ronnie091

Not Hidden Love but BETTER

I'd like to start off by saying that for all you Hidden Love fans who've been waiting for this (spin-off? prequel?? not sure...anyway) the only similarities you will get are some of the character names, locations and one song from Hidden Love played at OverTime, Sang Yan's bar. This drama has a completely different vibe, tone and cast. I have to admit that I'm not a huge fan of melodramas because they can be dark, dreary and draggy but this one had me hooked!

The story: As I said before, you're not going to get the light-hearted sugary fluff here like we got with Hidden Love. (WARNING: This story centers around the FL's past trauma of abandonment, loss and s*xual abuse. So if any of those topics are triggering for you I do not suggest you watch this show. Nothing is shown to the full extent and the romance is still plentiful/ beautiful but her trauma is a big part of the story.) The OST and cinematography are drastically different as well. This drama is way more adult and lays on the real-life issues thick. For a melodrama with a dark setting, I was expecting a slow/boring start. But there is A LOT going on within the first 2 episodes in terms of action and plot building incidents. Right out of the gate our FL is put through so much. It's almost hard to focus on the love story with how traumatizing her life is. But seeing how strong and genuine of a person she is, you can't help rooting for her happy ending. The slow burn is intense and has a very organic feeling so it's not frustrating at all.

Main Characters: Wen Yi Fan is a very sad character and not your typical FL. She's timid, soft spoken and has these innocent doe eyes. Her sweet disposition will melt your heart instantly. She doesn't act babyish or use a whiny voice at all like some FLs but her mannerisms and microexpressions are naturally cute. She is also kind of ditzy and bad at math, which she manages to make endearing somehow. And in every decision she makes you can tell that despite all she's been through she still has a good heart full of compassion and resilience. At first, it's strange to see a character like her choose to be a journalist because she isn't naturally aggressive or assertive like most journalists are. As the show progresses she explains why she loves her field so much and it's because she can help people like her through telling their stories. This is all probably why she has such a chokehold on our poor Sang Yan. Zhang Ruonan was perfectly cast for this role. Her beauty was on full display and her acting just got better and better. All of her emotional scenes had me ugly crying with her and it takes a lot for me to cry during a drama.
Bai Jing Ting's SY is different than Victor Ma's but appropriately so. He needed to be more serious for this story but also even more charming. What was consistent were SY's style, pride and arrogance. BJT did a great job of keeping those characteristics while putting his own spin on the role. We see a completely different side of SY here which is his bleeding heart that is glued to WYF. Even though it's clear that she hurt him in the past, it's like he is programmed to automatically give to her and help her. It's both sad and endearing actually because in the beginning, although he cares for her, he doesn't trust her enough yet to tell her the real reason he does the things he does for her. Yet, he still never really punishes her for rejecting him in the past. And that's a testament to how deep his love is for her and how pure his heart is. He stalked her a lot back then but once you learn he made a promise to always be with her, it becomes obvious that it was out of concern. He's always sensed that something was wrong back then and although he didn't have the confidence to confess to her all those years they were apart, he still took it upon himself to be her guardian angel. My heart was so full once they finally got together because their obsessions with each other only grew. Sang Yan really is the perfect boyfriend. He's always just what WYF needs and he helps her to heal and grow with confidence. Although she's beautiful, he loves and accepts all of her- her flaws, her baggage, her ditzy side. It seemed like where most people who run from someone who had all these problems, he loved her even more because of them. I thought BJT killed this role. It also helps that BJT has the eternal face of a high school boy with the voice of matured man. This made the flashbacks more realistic. ZR also has a versatile face and acting style. The two of them together were flawless.

Side characters: Siqiao is easily one of my favorite 2FLs of all time. She is smart, hardworking, and a great friend to WYF. When Xiang Lang rejects her, the thought of being bitter towards WYF doesn't even cross her mind. She's WYF's cheerleader and support in every situation and doesn't give her bad advice like drama bffs usually do. I also love that within her own life, she takes care of everyone around her but when it comes time to seize her own happiness, she doesn't get desperate and jump right into something with Su Haoan. She knows he's been jumping from one bad relationship to another so she tells him to court her and fall for her slowly, so that he can learn how to be in a healthy relationship. I found this really impressive and mature of her.
Su Haoan was funny and good friend to SY but other than that I didn't feel much for him. Xiang Lang is very handsome but has the personality of a block of ice so I found his character to be a useless filler.
Sadly Duan Jiaxu and Sang Zhi are only side characters here and honestly added nothing to the story accept familiarity. But their unimportance really doesn't affect anything for me. This drama stands on it's own.
Finally...the family from hell. I don't think I've ever been more disgusted with a drama mother. This woman has no soul and my heart broke for WYF this whole drama because of how she was discarded time after time. Although her aunt and "uncle" hurt her tremendously, I still hate her mother the most. Because if her mother had cared for her properly, none of the horrible things would've happened to her.

OST & Cinematography: I liked the OST from Hidden Love. This one isn't better per say, but the songs are still catchy, and fitting for the drama. The one song from Silence Wang is my favorite. I couldn't help but laugh while it played when SY was walking up to the noodle shop in Beiyu in the rain. It looked just like a music video.
The cinematography is brilliant. I don't know how to describe it but along with the solid directing/writing, the whole production was gold. The transitions, camera angles, layers of color and lighting really draw you into the emotions in every scene. Especially when there is no dialogue the scenes speak for themselves. For example, when WYF is living in her first place the setting and production really gives you the feeling for how sad her life is. The trains go by her windows in her tiny room all day long, casting non stop flashes of light off the walls and off of her face putting on full display how depressing her life is. Also the scene when SY beats up those guys who threatened her, all lot was said with no words in this scene and not having dialogue here was way more powerful and effective. Even the lighting in their apartment looks romantic and dreamy when they're together. But when she's not there the rooms look grey and somber. The attention to detail was impressive and the production team really created the perfect setting to fall in love. *chef's kiss*

The ending: Perfection...I don't think I've rated a drama a 10/10 since LBFAD. This drama was a masterpiece from beginning to end. The writing, the acting, the chemistry, the pacing, the cinematography, the overall story...all perfect. I don't even know what drama to start next because the bar is so high now!

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

-Dian kitty is so adorable. I want one just like him.
-EP 4: WYF being bad a math is kind of adorable and we can tell SY acts annoyed but thinks so too.
-EP 8: SY is WYF's sun in her dreams and in real life. He brings her warmth and light in her dark life. The romance and poetry in that just gives me the feels... Then it's the morning after our first stolen hug and WYF wakes up like she just had the best sleep of her life, meanwhile our poor boy SY is still sitting wide awake in bed all disheveled and frazzled. Oh the power of one hug from WYF XD
EP 9: More math struggles for WYF lol That umbrella check SY gives the intern (I refuse to use his name) was great. I sympathize with SY during the movie. I'm also scared with him bc the movie clips they showed were actually terrifying. But WYF trying not to laugh at him is too funny/cute. "Jobs are looking for me" LOL typical SY comment.
-EP 11: The misunderstanding with both Sang Yan and Jiaxu in their robes at the breakfast table. Siqiao's laugh is everything. For someone who is so prideful and arrogant, SY never ever truly punishes WYF for hurting him in the past. I think because he's always had a gut feeling that something else was going on based on what he silently observed when they were in school.
-SY babyproofing the house.
EP 12: WYF must have never seen someone drunk before because SY's act was not good. Hilarious. But not good...However, SY man handling the intern and throwing him over his shoulder like a ragdoll...very good. He emasculated that boy for life. The next morning...I've never seen someone get into an elevator in a sexy way but leave it to SY ;)
EP 14: There's not much else to say in this episode other than YAY. Also SY's bed does look more inviting and comfortable. Where did he get that set of sheets from?...And he definitely came out of that shower shirtless on purpose. His hand gestures are so funny as he follows her around the table complaining that she always handles everything the same way. I would assume he was faking drunk again if he hadn't ended their conversation with that vulnerable request she stop spending time with other guys and then coming home and feeling him up LMAO
-EP 15: WYF having enough emotional intelligence to not believe that SY is being nice for revenge when people suggest that. WYF's self control because if BJT dared me to violate him I would have to take that dare
EP 16: If this phone can't contact WYF anymore SY doesn't want it anymore. Time for a new one.
-EP 17: WYF is slowly gaining confidence and opening up to the women around her. She's finally having girl talk with her friend at work and bff and it's great to see her finally caring about herself and her feelings. Hopefully she will open up to SY soon because it's definitely living with him that's giving her her self worth back! And Siqiao is actually a great friend. She's hardworking, there for WYF whenever she needs her and doesn't give terrible advice or act annoying. She's very down to earth and cute.
- EP 18: SY SHOWING UP at the noodle shop in Beiyu. SWOON. And then their sweet confession outside in the rain. And then the flashback to remind us how she broke his heart under an umbrella last time, but they are now reconciling under similar circumstances in the same town. Ahhh, it's been a while since a romance had me smiling and giggling like a school girl. In the epilogue when they show him from the back walking with the umbrella up to the noodle shop with the song playing, it reminds me of the most romantic music video I've ever seen XD
-EP 19: SY doesn't even know about her s*xual abuse and yet can sense how skittish she is so he only teases verbally, never pushes the limit physically. Also these two are equally obsessed with each other which is making for the cutest honeymoon phase ever.
-EP 20: Okay, I'm a puddle on the floor. Someone come mop me up! The first official kiss on the ferris wheel was perfect. I love how SY starts wearing khaki colors now because WYF likes it. Their first dinner together and I'm crying too. WYF is just so sweet, earnest and beautiful. If I was a man she would have me wrapped around her finger too with how sweetly she's opening up and showing her vulnerable side. Also SY saying "Just like your choice in partner, you deserve the best of everything." lol another typical SY one liner.
EP 21: I'm happy that Siqiao doesn't want to be a rebound or liked just because she helped Haoan and now he has hero syndrome. She's really smart and strong for saying that to his face. She's also weary to trust him because she knows he's a hopeless romantic and she's seen the type of girl he previously dated. She also tells him to fall for her slowly because she knows how quickly he's jumped into things in the past. I really like and respect her. She's quickly becoming one of my favorite 2FLs...I'm still rooting for them because he seems to have woken up and realized what type of woman deserves his devotion and special treatment. They are both givers and it's time they both received.
EP 22: I appreciate the attention to detail. WYF's dorm in Yihe is identical to Sang Zhi's in Hidden Love. The intern's confession is silly. He thinks he's more important in WYF's life than he is. She never cared what he had to say lol Moving on...this couple walks in a room and turns heads. That whole wedding was admiring how good they look together. Drunk WYF is too funny. She's definitely me when anyone tries to wake me up. SY is a GOOD BOY. Really shows how much he loves and respects her, all the restraint he shows. She really makes it hard too because she is velcro when she's drunk. Couldn't help but laugh watching him pull her fake eyelashes off.

Dislikes:
-They dress WYF like a school teacher sometimes. But I realize she doesn't like to draw attention to herself or believes that she deserves to buy pretty things to wear.
-How much she gets obsessed over and sexually harassed. There's no denying that WYF is beautiful but it's a little dramatic to think that every male she crosses paths with is a deranged pervert. The incident with her uncle is traumatic enough but then adding in her first roommate, her old boss, her new colleague etc...It's just a bit much. We could still get the point with less of this.
-SY getting a "real job" just bc WYF asked if he had one besides the bar? Since when is owning a bar/restaurant not a respectable business? Idk, thought that was weird and unnecessary but maybe I'm missing something.
-Creepy college kid with a crush on her. He's an aggressive little weasel and makes my skin crawl.
-WYF's weird drunk kitty/SY hallucination. Was this supposed to be funny? I hope so...
-How low her self worth/esteem is because she was discarded when she was young. She doesn't believe SY has evil intentions towards her but she doesn't believe he could still care about her or that she deserves him. It's so sad :*(
-They're pushing the Pizza Hut product placement hard in this drama. Which is more funny than annoying I guess but as someone watching from the states where we don't have a lot of good Chinese food, seeing Pizza Hut is triggering lol
-Introducing the gaming pen pals trope late in the game just seemed pointless and like lazy writing.

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Not terrible but definitely not a favorite

I watched this for Esther Yu. In LBFAD she started out annoying but grew on me bc she eventually matured. I thought it would be the same with this drama. But she stayed babyish and kind of annoying having very little character growth. Also the main plot is supposed to be about her being in a game and her having to "stay in character" that just stopped after episode 7. That was what made it interesting. And the main couple just wasn't completely convincing. There is definitely chemistry between the two but the romance was just okay. These two were together in Moonlight and I thought they were amazing in that drama. But here, I just wasn't sold. There were cute moments between them but all she did was cry instead of confessing how she felt when the moment came. And then, boom?, we're supposed to believe they're in a committed relationship headed for marriage? And then after that they acted more like buddies than a couple. The best acting and most emotionally moving scene for me was when Mu Yao found out Mu Sheng's true identity. And then the ending was just nonsense. Why make him the author? And then why not show them back together in reality after that or at least meeting? And what happened to everyone else?

What I did like was the friendship theme and how she changed the other character's fates by creating a bond between the 4 of them. Ding Yuxi's acting was fantastic per usual. Mu Sheng is still a great character with great potential. I believe it was simply the loose/lazy writing here that made the story fall flat for me. Not the actors' fault at all. Despite being babyish, I still find Esther hilarious and entertaining and will still watch her any day. She always does a great job with delivering her funny lines and her facial expressions. The 2nd leads were decent. Cuicui was better. The production was great. They did a n awesome job with the costumes, fight scenes, setting & effects and the music tied it all together. Nothing bad to say about any of that either.

Overall it was watchable until the end. No boring moments. But probably won't rewatch it and definitely not a top favorite drama.

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If Pirates of the Caribbean had a baby with a C-drama. One of the best drama's of 2024!

The Story of Pearl Girl had me hooked from the first episode. I give a lot of credit to Zhao Lusi for learning to swim for this role because the under water shots were amazing. I'm not going to rip apart the CGI because I could really care less how the waves look or how realistic the sharks looked. The budget was used in the right places. Everything looked stunning and I give credit to all the set and costume designers for making this a truly beautiful drama to watch.

The story: ... This drama took risks! So a lot of people are hating on it. But I personally loved it. Duanwu's story grabbed me instantly but her tenacity and sincerity is what really made her character so likeable. Then the romance between her and Yan Zijing was a sweet addition. The show was definitely dark and did not sugarcoat anything but I found it refreshing. But it also wasn't so dark that it made me depressed and the characters still showed so much relatable emotions that kept it interesting. I think it was a good balance. Sometimes when dramas are too serious the characters are too cold and emotionless, but all the characters here did amazing at showing all sides of the human heart. I'll admit that I almost quit watching midway after what I like to call the "red wedding" episode. And it's because of this episode where we lost Shrimp that this drama doesn't get a 10/10. I'm still grieving! But I'm glad I came back and finished this drama because it was truly a great watch.

Lead characters: Duanwu started out as my favorite but YZ took that spot once their romance started. He was one of those male leads that is obviously pleasant looking but his looks didn't really strike me at first. But by the end of the drama I found him to be one of the most handsome and charming male leads. I give credit to the actor for that. I'm familiar with Liu Yuning's songs but his acting here was top notch. He gave life to this character. I particularly love YZ because although he is cold-hearted in his decision making and hell bent on revenge, he is not the typical robotic tsundere. He has a cheeky/playful side from the beginning which makes him more human and likeable.

Supporting characters: I didn't love Cu Shiju. She is beautiful but her acting was just okay, she wasn't evil enough to be a memorable antagonist so I didn't hate her either. Her ending was lackluster for all her efforts throughout the show. I actually loved the second male lead, which I usually don't care for. He was just adorable, sweet and earnest without being too pushy or annoying. Shrimp and the others grabbed my heart in the first half but Lady Shi Qui and the others in the second half took over that spot by the end.

The ending: I did not mind the ending. They set the precedence from the very beginning that this story world was cruel and no one was getting free lunch. We knew from the first few episodes that YZ was sick. I think that if they had showed him as a domesticated man in the end it would discredit his character. He was never going to be a loving husband and father. He was lucky enough to have found love in an unexpected place. And I'm glad they didn't show his death either because I didn't need to see it. The only alternate ending I would have liked to see was if DW had a baby with him and that baby could grow up and carry on the Yan family name and business as well.

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I absolutely loved it!...until I didn't.

The first 10 episodes were captivating but they do not set the stage for the rest of the drama unfortunately. The tune changes so drastically about 5 times throughout the show that it feels like you’re watching a completely different story each time.

The Beginning Episodes: LOVED IT.
Liu Yuru is a sweetheart, strong and smart. She calls herself a pessimist but I’d say she turns into just the opposite from her wedding day on. She chose to take a “gamble” and try her life out with Gu Jiusu. Believing he was not that bad after simply hearing he had pleaded to have the dowry shops put in her name. She quickly accepts her fate and takes control of her life, proving herself an intelligent, kind and worthy daughter in law. I absolutely loved how the Gu parents instantly adopted her as their own and started treating her better than Jiusu XD The only time you saw Jiusu's dad with the proud father smile was when he was looking at Yuru. The only thing that I find conflicting is for someone so strong she cries a lot and over anything. Pretty sure she cried in 3 eps in a row. But at least her crying isn’t babyish or annoying like some FLs. Song Yi is a cute and effective actress.
Gu Jiusu. I don’t care what he said or how he acted in the beginning. He may have said it as a joke but I felt that he definitely fell in love at first sight. No person who truly dislikes someone and wants to “get back at them” would agree to pretend to like them to get on their nerves. The thought to weaponize someone’s mutual disdain for me wouldn’t even cross mind if I truly disliked them because I couldn't stomach even pretending. He thought of it himself and used it as an excuse to see her again.
But I also believe that he genuinely felt bad once he realized that the joke had led to her being forced into the marriage. Being impetuous and spoiled he clearly didn’t think that far ahead. And it’s just a testament to how golden his heart is, that he puts his feelings to the side and prioritizes her happiness before he even knows he’s in love with her. Although she was harsh with him from day one about changing his ways, his resistance is half hearted and I think he begins to realize it’s his way of winning her over. And it totally works. Even though they both agreed to dissolve their marriage once one of them win’s their bet (I honestly don’t remember the specifics of the bet. She makes a certain amount of money and he ranks first in his exam I think?) Not important. Because it never happens.
Bai Jing Ting did great in this role. His facial expressions perfectly portrayed the jokester, bratty Jiusu in the beginning. He was just hilarious and had me laughing out loud. Then in the later episodes his expressions seamlessly shifted towards sad, stern, and wise. Although I loved New Life Begins, he wasn’t able to show off his talent and range as well in that drama because of how somber that character was meant to be.

The Later Episodes: …Well, this drama felt like it NEVER ENDED. Like I said before it felt like watching 5 different stories in a row. I have no problem with a slow-burn romance, or less intimacy until the later episodes. But the plot just dragged. New Life Begins was just as long but I was able to watch every episode without FF or getting bored. I was hoping this would be the case here too.
I did not like the villain. The actor is okay. But I’ve never really fell for the sad villain origin story so I did not care about his emotional scenes. Everything he did was just annoying and added to the story being dragged out too long. And the political scenes were too tiring. If this drama’s main focus was political turmoil and war, with the romance being a side filler, then I would say the story and scenes were definitely well done. But it’s clearly marketed as a romance. Between episodes 12-15 the romance goes from 90% down to 10%, giving this drama no clear focus in my opinion. Also, I could’ve done without the desert scene and the fake death.

Overall, I just don’t think this drama was well balanced. I have mixed feelings because whereas I think everything they wanted to convey was well done, I think there were just too many extreme changes that it gave me whiplash. The comedy and sweetness in the beginning was misleading and then when things turned dark, it was like a 180. And again, not against a slow burn but it just wasn’t a believable slow burn because it’s not like it took that long to confess they loved each other and commit. That happened in the first half of the drama. But then they just became like an older married couple and skipped the passion. They would sleep next each other all the time and speak to each other/about each other as if they were an established married couple. So the fact that they never kissed or consummated their relationship until years later seems unrealistic.

Cinematography/OST: Cinematography was great. Beautiful settings, costumes and the hairstyles were cute/tasteful, not over the top or distracting.
OST: Just okay. The songs were sweet and slow.

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DRAMA HACK: Watch this AFTER Love Game in Eastern Fantasy

Wound up watching Love Game in Eastern Fantasy last month and it left a lot to be desired. The drama hack is to watch Moonlight AFTER you watch LGIEF because then you can just pretend that Ziqi and Miaomiao's relationship just continues in the real world ;P Even the bunny shaped apple slices make an appearance in both!

Actually, in all fairness, I do believe that this drama is good all on it's own. Ding Yuxi is such a dedicated and talented actor. He has one of the most expressive faces in cdramas. While I didn't care for LGIEF story that much, his acting is undeniably great in both of these dramas. You can tell he definitely puts his all into his acting and truly became Zhou Chuan and Mu Sheng. As for Esther Yu, I really love her singing voice and her comedy is always spot on. No one else can deliver the funny scenes the way she does. She just falls short in the emotional scenes in every drama for me. I think it's because she does so well in the funny/silly scenes that I don't take her seriously when she's trying to be sad. But her chemistry with Ding Yuxi is undeniable and I love watching them together all the same.

What surprised me with this drama is how engaging it was. The workplace story wasn't boring to me at all. I had no prior knowledge of the publishing process before and how intense of a job being an editor could be. The writing and pace were both perfect in my opinion. Every character's growth was both substantial and realistic, especially ZC and his father. Their ending scene almost made me cry. The balance between the comedy and romance while also portraying their career stories was done really well.

I also credit the actors for keeping it interesting. ZC starts out as a grumpy, immature introvert but I felt myself siding with him. He hated most people but loved his dog. I think a lot of us are like this! To me, his reasons for disliking the people he did were actually justified because a lot of people in his industry were just trying to take advantage of him. I also really liked that Chu Li came off as sweet & silly but she was actually pretty straightforward, fearless and intelligent. Watching their love grow was so sweet from start to finish. The more you see them together the more it becomes apparent that they are made for each other. When Chu Li is in trouble at work or sad about anything, ZC scrambles to do anything he can to make it right and make her feel better. Throughout most of the show ZC is pretty strong and independent when it comes to his career but when the ghostwriting scandal comes up you can see how much Chu Li loves him because she cries more than he does when she sees him breakdown and become sad and vulnerable. Neither of them are perfect people but they really do make a perfect couple.

It's also nice to see that there are no other serious competing love interests for either of them. ZC only has eyes for Chu Li from the beginning and rolls his eyes at any other female attention. Chu Li only gets excited over the small things with ZC and gets so giggly when he does anything for her. Although his best friend seems to find her cute and interesting and openly confesses to wanting to date her, he's really doing it to agitate ZC and scare him into showing his true feelings. Also, Chu Li's reaction is more horror than her being happy or flattered and she quickly tells him she likes someone else.

Side stories: It's very rare that I don't find the side stories boring but I actually didn't fast forward these scenes. They perfectly weaved in Chu Li's efforts at building her career into the story and made it relevant to her relationship with ZC. The second male lead is also lovable and his love story is just as sweet, that and his bromance with ZC. I actually found him more likeable in Moonlight than as Liu Fuyi in LGIEF. He was adorable, caring and way more expressive as Jiang Yu Chueng imo. Liu Fuyi was too stoic for me to really care about.

The ending: The ending was beautifully done as well. I won't go into detail but they did a great job with closing every character's story. I also love that Er Gou stayed a relevant character in every episode and they didn't phase the pet out after some time like I've seen in other dramas. This drama was tasteful, heartwarming and satisfying from start to finish. Definitely recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the two leads and definitely recommend watching it AFTER Love Game in Eastern Fantasy.

-----Favorite moments:
- when ZC gets drunk the night before and Chu Li teases him the next morning, making him think he proposed.
-also the following scene and how mad ZC gets when JYC is confessing to Chu Li
-when ZC finally gets his revenge on Chu Li when she gets drunk the night before and he makes her think they kissed. The scene in the living room is comedic gold and just spectacular acting from both of them.
-ZC & JYC's "big fight". Their friendship is as hilarious as it is endearing.
-ZC internet searching how to apologize LOL
-ZC internet searching how to not break up on vacation LMAO. He's so emotionally inept but his efforts are too adorable.
-ZC is doing research at Yuan Yue and Chu Li tasks him with listening to pitches from new writers. His reaction to the 1st horrible writer had me in tears. Needless to say the task was taken from him after that.

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Sleeper drama - WAY better than Red Moon Pact!

I've noticed a lot of people saying the same things. I went into this drama with little to no expectations because of how bad Red Moon Pact was (I did not finish the predecessor lol). I was pleasantly surprised at how this drama slowly pulled me in episode by episode...

The ML is a big reason for this. I have not watched Zhang Yun Long before but after watching LIP, I am a fan. His character Wangquan Hongye is my favorite in this drama. He's powerful and completely goal driven, but as serious as his life and situation is he still doesn't have a serious or boring personality. He's playful and caring towards the ones he loves and when he falls in love, he's an absolute adorable puppy dog. By the end (SPOILER) he had me crying with him. ZYL did an excellent job in the last two episodes and really portrayed how broken, empty and hopeless of a man he became after losing most of the people he cared about. But then allowing in a smidge of happiness when becoming a father and soldiering on.

As for the FL, Liu Shi Shi is not my favorite actress but I don't hate her at all. I have mixed feelings about the character Dongfang Huiazhu. LSS's face is beautiful and I had no idea she was in her late 30s until I looked it up, but she's just not very expressive with that gorgeous mug lol There's also not much range in her voice when she's portraying different emotions. None of these opinions would put me off from watching her again though. At the end of the day I still think she's watchable and effective. I still found myself rooting for the main CP's romance from ep 1. They looked great together and were a perfect match when it came to their personalities and powerful positions in their families. I found their love to be sweet and you could see by the end how deeply they cared for each other. There were also no competing love interests or misunderstandings that led to unnecessary break-ups etc...

Side characters: besides the ML, the rest of the characters shown brighter for me. The entire Masked Group stole my heart, especially Li Gou and Wangquan Zui. Shen Yue's character, Dongfang Qin Lan was very pretty and hilarious as well. Only two of the side couples had enough scenes to make them significant. The first CP is Wangquan Zui and Yang Yitan of course. Their love story was so natural and innocent. The 2nd CP was Zhang Zheng and Qingmu Yuan. That story was great and the actors killed it like always. I did want to see more of Red Eyes and Mu Mie/Qin Lan and Li Gou. But neither of those stories turned into anything positive.

The villains: I like Lin Bo Rui but his acting here was just okay. He has such a cute face too but there was zero emotional sell for his character. At the end of the day, he got the job done I guess. Jia Lan was very pretty but we didn't get enough scenes with her not in smoky Black Fox form for me to care for her. But the entity of the Black Fox itself was a formidable antagonist. She made you terrified of her and hate her at the same time. Jin Renfeng was a useless weasel in my opinion. I couldn't stand his face or listen to his voice so I mostly spaced out during his scenes. The Nangong family were better villains but they weren't significant for long.

The ending: This drama ending was not a happy one, but it was actually executed well for a xianxia. The story ended on a straightforward and impactful note. Both the lead actors did a great job in last 2eps as well.

Music/Cinematography: The songs are sweet and catchy. Very fitting for the drama. The visual effects weren't awesome but not offensive. The costumes were nice and all the characters looked great in my opinion.

Overall, I'm happy I gave this drama a chance despite not liking RMP. I got way more into it than I expected to and got so attached to my Masked Group :( I'm actually excited for Sword and Beloved now. Please don't let us down!

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If you need a mental pick-me-up watch this drama!

I started this drama with 0 expectations on recommendation. I was hooked from episode 1. The first 5 episodes of this drama were so funny they had me laughing out loud so much that I had to keep rewinding because I would miss the next scenes. When Li Wei first met Yin Zheng and thought he was dying soon and prepping all the gifts for him was just comedic gold. Also, this couple pairing is perfect. LW is very independent, sweet and a total foodie. YZ is a genius striving to gain recognition and power in the palace but he is also humble about it, determined to make something of himself based on his own hardwork and honesty. What these two have in common is that kindness is second nature to them and they will always put helping others, especially each other, before helping themselves. They slowly start to depend on each other and become inseparable by the end. Watching these two strong characters fall in love was like watching a piece of artwork come together. YZ definitely fell first but when LW falls she actually explains why to her best friend. She loves doing the simple things with him like eating, reading, daily life etc...it was soooo sweet. They also give you enough romantic treats, such as a kiss by ep8, to make the slow burn worth paying attention to.

Acting:....This is my first time watching Tian Xiwei and I found her acting surprisingly good. She plays cute & silly but not too whiney. And her emotional scenes were heart wrenching when she cried. She's also undeniably and strikingly pretty so I found it ridiculous when they called her plain in the beginning... I don't think Bai Jingting's full talent was on display here but he made the character of YZ come to life and made him more loveable than any other actor could. He also has a nice voice and isn't bad to look at so that helps. Honestly, I find it more impressive sometimes when the two leads don't seem to like each other off camera, but are still able to create strong and convincing chemistry on screen. When watching the BTS you can tell they are comfortable and friendly with each other but they keep their interactions professional. There doesn't seem to be any BTS attraction or extra playfulness going on between them like you can observe with a lot of other BTS from other dramas.

Side characters:....This show is considered in the "feel-good, lighthearted, disney-ish" categories. There are no real love rivals for either the FL or ML, which is refreshing. Also there are many, many supporting characters of which none are really more important than the others but all still pretty loveable. All of LW's girls are awesome, especially Shan Guan Jing, Dong Hai Tang and Yuan Ying. Yes, Yuan Ying does come in as a potential issue for the main CP but they squash that immediately. As for the men the 3rd & 5th lord are both ridiculous people but sooo hilarious. In the end their sincerity and care towards their brother and their wives does make you love them. But my absolute favorite has to be Su Shen. He's not just YZ's butler but he's also like his parent and his number#1 fan. But this man is the definition of funny without trying to be. In some scenes he doesn't even need to be talking and I found myself laughing at his expressions and antics.

Main plot:...YZ's fight to climb the political ladder and LW's fight for women's rights are the main focuses of this story. Their goals often intertwine and bring them closer in the end. Both of these plots were both interesting enough but I could really care less about the women opening a restaurant together or YZ creating new currency. That got a bit draggy. But other than that I still do support the themes and there was justice for everyone in the end. The main villain is the 2nd lord and YZ's older brother. He is sexist, greedy and has no conscience. He's also really dumb and gets outsmarted by YZ, his own wife and his concubine constantly. He gets what he deserves in the end, which you could easily predict given his stupidity and predictability. As far as villains go, he's not the greatest or most memorable but it works for a light-hearted drama like this.

Overall, this drama is worth rewatching because it just makes you happy inside, which is more credit to the actors/actresses than the story but who cares. Also the visuals are stunning from the costumes, setting and the food looks delicious. SPOILER>>>there is a VERY happy ending and that made me VERY happy.

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Start a drama off with zombies and you've got my attention!

This drama is very interesting so far. Besides being a Bai Lu fan, the costumes and setting also drew me in. It's kind of giving me a xianxia shot in Ursula from the Little Mermaid's lair vibe. Loving that so far...

Story: All the characters are pretty interesting. I'll admit that I didn't really start liking Bai Shuo until they left her hometown. There wasn't enough emotional build-up prior to make me feel anything when she lost her father. I know that sounds terrible, but forcing this emotional trauma right in the beginning is one of the areas that detracts from my rating. That and I just don't think the bratty daughter image works for Bai Lu. She has a very mature face and voice so I don't buy her stomping around and fighting with her dad all the time. Their relationship just wasn't convincing to me. Anyway, moving on...

I enjoyed the Outlander City arc but from the Fox Clan arc up until the last 7 episodes dragged. This drama could've been 5-10 episodes shorter in my opinion. I didn't start enjoying the story again until Xing Yue and Jing Yuan's romance. And then it was short lived and done in 2 episodes. I actually loved their story so much and wish they had their own mini drama.

Characters: I'm impartial to Ao Rui Peng but there's no denying how cute he looks here. This may be his best looking character to date. As for his acting, both him and Bai Lu are far from terrible, but neither have ever moved me to tears before. I'm more a fan of Bai Lu's modern dramas because I feel her comedic performances are better than her emotional ones. Unfortunately, I'm just not feeling the love between these two yet, which is another detractor for my rating. They both look drop dead gorgeous, like you can't look away from either of their faces when they are on screen, but the romance hasn't grabbed me yet. Which is disappointing because off camera at public events, social media, variety shows etc...they have great chemistry and both look like fun/flirty people. Seeing their clips together is one of the things that got me excited to watch this.

BUT, the 2CP definitely has my attention. I liked Fu Ling right out of the gate. It's been a while since I've actually appreciated a good villain and I'm a sucker for the gorgeous but evil queen trope. Everything about her is captivating from her first appearance. She has this cute, beautiful face, she comes and goes by disintegrating into flower petals, and she has this adorable female baby Groot thing that follows her around. And yet, she is rotten as they come on the inside. Love it. Perfect villain. And now this little spark brewing between her and Chong Zhao has got me fully drawn into their story. It also doesn't hurt that the 2CP is equally as gorgeous as the main CP. I would love to see Chong Zhao as a ML in his own drama because wow is he pretty.

I'm hoping this drama ends as strongly as it started, but mainly I'm hoping the main romance kicks up and the acting improves a little more. Then I would definitely change my rating.

Cons:
-Fan Yue and Bai Lu are very pleasing to the eyes but not very convincing in their roles. I don't find Fan Yue that intimidating. From the start, it's obvious he has a hidden persona that isn't so bad. Bai Lu has too elegant of a face/aura for me to believe she is a bratty young girl. Also, it's pretty obvious from the start that Fu Ling is her older sister. But Fu Ling has a cuter, sweeter face which makes her look like she should be the younger sister.
-The main CP romance is hard to describe...it's not exactly a slow burn but there's also not a lot of passion leading up to them getting together so idk... but it's not doing as much for me as the 2 CP's story.
-The OST is borderline insufferable. These type of songs just aren't my taste and the same 2 are overused.

Funny/Memorable parts so far:
-Xixi (aka female baby Groot) If she's on screen, I'm smiling.
-Bai Shuo always getting the upperhand over Fan Yue and him getting frustrated after being outsmarted multiple times. Her getting bitten by a zombie on purpose was wild and his reaction was hilarious.
-The whole Mu period was great. He was sweet, earnest and adorable. This character had a more believable temperament for Ao Rui Peng. Besides his appearance, I still haven't gotten the menacing vibe from Fan Yue. Regardless, Mu is a definite favorite so far and went away way too fast. Also, afterwards Fan Yue being jealous of himself was too funny.
-Fu Ling. Her story is sticking with me. I feel for her the most. She was the most caring, protective and thoughtful little girl. If she had never been turned evil I truly believe she was a better person than Bai Shuo. Bai Shuo is just fiercely loyal to those she cares about but Bai Xi's actions are more inherently kind. Especially towards Chong Zhao bc Bai Shuo admitted she never cared for him. Even as a friend I always felt that Bai Shuo only prioritized him when it was convenient for her.
-Fu Ling & Chong Zhao's relationship has me fully invested.

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Missed opportunity for a great drama

Like most people are saying, I watched this for the pairing of Dylan Wang and Bailu. While they make a visually pleasing pair, I just didn't love this story. I also felt like the weak writing, directing and overall plot put a damper on both of these actor's abilities. We know both of them are capable of better because we've seen it many times before. They could've done a lot better with this drama in my opinion. Shiyan is a robot. The fact that a smart, strong, confident journalist like Shuyi would actually fall for a character like him just doesn't resonate with me. I get it that she was pretending to like him in the beginning for personal gains but he was so completely rude, cold and lifeless in their interactions. Even when he started to do little sweet things for her, it wasn't charming because he wouldn't talk or explain himself at all. Dylan has a great smile. I don't think we saw more than a smirk this whole drama. Also, her antics were cringey and it took forever for them to get together, just to break up soon after and drag that out too. All of the characters they brought in to create jealousy were not entertaining and annoying. Her ex bf seemed unnecessary and a waste of screen time. But the romantic scenes were passionate and well done, better than some other dramas people are saying, but not enough to save the whole show unfortunately. There were 2 side CPs, her best friend w Shiyan's best friend and Shiyan's niece w Shiyan's other friend/love rival for Shuyi/professor. Shuyi's best friend is emotionally damaged and thinks she is clever with men but she's not and it takes her the whole show to admit she loves the guy. The niece relentlessly pursues the professor, like stalker creepy and eventually gives him stockholm syndrome and he falls in love. Didn't care for these couples either although they were all stunningly gorgeous. That seems to be a theme of this show. Let's watch visually appealing people get together and say and do dumb things. The side story with the technology stuff was pretty cool and well done. I don't understand all of it but it seems like they put more effort into developing the career/business aspects of the story than the actual romance. They really took the lemons they had and squeezed them down the drain with this drama instead of making lemonade.

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A common trope done well. Short and sweet drama...

I'm typically not a fan of the "falling in love with my brother's best friend" trope. But it was well done here. I can't really judge because when I met my first love I was 19 and he was 24. But if we had met when I was kid I don't know how I would've felt. When these stories start off with the ML meeting the girl as a child it could always be borderline creepy. I don't always believe that feelings can change from someone viewing someone as a younger sibling and then suddenly a love interest. But this drama did a good job by focusing more on the coming of age story of Sang Zhi first. There interactions when she was in first and secondary school were wholesome. It's perfectly natural for young girls to have crushes on older boys. (Also side note: the actress they got to play young Zhao Lusi was perfect. Really looked and acted like her. )The show did a good job on keeping that one sided. The crush was clearly not reciprocated during this time and all the sweet things the ML did he did because he is a genuinely nice person. However, I did think the first 7-9 episodes were borderline boring. The show could've gotten the point across in 3-4 episodes showing her childhood/high school years. I love short dramas but I would've liked it if they had used more of the earlier episodes on their actual relationship time period.

Story: It's okay. Again, not a huge fan of this trope but I think this was executed well. Other than that there's not much going on. The main CP's career paths are both dull. Her college roommates are somewhat entertaining but I didn't care about any of their stories. It was nice to see the one actress from Tiger and Rose act with Zhao Lusi again though. The ML's friends are funny, but my favorite supporting character was Sang Yan. The ML's dark family drama is off-putting and his creepy stalker is insufferable. Who falls in love with the son of the man who accidentally killed your father and then believes he owes you a relationship somehow?? I'm only half Chinese and from the states but is this typical in China where the family takes responsibility for another family member's actions? Like the whole thing was clearly the father's fault. Why would Jianxu's mom basically pimp her son out to make amends? Can you imagine how much better off he would've been in life without having to pay that debt or deal with that nutjob? But I guess they needed to throw something other than the romance into the story to keep the blood flowing. I just didn't like this part of the story and would have preferred an alternate issue for him to have been dealing with that wasn't so ridiculous.

Acting: I am a Zhao Lusi fan. She's just adorable and a great actress. Her hair and outfits were perfect and she looked beautiful in this drama. I don't believe her skills were on full display here until the last 5 episodes but she did well with her comedic timing and emotional scenes. The blank stares when she was nervous around Jianxu were a little strange. She put him through a lot of awkward silences. But their chemistry was still pretty good. The way Sang Zhi always fiercely protects Jianxu and the way he takes care of her makes them the sweetest couple. Zhao Lusi has a naturally mousy, sweet voice which makes her sound innocent, but her character was actually very mature in her actions. The way she handled the confrontations with his stalker showed her emotional intelligence. I must admit the scene at the airport where she finally told Jiaxu she's always liked him almost made me cry for 2 reasons: 1 -embarrassment! I would've personally taken that to the grave! 2 - the acting was great in this scene from the both of them. You could really feel the angst, the love and the sadness.
I'm aware that Chen Zhe Yuan has a pretty big fan base. I can't say that I'm in it. I don't dislike him but he's not my type. Jianxu was a great character for him though and he fit the role perfectly. His natural boyish looks and charm were on full display here and his acting wasn't half bad. If I'm being honest, I had more of a crush on Sang Yan. He looks like a young Jet Li with a spunkier personality and plays the perfect convincing older brother. Sang Yan & Sang Zhis relationship was spot on and very entertaining to watch.

Conclusion: The focal point of this drama is the sweet romance and the chemistry between the main leads is undeniable. If you want to watch something sugary and without a heavy plot, this is a great option. Also the OST is full of catchy, soothing songs, 2 from Lusi.

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Mixed feelings...

My first impression is that there are 2 main appeals to this drama. The first is that people have been wanting to see this CP since LBFAD. The second is that people are always criticizing Yu Shuxin only playing cutesy, babyish characters and this was her chance to add something more serious to her portfolio. So far, neither box is really ticked for me. These two had more chemistry in LBFAD and I wasn't even rooting for them to end up together in that show.

As for Yu Shuxin, her characters never annoyed me that much because I feel that she is a naturally bubbly person off camera. That is why seeing her play this stoic, dull person it looks like it is physically hurting her to play this character. To me Yun Wei Shan just looks and acts emotionally constipated. YS shines in her comedic roles and this boring character is just doing nothing for me. She did kill the fighting scenes though, especially the mud scene. That was badass.

As for Zhange Linghe, I find him to be just the opposite of YS. He shines in more serious, emotionally tormented roles. The Story of Kunning Palace is easily one his best roles to date in my opinion. He's a great actor and obviously very handsome but I'm not seeing either trait being taken advantage of in this show. His spoiled, prince type persona in the beginning just isn't a full sale, and then he's immediately thrown into a leadership role and changes his personality that fast? Also they went too heavy with his make up and wardrobe where he looks like a Japanese geisha, just with more glitter.

As for the rest of the characters/story...I'm really hoping things get more interesting. So far there's been gruelingly long scenes of dialogue with very little action. The first half of the first episode was spent talking about was going to happen. Then the 3rd or4th episode the two spies literally talked for 75% of the episode. There's slightly more passion/chemistry sparking between Shangguan Qian and Shang Jue but I feel like she spends more time talking about him, than actually with him.

As for the "villian" brothers. They're not very interesting. I'm not sure if we are supposed to pity them or hate them? Maybe both? And the comedy is not comedying. Nothing clearly meant to be funny actually made me laugh. Every "funny" scene feels inorganic and forced into the overall dark and serious setting. The only scene slightly amusing is when Shang Jue calls Ziyu out for noticing Shangguan Qian's good looks and Wei Shan gives him a death stare. But unless you're five years old you probably won't find Gong Zi Shang funny either.

The cinematography is pretty good. I have no problem with the dark vibes, graphics and settings. It was part of the appeal for me. The ambient sounds can be a little too intense for what's actually happening though. The background music for Shang Jue's entrance and for the scene where the brides arrive by boat was too dramatic for the scene. But overall the OST sounds decent and fits the drama well.

The premises of this drama seems really interesting so I'm going to stick it out until the end. It's a short enough drama to endure, even if things don't get better.

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A relentless pursuit that only works out in dramas...

Just started this. I don't typically gravitate towards school dramas but this one is highly recommended and I absolutely loved Zhang Maioyi in TFF.
It's very watchable so far, light and sweet. No useless scenes or characters. Fast pace. Hoping to see Rangrang perk up the more Zaizai warms up his cold exterior. She's really the main reason I'm engaged so far. Rangrang is cute and noble, but I'm typically not a fan of the dull, quiet leads. I can't really tell if it's good acting because it just seems easy to deliver a dry performance. But I can see what Zaizai sees...handsome face, velvety voice, silent do-gooder. The one thing that bothered me so far with the story was on the bus when she calls out the pervert and no one believes her or the victim until Rangrang speaks up. I took it as basically a woman's word is worthless until a man speaks up? Maybe I'm overthinking it but no one supported her until he said something...
What I do like so far was obviously when he backed her up on the bus first. Then, backing her up when she was accused of stealing was amazing of him. Finally, when Rangrang, Gu Ran and Guan Fang all showed up to have the girls backs on the basketball court, it was very charming! They were like 3 white knights coming to the rescue. I also like that the scene wasn't overplayed or overacted with them trying to act too tough or out of character either. I also love how only Zaizai can make Rangrang smile his biggest dimpliest smile.

Other than that, I'm enjoying the drama. The 2CP is hilarious and Guan Fang somehow fits into the chaos perfectly as well. But Zaizai is the one who really has my heart so far. She is the definition of a ray of sunshine but she is so much more than just a cute sunny presence. She is clever, generous and optimistic. Yet, even though she is sweet, she isn't a doormat either. She is confident in herself in a lot of ways and when she's accused of stealing she doesn't cower or cry but fights for herself. Love that. Very excited for the rest of this drama because I've read great reviews on it.

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