Jiang Xuening ZENAR

Not just a "Period drama"

Flourished Peony is a beautifully crafted Chinese historical drama that unexpectedly draws you in with its slow pacing and emotional depth. The storytelling flows smoothly and I honestly didn’t expect to get hooked, but I was. The series boasts impressive performances from its cast, with each actor fully embodying their roles, bringing authenticity and heart to every scene. The cinematography and set design are visually stunning, immersing viewers in the elegance and challenges of the era.

If you’re into chill, reflective series with rich character development, this drama is definitely for you. While some plot twists may feel familiar, the unfolding events remain compelling and worth the watch. What makes this drama special is its focus on themes like friendship, family, human rights, and women empowerment. It offers a touching yet sobering look at how limited women’s freedoms were in earlier times, a reminder of how far we’ve come in the 21st century, where women now have the power, voice, and freedom to shape their own paths and participate meaningfully in society.

On the political side, the drama also sends a strong message about unity and collective action — that when people stand together, they can challenge and change the unjust systems that govern them. I deeply admire the courage of characters like He Wei Fang and Jiang Chang Yan, who, despite dangerous circumstances, are willing to make sacrifices for the greater good.

"Flourished Peony" is not just a period drama; it’s a moving reflection on societal growth, personal conviction, and the power of standing up for what’s right.

I'm definitely looking forward to Part 2: In the Name of Blossom.

Read More

Only We Know: A Quiet Masterpiece on Love, Life, and Letting Go

This movie is excellent! It was my first time watching Charo Santos in a film and oh my! Her acting was absolutely phenomenal! As for Dingdong Dantes, I only realized now how great of an actor he truly is! The storyline is beautiful and well-structured, and it really captured my emotions.

However, this film is not for everyone. If you're planning to watch it, drop your expectations at the door. I watched it out of pure curiosity about how their story would unfold, and I was not disappointed. The movie delivered a touching and meaningful message, that as we grow older, one of the things we truly seek is companionship.

This film is about love, life, and everything in between. That’s why the original soundtrack, "Sariling Mundo" by TJ Monterde, fits so perfectly. And the title itself, Only We Know, says it all. Only we know the why, the what, and the how behind our choices and relationships. We don’t owe anyone explanations.

And lastly, we only live once. So go ahead and do what makes you happy, no matter what others think—because at the end of the day, Only We Know.

Read More

Keep Running Season 13: Still Going Strong with Laughter and Fun

I always have fun watching Keep Running! Season 13 brought the usual mix of laughter, chaos, and heartwarming moments that make the show so enjoyable. The chemistry between the cast members continues to shine, and their playful banter and teamwork are a big part of what keeps the show entertaining.

Of course, not every episode was perfect—there were a few that felt a bit slow or less exciting—but overall, the season delivered plenty of fun, happiness, and hilarious moments. Whether it's the crazy games, the unexpected twists, or just the cast being their goofy selves, Keep Running always manages to lift my mood.

Can’t wait for Season 14!

Read More

A Story of Love, Power, and Regret

Of course I watched Feud the moment I saw Bai Lu was in it – I mean, she's my ultimate fave! 😍 Paired with Zeng Shunxi, this drama already had a solid foundation with such talented leads. The acting is top-notch, the costumes are breathtaking, and the OST is absolutely captivating – definitely a treat for the senses.

Let’s talk performances first: Bai Lu, as always, delivers a deeply emotional and compelling performance. Zeng Shunxi holds his own beside her, and their chemistry feels authentic and well-balanced. You can really feel the tension and emotion in every scene.

Visually, this drama is stunning. The costume and set designs are rich in detail, and they beautifully reflect the era and mood of each scene. The cinematography is elegant, with so many scenes that could be framed as artwork.

Now, about the storyline – I’ll be honest, I found it a bit lacking in some parts. The plot started off strong, but as the episodes went on, it lost some of its punch. A few of the later episodes even felt somewhat similar to those in Moonlight Mystique. It’s not bad, but I just expected a bit more in terms of depth and pacing.

And the ending? Ugh, I was left hanging 😭 – it felt rushed and unfinished. I really wanted a stronger conclusion after all the buildup.

As for the characters... OMG. Dao Ming Si?! 😂 If you know, you know. I won’t spoil who I’m referring to, but let’s just say he was the most frustrating character for me – I seriously wanted to scream at the screen. That’s how you know the actor did a good job though!

Thematic-wise, behind all the beautiful faces and elaborate costumes, the story delivers some powerful messages:
– Power and ambition can consume you, and no matter how beautiful the surface is, there’s always a price to be paid for betrayal and revenge.
– Appearances can deceive, and true strength often comes in quiet, painful choices.
– And most importantly: When you love someone, tell them. It’s easier said than done, but don’t let fear hold you back until regret is all that’s left. This drama shows how silence can hurt more than any sword ever could.

Final Thoughts:
Feud is a visually captivating drama with excellent acting, especially from Bai Lu (bias aside, she really shines here). The plot could’ve been more solid, and the ending more satisfying, but overall it’s still worth watching – just don’t expect everything to be wrapped up neatly.

⋆.ೃ࿔🌸*:･𝔃 𝓮 𝓷 𝓪 𝓻🍧 ₊ ⊹

Read More

Waking up each day means another chance to begin again

If you're going through something right now—whatever it is—this drama might just be what you need.

Our Unwritten Soul is a light drama, but it hits deep. It's emotional in a quiet, meaningful way that sneaks up on you. It’s the kind of show that doesn’t try too hard, but still gets you crying at 2AM without realizing it. The characters feel real, the story is simple but sincere, and it reminds you that you're not alone in what you're feeling.

If your heart’s a little heavy lately, give this one a shot. It won’t magically fix everything, but it’ll feel like a warm hug when you need it most.

Read More

Fame, Scandal, and Deception

If you're into dramas that explore the dark side of fame, social media, and influencer culture, Celebrity is a must-watch!

This gripping K-drama takes you into the cutthroat world of online celebrities, exposing the scandals, betrayals, and intense competition that come with chasing fame. The storyline is full of twists, keeping you hooked from start to finish. The lead actress, Park Gyu-young, delivers an outstanding performance, portraying both the glamorous and vulnerable sides of her character. The drama also highlights the reality behind curated online personas—how social media isn’t always what it seems.

The suspense, mystery, and social commentary make this drama binge-worthy. If you love thrilling, thought-provoking series with a stylish and modern aesthetic, Celebrity is definitely worth adding to your watchlist!

⋆.ೃ࿔🌸*:･𝔃 𝓮 𝓷 𝓪 𝓻🍧 ₊ ⊹

Read More

The ending we never knew we needed

This is one drama that took me a while to finish. Honestly, it could have been done in just two days, but it took me around three weeks to complete. By the time I reached episode 26, I already started to lose interest. For the sake of finishing it, I ended up fast-forwarding from episode 26 until the last few episodes.

The drama started off very promising, but when another plotline was introduced, it felt a bit dragging and I lost excitement. However, the last three episodes redeemed the story. The relationship between the male lead and female lead became more engaging, and I must say the drama had a strong finish with a satisfying ending.

One thing that bothered me, though, was the dubbed voice of the male lead. It did not always match the consistency of his acting, which was a bit distracting at times.

Still, if you are into assassin-themed dramas with a touch of romance, Kill Me, Love Me is worth a try.

Read More

Fun Start, Flat Finish

If you’re into shows that make you think and mess with your brain a little, The Devil’s Plan: Death Room is definitely one to try. Honestly, I didn’t really get the rules of some of the games (they were kinda complicated for me 😂), but I still enjoyed watching because of the political tension between the players. The way they moved, schemed, and formed alliances was way more entertaining than the games themselves.

But by Episode 9, I kinda lost interest. Some players started showing their true colors, and not in a fun way. I was especially disappointed with So Hui—she felt so indecisive, always siding with Hyun Gu, and didn’t really try to work with other players. It felt like she was just playing it safe instead of actually playing the game.

By the time Episode 10 rolled around, I was just skipping through most of the scenes. The winner became super predictable, so Episodes 10 to 12 didn’t really excite me anymore.

Overall, it’s a good watch if you like strategy, tension, and mind games. But for me, the later episodes lost their spark. Still, the earlier part of the show was worth it for the drama and power plays alone.

Read More

Love is patient and enduring

This is a two-season Chinese historical drama that intricately explores love, family, politics, friendship, betrayal, and forgiveness. The title itself, 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒙𝒚, 𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒔 𝒂 𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔: 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒗𝒂𝒔𝒕, 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒙𝒚 𝒊𝒕𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇. 𝑨𝒔 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒂, 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆: 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆. These are not just romantic ideals, but emotional strengths the characters must develop to survive and grow.

Interestingly, the drama also showed that love does not always triumph over revenge. You may truly love someone, but when the scars run deep, sometimes the desire for justice—or revenge—outweighs forgiveness. Not everyone can forgive. And that’s reality. Life operates on cause and effect. Every action, whether good or bad, has a consequence. I hope we all strive to choose kindness—for ourselves and others.

I decided to watch this series because of its high ratings. But watching it reminded me that every viewer sees a drama differently. What works for one may not work for another. And that’s okay.

The story weaves together a lot of elements: family dynamics, political schemes, friendships, and love stories. The relationships between characters are complex and emotionally charged.

However, I found the political storyline quite dragging at times. I often skipped those parts because what really kept me watching was the romantic development between the male and female leads (ML & FL). Watching how their love story would unfold and survive each trial was the real highlight for me.

If you're not into political plots in dramas, this might not be your cup of tea.

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒅 :
✧ 𝐄𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: villains are exposed, justice is served. This makes every episode satisfying to watch and keeps the momentum going.

✧ 𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬: Just when you think things are settled, another enemy appears. Some characters you thought were good turn out to be the real antagonists. It keeps you guessing.

✧ 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: The romance between the leads isn’t straightforward. It’s full of trials—both external and emotional. But that’s what makes their relationship feel real and earned.

✧ 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬: The drama shows real-life family issues that teach us about forgiveness, sacrifice, and letting go. These moments often felt very grounded and relatable.

"𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒅𝒅𝒔" — this could be the core message of the show. While the world around the characters is chaotic and sometimes cruel, love, in its many forms—romantic, familial, platonic—remains a powerful force. But the drama doesn’t shy away from showing that forgiveness isn’t always easy or possible, and that revenge can sometimes feel more righteous than love. That complexity is what makes this story resonate.

Read More

Love is patient and enduring

This is a two-season Chinese historical drama that intricately explores love, family, politics, friendship, betrayal, and forgiveness. The title itself, 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒙𝒚, 𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒔 𝒂 𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔: 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒗𝒂𝒔𝒕, 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒙𝒚 𝒊𝒕𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇. 𝑨𝒔 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒂, 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆: 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆. These are not just romantic ideals, but emotional strengths the characters must develop to survive and grow.

Interestingly, the drama also showed that love does not always triumph over revenge. You may truly love someone, but when the scars run deep, sometimes the desire for justice—or revenge—outweighs forgiveness. Not everyone can forgive. And that’s reality. Life operates on cause and effect. Every action, whether good or bad, has a consequence. I hope we all strive to choose kindness—for ourselves and others.

I decided to watch this series because of its high ratings. But watching it reminded me that every viewer sees a drama differently. What works for one may not work for another. And that’s okay.

The story weaves together a lot of elements: family dynamics, political schemes, friendships, and love stories. The relationships between characters are complex and emotionally charged.

However, I found the political storyline quite dragging at times. I often skipped those parts because what really kept me watching was the romantic development between the male and female leads (ML & FL). Watching how their love story would unfold and survive each trial was the real highlight for me.

If you're not into political plots in dramas, this might not be your cup of tea.

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒅 :
✧ 𝐄𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: villains are exposed, justice is served. This makes every episode satisfying to watch and keeps the momentum going.

✧ 𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬: Just when you think things are settled, another enemy appears. Some characters you thought were good turn out to be the real antagonists. It keeps you guessing.

✧ 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: The romance between the leads isn’t straightforward. It’s full of trials—both external and emotional. But that’s what makes their relationship feel real and earned.

✧ 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬: The drama shows real-life family issues that teach us about forgiveness, sacrifice, and letting go. These moments often felt very grounded and relatable.

"𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒅𝒅𝒔" — this could be the core message of the show. While the world around the characters is chaotic and sometimes cruel, love, in its many forms—romantic, familial, platonic—remains a powerful force. But the drama doesn’t shy away from showing that forgiveness isn’t always easy or possible, and that revenge can sometimes feel more righteous than love. That complexity is what makes this story resonate.

Read More

The veteran actors truly delivered outstanding performances.

SPOILER ALERT! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Acting-wise, it was great. But as a viewer, I felt like something was missing, though I couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was. According to other reviews, Season 2 focused more on the games rather than the backstories of the players, unlike Season 1. I think maybe they will reveal more in Season 3?

In terms of the games, I’m glad they introduced new ones in Season 2, except for one that seems to have become a trademark of Squid Game. As for the new characters, hmm… for me, they didn’t have as strong an impact compared to the ones who died in Season 1. Season 1 was still more exciting to watch.

I recommend it mainly because it’s the second season of Squid Game. Plus, it’s a quick watch—only seven episodes, with a special Episode 7.5 to help explain why Season 2 turned out the way it did.

Read More

A Heartfelt and Beautiful Journey

This special was truly heartfelt. I even cried in the last episode. Through this journey, I felt like I got to know each celebrity better — how they treat one another, their personalities, and their genuine connections. It showed a different, more emotional side of them, which made it even more meaningful to watch.

Aside from the touching moments, the show beautifully highlighted the stunning location where they filmed. The scenery was breathtaking and full of culture and history. Watching it made me feel inspired, and I really hope I can visit that place someday.

Read More

Why Mr. Queen Will Always Be My Comfort Drama

This is my third time watching Mr. Queen, and it never fails to make me laugh and cry! It's truly my all-time comfort drama, especially after finishing new ones. What I love most about this series is how perfectly it blends humor and emotion. It's funny, hilarious, sad, and deeply emotional — all at the same time.

The story never feels dragging. Every episode is packed with just the right balance of comedy, palace politics, and romance. The pacing keeps you hooked, and the characters are unforgettable. Whether you're watching it for the first or third time, Mr. Queen remains an absolute gem.

Read More

When good acting can’t save a bad Plot

After watching TPOB, my expectations were high - especially because of Liu Yu Ning’s amazing acting. But I realized that no matter how good the actors are, if the storyline is weak, the drama will still fall short. Honestly, it’s such a waste for this drama, though it somehow managed to get an overall rating of 8.5.

While watching, there were some unexpected scenes that made me laugh a little, but as the story went on, I couldn’t figure out where it was headed. For me, the direction just felt lame and messy, which eventually led me to drop it. The story was also fast-paced with so many flashbacks that it sometimes felt confusing—or even boring.

It’s a shame, really, because the actors delivered great performances, the cinematography was beautiful, and the costumes were well done. Unfortunately, the storyline dragged everything down, making A Dream Within A Dream a missed opportunity.

Read More