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Heartwarming and Sweet
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25There's nothing ground-breaking about this short drama. But, it makes me happy and I enjoy following along the sweet romance of the leads. The first episode, to me, isn't the best as there are things that I didn't like. But as we get to know the characters, I start to like them more and more. FL is the typical quiet and submissive Japanese character, which I dislike. However, I'm glad to see her change for the better after meeting ML. Opposite attracts is one of my favorite tropes and the drama did a pretty good job here. The leads have very different personalities, but they influence each other and their characters grow.
There are sad and heartwarming moments. A couple work harassment scenes that make me want to punch someone in the face. These scenes happen all too often in Asian dramas that they are not surprising anymore. Nevertheless, they are not easy to watch. We also get a glimpse of the leads family background and upbringing, esp. the female lead, and get a sense of why she is who she is. If you are a dog lover, you would love the big and fluffy white dog. I am not a pet person and I want to pet and hug this cute fluffiness!
If you are looking for a quick and easy watch, this is a good option. Oh and it has a couple good (non-fish) kisses.
Completed: 1/27/2023
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The Sum of All Parts made this an Interesting Drama.
Completed - 6/21/2022While 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 - 8.25My 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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This review may contain spoilers
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: 7.75I 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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Beautifully acted and produced but my brain and heart are not aligned on how I feel
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25Instead of a traditional review, this is more like my feelings of the drama.
I usually stay away from dramas about terminal illness, but I want to check this out due to its rave reviews and Namkoong Min. However, giving “Our Movie” merely an 8.25 rating seems like a travesty when there are so many 9s and 10s. The simple reason is: my brain and my heart are not aligned for most of the drama.
Lee Da Eum (FL)/Jeon Yeo Been
I have a hard time connecting with Da Eum. It took me a while to get used to and like her awkward personality even though in my brain, Jeon Yeo Been did a fantastic job portraying this character. I understand why Da Eum acts, thinks, and tries to live her life to the fullest. I applaud her bravery and cheer on her to stay alive for as long as she can. But in my heart, I am not in love with her.
Lee Je Ha (ML)/Namkoong Min
I have to say this is the prettiest/most handsome look for Namkoong Min I’ve seen. I am totally digging those glasses, no-gel natural hair and the casual turtleneck look. His character is aloof and exudes this “I am better than you and I don’t care what you think” vibe. The way he talks, moves and acts is very slow-paced, which greatly contrasts the FL energy. Of course, we never have to worry about Namkoong Min’s acting.
As individual characters, I like FL and ML’s stories of pain and growth. I enjoy the reason why they want to make the movie, and how they ‘use’ each other in the process. But for some reason, when they are together, I am not feeling the chemistry that I need to help me last through the pain towards the end. For a melodrama that I am supposed to be balling and need a box of tissue, the setup was lacking for me on an emotional level. Of course, this is all very personal and subjective, and I am sure many viewers will question my sanity. LOL
Because I am not emotionally connected for about 8-9 episodes, I cannot give this drama a high rating. But when eps 10-12 hit hard, that’s when all fall into place. Now I see why I need to get those tissues and why everyone was so in love with this drama. I finally feel all the emotions, but not because of the romance or chemistry, but because of the situation and how it affected everyone on a different yet personal level.
Despite tolerating many episodes of 2FL annoying and persistently butting into FL’s business, the supporting cast is lovely and supportive. The acting is excellent all around, and not just Jeon Yeo Been and Namkoong Min. The cinematography is beautiful, especially the warm lighting in the bookstore that I love the most. The haunting OST complements the mood of the drama and I’m glad many scenes are shot outside of the hospital.
“Our Movie” is an excellently produced and well-acted drama. Melodrama lovers should not miss this. Even though the drama couldn’t reach my heart for most of the drama, I can’t deny when it’s supposed to hurt, it hurts big time (in a good way). I just wish my brain and heart were connected sooner.
Completed: 8/30/2025 Review #618
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More over-the-top comedy than I expected, especially from a supposedly 30-year old woman.
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25My expectations of the drama might have ruined “Lovely Runner” a little bit for me. I was expecting a back-to-the-past sweet and innocent romance with some longing, angst and uncertainty due to the fantasy element of the show. But in reality, this drama is full of over-the-top comedic moments and loud characters that I was not prepared for. I am not adverse to comedy. There are actually a few very funny laugh-out-loud moments that I enjoy tremendously through the creative writing of the team. I just had some troubles adjusting and re-calibrating to the tone difference (expectations vs reality) and I believe this dampened my enjoyment a little. Of course, this is all on me.
My main criticism of the show (maybe a little more objective than my preference of the tone) is the decisions made by our female lead, Im Sol. I have a hard time believing a 30-year old woman would act quite immaturely and without a plan. I understand the initial shock of going back to the past. But once that wears off, and you have a mission to change the past, all you could come up with is to bulldoze your way into Rye Seong Jae’s life? There’s no plan of action. Instead of behaving like a mature adult (who has gone through some really tough times in life), Im Sol behaves like a teenager. The only way the drama shows her ‘maturity’ is when she yells at the kids for misbehaving.
I also feel that the drama could be shorter. After a while, it feels rather repetitive going back and forth. There aren’t enough intimate moments between the leads during their high school days. The only I could think of is in ep 12 when the leads were lying in each other’s arms and professing their love. These are the moments I want more. I would have loved to see more of the present-day timelines stories and how the leads fall in love with each other all over again. Therefore, I was especially happy in the last few episodes. That’s what I was looking for. That’s the tone of the drama that I was expecting. The last few episodes probably bump the rating back up to an 8.25-8.5.
Having said all that, there’s a lot to like about this drama. First of all, I think the acting is pretty good. I was a little unsure of Byeon Woo Seok’s acting at first, but he did a good job, especially with the more emotional scenes. He’s so tall and lanky, and really does have the body for a swimmer. The drama doesn’t shy away in showing us his perfectly toned torso and abs. He also doesn’t mind showing his sillier and pettier side. Kim Hey Yoon is such an experienced actress at a young age. I realize she’s not the young high school girl in “Sky Castle" anymore. She has matured and her acting as well. Does she look different to you? Her role as Im Sol has a lot of comedic moments. I think I like her emotional scenes more enjoyable though. Song Geon Hee plays the role of the second male lead, Kim Tae Sung. Tae Sung is a lovely bad boy character, but a typical second male lead in a K-drama. I think I would have developed second lead syndrome if I found the actor, Song Geon Hee, attractive. Well, no second lead syndrome from me. It’s Seong Jae all the way.
The supporting cast has some amazing veteran actors such as, grandma Sung Byung Sook, FL’s mom Jung Young Joo, and ML’s dad Kim Won Hae. FL’s best friend is played by Seo Hye Won. Her pairing with FL’s brother as a couple is just a little too much for me. They provide a lot comic relief, but they are too loud and annoying for my taste.
I don’t mind the mystery/crime element of the drama. At least I felt that is justified to start this whole going-back-to-the-past process. However, as mentioned earlier, it felt repetitive. I was never sure why he’s so dialed into our leads. Is it mainly because of the cell phone or a mentally ill, psychotic state of mind? The drama never really fully explains how and why the fantasy element. One can only guess from the last episode who started it all. It’s OK, I won’t judge the drama too hard for that. I am more bothered by the illogical decisions and loopholes of the drama.
“Lovely Writer” was really hyped up in the Feeds during its airing. Everyone is in love with the drama and especially how cute Byeon Woo Seok is. Because of that, I might have expected a lot more. At the time of this review, “Lovely Writer” is rated 9.1 on MDL. That’s really high for a drama from any country. I have an enjoyable time watching, especially the first ⅓ and the last ⅓ of the drama. But I could only give it an 8.25 (rounding up to 8.5) rating.
Completed: 7/7/2024 - Review #458
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Great acting but not touching enough - missing something
Rating - 8.25I thought I would be crying my eyes out watching “If You Wish Upon Me” and surprisingly, I did not. There are some touching moments, but I feel that the drama is missing the ‘oomph’ or ‘it’ that makes me fall in love with it. The whole premise of Team Genie is great, just like the hospice's own Make-a-Wish Foundation.
I have to applaud Ji Chang Wook for branching out to different roles. He was great in this drama and his character is not the usual good-looking, cold Chaebol, a hero or a heart throb. He actually looks and acts the part of Yoon Kyeo Re. Someone who has had a rough childhood and life, and is not a hero to save the world. He is a little dorky and timid, but lovable and gentle. Seo Yeon Joo also plays such an interesting female lead in Seo Yeon Joo. Nurse Seo is a badass but in a sweet way. She is a workout maniac and a gentle angel. She’s also the one who saves our male lead from drowning in his past. It’s lovely to see Choi Soo Young again after her other very memorable role in “Run On”. Oh and she’s so pretty! What more can I say about veteran Sung Dong Il. I don’t think I need to shower praises on him as he’s universally recognized as one of the most amazing actors out there (ok, maybe to me he is). Acting has to be the strength of this drama, including the supporting cast and especially everyone in Team Genie.
However, I feel that plot wise it’s missing that special sauce. The hospice patient stories are somewhat underwhelming. One or two of them are well-written and heart-tugging, but overall not memorable enough. One can say the patient stories are secondary to the main characters' stories. I do enjoy Yoon Kyeo Re’s story and character development - from being an orphan/convict to the trusted Junior Supervisor of Team Genie. The bond that he has with his Son (doggie) is very sweet. I also love the friendship and father/son relationship between Yoon Keyo Re and Kang Tae Shik as well. I think the complicated brother/sister dynamics lasted a little too long and slowed down the pace of the drama in the middle. The plot about the gangster/loan shark is a little over dramatic and doesn’t jive well with the overall tone of the drama.
I would love to know more about other members of Team Genie. I am a little disappointed not to see more of Cook Yeom Soon Ja’s backstory. I love how she can see through Yoon Kyeo Re and Ha Joon Kyung's sad childhoods of never having enough good food to know what their favorite foods are. I really like her love for everyone by providing delicious meals. But I want to see more! I also want more of the lovely older couple. Don’t we all wish to grow old with someone who loves and cares for you just like the older gentleman? The way he looks at his wife is so full of love.
Overall, I do think this is a good drama. But to me, it’s just missing something to really move me and hold my attention throughout the whole 16 episodes. I do have to say it ends on a strong note. The last episode is touching (not heart wrenching) and very sweet.
Completed: 10/28/2022
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Want a Cute and Fluffy romance with JimmySea? YES! Everything else is a big disappointment.
If you are like me, you want to see JimmySea again after their amazing performances in “Last Twilight”, right? You read the synopsis and it sounded interesting, especially, if you are a fan of fortune telling and tarot card reading. Well, you won’t be disappointed if you want to see JimmySea in a cute and fluffy romance. They deliver and you will not stop smiling. But other than their lovely romance, everything else is quite a disappointment. It’s unbelievable that “Last Twilight” has a 8.4 MDL rating and “My Magic Prophecy” has 8.7.I was forewarned and I adjusted my expectations of “My Magic Prophecy”. I went into this looking for a fluffy romance, and I got it. Jimmy and Sea are adorable and sweet and everything that I am looking for in my romantic mood. They are adorable with their natural hair, and super handsome with their hair gelled, and especially Jimmy in a nice shirt and trousers. Honestly, their romantic journey is quite predictable and you’ve seen all this in other dramas. But that doesn’t dampen my excitement because I really want to see them in a light and cute drama. Just give me all the sugar! Their chemistry is great but not as special as in “Last Twilight” where you feel all types of emotions. There are plenty of kisses and some fan service, of course. The interview at the end of the drama is so cute and fun. JimmySea exudes playfulness and happiness, and you can see how comfortable they are with each other.
Now, what if you are not looking for a cute and fluffy romance? You actually want a good plot about fortune telling and tarot card reading? Well, I am afraid, my friend, that you will be disappointed. It started off interesting with the visions and the threat of life-threatening events. But after that, they all become plot devices for the romance.
What about the rest of the plot? A disappointing hot mess. With only 10 episodes, and probably 80% of the time is spent on the cute and fluffy romance, there’s just not enough time to execute a proper plot or development of a secondary romance. What I would have done is to focus on In’s healing process from losing his family and Thap’s life-threatening events and betrayal (before and after). I would have cut the hospitalization of the board member and the father/son side plot.
The secondary romance has so much potential to be good. Unfortunately, the full romance is boiled down to a couple flashbacks and a few dialogs. The drama should have started telling us their backstory sooner. Give us more of the school days to build a solid foundation. Then give us more of them reuniting, and stronger development from awkwardness, reconciliation, and falling in love again. Even though the actors aren’t great, their story could have been more fun if written well.
I was surprised to see First and Junior in this drama. They are both excellent actors, but I felt that they are underutilized, especially for First. If the drama has focused more on his friendship with Jimmy/Thap and First/Kan, “My Magic Prophecy” would be so much more interesting.
Would I recommend this? Only if you want to see JimmySea in a cute and fluffy romance. Otherwise, I recommend you pass on this. I hope Jimmy and Sea would reunite again in the future with a better written and executed drama that also has an amazing romance.
Completed: 10/3/2025 Review #629
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Fun drama with touching moments of family and sisterhood, and hilarious bros-in-law alliance
“Perfect Match” aired during Lunar New Year of the Snake. With a Chinese title 五福臨門, loosely translated to ‘Five Blessings have descended upon the house”, it’s not hard to guess how the drama is going to end. It has got to be full of positivity and laughter.This is a comedic drama about a loving family, led by matriarch Madam Li, and her 5 daughters and 1 goddaughter/daughter-in-law-to-be. Despite many comedic moments, there is a surprising amount of touching moments as well. I might have shed some tears while watching, especially stories about Sis #1 and Sis #3. The best part of the show is the tight bond of the Li family. They love each other, support each other, argue and cry, but never leave anyone behind. The sisterhood is awesome and touching, and the brothers-in-law alliance is hilarious and refreshing.
Lu Yu Xiao (Sis #3) and Wang Xing Yue are the main reasons for me to watch this drama, and probably attracted most viewers as well. Not only do I like them as actors, I am particularly interested in seeing them play happier and sillier roles that are more of their age. They definitely did not disappoint and have great chemistry.
The show might have started off with a not-so-interesting couple in Sis #2 and her ‘useless’ husband. Many viewers might have dropped the show because of them. They were given the least screen time and the worst script out of the 5 pairs. Having them start the show could be a risky move, but luckily the introduction of the #3 couple and the most popular pair follows right away.
Despite finding their story a tiny, tiny bit too long, they are the most fun to watch. Two smart and scheming individuals trying to outsmart each other, is always fun to watch no matter what it is. The pair looks so good together visually and have great chemistry and comedic timing. Emotional scenes are believable, but I like their cunning selves and cute scenes more.
Big Sis’ story is surprisingly touching as well. I was unsure about this pair at first, but as the story goes, I am sucked into their marriage and love story. This is definitely a little more slow burn, but I think the progression of how they come to open up to each other and realizing their love for each other, is the most satisfying of the couple. I also quite like to see a jealous and petty smart scholar who is not afraid to show his affection for his more mature wife.
Sis #4 has a cute but more predictable romance. They are adorable together but the romance lacks the depth that #1 and #3 have. I think the focus on the court cases might have taken their story away from them a tiny bit. The husband changes his mind quite quickly after only a few scenes of resistance. A little more time could have been dedicated to their romance.
I am most disappointed in the plot of #5’s story. She and her husband have the most fun and explosive personality. Yet, the plot itself revolving around the husband’s family is quite boring. I wish there’s more creativity in showing how they initially hate each other, then slowly fall in love, and give them a plot with more substance.
It’s interesting to see how the husbands are introduced and connected to one another. Husbands #’s 1, 3 and 4 have their own professions, and their stories are tied to what they do. Therefore, I find them the most interesting. Husbands #2 and 5 are just rich kids with nothing better to do, thus, I find their stories not as interesting.
“Perfect Match” is definitely not a perfect drama and you might have seen a similar drama like this before. But it works for my mood and what I am looking for. I had a fabulous time watching this and binge watched the whole drama pretty quickly. I am also a little surprised at the amount of old Chinese, idioms and poems spoken in this comedy. I would recommend this if you are looking for a fun family drama with some touching moments. It’s an easy watch with many likable characters and good-looking people.
Completed: 2/19/2025 - Review #546
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Could have been great with better writing, acting and execution
Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75I can’t help but compare “Century of Love” a little bit with “I Feel You Linger in the Air”. Even though they have completely different plots, the historical context and the main house give me a very similar feeling. Unfortunately, IFYITA is so much better in every single way - acting, writing, chemistry, production quality and cinematography.
“Century of Love” is unique and a breath of fresh air among the sea of Thai BL’s with a focus on high school or college students. The plot is interesting but unfortunately the writing is not. There are so many plot holes and unexplained storylines. You will have to suspend reality to truly enjoy it. How can a 100-year old man who couldn’t ‘perform’ have grandchildren and a family? How come Vee can help reduce San’s pain when he first moved into the house, yet never ever repeat that again? Who are those villains? What is their background story? How did the sick guy come to know of the stone? Is the reason for the betrayal due to debt and nothing else? How come the other character does not have the same healing aftermath of the stone? I have so many questions and I can’t seem to calm my brain to ignore them.
But I am not surprised there are plot holes. After all, it’s hard to do that with a supernatural/fantasy plot. I might overlook some of these shortcomings if the acting is good. Unfortunately, I find Daou and Offroad’s acting only average and somewhat inconsistent. I think Offroad performed a little better, except for a few crying scenes. He looks great as the fox demon. Daou’s grumpy personality is a little awkward and his acting is not subtle enough. The exaggerated ‘thinking’ is all over his face. However, I do think he got better as the drama went on, especially when he doesn’t have to act like a grumpy old man anymore. Among the cast members, I am most impressed with Pond (Doctor Third) and he gives me a little bit of second-lead syndrome. Pond almost made me want to check out “180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us” just for him. Cookie (as Wat) also did pretty well. Luckily, there aren't any annoying characters. I like San's descendants. The 3 generations are quite fun and provide some pretty comedic and heartwarming moments.
The chemistry between the leads is decent with a few good kisses. I was more interested in the first half of the drama before the leads are officially together. The pace starts to slow in the second half, especially the last few episodes. The plot becomes predictable and there’s more repetitive crying. I think the drama will benefit from a couple episodes shorter.
It’s unfortunate that an interesting general plot was not executed well. The drama seems to be of a lower production value (maybe that’s why there are so few product placements), with poor CGI. Luckily, the fight scenes are decent, even though they are not of good C-drama or K-drama quality, they are better than other Thai dramas.
“Century of Love” is not a horrible watch due to its more mature and interesting plot. If you have time and are fans of the actors, it’s worth checking it out.
Completed: 9/1/2024 - Review #480
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This review may contain spoilers
ONLY watch if you are looking for romance, and romance only
Completed: 9/5/2022Subjective Rating - 8.75
Objective Rating - 8.0-8.5
Recommend: ONLY if you are looking for a mature office romance and nothing else.
I was starving for a good romance drama and decided to check this out. I have not really read any reviews or comments, so I am going into this blind and without any expectation. All I know is that Rowoon is the male lead and I want to stare at a good-looking guy and watch him fall in love. I assume this has a happy ending, but I wasn’t sure.
“She Would Never Know” is an office romance, and that’s about it. If you are looking for a drama with a bigger and more complicated plot, this is not the drama for you. The whole drama is about how our main leads fall in love, experience a very cute and adorable honeymoon phase, tackling relationship challenges and realizing how important they are to each other. The supporting cast also doesn’t have much going on in their lives and we follow their romantic journeys as well.
Our ML, Chae Hyun Seung, though handsome and cute, did appear stalker-ish in the initial episodes. We know without a doubt that he has a crush on his senior trainer, Yoon Song Ah. The way he follows her around could be a little too much for some viewers. His most questionable decision was made in the beginning episodes, when he tried to expose a certain relationship, when it was none of his business. We do eventually find out his reason for doing so and I sort of understand where he’s coming from, but still, this decision left a bad taste in our mouths. But you know what, I am glad Chae Hyun Seung did make this ‘mistake’, otherwise, he would appear too perfect. He’s smart, hardworking, polite, caring, lovable, funny and the best boyfriend you can find (after he officially becomes Jin Ah’s boyfriend).
Hyun Seung had a really rough start to gain Jin Ah’s affection, even though it’s no secret that he has a big crush on her. He has a lot of growing up to do. But there are many honest conversations between the two. They may not always be on the same page about how they feel for each other, but they are honest and communicate their feelings. Hyun Seung has learned to give Jin Ah’s space and wait for her, and when she’s ready to make that step towards him, she doesn’t hesitate and reciprocates his feelings.
Rowoon and Won Jin Ah have great chemistry together. I love their bantering and they make such an adorable couple (maybe because of the height difference as well). Their fluffy scenes make me grin like an idiot. The kisses are not bad either. I appreciate the writing for not making this a straight up romantic comedy with over-the-top comedic characters and super cheesy fluffy scenes. Their fluffy sweetness is sprinkled throughout the drama, so I don’t feel like I am on a sugar high.
*spoiler*
I am sure as viewers, we can see it coming: Jin Ah is definitely going to Europe. I also appreciate a somewhat realistic portrayal of a long-distance relationship. As much as both parties want to continue on, it’s difficult. The difficulties cannot be resolved easily because of nightly video chats and phone calls. Many dramas these days gloss over the fact that long distance relationships fail most of the time. Therefore, I appreciate seeing our lead’s breakup. Did it hurt me seeing how sad they both are? Definitely. But I am also confident that it’s going to be a happy ending in the end and I am ok with 1-2 episodes of suffering. I like that in the end, it’s Jin Ah’s turn to win Hynn Seung’s affection. I am glad she is doing so with honesty and sincerity, and not using any gimmicky tricks.
As for the supporting cast and their romantic relationships, we do have quite a variety:
♦︎ Lee Hyo Joo + Lee Jae Shin = such a dysfunctional and obsessive relationship. I still don’t know why Hyo Joo is so obsessed with Jae Shin. What really happened to make her feel that way? But you know what, I am happy with their ending. It’s a good closure and I am so glad to see Hyo Joo becoming a better person in the end.
♦︎ Director Lee + Chae Ji Seung (Big sis) = this is a total opposites attract relationship. The love-at-first sight is a little over-the-top and cringey, but they are quite cute and funny together. It’s a good contrast from Lee Hyo Joo + Lee Jae Shin’s dysfunctional relationship.
♦︎ Chae Yun Seung (2nd sis) + Husband = this is somewhat a side story that could be completely cut out and we won’t miss a thing. Since 2 of the 3 siblings have their own storylines, we can’t forget this sister as well. The best thing about this relationship is to see the cute daughter, Ha Eun. She’s adorable and sassy. A 7-year old in a 17-year old teenager body.
Aside from romance, we have a few side relationships going as well. We have the bromance between Director Lee and Lee Jae Shin. It is actually quite a sad story when you don’t know if what you have is true friendship or not. We also have a mother/daughter relationship between Jin Ah and her mother. Some might say the animosity is resolved too easily in the end, but I think that explosive outburst by Jin Ah is enough to set the healing process in motion.
“She Would Never Know” is in no way a perfect drama. The reason why I am giving this such a high rating (at least high for me) is because I really do enjoy our main couple’s romance. I am watching this at the right time and in the right mood. They are flawed but likable. They might make decisions that I don’t agree with, but I understand where they are coming from. Their story feels real and I was rooting for them from the beginning.
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I want to preface that I am usually not a thriller/horror/suspense drama watcher. Therefore, my review is very subjective and I don't have many thrillers as a reference to compare how good "Happiness" is. The reason I am interested in this drama is because of the overwhelming positive reviews and because of Park Hyung Sik. I haven't seen him since "Strong Woman Woman Do Bong Soon" and I find him absolutely adorable. 🥰
For the most part, I enjoy the plot and the pacing of the drama. I think there's a good mix of action and drama in each episode to keep me interested and engaged. Towards the middle of the drama, I feel that the pacing slows down just a tad bit and you could somewhat expect that you will see the repetitiveness of infected humans + neighbor selfishness + leads heroic efforts. Having said that, I think this drama finishes very strong. Episodes 10-12 are very exciting and keep me entertained for the whole 3 hours.
For those who are scaredy cats like me and don't like horror stories and zombies, there are quite a lot of scenes of zombie-like infected humans in almost every episode. So, be warned! I am still OK with it but others might not. Moreover, though there are many "scary" scenes, the main focus of the drama is more about how humans will react to such a crisis. You see human greed, selfishness and evilness all come out when everyone is in lockdown mode. Luckily, we have our leads and a couple neighbors to bring some positive human nature to brighten the ugly selfishness. For some reason, the drama reminded me of Agatha Christie's book, "And Then There Were None".
I enjoy seeing two smart and independent leads. They are both strong mentally and physically, and are such great partners-in-crime, or shall I say heroes-in-crisis. If you are looking for romance, it is understandably a very small part of the drama. However, I do want to see more of the affection shown from the FL to ML sprinkled throughout the drama. I don't think there's enough to show me how devoted FL is to warrant her sacrificing quite a bit for ML in the end. I don't need/want a lot of romance, but just a little bit more would be nice.
As we see greed and selfishness during the lockdown, it's inevitable to have some annoying characters in the drama. This might be one of the few dramas that I would tolerate characters that I don't like, because that's what the drama is all about. I won't deduct points because of them. LOL However, that doesn't stop me from hating a few of them. 😁
Acting is great all around, from the youngest little girl to the amazing veterans such as Jo woo Jin (Infectious Disease head), Lee Joon Hyuk (detective) and Bae Hae Seon (building rep). Everyone is great and I love and love-hate all of them. It's so great to see Park Hyung Sik's cute, shy smile again.
Other Observations:
1. Does Park Hyung Sik seem buffer than before? Such wide shoulders. Must be all that military training!
2. Han Tae Seok as the head of the Infectious Disease investigation should really wear a mask more often. 😷
3. A few scenes have very abrupt cut or transitions
4. They don't seem to use soap when washing blood off their hands and face.
5. Aside from the English song, I don't see to remember much about its OST and BGM.
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Action-packed and Exciting, except for the unsatisfying romances and Gong Jun
**edited to increase rating from 8.5 to 8.75 after watching Dashing Youth. Blood River is so much better**Subjective Gut Rating: 8.75
The title of this review sums up how I feel about “Blood River”. Going into this, I really have low/no expectations. This drama aired while a few other costume dramas were airing, and it didn’t seem to have a lot of buzz. But the plot sounded interesting and different, and I didn’t hear too many complaints. I ended up really liking it. You can watch “Blood River” as a standalone drama, even if you haven’t seen “Blood of Youth” or “Dashing Youth”. I dropped “Dashing Youth” and even though I watched “Blood of Youth”, I forgot everything except for a funny and bald monk.
Plot/Pacing
The introduction of the assassin organization and its hierarchy could be confusing at first. It introduces many characters, fighting moves, sects and specialties right from the start. But as we’ve seen in similar drama setups, most of these characters are unimportant and will disappear soon. So, if you can’t remember them all, it’s all good as the ones that you should remember will show up again and again. “Blood River” could be divided into 3 big arcs. I enjoyed the first 2 tremendously, as they really focus on the fall of the old and the rise of the new Dark River (the assassins). It’s full of exciting events, interesting twists and excellent action scenes. The last arc is more political and the pacing is slower comparatively, but not draggy slow. The drama really kept my attention for all 38 episodes. The pacing was great and I kept on saying to myself how much I am enjoying this and that it’s such a pleasant surprise. Because it has a huge cast, I feel that the drama is unable to fully develop each supporting character’s personal stories to make me love them. Therefore, I am not as invested in their stories as much as I have wanted to be.
Acting
Oh, Gong Jun. Where do I start? He’s just not good. I haven’t seen him since “Word of Honor” because none of his dramas after that hit were interesting to me. I finally get to see him again and it’s such a disappointment. His character is stoic and a little standoff-ish, and Gong Jun gives me a blank face. I look at his big unexpressive eyes, and they are dead. What's worse was his voice. I applaud him for dubbing, but he seems to be intentionally lowering his voice for this ‘serious’ character, and he sounded like a monotone robot. With poor acting and poor voice dubbing, he was the weakest link. The other disappointment was Peng Xiao Ran. She’s so underutilized in this drama and she should NOT be listed as a main character. Not only was her acting so average, her voice acting/dubbing was just as bad as Gong Jun’s (ok, maybe a little better). She’s not monotone, luckily, but her voice and her character don’t match well. Chang Hua Sen (which so many viewers are in love with) did fine, though not excellent. But I think his character gives him more to play with compared to Gong Jun’s. My favorite acting in this drama goes to Bai Shu (Prince Langya) and Li Dai Kun (madman Mu Ci Ling). Bai Shu’s voice matches his character’s charisma. He doesn’t have too many scenes but he has screen presence. He definitely shows up to be THE Prince, not like the First Prince and the laughable young-looking emperor with a beard. Li Dai Kun is such a scene stealer as the madman. His looks, overdramatic hysterics and crazy laughs are all so fun to watch. Each time he shows up, I wonder what kind of chaos he is going to bring.
Romance
Ahhh.. another disappointment. I don’t mind the slow burn romance between Su Yu Yu and Doc Bai He Huai. I actually like that they started off as acquaintances, then friends and then something more. Unfortunately, the development is lacking. There’s no spark and no chemistry between the two. The drama just did not spend any time on this romance. On the other hand, Mu Yu Mo and Tan Liang Yuen had such excellent chemistry in episode 1 during their first encounter. A flirty girl trying to lure, seduce and trick a stoic guy. What a great setup! Unfortunately, after a couple episodes with very few scenes, they disappear for another 20+ episodes. Also barely any development of this romance. The beginning and the ending conversation are memorable, but due to the lack of development, it couldn’t deliver an emotional impact on me. What a wasted opportunity! I really wonder if this is due to the screenwriter's inability to adapt the novel well, or if the novelist is incapable of writing a decent romance storyline.
Production
I already complained about Gong Jun and Peng Xiao Ran’s voices and dubbing above. The dubbing in this drama is only average as a whole. The costumes, sets, accessories, hairstyling are all good enough for me to enjoy the drama. You can tell this is not a big budget S+ production. I think the money goes into all the action scenes. I LOVE this about “Blood River”. It not only relies on CGI fighting, but also actual sword fighting scenes that WOW me. I was so pleasantly surprised! There are also many fight scenes throughout the drama. So, if you don’t like fights, this is not the drama for you. Most of these fights are exciting and fast-paced. In fact, I think they intentionally sped up the fights in the first episode, but they slowed down later on. The last big fight with the eunuch might be my least favorite, because there’s a lot of talking and preaching during the fights.
Despite some of my complaints, I have a really good time watching “Blood River”. I like it so much that I am tempted to pick back up the dropped “Dashing Youth” and watch that again. I would definitely recommend this drama, especially because I think some of my complaints are pretty personal and subjective. The journey of the rise of the new Dark River is well-written and exciting. But if you are watching this for romance, then you better skip this one.
Series Watch Order
1) Dashing Youth
2) Blood River
3) The Blood of Youth
Completed: 11/12/2025 Review #641
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