randomshowenthusiast

I randomly watched this since I found it on a whump-list and it was overall an addictive & enjoyable binge-watch for me :)

They handled the transmigration well: they gave ML a background explaining his very detailed knowledge about the history + they were consistent with him being sportive/skillfull but not suddenly being a martial arts expert + having some smarts/modern-day knowledge that could be helpful to him, but still having to learn some things the hard way (dying ouch lol).

I liked the growing friendship between the 4 main charas, it was a believable development from random meeting between the 2 MLs to absolute trust forged by having to rely on each other due to repeated threats/life-death situations.
The ladies had their own little arcs + motives + strenghts, so for a mini-drama with multiple main-charas they were decently developed throughout the show's journey :)

The charas felt like real people with some layers/faults which was leaving me frustrated with some of their actions, but also made me root for them even more than if they had been unrealistic saints haha, solid first season to me ^^

Really enjoyable binge-watch for inbetween, tastes are different but I had fun and wanted to see more, they hit a few right buttons for me:

FL is young and has some 'naive' moments at the start, but luckily the show didn't give us the infantilized FL cliché, instead they went with spitfire/hotheaded/carefree & strong martial arts.

For ML we get hidden identity & poisened & whump & devoted ML (but some antagonistic phases with FL).
They play around with some role-reversal elements for some aspects of the show, so we get the FL kicking ML's ass, but also saving him :)
The show has a nice mix of comedic elements & martial arts sect clashes & (begrudging) romance with ups and downs.

2nd couple has minimal screen-time, but are cute too with 2nd ML also being a devoted 'loser' in love :)

examples of missed important chara-development imo:

1) Tim's debt leading to scamming & the parents practically running away from the situation, just for it to suddenly have no impact at all and a weird 1 min 'reconsilliation'

2) Pai being burdened with responsibility & later on feeling unloved by his family was mostly showcased through his grandpa yes, but hello he actually had parents, turns out they were alive lol?!? and if you have '0 impact parents' then it should be used to show a distant relationship, not as if them being afterthought add-ons to the story was a totally normal family-dynamic

3) I knew the grandpa would get the usual 'elders can do no wrong' family reconsilliation, but he felt personality swapped: they had to go through a multi-step plan just for the grandpa to be willing to see Pai and after Pai had to spell out the years of hurt it was an instant switch to grandpa being supportive

4) yes Pai is a very reserved chara, so that a lot of his struggle about Tim's betrayel was internalized is realistic, but besides Pai having a very quiet breakdown & slow internal rebuild of himself, which is not easy to show in a visual medium, they then also minimized it by not giving the situation/chara room to breath:
not even 24hrs of peace for Pai, Tim was instantly there trying to reconnect as if it all was just a minor misunderstanding while they e.g. didn't even talk about Tim being a 'sugar bb' until before the wedding.
Instead Tim turned into a manchild wailing & clinging to Pai's leg in public and it all being played off as pure comedy...
They had some good scenes, e.g. Pai saying goodbye to Tim's fake-self, but in the end it didn't outweigh the 'flat' scenes to me, a year-long betrayel and the sense of 'do I even know this person I trusted the most' should've been more in focus for the chara-interactions & relationship-rebuild imo...

there are other points beside these, but overall it's just a lack of care imo for the story-development, 12 epis felt like a lot of time to tell this story and yet the script choose the most shallow route in many situations...

It's for my 'it had potential, but fell flat'-category...
for the first half they had me fully engaged in the story/charas & I was emotionally involved (started watching when epis aired), but later epis were Not living up to my hopes for story/chara-depth and I just finished it now to get it done, overall 8/10
(first half of the show & the acting & chemistry between the 4 doing the heavy lifting for this rating).

I feel like overall they had an interesting story-idea, but didn't fully know how to explore it or what it would actually entail for the charas' emotions/development.

So many things (plotpoints, chara-interactions) felt 'half-assed' when they should actually be important chara-motivations.
I haven't read the novel so Idk if there's just not more to work with and the script-writers didn't bother to add chara-depth for the show or if this is the scriptwriters screwing over a novel that had a more well-rounded story ^^

ranting about 'missing plot/chara-depth' examples in the spoiler below ^^

Thanks for the reply, maybe at some point I'll give it another chance ^^

it just started to air ^^ (might be further on iqiyi, but that's geoblocked for me so Idk)

The 1. epi is available free on YT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWLDs6AHY6M

Good start, I'm here for it :)

Tastes are different, I'm 6 epis in and I'm struggling to continue ^^
I like my enemies to lovers trope when they're on equal level, Not when it's just one bullying the other.
FL is a country girl without any martial arts or knowledge about the world/politics and stumbling on an assassination attempt while trying to sneak into a banquet, from then on she has no agency of her own in the epis I've watched so far:
ML makes multiple attempts on her life and also is beyond powerful on the political level while threatening her repeatedly...the Only thing she managed so far is a Failed attempt to flee & Failed attempt to give him wrong info to comply with one of his threats (and well since she failed it's back to nothing)

Nothing against toxic ships, but don't try to sell them to me as cute romance.
if they're out here BOTH betraying each other or stabbing each other, I'm fine with it, but not this one-sided...
( for more equal enemies to lovers I prefer e.g. Fated Hearts (starting as enemy generals trying to kill each other) or Are You The One (no spoilers so let's just say 'hidden identities')

Btw absolutely nothing against the actors, they're literally the reason I've even made it to epi 6 ^^ ...but it's also becoming predictable that they'll 'ruin' 2nd ML in the plot soon to make ML the 'only option for FL', so I'm gonna take a break from this (just tired of this type of writing atm ^^)...

we got so many hints about past 'accidents' related to the crown and practically nothing of that even was attempted to work through, it was all solved with a 'the current king survived so let's be ok with that and let's not dig deeper cause it would also bring problems to the child-king' which yeah ok valid, but it left me feeling a bit 'meh' about the depth of the actual created storyline besides the romance...

in the same sense I also feel the switch of the queen-mother and Huiju's father and it all being resolved without any fuss felt a bit shallow, I'm aware of the 'parents can do no wrong in asian dramas' story ending, but I rlly wanted more chara depth and a lead-up to suddenly being all smiles in the end, oh well ^^

The rushed-plot-feeling of the 2nd half of the show also took away some of my expectations to see Huiju slaying some more in the palace and I-AN having more of a chance to show he's learning to stand-up for himself from her.
since their marriage contract leak they both often were in reactive mode (they still handled everything well of course and yes IRL doesn't give you breathing room to make grand plans in peace either esp considering their opposition, but it still felt like we were robbed some 'ass-kicking' scenes from the main couple ^^

I def enjoyed it overall and from a romance-drama perspective it was really cute with a fun dynamic for main cp but also the side cps :)
BUT I also feel it fell short of its' potential considering the plot & chara-depth:
in the first half of the show we got a set-up that could've lead us deep ino working through past miscunduct/corruption/assasinations etc, but the last half of the show barely touched on any of that again, instead it felt like a fast-track for a reduced plot & main focus just a 'happy end' and not much depth left of how we actually made it to the end ^^

This could've been a 14-16 epis drama if they had kept digging deeper into the plot they started ^^
But like I said, overall still a good watch with charas I loved ^^

some of the things that could've been handled better imo in spoiler below

you're welcome, hope you'll find your taste in the genre, there are hundreds of shows and once you'll get a feel for the mythology & your likes/dislikes for certain tropes there's a lot to discover ^^

Tastes can totally be different and I def don't want to say 'watch 40 epis of something you don't enjoy' (but otoh it is more complicated if you skipped things) ^^
yes they do throw you into worldbuilding but try to condense it down to the most basic 'immortal sect in superiority phase makes stupid decision to oppress mortals and main charas have to decide on their own moral compass' and go from there in the next xianxias, you might find similarities ^^

e.g. if you were overwhelmed by sect details & other things you might find in xianxias from cultivation levels to myths about gods then don't feel discouraged cause there are common tropes and similar myths so if you just check out more of the genre you will discover it's easier with each drama ;)
(also xianxia often involves social commentary & reflection of prejudices etc)

As for recs, tastes are different, but as start into the genre maybe check out:

a) Fangs Of Fortune:
It doesn't have such extensive worldbuilding and is more reduced to 'demons vs humans and case-solving'. It reminds me of a book full of fairytale stories, you have a common thread you'll follow through it all, but there are individual cases/stories for the side-charas of a few epis each.

b) Fate Chooses You is actually related to another drama, so you'll recognize some of the worldbuilding now with a focus on different charas & time-period of the world:
A Moment But Forever - the FL chara is the goddess Wushuang (the craftsmanship the mortals tried to preserve in Fate Chooses You)

c) The Last Immortal
It too has a large ensemble cast with different sects, but it’s easier to take in imo, since the viewers are kind of learning along with the FL who in early epis is forced into ‘being a newbie’ to everything (losing her cultivation level and memories) and then develops throughout the show ^^

d) The Starry Love
sisters are switched on the day of their arranged marriages and have to adapt to being in the immortal realm & demon realm, so again it’s a chance for the viewer to learn with them

e) Song Of The Moon
might’ve the lowest MDL rating of my recs, but I enjoyed it anyway and I’d describe it as coming of age story, FL enters a sect (so again growing with the chara) until she later on is fully involved in immortal battles, reincarnation etc ^^

f) popular dramas I haven’t 100% finished yet:
Love Beyond The Grave (starts with Spirit FL and mortal ML)
Moonlight Mystique (starts with demon ML and mortal FL)
(in each show the mortal person is learning about the immortal realm)

g) Maybe you enjoy more comedic takes on the genre for starters
1) the mini drama Thousands Of Years Of Love - you’ll see in the first few min how silly it is, but it’s only ~ 3hrs and still gives some info on xianxia tropes

2) Once upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain - full length bromance (imo) drama with comedy elements

Overall solid and entertaining xianxia, but the pacing could've been better at times.

I get they often struggle to give real chara depth & development to such a large ensemble cast, but e.g. 3rd epi (or 4. Idek) with introducing like 10 new charas at once on top of FLs total switch up from 'minding her own business to murderous revenge' felt a bit clunky and later on they too had a few instances where I wanted a better balanced pacing or more 'show us not tell us' ^^

But still an enjoyable binge watch with entertaining charas :)

I wish MDL would mention the connection to the related dramas, it's not a 'you must watch them to understand this' of course, but I honestly wouldn't have connected the dots to A Moment But Forever on my own if I hadn't read a comment (even tho I watched it), because honestly xianxia easily can have common myths/tropes without directly being related dramas ^^

official release is on Gagaoolala
1st epi is free on YT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N16pV9WY1w4

Really good start, I'm already invested, but wdym it's only 8 episodes?!?!?! considering all the intrigue & border issues & multiple relationships I rlly wish this would be 12-16 epis :')

Oh yes will def add POJ & our matrilocal husband to my list when I've finished watching it :3

I think it simply depends on personal taste, I like how the women are written in it, still patriarchal society but carving out space for themselves depending on their own situation :)
It has intrigue & dramatic moments, but is overall more on the light-hearted side.
There's double-life/hidden identity and Ig everyone thinks diff about that and might want it shorter or longer in the plot, but I think it was acting as an interesting foundation for the main couple, give it a try and see of you like it ;)

yes, I'm def not an expert on the topic, but in Thai schools/university some seem to have a lot of 'pride/honor' in their fights (some with guns)...

just randomly googled and even over a decade ago this wasn't a new problem and they e.g. tried to get some of the assaulters through a military bootcamp to channel the violence:
https://www.arabnews.com/thailand-schools-grapple-student-gangs

and it's still ongoing (this article form 2023) with a student not even reporting that he was shot cause he doesn't feel like the police will do anything
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2023/11/04/2003808682

edit: Ig just like KDramas about bullying/school violence having a sad foundation in reality, these shows exist for a reason, we just got more of the comedy side for MuTeLuv ^^

sadly these rivalries have literally been deadly over the years for some...

Thanks :)

haha same, I haven't finished COH yet but love Top Form, hope you enjoy the rest of the series!
Just curious since I saw your 'power bottom enjoyer' do you have any recs? ^^