fyra

Cute, heartwarming, and nostalgic.

"I always thought I had to change for someone to like me."
"I like every version of you."

Set in the 1990s, Love Untangled is a romantic comedy and youth movie about high school romance, friendships, and self-love. It follows Park Se-ri as she tries to navigate through the formative years of her life. Her most pressing problem? Finding the courage to confess to her crush. Just like Se-ri, I must confess — when I first read the premise, I rolled my eyes. I thought this movie was going to be one of those outdated stories that reinforce the toxic belief that you must conform to societal beauty standards in order to be accepted and loved, but it wasn't like that at all.

Instead, the writers took a "love yourself" and "you are beautiful just the way you are" approach, and I'm so thankful for that. The concept might be familiar, and therefore predictable, but the actors' delightful performances make the story feel relatable and engaging. The movie reminds us that diversity is beautiful and receiving genuine affection doesn't require us to sacrifice our true selves. It is a much needed reminder in a world that is constantly trying to change us.

With likable characters and an uplifting message, Love Untangled delivers just enough high school nostalgia, genuine friendship, and awkward first love to leave me grinning. I recommend it for those in search of a cute and feel-good story.

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A great love story, but it will disappoint if you expected more.

It feels like a lifetime ago when news about Legend of the Female General first surfaced, and cdrama lovers everywhere cheered with anticipation. I was one of them. A female general? Tragic past? Second chance at life? War? Cool fight scenes? Cross-dressing? Romance? Deception? Angst? Women empowerment? As a huge fan of Mulan, the promises of such a premise excited me. Say less and sign me up for war.

At first, I thought this drama would be similar to the author's other works — The Double and The Glory. Both were known for their darker themes, intricate plots, and suspenseful atmosphere. However, Legend of the Female General took a lighthearted approach with more comedic moments and gravitated strongly toward the romance, overshadowing the epic war and revenge aspects that the trailers initially teased. With just the first few episodes alone, it was also evident why some viewers were frustrated with this drama, and understandably so. The episodes were short, the editing was a bit choppy, there were plot holes and inconsistencies, and the story seemed to have deviated from what I knew about the novel. Sometimes you had to really suspend disbelief and throw away logic in order to truly appreciate this drama.

Despite the drama's departure from my previous expectations, I didn't hate the lighter tone or the romance-driven narrative. In fact, I thought the romance was the drama's best attribute. With that said, I do believe that too much medicine can poison you, and the problem I had with this drama was that it focused so heavily on the romance that sometimes it neglected other aspects of the story. What I hated was the way some of the pivotal moments — specifically some of the important non-romantic arcs — were carelessly mishandled. These were character-and-plot defining events and yet they suffered from the lack of appropriate build-up and execution that they deserved, falling flat and rendering the moments as anticlimactic. The most frustrating part? It wasn't like the director and screenwriters didn't know how to create impactful moments, because they did. When done right, there were scenes in the drama that were so heartfelt and inspirational, they left me in awe. I have rewatched entire episodes just to experience the feeling of joy and satisfaction all over again because those scenes were that mesmerizing. Unfortunately, those moments were few and far between, making me disappointed and yearned for more.

The drama was far from perfect, and yet, I found it enjoyable because of my love for the main characters. He Yan and Xiao Jue were the saving grace of Legend of the Female General. They were likable and charming, easy to root for and sympathize with. They were great as individuals, but together, they were scorching hot in all the best ways. So many of their moments made me emotional or gave me butterflies, and I was invested in their love story. Even when the plot faltered, their chemistry did not. They understood each other in a way no one else could. They were each other's equal, twin flames, never doubting the other person's capability or intelligence. The way they loved each other so selflessly and passionately was beautiful. I couldn't stop thinking about them, so I stayed for their romance. They consumed my mind and my time, and I continuously allowed them to do so. If that wasn't a sign of enjoyment on my part, then I don't know what was. This drama was my introduction to Zhou Ye or Cheng Lei, and their compelling performances here were a pleasant delight.

I liked that He Yan wasn't a bloodthirsty, revenge seeking, and bitter protagonist — although she had every right to be if that was the route she had chosen. This was her second chance at life, and while she wanted those who have hurt her to pay in due time, she wasn't going to waste her new life living in spite of others. She wanted to do things on her own terms and live her life for herself. I started reading the novel halfway into this drama, and the drama's plot might have diverged from the novel, but the He Yan in the drama was very similar in temperament to the He Yan in the novel. I've seen some complaints about why He Yan wasn't seeking revenge immediately after recovering from her assassination attempt and how her personality was too easygoing in the drama, and to this I leave a direct quote from the novel, "The truth was concealed, and she had to uncover it. But before that, she had to live her life well." He Yan was wonderfully brought to life, and I loved her from the beginning until the end.

I feel like the promotions were misleading, portraying this drama as a dark tale of revenge and war, when in actuality, this drama wasn't really like that at all. Yes, revenge was an important element, and yes, there was war. However, the story was more focused on the second chances at love and life, personal growth, and self-discovery of He Yan, and by association, Xiao Jue. I can see why some viewers might have been let down after watching Legend of the Female General, as the title would give the illusion of a more action-packed and war-centric story. It is nothing like the original Chinese title, 錦月如歌 or Brocade Moon Like a Song, which suggests a more romantic and softer tone, more fitting of the story.

Legend of the Female General was, more or less, a guilty pleasure for me. Objectively speaking, the plot was a 7/10, the editing and narrative execution were a 6/10, but the main characters were a 10/10. If I was to rate this drama purely on my level of enjoyment, it would be a 9/10 overall. I enjoyed it for what it was and I will most likely rewatch it again just for my favorite scenes. Even with its shortcomings, Legend of the Female General is still a binge-worthy, addicting, and fun drama. If you appreciate a romance dominated story with some action, and you are willing to overlook some plot inconsistencies, you might also find the drama worthwhile. The actors are amazing, and their chemistry will make you blush. I recommend going into this drama with low expectations and an open mind.

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