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My favorite C-Drama! <3
This was a show with the most bestest of all best endings: just a sweet happily ever after with our main characters being successful (girl)bosses. I loved everything about this show: the fun, the vibes, the music, the cinematography, the characters and their relationships. It was just such a fun show. Chu Li is such a great female lead: strong-willed, funny and sweet, you just have to root for her. I really loved the actor playing our male lead; he almost felt like an animated character at times, he made so many scenes sososo funny and I loved the bromance with his bestie. The second lead's second chance romance was so good too! I was very invested in their relationship!! Generally, all the side characters were interesting enough for me to care, I didn't skip a single second because I was overall so invested in the show. Shed some tears in the last episodes because it was either really sad or really sweet and happy. Overall, my favorite CDrama together with "A Romance of the Little Forest" (I knew I could trust Esther Yu! love her so much after these two dramas) - literally zero complaints: the perfect sentimental, fun romcom<333.Was this review helpful to you?
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At first, I thought both main characters were a little dumb and very silly but I gotta say this was super entertaining and fun! I actually shed so many tears in the later episodes, I didnt't expect that at all. Once our main couple got together, they were soso!! cute and even the episodes leading up to the relationship were so fun and sweet. And of course Xiao Wudi (my favorite trophy husband) and Lu Zichen are girl dads -- I expected no less hehe. I loved how this drama didn't have any toxicity between the main characters, or work partners/colleagues. The president was cool but nice and empowering as well as encouraging, Lu Zichen mostly just really awkward and so comical, and the employees kind and forthcoming. I really loved seeing the mother-daughter relationship, too. Overall, a really sweet drama with a heartwarming ending <3. Was this review helpful to you?
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The male ego is fickle
Oh, I am so … mad. What was that ending? You’re telling me the male lead did what was done to him? Sabotaging his partner? Don’t piss me off.This show is all about stroking and boosting the male ego, it was … definitely something. The female lead was whiny at times, but I could see her determination and will to become a better cook only to be undermined and talked down by all the male cooks who thought they were so much better than her. The male cooks were just misogynistic, not flexible at all, and way too proud for what they’re worth to be honest. The male lead is a guy who has never been told to shut up once in his life, and the second male lead lowkey very much enabled the chaos in the kitchen by being so uninvolved. “The kitchen is the chefs’ territory” – The chef doesn’t pay you your wages though, so the owner of the place should step in when needed.
Bottom line: Every guy in this show had an inferiority complex and needed their egos boosted by the girls only to discredit their female colleagues and treat them like shit, acting like they’ve got the biggest dicks in the kitchen – it was ICKY, and the ending ruined it completely for me. Otherwise, the show could have been cute because the leads did make me giggle despite all the yelling, but the male lead secretly preventing the female lead from going to Italy (and that not being addressed at all??) is just … small dick energy. And the female lead thinking she can’t leave her dad behind for three years? Girl ??? You have a brother??? Are you your dad’s mom? Anyway… the pasta looked good most of the time🍝.
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Finally, it's over!
Finally done with this… show. Was CLOY’s plot this messy too?? It started out so nice, but fell flatter than a pancake. I made the mistake of taking a two-week break between episode 12 and 15, so I had to catch up episodes 12-15 in one day because I wanted to finish it with everyone else. Thank the Lord for double speed and skipping.The show was successful due to a handful of factors: the screenwriter, regardless whether one likes her or not, has created many successful dramas. The amazing leads that are known for their skills. KSH and KJW were great, though I find KSH had less to show in the first 10 or so episodes. KJW had a much more consistent performance in my opinion. The insanity of the plot. And the OST/any technicality such as cinematography, styling etc. The plot of this show was pure dogshit. It got worse with every episode especially after episode 12 (for me).
Now, me personally, I hated BaekHong! 😊 I did not like Hyun Woo as a male lead. I could never fully sympathize with him, which I did easier with Hae In. HW was just kind of unlikable to me, and I’m also quite annoyed that Hae In had to start the mature conversation at the very end of the last episode (even when she apologized for being mean after her surgery?? Girl, it is NOT your fault). How they argued over trivial matters etc. and how that was the reason they grew apart. On one hand you can argue that she takes agency to speak up (especially when you consider how YES took her autonomy the second he appeared on screen until his last breath. That man was obsessed with her and wanted full control over her. He disguised himself as a nice guy, but he was never able to hide that little psychotic sparkle in his eyes. When he wanted to have dinner with her, he chose everything: the plates, the wine glasses, the food, the wine. When he showed up as her guardian at the hospital, when he kidnapped her, when she wanted to collaborate with this dude to be part of the Trillion Club thing, etc.) , on the other it is once again her who takes accountability. Throughout the whole drama, I felt that HHI was sidelined – despite being the female lead. Her feelings, point of view, thoughts… all felt like a second-thought. Both from the POV of the other characters, but especially from the writer. HHI never felt like the priority, it seemed like she had to compromise and put herself second in order to make others “happy” or whatever, and that was annoying. Kim Ji Won is such a stunning actress, capable of giving a nuanced performance of a character that could have been so interesting. However, she gave her best with what she was given – which wasn’t much in my opinion.
The villains. You guys, I laughed so hard when Eun Seong died. Lmao. Anyway, these villains were so over the top that I could not stand it after a certain point. They felt too cartoonish. They got their karma, so that’s good.
This drama could have been a nice little character-driven story – had the writer given the characters more depth. Instead, we got a mix of insanity, barely any (good) romance, lots of trauma, annoying villains… To be very straightforward: this was a clusterfuck of a drama, and I’m happy it’s over.
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“Annoyed that Hae In apologizes to Hyun Woo about her treatment towards him after surgery. Not her fault she didn’t remember him, why must she take accountability… also, when has his ass ever apologized to her? Seems like she compromises all the time for him throughout the show – oh, finally an apology at the end for forgetting his promise to always love her. Instead, he caused her pain.” – live commentary/thoughts while I was watching the last episode LOL.
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I will start with the ending.... because what was that 😭🤣 I really would have preferred something a little more clear, though I think that it was a sequence. Like he imagined her, she died but she never left his side metaphorically...? I don't know.Anyway, I watched "Count Your Lucky Stars" and really wasn't a big Jerry Yan fan, but I have to admit that he was really good in this show. He looked super handsome, the long hair suits him well (minus the extra volume though....), and his styling was much better in this show. I thought it was almost comical how he almost doesn't really talk but overall I enjoyed his calm demeanor.
He Ran was a cute girl, but she could be a meanie when she was jealous lmao. I also think that her pursuing Xiao Han was quite.... intense and intolerable at times, she seemed super obsessive and almost stalkerish at times. But the actress did a really great job playing the character. She is youthful and absolutely stunning, conveyed emotions very well and had great chemistry with Jerry Yan! Loved that a lot.
Another thing that was STUNNING was the music as well as the beautiful cinematography. Just for that, the drama is already worth watching. Just stunning to watch in general. The wedding scene in the last episode was also just mesmerizing and beautiful, wow. The actress looked soso pretty in the traditonal costume and the whole ceremony was just filmed so nicely.
I skipped all of the mom's story and love-plot because I didn't care, I also HEAVILY disliked Han Yu. He was so delusional, I don't know why he bothered He Ran all the time. If someone showed disinterest THAT obviously to me, I would just call it a day. He just never read the room....
Overall, this was a surprisingly SPICY (??? omg) show, the acting was great from the leads, but the ending was only so-so for me. Highlights were the female lead's acting, the OST, and the cinematography.
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Good start, but failed to keep me hooked
I watched until episode 7, but I didn’t catch up in time, so even that episode I watched with some delay lol. I did like it until that point, but people complaining about further development and plot points made me decide to DNF. I didn’t want to see miscommunication, heartbreaks, etc. Episode 1-7 were good, but I don’t want to bother to finish this. I enjoyed the acting, especially Jung Woo Sung's. You can tell that he is an experienced actor, his eye acting and subtle expressions were perfect. The music and cinematography were also very beautiful and complimented the drama well. But again, I don't want to invest in the drama if we get too much *drama* instead of healing vibes lol. I am also currently watching other shows that are able to keep me hooked much easier than this one, unfortunately.Was this review helpful to you?
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Amazing!
This was excellent – from the actors and their performances to the plot and action, the visual and special effects, like you can smell the budget! The ending was great, but it’s open, so I wonder what will happen… Also, the girl Hui Soo saved back in her old school… it was clear there was more to her but the revelation came too late – again, will there be a second season?? The build up to the grand finale was amazing, and the last two episodes got me on the edge of my seat, but I wish the showdown would have been even longer. But overall, this show was fantastic in my opinion.Was this review helpful to you?
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Best OST award goes to ...
This looked like so much fun when it was airing, and I finally watched it too now! What I loved the most were probably the female lead’s dresses and overall styling – it was IMMACULATE. Tens across the board. Her clothes and hair were always intricate, detailed, and so stunning, wow. Another thing I loved was the soundtrack. The instrumentals really turned so many scenes into highlights, I love listening to it (as I am right now as I am typing this 🤭🤭). The show was also genuinely very funny and I think that Li Yi Tong delivered her devastating scenes perfectly – as did Liu Yu Ning!The only thing is that I wasn’t as emotionally attached to the plot, so even though I was empathizing with the male lead (because everyone treated him so unjustly!), I did not really cry with him. However, this was a GREAT performance from Liu Yu Ning, he has the subtle eye acting down and does yearning just so well… 🥹🤭 (though I AM biased when it comes to him lol).
There were some things in the show that were handled badly though (or not at all). The emperor switching up on Nan Heng and making him Crown Prince was… weird. All of a sudden, his behavior was civil, basically loving, while his previous hatred towards the male lead was so irrational (like, why is he blaming a NINE-year-old boy for the death of his beloved empress? Makes no sense). The second thing that left a really bad taste in my mouth is Song Yi Ting sexually harassing Li Shi Liu/Nan Heng and staging a scene that suggests they were intimate in order to decide her marriage herself. This is wrong for obvious reasons as she drugged Nan Heng, undressed him and then herself… and this was NEVER mentioned ever again? She never apologized to him?! She actually wanted Shan Guan He (due to his cosplay as Li Shi Liu), but this doesn’t make this whole situation less rapey! And since they never cleared this whole thing up, her mother ended up being so rude towards Nan Heng after he got married to Song Yi Meng! That lady fully on thought he was a rapist?? And the show didn’t think to clear this up? So weird.
Overall, this show was fun and visually pleasing! The OST is stunning and honestly one of the most intricate and best soundtracks of the year for me! The characters could be quite irritating at times (yes, you, Song Yi Meng! AND especially Chu Gui Hong), and the whole Li Shi Liu/Nan Heng mystery took some time for SYM to finally uncover, and THEN it took time for her to finally be with Nan Heng (like damn, the patience Nan Heng and I had to exert…). But, you know, at least we get a double happy ending, so it’s okay, I guess!
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Epic!!
Man, did I bawl my eyes out in the last handful of episodes… This was one epic show wow. I loved the beginning and knew immediately that I would have a fantastic time watching it. And I was right (obviously🤭). While it had its quieter moments (in comparison to future epic moments), this was amazing from start to finish. I loved the beginning and second half (especially episodes 20 to 26), and last handful of episodes (8 maybe). I loved the steadiness of the characters, their loyalty and understanding of each other. The chemistry between the lead actors was amazing, and I just generally loved how despite the occasional banter the overall romance remained quite mature🥹. They both listened and tried to see the other’s perspective despite having different principles or views in specific situations. Their love was unconditional. I also loved the OST, it’s so perfect and epic. Whenever Shen Li’s theme played, I was happy. I was always anticipating it whenever a fight scene came up because I knew it was going to look extra cool with the music🙏🏻! The cinematography, settings, styling, fight scenes, etc. were also just *chef’s kiss*. And that ending… 🥹🥹 Granted, the last episode was like a big side quest for our couple, and hilarious at that, but the final scene was just so wholesome🪻🥹. Overall, great show, loved it a lot!!💞Was this review helpful to you?
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Epic and tragic tale
Bai Qian and Ye Hua aka chronic gatekeepers of vital information and their true feelings for one another. Ye Hua – King of gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss 🎀 Also… justice for my man Mo Yuan 😔✊🏻.Well… I finished this show. I understand why it is considered a classic. It’s an epic tale of a fated yet heartbreaking love. I thoroughly enjoyed it despite skipping through some parts I didn’t care about (the Winged Tribe lmao). Ye Hua is a male lead that I loved and hated if I’m being honest. This man never properly communicated with Su Su/Bai Qian, which was so annoying. He also forced himself onto her several times, which is… not great.
My girl Su Su/BQ went through so much pain in this show, and it really pissed me off how her pain was constantly invalidated and how her person was vilified. The Heavenly Tribe is one pretentious, hypocritical and annoying tribe. Ye Hua’s mother is on my hit list because she had the audacity to downplay my Qian Qian’s pain as if didn’t matter at all. As if didn’t matter how badly they treated her when she was a mortal, and how she lost her eyes simply because she was falsely accused (this made no sense: how would she 1) know where the Immortal Execution Platform even is? She was always locked away. 2) She was pregnant, ready to give birth. Why would she start beef with that witch Su Jin and push her down the platform? How would she, as a mortal, have the strength to fight the immortal SJ? Made no sense, and everyone lowkey knew. But they regarded her as less because she was a human.). Even when they found out that she was Su Su, they didn’t feel bad for their physical and emotional mistreatment and abuse. No, they feared that she might harm their darling Crown Prince. Always seen as the bad woman. The disrespect the Heavenly Tribe showed Green Hill will always piss me off.
I’m also so sad that my babes Dong Hua and Feng Jiu didn’t have a happy end ☹. I will have to watch their spin-off to cleanse my soul because their conclusion was so upsetting.
Another upsetting thing is the fact that we did not get a wedding?? I mean, yay, Ye Hua is back from sleeping, but give me the wedding you’ve been talking about for the last 30 episodes😭😭🎀… oh well.
The OST is iconic, I absolutely love it. Anyway, this was a rollercoaster of emotions: I laughed, I cried, and I yelled (anger and surprise because Ye Hua might have been a 70.000-year-old virgin when he fell in love with Su Su, but he was one horny Prince!). I can see myself rewatching certain scenes, but might have to skip the sad (and annoying) stuff... farewell peach blossoms🪷🌸.
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I have a headache from crying so much
Cried so hard that I got a headache, my heart is broken and my chest is heavy. I'm taking this personally; I am in severe pain. This show was… absolutely sickening.I was immediately in love from the first episode. The cinematography and tones in this show are so beautiful, the production feels rich and completely took me away. Every episode felt like it was only 5 minutes. The quietness of the show and deep affections of the characters is what makes this drama a high-quality show. None of the characters had to explicitly say anything, it was always understood. The longing, the adoration, the respect – it was all in their actions, in their eyes, in their behavior – I’m getting sad again as I’m typing this.
The actors… Bai Lu is absolutely insane in this show, and so was Ren Jia Lun. His eyes said so many things. He knows eye-acting to a T!
Visually, the show was stunning. The music was beautiful too. The acting was the cherry on top. I don’t have any words to describe this heart-shattering show, but despite my pain right now, I love it. Watching “Forever and Ever” is a must though… this heart asks to be mended – and quickly. ❤️🩹
P.S.: don't take my rating for the rewatch value seriously lmao. I'm extremely sad right now, how could I want to go through this pain again❤️🩹?
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Eternal farewells
Their first meeting was their eternal farewell; her past was his future, and his past was her future. No one talk to me, this was such a unique story, so beautiful yet so heartbreaking. What a drama. From the characters, to the plot, settings, music, and costumes – this was a delight to watch from start to finish, but I am so sad now😭👍🏻This show is great proof that sometimes even a small production can create something amazing and worthwhile, I can only recommend to plunge into the story just like Shen Bu Yan and see for yourself how eternal and bittersweet this story is!Was this review helpful to you?
fantastic treat
The ending… please have mercy on me. This was such a fun and delightful treat. I was so looking forward to this ever since my tiktok was flooded with beautiful edits of this show and i waited for it to be fully released because I knew deep down I would love it (that sounds very dramatic, but it's true!!) Although the plot only moves quite slowly, the characters and their interactions carry the show and make it special. I have to admit that I have been watching a lot of other shows that have shorter episodes so maybe that is why I felt like the episodes were dragging a little, but I always had a fantastic time watching this show.... The settings, cinematography, music, the magic, … just everything was such a great watch. Deserves all its hype. The only character I couldn’t warm up to was Choyeon… she put Mudeok in trouble (several times), always whining or pouting and bratty… I don’t know, she just wasn’t my favorite. But overall: great watch. I am excited and scared for part 2.Was this review helpful to you?
Psychological Horror Trip, But Worth It!
I spent 60 episodes subjecting myself to psychological horror, but I had a good time. It took way too long for the bad guys to be properly punished, and yet they still got rewarded in some cases, which was so annoying. This show is one long, arduous journey of heartbreak, betrayal, and scheming, and it is unfortunate that the subtitles were probably so simple that most of it got lost in translation ☹.Regardless, I have to say that I loved seeing Wen Xi in her (short-lived) villain era after the Crown Prince told her that her father’s case was to be swept under the rug after all. The betrayal hurt, but it was mutual, and I like that she gave him a hard time. For the most part, she was the one taking the fall and chasing him, so her giving him the cold shoulder was chef’s kiss🤌🏻And, honestly, overall, our guy Ding Quan should have been a villain for the neglect and mistreatment he suffered… and all of it endlessly, like he never caught a BREAK😭💔!! The acting was amazing though, especially the emperor was great with his micro-expressions. Both leads captured the longing and yearning so perfectly too, I was honestly sobbing during the last episode lmao. (I admit I cried way less that I thought I would, but the special cut is waiting for me, so wait and see). Great show, but I don’t think I could ever rewatch?! The OST, however, is on REPEAT! I never skipped the intro because I was busy humming to it. Bless the composer who made the music🙏🏻👑
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