monstersnroses

It's liquid crack.

Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to attempt to explain the genius and the madness which is Affinity... without depriving you of the surprises and twists that await you should you choose to partake in the watching of one of the most insane c-dramas in existence.

This belongs to the "batsh*t crazy" sub-genre of c-drama romance, and it definitively goes straight to the top of the pile, contending for the crown with "I Love My President Although He Is A Psycho" and "My Lethal Man", and yet in every way outclassing them both. Affinity has a kickass ost/bgm, top notch acting from the ML and FL, a sexy and stylish aesthetic, relentlessly novel plot twists that assail your logic and senses at every turn, action oriented sequences baked into every bite of every episode, decent special effects, and a spice level that will make your monitor spontaneously combust.

Some people - not you, of course, but SOME people - may have the rather bourgeois and supercilious notion that a good drama has to have "logic" or "coherence" or "realism". And those people will be sorely disappointed. Woe be unto he who demandeth of this drama such repugnant atrocities as "logic" for he shall find his plate empty. Whereas for those who taketh pleasure in the consumption of fine cheeses, verily his cup runneth over and he shall be blessed indeed with the velvety fondue of this absolute cheese fountain.

What is in store for you I cannot say and I will not say, in much the same way as I would not and could not tell you what is in your christmas presents before you open them on christmas. But I can give you a rough outline of it's flavor profile. We are talking something along the lines of [Embrace In the Dark Night] + [Hunger Games] + [Dr. Who] + [Pee Wee's Playhouse] + [Cherry 2000] + [Devil's Line] + [Speed and Love] + [Omegaverse] + [Hanaoni].

Do yourself a favor, and don't even try to let anyone tell you anything about what this drama is actually about. It doesn't even matter anyways and it will just ruin your fun.

This may be the most creative script i've ever come across. Either that or an impressive rainbow of cliche vomit, like the writer ate the entire all you can eat buffet of plot ideas before he sat down and puked up this magical screenplay. Either way, it's genius. Not genius like "Oh Buffy, this Manet painting is clearly the artist's conception of renaissance social constructs in the modern age of individualism." Not genius like "Oh the ML is obviously a commentary on today's disaffected youth". Not genius like "It was a tour de force of emotional realism".

No, this is a level of genius more along the lines of "Look what happens when you stuff a chicken inside a duck inside a turkey, and then deep fry it."... or genius like "Behold, this is for all intents and purposes a normal everyday aerosol can, but when you press the nozzle, cheese comes out!" And it's actually rather astonishing in it's inventiveness, considering it's basically brainless entertainment.

And I'll tell you what else is astonishing: This drama making it past chinese censorship. Because oh my god. It is so loaded with spice it should come with a warning at the beginning of every episode. Inevitably people are going to watch this and then say "can anyone recc me something like this?" Well the answer is NO. I can pretty confidently say that in terms of plot, vibes, or spice.... there is nothing that truly compares to this breathtaking Masterpiece of Cheese.

If you are addicted to dramas like Lighter and Princess, Love Between Lines, Amidst a Snowstorm of Love, As Beautiful As You, Love Me Love My Voice, or Life Is Sweet.... then just get out now. There is nothing here for you whatsoever. Just a sheer 1000 foot drop in logic, at the bottom of which is a vast river of cheese sauce running through a mythical spice forest.

I've never seen anything quite like it, and it's everything I want in a c-drama, with nothing I don't. 10/10

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I do not say this lightly - TOTAL MASTERPIECE.

I have seen over 400 dramas. I have given a 10 to a drama only ONE time. But I will say unequivocally right now, that this is one of the best asian dramas of all time, and not only will I award it my second 10 ever, but if I could I would give it an 11.

Learning To Love stands toe to toe with the heaviest hitters of drama like What Happened in Bali, A Million Stars Falling From the Sky, Meteor Garden, Goodbye My Princess, The Rose, Secret, Que Sera Sera, That Winter The Wind Blows, Scarlet Heart Ryeo, Yanxi Palace, Kleun Cheewit, Chugakusei Nikki, or Rise of the Phoenixes. This is so good it's hard to put into words, but for the sake of leaving a review, I will try not to go on too much and keep this brief... while still conveying the insane degree to which this show is both A) a really effing good watch and B) an incredible work of art.

Where to even start....

The main theme of the story is refracted in a hundred tiny ways all throughout -- each character and each action kind of mirrors possible past or future or parallel lives of the other characters in this incredible kalidescope where you can see how any character could 'there but for the grace of god' be another character, and they all reflect aspects of eachother while retaining a deep and unique individuality at the same time. It's so gorgeous how it's all laid out, and how everything subtly connects to everything else. It's just poetry. Every aspect of this drama transcends the sum of its parts in a myriad of fractals that would be impossible for me to describe in less than 10k words, so I'll spare you. Suffice it to say, it is just so damn good.

This leads into mentioning the cinematography which was classic, beautiful, balanced, powerful. Cinematography that actually added it's own voice to the story, like a narrator's voice in a really good book. Plus, it has that throwback feel we all crave and miss so much from classic asian dramas. We all complain that "they don't make em like they used to". Well, this IS like they used to make 'em. So much so, that when they mentioned "covid" at one point, it kind of threw me off for a minute, because this drama feels so much like one of the really good older dramas.

(And can I just mention here that the ost/bgm is a SLAVE to the story. It serves ONLY to accent the emotions carried in the scene, and it is just as perfectly executed as every other part of this production.)

The characters - all of them - are compelling and SO well-acted. A flawless ensemble, led by two fantastic actors that deftly carry the story and convey so many emotions... this was impeccable casting, and impeccable acting. I haven't been this impressed in a long time. This is where imo it stands above even major classics like Rise of the Phoenixes... Kimura Fumino and Murakami Raul Maito are doing double the lifting compared to Chen Kun and Ni Ni in RotP. I almost can't find an equivalent to compare them to, and they deserve to be considered among some of the best performances of all time.

The vibe of this drama has a very classic flavor, the emotional angst and tension is so palpable, so much happens in each episode, not a minute of screentime is wasted. Gives off an aura of 'A Million Stars Falling From The Sky'. And something really incredible happens as the episodes progress.... the story could end in so many different ways, or it could end on any scene itself and still be really really good. You know what's going to happen like a trainwreck in slow motion, and yet you don't actually know what's going to happen at ALL because there are so many possibilities for where the story could go, and as it hurtles toward it's inevitable ending, you still get the feeling like each new scene will hold some fresh magic in it. You get this incredible blend of dread and hope mixed together indistinguishably from one another, and it just relentlessly ratchets up and up through each episode as the possibilities for how it will end keep multiplying. Every character's psyche is peeled layer by painstaking layer and we are afraid and excited by what we will find at the core of each person. Each character is slowly and inexorably pushed towards their breaking point... the true selves they hide to the world have less and less room to hide... and it all feels so volatile and mysterious as you watch it unfold.

I cannot say enough good things about this drama, and I cannot possibly recc it more to anyone prepared for a serious watch. This is gripping and angsty and a little bit of a hard watch, but so so so freaking good. Nailed the ending. Actors are just so incredible here. So much heart and soul are in this.... it feels like a masterclass in what an asian drama is supposed to be.

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Actual dumpster fire

Ladies and gentlemen, perhaps you are confused by the fact that I call this drama a "dumpster fire" and yet give it a rating of 8, and I can understand that confusion, so allow me to explain.

Imagine, if you will, just a random stinky drab dumpster. Now normally we don't think about dumpsters, because why would you. And when you have to put your garbage in one, or if you see one overflowing on the street with disgusting things, and you actually are forced to think about a dumpster or be near a dumpster, you're like "augh gross" and you hold your breath and try not to look too hard at it or have to smell it's fumes.

But imagine that one day you are walking down the street in an average neighborhood, and out of a perfectly average looking dumpster, is a giant raging bonfire, like a huge dramatic bonfire just blazing away. And the smell off the thing is probably terrible, but yet at the same time it is so magnificent and extraordinary looking that you are mesmerized and cannot look away.

Well that is this drama. So let's break this down into 2 parts. The Dumpster... and The Fire.

🎬THE DUMPSTER.

Well first we are talking about PLOT. The whole foundation of the dumpster is messed up. The FL from the beginning was not written to be likeable. If you want to try to like her, you can. But her backstory is SCANT. They don't give you a home address for her from which you can relate and get behind her and feel like you know her and care about her. Sure they throw a pittance of a backstory at you, just enough to fill in the blanks and create the plotline. But there's no empathy for her built into this plot. So no matter what actress you cast in the role, it was ALWAYS gonna come out lookin bad. The story tells you she is an infiltrator fighting for justice. And yet your heart tells you she is just an ice donkey. But perhaps that's an insult to donkeys because even donkeys aren't as cruel and stupid as she is. And when I call her stupid, I mean all the way around. Because not only is she intellectually unable to keep up with her surroundings, but she also sports a rock bottom EQ. In the infamous words of Mitch Hedburg, "that's a double whammy".

Halfway through the drama, there's a scene where she rather dramatically threatens to unalive herself and I'd put 5:1 odds of any person who makes it that far in this show thinking to themeselves "meh, g'eiahead"

Now second biggest problem was with STYLING. I know. How bad does it have to be to actually be "second biggest problem". Well, it was pretty bad. Not for the men so much, but for the women, they were done dirty here. It is as if Stylist is maniacally driving a steamroller of vindictiveness, created from literally every current year social media chinese beauty trend, and PLOWED it over all the ladies with a merciless cruelty. You got your crown heightening hairstyle, dragon-lady french manicure, silkworm eyebags, "eye sparkle" contact lenses, fake eyelashes, sticking out ears, baby lipstick.... and all of it is done BADLY. These ladies clearly have natural beauty, and the stylist has marred it to dumpster-tier levels. Congratulations, stylist. Your revenge is complete.

And then you have just random stinky things in the dumpster, dumb clothes, thrift store furnishings, tropey crap, unconvincing acting, drab dialogue, random cliches (i tripped in these high heels on the pavement because idk how to walk right oh my ML broke my fall how sexy and fortuitous!)(oh no, the power's out and we're all alone in a scary storm!)

🔥THE FIRE.

Now THATS a fine red-flag ML. Obsessed, check. Possessive, check. Devoted, check. Borderline yandere, check. Gangster badass, check. Shitkicker, check. Gorgeous face = you know it. Good kissing, YES. Zhi Jie just NAILED this brand of sexy, he so owns it. And for some reason, HIS stylist did a great job. He looks so gangster, he is selling the sh*t out of it.

The script and plot is biased toward him completely. He is put in situations that bring out this badassery and this possessive black hot energy. The dumpster is, shall we say, the VEHICLE for this absolute 3000 degree blazing majestic bonfire, that is Zhi Jie as a near-perfect specimen of red-flag hotness.

Sometimes the best things can be found in the dumpster.

In this particular dumpster, is a perfectly good perfectly sexy TEN OUT OF TEN RED FLAG ML. I mean how does one even go about scoring something like this.

So I gave it an 8 because it's like hey... I'm not saying this is top shelf. Nooo, no no, not at all. But is it watchable and possibly re-watchable? YES, if ONLY because the ML himself is a red-flag masterpiece.

Stinky? Absolutely, without a doubt. But also glorious and hypnotic. I would recommend watching this, but only with proper personal protective gear, such as nose plugs and goggles, inhaler, possibly a gas mask or hazmat suit.

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A very decent drama about a dark, angsty, misunderstanding-fueled red-flag romance.

(I don't want to spoiler anyone, so click "read more" to view, if you want the quick and dirty summary of this show :P )

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Mannn, it starts off with ML doing some really messed up shit to the FL. But it's all good, because she goes to great lengths to get even. And then mannnn does she do some messed up shit to him! Then they both feel very regretful, and kind of decide to do like a "do-over".

The kisses are decent, the show is kind of tame, but with a spicy kick. The ML and FL have mad chemistry, they look so freakin good together, and they both are great actors. They make such a good pair.

The other parts of this show are really on point. Acting by supporting cast, costumes and styling, music, direction, everything fits together very seamlessly and is so well done, that it's almost hypnotic how you get immersed and just want to keep watching another episode and another and another.... There were parts of the storyline that could have been made more clear, so it's kind of blocky and disjointed. But not too much, it's mainly fine. None of the dialogue really stands out as genius, but it flows nicely and there's no cringe.

This starts out as a toxic as hell romance, but it doesn't end as one. I guess you could say they get it all out of their system and become cured of their sadistic urges toward one another. There is an HE, but it's one of those last-minue HE's that isn't really super satisfying. But the bulk of the show itself is very satisfying, so..... you could see it as a trade-off.

I think it's mayyyybe rewatchable. If I decided one day to rewatch it, it would be for the ML and FL performances, and for the pretty ratcheted-up levels of angst combined with a pleasing dose of spice. The kiss scenes could have been better, but they also could have been a lot worse. This is a cut above the average short-length drama. Definitely worth a one-time watch at least.

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I've seen 400+ dramas, and this is the only drama I've ever given a 10.

I am a vampire freak, who loves romances when they are dark, slow-burn, supernatural, obsessive, angsty and passionate. I love stories with an ML who is red-flag, possessive, controlling, antihero, badass, or morally gray. I like stories about demons, devils, gumihos, legendary beings... you get the idea.

This drama isn't about vampires at all. But it's so close it might as well be. He looks, talks, acts, and thinks just like a vampire. All that's missing is the fangs and the superhuman abilities. And it's funny that a drama that is in no way about vampires, is the best vampire romance I've ever come across. It just satisfies my vamp-cravings so perfectly.

SoKP is deliciously slow burn. The best slow burn I know of besides Charlotte Bronte's 'Jane Eyre'. An unbelievable amount of patience is required to get to the payoff. But what a payoff. The fire that finally sets off is so hot that it permanently scarred my brain.

Aesthetics and color palate, styling and makeup and costumes... everyone in this drama was made to look incredible. Even the tertiary characters. I'm not saying everyone was stunningly model-hot. I'm saying they brought out each actor's best. This is true on an acting level as well. The directors and producers cared about each actor and actress, about their inner beauty and their natural talent shining through. The execution of this story was almost completely flawless. The casting was perfect in every way. Ling He is so excruciatingly gorgeous, and Bai Lu is beautiful beyond compare in her role here. Supporting cast was incredible and perfectly suited to their individual roles.

The political/intrigue part of the story was interesting, immersive, sufficiently complex to hold your attention, but not overly complex to make you feel muddled and mentally taxed as you watch.

I cannot recc this drama enough. HOWEVER. You will not like this drama if you fall into one of the following categories:

Looking for a green-flag ML---> this ML is morally gray, controlling, manipulative, forceful. There is some throat-grabbing and forced kisses as well.

Like to watch "boring stuff" on 2x and FFW'd during dramas regularly when your attention isn't engaged ---> this story requires your full attention, immersion, and patience in order to experience the full effect of the romance. It will not hold up to someone who is skipping or 2x-ing through parts, because you'll kill the pacing and atmosphere that needs to be established. You can skip some parts in episode 1 to get you going, but after that, I'd strongly advise against it.

This is a very special drama. You can never watch it for the first time twice. So, if you do decide to give this a chance, savor your first watch-through. Watch it on a dark, rainy weekend when you can binge it fully. with the lights out and some candles going or something, and let yourself get really into it. Happy viewing <3

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What an absolute cowpie.

I will sum this bad boy up for you real fast.

(Click "read more" so I don't spoiler any of the masochists who want to torture themselves on purpose.)

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Here goes.

Blahblahblah some republican era shit blah blah blahblah secret weapons cache. Blahblah blah blahblah gun points at FL, FL tied up and dragged and crying and strangled and thrown on the bed and yelled at blah blah blah. 2FL justwow blah blah fake pregnancy blah blah whatever some secret meetings and uniforms some army shit idk. Blahblahblah blah blah gratuitously shirtless ML doing some shit idk wound dressing or nonconsentual sexy time or drunken undressing blahblahblah.

WHAT, A FACE CHANGE SURGERY OMG blah blah and FL is like YOU LYING PIECE OF SHIT IM NEVER TALKING 2 U AGAIN. Blah blah crying crying getting drunk breaking glass coughing blood. Blah blah blah blah ML DIES.

Thats ok though because the peoples army lives on or some shit. And maybe if you close your eyes really tight and wish really hard, ML isnt dead though so hey.

THE END.


*Bad dubbing
*2FL is a mentally retarded narcissist with an underbite problem.
*Villain does the villain-laugh like literally after every sentence and its so cringe. Bro. Get a desk job and give up acting, srsly.
*I give it a generous 4.5 because at least it didn't put me to sleep 20 times.
*I would recc this to, say, a coworker I pretend to like because I have to, but who really deep down I don't like.

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A fine spicy artisan cheese for red-flag ML lovers.

ML = Ryan Ren is a fireball of talented hotness. He has a devastating sanpaku stare, and knows how to strike the right tone between comedy and deadly sexy-serious, which is often a difficult balance for actors. He's amazing.

FL = Li Xing Yao is a magical combination of sexy and cute, and she happens to also be an incredible actress. She is so natural on camera playing her role, that there are parts where she sounds like a RL person caught on hot mic.

THESE TWO BRING THE SPICE! If it had been two other lesser actors in these roles, the story would be unwatchable. If this drama is worth a watch at all, it's because the ML and FL are both total powerhouse actors that carried this piece of shit script across the finish line.

Director = Did a pretty damn quality job, for a short-length. Clean, attractive camerawork and an unrushed feeling as far as pacing. Great styling, solid bgm.

The Story = Cheese lovers rejoyce!!! This one's for you. Its just a silly thrill-ride. This isn't wall-to-wall insanity like My Lethal Man. It's just a light snack, and amuse-bouche if you will. But it's entertaining and sexaayyy.

The Weak Points: Firstly. They could have gone a little bit darker with the tone, because this ML is so smoldering and intense onscreen, they could have really bent the story a little bit more to the serious and obsessive side to highlight his strengths and match his energy. The FL carries an aura of sweetness that could have really juxtaposed to that well. They gave off a really good "devil/angel" vibe that they could have explored further and didn't. Secondly. The last episode got lazy. It's sort of OK, but mainly it's facepalm city.

The Strong Points: Breakout performances by both lead actors. The comedy plays well. The story moves along quickly, lending itself to a one-night binge session. The high spice level throughout the show is a nice change of pace from our usual c-drama fare. Great direction that turned a garbagey screenplay into a very watchable drama.

It was fun, and I'd do it again.

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A respectable attempt at a remake, but misses the mark in some crucial ways.

The original Korean version of this story was already sort of short on actual substance. As a story it has very simple moving parts, and the engine that drives everything else is the magnetic fiery attraction between the ML and FL. It is the centerpiece of the drama. The Japanese version tamps down that fire, and lacks the same level of chemistry, which is a huge mistake, because it sucks what precious little substance there is right out of the story and leaves you feeling like you watched some empty avant garde show about nothing.

Sure there's some chemistry in the Japanese version, and the ML and FL look like they could share a nice wicked kiss in an elevator or something. But in the Korean version, the ML and FL look like they are always 3 seconds away from leaping over the table and attacking eachother right there on the floor. This is a CRUCIAL difference in the shows. The whole POINT of it is that the ML is a player, and the FL makes him completely unable to be impartial or emotionally divorced from their insane attraction. She knocks him off his game, and he tries to hide that from her. Whereas in the Japanese version, the ML feels enigmatic and calculating, smooth and controlled. His eyes don't have that wild dark animal look for her. What he looks like is a womanizer who finds that the FL tugs at his heartstrings. That's a totally different dynamic, and one that doesn't work for this story.

So we have two totally different ML's. And we also have two totally different FL's -- In the Korean version, the FL is capable of seeing her world through the glasses of realism and caution, but at the end of the day she is a free spirit, and she is unconventional and independent. When she gives in to her attraction to the ML, it feels like she's liberating herself; shedding a restrictive part of herself that gives her pure relief and joy to take off... like she's flying. That's not the essence of the Japanese character's FL. When the Japanese FL gets together with the ML, it feels like she's driven by wild impulse that frightens her when she confronts it. She doesn't feel the sensation of flying, she feels the sensation of vertigo. She worries, she becomes insecure, she doubts herself and doubts him.

I can see how they tried to create a good artistic take on the original, but you can't make a story that's supposed to be about a wild powerful intense attraction, and then dial down the actual attraction between the ML and FL and expect to faithfully recreate the story. The Japanese version is "sexy" but that's not enough for this story. It needs pure fire to drive it, or else it loses its original meaning.

And what stylist dressed these actors, it's completely god-awful.

Korean version = better version

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Unique story that could have been reworked into a great drama with more time and attention.

People are comparing this to 50 Shades, but they're not all that alike, at least in terms of plot. The reason why it reminds people of 50 Shades is because it's the same type of spice (overtones of S&M), similar color palate and styling (black/white/gray, expensive and spartan interiors, simple & classic styles for hair and wardrobe), and an extremely controlling ML.

But where 50 Shades' story focuses more on the relationship itself, and the growth of the characters, this story does not. Deep Love Love Again reminds me more of Secret or My Lethal Man, with pretty outrageous plotlines and characters. It seems like it might borrow some of it's inspiration from the classic story 'La Femme Nikita'.

It wasn't bad at all. The actors were exemplary and their chemistry was fire. But it just had too many shortcomings to rise above mediocre. For starters, the story was laid out in a disjointed way. It was meant to be mysterious and keep you guessing, but it missed the mark and turned out simply confusing. It was meant to reflect S&M tastes in spice, but the characters don't have enough depth and consistency to create a good S&M relationship. There are some loose ends that never get wrapped up. The dialogue is too sparse, vague, and devoid of emotional content.

These are technical issues that could have been remedied with enough time for the scriptwriters to go back over it and fix it, but all projects are on a budget and a schedule, and I'm sure they just ran out of time to polish the story. But the basic plotline is solid.... moreso than many dime-a-dozen short length dramas. And the aesthetic is different than what you usually see in a mini c-drama, which was refreshing. None of the problems with this drama had anything to do with the actors, who all gave excellent performances and were very well cast.

There was a decent level of spice, but even so, it should have been spicier. It was a decent one-time watch, and the plot deserves to be recycled into a longer drama by someone who can actually make it shine.

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Just some spicy Deng Kai wearing an extremely skimpy plot.

Hay there, sexy.

I know what you're thinking. You're thinking "Damn I can't believe Deng Kai hasn't been cast yet as an ML in a major production, he's so stupid-hot and so charismatic, I feel like an addict, ever since POJ happened I just can't get enough of him."

Well as far as somebody with some SENSE picking him up to lead an A-list show, I can't help you with that. We are fresh out of A-List productions because Arthur Chen ate them all.

But as for the part about not being able to get enough of him.... that I can help you with. Some tiny-ass production team off in the corner of c-dramaland said "50 bazillion people are screaming for Deng Kai right now and yknow what. We hear you. Now, we're too broke to give you the A-list gold you're after. But in the meantime... how about just watching him make out a lot?"

And we like "YASS that will do for now."

Producer says "Well we aint got much. We got some CEO clothes, a decent stylist, and a couplea leather couches. We can maybe scrape enough cash together to rent a boat for a few scenes, idk."

And we like "Green light this bad boy."

And producer is like (scratches head) "Uhhhh.... well we're kind of short on script."

We say, "Don't worry about it, just write whatever you can muster up."

So they gave us this. The story is... I kind of want to say 'inventive'? But I also kind of want to say 'bad'. It's inventive and bad. But it does give us what we crave... Deng Kai in a hot situation looking hot and makin out and stuff. It's not as spicy as I like em. But honestly, the production and script are so SO cheap, that if it were any spicier it'd come off as just way way too gratuitous. It's "satisfying". We are watching Deng Kai learning to perfect the art of onscreen kissing. Someday he'll be in something TRULY hot, like SOKP or WDBTD, and all that kissing practice will pay off. He does honestly keep getting better and better.

As far as the acting.... I'm sorry but it's just asking way too much for actors to return master performances on sets like these with scripts like these. Deng Kai is doing sort of a "you get what you pay for" performance, i'd give it a B grade. Zhang Chu Han the FL expertly matches his tone, and this is actually the very first time I've LIKED her in something. She appears to have dropped the baby-girl act as she matures as an actress, and she's so much better off for it. Now she reminds me of Valerie Bertinelli, and it's cute and she's much easier to watch.

All in all, I would not really recc this to anyone except Deng Kai fans, and I would DEF recc this to them. I enjoyed it despite the jankety script, but would I rewatch it? No.

Actual drama = 5
Deng Kai makin out a bunch = 10
Averaged score = 7.5

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If a plate of scrambled eggs wrote a screenplay, it would have written this.

You may or may not have fun watching this one. But you'll probably have fun talking about it in the comments.

So many things don't really make sense. So. Many. Things. Where to even start.

You will be confronted on many levels by this drama. It begins with an ML who is supposed to be "almost 30".... being played by an actor who is 47. That is an 18 year age difference. Some say the ML is hot and manly. That is up to you to decide. But we can safely say there is something strange going on in his neck area, and his hair makes him look like an ancient chinese car salesman. Maybe that will bother you. Maybe it wont. Who knows.

Then you will be confronted by a 2ML who you will have to decide if you ship. Will you think he's Simpy McSimperson, an NPC with no real character of his own, who is annoying and stupid and serves no real purpose in the show? Or will you think he's sexylicious, and the FL's only real friend, and she's stupid for not running off with him to live a live of banditry in the woods? There is no telling, you'd just have to find out for yourself.

Then you will be confronted by the way the ML treats the FL. Is he manly and protective with reasons of his own for doing what he does? Or is he stockholming the FL and being a spineless passive aggressive douchebag? That's up to you to decide.

You will also be confronted by ML/FL kiss scenes. Will you think they are fiery and electric? Or will you think they are disturbing and strange. There is only one way to find out, and that's to see it for yourself.

And then... you will be confronted by plot holes. Lots of them. You could make a game out of it.... how many plot holes did YOU find? Five? Ten? Twelve? Winner gets bragging rights. You will likewise be confronted with a mind boggling amount of scheming and villainy. Sometimes you will not understand why a character did what they did or said what they said. Does anyone have the answers to clear your confusion? Perhaps. Or perhaps not.

I can say, the styling was really phoned-in and lo-effort. There were some scenes where I was looking at the dotted pattern along the wigline on ML closeups. I can also say that there is an abundance of overacting. It's not THAT bad, but it's there. Many actors and actresses on this drama were overacting to one degree or another. For some, it was just a hint of overacting, like the FL. For others on the supporting cast, the overacting was really quite much. And that's fine, I don't really mind that so much if other factors are present. But just so you know going in... this is less of an understated, subtle drama.... and more of a thrill-ride drama. I guess what you'd expect from 30-min episodes, really. Let's just say these performances aren't winning any awards, know what I'm sayin. It's meant more for fun, and not for serious viewing. If you go into this one very serious-minded.... you are going to have a BAD time. But if you go in to watch just for fun.... who knows what kind of time you'll have.

It's all mixed up. It's kind of mindless. Plot and logistics of things are pretty nebulous. Ending was kind of.... shall we say conversation-inspiring. Will you like it? Maybe. Or.... maybe not. I am reminded of a Blackadder quote by Lord Talbert Buxomley: "This drama talks like a plate of beans negotiating it's way out of a cow's digestive system." And I think that says it best, really.

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Not your typical republican-era drama -- in a good way.

This is a stylish and well-produced binge watch, with a fabulous ML, and an FL that compliments him well. Unlike most republican era short length dramas, this one actually has quite a few funny and cute moments woven into it. Although its technically a revenge story, the focus is really more on the main characters' friends and family in a way that makes the journey of the ML and FL rather satisfying to watch.

The spice is not quite what you'd expect from a republican-era short, but it's still brings plenty of heat, and the kiss scenes are very very decent.

Overall I found this a well balanced show, with elements of humor, danger, action, intrigue, and sweetness. It was a little bit fluffy, and a little bit fiery. One thing it was not, was heavy. So you won't want to go into this with a super serious mindset, it's meant to be something of a light watch.

The only issue I had with it was the way the last few episodes kind of get a little bit weird. But it's not that bad, the ending is still good basically.

I enjoyed it greatly, and I'd recc it to anyone looking for a good binge as a break between longer, heavier dramas.

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It's not fancy, but it's weirdly addictive.

This drama reminds me of eating an entire bag of potato chips in one sitting.

First you're like "meh i'll pass, i'm cool." But there's nothing else to snack on and they're just sitting right there staring you down, so you think "ok i'll have a few." And it's not like if someone asks you your 10 favorite foods that potato chips would be on that list. They ok. But you eat a few, and you just want a few more, and a few more, and before you know it you're like "THERE'S STILL SOME CRUMBS" and you're eating chip crumbs with your fingers like 'what am i even doing rn',

Well that's this drama. In most ways we normally describe shows, this is mid. The costumes, sets, acting, plot premise, production quality, bgm/ost... mid, mid and mid. But there's something so addictive about the SCRIPT, and the PACING. And on top of that, all the supporting characters with significant screentime are really handsome and gorgeous. ML and FL are too. The enemies and villains are given only as much screen time as necessary to fulfill their obligation to the plot. I wish more directors and producers would take note of that.... but anyway I digress....

My point here really is that this might not be the best thing ever, but if you start it, you're probably gonna finish it, because there's face cards everywhere, and the storyline and dialogue just flow in such a comfortable way that it's all too easy to just watch another ep and then another and another.

But just like eating an entire bag of chips, this doesn't truly satisfy. The show spends most of it's episodes with an emotional tone that's just a mellow flow of ups and downs. But then the final episodes take quite a strange turn and suddenly the emotional tone shifts very dramatically to "so, that happened..." You get something pretty different than what you bargained for, and... much like a bag of chips... you finish it and then say to yourself "why did I do that." And you're still hungry. Just not for chips.

It's a good way to pass the time if you have nothing else to watch, but I can't think of anyone I would recc this to. Spiceless, a lot of B and C tier acting performances by key characters, odd and fairly unpleasant ending (though it technically counts as an HE I guess???) Worth a bored, one-time watch if you straight up ran out of shows to watch.

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Awesome acting, directing & music meets tired plot with cop-out ending.

Wow the acting was so good, especially considering many scenes were probably difficult to stay in character, due to cgi or cheesy script. But ML and FL were truly believable with awesome chemistry. Directing was really good, everything was beautiful, sexy and exciting. Music elevated the scenes and pulled the story into cohesion. Costumes and makeup were budget-excellent.

But the plot is cliche af, and the story/script are loaded with cheese. This could have been overlooked if the ending was satisfying, but it isnt. So very worth one watch, but idk about a rewatch though.

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We need to talk about this ML

I had written a review that I *thought* encompassed all my thoughts on this drama. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I needed to scrap it and start over. This drama is lo-budget in so many ways, and the natural compulsion is to be kind of dismissive, and I had written "what an excellent cheap thrill". WHICH IT IS. But it's more than that. So I think it deserves a more serious review. So let me get serious.

First off, stylist needs to be fired. Let's just get that out of the way. And that is probably the main weak link in the show. It should have been styled by whoever did Fake It Till You Make It. But it wasn't. So to appreciate this drama, you have to kind of look past the stylist's choices more often than is comfortable, and it makes this watch awkward. So, immediately, points off. At least nobody had their hair wrecked. The hair is good. Idk bout yall, but for me this is kind of a real factor in show enjoyment. It shouldn't be, I mean that's silly. But it is. Bad hair can just destroy a show's spark. Fortunately hair here is good, or at least plenty good enough. At least the bad styling choices err on the side of caution, and nobody is wearing a dress shirt covered in mini stuffed teddy bears, or a leather polo shirt, or a belt that looks like a literal alien designed it.

Also music person needs to be fired. It's annoying and out of step, imo. But that's neither here nor there, because you just turn it down when it gets intrusive for a few mins, and it's fine. The crappiness of it didn't destroy the show or anything, it's just that it's not good. It didn't ADD to anything. It's mainly ignorable, and that's the best I can say about it.

With different styling and music this could have been very EITDN-level hot, but coulda woulda shoulda... that part is a fail imo. And is the reason for the points-off on the score.

With that having been said.

What I really want to talk about, that to me is the highlight of this drama, is the ML character himself. First off, this actor - Zhang Fei Ran - just poofed into existence out of thin air like some ML genie. Go look at his page. There's nothing on it. He just started his acting career. This performance he gave here, was GOOD. Really good. The character he plays doesn't have a lot of range, or at least not yet by ep 17. So we don't know what all Fei Ran is capable of yet, or what all his strengths are as an actor. But I am very encouraged by what I see so far.

Here, he plays a total red-flag character. But it's not your typical red-flag. This character is kind of borderline psycho, not even kidding. Kind of stalker-like around the edges. Possessive and obsessive. Huge power imbalance between he and FL. He's kind of coercive. But ALL this is played so so low key. The ML and the way the director frames him, makes him seem innocent and sweet and safe and harmless. And in a way he is.

So this is classic Luo Zheng CEO vibes, where the dark humor and dark intentions of the ML are wrapped up up in ribbons and sweet bows like "haha haha this behavior is fine because I'm wearing a pink sweatshirt and holding a puppy." And I know this is the exact behavior that alarms feminists, but personally I love the strange and twisted, and I love this brand of red-flag. It reminds me of Dia di los Muertos art, it's cute and innocent mixed with sinister and unsettling.

So take Luo Zheng, and give him less pretty-boy looks and more boy-next-door looks. And make him a closet scorpio --> cool, aloof and self-possessed but secretly an unbridled s*x maniac who's into monogamy due to total obsession with one woman.

The way Fei Ran plays this character is wicked hot. He manages to exude down to earth humility and shyness, and complete confidence and self-assurance at the same time. It is swoonworthy. He doesn't overact. If anything your gripe after watching might be that he is a little bit "wood plank". I like it when actors stay calm, grounded and subtle in their performances, because it makes it easier to watch tiny shifts to their expressions happen, it makes you watch people's faces closely. So I loved it. I liked how his acting was understated but still really confident. Giving kind of Arthur Chen/Elvis Chan vibes... because he doesn't come off as serious necessarily (like Deng Wei, Deng Kai or Leo Wu), he just comes off as quiet and calm with a self-assurance that's really sexayyy, with a tendency to err on the side of underacting instead of overacting. And yet still lets himself be emotionally vulnerable to the camera ---> goofy smiles and puppy dog pouting are not off the table for him.

So as long as you can appreciate a true red-flag ML, I'd say this is a do-not-miss in the realm of short-lengths, just for that alone.

The story is SIMPLE, and feels elegant and purist in a way, precisely because it is so pared down. It is unapologetic about the fact that it's tropey. It doesn't try to pretend it's super creative or that it has some unique twist. It is only trying to be the best version of itself. And that was refreshing to me. The facepalm moments are kept to an absolute minimum. The director and producer work within their budget to give you a smooth, fresh-feeling story. The pacing is nice. The FL is a seasoned FL who knows how to lead a show, and she's really beautiful and very believable, and she did great here. She could probably carry a hi-budget production and bring good performances out of A-lister co-stars. I love her brand of pretty. She's strikingly pretty, and her smile is so vulnerable and sweet, so is her crying. I mean her crying could use a little work, but she at least makes it so that when she cries, you empathize with her.

The supporting cast are all pretty/handsome in their own right, and solid actors in their own right. Maybe not top-shelf, sure. But really easy on your eyes and on your mind. Well-cast, thoughtfully cast.

THE SPICE IS HERE, folks. It is here. It is so so good.... and there's even good kilig in this one, which is hard to come by, especially in spicy short-lengths ---> something about spice and kilig usually don't mix. Usually kilig moments happen better in angsty romances, slo-burn romances, frustrated love or forbidden, repressed kinds of romance. But surprisingly there is some here. And ML has some really hot lines, kind of like in a similar way to how EITDN and Koi To Dangan had ML delivering some HOT lines of dialogue. We get some of this too. This show just spoils you rotten with romance. But you HAVE to like it dark to appreciate it. If you lean green-flag, the chances of this ML's brand of loving a woman making you uncomfortable are really high, consider this your second warning. You've now been double-warned. If you can't handle creepy CEO Luo Zheng, you won't be able to handle this guy either. He is a shameless manipulator, and his fixation on her is.... probably unhealthy.

This drama is deceptively cheap, deceptively simple. But really LOOK at it. Don't write it off right away. Its actually effin good, for it's genre. It's seriously a case of the stylist murdering the potential of the show. Do you know how much more boring and stupid EITDN or Fake It Till You Make It or Love And Bid Farewell would have been if they'd had sh*tty stylists? Also the director needs more practice and experience... he's not the worst but not the greatest. But overall, this is seriously a really decent cheap-thrills watch. I would recc this to any red-flag spice lover.

I really wonder what Fei Ran will do with his career, and he's got me interested.

Like... I hope you get what I'm telling you.... that there now exists in our universe, a Luo Zheng CEO only minus plastic surgery, and plus twisted, and plus SPICE. That's sort of lowkey holy sh*t u guys this is awesome.

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