kokojuju

Now I don't feel like resuming the drama. It has such a solid beginning.

Cried my heart out. I have been looking for the song Jai Ruk... I want the version when Nitra and Saya were watching a play at their school. I also want Joy's version of the song too. But cannot find the full version. I wish they could remaster this. Such a tragic love story. I didn't know who to root for. I was just sad that no one got a happy ending. Doesn't mean it is a bad drama. Why do people associate sad ending as bad endings? I mean it's not the outcome I wanted but it's not bad either.

I don’t consider a 10-year age gap to be that big of a deal. My issue is that the female actress was 17 during filming, and I’m just not okay with that. A 10-year age gap between two adults is a very different situation from one where one person is still a minor, especially if the role involves romance, intimacy, or a significant power imbalance. To me, the concern isn’t simply the age difference—it’s the fact that one of the actors was under 18 at the time of filming and how that context changes the situation. So I hope there isn't any. I can also accept if a double was used if they plan on skinship. (I am currently on just episode 2)

I've been away from Thai dramaland for a long time, but lately I've been feeling a little jaded from watching too many C-dramas and K-dramas, so I figured it was time to come back and give Thai dramas another shot. I chose this one for two reasons: **1)** it has subtitles—and while I can understand words and phrases here and there, it's nice not having to constantly piece everything together in my head to figure out what they're saying—and **2)** I enjoyed the original.

I'll start with the positives. We get to see more of the villains' side of the story, which I actually appreciate. I just hope they don't overdo it in the upcoming episodes, but for now, it's nice to get some insight into why the villains are the way they are. And when I say villains, I mean Palai's cousin and Siwa's dad. Palai's aunt, though? Still one dimensional, your basic namnao character.

One thing Thai dramas have never been particularly good at, in my opinion, is politics, scheming, and genuinely clever plot twists—the kind that actually keep you on your toes instead of making you roll your eyes. So I'm keeping my expectations in check on that front.

And now for something completely subjective: by no means is Pinkploy ugly, but I personally just don't find her that appealing. Maybe "attractive" isn't even the right word, because I think what I'm really missing is a certain presence or charisma.

One thing I really wanted them to keep from the original was Palai's no-shit attitude. Noon portrayed her as feisty, fiery, and completely unapologetic—she gave off this "I don't give a damn what anyone thinks" energy that I absolutely adored. Her Palai had bite. So far, I just don't get that same fire from Pinkploy's portrayal, and I think that's part of why I'm having a harder time connecting with her.

I'm halfway through the drama and wanted to stop by to give my two cents so far.

Is it weird to say that they have chemistry, but at the same time... no chemistry? 😂 It's not even the age gap. Chen Duling literally looks like a baby to me, especially when she has softer makeup or no makeup at all. I think the biggest hurdle for me is that Zhou Yiran is just too scrawny. It seems like he's lost a lot of weight since the last drama I watched him in, and it's honestly a little distracting.

The drama has slowed down quite a bit compared to the first five episodes, and I'm glad it's not super long because otherwise, I probably would've dropped it by now.

Anyway, I've seen people question how Chu Zhao suddenly became this brilliant strategist after being reborn, but she always had that knowledge and intelligence. Remember, in her first life, she deliberately chose to experience the kind of life her mother had. She was basically delulu and blinded by puppy love, and it wasn't until reality hit her that she finally woke up and realized what a fool she had been. Being reborn didn't suddenly make her smart—it just made her stop wasting the intelligence she already had.

I just finished the novel and oh my... Miao Jing and Chen Yi's relationship is SO toxic!!! 😭 My brain still can't wrap itself around how the drama managed to change so much from the novel, and for that, I am eternally grateful.

And for those who asked earlier: they're technically two years apart, but actually, it's even less than that—they're only 16 months apart. That's barely an age gap at all, so please take a chill pill. 😂

I got my washer and dryer same day less than 2 hours 😆 it just depends cause my bed took 2 weeks.

I’m not even caught up to the most recent episode yet, but the sexual tension is absolutely ridiculous. Nothing raunchy, nothing obvious—they’re just standing there, existing, looking at each other, and somehow I’m like, WHY ARE YOU TWO SO DAMN SEXY WITHOUT EVEN TRYING?! The chemistry is chemistry-ing, and I am unwell. 😂

And Miao Jing! I love how much she’s changed while somehow still being completely herself. But that mouth? That attitude? What a spicy little fireball she’s become. She came back with extra seasoning, a sharper tongue, and absolutely zero patience for anyone’s nonsense. I love her. 😂🔥

2 years I believe.

I had to pause at episode 8 just to come say, I am so irritated by Chen Yi's friends!

Ratings don't really factor into my decision to start a drama. That said, I do think this one deserves a higher rating. At the same time, I understand that not every drama is going to be everyone's cup of tea, and that's completely valid.

I just hope people give it a fair shot before deciding whether it's for them. Watch a few episodes, form your own opinion, and don't let the ratings alone determine whether you give it a chance.

I dropped Never Ending Summer. It definitely has emotional moments, and I can see why some people enjoy it. For me, though, it lacked enough depth in how it built the story and its characters to keep me fully invested. The emotional scenes were there, but I didn't feel like the narrative did enough to earn all of those moments, so I eventually lost interest. To be fair, I dropped it at episode 8.

As for Road to Success, it usually takes a really compelling story or a male lead I'm already interested in for me to start an Esther Yu drama. That's just my personal preference.

With that being said, I'd actually recommend watching this one first if you can wait for the episodes to be released. Like ibisfeather mentioned above, it has a much longer build-up, but I think that's one of its strengths. Taking the time to develop the characters, relationships, and conflicts makes the emotional payoff feel much more satisfying when everything finally comes together.

The emotional setup was a 10/10, but the payoff was a 4/10. It kept raising the stakes with heartbreaking moments, yet the resolutions lacked the emotional weight needed to make them feel satisfying. Instead of feeling fulfilled, I just felt cheated.

Thanks for the heads-up. I usually read a few reviews, but not too many because I like to form my own opinion without being overly influenced by what everyone else thinks. But OMG, I'm a little more than halfway through the drama, and it just not getting any better. I don't really see a silver lining with the way things are going. At this point, I'm committed to finishing this disastrous piece.

Is it just me, or have Korean dramas become more hit-or-miss since they gained global popularity? They were always popular throughout Asia, but it feels like, as they've expanded to a worldwide audience, some of them have become more formulaic or less consistent in quality. There are still some great ones, of course, but they don't captivate me the way they used to.

The First Jasmine grabbed my attention from the very beginning with its political intrigue and strong introduction of its characters, especially Ye Li. She is a capable heroine whose intelligence—not just luck—allows her to navigate dangerous situations, making her an engaging lead from the start.

I think the drama's biggest mistake was spending too much on the Ye family arc and delaying Mo Xiu Yao's treatment. Because his recovery happened so late in the drama, it ended up feeling rushed. The divorce arc was thankfully brief, but it didn't completely work for me. It felt like the writers mainly needed a reason for Mo Xiu Yao—and everyone else—to learn about the tragedy at Lisan Academy and Ye Li's illness which could have been executed better.

Although Bai Lu is the lead, Cheng Lei's Mo Xiu Yao is the catalyst for much of Ye Li's story. Once his personal storyline was resolved, his presence in the second half of the drama diminished far too much.

Part of the reason the latter half felt anticlimactic is that we rarely saw the villains actively carrying out their plans. Everything was filtered through Ye Li, so major reveals often happened after the fact rather than allowing the audience to experience the tension alongside the antagonists. The drama relied more on characters explaining events than actually showing them unfold.

You couldn't really hate any of the villains exception is Su Xui Die!!! Again, really no actions, just dialogue especially with the last episode with Empress Dowager.

One of the most heartbreaking moments was when Mo Xiu Yao finally learned what had happened to Ye Li. Discovering that every member of Lisan Academy had died—and that she was the sole survivor—was devastating. It became even more painful knowing that she buried each of them herself. Ye Li had already lost her mother, then lost everyone she cared about at Lisan Academy, and spent years living completely alone. Those revelations did carried enormous emotional weight but still the emotional payoff felt short and choppy. After those heartbreaking revelations, the story moved on as though very little had changed. There was simply more telling than showing, which kept some of the most emotional moments from reaching their full potential.

There was definitely chemistry between them, despite what some people may say. But seriously, drama! I wasn't asking for smut—I just wanted a little more skinship. A few hugs, lingering touches, or even one more meaningful kiss would have been enough to satisfy me.

I'm only on Episode 4, and for the life of me, the FL gets on my nerves. 😂 Jung So Min is lucky I'm such a fan, or I would've dropped this drama after Episode 1.

Meri is such a disaster. She keeps making one terrible decision after another—from the men she chooses, to her fashion, to pretty much every life choice she makes. I'm really hoping she gets some character growth because right now she's testing my patience. 😭

Legal drinking age varies from country to country. China is 18.

I graduated high school at 17 and turned 18 a few months after graduation, so I'm assuming XW is currently 19 and turning 20. That seems to make the most sense. Correct me if I am wrong but didn’t QY take a year off or at least a semester off to care for her mother? So since she could drink I am assuming she recently turn 18 or will be turning 19 after graduation?

What's confusing me is that XW is friends with those two other guys who are supposedly QY's age. Unless they were also held back for two years, the math isn't really mathing.

I mean, it's totally normal to have friends who are younger or older than you. Back in high school, I had friends who were freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. But my main friend group was usually people in the same grade as me.

Then you throw SH into the mix, and now I'm questioning everything I thought I understood about these characters' ages and timelines. 🤣

I just finished ep8 and hot damn. I had to watch that pool scene twice. Du Ling nails the seductively of a fox! I want more of her seducing WSG.

I see where you're coming from. I actally question quite a lot 😆 but Joseph is no where near ugly/unattractive territory.