Reviews

Absolutely hilarious!

Hands down the most fun I've had watching a comedy series in a long time. I was literally rolling on the floor. It's short, but totally worth the time. The casting was also very good (not great, but decent), and the main character played his role flawlessly.
The only criticism I would have is that I'd like for the romantic storyline to be more developed & foreshadowed earlier, as well as for the entire series to be longer. However, if you look at this show purely from the comedic perspective, it's a 10!
And it's super rewatchable :)

The series tackles most cliches in the genre and does it an unexpected, fun way, without offending anybody. It's just so fresh in the sea of BL shows that are similar to each other.
It's an easy recommendation.

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I just positively had to write a review on this drama. Had to.
If you're thinking of watching this drama but being put off by the 46 episodes, as I initially was, I have to say- don't worry! The episodes aren't as long as those you'll find in some dramas, and you'll find yourself flying through them.

With those 46 episodes in mind, I guess it's obvious to say that a lot happens in this drama. The story is a classic one of fighting the good fight for the good of the people, with a thrilling and beautiful romance (and love triangle!) to spice it up. I almost want to say that the romance is a bit too much, considering it feels like the center of our love triangle becomes a plot point more than anything, but it's definitely excusable.

There are several different arcs that we see our characters go through, and the characters also naturally develop with the story. By the time each character reaches their peak in the show, you've basically had a complete rundown about why they are the way they are, why they're doing what they're doing, and what your opinion is on them. This drama has much better developed characters than most in the sense that there are literally no characters I can think of (besides one that becomes irrelevant fairly early on) that I hate COMPLETELY. Of course there are moments of frustration, but even then you can definitely understand where they're coming from. This is a far cry from the usual drama antagonist, the ones that raise hell for no other purpose besides raising hell. It was refreshing.
Now, I'm complimenting the characters and their development, so you might be wondering why I didn't give a '10' to the Acting/Cast... well, that's honestly for no other purpose besides some brutal overacting in occasional places. But thankfully enough, those expressions that were overacted were at least fairly accurate!

The music was flawless. Nothing else needs to be said about that. Trust me.
Side note as well- this was a very... well... simply put, it was a very pretty drama. Besides the occasional questionable CGI sequence (that I'm fairly positive would only bother a perfectionist like me), the aesthetic qualities of this drama are worth being noted. Both in scenery and in people's faces. The Prince of Lan Ling isn't exactly unpleasant to look at if you know what I mean. And the clothes! The costumes! They were gorgeous, I feel like the people who made the clothes were having the time of their lives designing those clothes. Don't even get me started on the hair, which was almost* completely flawless. (* I think one of the actors had the occasional allergic reaction to the wig glue or something, I don't know man.) Basically, it was a very pleasing drama to look at.
Rewatch value is only a 9 for length, but the depth of the story, characters and romance will no doubt make for an engaging, interesting watch every time.

Ugh. This was just such a satisfying drama! Just watch it! I no doubt have more to say but it isn't occurring to me right now.

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Flawed Characters You Will Learn to Appreciate (Updated Review after Finale)

Most dramas start off with the notion of a perfect lead, with a personality and qualities that the viewers can admire. Well, not this truly underrated show.

Centered around civilians who were part of a volunteer rescue squad, Light Chaser Rescue focused on character depth instead of likability, which made it much more interesting for me.

One of the show's strongest points is the way it executed the stunts, the rescue scenes and the cinematography. The camerawork created the realism that drew me in completely and I cannot help but be immersed in the moments. It was indeed an emotional roller coaster ride with the different types of rescues and most had me watching with trepidation!

Add to that the unexpected plot twists, when revealed, were simply shocking, the result was a story that kept me engaged from start to finish. Throughout the series, I have already stressed, cried and rejoiced so much with the characters.

The show scored points with dynamic realistic characters who were shades of gray, who at times struggled with their actions and made bad decisions in the heat of the moment. Depending on whose viewpoints, it was not always clear if they were doing the right thing or what the right thing even is.

The main leads came off as confident powerhouses at work, Luo Ben as a brilliant lawyer and Zhan Yan, a gifted doctor. However, as their lives collided, we quickly recognize that both characters were flawed. Their internal struggles became obvious as the story delved further into their past, the tragic events that shaped a fundamental level of their personalities.

In addition, other characters with their own demons to face, and romance between different couples added flavor to the story. Romance-wise, there was the calm, restrained and mature love between the main leads. The comfortable steady kind of relationship that I appreciated. There was the second couple that delighted many with how they overcome challenges to stay together and a third couple who did nothing but irritated me with their rash, impulsive, entitled spoilt love. That said, there were viewers who liked them too.

As the show moved forward, it also built the viewers’ empathy for our two leads. The more we find out why they were the way they were, the more we understood them including their arrogance and aloofness that put us off at first. Still, many viewers would find both characters frustrating at different points of the story, especially in their interactions with their families and with each other.

However, the beauty of having such multi-dimensional characters was that the show engaged different viewers with various opinions. Along with many commentors, I was often torn between ranting against our main couple and feeling empathy for them. Ultimately though, Luo Ben's character development was the most well-written and he very quickly became a ML that impressed many. As for our FL, even though I felt that Zhan Yan's emotional development could have been better, the character was very consistent. I liked her but at the same time felt that she could have shown less restraint and be more human-like. Towards the end of the show, she became quite flat, too passive.

Acting-wise, I have nothing but praises for the leads. Both Luo Yun Xi and Janice Wu impressed with their quiet intensity and ability to emote so much with the smallest expressions. I first watched them together in “My Sunshine” and even then, they had great chemistry. They have certainly earned their reputations as excellent actors and in this show, they truly become their characters. Luo Yun Xi is amazing and I still cannot get over the fact that he did almost all of his stunts. Dramas come and dramas go but his performance was above and beyond.

To top it off, I love Liu Yu Ning’s Chasing the Light, the ending song. It has been instrumental in shaping some of the memorable scenes for me. The opening song, sung by Liu Duan Duan is also good and reflects the hopeful aspiring tone of the underlying heroic theme throughout the show.

Overall
I do recommend that you try this drama out and see for yourself.

The show did a great job showcasing the layers of different relationships.Thematically for me, it is a show that encapsulated life in many aspects and topics. It touched upon self-identity and personal growth, love (romantic and familial), respect and loyalty (to self, family, friends, and principles), societal pressures and opinions, friendship, and more.

Those looking for good romance between the main leads will likely be left wanting for more by the lack-lustre ending but for me, I did enjoy their complex yet enduring love and prefer to imagine a bright future ahead of them.

OST
追光 (Chasing the Light) - 刘宇宁 (Liu Yu Ning)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1U-mGyjmdE
https://open.spotify.com/track/70fYAAt5GK2nVdSb593FmE?si=0b77ce6952f64a3d

星空 (Starry Sky) - 刘端端 (Liu Duanduan)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9QB7jd1SaY
https://open.spotify.com/track/1frmPu6bc0I8HkLtTfh9mt?si=ca7ac126ede94d38

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Truly a gem

Restart wa tadaima no atode explores the themes of family, friendship, the searching of one's goals and answers.

As a reader of the manga, I enjoyed the film very much. A part of me felt something was missing in the manga, and I found some of those gaps were filled by the live-action film. As a recent graduate, I found myself strongly resonating with both Mitsuomi and Yamato.

Story & Acting:

The story does focus on the bond between Mitsuomi and Yamato; however, it branches out and explores their surrounding characters and settings which I appreciated. I was concerned whether Furukawa-san would be able to capture and dimensionalise Mitsuomi. However, I ended up enjoying his performance as he nailed those emotional scenes with or without dialogue. Ryusei-san also did an excellent job portraying Yamato. I didn't sense any forcefulness with either of their performance. The character interactions and chemistry were there. I appreciated the heartfelt and comedic moments it flowed well with the story.

Cinematography & Music

The soundtrack was okay; it didn't feel out of place, but it wasn't my taste of music (Edit: Some of the tracks grew on me) Some scenes had shaky camera movements and dull lighting. However, that didn't stop me from enjoying the film.

Notes:

I loved the little subtle details in colour coding. There is a portrayal of light and dark contrasts between the two leads viewers may pick up on later scenes.

Final thoughts:

If seeking a light romance film with a slow build-up and relaxing setting I would recommend this film.
For a more in-depth perspective from the characters, I would recommend reading the manga. *Chefs kiss*

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The Same High School BL Trope With One Seat Change and I Still Fall for It Every Time

Japan, you have done it again. Give me the same high school BL trope for the hundredth time and somehow I will still be completely hooked. There is just something about Japanese BLs that makes them so awkward, wholesome, and strangely addictive in the best possible way.

As the title says, After Moving Seats, the Boy Behind Me Has a Crush on Me begins with a simple classroom seat change that unexpectedly turns Mayama's quiet school life upside down. Mayama is a loner with no close friends, but he is such a kind, gentle, and adorable character that it is impossible not to like him. After finding a handwritten confession from the popular and handsome Asamiya, he naturally assumes it has to be a mistake. Instead of dragging out the misunderstanding, they meet face to face almost immediately, and Asamiya honestly tells him that the confession was always meant for him.

I really liked how the drama skipped the usual long misunderstanding and got straight to the point. Asamiya knows exactly who he likes and is completely confident about his feelings, which made the confession feel refreshing instead of frustrating.

The first few episodes was incredibly cute, heartwarming, and moved at a nice pace without feeling like a slow burn. The music also matched the soft and cozy atmosphere perfectly.

And can we talk about episode 6? Probably my favourite episode yet. Their confession beside the lake was so beautiful and heartfelt, and then that kiss made the whole moment even more special. It wasn’t a dead fish kiss at all. They are high school students and this was probably their first kiss, so I thought it was perfect for them. It felt innocent, nervous, tender and completely genuine.

“What kind of like? It’s the one where I want to hold your hand, to touch you, to hug you.”

That confession completely melted my heart. There was something so pure about the way he described his feelings. He didn’t need some huge dramatic speech. He simply wanted to be close to the person he loved, to hold his hand, touch him and hug him. Then having their feelings finally come together with that beautiful kiss beside the lake made the entire scene unforgettable.

This is a great series but my only small criticism is that I really wish this was a university BL instead of a high school BL. The actors are 28 and 26, playing 17 and 18 year old students, which is more than 10 years younger than their actual ages.

The characters themselves definitely act and dress like high school students, so it’s really just the actors’ faces and mature appearance that make them look older. You can tell they’re not 17 or 18, and it’s noticeable enough that I had to mention it. I think they would have suited university students much better.

Even though the storyline is one we have seen countless times in Japanese BLs, this series still managed to feel fresh because of its warm, comforting atmosphere and lovable characters. I genuinely enjoyed watching Mayama and Asamiya’s relationship slowly develop from beginning to end, and their sweet moments together made the journey even more special. Now that I have finished the series, I can definitely see myself coming back to rewatch it whenever I need something light, wholesome, and comforting. It has officially earned a place on my comfort show list.

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Cute Little Love by Chance Story

Overall, I thought the series was pretty good. It's the story of two young men, Ae and Pete, who happen to meet by chance and Ae begins to help and take care of Pete (especially with a homphobic bully trying to blackmail him). Of course, Pete is gay and begins to confide to Ae, whom is very understanding and helps Pete to deal with the complexities of being a young gay male in certain societies. As a result of Ae's kindness, understanding, and assistance, Pete begins to develop feelings for Ae. Ae, who is "presumably" straight, eventually begins to develop feelings for Pete, and this is where we get the "Love by Chance" idea. Ae and Pete throughout the series go through numerous and sometimes humorous trials and tribulations establishing their relationship. Although some of the sex scenes between Pete and Ae were a "bit much". LOL However, the sex scenes are somewhat believable, given that their supposed to be upper teenage boys exploring their sexualities...

The series was cute and kept your attention, especially with the growing relationship between the other main characters, Tin and Can. Tin is a rich , egotistical snob, and Can is just a average soccer "jock" whose a little naive when it comes to relationships. But, Can is a staunch defender of Ae and Pete's relationship... especially, against Tin, who doesn't think Pete should be having anything to do with "The Thai Program" as he calls Ae, Can and their friends. Tin and Can's relationship start off as the typical Love/Hate, Rich/Poor scenario, but eventually starts to develop into something else. I really liked that relationship, (especially Tin's character). To watch Tin's development during the last episodes, learning of the abusive and arguably cruel treatment by his older brother (a person whom he most cherished and trusted in the world at that time) --- to watching him learn to love and trust again with Can. It's a good basic storyline.

Now, I know that BL dramas have to have their tragic situations.... But, there are a couple of disturbing scenes in the series that will make you want to throw an item at your TV or computer. The scene included a rape, which was not only perpetrated by someone the victim knew, but with the assistance of a family member of the victim. The other tragic turn in the series dealt with Tin and Can's relationship and how the storyline was left unresolved. This was most upsetting mainly due to the possibility there might not be a season 2. Hopefully, they'll at least do a mini-series (about 4 episodes) or possibly a movie, featuring the Tin and Can storyline, and give them a happier resolution... I think the fans would go absolutely wild!!! LOL

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Chaotic and Fun Rom Com

I was really excited to watch this movie and was lucky that it was showing near me with eng subs and it did not disappoint. The first half of the movie you see the couple bickering and describing how much they hate each other. It was so chaotic and funny, especially the way kang ha neul and jung so min deliver their lines. Jung so min's character could be a lot harsher and at times, I was like why is she so mean, but I could also understand her character. The second half was just as enjoyable as you watch them try not to fall back in love with each other.

I think the way the story unfolded was really well done. You could see how this once happily married couple got to the point of hating each other by allowing all the bad memories overtake their good ones.

If you enjoy rom coms, you will love this one. The acting as you all already know delivered because it's kang ha neul and jung so min. Even the supporting actors were great. I thought the one who played jung so min's sister did a great job, I had only seen her in Duty After School as I think she's still a relatively new actress but she was funny. I laughed out loud so many times as did the audience in the theater. It was a rom com in it's true form.

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RUSHED ENDING (ALMOST) RUINED THE SERIES

Big Mouth should have been an easy 9.5, but that bit - the last 10 minutes of the finale almost ruined the entire series.

To be honest, this series was one of the few that i have watched and waited for every week. This is probably Lee Jong Suk's best role to date. The very first episode will snare you like a mouse to a mouse trap, and youll find yourself wanting to see and know more. It was a fantastic setup.

Not until you reached that last 10 minutes that you will realize how stupid (or incredibly smart) the creators must have thought of their viewers - that they thought they could wrap the whole 16 episodes in a few minutes. It just doesnt feel rushed, it felt like a betrayal of trust. In the risk of being spoilery, the ending felt very out of character for the main leads. After the credits rolled i have to double check if there were more upcoming episodes, because for sure they didnt just wrapped the series in less than 10minutes. Or did they?

Would it hurt to add another episode or at least extend the finale by another 30mintues?

Like i said earlier, this could be Lee Jong Suk's best role to date. Im Yoo Na was also amazing until the character wasnt. Kim Jeo Hoon is impressive as hell and gave LSJ a run for his money. Yang Kyung Won maximized his screentime until the creators relegated him into a useless minor character by the last three episodes.

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Strong, capable Male Lead & Cute Female Lead

I really enjoyed the show right from the beginning. I chanced upon this show because it appeared via some algorithms on my YouTube and I could not stop watching this drama at all. I had to keep on going!

Watch because:
- show moves fast and there are just 30 eps
- there is great chemistry between the male lead and the female lead
- Caesar as Chu Xiu Ming rocks big time - he is super manly, capable and very tough as Jiang Jun and yet, super loving and warm as Husband - I melted over and over again just watching him. OMG! *love to see him on my screen*
- hot kisses abound between the two leads
- Caesar is perfect for this role - he’s tall and his acting is very good. I love to see his expressions change from ‘I love my wife so much’ to ‘how dare you’ to ‘try me if you dare’ to ‘I miss my wife’... *aww*
- this drama is exciting as there are many things going on in this drama
- things get solved and questions are answered
- drama has a happy ending and I’m a big lover and sucker for happy endings!

Watch!
I know that I’ll definitely rewatch this!

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Note to self, whenever a drama gets you super excited with its first couple of episodes, rest assured you will be dissapointed! Bittersweet taste, this drama; mostly because of my expectations, nothing else. It started with the most amazing potential, but it never lived up to it. It was not a bad drama, it's just that... it could have been so much more...

Story
The K2 is ambitious, it wants to be intriguing and captivating but too much pressure has underwhelming results. The drama is a weird combo of action, political drama and romance that doesn't really work. There are 4 main characters, all of them perfectly demonstrated and completely 3-D, each of them has a story of revenge or ambition about the future and all their stories get entangled to set the plot. The characterization is the best part of the drama.

The base story is there and it's quite well-thought-out once you get to grasp it (takes a few episodes - or more than a few), however the K2 was one of those dramas that even though you enjoy it, only drawbacks come to mind when you think of it, sadly.

The drama felt 50% superman, 30% boring political talk and no act and 20% forced romance.

Most surprising thing about this drama is that the biggest and most critical asset of it, the action scenes, ended up working against the whole thing. Ji Chang Wook was immaculate in them, it's not his fault that after 2-3 episodes my initial enthusiasm turned into yawning. It was certainly not his fault. The directing and editing is to blame here. They overplayed the scenes so much, they quickly lose their spark and interest; unnecessary slow-motion, gratuitous weird angles and more made them look overly cheesy. What's more, it quickly felt that the drama pays too much attention in CJW doing his thing than to the plot itself which made the drama feel increasingly superficial and shallow.

Furthermore, what is the korean obsession with making their male leads look like superman? As the episodes continue CJW's character felt more and more unreal. Humans have their limits, that's their charm. Striping them of that feature makes them look fake. I didn't sign up for a hero film, sorry.

Another really awkward thing is that each episode is packed with action, or scheming, plotting, romance, so many things going on, but when i stopped to think what had actually happened after the end of every episode, how the episode contributed to the overall story, i came up always with nothing. In retrospect, nothing actually had happened. Amazing isn't it? The story is there but there is no real development until the end. Dissapointing, what a letdown.

Continuing, the drama is defined by its political aspect. I'm not into political dramas, so once this part kicked in i was inevitably bored. However, I'm usually very much into scheming evil characters and backstabbing and this drama has plenty of it, but the build up to all this was lenghty and quite tiresome to watch.

Additionally, i'd like to talk about the dissapointing romance. CJW is paired with Yoona here, and while they do look good together, their romance felt thorougly forced and wasn't given adequate time to grow and develop. On the contrary CJW and Choi Yoo Na's chemistry was effortless and off the charts. I think i can safely speak on behalf of almost every viewer when i express my dissapointment in the writer's persistence to shove the former couple down our throats when the latter was there and was spotless since the very first moment.

Drawing my rant to a conclusion i'd want to talk about the misuse of Yoona (Anna) as a character. She was either running, crying screaming or taken hostage throughout the whole thing, while she barely appeared in the first half. She basically made CJW's character look like super mario trying to save his girlfriend, unrealistic and cringy.

At this point i feel inclined to mention and stress the significance of Song Yoon Ah's character who probably makes the drama worth watching on her own. Finding characters that are 3D and not carricature versions of real life people is difficult in kdramas. Here, all the character were well-created but Choi Yoo Jin was the perfect villain or more like the anti-hero. There are several layers of her character that go deep and are visible little by little. She was the perfect villain who everyone grew fond of quickly and she deserved better from start to finish. You'll love her believe me.

Acting
The acting was dazzling.
Yoona who is seemigly the weakest link of the main cast was way better than expected. She suited the character perfectly and was completely satisfying in her every scene even though severely misused.

Ji Chang Wook executed his action scenes spotlessly, and to be honest that was his character's main goal. I have nothing else to add, he was manly and a worthy main lead, but he deserves better as an actor.

Jo Sung Ha was also spectacular in his twisted role, but the real queen of the drama was Song Yoon Ah, hands down. Her character was disturbed, easy to misunderstand, but she made us all care for her and see beyond her evil mask. Loved her completely. Star quality actor.

Recommend/Rewatch
Overall, the drama wasn't bad, it is one of those dramas that blow up in the beginning but never come up with the goods. It was enjoyable for the most part (let's exclude the boring political talk), and entertaining. If you are into hot guys playing superman in fight scenes, like evil characters scheming and double-crossing as well as some kind of romance in the sidetracks, do give this a chance. Having low expectations will surely result in higher pleasure. My 8 is kind of a stretch, consider this a 7.5 + 0.5 for the perfect poetic ending! I will never rewatch this.

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Not sure what happened here, but if anyone is looking for some advice whether to watch this drama or not....don't bother. I literally made an account on mydramalist JUST to vent how frustrated I was with this drama.

Aint going to lie, the first 12 episodes are pretty good and suspenseful. But then it just went downhill. It's as if the director/writer of this drama either changed to some freak and decided to kill off the entire cast. I'm sorry but that is just a lazy excuse of any creative writer could think of.

First the villain is way over powered, absolutely making no sense whatsoever. Then introduce some Jedi S**t, where he can control everything and everyone. Then make him invincible and to top it off after spending 12 hours watching the first 12 episodes, start killing the entire cast.

The writer is a sadistic freak that needs help. Shake my head....have you even looked at that genre? It's almost everything in the list. I feel like the producers just wanted to check off everything on the list. Love - check, Comedy - check, Crime - check, Thriller - check , then after, kill everyone; now you get tragedy thrown in the mix too. What makes it even more stupid is that, not 1 person decided to outsmart the villain. Really??? Honestly, if this guy was as evil as everyone makes him out to be, then why would anyone even trust him.

Don't waste your time with this. I'm just so angry I wasted my time with this.

Music and Cast are pretty good. Everything else...is a flop.

I'm done my rant, have a good day. Hope other agrees with me.

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The road to perdition.

To put it simply, The Knockout knocks it out of the park with its audacious portrayal of an anti-villain as the main protagonist. Spanning twenty years, it is a masterful account of how a struggling everyman insidiously strays onto the road to perdition. The stage is set brilliantly from the get-go to manipulate us into sympathizing with a character who does terrible things. We are blinded by their humanity and blame the system for failing them, forcing the oppressed to become the oppressor.

Gao Qiqiang starts out as a humble fishmonger doing his best to raise his younger brother and sister. When thugs threaten their livelihood, he stands up to them but is framed and arrested. An upstanding young officer An Xi suspects he was bullied, books the case leniently, and tries to keep his tormentors at bay. Ironically with small acts of kindness, An Xi empowers Gao Giqiang and propels him in unimaginable ways. The complex and sincere bond of empathy and indebtedness that is forged between the two men is the linchpin of this story. Their most pivotal character turning points and moments of truth play out on the neutral ground of a humble noodle shop. where much is revealed with few words.

It is clear from the outpouring of accolades that Gao Qiqiang is an iconic portrayal that put the hitherto under-appreciated Zhang Songwen on the map. Gao Qiqiang is a visionary mastermind who draws inspiration from Sun Tzu's Art of War. He is dangerously underestimated because of his amicable facade and his disarming affection for and vulnerability with those he cares for. The way he embraces fashion to please his wife to how he willfully blinds himself to his brother's weaknesses is both touching and relatable. When crossed, threatened, or betrayed, he is unforgiving and cruel to the point of depravity - no one is safe from him. He is chillingly ruthless and implacable when it comes to imposing his own brand of loyalty and justice. Like any good sociopath he oozes regret but in truth has no qualms about sacrificing his generals. He "makes it right" by caring for their families sincerely and with deep gratitude. He is bound by a very misguided code; one that is ruthless and amoral yet oddly authentic and honorable. Zhang Songwen embodies this character so well that some believe he is not acting and insist he should be at least investigated, if not locked up.

An Xi is both Gao Qiqiang's savior and his nemesis. More than anything, he is his biggest victim. This character makes me sad and mad. He is well meaning and does the right thing with all the wrong outcomes. Zhang Yi was reluctant to accept the role of An Xi, feeling he wasn't a good fit and wouldn't able to pull it off. But Zhang Songwen's Gao Qiqiang would not be so compelling without Zhang Yi's An Xi. It is their incredible rapport and ability to silently communicate that makes the small screen seem huge. Zhang Yi's expressive gaze and more subtle style is the perfect foil for Zhang Songwen's flamboyance and charisma. While I admired and sympathised with Gao Qiqiang, An Xi is the one that often moved me to tears. His speaking eyes frequently implore Gao Qiqiang to be a good man and convey bottomless dejection that gives lie to the goofy smiles he flashes at Meng Yu. The aging of characters over three distinct time arcs across twenty years is rarely captured as well as it is here. But it is Zhang Yi that simply nails this part - he is wary and tired but not quite beaten; the righteous flame in his eyes are dimmed but at the core still burns hot.

This drama is impeccably cast and is a who's who list of China's best actors, all of whom deliver immersive performances. The director's incisive lens meticulously peels back the many layers of the multi-faceted characters and their intricate relationships. The female characters are written to be strong and impactful beyond their screen time. Li Yitong really takes her acting to another level as Meng Yu; it is by far her strongest, most memorable role to date. Her screen chemistry with Zhang Yi is unexpected and endearing. And then there is Gao Ye's simply sensational Chen Shuting, the ultimate gangster's moll - cool, stylish and fearless. The way she menaces the wits out of Gao Qiqiang is one of the drama's highlights for me. There is a lot more on-screen violence in this drama than I expected. While the worst of it takes place off-screen, it is so well staged that it is more visceral and blood thirsty in my overactive imagination.

The rich plot builds to a shocking, unpredictable and devastating climax about a third of the way through. Then it loses momentum and in the final ten episodes it limps toward a predictable ending. This is somewhat to be expected as this was produced in partnership with the state, the nationalist message is inevitable.I really did not care about the party's anti corruption task force and yawned through their heroic sweep through Jinghai City to weed out the endemic corruption that had seeped into the cracks at every level of the bureaucracy. It is clear that there were some cuts and at least one character is whitewashed but I don't think it changes the gist of the final outcome. The final confrontation between Gao Qiqiang and An Xi saves the entire arc and there were enough characters I cared about including Meng Yu that it was still overall a decent arc. All considered, I am not as dismayed by the way this ends as others are. The fact that the government always wins is a foregone conclusion and not a spoiler in any crime and/or corruption themed Chinese drama. But in this case, I don't really think it shines that great of a light on "the good guys". I mean where were they for twenty years? And I am not sure the "good guys" win here. Poor An Xi is definitely is not a winner; in fact no one wins. Indeed audiences overwhelmingly empathise with Gao Qiqiang. Thus this is actually a very dark crime story with a surreptitiously bold and critical ending.

This spectacular crime thriller is a must watch. The first 30 episodes feel like a tour de force that can easily be rated 9.0/9.5. The rest are more at the 8.0 level so 9.0 feels about right for my final rating.

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Lead chemistry saved this show

The good:
The song "Ikuokukonen" by Omoinotake is an absolute banger. I've been following this band since they made the ost for the "Twittering Birds Never Fly" movie, and I'm glad they got their break with "Ikuokukonen".

Acting:
Chae Jong Hyeop's acting is seriously great! He exudes that golden retriever energy without being cringy, and his subtle acting with his eyes when the tone gets serious makes me emotional. I've been following the producers for the show and Jong Hyeop contributed to some of my favorite scenes!

The Cast:
I've been following the show's Instagram/Twitter/TikTok accounts, and the chemistry between Chae Jong Hyeop and fumi nikaido and with the staff heals me lol.

The Bad:
The story needs a lot of work. I read on the producer's Twitter account that he worked on this story since 2021 and it still needs work. The added drama with Min Ha Na and the book was unnecessary and contrived. They added some lore that had something to do with Ainu people that looks like went nowhere. IDK, the plot is a bit of a mess after episode 5/6.

I see people criticizing the people criticizing the FL's acting, but even Japanese people have been saying it's bad on filmarks.com (which is like the Japanese version of IMDB). I kinda agree, but I feel like it's the fault of the director and how they characterized her character.

Anyways I love Chae Jong Hyeop and he really carried this show for me. Overall I like the show, and its a comfort show for me. Something easy to watch and makes me feel all warm inside lol. I watched episodes 1-3 three times already and Tae-Oh still gives me butterflies in my stomach lol. He smile is to die for.

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I entered this drama thinking it was a cute fluffy little love story but man does it change your mindset fast.
Story
Where do i begin? The first few episodes made it seem like it was your typical “poor girl meets rich obnoxious guy”, it may seem really draggy but by around the 5-7th episode you’re just only getting started on the rollercoaster ride. The “plot” twist about each characters backgrounds and motives always left me in awe,, i found the second leads back story really heartbreaking ???? Although there are “dark” scenes, there’re still countless numbers of lovely dovey scenes but honestly, the “dark,gloomy” episodes are still so much more entertaining!!! I’ll stop here and let you in on your own ride!!
Acting
LET ME SAY THIS FIRST.
SIMON. IS. SUCH. A. SMOL. BEAN.
you don’t understand how i was so attracted to him? his acting in this drama was so well done!!!! he was able to pull off the “cold” guy, the “caring” guy etc (with great expressions) amazingly omg. Yiren also delivered all of her lines perfectly!! The crying scenes weren’t draggy and annoying like most cdramas show. The chemistry in this drama tho,,, dang there was so much chemistry between them.
Music
I don’t keep track of the music but the opening theme is catching
Rewatch
Absolutely!!

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