Lush

I love how each episode has its own story, and every story concludes very well, like they tie the knot perfectly and somehow it gives me a good scratch on my soul.

Even tho the cases are heartbreaking, it gives me comfort that every evil guy got what they deserve. I love this drama so much, it doesn't leave me with the ache of curiosity but still leave me anticipating the next stories.

After browsing through TikTok and X, I found that the viewers of this drama are divided into two opposite extremes: either they like it very much for how it turned out or they really dislike it for how it turned out. some love it for being a light, rom-com watch with chemistry oozing off the screen between the leads, some hate it for that. some love the charismatic Zhou Ye, some hate that her physique and attitude defy logics. and somehow i find it really funny that some are bashing this drama while the others defend it like a pious worshipper, not many dramas can generate such opposite viewers 😭🤣

You know how I feel about this drama? It feels like something you would stumble upon AO3 after finishing a more serious drama with thirst for the romance that the show can't satisfy, then someone chose to write full length fanfiction on both leads that still stay true to the initial story, but with way more romantic scenes. It feels exactly like that, and tbh I'm not protesting one bit.

I see! No wonder it gets very comedic after episode 1! Her past in the drama is less angsty compared than in the novel and if it aligns with the novel, then it stays true to its core. I do think some scenes get very serious, like when He Yan got her revenge on Ding Yi.

I do agree that this drama delivers something that divert so much from what I initially imagined it to be. I'm not a novel reader, but from the tids bits I get from Tiktok way before it aired, I got the impression that this drama would be angsty and heart-wrenching. Tbh, it's way less serious than what I expected it to be. I imagined it to somewhat be like The Long Ballad, but it differed so much from my expectations... but not in a bad way.

I enjoy how fast paced it is with the story (although with tons of plot holes in the beginning) and the chemistry between the leads. I honestly try to forget details such as He Yan's physique and smooth hand despite her being a seasoned general so I can enjoy it to the fullest. I do agree that such overlooked details decrease my enjoyment a bit, but still I think this drama is well-executed. And if the director had chosen to lean more into romantic-comedic side, he/she has achieved his/her goal.

YESSSSSS!!!!!! He's supposed to be this scary general, feared by all. Someone cold and unfeeling, but HE'S SO GENTLE WITH OUR HE YAN MY HEART JUST CAN'T!!!!! I just love their dynamics so much!

EPISODE 9 IS LIT!!!!!!

The fight scene is absolutely mesmerizing, captivating! I love the set with statues, candles and cloths hanging, giving it such classic eerie scene from early 99s-00s chinese fight scenes in cinemas.
I love how the drama shows tons of He Yan's fighting scenes, she moves gracefully and stealthily I love her scenes so much!!

And dang the bathtub scene! Every episode always makes me wiggling my toes and grinning from ear to ear like a fool! I love this drama so much! And the chemistry between He Yan and Xiao Jue is just soooooooooooooooooooo good!!!!!! Also, I love how the leads are not shy around each other, and they get so comfortable physically too! Words can't describe how I root for this drama!!!! It totally worth the wait <3

I really love the camera angles. Cinematic, warm, and beautiful, it made the drama feels like a movie. I also love the blue-ish tone for the drama. For the characters, I love that Yoon Seok Hoon is not a 'God'. Despite his competence, he is still flawed as a human, makes him feel more relatable. I also love how this drama portrays the female lead, Kang Hyo Min, as someone who is competent, witty, yet still emotional and empathetic, and comes from privileged background which is something that is usually preserved for the male leads.

The cases are not complicated, easy to watch, and very fast-paced. I sometimes detest slow and over-complicated cases in law dramas, so Beyond the Bar feels very refreshing! The age difference concerns me a bit, but I slowly come to enjoy the mature slow-building of the romance part.

Yeah, I agree with all your points! I think because they need to condense the past into a single episode it felt so rushed and filled with plotholes.

How come I didn't know the second season already aired?!

Oh right! I remembered. I think I missed it among all the fight scenes and as dubbed by Netflix 'Gi-jun's weary breathing' lol

Just finished this, and honestly I started it with zero expectations.

And it hooked me right away.

Tbh, it feels like Asian John Wick. A stoic, powerful man going down a path of revenge after going out of the underworld. Though it does have its own original ideas I didn't find in John Wick, for example the Achiles Heel punishment. I loved the show, it was enjoyable and fun, and (spoiler) he got his revenge and it was quite satisfying to watch.

The downside is I think Gi-jun (played by So Ji-sub) is too powerful, like he can blow someone in one strike, which is highly unrealistic in portrayal of the fight scenes, still fun to watch tho. It's not too gory, which I like, although it is very, very bloody. The storyline isn't something that makes you gasped in surprise, it's very predictable and simple, to be honest. I think because 7 episodes aren't enough to flesh out the characters' personality. It also made the audience feel no sympathy towards the died 'good' characters a.k.a Gi-jun's friends.

In the end it's just Gi-jun versus bratty kids who think they own the world or the world owe them something. And one more thing, why did Gi-seok killed Chairman Oh in the first place? I don't think his motive was ever explained.

I gave it a try! But I dislike how it started as a reincarnation story, because I kinda feel like Manman is not truly smart then, she just knows the future :( But I think I'll give it another shot

AHHHH!! I totally love this drama! And I've finally finished this!!! How satisfying! This drama is for people who watch it merely for the mature romance, likeable side characters, loveable main characters, and miscommunications that don't go past 1 episode length. They solve it right away, mostly by Manman's eloquent tongue.There are not many dramas where the female character is as smart and graceful and wise as Manman. Some smart FMC usually is also quite selfish, cunning, and stubborn. But Manman is neither. She cares for her husband, her family, her in-laws, her people, it's like her heart knows no bounds and is so big it can fit the world into it. She is a tactician and always knows how to manipulate her enemy and even her own husband, as her grandfather told her, beat fire with water. Beat Wei Shao's grudge with her gentleness.I'm in love with this drama because I'm not looking for a heavy political drama at the moment so TPOB is just the right cup for me. I enjoy every minute of it and the love scenes, the kissing is just CHEF'S KISS!!!! Not many chinese dramas can pull off such intense depiction of intimacy, I keep replaying those short scenes hahahaha. Glad that both actors have no restrictions on such intimate scene.The only thing that makes me feel a bit disappointed is how overwhelmingly fast the last episode is. It's like they're putting us on an extremely crazy roller coaster ride. From a losing war, to tragic deaths, to haha hihi probably 2 years old Feifei. I love how they give so much screentime for us to properly weep for the death of the most favorite side character, Wei Liang, but I think they did a bit injustice on how Manman was never shown mourning for the death of Afan, although it's probably because in the previous episode it's already shown that the two sisters are falling out. I didn't shed a single tear for her because I don't really like that woman, but boy how I pity Bi Zhi. I think her death is a bit unnecessary. Lady Yuluo's death is not tragic enough and it icks me how every man she manipulates end up truly falling in love with her. I find that weird. She's such a wretched person and I really need her to suffer a bit more before she died just like that. Overall, I just need more screentime of Wei Shao and Manman, like their closure, how they feel about the war, their future aspirations, etc. I feel a the finale is a bit disconnected with everything and it left the viewers with this empty feeling of "ha? it's over?"

Yeah, I agree. I love how they seriously put a shine on the death of Wei Liang as it is much deserved, but they've built this narration of how much Afan and Manman love each other and willing to die for each other, but Manman's mourning scene for her sister was never shown in the story. It feels weird that at the final few minutes they are already happy and well, like my brain can't accept such drastic change from a war, deaths, and suddenly merry go round.

Lol, I just realized something stupid that I did. I've been watching this from WeTV, and the last time I stopped at episode 11 last night. I didn't know how or why but it immediately played episode 14 when I opened the app tonight. Thus, I accidentally skipped episode 12 & 13. But because I watched the teaser previously, I had no qualms on immediately jumping to Episode 14 and I didn't feel anything weird either. Probably because A LOT of spoilers and clips of episode 13 is on TikTok. I just realized there's something missing when I watch the last part of episode 14 when Manman confronted Shi Yuan saying that both her and Wei Shao trust each other. I remembered from the teaser that Shi Yuan is the one telling Manman that Wei Shao had been snooping around her letters. That's why they had been communicating through letters to each other. Only then did I figure out I skipped two episodes lol. I need to rewatch it again from episode 12-15 to make more sense 🤣 The moral lesson is I really need to remember the last episode I watched haha

imitating ZLS? you're delusional

And I just want to praise Song Zuer's ethereal beauty, like I can't fathom how breathtakingly beautiful she is! And I absolutely adore her size difference with Liu Yuning! And I think Liu Yuning's has the adorability of the awkward tall guy exactly like Fitzwilliam Darcy!

Now I'm enlightened, thank you very much.
Yes, I was very confused because she implied that she was engaged to Bogong, yet she and WS acted like they were exes, all with the half accessory and stares, etc. But Lady Xu and Lady Zhu acted as if she was engaged to WS before.

can anyone enlighten me—
why would the Bianzhou lady (Wei Shao's ex) cancel her engagement with Wei Shao because Bogong died? Does that mean they're childhood sweethearts? Because the incident was 14 years ago right? Does that mean their engagement was decided very early on?