Honestly, if this is going to be a fluffy, light watch with characters that have really good chemistry, I think I'm going to be looking forward to this one. The posters look really nice and I like the military design, and I'm always down for something that can easily take one's mind off of the day.
I did a rewatch of this, and honestly this is one of my favourite dramas that shows Hwang Jungeum's versatility as an actress (the sheer number of crying scenes alone was absolutely exhausting!) and her incredibly chemistry with Ji Sung. I've been really missing this kind of darker-toned melodrama with elements of makjang, and it was a treat that when I did a re-watch I liked the series just as much as I did during the first watch (although it's really the twists that makes one keep watching).
I'm really surprised at how I've been enjoying Run On a lot so far, even though it doesn't fit my usual tastes. I generally like something very light, fluffy, and where the plot is more snappy, while Run On is very dialogue-heavy. It's really surprising to me, for example, how Seon Gyeom and Mi Joo don't have the same interests or hobbies, yet are able to easily talk to each other about their work, and how their conversations all may seem meandering at first yet at the end come together very harmoniously. Even if you're not someone who likes dialogue-heavy dramas or dramas that are not heavily plot-focused, this is a very realistic, warm, and healing drama that subverts a lot of tropes which you may find fresh to watch.
Im Siwan's acting is incredibly impressive and memorable, while Shin Se Kyung is nailing her role in this one. Both of them are such colourful characters with very well-fleshed out personality traits and "oddities" that give them a very lifelike presence. Seon Gyeom at times seems like a character that is neurodivergent (and this isn't pushed around to the forefront of the drama or used for sympathy, but instead is considered part of his personality and identity). In way it's really interesting that while he can be cute and that the way in which he speaks can be adorable and even innocent at time, he's also very mentally strong and solidly grounded in his own moral perspective. He's a very unique ML, and I really think Siwan himself brought his character to life and cannot imagine someone else being casted for the role.
Truthfully, at first I almost avoided this drama because the plot sounded boring and because it didn't seem like a drama where anything was happening. I will warn that it takes a certain mindset; there are problematic and flawed people in this drama (such as Seon Gyeom's father and some of his track teammates), but this is a drama that reflects and focuses on the ways in which characters come together and learn and grow from each other. Moreover, the dialogue to me is also not life-changing or especially flowery/beautiful, but instead much of the conversations are situated at the right place and the right time which makes the words themselves meaningful. Siwan and Shin Se Kyung also have such great chemistry together that this has surprisingly been my hidden drama gem of the week. Looking forward to continuing this watch!
Honestly, I didn't like this one as much as I thought I would. I agree with the comments on this being a wholesome and fluffy drama, where the main couple communicate together and have a very healthy relationship. Perhaps it's because I wasn't really convinced of the chemistry/I truly didn't really see them having big sparks together even though I think both Wang Anyu and Xiang Hanni did an overall great job portraying their characters. I was also watching Missing You around the same time, and I think I liked that relationship dynamic more, so this really may be a matter of preference.
Also, for once... I'm shocked but Yuan Hao's character and who he was (as kindhearted as it seemed like he wanted to be) was unconvincing and I found him to be more greasy than romantic at times. Perhaps this is because of his amazing chemistry with Zhao Zhao Yi in his previous drama, but I was surprised by how much I LOVED him in that drama and then felt absolutely nothing for him in this one.
This may be a super unpopular opinion, and I admit I've really only watched the first episode. However, given how Priest's works have often been consistently plot-heavy and been famously turned into "brotherhood" and "bromance," I'm curious to know why they had to make Yibo and Zhao Liying into a couple. I actually think they have good chemistry honestly as siblings or platonic friends, but once the drama pushes them to be an actual CP it's a little bit of a stretch for me. Even though I know that this is one of Priest's BG works, considering how frequently drama adaptations of her works feature platonic relationships, for once I'm disappointed that didn't happen with this drama.
I will admit, however, I'm so excited to see Chen Ruo Xuan again on screen! Not sure how I feel about this drama yet, but I am glad that Yibo has the opportunity to play another type of character and to further demonstrate his acting skills.
There should be no problem for Chen Zhe Yuan as Chang Geng actually. If you have watched him in Renascence, Chang…
Good to know! I feel as if visually Chen Zhe Yuan and Tan Jianci gave off a very similar appearance, and personally prefer a great contrast between the male leads. Although, maybe this is my partiality and my favouritism towards Li Hongyi showing! In any case, I'm super excited and really can't wait for this to air.
The casting in this one.... is interesting. Honestly, I think Li Hongyi would have made an amazing Chang Geng. Given the impressive body of work he's already done he was a lot more of what I envisioned to play the character, both in terms of looks and his ability to really embody his personality. Tan Jianci was also not who I expected to be casted as Gu Yun, but the more I see him and some of his other works, I'm kind of excited about it!
Not really sure how I feel about Chen Zhe Yuan yet because I haven't seen many of his works. I'm hoping this is going to be a good one, and I think the worldbuilding will adapt beautifully into drama form.
I think "doing something interesting" is a bit meaningless when the female lead is yet another naive stupid woman.…
Mhmm, I am honestly sympathetic and understand. Not to mention sometimes the drama might really not be to your taste; honestly speaking my disappointment at this drama was really because of the potential that I saw that it had.
Have you tried the romcom Begin Again (it's the drama with Simon Gong?) The FL is apparently a very boss CEO while he's a doctor, and they have an arranged marriage together. I wasn't really a fan of the series, but you might like that FL a lot more.
Meeting You (with Fiction Guo and Wan Peng) is also one of my favourites; while it's still being subbed the FL has a very chill, "boss of the class" personality and ML deals with social anxiety. Another one too is My Love Enlighten Me, which has one of the worst MLs I've seen in my life, but one of my favourite all time FLs.
There's also some dramas which really aren't romcoms, but have strong FLs (i.e. Arsenal Military Academy, The Song of Glory). Hope you find a drama that works better for you!
I think "doing something interesting" is a bit meaningless when the female lead is yet another naive stupid woman.…
Honestly, my personal tolerance towards FLs is very high, so I genuinely did not really have many problems with her as a character. I do think some of the writing of the plot itself however may exacerbate some of the issues with the drama (and therefore the inability for the FL to take more initiative in certain instances, or for us to really get a sense of her true personality). Again, that being said, I don't really ever consider FL's stupid or dumb, and I generally like of all of them, so I admit that perhaps my tastes veer on the more forgiving side.
Oh boy, I honestly don't know how to feel about this one. I'm definitely excited about Wang Runzhe, but I just watched the trailer and I'm not sure whether this is going to be a heavy, tragic watch or a fluffy romcom. I admit I'm also not feeling the chemistry between FL and ML, but hopefully when I give it a watch it will be better than I expect!
Honestly speaking, this is an interesting drama. I think it tried to do a lot of really cool and subversive things, and while the execution wasn't great, I think it's actually quite fresh and I'd love to see another take on this.
The whole transmigrating into the villainess, mysterious second lead gets the main girl, and the dash of thriller/psychological manipulation I think are very fresh. I loved how truthfully I could see her with Ouyang Chen in a "typical CEO rom-com fluff drama," and then how the show just broke that down completely through the relationship Zhen Zhen had with Lu Li. The fluff scenes are so adorable, while the plot keeps me wanting to know what happens next so that I don't get bored of the drama.
Unfortunately, there were some elements that didn't really work and/or made the show convoluted. I really think the main problem is that #1) the story would have been better if the "novel" Qian Zhen Zhen simply disappeared/was replaced, and we focused instead on "transmigrated" Zhen Zhen (aka Chunxi). It started getting much too confusing constantly switching between the both of them, and this also made Zhen Zhen as a character suffer in development (not to mention giving the role two actresses just gave me a headache being able to tell the difference between them). The second problem is that #2) there is a complete loss of the genre of the novel in the drama. By that I mean when Zhen Zhen transmigrates, she doesn't think about how her knowledge about the novel's characters and people can help her to make strategic decisions or choices. In other words, once Zhen Zhen transmigrates, we don't really hear about the fact that this world she went into is the "novel world," and how she can use her "foresight" and "existing knowledge" to influence the novel's trajectory.
That being said, I still think it was a decent watch even with all of the issues. I did get confused sometimes (I entered this drama thinking it was light fluff, but sometimes you need to carefully watch to understand the plot). While I wasn't entirely satisfied, I definitely think it brought something a little unique to the table and mixed in a lot of genres which were quite fresh.
It would not hurt me if she falls for SML and ML feels hurt, it's the show where you would ship the leads more…
One of my favourite tropes tbh is actually when the SML and FL get together for some time, and then they have a falling out/things don't work out and she ends up with the ML. Perhaps this one is a slow burn romance. I was going to pick this up because I love Jin Han and because Tian Jianci will be in one of Priest's BL novel adaptations, and so I have high expectations for this one!
I've been watching a lot of the fluff dramas airing this season which I thought I would love since my tastes always veer that direction. These include General's Lady, Perfect and Casual, Be With You, and also this one. And I think I've been dropping all of them very early on (within the 8 episode mark) because either the FL falls for the ML first, or there is some form of "insta-love" and I don't really see the romance develop over time.
I'm really missing the chase, the bickering, and the tension between both characters, as well as instances where the ML is doting to the FL and she's completely oblivious. I may pick this up when I get the chance once again, but I've been having a difficult time completing these dramas even though usually I love my "sweet" dog food and fluff.
Honestly, I'm really, really impressed by how the drama is depicting Nanxi's neurodivergency, and he's slowly becoming one of my favourite male leads next to Zhang Yao's ML in The Best of You In My Mind. Both Fiction Guo and Wan Peng are doing such a natural and incredible job at bringing to life their characters, and I really appreciate how sometimes Nanxi gets better, sometimes he gets worse, and that there isn't a "linear" way to "cure" or "resolve" the struggles he likely will have in terms of social communication for the rest of his life.
Moreover, I think it's also important that the drama slightly touches on how it is not his own individual problem, but rather an issue that society is unwilling to and/or cannot accommodate his neurodivergency. That there is still stigma of seeking psychological help, that the drama challenges the perceptions and ways in which this is conceived (especially in a high school setting) is really awesome. I'm really looking forward to seeing the rest of the drama as they grow up together, but so far the main couple has great chemistry, and I just love how wholesome and supportive both Nanxi and Xia Rui are, and how their relationship is so healthy. How they communicate, share with each other their burdens, and cheer each other in adversity is so admirable, and I really think this is one of the fluffier and sweeter drama gems this year that balances out a lot of thoughtful commentary while keeping it light and adorable.
Guys, how is the chemistry and romance in this drama? I'm totally okay with slow-burn romance but probably will only pick this one up if the sparks between both leads are good.
I’ve been hesitating to watch this show ever since it aired but now I’m finally starting it.... I know a lot…
I definitely cannot rewatch it. It's really a painful watch; that being said I definitely do not feel like my time was wasted even given that this is a tragedy and that this is angsty. Honestly, Peng Xiaoran and Chen Xingxu's performances were incredible, the OST was amazing, and the sets and costumes were beautiful.
If there's one complaint I have, most of the middle parts seemed quite fillery to me (once it gets past around Episode 30 I found the plot to much less intense, until we get to the very last couple episodes). Overall, however, it was a great watch and I really do not regret bingeing it, but do make sure to bring tissues and prepare yourself.
Honestly, I felt like Song Yiren had a lot more chemistry with Zhang Yao in The Best of You in My Mind, and I felt like the storyline and gradual development of their relationship in that one was much better. I was surprised by the great comments so far since Aaron Deng's acting is definitely very stiff. His coldness is very forced and it's very clear when he's trying to be brusque, and his acting comes off as unnatural a lot of the time (which makes his personality rather unrealistic).
On the other hand, Wang Runze did a great job as the second lead Song Siyi, and in fact I find that he and Song Yiren have a lot more chemistry (and find myself constantly supporting this ship even though I know it's very clear that Yuan Qian will get together with Qin Shen). Overall, I feel as if right now the drama focuses much less on the school aspect, and a lot more instead on the relationship development. It's a fluffy watch that's right up my general selection and drama taste; but given the lack of chemistry and the stiff acting from the ML, I'm thinking this one will likely be a drop for me.
One more note is that for some reason, the "university" feels A LOT more like high school. Even though almost all of the cast are definitely either above or at college age; the setting and everything for some reason does not seem like college at all.
Im Siwan's acting is incredibly impressive and memorable, while Shin Se Kyung is nailing her role in this one. Both of them are such colourful characters with very well-fleshed out personality traits and "oddities" that give them a very lifelike presence. Seon Gyeom at times seems like a character that is neurodivergent (and this isn't pushed around to the forefront of the drama or used for sympathy, but instead is considered part of his personality and identity). In way it's really interesting that while he can be cute and that the way in which he speaks can be adorable and even innocent at time, he's also very mentally strong and solidly grounded in his own moral perspective. He's a very unique ML, and I really think Siwan himself brought his character to life and cannot imagine someone else being casted for the role.
Truthfully, at first I almost avoided this drama because the plot sounded boring and because it didn't seem like a drama where anything was happening. I will warn that it takes a certain mindset; there are problematic and flawed people in this drama (such as Seon Gyeom's father and some of his track teammates), but this is a drama that reflects and focuses on the ways in which characters come together and learn and grow from each other. Moreover, the dialogue to me is also not life-changing or especially flowery/beautiful, but instead much of the conversations are situated at the right place and the right time which makes the words themselves meaningful. Siwan and Shin Se Kyung also have such great chemistry together that this has surprisingly been my hidden drama gem of the week. Looking forward to continuing this watch!
Also, for once... I'm shocked but Yuan Hao's character and who he was (as kindhearted as it seemed like he wanted to be) was unconvincing and I found him to be more greasy than romantic at times. Perhaps this is because of his amazing chemistry with Zhao Zhao Yi in his previous drama, but I was surprised by how much I LOVED him in that drama and then felt absolutely nothing for him in this one.
I will admit, however, I'm so excited to see Chen Ruo Xuan again on screen! Not sure how I feel about this drama yet, but I am glad that Yibo has the opportunity to play another type of character and to further demonstrate his acting skills.
Not really sure how I feel about Chen Zhe Yuan yet because I haven't seen many of his works. I'm hoping this is going to be a good one, and I think the worldbuilding will adapt beautifully into drama form.
Have you tried the romcom Begin Again (it's the drama with Simon Gong?) The FL is apparently a very boss CEO while he's a doctor, and they have an arranged marriage together. I wasn't really a fan of the series, but you might like that FL a lot more.
Meeting You (with Fiction Guo and Wan Peng) is also one of my favourites; while it's still being subbed the FL has a very chill, "boss of the class" personality and ML deals with social anxiety. Another one too is My Love Enlighten Me, which has one of the worst MLs I've seen in my life, but one of my favourite all time FLs.
There's also some dramas which really aren't romcoms, but have strong FLs (i.e. Arsenal Military Academy, The Song of Glory). Hope you find a drama that works better for you!
The whole transmigrating into the villainess, mysterious second lead gets the main girl, and the dash of thriller/psychological manipulation I think are very fresh. I loved how truthfully I could see her with Ouyang Chen in a "typical CEO rom-com fluff drama," and then how the show just broke that down completely through the relationship Zhen Zhen had with Lu Li. The fluff scenes are so adorable, while the plot keeps me wanting to know what happens next so that I don't get bored of the drama.
Unfortunately, there were some elements that didn't really work and/or made the show convoluted. I really think the main problem is that #1) the story would have been better if the "novel" Qian Zhen Zhen simply disappeared/was replaced, and we focused instead on "transmigrated" Zhen Zhen (aka Chunxi). It started getting much too confusing constantly switching between the both of them, and this also made Zhen Zhen as a character suffer in development (not to mention giving the role two actresses just gave me a headache being able to tell the difference between them). The second problem is that #2) there is a complete loss of the genre of the novel in the drama. By that I mean when Zhen Zhen transmigrates, she doesn't think about how her knowledge about the novel's characters and people can help her to make strategic decisions or choices. In other words, once Zhen Zhen transmigrates, we don't really hear about the fact that this world she went into is the "novel world," and how she can use her "foresight" and "existing knowledge" to influence the novel's trajectory.
That being said, I still think it was a decent watch even with all of the issues. I did get confused sometimes (I entered this drama thinking it was light fluff, but sometimes you need to carefully watch to understand the plot). While I wasn't entirely satisfied, I definitely think it brought something a little unique to the table and mixed in a lot of genres which were quite fresh.
I'm really missing the chase, the bickering, and the tension between both characters, as well as instances where the ML is doting to the FL and she's completely oblivious. I may pick this up when I get the chance once again, but I've been having a difficult time completing these dramas even though usually I love my "sweet" dog food and fluff.
Moreover, I think it's also important that the drama slightly touches on how it is not his own individual problem, but rather an issue that society is unwilling to and/or cannot accommodate his neurodivergency. That there is still stigma of seeking psychological help, that the drama challenges the perceptions and ways in which this is conceived (especially in a high school setting) is really awesome. I'm really looking forward to seeing the rest of the drama as they grow up together, but so far the main couple has great chemistry, and I just love how wholesome and supportive both Nanxi and Xia Rui are, and how their relationship is so healthy. How they communicate, share with each other their burdens, and cheer each other in adversity is so admirable, and I really think this is one of the fluffier and sweeter drama gems this year that balances out a lot of thoughtful commentary while keeping it light and adorable.
If there's one complaint I have, most of the middle parts seemed quite fillery to me (once it gets past around Episode 30 I found the plot to much less intense, until we get to the very last couple episodes). Overall, however, it was a great watch and I really do not regret bingeing it, but do make sure to bring tissues and prepare yourself.
On the other hand, Wang Runze did a great job as the second lead Song Siyi, and in fact I find that he and Song Yiren have a lot more chemistry (and find myself constantly supporting this ship even though I know it's very clear that Yuan Qian will get together with Qin Shen). Overall, I feel as if right now the drama focuses much less on the school aspect, and a lot more instead on the relationship development. It's a fluffy watch that's right up my general selection and drama taste; but given the lack of chemistry and the stiff acting from the ML, I'm thinking this one will likely be a drop for me.
One more note is that for some reason, the "university" feels A LOT more like high school. Even though almost all of the cast are definitely either above or at college age; the setting and everything for some reason does not seem like college at all.