Reviews

This drama is a little gem and I feel that even though it's a simple romantic comedy, it deserves more views!

But first, to anyone who hasn't seen this drama yet, I have to say that if you're fond of out-of-the box story arcs, impressive plot twists and memorable confessions, this drama is devoid of any of these things because CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT is the main focus. Thus, the plot is pretty basic, simple and predictable (from the get-go you will see who she'll end up with). There are no bitchy ex-girlfriends/fiancee's. No scary mothers. No amnesia. No birth secrets. No angst. Every single character is loveable and positive. The main girl is a 20-something office lady who goes by the name of Amemiya Hotaru. She's an efficient and responsible employee who works for an interior design company. She's very good at what she does and enjoys a great relationship with her co-workers. On the outside, Hotaru exemplifies a well-mannered, classy intelligent young woman. However, she harbors a "dirty" little secret: at home, she's a TOTAL SLOB who loves to laze around in tattered jerseys and a stained t-shirt with a can of beer in hand. She loves reading manga, doesn't cook, sleeps on her porch with stacks of newspapers for a blanket and talks to stray cats in her backyard. She hates socializing and is so not interested in dating. She's perfectly fine with her lifestyle until her manager, a 40-something soon-to-be divorcee neat freak, moves in with her.

THE GOOD:
CHARACTERS
Every character endeared itself to me. I don't think I've ever hated anybody. No one had managed to raise my blood pressure. I don't even think there was a villain in the story.

Amemiya Hotaru is the type of female lead that every ordinary girl can relate to. It's not because she is dirt poor and average-looking. In fact, she's pretty, smart, optimistic, and more than capable of whatever task she's given. But the childish side to her character as well as her quirks made her loveable. Although her disorganized and klutzy personality was exaggerated (to elicit laughs and provide comic relief, I'm sure), I found myself thinking "that is SO me" most of the time, whether it was about her being too lazy to clean her room, or being insecure in her interactions with the guy she really liked.

Unlike other dramas, most conflicts were cause by misunderstandings and a lack of communication. Yes, there were a LOT of unrequited side romances but the "love rivals" were understanding and considerate. I loved the interactions and relationships in the office as well. They all seemed like one big family who had concern for each other even with regards to matters that were more love-related than work-related. LOL, It made me think. The world would be so much better if things were like that, empty of crab mentality, envy and pettiness. Wouldn't it be wonderful? The characters suffered from lovesick problems from time to time, but they always seemed to be willing to help each other out and give advice to the ones who were problematic.

ROMANCE
There are actually two love stories in this drama:

The first was between Hotaru and Teshima. I honestly preferred Teshima throughout the drama because IMO, their romance was sweet and innocent. Kind of like that puppy love you experience for the first time in high school, you know? Butterflies in the stomach and racing heartbeats. I really liked the fact that he accepted her for who she is, weird habits and all. It was funny watching him and Hotaru being SO clueless as to how to express their feelings properly. In that aspect, they were very much alike. He was patient and sweet albeit a little dull in terms of personality (which gave a negative effect on the acting, unfortunately). However, I blame this on the writing. If only the character had been written with more depth, I would've found him to be a lot more interesting.

The second love story was between Hotaru and her boss, the main guy who, strangely enough, had the classic Second Male Lead Syndrome, Takano. Unlike her love story with Teshima which started with a kiss, theirs was a "slow burning" one. It started on the wrong foot as there was NO attraction on first sight. IMO, it was the best because both of them got to know each other's WORST traits first before they appreciated each other's positive areas. I admit though. At first though, I preferred Teshima over the boss because the latter treated her in a way that was typical of a father or an older brother. He constantly berated her for her untidiness, cooked for her, gave her love advice and basically became this all around go-to guy. They seemed more like best friends who often bickered over the tiniest things than potential lovers. Yet as the story progressed, I understood why they were so perfect for each other despite being TOTAL opposites. They helped each other grow and develop their weak areas. Takano helped her develop a little bit of finesse and taught her (begrudgingly) how to become, er, less of a slob, encouraged her whenever she was plagued with insecurities and guided her as she navigated her way to womanhood. Hotaru, on the other hand, taught him how to be more self-giving and considerate. Before they lived together, Takano was a workaholic and didn't know how to treasure personal relationships. When she came into his life, he learned to consider another person's well-being other than his own without being aware of it. They were also very comfortable around each other. Hotaru didn't need to force herself to change nor did she become too self-conscious when she was around him. It was the kind of relationship that is much needed in a long-term companionship like marriage. The steady kind of love that makes you feel secure and content, contrary to the blazing fire of passion often mistaken as "love" in a lot of romantic stories.

THE BAD:
I don't think there's anything negative to comment except the stiff acting and underdeveloped character of Teshima. He was the sole weak link. Maybe a veteran actor would've been better? Also, I thought it was weird that there was no sexual tension between Hotaru and Takano considering that they were still woman and man living under the same roof. I guess the writer of the manga preferred not to give it some focus in favor of the personal connection between the two. Dramas will always be dramas; you can never expect them to be a 100% reflection of reality, not even biographies.

FINAL VERDICT:
A "highly recommended" rom-com. The main reason why I love this drama is because I can relate to it so much! I developed this connection with the characters, especially the main girl Hotaru because in many ways I could see myself in her. Her journey back to love after years of being independent and single, her insecurities with her relationship, her heartbreak and growth from being a "dried up fish" for many years to womanhood, not to mention the wonderful humor and acting that made this little J-drama such a gem! I can't remember how many times I burst out laughing because of her and Takano's squabbles and antics. I loved the slow romantic development between the OTP. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves romantic comedies or just any person looking for a very light and funny drama that's full of heart.

I'm looking forward to watching the second season next.

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A Refreshing and Outstanding Adaptation

"Boys Over Flowers" has been adapted in various versions, but one stands out as the best. This particular adaptation did a fantastic job of changing the story in a great way. Thyme's character was portrayed wonderfully, adding depth and making them different from other versions. Gorya's acting was top-notch, and she really nailed her character. Ren, who connected Gorya and Thyme, was also a favorite.

What I liked most was that they changed a plot point from other versions. In this adaptation, the main female lead didn't kiss the second male lead, which often made me angry in other versions. It was a welcome change that kept me engaged. However, I didn't like Thyme's mother. She was like a villain throughout, and it felt one-dimensional.

This adaptation beautifully showcased the strong friendship between Gorya and the other F4 members, something that wasn't as clear in other versions. The drama didn't drag on with too many episodes, which was a relief. It covered the whole story in just 16 episodes, maintaining a good pace. While I would have loved to see a wedding part, I still felt satisfied and overwhelmed by the overall experience.

The unity and loyalty displayed by F4 with their motto of "All for one, one for all" was heartwarming and added an extra layer of enjoyment.

In conclusion, this adaptation of "Boys Over Flowers" brought a refreshing take on the story, with standout character portrayals and strong friendship bonds. While not everything was perfect, it left me feeling satisfied and overwhelmed. If you're a fan of the original story, this adaptation is definitely worth watching.

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I began watching this drama for two reasons; I read on a blog that this was actually written quite well and I had just watched Prosecutor Princess and wanted to see more of Park Shi Hoo. At the time it was the first drama I attempted with episodes over 16 to 24. I wasn't disappointed in the least!

Queen of Reversals is one of the best melodramas I've watched. It tells the mature story of a marriage between two people who are struggling to make it work or having to decide to let go. The cast of actors all do a wonderful job. Kim Nam Joo and Park Shi Hoo are stand outs. Kim Nam Joo is wonderful as Hwang Tae Hee. The evolution of her character is a lot fun to watch. Park Shi Hoo is such a scene stealer. He has a great quality and screen presence.

The supporting cast was also well chosen. This was a melodrama but I loved that there were no birth secrets, no one had a deadly disease, no one loved someone they thought might be their sister. It was actually a pretty nice and refreshing change to watch something more real. The plot unfolded very nicely for 31 episodes and there were some real surprises along the way. This also has the funniest bromance between Goo Yong Shik and his secretary...Hilarious.

I ended up loving this show and giving it a 9. A few months later I stand by that rating. If you are looking for a great story about a woman really finding her strength you'll love Queen of Reversals.

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Beyond Funny

This is unexpectedly hilarious. Suspend your disbelief and prepare to watch a BL in which no one and nothing can be taken seriously and it is universally gay, especially the mansion, furnishings and vegetables.(ha!) I don’t know how the actors could carry out their roles without cracking up. I’ll bet the outtakes are even better than the series. The inept dubbing is part of its charm and allows for some creative voice work. In my imagination the soundtrack was accidentally deleted and they had to go back in after the fact to create one. When they saw how silly it all was they decided to go full tilt: kooky music, animal noises, sound effects, it’s all here!

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The ending ruined it.

All in all the production is very simple. I have watched many very thrilling bl's this year so I appreciated the change of pace. It was slow and progressed meaningfully. I was able to understand the characters, not necessarily their backstories, but their motivations.

I don't write long reviews but what I will say is that I am disappointed. After completing all the episodes I can say that the story is incomplete in many ways.

There is an aggressive scene in the last episode that, is slightly problematic and I did not like it. More importantly, they abandoned the stories of other characters in the end. Yes, the main characters are the focus but they introduced and developed stories of other characters and just left them in the end. I was not sure if it was the actually ending or perhaps setting up for a season two, but it definitely doesn't seem complete.

The acting was acceptable, no complaints there. Music and SFX was a bit off at times but not enough to ruin the viewing experience.

Ultimately, is it worth the watch? This may seem contradictory but yes. I enjoyed it, all but the last episode. The story is actually good.
Would I watch it again? Absolutely not. Once is more than enough.

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I gave this the exact same score as I did for the main drama, so please don't mind much.

Clearly, this IS the 21st episode of Romantic Teacher, Doctor Kim. This is not MDL's fault, however. The production team decided to end Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim at 20 episodes, and label this one an Extra Episode instead. With that being said, you cannot watch this as a standalone drama special. You will need to watch Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim first before proceeding to this one.

I wish they didn't label this an extra though. This episode is what makes the entire series actually complete. It does not start introducing any of the characters again as a new production. It doesn't jump ahead or back in time. It continues smoothly from episode 20 and answers a lot of questions left hanging from the main series. It has a lot going on as well. It's not just a dragging 'filler' kind of episode. So many 'romantic' things are going on here :)

This is definitely a must-watch. Consider your progress 20/21 if you haven't seen this yet.

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Sci-fi or birthing campaign?

Food analogy: plastic plate

I follow Lee min Ho's cinematography byheart ( bcoz city hunter was my first kdrama, i. e emotional attachment) but i don't think he read this script.

The story is made of loopholes with very little plot in it. The pacing so slow that I was praying for a 2.0x button from netflix. The first episode was still tolerable, but the characters made it impossible to root for them.
Somehow, what I hated the most was that the moment eve got pregnant, all her value for her life, the amazing career that she had created, everything got overshadowed. It was like she became a heavenly creature the moment she decided to give birth, even after knowing that it will potentially kill her. The way these kinds of sacrifices are glorified are severely unhealthy, as if women loose value if they choose not to give birth.
The music was ok but i couldn't enjoy it because i felt like i was wasting my time.

I never thought i would say this but somehow min ho's acting detoriated as the series went on. It was like he stopped trying. Somehow, everyone felt very unserious and loose with what could actually be.

There is like no redeeming quality in this series, better scroll social media.

Ps: How the baby survived the launch in her belly is beyond me.

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The cook, the eunuch and the chowhound - a crime solving menage a trois.

This comedic drama features a wildly imaginative yet oddly fitting crime fighting menage a trois comprising of a low (sixth) ranked magistrate (Tang Fan), a high-ranked embroidered guard (jingyi wei; Sui Zhou) and an influential eunuch (Wang Zhi) with the emperor's ear. Their paths intersect on cases with national security implications and while they have different agendas and masters, their synergistic and mutually beneficial collaborations blossom into friendship. The three main characters are well written - their bromance, hilarious antics and interactions are this drama's greatest strength.

With an irrepressible grin and a wicked gleam in his eyes, Darren Chen really hams it up with his cheeky, flirtatious and sometimes deliberately irritating characterisation of the titular Tang Fan, an idealistic young magistrate who is more of a chowhound than a sleuthhound. The talented and willowy Tang Fan is a very pretty boy with delicate and vivacious features who embraces his feminine side with abandon and is passionate, emotional, naggy, petulant, petty and vengeful. This outrageously funny character writes erotic novels to supplement his puny income, lives to eat, seems extremely well acquainted with the how to but yet can't cook to save his life. He happily moves in with the gorgeously taciturn, moody, much more masculine and deadly Sui Zhou who steals Tang Fan's heart with his ability to cook a mean meal. There is enough in their interactions and suggestive domestic arrangement to get the BL fans all hot and bothered without running afoul of Chinese censorship. And then of course there is Wang Zhi, the most morally grey and dangerous of the three. He approaches relationships transaction ally - "you scratch my back I'll scratch yours" and is unambiguous about his first loyalty to king and country. Newcomer Liu Yaoyuan's portrayal of the ruthless, calculating and yet inexplicably likable Wang Zhi nicely rounds out this kinky threesome. Between them, they are able to marshal resources from the lowest to highest reaches of society to solve their cases.

Set at the heart of the capital during the Chenghua reign of Ming Dynasty, the important characters and events of the period are nicely tied into the overall plot-lines. The surrounding characters were somewhat cliche but mostly well done from the "adopted daughter" Dong'er, the miracle doctor, the Oirats, Wang Zhi's beggar informants and the rare treat of a smart and hot emperor. The cases run the gamut from crimes of passion, corruption, larceny, terrorism and climaxes in a dangerous conspiracy reaching the highest ranks of government. Most surrounding characters including the villains have recurring roles in subsequent cases which gives them dimension and avoids the confusion of excessive character introductions with each new case. The cases shouldn't be taken too seriously; while they are fun and quite interesting, they are not that original or that difficult to solve and have some logic holes and are thus unlikely to satisfy a serious crime or mystery buff. The rhythm of the investigations frequently digress into inane and somewhat childish hit or miss comedic sketches that can go on for too long. There is a slight misogynist undertone to this drama - even the likable women have unflattering traits (stupid, noisy, whiny, irrational), or worse are power hungry, traitors, extremists or come to a bad end.

The tightly choreographed action scenes are signature Jackie Chan - lethal, gripping, high impact, extremely acrobatic and fluid poetry in motion. They are not excessive, do not drag on for too long and avoid the mid-combat slapstick moments he used to be so fond of; all good changes. The camerawork is stunning and very artistic, approaching movie quality. They obviously spared no expense with this and it shows.

For those who grew up on Jackie Chan, the Sleuth of Ming Dynasty is a fun romp down memory lane. There is a bit of the artistic Jackie Chan, the wacky whack-y Jackie Chan, the comedic Jackie Chan, the high testosterone Jackie Chan, the innovative Jackie Chan, the crass Jackie Chan and finally and pleasingly, the mature Jackie Chan. I outgrew his flicks ages ago - after awhile I found the hair rising stunts, high speed chases and exaggerated comedic routines repetitive, shallow and draining. So I am pleasantly surprised to see in this drama that maturity has toned down and balanced some (not all) of his more extreme inclinations while still remaining essentially Jackie Chan. It is also nice to see the uniquely Jackie Chan inspired Hong Kong wu da pan (武打片) sub-genre with its chauvinistic, contradictory, cynical, sarcastic yet sentimental and idealistic spirit has evolved for the better but is still innately the same.

This is highly entertaining and enjoyable if you don't look too hard at it or seek profound meaning. It is not always my sense of humor and the cases are solid but not exceptional so I rate it an 8.5 but I can see why others would call it a 9.0 or better.

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The correct title: Heesu In the Background Of Class 2.

I loved Hee Su and Seung Won, but if we actually gathered all their scenes it would be the length of a fan made youtube video. They were both sidelined getting supporting characters treatment in their own story.

And no, I do not only mean romance wise. Which characters got more elaborated individual stories presenting them outside of their love lines? Chan Yeong with his Tennis arc and Ji Yu with her music. What about Hee Su and Seung Won? Nothing. I’m sorry, but if you describe the plot of the drama to someone, Hee Su perfectly matches the typical second male lead - in love with the male lead, trying to win him over just to give up when the female lead shows up. Ending up with the female lead’s best friend.

No amount of pretty poetic narration done by Hee Su will convince me he got the proper treatment as the main lead of the story. For me, these lines sounded great, like out of context motivational quotes since the episodes often did not focus on his perspective enough to validate their existence. I mean… even the last episode could not have been all about the mains, we also needed a montage of the love story of the second leads.

If I was to rate just Hee Su and Seung Won, it would be a good 8. They were sweet and fun to watch. The misunderstandings actually seemed realistic for their age. The low key pinning was great. Seung Won was just calm perfection - so many of his simple few words amazed me - the simplicity with the greater message behind them was just right.

But then we have Chan Yeong and Ji Yu. I would not even be that mad if they were not just so painfully boring both as a couple and as individual characters. But to take away from the gay couple, to focus on this mediocrity is just a crime.

Maybe because their characters did not have much to offer, the acting also felt mid. Ahn Ji Ho though - amazing. The hesitation around his crush, the glances he kept stealing, the anger and the frustration when certain things came out to light.

The production value was obviously a lot better than many other k-bls - the bigger budget was clear. Can better production quality save uneven writing? Probably not.

Overall, disappointment. I was one of the people who was not initially angry about the straight couple, but I was still naive thinking they will stay in the sidelines complimenting Hee Su’s and Seung Won’s story. I did not expect them to come to the forefront and stay there till the end.

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If you're not a fan of any of the actors in the drama, then it's probably not worthwhile to watch. I'm very sorry to say this, but the drama left me quite disappointed. Maybe, after having seen The King's Woman, my expectations were a little bit too high. The actors seemed interesting and the trailer looked neat, too, so I was really looking forward to watch it. Although it's an okay drama, it could have been so much better. (If you still want to watch it, then don't read further.)

Overall, it felt that the whole story was kind of stretched-out, some scenes were so empty and slow-paced, I even thought about skipping the drama. I had the impression that the producers struggled to find a clear storyline, the series was like a long debate what the story is about than actually something happening. Moreover, I think the production quality is rather inconsistent. For example, sometimes fighting scenes were top notch (e.g. Zhanfeng vs. Daowuxia), whereas other scenes looked like they wanted to do more than they were actually able to (e.g. the Chinese boxing scene between Zhanfeng and Liemingjing and especially the flying scenes).

Digging into the story, I don't really see the connection between Yinxue's story and the story around Liehuoshan. The only real connection is the character of Ruge. Ruge is some kind of a reincarnation of Yinxue's former love, but you hardly get any info about their past relationship. The circumstance that this reincarnation is exactly Anyeming's daughter who happens to grow up in Liehuoshan for protection seems to be rather random. Thus, I feel like these two storylines are somehow seperate and do not really go together in the drama. Another thing about the story which bothers me is the overly self-destructive and self-sacrificing attitude of Yinxue and Yuzihan. I think at some point it's not credible anymore and the characters become too predictable.

Getting to the characters, Ruge is the main girl who holds the whole story together. She is described as "lively and passionate", but I cannot really see this in the drama. To me, "lively" is not the same as being childishly overenthusiastic which I saw instead. In addition, I rather see the opposite of "passionate" - her expressions seem rather stiff and forced. The fire element doesn't suit her at all. Anyways, Ruge is supposed to undergo a change from a rather lighthearted girl to a strong woman, which I can see to some extent. Yet, it is not pronounced enough. She seems too dependent on Yinxue to actually get to that state of being strong on her own.

Yinxue is a character which I cannot understand at all. First, I cannot see how this character fits into the story except that he has the job of saving everyone (not without a purpose in his mind though). That he has no clear place in the story is supposed to make him mysterious, yet I have the impression that he is "just there" and rather annoying. Yinxue has his darker past behind him and is portrayed as a spiritually and culturally versed character. However, his behavior towards Ruge does not reflect that at all. Starting with Yinxue trying to make a move on her when she just dissolved her engagement with Zhanfeng, he is continuously nagging her to give in to his approaches. His behavior is often over the top - for example, him being pouty because Ruge treats him coldly in the context of Yuzihan almost dying which requires her full attention. Yinxue's rather selfish behavior is quite appalling. Especially him playfully asking for a kiss in exchange for men's lives - exactly, how much is a life worth?! Later, he makes her temporarily lose her memory through his powers, and by this almost got to marry her. Although the underlying reasoning is to protect her from painful memory and to help her recover, that undertaking leaves a rather unpleasant "aftertaste". But I'm even more shocked with Ruge's behavior, because no matter how he behaves, she either seems to be just ok with that or she endures everything obediently. Nothing from which Yinxue had suffered in the past justifies his behavior. In his equation, saving someone for the sake of Ruge means he deserves her love. But love cannot be "earned". Clearly, I cannot see anything sweet in that "love story". It even makes it worse that there is basically no chemistry between the actors at all - even the tacky ending cannot save this.

Yuzihan is probably the most likeable character in this drama. Despite everything he went through, he is not hateful and doesn't even want to become heir to the throne. In later episodes he gives up everything for Ruge and is not greedy for her love. Even a healthy body cannot corrupt him. Is he human at all? Still, his character has the most depth, and his expressions are on point. It's interesting to watch his character developing and see him making use of his cleverness.

Zhanfeng's character gives me the impression that there is something missing, like that the character is not really fleshed out. You can hardly understand why he believes the lie about the death of his parents "just like that". You can see him suffering, but you cannot emphatize with him. The lie about his parents is the basic foundation of the whole story, but it didn't seem to be treated with great care by the producers. Precisely, the way how he was tricked into believing this lie should have gotten more attention. What is missing is basically seeing the exact scene how he got tricked, him trying to make own investigations in which he learns about buried (fake) evidence and finding out other people's lies which slowly feeds into his distrust, something like that. Watching the series gave me the impression that he trusts other people too easily (by the way, how does Yilang know about this "top" secret?). What is even more annoying, is Zhanfeng saying nothing in so many scenes. Although this is intended, it clearly feels that the dialogue part is missing. Weirdly, when Liemingjing and even Ruge learn about Zhanfeng believing that lie, they do not try to talk with him about that. If you see a person close to you suffer that much, in Ruge's case they even dissolved their engagement because of that, why don't you address it? Why doesn't Liemingjing tell Zhanfeng the truth to protect Ruge together but instead just waits until everything is messed up (even if he didn't see the benefit or need to prepare him and work on a plan together, he should have done so at the latest when he learned about Zhanfeng's Anhegong martial art skills)? What if Anyeluo accidentially meets Ruge who looks exactly like her mother, then the whole "masterplan" would be in vain? Furthermore, I don't understand why Zhanfeng humiliates Ruge in the beginning, it feels that this behavior is not really necessary for the story, and it doesn't explain his later actions when he is actually trying to be nice to her. Nevertheless, with regard to the acting, Zhang Binbin's portrayal of emotions is the benchmark for any other actor in the drama.

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Half-Cooked, Dont Eat

A hard pass, unless someone buys you dinner to watch it. The plot synopsis here in MDL is a little bit different from the actual story, in the series Yu Dam has lived for 300 years and Dong Baek was in fact a man in his first iteration. And no, they dont die, only Dong Baek is bound to die.

The format for Korean BLs are just too short to be properly appreciated. I just dont understand why they cant just increase the episode runtime to better tell the story.

There is an ambitious premise hidden somewhere. It is a fantasy romance and yes, they were trying to do something different from other BL by telling a unique love story that spans hundred of years. It reminded me of another Korean BL "First Love Again". However, just like that series, this story looks good on paper but has failed in execution. What we got are 10 16-minute episodes that spends the first 2 and a half minute recapping and showing the opening credits and another minute and a half end credits. The problem is there is just not enough story in the 12 minute remaining time for me to chew upon. There wasnt enough to savour the characters, it wasnt even enough to taste their chemistry.

The title says The Director Who Buys Me Dinner, but after the first 2 episodes the dinner between Director Min Yu Dam and Soel Dong Baek stopped. I would have loved to see it every episode like some sort of closing credit.

The fantasy side also wasnt fully explained, there wasnt any proper explanation about how the curse happened, or how the director lived for hundreds of years? Do we even really consider living a long life a curse? Did he meet any previous Dong Baek aside from the first and the current one? Who was that who possessed Dong Baek? Was the curse lifted by the end of the story or if he is still aware that he is or was immortal? Did he just suddenly also forget about his long life? What happens to Dong Baek at the end?

Also, whats the point of the Denis character?

What's sad is you can actually see the making of a good series under all the ingredients they were trying to shove in your mouth. If they just spent a little more time baking the story, and maybe just adding a little more sugary sweetness it would have been great.

I used to like short series but after a few duds i am starting to hate the format. It is very evident that in this series , the short runtime worked against their favor. Open ended stories are good way to end stories but here it just felt lazy.

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Fighting for Stupidity

When I read the synopsis I was excited with the premise of a strong female character who excels in war strategies and becomes a female general. The FL is intelligent, devious at times and cross dresses as a man, there's a lot of male brotherhood camaraderie she develops with other male characters which is nice because sometimes its not all just about romantic love. While she is talented, the parts where she goes from commoner to elite fighting soldier with top notch archery and horsemanship skills was unrealistic.

The love story really falls flat in my opinion. The ML is good looking but he's a bumbling idiot supposed playboy. His character is really flat and not bright. Its hard to believe he can last as a general for even a minute. I can't really feel drawn to his character. The love story between them doesn't have any emotional pull, its a bit robotic and forced in the acting. Maybe its me but it might be more interesting to see two robots fall in love than the FL and ML.

The SML and the FL seems to have more chemistry as they are on opposing sides and the SML is smart and bold. I watched it because I wanted to see how their story unfolds even though its pretty clear the FL will not end up with the SML. They should have really developed their story more because it was more compelling and a bit more complex than the FL's love story arc with the ML.

Overall it could have been executed better, the last dozen or so episodes was a bit of fast forwarding. I completed it because I was curious how it works out between the FL and SML and how she breaks through to become a general.

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Life is short, cherish the moment.

Unhampered swordsman, Huo Zhan Bai seeks treatment for his sworn brother's child. His sworn brother's child needs to be treated by the most skilled doctor to have a glimmer of hope of survival. So for his sworn brother's child to receive the treatment he needs, he set out on a journey to the Apothecary Valley. His journey leads him to encounter the most skilled doctor, also know as a Divine doctor, the master of the Apothecary Valley, Xue Zi Ye. Their encounter isn't exactly all that great, but as time flies, they grew closer, developed mutual understanding and trust. And eventually, love blossomed between a free-spirited swordsman and a divine doctor who's always refrained from involving herself in the struggles of the Martial Arts World. However, due to the heavy responsibilities on their shoulders, a love that could have lasted for a lifetime couldn't be expressed fully.


I loved the premise of Snowy Night Timeless Love mainly because right from the first four episodes, I got to see the chemistry of Li Qin and Joseph Zeng. Plus, the stunning cinematography mustn't go unmentioned.


I've always known this one would have a sad ending cause the synopsis itself is a big spoiler, but I wasn't swayed from watching, I picked it up still. Why? Mainly because not all love lasts forever. And not all love gets a happy ending, or the forever after thing. There are love that you want to protect but couldn't. A love full of heartbreaks and sufferings. Not every love is all rosy. Love is accompanied with sadness, tears, heartbreaks, and separation. A love with regrets. There's that one person you wish to save but couldn't. That one person you'd sacrifice your life for in a heartbeat if sacrificing could bring the person back. That beloved you never want to get separated from. A beloved who bacame a memory. There's always that love. That beloved you can't help but miss as the day passes. That's the reality of life. Life is short. If there's one lesson I learnt from this drama, that'll be, "cherish the moment while it's last. More importantly, cherish the person you love while they're still around." Spend time with them, cuz you never know what will happen in the future. Don't leave regrets. Live your life spending time with the people you love. There's no eternity in this, life is but for a short while, so don't waste it. How long you live is not what matters, it's how well you live your life, spending time with your beloved, loved ones, and doing what you like that does. Regrets can be a very tormenting, so live your life without regrets.

The problem with Huo Zhan Bai is he puts others needs before his own happiness. He couldn't express his feelings, nor was he able to make too many happy memories with Xue Zi Ye. But then again, the time they spent together was fulfilling, they'll turn to memories to cherish forever. This is a sad romance that refects reality. I can't help but be reminded of "Someone You Loved" by Lewis Capaldi.

That said, Li Qin did her role as the cold Chief of the Apothecary Valley justice. The way she portrays emotions sometimes leaves me speechless. I've always known she's a great and versatile actress, still I can't help but be impressed by her acting skills everytime I watch her drama. Her acting moved me to tears in this one. Her facial expressions is spot on. She portrayed her role as the cold, aloof, yet kindhearted Xue Zi Ye wonderfully. Indeed, Li Qin doesn't disappoint.

And without excluding our selfless ML, Joseph Zeng. I enjoyed his performance in this one thoroughly. When he's pain, he acts it so well. I've seen him in a lot of dramas and have always been impressed by him. Snowy Night Timeless Love made me love him more. The way he acts when he's in pain left an impression on me. He also didn't disappoint me.

Not to mention the chemistry. There are no kisses like the other dramas I've watched, but the chemistry was there. The gazes, hugs, and their time together was enough to keep me going. If there's any complaints I have about this one, it's that Huo Zhan Bai never put his happiness first. It's looking for Mo's medicine today, and bringing justice to the Martial art world tomorrow. I didn't like this about him.

After much thought, I decided to give this a solid 9.5 for the lessons, the acting, and the chemistry of the leads.

Xue Zi Ye and Huo Zhan Bai's love will live on in my heart for a very, long, long time. I learnt a lot from their love. I can't help but love this drama because of how it reflects reality.💞


There are many controversies and mixed feelings on the ending, mainly because the ended was a sad one. And because Xue Zi Ye died in the end. But I loved it still, even though it's a sad ending, I learnt a lot. Snowy Night Timeless Love is beautifully written and executed. 💞 It's painful but I was still glad to see Xue Zi Ye die thinking of the one she loves.

Snowy Night Timeless Love is a drama that'll move you to tears. A drama about separation. A drama that moved me, even though it has its flaws. Don't miss it. However, make sure you have your tissues close by if you an empathetic person cuz this drama is emotional!

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