emberzmars

Too many antagonists made me lost interest in this drama

I watched this drama as part of my assignment to write a reddit post on my favourite dramas by Zhao Mu Yan. I love her drama with Feng Xiang Kun so I was on a mission to find the best collab. Unfortunately this wasn't my favourite collab drama between the two.

What I liked:
1. FL characterisation - In the first 20 minutes of the drama, she gave off Harley Quinn vibe with the styling and demeanor. She kicked butt and saved the boy. I liked her very much.
2. Supporting characters - I really liked the boy and ML's assistant.
3. ML characterisation - He was wary, cautious and cunning,
4. Romance - I could feel the tension even though romance scene wasn't heavy nor intense.
5. Styling - I really liked FL's styling.

What I disliked:
1. Antagonists - There were too many of them: ML's envious relatives (sadly this included the grandparent), FL's family (typical father favouring new wife & daughter), possessive family friend & her mother. I lost interest in this drama once the green tea claimed ML was hers.
2. Grandmother - I disliked her for forcing ML to marry someone whose family she "owned" her life to. She should settle her own debt.

Favourite scene
When FL & ML first kissed & ML wanted more

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Uncle romance with good foundation & nice kisses

I became an instant fan of Huai Wen after watching Be Your Kiss. So I became intrigued with this drama. I liked it but loved Be Your Kiss so much more.

What I liked:
1. Romance - Slow burn. Arranged marriage so awkward strangers but I loved that they established the dos and don'ts at the start of marriage including the frequency of intimacy. Good kisses.
2. FL characterisation - She stood up to bullies. Loved it!
3. ML characterisation - He was kind, respectful & handsome.
4. Supporting characters - ML's family so welcoming - loved the warmth. Her close colleague was nice. I also liked his doctor friend.
5. Styling - Loved her outfits. He looked dashing in the green suit.

What I liked:
1. Antagonists - Ye Qing was possessive family friend but good that ML put his foot down. FL's family was cunning & manipulative.

Favourite scene
The first intimate encounter

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Cute & funny drama with entertaining supporting character

Liu Xi Yu has started to impress me with her acting these days. I know she has many dramas listed in IQIYI catalogue so a few weeks ago I decided to watch this drama. It was enjoyable.

What I liked:
1. Plot - Refreshing, Funny especially when FL's brother appeared on screen.
2. FL characterisation - Cute but not cloying. She was rich girl but not spoilt brat.
3. ML characterisation - Cold exterior but dude had massive crush on FL. He was Mr Nice Guy.
4. Acting - Great performances by Liu Xi Yu, Liu Lan Bo and the actor who played FL's brother.
5. Supporting characters - I really liked FL’s brother. His scenes were always entertaining. I also liked FL's best friend and ML's assistant.
6. Dynamic - I really loved the interactions between FL and her brother. They loved & helped out each other. No stupid arguments.

What I disliked:
1. Antagonists - I disliked the snobbish classmate who was jealous of FL. I also disliked the scumbag who tried to rape FL.

Favourite scene
When ML & FL communicated no verbally with FL's brother standing nearby

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Brilliant drama about a man winning the affections of a woman dumped by his brother

Thanks to Reborn at 18: The Great Grandma Takes Charge, I got to discover Wang Pei Yan's talents. I remember when this drama was released. I watched it on reelxia within 3 days of its release then later found out that my reddit friends also watched the drama. We enjoyed this drama immensely that we co-wrote a joint review.m for r/CShortDramas.

What I liked:
1. ML characterisation - He was a flirty puppy but sneaky at trying to win FL's affections. I also liked that he had a successful career - he's not just a rich kid.
2. FL characterisation - Loved that she didn't wallow in self-pity once she found out about her boyfriend. She got her heart broken but there was no second chance.
3. Romance - The banters between FL and ML were fun to watch. There was some sexual tension brewing between them. When they finally got intimate and kissed, the scenes were hot.
4. Acting - Terrific performances by Wang Pei Yan, Liang Wen Jing and the cast. I even liked the actor who played SML.
5. Styling - I loved FL outfits as they matched her personality - cool & confident. ML wore oversized clothes which mostly looked fine on him. I liked the Labubu collection!
6. Supporting characters - I really liked ML's parents for being supportive and understanding.
7. Writing - One of the best written dramas. Well developed arcs for the four lead characters.

What I disliked:
1. Antagonists - SFL was insecure, jealous and a gold digger. She was also the type of woman who defines her worth by having a man. ML's brother (the SML) was pitiful at first because of his situation but then he became despicable & disrespectful towards FL. He was silly for not doing a background check on the woman he was going to marry.

Favourite scene
ML expressed his concerns when FL was attacked by strange men

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Surprised by how much I liked this drama and the pairing between Ma Le Jie and Xie Yu Wang

I watched this drama as part of a reddit assignment about Xie Yu Wang's dramas. I have to be honest - I didn't like Ma Le Jie's acting at first because she often portrayed damsels but I liked two or three that I watched recently. So I decided to watch this drama and to my surprise, I enjoyed it a lot.

What I liked:
1. Tone - Surprisingly funny & lighthearted.
2. FL characterisation - She wasn't forgiving nor easy to be bullied. I liked her protective nature.
3. ML characterisation - He was Mr Nice Guy. Protective too.
4. Romance - He fell for her first but she didn't resist his charms like other FLs - I liked! Their first intimate encounter was great moment. I also enjoyed their tender moments.
5. Length - Less than 100 minutes.
6. Supporting characters - ML's assistant was amusing & helpful.
7. Acting - Good performances by both MLJ & XYW. They had very good chemistry.

What I disliked:
1. Antagonists - FL's family especially half-sister whom I found pathetic. ML's bai yue guang was delusional together with her father.

Favourite scene
When FL was upset & uncertain about ML's true feelings for her

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Mellow jiejie drama about ML who has crush on his guardian the FL

I was intrigued by this drama because it is a jiejie romance drama. I watched it within 24 hours of its release. I liked it even though it was mellow.

What I liked:
1. FL characterisation - She was hardworking. Despite claiming that she took on guardianship of ML because of the money, she was a kind soul.
2. ML characterisation - In the opening scene, he was in pitiful state but overall he was smart & forward-thinking. He chose FL over his biological relative as his guardian, he chose to become an actor.
3. Romance - He fell in love first but was too young to pursue FL. I liked that there was a time jump in this story.
4. Acting - Great performances by Jin Zi & Zhang Hong Ming. Good synergy.
5. Styling - I liked the clear differences between adolescent ML and adult ML even with Zhang Hong Ming playing ML in both stages of his life.

What I disliked:
1. Duration - I felt that thks drama could be shorter by 15 minutes. I also felt that the drama was too mellow for me at times.
2. Smoking - I could close my eye when FL smoked right after her cancer diagnosis but I didn't understand why she smoked years after she recovered from cancer.

Favourite scene
Kiss by the wall

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Affectionate main couple and fabulous outfits are reasons I enjoyed this drama immensely

I am preparing a reddit post about Zhao Mu Yan's dramas so I have been watching a lot of her dramas. I picked to watch this drama last Saturday because I also liked Zhang Chi. I enjoyed this drama immensely.

What I liked:
1. Romance - There was electric dynamic between them. Amazing kisses and intimate scenes. I also loved that they were tender and affectionate with each other. The cupboard scene was extremely sweet.
2. Styling - I loved, loved, loved FL's outfits. My favourite outfits from vertically-filmed historical dramas - I wish I could buy and wear them. I also liked ML's outfits - the navy and gold outfit with that top hat looked fabulous on Zhang Chi.
3. FL characterisation - I wasn't clear about her motive in getting close to ML at first but later got the info when she mentioned antidote. I liked the allure exuded by her character.
4. ML characterisation - I liked that he was wary of FL and yet never strongly resisted FL's charms. He was a smart guy to cover FL's tracks once he figured something was off about her.
5. Supporting characters - I liked FL's servant & ML's right hand man and the bodyguard / secret soldier.
6. Duration - I loved that this drama is under 125 minutes. It was an easy watch.

What I disliked:
1. Antagonists - He was selfish. I felt his arc was simple.
2. Ending - I didn't like the action taken by them then suddenly they were happy. Was that action a dream or real?

Favourite scene
When ML went to the cupboard

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Great chemistry between Min Jie and Chen Ci - I enjoyed this drama

I was told by someone in subreddit CShortDramas that there is a cosplay scene in this drama. The fact that I could never find a Min Jie drama that I enjoyed prompted me to watch this drama. Glad I did because I enjoyed it.

What I liked:
1. Romance - plenty of kisses. I liked that FL tended to ML's needs. She made effort to love ML because in most vertical dramas, MLs are the ones making initiatives. I could sense growing love and affections between them.
2. FL characterisation - I liked her genuine care for ML. The temple scene was heartwarming.
3. Styling - I really liked ML's clothes. He wore a lot of collarless shirts that I often saw in Japanese clothing store Uniqlo. The cosplay scene was sexy and sweet - I liked it very much!
4. ML characterisation - I liked seeing his character grow. He was also smart in protecting himself from danger.
5. Acting - Min Jie and Chen Ci were good in their roles. They had excellent chemistry - I believed their love journey. Finally I found a Min Jie drama that I enjoyed.

What I disliked:
1. Antagonists - FL's family was fake & greedy. Their reaction upon hearing FL's characters was unbelievable. Sadly ML's family was evil too.
2. ML's action - I disliked him for holding FL captive.
3. Duration - At 2 hours 50 minutes, this drama was too long for me.

Favourite scene
When FL made her entrance after "fake" death

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Carefully executed revenge for the betrayal FL endured

I found out about this drama when I checked Cheng Cheng's MDL profile back in August. I was stoked because I am a fan of Cheng Cheng and Zhang Chu Xuan. I watched it today on its release day. Overall I enjoyed this revenge drama.

What I liked:
1. Acting - Zhang Chu Xuan, Cheng Cheng, the actor who played SML & the actress who played SFL were great in their roles.
2. Revenge - This is the main focus of the drama. The plan was elaborate and executed very carefully. I appreciate that SML & SFL were given more character depth & screentime as a result.
3. FL characterisation - I was sympathetic with her situation as she was scammed by her husband before they were married. I liked that she sought justice for herself instead of just going for divorce.
4. Styling - Beautiful outfits worn by the cast. Cheng Cheng even wore a jacket without a shirt.
5. Third act - It was fascinating because I couldn't predict where the story was heading.
6. Supporting characters - I liked that employee of SFL.

What I disliked
1. Antagonists - FL's husband & his mistress were evil for their scamming FL. I also disliked FL's son for siding with his father & being rude to FL. Brainwashed.
2. Duration - This drama is almost 3 hours long. Some sections had slow pacing so I got distracted easily.
3. Romance - There were some romantic moments between FL & ML but beware that romance is not the focus of this drama.

Favourite scene
When SFL found out that she had been duped by FL

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Chinese vertical drama with the best VFX, action sequences & the most Kdrama vibe

I am a fan of fantasy / supernatural tv series. When a reddit friend told me that this drama is similar to Korean drama My Demon, my interest was piqued. To be honest, I dropped My Demon because the poor writing did not meet my expectation. However for Along with the Gods / Bound to the God, I had little expectations. I was extremely impressed by the quality of this drama and enjoyed it immensely.

What I liked:
1. FL characterisation - I instantly liked FL Shen Yu Zhen right from the beginning because she acted like a shrewd businesswoman and negotiated terms & conditions of the partnership with ML, unlike the FL in My Demon (she just accepted ML’s terms & conditions blindly).
2. ML characterisation - I liked ML a lot! He enjoyed his role as god but wasn’t cocky (unlike the ML in My Demon - he seemed to loathe his work). He was nice and honest with FL.
3. Writing - Along with the Gods is a Chinese vertical drama with the most Kdrama vibe. Kudos to the writer of Along with the Gods for making this drama an improved version of My Demon. Along with the Gods has depth and maturity that My Demon lacks.
4. VFX - I was impressed by the visual effects - I must say it has one of the best VFX and action sequences in the world of vertical dramas.
5. Romance - I liked the romance arc - slow burn with good push-and-pull dynamics. There was even a little twist in the third act - past lives & reincarnation, which pays homage to My Demon but wasn’t draggy.
6. Acting - Great performances by both Sun Qian Xun & Li Bo Yan. SQX is known more for her comedic roles - Shen Yu Zhen is one of the few serious characters that SQX has portrayed and she nailed the role. Along with the Gods really showcased Li Bo Yan’s acting prowess - his character has a big role in this drama. It was cool to see Li Bo Yan fight baddies! We already know that there is great chemistry between SQX and LBY so I was convinced by the romance arc.
7. Family - It is the core theme of this drama. FL is adopted granddaughter of a rich lady and I liked that the grandmother did not chose her biological granddaughter as the heir - she chose based on merit.
8. Styling - Wonderful wardrobe for FL & ML. I wrote a reddit post about this combo of black pleather jacket - white shirt - black tie - black trousers before watching this drama. So I chuckled when I saw Li Bo Yan wearing this ensemble. He looked very handsome of course!

What I disliked:
1. Antagonists - FL's sister was greedy and evil with her husband being her Mr Yes Man / follower. Fang Hang Xing was alos evil and manipulative. Good thing all three got their retribution.

Favourite scene
When ML asked for a kiss from FL

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Bold opening scene, fiery kisses & sizzling chemistry the reasons I enjoyed this drama very much

I am a fan of Shi Yue Yue and Jin Jia Yu's acting. When this drama was released, I clicked to see what is the drama about? Wow, the first three minutes was shocking. I thought it was another version of The Bright Moon so I continued to watch. It isn't but to my surprise, I enjoyed this drama a lot!

What I liked:
1. Opening - Damn, the opening scene was blazing hot. FL was bold! Certainly unforgettable!
2. Romance - Desire was apparent for both of them but lust soon became love. I enjoyed watching their dynamics - they did not know that they needed each other until some time later. There was care & affection.
3. FL characterisation - I pity her being trapped in that situation but she was determined & smart. Good thing she hired a bodyguard to protect her.
4. Revenge - I liked that there were two revenge plans. I also enjoyed the gang/turf fight mini arc.
5. ML characterisation - He was smart & tactical. I liked the soft side he showed to FL.
6. Acting - Great performances by Shi Yue Yue, Jin Jia Yu and the actor who played antagonist. I also loved the chemistry between Shi Yue Yue and Jin Jia Yu - I was captivated whenever both characters appeared on screen.
7. Styling - Shi Yue Yue was gorgeous in the red dress! Overall I liked the outfits worn by both FL & ML.

What I disliked:
1. Antagonist - FL's father was creepy. FL's aunt & stepmother were a suspicious bunch.

Favourite scene
Opening

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I liked the Ruo Chen pairing in this family drama

"Double Ruo Chens!", was my first thought when I first saw the drama poster. I am a fan of Zhang Ruo Chen's acting and I like Wei Ruo Chen's facecard - his dramas can be a hit or a miss! I enjoyed this drama a lot!

What I liked:
1. FL characterisation - I loved Su Mo Ran’s sassiness and confidence, especially in the forced engagement scene. She wasn't easily intimidated - she snapped back at Feng Yi Yin & ML's sister on the spot.
2. Romance - I also liked how FL-ML romance developed - I did not expect ML to make a move so soon. There were a few good kisses and romantic moments.
3. Supporting characters - Oh, their daughter An An was adorable and delightfully cheeky, just like her mum! I also liked ML's grandmother and parents. They had empathy and did not believe the accusation made by Feng Yi Yin.
4. ML characterisation - I liked that he was not hung up on having relationship with "An An's" birth mother. He was skeptical with FL's presence around his daughter but that didn't stay long.
5. Kidnapping - Hahaha I didn't expect that person to be kidnapped.
6. Acting - Good performances by the cast led by the charming Zhang Ruo Chen.

What I disliked:
1. Antagonists - Feng Yi Yin was delusional & dangerous. She harmed An An! I also disliked FL's father, mother and stepsister.
2. ML's sister - Spoilt brat that acted like a petulant child.

Favourite scene
When FL & ML were intimate after their marriage

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Hong Qiao was charming in this family-focused drama

I was familiar with Hong Qiao because of her work in Han Yu Tong's fatgirl revenge drama. She was great there so when I found out she was the FL in this drama, I decided to watch it. I enjoyed this drama.

What I liked:
1. FL characterisation - Even though she transmigrated into another body & time period, I liked that her original essence (ruthlessness & smart) was kept. I also liked FL for her kindness.
2. Supporting characters - He family was a delight. The nephew was adorable.
3. Comedy - I liked that this drama was lighthearted & funny.
4. Family - Core theme of this drama. There were 3 families explored.
5. Acting - Hong Qiao was terrific in her role as she successfully demonstrated her charm & stage presence as the FL.

What I disliked:
1. Antagonists - Disliked the married couple / neighbours for being envious & roping in FL's ex.
2. Jealous sibling - The third Prince arc was underdeveloped.
3. Romance - There was a romantic entanglement between FL & ML but I didn't believe ML had feelings for FL because he looked disinterested most of the time. It would be nice if there were touching / serious romantic moments between them.
4. Acting - Sun Zi Cheng was hot but his acting was monotonous. He didn't have any chemistry with Hong Qiao.

Favourite scene
When FL rescued her nephew from food poisoning

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Gripping performances by Yuan Yu Han & Liu Xiao Xu in a tragic thriller

I was curious about Liu Xiao Xu when his drama with Wang Xiao Yi was released. I wanted to explore his work with a different drama. I chose this one because I had seen Yuan Yu Han in her drama with Huang Bo before. Whoa, I was glad to watch this drama first because I was blown away by performances by both leads and the writing of this drama.

What I liked:
1. Tone - I liked the mystery & suspense elements. I also liked the use of twin trope here.
2. ML characterisation - Layered, complex and I liked the mysterious, "villain" vibe. He turned out to be an anti-hero who sough t justice for his dad.
3. FL characterisation - I liked her arc. She started as a bait for twin's revenge plan. From a victim later she became sympathetic to his cause.
4. Acting - Fantastic performances by the three leads. Yuan Yu Han continued to impress me with her acting capabilities.
5. Duration - I liked that this drama's running time is less than 2 hours.
6. Supporting characters - I liked the twin's father.
7. Plot twist - OMG, that living room scene was unbelievable.

What I disliked:
1. Antagonists - One of the most evil antagonists in vertical dramas. Total psychopath - unredeemable.
2. Ending - Tragic. Wish it had ended a different way.

Favourite scene
When ML cried

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Sexy FL, spellbound ML & sizzling romance in this light supernatural drama

I was browsing iQIYI shorts collection and saw this drama. I read the first two lines od the synopsis and found it interesting enough to watch. I loved this drama!

What I liked:
1. Romance - The sexual tension was high right from the first encounter. I enjoyed the push & pull dynamics between them and the way both of them yearned for love and affection. Their love language was definitely physical touch.
2. FL characterisation - FL could heal other people's illness. I liked her altruistic behaviour. I also found her sexy not the way she dressed but in her speech & attitude.
3. Revenge - I liked that FL got to take back her parents' wealth from her parasitic relatives. I liked that she didn't help her relatives when they faced challenges.
4. Acting - Amazing performances by Su Xi and Wu Yu Hang. They had palpable chemistry - I loved watching scenes with both of them together.
5. Supporting characters - I liked FL's bestie for helping her out whenever in need. ML's assistant was a good character too. I also liked ML's mother & housekeeper even though I didn't like their nosiness.
6. ML characterisation - He was skeptical of FL's healing capability but my gosh he was spellbound by her. I liked his protective behaviour which he showed during an ambush.
7. Styling - I loved FL's outfits from the moment she met ML in episode 1 until the last episode. She was elegant.

What I disliked:
1. Antagonists - FL's relatives were cruel. Kicked her out when she was a child.
2. Punishment - I didn't like that the two female baddies were not punished for harming FL & ML.

Favourite scene
Their second intimate encounter and the morning after

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