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Enthralling revenge plot with amazing cast!
The Glory is very similar to many other revenge-focused cdramas out there, but what stood out for me was the characters.Although the drama was quite predictable, most of the drama was quite thrilling to keep my attention going. If you're looking for a romance drama, I'd suggest looking elsewhere - The Glory focuses on revenge, and revenge was what they achieved.
Our heroine is a morally grey abandoned female, Zhuang Hanyan played by Chen Du Ling, who found her way back home at the beginning of the drama. Within no time, she has been caught into endless schemes among her family, hatred from even her own mother, yet she would always fight her way to victory. What makes her morally grey is the fact that her own plans can be backfired, she would eventually lose a sense of herself for revenge and it's something rarely seen in any C-drama with revenge as the main plot. But at the end of the day, what or who really was behind it all? Everyone is a pawn, but they did not realize it.
Once Hanyan realize who truly was the mastermind, she did not stop, not even for the male lead, Fu YunXi.
Zhuang Hanyan is an intelligent, strong-willed woman but unfortunately due to her upbringing it can cause her harm as well. This is why she is a morally grey character - she doesn't know what's right from wrong sometimes and in those times, Fu Yunxi has to wake her up.
Chen Du Ling played Hanyan really well, I really enjoyed every moment of her acting because it's so natural and convincing. Some of the scenes I had to repeat because it displayed the experience she had from her long history of dramas over the past decade or so. I've seen CDL play as a villain more than once, and now she's a leading actress. The Glory is an amazing drama to place her on the spotlight!
As for Fu Yun Xi played by Xin Yun Lai - I don't have much to say as there wasn't much romance in this drama. Fu Yun Xi's role in this drama was very secretive throughout and his emotions were very stoic. Sometimes I wonder if it's the actor's poor acting (lack of facial muscle usage and esp no eye acting ) or if it's really the character. Now that I've watched the entire drama, I must say that Yun Lai really needs to work on his acting. His character is definitely full of secrets, but to say whether or not he loved Hanyan is difficult because it just felt like he was just a close friend by the end of the drama. I did not feel any chemistry between the leads. Perhaps it's because of Yunlai's poor acting that made it difficult to connect the two together. CDL carried really hard between the two. Most of the time, if he's not angry, Yunlai just looks like a dumbfounded lost puppy. Due to that, i thought the romance was not needed at all, maybe it was poor script as well but his character is useless in terms of romance. I have seen Yun Lai in The Legend of Shen Li and was quite excited to see him here but unfortunately was very disappointed by his performance.
With that aside, the veteran actors and actresses did a phenomenal job especially Wen Zheng Rong who played Ruan Xi Wen, she was always known to be a villain and in this drama, she played her role beautifully! I really love her character's love story and really wished for her happiness! The mother suffered so much and it's because of her is why Zhuang Hanyan was dead set on revenge. Yu En Tai did an amazing job, he had everyone convinced that he was a fragile, middle-aged man who would do no harm. But I was always suspicious of the way he acts and talks. With that, I applaud his amazing acting as Zhuang Shiyang!
Did the heroine get her revenge?Yes. Was the revenge satisfying? Compared to other revenge dramas, I'd say this was the best because the revenge was done by a family member. :)
If you enjoy revenge plots, thriller, and schemes - I highly recommend this drama. If you're looking for romance, this isn't for you.
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An ode to the old xianxia dramas!
The Demon Hunter's Romance is very reminiscent of old xianxia that focused a lot on fighting demons and traveling all over the place. This is a breath of fresh air from the endless recycled xianxia rebirth plots for the past 3-5 years. Definitely recommend if you want something different from the almighty gods and goddesses rebirth plotlines.I've been a fan of both Ren Jia Lun and Song Zu Er for many years so there's really nothing to nitpick as they both played their part well. Even the supporting characters acted really well!
Ren Jia Lun's character, Xuanye, is a very caring, intuitive, and goal focused demon hunter. But when it comes to love, he's the ultimate green flag. He cares deeply for Banxia, and would do anything in his power to keep her from harm. I loved that he cares very much for those around him, he tries to protect them in a way that he thinks would work. It's somewhat bittersweet because he's selfless, he doesn't care if he's hurt - as long as everyone one else is safe. Very heroic! The martial choreography in this drama was amazing, the amount of times I had to repeat a fight scene was endless. lol
Song Zu Er comeback role after her hiatus, Banxia, feels like your typical damsel in distress - always running after her crush kind of gal. She does, however, have the ability to hold her own and fight back with a sharp tongue coming out of her mouth. LOL As for damsel in distress, she does need protection since she's unable to defend herself. Sometimes I wonder why she would run after Xuanye knowing full well she's not gonna be able to help him. That said, her character isn't annoying imo, I quite like her love for Xuanye, or maybe I'm just biased and love Song Zu Er's acting in this drama. LOL I love that she's first to accept Xuanye as who he truly is before anyone else and still love him despite of it. IT TUGGED ON MY HEARTSTRINGS!
Anyhow, I do quite enjoy some of the humor in this drama as well as the little niche acting for example. When Chi Xue used both his legs to knock someone back, it totally felt like a rabbit using its hind legs! When the panthers were in their human form, they also kind of fight like panthers - it's a given in any xianxia drama but I liked it regardless!
Wuniang the puppet lady was AMAZINGGGGGGGGGGGG!!! She definitely creeped me out a few times, especially the way she moved her head very much like a puppet. The usage of marionette & puppets isn't new to Cdramas but I like the way it was displayed in this drama. Definitely by far my favorite fight scene in TDHR.
The CGI felt realistic, although some parts I can tell its fake but most of the CGI animation in this drama was very convincing. :)
Was it worth watching? Definitely.
Overall, 10 out 10 and would definitely watch again when I'm bored.
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Sisterhoood of the 1920s
Legacy focuses on a wealthy, business oriened family in the 1920s with emphasis on the three sisters: Zhong Ling, Zhong Yu and Zhong Xiu. They also have a brother, Zhong Jie who isn't involved in the family business to pursue his dreams.In the beginning of the drama, there's a lot of arguing, and disagreements among the sisters especially between Zhong Yu (middle sis) and the youngest, Zhong Xiu. Their personalities clash a lot, but eventually they grew to love one another.
The story essentially follows the family through 20 years and their struggles with love, betrayal, family, the Japanese army, politicians, and war.
Zhong Ling played by Qin Lan is the oldest of the siblings, she's typically the mediate between Zhong Yu and Zhong Ling, always there to stop the fight, lecture them and give logical reasons. She's very soft-spoken, poise but fear not she's also headstrong and knows when to take action against the family enemies. I also love it when she stood up for herself against *spoiler* her controlling, and abusive husband(not physically abusive towards her, more like verbal because he shouts so much, threatens to kill people, etc.) But eventually,the love story between them became pretty sweet to me as he learned to control himself and he's a sucker for his wife - it was so cute when he was trying to get her to forgive and accept him. She's a great cook, and that's her main weapon in this series. Zhong Ling is definitely one of my favorite characters in this show. This is the second drama I watched of Qin Lan, so I'm not sure if her acting is great because she played a similar character in Yan Xi Palance. Difference is Zhong Ling is more strong, outspoken, demanding when she needs to be. Therefore, acting from Qin Lan is a pass for me~
Zhong Yu played by Wu Jin Yan. Zhong Yu is similar to an anti-hero because you wouldn't like her personality at all - at least I didn't initially. It was so offputting because she was very bossy, bratty, gets her way, very spoiled, and whatnot. In a sense, she has a temper of a child as well. haha However, she's also very smart in the business world, she knows how to negotiate and persuade others. She does have a soft spot and willing to give other chances and help those she cares about.The one who eventually tamed down her personality and made her grow up is Tang Feng Wu played by Hangeng. Their relationship is kind of ridiculous because she's always mad at him or someone lmao - sometimes playfully and he would always try to pacify her. Its an on and off relationship. As for Wu Jin Yan's acting, it feels unnatural at times - sometimes her facial expressions doesn't make sense in certain situations. Either way, it was alright.
Moving on to the youngest, Zhong Xiu played by Zhang Nan, this is the second drama I watched of hers. She did a great job acting as the youngest child, its a total different personality from the another drama I watched where she acted as a queen. Zhong Xiu is very outspoken, and likes to confront people when things are bothering her which sometimes gets her in trouble. As aforementioned, Zhong Yu and her clash a lot because both of them tend to say what's on their mind. haha Relationship wise, she was suppose to be married to someone but he chose someone else eventually. Then came a friend's cousin, which started out as a wholesome friendship then grew into love. Zhong Xiu learned how to use a gun from this guy and it proved to be quite useful for the plot.
On another note, I was confused initially so to prevent anyone else from feeling the same way regarding the mother in the drama- Hwang Ying Ru is the biological mom of Zhong Xiu and her older brother, Zhong Jie. Stepmother to ZhongYu and Zhong Ling but not your typical evil stepmother, she's actually really nice and treats them as her own.
The ending was underwhelming, there were happy endings and sad endings for some characters.
The cinematography of Legacy was great, it reminded me of Japanese asadoras and how it follows a life time of family. Would I recommend this drama? If you like republican era, war, policitics, sure. Love, friendship, three strong-willed female leads, definitely. If you like a family focused drama, definitely watch it. Is it an amazing drama? No, its still good nonetheless.
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Wholesome slice of life, truly recommend!
I do not normally review dramas until it's finished but this is an exception. if you're still hesitating, I suggest to go for it. Go Ahead is a slice of life, WHOLESOME cdrama of 2020. It's quite relatable especially if you're adopted, or had parents divorced or controlling parents, etc. Maybe you're able to relate to some extent. I personally enjoy it a lot!! The main focus is about family love and how the kids' feel with the lack of love or understanding from their parents.The story revolves around 3 characters and the people around them: Li Jianjian, Ling Xiao and He Zi Qiu.
Li Jian Jian is the female lead with a strong and outgoing personality. Her mother passed away a year(?) before the drama began. Therefore, her dad became the loving, doting father who raised her very well. Of course, Jianjian was pretty lonely and wanted a sibling - an older brother. This is where Ling Xiao comes in as the neighbor Despite her mother passed away, she still of course misses her but Jian Jian doesn't let that bring her down because of her family. ^_^ She cherishes her brothers dearly, until a certain point where it got weird for her. But other than that, all was resolved and they're still as close as ever. :) As the audience, some may not accept the love between Jian Jian and Lin Xiang or Ziqiu but in a sense you can tell who loves her more than just family - its the subtle differences!
Ling Xiao's family was pretty rough, his sister passed away not long ago and his mother blamed him for it. She has anger issues, always yelling everyday with his dad so Ling Xiao just sits outside on the staircase. Eventually, he was convinced to join Jian jian and her dad for dinner. That's where the closeness between the two began. His parents eventually filed for divorced and his mother left. Somewhere in the future, you can tell Ling Xiao's mother was a nightmare to Ling Xiao and he never really liked being with her but he can't really say it. Ling Xiao's mother, from my pov, is a two-faced, selfish mom who thinks she can just come into his life and control who he's with and who he belongs to like an object. She disrespects the people who raised and genuinely loves Ling Xiao, which is unacceptable in my opinion.
Zi Qiu also have issues of his own, his mother was having trouble (later on in the show she explains what really happened) and eventually had to leave him with Jian Jian and her dad to take care of. Jian Jian didn't like him, she didn't want him as a brother but eventually they grew close like siblings. Zi Qiu is a character who felt like he was abandoned by everyone and that no one wants him. The only people who never left was Jian Jian and her dad hence he thought by marriage they would become a real family. But in his heart, all he wanted was love and family and especially for his mother to acknowledge him. His biological father was a rich, arrogant, and selfish father who thinks he can just come in and buy his son away from his adoptive family. *rolls eyes* Ziqiu's family story is quite heartbreaking but its not always in the dark. :')
The three became a family with Li Ba and Ling Ba, a loving family. It teaches you that anyone can be family, not just related by blood. We're able to to see them grow up, have each others' backs, care for one another and just bond together as family. It's very wholesome, and makes you smile every time. :')
Qi Ming Yue aka Yue Liang is Jian Jian's best friend, she's not going to be your typical love rival in the drama but it can just a little bit irritating at one point. She also have mother issues of her own because her mom is very controlling and Yue Liang just feels extremely stressed over it. Even her father is being controlled by her mother, its just another form of a selfish mother. Overall, she's a very nice friend to have for Jian Jian, she's more reserved than Jian Jian, but the two bond well together.
Tang Can is another close friend of Jian Jian's. She was initially very arrogant but eventually we know the real her. Tang Can is quite out-spoken and outgoing but she deals with her own issues alone. Her mother is usually embarrassed of Tang Can because Tang Can doesn't have a stable job, and its something Tang Can is embarrassed of herself. But she is able to overcome this and do what she wants to do.
Overall, this drama teaches you a lot about family life whether biological or not. There's different kinds of mothers and fathers. It also focuses on friendship, love, and unrequited love. Its a wholesome drama, and I really recommend to new cdrama fans. Just be prepared to cuss at Ling Xiao's mom and prepare tissues for Ziqiu's story. ^_^
HAPPY ENDING FOR THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND LOVING FAMILY! :')
The acting is no joke, superb and natural. Everyone did amazing! The music is great as well! Tan Song Yun sings the OST "Like A Breeze." ^_^
I can definitely rewatch this again!! I IMPLORE YOU TO WATCH IT!
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Immaculate Sci-Fi of 2025
Mobius plotline is very, very fascinating. Usually I would be tired of loops, but the thril and intensity of each episode kept me going no matter how many loops there were.I really enjoy the story, because of the focus on biotechnology and what it can do for patients, granted this drama shows us that it can be exploited and used for evil doings as well. It doesn't seem to stray too far from reality to be honest.
On the other hand, Bai Jingting's forte is definitely in urban settings rather than costume dramas. I've always enjoyed watching him kick ass, so hot! The action choreography in the drama was exquisite, like a cherry on top when the enemy was taken down. His acting is still amazing as per usual, nothing bad to say honestly.
I have not seen the other casts' members dramas (or don't remember much since it's been a while) except for a veteran HK actor, but other than that everyone did well!
However, Maggie played by Chutimon was the blackhole of the cast - I could obviously tell she was just a model and not an actress honestly.
Anyways, I feel like I was watching a TVB police drama with all the Hong Kong actors and actresses especially when they speak in Cantonese! Even the comedy is quite hilarious; I loved it when the Cantonese speakers tried to speak in Mandarin and Bai Jing Ting tries to speak in Cantonese - each side had their accents which added some humor points.
The villain was interesting suffice to say. I understood why he was the villain in the end, but the way his path went askew was quite upsetting though.
I hope there's a season 2 because they CAN NOT end on a CLIFFHANGER!
Would I recommend? Yes! It's only 16 episodes - pretty short for a cdrama of such quality!
If you're looking for something thrilling, action, and intense, watch it!
If you're looking for romance, eeeh I don't think romance was the focus, but there is some.
If you enjoy biotechnology or just sci-fi in general, definitely watch it. lol
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A poignant story following the love story of a couple that is always rooting for each other!
I had zero expectations coming into this drama. It was getting popular and my friends asked if I was watching, naturally I gave it a try.'When Life Gives You Tangerines' gave me the vibes of daily Japanese dramas called asadora(s). They typically follow a female protagonist throughout their life including building a family for themselves or making a name for themselves. That's exactly what we see in this drama but obviously condensed into 16 episodes. Usually I would think 16 episodes feels too short and fast paced to connect and understand each character but WLGYT was well paced and thought out. Every episode just felt perfect, not too fast and not too slow. Just the right pacing for me.
There were many life lessons that everyone can take from this drama.
I think my top three were: 1. Never settle for less and don't put yourself down just to please others. 2. Even if you grew up with nothing, know that your parents tried their very best to keep you fed and happy. 3. Cherish every moment, who knows what could happen. Take care of your family especially your parents. 😭
The acting of each and every actor and actress were amazing and natural. No complaints, just applause especially to IU.
Highly recommend! :)
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In all seriousness, the drama was OKAY. Not the best but not terrible either. The stalking became too much as each episode went by. Usually the stalking is done by the females but they do not go as far as the male lead here. The male lead in the dramas literally follows the female lead EVERYWHERE, even places that are meant to be private (he even waited outside a changing room!?) It got annoying. Sometimes he even forces the other characters to tell him what's up when its obvious they did not want to include him, he's also very controlling as well. Yeah, I know he LOVES Yuan Xin but there's a limit to where you can stalk a person and control them as well.
Aside from Simon Lian's terrible character stalking, one of the bullies was quite tame . I like that she changed for the better and how much self-confidence she had.
This drama dragged on for what felt like many many maaaaany episodes even though it was only 24 and I have seen over 40+ episode dramas. Problem with this one is that it was very dragging, because the female lead. Yuan Xin, was very oblivious to Ya Xiu's feelings. I also like how they retell a character's POV when its time for them to tell their friends about some incident. It's a nice editing method(?).
I do love the friendship in this drama, the relatable hardships and sorrows, etc. But I would not rewatch it.
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Keep watching and you'll love it very much! 5 dramas in one!
Perfect Match is like a rollercoaster ride where it starts off slow then it goes FAST but in this case, it gets good!The drama does not focus on one main couple but on several different couples of the Li Family daughters. It's safe to say this is more so of a family drama with multiple genres.
Personally I started watching this drama for Lu Yu Xiao and Liu Xie Ning because I really enjoyed both of their past acting dramas. Unfortunately, this drama does not give them any justice in terms of acting showcase.
There are five daughters of the Li family, their mother is a widow because their father passed from an illness.
Each and every daughter have different personalities of their own and it comes out the most when they're with their partners or fighting with their partners to be exact. lol
The eldest daughter, Shouhua (Liu Xie Ning) is the most matured, and responsible one. She is very well educated, practically a prodigy by Kangning's (Lu yu Xiao) standards. She is very soft spoken so it's rare to see her raise her voice, in a way she's like a second mother to her siblings. Her background story was very sorrowful in a sense because she was married off at a young age to help the Li Family after the death of their father. Ever since her first marriage, she had rumors going around her and always thought she would stay at home for the rest of her life until she met her husband, Du Yang Xi. Her husband is technically a very childish, irresponsible man initially. However, he's also quite protective in fact all the husbands are protective! He wanted to protect Shouhua and Li Family by making the worse decision in his life, and luckily he was eventually forgiven. Their story was more mellodramatic, and angst with a teeny, tiny bit of romance. I wasn't too into their story tbh.
The second daughter Fu Hui (Wu Xuan Yi ) was already married when you first begin watching this drama. Her husband is Fan Liang Han (Huang Sheng Chi.) LIang Han was quite incessantly annoying imo, he was also a coward initially with Fu Hui. Eventually, he learned how much she cared about him and I suppose he man'd up. LOL Personally, I was not too fond of this couple because their story wasn't interesting for me either. I would say their relationship is more comedic, strong female lead vibes.
The third daughter, Kangning, played by LYX is the eloquent, quick thinker of the siblings. She married Wang Xing Yue's character, Chai An. Their relationship was giving love at first sight, but with angst and enemies to lovers trope, youth romance. Kanging also had a twin brother that was engaged to Qiong Nu but that's a story for you guys to watch.
Now onto the fun, and my favorite arc of Perfect Match! The fourth daughter, Hao De (Ke Ying), is the black horse of this drama! Her relationship arc was AMAZING TO WATCH! Hence, do NOT give up on this drama. LOL Hao De was more tamed in the begining of the drama, despite getting dragged into trouble with her fifth sister. During her marriage, we finally see what she was capable of! She's a strong headed woman, able to hold her own. Although, I didn't enjoy the crying scenes whenever she didn't get her way. Alas, she was still technically a teen(? ancient Chinese women got married young so I'm not surprised.) I digress, she is quite smart in her own right. Her husband, Shen Hui Zhao (Liang Yong Qi) was older than her and seemed more strict in a sense. He did not, will not marry Hao De nor anyone for that matter, and was adament on that decision! Something happened, and Haode fought back and showed him that he will miss her if he tells her to go back home. Their relationship arc was giving angst, drama, thriller, detective work, strong female lead, humor, and romance! Basically a drama of its own! I loved it a lot! Liang Yong Qi redeemed himself in this drama as a really good husband!
Finally the fifth daughter, aka the trouble maker of the family, Le Shan (Huangyang Tian Tian) is a very outspoken, and vioelent, strong independet woman! From the beginning of the drama to the end, Le Shan's personally was already out in the open. She's ready to fight anyone who is against the Li Family. In her marriage arc, she was beating people up to her heart's content, to her mother's dismay, and it was really funny to watch. LOL She is very smart, and will always outsmart her enemies just like her sisters. Her husband is Yang Xian (Win Win) is actually well paired as he is just as loud, and obnoxious as her - except with more arrogance. When he first appeared in the drama, he left a bad taste in my and probably everyone's mouth. But eventually you will grow to like him because at the end of the day, he just needed warmth and love. I read a comment comparing him to Dao Ming Si of Meteor Garden aka Boys Over Flower and I have to agree. Yang Xian is very much a parallel to Dao Ming Si in a way that he loves his violent wife, because the way he always smiles at her beating up people(and him) was quite endearing to watch. He also has a very caring sister who wishes him well and hope that he can be tamed by Le Shan. He hangs out with his boys, he's rich, she's from a merchant family, etc. Ya know just very parallel with F4, etc. This couple was giving love/hate relationship, comedy, arrogant male lead, strong headed female lead vibes.
Eveyone acted quite well, and I barely saw any black holes. Albeit, the mother seems like a comedy relief in this drama - every time she faints it was just HILARIOUS! It's not like a your typical gradual eye rolling then fall kind of faint - it waws literally close your eyes and fall. LMAO
Would I recommend this? Sure! It's an interesting way to watch a family drama - focusing on separate couples instead of one. If you don't like the slow start, then maybe skip around and see which couple you'd prefer. Enjoy!
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BEST E-SPORTS DRAMA! RECOMMEND!!!!
This drama is one of my favorites of 2020!! The focus is mostly on e-sports to be specific the FPS game, Crossfire. It focuses on two separate timelines and two male leads. No, it is not boy love, but it is bromance.Crossfire is not your typical e-sports/game romance drama, it goes deeper than that which is why I love this drama so much! It understands what a gamer goes through or why they choose this path as a professional career. If you're a gamer then you would enjoy this tremendously! If not, I warn you if you're not use to FPS games, you may or may not get motion sickness or may not like the editing at all. The editing of the camera in-game makes it seem like the audience is also "playing" the game with the characters.
CrossFire is set in two different time lines due to a glitch on both male leads' game: 2008 with Xiaofeng (Luhan) where e-sports was just starting and not recognized as a professional career. This is where Xiao Feng struggle with keeping his parents proud by working in your typical office company or doing what he loves. Gamers were looked down upon, however Xiaofeng didn't care and wanted to do what he loves. There was a quote that I really love from XIaofeng where he said he didn't steal or hurt anyone, all he wanted to do was play games, what's wrong with that? Honestly, I can resonate with that as gaming is not always bad, it can be therapeutic. Hence another reason why I like this drama, it showcases how much gaming can mean to people of all ages.
In 2019 is where e-sports is widely recognized and fancier than Xiao Feng's era. We have Xiao Bei who is the leader of the team, Continue. He originally wanted to continue his brother's last project of winning championships. However, it eventually became his own goal as well. Xiao Bei was paralyzed due to an accident in the past but no matter what happens he would still play games. His struggle was different from Xiao Feng's because his father didn't want him to play and he's also paralyzed from the waist down. Xiao Feng's father is a police who originally supported his boys in playing games until the accident and he refuse to let Xiao Bei continue playing. Until he notices how happy Xiao Bei was and that was all that mattered to him.
Both Xiao Feng and Xiao Bei's lives intertwined in reality when an accident happened while Xiao Bei was young kid. Both leads communicate through the game to either meet or fix history. In some ways, history was changed. Later on, both leads meet in real time and work together towards both the world championship competition and a murder case.
There is not many eye candies in this drama, which shouldn't take away from the drama because all the actors and actresses did an amazing job! Pan Mei Ye who plays Su Jia Ying (S+1 in Xiao Bei's team) and Dai Lu Wa (Chu Ge) respectively wow'd me. Both their characters is different from another drama I watched before and they really showcased their abilities here! :) Ofc, Luhan and Wu Lei improved a lot as well! Overall, no complaints on the acting in this drama!! ^_^
However, I do dislike..or rather loathe a character and that's Xu Wei. The best friend of Xiao Feng, honestly he's the worse antagonist ever. I can only say that he betrayed his best friend and that did not sit well with me. His ending did not do it justice at all, I wished for him to rot in prison. >.> Of course, this was not the only friendship betrayals, however the others were resolved between the members. Xu Wei on the other hand, god I wish he would rot. =.=
The romance in this drama is obviously not the main focus, however there is some kissing and relationship problems here and there. Both female leads are not your typical females, they are strong in their own ways. Especially Chu Ge, she may be cold on the outside but she cares for those around her. It wasn't easy for her to open up to people but eventually she did because of Xiao Bei. An Ran, on the other hand, though she's more of an awkward female lead, she was there for Xiao Feng through his tough times and tried to mitigate problems between the teammates as best as she could.
Friendship is the key in this drama because it revolves around friends, fights, betrayals, bonding, and working together towards one goal. Its heartwarming yet can hurt one another.
If you like e-sports, playing or watching games, less romance, more bromance and friendships then you would like Crossfire. Furthermore, if you want to dive deeper into what this drama have to offer on life experiences, and life in general then I would definitely recommend CrossFire. ^_^
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Unskippable Kdrama of The Year!
Kang Bitna had me enthralled into her demon eyes, and sassy personality. The Judge from Hell is one of the kdramas that I couldn't skip nor drop. It's extremely rare for me to truly love a kdrama in recent years because the acting is just not for me, or the storyline seems to fall short, or it just drags on and on. The Judge from Hell is an exception.I love the special effects in this drama, as well as the character growth of Kang Bitna. Honestly, she carried the entire show for me. Han Daon was just a cherry on top.
Park Shinhye's acting has captivated the audience, me included and I'm glad she has improved in the past 15 years that I've been watching her.
I would highly recommend if you're new to kdramas.
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A Perfect Story About Enemies To Lovers
The Prisoner of Beauty is not a revenge story, but a romance story focusing on two rivaling clans.The Qiao Clan betrayed the Wei State resulting in the deaths of three generations: The grandfather, father, and older brother of our male lead, Wei Shao.
Wei Shao (Lu YuNing)was introduced into the drama as a very cold, heartless general of the state. He looked like someone who stop at nothing to revenge the tragic loss of his family members. Meanwhile, the female lead from the Qiao Clan, Xiao Qiao aka Man Man (Song Zuer) is more of a neutral bridge between the two families. She heard stories from her grandfather, whom she was extremely close with, and understood his decision. Yet she also understands why Wei Shao is full of hatred for her clan.
i think the character development between the two leads was done wonderfully. Wei Shao learned to let go of hatred when he realizes Manman isn't biased towards her clan, but protective of the people. They value the people and swear to always put them first. Wei Shao slowly grew to love ManMan's strengths and weaknesses. However, despite the prior development he is extremely slow in the romance department. We had two episodes of him being clueless and oblivious towards Manman's hints. It was a major facepalm moment, but hilarious nonetheless.
Man Man's character was a little timid initially because she was marrying into the enemies' territory. However, she is a clever female lead with the ability to strategize to save herself and her family. Granted, it's not always perfect but that just shows no human is perfect. Man Man is able to win people over with her geniunity and that's what I love about her. Despite being hated by the Wei family, the whole state, she still shows kindness and never waver in her intelligence. She's able to prove the Wei Family that they won't regret this marriage by helping Wei Shao in his many military turmoils.
The Secondary couple, Xiao Tan and Wei Liang were very cute together, and I really enjoy watching these two banter back and forth. It's so funny how Wei Liang knew more about romance than Wei Shao. LOL But alas..
Anyways, I think what kept this drama at the top, for me at the very least, is the good pacing throughout the show, the slow but natural development of romantic feelings and care between the leads. The growing support Man Man received from her enemies, and so on. I personally thought the humor was quite hilarious as well. The acting was amazing. This is Song Zu Er second drama since her comeback and boy did she deliver! Many of her microexpressions had me laughing my ass off, I really enjoy watching her act because of how natural she is. Granted, I've been a fan of hers since The Bond. As for Liu Yu Ning, this is my second drama of his, I think he is very charismatic despite the jabs at his appearance. He played his character very well, acting is average, not phenomenal, but not bad. He also displayed some microexpressions, but Song Zu Er just does it better - then again she is very experienced. Overall, the acting was great in this drama; although the grandma had me question why she has a blank face sometimes... lol
Would I recommend this drama? Definitely! If you enjoy romance, a bit of humor, good acting, great character developments, and military tactic dramas, then yes I recommend this drama. Just remember, this is focused mainly on romance, not revenge.
Is there a happy ending? Yes
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The male lead, Lu Yi, is your typical stoic and handsome male lead. You'll grow to love him, unlike other stoic characters, he has a resting bitch face. Sometimes it makes me laugh, sometimes it can be intimidating. Other times times he drops it and became a lovable cute guy. His little smirks gets me ..ugh..I watch the actor Allen once before but didn't have much of an impression until now. He seemed to have improved since then, he has a charismatic aura around him which I quite like.
Jin Xia is a strong woman who stands up for herself when she can. She chases after bad guys and is bonkers for money til the last episode as well. haha But in reality, she's a sensitive young woman who just wants to find her family and save her friends. She doesn't like losing people and it hurts to see her cry. Her crazy antics are fun to watch as well. haha She can be a bit dramatic with her antics which can be a teeeny tiny bit irritated. Other than that, I love the actress, Tan Songyun is an amazing actress - her crying scenes are always so heartbreaking. :(
The downside to this drama is the way they edited it and filmed it. Its not amazing and I'm assuming its because of their budget. There were a couple scenes where i notice they filmed behind a green screen and made the scene very unconvincing. Another is when they did the jump to high places cut scenes. I think the editors forget to cut a small hop before the jump onto a higher spot.
Also the villain is a freaken psychopath. *shivers*
I fully recommend this drama if you like crimes, historical cdramas, romance, conspiracy plots, and a psychopath.
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3 orphans from the countryside dream big of going to Taipei. One ended up being a workaholic to the point of not having time for friends and love ones. Another went off the wrong path and had to find their way back. Final one was too kind, but ended up accommodating to everyone's decisions around them instead of of going after what they really want. The main couple is cute. It may be odd for some because they were raised as siblings but with no blood relations whatsoever. I really like the backstory to Yuan Man's childhood when she was abandoned and how she was traumatized because of it. Although I can't really relate, i can in a different way which made me root for her happiness in the end.
Hou Zi is my other favorite character, but you'll be in for a very sad ending. Grab tissues because I loved him and Liqing a lot than main couple. They were adorable!
The antagonist of the story is not a very cunning person, just can be annoying because she always drags Yuan Man to help her with her love life. Overall the drama wasn't too dramatic, it can get a bit draggy but its chill. Childhood friends trying to make it big in the city. You get arguments, college- adult life, breakups, trust broken between friends, misunderstandings, business related things, etc.
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Amazing martial arts choreography, plot was disappointing.
The overall plot and progression of Legend of Anle was extremely slow, so slow that the scriptwriters love giving characters' repetitive lines for 23 episodes straight. The drama only gotten better at episode 29.Anle is constantly reminding everyone that she's here for the Di family revenge and nothing else. Yet she also has an army of 30,000 soldiers used as dowry to marry the prince. Her plan from the get go is to entice the prince, but in reality to bring justice to her family. Don't get me wrong, I really love seeing Anle fight for her family and find justice with the people around her. It's was her goal from the get-go. We already knew that was her storyline. Anle is an independent woman, she's very intelligent and it seems to me she can hold her own without Hanye in her life. It would've been nice if this drama was not about romance. Dilireba acted great in this drama, it's not her best drama in terms of storyline and script but it's tolerable.
Hanye is a man of few words, and also focuses on this one line (not verbatim): "I will fulfil grandfather's edict of marrying Di Ziyuan." He says that nearly every single episode. We get it. He seems to be strategic in his own way, he does not share his inners thoughts in the first 23 episodes or so. He's a rule-abiding prince, doesn't matter if the love of his life tells him what he's doing is wrong for her and her massacred family, etc. It was annoying to watch him tell Anle or someone that what they're doing is wrong. She could've done everything on her own essentially, and she also has a princess for a best friend who could've helped her instead of Hanye. Gongjun's acting isn't the best. This was my first drama of his and he was very cringe to watch. His expressions are either too stiff or too awkward. There are plenty of characters of little words yet are able to convey their feelings through their eyes or expressions; Gongjun barely does that. He needs to work on improving his acting. Towards episode 29, Hanye as a character becomes more tolerable imo. He's done a lot for Anle and I forgave him for the bs he said to Anle before.
Moving on to Hanye's little sister. Anning, the general of Jing aka the elder princess of Jing. I think the scriptwriters dumbed her down immensely for someone who has "General" as her title alongside the title of "Princess." It made me very furious that she was toned down. She's a wonderful fighter, and I honestly thought she could've helped Anle a lot more than Hanye. She was a disappointing character. Despite of that, she has her pride, and she feels like she was at fault for the massacre of Di Family - she tends to drink a lot because of it. I just wish the writers didn't do her dirty. The actress of Anning did very well imo.
Luo Ming Xi is the "older brother" aka protector of Di Zi Yuan and also has a one-sided crush on Zi yuan. He's done his best to help Anle to find justice and revenge for her family and has been with her every step of the way. Would you say I have second-lead syndrome? Possibly yes. His character is quite patient and also more vicious than Anle is towards the Jing royal family. He would do anything to protect Anle from any more harm. Honestly, he deserves a medal. LOL Liu Yu Ning did the character justice, no awkward acting from my pov, I can tell how much he loves Anle even from his subtle actions or movements.
I want to put a spotlight on Linlang who was played by Wang Yitimg. Wang was the perfect role for this character, her martial arts choreography was beautiful and elegant! The perks of having a dancer background! Her character, Lin lang, is technicalyl a spy for Luo Ming Xi, his protector, his doctor, etc. lol She does everything! So watch out for her!! Her fighting scenes were badass.
Happy ending? Yes.
Would I watch again? No
Would I recommend it? 50/50. It depends if you like horrendous scriptwriting, and slow-burn romance. Even slow plot progression. Otherwise, you can basically skip to episode 23 or 29 for the good parts.
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