Reviews

Slow delicious burning love drama

"Only for Love" is a captivating Chinese drama that held my attention effortlessly. The actors were outstanding. There were some tropes/ cliches such as three couples with the typical relationships viz. one sprightly independent innocent woman, another very young pretty young girl just on the cusp of womanhood and another player / seasoned woman and their respective others who match them perfectly. Yet, originality is not necessary when a tale oft told is told with flow, grace and beauty.

The main leads have this wonderful chemistry that is palpable, adding a layer of believability to the unfolding love story. They manage to hold the tension all through till the end. The push and pull between them, the situational humour and witty dialogues, (though I suspect I only caught some of the nuance in the translations) made for delightful viewing. More importantly I loved the gender dynamics between the leads. At no point was either subservient to the other, there was respect and love and friendship among them as they progressed in their relationship over time. And each would always support the other when needed. Goals!

The other two couples have less screen time but still manage to hold my attention. There was beautiful progression in the relationships. The character development in the drama is commendable, as each protagonist is carefully crafted with depth and complexity. The actors deliver stellar performances, capturing the essence of their roles with authenticity.

Even the backdrop of hi tech industry, the lead's focus on technology than production in his long term strategy and forward thinking were subtle ways to explain his superiority over fellow beings. The narrative unfolds with a delicate balance of romance, humour and cultural nuances, creating a compelling viewing experience.

The storyline, while centered around love, delves into societal and familial dynamics, offering viewers a glimpse into the complexities of modern relationships in a Chinese context. The pacing of the drama is well-executed, keeping the audience engaged throughout the episodes.

Visually, "Only for Love" is a feast for the eyes. The cinematography beautifully captures the vibrant cityscapes, enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal of the show. The costume and set design are meticulous, transporting viewers into the world of the characters. The fashion and style of all the characters are art ! Every costume is beautiful and fits the personality.

There is heat in their kisses, their glances, body language and the love making scenes are tasteful and sweet. There is tenderness and a sweet mellowness in the build up of each relationship - and none of the scenes are ever offensive. The couples are well matched.

Some viewers may find certain plot twists predictable, and at times, the pacing may seem a bit slow. However, for me, these were not flaws - as I do not expect original storylines for every book or drama or movie.

It is good story telling that I am interested in and that was delivered in spades. And for me the pacing was just right. At 36.5 episodes (don't miss the bonus episode with their wedding), with the medium pace, and well drawn out characters, a slow burn love affair, the drama was a well designed feast for the senses. The music was good and has actually grown on me over time... that probably happens if you watch a drama a thousand times on repeat.. lol.

I noticed a few themes in people who disliked this drama ... they did not enjoy the business talk and they found the FL unbelievable. I found the strategy being the business aspect of this drama fascinating and interesting. Shi Yan came across as strong, courageous, visionary and selfless. And the FL Shu Yi made perfect sense to me. She is someone who is incredibly bright at work but has zero interpersonal skills or ability to understand men. I have seen a few people like that so to me she was believable and rather endearing. I can see why some people would be annoyed though - this kind of character is rare in real life so many might have not come across such people.

Overall, it is a must-watch for those who appreciate a thoughtful and visually appealing portrayal of love in a contemporary Chinese setting. Most importantly if you do decide to watch, I recommend you do not multi task. The pace is just right and each scene brings something important to your overall enjoyment so sit back and relax and enjoy every moment of this perfect romance.

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A Love NOT So Beautiful

First of all is it even a remake of A Love So Beautiful drama because it doesn't seem like it at all. Well little changes are definitely fine but they literally changed the whole story. The original drama and also the Korean remake starts with the female lead confessing her love to the male lead and when she gets rejected instead of being heartbroken she decides to win him over. This scene shows that the female lead wants the male lead to know that she loves him right? In this drama I never once felt that Som-O loves Chadjen. Som-O didn't want Chadjen to know that she likes him. Like she was screaming at him for no reason, getting mad, behaving as if she's his best friend. And blah blah blah

They messed up the original characters so much like bruh you won't even believe it. Jiang Chen is a cold male lead and in my opinion one of the best cold male lead in dramaland but is Jiang Chen a emotionally unavailable when you need him. The answer is no. Yes he doesn't express his feelings that much. But he still cares about Xiao Xi, his friends and sibling a lot. He is a kind hearted person, he is smart, he is mature. On the other hand they first showed that Chadjen as a clumsy person in his early childhood, then a famous student in his teenage years and an emotionally unavailable person in his adulthood. Yes the male lead is a smart guy, he is a topper but in the original he was a normal student NOT A CELEBRITY. Chadjen was like a celebrity, like a real one. Many girls were approaching to him and he didn't know how to say no, Jiang Chen knew how to say no. Also Chadjen was a really good swimmer in the first two to three episodes but after that the swimmer Chadjen just disappeared. Why did they even had to add this swimming Chadjen thing. Was the male lead a swimmer in the original drama? No, he wasn't, only the second male lead was a swimmer. I bet they didn't do any kind of research before making this drama. There were so many things wrong with the character of male lead.

Xiao Xi is a bit childish but she's responsible enough about most of the things. In the original the female lead becomes an independent woman. And watching her character development, felt like a beautiful journey. Xiao Xi made so many efforts for Jiang Chen, like waking up early, cooking for him, trying to be a better student, trying to get his attention and so on. Som-O is not Xiao Xi at all, she cooked for him once and then nothing else. She is so stupid but then she wanted to be a doctor like seriously!!!! Then when she failed her admission examination and she wanted Chadjen to tutor her. Why he should help you? Don't you have any self respect? Som-O is the most annoying character ever. I didn't like her at all.

Neo did justice to Wu Bo Song's character as Tao but still something was missing. Neo is a good actor and that's why Tao was likable. But the writing kinda messed up lots of things. Lin Jing Xiao was tough and cool but she was cute and kind at the same time. Emma was the right choice for this role but she wasn't anything like Lin Jing Xiao, she tried to act tough and cool but failed miserably. Lu Yang our chinese Nobita was so cute and funny but New was kinda annoying.

Xiao Xi's father supported her in everything, this father daughter duo was on same team in their little family. But in this version what's wrong with the father? He's so irritating, controlling his daughter, being overprotective for nothing. Your daughter Som-O isn't even that pretty or smart. I don't know why but I didn't like Som-O's mother too.


They messed up the main plots, this 5 students are friends, they like and care for each other a lot. They had bonding and their those chaotic, sad or cute moments was everything but we got nothing. In this version they just met up became friends instantly, no development at all. The poem Jiang Chen had written for his father literally made me cry but what the hell Chadjen wrote? Jiang Chen had a reason, strong desire to be a doctor but it was never shown in Chadjen's character. After admission examination failure Xiao Xi became mature, she made herself better in terms of many things. Don't let me get started on that stage play thing.

AND why the hell they turned the School Doctor to a senior student? I wanted to see the doctor student cute interactions again T_T

Every single thing about this drama is nonsense to me. I hate this drama a looooooooooooooot.

Dew is a horrible actor. Prim is below average. Some people were saying that she is a good actress but she acts good only in thriller dramas. I mean does that even make any sense. If she was a good actor, she would have acted well in every genre.


GMMTV used to be a company who used to make good adaptions or at least watchable one's. I don't know what happened to them after F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers, they started doing a poor job adapting new remake dramas. In GMMTV 2023 they announced 6 remakes project and all of them failed miserably when it comes to storyline. I knew the same was gonna happen to this one too after watching Faceless Love, Cherry Magic, Find Yourself and Beauty Newbie, still these dramas were watchable for the first half but A Love So Beautiful was a NIGHTMARE. I am so glad my nightmare finally ended!

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"I hope that in this world, there is someone who will come just for me."

"Legend of the Female General" (锦月如歌) is one of my highly anticipated dramas for 2025. It is based on the novel "Rebirth of a Star General" by Qian Shan Cha Ke, but I haven't read the book, so my review is based solely on the drama.

(NOTE: This review has been sitting in my drafts folder for 2 months, and I'm glad to finally publish it!)

PRODUCTION 📺:

For me, one of the things I like most in this drama are the action scenes, which are so well executed. Most of the time, as they wield their swords, whips and spears, I was glued to the screen, and I felt like I had an adrenaline rush just by watching them 😂. I think the production team really put effort into the choreography. Some memorable scenes include:
• He Yan's sword dance in Yezhou👏 ~  It's a combination of gracefulness and strength.
• He Yan's Duel with Ding Yi ~ Badass He Yan at one of her finest scenes!
• He Yan's face-off with the Lie He commander ~ this scene and the events leading up to it are just brilliantly done.
• Their battle with Wu Tuo at Jiyang and  He Yan's fight with Hu Ya Te, the commander of Wu Tuo.

There are still other action scenes of He Yan and Xiao Jue that I like, but I won't mention all of them anymore.

As for the location shoots and costumes, they are appropriate and meet my expectations for a costume drama set in a fictional period in Chinese history.

STORY/PLOT 📚:

Right from the start, the drama team shows us that one of the story's main themes is the romance between He Yan and Xiao Jue. For me, they have shown enough of the romantic aspect in the drama.  I also like the snippets of flashbacks in some episodes that show the dynamics between He Yan and Xiao Jue when they were still students in Xianchang Academy.

The military aspect is also dealt with, and their military exploits/espionage activities are complemented by the excellent fight scenes.  Another thing I appreciate in the drama is that He Yan's military genius, leadership and commanding presence really shine through in the scenes where they're needed.

Overall, the drama's pacing is good.  Each arc is given time and space to develop, except maybe for the last arc. As for the ending, it gives a good wrap-up for most of the characters.

There are some parts that could be better though:
• I wish they had shown more background on He Yan and her master Liu Bu Wang, like where and how they met, and how he helped mould her to become the person she is.
• Some parts could have been fleshed out further, but given the number of episodes, I think we got a good compromise.
• I was disppointed with how the scriptwriters treated General Yan He's character (played by Peter Sheng) towards the end.

CAST/ACTING 🎭:

Zhou Ye as He Yan is the one that stands out for me. She was able to show the different sides of He Yan - one who's feminine yet not dainty, sharp and strategic, an ace fighter and a leader. When she fights, she slays it! There were just some scenes with Xiao Jue in Yezhou city where I think she acted a bit too feminine, when she was supposed to be a man at that time.

Cheng Lei is one good actor who has portrayed memorable characters in other dramas, e.g., Gong Shang Jue in "My Journey to You". Here, he brings the same kind of intensity and focus as Xiao Jue. There are moments though when I feel he could bring more depth/emotions to his scenes.

He Ru Fei got my blood boiling many times; his character is so infuriating! Based on this alone, I'd say Bai Shu did a good job portraying him. He Ru Fei is a despicable character, with little redeeming qualities.

Zhang Kang Le was able to show the morally grey aspect of Chu Zhao. He could have been a great statesman, had he learned to let go of his obssession.

Li Qing as Cheng Li Su and Zhang Miao Yi as Song Tao Tao contributed to the light-hearted scenes. I like that they put these two characters in the drama.

QUOTABLE QUOTE 🔮:

"有时候做一个人的替身久了，难免会忘记自己是谁。我希望，这世上有那么一个人是为我而来。" ~ 禾晏
"Sometimes, when you've been another person's substitute for so long, you might forget who you are. I hope that in this world, there is someone who will come just for me." ~ He Yan

FINAL VERDICT ⭐️: If you like military dramas with great fight scenes and romance, and a kick-ass female lead who succeeded in a male-dominated world (despite having to dress up as a man first), then I would recommend this. Despite some parts that could have been better, this is still a good watch for me.

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“I see you clearly”, and I saw it all very clearly.

“I see you clearly”, and as I sat down and started watching this show, I saw it all very clearly.

I saw the beauty of nature, the breathtaking environment, the cultural heritage of the herders, the kind and warm-hearted Kazakh people and the ever changing times.

It’s a simple plot, but it’s beautifully told, with sympathetic depictions of the common minority folk and richly nostalgic evocations of rural life.

What a wonderful slow, character-driven story with its dreamlike quality, yet so detailed and personal that it captures and connects stunningly with so many lives.

I still have the lingering feeling of being intimately acquainted with the people living in the isolated yet beautiful landscapes of Altay.

The music score was just perfect and poignant; on more than one occasion I found myself shedding tears for the beauty of it.

I highly recommend this, and I am extremely grateful to the person who suggested it to me, as it is deserving of recognition and praise.

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weird n wonderful

The premise and promo images are misleading - if fluffy BL is all you’re after, this isn’t really it.

This show was a ride and I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it so much. It started off confusing me with it's strange combination of things. I watched the titles of the first episode wide-eyed, thinking – mother of god, this has to be a piss take. What followed was a mildly insane mixture of dated feeling melodrama (a lakhorn apparently - it educated me), BL (familiar with), mystery, 90’s kids’ show and sickly-sweet sentimentality. I have a terrible attention span so the fact it kept me engaged for 90 mins 3 times a week is quite an achievement. I kind of wanted to discuss it but a couple weeks in and the comment section was a hotbed of preachy angst so to preserve my enjoyment I stopped looking at it and kept to myself and my teddy bears. The main issue people were fighting over was Nut’s ‘tude, and treatment of Tofu and his mum. I’d advise to stop watching if it’s disturbing you. Otherwise be patient and stick with. He’s clearly being a dick but he has his reasons and - erm - it’s part of the story! The characters are all flawed but that’s the beauty and kind of the whole point of the show.

The fantasy elements wear off a lot after the first couple episodes and you're left with just the odd talking blanket. The low-techness of all that stuff I found v amusing. It also needed something to break up the heaviness and I was sorry to see those silly bits fade as it got a bit depressing without. Final ep though - it comes back with a f*cked up vengeance! I had been bothered by the missing slipper the whole time it was missing (several sad weeks) and refused to believe Tofu would forget his promise to reunite her with the other one. Thought I'd rest easy after the rescue but am still trying to process the cremation escape/dog chase. Surreal and disturbing in the extreme :'D Side note: I thought Tofu having sex on a bedspread that he converses with was pretty kinky. But he’s also a teddy, so that’s kind of kinkier? - or is it totally innocent? I can’t decide.

I’m so impressed (and patronising!) by Job - the actor playing Nut – thought he was great. I loved Tofu but some people won’t. He is self-sacrificing to the extreme which might be seen as irritating and possibly as an unhealthy example to set for “goodness”. He's more used as a symbol for goodness and love than he is a person. The feel of the acting from all the cast is on the melodramatic side, but that's the type of production it is. Tathan’s character was gorgeous, Kensit’s parents were like God-given, Song was a sweetheart, and despite her despicable actions I had a soft spot for Satjaree- she made a really good baddie. Saen/Sipmuem weren't characters you could really warm to, but he was a good actor and physically intimidating.

I’ve never seen anything like this show before – it’s silly, it’s deep, it’s encouraging, it’s tragic, it has Tofu’s beautiful face in it - and Nut’s when he’s not scowling. The healing of the relationship between Nut and his mum made me think about my own family and how important it is to express love to your loved ones while you can. I liked the theme song - Tofu/In’s voice is really distinctive and whenever it came on it felt like his character was there, smiling. I was pretty devastated by the final episode but it stitched me up again before it ended. I’m left a bit scarred - like tofu’s little paw! and vaguely uneasy around teddies and soft furnishings.

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This movie is about a murder that happens, and the mystery being uncovered bit by bit through different point of views. It might not be original but it is my favourite type of mystery movies, and this movie used it effectively to make a commentary about Japanese media and the power of internet. I found 2 quotes said during the movie summarize what the movie is all about:

People have false memories. They only tell things that benefit them.
The internet exposes the truth. The internet accuses falsely.

Throughout the movie, we listen to people's point of view of the main suspect of the murder. At first I took what they said at face value, or at least as people enjoying gossip and making assumptions based on what they think. Part of it was true, while the other part was people just wanting to make someone look bad since it made them look better. The more people and the media demonize one person, the easier it becomes for others to make the worst assumptions.

Throughout most of the movie, we follow Ayano Go's character who works at a channel station to uncover the murder mystery. However he wasn't looking for the truth, he was looking for a story that'll make him successful. His interviews and editing of films he puts up are bias and just lead to pointing fingers at one suspect. His reason of doing this is simple. It's just juicier and he get the positive attention he wanted. As for the attention he got, people are just bored and that was adding excitement in their lives. I don't think his character was made to be worst than anyone else, he just is, and so are others. Basically many had their own complex they worry about, and expressed it differently. Sometimes it can lead to dire consequences.

The acting from the whole cast was great, but especially Inoue Mao. One thing I wonder though, how the hell is she considered "plain" lol. I guess she tried being as plain as possible. We also got a reunion with her co-star from her Hana Yori Dango Days. We don't even see the actrices in even one scene together, but I still felt chemistry there and felt for both their characters. Weird huh. Maybe just my bias :P

Finally I just want to say I loved that movie. It got me absorbed early on and the more I watch the more I want to find out more. I felt I was one of those netizens making assumptions of the findings until we get someone reveal more and I'd be like, no wait a minute, I got it all wrong!

My trail of thought was all over the place so I hope this review is helpful and not confusing :P

PS: I found the first 10 minutes is hard to follow because it's a time where 2 characters are having a conversation while one of them is writing tweets and getting reply. Trying to follow both at the same time is not easy so I was worried the whole movie would be like that but thankfully is wasn't.

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This is a perfect show to watch when you're in the mood to get away from the long and draggy dramas.

I'd have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by how good this ended up being! You honestly feel like you just finished a 16 episode drama in only 4 hours. It was fast paced, yet everything unravelled perfectly. There's romance, action, friendship, and family wrapped in a short 4 hours.

The acting was definitely on par--the main actors along with the supporting ones. I really liked the chemistry between Chul Soo and Jin Ah; one of the main reasons why I like this drama so much! Plus, Chul Soo is so yummy, why wouldn't you want to see him nude? ;)

The OST was okay, but the drama being only 4 hours, there isn't much time to really appreciate the music.

I finished this wishing it was longer. :(
I definitely recommend this to you if you are a rom-com and a crime drama person. I will miss Naked Fireman and will definitely rewatch in the future!

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He forgets the past — but carries its weight, one name at a time, until memory becomes justice

"Remember" ist a Film about Revenge, Memory, and the Echo of History
An old man. A revolver. Five names tattooed on his fingers — and a memory slowly fading. "Remember" is no ordinary revenge thriller. It’s a film about guilt, about forgetting — and about what remains when history isn’t confronted, but buried.

At its center is Han Pil-joo, portrayed masterfully by Lee Sung-min. Before his memory slips away for good, he has one last mission. At his side: the young In-gyu (Nam Joo-hyuk), who only meant to drive the old man — and suddenly finds himself an accomplice in a revenge mission that is as absurd as it is moving.

What makes the film so remarkable is its tone: poised between tragedy and dark humor, between road movie and history lesson. This is no hero’s journey, but a moral dilemma — laced with dry wit, laconic dialogue, and a kind of tender melancholy. The camera remains still, the violence understated, almost quiet. And yet it cuts deep.

"Remember" is more than a thriller — it’s a commentary on Korea’s unresolved colonial past. From 1910 to 1945, Korea was under Japanese rule — a traumatic era that still reverberates. Many Koreans were forced into labor, women abused as so-called “comfort women.” And yet, some Koreans collaborated — out of fear, opportunism, or conviction.

The film poses an uncomfortable question: What if those collaborators survived — and simply continued their careers after 1945? What if they now sit in high offices, as businessmen, politicians, patriarchs? "Remember" hints at this — and leaves the audience with the haunting question of whether justice expires. Or whether, sometimes, it needs an old man with a gun.

In Korea, the topic remains sensitive. Official reckoning was long delayed, many archives stayed sealed, many names unspoken. And while Japan still struggles with a clear apology, Korea wrestles with its own culture of remembrance: How do you remember betrayal without losing yourself?

"Remember" doesn’t answer that. But it asks the right questions. And it does so through a protagonist who forgets — and in doing so, reminds us.

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Worth your time

(Minor spoilers)

What got me to start this was knowing the ML from another drama and enjoying his performance as well as the absolutely gorgeous poster. I went in with average expectations, and I was not disappointed. It was even better than I imagined.

Watching Kieta Hatsukoi and this back to back was an interesting experience. This featured a fairly masochistic character, some unhealthy relationship dynamics, and ominous music and shots. It's also somewhat dark but honest about it, with characters who are at times morally grey. But, believe it or not, you can enjoy this and Kieta Hatsukoi.

This was an addictive drama that always made me curious enough to go back and rewatch the recently released episode about six times before the next one was released. I had to pay attention to see what I may have missed. And there are quite a few small details that can be missed.

It was also wonderfully shot, had moments that promised something dangerous, and the music in particular really lended to the eerie/uncomfortable atmosphere at times. The light masochism was also quite interesting to watch. Not to mention they did a great job at building tension between Hira and Kiyoi. You feel those stares.

The way this was shot in particular really lended itself to the idea that Hira views Kiyoi as a King/God. They did an amazing job of making us see him the way he did too. On a pedestal. Above him. Some untouchable ethereal person. He comes into the classroom and a light shines on him while petals fall gracefully around him. He turns to the camera and gives us one smile and our heart stops. Or with symbolic moments such as Hira getting down on one knee to kiss his hand and even that small touch is so precious and he feels unworthy for receiving it from his King.

One last compliment:

The ending shot literally looks like a painting based on ancient times. They literally look like art pieces. I want to capture it and frame it on my wall. Just... Hats off to the person who directed this and the people who filmed it.

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Liar Game: The Final Stage starts off right where Liar Game 2 leaves off and it basically puts a cap on the series. I am guessing this show must have been extremely popular and that is why they decided on continuing this way. A movie generates a lot of bennies when it's popular. Just a Guess.

But whatever works because I enjoyed the movie just as much as the first two series. If you want to read more detailed thoughts into this series; how much I liked the look and feel, how I feel about Akiyama and Nao, and mostly what I feel about the mind twisty games and great writing, then feel free to go back and read my reviews if you care to.

I will say this: I enjoyed that Nao had further character development in this movie but without losing her essential personality. I know a lot of people have problems with Nao and I was one of them in the beginning. She's so overly trusting and honest to the point where most in our society look at her and just see "stupid" written across her forehead. But I got used to her...I came to actually like her and by the movie's end...I was proud of her. And even more importantly..you can see that Akiyama is proud of her too. Don't underestimate the truly honest!

Also, I loved the ending of this movie. It made me warm and fuzzy all over. Perfect end to a great series. Have fun watching!

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I was looking forward to the drama every week. It was the only cdrama I kept up with these past few months, I had others that I dropped but this kept me on my toes.
The story revolves around the Dugu Clan, specifically the three sisters: Dugu Banruo (eldest), Dugu Mantuo (second oldest) and Dugu Jialuo (Youngest).

Initially I did not expect much sisterly love between any of the sisters because most sisters in traditional dramas hate each other for no reason. However, Banruo loves the youngest, Jialuo dearly because she practically raised her.It was so touching to see her do anything she can to save her sister. I loved their relationship the most. Banruo is played by one of my top favorite Taiwanese actress, Ady An. She did a WONDERFUL job with her role. Although her role was obsessed with having her "Dugu tian xia" - so obsessed to the point that she's betrays someone quite close to her. Unlike Mantuo, she puts her family safety above all others. Until the end, she knew which side to be on and what really mattered.

Second sister, Mantuo, is the antagonist of this drama. She's VERY VERY VERY annoying. She's also OBSESSED with the Dugu Tian Xia legend but she thinks everyone is against her when really its the other way around. She's willing to betray and back stab (and kill) her family. She fake cries to get her way around and get what she wants. Mantuo may be smart but she doesn't know that everyone else is even smarter and that those people knows who she really is and what she's up to. Yet, she continues to bat her eyelashes as if she's innocent in her wrongdoings. It's hialrious and irritating at the same time. I hate that the actress keeps pouting her lips, its ridiculous. In the end, she was still a pain in the ass. I still can't tell if the actress is good at her role or not because the pouting, baby talking, innocent act were very irritating to me. Like I wanted to slap her. :]

Youngest Jialuo was very carefree and did not let anyone boss her around.. She knows what she wants and its not "Dugu Tian Xia." She, like Banruo, holds her family above anything else. Which means she is willing to follow her father's orders despite protest against marrying ..someone. She and Mantuo is always fighting because Mantuo is a B****. Banruo is always on Jialuo side because she knows how cunning Mantuo is.

Main couple: Jialuo and Yang Jian were very cute once they warmed up to each other. I grew to love them when Yang Jian finally figured out Mantuo was a lying piece of ****..:]

Overall story is all about lies, betrayal, sisterhood, fight for the throne and high ranks in the palace, friendship, family, and love.

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Angsty, Murderous and Twisty

This is definitely a dark, short length cdrama. I’ve written the trigger warnings below. The drama is about the female lead who discovers she is a novel character assigned the role of the villain who dies at the end of the story. With the help of the “Book of Fate” (a book that has the future story written down), she begins to fight against fate to change her tragic ending.

POSITIVE:
- Villainous/cunning female lead.
- Heartless/morally grey male lead.
- 100% angst. The plot, the romance, everything is angsty.
- Murderous vibes.
- Lots of twists and turns.
- A pinch of sweet moments. Yes, there are sweet romantic moments but they are very sparse.
- Non cliche path. The writers really went to places that not a lot of dramas dare to do.

NEGATIVE:
- Too dark at times. Some scenes were very disturbing to watch and very emotionally heavy.
- The male lead was great but at the same time I felt something was missing. Not sure if it was the fact that he has a baby face when his character is ruthless or maybe that he needed to have more scenes at certain plot points that were important for his character.

OVERALL:
If you want a villainous female lead with 100% angsty plot, romance and murder vibes, watch this drama.

TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Multiple attempts of r**e, as well as suicide, abuse and murdering.
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READ THE BELOW ONLY IF YOU’VE FINISHED THE DRAMA!!!!!!!
I saw some comments from people saying that there are plot holes (not true) in the drama and some people being confused about the ending. Here are my explanations about the ending and Book of Fate.

How did the Book of Fate fall into the FL’s hands?
FL began to have desires that were different from what the Book of Fate had written. That’s why in the end FL says to the Fortune Writer “You want to control everything. I’m your worst ending”. In the very final scene, we have a little boy that opens another Book of Fate and the new Fortune Writer says “as long as there are desires, I’m here”

How did ML break out of Fortune Writer’s hold?
Just like the FL, he had strong desires that were different from what the Fortune Writer had written. He was always supposed to kill FL, not protect her. As his desire to love and protect her grew, the hold the Fortune Writer had on him lessened.

How does ML regain his memories?
We see the ML getting glimpses of his memories before he kills himself to protect FL. After FL defeats the Fortune Writer, we see all characters forging their own path. Since ML’s desire is to be with FL, he regains his full memories to fulfil his desired path. In the drama it’s mentioned that 3 months have passed, that is more than enough time for him to regain his memories.

Who is the ultimate Fortune Writer?
In the final scene, a little boy gets the book and thus a new cycle begins. The boy is just like the FL that will start fighting with the new Fortune Writer. The point is that everyone in this drama is a book character, so as long as they are book characters there will always be a Fortune Writer that they will fight against. The characters and the Fortune Writer are interconnected. Every story needs a writer. And every writer needs its characters.

The drama also mentions “Zhuangzi's dream of a butterfly”. Fortune Writer also says that in the drama “Am I dreaming or are you dreaming” “Are you real or am I real”. The dream of a butterfly tells the change in consciousness between reality and illusion. To me this shows that FL “awakens” from the novel and becomes her own real self. So from another perspective we can see the Fortune Writer is another part of the FL. Both are playing their respective roles. When you think about it, even though Fortune Writer seems like the enemy, he actually pushes FL to awaken and break free. Otherwise why would FL gain the ability to see the plot before it happens. It's all connected.

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started with a bang, ended with a whimper

Overall: I was hoping for two flawed and aggressive characters having a lot of consensual BDSM NSFW scenes with eventual character change/growth and...I got none of that. Based on a book which I haven't read. Eight episodes at about 45 minutes. Aired on YouTube (cut), GagaOOLala and iQIYI (uncut).

Content Warnings: drugging, attempted sexual assault, non/dub con, death in a flashback, grief, manipulation, blackmail, slap

What I Liked
- that the two main characters were not innocent/angels
- the intro and OST
- I did laugh a couple times with the two bodyguards
- some of the content warnings weren't as bad as I feared (from watching the trailer)
- color symbolism (one character frequently wears red and the other wears green)
- good discussion about marriage equality
- a f/f couple though they didn't have much screen time
- production value*

Room For Improvement
- I heard the novel was 90% nsfw and 10% plot and I honestly would have liked it better if they had kept it that way because the plot they created was cliched and boring
- the BDSM aspect oddly vanished
- the NSFW scenes were mainly flashbacks/short
- multiple dead fish lip kisses
- awful communication skills
- their relationship dynamic kept shifting rapidly for no reason
- the flash forward start was a bit confusing, I'd rather they had shown a flashback from a year ago to set up why they hated each other so much, they kind of explained it later on but not really
- confusing things, they seemed to spend too much time in some parts (like the interviews) but then went too fast/didn't properly explain other things (going from bedroom to the bar, are they on the same level???)
- unrealistic stuff: a super rich person has two incompetent bodyguards, keeping your supplies like that, not stepping on broken glass all over the floor, seems like it took too long for what they ingested to take effect
- them getting frisky with two women and pursuing a woman makes this feel like a "gay for you" trope is around the corner, would have liked if at least one, preferably both had been with other guys
- comedy sound effects
- *bad camera angles

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