mycloverformrdarcy

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.

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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.

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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!!💞

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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!

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Infuriating classic

Wow. I finished this show, I cannot believe it. It took me 2 months (with a little break in between), and I can say.... it was a rollercoaster of emotions.

the good:

- The music slaps so hard, it should not be THAT good. The OST for this show was absolutely amazing, one of the best I dare say!
- Lee Min Ho looked adorable in this show. I think he was like 21 when this aired, and he looked so cute and handsome (despite some of the terrible clothing and his curly hair lmao)
- Woo Bin. I feel like the poor guy did not have any lines until Jan Di went to Macau lmao. He deserved some more screentime because I found him so funny with his random English phrases lmao.

the bad:

- The show was 25 episodes long, and it definitely could have been a little shorter. I got tired of the antics in the last couple episodes.
- Ji Hoo. I am a Ji Hoo hater first and foremost. I do not understand the hype around this man at all. I never liked him, from start to finsih I disliked him. He just kept being too close to Jan Di, even when she was with Jun Pyo, which was super annyoing to see. Especially when he visits her in the fishing village, and he tells her he can't live without her... boy, she is in this fishing village with a broken heart, what are you doing? BE QUIET. He gave me the ick.
- Jan Di's parents. They were so annoying and delusional
- Jun Pyo's mother, obviously. The woman was a complete loser and stalker. Literally pretended like her husband died too, like wtf was that? I hated seeing her smile in the last episode. Also, her double standard?? Jae Kyung was basically Jan Di in rich and privileged? Otherwise, both girls had similar personalities: outspoken, bubbly, thick-headed, outgoing. But anyway.
- Jae Kyung. I liked her at first but my dislike grew stronger once she decided she would move in with Jun Pyo while Jan Di was working as a maid. When she asked Jan Di to her room, showing off her wedding dress, that was when my hatred grew stronger. JK told Jan Di that she would not give up on Jun Pyo, but her means were unfair and annoying. Literally asking Jan Di "Did you not think of me as a friend", but then basically showing off her privilege and wealth.
- Whatever that plot with Yumi was in the last episode lmao??
- The bullying here was far more terrible than in "Meteor Garden" since our F4 had a cult-like following of boys and girls, and these people just decided to joint-bully whatever student. Physical/Emotional abuse/assault and even attempted murder, like ??
- the styling was terrible. Why were these high schoolers dressed like grandpas :(

Overall, the show is cult or whatever, but it was so exhausting to watch it. It had its good moments but there were too many wtf moments. The OST deserves some Grammy's though!

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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.

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Banger

This was so, so good! I did not expect to love this drama as much as I do now, but this was such a great family drama (although the initial plot is a bit … questionable, lol). I wish that misunderstanding could have been cleared earlier for the sake of the romance. Shen Yuan’s love was palpable, but the development of Yi Ning’s feelings going from sisterly to actual love was so quick…! However, I absolutely loved how they were onto each other in the beginning😈 It was so much fun to see how she knows and how he knows that she knows. Their loyalty and care, their tacit understanding of the other was done so well! Another thing I loved was Yi Ning’s relationship to Madam Lin and her grandmother! I saw the latter in “The Sword and the Brocade” earlier this year and I was lowkey so scared she was going to be the same kind of nightmare character🫣, but instead she turned out to be such a lovely grandma! Madam Lin was such a mama bear to Yi Ning, truly the mother that stepped up!

Now … the second pest – ah, male lead. What a PEST. That man kept harassing and stalking Yi Ning, using his status as Marquis to appear everywhere uninvited and unwanted. He was so annoying, it was pathetic. Like, at one point you’ll have to choose your ego and let it go!! Yi Ning rejected him repeatedly, and he just kept going, like have some DIGNITY my guy!

Anyway, I grew totally attached to the leads, their families and their stories that I had happy tears in my eyes at times, lmao. Such a good show… I’m sad to let it go now. Also, I lowkey hallucinated a scene in which Yi Ning is sleeping/unconscious in bed, and Shen Yuan is sitting by her side, crying… Did I imagine this scene, because I thought I saw it in a TikTok and for some reason it didn’t appear in the show, unless I didn’t watch attentively… lol. Well, this a GOOD time I spent with this drama!🌟💚💚 Also, Ren Min had pretty princess syndrome throughout the whole show, whatever you say pretty doe-eyed princess….!!

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SO CUTE

This was so cute😭😭 My only criticism is that the ancestor misunderstanding took way too long to be resolved; the parents’ conflicts were also very redundant (and so was the stupidity of the brother and dad). Had the writing been a little better, we could have gotten the** cutest couple ever. Li Yun Rui really got me with this drama, he just has the yearning down like a pro! He also just fits historical dramas so well to be honest. Wang Ying Lu was also so great, I need to watch more of her shows. The male lead was such a green flag through and through, the chemistry among the cast was so enjoyable to watch, and the show had me laughing out loud more than once! Even though the ending is controversial (we should have gotten a bit more than them looking at each other…), I found the last episode so emotionally charged and beautiful. We spent a big amount of time with no dialogue, just a montage of scenes, and it really pulled at my heartstrings – it was done really, really well. This series was truly so cute, low-stakes, and fun. Just the writing was a little weak at times…!

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Worthy sequel in my opinion!

This was such a worthy sequel in my opinion! I am lucky to have started this right after the first season, that way I was still in the story and just as emotionally invested in the characters. And even though the beginning felt a lot like jumping from one tragedy/obstacle to the next, I really enjoyed the plot anyway. I loved seeing how the leads’ relationship slowly progressed, however, I agree that their development was frustrating. Not too much to irritate me, but … well. S1 did a good job establishing Mu Dan’s and Jiang Chang Yan’s communication skills as well as their tacit understanding of the other. Yet in S2 we see misunderstandings happening that result in lack of/miscommunication, which felt like a cheap trick to force tension and conflict. Did the romance still pay off for me? Yes, but the forced back and forth sure was concerning.

I must command Yang Zi here, of course, because she was such a standout this season again. Her delivery in emotional scenes was insane, and she instantly held my attention🤩. A scene could be tense, and as soon as she opens her mouth, I’d have tears running down my cheeks (looking at episode 19/20👀). Also, the scene in episode 21 when Mu Dan is drunk, dreaming about Jiang Chang Yan, and wondering why she can touch him. What a gut punch… Zhang Ya Qin also pulled her weight even though she disappeared in the middle (?? Where the hell was she), but the confrontation scene in episode 6 with Liu Chang, and her desperation and anger at his relentless pursuit of Mu Dan, was so well done emotionally.

Overall, this season was really nice, and I enjoyed it a lot. It made me smile, laugh, and especially cry! Also, appreciation for She Yan, my fallen lowkey random side character I have some emotional connection to… 🥹💖

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I love women!

What a show … finally finished a Yang Zi drama, and I am glad it’s this one. Wonderful show about female resilience and innovation; I loved the flower business as well as Mu Dan’s endless ideas to expand her business! The cinematography was to die for, and so was the styling. The acting was amazing; I was especially very happy to see Wei Zhe Ming play a more complex character as I am used to his green-flag good guy characters. Yang Zi… when she cries, I cry with her, what an actress. And Li Xian’s eye-acting is just unparalleled to be honest. He brings so much warmth to a single glance, it’s amazing.

Here’s a link to my small Sheng Yi character “analysis” : https://www.reddit.com/r/cdramasfans/comments/1m76otq/flourished_peony_sheng_yi/

Now moving on to S2!💖

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Great concept!

I really liked this drama, it was conceptually and visually impressive and unique, which I really appreciated since the premise isn’t all that new. Song Zu Er is an absolute gift that keeps on giving, she nailed every emotional scene - when she cries, I cry with her! The romance wasn’t my cup of tea to be honest, simply because the chemistry between the leads felt more platonic than romantic, however, I still enjoyed their dynamic! My favorite arcs were probably the puppet demon and the painting arc! The acting during the puppet arc was so well done, and I loved seeing Ban Xia kick ass while they were trapped in the painting! A nice switch-up since she usually physically depended on Xuan Ye to be protected. I understand why it ended the way it did, but the very last scene could have been different lol. Other than that, the show was decent, I just wish the storylines had been a little shorter as the show felt a little too drawn out! The OST was so beautiful as well btw!

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