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Redundant and Underwhelming

I went into Till the End of the Moon with high expectations because of all the hype and glowing reviews, but honestly, it ended up being quite disappointing. It was surprisingly hard for me to finish this drama—I practically had to force myself through the last stretch just to cross it off my list.
The biggest issue for me was the repetitive storyline. I understand that the plot is meant to loop through similar circumstances, but it became too redundant. After a while, it felt like watching the same arc play out again and again, and I gradually lost interest.

Another thing I absolutely dislike—and this drama leans heavily into it—is the trope where the lead pretends to be invested purely for some personal gain. Yes, I know this is common and the characters usually end up falling in love for real, but it’s a plotline I find frustrating, especially when the characters are supposed to be mature adults. It just made their dynamics feel less compelling to me.

If I’m being honest, the one thing that kept me motivated to finish was TanTai Jin’s face card, because the man is undeniably beautiful. Sometimes, aesthetics are enough to keep a person going—and in this case, they were.

Overall, while the production value is high and the leads are visually stunning, the storytelling just didn’t hold up for me. 6.5/10.

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Important Message, But Lost Momentum

This show started off great. The storyline was engaging, and the acting was genuinely impressive. What captivated me the most was how hard it was to watch at times—not because it was poorly done, but because it reflected the harsh reality many women face. That made it even harder to stomach, but it’s exactly why this topic needs to be highlighted and talked about.
However, after episode 5, the show unfortunately began to go downhill. Many of the episodes that followed felt like filler, and after reading other reviews, I realized I wasn’t the only one who felt this way. The plot choice of bringing Jang Kang back especially bothered me; it felt unnecessary and pulled the story away from what made it strong in the first place.
I honestly wish the characters had never been caught and that the remaining episodes had focused more on Hui-Su—her healing, finding her confidence again after so much trauma, and simply reclaiming her life. I also would have loved to see Eun-Su quit her job and become an advocate for women who have suffered abuse, while exposing Jin Pyo’s family hypocrisy. That direction would have been so much more satisfying and meaningful.
One of the things I truly loved about this drama was the bond the girls shared with Mr. Jin. Their relationship was pure, supportive, and genuinely healthy.
Overall, As You Stood By is a good drama that tackles an important and sensitive topic, but it ultimately fell short in the end. Still, it’s worth watching for the message it tries to deliver.

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Hate open ending

The storyline was pretty great overall. It hooked us from the very beginning with its intense setup and suspense, but unfortunately, it started to lose its way as the series went on. A lot of questions were left unanswered, which was frustrating.
For example, who was the person in the video pretending to be Jang Junik? How did Munju lose her child? I really would’ve liked a deeper dive into the characters’ pasts—there was so much emotional depth that just got brushed over. I’m also not sure if I missed something, but who exactly hired Valkyrie to protect Munju?
Another big question for me: if Junik’s mother was exiled from Korea due to political issues in the U.S., how did they manage to return and build such a prominent business in Korea? That part didn’t quite add up.
And finally, I hated the ending. Open endings just aren’t for me—I prefer closure, especially after investing so much time into a show.

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Started really Stong but stalled towards the end

haven’t seen all of Zhao Lusi’s dramas—only Love Like the Galaxy and Hidden Love. In both, I felt she often played the babyish or whiny character, which didn’t really show her range or maturity. But in Loves Ambition, she truly surprised me. Her character was so much more mature and grounded, and I loved seeing this side of her. This kind of role suits her really well.
The show started off strong and immediately had me hooked. The early episodes, especially during the “divorce cooling-off period,” had the perfect mix of tension and comedy. It turned into pure entertainment—I found myself laughing out loud more than once!
The pacing was generally good, but towards the later episodes, I felt it started to drag. Some scenes, especially those set in the Yan Atelier, felt like filler with little plot development. And unfortunately, the final episode was quite disappointing, particularly the last 5 minutes. It really bothered me that there was no satisfying resolution between Hao Chao and his father—he didn’t even appear in the finale, which felt like a missed opportunity.
Overall, it was an okay show with a very strong start. It's an easy and entertaining watch. I also want to praise the casting: the male lead actually looked like a real CEO, which is rare! So often in dramas, CEOs look way too young or lack presence, but here it was believable and refreshing. And the mother-in-law character? What a gem. Yes, she came off a bit harsh at first, but she ended up being elegant, supportive, and honestly, one of the highlights of the show.

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