summenade

how is NOBODY singing praise abt this minidrama

This drama is fucking me up.

I didnt even watch this drama purposely. i clicked it by mistake and decide to watch 1 episode. I was enthralled even from the start.

this minidrama made me realize that I didnt really like romance that manifest too early at the beginning of the story. I like it slowly burning, building up, so the pay off is delicious. The set up for FL's revenge story, ML's cunning tendency, and their toxic (?) dependency at the beginning rlly did it for me.

the plor was beautifully threaded, full of mysteries and suspense. at a particular episode i even yelled abt a cliff-hanger lmao and the characters are so enchanting! Very absurdly, i love The commander (second lead). He's the type that's brawny, loyal, and fierce. So sad that he only got few screentimes.

the acting! All of them do it excellently, but I shout out to Yunchong's tear-filled eyes scene when he was being coldly brushed odd by the FL. GOD. HE IS SUCH A GOOD ACTOR 😭😭

the downside of this drama is probably bcs this is minidrama, there are few details that are bejng glossed over to axe the time, that were probably being explained even more in the novel. Also, how cold and aloof the FL was! is it because she's a cultivator that made her this way?

this is the first cultivator/civil official romance drama ive seen, btw. Usually if it was cultivator-centered, then it would only revolved in wuxia-theme. Or if it's about celestial being, then it would only consist xianxia beings. rarely i saw mixed couple like this. its really interesting. Also, the open-ending... I'm going to assume she would go back in time to him, being a good wife, and then live happily ever after till the end, hehe.

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two very capable colosal couple

this is the first c-drama that I followed that actually made me finish the whole 40 episodes.

characters of these drama are very engaging. I'm so hooked by bai fengxi's first appearance when she perched on the edge of bamboo tree, looking almighty and carefree. another fans favorite, of course, hei fengxi's first appearance, where he appeared like good samaritan to smooth things over with Han partriarch for bai fengxi. I THINK IT'S SO ROMANTIC HOW HE WATCHED HER OVER SILENTLY. IT'S SO ATTRACTIVE. also everyone in this drama, especially the four gentry, are all soooo ahead of their games. hfx/flx played a very accomplished mastermind, that every layered traps laid in front of him, he got to dodge it all. every characters are so likeable, it's hard to hate even the villain.

the acting, MAN, the acting... im so impressed by YY's eyes and microexpression. he might be my favorite actor now. How can he looks naughty, scolding, angry, sad, anguished, even without saying ANY lines???? same goes to ZL, but i already know how great her acting is, after i watched the tiger and rose romance. honorable mention is LAI YI, Huang Chao prince, he really embodies a cool yet confident prince.

im not mad at all by this drama. in fact, this drama opened a whole new ordeal to me. now i find myself wanting to search more wuxia dramas.

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JOY TO THOSE WHO LIKE PROGRESSIVE JDRAMA PLOTLINE

This, Unnatural, and Married as a Job have hit the nail in the coffin as hands down my favorite Akiko Nogi's works, and also making Akiko nogi as my favorite screenwriter, alongside Kim Eun Sook and Greta Gerwig.

It's typical buddy cop drama with opposite leads (hotheaded one vs lethargic one). ayano and hoshino encapsulated this stereotypical trope perfectly, their chemistry top-notch. What made this drama different with thousands others of comedic cop drama is that they actually touch different aspects in japanese society that is rarely being exposed at all, because jdorama (as much as i know) tended to "shy away" from hard hitting topic. This is what I like about Akiko Nogi's works.

all in all, im giving it overall 8.

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Chinese Honda Kyoya as the Sixth Son of Xiao Family

Let's start from what I like abou this drama: the ML's face. He looks like chinese Honda Kyoya. Secondly, I always am entertained by yearning trope, especially if it is from the male counterpart. there are enough lovesick puppy scenese between the ML and FL that could fuel me for a month. This drama also hit me in the heart with younger man/older woman trope and forbidden love trope. Wow. I just love how the ML's act. his expression is cold and wolf-like in front of enemies, but in front of FL he turns into puppy. love it so much!

of course this drama isnt all that perfect. I feel like the direction of the drama and the resolution is too "meh" to be accepted. But it's probably because if we go down the realistic path, this drama will not find its happy ending. There are a lot of plot holes too, but I ignore it simply cos the story is entertaining.

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the untamed walk so word of honor could run

Watching this because people recommended this after watching the untamed, and boy oh boy, I ENJOYED THIS DRAMA SO MUCH. I also am very pleasantly shocked by how... Lax... The censorship for this drama went, compared to the Untamed? Dont get me wrong, things that are too much (with chinese national tv standard) will still be censured. People said it's because the marketing was so low key and the untamed hog all the attention so this got away with barely a scratch.

WoH has all the elements i want in a drama; romance, found family, soulmate etc. I adored all the characters, from the leads to the extras. But I find the back and forth between the leads a little bit stilted(?). One day they are lovey-dovey, the next they are having big fight, lao wen went berserk, and then he went back as if nothing happened. The pattern is like a husband who left the house with a fuming wife inside! That is SO CUTE. And dont make me start on cao weining and gu xiang. They are THE BEST BEST PAIR OF CUTE CP.

The chemistry between gong jun and zhang zhehan is also top notch. zzs as the aloof but soft-hearted assassin with wkx as the clingy psycho... They are match made in heaven.

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Novel adaptation that is so great idk what to say

Usually I am not attracted to this kind of genre (time travel, scifi) because I do not want to be sucked into overcomplicated plot, but derailment managed to make it not only enjoyable, but also one heck of a ride.

Decisions of every characters were all humane and logical. Plot is progressing perfectly the first 20 episodes pocketed, not even a single thing being dragged. But the rest... I find them boring so I skipped most of it. As expected with this kind of genre, there are parts where the narrator was unreliable and there are a lot of red herring, but that's the beauty of scifi genre. We dont know who to trust.

The acting of the main leads are all very commendable as well. Lin Yi really embodies the perfect dark-outside-but-sweet-inside gentleman with his microexpressions and subtle gesture. I would say the screenwriter has certain moodboard and idea dedicated to his character here! Liu Haocun also steals the spotlight, it seems like she could turn on and off of her tearduct in a blink of an eye. She is a pretty crier, i want to comfort her when she cry.

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yang mi really looked like a goddess

I think what made me gravitate towards this drama is because it contains a lot of things I've been dreaming to watch; a perfectly balanced cool-but-not-overwhelmingly-cold, just the right amount of loser kinda malewife and a domineering, but still sweet in particular time wife. Even though the marriage contract trope is stale at best, but I kinda like the dynamic between the two leads. this is my first chinese drama that I followed thru until 40 episodes, ngl it's kinda hard, but the pacing of the story and how the conlicts are peppering right is what made me continue on.

i saw a lot of people complain about "unnecessary conflict" at the last 6 episodes but I think it's inevitable. their entire brand relationship is based and fundamentally build on lie, so it made sense to rework the building into trust if they actually want it to work. But i really dont understand the male lead's wishy washy attitude. all in all, not a fan, but i could understand it a little bit.

I watched xukai's performance in falling into your smile, and i could say i did not really see a different acting her and there? but it's still good, because Yang Hua's character is just the right amount of aloof and caring. Yang Mi though, it;s my first time watching her in cdrama, and I could honestly say she embodied Qin Shi very well. the actress and actor are being saved by the characters i guess?

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WHY IS NANAMI KENTO HEREEEE

romcom between robotic, hardheaded office lady with her flexible, much cuter senior. what really made me surprised here is the appearance of nanami kento's VA, Tsuda Ken lmao now all of you nanami simps can actually see how nanami in real life.

i love the genuine and heart-warming atmosphere between the male and female character. because of the short episodes, i definitely feel like they rushes the climax and resolution of the story. I was kinda gunning for open-ending story and it kinda does? there are several characters that i don't feel the need to be there at all tho, or are there just to be plot device. just a lot of wasted potential and kind of messy plot.

i do commend on yamada's 'falling-in-love' stare tho. the smiling before kiss, soft touches, intense eye contact... wow. i still am disappointed with prolonged peck. very little jdrama actually pulled good kisses nowadays.

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ISHIHARA SATOMI AS HEALTHCARE WORKERS (FOR THE 2937239 TIME)

the first akiko nogi's work i watched and still my favorite drama of hers. there is a quality in her work that made me wants to stay tune, i don't know, it's probably because i feel like her vision and my vision as a viewer is aligned and we both want the same thing for society. she slipped social commentary here and there but unfortunately, she shied away a little bit on hard topic, which i tolerate, because japan has a very preventive culture towards several topics.

Ishihara Satomi is, at this point, a skilled health worker at this point. she has became doctors, forensic doctor, pharmacist, it's crazy how she played the entire hospital at this point. not a shade tho, i just found this funny. and she is always charming in every role she played, so it's just okay. her chemistry with the male chracters are all so funny too! also 'Lemon' as unnatural ost is and will always be my favorite song ever! kenshi yonezu rocks!

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disappointing

the story started out great---i really like the love-hate relationship between the mogul and the gangleader. It added element of age status between riches and rags. their banters are also very funny and cute. towards half of the drama I found myself asking myself several things, such as:
- why is the PRINCE himself doing the dirty work, going to brothel? where is the dignity of a PRINCE? is it because of love?
- at the beginning of the story there is a running gag that Li Qiuling couldn't touch woman, except for Long Aoyi. how come it is not being brought anymore at the middle of the story?
- why is the relationships between the lord and the companions so casual?
there are a lot of instances where the plot is forcing Li Qiuling and Long Aoyi to meet and join forces. and then it became ridiculous, the push and pull between the two characters. I find myself not liking Aoyi's brashness and Qiuling's uptight attitude. Instead of being endearing, watching this drama become a chore to me.

I watched this drama because of Leon Lai. I liked him in Who Rules the World as Prince of Jizhou, so finding him as main role in a colossal drama is exciting to me. but the writing of this drama is NOT it for me. this is also my first drama starring Bai Lu, and I have no doubt that she is good at acting, but her facial expressions as aoyi is not doing it for me. in the end, im dropping this drama.

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