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Completed - 2/20/2022

I was in the mood for a fluffy rom-com after a couple of more serious dramas, and came across “I Hear You”. It’s one of the older rom-com starring Zhou Lu Si and Riley Wang and the plot looks promising. It has two of my favorite tropes - pretend/contract relationships & enemies-to-lovers. The expectations are low due to the comments and reviews that I read. And because of that, and also knowing what I am getting myself into, I actually quite enjoyed the drama….except maybe a couple illogical scenarios and the last episode.

Characters - Riley Wang plays the typical cliché cold/stoic character. Zhao Lu Si is the more optimistic but thank goodness, not super bubbly nor naïve female lead Bei Er Duo. What a fun name! Er Duo = Ear. I would say Riley’s portrayal is not very convincing and comes off as a little too emotionless. I like him a lot more as the second lead in “Attention, Love” and “Love is Sweet”. Zhao Lu Si is Zhao Lu Si. This is the type of role that’s made for her and she plays it well. Their chemistry is just OK to me. I think our secondary leads, Yuan Hao (as Yu Sheng) and Gratitude Dai (as Tang Li) have much better chemistry together. I would say the acting in general is fine in this drama. No one is horrible but no one is great either. One good thing about this drama is that I don’t find any character especially annoying. Also, for once there’s a foreign character that speaks believable English and Chinese. He’s actually very likable! How rare is that??

Main Romance - I do quite enjoy the development of both romances. It did take a very long time for the leads to develop from enemies to lovers. This is definitely a slow burn romance and it’s done quite well. There is enough going on with the dating show to provide entertainment for most of the drama. I do wish that the leads would have gotten together maybe an episode or two sooner, leave us some time with a couple episodes of plain cute, fluffy romance. We have waited a long time and we want that! There are complaints about the last episode and I agree. I would have liked to see most of what happened in ep 24 to be in ep 23. Save the last episode for when they are pursuing their dreams and end on a high and sugary note. Without going into spoiler mode, the last episode really could use some work. There are a few illogical decisions that happened and didn't give viewers a well-written ending they deserve.

Secondary Romance - This romance is a lot more mature than the sweet, innocent first love that our main leads have. It’s a nice contrast. We have two working professionals, being partners for a long time. They know each other well and got very used to each other. However, without a real confession, one could never know if it’s all wishful thinking. I really like Tang Li as the second female lead. I emphasize her internal struggle and applaud her courage to speak up and set the record straight. She made a painful but necessary and right choice. The back hug scene is sad but provides closure.

I have no experience with violin playing and making or the dubbing industry. So I am not going to comment on how accurate the drama depicts both industries. They seem ok to me but I am sure someone is fuming while watching this drama. LOL.

Other Observations:
1. Everyone looks so good after waking up, being drunk and after surgery. Hair and makeup are perfect! Actually, they look perfect all the time.
2. Riley Wang looks horrible in those historical costumes! He’s so handsome in his modern looks.
3. I’ve never seen Zhao Lu Si look so horrible in any historical dramas, but here with the first outfit. How can you give her such a bad wig?
4. How does FL turn on ML’s laptop without his password? Oh, and privacy issues? But we need her to do that to move the plot along.

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Sweet and Fluffy - Good Chemistry of Main Romance

Completed - 12/4/2021

As part of the Sweet On series, it is to be expected that this is a light and fluffy romantic comedy. If you are not into rom-coms, it's best to not watch it, or at least don't have too high an expectation. Sweet Teeth has three main romance plots. Our three main leads all have very different professions and I am glad that we are not confined to the traditional C-drama occupations. They also have three very different romances.

The romance between Ai JinChu, a dentist (or should I say an orthopedic surgeon) and Zeng Li, a librarian/coffee shop owner, takes center stage in this drama. And their romance is really what kept me entertained throughout the drama. Their journey, from misunderstanding to being doctor/patient, to being friends and finally lovers, was satisfying and sweet. We have two pretty likable characters with similar personalities. The chemistry between them is good, and their visual is good as well. I didn't really recognize Wu Xuan Yi (FL) as the FL in Duoluo Continent. She seems way younger in DC, and she looks like the Korean actress, Jo Ba Ah, in this drama. This is my first time watching Bi WenJun (ML) and I didn't find him that handsome in the first few episodes. But then, maybe his character's personality slowly opens up and I find him quite attractive later on and at certain angles, he looks like Neo Hou. Both of their acting is decent and they make me want to root for them. I am a fan of slow burn romance, so I didn't mind they officially got together quite late in the series (at least late for a traditional rom-com).

The noona romance between Wu Ying and Lui Yu Cheng was adorable in the beginning. I am a lukewarm towards any older woman/younger male storyline. For this one, I do think YuCheng is a little too young (age 21) to be with Wu Ying (age 27). It's not the 6-year difference that is the problem, it's that YuCheng is only 21. However, both of them do have similar interests and YuCheng did appear and act very mature for his age. So, I was rooting for their romance. But personally, I feel that it loses some steam and I lost interest of their stories in the last 5 episodes or so.

I was the least interested in Ma YiYi and Deng Hao Ran's romance. I was annoyed with YiYi's personality in the beginning. She doesn't act like a 26 year-old but a teenager. However, I have to say she has the most character development and towards the end, she matures and becomes true to herself. As much as I enjoy her banter with Hao Ran, I felt that everything happened too late.

Other observations:
1) You learn quite a bit about dental hygiene and care in this drama
2) I love stories with libraries and books - I wish there's a more romantic use of books in this drama
3) I wonder if Wu Xuan Yi really did wear braces throughout the drama.
4) Why are they using so many English songs - they sound OK but the lyrics are a little weird.

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Best E-sports drama! Great combo of Friendship > E-Sports > Mystery > Romance.

Completed - 5/24/2021 (late review from my notes)

This drama is not talked about as much as "Go Go Squid" or "Gank Your Heart", however it was a great drama. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The pacing is good and the two timelines were not that confusing. The acting was great for all leads and supporting characters. The two MLs are great and charismatic in their own ways. I find the 2008 storyline and character development better than in 2019. However, I enjoy watching them simultaneously and when they merge into 2019.

This drama's romance plays a much smaller part than in "Gank Your Heart" and "Go Go Squid". I would have loved to see just a little more of it for the main leads in the 2019 storyline, since it's such a slow burn, first love romance. Everyone talks about that passionate kiss and it was indeed good and you feel all the passion and longing after 11 years.

The world of e-sports and gaming are very well done. I enjoyed watching the CGI game play and also when the real actors are fighting. The switch back and forth didn't seem confusing but add to the story. Apparently, a lot of research was done on the game and they also invited popular real-life game players to have cameo appearances. The mystery/crime part is a surprise as I didn't expect to see that in an e-sport drama. The villain was well-acted and you can see how he turned from a best friend to an enemy.

The best part of the drama is the friendship between team members in both storylines. You feel that bond, the struggle to keep the bond going, and all the hard work that they went through. Each supporting member was given their own story and I enjoyed them all. The 2008 team members have better fleshed out characters though. The music is great. All the songs add to the feel of the drama and you feel sad and motivated and excited. There are definitely plot holes as time traveling could create that problem. I overlooked them and really enjoy this drama. I think this drama is more Friendship > E-Sports > Mystery > Romance.

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Short and Average BL drama

10/16/2021

This is a very short BL drama, eight 10-min long episodes. I would be pretty annoyed if I have to wait each week for just a 10-min episode. They should just make a movie. The drama is a low-budget production, which is not surprising. However, it's pretty average comparing to other BL dramas.

Considering this is the first acting gig for the whole cast, they did a decent job. I would say Kim Yoon Hwan, who plays the main lead, Euen Gyu, might be the better of the bunch. His chemistry with Cha Woon Min wasn't bad. However, the plot is too simple and not much happened. It's just many glances/staring between the two. The love triangle isn't done well.

I would only recommend this drama to those who think the actors are cute and good-looking to watch. I don't find them that attractive, except maybe Kim Yoon Hwan, so I didn't enjoy it as much. Of course, this is all subjective. I am not the target audience, esp. when I am an old woman. LOL.

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Disappointing Sequel, Poor Editing, but Great Leads Chemistry for a romance drama.

Subjective Gut Rating; 8.0
Objective Rating as a sequel: 5.0-7.0

Rating this drama is interesting because I can go either way. Did I have a good time watching it? Yes, I did because I enjoyed the romance in the first 8 episodes quite a lot. But is this a good sequel to an amazing season 1? Absolutely not. No more badass FL and poor editing and storytelling.

I reviewed in Season 1 that I find the chemistry between the leads a little lacking. I might be in the minority, as I don’t mind the lead actress changing to Go Young Jung and I find her beautiful and perfect as the amnesiac and inexperienced FL. Jang Uk (ML) has gone through a lot in the last three years, and his personality is totally different than in season 1. Meeting the sunny and optimistic Jin Bu Yeong (FL) is what he needs at that point in his life. I like how she’s the one to recognize him (unconsciously), chase after him and want to be there by his side protecting and supporting him. It’s like a role reversal from season 1. I enjoyed their interaction, their banter and the great kisses. It’s so nice to see two willing partners going at it and being passionate when the plot requires them to put a lot of emotions in those kisses. They look good together!

However, the romance-focused storylines took up a majority of the screen time, and thus not leaving enough time to develop the fantasy and mystery part of the plot. As a sequel to an amazing plot-driven season 1, this drama is actually very disappointing. If you are attracted to “Alchemy of Souls” because of a badass assassin FL, there’s not much badass-ness in this season. FL is reduced to a lovely Cinderella, waiting for prince charming to save her and love her. Her powers and memories were recovered too late to showcase her prowess as the priestess. There actually isn’t a whole lot of substance aside from romance in the first 8 episodes.

Episodes 9 & 10 seem to have a big tone shift back to what season 1 was like. All of a sudden, we’re talking about power, revenge, saving the world, different identities/souls in a very rushed manner. Without previous indication, all the baddies team up together. So much happened that I needed to concentrate hard so as not to miss anything. The editing was choppy and weird. What happened to Jang Uk’s love for Jin Bu Yeong in the first 8 episodes? Without going into spoilers, the romance doesn’t make sense anymore.

On a positive note, I think both Hwang Min Hyun (Seo Yul) and Shin Seung Ho (Crown Prince) improved their acting. I see a little more emotions in Hwang Min Hyun’s eyes. My favorites continue to be Leader Park Jin and Maidservant Kim. They are golden, but slightly more cringey than in season 1.

Overall, this is a disappointing sequel but if you watch it as a standalone romance-focused drama, you will have a better time.


Completed: 1/27/2023

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Well-acted, Mature and Dark drama with a controversial Female Lead

At the writing of this review, its MDL rating is at 8.5. I am actually a little surprised that it’s so high. Not that I don’t like the drama, in fact, I really like it. But for the fact that with quite a controversial and flawed female lead, who has made some questionable decisions and said some mean words, I think some watchers might really be put off by her.

“Will Love in Spring” is definitely not a romantic comedy. Death is a central theme, and if this is one of your taboo subjects, do not watch this drama. There are some funny and sweet/fluffy moments. But for the most part, this is a mature, dark, healing drama. It’s a character-driven drama that focuses on our main leads' development and their relationships with family members and each other. This is a mature drama that makes you think.

Li Xian and Zhou Yu Tong have excellent chemistry from start to finish. Their romance is nicely developed from when they first met in high school, to reconnecting again as adults. They had a long and bumpy ride before they hit the final destination in the very last episode. Zhang Jie (FL) is an independent, feisty, outgoing professional woman who still struggles with low-esteem due to her disability. However, at one point, I do find her shenanigans a little repetitive. I also believe many viewers are mad at her during the New Year’s Eve episode (ep 15?). Her actions and words towards Chen Mai Dong (ML) were uncalled for and downright mean. But given what happened that night at home, her past trauma and what she’s gone through in life, I can understand her and choose to have faith in her. What was most disappointing to me is her decision in the last couple episodes. Not being honest with ML about her decision and plans until the very end is more unforgiving to me. They have always had an honest and open relationship from bickering to comforting each other. Why can’t she be honest now? But, I give props to the drama for not crashing and burning in the end. The final episode wraps out everything nicely and gives me closure to Chen Main Dong and Zhang Jie’s story. The conversation they had at the NanPing train station: FL’s realization of her actions and ML’s clear understanding of FL’s personality, strengths and weaknesses, and his explanation and forgiveness, brought me so much comfort and joy. In the end, they found love and learned to love. For romance lovers, let’s not forget to include the fact that this couple is very affectionate and not afraid to display their affections through kisses and hugs. Lastly, Chen Mai Dong is another green flag and only he can balance out Zhang Jie’s energy.

There are so many lovely side characters in this drama. I love the relationship of the siblings. Niao Niao (little sis) is played by the talented child actress, Zhang Xi Wei. What a little firecracker and smartass she is. She brings so much color to the drama. Wu Jun Ting plays the quirky and sweet younger brother, Zhuang Yan. Who has a pet goose and walks it like a dog?? Zhuang Yan! I haven’t seen Wu Jun Ting since “Time and Her are Just Right”. I loved him in that drama and remembered his nice deep voice. I also envy the friendship between Grandma Chen and Grandma Lin. They are the poster children for best-friend-forever friendship. I enjoy the sisterhood between FL and Wang Xi Xia. Wang Peng looks so pretty as the best friend. She looks so much more mature and sexy than in her previous roles. Last but not the least, FL’s mother. I bet she’s another character that many hate. She’s the typical loud Chinese mother, who can’t stop criticizing her children. She’s tolerable but at one point I also want to strangle her. Glad she got a lot better towards the last few episodes. I am not sure if it’s the actress or the character, but she always seems to talk and laugh with a fake smile.

I would love to see more of the funny romance between BFF Wang Xi Xia and the Doc. The Doc is so quirky and adorable at the same time. Their scenes give the drama a more light-hearted touch, as they are hilarious together. I just want more of them.

I am not familiar with the funeral industry or the role of an embalmer. So, I can’t comment on how realistic “Will Love in Spring” is portraying that. It’s not a profession that we see in dramas often, so I am glad to get a peek into ML’s job.

I would recommend this drama to those that love a realistic portrayal of life, struggles, and relationships. The characters in this drama are all flawed and they make decisions that we don’t always agree with. But life is not rosy and we are not perfect. If you don’t mind the topic of death, this is an excellently acted drama. I had a great time watching this, even if I had a roller coaster ride of emotions.



Completed: 5/4/2024 - Review #437

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Neither a Great Thriller, nor a Great Romance drama.

Completed - 3/17/2022

I was hoping to watch a more mature BL drama, that’s not just a rom-com of high school or college students. Thus, “Manner of Death” became my choice. A crime/thriller romance drama sounds exactly what I am looking for.

Unfortunately, I am a little disappointed. I am not sure if I am not used to Thai acting, or the acting of the cast doesn’t live up to my expectations. I do not find the acting of Max and Tul, the two lead male characters, to be convincing. If I have to pick, I think Tul as Dr. Bun did a better job than Max as Tan. The drama likes to have close-up shots of the actors' faces for viewers to focus on their facial expressions. Unfortunately, the camera stays with the actors for a little too long (5-10 seconds, maybe) and their inability to convey emotions is more observable and makes me feel uncomfortable. At times, the music accompanied these close up shots made feel like I'm watching an American daytime soap opera. Of the cast members, I would say the actress, Meiko, who played Jane, is the best of the bunch, followed by maybe Great, who played Inspector M.

The chemistry of the two leads was pretty good in the first half of the drama, before they officially got together.. But when the second half focuses more on the crime investigation, the chemistry took a dip. The transition from crime investigation to the leads being flirty with each other appears out-of-place with a very sudden tone change. There aren’t enough sweet or sexy moments to satisfy the romance-at-heart, and the longing and tension from the first half of the drama are gone.

I like the general plot of the drama, a medical doctor who wants to uncover the truth of his friend’s murder. But I don’t think the execution is quite there. Our leads seem to have 9 lives, as they get hurt all the time, recover quickly, but they never die. There is a mix of predictable and unpredictable plot twists. I don’t know much about Thailand’s forensic/medical work, so I don’t want to say they are wrong. However, it does seem somewhat minimal and easy when Dr. Bun does his autopsy work. Overall, this is neither a great thriller, nor a great romance drama. It’s just OK.

Other Observations:
1. Inspector M’s uniform is really tight, showing his fabulous body. He’s the hottest guy in the drama.
2. The actress who played Jane is really pretty, both in casual wear and when she’s all dolled out.
3. Bad CPR alert!
4. Seems like a low-budget production.
5. do enjoy scenes of the small town.
6. Music is not bad. I like the theme song.

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Green Flag Leads and Romance steer us through Coroner's cases and Palace schemes

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

“Coroner’s Diary” was hailed to be the dark horse this summer of 2025. Without A-Listers or S-level promotion, this little drama received rave reviews from MDLers. I am a fan of Landy Li and really liked Ao Rui Peng in “Moonlight Mystique”, thus I want to check this one out. I liked it, but don’t love it like many others.

What I Like:

Green Flag leads.
It’s really lovely to see a drama when both the male and female leads are strong, smart and have a good head on their shoulders. They aren’t perfect individuals (but close enough) and will have time when they want to lash out. But throughout the drama, their personalities remain the same. They grow as a couple but individually, they didn’t change to someone I don’t recognize anymore or make decisions where I scratch my head. It seems to be harder and harder for writers to keep the characters consistent throughout the drama but they are able to do that here.

Main Romance.
Their romance is actually quite subtle though present throughout the drama. It was never the sole focus, but was there running side-by-side along the plot and complements it well. I love their romance in the first half when they were interested in each other, yet couldn’t or haven't voiced their feelings yet. I LOVE the confession scene when they’re stranded. It was without fanfare, just simple and honest feelings, which is just like their relationship - always there for each other and always honest and communicative. Nothing fancy but it was heartfelt and super romantic for me. I also like how once they are together, both parties take the initiative to show affection. We don’t have coy or shy FL/ML who acted like teenage virgins. Kisses, hugging and hand holding happen periodically and naturally. Their romance continues to blossom and mature as the drama goes, though definitely reduced in the last quarter. But how they continue to support each other with their own expertise and experience is evident.

Costumes/Sets
Though this is not a big budget production, money is well spent on the costumes and hair accessories. Landy Li looks beautiful in all of her outfits and even her makeup looks good, which is rare sometimes in period drama. And not only is she looking pretty but all the female characters have elaborate and beautiful costumes, as most of them are royals or in high society. Ao Rui Peng also looks dashing in his outfits, but I like him best in darker clothes and hair up. I LOVE the royal blue wedding costumes as well. I also noticed the sets are not always big and grand but they are well decorated with realistic props and accessories. Nothing looks cheap. I would have liked to see more natural lighting with candles, instead of fake bright light. The fight scenes are good when they happen (just a little bit of slow motion) and I want to see more action scenes.


What I have Mixed Feelings:

Cases
I was very interested in the first few cases - the bride, the well, and the sick wife. They are the most interesting ones to me and though they are not always unique or unpredictable, I was engaged and found them interesting. But as the drama goes, I seem to lose interest in the cases starting from the Chinese Opera one (which is about mid-drama). I have to give the drama props for going at it full force and not hesitating to show some ugly truths and graphic scenes. Seeing Landi Li scraping crap off of steamed bones, or holding an organ, is quite a sight. However, some of the corpses look quite fake and the graphics are not always realistic. When the cases have to then steer towards the political plot, it loses its uniqueness as a Coroner’s story, and the tone shifts. It’s hard to balance them as the political cases that require our FL’s attention will not be focused on her skillset anymore but serve as a plot device to move forward the palace schemes. A minor note, isn’t our female lead too perfect? She does not even make one simple error in anything.

Plot/Editing
The second half of the drama became very political with uninteresting cases. The story then focuses on the fight for the throne and the ugly side of the royal family. Some parts seem to be edited out to fit in 38 episodes. When did the 6th sister fall in love (after the initial encounter), get married, and now pregnant? I know she’s not important but if so, do we even need that in the first place? The last episode was jam-packed with events, though I can’t say it’s not exciting. But everything was revealed in succession rapidly and unrealistically, with one of the villains being easily captured within palace walls.

Acting
I think Landy Li and Ao Rui Peng did fine, with Landy Li being the best of the young cast. I liked Ao Rui Peng more in “Moonlight Mystique” and probably because I found him more charismatic and attractive there. Shen Yu Jie (Princess Yong Ning) did fine as well, especially when she plays a very supportive and lovely character. I remember liking her in “Hard to Find”. But I can’t shake off the young face of Yu Cheng En as the naive suitor in “Love Like the Galaxy”. His acting was OK but I can’t believe in his character, and he is probably the weakest of the 4. The rest of the young supporting and guest cast did fine. Of course, the veterans are great. I love the grandmothers and they really show the younger actors how to act and be charismatic at the same time. The Empress and Consort were both great in their fight for affection and their children. I would have loved to say the same about the Emperor, but towards the end, his acting became too cartoonish. Is it the director’s fault or the actor’s? I don’t know.



I might not have loved “Coroner’s Diary” as much as many viewers, but I will still recommend it if you like the genre and the actors. If I remember correctly, I think “The Imperial Coroner” does a better job with the cases tying it back to the big general plot, with an unique way of explaining the cases. But “Coroner’s Diary” shows a more realistic and graphic approach to these cases. Both dramas are lovely to watch, are similar yet different in a good way. “Coroner’s Diary” has a stronger and more mature romance plot that I enjoy more. Despite a slower pace in the middle of the drama, I was quite engaged and had a good time watching this drama.




Completed: 8/3/2025 Review #608

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Well-acted, Mature and Political, the OG is worth a watch!

“Scarlet Heart” is a very mature, reserved and political drama. This is probably because it’s based on real people, real princes and emperors. You have to honor what actually happened and fill in the gap between each event with creative writing. We know the ending of each prince, but how do we get there?

“Scarlet Heart” brought together a cast of veterans and newcomers with top notch acting. Liu Shi Shi is great and beautiful (with no modern technology to smooth her skin). I like her character development. I can’t believe this is Kenny Lin’s first drama. I also remember crushing on Kevin Cheng when I was young and when he first started singing. I was quite surprised he’s so good here. I enjoy the casting choice. Oftentimes, a drama would cast a young idol and make me believe he’s charismatic and can lead an army. Not here. All the princes look like princes and not young boys. These are scheming princes fighting for the crown, I have to believe they are intelligent and mature enough, and I do believe.

The pacing of the drama is quite good. I was very entertained in the first half of the drama and time went by fast! I enjoy seeing the different relationships FL has formed with each prince, and supporting characters. It’s lovely to see strong platonic friendships, young loves, rivalries, mature and complicated romances. The second half of the drama becomes more serious and darker. When palace politics take center stage, personal relationships change and that’s fun (LOL) to see their demise. Unfortunately, I also think there’s a little too much crying in the last few episodes and the drama’s pace slows down big time.

I have to applaud iQiyi for having good quality video and audio for this 2011 drama. Afterall, I’m watching this 14 years later. Otherwise, I might end up disliking it. I love the traditional palace setting, the set designs, costumes, hairstyles, accessories and everything that helps me immerse myself in their stories.

What’s missing for me, is the chemistry between FL and Prince #4. Their relationship is where the majority of the angst happened. Their early romance is too controlled, reserved and on the down low with limited and short conversations, minimal and secretive touching. I was unable to feel the sizzling chemistry and longing for each other. By the time they were in an open relationship and all the bad things happened, I was not as moved as I should be. I also didn’t like Prince #4 very much before he’s king and less when he became king. Is this Nicky Wu’s acting problem or just how the writing is? On the other hand, despite a slow start with Prince #8 (I can’t tell when he fell in love), at least later on I could feel the longing, the desperate desire to be with FL. The romances are so different because they happened at 2 different stages of FL’s life. One is not better than the other.

I also have a hard time with the passage of time. This drama spans many years, and oftentimes I don’t know how much time has passed. Didn’t Prince #8 just cry over FL’s sister and now he’s professing his love with a gift? Didn’t FL just move in with her sister and still have months before going to the palace? All of a sudden and it’s time to pack up and go! Time passes by in a jiffy and she’s been a tea girl for 10 years?

Since this is an old drama, I just need to laugh off the crappy green screen, especially the fake lotus pond. The scenes with the lotus are just hilarious. What’s up with the dubbed-over singing that totally didn’t match with anything. Don’t forget the regular bad dubbing and the body-double horseback riding.

Overall, I have a surprisingly good time watching this classic and I’m glad the Clown wheel picked this drama as my bingo challenge. Otherwise, I would never have picked it and now it makes me want to watch “Moon Lovers” (which I avoided) and might even watch the Thai adaptation when it airs. “Scarlet Heart” has its flaws, but with an excellent cast, interesting palace politics, beautiful sets and costumes plus a lovely OST, it was time well spent.



Completed: 2/7/2025 - Review #540

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Simple, Predictable but Sweet and Heartwarming Contract Relationship

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

“The Best Day of My Life” is a short, simple, predictable but heartwarming and cute drama. The premise is simple - high school seatmates reunited due to work, and entered into a contract relationship as a consequence of a drunken social media post. Of course, we know how the story ends.

This is a stress-free watch for me. The drama has what I like in a romance drama - a contract relationship, unrequited long-term crush and the guessing game. There is no plot twist and you have probably seen the same plot many times. But what sets this drama apart is the Miss Green Flag, who is not a goody-two-shoes or Mary Sue. We often rave about Mr. Green Flags in dramas, and we have that here as well. But the female lead, Xu Mu, is likable, mature, smart, quick-witted, caring, sweet and generous. It’s no wonder the male lead falls in love with her at first sight, and for 12 years.

This green flag couple is easy to root for and I really enjoy their interaction and cohabitation, especially in the first half of the drama. Watching them put a smile on my face. But I do have to say it loses its momentum in the last few episodes. The lovey dovey scenes in the end are great, and the kisses are satisfying. But it doesn’t leave me the same happy feeling as in the first half of the drama. I love ML’s secret glances and smirks when he’s enjoying the fake relationship. I was also a little disappointed with the big confession scene and how FL found out about ML's long-term crush. The story of starting point/destination is great, I just felt the execution/writing could be better.

The secondary romance is a good contrast. I am not in love with the secondary couple, but they are not too bad either. I like the unique groom suit during the photoshoot on the beach. That has to be a first in a drama and it’s fun!

Overall, this is the perfect stress-relief for me at the moment. I would not say this is a must-watch. But fans of contract relationships and long-term crushes could check this out, especially since it's such a short drama.


Completed: 8/20/2024 - Review #474

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Cute...Interesting....Weird... and Creepy

What attracted me to watch “Memory in the Letter” is the interesting plot. What’s going to happen when you move into a new apartment and find someone living inside the mirror in your room? What’s even more weird is that a novel is detailing your experience with the guy in the mirror and you have no idea how that happens and who the author is.

The two leads, Parky and Beck, are pretty new to dramaland. I think their acting is decent for newbies. This is Parky’s first ever acting gig, and he’s done a lot better than others. Beck is adorable and is able to shoulder his first drama as a main lead pretty well. Can Atirut is quite a handsome guy, but he seems to always have a fake smile on his face with too much makeup.

There’s enough story to make this short drama into a full length one. Because there are only 6 short episodes, everything happens very quickly. In the first episode, not only have the leads met but they also fell in love right away. The first four episodes show us the quick romantic development, and they are really a cute and adorable pair. When a handsome stranger approaches you at a coffee shop and is super kind and helpful, one starts to wonder what his motive is. The mystery of the novel is interesting and is solved rather quickly.

Episode 5 tells us Songjam’s side of the story. Even though it’s important to learn of his experience, I miss Aksorn here. I think the best part of this drama is when Aksorn and Songjam are together and doing little romantic things. With Aksorn’s absence, I lost a little interest.

Spoiler……Episode 6
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This is when the creepy part comes in. It’s an interesting twist that we finally find out the identity of this mysterious kind stranger. But if I do the math right, he’s at least 40-45 years older than Aksorn. I cannot for the life of me see him acting all smitten and lovey dovey with Aksorn. This age gap is quite hard to accept when he’s the one who helps bring Aksorn into this world, literally. The romantic feelings I have in the first 4 episodes are all gone. What’s left is a creepy old guy (who looks the same for the past 20 years with a fake smile) trying to rekindle old flames and flirt/court a 20 year old.



I am not sure if the drama follows the web novel well and if it also feels creepy in the end. It’s unfortunate as I really enjoyed the first four episodes despite everything happening at lightning speed. But this is a low budget Thai drama, so I am willing to overlook that because Songjam and Aksorn are adorable with good chemistry, and it has a couple nice songs. With that positive note, I am not rate this lower than 7.5.


Completed: 5/21/2024 - Review #441

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Average typical Republican low-budget web drama. It's OK. Nothing special.

The Republican era seems to be a really popular time period for these low-budget short web dramas. How does “Miss Mystery” stack up against the likes of “Provoke”, “Maid’s Revenge” and “Everlasting Bride”? Well, I think it’s in the middle of the pack.

The story is straightforward - hidden identity, secrets, revenge, and falling in love. Since this is a short drama, I’m glad it didn’t have too complicated a plot. That was my biggest complaint about “Everlasting Bride”. Cinematography, acting and chemistry are not as good as “Provoke”, and the ML is not as handsome as Mr. Abs, Dai Gao Zheng, but he does have some nice abs. LOL. I also don’t think the FL is as pretty as the female leads in other dramas.

Acting is not impressive in the earlier episodes, especially for the female lead. Her portrayal of the calm and smart FL is a little bland and emotionless. ML is a little better. However, I did notice some improvement towards the second half of the drama. For some reason, I found the dubbed voices ‘acted’ better than the actors themself. ML’s voice sounds so much more mature than the actor’s face.

The plot is nothing special and we’ve seen this many times. At least we have a male lead that’s not mean or abusive to the female lead (except for one drunken, frustrated scene). I would have loved to see the push-and-pull between the leads last a little longer, and the ML not falling in love and be so smitten that quickly. It doesn’t have the sexy tension that “Provoke” has. However, I do applaud them for some pretty good kisses from both leads. Female lead is also too smart. Everything goes her way and she’s the mastermind of everything.

Given this is a lower budget production, the quality is decent. Nothing seems too cheap. I like the mysterious opening theme song. I do dislike the use of slow motion in romantic scenes and especially in non-romantic regular scenes. Why would you do that?

It’s an OK drama and I probably won’t recommend it unless you are a fan of the actors or this type of genre. These are short 15-minute episodes, so if you want something quick and easy, it’s OK.


Completed: 3/14/2024 - Review #417

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A Perfect man and a Perfect woman fell in love in a Perfect world.

Subjective Mood Rating: 8.25-8.5
Objective Rating: 7.75-8.0

I intentionally seek out a drama like “Love Me, Love My Voice” because I wanted something easy, simple and sweet during the end of the year holiday season. With that in mind, my rating might not have reflected my usual criticisms and expectations. Objectively speaking, this drama is too perfect. And yes, that is a flaw. But I am going to overlook that, because I am expecting a perfect world. If you are not and are usually too rational, then I do NOT recommend this drama for you.


Romance:
As my title says, a perfect man and a perfect woman fell in love in a perfect world. There’s no drama, no misunderstanding and no evil parents or ex’s. The romance is mellow, sweet and shy, with a surprising amount of kisses towards the last third of the drama. ML is successful, handsome, sweet, caring, considerate, professional, has a beautiful voice and is a doctor! When does he have time to have a side gig? Moreover, he’s flirty and actually quite passive aggressive. A perfect man! (with too much white makeup). ML confessed early, established a relationship before the couple really started to get to know each other. The romance is slow-burn in a way and viewers have to be patient and wait for our female lead to get more and more comfortable with her man. You do see that progression from super shy, not holding hands and standing far apart, to slowly holding hands and hugging, to a lot of skinship. ML dotes on FL, is a perfect gentleman and can cook! I was smiling the whole time watching this drama. I wasn’t expecting Tan Jian Ci to be so good in giving us a hopelessly-in-love-yet-horny look. 😘 LOL

Dubbing/Voice Acting:
I am not sure how realistic the portrayal of the industry is, but I am very interested in this part of the drama. I’ve watched enough C-dramas to know this industry is huge. Having the behind-the-scenes look into a studio’s operation is very interesting. I didn’t know there were chat rooms, big offline/real life offline concerts and performances. I really enjoy watching the 10th anniversary celebration, more so than the festival itself. The voice acting of the period pieces was phenomenal. Big props to the voices behind the actors. Now, let’s get the real actors voice acting lessons.

Tourism promotion + Product Placement
There are two trips/vacations and they make me want to travel with them. Beautiful places, scenery and delicious food! I’ve heard so much about Guilin and its beauty that I actually have always wanted to visit there. Having said that, the last few episodes of the drama are wasted on their lakeside trip. Nothing really happened aside from lovey-dovey moments, eating and playing (repeat for 3 episodes of a 3-day trip). Our old friend, Cold Medicine 999 is back. Even doctors in a hospital need to rely on them. Our FL loves snacks! She not only eats her snacks all the time but has access to a supermarket whenever she wants.

Other romances
I am not a big fan of the secondary romance. I can’t believe we have a 30-year old man being so shy and indecisive in courting a girl almost 10 years younger. One shy couple is enough, I don’t really need more. The drama spent too much time on them going back-and-forth. When they finally became a couple, the drama showed us the result but not the confession scene. The other romance has so little screen time even though it’s been implied. I much rather watch them than the other couple.

Music/OST
Love the songs and the soundtrack has a variety of songs. Tan Jian Ci really does have a nice voice and I added a few songs to my Spotify playlist. However, the romantic songs/music are so overplayed. Each time we have a romantic scene with the leads, music/songs will be played. Sometimes, I just want silence and really experience the love in the air without the music manipulating me.

Pacing/Ending
The drama is just too long. 24 episodes will suffice and 33 is just too many. Once the lead couple gets more comfortable with each other and starts kissing/skinship, the pace slows down. Nothing much happened plot wise aside from the preparation of the concerts and performances. The last 5-7 episodes are filled with fillers and events that don’t move the plot (actually, this drama doesn’t have much of a plot). Like I said earlier, we don’t need 3 episodes dedicated to a 3-day trip, nor 2 episodes dedicated to the ending. For those that don’t like rushed endings, this drama is perfect for you. It even tells you it’s taking its sweet time in closing this out.


I would only recommend this drama if you are a super fan of romance, OK with a drama without much of a plot and no conflict, perfect human beings living in a perfect world. If you are in the mood for such a drama like me right now, go for it!



Completed: 12/28/2023 - Review #388

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Decent but not great - OST is good.

Completed: 7/19/2022

"Dear. M" is a short web series about college life, romance and choices that our characters have to make. For a web-based drama, the production quality is pretty decent. It doesn't really stand out amongst a sea of many other college dramas.

What I Like:
1. OST - I enjoy all the songs played. I am not too familiar with the actors in this drama, but if they are the ones really singing the songs in the drama, they are good. Spotify OST listed different singers that are not the actors. I especially like the duet between Park Hye Soon and Jeong Jae Hyun. The solo song by Jeong Jae Hyun was also very romantic.

2. Jeong Jae Hyun - It seems like this is his first acting gig and he did a pretty good job. I've seen many other web dramas with idol-turned-actors that couldn't act.

3. Park Hye Soon - I am glad the bullying allegations were put to rest and we got to see her in "Dear. M". She doesn't have too many dramas under her belt, but I quite enjoy her portrayal of Ma Joon Ah here. Is it only me or does she look like Zhao LuSi?

4. Ma Joon Ah + Cha Min Ho romance - I enjoy the Friends-to-Lovers trope personally, and I feel that their relationship changes and progresses at a pretty good pace throughout the drama from: realization --> shock --> denial --> hesitancy --> confession --> acceptance. I would have loved for them to get together a little sooner so that I can see some cute and fluffy scenes.


What I have mixed feelings:

1. Gil Mok Jin + Hwang Bo Young romance - There's so much potential for this romance. However, it all started too late and we couldn't really see any fun romantic development before they quickly got together. They were two really unique characters and I would have loved to see them have more screen time as a couple.

2. Dear M - Well, it was quite an interesting reveal to find out who actually wrote the Dear M posts. However, aside from the initial few episodes where people actually care who wrote the posts, for most of the drama this plot was put on the side in favor of the annoying love triangle. It pops back up periodically but really holds no importance to the central plot.


What I Don't Like:

1. Choi Ro Sa - What an annoying b!tch...LOL. Why do dramas always make the female character this annoying and despicable? I understand sometimes a drama needs a character as such to spice it up. But she has wayyyy too much screen time in this drama. Her scheming lasts throughout the drama and it really affects my enjoyment. She's listed as a supporting character but I think she has more screen time than Gil Mok Jin and Hwang Bo Young.

2. Seo Ji Min + Park Ha Neul romance - The drama probably focuses the most time on their romance and love triangle. They are fine and I do like a drama that tackles challenges of a relationship. But the characters themselves are quite boring (though they are a cute couple). If Ji Min keeps on saying that she's had a crush on Ha Neul for the longest time, I'd like to see some flashbacks of them before they're officially a couple. Show me how they got together in the first place, then I can understand why Ji Min is so adamant that Ha Neul doesn't like her as much as she likes him. Because from what I've seen, Ha Neul has done quite a lot to care for her.

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Decent first 1/3, Draggy second 1/3 and disappointing last 1/3

Completed - 5/20/2022 - 7.25 rounding up to 7.5 because of 《喜欢你》 “I Like You”

When “A River Runs Through It” was airing, I heard many good things about it. So, I was looking forward to finally watching it. Unfortunately, I placed this drama on hold twice, before successfully finishing it on the third try. I’ve seen my share of high school/college dramas, I do not agree that it’s the best of the bunch. It’s not bad per se, but the plot and the romance are not interesting enough. A reminder, this is a very subjective review and don’t hate me for the following rants.

As with many teen C-dramas, the focus is on studying for the high school exam, entering college, friendships, love triangles and growing up. These are pretty common themes in this genre. I find the first half of the drama more interesting than the second half as we get to know each character and their dynamics. This drama is very romance-driven and didn’t really tackle a lot of serious student or social issues compared to similar dramas. I am a romance-junkie, so I am fine with looking forward to cute, romantic fluffiness. We have the cute bickering between our leads and feelings developing from friendship to romance. Unfortunately, it took 29 episodes for Shi Yi to finally confess his feelings. I am fine with a slow burn romance if the middle episodes weren’t repetitive and draggy. The unrequited love and love hexagon lasted for way too long. What I disliked the most were the last 5 or so episodes. They are full of coincidental misunderstandings one after another to keep the leads away from each other. If you think that the first half of the drama is a realistic portrayal of student life, you can’t convince me those misunderstanding episodes are realistic. There’s no way that could happen in real life.

Usually, I would be a fan of the ML in such dramas. Unfortunately, it’s not the case here. I am a fan of ML who secretly does a lot behind the girl’s back to support her and Shi Yi should be a prime candidate as one of my favorites. Unfortunately, aside from his adorable looks at FL, I find his character too rough and too mean. He manhandles Xiao Ju quite a bit and there’s a lot of wrist grabbing. It’s rare that I don’t have a favorite character, not the ML, FL or 2ML. Maybe I should applaud the drama for giving us flawed characters but I still want someone to root for. However, I was still very sad when Shi Yi’s feelings weren’t reciprocated and he tried so hard. But why force Xiao Ju to like him, when he himself turned down the affections of Shen Dou? Xiao Ju was also wish-washy for too long.

The overall acting of the cast is decent. I think Wang Rui Chang portrays his role as Shi Yi the best. Female lead, Hu Yi Xuan, isn’t too bad either. But the rest of the cast is below average to average. I find the acting of Judy Qi as Lin You to be one of the weakest cast members. For some reason, her voice dubbing is also the worst. I believe all actors used their real voice, but Lin You’s voice doesn’t sound right.

*SPOILER ENDING*

The last episode is a disappointment to end their marathon romance. They never resolved the misunderstandings from years ago. They had no contact for many years. Now they met, and Shu Yi played the meanie again and probably tried to gauge Shu Yu’s affection and bring back their childhood memories. But why would you propose at your friend’s wedding and steal their thunder? Why would you propose to someone you haven’t seen in years and is still mad at you? And lastly, why would you accept a proposal from someone who you thought had a girlfriend, was mean to you yesterday and had no contact with you for so long? That just doesn’t make sense. On a separate note, how can you not know who your BFF is marrying? What kind of best friend are you?

To end my review on a more positive note, the best thing about this drama is to remind me of the two lovely songs - 《喜欢你》 “I Like You” and《你知道我在等你吗》”Do you know I am waiting for you?” These two songs remind me of my younger years when I used to go to karaoke and sing them, esp. “I Like You” by Beyond (RIP Wong Ka Kui)

Personally, I think there are better high school/college dramas than “A River Runs Through It”. For example,
1. Forever Love (my favorite college romance)
2. Summer Again (sweet and innocent high school romance)
3. Lovely Us4.
4. With You
5. My Huckleberry Friends
6. When We Were Young

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