Completed
Provoke
51 people found this review helpful
Apr 15, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 3
Overall 8.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

FOR REVENGE- WHATEVER IT TAKES

This is a revenge based drama, with a 80's vibe to it. The heroine is ready to do whatever it takes even if it means seducing and becoming the concubine of the ML's father.

LOW- budget, SHORT, the CHEMISTRY is mind-blowing, the PLOT is phenomenal, OST is quite catchy, NO green tea bitch/2nd female lead drama, surprisingly it is HILARIOUS as well, ENDING is thrilling and dramatic

The chemistry between the main leads is EXPLOSIVE, it oozes SEXUAL TENSION!! I mean when they are in a scene together you sit on the edge of your seat thinking are they gonna kiss? like you cant take your eyes off them!!
Though they just had 1 kiss, i swear i wont be forgetting about it for a long long time.

THEY BOTH HAVE SECRETS AND THEY BOTH SEE BEHIND EACH OTHER'S MASK THE MOMENT THEY MEET!!
The FL is strong, she has her vulnerable moments but its only Infront of the ML, She shows the power and passion for both love and revenge.
Girl didn't come to play, she came to conquer, by whatever means it may take.
The ML, is just PERFECTION in a 3 piece suit. That man is sexy, intelligent and intriguing. Something about his aura pulls you towards him, maybe its the sense of mystery that he has around him or the way he doesn't get fooled!!
From day 1 he knew the FL was unto something, when no one could see past her façade he was the one pulling away her cover.

THE Cinematography, OST, Camera angle is BEAUTIFUL!! I am not kidding when i say it surpasses some of the most high budget chinese drama. The shots taken are beautiful!!

It is SHORT and that's a pity but those 13 minute episode do such wonders in conveying the story that sometimes 40 episode long C-drama cant do. Due to the less time the story FOCUS ONLY ON THE PLOT, no necessary filler, just the main plotline.

OVERALL. IT WAS FANTASTIC and i would really recommend it!! Believe me its worst every minute.

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Completed
Cunning Single Lady
51 people found this review helpful
by palak
Nov 30, 2014
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 3
Overall 8.0
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
When I started this drama, I was kind of prepared to hate the plot and leading lady. I mean, come on, the synopsis basically describes a gold digger taking a second shot at her husband after she finds out about his new success. But in the end I loved the drama! It was cute and an easy-watch. I wouldn't say it was extremely addictive, but it didn't drag much either. So it was one of those average feel-good dramas with a happy ending.

I loved Lee Min Jung here. And Joo Sang Wook, who I've only watched in Good Doctor and his role there was too different. L had a small supporting role but it was pretty cute too. In fact, this drama was overflowing with cute guys. And I'm nowhere near complaining. lol. The second leads here were extremely bearable. I mean, yeah, there was a point towards the end where I wanted to punch both of them for a moment. But it was flickering. And relatively they pretty good second leads. Not good enough to have second syndromes but good enough to develop a slight liking for them. The second lead girl especially was not a cold hearted bitch. I mean, she was shy and a bit gloomy because of her disability and her past. But she was nevertheless likeable.

The ending episode was super-sweet, with every character a bit of their own happy ending. Overall I would say while this drama is not something that would make you go, "wow best drama eveer" but at the same time you won't regret watching it and definitely won't throw popcorn at your screen. lol.

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Ongoing 35/35
The Sleepless Princess
51 people found this review helpful
Aug 18, 2020
35 of 35 episodes seen
Ongoing 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Interesting storyline

Omg this has all the bells and whistels from a good fable or story. Has my favorite actor as well. Great hook at the beginning of the story to make you want to watch more. Sets are colorful to the eye and costumes are not over the top but are brautiful none the less. This director keeps it at a fast pace so it doesnt bog down in the middle. Well worth your time to watch and rewatch. Sets on this piece give it that xtra pazazz. Female lead is well matched to the actor and intimate scenes are believable could he have found his soulmate in real life?
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Completed
Listening Snow Tower
51 people found this review helpful
Jun 21, 2019
56 of 56 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.0
Awesome series. It was packed with action and amazing fight scenes. There was good chemistry between the two leads. I enjoyed that it had a great plot that remained consistent. Unlike some that seem to lose track. Series revolves around male and female lead and the people they love. It covers the commitment to principles, love and the lengths and sacrifices that they go to protect it. You’ll get a great blend of action, fighting, crazy wanna be girlfriend, plotting, a little romance, great chemistry, loyalty and determination. Ending was pleasing. No cliffhangers. I recommend it for those who are interested in historical fictions.

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Completed
Witch's Romance
51 people found this review helpful
Jun 28, 2014
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
First review, here I go!

Witch's Romance was the light and fluffy romcom I hoped for!

At first, I read the synopsis of this drama and was unsure about it. It seemed like a plain story line, but the show was a clear example of why some shows do not need to have a over-the-top plot to be outstanding! The first episode automatically drew me in.

In regards to characters: To be honest, I did not mind the age difference between the characters because I have seen some noona dramas/movies in the past, but I wondered if the characters would have good chemistry. Thankfully, the leads had fantastic chemistry which had me coming back for a new episode each time! Not only did the leads get me hooked on the series, but the other characters got me hooked as well. There were so many likable characters in this show and many of them were well developed; it was definitely hard to hate them! The acting was also great, I am surprised many of these actors have not done many major roles yet! The humor was another great component of this show as well. Literally, I would laugh out loud every episode (sorry to my family for this reason! haha!)!

The music in this show was pretty great. The main male lead (Yoon Dong Ha or Park Seo Joon in real life) actually sang a song for the Ost and I was honestly amazed when I realized it. Great actor and singer? Jackpot. As well, the other songs were also catchy and suited the show. The music is something I would actually listen outside of the show. As for rewatch value: I would for sure rewatch it, although I dont usually rewatch shows. I will definitely be recommending this to anyone who asks for drama suggestions.

10/10, Give it a try!

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Completed
Eternal Love of Dream
51 people found this review helpful
Mar 5, 2020
56 of 56 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers
As a viewer who loved the Dong Hua and Feng Jiu couple from Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms, I’m so happy that they turned their novel into a drama of their own.

STORY
Part 1: Feng Jiu’s Wasted Love (Episodes 1-10)

A young Feng Jiu is saved by Dong Hua. Smitten, she goes to work as a maid in his palace to repay the life debt. She gives up her fur temporarily to save him in the soul locking jade. Pampered by Dong Hua until Ji Heng and her pet came along. Almost dying, Feng Jiu goes back to QingQui.

As much as I love Feng Jiu, it was a struggle to watch these episodes. I hated every time I saw Feng Jiu acting lovesick for Dong Hua, who didn’t even know she existed. But I got through it knowing that Feng Jiu is supposed to be a teenager, probably not much older than 15 or 16. She’s never been in love before and growing up spoiled didn’t help in preventing her from doing something as dumb as try to be a maid in his palace.

Part 2: Mortal realm (Episodes 10-21)

Dong Hua goes to the mortal realm to regain cultivation. Lives his life as Emperor Song XuanRen. Trying to repay the life debt, Feng Jiu goes too and saves him in battle, only to realize she messed with his love trial. Introduced as a new consort, XuanRen and General Ye QingTi fell in love with her. Ye QingTi sacrifices his life to save her and Feng Jiu commits suicide, thus completeing Dong Hua’s love misfortune.

As for the mortal arc, I’m a bit more forgiving. This is the first of their three lifetime love story for Feng Jiu and Dong Hua. Although we only see bits through flashbacks in the book, this is where the viewer needs to see why Feng Jiu goes through such lengths to bring back Qing Ti. Qing Ti’s death helps Feng Jiu realize that her silly crush has disastrous consequences. Her part in being mortal Dong Hua’s love trial misfortune helped her to get over him. She comes back a changed woman.

Part 3: Back to Sky Kingdom (Episodes 21-27)

Feng Jiu officially meets Dong Hua during Bai Qian’s wedding. Dong Hua teases Feng Jiu at the wedding banquet. He hides her when at the hot springs when Lian Song comes in. He saves her from a fire beast and watches as she trolls the suitors that her aunt sets up for her. She goes to Dong Hua to reclaim some jewelry she left behind at the hot spring unknowingly insinuating that they spent the night in front of many people. She transforms herself into a handkerchief to avoid Dong Hua, but he picks her up and takes her to battle when he fights with Yan Chiwu. Both Chi Wu and Feng Jiu fall into Fanyin Valley.
This is when the good stuff begins! It’s also the beginning of the novel, so for those like me who read it, it was particularly exciting. It’s funny to see the more Feng Jiu does her best to ignore Dong Hua, the more interested he becomes in her. And Dong Hua starts calling her “Xiao Bai”!

Part 4: Fanyin Valley (Episodes 27-35)

Chi Wu and Feng Jiu hide their identities and stay in Fanyin valley for six months before Dong Hua arrives. Feng Jiu misunderstands that he’s there for Ji Heng who is also at the valley to purify herself. A competition is announced and the prize is the pimpon fruit which can bring the mortal dead to life. Dong Hua teaches Feng Jiu and she wins the competition. Dong Hua gives the fruit to Ji Heng so she can cure herself instead. Feng Jiu goes to get the fruit herself, but gets stuck in Aranya’s dream. Lian Song informs Dong Hua that Feng Jiu was his missing fox and why she wanted the fruit so badly. With a shaken heart, but steady mind, Dong Hua goes after Feng Jiu.

Feng Jiu and Yan Chi Wu together are lovable idiots. They probably share a brain cell. There are really only four sides to Dong Hua; Ice Face, jealous, shameless, and in love. Dong Hua shamelessly trying to get close to Feng Jiu, his jealousy whenever he sees her with Chi Wu, the look in his eyes and the smirk every time he sees her! It’s so unfortunate that he doesn’t really know how to express his love and it just comes off as Dong Hua teasing her like a child would to his crush. And it’s super satisfying to see Dong Hua chase after Feng Jiu this time!

Part 5: Aranya’s Dream (Episode 36-50)

Feng Jiu wakes up in Aranya’s dream with most of her memory gone. Dong Hua uses this to his advantage and seals her body away so he can find her spirit in the dream world. Her spirit wakes up as Aranya. Aranya’s teacher, Su MoYe knows she is Feng Jiu, but tells her to live Aranya’s life so that they could know how she died and it may be the key to escape the dram world. Dong Hua disguises himself as Xi Ze, Aranya’s husband, not knowing Feng Jiu is Aranya. As Feng Jiu lives Aranya’s life, the tragic love story between Chen Ye and Aranya and the birth of Aranya’s dream are revealed.

These episodes were bittersweet. On one hand we see how much Dong Hua loves Feng Jiu and the lengths he goes for her. There are so many sugary scenes where Dong Hua just cannot keep his hands off of his fox XD. Although the rest of the dream world may see them as Aranya and Xi Ze, they are most definitely Feng Jiu and Dong Hua when they consummate their marriage. On the other hand, we also get to see how much Chen Ye loves Aranya, but unlike their counterparts, misunderstandings have ruined their relationship until death finally tears them apart. It hurt to see how much Chen Ye was grieving over her death and it shows just how far Dong Hua in every life is willing to go for Feng Jiu.

Part 6: The Final Battle, The End (Episode 50-56)
Planning a wedding and building their dream house, Feng Jiu and Dong Hua are very much in love. Feng Jiu has her BingCang ceremony and Nie Chu Yin foolishly asks her to battle. Dong Hua goes back to FanYin valley to help Ji Heng one last time, but never shows up on the day of the wedding. Feng Jiu’s missing memories are returned and she is pregnant. Heartbroken, she leaves to the mortal realm where she gives birth to Dong Hua’s son, Bai GunGun. Dong Hua returns to find his bride missing and closes the portal for mortal to immortal ascension as a way to bring her back to heaven. The demon lords have been putting their powers together to release Miao Luo. Dong Hua gives Feng Jiu a ring which she refuses to take. Dong Hua goes to fight Miao Luo where one must die even though he is poisoned. Everything is revealed to Feng Jiu and she rushes to help Dong Hua. Together they defeat Miao Luo. Dong Hua finally meets his son.

What’s Dong Hua and Feng Jiu’s love story without one last misunderstanding? Even until the very end, they’ve suffered so much. I’ve never hated Ji Heng’s character until this part. She clearly knew that Dong Hua loves and was to marry another woman, but shamelessly uses her father as an excuse to keep him. Dong Hua taking the poison onto himself as a way to finally get rid of Ji Heng? Get yourself a man who’d rather poison himself than be with someone other than his woman. On top of that, he literally makes Feng Jiu a wedding ring from half his heart. Can your OTP say the same thing? The battle was super angsty; there was blood, lovers almost dying together, and Dong Hua saying “I love you” to Feng Jiu first! Oh, I just love pain. During the Father and son meeting, I couldn’t stop smiling and seeing everyone’s reaction to the fact that Dong Hua had a kid was hilarious. The ending was perfect, they all lived happily ever after!

CINEMATOGRAPHY and VISUALS/COSTUME
The cinematography in this drama is beautiful. The sets, the locations, and even the CGI for the most part was so pleasing to the eyes. I didn’t like the overly bright filters used for many of these kinds of dramas, so I’m glad they didn’t do that here. The scenery was amazing. The CGI was definitely more a hit than a miss, my favorite having to be the cute little fox! Can’t blame Dong Hua for not wanting to give it up. And the final battle!! I really cannot stop praising how the editing crew has gone above and beyond for this drama.

Costume wise, they were not as impressive as the ones in Ten Miles as a lot of other people may have commented, however, I found the tulle like fabric made more sense since they seemed more lighter and flowy for the gods while the silk and heavier fabrics were for the demons. All in all, I really have no complaints, I know a lot of hard work was put in, especially when it comes to the little details on their clothes.

MUSIC
Would you believe me if I told you I bought some of them on iTunes? Yes, that’s how much I loved it. Look up the meaning for the OSTs in this drama! It’s crazy how well it relates to the main characters' love story.

REWATCH VALUE
BRB, going to have to watch it again on WeTV, maybe once on the Tencent app, then on YouTube, gotta buy the DVD if they ever make one….

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Completed
One Day Off
51 people found this review helpful
by Kate
Jun 1, 2023
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

“It’s not about getting better. The next stage just comes...

Then comes another stage, followed by more stages to go”.

I don’t think I have ever watched a show that introduces so many interesting topics to think about in such a light and heartwarming manner. The episodes might have been only 24 minutes long, but the impact lasted for hours, making me reflect on my opinions, thoughts and behaviors.

From the opening till the end - it felt both realistic and strangely eccentric and dream-like. Following Ha Jyung on the trips allowed me to take a moment to just relax and enjoy the views and the scenery. The straightforward and honest personality of our female lead added to the charm. I also appreciated how real her character was - a normal person in normal circumstances, taking a break from the busy and overstimulated world.

The wide range of topics tackled in the show included, but was not limited to: reflecting on our past goals and dreams, the role of an educator, adults' involvement in creating certain paths for children, focusing on their future rather than the current happiness, the disagreements and different perceptions generations have, where we always villainize the other side, not seeing the flaws in our own thinking and behavior.

We were faced with questions like: is striving for success correct, or should we just focus on doing what we love, even if it does not bear fruits? Why is it so hard to show interest towards another person and since when saying “I love you” or even “I like you” becomes so hard, that we found new ways to convey exactly the same emotions?

This is not all, and I’m sure each and every person would focus on different aspects, different scenes and different lines - seeing their own unique version of what’s presented in the drama.

Lee Na Young was such a perfect casting choice to portrayal Ha Kyung. On one hand her character was truly relatable, on the other hand she had her own charms and quirks that not many people possess. Creating a character that is both unique, but also relatable is not an easy job.

The production was stellar. All episodes were filmed, directed and edited in a similar fashion, but at the same time, all had specific tricks that enhanced whatever story was told in each episode. Be it adding more blur and slightly distorted shots to create these dream-like sequences, or using first person perspective to make viewers connect to the scene and potential feelings the characters are experiencing. The soundtrack was the cherry on top, making me want to drop whatever I was doing and set on a trip myself.

Overall, I feel like no matter how much time I would spend on writing this review, it would be impossible for me to truly convey how much I love One Day Off. It's a rare clean 10 for me.

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Completed
Autumn's Concerto
51 people found this review helpful
by Grace
Nov 1, 2012
34 of 21 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
WOW!!!!!! JUST WOWW! I can't even describe how amazing this drama is!!! Ughh can't believe it lasted on "my plan to watch" list a century...

Everything in it, was a masterpiece, shining gold, with almost no flaws in it! it keeps you attached to it, wanting to know more, wanting to know what will happen, will they break up? Will she stay? you don't know, you have to watch it, and most of the times it will keep your jaw dropped, every time, my jaw would drop for a whole minute, functioning what had just happened, there were many situations, their endings, never even crossed my mind!

God what an amazing cast, and what made the drama even more and more amazing, was the story, how did they came up with this story? Wish there were even more points than a 10 here. The music, like a melody with each situation, fitted very very veeeerrry well! their acting was greaaaattttttttt and Xiao Le I am officially obsessed with him, how he smiles, the way he says Mu Cheng, ahhhhh I just wanna hug him =""""""""( also, his acting was astonishing comparing to his age, he's also sooo cute, and added to the drama a very large quantity of cuteness.

It's rewatching value is a definite 10, no matter how many time I'll watch it in the future, I don't think I'll ever be bored =D

Just a little advice, be sure to watch this drama when you have several days of freedom, cause believe me you'll be stuck with your laptop in these days till you watch the last minute of this drama, it just take you out of reality a bit, and enters you a world of drama, so much DRAMA by the way, and romance =""")))) Ahh they're so cute together

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Completed
The Knockout
35 people found this review helpful
Feb 24, 2023
39 of 39 episodes seen
Completed 4
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 9.0

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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Completed
My Boss, My Hero
33 people found this review helpful
Jun 30, 2012
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
I can't give this drama anything but a 10/10 because for its style it was perfect. It was almost exactly what I was expecting.

Whoever is in need of a light comedy should watch this. Expect many hilarious moments. Nagase Tomoya is very expressive, you'll most likely burst into laughter at the mere sight of him. However, expect some depth too. They handle serious matters as well: redefining one's life, learning about true love and friendship, surpassing one's limits. These are all expressed very well and they transition smoothly into and out of the humour. You'll find some very touching moments too, but that's definitely not the defining theme of the drama. It's almost entirely comical. And despite basing itself on serious matters, it manages to stay light enough to be enjoyable as pure comedy.

Acting: I was quite surprised actually. Given the obscurity of this drama I thought they would probably have a bunch of mediocre actors, but these kids are brilliant! They exceeded my expectations. Almost all of them anyway.

Music: It was SPLENDID. I fell in love with the ending theme from the very first second. And the music throughout the show is also very entertaining; it goes well with each scene and just lifts your spirits. For a pretty underrated drama, the music was exquisite. Too good to ignore. It wasn't just a soundtrack, it was a lot more powerful. In some scenes my attention was actually stolen by the music than the action.

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Completed
Falling into Your Smile
35 people found this review helpful
Jul 17, 2021
31 of 31 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.5

A GEM of C-Dramas! Made Me Smile, Laugh, Blush & feel the Spirit of E-Sports Players!


"Whether it's E-sports or Her, I just want to Love what I really Love" – Lu Si Cheng.
Ohh I loved this Sentence! All released trailers were quite eye-catching. I was drawn to the drama later after a few (around 8/10) episodes were already Aired as my friends here kept on discussing about it. First of all I love the genre 'Comedy' and let me tell you that this drama definitely has a good comic plot. Simple activities in the Drama are made Funny with perfect dialogues & expressions. Almost all characters are loveable… of course, excluding those few negative ones. The Drama Enters the light Rom-Com category too. 31 Eps doesn't seem draggy here. They suit the Concept of the Drama.



Initial Thoughts of the show —
Just the Ep 1 is enough to make you drawn to watch later part of the show. There was obviously no romance genre in the initial episodes so, 'comedy' & 'e-sports' theme rules the drama completely. The Visuals of the drama is something that I should definitely mention. I can't guarantee for everyone but I was very Busy looking at those handsome faces. "A Bickering Couple" this is how Lu Si Cheng & Tong Yao can be defined in the starting episodes. They will bicker & make us smile over them in almost Every Episode!



Story —
Kind of the typical story for the main couple that they will bicker & turn friends slowly then get together. E-sports is the main focused theme. So, there will be many matches & competitions. It will revolve around the main players of main teams (i.e. ZGDX, YQCB, CK, TAT). There are several other teams mentioned too but for once/twice only. The drama will show how some players can get parents' support while some cannot. Different problems faced by a E-sports player like getting hand injuries, facing social issues, impression on fans – maintaining their perfect image, how online comments can affect their performance, coping with personal issues while being a good player etc. One thing that I can confidently say is you are gonna love the Team "ZGDX" & their bonding.

Most Characters seem Legit & Reasonable. They have their own background Story. But considering it's a 31 Eps Drama, I still think that some background about characters could have been shown in a detailed way rather than showing Team Meals again & again. I mean it's quite clear that they are a team, they live in the same base camp & they will have meals together & yeah I agree that most of the funny moments are shown while their meal scenes only. They tried to balance it but still…

Considering E-sports, the makers have done a good research & portrayed it in the drama in a really organized way. This drama kind of reminds us of another C-Drama "Go Go Squid". If you have seen it, you can relate this Drama to it. But I have to tell you that FLs of noth dramas are entirely different.

The amount of Kiss scenes in the drama was really unexpected. According to me there were too many of them but they were Cute. It was also unexpected how 'Lu Si Cheng' turned from a Teasing Man to a Flirting man. I mean he will just keep you blushing in the whole 2nd half the drama.

Now, it's time to Move on to My personal Favorite Characters from the Drama —
• Fatty (lol just thinking about his expressions makes me laugh & he got the Perfect timing to be in the right place in the wrong time. I mean he can always witness most of the embarrassing scenes & then his reactions are just Epic lol).
• Lu Si Cheng (How can someone not fall in love with this character! Ooh the change in him in the later half of the drama is just… But this alone do not makes him my Fav. It's about his straightforwardness & ideals. His statements were always up to the mark if either he was guiding his teammates as the Captain or he was scolding them. He was not partial. It may seem that he was just favouring Tong Yao but later on, his original intentions will be revealed that were quite genuine).



Acting/Cast —
Considering all BTS videos that I have seen on the drama. All characters have really worked hard from practicing games to correct finger movements in the keyboard… from fingers in keyboard while playing to Expressions management on the face according to the match that they are losing or winning. All roles of E-sports players did a good job in it!!
Main Characters ~ Lu Si Cheng (played by Xu Kai) was perfect for this role. He's so tall that he can call anyone "Shorty" , then his leader role matches his personality too. I am quite shocked that this is actually his first modern drama. He's def. a good actor considering that. Tong Yao ( Cheng Xiao ) was portrayed beautifully. She has a Cute Face but can perform a strong character. She has really improved in acting. Members of ZGDX –
•Lao Mao (Kevin Xiao)
•Lu Yue (Yao Chi),
•Fatty (Sun Kai),
•K (Gao Han),
•God Ming (Yalkun Merxat) &
•Xuao Rui (Cui Shao Yang) …… are all Awesome Characters & they could create that funny atmosphere becoz of their awesome acting.
… Ai Jia (Zhou Yiran), Chen Jin Yang (Rachel Wang) form the 2nd couple who look cute as 2nd Leads.
Everyone performed their roles nicely!



Rewatch value —
I am sure I will rewatch this drama later just because it's so Funny & can easily bring smile in my face… so this drama holds a big rewatch value for me, which is quite Rare.



Music —
I am sure the creators invested quite a lot in the songs as there are some songs sang by pretty famous C-Pop groups + there is a long list of songs. most of the songs represent their competitiveness & power. The upbeats & strong vibes in the songs are really cool.

The OSTs —
♪Everytime♪ …… [by WayV. I would say the best among all of them. I love the energy & power of the song! Perfect for me!]
♪Warrior♪ …… [by SEVENTEEN. It's energetic & suits that competitive environment in E-sports]
♪Heroes♪ …… [by Air League Band. It's the theme song for ZGDX team. Powerful!]
♪Soulmate♪ …… [by Xu Kai & Cheng Xiao. A romantic song for the duo sang by them only which is Perfect]
♪Running to you♪ …… [by Angela Cheng.]
♪Follow the Light♪ …… [by Chen Zhouxuan of BonBon Girls 303]
♪Edge♪ …… [by Naomi Wang. Unexpectedly, I like listening to it again & again "We won't Cry, Nooo" ]
♪Signs of You♪ …… [by Zhai Xiaowen ft. FrankiD]
♪Before Dawn♪ …… [by Gao Han]
♪Facade♪ …… [by Joker Xue]

Out of these, "Everytime" & "Edge" joined my Favorite list & "Heroes" was pretty good too.



Conclusion —
A Good News! That If you have made up your mind to watch this drama, all episodes are already available free in YouTube legally in "Youku" & the songs are already released in the channel "NSM Group". So, basically there is no barrier. I have mentioned all my thoughts on the drama now. so, if you ask me – Should I watch this? I would say "Definitely Yes" cause I didn't regret watching it at all. Infact, I enjoyed it wholeheartedly!
*Yet again, watching/not watching is your call*

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Completed
Love, Just Come
35 people found this review helpful
Mar 24, 2017
60 of 60 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 3.0
Story 4.0
Acting/Cast 6.0
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 1.0
After finishing this show I had to take a deep breath and watch something else before I could write this review. I was so upset that I had spent the last few hours watching such a bad show. If you're familiar with C-Drama's then you understand that they commonly recycle the same cliches. This show used every cliche EVER! I don't want to spoil anything, but just understand that I'm not exaggerating. Plot I don't want to be a debbie downer but this show had very few good points. The plot went all over the place, and sometimes I couldn't figure out what story the show was trying to tell. The synopsis mentions that it is about a girl with a great sense of smell who creates perfumes and becomes successful with the help of others. That is a very inaccurate summary. That summarized less than 5 episodes. Every character mentioned in the synopsis was evil starting from episode 1 and betrayed the female lead at least once. Even the male lead hid a few secrets from her. The perfume company was mentioned, but the majority of this show takes place in the hotel industry. Characters They were all bad. The main female lead was stupid, naive, and childish. Later in the story she becomes less childish but she was still easy, and gullible. The male lead was cute and worked hard to get his happy ever after with female lead. Sadly though he was a pushover, and lacked a spine. He let his family control him, and his arranged fiancee manipulate him. A lot. He got stuck in her little traps so often it was annoying. The first half of the series he was constantly in the hospital because he never learned from past experiences. The villains were just terrible. They are your common cliche villains that could be handled quickly in real life, but in dramaworld it take 60 episodes to do. There was not one smart person among the characters. Overall this show was not worth the time. I had watched until episode 12, skipped to episode 32. and trust me the plot hadn't changed much. It was still very stupid. The show definitely didn't need to be 60 episodes and it might've actually been good if it had been maybe 12 episodes. It's just hard to handle these fools for 60 episodes. I recommend this show for people who love cliches, have high patience levels, like stupid leads, and have plenty of time to waste. If you would like some recommendations check out my blog: http://lovekoreana.com/

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Completed
Autumn in My Heart
35 people found this review helpful
Apr 28, 2022
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

Makyang at its finest. Staged with great sensitivity. A rollercoaster ride of emotions guaranteed!

Back then, in 2000, "Autumn Tale" kicked off the celebrated "Endless Love Series" and is (like the other 3) a hit. Timeless. Heartbreaking in the face of life's unfairness. Bittersweet and tragic. "Autumn Tale" offers makjang at its finest. All of this is staged with great sensitivity. A rollercoaster ride of emotions guaranteed!

Two siblings who aren't actually siblings - but nobody knows. A momentous decision when it comes out randomly. Outrageously mean intrigues. And an unshakable bond of love that (nevertheless) must not be. Because even if you might dare to rebel against the family, there is always another stroke of fate.

It is always possible for things to turn out worse - this is a promise, KDrama Land can surely give!"Autumn Tale" is prove of that. And as always with makjang: an enormous capacity for sympathy, suffering and compassion is a prerequisite for 'enjoying' this KDrama. Makjang could be considered a reinvention and revival of the idea of catharsis in connection with the Greek tragedy. On the roller coaster of human feelings between greed, love, betrayal, hate and forgiveness and suffering, scolding, laughing, crying, the moment of empathizing with the emotional processes of the protagonists can have a liberating effect. (All 4 KDramas of the "Endless Love Series" - "Winter Sonata", "Summer Scent" and "Spring Waltz", too - are actually great at ´that´. You better be prepared and ready for it... if you are, you won´t be disappointed!

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Completed
Because of You
35 people found this review helpful
Mar 15, 2020
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 5.5
Rewatch Value 7.5
When I first watched this, it was as a filler while I waited for some other BL series to be released. However, I didn’t expect to enjoy this drama so much. Although it was very short (almost too short), I do wish it had been much longer, especially as the last few episodes felt a little rushed. That’s not necessarily in a bad way, but they definitely could have gone further with it which is why I was happy they decided to make a season 2.

Story: I thought the overall storyline was quite interesting and unique. I’ve never watched a drama with a plot like this, though it definitely gave me HIStory vibes. When I first read the description I worried it was going to be the half-brothers in love, so I was relieved when I realised the series was about them and their separate partners. The script was very clever in helping the 2 leads to get closer in a more realistic way than just shoving them in the same direction like I have seen happen in other series, so I was definitely happy with this. Although it’s clear who the main and side couples were, I found myself loving all 3 couples and enjoying the progression of their relationship, rushed as it may have been.

Cast: I was surprised to see that the actors were all very new, as they were really good at what they were doing. I didn’t feel any awkwardness between them, and there was a lot of chemistry between all the couples. I like how we saw the changes between the brother relationships as well, in the beginning they weren’t close at all and always fought, yet it ended with them all sat having a meal with their partners looking very happy. It was nice to watch them become closer and friendly like that. My one complaint was the languages, the main character talked in Korean yet they responded back to him in Taiwanese, it was just a little disorientating.

Music: I liked the opening OST, but other than that there was nothing incredibly memorable about it.

Rewatch value: If I’m ever bored and want to watch a quick, short BL series, this will probably be one of my first choices. I can’t see myself rewatching it unless I’m bored, but I already know I won’t watch it and leave it like I do with other series.

Overall: This definitely won’t be anyone’s favourite drama, and it won’t be winning any awards for best BL series, but I think it you give it a go and watch it with a clear mind, you may find yourself enjoying it just as much as I did.

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Completed
Unlock My Boss
35 people found this review helpful
Mar 28, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 8.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers
Satisfying series! Highly reccomended.

Binged watched the whole series in one night. Engaging from the start till the end., the twelve episodes were used perfectly!

Coming in, you'd think you are watching a semi-fantasy scifi show. Its a story of a missing IT tycoon whose consciousness was mysteriously trapped inside a mobile phone. The phone landed in the hands of a seemingly unlucky jobless man who wasoffered to be the CEO of the company to solve the mystery of the boss' disappearance

I loved that the male princess cinderella transformation wasnt overdone. I specially enjoyed the main lead's boyish charm and acting and his dynamics with his family. I was also happy about the way they resolved the mystery of the trapped boss.

If there's anything con ts the fact that Chae Jong Hyeop's arms are so distracting, cause the guy oozes masculinity even without taking his shirt off.

Give it a go, you'd enjoy it too. Overall its an 8.5.

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