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This review may contain spoilers
Don't hate me for being critical & cynical and not giving this a 10
Completed - 8/29/2022 - 8.25 ratingI enjoyed “Love Between Fairy and Devil” but maybe not as much as most of the audience. I’ve watched my fair share of xianxia dramas and usually I am not a big fan of the cute and bubbly lead. I don't dislike the Little Orchid and am OK with her voice. I am just indifferent. It's Esther Yu's real voice so I am fine with it, as I am a strong proponent of actors using their real voices. The heart-breaking romance did not move me as much as I wanted. The lighthearted tone of the first 18-20 episodes took me a while to get used it. I might just be a cynical old lady that takes a little more effort to move me., especially after finishing "Love Like the Galaxy" not too long ago. Please do not hate me for not giving a perfect rating. There are plenty of things I like about this drama as well.
What I Like:
1. Anti-Hero Male Lead - Just like many others, I am a fan of our anti-hero, Dong Fang Qing Cang (DFQC). Most xianxia heroes are either gods or princes, and rarely do we have someone from the devil side as a male lead. Dylan Wang did a fantastic job in portraying the ruthless and heartless devil, and was able to switch gears during the body swap. You can see from his big eyes how his emotions change from ruthless to adorably pouty. Most anti-hero and gray characters in C-dramas are second male leads, so it’s nice to see a change here. I’ve also enjoyed his transformation from beginning to the end. I do have a minor criticism about our male lead below.
2. Lack of these xianxia tropes + fun new things:
♦︎ No annoying female characters who were obsessed with their unrequited love and became scheming bitches. I am so glad Dan Yin remains a good person from start to finish.
♦︎ No misunderstandings/scheming - xianxia dramas frequently have annoying plot lines created just to break the leads apart. And these misunderstandings are usually caused by jealous men and women. I am glad we don’t really have that here.
♦︎ Hanging out inside a painting is fun and creative.
♦︎ For once our main leads are not going through trials in the mortal realm themselves.
3. Costumes and Accessories - Beautiful costumes for both male and female characters. I really like the hairstyles of the male leads, with simple hair accessories (except those flimsy looking war gears which really don’t seem to be made for battles). Our Little Orchid looks beautiful in all of her dresses no matter where she is. I was particularly interested in the wedding fans. I've rarely seen such beautiful and intricate ones with golden accessories adorned on them. Most of the time, they are just beautiful patterns or colors.
4. Overall Acting - I’ve already mentioned that I really enjoy Dylan Wang’s acting. I didn’t watch “Miss the Dragon” so I don’t know how bad he was, but I’ve seen “The Rational Life” and he did fine. But in this drama, his character allows him to showcase his acting skills. I’ve seen a few Esther Yu’s dramas in the past and she is also playing the cute and bubbly roles. I think she met my expectations but not amazing. With the body swap, you could clearly see Dylan Wang did a much better job. Esther’s gazes were not sharp and stern enough. She tried to look serious but it’s not coming off right. Zhang Ling He has come a long way since his first drama, “Maiden Holmes”. This is my fourth drama of his and it’s his best acting yet. Playing two very different characters in this drama provided him the best opportunity to show us how much he has grown. He’s not amazing yet, but he’s going in the right direction. I've been a fan of Xu Hai Qiao since I first saw him in “Lost Love in Times” and he played Rong Hao admirably, especially his sad and emotional scenes. At least I pity him here instead of hating him in “A Dream of Splendor”. The rest of the supporting cast did a decent job. I would not say the veterans outshine the younger generation in this drama. I think Dylan Wang is the brightest star in the drama.
5. OST - I like the songs in this drama and also the background music. 诀爱 by 詹雯婷 is my favorite song.
What I have mixed feelings or don’t like:
1. Male Leads in Love - As much as I love DFQC, I miss his ruthlessness in the later episodes. I have a similar criticism in other dramas. Once you are in love, you seem to lose yourself and become a lovesick puppy and forget who you were in the past. I believe you could be totally in love, yet still don’t lose your former self. Unfortunately, I think both DFQC and Chang Heng fell short in this area.
2. CGI - There are many praises about how beautiful this drama is and we can see the numerous screenshots on the Feeds during the airing of this drama. And I agree that there are many scenery shots that are beautiful and very fairytale-like. However, I also feel that these shots are overused and after a while, the whole drama seems so ‘fake’ because it’s full of green screen scenes. I also find the final battle has the weakest CGI of the whole drama. On the other hand, I really enjoy the CGI in individual fight scenes, e.g. DFQC vs Chang Heng and DFQC saving the Little Orchid and battling the gods. Those were some of the best special effects I've seen used in battle scenes. It rivals my love of the purple CGI in “Ancient Love Poetry”.
3. Cannot avoid some common xianxia tropes - love obsession that started all evil deeds, the story is always about the aftermath of a war thousands of years ago, noble idiocy and sacrifices, Gods always seem to be more evil than the Devils, Love triangles/squares/pentagons, etc.
4. Secondary characters and plots are underdeveloped - Possibly because this is a shorter drama, I feel that the secondary romance between Shang Que and Jie Li is under-developed and quite boring. They could have been an interesting opposites-attract duo, but unfortunately I find Jie Li to be the most annoying character in this drama. Similarly, the truth and reunion between Jie Li and her family are very anti-climatic. Reuniting with her family was so brief that it only serves to move along Rong Hao’s story. I also want to know more of Rong Hao's story with the Goddess of War aside from the same few flashback scenes.
5. Pacing - As a short xianxia drama, the pace is fast. I don’t think you will hear complaints about a slow start. However, I still think the drama focuses too long in the initial 18-20 episodes in the Heavenly Realm and ran out of time in the last few episodes. Those early episodes were not my personal favorites. I didn’t start really liking the drama until they started the mortal realm, and then the story moves along more interestingly for me. However, the ending felt rushed and…predictable?
Other Random Observations:
♦︎ When you are so powerful, I think you could have saved your girl from drowning just by a snap of your fingers, without kissing. Fan service!
♦︎ Had to fast forward the scene when the Little Orchid was crawling in the sand. It took too long. LOL
♦︎ Why do these gods and devils need to give piggy back rides when they can teleport?
♦︎ I need better kisses. They are really not as passionate as I want them to be, especially the ones in the last couple episodes. Some kisses felt like they are just there to please fans of these idol actors. *I’m going to hide now*
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The road to the Top of the mountain is a very lonely journey
First of all, “Stand by Me” is not a typical, cute and fluffy high school romance drama. It gives off a vibe similar to that of “The Bond”. The drama talks of life as a high schooler back in the 90s and how they endure hardships and challenges. All the main characters come from broken families and most have lower socio-economic status. There are definitely some fun and lighter moments, but for the most part, this is not a very happy drama. But it’s a great drama nonetheless, if you know what you are getting yourself into.There are many references to classic Chinese wuxia novels, Hong Kong dramas, movies, music and stars. If you are unfamiliar, you don’t miss much of the important plot. But if you are familiar (which I am), it feels very nostalgic in a good way. It’s similar to watching the very popular K-drama Reply 1988.
“Stand By Me” focuses on the journey of female lead Luo Qi Qi. We follow her from when she was an adorable and super smart young girl, living with her grandfather in the village. As she moved to the city to live with her parents, she was forced to grow up and it’s heartbreaking to see the outgoing and innocent young girl disappear. The drama spends the rest of the time telling the story of Qi Qi’s learning and discovering herself, identifying her goals and her dedication to achieving her dreams. Along the way, she met friends who supported her and encouraged her. But the road to the top of the mountain is a very lonely journey. Is she able to achieve her dreams with her friends?
A few quick bullet points on what I like:
1. Zhang Xi Wei who played the young Luo Qi Qi is fantastic.
2. I love the scenes of young Qi Qi and her grandfather. I wish I could see more flashbacks of them together.
3. Top notch acting by Zhao Jin Mai. She carries the show on her shoulder and runs with it.
4. The rest of the cast is just as good. I initially thought Wu Jia Kai (who played Zhang Jun) might be the weaker of the cast. But he grew on me and I think his acting improved throughout the drama.
5. I don’t question Bai Yu Fan’s acting, but I do question him playing a high schooler. He looks a little too old to be an 18 year old.
6. Love that the actors use their own voice. Big plus with live recording. This really adds to my viewing pleasure as there are many emotional scenes.
7. It’s nice to see a drama where the main characters are not geniuses or Mary Sues. They are all flawed and interesting.
8. It’s nice to see teachers who are decent and act like teachers.
9. It’s also nice to see parents who are real and not overly-bearing (just a little) or overly protective. They are not perfect, but the female lead’s mother actually communicates and wants to have honest conversations, after fiery emotions died down.
10. This drama is so real.
A few quick bullet points on what I have mixed feelings of:
1. This drama is so real. At times it was very difficult to watch, especially to binge. I do not recommend binge-watching this straight.
2. 30 episodes focusing primarily in high school is a little much. I lost focus and felt the pace slow down in the middle.
3. If Luo Qi Qi and Zhang Jun actually communicate honestly and openly, they would not have that many arguments. They make up and break up quite a bit (as friends).
4. I do hate Qi Qi a little bit sometimes for her stubborn and prideful personality. It’s OK to back down once in a while and be considerate of others’ feelings. She’s an interesting character. I love her and I hate her.
5. The drama can seem a little preachy.
6. Romance is light, even for a high school drama. So, don't go in looking for romance.
Overall, this is a great drama. I can see why it has a high Douban rating (currently at 8.3,) as the local Chinese audience can definitely relate to what the characters are going through. But I am not sure the international audience will feel the same way, esp. if they are looking for typical teen high school C-dramas. I recommend this drama to all for its excellent acting and realistic portrayal of life in the 90s as a Chinese high schooler. I definitely do not recommend binge-watching this in 3 days. I tried and was watching this along with “My Dearest” (K-drama), and the cruelty of reality and life's challenges really got to me and I was very stressed out.
Completed: 11/20/2023 - Review #378
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Revenge + Obsession + Buckets of Blood + Found Family
Completed - 4/15/2022 - 8.75It's been a while since I last saw a drama with so much gore and blood. The last one was probably "Arthdal Chronicles". If you get squirmy with blood and violence, this might not be the right drama for you. However, if you can get past that, this is an exciting fantasy drama about reincarnation, revenge and freeing from a curse. Along the way, characters from different backgrounds and personalties came together to become a family.
This is a beautifully produced drama with great cinematography, action scenes, and incredible makeup. Not a small budget production. I don't think I have commented much on a drama's makeup before, but I got to give props to the makeup artists here. There's so much super-realistic blood all over the place, wounds of all shapes and sizes, protruding bone and slashes, and of course, facial makeup of our Bulgasals. Aesthetically, it just puts me in the right mindset to watch this drama. The OST is beautiful as well. Whenever the theme song is played, I feel all the emotions in the scenes, and the background music complements and sets the mood well.
I am quite familiar with the acting of the two female leads, having watch quite a few of their dramas, esp. Gong Seung Yeong ("Are You Human Too?", "Circle" & "Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency"). Kwong Na Ra ("Secret Royal Inspector" & "Suspicious Partner") and Gong Seung Yeon really look like sisters. Both have beautiful eyes that can convey emotions very well. On the other hand, this is my first drama of the two male leads, Lee Jin Wook and Lee Joon, and I am quite impressed with their acting. I think I am most impressed with Lee Joon, because his character just gives him so much more to work with. I love how his crazy personality matches all of his over-the-top outfits. Kim Wook Seok is adorable as the high schooler and his acting has improved tremendously since I last saw him in "Twenty-Twenty". The supporting cast is great as well with both veteran and child actors.
But the main attraction to this drama is its plot. Viewers need to be patient and pay attention in order to not get confused. Not everything is explained in the first few episodes. The history and entanglement between the characters are slowly revealed throughout the drama. You don't get the full story until the finale. I personally quite enjoy the storytelling as I try to piece together what's been revealed and guess what really happened many years ago. The pacing of the drama is pretty good (maybe just slowed down slightly in the middle) but I was focused and engaged throughout the drama. I would like to see more of the story told in historical times. And I would have liked for Dan Hwal to find out the reason for his family's death a little sooner. Because then, the found family and small romance can truly develop, and have more heartwarming scenes (that's just the romance-junkie in me talking). Dramas oftentimes do not finish strong, but I think "Bulgasal" has a strong and satisfactory finish. I was quite emotional in the last couple episodes. Ahh... I love the found family and wish them all have happily-ever endings.
This is by no means a perfect drama. I am still a little confused about Ok Eul Tae's obsession with Dan Hwal. Why was he so obsessed for so many years ago? It also seems like a very roundabout way to device a complicated plan to achieve his ultimate goal. When we finally get to the finale to find out what started all this mess, it was a little bit anti-climatic. I thought the origin of the curse and the entanglement would be a much bigger deal. The modern times monsters could be more terrifying and could be used more. And what happened to the fire inside the room with the well?
Objectively speaking, this might not be highly rated. But if I don't think too much and enjoy the ride, I quite like this drama, thus, a very generous 8.75 from me.
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Interesting general plot but very disappointing leads chemistry
Completed: 10/6/2022 - 7.75“Thousand Years for You” is one of my more anticipated dramas in 2022 because I am a fan of Allen Ren and Li Qin. Even though the plot seems like a typical xianxia drama, what’s special is we have a strong FL that is not the typical naive, little girl. Doesn’t it sound cool to have a FL that’s the leader of a gang? Unfortunately, the drama disappoints me mainly due to the lack of chemistry between the leads. I am not sure why this happens. Perhaps I am getting old and cynical?
I didn’t feel their chemistry until the last 1.5 episodes of the drama. The leads have many scenes together, both when they are bickering and fighting, and when they’re in love as a couple. I am usually a sucker for enemies-to-lovers trope, but this is not working for me. I’ve seen Allen Ren in many of his dramas where he plays a similar role - cool, calm and collected. There are a lot of similarities in his role as Lu Yan here and his role as General Zhou Sheng Chen in “One and Only”. However, in “One and Only”, I can feel his emotions through his eyes. I could tell when he’s in love with Bai Lu’s character and when he’s deeply torn and tortured. But not in “Thousand Years for You” when he’s looking at Li Qin. I also feel that the writing of his character does not give him much to work with. This is deeply disappointing as a fan of his and I have to admit this is not his best work.
On the other hand, I am not sure if this is the right role for Li Qin either. I like her more mature roles in “The Song of Glory” and “The Wolf”. I remember also not liking her as the outgoing, bubbly character in “Fights Break Sphere”. Because the role of Deng Deng is so unconventional and interesting, Li Qin seems to be trying too hard and overacting. I like Deng Deng a lot more in later episodes when the comedy dies down, and the adventure and fantasy plots start to take center stage.
I think another reason why I have issues with the acting and chemistry is because the actors are using their own voice. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for actors using their voices. But Allen Ren is still a newbie in this respect and his line delivery seems monotone, especially when he’s frustrated and angry. Though Allen Ren has improved, the quality of his acting voice adds to the already questionable acting and the writing of his character. I am still glad to hear his real voice and he can only get better moving forward. With Li Qin, her overreacting can be heard clearly in the initial episodes. She definitely is not monotone and actually is quite pitchy early on, and a little too animated.
I do find myself liking the plot and the fantasy adventure. The pacing is pretty good overall, only a little slow for me in the middle for a few episodes. But once the plot moves on to the actual fighting against the villains, the pace is good. I do think the ending is a little rushed. I would not say the ending is predictable, but it’s not surprising given the background history and love story of the leads. I do think the drama could explain a little more about the ending instead of a few quick seconds of the glasses (I had to read the comment section to figure this out).
The production quality is OK. It does not seem like a big budget production. The CGI is not good, which is an issue for a fantasy drama. Although the main leads are using their real voice, there’s no live recording and everything was dubbed during post production. I think that adds to my dislike of the drama. On another note, I like all the songs in the OST. My favorite song is 《有时无期》by 张碧晨（Diamond）
On a more positive note, I am glad that Deng Deng (FL) is strong, smart and independent throughout the drama. She did not turn dumb or make questionable decisions when she’s in love. But since she’s human without powers, we do need ML to come in and help her out every so often. Allen Ren looks super handsome in all his suits as the all-powerful 3000-year old General. There are some fun side characters and no one is too annoying to me. FL’s dad is hitting the borderline annoying mark, but not too bad. Many don’t like 2ML but I am OK with him being the third wheel. I think I feel a little more love between 2ML and 2FL after they reunited. I am glad there are no evil and jealous secondary characters that are very common in xianxia dramas.
It seems like I hate this drama with all my critiques. I actually had a somewhat enjoyable time and liked the overall plot. I am just mainly disappointed. I would only recommend this drama if you are a big fan of the leads or are interested in a Republican fantasy-adventure drama with a xianxia feel to it.
Other Random Observations:
1. FL grew old with white hair but the other parts of her seem to stay young for a lot longer.
2. The initial comedy and over-the-topness could drive viewers away.
3. The kidnapping arc seems to be a drama of its own without having anything to do with the main story.
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You either Love or Hate this drama - I love it and I hope you do as well
Completed: 9/19/2022I have not seen the Korean version so I am just reviewing this on its own. I can see how “Discovery of Romance” can get both positive and negative reviews. The whole premise of the story is about a love triangle: an ex-boyfriend comes back into the female lead’s life and stirs up all types of emotions and troubles. If you do not like love triangles, this is definitely not the drama for you.
I can also see how many might drop this drama within the first few episodes. I was somewhat caught off guard as well, as I wasn’t expecting it to be a comedy. There are many silly and comedic moments in the first 8-10 episodes, and mainly due to Qin Jun Jie’s character, the ex-boyfriend. Our three main leads are not super lovable characters either. They are flawed and the initial comedy doesn’t paint a great picture on them, well, maybe except the perfect boyfriend. However, if you are able to stay a little longer and keep watching, you will see that this is a drama about healing, closures, rediscovering yourself, following your dreams, personal growth and how complicated feelings could be in real life. Feelings are not always black and white, and being wishy washy about feelings and decisions is actually the most realistic part of a relationship, especially a love triangle.
I stuck around because I am a fan of Janice Wu and Qin Jun Jie. I haven’t seen Janice Wu in a drama for quite some time and still remember how much I liked her in “Le Coup de Foudre” and also as the sassy actress BFF in “You are my Glory”. I became a fan of Qin Jun Jie after watching him in “Listening Snow Tower” (love him but not the drama) and also in “Noble Aspirations”. I’ve never seen him in a modern drama so I am looking forward to this. I am so glad I stuck around because they are both awesome. The chemistry between the two is amazing. The argument and bickering are fun, but the emotional scenes are just something else. Even when they’re just calmly talking about business and designs, I can feel their chemistry slowly sizzling in the background. They are the main reason why I watched, did not drop and gave “Discovery of Romance'' a good rating.
I really like how we learn of ML and FL history by seeing how differently they remember events of the past. ML only has the happy memories and thus wants to get back with FL. On the other hand, FL only has negative memories and wants nothing to do with ML. The storytelling is interesting to me. With the flashbacks, we see a younger and more innocent version of the couple. It’s like both Janice Wu and Qin Jun Jie are playing multiple roles.
There are many frustrating decisions made by the three leads. How I want to scream and shake some sense into them. When you watch this, either you hate them or you try to understand where they’re coming from. This continues to be that fine line of liking and disliking a drama. The drama also switches from a rom-com happy and silly tone, to a more melodramatic tone in the last ⅓ of the drama. I personally enjoy the more emotional scenes and the process of the former couple coming to realize that their relationship really has ended, and ML finally found closure. We also follow the perfect boyfriend’s journey of accepting his past and loving himself.
This might not be a perfect drama but I really like it a lot.
Other Random Observations:
1. FL has such a cool relationship with her mother. We need more mother characters like her in C-dramaland.
2. I appreciate natural kisses - no fan service, but happens when it’s appropriate in a normal, loving, mature relationship.
3. A surprise cameo in the last episode. I’ve never seen this actor in a modern look as well.
4. Finally brought back some humor in the last episode.
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Simple, mature yet cute romance
Completed - 7/4/2022"Old Fashion Cupcake" is worthy of all its praises. What a delight to see a simple, realistic, mature romance blossoming in front of my eyes. We have a 29-year old who was inspired and encouraged to live life to the fullness and to love oneself so that there will be no regrets in his life. On the other hand, we have a 39-year who is so comfortable with everything in his life that he's afraid of changes, both personal or professional. Through the very delicious and "seductive" anti-aging process, the two got to hang out and get to know each other. Their interactions and conversations are comfortable and cute at the same time. It's quite refreshing to see two men having boys talk casually and openly.
The acting is good and not cringey. The two feel so natural together, as if they're made for each other. I can see the comparison to "Cherry Magic" as both are office BL romance. But I might actually like this romance more, as it feels more mature and honest in a way. I also prefer the dynamic between Nozue and Togawa, as it feels they are both on equal footing in this relationship. Togawa's emotional scene in episode 4 was well acted and the chemistry between the leads in the alley was sizzling. I was eagerly waiting for a passionate kiss!
There are no plot twists in this drama but that doesn't mean it's boring. Though "Old Fashion Cupcake" is really short, I am satisfied with these 5 episodes. Only Japanese dramas could have such good pacing without draggy unnecessary scenes.
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Heart-wrenchingly beautiful but with a dose of humor
This short 6-episode drama hits me with so many different emotions. It’s the perfect length to tell the story of Ram U (ML) and Hui Wan (FL). Their story was told with a combination of flashbacks of happy times (for the most part) and the present-day timeline of grief, guilt and depression.I’ve only seen Kim Min Ha in “Pachinko”, and she’s excellent in it. It was quite refreshing to see her as an outgoing and boisterous teenage girl. It’s hard to imagine she’s 29 years old, yet can play the role of a teenager and a depressed college student so well. Gong Myung has this baby face that’s so adorable as a teenage boy, and he’s actually 30 years old. They both acted beautifully and really toy with my emotions.
This drama reminded me of the best part of “Seasons of Blossom”. A similar story of grief and depression that was beautifully done. But in “Way Back Love”, the focus is just on them. They make me laugh, cringe, and cry. If you really think about it, the plot isn’t very unique. Just as I said it reminded me of “Seasons of Blossom”, it also reminded me of similar K-dramas when a Grim Reaper is involved. But the storytelling, the acting, the cinematography and the OST all work harmoniously together.
Maybe because I am in a mini K-drama slump, and this beautiful drama pulls me out of it, for that it deserves a high 9.0 rating. If you are in the mood for something heart-wrenching but beautiful, I recommend “Way Back Love”. With only 6 episodes, the pacing is great and you don’t feel it drags when its tone changes to be more melodramatic.
Completed: 4/20/2025 - Review #568
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Trying to tell too many stories, but a VERY lovely main romance & First experience
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25Stumbled upon “Ripe for the Picking” on Netflix as it silently shows up without much fanfare. As I read the synopsis, I was expecting another over-the-top rom-com about a 30-year-old virgin and a socially awkward guy. But I was pleasantly surprised that this is lovely and heartfelt love story between two vastly different individuals.
This is a very short drama, only 9 episodes and less than 30 minutes each. I would say my biggest complaint would be too many side stories. As much as I enjoy learning each co-worker’s individual journey to love and finding themselves, they are too short and take away screen time from the leads. The leads’ love story has become an afterthought in the first few episodes, while the drama spends its precious limited time on:
A working mom trying to find work/life balance, and her own identity.
A career woman whose sole focus on work jeopardizes her personal relationships
A girl with low-esteem struggling to find love in all the wrong places and being shallow as hell.
A asexual co-worker whose story was mentioned in passing without much depth
These are all interesting stories individually, but with such limited time, they just seem to be stories that hit all the checkboxes. They are not given the proper time and effort in developing them into meaningful ones.
Having said all that, the main romance is lovely. The leads are both awkward but sweet individuals. Their encounters and subsequent development are lovely to see. Oh, and there are quite a few frustrating moments with communication, but I’ve learned to forgive them because they tug my heartstrings.
Female lead is pretty and quite successful at work, yet she hasn’t had a boyfriend since high school (hard to believe!). She’s embarrassed to be a virgin at 32 and is on a mission to sleep with someone. That drive and desire propelled her to take the initiative in approaching our socially awkward ML. I have to applaud FL’s shy forwardness because she is the one making all the moves and trying to clear all misunderstanding/miscommunication. My heart breaks for her when she was ‘rejected’ and was so confused about what happened.
But what I love best about this drama is how it gives us a sweet, awkward but very realistic portrayal of a first sexual experience. I’m glad so much care and thought are put into writing their intimate time together. It was beautiful to witness (and quite embarrassing as I feel like a voyeur). When they do open up to each other, no matter how weird and awkwardly frustrating it is, it feels honest and intimate. And special brownie points to great kisses that feel romantic, tender and a lot of desire.
This drama might not be for all, especially if you usually get upset with a lack of communication. We have some of those frustrating moments, but they get cleared up pretty fast. I had a lovely time watching this and shed some tears of (seemingly) heartbreaks for the leads.
Completed: 4/21/2024 - Review #431
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Torturous, Bloody Romances with Great Acting
Completed - 3/14/2022I have gone back-and-forth on whether to watch this drama because I accidentally read a spoiler about the ending of a character and the mixed reviews I've seen. I am glad to take the plunge while lowering my expectations. I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this drama. For a Chinese historical/wuxia fantasy drama, 36 episodes are quite short. So if it's not amazing, I am not wasting too much time. Since I didn't watch this drama when it was aired, I wasn't sure how popular it was. It does seem to be a little underrated and not being recommended enough. For a small budget production, the quality of set designs, props and costumes are well done. "Bloody Romance" has a 7.1 Douban rating, which is pretty good, but only 8.0 on MDL which is considered only decent.
What I Enjoy:
1. Li Yi Tong as Wan Mei (FL) - Li Yi Tong is such an amazing and pretty actress. She has such wide range when portraying the growth and experience of Wan Mei. This role allows Li Yi Tong to express feelings of hope, sadness, desperation, love, revenge and success. She was so cute and innocent in the beginning, esp. when she first fell in love with Chang An. Her beautiful eyes conveyed the sorrow and hurt when she realized promises weren't kept. The heartbreaking reunion scene in ep 16 was amazing.
2. Qu Chu Xiao as Chang An (ML) - This is my first introduction to Qu Chu Xiao. He might not have the classic handsome look to be the main lead of this drama, but he suited the role of Chang An so well. I think Qu Chu Xiao looks better in modern dramas, instead of historical ones. Playing the shadow, I am most impressed with the way he talks, moves and postures as the submissive shadow. There’s something about his voice that makes him the perfect shadow (he uses his own voice in this drama). Chang An is a stoic and more serious character, and doesn’t provide Qu Chu Xiao the opportunity to widely express his feelings, as much as the role of Gong Zi. I think his acting is pretty good but when compared to a powerhouse like Li Yi Tong, it does pale in comparison a little.
3. Wang Duo as Gong Zi (2ML) - It’s hard to not have second lead syndrome when Wang Duo acted so well as Gong Zi. Gong Zi is such a gray character that he would make an amazing sole male lead in another historical drama. As much as I love Chang An, I can’t deny Gong Zi also has amazing chemistry with Wan Mei. This is my first drama of Wang Duo and I am impressed with his acting. Playing the role of Gong Zi provided Wang Duo an amazing opportunity to flex his acting chops. Gong Zi reminds me of Rong Xi, Luo Yun Xi’s character in “Princess Silver”, sometimes good, sometimes bad. Gong Zi is such a mysterious character that you have to guess if he really cares for Wan Mei, or if it’s all part of his schemes.
4. “Bloody Romance” is a small budget production. However, the cinematography, costumes, set designs and props all look good and believable. It’s much better than other big budget dramas I’ve seen, e.g. “Mirror: A Tale of Twin Cities”. I love the opening theme song, "Waiting For You (一生等你)" sung by Tia Ray. It just sets the mood for you to watch this drama. The rest of the songs are just as lovely, with complementary background music that doesn’t overshadow dialogs. The use of comics for storytelling is also interesting and well-done. Due to Li Yi Tong’s character, there’s quite a bit of dancing in this drama performed by her. She graduated from the Beijing Dance Academy and you could tell she’s in her element. She looks beautiful and mesmerizing!
5. General Plot - I quite like the general plot and the main romances of this drama. We follow the journey of our female lead from when she was first sold by her father to becoming the strongest of all. Along the way, she learned and grew and also had two amazing guys vying for her affection. We have Chang An would support and protect her no matter the cost. And we have Gong Zi who protects her in his own scheming, unconventional way.
What I Don’t Enjoy As Much:
1. Inconsistencies/plot holes - I enjoy the general plot of the drama but I feel that some scenes or stories could use a little more time to show us or elaborate on what happened. I am unsure if the drama was cut short, thus we have editing issues. I definitely feel that the pacing is done so well that it could be extended to 40 episodes. There are other minor inconsistencies/weirdness:
= An assassin that never kills when she’s on a mission
= Wan Mei is given so many chances to fight for her life within the first 5 episodes
= Gong Zi forgot to act blind for a while
= Xing Feng’s scar seems to change color every so often
2. Liu Guang’s voice - I cannot stand the voice of Puff Kuo’s character, Liu Guang. She sounded like a little girl when she’s supposedly a powerful Supreme assassin. I can’t picture Puff Kuo’s beautiful, mature face with a whiny voice.
3. CGI/Fight Scene - While I praised the production quality above, the CGI is quite mediocre. I like the light effect of the blood bugs, when it’s the dream/hypnosis sequence by Cha Luo, the CGI is really bad. I guess with a small budget, something’s gotta give. CGI is also used in some fight scenes, but they also look fake. The fight choreography is fine but they also rely on slow motion fighting. The actual fights weren’t very exciting. As much as I love seeing Li Yi Tong dance, when she is waving her sword, there isn’t enough power. She fights like she’s dancing as well.
Other Observations:
1. Good acting all around
2. The King reminds me of Willy Wonka
3. I feel bad for the actresses with their thin costumes. I see steam coming out of their mouths when they’re speaking.
4. Though I enjoy the matriarchal society/organization, the major scheming is still done by men.
5. I LOVE the reunion scene in ep 16, but the reconciliation scene is too anti-climatic.
6. If you watch this drama on YouTube, the titles of the episodes could be minor spoilers
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Short but doesn't seem cheap - Enough to tell a decent revenge story with good leads chemistry
Director Zhi Zhu, male lead Jin Chao and female lead Qi Xia Xia came together again after their first project, “Zhang Gong Zhu Zai Shang/长公主在上” for a new short drama called “Dong Lan Xue/东栏雪”. I rated ZGZZ pretty low due to its cheap budget production which affected my viewing pleasure. However, “Dong Lan Xue” does not suffer from the same criticism. This 2-min per episode short drama has a pretty decent production value, on par with other longer web dramas such as “The Killer is Also Romantic”. This drama does not scream ‘cheap’.The pacing of the drama is great and tells a decent story of revenge from start to finish in about an hour. The leads have pretty good chemistry. The acting is not bad, especially for the female lead Qi Xia Xia. She looks gorgeous, just like when she was in ZGZZ. I like her styling, especially her gorgeous costumes.
The action scenes also look surprisingly good. I wasn’t expecting the quality of an excellent wuxia drama, but at least there’s no slow-motion fighting or twirling. The drama doesn’t shy away from bloodshed and torture. I was actually quite surprised they came up with a way to torture FL without letting her run away. They did kind of blur the wounds, as I can understand it could be quite disturbing.
If you don’t have a lot of time and want a quick drama, this is pretty good. Short dramas like these are created for those who commute to work on public transportation and have time to kill or, need a quick drama fix.
Completed: 5/14/2023 - Review #306
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This review may contain spoilers
Great 1st half, disappointing 2nd half and confusing/complicated ending episodes
Completed - 1/23/2022First Half - 8.5
Second Half - 7.0
Overall - Very Generous 8.0
When I first read the synopsis of this drama, I was expecting a mature romance centered around a contract marriage (my favorite trope). But I was pleasantly surprised that there's so much more to this drama than just about our main leads' romance. It's a drama about friendships (bromance & sismance), business, recovering from tragic pasts and revenge. This is no t like the usual rom-com contract marriage. Imagine my delight! But the ratings of this drama tanked after the last episode is aired. I think many watchers are just as disappointed as me.
It took me a couple episodes to get used to the personality of our leads. Our FL lead is mean and cold to our ML, and the ML is a little too over-the-top childish and carefree. But once I am used to it, I believe they complement each other and I am enjoying this very slow-burn romance. There's plenty of comedic moments, thanks to our ML, and also bickering between the couple. I would not call Zhu Ya Wen (ML) handsome at all, but he fits this role so well. Yang Zi Shan (FL) is really pretty in this drama and she got a great wardrobe of clothes for her business and evening attire. They are both mature adults and handle crisis and misunderstanding (and secrets) in a sensible way. I would have loved to see more cute scenes as a couple but I am satisfied. Our secondary romance develops a little more organically than our main romance. Li Yuan (2FL) really looks like someone who can box and run a gym. It's hard to find an actress who acts the part as someone who is so strong physically (thought she's quite skinny). Mike He (2ML) looks handsome and dashing. He's probably the best-looking guy in the whole drama. Both couples have great chemistry.
I quite enjoy the plot in the first half. We started with the contract marriage, and then we got to see how our ML supports and solves problems for FL behind-the-scene. I also enjoy the business talk and crisis (though I am still not quite sure that FL's company really does). When the big bad wolf pulls strings to get the three former soldiers back together, and the revenge plot officially starts, that was fun and entertaining. With the three friends back together, we also learn of ML's tragic past and how it continues to affect him to this date. The bromance is strong and they are fun together.
However, I feel that the story went downhill once they went to Thailand. It feels like a completely different drama. The trip is an overly complicated to find out who the big bad wolf is - the battle to takeover the orphanage, sex trafficking, drugs dealing, etc. Whatever happened to the lost document of the orphanage? That was such a big deal to steal it, and then what? It seems like everything happened in Thailand is for them to suspect Li Mo as being alive when he killed the big bad wolf.
Speaking of Li Mo, I am still not sure if he was trying to seek revenge or not. Was all that happened his way of just using ML's hand to kill the one who's controlling him? Or was he really mad at ML for leaving him behind, and actually wanted him and his other comrades to suffer? In the end, was it revenge to involve him in the arms dealing, or just really needs the help? Was he really still the same person at heart, who would sacrifice himself to save his friends? I am not quite sure.
Other Observations:
1. It is quite mean for FL and her friends to use fake kidnapping to force ML to confess his feelings. He has PTSD!
2. Too many secrets hidden from FL by ML and their friends for the sake of protecting her.
3. In the second half, I guess no one has to go to work anymore.
4. Really enjoy the bromance and sismance in this drama.
5. English dubbing is poor and inconsistent and it has nothing to do with the nationality of the characters.
6. It's implied that FL knows that she's the girl in ML's picture, but I can't find a logical way for her to find out.
7. In the end, FL still doesn't know she had a childhood connection with ML. Poor ML.
8. I like the songs in this drama.
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Crazy, Funny & Sexy
Subjective Enjoyable Entertainment Rating: 8.25With a drama title of “Do Me When You Come Home” aka “Kaette Kitara Ippai Shite.”, it probably gives you an idea that this is a somewhat sexy drama. Indeed, it’s sexy, crazy, and funny. It reminded me a little bit of “Ase to Sekken/Sweet and Soap” for its over-the-top adaptation of a manga.
Please note that;
1. It has overdramatic, over-the-top acting - Japanese style.
2. It has some sexy scenes, but no nudity.
3. The topic can be quite mature - about Teen Love (TL) manga with erotica.
If you are fine with all of the above, then this is a really fun drama, perfect for stress relief. I needed a drama like this and had a fabulous time watching it. The story is quite simple and the drama is pretty short (10 episodes at about 25 mins each). An inexperienced newbie TL (Teen Love) erotic manga artist seeks the assistance of the playboy ML as inspiration and reference for her manga. Of course, they eventually fell in love, but the romance wasn’t as smooth sailing as FL wanted because of ML’s family backstory. The manga characters are a direct reflection of the drama characters.
There are some really funny scenes, e.g. when the characters are posing for the FL to draw them (as reference materials). There are a few very sexy and sensual scenes between the ML and FL. The kisses are a lot better than I would have expected. They are not fish kisses, and the FL eventually warmed up and is a willing and passionate participant. ML doesn’t hesitate to go all in with the seduction and kissing. I personally don’t think ML is that handsome and he’s too skinny. But I warmed up to him and enjoy his acting and his role. I also appreciate that FL is not super innocent/naive/passive. She does speak up for herself. I like the progression of FL/ML relationship and how ML is the one who likes and accepts FL for who she is, and respects her dreams.
Overall, I had a really fun time watching it and there are some morals to the story. But if you are not used to this style of drama or acting, it might seem too crazy. There are no plot twists or anything that hasn't been done before. But it's definitely very entertaining.
Completed: 1/8/2024 - Review #392
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Charismatic Dynamic Duo solving common folks problems.
Completed: 10/9/2022 - 8.25If I remember correctly, “Ishiko to Haneo: Sonna Koto de Uttaemasu?” is my first Japanese legal drama. I picked an easy and fun one to watch, which focuses on one case per episode. The cases here are all about the regular people. We can probably look around our own circles and find people who experience or know of someone who experiences similar legal issues. In that sense, this becomes an easy watch and most of the legal terms used can be understood by us regular folks without a legal background.
Even though the cases are simple, each has its own flavor and twists. I am not an expert in legal dramas, but I am always pleasantly surprised at the end of each episode when the truth is revealed. Sometimes the truth is heartbreaking, but oftentimes, it’s heartwarming. I am not usually a big fan of episodic dramas but this drama keeps me interested from start to finish.
The main attraction of this drama is our dynamic duo, Haneoka (ML/lawyer) and Ishida (FL/paralegal). I love their bantering and fun interactions. The chemistry is great and there’s good character development for both of them. They both appeared to be smart and capable, but deep down they are dealing with their own self-esteem issues. The way they work and complement each other is the best part of the show.
If you are a romance lover like me, you might be disappointed here. Yes, there is a side plot of romance, but it’s not really done very well. The ‘ship’ that I was rooting for didn’t set sail. I would say the romance is my biggest criticism of this drama. I would rather they take the whole romance plot out of the drama and just focus on the camaraderie and friendship of the three leads.
Acting is great all-around. I’ve seen all three leads in other dramas before and it’s nice to see them again in different roles. My last drama of Armura Kasamu (FL) was “Chugakusei Nikki” where she plays a high school teacher and is attracted to her student. These are two very different roles and she’s excellent in both. My last drama of Makamura Topoya (ML) was “Kono Koi Atatamemasu ka”, where he plays a cool CEO, very different than the flamboyant character in this drama. There are a few somewhat serious scenes in this drama and he did a fantastic job.
The regular supporting cast is small but mighty. It’s so good to watch a drama without any annoying characters. On another note, I don’t remember any songs from this drama. We also have some interesting fashion choices, especially the colorful shirts that ML wears in the beginning of the drama. You can see how his fashion sense changes as his character develops. FL has some nice outfits as well.
It seems like there will be a short spinoff season but the focus is on FL, the soba shop owner and the customers, and not the two MLs here. Speaking of the soba shop owner, what is up with the large quantity of food here? I’ve never seen such HUGE portions of food in a Japanese drama. Did you see the mountains of noodles and rice??
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He meets and learns from you, or He kills and takes from you
It’s been a while since Yang Yang shows up on my screen and I miss this handsome guy. Of course, I have to check out “The Immortal Ascension” as he’s looking gorgeous and I am hungry for good wuxia with fight scenes. However, I was warned of 2 things about this drama - 1) CGI and 2) RomanceI would NOT recommend you watch this drama if you:
1. Can’t stand below-average CGI. Most newer xianxia has beautifully created cinematography with high definition and super colorful screens. If you are used to that and can’t lower your expectations, then don’t watch this drama. Aside from a few excellent battles, it’s pretty bad, especially when the characters are ‘flying’.
2 Only want a good romance storyline because all the unrequited love plotlines in this drama suck!! I personally do not like any of the female characters who have a crush on ML. Their stories are unimportant and repetitive, and one of them is super annoying. The one I was rooting for ended up having the least amount of screen time and acted like a lovesick girl when she’s supposed to be this badass goddess.
3. Only want to watch this because of the cast not named Yang Yang. This is Han Li’s (ML) story and the focus is on him. Everyone else is in a supporting or guest role, and that includes Gina Jin and Wang Duo. If you are not a fan of Yang Yang, skip this drama. If you only want to watch Wang Duo and Gina Jin only, skip this drama.
However I WOULD recommend you to watch this drama if you:
1. Are a fan of Yang Yang. Not only does he look great, he also plays the character very well. I didn’t watch the donghua but from the comments I read, Yang Yang is well-casted. I also really like Han Li as a character. He’s not your typical green/red/gray flag. He’s just a normal guy who wants to focus on cultivation and keeps to himself. He doesn’t care to socialize with friends or chase after girls, but is also not rude or mean. He’s smart, resourceful, calm and calculating, and doesn’t act like he’s a hero thinking he can save the world. Yang Yang did really well portraying this character. I do not think he is such a bad actor, and it’s not his fault when the director wants to point the camera at him to make him look good.
2. Are hungry for some good fight scenes, especially in xianxia. I would say "The Immortal Ascension” is a combo wuxia/xianxia drama. I was impressed with some of the duels and fight scenes when weapons and close combat action happens. The fight choreography was great and exciting. It’s not like a regular xianxia where the actors just stand there, move their fingers and arms, and let the computer graphics do the work for them. Actors actually fight here! The best fight with great CGI was the cave battle in episode 19. Then the big fights in episodes 24-25 aren’t bad, but not as good as the other ones.
3. Enjoy the cultivation journey of the main character. Even though the drama has the typical good sects vs evil sects, the focus is on Han Li’s humble beginnings to achieving immortality. And this is more than just his quest to fight, fight and fight. I read some commenters mentioning Harry Potter and I can’t un-see those comments and some similarities. During Han Li’s ascension, he had to learn more than just to fight. He learns from his first master about medicine and herbs, then continues to educate himself of spells, potions and different artifacts to increase his ability since he was born not having the best ‘genetics’. As I watch this journey, it feels like he’s Harry Potter and taking different classes at Hogwarts. Oh wait, there’s also the ‘Sorting Hat’ and shopping at ‘Diagon Alley' and meeting different characters. Let’s not forget a competition of the 7 different sects, just like the Triwizard Tournament (+ Hunger Games) of the 3 magical schools! Now, don’t you want to watch “The Immortal Ascension” just to see if I was right? LOL
I read that the drama was cut short, thus, it only has 30 episodes for season 1. I enjoyed Han Li’s journey very much for the first 20-25 episodes, despite crappy CGI and green screens. But the last arc about the battle of the sects was rushed and edited weirdly/choppily. I was disappointed that the drama did not really show any big battles between the good and bad guys. The ending was OK, but it was not as exciting as I had hoped for.
“The Immortal Ascension” obviously has a small budget. Did they spend all the money on both actor and director, Yang Yang? How can you cast Yang Yang in a drama with such crappy CGI? Did the drama spend the rest of the money on the 3 excellent battles where it needs to generate lots of graphics for the lights, spells, artifacts, and fights?
Overall, I had a good time watching this drama but I wish I had liked the last 5 episodes as much as the earlier ones. The OST is eclectic with memorable songs. Hopefully we don’t have to wait for too long for season 2 and to also have Yang Yang back as the male lead. Otherwise, I am going to skip it, just like I didn’t watch “Ever Night” when Arthur Chen wasn’t in season 2 anymore.
Completed: 8/12/2025 Review #612
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3 Guys, 3 Rings, 3 Sizes but only 1 Specially Chosen
Korean BLs surprise me again with a dark BL in “Secret Relationships”. I heard nothing about this drama until Feeds posts started popping up. I thought this was a typical reverse-harem type drama with a few red flags MLs. Little did I know it was in for a crazy ride in these short 8 episodes.I am very surprised that the four main leads are pretty new to acting and they all did a pretty well. For his first acting gig, Kim Jun Seo did a pretty good job as the really good-looking center of all the attention. Aside from the very last scene of the drama which the acting of two of the leads seem very uncomfortable and fake, I really could not have asked for a better first drama for all of them as the main leads.
The unveiling of the secret relationships and hidden secrets for the first 5 episodes of the drama is done really well. You thought you knew exactly what’s going on in the first couple episodes, and then the drama surprises you with new plot twists here and there. Unfortunately, I found ep 6-8 dipped into makjang territory and things got a little out-of-hand. The excellent writing of these secrets and manipulation gave way to over-the-top craziness.
Nevertheless, I enjoy learning about the four main characters. Our guy-magnet ML is sweet and gentle. He attracted ML#2, who appears caring, but turned out to be manipulative and psycho. Then we have ML#3, the obvious Mr. Red Flag of the bunch, who is violent and obsessive. Adding to the harem is ML#4, Mr. Green Flag, to mellow out the bunch with his puppy adorableness with a dash of clinginess and persistence.
I wish the writing of the last few episodes were better because the acting is so good. I would bump my rating to 8.75 or 9. But I had a good time watching “Secret Relationships”. I am really happy about the recent KBLs, e.g. “Gray Shelter”, “Love for Love’s Sake” and “Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo”. I think Korea found its niche in BL dramas. The aforementioned dramas, including “Secret Relationships” are well-made, well-acted and very interesting. I recommend “Secret Relationships” if you the other KBLs I listed and are in the mood for something darker and psychological.
Completed: 3/20/2025 - Review #557
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