emberzmars

Dysfunctional contract relationship with FL realising her worth in the end

I watched a few duds these few days so I turned to Huang Bo list of dramas and chose this one because of the 1 million views on youtube. So this is the pilot drama I have seen fans talking about. I had strong emotions while watching this drama. Overall I liked it.

What I liked:
1) FL's best friend - I loved Nuo Nuo for bringing FL back to reality. She gave great advice & reminders to FL.
2) Acting - Great performances by An Qi, Huang Bo & actress who played ML's ex. I shed a tear when FL considered abortion.
3) Styling - I liked the uniforms: pilots, flight attendants, ground crew. They fitted the cast. FL wore a lot of white so I wonder if there was any significance to the chosen outfits.

What I disliked:
1) ML characterisation - I hated Song Yi Chen for treating his wife with indifference during their marriage. I also disliked him for not setting clear boundaries with her ex - why was she allowed to hold his hand / arm? Why did he prioritise her during emergencies?
2) FL characterisation - Lin Rou was a doormat for allowing her husband to trear her that way. I also disliked her passive nature.
3) Romance - Severely underdeveloped. The only genuine romantic scene I saw was when both wore white outfits. ML never expressed his feelings for ML. However I must say the kiss at the start was steamy but moment gone once ML became a douchebag.
4) Antagonist - ML's ex was shameless. Despite being told off by ML, she still insisted that ML loved / wanted her.

Favourite scene
When FL told Nuo Nuo that she wanted to live for herself

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Excellent acting, writing and romantic scenes make this drama my favourite in the series

When I first explored vertical dramas back in December 2024, Dramazone Youtube channel was my only source for vertical dramas. I think the title of this drama caught my attention so I clicked 'Play'. I enjoyed it immensely. I watched a few Prince of Beijing Circle adaptations after this drama but "Bo Ye Courted a Hundred Times, and Miss Jiang Showed Mercy" remains my favourite Prince of Beijing Circle adaptation.

What I liked:
1. Romance - There was a lot of heat in this drama. High quality and quantity of kissing and intimate scenes. I also liked the romance development of the second couple because it contrasted with the romance development of the first couple.
2. Acting - Great acting by all four leads. Xu Jiang Shuai and Chang Dan Dan must had developed rapport because their characters' physical and emotional intimacy translated well on screen. The actor and actress who portrayed SML and SFL respectively did an excellent job too. I could feel their frustrations and heartaches even though I disliked them.
3. FL characterisation - I liked the complexity of FL. She seemed to put tough exterior when facing rivals but she also had a vulnerable side. I loved her at work scenes - she was knowledgeable and focused.
4. ML characterisation - I liked that he was smitten with FL and would do anything for her. Not only he was a great lover, he also became like a family to FL. The last plot twist was tragic - I was glad that ML apologised to FL immediately after finding out.
5. Styling - One of the best styling for vertical drama FL. Just impeccable. Chang Dan Dan must be petite because she wore stilettos most of the time.
6. Supporting characters - I liked Mr and Mrs Yan despite their son's horrible treatment towards FL. ML's assistant was also likeable.
7. SML's arc - Despite him being an antagonist, I must say that his arc is one of the best antagonist arcs I've seen in vertical dramas.

What I disliked:
1. Antagonists - Damn, SFL was a traitor. I couldn't believe she would do such things to her best friend. I also disliked SML for cheating on FL. FL's family was horrible too.

Favourite scene
The confrontation at the playground

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Second chance after a near divorce. Too bad I disliked FL

I watched this drama after watching Decad starring Zhang Ruo Chen and Wang Zi Yi. I love that version so much so I was curious about this version. I've always liked Zhang Lei's visuals so yes there was some expectations. I have mixed feelings about this drama.

What I liked:
1. Romance - Good balance of push & pull between ML & FL. There was a dash of spice in their romance.
2. Male model scene - This scene was brutal. I liked that male models went all out to entertain their target. And it was great way to punish SFL.
3. Styling - I liked the clothes worn by ML & FL.
4. The ending - Even though it is a cliffhanger, we get to see the attic.

What I disliked:
1. FL characterisation - Unfortunately I disliked FL. She had this mean vibe towards ML i.e. she always wanted to see ML cry and thought of ways to see him cry. She also seemed guarded even with ML, I feel.
2. Antagonist - SFL was annoying as hell.
3. Chemistry - There was lack of chemistry between Zhang Lei & Xu Dan.

Favourite scene
The ending

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Only liked the final 20 minutes because it's different

Huang Bo and Xu Si Qi had collaborated again and they had back-to-back 2 new releases. I watched this drama earlier than the other drama (which had ML reborn trope). Sad to say I didn't enjoy this drama as much as I'd have liked.

What I liked:
1. Third act - I liked the last 20 minutes because it was different from Bloom in the Shadows, which I suspect is the inspiration for this drama. I liked that bad people were punished for their crimes.
2. Supporting character - I liked FL's subordinate / accomplice.
3. Romance - I liked the scene in which ML was kissing FL while she was talking on the phone (brought me back to Huang Bo's Into the Abyss drama). I also liked when ML told FL that he knew about her secret identity.

What I disliked:
1. Tone - This drama is a remake of Bloom in the Shadows. I loved that drama because of its dark tones from characterisation of FL & antagonist, to revenge plans and seduction. It was thrilling because the drama was different. In contrast, The Palm Fell felt like any other vertical drama because of its editing and tone.
2. Acting - FL is vengeful, scheming and supposedly seductive but Xu Si Qi didn't hit the mark despite the existing chemistry & rapport with Huang Bo. She was miscast.

Favourite scene
Ending

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The best jdorama I have ever watched - brilliant acting, writing and editing!

This jdorama joined my playlist when I started watching jdorama last year. Decided to watch the series while on a staycation with family. My sister & I binged this drama in one day. It was très magnifique!

What I liked:
1. Acting - First and foremost, phenomenal acting by Takuya Kimora & Kyoka Suzuki. Wow they were immersed in their roles. The supporting cast was amazing too. Love it when they spoke French.
2. Writing - This is an underdog story with brilliant storytelling. I rooted for them to succeed from day 1. I was engrossed every single minute. Main & some supporting characters were given substantial arcs & growth. I love Chef Obana's eccentricity!
3. Antagonists - There are a few characters that posed challenges to Chef Obana & Chef Rinko's journey to achieving 3 star Michelin. Wonderful arcs for them!
4. Styling - I actually prefer Chef Obana's hairstyling when he was head of Echofille. Takuya Kimora looked like Benjamin Bratt during American movie Miss Congeniality. Ms Linda Machiko Richard had impeccable styling - very chic.
5. Editing - The shots of food (prep, cooking and even when they were at the market) made my mouth water. I also liked how important emotionally charged scenes were framed. I cried when some staff messed up.

What I disliked:
1. Mr Eto - I disliked him for being manipulative.
2. Chef Obana's decision - I don't understand the brash decision he made before the Michelin award ceremony. He needed to be acknowledged by his peers!

Favourite scene
When Chef Obana convinced Mr Minegishi the grear hunter

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An intricate tale of rivalry, cunning deception and first love

I chose to watch this drama because I was preparing to write a reddit post about Han Yu Tong's revenge dramas.

What I liked:
1. FL characterisation - Shen Ming Xia was smart and scheming. Her revenge plan was carefully crafted so don't mess with her.
2. Acting - Good performances by the actresses who played the Queen and two concubines. While I liked Han Yu Tong's overall performance in this drama, at times I found her facial expressions too "hard" so I wasn't sure whether Shen Ming Xia was scheming or really being kind/genuine.
3. Supporting characters - I must say that antagonists were a delight to watch and hate. I also liked the servants who were kind to Shen Ming Xia.
4. Romance - I liked scenes of Shen Ming Xia's first love more than scenes of her blossoming romance with the emperor.

What I disliked:
1. Length - With a running time of 4 hours 7 minutes, it feels like watching a condensed version of Chinese period drama. I prefer modern drama and with bad subtitles, I struggled with this drama during the second act. However once moved into third act, I became invested in the story again.
2. Romance - Slow burn romance but only a few scenes. I would have liked if the romance between Shen Ming Xia and the Emperor was given more screentime. I want good, real kisses too.
3. Nails - Gosh I couldn't stand Han Yu Tong's long manicured nails. They felt out of place in this drama.

Favourite scene
When Shen Ming Xia saved a wounded soldier

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FL focused on searching for missing sister & never tempted by hot baddie

I was in the mood for Han Yu Yong dramas so I selected this drama today. I enjoyed it.

What I liked:
1. FL characterisation - She was focused on finding her missing sister and I liked that she didn't entertain the temptation.
2. Supporting characters - I liked her accomplices with second one being a nice surprise. Amazing sisterhood there. I was sympathetic with ML's friend.
3. Revenge arc - It's great that the plans were carefully thought out & implemented.
4. Tension - Director was good at capturing sexual tension between FL & ML on screen. Seduction scenes were nicely done especially the last one. A shirtless baddie with great physique is always appreciated!

What I disliked:
1. Crime scene - I felt this scene was unbelievable as per what supporting character said.
2. Motive - I still didn't understand ML's motive.

Favourite scene
When ML's friend prepared a nice surprise for FL

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Amazing crime drama with wonderful cast & intriguing cases

I wanted to watch more non-romance dramas this month so I picked 'Under the Skin' because this show was highly recommended on a few reddit posts. I enjoyed it immensely.

What I liked:
1. Acting - I have watched dramas of Lu Yan Qi and Baby Zhang but was unfamiliar with Tan Jianci and Jin Shi Jia. I was very impressed by their acting and supporting cast too. Some guest roles made an impact on me for example Jiang Ge (episodes 1-3), Qu Lan Xin & Ren Xiao Xuan (episodes 3 - 5), Chu Tian Qi (episodes 10 & 11).
2. Character development - I really enjoyed watching Shen Yi's growth as an artist and as an individual. He was like a superhero whose power is sketching & painting. Captain Du Cheng also had some growth as a police officer.
3. Drawing - I love seeing the sketches done by Shen Yi although I found him to be too perfect. Like he's a savant. I also enjoyed the drawing on the blackboard especially the one in the last episode.
4. Pacing - I liked the format of this series - thank gosh it's not one case per episode because most cases were complicated and needed more time to be investigated.
5. Supporting characters - My favourite is Du Cheng's sister. She appeared after halfway mark of the series but her appearance were integral to the main arc. I also liked Jiang Feng, He Rong Yue and Li Han.
6. Music - The score reminded me of Queen's Gambit score. Anyway I liked the score a lot!

What I disliked:
1. Supporting characters - Baby Zhang's character was very interesting so I wish she had more screen time.
2. Rash - Shen Yi made a few rash decisions in order to catch culprits. It's silly because he was a rookie cop and inexperienced in handling dangerous suspects & culprits.

Favourite scene
When Shen Yi led a case instead of Captain Du Cheng

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Second chance romance with cute grandpa-grandson moments

I have watched Wang Jia Mao's work before but this is my first Hou Cheng Yue drama.

What I liked:
1. Family - I really enjoyed the interactions between grandpa and grandson in this drama. I also like seeing grandson caring for his mother.
2. Ho Cheng Yue - FL has different sides to her (fallen socialite, mother, ex-lover, businesswoman) and I liked her acting.

What I disliked:
1. ML characterisation - His actions were emotional when FL was hired as his employee by his father. He should be professional at work & put aside personal feelings at the office.
2. Romance - The drama started with FL & ML being in love but due to FL circumstances, they broke up. Because ML was a jerk when FL worked at his company, I was not sold on their romance.

Favourite scene
When ML's father visited FL at her home and met her son

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Enjoyable drama with 2 love stories

I don't remember what made me save this drama on my Youtube playlist. I think it had something to do with ML rugged/rough looks. I was in a phase hahaha.

What I liked:
1. ML characterisation - I like that he is black sheep of the family who made his own living instead of depending on his rich family.
2. Romance - There are two couples in this drama and I enjoyed both.
3. Supporting characters - I like ML's friend & colleague as well as FL's assistant

What I disliked:
1. Supporting characters - Second female lead was childish despite putting "strong woman" front. She ran away from her problem instead of confronting it.

Favourite scene
When FL thought ML was gay

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I rarely watch period drama but I love this series!

I am a fan of Zhang Jing Yi after watching her performances in Lighter & Princess and Bright Eyes in the Dark. I prefer modern drama to period drama but decided to add this series after reading rave reviews. I watched this series on 31 December 2024 together with my bestie and we love this brilliantly-written series!

What I liked:
1) Hua Zhi characterisation - She was intelligent, progressive, resilient and family-focused and I love that those traits were demonstrated in a period drama. She wasn't a Mary Sue, she did a mistake that cost her freedom.
2) Romance - There are different types of romance shown in this series and I love them. Hua Zhi and Gu Yan Xi's romance was built on solid foundation of love, trust and mutual respect. I gushed whenever they held hands or stole glances when in public. I also enjoyed the secondary romances in particular Shao Yao and Shen Huan. Theirs were like high school/university sweet romance.
3) Gu Yan Xi characterisation - One of the most fascinating male lead in cdrama. He had several identities and it excited me whenever he appeared on screen. As Commander of Security Bureau, he was menacing but as Mr Yan, he was sweet and a gentleman.
4) Acting - Wonderful from every one in the cast!
5) Supporting characters - I like most of them in particular Baoxia (her eyeroll was EPIC!), Chen Qing, Grandma Hua, Xia Jin E, Shao Yao, Shen Hua, Uncle Ping Yang.
6) Visuals - Wow, the cast was good looking and the outfits were beautiful. Bian Cheng resembles Korean idol Kai of EXO. I also enjoyed the cinematography and shots of Hua Manor.
7) Villain arc - The villain feared internal "threats" and I liked this arc.
8) Music - I love the score. The intro was also beautifully illustrated.
9) Action - I never expected epic action scenes because at first I thought this was a family-focused drama. Action scenes were thrilling.

What I disliked:
1) Hua Zhi's action - She made a mistake rebelling against the emperor and that cost her dearly.
2) Hua Rong's arc - I was sad.
3) Shen Qi - Caesar Wu was third billed in this series but his character was underdeveloped, I find.
4) Grandma Hua's daughter - She was despicable.


Favourite scene
Grandma Hua's death

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Wonderful, heartfelt coming of age drama about a sheltered young adult

I chose to watch Overprotected Kahoko last week after finding out that this drama would be leaving Netflix on 14 October. What a compelling coming of age drama!

What I liked:
1) Kahoko's characterisation - I enjoy watching Kahoko's character growth. At the start of the series, she was a sheltered young adult who never had to make her own decisions. Thus this affected the way she expressed her feelings and emotions. When she received criticism from her peer, she pondered and challenged herself - I like this about her! Despite being sheltered, she was observant and cared so much for her family. Just like her maternal grandma says about her - Kahoko is the glue that binds the family.
2) Hajime's characterisation - He was empathetic towards Kahoko. I like that he was aware of Kahoko's inability to express her emotions and instead of making assumptions or stopping Kahoko from expressing, he gave her a safe space to voice out her emotions and listen to her concerns. What a great friend! I also like that he says what's on his mind especially during the chat with Ito.
3) Masataka's narration - The narration is actually Kahoko's father's thoughts and feelings about Kahoko and his family. It's a shame that he was not able to voice them out but they provided wonderful tidbits on his family members.
4) Supporting characters - It's great that the supporting characters have depth to them. Brilliant acting by each cast member.
5) Kahoko and Hajime's relationship - I love how their relationship evolved from stranger to friends to best friends and lovers. They had honest and raw conversations that I cried twice - when she confessed her feelings to Hajime and when they argued and broke up.

What I disliked:
1) Izumi - I don't like her parenting style and I don't understand her reasons for objecting to Kahoko's decision. She's stifling.
2) Ito - What an ungrateful brat! I can't believe her behaviour even after learning about her grandma's situation.

Favourite scene
When Kahoko confessed her feelings to Hajime. I knew how he would react but couldn't help feeling heartbroken. Great acting by the two!

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Gripping drama on firefighting with great romance story

I was drawn to this drama because of Zhang Jing Yi and firefighting storyline. I was surprised that this series is ranked lower than other mystery romance that I watched but had stale etoryline. Perhaps some viewers dislike the ending - I can accept the ending being left open to interpretation because otherwise a happily ever after would seem at odds with the overall vibe of this gritty, slice of life drama.

What I like:
1) Firefighting - Wow, great firefighting scenarios featured in this series, from simple straightforward fire in a building to the more complex ones e.g. forest fires and explosion at a plant. There was even disaster relieft effort after an earthquake scenario. I also like that one of the characters is a structural engineer as I never thought firefighting could be a career pathway for structural engineering student. I also enjoyed the fire safety tips at the end of each episode.
2) Lin Lu Xiao characterisation - Lin Lu Xiao is a level-headed leader and even at a higher position, he strives to improve himself as a firefighter. Lu Xiao as a boyfriend is fun to watch too. Bright eyes in the dark is the first series of Johnny Huang's work that I watched and I enjoyed his performance.
3) Nan Chu characterisation - It's delightful to see a smart and capable Female Lead who pursues her passions and the man she is interested in. She is wise beyong her age and no wonder Lu Xiao and Jing Ge were attracted to her. I like that she considers the pros and cons of being in a relationship with a firefighter because then it isn't hero worship.
This is the second series of Zhang Jing Yi's work that I watched (first series being Lighter and Princess) and I must admit that Zhang Jing Yi continues to impress me with her performance.
4) Romance - The romantic scenes were sweet and intimate. I love that Nan Chu and Lin Lu Xiao kiss, hug, hold hands and comfort each other a lot. I love that Nan Chu initiated most kisses - you go girl! It's also good to watch scenes of fading romance as portrayed by Qi Lei and Milan. Painful but that's the reality of relationships that are not frequently nurtured.
5) Supporting characters - They were fun to watch from firemen Instructor Yang, Assistant Liu, Qi Lei to people in the industry such as Jing Ge, Xi Gu, Shen Guang Zong. Kudos to Lu Si Yu for that brilliant acting performance. I felt his character's heartache and pain.
6) Camaraderie - Strongly seen in firefighting community. There were some comedic moments when all firemen gang up against one for example when they found out that Lin Lu Xiao was going on a date!

What I dislike:
1) Nan Chu's mum - I don't like that she was distant to her child and even lied about Nan Chu's father. Nan Chu's reaction was milder than what I expected. Perhaps the tv series is just following the novel that is based upon.
2) Ran Dong Yang and Xu Zhi Yi - They are despicable people. Glad that they got punished in the end.
3) Qi Huo's secret - Fang should apologise for outing Qi Huo.

Favourite scene:
Xi Gu's present for Nan Chu at their new apartment. I gush a lot during that scene. Xi Gu's a total bestie!

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Stilted is best word to describe this mini drama

I watched this minidrama after heavy promotion on Youtube especially that bold trailer. If someone asks me to describe this drama in one word, I'd say 'stilted' is apt. Stilted acting, stilted character growth, stilted romance, stilted plot.

What I liked:
1) Qiao Fei characterisation - She is one of two characters that I like in this mini drama. Despite having less screen time, actress Zhang Ya Meng managed to give life to what could be a 2-dimensional character. I like her take charge nature, which is contrast to Female Lead Wen Xi.
2) Ren characterisation - He is the other character that I like in this mini drama, ever since his first appearance in the women's boutique. He is resourceful assistant to Male Lead Zhe Qing but he is his own person.
3) Qiao Fei - Ren romance - I prefer their romance to Zhe Qing-Wen Xi romance. Better chemistry & execution of their love story. It's cute that Ren felt challenged by Qiao Fei's remark of not dating younger men.

What I disliked:
1) Wen Xi characterisation - Gosh another damsel in distress. It's good that she came out of the "helpless girl shell" after her sister's accident. However her way of solving her sister's accident wasn't smart. She should have partnered up or "used" Zhe Qing.
2) Zhe Qing-Wen Xi romance - Gosh I cannot stand the manhandling! Some may find Zhe Qin's aggressiveness as hot but to me, it's just wrong. His moves were unnatural and stiff to the point of assault. Even most of kissing scenes were hard to watch because there were too much push factor rather than pull factor in their dynamics. Wen Xi never seemed to enjoy kissing.
3) Plot - just messy. I don't understand why Wen Xi was kidnapped in the first place. She was a nobody. Wen Hao's situations (being a whistleblower and having a secret romance) made this drama interesting but they became lost momentum once Wen Xi's romance developed and the villain had more screen time.

Favourite scene
When Wen Xi was drunk and Zhe Qing wanted to confirm her identity. What a smart way to validate your suspicion!

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Enjoyable hidden agenda & romance mini drama

This is the second drama that I watched which starred Hong Xiao (The Revenge of Begonia). I was interested to check out her other work and I also enjoy noona romance.

What I liked:
1) When Su Ban Xia confided in Jiang Shao Heng about her adverse reactions to a man's touch. It was heartfelt, I cried.
2) Su Ban Xia characterisation - I like that she is a girl boss who is also kind. She cared about her employee and even a stranger.
3) Visuals of second female & second male leads were complementary to each other. I really like the scenes when they hung out together.
4) I like Su Ban Xia's reaction after finding out about Jiang Shao Heng's pursuit of her. She wasn't hysterical.
5) I like the song that is played in end credit of episode 15. I can't seem to find the song title with Shazam. If you know, please let me know the song title.

What I disliked:
1) The acting by antagonists Wei Gao Yang & his sister were over the top that they seem like caricatures.
2) I wish we could have more scenes of Sang Le and Duan Zhao

My favourite scene
When Su Ban Xia confided in Jiang Shao Heng about her adverse reaction to a man's touch

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