This Drama Understood Human Emotions Better Than Most People Do
We Are All Trying Here is easily one of the best dramas of 2026 so far. A solid 10/10 from my side. What an unexpected masterpiece this turned out to be. No matter how much I praise this show, it still feels underrated because of how beautifully written and directed it was. Every episode felt meaningful, emotional, and deeply human. Honestly, 12 episodes were simply not enough — I could have watched so much more of these characters and their journey.The biggest highlight of the show for me was Hwang Dong Man, played by Koo Kyo Hwan. What an unbelievable performance. Every single scene involving him felt like pure cinema. His character was painfully relatable in the best way possible. The drama perfectly captured the feeling of trying your hardest in life yet, still feeling stuck and unsuccessful. As viewers, we become so emotionally invested in Dong Man because we genuinely want him to succeed. Koo Kyo Hwan’s dialogue delivery, expressions, and overall screen presence were simply phenomenal. There is something so unique and natural about his acting style that makes every emotion hit harder. I truly hope he gets awards for this role.
Go Youn Jung also delivered another incredible performance as Byeon Eun A. This role really showed a different side of her acting. She portrayed emotions in such a raw and realistic way, proving that she can absolutely excel in serious and emotionally heavy roles as well. The chemistry between Eun A and Dong Man felt so natural, comforting, and heartfelt. Their relationship never felt forced — it felt real, and that made the emotional moments even more impactful.
Another standout was Park Gyeong Se, played by Oh Jung Se. His performance was outstanding. The character initially gives off frustrating and difficult vibes, but as the story progresses, you slowly begin to understand and appreciate him more. The writing behind his character was beautiful, and Oh Jung Se portrayed every layer of that complexity perfectly.
And then there is Hwang Jin Man, played by Park Hae Joon. What a powerful and intimidating performance. Every scene with him carried tension and emotional weight. The way his character viewed life — through pain, poetry, and harsh realism — was both disturbing and strangely beautiful at the same time. He brought so much depth to the drama whenever he appeared on screen.
What makes this drama special is how honest it feels. The journey of Hwang Dong Man teaches us how ruthless life can sometimes be. Even when we give our absolute best, success still does not come easily. The drama captures that frustration, hopelessness, and emotional exhaustion so realistically. But at the same time, it also reminds us how important it is to have even one person who truly believes in us — someone like Byeon Eun A. Sometimes, that single person can change everything.
The title itself says it all: We Are All Trying Here. And honestly… that message stayed with me long after the drama ended.
What a masterpiece.
Hwangggggg Donggggggggggg Mannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
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Strong Cast Wasted by Poor Writing
From the very first episode, the drama felt confused and poorly planned. The biggest problem of the show was the writing — it never felt like the story had a clear direction.The whole villain arc was weak, pointless, and very badly written. Nothing about it felt interesting or properly developed.
I honestly don’t fully understand what made IU choose this drama. Compared to her usual projects, where she really shines, this role didn’t feel as strong or impactful for her. A lot of the attention the show received also seems to come from IU’s massive popularity and loyal fanbase, rather than the writing itself.
As for Byeon Woo-seok (Lead), I feel like the character writing did not give him much to work with. Most of the time, the same emotions and scenes kept repeating again and again.
Half of the conversations were left unfinished and then shown later in another episode. Doing this once or twice is fine for suspense, but repeating the same writing style in almost every episode became frustrating.
A lot of scenes were just people staring at each other or the lead walking through palace halls every episode, which made the drama feel slow and repetitive.
The only character I actually liked was Gong Seung-yeon (Queen), but because of the weak story, even her character felt wasted in the end.
Overall, the show felt below average and very overhyped for me. I honestly feel like I wasted 12 episodes on this drama.
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The Comedy Timing in This Drama Was Top Tier
As someone who is not a regular C-drama watcher, I was very hesitant to start Pursuit of Jade. Before this, I had only watched Hidden Love, The First Frost, When I Fly Towards You and Falling Into Your Smile. This was actually my first historical/ancient-style C-drama, so I was unsure if I would enjoy the genre.The main reason I picked this drama was because of all the hype around its rating. Seeing it rise to 9.3 and later settle around 9.1 made me curious, although I was still very picky about starting it because 40 episodes felt like a huge commitment. Thankfully, the beginning made it very easy to continue watching.
The story starts off very strong. The first 15–20 episodes were simple, entertaining, and extremely enjoyable. Later on, once more twists, secrets, and court politics were introduced, the story became much more complex compared to the earlier episodes. While the plot was still interesting, it definitely became slower and harder to follow at times.
One of the biggest strengths of the drama was its comedy. The humor felt natural, and the comic timing from the cast was excellent. Watching a historical drama mix emotional scenes with genuinely funny moments made the show much more enjoyable. The comedy never felt forced and became one of the highlights of the entire series for me.
Both leads, Zhang Linghe as Marquis of Wu’an and Tian Xiwei as Fan ChangYu, did an amazing job. Their on-screen chemistry was one of the main reasons I kept watching. They both carried their characters with strong presence, and I really enjoyed how their character development was handled throughout the drama.
For the villain side, Deng Kai as Qi Min did a great job creating tension and fear whenever he appeared on screen. His relationship with Snow Kong/Yu Qian Qian had an interesting hate-love dynamic that made their scenes memorable. However, I do feel the writers could have done more justice to the villain arc because the character had a lot more potential than what we eventually got.
The third lead couple, the Grand Princess and the Headmaster, were unexpectedly one of the most lovable parts of the show. Their scenes were hilarious, charming, and refreshing. I honestly wish they had more screen time because every moment involving them was entertaining.
Overall, I really enjoyed the drama. The first 20–30 episodes were especially strong and very addictive to watch. Once the heavier court politics and twists started taking over, the pacing became slower and more complicated. Since I personally enjoy war scenes and action moments, I also wish we had gotten more battle scenes and more fights involving Marquis of Wu’an. Most of his major action moments happened only when Fan ChangYu was involved, and I would have loved to see more of his battlefield aura and fighting abilities throughout the drama.
Even with some pacing issues in the second half, Pursuit of Jade was still a very enjoyable experience for someone completely new to historical C-dramas. The chemistry, comedy, and performances made it worth the watch.
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