monstersnroses

Worth at least a one-time watch, well put-together.

Green flag lovers and fluff lovers will rejoyce on this one.

I am only green-flag tolerant at best, and too much cotton candy makes me sick. There has to be something more to a drama than just oxytocin fluff or I don't vibe with it.

Well this drama has more to it. Yes, there is copious amounts of fluff, but beneath that there is some substance. The acting was really above-average, and these two actors are both capable of delivering really great scenes with a wide range of emotions. And that was fun to watch.

The OST/BGM were sort of all over the place, and yet it had it's genius moments and vibed pretty well with the drama most of the time. The styling was not the best but not the worst. The interiors/exteriors used for the scenes are really cozy and style-forward.

The script is the downfall, and sure it's extremely trope-y, but I don't mind that. I don't down-rate for just that alone. What I thought was really the downfall of the script, is that it hits moments where it's so subtle and so elevated, the psychology is on-point, and then it just loses its momentum. There are many almost-breakout moments in this story.... with more care given to this script, these actors could have pulled out A performances, and the bones of the script would have had real meat on them.

Also, the actors had good friends-chemistry, a very comfortable vibe about them... but not a lot of sizzle. The kiss scenes were well done though, so that kind of compensated.

As it is, it's a mixed bag of goods and bads. But just on the meta-level, this is a step up from most short length dramas. Definitely check this out just for the acting alone. Both the ML and the FL just need the barest of polishing and someone to give them a good breakout role, and they'd be able to pull of high-caliber roles in A-list dramas.

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This story deserves a remake. Story and acting are good. Production is not.

This story could have been really awesome. The ML could have been a really dark sexy badboy ML. But that's not how they went with it, and instead decided not to take the dark parts of the plot seriously at all.

The makeup and styling are really really bad, in a weird awkward way. The lighting is awful. The BGM is ok but it's often out of step for what's happening.

Dialogue was corny, superficial, uninspired most of the time. Scene transitions are done really oddly in spots where it seems like the producer was just totally out to lunch, without any artistic vision at all for how the story should be unrolled or paced. Things are laid out in sort of a haphazard way that isn't very addictive.

The actors were great, but they're styled so badly, shot scenes under such harsh bright lighting, lines so cheesy and bad, music too loud and corny sentimental.... this is just not it. All I saw that I liked in this one, was the promise of an unfulfilled good storyline, and a moderately sexy ML/FL couple.

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Excellent screenwriting, strong direction, solid casting.... a super satisfying watch.

It's odd because the plot isn't exactly original, the chemistry between ML and FL isn't much more than passable, the romance is really a side-dish to the story, the direction and costumes and backdrops were very good but not top-tier.... and yet it's on my short-short list of best things I've seen all year.

It's the screenwriting. It's just excellent. And then all the other parts come together to support that script in a weird undefinable synergy that creates the most amazing final product. It's so addictive.

And then the ending is exactly what the viewer would have wanted. IMO, it needed more romance and fire, so I knocked one full point off for non-stellar ML/FL chemistry. But honestly, I'd rather watch 7/10 chemistry relationships that have a really good HE, than watch a 10/10 chemistry pair that has a horrible SE.

Standing ovation to everyone involved in this, it was absolutely amazing.

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If Power Rangers made a romance story.

There are no bug masks or spandex leotards, sure. But there is the same brisk pacing, gloating overacting villains, bad cgi and even worse dubbing, a story totally unfettered by pesky things like 'logic', and actors doing a halfassed job of playing characters that make no sense and have no backstory.

Much like Power Rangers, i am not emotionally moved in the slightest by this story, and only mildly amused by the copious abundance of cheese.

I give it a 6 because despite its failings, it was fresh... and even though I felt it was a waste of time, I was at least somewhat entertained.

I do have to say, though..... that it attempted to be an action/romance story, and the result was that it ended up being neither action nor romance.

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An overall strong production, with a few weaker points

The superior production and direction made this traditional story of palace intrigue very gripping and watchable. Pacing, styling, settings, direction, aesthetic were compelling and interesting.

The weak points:

1. The romance aspect was SORELY lacking. There is no passion at all, no romantic chemistry between leads, and a "made for all audiences" sensibility about it. This is not a romance story. Its a palace drama, with a light romantic element to it.

2. Missed the mark on the "strong finish", went overboard and turned it predictable and cheesy.

3. Villains are hard to understand psychologically, have too much screentime, are too cruel and sick, and do not get the endings they deserve in most cases.

Other than that, it was a fun watch.

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How is this not considered plagarism?

This story is basically 'My Fated Boy'. I've never seen anything ripped off so blatantly without any credit going to the original work. It's hard for me to even rate this because of that, but I gave it a 6, mainly because there was nothing wrong with the acting or the styling, and I'm sure those people worked hard to make a nice short-length drama.

But if this is going to be a copycat of MFB, only a short length, then what I would expect is the same story but with more spice and less bullshit. And yet somehow this story is LESS spice and MORE bullshit than the original. Justwow.

ML has a handsome quality to him, but it's clear that both the leads were chosen for their resemblances to the ML and FL from MFB. And as good as this ML is, he's not in the same league as He Yu. In MFB, the kisses and spice were electrifying. Here everything is meh. Not bad, but not good either.

I'm kind of surprised this production didn't get sued into oblivion.

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Slow start, picks up in the middle, then drags toward a shit ending.

I feel like I went through all that for nothing.

I just want to make it clear from the outset that I am exclusively a romance watcher, the actual ROMANCE aspect of a story is what i'm interested in and focused on. I rate things based on the quality of the romance part of the story, and how it fits into the plot.

Viewed strictly as a romance, imo this was awful. The romance was a side-dish to the main story, which was basically palace intrigue and political power struggles. There is a love triangle and the dynamics of it are weird and uncomfortable. The ML/FL chemistry was quashed over and over again, leading up to a SINGLE kiss scene you wait 38 episodes for that is maybe the most sanitized kiss scene Ive ever seen, it was basically only visually alluded to.

If you watch for spicy chemistry and romance, then you just get strung along and strung along all the way to the end, for nothing. ML dies.

Production value, acting, ost were all mediocre, except the FL who did a really good job.

First quarter of drama is hard to get into, and you wonder where its going with this large and cumbersome story. Middle 50% was a solid watch. Last 25% just totally dragged and turned into a cringefest of sappy filler monologues and over the top moments.

It was just a cop out of a romance story, and I really find it a shame I wasted so much time on it.

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When you buy something just for the free gift that comes with it.

My dear discerning and intelligent ladies and gentlemen,

Imagine a Macy's sale where if you buy a bottle of foundation, you get a free limited edition designer fragrance. Well, you don't need foundation. Your skin is beautiful, why would you buy foundation. Besides, you already have a bottle of the most perfect foundation at home, and this brand isn't as good as your brand anyways. But you really want that perfume because it smells fantastic and you can't buy it separate, it only comes with the deal.

This entire drama is just so mid. I give it cred for putting in a lot of effort, given the limited budget, to look vibrant, fresh, and luxe. The direction isn't bad, the styling isn't bad, and the ost is actually kind of awesome (except for when it isn't). The script and story are just a mess, but a watchable mess I suppose. And this was a very fair Yan Zi Xian performance. Gorgeous, believable -- although I HAVE seen him do better so I can't say this is his best work. The kisses are also not bad, but not great for what we know Zi Xian can do. Everything is just so MID!

But that's not really why I think you should give this one a watch.... maybe not as a 'wow this is going to be so immersive and cool' watch, but more as an inbetween non-comittal watch. And that reason - the free limited edition designer fragrance that you are buying this stupid bottle of foundation FOR - is the FL actress Zeng You Zhen.

Where did she come from? Because she is AWESOME! I am pretty picky and critical of FL's. I'm not used to seeing an up-and-coming FL that makes me sit up and pay attention, but she did. Her performance here, is so good. She has a lot of depth, her "crying face" looks like a real crying face. Her laughter, confusion, determination, all looks believable. And she's cute and a little bit sexayyyy. She has a quality I don't know what to call, so I call it "shimmery", where you can see microexpressions pass across a person's face as their thoughts and feelings shift rapidly. MANY actors cannot do this properly. But a few can, and she is one of them. This ALWAYS impresses me when I see it, because it means they are devoted to their character, and understand that the camera will pick up on their subtle expressions without them needing to *emote*, as long as they are fully IN character.

Her performance is limited by the script, the direction, and the time and budget constraints. But with a project that could devote more to her abilities, she could really REALLY shine. I hope to see more of her in the future. She did excellent in her role here, and I was so surprised because I don't even know who she is. This lovely lady is worth keeping an eye on in the future. I see a lot of natural talent there.

I say the stupid bottle of foundation is worth it for the free perfume, personally.

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Slaps then crashes out.

Starts off strong. JKY has gone his entire career needing a Ferrari of an ML role, and although this isn't it, it's a choice role that gives him the sexiness, charm, style, and charisma he deserves from a script. There are metajokes about romcom k-drama cliches, and those jokes land hard and had me laughing til i was crying.

The FL has natural comedic talent, and can turn on the sexy when her role corners her into it. She's clearly not wanting to cultivate a public persona as a sexpot female actress, kind of the way Jennifer Aniston never really goes full sexy, but is charming and CAN be sexy under limited situations.

The chemistry between them was there at first. Some scenes were really fiery and wrapped you up in the story and the relationship. There's a "forbidden love" flavor to the magnetism that really works, and ratchets up the sexual tension.

The plot was trite, nominal, and served well as a backdrop for the jokes and the romance.

But as soon as the relationship began in earnest, which happens about 2/3 of the way through the drama, they suddenly pull a rather severe 180 in a few different and imo unwelcome ways:

1) What started as a pretty powerful dopamine-romance suddenly turns into a sicky sweet oxytocin romance. First they were in the dark shivering with hormones and adrenaline, fighting their urge to attack eachother right then and there, and then without any transition or warning, they're shopping for houseplants at the store, making heart hands, wearing loose shaker-knit sweaters and reading glasses, and doing babytalk. The kiss scenes become just pass-through scenes. The music goes from bad to truly atrocious and tonedeaf, and trivializes the actor's performances with music that sounds like a k-pop monster gorged itself on indie folk and rainbows and 80's chewing gum commercials and then walked into a recording studio and barfed all over the mixer.

2) The metajokes about k-drama cliches suddenly vanished, and the drama turned unironically into all the things it joked about at the beginning of the show? Which is weird...? Lessee, we got ML Has Tragic Accent And Is Rushed To Hospital.... The Future In Laws Already Know Eachother.... Jealous Sibling Tries To Take Over Company... One Leaves The Other By Making Up A Lie For Their Own Good.... and what k-drama would be complete without Amnesia?! All this, mind you, suddenly with NO sense of humor about itself, delivered deadpan. Come ON. No. Just no.

And other weaknesses come in at about the 2/3 mark.... there is now a heavy reliance on Montages. Montage this and montage that. This is the ultimate in lazy storytelling. It insults the viewers, it's a waste of everyone's time. The story begins to suffer from pacing inconsistency, speeding up too fast in some spots, slowing down too slow in others. Opportunities to give side characters more depth are passed up. Opportunities to take the story/dialogue in wickedly funny or smart directions are passed up to continue this unending parade of cliches delivered like a butler presenting a tin of spam on a sliver tray like it was caviar. Which reduces the entire last third of the drama to an experience akin to flipping through a fashion magazine in the doctor's office waiting room.

Although the drama pretty decisively faceplants towards the end, and the music director should be FIRED post-haste and never work in the industry again unless it is to make hi-fiber breakfast cereal commercials, JKY is SEXSHI AF in it, ML and FL are giving solid charismatic performances, and it DID start off really strong and the first half was worth the watch all the way.

AIGOO

7.5/10 (5 points for the story, and +2.5 points for JKY just being JKY really really well)

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Direction and FL great, everything else just OK

This stared off as an addictive, pretty, bingeworthy drama, but by the middle of the story you can feel that the actors just don't have that chemistry with eachother that makes some romances so special. Even so, that's not anything to totally bag a show for, because you can't expect actors to just keep temporarily falling in love with eachother over and over their whole career for the sake of their dramas. Chemistry is something you can't fake, and two people can't be blamed for not clicking with eachother sometimes. These two both made the best of it anyways, and so it was passable sort of.

The plotline starts out promising and engages the viewer, even if it is fairly cliche. The FL's character is written very well, in that she does things the viewer would want to do, like if someone tries to slap her she stops them and slaps them back, and she gives people a piece of her mind, she takes her revenge when she feels wronged, etc. But then the auxiliary characters start coming in and taking more screentime as the story unfolds, and they are not great performances. At the same time, the sparseness of the settings, props and clothes start to become more prominent. The director and the stylists did a good job of making every penny of the budget count, but combined with the cheapness of the side-character performances it starts to drag down the show a little bit. This also is something I could look past if the other elements of the drama are there.

But then you take this somemwhat flat chemistry and somewhat flat acting and somewhat flat backdrop, and somewhat tired plot devices, and combine it with a sky-high cringe factor from the last 4 episodes being just a giant sermonizing session about progressive feminism and ccp atheism, punctuated by strange injections of 'humor' that are more disturbing than funny, combined with aughhh these awful awful intimate scenes that the main couple don't have the chemistry to justify -- and they are complete with smacking kissing sound effects placed in post-production dubbing that sound asmr gross, and I had to MAKE myself finish this one. So much cringe packed into such a short amount of screentime, wow.

The good parts about this are the direction, which is pretty good all things considered,. and the FL WHO IS AWESOME!!! I love her so much, and she did such a good job in this drama, she was really fun to watch.

So I'd recc this to progressive feminists, and people who want to follow Fang Jin's career. But although it was somewhat decent, I'd never rewatch this.

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These actors deserved so much better...

Wu Bo Wei is an AWESOME actor, and I hope this drama just goes down as his 'first lead ML role' in what I truly wish is a great future acting career. The FL Wang Zi Fei needs some more acting experience, but she has solid natural talent and she's so cute and sexy.

I see some comments knocking their acting, but I say it's not their acting that sucks, it's everything else about this drama that sucks. Don't believe me, watch it with the sound off and pretend the production value and styling were given more care, and their dialogue was intelligent and interesting. And it's not just the ML/FL that have natural onscreen ability, the 2FL was very very decent. The 2ML needs more confidence and experience, but when it comes to their "hot" scenes, he can turn it ON like the flip of a switch and it's so sexy.

The suckage that was this drama came from literally everywhere else *except* the main actors. The dubbing and sound were atrocious. The production value was bargain basement low. The stylist really phoned it in. The script.... I have to say the basic storyline was good. It had a lot of promise, and a lot of satisfying elements to it. But the way that storyline was fleshed out was really really bad.... you have a super generic snoozer boilerplate "business plot" with deals, shares, bidders, projects, none of which are the least bit interesting.... and you have a love story that tries to convey depth, but with inane and uninspired dialogue that a middle schooler would write. The story outline is built all wrong.... the sexy love scenes between the characters are HOT, and they are overwith by the halfway mark. The rest of the drama is taken up by shares, board of directors hijinks, liver cancer hospital visits, healing emotional rifts between characters. It drags and there's no reward at the end at all.

If you're watching for the HOT factor, you only need to watch the first half and then you can just ditch. If you're watching to catch Wu Bo Wei's first big role, he's good here but hasn't really come into his own as an actor. He's far better in Close To You, where the production is a step up, the role is a more complex one, and he has built more confidence as an actor. And if you're actually watching for the story itself, then godspeed because justwow on that whole script thing.

A semi-intersting watch for someone interested in following the careers of ML/FL/2ML/2FL. The first-half spicy scenes were really electric but WAY too short, and too few. The overall drama itself was straight dumpster fuel. I really wholeheartedly wish the best for these actors' careers... they have a lot of promise.

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"Feelgood" romance with half-baked script, but decent chemistry and acting.

Theres not much substance to this mini-episode series. It seems promising at first: FL rents ML as a stand-in boyfriend, and ML warns FL not to fall in love with him. We are kept wondering about what mystery the ML holds that makes him want to keep her at arm's length 'for her own good'.

But then instead of getting more interesting or deep, the story veers off course and becomes trivial and loses its original focus, turning into something you might find as the plot to an episode of Saved By The Bell.

The characters are not well developed, but the actors play them well considering they dont have much to work with. The highlight of the show is the absolutely beautiful FL, who I hope has a promising future in c-dramas... and a 2FL that is very charismatic and pretty in her own right as well.

There is decent chemistry among the cast members, and the styling and wardrobe is good enough for me... its just the story and screenwriting that seems so slapdash.

It wasnt horrible... but once youre done watching, it does feel like a waste of time. I would recc this as something to watch, say, in a hospital waiting room or on a train/bus trip where maybe you just want something topical to fend off boredom, and not get too deep into a show.

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Good premise, bad final product.

An underwear designer and a breast doctor with a secret crush are about to become step-siblings. That concept could have been taken in so many different creative directions. But nothing about this drama was spicy, funny, angsty, nothing. Its just a Hallmark-tier snoozefest.

FLs acting was terrible, and ML wasnt much better. Supporting cast also riddled with half-assed performances. Aesthetic was uninspired with a stiff dose of chic-tragique (why did FL have to spend so much screentime in a half-tucked mustard yellow tee with dumpy black houseshorts and weekend lazy hair?)

The original missed-connection between ML and FL isnt properly explained. The kisses between them are good, but there is a distinct lack of chemistry between the leads, and FL is way too good at acting like a prude and a shrew, its a big moodwrecker.

The deepest flaw this drama has is a complete and total lack of creativity. A waste of time. I would only recc it for people suffering from grief or panic attacks who just need something "on" to help calm them down, as it is claustrophobically fluffy.

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If you like Luo Zheng, worth a watch. If you don't know or care about Luo Zheng, not worth it.

It might have been worth a one-time through for a causal watcher, were it not for the fact that it's a season 1 to a season 2 that never happened. It's a half of a drama, basically. If you're not somehow into this ML, then this drama is a total skip. It'd be for if you literally have nothing better to watch. It's at least good for a few laughs, and FL's unique performance. But that's it.

If you like Luo Zheng, this is yet another chance to see him in historical costume with long hair, and he does not disappoint (although his historical drama 'Cry Me a River of Stars' is way better). The FL he plays opposite is a cute and interesting actress. Not the best at conveying kilig or passion, but passable. But she is kind of quirky-funny, and I found her entertaining if nothing else. She's not great in her kiss scenes, but she's by no means bad. The side characters were either giving likeable or passable performances.The plot was easy to follow, and progressed well until about the 2/3 mark and then the pacing started to get all messed up.

It's kind of hard to rate half a drama, but even if we DID get the second half, I'd never give it above a 7.5 because it just doesnt quite have the depth or passion/chemistry that I think makes a show re-watchable. I gave it a 6 because it IS a half a drama, and it can't escape that cheesy, rushed, cliched feel of most short-length c-dramas. It just isn't hi-quality entertainment. It's okay for what it is.... *IF* you're in it for Luo Zheng. The first half has some pretty funny moments , but then those kind of fall by the wayside as the plot-to-nowhere progresses.

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