending though wish it was given more screen time.
4. Comedy - I didn't expect to laugh a lot while watching this series.
5. Duke of Defender - He only appeared in the second half of the series but I quite like his character arc. I like that he didn't take typical villain action when confronted by the Emperor.
What I disliked:
1. Second half of the series - I started to lose interest when Yungjiao meddled in Murong Cang's plans for revenge.
2. Romance - I don't sense much romantic chemistry between Deng Kai and Jin Xi Zuan. Murong Cang and Yunjiao were more like brother and sister to me perhaps because of the overemphasis of their childhood. There was also more "push" / resistance between both Male and Female leads than there was "pull" / drawing in.
3. Power - I wish the story of Yunjiao's premonitions were better developed because that was fascinating. I was frustrated when she let go of her ability. She may not want to use it on Murong Cang but well she could use her power for other things.
Favourite scene
When Fu Gui and Ji Xiang bicker about being Murong Can's favourite employee
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Engrossed by this tale of 3 individuals
I've been enjoying Cheng Yu Feng's dramas these past weeks (Yes, Her Majesty, A Lucid Dream, Enslaved by Love) and have watched Chen Fang Tong in Maid's Revenge. I am familiar with Li Jiu Lin because of Circle of Love (not sure if I'll watch this mini drama) so on a Sunday evening, I decided to watch this series. Love it!What I liked:
1. Ye Rong Er / Wen Ren Jing characterisation - I love that she is ambitious about life. Even though she has money and "somewhat" easy life, she decided that being "someone's wife" isn't her thing and decided to work on herself. I also like her being straight forward and is unfazed by other people's views of her. Her character grew as series progressed - Wen Ren Jing realised that her actions had implications on other people and she was sincerely sorry for the effects she had caused. Chen Fang Tong managed to balance the sassy and soft sides of Wen Ren Jing.
2. Lu Ting Xiao / Yin Si Shen characterisation - He started off as a mysterious courtesan who took on the role of Bai Qing Hall director and then proceeded to woo female lead Wen Ren Jing. I like that Lu Ting Xiao was clear thinking when it comes to work and personal matters. It's nice to see Li Jiu Lin in a green flag role. With the wig, he gave me Henry Cavill vibes.
3. Fang Xian Xun / Lin Xie characterisation - Another mysterious character with a great development especially towards the end. It's great that Fang Xian Xun has opposite personality from Lu Ting Xiao. He is cheeky and readily smiles while his love rival is intense and brooding.
4. Writing - Decreed by Fate has a great combination of drama, action, comedy in this short 16 episode series. I particularly love the plot twist involving Fang Xian Xun's background and the cliffhanger ending. Thank you for writing a great female sidekick!
5. Pacing - Well done to director for great editing. I love the pacing of this story. Compact & concise storytelling within 16 episodes.
6. Supporting characters - I love Wen Ren Ling. Liu Zhan, Zheng Lin. Even Mr & Mrs Yin left a good impression despite the short amount of screentime.
7. The romance - This series has great scenes with romantic tension. Tease of a ménage à trois! I believe that Wen Ren Jing chose the right person to be her life partner.
What I disliked:
1. The kingdoms - Just a small comment. Although it's revealed, I'd like to know what cause the rivalry between North and South Kingdom. Is West Kingdom neutral? Where is the capital located?
Favourite scene:
When Wen Ren Jing, Lu Ting Xiao and Fang Xian Xun were bound by the vine.
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Refreshing tale on 'delusion vs reality' with beautifully shot 1st episode
Cheng Yu Feng is my favourite mini drama actor. I was mesmerised by his performance in Yes, Her Majesty, which led me to this series.What I liked:
1. First episode - Wow the first episode is of high quality. I felt like I was watching a feature film. Beautifully shot from start till end.
2. Plot twists - Refreshing take on 'delusion vs reality'. The twists kept me guessing.
3. Cheng Yu Feng - His acting and his looks got me hooked.
4. Comedy - Unexpected but smart way to get viewers to laugh in this otherwise serious mini drama.
5. Bereavement - This series sheds some light on grief & bereavement. An interesting albeit expensive way to process grief.
What I disliked:
1. The romance - There are 18 episodes in this mini drama and I wish there were more episodes to elaborate on the romance between Zhang Yi Meng and Song Jing Cheng.
2. Father-daughter relationship - I tihnk they could also do 1 episode to elaborate Yi Meng's relationship with her father. Would love to see more interactions between Wang Ya Jia and the actor who played her father.
Favourite scene:
When General Song appeared in episode 1. What an entrance!
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Melodramatic but I like the leads!
I am in the mood for mini series. I watched this drama after watching Zheng Nan Xi's other mini drama, Love at Second Sight.What I liked:
1) The visuals - Wow, I'd say both Li Pei En and Zheng Nan Xi are visually stunning. Li Pei En, whom I find very handsome, resembles B.A.P's Jung Daehyun while Zheng Nan Xi, whom I find very pretty, resembles Blackpink's Jennie & Twice's Nayeon. I think the stylist made the right choice of outfits for their characters. I love Xu Nian's chic wardrobe.
2) The romance - Good development of romance considering Gu Mingyan dislike people touching him. Love the scenes when Nan Xi helped Mingyan to overcome his fear. Wish there were more kissing scenes.
3) Mutism - I actually liked Nan Xi when she was mute. It's great to see a main character doing sign language and also adorable that the other main character learns the sign language.
4) Shots - I enjoy the quality shots of this mini drama because it felt like a good quality movie. The colours are sharp and vivid.
What I disliked:
1) Villains - There were too many villain arcs in this story. Jiang Wanli arc was overly done - at times her character felt like a caricature because of the overacting. Gu Hongyu's , Mingyan's uncle, arc was clear from the start but Grandpa Gu's arc was confusing. I get a villain vibe from him and I think what Hongyu at the end was true.
2) Multiple arcs - I also dislike the multiple arcs given to the supporting characters because this approach made the mini drama cluttered and too melodramatic.
Favourite scene:
When Xu Nian was feeling down and Mingyan came to her rescue
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Light & funny mini drama with great chemistry between ML & FL
After watching My Lady General, I was in the mood for mini dramas with gender reversal roles. This mini drama was a delight!What I liked:
1) Cheng Yu Feng - My first time watching his acting and I was impressed. He managed to convey 2 different personas: (i) obedient, slightly himbo husband, and (ii) a king serious about welfare of his subjects. I like his acting for both sides of his character.
2) Comedy - The first half of the series was really funny. Didn't expect period mini drama to be that comical.
3) Romance - There aren't many intimate scenes but when there were such scenes, they were tender. Yue Li Zheng really loved his wife, which can be seen through his actions. Such swoonworthy.
4) Plot - Creative and refreshing. I love the explanation for the gender reversal roles and the king's strategy to catch the villain.
What I disliked:
1) No. of episodes - Mini drama tends to have an average of 24 episodes but Yes, Her Majesty only has 20 episodes. I wish the writers had created 4 more episodes because some arcs had room for more screentime e.g. villain's arc, main couple's romance.
2) Li Shi Hao - Just a minor issue - I wish she wasn't too resistant/angry towards her husband. I don't feel her investment in the relationship until he went to war and she found out all the things he had done for her.
Favourite scene
The concubine audition
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Beautifully shot revenge drama with noir concept & good acting
I liked Fan Zhi Xin's acting in My Lethal Man so I was curious about this series. The trailer caught my attention so I watched this series last weekend. Yang Yu Xi kinda resembles Miyeon of G-idle.What I liked:
1) Acting - Wow, it's quite rare to see good performances by both male and female leads. Fan Zhi Xin and Yang Yu Xi played their roles really well because I could see different facial expressions on their faces. I like Guo Jia Yu's acting too.
2) Writing - Good acting wouldn't happen if the screenplay is bad. So well done to the writer for keeping audience on their toes about what's going to happen next. I also liked that FL shared her revenge plans with ML in the middle of their partnership because often times most revenge-themed dramas have Lead Character keeping it as a secret till almost the end.
3) Romance - There is a lot of sexual tension between two couples, i) Xiang Ye Ran & Cheng Che, and ii) Xiang Ruo Lan & Yu Jia Hao. I sensed the emotional pull and genuine affection between them whenever they appeared on screen. I wish there were more kissing between Ye Ran and Cheng Che.
4) Supporting characters - I like that supporting characters have depth to them: Xiao Xiao, Ruo Lan, Jia Hao, Mr Thirteen.
5) Ending - I hope there is season 2.
What I disliked:
1) Pacing - Some scenes in 3rd part of the series were draggy that I didn't pay much attention to the dialogue.
2) Error - Some characters were hospitalised in the final episode. I was bothered by Xiao Xiao's arm injury because her long sleeve was also part of the injury dressing.
Favourite scene
The dance scenes at New Fairy Club. Great performances by Fan Zhi Xin, Yang Yu Xi and Guo Jia Yu.
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Enjoyed it because of FL but ML was a disappointment
I watched a clip on YouTube and halfway through I thought "why not give this drama a go?!". The last 10 episodes were frustrating.What I liked:
1) Zhou Ran characterisation - She is bubbly, smart and career-driven and overall a FL who went through great character growth. Zhang Tian Ai was brilliant in this role. With her styling, she looks like Satomi Ishihara during Pretty Proofreader. She is a flawed character - she helps people when I think they don't deserve her kindness.
2) Xiao Fei characterisation - FL's best friend was wonderfully written as well. She started off as a kept woman but wanted more from her relationship. I like that she's unwilling to compromise her principle with her lover. Her character also grew up and it's great to see her form a bond with Liang Wei and his kid. Lorene Jen was great in her role.
3) Chairman - She was cold and aloof at the start of the drama but there is a reason for that cold exterior. I really liked her especially when she bonded with Zhou Ran.
4) Gu Yunfei - He is handsome and more attentive to Zhou Ran compared to Ye Rong Xuan, the ML. I wish Zhou Ran had picked him over Rong Xuan but you can't force someone to fall in love. I don't like his friendship with Siyan though - he didn't tell Zhou Ran nor Rong Xuan of Siyan's tricks.
5) The ending - I like that Zhou Ran took that decision and excelled in her chosen path. I also like the vague ending because I think Rong Xuan needs a lot of grovelling to do.
6) Plot - I like the business/professional aspect of the main 2 characters. It's fascinated to see a glimpse into fashion magazine world. The personal side of main 2 characters were good too except the romance.
What I disliked:
1) Siyan - We have 2 main villains in this drama: Siyan and Guo Rei. Siyan was cunning, manipulative b!tch! I HATE her character so much that I wish I could strangle her.
2) Guo Rei - I fast-forwarded a lot of the scenes of Guo Rei and Xu Man after he broke Zhou Ran's heart. The only time I watched in full was when his parents met Mr Xu & discussed the marriage and when Guo Rei & Xu Man had a big fight. I couldn't care less about them after that.
3) Ye Rong Xuan characterisation - I am frustrated by ML's behaviour throughout the fake relationship. I can't believe that he took Siyan's side or wasn't suspicious of "incidents" at the office. He was also ok with Siyan's touches after breaking Zhou Ran's heart.
4) Romance - I wish there were more affections shown by Ye Rong Xuan toward Zhou Ran in their private time. Their kiss was good but why must Zhou Ran be drunk? The romantic scences between Xiao Fei and Liang Wei were sweet.
Favourite scene:
When Zhou Ran chased Chairman up the stairs and convinced her to do surgery. Good acting & writing!
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Role reversal done well. One of the best micro/mini drama I have watched!
I watched Dong Lang Xue last night after discovering a list of role reversal dramas on MDL. Omigosh, it was wonderful despite the inaccuracies in English subtitling (watched it on Youtube).What I liked:
1) Shen Yan characterisation - Omigosh, great strong female lead. She's intelligent and well-trained in martial arts. She doesn't need a man to save her. I also like that she is not a goody two shoes. She went ahead pursuing vengeance for her family - she didn't change her mind or took pity of the villain.
2) Chu Ning Yuan characterisation - A great contrast to female lead. Despite the age gap and power distance, he was respectful towards Shen Yan. I love that his playful side, which was not overly and openly done because he knew there was specific time and place for Shen Yan to lower her guard. However at times, his actions baffled me but I guess he had his reasons for self-hurting.
3) Acting - Wow, great acting by Qi Xia Xia, Jin Chao and Zhi Yue. I love their facial expressions whenever there was conflict.
4) Romance - Damn sensual love making scenes! The love bite, the blind, the kisses. Even small gestures like holding hands were delight to watch.
5) Plot - This is a revenge drama done well. Would love to see season 2 of Dong Lan Xue and a spin-off focusing on second female lead Shang Guan.
What I disliked:
1) Subtitle - I watched this drama on Youtube and the English subtitle is inaccurate in certain scenes. It affected my understanding of the villain's arc.
2) Platform - I couldn't find this drama on usual streaming apps. Such a shame because I would have liked to watched the intro & credit scenes and listen to the score.
Favourite scene:
When Chu Ning Yuan let Shen Yan to control their lovemaking.
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Fun series and I am enchanted by Satomi Ishihara
Being a fan of Satomi Ishihara and Rika Adachi, I've added this series in my watchlist. Decided to watch it last weekend upon finding out that it would leave Netflix on 14 October 2024. What a fun series!What I liked:
1) Etsuko Kono characterisation - Satomi Ishihara was radiant and enchanting. I love that she's cheerful and colourful. She might seem frivolous because of her appearance but she was never condescending. Great to see that she takes her proofreading work seriously despite that not being her first job choice. I also like that Etsuko enjoyed learning new content through her proofreading job and saw its value for the future.
2) Supporting characters - From Etsuko's proofreading colleagues and Oden buddies to her clients/writers, all of them had significant role in her growth as a person. My favourite is Mr Takehara, who was a wonderful mentor to Etsuko.
3) Etsuko - Mr Kaizuka's dynamics - To be honest, I prefer their feisty proofreader-editor relationship to Etsuko-Yurito budding romance. I feel that the former has a lot to offer to each other despite them budding heads most of the time. They had more honest conversations with each other.
4) The fashion - I love Etsuko's fashion style though she often wore very high heels, which always concerning me. I love her mantra "When I dress my best, I do my best!".
5) The ending - Yukito's first attempt at writing something he's passionate about resonate with me. "There are work that may never been noticed nor recognised by most people, but it holds meaning, and that's what matters." It is realistic and I like it! I wish there was season 2.
What I disliked:
1) Morio's immediate boss - She didn't seem to care much about the articles makes me think that she saw her job as a paycheque.
2) Etsuko - Yurito's dynamics - I feel like Yurito hero-worshipped Etsuko. Yes Etsuko is an amazing woman but dude barely spent time with her. She knew what she wanted in terms of career but Yurito was still figuring out, which is fine but he needed to know his priorities.
3) Colour grading - There was too much yellow during the outdoor Tappi-bashi scenes.
Favourite scene
When Etsuko, Ms Fujiwa and Yoneoka helped Mr Kaizuka to proofread Mr Kiritani's work
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Better than the other Cinderella kdrama but I wish for more depth
I needed something light & romantic to watch after finishing Again My Life. Moon Sang Min's face was heavily promoted on Viu so I chose this drama. Cinderella at 2 AM is light touch romance drama with moments of seriousness.What I liked:
1) Moon Sang Min - He has this sweet, kind face. This is my first time watching his work and I enjoyed it. For a leading man with this characteristic, he's alright.
2) Yun Seo chracterisation - It's great that her past was shown to the audience because then I understand why she is the way she is - fiercely independent woman who is focused on raising her younger brother. I cried when scenes of her childhood was revealed - I did not expect that at all.
3) Si Won characterisation - I also enjoyed knowing Si Won outside of work. Such a quirky but sensitive character.
4) Seong Min - At first I find his character creepy but later on he turned out to be a great guy. I wish he formed a tighter friendship with Yun Seo because they have a lot in common.
5) Yi Rae & her Uncle - Great support system for Yun Seo and Ji Seok. Plus I love that they brew their own maekgeolli.
6) Music - I love most of the songs featured in this drama, which is quite rare for me. Love the 80s vibe of the OST. Standout songs are Sweet Drama and Boyfriend.
What I disliked:
1) Romance - The romance between Yun Seo and Ju Won was sweet but I wasn't convinced at the end and I sided with Ju Won. I don't know why they needed a wedding when Yun Seo doesn't seem to be ready. I also wanted more of Si Won and Mi Jin's romance. They were so adorable but only got together in episode 7 if I am not mistaken.
2) Si Won and Ju Won's mother - She is selfish because she acts more like a chairwoman than a mother. I still don't understand why she opposed Ju Won's relationship with Yun Seo. Overall I find her character poorly written.
Favourite scene
Yun Seo's childhood because I see the love she has for her brother.
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Weird plot but overall light & enjoyable!
Having watched Mango short plays on Youtube, I thought "Let's check out other titles".What I liked:
1) The romance - both Jin Jia Yu and Zhao Si Tong had good chemistry. Their kissing and intimate scenes were hot.
2) Jin Jia Yu is handsome and has good body.
3) I didn't expect the second half of the story would be action-driven. I enjoyed the rivalry between Liang Ze and his competitor.
4) Funny moments were sparsed but good enough for some laughs.
What I disliked:
1) Yuan Chu Yu was too kind to Liang Ze/ Bai Ze after he ghosted her for some years. I wish she had moved on and made Bai Ze grovel.
2) There's too much going on at the end. That jealous ex-girlfriend arc was too much since we already have Liang Ze's competitor arc.
My favourite scene:
Rescue scene. That's unexpected!
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Sweet drama. Male lead is handsome
The Date of Marriage is a sweet J drama. Simple love story.What I liked:
1) I like the bright coloured clothes in the series.
2) Matsuda Genta has many moles on his face & neck, gosh he is handsome.
3) Good enough chemistry between male and female leads
What I disliked:
1) I find their romance bit hard to believe. It doesn't flow naturally like other romance dramas that I've watched.
2) I think the styling of hair & certain clothes made female lead looked bigger than she was in reality.
3) Lack of communication
Favourite scene
When male lead carried female lead
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Sexy but heartfelt drama on friends-with-benefit
Rinko wants to try is a sexy jdrama that reminds me of those sexy stories I used to read.What I liked:
1) Acting - Kaho Takada portrayed Rinko's vulnerability very well. She had great facial expressions & good chemistry with her romantic interests.
2) Rinko characterisation - She is capable at work and likeable to the audience. At the start of the series, she had a crush on another guy and I like that she pursued dating the guy despite developing some feelings for Gen.
3) Fast-paced & like how drama concluded by the finale.
4) There were a few heartbreaking scenes such as her first time and her love confession in the finale.
What I disliked:
1) I would liked it if there were more kisses and communication between Rinko and Gen.
Favourite scene:
When Rinko confessed her feelings for Gen and Gen asked permission to kiss. I liked that Gen didn't force a kiss on her.
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The fluffiest romance Jdorama I've watched
Shanai Marriage Honey is the fluffiest romance Jdorama I've watched. This jdrama has the most "kawaii" uttered by the actors.What I liked:
1) Ami & Manatsu sure enjoyed making out & making love. A lot of kissing & hugging.
2) I like Airi Matsui's acting.
3) Mizuki Itagaki is handsome.
4) The opening sequence is cool.
What I dislike:
1) Underdeveloped main characters so it was frustrating at times because there is not much character development.
Favourite scene:
When Manatsu dropped the bomb about his marriage to Ami to his colleagues.
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