A slow-Burn without the burn
Overall:It really feels like the writer played things way too safe, making the whole drama emotionally bland and in my opinion - boring.
I guess it works if you're just looking for something to "watch", but there’s very little humor or emotional intensity to make it truly exciting. There's nothing here that really makes you look forward to the next episode, and I often felt tempted to skip scenes (including the romantic moments between the leads)
Cinematography:
Visually, the drama is just as uninspired: grey, generic backgrouns, basic, flat cinematography, and an overall lack of aesthetic identity. The OST is nothing special and functions more as background noise than emotional storytelling.
ML:
The male lead keeps the exact same attitude throughout the entire drama, has no real flaws, and is overly "sweet". There’s no emotional range or expressiveness, which makes the romance feel boring rather than engaging.
FL:
What I found most irritating is that the female lead only has two or three expressions: a serious face when she's playing the rich girl; the same repetitive (almost forced) innocent giggle every time she's with the ML or a pitiful "sad" expression directed at him.
Was this review helpful to you?
Love keeps ringing
Overall, it's an enjoyable rom-com.I like Dylan & Bai Lu, but the main couple’s storyline drags a lot 😮💨, especially in the middle. Luckily, their pacing does start to pick up again towards the end.
One great thing about this drama is that it has multiple couples and honestly, the third couple (Qin Shi Yue & Yu You) saved the slow middle part for me - they were my favorites!
Qin Shi Yue is funny, honest, decisive, and easily the most emotionally mature character... I honestly wished we had more scenes of her and Yu You.
Now, the most annoying issue (and I never thought I’d write this😅): did the writer ban every other way of interrupting a couple except phone calls?? They might have a thing for ringing phones… Seriously, the phone rings constantly from start to finish, always to interrupt the couple, and it becomes absurd. Add to that an excessive number of misunderstandings, and it gets a bit frustrating.
Despite its flaws, it still entertaining and offers a good amount of romance.
Was this review helpful to you?
Like Reply 1998... but not quite
Mixed feelings about this one.I watched it after Love in the Clouds with Hou Minghao and wanted to see more of his work.
At first, it felt like Reply 1998 - youthful, nostalgic, and bittersweet. The leads’ chemistry was great… but from episode one, when Lu Xiaoxiao loses his chance at the entrance exam, I immediately sensed some Shonda Rhimes–style drama coming.
Thankfully, it wasn’t that tragic. The show just shifts from reply 1998 vibes to a When Life Gives You Tangerines tone, ending with a very Inception-style “wtf just happened?” finale and, by the end, I was just as confused as at the start.
The characters are interesting because they have flaws and we get to see their growth. I especially liked Bai Li and her struggle to be "free," which felt very compelling. However, the writing often fails in storytelling. Some characters are introduced and developed, only to be forgotten halfway through the plot, leaving their arcs unresolved.
In short, it’s a captivating series that keeps you watching, with a ML and FL, though the ending feels rushed and some characters are simply written out.
Was this review helpful to you?
A sweet romance that somehow tastes bland
My review after finishing all 28 episodes: sweet but overrated. The drama has beautiful scenery and those typical slow-motion romantic moments. The story is a kind of slice-of-life with no heavy conflicts or red flags. Supportive friends, a warm family atmosphere, and both the female and male leads are complete green flags... everything you'd expect from a comforting, feel-good drama.But in the end, it tasted like unsalted popcorn. What went wrong? Well, if the narrative itself doesn't create tension or excitement, that responsibility falls on the main characters - and here, they just don't deliver.
Unlike other dramas in this genre, you don't get that overdose of sweetness or that urge to step into the screen and be part of that community. Apart from the kissing scenes, the chemistry is missing, as well as that comforting sense of warmth. And although the narrative is consistently focused on romance, it still fails to pass that feeling to the viewer.
In the end, the drama feels like a utopia: a gentle, romantic world with no villains, yet somehow still rather flavourless.
Was this review helpful to you?
So bad It’s actually good!
The entertainment is guaranteed 😂 Not sure how to explain it, but this series is so bad it’s actually good. It makes zero sense, it's just pure chaos! A killer octopus in a swimming pool (laughed so hard at this), dragon, zombies, gun fights, sword fights… it literally has everything!The special effects are below zero, but the soundtrack is amazing. And the chemistry between the couples… what was that??? 👀 I was getting shy just watching. The tension between the FL and ML is insane!
I honestly don’t even know what rating to give it, but I definitely enjoyed it and I do recommend giving this series a try!
Just don’t take it too seriously and it becomes a really fun, steamy romance.
Was this review helpful to you?
