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Flashbacks galore - should have combined Seasons 1+2

10/22/2021

Aside 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

8/28/2021

I 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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Amazing acting, big production, unlike any K-drama

7/24/2021

What 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 8.0

It'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?

9/2/2021

This 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: 8.25

Even 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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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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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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The Sum of All Parts made this an Interesting Drama.

Completed - 6/21/2022

While browsing through Seven Tan’s filmography, I came across “The Eight”. This drama doesn’t seem to be very popular but since I like Seven Tan and Qin Lan, and the synopsis sounds interesting enough, I want to give it a try. It’s rare to find a Republican era drama that is NOT about spies, Kuomintang vs Communist Party or the Japanese Occupation. So, this is a breath of fresh air. Instead, this drama is about a college student becoming entangled in the business of the eight professions/guilds of Jianghu and how he plays a key role in their future.

Plot and Pacing
After watching the first couple episodes, I question the overarching plot of this drama. This is weird. Why do these 8 guilds need an outsider to help them make the change? Can’t each leader take care of its members and help them lead a normal life? Well, since that’s the premise, I’ll go with it. The strength of the drama is the sum of all parts. Each guild is very distinct and its leaders have different personalities and skills. The drama gives each of the 8 professions a decent amount of screen time for watchers to get to know them. I really appreciate this as that did not happen when I was watching “The Mystic Nine”. In “The Mystic Nine”, some of the leaders are casually mentioned or resorted to being in a big montage. Not here! “The Eight” was able to weave the different stories into its big general plot. There are some pretty cool scenes and subplots that I’ve never seen before in a C-drama, e.g. The Battle of Generals (using a city’s model as a chess board and different colored sand to battle it out) and the Battle of Mechanics (a very smart way of fighting without the use of weapons). The pacing of the drama was great in the first 2 ⁄ 3 of the drama. I was engaged and interested as we traveled from Beijing to Kunming to Guangzhou and Shanghai. But when it hits the last third of the drama in Shanghai, I realize events happened without being shown. Watchers have to pay close attention to the voiceovers/monologues and conversations. If you don’t pay attention, you might miss some details. The pace of the last 3 episodes are especially fast. There are so many events and plot twists that these episodes are jam-packed with action. This is either due to censorship or editing. For once, I wish the drama was actually a little longer to give us a little breathing room in the final episodes.

Characters
I enjoy getting to know all the characters of the 8 guilds. None is really annoying and I like each of their little stories, though some are still given more screen time than others. Our male lead, Hua Min Chu, is smart, cool-headed and a great strategist. I was initially concerned that he would be an idealistic and naive fresh college grad, but am pleasantly surprised that he’s not. He is the soul of the drama, as he influences those around him with his ideals and actions. One of the villains is shown from the beginning of the drama, and he continues to be one throughout the rest of the show. Though we finally get to know his story towards the end, I don’t think I pity him at all. This is a drama with a big main and supporting cast. I do think the drama does a good job in presenting the main cast to us in a way that we know enough of them to care about them.

Acting + Dubbing
This is my first introduction to our main lead, Ou Hao. I am glad to have discovered him and will look out for his other dramas. You can see his character grow from a fresh graduate to the leader of the guild. There are quite a few emotional scenes, and his crying/tearing is believable and not overdramatic. He doesn’t smile much in this drama, but when he does, his dimples make my heart melt. I didn’t find him attractive in the beginning, but as he matured and became more charismatic, he became more handsome in my eyes (Ok, a little hair gel also helps). Seven Tan and Qin Lan’s acting meet my expectations. They are just great actresses. The rest of the cast also did a great job. For most of the cast, actors use their real voice except for Qin Lan (this is very disappointing as I love her voice), and Cheng Xing Yuan (who played Qi Ming). However, you can still tell that it’s studio recording and not live recording. There are times I could hear dialogues being dubbed over in post production by a voice actor.

Romance
Romance is only a subplot in this drama and the love triangle is not unbearable. You won’t find an evil second female lead or jealous exes. Hua Min Chu (ML) and Gua Dao Ren (FL) have great chemistry. But not sure if some scenes are edited out, I didn’t quite see enough affection developed on the ML’s side. Obviously he cares for FL in the beginning but he could have cared for her as a friend and not a love interest. Aside from this, the second half of the romance is nicely developed.

Action + Production
There’s actually a decent amount of action scenes in this drama, both fighting and shooting. However, many of these fights are in slow-motion and that’s my pet peeve. The best fight scenes are those done by Assassin leader Yi Fang and especially in the last two episodes of the drama. It’s also great to see that 3 of the 4 female leads can fight! This is not a big budget production. I think the majority of the budget is spent on costumes for Qin Lan (as Lady Jin Xiu), Ou Hao (as Hua Min Chu) and Cici Wang (as Zhong Yao). These three are the “richest” of the group, so I guess they have more than 2 sets of clothes. Qin Lan has beautiful dresses, especially her Qi Paos. Ou Hao looks dashing in a variety of suits but he looks the most handsome to me when he’s wearing a simple black shirt and black pants. CiCi Wang has the most variety of suits and dresses. Everyone else wears the same 2-3 outfits. The graphics and green screen scenes are not that great either, especially the fake far away shots of the trains. The sets and props seem to be of OK quality.

Overall, I quite enjoy this drama. I am giving it a solid 8.5 because I think it’s hard to weave stories of so many main characters into the main plot. I think “The Eight” did a pretty good job.

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Slice of College Life Drama - Life's decisions and lessons

Completed - 12/27/2021

"Be Yourself" is a college drama that focuses on the life of four students who live in the same dorm room. They all come from different family backgrounds and have different personalities. This is a slice-of-life drama and the romance is only a subplot, quite different from the popular "Put Your Head on my Shoulder". This is quite a stress-free watch.

This drama follows the life of these young ladies during their 4 years in college. It covers a variety of topics and each episode ends with an epilogue and a life lesson learned. I think college students or recent grads would enjoy this drama. Nothing too dramatic happens, and some plot lines can be quite predictable and you've probably seen them in other college dramas. There's the cliche princess roommate that annoys the heck out of everyone. There's the love triangle where two roommates fall for the same guy. Of course, we have family members who are disapproving, too controlling or overly protective. Though these storylines are predictable, it's also to be expected in a slice-of-life drama.

We have two very supportive and lovely boyfriends. I find the courtship more entertaining than when they are together. You actually don't see too may cutesy, fluffy romantic scenes. I think our princess doesn't deserve her cute, caring and supportive boyfriend. I'm glad the princess does grow up and become less annoying. We also have romances that didn't go anywhere but that's actually more realistic.

I enjoy watching the journey of these four young ladies, following their individual character development, growing up and entering life after college and into adulthood.

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Romance-focused in first 1/3 , Politics and War-focused in the last 2/3 of the drama

Completed - 12/18/2021 - 8.25

My initial desire to watch this drama was because of Evan Lin. I saw him in "Crush" and immediately took a liking to him. I've also never watched a Chen Xing Xu drama (I avoided "Goodbye My Princess") and wanted to see if he's as good as people said. This drama surprises me in a way that I thought it would be a lot more romance-focused than it really is.

Story/Plot - As my headline said, the first third of the drama has a stronger focus on the romance between the three leads. We all know who the FL is going to end up with. We see the romance developed between our leads from frenemies to lovers, and for a romance junkie like me, I am satisfied with this part of the drama. More to come about romance later. The middle part of the drama (episodes late teens and twenties) is my least favorite. It lost my attention and I thought the plot dragged a little bit during the Beijing events. The back and forth lasted a little too long for my taste. However, I am glad that the drama has a strong (and surprising) finish. The last 10 episodes have a more serious tone as it deals with war conflicts. I wasn't expecting this drama to have so much politics. But, I thoroughly enjoy the last 1/3 of the drama and felt that the pacing was good.

Acting - Evan Lin brought me here and I heard that he shot this drama before "Crush". I do think his acting here is not as good as in "Crush". For a first drama, he did pretty well and I am sure many of us fell in love with him, for his looks and his role as Xu Guang Yao. However, I have to say, comparing to Chen Xing Xu's acting, Chen is far superior. The role of Tan Xuan Lin is complex and multi-faceted. Chen Xin Xu was able to show his fun, flirty, romantic, jealous, and serious side. He is the best part of the drama. Even though I probably won't watch "Goodbye My Princess", I will look out for his other dramas. Zhang Jin Yi as our FL did an admirable job. She has good chemistry with Chen Xin Xu, but there are times some of her smiles seemed forced. Maybe that's only me thinking that way. All the veteran actors were great and the younger actors/actresses have a lot to learn. The younger actors/actresses did fine, but I would not say they're on par with Chen Xing Xu's acting.

Romance - Our main is romance is fun and flirty. I enjoy how their romance was developed. Though I pitied Evan Lin/Xu Guang Yao, our leads are the perfect match for each other. No second-lead syndrome for me here, no matter how pretty Evan Lin is. LOL. It's nice to see our main leads' relationship is built on trust and understanding, even though there are secrets between them. We have a FL who is just as smart as our ML, and she's not annoying. Tan Xuan Lin (ML) and Mu Wan Qing (FL) are a match made in heaven. However, the secondary and tertiary romances are not as good. I actually was very annoyed with the childish and stalkerish behaviors of the supporting characters. I am not invested in the other romances at all.

OST/Production - There are two lovely songs played in the drama. I am glad that they weren't overplayed and the volume did not overshadow the dialogs. I tried to search for the OST on Spotify but couldn't find them. I would say, overall the OST is decent. Because this does not seem like a big production drama, I do find the battle scenes somewhat unrealistic. The set designs were OK but some props seem flimsy. And the worst thing is the dubbing. I wish the actors have used their own voices. I am so incredibly annoyed by the voices of FL's stepmother and Actress Gu Yue Shuang. I just saw Chen Xin Yu (who played Gu Yue Shuang) in "Princess Silver" and it's really hard to picture her in this drama with that annoying girly voice.

Other Observations:
1. Handsome guys in suits and long coats - LOVE
2. female characters also have nice dresses and costumes
3. Good mix of romance and investigation/politics
4. Characters seem to be able to travel between cities in lightning speed

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Great Lead Chemistry, Acting and Production

Completed - 3/31/2021 (late review/notes posted)

Finally finished this drama and it has to be the longest one I've watched to-date (3/31/2021). It took me about 18 episodes to get really invested in the drama. I think the middle of the drama is the best. Acting of the leads along with the emperor was amazing. The supporting cast did a great job as well. Everyone commented on the cinematography and the costumes, and they are great. It's interesting to see a historical drama uses such toned-down color, nothing is too colorful even the concubine's costumes.

The chemistry between the two leads was amazing. I felt their love through their banter, argument and heartbreak. I felt that there isn't enough scenes where the two of them are together... I wanted more. Both are smart and intelligent characters. I do feel that FL needed a little more saving than I like, esp. since she's such a strong character. Everyone said the ending and the last 10 -15 episodes were horrible. I didn't think they were horrible but they do feel rushed and some decisions were uncharacter-like. The leads have such strong trust throughout the whole drama, that it didn't feel right when at the end, there was mistrust. I wish the ending was better. They suffered so much that I wish they could end up happy. I became a big fan of Chen Kun after watching this drama, and his character, Ning Yi, is one of my favorite MLs.

The music complemented the drama well, and this is the first drama that I realized not many songs where played throughout the drama. It's just enough to convey and support the scenes, but not overwhelming enough that every time an emotional scene comes up, you hear the same songs playing over and over again.

I would not recommend this show to someone who doesn't like angst and politics. It's definitely a very angsty melodrama but the acting is superb.

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Interesting plot and a fun First Half but can't sustain till the End.

Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75

I can’t say I am not surprised when I see the MDL rating of “Love in the Clouds” is at 8.8. That’s a really high score for a drama that I’ve read with mixed reviews. I was interested in checking this out because I like both Neo Hou and Lu Yu Xiao. A good looking pair that have proven themselves that they can act pretty well. It shouldn’t be too bad of a drama, right? Well, yes and no.


Plot/Pacing
Finally a drama that gave us a realistic approach and explanation to a woman disguising as a man. Magic! I quite enjoyed the first half of the drama. We have two smart characters who are supposedly equally powerful. This is another version of enemies-to-lovers trope, which I like. Although deception is central to the storyline, at least it makes sense in this drama. I like that the leads try to outsmart and outscheme each other, while testing and teasing along the way. The chemistry was great, and flirting is fun. Some might find FL’s antics a little much, but I am fine with it. I do think the secret identity lasted a little long, but not to the point that I start to get frustrated. However, the second half of the drama, especially the last 5 episodes (or so) start to lose my attention a bit. When the scheming and fun flirting die down, the politics start. The storytelling of the politics and the villains is not as well-written and exciting. I was especially disappointed in the big battle in the last couple episodes. That was like child’s play compared to other dramas. The only storyline I like in the second half is the transition and character development of 2ML, Situ Ling. His character did not change dramatically overnight. You can see the slow change in him, yet the drama did not forget about the inner turmoil and struggle, and continues to show the lingering emotions and humanity in him. Of course, you can say it’s just his obsession. Nevertheless, I really enjoy his story. I also find the pacing of the drama pretty well. It’s only 36 episodes, and though I lose a little interest at one point, I don’t think it’s because it was dragging.

Acting
I have high expectations for Neo Hou and Lu Yu Xiao. I think because of that, I end up being a teeny bit disappointed. I don’t think “Love in the Clouds” is their best performance. That’s not to say they are bad, I was just expecting more. On the other hand, I have the opposite feeling for Yu Cheng En, who played Situ Ling (2ML). I still vividly remember him as the sweet and innocent young suitor in “Love like the Galaxy”. I wasn’t expecting much from him because he wasn’t that great in “Coroner’s Diary” either. But he surprises me here. I already said earlier how much I enjoy his storyline. I was able to forget about his innocent look, and focus on the intensity and pain of his gaze. I’m so happy to see such improvement from this young actor. The rest of the supporting cast is fine. I have mixed feelings about He Nan (Princess). I can’t say she acted poorly but she always gives off this weird pouty look. Her fake smile in the early episodes was really fake. LOL.

Romance
I think romance lovers would be satisfied watching our leads. The chemistry is good and the early episodes are fun. FL is flirty and ML tries to make sense out of her aggressive pursuit. It’s great to follow their romantic journey, the up’s and the down’s and it’s not too angsty. There’s plenty of kisses (and good ones, too!), hand holding and hugs. The final proposal put a silly smile on my face and wrapped up their romance nicely. The love triangle (or square) isn’t too bad either. Despite 2ML’s obsession, it was not to the point of annoying. Of course, I might also have a soft spot for 2ML. On the other hand, the secondary romance between the Princess and Yang Xiao could have been so much better. They have much more chemistry when they are at odds with each other. I can feel the longing and the pain. But when everything is resolved, the chemistry disappears. It’s not the fault of the actors, but the writers. The whole romance was pretty much dropped and the bread crumbs of their scenes are just not enough. What a waste of their early chemistry!

Production
When I write my reviews, I tend to leave a section to talk about production quality. I understand many viewers don’t care as long as the plot and acting are good. So, if you are such viewers, you can ignore this whole section, as I am going to complain a little. The production quality (based on the budget, of course) can really affect my viewing pleasure. The CGI and fight scenes are average at best. The last big battle looks like child’s play and is so unexciting. Visually, everyone looks handsome and pretty in the first half of the drama. But you can see that the quality of the costumes deteriorated towards the end. The fighting outfits/uniforms by different teams look cheap. When we have someone as handsome as Neo in the final battle wearing a flimsy outfit that looks too large for him, you know the costume dept needs to do better. The dubbing is actually below average for a drama of this calibre and cast. I am usually a strong advocate of using actors’ voices and not voice actors. However, I can’t deny I thought the drama might be better if Neo and Lu Yu Xiao are both dubbed. Not only are the lines not matching the movement of the mouths, I also found the actors not enunciating their lines clearly and sounded a little slurred. I’ve definitely watched dramas where both Neo and Lu Yu Xiao speak their lines so much better than in this drama To end on a positive note, I really like the song 《若你的世界没有暖阳》or “If Your World Had No Sunshine” sung by Neo Hou. It might be a little overplayed, but I love the melody.


Would I recommend this drama? Only if you are a romance lover and fans of Neo Hou and Lu Yu Xiao. It’s an average drama with an interesting plot. But with so many Chinese costume dramas out there these days, this could be a pass if you don’t have a lot of time. I wouldn’t say I have wasted my time, because I did enjoy the first half or two-thirds of “Love in the Clouds” quite a bit.


Completed: 11/1/2025 Review #638

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