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Overall, enjoyed it better than "Guardian"
Completed - 12/30/2021When I watch "Killer and Healer", I can't help but compare it to the more popular drama, "Guardian" (2018) starring Bai Yu and Zhu Yi Long. I have not read either novels, so my reviews and thoughts are solely based on my enjoyment when watching the dramas. "Guardian" is a lot more popular and probably due to the two male leads. Mao Zi Jun and Ian Yi might not be as famous, but I really enjoy their (b)romance. If you are only looking for true bromance, this is not the drama for you. It is very obvious that our main leads are in love with each other.
The main selling point of this drama is the chemistry between our male leads. Zhou Yue Lou (played by Mao Zi Jun) and Dr. Chen Yu Zhi (played by Ian Yi) are obviously in love with each other. The way Yue Lou looks at Dr. Chen is full of love and affection, and you see that within the first episode of the drama. On paper, they might have very different personalties and family backgrounds. However, deep down, they have the same beliefs and ideals. They understand each other, and have a very honest and trusting relationship. Their trust for each other never wavers even when life's circumstances challenge them.
I also enjoy the overall acting of the whole cast, compared to "Guardian". In "Guardian", aside from Bai Yu and Zhu Yi Long, I did not like the acting of anyone else. In "Killer and Healer", aside from the leads, I really like Zhan Jun Bai and Patrick Quan, who played the tragic secondary couple. Our female lead is not annoying and did a pretty decent job. We have two characters who provide comic relief and they are funny in their own ways. The characters are pretty smart and didn't make any dumb decisions, and there isn't any annoying character.
The general plot of the drama is decent. It's nothing too out-of-the-ordinary. I do enjoy a Republican drama that is not about spies, the revolution or Japanese occupation. The big villain was not exposed until toward the end of the drama, though it's not hard to guess who that is. However, I do have a problem with the pacing and felt that some of the crime investigations felt repetitive. I lost my concentration in the middle of the drama, but I think it finishes strong in the last 10 episodes.
One big reason why I like this drama more than "Guardian" is that it doesn't look cheap, even though both dramas are not big budget productions. I was very annoyed with the flimsy sets in "Guardian". Here, aside from some questionable gun fights, everything looks decent and the costumes aren't bad. Our leads look dashing in their suits and uniforms. I would compare the production quality to be similar to "Fall in Love" (2021).
p.s. When watching this drama on MangoTV YouTube channel, the sound keeps on going in and out. It's very, very annoying!!
p.p.s. I heard there's an alternate ending somewhere.
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This review may contain spoilers
Sex Education with G-rated kisses
Completed - 11/2/2021If the goal of the director/writer is to provide sex education to teenagers in an interesting, non-preachy and easy-to-understand manner, then I believe they achieve their goal. As a non-teen (and far from it), I enjoy the stories surrounding the three main teenage girls. Each episode covers a topic that is important for everyone to know and understand.
Here are some topics presented in the drama (not sure if it's considered spoilers):
1. First time having sex/Virginity - the fear and pressure experienced by both teenage boys and girls.
2. Asexuality and Bisexuality - prejudice, rumors, acceptance and understanding
3. Outing of someone's sexual orientation
3. Masturbation & Vibrators - stigma
4. STDs
5. Teen pregnancy - inaccurate information, lack of support school support, lack of sex education offered in school
6. Familial relationships - daughter/mom and daughter/father - misconceptions, misunderstandings and lack of communication
As a regular drama, the acting is decent and we have some pretty good-looking boys and girls. I do find the main girl, Sakura, a little annoying in the beginning. Her character does grow from an innocent girl, to one that is supportive of her friends and is willing to learn, understand and accept. However, I still find her not deserving of her boyfriend, Asahi Yu. Asahi Yu is my favorite male character in the drama. An eccentric boy who doesn't care about what others think of him, and very supportive of his girlfriend through actions. However, I am not sure if I like the acting of Mizusawa Rintaro. My favorite female character would be Hara Tsumugi, and how strong she is.
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Flashbacks galore - should have combined Seasons 1+2
10/22/2021Aside from the continued great acting from the cast, I am very disappointed in Season 2. They should have combined both seasons, esp. when Season 2 was broadcasted only about a month after Season 1 ends.
Episodes 1-5 - Flashbacks Galore!! The story was moving so slowly as each character needs to have their own flashbacks. If there's no season 2, we don't need so many flashbacks.
Episodes 6-13 - The cast is basically running around in circles inside Death Marsh + more flashbacks
Episodes 13-18 - This last part is when the story starts to move along and things start to get interesting. There's more action, more conversations and the plot thickens! I was hoping for some good battles in the final episode, and I'm glad we did get some.
*Spoilers: Season 2 Ending and Season 3 Synopsis below* - Big Rant!!!
You give me an open ending after all that???? That is so unfair to Xiao Fan/Gui Li. He's been trying to revive Bi Yao for 10 years, and you can't give us a happy ending? And then when I read the synopsis for Season 3, you tell me Xiao Fan actually loves Xue Qi and not Bi Yao??? What the heck is that?? Who tries to chase after a glimpse of hope to be with the love of his life, and then the next season realizes that she is actually not the love of his life??? Arggh....I have never read the novel, so I don't know who Gui Li actually ends up with. But this just doesn't make any sense.
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SLOW-paced healing drama, beautiful cinematography and great acting
8/28/2021I wanted to like this drama more but the slow pace and pauses between dialogs kept me from giving it a higher rating. I've watched melodramas before but this one is quite slow compared to the likes of "When The Weather is Fine", "Piece of a Mind" or "Chocolate".
Things I like:
1. Acting/Characters - Acting is great and the leads are veterans in the industry now. I've watched quite a few rom-coms that FL is in and it's nice to see her in a different role. I believe in her pain and am glad that her character doesn't cry all the time. She stays strong despite her traumas. I cried with her when she finally opened up to ML about her childhood trauma. I've seen ML in "Tomorrow with You" and liked him there. But I like him even more here. You see his serious and calming therapy side (love his soothing voice), then the silly lovey-dovey side, his traumatic/sad look and his adorably dorky side. I can see all those emotions in his eyes. The supporting cast also did a great job, whether they are the younger generation or the child actors.
2. Cinematography and OST: The feels are there. The drama is beautifully shot with great angles. I am not an expert in cinematography but in layman's term, it's just a very pretty drama. The music complements the mood and the feel. There's no annoying loud music or the constant playing of the same song over and over again.
3. Main Healing Romance - I love a slow-burn romance. This one is developed beautifully from strangers to neighbors to lovers. I feel that the best part of the show is when the leads are on the screen. I enjoy their dialogs, their bantering and being silly together. Some commented that they don't feel the chemistry, but I do. It's not a hot-burning fire, but a gentle, comfortable warmth between them. They care for each other, supported each other and healed each other. A love that is mature and open without misunderstandings.
4. Friendships - We got sismance and bromance. They are the comedic parts of this drama and really help lighten up the mood. Otherwise, this drama will be sad and depressing. You can also see how different the leads are when they are with their friends.
Things I don't like:
1. Pacing - As I mentioned, this is a very slow-paced drama. I understand we should be "feeling" more and not be rushed, but the pauses in between dialogs are too much for my taste. Maybe because I've been watching too many C-dramas that my tolerance for K-dramas slowness has decreased.
2. Murder mystery - I feel like the murder mystery plot seems to be its own drama on the side. It's not working very well when it's merged into a melo-romance. But without this plot, the drama would need to be shorten significantly, as there won't be enough stories to fill a d16-episode drama. There's not enough interaction between the 2nd ML and the main leads in the mid/2nd part of the drama. It's like the murder plot is totally forgotten.
I would recommend this drama to someone who loves a slow-paced healing melodrama with a slow-burn romance. Also someone who likes to pause and think and feel the emotions along with the characters. But if you like a fast-paced rom-com, this is not for you. If you are looking for a crime/murder drama, this is not it either.
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Arthdal Chronicles Part 3: The Prelude to All Legends
4 people found this review helpful
Amazing acting, big production, unlike any K-drama
7/24/2021What an amazing end to Season 1. The long journey of waiting for Season 2 has begun. It took me a while to finish Part 3 as it's not a binge-watching kinda show. Each episode feels like its own movie.
I am in awe of everyone's acting. From the youngest children to the most senior and veteran actors, each one of them portrays their characters so well. You believe in each of their emotions and you laugh and cry with them. The four main leads are without a doubt worthy of their praises. And I agree with many that it's Song Joong Ki's best role playing both Eunseom and Saya. They are such different characters yet SJL did such an amazing job, all that the small facial expressions and mannerisms. However, I am most impressed with Kim Ok Bin, who played Taealha. This is my first time watching her. I am in love with her character. She has such a presence on the screen that I can't take my eyes off her whenever she's there. The chemistry between Tagon and Taealha is off-the-charts. Each character is so layered and gray. You understand why they make certain decisions because of their background story, and you can't help but feel for them, even though you don't agree with their decisions.
We see equal parts of Saya and Eunseom in Part 3. I am glad because I miss Eunseom in Part 2. We saw the rise of Tagon as King, Tanya as High Priestess and Eunseom as Tribal leader. There's plenty of fighting and bloodshed in Part 2 and they are all essential to the major plot. The pacing of Part 3 is faster than Part 1, but they are still somewhat slow compared to other dramas. There are so many smaller plots that have to come together for the main storyline. If one doesn't pay attention, you might miss out on something.
I wasn't aware that there are Seasons 2 and 3. If I had known, I might not have started watching this show. I waited until all 3 parts are out before I watch Season 1. Now the long wait begins. I am not sure when the cast would be able to line up their schedules and start shooting Season 2 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With so many people involved in this big production, it might be a long while before the audience can see Eunseom and Tanya reunite. I am looking forward to that. As much as I love Saya, I ship Euseom and Tanya more :)
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Beautiful production but SUPER slow
Completed - 4/5/2022 - 7.75 rounding up to 8.0It's really unfortunate that I don't love "The Longest Day in Chang'An". It's a masterful production with a great general plot and meaningful lessons of loyalty, friendship and sacrifice. However, I was really forcing myself to finish this drama. I just couldn't get into it. The pacing is really slow for me. It took me about 15 episodes to get into the story. By approximately Ep 16-30, I became more interested as finally, there's action and explosion. Unfortunately, after Ep 30, things slow down again.
I wish this drama is only about 30 episodes long. We can use a couple episodes for the setup/buildup, then one episode per day for the real plot, and then another episode or two as an extended epilogue. 48 episodes of talking is really too much.
I was tempted to give this drama an even lower rating. However, there are certain aspects of the drama that are excellent, and prevented me from lowering my rating even more.
1. Acting - Top notch acting all-around. Nothing more needs to be said.
2. Production quality/Cinematography - I didn't do the research, but I heard the drama is very historically accurate - set designs, props, costumes, etc. You do not see flimsy sets or props that are about to break. Everything is top notch. The cinematography is also fabulous. I have a fondness of natural lighting from candles and lanterns. With the lantern festival as the backdrop, there is no shortage of beautiful night time scenes. It's no wonder "Luoyang" is being compared to this drama so much, esp. when it comes to cinematography. I would say the colors of this drama is more natural and realistic. Whereas, the colors in "Luoyang" are more vibrant and high-definition.
3. Actors voice - All actors use their own voices and there's no dubbing. You can also hear there's actually live recording on set, in addition to studio voiceovers. Occasionally, you do hear a dubbed voice during post production maybe because of censorship. It's just such a delight to be able to hear actors own voices in a historical drama. It makes the acting and emotions shown so much more realistic.
4. OST and background music - What a beautiful original soundtrack "The Longest Day in Chang'An" has. Traditional songs and music just complement the scenes so well. Many of the song lyrics are actually poems from the great poet Li Bai. Though the BGM could be loud at times and overshadow the dialogs, the music is just beautiful.
5. Fight Scenes - I enjoy the gritty, realistic fight scenes. They are gruesome and harsh, but each time a fight broke out between our ML and a bad guy or his former comrade, I can feel the ML's emotions. There are no weak punches by anyone. Every single actor gives it 100% when fighting. And, how badass is our lady assassin!
Even though I listed all these positive aspects of the drama, the rating comes down to my personal feeling. Unfortunately, the sum of the parts do not bring me great enjoyment.
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Is this a healing romance, a melodrama or a fluffy rom-com?
9/2/2021This drama has really good reviews when it first started airing, that's why it attracted my attention. However, the writing is inconsistent and the drama seems to be having an identity crisis. It wanted to be a good healing romance, then it became a melodrama and then a fluffy rom-com.
Things I like:
1. Evan Lin (ML) - I am glad I discovered Evan Lin, as he's a newbie and this is his first drama. He is gorgeous to look at with beautiful eyes and smile. He also has a very nice, sexy voice and his singing is beautiful. His acting surprises me and he plays the role of a blind, introverted songwriter and teacher really well. I enjoyed all of his scenes before he regains his eyesight. He also did a good job as a jealous, childish, overprotective, lovesick CEO. Though I don't like the writing of the second half of the show, Evan's acting is good.
2. Challenges of the visually impaired - I enjoy watching the show's tackling of the challenges and life adjustments for the visually impaired. I am not sure how realistic they are, since I am not blind, but that part of drama is most interesting to me. I like scenes at ML's home and at school. I also like the relationship between ML and the little girl, and how caring he is to her. I enjoy the scenes at the school's fundraising event, where the little girl was "used" by those who might have the school's best interest at heart.
3. Music - The songs in this drama have great lyrics and melodies. Several different songs were played throughout the drama, and I like every single one of them. I already added them to my "Liked Songs" on Spotify. The piano instrumental bgm is nice as well, except for one (which I will discuss below).
4. Chemistry between the Leads - Evan Lin and Wan Peng have great chemistry and I totally enjoy their banter. As much as I enjoy the sweetness of their hugs and kisses in the last few episodes, I enjoy the quiet companionship they have at home before ML regains his eyesight. That calm romance when they're just sitting on the couch reading and cuddling, or taking care of each other in their own little ways, are more romantic than any cheesy love declaration or fluffy silliness. I do wish Wan Peng can kiss better because Evan Lin seems like he would be a good kisser. I can see all that love in Evan's eyes.
Things I don't like:
1. Plot change/Plot holes - There are just too many convenient circumstances that broke our couple apart. Both fathers in the hospital at the same time, losing cell phones, and all the lack of/miscommunication are just too convenient. The 3-year time skip is not a favorite of mine. If they were going to stop talking for 3 years, I would like to see a longer courtship from ML in order to win FL back. What's with the surprise death of a friend and PTSD? It came from the left field and was subtly and easily resolved by watching the movie and coming out of a dream. FL is a psychology major and although I don't expect her to know everything, she did not seem to be doing a good job at the Autism research center. And why does she have to ask others to analyze her boyfriend's actions? I thought her EQ was pretty decent.
2. BGM - There's this one particular instrumental piano piece that comes up each time and sounded like the music of doom. Whenever that song is played, I feel like something bad is going to happen (but not necessarily). I also find BGM comes up quite often, and often a little too loud for my personal taste.
3. Secondary romance - This has to be one of the most uninteresting and boring secondary romance I've seen. The acting of the actor/actress isn't that great either, granted they are pretty inexperienced. You can totally skip all their scenes, and won't be missing a thing.
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I came for Miles and Apo, but I stayed for Son and Euro.
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25Even though I read the synopsis, I thought politics will be the backdrop of romance. In actuality, it’s the opposite. Politics is heavy and if you are not a fan, you might want to rethink unless you love the 1960s style and the actors.
My favorite: Krailer + Naran
The romance between Krailert (Colonel) and Naran (Reporter) is just WOW. Who would have thought I lived for their romance. It was fast and explosive in a good and bad way. It may not have been love-at-first-sight, but definitely some love-at-first-attraction before they officially met. Who knew flirting in a newspaper column would be so sexy. How about secret love letters through literature? A personal piano room in the library and a charming little rendezvous hideout? Add to that are some more tangible touching, kissing, hugging and getting the sexy on. I’m not just loving the lovey-dovey romance, but the clash in morals and their professionalism. The choice between standing up for what’s right and just, and following commands from your superiors. This forbidden romance has me in a chokehold (and I don’t use this term easily). Krailert and Nara gave me everything I want in a romance.
Miss the Mark: Tanwa + Trin
I thought Miles’ Tanwa and Apo’s Trin would be THE pair that sucks me in. But unfortunately, it didn’t quite hit the mark. I was interested in how the two very different individuals are attracted to each other. We have an idealistic and upright Professor and a hippie, pot-smoking Singer. Their characters are much deeper than what meets the eye. But when it comes to romance, they pale in comparison to Krailert and Naran. I feel that the politics and student uprising do not integrate well into their storytelling. Yes, the kisses are great, but the chemistry was not as good as in “KinnPorsche”. All the other side plots seem to keep them away from each other. In contrast, the politics is what made Krailer and Naran’s love story more interesting.
Not My Favorite: Politics + Side plots
I don’t hate political stories. I think “Shine” tries to send a message about a very important time in Thailand. But I do think the drama did not make all this interesting enough for me to be invested, at least not until the last 2 episodes. Victor and his friends brought a little excitement in the early episodes but then they started to annoy me. Victor’s little crush is nice especially the way he looks at Trin and I appreciate him knowing when to stop. But then, you have Veera’s crush, Victor’s dad, Ms Moira, corruption, Tanwa and his family drama…. Just too many side stories for such a short drama.
Having said all that, the acting is amazing. Everyone delivers and each main character has to deliver quite a range of different emotions. Cinematography is great and I love the 1960’s feel in costume, sets and music. A lot of care is given to make this drama look good. I just wish there’s more to keep me excited throughout the drama.
But because I was so moved by Krailert and Naran, they make it hard for me to give this drama lower than an 8.0-8.25. “Shine” just doesn’t speak to me as much as I would have liked. But I am sure many viewers enjoy it tremendously.
Completed: 9/21/2025 Review #627
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A Drama with No plot but full of Cheese and Fanservice
Subjective Gut Rating: 7.25I decided to watch “We Are” because I wanted something simple and light-hearted, a stress reliever. With that in mind, I made the right choice. “We Are” is so easy, and too easy of a watch. It’s a drama full of fluff, cheese and cringe.
Unfortunately, the drama does not hold my attention. “We Are” has no plot whatsoever. The whole drama is about a big group of friends hanging out, pairing up with each romantic partner, professing their love and kissing their loved ones. While I enjoy seeing the tight bond of these friends, especially the 5-some of Peem, Q, Tan, Pun and Chain, I cannot consume 16 hours of just hanging out. The drama is way too long for its lack of content. It ended up not really what I am looking for, but this might just be the right one for you.
The acting of the cast is OK. There really isn’t anyone who stood out as being excellent. The big selling point of this drama is Pond and Phuwin as the two main leads. I enjoy their chemistry and their scenes together. They are obviously comfortable around each other. Pond and his handsome face and loving gazes are what keep me going and not dropping it.
I also feel that the introduction of such a big cast at once causes some confusion. I was trying to figure out the first 5 and then the drama introduced another 6 guys to the mix. Aside from the main romance between Peem and Phum, I really didn’t care for the other pairings. Some characters are more annoying and cringey than others. The drama has many unnaturally long gazes and slow motion shots for every single supposedly romantic gesture or kiss. It’s somewhat trying to manipulate how the audience should feel.
“We Are” is a pure fanservice drama. I don’t think I’ve seen a drama with so many kisses from all romantic pairs, and so many “I love you” spoken. The kisses on the lips are actually not bad, much better than the pecks on the cheeks or forehead (don’t they know you should also extend your lips a little?). I would recommend this drama if you are a fan of the cast.
Completed: 7/29/2024 - Review #468
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Decent sequel but NOT a must-watch, esp. if you forgot all about Season 1
*edit* Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25 (increased from 8.0)I watched “Young Blood” season 1 during my obsessive C-drama watching year in 2021. I only vaguely remember the fun schooldays. I almost forgot that it ended on an unfinished note and was happy to hear season 2 is happening with almost the full cast back, especially for Steven Zhang and Zhou Yu Tong. But is season 2 just as enjoyable as season 1? After I read my notes on season 1, I am afraid it’s not as good.. It’s a decent sequel but the pacing is inconsistent and it did not hold my attention for the full 27 episodes.
What I Like:
Acting - The all around acting of the full cast is consistently great. The six main cast members did not disappoint, nor did they exceed my expectations. The drama also has a pretty good veteran supporting cast. Despite the change of actor for the role of Wei Ya Nei, it did not affect my viewing pleasure.
Individual character development - Although the three-year separation is a little weird for the overall plot, I am glad to see that it allows for each member of Section 7 to develop and grow. I am especially glad to see that innocent and sweet Pei Jing becomes more independent, and not just hide behind Wang Kuan. I am glad to see Yuan Zhong Xin and Zhao Jian continue to be the dynamic duo who understands each other and creates troubles together. I do wish to see more individual stories and the process of their individual growth and achievements.
Badass FL - Zhao Jian as the section leader was badass in season 1. I am glad she continues to be the calm and badass leader of the group. Oftentimes, this does not last for a full season, let alone two whole seasons. It’s so nice to not see a damsel in distress who needed to be saved by the male lead, or a female lead who loses her smarts when she’s in love.
Villain - I haven’t seen such an interesting villain in a while. Yuan Hao is not plain evil. Actually, aside from being an emperor in power and wanting to maintain his power, I don’t think the drama portrays him as a bloodthirsty evil person. He just wants what most emperors want. He’s looks menacing, is intelligent, sarcastic, funny and incredibly strong physically and mentally. Section 7 is full of smart team members, so it was nice to see how they try to outsmart Yuan Hao, and vice versa.
Section 8 - I assume they were introduced in season 1 but I had no recollection. But the small amount of screentime the three members of Section 8 have here impressed me. I actually want to know more of their history and stories. They were a surprising delight that stole the thunder from the main cast.
Costumes - I love all the costumes especially when the cast is in Xia traditional hairstyles and attires.
What I have mixed feelings about:
Romance - I love the more mature romances in season 2. Yuan Zhong Xin and Zhao Jian have a fun relationship as they have such similar personalities and are on the same wavelengths. The scene in prison where they pledged their love for each other in a unique way, is one of my favorite romantic scenes. Wang Kuan and Pei Jing continue their sweet love. It’s interesting to see them being the more lovey-dovey type and holding hands all the time. They are definitely not shy in showing some public display of affection. Wang Kuan is such a polite, mellow and gentle scholar that I would never have thought he could be a super protective and assertive boyfriend. Both couples understand and trust each other. However, despite liking how the romance is written, I think the chemistry is just decent. I wonder if it’s because the drama focuses too much on their mission, and the romantic moments are hard to come by. I feel that it’s such a waste as the romances and the four actors could have delivered so much more when given enough time.
Darker Tone/Comedy - I was a little taken back in the initial episodes as the drama started off with a more serious tone than I expected. It was quite political and comedic moments were lacking. But then, these comedic moments start to show up more, and unfortunately, I feel they were a little out-of-place. The comedy doesn’t seem to be as funny as before. Supporting character Yu Chi Yuan is the ‘clown’ of the drama. His dumb, comedic moments are fun for a while but then they happen way too often and I get annoyed.
Pacing - Personally, I feel that the middle of the drama dragged. The pace was great in the first ⅓ of the drama, then slowed down in the middle and picked back up in the last ⅓. Unfortunately, I lost my concentration during the slower episodes, and it fails to gain my full attention back even in the final episodes. Because the second season focuses on one main mission, there aren’t enough to keep me invested for 27 episodes. The pace would be better if this is a 24-ep drama, or if there are other smaller side missions that lead to the finale.
CGI/Action Scenes - If the drama spends money on costumes, it definitely saves money on CGI. We got some fake horseback riding going on here. Luckily, this is not a xianxia drama, so most of the fight scenes do not require CGI. Speaking of fight scenes, I was quite happy in the first couple episodes as we have some close combat fighting. But there aren’t enough throughout the drama and I do not enjoy the slow motion scenes they have in these fights. I was glad they did give us a final fight in the end and not just casually mention it.
Overall, I wish I had watched both seasons back-to-back as I might enjoy it better. I think if you want to skip season 1 and go straight to season 2, it’s possible as well. As I said, I forget almost everything in the first season. This is a decent sequel but not a must-watch. But if you like the cast and want to continue the journey with them, then it’s not bad.
Completed: 8/24/2023 - Review #343
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Intricate and interesting storylines, beautiful cinematography and OST
Completed: 1/2/2021 - 8.75 rounding up to 9.0"Rainless Love in Godless Land" is written by the same person who wrote the popular "Someday or One Day" and the less popular "Attention, Love'. The intricate and complicated storylines are reminiscent of "Someday or One Day", especially the last few episodes of both dramas. I find that you really need to stay focused throughout the whole episode. Otherwise, you will miss a detail and then be very confused. The drama was told through stories of the Taiwanese Aborigines, Ami Tribe, passed down by generations through stories told.
What I like:
1. The Amis' animated story - At the start of each episode, the audience is treated to the animated story of the Ami tribe. We learned of their gods, people, and traditions. It also leads into what the actual episode is about. I am not sure how accurate these stories are, but I really enjoy learning and watching the animation. This is an interesting way to give us some insight into the upcoming episode and learning more about the culture.
2. OST - I usually don't rate OST as the second item I mentioned, but I really like all the songs. The lyrics of all the songs complemented the mood and the story. I especially like the ending theme song "雨不停。流" sung by 孫盛希, the opening theme "最後一秒鐘" by九澤CP and the acapella version of "讓我聽見你" sung in Amis when FL was quietly praying for the appearance of Orad. If I remember correctly, "Someday or One Day" has a great soundtrack as well.
3. Acting - The overall acting of the cast is great. Our main leads have to portray many different emotions throughout the dramas. I have to say that both Joanne Tseng (FL) and Fu Meng Bo (ML) were best during emotional scenes. I also enjoy Samantha Ko as FL's grand mother, Alice Ko's gray character as the Cloud God, Joe Cheng as Wind God and the funny Yan Yu Lin as Wisdom God. A special shout out to the child/young actresses in this drama. Oh another shout out to the gods needing to learn a different language. They all sound so believable.
4. General plot - Doomsday + Gods + Human + Special Power + Inter-species Romance + Pollution! That is a lot to unpack in this drama. The drama does a good job in slowly revealing the stories of all characters and how they intertwined with each other. It also reminds us that we have not been taking care of Mother Earth. Even the gods give up on us and leave us to our demise.
5. Guest Roles - This is just a personal preference of mine. I just finished watching "Attention, Love" not too long ago and I really enjoy seeing so many actors/actresses appearing in both dramas (roughly counted 6). This is very likely due to the same team producing both dramas.
What I Don't like as much:
1. Romance - The majority of the romance is shown through flashbacks of when Orad was protecting TianTi before she lost her memory. I would say this is a slow-burn romance. However, I feel that it's lacking intensity (even if it's quiet intensity) to have this romance to be so central to the main plot. I would like to see more about the couple right now, and not through flashbacks. The flashbacks also feel repetitive and not enough variety.
2. Revealing the Lie - As much as I enjoy how intricate the storylines are, and how everything is slowly revealed, I find the last 2 episodes a little confusing. The main reveal was done by the Wind God in the last couple episodes, and he just blurted everything out. I have to really pay attention to what he said, and then think back to all that happened to understand what was the "lie" he was talking about. He kept on using the word "lie" but it wasn't explicit enough for me to understand right away. Of course, it could also be my comprehension problem.
Other Observations:
1. I want to see more powerless adorable Orad. He's so adorable when he becomes human and has to learn about sweating, eating and making choices.
2. Did they just call FL the Steph Curry of the tour company? LOL
3. Fu Meng Bo (ML) doesn't look attractive to me in the beginning. But he grows on me esp. in the last episode.
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I want to be part of their friend circle!
Let’s start with the ending (no spoiler). I personally really like the ending. It’s not one that is typical of a youth drama but one that feels so much more mature yet fun. The last episode is a big recap on all that happened in the past 29 episodes, but not in a super flashback-heavy way. The chemistry of the whole cast is evident throughout the drama but it’s especially heartwarming to see them all sit together chatting, making fun of each other, and reminiscing about the past. It makes me want to be part of their friend circle! As they face their past selves and reflect on past hopes and dreams, it’s great to see how far they have come and how much they have changed and matured.The acting of the cast is awesome. I really had no expectations when I started it but did know “Always Home” has great reviews. I just finished watching Daniel Zhou in “A Moment but Forever” and really liked his character there. He’s even better as Song Cong, the mature and quiet straight A student. Together with Jing Xi Chi (such a fun green flat) and Chen Huan Er (lovable and not annoying FL), these 3 best friends who live in the same neighborhood, provide us with a lot of laughter, tears and heartwarming moments. Their friendship, in addition to the closeness of their parents, are what C-dramas are famous for. The three families take care of each other through life’s ups and downs. As much as I love scenes of the three youngsters, I enjoy the parents' rowdiness just as much.
Romance is slow-burn and you need to be patient. And I don’t recall seeing SO many one-sided crushes in a high school drama. However, Jing Xi Chi and Chen Huan Er have so much chemistry together. Love, love, love this couple as well as them as individuals. Their frequent banters and jokes feel natural and real. They are open and honest with each other. They are indeed best friends-turned-lovers. I might have wanted the romance to start a little sooner because they are just so adorably shy and I want more fluffy scenes. Unfortunately, the secondary romance between Song Cong and Qi Qi is not as satisfying. I don’t feel their chemistry and really don’t think they’re a good pair (maybe that’s what the director is trying to convey). Without giving away too much, what these couples go through are part of their journey to become their mature present selves.
High school days took over more than half of the drama. I would have liked to see that shortened a little, even though the high school days are the most fun to watch. College life was not bad in the beginning (especially when the main romance finally develops) but then nothing much really happened to create excitement. Not many episodes are dedicated to the adult/professional days, but I do like the message that they are not protected and sheltered anymore by their school and families. Even though there are small and big crises/events happening throughout the drama, they are resolved pretty quickly within an episode or two.
China is really a pro in these coming-of-age dramas. “Always Home” is one of the better ones in recent memory. The acting is great all around from the main cast to the veteran supporting cast. The chemistry and friendship feel natural and realistic. Despite some challenges in life, this drama is a pretty easy watch. Because I like the last episode so much, it cements a solid 8.5 for me.
Completed: 4/25/2025 - Review #569
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Interesting role reversal but unable to balance multiple elements well.
Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75“Love Scout” boasts a mature romance and an interesting role reversal with a straightforward and relentless FL and a considered and friendly ML. Those two are definitely the selling point of the drama.
Looking for a Mr. Green Flag to soothe your lonely heart? Yoo Eun Ho to the rescue! Aside from being a divorced, single father, he’s basically Mr. Perfect. He’s warm, kind, friendly, considerate, organized, cooks and cleans and never gets angry. The total opposite of the stubborn, relentless workaholic Kang Ji Yun, a CEO who doesn’t care much aside from her company. I did enjoy the romance, but also think Eun Ho is way too perfect that he’s a little…… boring. I need some flaws, not red flags but someone who shows a little more vulnerability or gets jealous and petty every so often. I also wanted a little more longing, flirting and push-and-pull before the leads actually got together. I was hoping this main character isn’t the first one to confess. But given the circumstances, it does make sense that they bring this up first. At least it’s done in a way that is true to the character’s personality. Once the main leads are together, they are honest and communicative, with some cute scenes and nice skinship. I might have expected a few more steamy kisses.
The kids are cute and are total scene stealers. I just wish there were more scenes of ML and his daughter, and maybe show me a little more of a struggle to be a single father. After the initial episodes, single parenthood doesn’t seem to be a problem anymore. In fact, the drama seems to have forgotten that ML should probably spend more time with his daughter, not have another family take care of her, or leave her in a bookstore, especially when he is not forced to work overtime.
Unfortunately, the rest of the drama is somewhat average. The business plot and the headhunting stories are somewhat bland. Nothing is high stakes enough for me to feel worried or excited. Everything seems to be resolved really quickly and doesn’t create excitement. This is not a good business drama at all.
Additionally, the villains are taken down easily in the end. Are scenes being cut to keep this at 12 episodes? Family dramas and traumas loomed in the background but when they are brought to the forefront, all is resolved in a jiffy. The fire and the consequences are predictable and unoriginal. Moreover, I still don’t have a clear picture of what’s going on between Chairman Woo and his sons.
If you are looking for a perfect male lead and a role reversal, then this drama is worth a watch. “Love Scout” fails to find the right balance to tell a well-written story of single parenthood, interesting talent search firm cases, trauma, family drama and romance. I was going to give this a solid 8.0 because of the role reversal but in the end, it’s a 7.75.
Completed: 2/15/2025 - Review #545
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I watched this drama, so you DON'T have to.
Stop! Don’t watch this drama! Unless you are forced to, or are watching this because of a watch challenge like me, please do not waste your time. I usually have a pretty high tolerance for bad dramas, but this one takes the cake (pun intended…LOL). I even find joy in watching “Playboyy” but unfortunately, “Love Syndrome III: Uncut Version” only brings me pain. It’s not even fun to hate-watch. I usually watch my dramas at normal speed, but I have to resort to 1.25x and then 1.5x because I couldn’t wait for it to end..Let’s start with a few things that I consider as positives:
1. No Product Placement! It’s so rare these days to find a Thai drama when it’s not trying to sell me snacks, drinks or beauty products. Aside from turning me off from eating cakes, no product placement is good. But then, I wonder, if they are able to get sponsors, will the quality be better?
2. The last scene when everyone is all dressed up for the ceremony.
3. Mmm… there are some abs shown here and there.
4. The action/fight scenes look good at 1.5x speed. LOL.
Where do I start with things I don’t like?
1. BAD acting. It’s so bad that I thought both leads were newbies, but then realized they both have several dramas under their belts already. Really bad! Watch it for 5 minutes and immediately you want to drop this drama.
2. Ugly wig. Why do they give Itt that ugly wig? Is it because they need to follow the hairstyle of the web novel?
3. Poor Editing and writing. Enough said.
4. Flashbacks galore. So many back-and-forth flashbacks throughout the whole drama. I understand you are trying to tell the audience what happened in the last 3 years, but they could do a better job. Towards the last few episodes, there are so many flashbacks that I got annoyed, and these are not flashbacks to tell a story either.
5. Toxic Relationships. So many messed up relationships in this drama. The leads are very unlikeable to begin with. They got a little better in the last 2-3 episodes.
6. Meaningless conversations. The drama is dragged down by people standing around for meaningless and unsensible conversations and dialogues. I don’t want to hear about cakes anymore.
7. The leads fight all the time - the WHOLE drama from start to end.
8. The last subplot introduced is unnecessary and out-of-place. I don’t need a psycho to pop in to stir up trouble when I just want the drama to end.
9. Plot, or lack of a plot. The leads could have shared their limelight with the other couples, esp. Nan and Mac. At least this toxic couple seems more interesting. I still don’t know why Day + Itt and Night + Gear got over their initial rough start to be together. I thought if I waited long enough, I'd see a flashback about it.
I am sure some viewers enjoy this drama. I am just not one of them. But if you are curious about how bad this is, “Love Syndrome 3” is the perfect watch-party drama with your friends. I did that for 4 episodes and it was very fun and hilarious. Thanks Cave Clowns for keeping me company!
Completed: 3/10/2024 - Review #415
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Amazing Leads Chemistry, likable supporting cast but only OK plot
Overall Rating - 8.25Subjective Romance Rating - 8.5
Objective Drama Rating - 8.0
Giving this drama an 8.5 is mainly due to the chemistry between Zhang Bin Bin and Janice Wu. Zhang Bin Bin looks so handsome in this drama. If you are a romance lover or a fan of either actor, I strongly recommend this drama. Otherwise, this is a decent one with equal parts business and romance. Most characters are likable and no one is too annoying or irritating. The villains are tolerable.
I am a fan of the leads, and that’s what prompted me to watch the drama. Because honestly, the business plot isn’t that unique and quite predictable. The part about ML’s pursuit of his dreams in the end reminds me of Yang Yang’s storyline in “You Are My Glory” but not enough for me to be moved like in “You Are My Glory”.
However, what shines are the characters. Zhang Bin Bin and Janice Wu are so lovable, fun and awesome together. They are both smart and petty (in a funny way). I feel like I am prying into their private lives when they are looking into each other’s eyes, having those lovely and realistic hugs and kisses. I enjoy the earlier episodes of their flirting and smart banter. Those earlier episodes are definitely a lot more fun. But the skinship (kisses and hugs) come in the latter half of the drama. The kisses are realistic but the camera tends to pan away and not give me enough close-up shots. LOL. Some might not like the long distance relationship but I find that pretty ok. Many dramas get boring after the leads get together, but at least the long distance relationship keeps things a little more interesting for longer.
Aside from the main romance, I love the fun relationship between FL and her grandpa. I look forward to their sarcastic, funny and witty conversations. Grandpa is one of the best in C-dramaland. On the other hand, ML’s sweet relationship with his little brother is also a highlight of the drama. It’s too bad we don’t see the kid enough in the last few episodes. That storyline ended quite abruptly. The co-workers/team chemistry is pretty good as well. All the team members are likable.
I appreciate almost all actors using their own voices and not dubbed. It seems like there’s quite a lot of live recording as well. I also like many songs played. There are just two love songs that are overplayed and I got a little annoyed. But as a whole, I enjoy the OST.
But the drama is not without faults. My biggest pet peeve is FL’s understanding/knowledge of all things technology when she first joined the company, especially since she’s a communications major and not an engineer. I have to suspend reality to enjoy those early episodes. The secondary romance isn’t exciting at all and didn’t bring anything new or add to the drama. I wish the ending for this pair was different. I also did not like FL’s hairstyles. They need to fire the hairstylists who gave Janice Wu such childish styling. I don’t feel that the pace of the drama is slow or that it drags in the middle episodes. That’s probably because the drama tries to put many subplots and filler plots within these 32 episodes. The result is that not all subplots are fully explored. I wish the drama had focused more on certain storylines and then removed some of them. If you don’t like China’s national pride in their aerospace technology, you might find this very preachy. At least it’s less than “You Are My Glory”. Lastly, this drama has a LOT of product placements! I didn’t think it took that much money to film this drama as there aren’t many elaborate sets, but there are so many advertisements - bottled water, Yakult yogurt drink, makeup/face masks, noodles, toothbrushes, etc.
Overall, this is a fun, office romance drama. Watch it for the leads chemistry and not for the business plot. It’s quite an easy watch and very bingeable.
Completed: 6/11/2023 - Review #317
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