kokojuju

Finally a decent romcom! The vibe feels like kdrama romcom back in the early 2000s. You can have a very common script but execution is key in a successful romcom. I want the standard 16 episode back though. I didn’t get enough of Bo Bae and Ho Rang.

I think I died a little. No you're not the only one. But after awhile I don't see it anymore but yes for a brief nano second he does. I think it had to do with his chin at first glance.

That was trash 😆 I don’t considered it a remake at all. This version followed a lot closer to the novel.

This was adapted from the American English novel The Princess by Jude Deveraux.

The beginning is probably going to be the hardest part to watch. I would start off with the novel where Su Su jumps off Zhuxian Tai.

I wish I can see cuts of just Cheng Lei. How often is he on screen here? If it is at least 15-20 minutes per episode, I might just give this a go. Really miss him after finishing Mo Li.

Finally finished Ashes to Crown.
Overall, I'd say it was good... but also frustrating.
Strong start, weak middle, and a decent ending. The biggest issue for me was the storytelling. There were simply too many hidden agendas, and the drama kept the audience in the dark just to create plot twists. That approach works for some dramas, but I don't think it worked here. Instead of feeling intrigued, I often felt confused.

I understood Chu Zhao's motivations, and I could understand where Deng Yi was coming from, even if I didn't always agree with his choices. But I never fully understood Xie Yanfang. The finale tried to explain his reasoning, yet it never felt convincing or justified to me. His philosophy just didn't resonate, which made it difficult to connect with him as the final antagonist.

Overall, I enjoyed the cast and the premise, but I think the political intrigue was overly complicated for the sake of surprise. A little more clarity and a little less "gotcha" storytelling would have made this drama much stronger.

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.