An Absolute Masterpiece
This drama will make you laugh, it will make you cry, it will teach you about life, it will give you hope, and it will fill you with happinessOverall thinking:
As my title says, this is an absolute masterpiece. But the word masterpiece gets thrown around so easily these days that it barely means anything anymore. So what makes this drama truly special? Many people describe it with adjectives like heartwarming, healing, therapeutic, soothing, or praise its acting. All of these words fit perfectly, but if I had to choose one word to define this drama, it would be uniqueness. There are many healing, heartwarming, slow-burn dramas out there, yet this one still manages to stand apart (I’ll explain why later). It shows its sublimity in every department—cinematography, script, location, story, casting, acting, and music. Everything is executed with absolute perfection.
The main story is simple. You can almost predict where it’s going. But here, the destination doesn’t matter at all. What matters is the journey. The drama weaves together the stories of the female lead, the male lead, and 5–6 supporting characters (along with many others) as they try to find themselves. The characters feel incredibly realistic—like actual people you might know. They’re imperfect, they’re confused, and they don’t have all the answers. The drama follows their journey as they discover those answers through life experiences. The biggest strength of this drama is how real the characters feel. They mirror ordinary people like us. Everything is delivered in such a way that you feel like you’re part of the story—something very few dramas can achieve. You learn life lessons alongside the characters. You begin to understand what truly matters in life and what deserves your attention. The drama explores a wide range of relationships: family bonds, friendships, grandparent–grandchild dynamics, parent–child relationships, sibling relationships, neighborhood connections, and more. Unlike many slice‑of‑life dramas that tackle serious issues but fail to entertain (and often end up being labeled boring), this one is completely different. It is incredibly fun to watch. Every minute gives you a warm, happy feeling (except episode 1, which is a bit sad). Simple moments will make you laugh out loud, and simple moments will make you cry—but even in those emotional scenes, you still feel good. That is the true greatness of this drama.
Romance:
Although this is both a life drama and a romance drama, the everyday interactions and life lessons are so captivating that you might forget to even mention the romance. But romance-wise, the drama excels. The relationship between the leads develops naturally and realistically—perhaps one of the most authentic romances you’ll find in any drama. You will enjoy and cherish every moment of it.
Slow Pacing:
I also need to talk about the pacing. Yes, it is a slow-paced drama. But in this case, the slow pace is not a weakness—it becomes one of its biggest strengths. Some viewers may struggle with the pace at first, but if you’re not too impatient, you’ll adjust quickly. In most dramas, slow pacing is a sign of failure. But here, the script, the unique storytelling style, and the cast’s performances turn the slow pace into an art form. The interactions, dialogues, and conversations are crafted so beautifully that they become the heart of the drama. If you’re too impatient and try to fast-forward or skip scenes like you might do in other shows, you’ll miss the true beauty of this one. But if you give it time, you’ll soon get used to the rhythm—and you may end up considering it one of the best dramas you’ve ever watched.
Story:
The plot is simple and easy to follow. You’ve already read the MDL summary, so I won’t repeat it. I would say the plot itself is simple—but the story is not. This is a wide, layered narrative. Many stories are woven together to create a wonderful mixture. There are so many characters in this drama—not just the main leads. There are at least ten other characters (actually more) whose stories are explored in depth. The story is not plot‑driven; it is character‑driven. Unlike other dramas, the interactions and conversations between characters matter the most here. There are countless golden conversations—too many to list without spoiling anything. You need to experience them yourself. The drama flows smoothly from beginning to end in a way that makes it hard to skip scenes. In fact, you may find yourself pausing and rewinding to rewatch certain conversations because they’re so enjoyable. These conversations are the soul of the drama. They may seem like simple everyday exchanges, but they carry different stories, values, emotions, insights, and life lessons. Sometimes they make you cry from sadness, sometimes from happiness.
Characters:
There are a lot of characters and the characters are very well developed. You have the FL, who is a former front office Hotel Manager who came to the village to spend time. Previously, she made a plan with her best friend to come here, but her best friend is dead now. So she came to the village for both of them, to fulfill their promise. ML is a local boy who is highly educated and used to doing a good, well-paid job. He is now back in the village and now wants to improve the village. Then, you have Nana- A waitress working in the local café, Damai- An aspiring young novelist, Mr. Hu- A singer and songwriter, Mr. Ma- The man who keeps himself busy doing meditation, Xiaochun- A local woman who is divorced, has a cute daughter, and manages the different business for ML, Xiaxia- A woodcarver (local craft), Grandma Xie- 80 years old but still strong woman with a lot of wisdom. I can mention a lot more. But it will be a long list. (Special Mention: Aunt Gui, Aunt Feng, Aunt Baoping, and 4 cute little kids). Every character is portrayed by the perfect actor. While watching, you can’t help but admire how flawlessly each cast member embodies their role. Every character is unique, with their own struggles and stories. The drama explores these stories with care and depth. From my description, it might sound heavy—but it’s not. The drama is incredibly lighthearted, and all these characters are genuinely fun to watch.
Acting:
It’s a 10/10 from me. Honestly, anyone giving the acting less than a 10 is being unfair. The female lead, male lead, supporting cast, grannies, aunts, and children—everyone delivers outstanding performances. The acting is some of the most realistic and natural you’ll ever see in a drama.
Screenwriting:
Let me put it simply: this drama is a screenwriting masterpiece. Yes, truly. The characters are not only well written—they are delightful to watch. You will like every single character. Yes, every one of them. There isn’t a single unlikable character. You’ll even remember all their names (which I rarely do in other dramas) because they’re so impactful. The conversations are written with such mastery that I don’t have enough words to praise them. Many viewers don’t realize the beauty of great screenwriting because most dramas never showcase its true power. Usually, we think the plot is everything and the script is just there to move it along. This drama proves otherwise. You need to watch it to understand what real screenwriting looks like—and how it can elevate a drama from good to truly great.
Music:
A solid 10/10. This is not an exaggeration—it’s exactly how I feel. The OST, the background music, and the way the music is used in different moments are simply wonderful.
Enjoyment:
The drama keeps getting better and better. The first few episodes are introductory, and the characters may seem a bit strange at first. But once you get to know them, you start loving them. And as I said, it only gets better. So, for example, episode 10 is more fun than episode 5, episode 20 is more exciting than episode 10, and episode 30 is more exciting than episode 20. After episode 10, you might think, “It’s already so good—how can it get better?” But trust me, it does. Unlike many dramas that start strong and then fall apart, this one never loses its charm. It just keeps improving. You’ll only understand once you watch it.
Some Weak Points:
Yes, there are some weak points.
>>Simple Plot and Predictability: Yes, the plot is simple and predictable. You can often guess what will happen next. You get exactly what you expect, and the drama doesn’t disappoint in that regard. For some viewers, this might feel like a weakness. But those who truly watch the drama will say the opposite. The greatness of this drama actually lies in its simplicity and predictability. Our daily lives are simple and predictable too—yet when you look closely, life is extraordinary. This drama is the same. It is extraordinary in its simplicity.
>>Not many WOW moments: This drama is very different from typical modern dramas. Nowadays, we watch shows on our phones or computers with a 5‑second or 10‑second forward button. We skip conversations and jump straight to the “WOW” moments. Most of the time, you don’t miss anything important by doing that. For viewers like that (☹, myself included), the drama may feel slow or even boring at first because there are no such moments. But if you watch it properly, you’ll realize the conversations are pure GOLD. Believe me—you will find more enjoyment in these simple, heartfelt conversations than in the flashy moments of other dramas
Rewatch Value:
I wish there were an option to rate the rewatch value higher than 10. This drama deserves 11/10. Many people rewatched episodes 2–3 times even before the drama finished airing. I’m the same. I will definitely rewatch it multiple times—I don’t even know how many.
Recommendation:
I absolutely recommend this drama. Most people will fall in love with it, though some may struggle with the slow pacing or other personal preferences. Even if someone doesn’t enjoy it now, I would still recommend giving it another try in the future—especially during difficult stages of life. This drama is not only enjoyable; it shows the beauty of life and helps you think more positively.
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Unbelievably funny, cute & sweet drama
"Unbelievable", this drama is what you need after watching all the serious dramas with heavy plots. You will find something lighthearted to relax a bit and also enjoy this unbelievably funny, cute, and sweet romance.Story: The plot summary in MDL makes you think twice to start the drama. You saw this story so many times. A typical cliche story. Also, this is a web drama with a low budget. So, I hesitated at first but later gave the drama a try. After watching the drama, I must say that the drama is surprisingly good. The plot is a typical CEO rom-com plot but It is a well-made funny rom-com. A very predictable plot, but who cares. You come here to spend your time enjoying something. No doubt, the drama will give you enough enjoyment with a very sweet romance.
Acting/Cast: The chemistry between ML and FL is surprisingly good. Both are exceptionally funny, and all their interactions are hilarious. Both actors did a tremendous job portraying their roles. You will start loving both of them in no time, from the first episode. I didn't care about the other supporting characters. But all did very well in their roles. Overall, the Acting and Cast were very good for a low-budget drama.
Music: Nothing too special, but good enough. The background music was on point and OST was also good.
Rewatch Value: A good rewatch value. A funny drama, so if you feel like watching something funny to spend some time, you can rewatch it.
Ratings: 9/10 from me (maybe a bit high). I wanted to give it more as I genuinely loved it. But, that's the max rating I should give.
I recommend this drama. I hope, the viewers give this drama a chance. This drama will be a funny and enjoyable watch for you.
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Beginning of an EPIC journey
Wow! This live-action series really justifies the most popular and greatest manga of all time.We tend to have this negative idea about the live-action series. They are based on the manga/cartoon/anime series that we all like. As a fan, we want to like them. But they can never meet our expectations. It is not easy to translate the manga/cartoon world into a live-action world. Most of the live-action series fail terribly. BUT, let me tell you, the one piece live-action successfully translated the magic of the One Piece manga/anime series. It is no doubt the best live-action series of all time (till now).
Questions & Answers:
1. What is this story about?
-This is a story about adventure, friendship, dreams, inspiration, reaching one's goal.
2. Is this series mainly for kids and young people (as many mangas and cartoons are targeted at young people)
-No, this is a series for all audiences. Especially for adult audiences. Anyone, kids, young and old people can watch and enjoy this series
3. Should you watch Manga/Anime before this?
-No, you don't need to watch. If you like this series, maybe you can start Manga/Anime after finishing this.
4. Does it feel unrealistic and manga/anime like other live-action series?
-One piece world is a fantasy world. It does feel unrealistic sometimes, but unrealistic in a good way. You get used to the world very quickly.
5. How is the pacing?
-It is fast-paced, and not many unnecessary events happen. Most of the events are important and have a meaning.
6. You don't like manga/anime, will you enjoy it?
-Yes, of course
7. Is it like other pirate series, i.e. Pirates of Caribean?
-No, only a few similarities. But overall it is different. It shows the pirates and pirate world in a totally different way that you never watched before.
8. Is there romance? (MDL viewers like romance)
-No, it is about friendship and adventure. It is full of emotions.
9. Is it better than the manga/anime?
-No, but almost the same. This series only covers the first part of the manga/anime series. Manga/anime gets far more interesting in the later part. If you only consider the first part, this live-action series is almost the same as Manga/anime.
10. How are the main characters and side characters?
-Very good! Very much likable. One of the best things about one piece manga/anime is its characters. The characters are some of the best in the entire book/TV industry. The live-action was only 8 episodes. It couldn't explore the details of the characters like the manga/anime did. But, still it did a pretty good job.
11. Should you watch it?
-A big yes. You should at least give it a try. There is a reason one piece is the greatest and most popular manga of all time.
12. You never liked other live-action series before, in fact, you disliked those. Will you like this series?
-Yes, this is unlike other live-action series. This is good.
13. Is there comedy? Will it make you laugh?
-Yes, yes. The humor is good, It will make you laugh in certain scenes.
14. How are action, and cinematography?
-Very, very good.
My Ratings:
Story: 10/10. One piece manga story will get a 10+ from me. Live action story gets a 10.
Acting: 10/10, just perfect. All the actors did a pretty good job
Music: 9/10, Very very good. All original tracks. All were good, but just wished they used some of the music/songs from the anime.
Rewatch Value: 9.5/10. Very high rewatch value. This is the kind of show that you would enjoy no matter how many times you watch it.
Overall ratings: 10/10
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This review may contain spoilers
Addictive, Great Chemistry, Great Actors & A Good Second Chance Drama (but watch only until ep 30)
We all love second-chance romance dramas, but we hardly find any good second-chance romance dramas. This drama had the potential to be one the best in this genre. But, somehow it made a disaster in the last part of the drama and especially in the last 6 episodes. If you consider this drama with only 30 episodes, this is still pretty good. There are a lot of positives to this drama i.e. very good chemistry of the main couple, excellent casts with top-notch acting, good visuals, and good OST's.Why only till episode 30:
This drama is an adaptation of a Chinese novel. The screenwriters changed the story to some extent to write the script. Still, the drama followed the novel closely. But, they followed the novel only until episode 30. After that, they wrote the script totally by themselves which has absolutely no relation to the novel. So, After episode 30, the drama feels like a completely different drama. We got a realistic feel in the first 30 episodes. But, suddenly it became a melodramatic drama. It became so melodramatic that it could beat top melodramas with its melodrama plots. We the viewers got hugely disappointed by this. It was painful to watch those episodes. I hardly could believe how the drama turned out like that. I would suggest the new viewers, don't watch the drama after episode 30. We got somewhat of an ending at episode 30. Though it was not complete we can imagine the rest. No need to take the pain to watch the rest of the episodes.
Pros:
-Actress: Wang Churan was just impressive. This is the first time I saw her in any drama, and I instantly became a fan of hers. I just want to see her in another drama. She looked stunning in this drama. Her smile was the best thing in this drama for me. She is still new and there is a bright acting career ahead of her.
-Actor: Peng Guan Ying was great in his role. PGY acted as a cold doctor who doesn't show much emotion. He is a good guy but sometimes you feel mad about his actions, but still, he has his charm. You can't stop but root for him.
-Chemistry: Chemistry was good. There were a lot of problems in their relationship. Sometimes they feel distant but the chemistry was always there for them.
-Hospital Settings: We see a lot of medical dramas. Most of those dramas somehow feel unrealistic and sometimes cringe. This drama somehow portrayed a good hospital setting. It was not perfect but I would say It was very good, a lot better than some other top medical dramas
-OST's: I liked the opening song a lot. Overall music and OST's were good
Cons:
-Africa Arcs: Africa arcs were a complete disaster. We got to see the first 2 episodes were shoot in Africa. That 2 episodes were still ok. Then the last 5 episodes were shoot in Africa too. I just have no words for those last 5 episodes. Completely unnecessary with no story.
-Questionable actions by ML: In the past flashbacks, ML did some things that deeply hurt FL. There might have been some reasons behind those, but still, some viewers did not like those.
-Some medical plots/decisions: There were some medical plots/decisions used/taken in this drama, that were questioned by the viewers. There could be some arguments about whether those decisions were right or wrong. While watching those, we could still give some consideration as this is a drama after all. It's not perfect and actually, no drama is perfect. Some other medical dramas have more issues than this.
Ending: (Spoilers)
It got somewhat of a happy ending (episode 36). But it's not the kind of happy ending we wanted from this drama. There was an amnesia plot in the ending. Although the drama has somehow a happy ending, the ML and FL deserved a much better ending than this. We the viewers also deserve to see a much better ending.
Ratings:
8.5 from me. I could give this 9 easily if the drama had only 30 episodes and ended properly. But, I can't forget those last 6 episodes. I was disappointed and I can't just ignore that. I wanted to give this a 7.5 or 8. But, the drama was very good until episode 30. So considering everything I gave it 8.5
Recommendation:
The first 30 episodes of this drama were really good. The drama was very addictive. You dislike some parts, but you just can't stop watching. It was that good. So, I recommend this drama, but only until episode 30. If you want to watch the rest just watch that fast-forwarded.
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You don't want to recommend this drama to anybody
Some people say this is a realistic drama. I beg to disagree. I hope nobody's life is that messed up. The writers tried their best to show us some reality in work life, I must say many of these work-life experiences is real. But, about the personal life, the writers made it a total mess. It was a ride full of angst and negativity that the viewers had to witness for the last 8 weeks. You don't want others to experience the same angst and negativity unless you have some enmity toward that person.Story: The drama does have a story. It is a story of hesitation, misunderstanding, and wrong choices. And also the story of cheating. Full of negativity. I could give this drama 8/10 for the story because the writers showed perfectly what they wanted in this drama. They were successful in their job. But, I don't approve of them spreading that much misunderstanding and negativity in this drama. This is bad, this is not a good practice. Although this is a work of fiction, you don't want to learn anything from this drama. You just want to forget all those bad things that happened in this drama and don't want to affect your real life in any way. So, I gave 5/10 for the story.
Acting/Cast: 9/10 for acting cast. Both ML and FL are good actors. They showed they can act in any role they are given. They perfectly portrayed what was needed for their characters. Yoo Yoon Seok is a very good actor. Just like his character in hospital playlist, he showed very good acting in this drama too. Moon Ga Young exceeded my expectations. She did a tremendous job. I hope to see her in more mature roles in the future. Other supporting characters also did their best. Overall, Acting/Cast was very good.
Music: The music was also good. The background music and OST's were good, I must say. So 9/10 from me.
Rewatch Value: 1/10 from me. Sorry, Nobody wants to experience the same frustrations and negativity again for a second time. It's better to forget the drama. Don't think of rewatching it again. One time is more than enough.
Overall ratings: 6.5/10
I don't recommend this drama to anybody. If you want to make your mood down for some reason or want to get frustrated for some reason you can watch it.
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This review may contain spoilers
The bright and dark sides of a thriving riverside city
This is a story of a thriving city. The bright side of this colorful city is its people who are busy with their daily activities and want a happy prosperous life with their families. Underneath this bright side, there is a dark side where the city is corrupted by a small group of people who have unchecked power.The people are oppressed behind the façade of the prosperity of the city. They want justice. Can they really get justice?
Story and Characters: The main story revolves around Zhao family. Zhao BuYou (ML) started as a low-ranking clerk. But he has a knack for crime-solving. He prioritizes his family over anything. Wen Yue (FL) is an Umbrella shop owner in the city. She used to be an assassin/pirate before. But now she just wants to live a simple peaceful life with her husband’s family. Elder sibling Zhao Mo Er is a naive person who is sometimes very intelligent but sometimes behaves like a fool :D. Younger sibling Zhao Ban Er studied medicine before. But now she is more interested in dead bodies than living bodies :D. Then we have Kaifeng court inspector Gu Zhen who seems like a laid-back character but has a strong sense of justice and doesn’t hesitate to take justice by his hand. Besides these characters, there are many other characters. Every character is different and has their own goal and purpose in the story. The story is divided into different arcs. All the arcs start with a murder or a group of murders. All the things that happen somehow have a connection with our main characters. They solve the mystery behind the murders. While solving the murders they also solve their personal problems and family problems. This seems simple, but this was done very beautifully in the story.
Things I liked:
1. A story of common people: This is a story of common people. This is a refreshing take from the typical palace politics we see in other dramas. I really like this aspect of this story.
2. Family bond: We see a strong family bond in the Zhao family. Like thousands of other families in the city, they just want to live a simple life together. Both ML and FL prioritize their family over anything else.
3. Insight into the culture and inventions of the Song dynasty: Each episode ends with a small history lesson about the culture and inventions of the Song dynasty. This is something new in a drama and I really liked it very much.
4. Strong veteran casts: The cast selection was perfect. They selected veteran casts for the roles according to the demands of the characters. The acting was top-notch for almost all the characters.
5. Beautiful Aesthetics: The dresses, the scenery, the set: everything looked beautiful.
6. ML & FL: I like both Zhang Song Wen (ML) and Bai Bai He (FL). Some might have some complaints with Bai Bai He’s acting in this drama. But she looked wonderful.
7. Society Issues: The drama depicts the common societal issue very beautifully
8. Murder Mystery: I liked some of the murder mysteries.
9. Humor and comedic elements: Humor and comedic elements were well delivered. Some moments were genuinely funny.
10. Ending (spoilers): A happy and very beautiful ending.
Things could have been better:
1. Underwhelming last case: The last case was a bit underwhelming. The main villain was taken down easily. I expected a bit more there.
2. Simple cases: The drama started with a very good mysterious case. But in the later part, some of the cases were pretty simple.
3. Psycho Brother of FL: I really did not like this character.
4. FL character as ex-assassin: FL character lacked as an ex-assassin. I don’t know, maybe the writer wanted to tell us that living a normal life for 20 years made the FL softer. There was a clear difference in the character portrayal of FL between the young actress and Bai Bai He.
5. Dark theme: Sometimes, some of the murders were too dark. Maybe they could tone down a bit.
6. Plot holes: Well, there were some plot holes. Some things were not explained properly.
My Ratings: 9/10
The drama had its good and bad. But I thoroughly enjoyed the drama and eagerly waited everyday for the next episodes. It is a beautiful and unique drama that is different from many other historical Chinese dramas we see. I absolutely recommend it.
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Short, Beautiful, and Heartwarming - 2 well spent hours
Simply amazing. We need these kinds of cute, beautiful, heartwarming, short dramas. Most Thai dramas are all about slap-kiss, BL, revenge, or some other cliche type of story. This drama was a breath of fresh air among those dramas.I was watching a few lakorns, and suddenly found this. Only 6 episodes, 25 minutes per episode. If you skip the intro and ending credits, then only 20 minutes. So in total about 120 minutes. And I must say, it was well spent 120 minutes for sure.
Story: A short and cute story. There were some climax moments, but nothing too big. Overall, a very lighthearted story. As the drama was short, the story was straightforward. There was no extra time spent on anything, and I like this aspect of the story. Overall a well-written story and the viewers will like it for sure.
Acting/Cast: FL was the highlight of this drama. I liked her so much. She looked stunning and her acting was just perfect for that role. ML was handsome enough and did very well in his role too. The chemistry between ML and FL was simply amazing. The drama was very short and it covered only the story of FL and ML. Other characters did not have that much screen time and they were just average, nothing special. Acting-wise, both FL and ML did amazing.
Music: Nothing special on BGM. The drama was short but had its own OST's. I don't understand Thai, but the soundtrack seemed good to me.
Rewatch value: It's a short drama, only about 2 hours' time. You can rewatch it if you have nothing to do or feel like watching a short lighthearted enjoyable drama.
Ratings: My rating is 9/10. I wanted to give it more because I liked it too much. But gave it only 9. I think that's the fair rating for this drama. MDL rating is showing 7.8. Which is a very low rating and I believe, this rating is not fair for this drama. I hope the viewers will not be affected by the rating and give this drama a chance. It will be a very good and enjoyable watch for them.
My only wish is, there was an episode 7 where we could see more sweet moments with the leads and what lies in the future for them.
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