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Interesting general plot for a mini drama but with poor acting

Subjective Gut Rating - 7.75

The general plot of this mini web drama “Secrets of the Shadow Sect” is comparable to that of a bigger budget production. I find the story interesting with a FL lead who is not who she appears to be. We got a glimpse of her frivolous lifestyle and then dove right into the secret that she has. The plot continues on how her father wants that secret of hers, and expands to an evil stepmother wanting her son to be the Master of the Sect. On the other hand, we have our ML trying to get close to FL. His true intentions are slowly revealed but you won’t get the full story until the end.

All this is enough to be a full-length drama with at least 24 episodes. I think “Secrets of the Shadow Sect” did a pretty good job in consolidating all this into 3.5 hours, except for the last few episodes. The big reveal is not unexpected but could have benefited from a couple more episodes. The writing of the last episode doesn’t make sense and seems too rushed. The explanation from ML is so bad that I am sad to see it end on a low note, when I’ve enjoyed most of the episodes.

The weakest part of this drama is the acting. Both leads, Hu Yi Yao and Lin Ze Hui have appeared in quite a few mini dramas. Unfortunately, I find their acting below-average. Hu Yi Yao is so beautiful. When she plays a more seductive Ling Xuan in the early episodes, she is a lot better than in later scenes when she needs to do more subtle or emotional acting. She looks like a very pretty doll. On the other hand, Lin Ze Hui is worse. I do not think he looks handsome in this style (his profile pic on MDL is much better). His big eyes are not doing him any justice as he just widens them when he’s upset, surprised or happy. There’s no subtle microexpressions at all.

Ending on a positive note, for such a low budget drama, it does not look cheap. The sets, costumes, accessories, makeup and cinematography are not bad. Special props to the hairstylist and costume designer who did a fabulous job in dressing FL. She looks so much prettier than other female leads I’ve seen in recent period dramas.

Although the drama is quite predictable, the general story is still quite good and keeps me invested and entertained. It might not be on par with the likes of “The Killer is Also Romantic” or “A Familiar Stranger” but it’s better than most short mini dramas. If you have 3.5 hours to kill, it’s not bad.


Completed: 4/9142024 - Review #427

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Only watch this for Xu Kai's handsomeness and Wang Yang's charisma

Completed - 8/22/2022

If you are not a fan of any of the actors, this might not be worth your time. For me it takes Xu Kai’s handsome face to get me through the first half of the drama, and then add on Wang Yang’s charisma to finish it.

I was quite excited about this drama in the first 1-2 episodes. I was pleasantly surprised that there were some decent fight scenes and creative fight choreography. I’ve already heard that the CGI and green scenes were horrible, and yes, they were indeed not good (running on rooftop and flying around with statues). The production value of this drama is quite low. Even so, a handsome Xu Kai + charismatic Wang Yang + Cool fight scenes = What I like. Unfortunately, my interest and excitement died in the next 10 episodes. All they did was talk talk talk about that stupid bone, with no action. No wonder so many people dropped the drama after the initial episodes. But if you are able to tolerate such boredom and poor plot with the help of Xu Kai’s handsomeness, the plot did get better in the second half of the drama with more action. But such a positive trajectory did not last until the very end. The last episode was rushed and we also have a poor redemption plot that was quite abrupt. The ending was a mystery. What the heck happened? Did we lose a full episode and jump right to the last 2 minutes? Is this due to censorship? (very likely).

Let’s talk about romance since it’s my favorite topic. The short review is: BLAND. Our leads started off as good friends and they are supposed to slowly develop feelings for each other. Well, I didn’t quite see this development. What I see is our FL suddenly really wants to marry ML not because of the bone, but because she is in love with him. I then see our ML never really showed much romantic interest in our FL, and then all of a sudden he is in love. If the friends-to-lovers trope is not done right in the beginning, then the latter part of the romance will become friends-to-lovers-with-no-chemistry. In the second half of the drama, the romance has gotten better once they are together. There’s enough decent skinship and I’ve always loved Xu Kai’s expressive beautiful eyes. But overall, the romance is lacking.

Our male lead, Ding Yun Qi, is a genius. He’s never wrong and is always steps ahead of others. He may not be the warmest person initially, but he’s not a cold tsundere either. He’s smart, loyal, caring, has the best martial arts skills, is a doctor, and also knows everything that the Heaven Official should know even though he left home for 6 years and really didn’t have a lot of time to learn. Well, basically he is perfect. Our female lead, Wu Shuang, is the opposite. She’s outgoing and friendly, curious and likes to fight. Luckily, she’s not dumb and can be quite smart in her own ways. Many dislike Wu Shuang, but I am ok with her. She is usually on the sidelines until the latter part of the drama.

The acting is decent and I don’t see anyone especially bad or cringey.. As much as I love Xu Kai (I bet by now you know I really like him), this is not his best acting. I think the acting all around is OK by the younger cast. The better acting is done by our veterans, Wang Yang as Luo Yun Song, and Morni Chang as Zhou Qiu Hai. These two never disappoint, no matter how bad the script is, you can trust their acting abilities. I also like that they use their own voices. I think I can recognize Wang Yang’s voice by now as he always dubs his own voice. Props to him! There are a couple interesting supporting characters that I quite enjoy - Meng A Sai as Sun San Xuan and Bao Bei Er as Luo Jiu Tian.

I don’t think I can wholeheartedly recommend this drama, UNLESS you just want to look at Xu Kai’s handsome face and Xu Kai looking dashing in a variety of nice suits. There are too many other good dramas out there.

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Super Cringefest that's only fun if you watch with friends and laugh together

If I have to use one word to describe “Playboyy”, it would be CONSISTENT. How can a drama be so CONSISTENTLY cringey, sappy, nonsensical with poor acting all throughout the 14 episodes??? That in itself is an amazing feat.

I debated whether to rate this lower than my lowest rated drama “Coffee & Vanilla”. I finally decided to give this a whopping 4.0 just because of the entertainment value. So, now it’s my second lowest rated drama. Watch this with an open mind and enjoy the ride. Nothing makes sense!!!

A few quick thoughts as I don’t even know how to write a proper review:

1. BAD acting all around. I was hoping they would get better, but nope, it’s one of the worst-acted dramas I’ve ever seen.
Well, at least some guys are hot and have nice bodies.
2. I am fine with all the sex and the different fetishes, fantasies, etc. In fact, I wanted the drama to go bolder and more explicit.
3. It ended up wanting to be unique but not quite achieving that. All the sexy scenes are just cringey.
4. I also cringe every time the random English dialogs pop up out of nowhere.
5. Too many names and I don’t remember who’s who. I barely recognize all of their faces. Gotta go with the nicknames.
6. There are some crazy outfits worn in the drama, especially by Nant.
7. I wonder if the actors all get boxes of underwear as part of their deals. There’s so much product placement in this drama.
8. I quite liked the romance between Zouey and Teena (Greek god) in the beginning, but then they disappeared after they got together, and became the most boring pair. The drama threw in a twist in the end and then gave you the worst writing ever.
9. What the heck is that ending??? Is there going to be a season 2? Did the drama run out of money to write a complete season 1? The screenwriter got to be fired.

Unfortunately, I did not join any watch parties. This would be an amazing drama to watch with friends and laugh about it. Do I recommend it? Definitely NOT unless you have nothing better to do, or you just want a cringefest to laugh with your friends.


Completed: 3/2/2024 - Review #411

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Bloody Revenge with Boatload of Deaths

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.75

“Fated Hearts” was universally praised throughout its airing days and the expectations are high. I came in trusting these rave reviews and the drama did not disappoint. Though I like it very much, I might not have loved it enough to give it a 9+ rating.


Plot/Pacing
The plot of enemies-to-lovers has always been one of my favorites. Adding to that are two very strong (physically and mentally) main leads, excellent chemistry/disgust for each other, and incredibly well-paced plot lines throughout the full 38 episodes. “Fated Hearts” did an excellent job in introducing Fu Yi Xiao (FL) and Feng Sui Ge (ML) simultaneously through parallel and intersecting stories. I greatly enjoy the first half of the drama when the focus is on all the main characters and the setting is in Susha. There’s equal screen time dedicated to both FL and ML’s stories, and also their development from enemies to lovers. However, towards the second half, I miss seeing everyone together. I kept on hearing viewers talk about ep 28, and I wondered what that is all about. It’s basically the end of the big ‘villains’ in Susha, and the start of the next arc. From the Wind Alliance arc, Yi Xiao and Sui Ge started off having their own adventures, while secondary leads, Princess Feng Xi Yang (2FL) and Prince Xia Jing Shi (2ML) continued with theirs in Jinxiu. Even though the Wind Alliance arc didn’t take up too much time, it also doesn’t seem to be very necessary. But since this mysterious place was mentioned, I’m not surprised we got to find out what that is all about. Unfortunately, I find the pacing to be a little off when we have two concurrent storylines happening in two countries. It’s hard to go back and forth between them to keep up on all the excitement. Having said that, I still think each couple’s arc individually was exciting and interesting. The pacing might be a little weird, but it’s definitely not slow or draggy. The last couple episodes ended with a bang with exciting confrontations and action scenes. I love the end of the trio of ‘brothers’: Fu Yi Xiao, Ning Fei and Xiao Wei Ran. Their last moment together hit me with all the feels.

Romance
As I said, I love enemies-to-lovers and it’s especially amazing when you have two equally strong lovers coming together and they are on equal footing in a relationship. FL and ML really are the same type of people: smart, ruthless, will give you an eye for an eye, yet loyal, caring, honest, communicative and supportive of each other. They are partners-in-crime and also soulmates. This mature romance has some skinship (decent kisses, holding hands and hugging), a lot of actions in supporting and caring for each other (you know, they will kill for those you don’t have the heart to kill). They understand each other so well that no explanation of action is necessary. But, I can’t deny I wanted just a little bit more sweet scenes. They could have eliminated a certain event that happened to ML in the Wind Alliance arc, and save those screen time for sweet and romantic moments. LOL As for secondary leads and their ‘romance’, I am glad to see that it went the other direction instead of the common rom-com way for secondary leads. I love a good unrequited and one-sided love, and I was hoping they would stay that way. But did it go the way I wanted? I’m not telling you. The other romances offer a contrast to the main romance, thus giving us a different flavor and something different. None of the romances are sizzling hot, but that’s not the point anyway. The chemistry is that of angst and maturity, hate and love, but they are never sexual or sensual.

Acting
I’m a fan of Li Qin and really enjoy her not being pigeon-holed into one type of female lead. Her strongest acting for me before this drama was in “War of Faith”. I think she outshone herself with her performance here in “Fated Hearts”. We’ve seen quite a few female generals lately but she’s the best out of them. Her eyes pierce through enemy lines. Her posture and strength showed. There’s no delicacy but just a force of nature. Her emotional scenes were great. Chen Zhe Yuan was great as well, but I might like his overall acting in “The White Olive Tree” just a teeny tiny bit better. Having said that, the most memorable scene for me was the confrontation between ML, the emperor (ML’s father) and FL in the former empress house. That was one hell of an acting powerhouse exchange at the end of ep 24 to beginning of 25. I was so tense watching them. Xia Meng played a beautiful princess who has quite a character development. She was lovely as the innocent princess who’s so in love that she thinks she could change her man. Wrong! But as her character changes, Xia Meng’s acting got better. I really liked Chen He Yi when I saw him in the rom-com “The Perfect Match” and thought his role there matches his personality well. But seeing him here, Chen He Yi has such a nice guy face that it’s hard for me to imagine him as the ruthless Prince. He was better in the last episode when he was seeking revenge, but other than that, he looks very handsome yet the acting doesn’t quite match up. I was excited to see Zuo Ye but I felt that his character as Murong Yao was a little disappointing. He was great as the playboy but we only see glimpses of his excellent acting against Chen Zhe Yuan in a couple confrontation scenes when his other personality came out. Unfortunately, we rarely see this other personality anymore as the story progresses. A surprise for me is Qin Tian Yu, who played the crazy Emperor of Jinxiu. In contrast to Chen He Yi’s acting, this crazy emperor is so much more interesting. Qin Tian Yu is a scene stealer and his last scenes showed great emotional depth. “Fated Hearts” also has a large supporting cast of veterans (who are awesome) and the younger generation (who are pretty good too). I’m glad there isn’t any characters that I hate or annoy me to death.

Production
There’s money poured into “Fated Hearts” as you can see from the beautiful and grand sets throughout the drama. I was amazed to see grand bedroom doors, open meeting spaces and rooms that are beautifully decorated. The costumes, hairstyles, jewelry and accessories are all detailed and of high quality. The royal family looks exquisite! Did you see the sequins in the two male leads’ costumes? Li Qin looks gorgeous in red and black, and I love that they did not adorn her with excessive jewelry but just a simple but gorgeous wig. She’s a fighter after all. The action scenes are well-choreographed and hard-hitting. There’s no flailing, twirling or standing around doing nothing. There are a ton of fights throughout the drama and everyone looks fierce. There are a few shaky camera shots during these fights that I didn’t quite like. The music is fine. None of the songs left a lasting memory for me but they also don’t sound out of place. I guess my biggest disappointment is that everyone was dubbed by voice actors except for Chen Zhe Yuan. I would have loved to hear Li Qin’s voice as well.


I had a great time binge-watching this drama over the weekend. The pacing is great, the acting is solid and the production quality high. I might have a minor complaint here and there, but this is a drama worth watching and I would definitely recommend it. I guess the special sauce that’s missing for me is that emotional impact after the drama ends. I am satisfied and things wrapped up somewhat nicely. However, I didn’t feel especially happy or sad.


Other Random Observations:
1. First scene - using soft peacock feathers on the arrow to avoid it being caught easily. So smart!
2. There are many shots of hands clenching.
3. A woman should never think she can change a man.
4. The other amnesia plot is quite useless.
5. My personal pet peeves: soldiers and generals should not look so white. Shouldn’t they be in the sun all the time?


Completed: 10/19/2025 Review #634

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Rushed Ending but worth watching for Xu Kai & Tian Xi Wei

There were other costume dramas released at around the same time when “Moonlit Reunion” aired. This drama felt like it didn’t get a lot of buzz compared to a few others. I waited and hesitated to watch due to its lukewarm reception. But, it’s Xu Kai and I have always been his fan. With low expectations, I embarked on this mystical journey and had a great time!


What I Like:

1. Wu Zhen (played by Tian Xi Wei) - I was pleasantly surprised to have a ‘playgirl’ female lead in a costume drama. I was worried that Wu Zhen is another cute and innocent FL who needs to be saved by her man. Luckily, she’s not and she’s actually the cat lord! Wu Zhen is powerful, independent, smart and forward-thinking. She matches evenly with her man, her supporting man and the villains. I love a strong woman who can dress up prettily, beat up some guys, crave attention from her man yet not be afraid to initiate affection.

2. Main Acting - Xu Kai and Tian Xi Wei are both excellent in this drama. Both of them have very expressive, big eyes. Their eyes can convey so much emotion without words being spoken. Their chemistry is pretty good, though I wouldn’t say excellent. Their romance doesn’t give us a lot of sweetness and fluffiness, but the angst was quite good. Hey, both actors can kiss and I appreciate effort, especially a couple passionate ones.

3. Costumes - Set in the Tang Dynasty, I love the elaborate hair designs and accessories, and the colorful hanfu the women wear. To distinguish the mortal world from the demon world, the characters have a different style in their looks. I love both looks and we don’t have crazy, ugly demon wigs for the cast (maybe just some ugly, alien masks for the unimportant demons). Oh, FL has the sexiest ‘pajamas’ I’ve seen in a costume drama. LOL She always sleeps with bare shoulders and arms.

4. Cinematography - Chang’an is always vibrant and lively, no matter which Chinese drama you are watching. “Moonlit Reunion” did a great job in showing the colorful side of Chang’an with beautiful cinematography. Is it as beautiful as “The Longest Day in Chang’An” or “Luoyang”? Definitely not. But I don’t think this is an S-level drama either.

5. Interesting Plot - I like the plot and all the side stories of the drama. I might have liked a little more time in certain areas, but as a whole, the drama keeps me interested throughout the 38 episodes. For the most part, I like the pacing as well except for the last few episodes.

6. Bromance - I love the fun bromance between ‘Grandfather’ snake and Mei Si. An unlikely friendship developed between them, and I actually would like to see more scenes of them, and also with Liu Tai Zhen (Snake lord).


What I have Mixed Feelings or Don’t Like:

1. Wu Jun Ting - I love him in all his other roles as the young high schooler or college student who is usually the greenest of flags. I am happy to see him branch out to a very different role here in “Moonlit Reunion”. Having said that, I think there’s room for improvement in his acting when trying to act ‘unkind’. His eyes are too kind and sweet. He wasn’t horrible, but when he’s acting alongside Xu Kai and Tian Xi Wei, he’s not quite up to their level. I hope he continues to try out different roles and improves.

2. Last few episodes - the editing and storytelling are choppy in the last few episodes. I felt like a lot was cut out especially when ML met the former cat lord. Though they try to show us some flashbacks, it doesn’t feel right. The ending was rushed and not properly developed. The great villains are easily defeated. I thought there would be one or two big fights or battles but was sorely disappointed. And hey, where’s the big baby? Never really made an appearance and I was looking forward to meet him.

3. Supporting Cast acting - I love the main acting, but the supporting cast is a mixed bag for me. Yi Da Qian is pretty good as Mei Si, but Wang Jia Yi’s Liu Tai Zhen is a hit-or-misss to me. When she tries to be cold, she appears wooden. The rest of them are good enough but not excellent.

4. Special Effects - The quality is quite inconsistent as there is some really cool CGI, e.g. the tornado of pages for Wu Zi Shu, and a few of the fight scenes and magic. But then, some other scenes do not have the same quality of special effects.

5. Makeup - Tian Xi Wei has beautiful makeup. But I can’t say the same for the male actors. When closeup, you can see the uneven thick white foundation (no smoothing filter on) and whether the guys shave properly. It bugs me everything there's a close up of Xu Kai's handsome face.



Although “Moonlit Reunion” is not a perfect drama, from an entertainment perspective, I had a great time. I like the main leads’ acting, the beautiful costumes and hairstyles, the interesting plot with decent pacing and nice cinematography & music. Despite a rushed ending and other minor criticisms, I am giving this a solid 8.5. I think watching this with low expectations and waiting for the right mood helps with my enjoyment. I’m also glad we have a costume drama that is not a transmigration or a traditional xianxia about the 3 realms. Oh, don't forget there's a small epilogue after the ending credit in the last episode.


Other Random Observations:
1. This drama has the most amicable and sweet royal family.
2. Xu Kai looks tired in a few scenes with big eye bags. 🙁
3. I’ve never seen the flower pinning ceremony at a wedding before.
4. There’s a lot of wind, therefore, a lot of flowy fabric, flowy hair.
5. The kid actors that play the younger versions of the leads are the two of the best. You’ve seen them in many other dramas before, and they are just lovable.


Completed: 10/14/2025 Review #633

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A Hodgepodge of craziness but it's Entertaining

I wonder if I would like “When the Phone Rings” more if I had watched while it was airing and joined in the hype and obsession on the Feeds. I vaguely remember the hype of a hot red flag ML in the beginning, the sizzling chemistry, screenshots of hands and veins, and how everyone was quite obsessed with the drama.

Unfortunately, since I binged this, what goes in my head might have been the exact opposite of the hype. I do still think the chemistry between Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae Soo Bin is pretty good, though the majority of the time that happened on the phone. But I don’t get the craze about the hot red flag ML nor the slow-motion supposedly romantic shots, or the hands. I felt that these elements gave the drama a very fake rom-com feel, especially when this is not a romantic comedy. But yet, does this drama know what it really wants to be?

It started out as a serious drama with a thriller/mysterious plot. The background of the Presidential Office, Presidential spokesperson, interpreter and Presidential candidate give this drama a more ‘serious’ vibe. But once you add on the ridiculousness of the phone calls, it becomes a makjang. Add on those slow-mo romantic shots, it became a romantic comedy with accidental trips and kisses.

Let’s talk about the phone calls. The first one or two, I could understand the frustration and the daringness of it. As time goes by, these daily phones happen so frequently that there is not way a smart ML couldn't decipher someone’s wrong and the tone has changed. From a threatening voice of a murderer and kidnapper, to a lonely housewife who wanted a divorce and then a lovesick girl who just wanted to be loved by her first love. The change is so drastic that it’s ridiculous it can go on for so long. Unfortunately, that’s why the drama is called “When the Phone Rings”.

But viewers and Feeds users are correct that the second half just went down the hill into pure makjang territory. I don’t even know what that ending was. It took 2.5 long episodes to wrap up the thriller part, when we already knew who the culprit was. I could also understand wanting to leave the world behind after all that happened, but to disappear like that and to a place so ridiculous? The sunset reason is just weak. The whole last episode is just a filler. What is up with the sudden wedding announcement? We skipped the whole relationship and I was waiting for it to happen.

Despite all my complaints, I am still giving “When the Phone Rings” a rounded up 8.0. You can’t deny it was entertaining with great acting by Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae Soo Bin. Big applause to Chae Soo Bin for all the sign language she needs to learn, and there’s quite a few. I am a sucker for the enemies-to-lovers trope and despite the whole phone calling unreasonable plot, I do like the transition of the leads relationship. Kisses are great, as well, and that is to be expected from Yoo Yeon Seok. Everyone looks good (nice clothes and suits) and sounds good.

If you go in knowing what to expect - that is - not a serious thriller/mystery drama, and enjoy a hodgepodge of craziness, “When the Phone Rings” can be very entertaining.



Completed: 2/2/2025 - Review #539

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Excellent chemistry and romances in a comfortable and predictable drama.

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

I am in the right mood and I am eating this all up. In search of a fun drama to make me happy, “Me and Who” fits the bill. This fantasy rom-com is super bingeable and I finished all 10 episodes in a day. It is by no means a perfect drama, nor one you have never seen before. In fact, we have seen similar transmigration themes, mind-reading and even how romance is developed. There are no surprises. But maybe because it’s a comfort watch that I am looking for, it all works out.

Let’s start with the biggest flaw: Totally abandoning trying to act like the old Apo. In the early episodes, Suriya was teaching Apo how to be the original Apo. From how to talk like Apo to dress like him and act like him. They even try to fake being in love to avoid the prying eyes of the hilarious Butler Francois. Yet, after those episodes of ‘training’, Apo never really makes the effort to fake it. All goes to chalking up that he lost his memory and his personality changed after the accident. I was hoping to see more ridiculous outfits! Although mind-reading is central to the plot, actually, it didn’t really create huge conflict or impact. In a way, if you are looking for an exciting mind-reading drama with all the suspense, you might be disappointed.

A minor complaint is the acting of Big (as Suriya) in comparison to Park’s Apo. Big appears a little more emotionless. Park has improved since I last saw him in “Monster Next Door”. I also want to see the original Apo more. He didn’t have too many scenes except for the very end. Park was great as the original Apo and I would have loved to see more of his sassy meanness, and strutting down the hallway like he’s on a catwalk. You can also say another minor criticism is the predictability of everything. You can tell how the romance will be developed. You can tell who the ‘villain’ is. You can tell the secret will be found out by someone someday. But as I said earlier, I am fine with all that, as I’m looking for a fun and happy drama.

Speaking of fun, there are many comedic moments and slightly over-the-top in the first part of the drama. I did laugh out loud a little and enjoyed these hilarious scenes. I was surprised by Park/Apo’s awesome and funny dance moves. I love Butler Francois as the spy and not-so-secretive shipper. I was in awe of Apo’s original sexy Chinese-style engagement outfit, the peacock and disco ball rituals. But these moments do die down toward the second half of the drama.

I love the romance storylines here. I am a big sucker for those does-he-like-me-or-not guessing games. Both couples have great chemistry and gave us sweet and cute couple scenes. I have to applaud the kiss scenes by Big and Park. Their kisses are passionate and romantic, not like they are eating someone’s face or dead fish kisses. I feel like a voyeur whenever they have their intimate times. The secondary romance is also very satisfying. They don’t take up too much screentime or the spotlight away from the main couple. Yet, I love seeing them together and just enough time is dedicated to them to give us a satisfying romance without feeling rushed.

If you could suspend belief a little and want something fun and sweet, I would recommend “Me And Who”. It was quite fun without being cringey. The leads have excellent chemistry and the romances are well-developed and executed. I had a great time binge-watching this drama. Things might have gotten a little more serious in the last few episodes, but it’s still a pretty light watch, especially with all the kisses I get to see.


Completed: 12/7/2025 Review #651

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When Reality crushes your Dreams, Values and Romance

I’m glad that “Rabbit on the Moon” is on Viki now, so that more viewers can watch it. It’s not a perfect drama, but one that I quite enjoy. Reading the synopsis, it sounds like a rom-com (it’s not a rom-com) of two individuals from very different backgrounds met while on vacation, had a short fling and then disappeared from each other’s lives. Of course, they met again and a lot of things happened between them and prevented them from being together. From ML’s profession, to an obsessive and high-powered 2FL and of course, a FL where you really could hate her for her decisions for 70% of the drama.


Plot/Pacing
The drama started out with a bang, aka, a sexy scene. It immediately hooked you in, if you are a romance lover. We saw flashbacks of their little fling here and there. But the drama actually focuses on after they’re back in Bangkok when business is mixed with romance. Compared to other Thai dramas or lakorns, there really aren't too many characters you want to strangle. Well, there is the annoying sister and mother who mistreated FL in the name of love, but more because of reputation, saving face and wanting to look perfect. The women in this drama, female lead Phitcha included, are selfish and manipulative. That’s why it could be difficult to fall in love with Phitcha early on and not drop the drama. But I do think the drama does a pretty good job in showing us the internal conflict and the reason why she makes decisions at the expense of ML, Jira/Jay. When your self-esteem is low and being looked down on by your family, your passion for your career is the only thing that can keep you afloat.. There are comments/complaints on why Jira decided to lose his morals and ‘sell’ himself halfway through the drama. I don’t see him as losing his morals, but a way to show his love for his family and Phitcha, and to plan for the future. It’s not a decision made lightly but it did cross that bottom line he’s been defending all his career. This is a drama with many flawed characters who made decisions you might not agree with. It also shows that life is hard and not rosy. Tough sacrifices and compromises have to be made, and romance might have to take a backseat. With 16 episodes at about 45 minutes each, the pacing is good. I was engaged throughout and there’s enough going on to keep me entertained. I do wish the obsessive 2FL, Annita, didn’t last that long. She took up so many episodes and I would have loved more scenes of Jira and Phitcha. There’s some business talk here and there, mainly about land sales and redevelopment. This also gives the drama a chance to leave the busy city life and takes us to the rural part of Thailand.

Acting
The acting is pretty good all-around, except maybe Phitcha’s dad and Jira’s grandma. There’s no overly dramatic and lakornish acting. Bright (as Jira) and Kao (as Phticha) did a great job. I’ve seen Kao in a few other dramas before and her acting has always been good. I noticed she has a habit with side-eyeing or eye-rolling, which annoyed me just a little bit. As an actress, she can always deliver the emotions and those tears. I’m glad to finally see her in a drama that I like. This is my first drama of Bright, and I’m an instant fan. I’ve put a few more of his dramas on my PTW after watching him here. He’s charming and adorable, handsome and charismatic. You can see how he carries himself very differently when he’s with different people - comfortable with his family and friends, loving and puppy-eyed when with Phitcha, charismatic and sexy when he’s the host. Bee (as Annita) is fabulous as well. What a beautiful and powerful woman! She oozes an energy that sucks up the air in the room when she walks in, and then you see her as this obsessive woman trying too hard to hold onto Jira.

Romance
Great chemistry between Bright and Kao. I would have loved to see a little more lovey-dovey scenes between them and more kisses and hand-holding. We only have a few scenes of the dream-like world they were in on the island when they could truly be themselves and be happy. There’s just too much going on between them that life doesn’t allow them to have too many happy times. Despite what I mentioned earlier that Phitcha could be selfish and takes Jira for granted, I do think she really never outright lies to him. She might have some internal conflicts going on for a little bit, but eventually, she shares what she's going through and the tough choices she is asking Jira to make. Ultimately, Jira is the one that agrees to the deals. Jira is just a lovely male lead. How can you not love a guy who takes care of family and a non-blood related aunty, a pro’s pro in his line of work, and also does things he might not completely want to do but for the sake of his woman? Fine, he could have dialed down on that last kiss with Annita in the last episode, but I am going to interpret that as a final gift to someone who has been nice to him. Think of it as a little final fantasy, because he’s a professional. I really enjoyed Jira and Phitcha’s heart-to-heart honest conversation in episode 8 before Jira leaves. The other romance is a contrast. It’s uncomplicated and cute. Initially, I was worried Ker might turn out to be a very different character. I enjoy the few scenes of him and Maprang. They are just adorable and provided some lightheartedness in the romance department. There are also a few other side plots of the (lack of) romances. Cheating is quite a theme in this drama as well. There aren’t too many funny and comedic moments in this drama. I do enjoy the funny conversation that Jira has with his friends about his relationship questions.

Production
Nothing looks cheap here. The ladies are beautiful and well-dressed. The offices and houses all look grand and modern. The rural scenery is not bad, though I can’t tell from the screen if Jira’s land is really as attractive as they say. Jira has the most varied wardrobe from handsome attire as a host, to casual comfy sweatshirts and pants, to rural t-shirts and flip flops. Well, Bright looks good in anything. But, maybe towards the last quarter of the drama, they realize they needed money, thus, product placements increase! I really don’t need to see a maid cleaning the floor with a smile for 5 seconds a few times, or Eurocake so prominently displayed as snacks.


Overall, I had a pretty good time watching “Rabbit on the Moon”. Having a current MDL rating of 7.3 is way too long, even by non-Thai BL standards. Overall, I think this is a pretty balanced series. There’s enough drama but not super angsty or melo or lakornish, enough romance throughout the drama, with a splash of family drama and business talk. It is by no means a perfect drama and it’s definitely for a more mature audience who can appreciate flawed characters making decisions we don’t agree with.



Completed: 11/16/2025 Review #642

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Finding the right Focus in life but clear enough to see what surrounds you.

“Depth of Field”, a term used in photography, is the distance between the nearest and the farthest objects that are in acceptably sharp focus in an image captured with a camera. (per Wikipedia). As we often focus on what’s right in front of us, we might not be able to see clearly what’s around us or behind us.

In this drama, Konno (kind, honest and determined) helps Hayakawa to be able to see both objects in his life. Let’s not focus on wanting to be liked by putting on a fake smile and persona, forgetting about being honest with yourself, your feelings and what your passions are. At times, the focus of what’s in front and what’s around you are in reverse. Hayakawa was lucky to have Konno to help him navigate the fog in front of him and see a clearer view of what’s most important.

“Depth of Field” is more than just a regular teen romance BL. Yes, there is romance and it was slowly developed and won’t be a focus until towards the end of the drama. Instead, this drama focuses on accepting, liking and being honest with yourself, rediscovering one’s passion, overcoming an unpleasant past and working towards your true passion and dreams. This should be the nearest object of the camera and must be in clear focus. Surrounding all that and being in the farther away distance of the camera, is the romance, the friendship, and wanting to be liked. At the end of the drama, Hayakawa finds the perfect “Depth of Field”.

There are a few moments that really made an impression on me (both positive and negative). I was not a fan of how Hayakawa expressed his anger, frustration and attraction in Konno’s bedroom. I could see where he’s coming from, but still didn’t quite like it. The drama also didn’t explore the aftermath much, and with only a simple apology. On the other hand, when the leads are on the rooftop and the flashback of the “Gross” remark deeply affected me for some reason. My tears started streaming down my cheeks. Oh, I hurt for Hayakawa and his expression was so heartbreaking. No wonder it stayed with Konno all these years.

I strongly recommend “Depth of Field” if you like the slower-paced JBLs. I actually feel that 6 episodes is the perfect length for this drama. This is not typical for me as sometimes I feel that JBLs are too short and J-dramas in general can be rushed and need more episodes. As an adaptation from a manga, the acting is decent and not overdramatic.


Completed: 7/19/2025 Review #605

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Elements of an epic drama but individual Arcs fail to weave together for greater impact

Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75

“Love in Pavilion” has all the elements of an epic fantasy xianxia that can move me to tears, especially when it has such a strong focus on romance. I LOVE romance. But as I am approaching the last quarter of the drama, I realized why it didn’t hit me with all the feelings as much as “Moonlight Mystique” (MM). I finished MM not too long ago and even though the plot is different, there are some similarities. I love MM and felt its strength is the weakness of “Love in Pavilion” (LIP).

MM is able to weave each individual supporting character’s arc beautifully and harmoniously into the overarching plot. The most important part is that MM introduces all characters in the earlier episodes and allows viewers to start caring for them individually early on. When such an affection is established, what happens to them later on affects me deeply, because I already fell in love with each and everyone of them.

Unfortunately, I have not developed such an affection for the supporting cast in LIP. Although the actors did a fine job acting wise, and their stories are heartwarming and heartwrenching, it did not arouse the same emotions compared to MM. After one arc is over, I just move on to the second one, and so on. It’s not until the last few episodes during the final battle do I really feel for the characters. At that point, I already knew the ending and though sad, it didn’t gut punch me as hard.

However, I can’t deny loving the guest roles and the small supporting roles of some big stars. They often are scene stealers and overshadow the main cast. Ding Yu Xi is especially outstanding as Zhang Zheng. His eyes really shine the brightest with the different emotions. I would have liked to see him introduced sooner and start building his sideplot and not wait till the second half. I also enjoy Charles Lin’s portrayal of the Demon Jiu Huo. He was deliciously charismatic compared to Zhang Yun Long as the main lead. The rest of the supporting cast did well individually, but it lacked chemistry as a group/duo/trio.

To be fair, Zhang Yun Long actually did a pretty good job. I think it’s the writing of his character that is the problem and it makes him pale in comparison to the aforementioned actors/characters. I miss seeing Wangquan Hong Ye when he was powerful, manipulative and a little cunning in the first few episodes. But once he falls in love and the drama focuses so much on his romance, he becomes an adorable loverboy. I also find Zhang Yun Long and Liu Shi Shi’s chemistry to be only decent. Liu Shi Shi always gives me the impression of a graceful, mild-mannered but standoff-ish beauty. Their love is too mature and too calm as a river for the most part. I am missing some underlying sizzle or angst (except the few scenes when FL was being a seductress). Oh, their kisses are disappointing. In fact, almost all the kisses are disappointing except for one of Ding Yu Xi’s.

I watched quite a number of xianxia in the last couple months, and unfortunately, this one is one that I didn’t enjoy as much, and I really wanted to. I don’t deny the fact that I might be having a xianxia hangover/fatigue. Therefore, I can’t really say whether I can recommend or not recommend this drama. I didn’t watch the prequel (Red-Moon Pact) and that didn’t affect my understanding of the “Love in Pavilion”. But I do plan to watch the sequel (Sword and Beloved) to follow the next generation’s story, well, unless the reviews are as bad as Red-Moon Pact.


Other Random Observations:
I am disappointed that everyone is dubbed in this drama.
But, I do think Zhang Yun Long’s real voice might not match the voice of Wangquan Hong Ye. The voice actor sounds better.
CGI is bad in the beginning but seems to have improved in the second half. There’s a lot of CGI fighting (as in other xianxia dramas).
Not enough happy moments to balance out the sad moments.
I like the costumes and accessories, especially the guest roles.
ML’s mask is too hilarious. I can’t blame Liu Shi Shi for not being able to keep a straight face.


Completed: 5/17/2025 - Review #577

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Great for Macau Tourism, but drama lost its focus on the leads in the last quarter of the drama.

As a Macau native myself, I was really excited to see that a drama was set in Macau and starring the sexy Elvis Han. Of course, I’ve got to check it out. I believe this drama was made in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Macau’s Handover back to mainland China from Portugal.

If the drama’s main goal is to celebrate and promote Macau to attract tourists, “Begin Again” scores a 10/10. It showcases the beautiful sceneries of Macau, both the modern Las Vegas of the East full of world class hotels and resorts, but also Macau’s Chinese and Portuguese cultures and influences. There are many food scenes of delicious and expensive-looking food, and local delicacies with neighborly and familial love. After watching this drama, you would definitely want to visit Macau.

However, if I judge “Begin Again’ strictly as a drama, then I am giving this an 8 out of 10. Despite excellent chemistry and acting performances from the four main leads, their romantic stories were not executed perfectly. This is due to the drama’s lack of focus on the main leads especially in the last few episodes. The drama wasted time on characters such as Casey, her family drama and the piano boy. Their friendship is unique and could have been fun if they had their own drama. But in “Begin Again”, their storyline feels out of place and takes away time from the leads. Additionally, too much time was spent on Howard and Jia Jia, and Jia Jia’s parents’ relationships. I fast-forwarded some of their scenes.

On a positive note, I really enjoy the collaboration of Chinese and Hong Kong actors. I was so glad the Cantonese wasn’t dubbed over into Mandarin. It’s just not the same as the Cantonese jokes and slang would be lost in translation. As a Cantonese speaker myself, I enjoy the Xu family scenes immensely - their banter, argument and nosiness. The Xu family brings out the warmth in a slice-of-life drama. I just need them, I don’t need the other side characters.

But as for the main reason for my watch, of course it’s for my big crush on Elvis Han, especially after seeing him in “Fake It Till You Make It”. I was glad to see Elvis in a different role. He’s a little shy and not the confident playboy that he was in the other drama. He’s actually quite adorable in his cute flirting and pursuit of Josephine/Chen Jia Hui. Elvis and Zhong Chu Xi have great chemistry together, though their romance peaks too early. I thought the flirting and the push-and-pull will last longer but I guess since they are mature and know what they want, they went for it. Nevertheless, they are a visually beautiful pair.

The other romantic pair is the more adorable couple of Mai You Ge and Xu Jun Le. Their opposite attracts romance develops a little more slowly from friends-to-lovers. They also have great chemistry, but not the sizzling version as the other pair. And like most viewers, I am more invested in them. Unfortunately, they seem to have disappeared in the last quarter of the drama. After the confession, I was expecting a little more of them as they navigate through these emotions and reality. Instead, they gave way to the other minor characters who took up way too much time in the last few episodes.

The leads careers also play a big part in the drama, especially when romance seems to have helped each of them grow and impact them in some of their life decisions. I enjoy scenes of their professions. I may not be a fan of car racing, but watching Elvis race (he’s actually a race car driver and has a license) is a pleasure. I was glad the drama did not gloss over the Grand Prix scenes as those were actually quite exciting. The Grand Prix is a big deal in Macau, so I actually doubt they would cut those scenes. Afterall, the drama wants to promote Macau.

I would recommend this drama if you are interested in learning more about Macau and are thinking of it as a future vacation destination. It’s also a good drama to watch if you are fans of the leads and are looking for something quite light-hearted. However, I would not say this is a must-watch.


Completed: 4/14/2025 - Review #566

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A war-focused movie which might be more enjoyable for fans who have background knowledge

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

“Legends of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants” is my first movie of 2025 and I even watched this in the theater! This movie is an adaptation of the first book of the Condor Trilogy but focuses on a more mature Guo Jing and Huang Rong, and the war between Mongolia and the Jin and Song Dynasties. If you have not read the books or the many TV drama adaptations, this movie is just like any other big production war movie. Whether this is a good thing or not, it’s up to the viewer. Afterall, the movie is only 2.5 hours long and you can’t really fit everything into a movie.

Plot:
If you have not read the novel or watched the TV drama, the first 15-20 minutes gave a quick recap of everything that happened between Guo Jing and Huang Rong (romance and quick adventure), and how Guo Jing became the martial artist that he is. The rest of the drama is about how Guo Jing and Huang Rong try to find each other again, and the war development between Mongolia and the Jin Dynasty, with a side story of the Poison Master Ouyang Feng’s quest. Although I am understanding of the time limitation, I can’t help but feel a tiny bit disappointed when the focus is not on the martial arts world and on Guo Jing and Huang Rong. Their adventure together is the best part of the book. Because that part is missing, even when they found each other again, it’s missing that emotional ecstasy (but then, I am also a hopeless romantic).

Casting:
I was unsure about casting Xiao Zhan as the somewhat naive and ‘dumb’ Guo Jing. But since the movie focuses on a more mature version of Guo Jing, I think Xiao Zhan did a pretty good job. His big eyes are able to convey innocence, justice and strong beliefs, but not clueless as who Guo Jing once was in the drama adaptation, such as Yang Xu Wen’s version in 2017. Unfortunately, this version of a mature Huang Rong is missing the spark I’ve seen in Barbara Yung’s version in 1983, or Li Yi Tong’s version in 2017. Sabrina Zhuang is not doing a bad job, but something is missing in this intelligent yet still cunning version of Huang Rong. I’m happy to see the movie included Mongolian actors, in addition to a few from Hong Kong. Quite a bit of Mongolian is spoken in the movie but I have no way of knowing if they were done well. At least everything sounded believable. The rest of the supporting cast did fabulous. With some fabulous makeup, Tony Leung is an unrecognizable Ouyang Feng (especially the last scene) and I can’t say I wasn’t surprised to see Ada Choi played a mother figure (I feel so old seeing her).

Production:
You can’t deny this is a big budget production - the number of soldiers in the field, the great wars and battles, sets and costumes. Big fights are usually done with special effects, and these are not cheap special effects. But because the Condor Heroes to me is a wuxia trilogy more than a war trilogy, I can’t help but be a little disappointed in the lack of real fights. I want to see traditional martial arts fights with close contact combat. I might have gotten 2-3 scenes of good fights, but the rest is usually CGI-fighting or arrows shooting.

Would I recommend it? Yes. I would, especially if you are a fan of the novel/drama and a fan of Xiao Zhan. But if you don’t have some of the background, “Legends of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants” is only just another war movie. If you don’t mind, it’s still very enjoyable given the good acting and excellent supporting cast. Lastly, I want to add that if you watched the old 1983 Hong Kong version, it really brought back memories when the theme song starts to play. Just a few notes and I immediately recognize it. I think the song was also used in the 2017 drama and again here as the background music in the 2025 movie. But the main theme song of the movie is a battle-themed song sung in Mongolian. That’s a nice touch!


Completed: 3/2/2025 - Review #549

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Is it ok to live your life like this?

J-dramas are great in highlighting interesting professions and “Tenshoku no Mao-sama” aka “Demon King of Job Changing” introduces us to the world of career change advisors.

The plot is very simple. Each episode showcases a job seeker who wants to change their job for different reasons. Our leads support them in digging deep into their heart to find out why they want/don’t want to change, and what jobs they really want. Once the job seekers know what they really want, our leads will find them the most suitable one to interview based on their criteria.

There’s a lot of self-discovery in this drama. Not only are the job seekers doing that, but our leads also have gone through a difficult time in the past, and have to learn to heal and move forward. ML has a total personality change after his injury and was forced to leave his dream job. FL crumbled under the stress of power harassment and had to pick herself back up as well. This dynamic duo is supporting and learning from each other as mentor/mentee. Their personalities are total opposite yet they complement each other so well, and they make great partners.

Do not watch this looking for romance. There might be some positive feelings between the leads, but they were never explicitly shared. There are some interesting characters and stories, and all of them are easy to digest. This is an easy watch with pretty good acting (not too much over-the-top anime-style acting). You might resonate with some of the stories.

To me, “Tenshoku no Mao-sama” is missing an emotional punch to give this a higher rating. I do enjoy watching the leads and follow their story of growth, and think they have good chemistry. If you are looking for a career change or a new job, this drama might offer some inspiration.


Completed: 11/16/2024 - Review #516

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Mature, Gloomy, Thought-Provoking

“Imperfect Us” is a mature, gloomy and thought-provoking drama. I wasn’t really expecting it to be so depressing. I don’t resonate with these characters, but I feel their pain, anger, frustration, and regret. One paper, this is a story about a love triangle - two women with the same birthday (not year), working in the same company and falling in love with the same man.

But “Imperfect Us” is so much more than that. Each character is imperfect and they make choices that make it easy for viewers to point their fingers at them and criticize. I have to be honest, I do not like Chien Ching Fen (played by Ariel Lin) very much in the first couple episodes. I find her pushy, calculating and annoying. I don’t like how she forces herself into Ho Re Chich’s life and schemes herself to be the favorite daughter-in-law.

As I follow Ching Fen’s obsession with Rebecca, the trio's background story slowly unveils. A wife who is unsure and not confident that her husband really loves her, drives herself insane with jealousy by prying into her the private life of her ‘enemy’ via social media posts. The grass always seems to be greener on the other side, from both female leads’ perspectives. But since I, as a viewer, isn’t really quite certain if the husband’s love for her wife is gratitude + responsibility or real love, I don’t really blame her for being paranoid and obsessed.

Poor Rebecca seems to be the unluckiest of all. Is she really enjoying her carefree, single lifestyle? Was her decision to leave based on selfish reasons, or selfless reasons? Episode 7 breaks my heart. It’s the most impactful episode to me. How desperate is she to lower herself and ask to be loved despite her flaws? How hopeless is she to bare it all and be vulnerable? Or is this all a selfish act so that the decision is made by someone else, and she can be pitiful and blame others?

All their complicated relationships are exposed in the last episode when the two female leads go head-to-head in chess playing. At first, I thought this episode was a filler episode because they really didn’t do much. But once you pay attention to what they are saying, you discover their conversations are full of hidden meanings, and each is trying to bait the others to reveal more.
Each move is calculating and setting up for the next turn.

I would only recommend this for those who like flawed characters with mature storylines. This is not a happy drama but one full of real life difficult decisions. It did take me a couple episodes to get into the groove, but the second half really hooked me in. The acting of the small cast is great, and each of the characters hit you differently. Actually, Ariel Lin just won the best leading actress award at the Asian film festival for her role in “Imperfect Us”.


Completed: 10/9/2024 - Review #497

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Great Chemistry and Interesting Romances but could be Shorter and Tighter

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

For some reason, a non-suffering Luo Yun Xi is not attracting a big crowd to watch “Follow Your Heart”. Don’t you want to see him not spit blood and be happy for once? LOL.

For the most part, “Follow Your Heart” is a really enjoyable drama. It is just a tad too long (like many C-dramas) and then plot holes start to happen when you’re unable to keep up with the writing. The first ⅔ of the drama is great, especially the dynamics between the two main leads before they are officially together. The side couples are sweet and there really aren't any annoying characters.


What I Like:

Jiang Xin Bai (ML) and Yan Nan Xing (FL)
Luo Yun Xi and Song Yi did an excellent job in portraying the two main characters. They are experienced not only in acting, but also in delivering lines without the use of voice actors. I really appreciate that very much. Jiang Xin Bai and Yan Nan Xing are both intelligent characters with fun banter and dynamics. The chemistry is great and I enjoy how they slowly develop from strangers to comrades to lovers. The romance develops slowly and naturally. They trust each other and have honest communication.

Ryan Cheng
It’s nice to see Ryan in a role where he’s not just cold after all his mini dramas and “My Journey to You”. In fact, he’s hot-headed and impulsive yet a little dumb and adorable when in love. It’s a different side of Ryan Cheng that I haven’t seen. Acting alongside Luo Yun Xi and other veterans, he holds his own.

Platonic Friendships
I love the found family trio of Yan Nan Xing, Tong Sai Er and Liu Ruo Qian. They are just three very different individuals who happen to all settle into Yan Nan Xing’s shop. They support and care for each other. It’s lovely to not see any romance developed, and yet they help each other out in the romance department. This trio brings a lot of joy to the story. On the other hand, I am also very glad to see another platonic friendship between Shang Bie Li and JIang Suo Luo. I guess they are united because of their hatred/animosity towards Jiang Xin Bai. But this pair is mature and supportive, and really look out for each other’s best interests in a non-judgmental way.

Supporting Romance
Oftentimes, the secondary and tertiary romances are not as fun as the main romance. But in this drama, I really enjoy all three pairs. Each pair has a unique story and I root for all of them to live happily ever after. It also helps that we don’t have an evil, jealous secondary female lead who won’t take no for an answer. In a way, this is refreshing and nice.

Production Quality
I think aside from two supporting characters, all actors use their own voices. There’s a mix of live recording and studio recording (and dubbed over). I am a big fan of actors using their own voice, even if some are doing it better than others. “Follow Your Heart” also has good and high quality-looking costumes and hairstyles, sets and accessories. Even though the everyday costumes are simple, they look nicely made and not cheap. There are quite a few weddings in this drama, and I admire all the wedding gowns and beautiful headdresses and fans. The OST was not overplayed with songs that suit the moods of the scenes. There are a few very well-choreographed fight scenes. I actually wish I could see more of them throughout the drama.



What I don’t like or have mixed feelings:

Length/Plot holes/Writing
My biggest criticism of the drama, as mentioned earlier, is the length of the drama. It takes forever for the real villain to be exposed (I did guess it might be that person). 30 episodes are probably enough to tell the whole story. There are a couple plot holes, especially in relation to FL’s secret. She kept that secret for so long, and all of a sudden towards the end, so many people knew about it. No one seems to take it to heart that it is a BIG secret and you might want to gossip with doors closed. ML’s secret, on the other hand, was exposed without much fanfare. How the drama deals with the revelation of both secrets was not written well and very anti-climatic. I was expecting more, especially when the writing was pretty good in the first half. The love triangle at the end started too late. It needed more depth but instead, it’s hard to believe the guy fell in love so quickly and deeply in such a short period of time, and made enormous sacrifices.

FL’s secret
The face change plot takes a backseat in the first quarter of the drama. The secret was introduced but it doesn’t really affect what’s happening that much. I wonder if this disappoints many viewers. Although I appreciate this secret is not exaggerated to be full-on comedy, the writing and the usage of the face change could have been better.

Gu Zi Cheng (as Liu Ruo Qian)
Li Ruo Qian is a very likable character. He’s good-looking, smart, kind, sweet and a crowd pleaser. He’s a total green flag! However, there’s something about Gu Zi Cheng’s acting that doesn’t seem very genuine. When he smiles, that smile doesn’t always reach his eyes. He’s a handsome actor, but his acting does not seem natural. He’s not bad, but compared to solid actors like Luo Yun Xi and Ryang Cheng, he’s not quite up to that standard.



Overall, I had a good time watching this drama. The writing could have been better and tighter, but the overall acting and chemistry of the cast are really good. The veteran actors add a lot of flavor to the story, especially the multifaceted queen (ML’s mother).



Completed: 8/15/2024 - Review #471

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