K-Drama 
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This review may contain spoilers
The Potential Was There
I won't discuss the AI usage or the actors' looks, as the former has been discussed extensively here and the latter adds zero value to the plot. As my title suggests, this show had immense potential that went unrealized by the finale.
The series has two interesting elements going for it:
👮🏻 The Tumultuous Romance 🧑🏻💼
This dynamic involves two key players:
• Fei Foon: A brilliant undercover cop taking on dangerous missions.
• Hui Leuk To (Vincent): A wealthy, closeted young CEO with appearances to keep up. He hooks up with Fei Foon (initially mistaking him for a criminal) and eventually falls in love with him, while simultaneously battling severe internalized homophobia.
IMO, this show would have benefited greatly from diving deeper into these two characters, their romance, and their psyches. I wanted to see how Fei Foon dealt with his feelings every time Vincent hurt him. Vincent was physically violent toward Fei Foon twice when threatened with exposure. The struggle of loving a man who refuses to be seen with you due to internalized homophobia deserved more screen time.
Furthermore, we missed seeing how Vincent dealt with his feelings—not just toward Fei Foon, but also regarding the burden of his family’s underworld ties. That said, his internalized homophobia and selfishness were the most interesting parts of the show for me. He loves and cares for his boyfriend but dares not be seen with him. He sees no issue with marrying a woman for appearances while keeping Fei Foon a secret. Let's also not forget his violent tendencies when backed into a corner about their relationship. Vincent consistently puts himself first until Fei Foon finally leaves without a word, forcing him to realize his mistakes.
Unfortunately, the drama’s frequent time jumps do a disservice to the romance. Because many major milestones and emotional turning points happen off-screen, the emotional beats feel shallow. I will not deny that these two had some really cute moments when they were happy. It just felt a little empty when I remembered all the things that'd been glossed over
🔫 The Organized Crime Aspect 🔫
This plotline had so many layers: Fei Foon's undercover assignment, Vincent's family mafia history, and the Eastern Hall + Shwan counterfeit money business. Done well, it could have been an engaging blend of crime, thriller, and romance. Yet, the show somehow managed to make it incredibly boring. Whether it was the script, the acting, the odd makeup, or a combination of all three, the crime elements failed to hold my attention. It is incredibly disappointing because I could feel the potential just out of reach—blocked by poor execution.
Final Thoughts
Would I recommend this...? Truthfully, I don't know. I left a note for myself at the end of episode 7 stating, "The last two episodes have been such a bore. And I'm really not warming up to Vincent. He's like a possessive child who doesn't like the word no." Looking back, the story started going downhill for me after episode 5. Between the boring crime plot and a romance I couldn't connect with, the whole thing just left me disappointed in what it could have been. I'll likely never rewatch this
The series has two interesting elements going for it:
👮🏻 The Tumultuous Romance 🧑🏻💼
This dynamic involves two key players:
• Fei Foon: A brilliant undercover cop taking on dangerous missions.
• Hui Leuk To (Vincent): A wealthy, closeted young CEO with appearances to keep up. He hooks up with Fei Foon (initially mistaking him for a criminal) and eventually falls in love with him, while simultaneously battling severe internalized homophobia.
IMO, this show would have benefited greatly from diving deeper into these two characters, their romance, and their psyches. I wanted to see how Fei Foon dealt with his feelings every time Vincent hurt him. Vincent was physically violent toward Fei Foon twice when threatened with exposure. The struggle of loving a man who refuses to be seen with you due to internalized homophobia deserved more screen time.
Furthermore, we missed seeing how Vincent dealt with his feelings—not just toward Fei Foon, but also regarding the burden of his family’s underworld ties. That said, his internalized homophobia and selfishness were the most interesting parts of the show for me. He loves and cares for his boyfriend but dares not be seen with him. He sees no issue with marrying a woman for appearances while keeping Fei Foon a secret. Let's also not forget his violent tendencies when backed into a corner about their relationship. Vincent consistently puts himself first until Fei Foon finally leaves without a word, forcing him to realize his mistakes.
Unfortunately, the drama’s frequent time jumps do a disservice to the romance. Because many major milestones and emotional turning points happen off-screen, the emotional beats feel shallow. I will not deny that these two had some really cute moments when they were happy. It just felt a little empty when I remembered all the things that'd been glossed over
🔫 The Organized Crime Aspect 🔫
This plotline had so many layers: Fei Foon's undercover assignment, Vincent's family mafia history, and the Eastern Hall + Shwan counterfeit money business. Done well, it could have been an engaging blend of crime, thriller, and romance. Yet, the show somehow managed to make it incredibly boring. Whether it was the script, the acting, the odd makeup, or a combination of all three, the crime elements failed to hold my attention. It is incredibly disappointing because I could feel the potential just out of reach—blocked by poor execution.
Final Thoughts
Would I recommend this...? Truthfully, I don't know. I left a note for myself at the end of episode 7 stating, "The last two episodes have been such a bore. And I'm really not warming up to Vincent. He's like a possessive child who doesn't like the word no." Looking back, the story started going downhill for me after episode 5. Between the boring crime plot and a romance I couldn't connect with, the whole thing just left me disappointed in what it could have been. I'll likely never rewatch this
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