This review may contain spoilers
Action packed wuxia with fantastic martial arts!
It was a joy to watch nicely choreographed fighting sequences that didn’t have CGI for a change. Gave me a bit of an Ip Man vibe but with added fantasy elements of poison experts and fantastic sounding moves.I enjoyed the first part of the story much more when the ML and FL were together and fighting for justice. It broke my heart when they had to part and I’m glad I read some reviews before watching this so I could brace myself for this heartache. I did wish they would end up together in the end but it was not meant to be.
The ending was brief and sad. And didn’t really shed any light on the twin boys whom the ML was entrusted to take care of. Overall the story was a 7.0-7.5 and I bumped it up to 8.0 because of the nicely done martial arts sequences.
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Romance done right
I loved the romance in this drama as it didn’t overdo the misunderstandings or have overly dramatic jealousy or other love interests. It was realistic, sweet and hit all the right notes with me.The conversations between them flowed so naturally, be it when they were lovey dovey, supporting each other or even taking potshots at each other. Watching them fall in love was the best part.
Costumes were top notch and I just loved the gorgeous flowy dresses that the FL wore. Sets were outstanding and I loved the aerial views and how the camera just pans down in one long take and follows the characters around - wonderful cinematography!
Storyline was good overall with some minor plot holes, some characters didn’t sit well with me but I easily overlooked this as everything else was done well. It has been a while since I’ve watched a Chinese costume drama which has good romance and this one delivered beautifully!
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Simple yet touching
The FL’s portrayal of an autistic genius attorney struggling to find her footing in a new environment was very realistic and it was the best part of this drama for me.The writing was a good balance of introducing different cases each episode and revealing more of Attorney Woo’s personal life while we cheered her on as she gets her cute ~aha~ moments.
I also loved the romance and the realistic considerations surrounding it from both the FL’s and ML’s point of view - extremely touching and heartfelt. Not many scenes on this but when it did happen, it was perfect.
Watch this not to have your mind blown but to have your heart moved.
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Beautiful Romantic Comedy
Perfect for the times when you need something simple and sweet as there isn’t even a villain or nasty jealousy in this drama.Typical for these types of drama, there is a high degree of coincidences which lead to many characters somehow bumping into each other and getting intertwined with each other. It was well done and created many feel good moments especially how the second ML tries to help our the FL.
It was nice to see that the story didn’t go overboard in the beginning when there was friction between the ML and FL. The tension created here was much better than in Secret Garden as the ML here was basically just reprimanding the FL for her mistakes which came about as she was afraid of being found out. Once she stopped making those bumbling mistakes, the scolding stopped too.
For most parts, I found the FL’s acting enjoyable to watch especially the warm moments with her best friend, her nervousness and clumsiness and her touching moments with the ML. Unfortunately, I found her loud yelling behaviour to be out of character. It was a big stretch for us to believe that she developed this rough loud behaviour just because her family became poor. If she ended up mixing with people who had this behaviour, it would have been understandable, but her best friend whom she lives with has a ladylike personality.
I enjoyed many of the conversations in this drama as it was open and honest. Watching the ML tell the FL why he loves her made my heart melt. There was some self sacrifice and misunderstanding but thankfully not too much. One stand out scene for me was when the ML and FL had a long phone conversation talking about everything under the sun - very real and brought back fond memories of my own experiences.
The ending was not rushed and nicely stretched out with a few interesting elements. This drama left me feeling good and happy.
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Is he good or is he bad?
Good… Bad… I flipped flopped between both answers with every episode I watched as the story was masterfully weaved to keep me in suspense right till the end.The courtroom drama was superb and I absolutely enjoyed the way the devil judge punished the criminals. All the twists and manipulations that went into getting the desired outcomes were very well written and very engaging.
Seeing the devil judge’s stark contrast between his two appearances (hair up and hair down) while at work and at home brought a smile to my face and I was soon captivated. The other contrast between his cool outward appearance and his love for his niece was night and day and he did it brilliantly.
The storyline is one of the best I’ve seen and coupled with great pacing and editing, this drama was thoroughly enjoyable with its fair share of surprises and reveals.
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Cry me a river of tears
Reading some reviews, I knew there would be heartache but went ahead to watch the first episode and I was hooked. This drama toys with your feelings of melancholy and longing to the extreme so if you are in the mood for this, just make sure you have your tissues nearby.Lots of coincidences made this story overly dramatic but I overlooked this as I bought into the ML’s love, pain and suffering. It was an added bonus that he was handsome with a great physique - my preferred male lead unlike those who are too pretty-boy and skinny. The FL was a good match for him and while I enjoyed her acting most of the time, it was a bit annoying during some of her screaming scenes.
It was sweet during the brief moments when the leads were happy together and yet bittersweet when you know it could never be a happily ever after ending for them.
I appreciated that the ending was not rushed and even the side stories had satisfactory endings.
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Cotton candy romance
A nice introduction to Japanese romantic drama for me. Finished it in one sitting as it’s only 8 episodes with each only lasting 20+ minutes.I wanted a fluffy sweet romance and this drama delivered with good acting and an unusual storyline. On some levels, it is realistic as there are many people who have been caught up in their pursuit of career building, that their personal life takes a back seat. This drama explores the intimate side openly and I liked the way we could hear the thoughts of both the leads.
Good for those needing a quick dose of romance without needing a strong plot or character growth type dramas. Just like cotton candy! Airy sweetness made from only a few grains of sugar.
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Captivating in spite of its flaws
Romance was touching and I appreciated the way it developed without the usual drawn out hidden feelings that other dramas like to use. One of the sweetest moments for me was the walk in the snow. Something different with a little extra touch to hint at the budding romance.I found myself reading the synopsis of each episode while waiting for the advertisements to finish playing - something I have never done before as I prefer to let the drama unfold without spoilers. So many twists and turns that I ended up reading all the synopsises ahead of time! Strangely though, it didn’t spoil the drama too much for me but helped warn me of impending heartaches.
The storyline for the 2 main romances was strong. The falling out of love / separation reasons were well written and did not involve jealousy or love triangles. Unfortunately, the non-romantic plots were not very strong.
I love period dramas for their costumes so was a bit disappointed with this drama - the gauzy material for the male costumes did not sit well with me as with the last Emperor’s costume which looked too big for him. Music was also a miss at times with English lyrics and modern beats. While the 4th Prince’s acting was good, he didn’t really embody a ML persona that I envisioned for this drama. The 3rd and 8th Prince were better for me in terms of looks and physique. My last gripe is how the ending looked like it was set up for a second season.
A decent watch if you’re more interested in the romance and how it changes over time.
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A true ROMCOM! :D ;D :D
I thought I would find it too weird to enjoy a romance that involved a body swapper so I have been putting off seeing this drama. But surprisingly with each episode I watched, I found myself starting to see the FL more as a female instead of the man who was in her body so the romance became sweet and funny.This drama pulled of comedy very well with on point exaggerated acting and sharp witty dialogue that flowed naturally and was timed perfectly. It managed to strike a nice balance with some of the more serious stuff going on such as back stabbing and plotting.
I wasn’t expecting historical accuracies here so was thoroughly entertained with this story. Good to see the love triangle not overused and working out nicely for all. Each episode ended with a big cliff hanger that kept me hooked until the wee hours of morning. Beautifully planned as I cannot remember another drama that managed to keep setting up such dramatic cliffhangers for every single episode.
Do expect that the last episode may leave you feeling a bit let down as the ending was mainly a convenient type of happy ending leaving some unanswered thoughts.
Overall, a good drama to make you chuckle if you do not analyse the story too deeply. After all, this is clearly fantasy since it involves body swapping with a person 200 years ago. So just go with the flow, accept the quirky storyline and you’ll be rewarded with a drama that embodies the true sense of the word ROMCOM.
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Life Lessons with a Quirky Touch
This was a feel good, light drama with a unique story line where I enjoyed the writer’s version of how heaven is managed and the purpose of the mystic pop-up bar.Although some parts of the story was predictable, it didn’t detract from my enjoyment as the acting was good and I liked the pace at which the flashbacks were introduced until the whole 500-year old history was revealed.
What kept it real was the different people’s grudges / regrets and I found myself being able to relate to some of it. Some lessons learned along the way as well. The beginning episodes focused more on this and dropped little hints into their past lives. My curiosity was piqued and thankfully I didn’t have to wait long before more was revealed. Not earth shattering but satisfying enough if you don’t expect too much.
I liked how the story kept some suspense on the 2 male leads’ past lives. And quite cleverly kept me guessing who the FL would end up with as well.
A good watch if you are after something simple and heartwarming with a touch of quirkiness.
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Romance right up my alley
I’ve usually avoided modern day dramas as I prefer the settings and costumes of historical dramas but was hooked on this from the first episode.The story line was unique and I loved being able to glimpse into a likely North Korean rural lifestyle which gives me a better appreciation of what we take for granted everyday like running water inside the home and 24-7 electricity. Being transported to Switzerland every now and then was a feast for the eyes though I found it a little odd that Kit Kat chocolates were highlighted there.
The chemistry between the two leads was strong and it was a realistic romance that blossomed from just feeling right with each other rather than the usual overly dramatical stereotype of strong kind female who does loads of good things which catches the eyes of heroic male lead that saves the female lead. Here, they started having feelings for each other before the male lead started to show his more heroic side.
Love triangle was not overdone and this is much appreciated and I liked the little snippets at the end of each episode which I initially missed as I was quick to jump to the next episode. So do watch until the closing credits.
My heart strings were tugged repeatedly with each goodbye the leads had to go through so it was a welcome break to have some comedic relief from the wives in the military village and Captain Ri’s subordinates.
I enjoyed the story telling style which creates the right amount of suspense and tension as little bits of information in the past are revealed at different times. It was a sweet destiny with many encounters between the leads which although we know is not likely to happen in real life, we are more than willing to escape into this romantic fantasy.
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Charming narration of the girl-impersonates-man story
Although the FL’s impersonation of a man was even less successful that that of The King’s Affection, her cute demeanour and impish smile made watching this drama most entertaining.It was also a big plus that I loved the ML’s charming smile and their chemistry together.
The general story was the typical ones found in other palace dramas as well but this was told well and had little differences to the story that made it very engaging.
One of the earliest Korean period dramas I watched and I am loving the story telling style much more than the average Chinese drama.
A good watch especially if you find the ML handsome and the FL beautiful.
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Good ending to a well produced drama
This new drama had wonderful production which compelled me to finish the drama despite not fully buying into the FL transformation to a male.The story line was good and the ending well paced. Lots of attention to detail on the costumes and the setting was very realistic. It had your usual love triangles, plotting and revenge but was tastefully done.
Although the acting was good, I did not find myself drawn to the ML and FL like I did for the previous drama I watched, ie Rookie Historian.
Watch this if you like palace dramas with intrigue.
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Not your usual Palace drama and it was MOST entertaining :)
Palace dramas usually focus on the king and his beloved so it was so refreshing that this storyline was between one of the princes and a court historian.The FL was pretty and witty and paired well with the boyishly charming ML. Theirs was a romance that was sweet and funny and made me feel good.
Learning about how historians played an important role in the palace was eye opening and this focus made the whole drama more appealing to me as it was something I had not known about before.
Do watch this if you need something lighthearted and romantic.
You will find yourself smiling at the end of the drama :)
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Light hearted romantic comedy with a unique story line
The first wuxia I watched last year and it brought back many fond memories of kungfu shows that I watched in my teens.Zhao Lu Si was cute and charming and had wonderful chemistry with her male lead. The story line was unique and entertaining. Seeing women in charge and men as subordinates made for many a good chuckle.
Do not watch this expecting an epic story with super realistic props and settings. This was a low budget drama which was well made.
This drama is perfect for those wanting a simple story that is entertaining with some romance and laughter.
Rewatched in April 2025 and it is even better than I remembered!!
No other drama has given me this beautiful combination of romance and comedy. Episode 16 when the couple take forever to say goodnight to each other much to the chagrin of their assistants is something I have not seen to this day and no other drama has made me feel so warm, fuzzy and funny at the same time like this scene does.
So while this drama’s wigs, make up and costumes are a bit lacking, it is easily overlooked when it delivers so much more in return with the couple’s chemistry and unique story.
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