emberzmars

Impressed by acting & production value

I was intrigued by this series when it appeared on my WeTV dashboard. Once I checked out the drama details & found out that Hong Yao was the main actor, I immediately clicked 'play'. I was curious about his acting when finding out about his marriage.

What I liked:
1) Sisters arc - I enjoyed watching the Shen sisters especially when they were both on screen together. They had different personalities & approaches to their family mystery.
2) Acting - Kudos to the 4 leads. Hong Yao was excellent as alpha male lead who was rational & had a heart. Jiang Peng Yu was amazing in her role despite her young age. Yu Lang was captivating on screen. Lu Si Heng did great in his role.
3) Styling - Love the outfits especially Shen Zi Qiu's wedding dress & the qipao worn by the Shen sisters. Hong Yao & his character's right hand man looked dapper in their outfits & hairstyle. I love Hong Yao's manliness. Lu Si Heng's styling made him look like Korean idol Choi Youngjae from GOT7.
4) Supporting cast - I like ML's right hand man, Tang Zhe, Ms Meng, Shen Zhi Xia's servant.
5) Romance - Good amount of push and pull. High sexual tension. Hot kisses & sweet affectionate scenes.

What I disliked:
1) Deaths - I was shocked by the death of 3 characters. Once the 2 characters died, I lacked some motivation to continue the series.
2) Ending - I don't like it.

Favourite scene
When Shen sisters spent time together before the wedding

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Light & good chemistry between leads

I am a fan of Zhang Chu Xuan so decided to watch this drama. This is my first drama of Sun Yue.

What I liked:
1) Romance - Wow, I really like this pairing between Zhang Chu Xuan and Sun Yue. They had great chemistry & dynamic, which translated well to their characters' growing romance. Their romantic scenes were brief but the biting was unexpected & sexy. Wish there were more affectionate scenes.
2) FL's characterisation - I like that FL Xia Xi Wan is knowledgeable in acupuncture & uses that skill to heal others and defend herself. I also like that she's self-reliant.
3) Ending - That last quote is touching & sweet.
4) Sun Yue - I really enjoyed his acting. He excelled in comedic parts, which made me want to watch his other works.
5) FL's family - I love their warmth!

What I disliked:
1) Illness - At first I thought there would be horror / supernatural element because of Lu Han Ting's illness. Unfortunately that arc wasn't expanded. I'd love to know the cause & see more of his struggles with the illness.
2) Running time - This drama is 1 hour 35 minutes long, which I find short. Certain arcs could be expanded.

Favourite scene
When Lu Han Ting's illness broke out

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Sweet & mature slow-burn romance

I saw this drama on my Youtube dashboard & quickly browsed comments section. Most users gave positive comments so I clicked play.

What I liked:
1) Mature - I am a fan of marriage of convenience & cohabitation tropes and this drama handles both tropes well. Despite them being strangers, they negotiated & navigated their relationship via mutual respect & mostly clear & frequent communications. It's also great that this drama isn't too melodramatic like other vertical shot drama because excessive yelling & violence could ruin my enjoyment.
2) FL characterisation - I like that she's confident, level-headed woman. She faced challenge head-on and I like how she never gave up believing in ML's love for her.
3) Grief - I like how grief is portrayed & dealt with in this drama.
4) Acting - I like Zhu Mo Yen's acting in this drama. Subtle but with impact. Great chemistry between Yu Shang Xu and Zhu Mo Yan. They matched each other's temperament & even visuals.

What I disliked:
1) Romance - I wish there were more affectionate scenes between ML & FL.
2) ML's female friends - I understand that they are protective of ML & were apprehensive with FL. However they should be mindful & tactful when interacting with sensitive issues related to ML & FL.

Favourite scene
When FL's mother died

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Light & cute family drama with corporate espionage thrown in

I love the pairing of Wen Mo Yan and Shen Hao Nan in Your Trap. Thus that led me to this series. I'm delighted that Shen Hao Nan used the same hairstyle as the one in Your Trap. With this hairstyle, he resembled Mark Tuan of kpop group GOT7.

What I liked:
1) Romance - This series displayed better falling in love scenes than Your Trap. I like the montage clip of younger Mun Yunge and Si Qingye because they had fun and looked like a real couple in love. That morning after conversation was funny. The kisses were hot but in one scene I am not sure whether it's right to proceed.
2) Kids - They are adorable but hhhmm quite mature and observant for six year olds. I have seen the child actor who played Xingxing in a vertical drama about a triplets. His character was similar too - he was an intelligent boy who is leader amongst his siblings.
3) Styling - I really like the outfits for Qingye and the kids because they wear bright colours. Yunge's clothes were pretty too but I don't like the shoe choices. Maryjane with socks on a mum is not my style. Yunge also wore a pair of heels that were strapped to her ankle for her business meeting at a club. She should have worn slip on heels so that shoes fell on the floor during the makeout scene (more dramatic effect).
4) Zhao Dong Hao - He was memorable despite the lack of screentime. He had six-pack abs but damn that scene was too short.

What I disliked:
1) Ning Wu Hui's arc - Instead of cramming Ning Wu Hui's part in 1 episode, the series should expand this arc into 3 episodes. First episode could be about Ning Wu Hui meeting & seducing Si Qing Ye, second episode could be her mission and third episode could be about her accident that led to memory loss.
2) Mu family arc - I feel like Yunge's identity as a member of Mu family wasn't explained clearly. Why did she do to earn her grandpa's assets? What did she do for a living after giving birth? Why did she work at Qingye's company instead of her own family company? The cousin rivalry felt empty because the cousin character was two dimensional.
3) Dubbed voice - Why were the voices dubbed? I love Wen Mo Yan's voice but her dubbed voice had this "cute" sound to it.
4) Villains - I feel like they were too many villains that ultimately were underdeveloped. Had Lu Xiao had more depth to his character.

Favourite scene
The kids birthday party. I didn't expect raw performances by both leads.

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Toxic ML but damn, the visuals & chemistry ?

I saw a short clip of this series on Youtube which peaked my interest. I used to read Eastern European mob boss love stories 10 years ago. Anyway I have iQiyi but surprisingly couldn't find this series. Anyway 'Captive love from the mob boss is my first vertically shot drama. Oh boy, this drama is insane.

What I liked:
1) The chemistry - Whenever both Zhang Chu Xuan & Ma Xiao Yu had electrifying chemistry. I could sense the sexual tension between them that could combust at any time. I never say this but I would love for them to date each other in real life. Their consensual kiss and the morning after were 🔥 ! Wish there were more kissing & affectionate scenes.
2) Acting - I was surprised by the quality of acting by both leads. Zhang Chu Xuan & Ma Xiao Yu were able to portray different facade of their characters. I am looking to watch their other work.
3) Visuals - Both leads are extremely gorgeous. Ma Xiao Yu is freaking tall and has nice build (his shoulders just wow). The styling also helped. I love Wan Ni's outfits especially when she wore white. Her wedding gowns were beautiful - I love the second one (strapless) the most. I like whenever Song Cha wore all black outfit.

What I disliked:
1) Song Cha characterisation - Damn, this dude is toxic! He gave me stress! So aggressive with his wooing & proposal. I cannot stand the manhandling.
2) The plot - I wish the writer would make tighter connection between Song Cha, Wan Ni's brother and Wan Ni's former fiancé so that Song Cha could be more redeemable. It's weird that Song Cha at the start of series claimed to be businessman with no ties to the mob but his actions later proved otherwise.
3) The first meet - The way Song Cha's injury was tended to in first episode was funny. He also managed to raise his injured arm immediately.

Favourite scene
The mutual kiss that led to their lovemaking

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Exciting start but I lost interest due to FL's action

Started this show roughly on 22 November when the series had roughly 12 episodes. It's quite rare for me to watch a mini drama that is still airing (Fatal Allure was another exception). I only completed the series today 6 December because damn I struggled with this series. Here are my thoughts:

What I liked:
1) Time reset - It was interesting until halfway through the series. The scenarios were enjoyable and unpredicable.
2) Romance - There was one predictable scene that led to Zhi Li and Chen Che kissing and I liked that. Most of the kissing scenes were sweet. I also enjoyed the secondary romance.
3) Eddy Geng - Handsome. He resembles NCT Jaehyun and Taeyong , I find.
4) Suppoting characters - I like FL's senior and her love rival.

What I disliked:
1) Shen Zi Li's characterisation - I like her at the start. Once she became suspicious of Chen Che and started to harm him, I started to lose interest in this drama. Why did she act that way??? You are a bloody healer. I dislike her for being rash.
2) Length - I find 32 episodes format to be draggy especially when each episode is 20 minutes long. After losing interest in the series around episode 16, I pushed myself to finish because this is a mini drama. I didn't pay much attention since they were repeating the same scenarios.
3) Ending - I find it strange that they were energetic after losing blood. Why were they hopping?
4) Acting - I didn't enjoy Sun Xue Ning's acting as much. She could have expressed anguish when the villain was unveiled.

Favourite scene
When Zhi Li and Chen Che went undercover in that lady's mansion

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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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