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If ghost stories lie within your watching preferences, perhaps you would have a better time with Hotel Del Luna. As for myself, I was not a fan of the overall plot. It came off as a tad too shallow. For one, there’s a severe imbalance between plot filler (which is how I classify every individual ghost’s story, each of which occupies 80% of each episode) and the truly interesting main plot, which falls off to the wayside. Unless you enjoy brief appearances of random guest ghosts, you’ll probably end up like me: sitting through over an hour’s worth of time per episode, helplessly asking when the Hong Sisters will address Man Wol’s story—which is rarely, until you cross the halfway point of the entire show. What the writers do with Man Wol’s history when it is addressed feels lackluster, if only due to all the unnecessary time buildup prior to it.
The real problem is that we are hardly given reasons to care about each visiting ghost in any major emotional capacity. Although they have interesting stories, it’s a bit like walking down a city sidewalk: you see someone with a pretty wardrobe, “ooh” at it for a second, and then forget your appreciative impressions of it an hour later. Maybe it seems as if I’m being coldhearted, but as much as the Hong Sisters try to emphasize that these ghosts were human with human sufferings, the way the show frequently relies on shock value and horror elements over the ghosts’ pain and healing resulted in me not being able to build true sympathy for these souls. Imagine repeating this apathy for every episode: it’s exhausting trying to force an emotional connection.
The only saving grace of Hotel Del Luna is Man Wol. The way IU presents her character’s conflicting ego and heart is as poignant as it is mysterious, and she executes the identity of a CEO with a low economic IQ with hilarity. Had it not been for this quirkiness of Man Wol’s character, I would not have stuck around until the end. And that’s despite my love for Yeo Jin Goo: though his acting is excellent as always, Chan Sung is a perfect example of a supporting character who hides behind the guise of being a “main character.” There’s only one protagonist in this story, her name being Man Wol. There’s nothing wrong with this, but it is a bit of a letdown that everyone else has the potential to be equally interesting, yet doesn’t get nearly enough development. Chan Sung, for example, is a nobody—beyond pushing Man Wol to address her emotional wounds, he doesn’t possess the individualism that a lead character should have. This means that while the interactions between him and Man Wol may be compelling to watch, the moment that you isolate Chan Sung away from her, he devolves into a character who’s mediocre at best and painfully boring at worst. Seeing as I view Chan Sung like this, that should give you a pretty good idea of what I think of the other supporting characters: meh.
That all being said, I can see the reasons behind the hype. I just wouldn’t say that they’re justified: gorgeous cinematography, a cast list riddled with famous names, and an amazing soundtrack are all great assets to have within a drama. If future shows could continue Hotel Del Luna’s ability to create an effective atmosphere, I would have zero complaints. But what use is all of that if the show at its core doesn’t match up to the level of its decorations? Hotel Del Luna is almost sadly entertaining in that it may be fun in the moment, but doesn’t leave a deep enough impression to be phenomenal.
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What's Shining?
Such a tiring script.ML should just move on and give that other girl a chance who's been crushing on him since high school.
Putting a name tag of her name in his backpack for support was really sweet. Letting him know she's there thinking of him. It's not a big deal, but if she can do that little thing without even dating ML.... what about FL who got with him two times?
FL is impossible. Dates ML, but then later drops him because she wants to work far away.
She likes her job. Nice!
But not trying anymore with her boyfriend because their schedules doesn't match so lets break up.
Gets back with him years later because she wasn't happy with the new life she left him for was dumb.
Also irritated with ML behavior for taking the time to take care of her feelings again when she doesn't have the time for his.
& why is she still being around her ex?
He's there always telling her what to do and she just let him.
ML had a girlfriend his friend said so, but where is she?
He doesn't keep talking and drinking with her does he?
When can they write a ML forgetting his first love and moving on? He will be 70 and still waiting for FL to return.
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1All that glitters is not gold!
This drama had everything going for it. From stunning sets, dramatic costumes, popular cast and a trailer that promised intrigue, romance and political drama. Unfortunately, it turns out that lavish wardrobes and good-looking actors in them can't save the day.The most glaring issue here was the writing. The drama just can't seem to decide what it wants to be till the very end.
Was it a royal romance? A musical drama? A political thriller? A princess diary fanfic BL version? There were too many storylines crammed in here. Instead of choosing one and committing, it tries to do all and ends up doing none well.
Let's start with tonal whiplash. One moment, you are dealing with serious political protests and in the very next scene, Khanin suddenly bursts into song with a piano playing softly in the background. I understand singing during protests is nothing new and it's a time-honoured form of resistance, but this was Broadway theatrical in a way that totally undermined the gravity of that scene and took all seriousness out of it.
Coming to the main couple, they definitely look good on paper, but felt like paper in execution. Khanin is both the crown prince and somehow the least interesting person in most of the scenes. He starts as an interesting character, a normal boy adapting to palace culture in a foreign land, but quickly develops into this lovesick puppy whose only job is to pine, pose and moon over Charan.
Charan, on the other hand, is a man of few words and fewer expressions.
He was stiff, stoic and emotionally blank for most of the drama. He definitely had an air of nobility, and we were shown a few glimpses of inner turmoil that could have been fleshed out more to give us something, but I never got a sense of what drives him. Was it a sense of justice or his duty? He was just the "dependable one" and that's about it. Also the amount of filters on Zee's face was a baffling choice. He is already handsome. There was no need to smooth out every trace of expression. We know his age and there is nothing wrong with showing it. Why try to hide what already works!!??
I felt their relationship developed too fast. They have chemistry and I don't deny that, but just not enough development for me to root for them. They were very bland. Even the infamous NC scene looked like a fever dream you would expect from a Wattpad fanfic. It felt overdramatic and oddly timed.
Meanwhile, the second couple, Ramil and Paytai, sitting on the bench at the side, actually had a compelling dynamics but barely got any screen time. They had something emotionally raw brewing, trauma bonding, guilt, co-dependence. We were served crumbs of them but that’s the only part I ended up caring about.
Then there’s Ava. I was genuinely curious to see how the writers would handle her arc and they disappointed me exactly as expected. They made her stand up just to knock her back down again whenever it suited the plot (or their mood apparently). So much potential, so little effort.
I will not even talk about Calvin and Jay because they got so little screen time. They were written in but weren't written for. All the side characters had a better story in my humble opinion.
The polished cinematography, sparkling costumes and wide shots of castles and palaces screamed high budget. But honestly, it felt like a hollow chocolate wrapped in gold foil. Pretty to look at but kind of pointless when you are left with nothing to chew on. And also, I wished they were a bit subtle about the product placement.
And I wasn't particularly impressed with any of the acting performances, especially of the leads. I don't know if it was the writing or what, but NO.
Overall, this was a disappointment for me, not the fun kind which you can laugh about. I am not sure if the team thought aesthetics could do all the heavy lifting. I will not recommend this.
P.S.- This review is not meant to discourage anyone from watching the drama. If you are interested, absolutely give it a try. :) And this isn’t also a jab at the actors either. My disappointment comes from a place of a viewer who was genuinely excited for the series. You might wonder why I didn’t drop it midway, well you can thank my NDD for that.
But if you enjoyed the show, please take this review with a grain of salt and as one person’s perspective among many.
Thank you for reading my review and I hope you have a lovely day. <3
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1All Warfare Is Based on Deception
The Vendetta of An (or The Twenty-Four Strategies of Chang’an/长安二十四计) is an intense, fast-paced suspense thriller with an intricate plot full of twists and reversals. Set in a fictional dynasty, feudal lord Xiao Wuyang marches into Chang’an and deposes his brother, puppet emperor Xiao Wenjing. Yet his grip on the throne remains tenuous until the tyrannical General Yan Fengshan is captured and his elite shadow army, the Huben, is disbanded. If anyone is up to this perilous task, it must be the son of the Huben’s founder. Finally, the stage is set for Xie Huai’an to return to the capital to demand an accounting for his family’s massacre fifteen years earlier.Though Huai’an is driven by revenge, as the Chinese title suggests, the plot unfolds along the lines of art of war. It is an intriguing and sophisticated conspiracy where the devil is in the details, and the chessboard is not fully visible to all players. These schemes play out amid the daily lives of ordinary people in Chang’an—an innovative take on the classic “empty fort strategy” (空城計, kōng chéng jì). Ultimately, all warfare is based on deception, and Chang’an is the battlefield where hidden protagonists and antagonists attempt to outwit each other with complex, multi-layered stratagems. This drama demands full attention; its dialogue carries literary depth and is laden with clues that hint at complex character motivations.
This is without a doubt one of the most engaging and best-written dramas I’ve watched in 2025. However, across 28 episodes, the drama packs in too many ideas and themes. There is a profound sense of foreshadowing and symmetry, of cause and effect and “an eye for an eye,” that underlies the plot arcs and character outcomes. But it succumbs to the overdose of melodrama and excessive twists that have weighed down too many 2025 dramas—often at the cost of both character and logic. Vendetta takes “falling off a cliff” to new levels in how unbelievably incompetent every character seems at stabbing someone in the guts. The breakneck pace and multiple reversals successfully distract from how certain aspects of the plot and characters don’t fully hold together. It’s high entertainment, but it pushes the limits of suspension of disbelief and doesn’t withstand close scrutiny.
Although Huai’an is widely touted as a brilliant strategist several steps ahead of everyone else, his wins are few and far between. They come at a high cost, often by adopting the “self-injury stratagem” (苦肉計, kǔ ròu jì). This is fitting—the stakes are sky-high, and Huai’an is under-resourced and outmanoeuvred by hidden foes who, like him, play the long game. In this story, characters are allowed to fail, with real consequences. While Huai’an has loyal allies, they make mistakes and, worse, need rescuing at pivotal moments. Often, the antagonists seem smarter, more competent and more ruthless. Yet they, too, are grounded in reality; miscalculate and possess flaws that can be exploited to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. With such well-matched players, the margin between victory and defeat is razor-thin, turning on a dime.
Plot-wise, the narrative builds through multiple exciting twists to a thrilling and satisfying climax about two-thirds of the way through. Lurking in the shadows are Tiemo sleeper cells, ready to “loot a burning house” (趁火打劫, chèn huǒ dǎ jié) by exploiting Chang’an’s internal strife. Huai’an is taken by surprise, routed, and trapped at a disadvantage as hidden enemies emerge from the woodwork and barbarians gather at the gates. This story arc contains so many double- and triple-crosses, schemes within schemes, and bombshells that the plot becomes slightly deformed. For me, the best subplot was Wang Pu’s short arc, a masterclass in psychological warfare. In contrast, Baiwan’s arc felt unnecessary, adding little beyond forced angst while artificially lowering the intelligence of Huai’an’s team. That time would have been better spent deepening more interesting characters and tying up loose ends.
Cheng Yi navigates Xie Huai’an’s introspective transitions well, particularly as he reins in his obsession with an unchangeable past and finds a higher cause in a changeable future. The main aspect of his portrayal that missed the mark for me was its overly maudlin tone. The frequent waterworks made it seem as though he was the only character who had ever suffered loss during chaotic times. It’s also difficult to root for a protagonist so world-weary and single-minded in purpose. Thus, for me, Li Lianhua remains Cheng Yi’s best role, even though Vendetta of An has the stronger plot.
The main characters are multifaceted, with interesting backstories anchored by an impressive roster of veterans and solid performances all around. I found Wenjing’s duality—the twists and turns of his journey and his struggle against his true nature—most compelling. Unfortunately, his character was eventually dumbed down and squandered for shock value and cheap angst. Among the younger cast, Liu Yitong's Han Ziling was memorable. While I can’t fault the acting, Wang Jinsong’s gentle aura felt mismatched to his role. Yan Fengshan emerges as a more intense and menacing villain than the primary antagonist.
The finale builds to another exciting, action-packed, high-stakes climax in which Huai’an deftly “lures the tiger down the mountain” (調虎離山, diào hǔ lí shān) with yet another self-injury stratagem, then “shuts the door to catch the thief” (關門捉賊, guān mén zhuō zéi) and “borrows a corpse to resurrect the soul” (借屍還魂, jiè shī huán hún). There’s much to unpack in the excellent finale, though it leaves several loose ends only partly tied up in the special episode. The ending was more clear on a second watch—more on that in the spoiler section below. Most importantly, Huai’an’s final epiphany brings his character journey to a fitting close.
Overall, this drama that is a feast for the eyes and a boot camp for the little gray cells would have benefited from fewer themes and narrative curveballs. A tighter plot with fewer logic holes could have earned a 9.0 from me, but as it stands, it’s a highly recommended 8.5/10.
ENDING SPOILERS & ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
(Do not scroll further if you have not finished the drama.)
On a second watch, I realized the final episode is far more definitive than I initially believed. To begin with, Huai’an’s hair did not magically turn white overnight; he dyed it again, just as he did before infiltrating Hidden Soldier Valley. According to Cen Weizong’s reading of his natal chart, Baitou's hair would not turn white again until the end of his lifespan (83 years). He was playing to the Tiemo King's superstition by suggesting he was at death’s door.
As Huai’an is stabbed and his life flashes before his eyes, he finally admits he still wants to live—if only to remember his family a little longer. He breaks free from his obsession with revenge and reclaims his identity as Liu Zhi, a Huben shadow guard sworn to protect Chang’an. When he triggers the explosion, he discards his identity as Xie Huai’an, who stays in the granary and dies in the blast. Liu Zhi, however emerges and takes a day or two to live as an ordinary person. One could argue Liu Zhi never walked out of the granary either, but what matters more is that the character’s journey comes full circle. It’s a good ending, even without the special.
The special episode ties up loose ends and is clearly a prelude to a second season. Wuyang ends up on the throne, while Wenjing remains officially dead, choosing to serve the court incognito as the former pageboy Zhang Mo. Ye Zheng leaves to court his love Zhaolu, and Xiaoqing becomes a doctor.
The mysterious figure in Yulong Ridge is quite obviously Liu Zhi. He lets his hair down and imprisons himself there among his Huben guard—much like the Tiemo King did—to manipulate events from the shadows. He owes Cen a favor (likely a quid pro quo for luring the Tiemo King to the granary), after which they are square. This sets up the next season involving a mysterious figure at Mt. Shiluoman in Tiemo. Liu Zhi's work is not done; 200,000 Tiemo troops can still be deployed at any time. Until that threat is neutralized and lasting peace is achieved, it’s convenient to let the world believe Huai’an/Liu Zhi is dead. The person at Mt. Shiluoman is likely a high priest—probably Cen’s superior. When Huai’an kidnapped the Tiemo envoy, he mentions an altar at Mt. Shiluoman where nobles undergo a ceremony to receive the token around his neck. A new king should soon be chosen in Tiemo. It is in Liu Zhi/Chang'an's interest to try to influence the process.
One of the larger open plot holes for me is what drove Liu Ziyan and Yan Fengshan to turn on Liu Zhiwei. The only explanation that makes some sense is that they blamed him for the disastrous mission to rescue a high-ranking Huben spy captured by the Tiemo King 25 years earlier. I don’t believe that spy was Liu Zhi’s mother, as the timeline doesn’t align: she couldn’t have given birth to Liu Li/Baiwan if she died 25 years ago, and it contradicts Huai’an’s statement that his mother died when he was ten. I also find it difficult to believe that two uneducated Tiemo slaves raised as wolf bait could rise to become two of the most erudite and high-ranking officials in Chang’an. I could go on but I will stop here because I did enjoy this drama quite a bit despite the logic holes.
WANG PU ARC SPOILERS
Wang Pu made a fatal mistake when he couldn't resist meeting with Huai'an. He lost the moment he went to that temple by himself. He wasn't alone of course but he didn't realize Huai'an's men would kill all of his men that were following him there.
When Wang Pu learned of that YFS murdered his parents, he didn't care at all. The problem is YFS would NEVER believe that and would never trust him the same way again. This is the brilliance of Huai'an's trap - he ruined their relationship simply by meeting alone with Wang Pu to tell him his origin story. It is his nature - YFS would never be able to trust Wang Pu again. This left poor Stockholm Syndrom Wang Pu no choice but to prove his loyalty by killing himself. But YFS is a sick son-of-a-bitch. He could have refused to confirm what Huai'an told Wang Pu. But instead he told him in bloody detail anyway and when he was finished Wang Pu started eating the poisoned dumplings.
Huai'an already said Checkmate to Wang Pu at the end, both knowing how this would play out. But Wang Pu thought he would be able to deliver YFS a final win by luring Huai'an to watch his downfall. But even in this, he was outplayed bc Huai'an never showed up. It was an eye for an eye for Bai Wan's death.
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The acting... OMG!! The cast was amazing but the acting was more than I expected of a movie like this. Night is like my new bias. I also love the subtle hints of vampirism that they used with Night like the Dracula haircut and the red eyes which signifies eye dryness (they are not human) or exposure to too much sunlight. Wine was so creepy and psycho it was scary how good he was.
The music was amazing. I really want the soundtrack. One minute there was beautiful, opera-like music and then 5 minutes later, it was eerie, dark and creepy music that made the atmosphere which is what music in movies is supposed to do.
I recommend this SO MUCH if you like vampires, revenge, psychotic behavior, and amnesia in the story (it has it all!). I certainly will watch it in the future when I remember it as being an mind-blowing movie.
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This review may contain spoilers
I'm gonna say this straight up: this is probably the best wuxia/fantasy/adventure/epic drama I've watched. Multiple factors add to this such as cast, script, BEAUTIFUL cinematography, actually good CGI and so on. Story: The story was very fleshed out and complex, and did the novel justice. Each character, even the minor ones felt like they were placed wherever they were for a purpose and not just as a tool for the plot to move on. The plot was a little draggy in some parts but as I don't really pay attention to these things I didn't take any points off for it. One thing I can say is that I never felt like I wanted to take a break from the series (as I do with a LOT of Chinese and Korean dramas) or drop it. In fact, if I ever missed something accidentally, I would go back and rewatch it in case I missed something important. I also fast forward and speed up my other dramas, but I didn't for this one which I think expresses my devotion haha. The plot is also quite original and there are certain things that set it apart from other wuxia fantasy shows. For example, the fight scenes are very realistic. The opening scene really shocked me as you can see the work the crew and actors have done to make it look and feel real (it worked). Also, the regular tropes that other dramas used are completely changed in this drama. For example, in one of the scenes, the Emperor says (I can't remember exactly what he said oops) "A child born of royalty can live and take revenge, but the child of a doorkeeper can't? What sort of rubbish idea is this?" And this actually made me think...
Acting/Cast: Chen Feiyu, being quite young, filled the shoes of the complicated NingQue very well. He was good at expressing happiness, shamelessness, and quick-fire retaliation with his words. His smug face when he won something from someone is so endearing. I would give him personally a 9.5 for acting as just a few scenes (mostly of negative emotions) felt off. Song Yiren was absolutely amazing, and I would say she is the best main character of the show, She was perfect at expressing child-like dependence and admiration for NingQue as SangSang. She also showed off SangSang's practicality and work ethic very well, as well as her underlying love for NingQue. The romance between the two is extremely subtle in the first half, but from episode 40 or so when NingQue returns with Mo ShanShan, it begins to show as the two are forced to confront each other with what they really want from each other. I loved the endearing way NingQue treated SangSang, you could tell that even though he made fun of her and treated her as a maid sometimes, he really cared for her and would do anything for her. In one scene, he says "SangSang isn't the door to my life, she is my life." Oh God. The other side characters did very well in their roles. I found YanSe and WeiGuangMing particularly astounding, and I'm glad some veteran actors had big roles in the drama (unlike some dramas which only focus on the young actors to attract more audiences). Other characters I loved were ChenPiPi (and his bromance with NingQue and his cuteness), YeHongYu (as NingQue said: "You are THE strongest woman I've ever met."), LiYu (the princess of Tang, an ambitious woman) and every person in the Upper Story.
Music: I like most of the songs in the OST and some of them are very suited to a particular character or setting. For example back in the army they would sing the song "Take your life" and so on. However there would be a song for a particular character but then used for another character which was awkward (but it was a nice song so I didn't mind).
Rewatch value: Okay so the only reason I won't rewatch this is because it's kinda long. Also there's a second season, so I'll just wait for that. BUT the second season won't have Chen Feiyu, which is a shame as I grew used to his face and acting style. The romance and other relationships won't be the same... I've heard news that the main lead in the second season is going to be Dylan Wang, who played DaoMingSi in Meteor Garden. I found his character childish in that and kind of restricted to a few emotions (I didn't even finish, stopped at episode 30) so we'll see how it goes.
10/10 recommend!!
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Drama Special Series Season 1: White Christmas
54 people found this review helpful
But if you're looking for a thought provoking drama where you can spend half the time guessing whom the murderer is, and the rest of the time studying the abilities of the human mind; then this is the one for you.
This drama is based on the question "Are monsters born or made?" and focuses on the psychologic part the story. Now before you back away (I know I usually back farfar away from movies that have a psychologic theme) this one is really worth the watch!
There were frustrating parts and questions that weren't fully answered. I also wish that there had been more shown about each characters background. I rated the rewatch value low only because of the fact that once you have watched it, you will already know how it will end and who the murderer is.
Over all, a very interesting and thought provoking story that pulls you in and allows you to ponder about one of life's greatest questions; "Are monsters born or made?"
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This review may contain spoilers
Mixed Reviews? Just watch it.
Im going to give my opinion on the complaints i see, whilst trying to remain unbiased because Pit babe (1+2) are easily in my top 10.1. "There wasn't enough recap from the first season, I was confused!"
That’s entirely on you. I know my memory’s trash too, so you know what I did when season two dropped? I rewatched season one. Simple as that. You can’t fault a show for not spoon-feeding you a 30-minute recap just because you didn’t bother catching up.
It’s just common sense if a sequel comes out years after the original, whether it’s a series or a movie, you go back and refresh your memory. That’s your job as a viewer. Expecting the story to pause and re-explain everything just because you forgot is wild.
2. "Where are the authorities?"
Our main antagonist isn’t just some random thug he’s a very well-connected billionaire (or at least extremely wealthy) with ties to businessmen, politicians, and all sorts of shady elites. He’s also full of pride and ego. Involving the police would risk exposing himself and be an admission that he couldn’t handle things on his own that he had to rely on “low-level pawns” to do the dirty work for him. That’s not his style.
And from the protagonists’ side, calling the cops would be pretty much useless. With the kind of power Tony holds, the second law enforcement got involved, he’d be tipped off instantly. The whole thing would backfire, fast. In short: the cops aren’t missing they’re just irrelevant in a world where money, influence, and abilities speak louder.
3. "How the hell is Tony back? Lazy screenwriting."
(Skip this part if you're avoiding spoilers.)
People keep acting like this came out of nowhere, but it’s literally been explained since season one—this whole series is built around people with special abilities. That’s not a new thing. Tony’s ability is that he can bring himself back to life if he swallows his own blood at the time of death. It’s not some random plot twist; it’s tied directly to the rules of the world they’ve set up.
The downside? His body still needs time to recover and he has to be closely monitored after. He’s not some untouchable immortal, and the show doesn’t treat him like one. It’s not lazy writing it's actually one of the more consistent things in the story. We were given clear answers to the what, how, and why. Just because you missed it, doesn’t mean the writing failed.
4. "The acting was terrible."
This one’s super subjective. Personally, I thought the acting was solid line delivery, emotion, all of it felt on point. There were plenty of scenes where you could clearly see what the characters were feeling or thinking without them having to say a word. That’s real acting. It’s not just about speaking lines it’s about expressing, embodying, feeling the role. And in Pit Babe 2, I felt that.
To me, “bad acting” is when someone’s just reciting words with no depth, no connection to the character or the emotion behind it. I never got that vibe here. If anything, it felt like the cast really got their roles and committed to them.
5. "The plot was bad/not present."
(Heavy spoilers, read after watching.)
This is hands down the worst opinion I’ve seen in the reviews.
We’re continuing from season one where Tony was running a human trafficking facility for superhuman babies. That was the whole climax, and in the end, his plan was exposed and he was presumed dead. Season two picks up from that exact mess, and people are acting like the plot disappeared?
The main crew is trying to make sure something like that never happens again. That’s where the serum comes in. They’re developing one that can remove special abilities. The point is to protect people who don’t want their powers or can’t control them. Jeff is a great example of this. His ability is unstable and dangerously strong. If he doesn’t get rid of it, it could seriously hurt him or others.
Then conflict hits fast. With Kim leaving, the team is weaker. They try to patch that by bringing in North as a new racer. That’s already a big shift in dynamics, but then enters Willy. New racer, new energy, and he's openly interested in P’Babe. For the first time ever, Babe comes in second place, which throws everything off. The team feels it. Babe feels it. It rattles him hard and starts pulling at his relationship with Charlie.
Charlie, on the other hand, is stressed and pouring everything into the serum. He’s not trying to be distant on purpose—he just wants them to be safe. He wants a future where Babe isn’t hunted or used for his ability, ever again. So he temporarily steps away from racing to finish the serum, but that only creates more space between him and Babe.
Then Dean returns. That alone brings more tension. He’s promoted to racer to help support the team while Charlie’s away, but let’s be honest, Dean’s presence always comes with drama.
And just when they’re trying to hold it together, guess who comes back? Tony. Not in the loud, obvious way people expected, but silently through Willy. Tony’s no longer chasing the boys himself. He’s watching from the shadows, playing the long game. His new goal is creating a serum that gives special abilities. Imagine how much money that could bring in—selling powers to the highest bidder, especially in military or elite circles.
So while the team is trying to eliminate the danger of abilities, Tony’s building the exact opposite. And while that’s happening, Babe’s shaken confidence, Charlie’s distance, Dean’s reappearance, and the team reshuffling all add more layers to the actual plot.
There was a plot. And not just a basic one. It was detailed, emotional, and connected all the way back to season one. Pit Babe is the only Thai BL series that’s even touched this kind of storyline. Calling it unoriginal, bad, non-existent, or lazy just because it isn’t your cup of tea is just a lazy and shallow take.
((Its like saying Vanilla ice cream is terrible just because you don't like it, its not disgusting it's just not something you personally enjoy; therefore you have no right to deter others away from it.)**)
Now on the complaints i expect to see.
1. "Alan was hellbent on protecting everyone, why is he so selfish now?"
At first, it didn’t make sense to me either. Alan has always been the caretaker the rock of the team. He’s the oldest, the boss, the mentor. Everyone leans on him. But season two reveals his old spinal injury from racing hasn't healed and it’s come back and worsened. His condition is chronic, affecting his nerves and mobility, its not just old age and something he can get rid of. He can’t race, he can’t pushd his body like he used to, he cant properly protect the team. Altogether it shoves him into feeling useless, he knows he can't protect anyone; and if he goes through surgery to get rid of these spinal issues he'd be even more limited on how he could help because he'd be recovering.
That helplessness is what pushes him into bargaining with Tony. He believes going to Tony might make him stronger and give him a way to protect Dean and Kenta. He’s never dealt with Tony directly, he isn't truly aware about how underhanded Tony can be and he genuinely thinks he can negotiate his way into being useful again and maybe even outsmart Tony.
Then it all blows up. Instead of saving anyone, Alan ends up betraying trust and landing himself in danger. He knows exactly what he’s done. ( when Jeff confronts him, Alan doesn’t argue. He knows he broke his own rules. He knows he lied, and worse, he endangered his people. That silence that acceptance that’s not selfishness. It’s accountability after bad judgment, born from desperation. )
I'll always have the opinion that if you didn't like a series because you refused to pay attention, or it wasn't the genre you liked, or the plotline wasn't your preference, or you've watched less then 3 episodes. You cannot give a valid review nor should you try. A series isn't bad just because you specifically didn't like it.
(will add more to this review later)
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This is a Rant...BUT
I went into this with zero expectations. I tried watching the first 2 episodes because AvenueX mentioned that the cgi was beautiful. I thought it would be just another 'xianxia' trope, and truly wasn't expecting to like it. But then, right from the very beginning, the visuals were so f****ing beautiful. Qin Lie's fight with the beast was okay, what I stayed for...was the visuals of Yushi. Her trekking through the heavy snow in the dark,... It was like a scene straight out of some high-quality hollywood production (Think Snow white and the Huntsman or Witcher) . And the intermittent shots of Du Shao Yang being asked to marry a woman, who we know from the way it's shot...is Yushi. And that was it,...the rest as they say is history. I couldn't stop myself from immediately bingeing through all the released episodes. Though I have to admit, that I basically fast forwarded all scenes of Qin Lie and Song Ting Yu. The visuals were truly the best part of the show. The different realms, particularly Ling Burrough, the Frost land, Purple Mist Sea, and the Netherlands. And of course the ost. The song that plays every time Qin Lie is in a fight with the odds stacked against him, and yet he manages to come out just fine, and grows even stronger in fact....I loved that song. Trying to figure out Qin Lie's feelings for Yushi, and the Gao Yu -Yushi- Qin Lie triangle was also pretty interesting. I was even considering to let Yushi and Gao Yu get married, before the scriptwriters forcibly blackened him. I honestly couldn't understand why Yushi was so set on QL, that she completely ignored the other man who basically worshipped her- Gao Yu.The story was okay, but they could have done so much more with it, there were so many possibilities....I'd been soo looking forward to Wu Chun and Gong Mu Lie's story and yet they turned it into this completely meaningless nonsense, They basically stalked each other for a long time, and thus automatically fell in love...like seriously? Did the scriptwriter suddenly lose his brain? And I hate the ending. It was like going back to square one after 36 episodes. It felt so meaningless. The least they could have done, was provide an epilogue at the very least. The acting was okay I suppose, but yes Cheng Xiao could have done so much better. I know that the character of Yushi is supposed to be cool and calm at all times, but she just seemed wooden to me. And I know Cheng Xiao could have done better, because Wu Chun seemed so much more alive and real.
I suppose this is turning into a rant now, but I'm seriously disappointed at what they did with the script...I had soooo much expectations...Even so, I'll definitely watch this again, because the visuals are truly breathtaking, and you should watch this drama, if for nothing else but that.
There are so many negatives points about this drama, and logically speaking it's merely an average one. And yet as I'm writing this review, I realize that despite its many flaws, I still love the show.
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Strong start, lackluster finish
* Editing this because I focused SO much on the negative so I would just like to add that I love Lu Shiyi. He is a very passionate and loyal person. He was dedicated to sports but that didn't stop him from improving his studies and he never lost sight of his dream of becoming a doctor. He went out of his way to comfort, love, and protect his friends and family. He wasn't afraid to apologize when he hurt someone and he never stopped giving his all. I just wish the writers didn't throw the Lu Shiyi we loved out the window in the last few episodes and replace him with an overly jealous and obsessive jerk*The show started off pretty strong. With interesting characters and funny moments that led to beautiful friendships forming it was building up to be one of the best school love/friendship stories I have watched. The only qualms I had in the beginning were that they rushed the high-school portion and sending BaoBao off was way too random + I almost thought they were going to make it the cliche "cold, rude boy bullies the girl and she falls for it" but they didn’t. Shiyi teased Xiaoju and they bickered a lot after getting off in the wrong foot BUT Shiyi quickly changed his ways and they became great friends. They both stuck their necks out for each other and grew close. Once they became friends and before Shiyi even realized his feelings he still went above and beyond for Xiaoju.
Everything seemed great and despite the looming love triangle and every day struggles the group's friendship was the one strong standing thing. However for some reason the writers decided to scrap that and ruin practically every character.
The thing I liked the most about Shiyi was that even after he found out how he felt about Xiaoju, he didn’t want to force his feelings on her or lose her and decided that he would be happy if she was happy and wished she wouldn't get hurt in her own one-sided love. He was always there for her and did whatever he could to make her happy. Even after he found out that Xiaoju liked Cheng Lang, he was upset but he didn’t take it out on her and instead helped keep her secret and do his best to comfort her and protect her heart. He tried to muster up the courage to confess quite a few times but Xiaoju was always wrapped up in her feelings for Cheng Lang so he pushed it off to comfort her instead. Unfortunately the writers through all of this out the window by introducing Chang Le or whatever the class monitor's name was. They made Shiyi turn super jealous and obsessive. Then after he confessed his feelings he kept practically harassing her, tricking her, and using tricks to make her pretend to date him (the entire fake dating thing was ridiculous, if they were gonna use that extremely overused trope they at least could have done it right). Suddenly all he cared about was chasing her around. On top of that out of nowhere he returned to his high school self and started insulting Xiaoju nealry everu time he interacted with her because of his jealousy.
As for Xiaoju, she was a good headstrong character. She worked hard in her studies and was a loyal friend. However the writers ruined her character after Shiyi's confession. Suddenly the Xiaoju we knew who was kind and got upset at Shiyi for always being mean turned downright nasty to Shiyi. She called him crazy for confessing and just kept hurting his feelings despite explicitly saying that she was turning him down so he wouldn't get hurt. I get being confused about her feelings but she would fully disregard his feelings in general. At first she said it was because she didn't like him like that but then she switched up and just insisted that it isnt right and that they should ONLY be friends. She kept switching up one moment she would be rude to Shiyi but then realize she was too mean and would apologize and give in and basically confess her feelings but then when he would say she likes him and they are together she would shove him away and run off. She did this a MILLION times until one day she decides she is confused and MIGHT like him. Literally everyone in the world could tell she actually liked him now EXCEPT HER. It takes her bag being stolen and Cheng Lang pointing out to her (for the 100th time) that she likes Shiyi and then she FINALLY admits it and confesses her love for Shiyi...TO CHENG LANG
Cheng Lang who was kind and very down to earth just grew boring and I felt almost zero chemistry between him and Lin You. He became a side character and I couldn't care less about his love story with Lin You until they had such a ridiculous ending. Personally Lin You had the personality of a piece of paper and they ruined her character even more by her breaking Cheng Lang's heart not once but THREE TIMES. Cheng Lang was clearly very interested in her and they stayed up late together and he did lots of chivalrous things for her but not once did she mention she had a boyfriend until he confessed. Then her bf dumps her and Cheng Lang helps her heal and before he can confess SHE makes the first step towards him. She then becomes the jokingly clingy gf telling him not to flirt with other girls. They date and are in love for almost 3 yrs then the writers decide to bring her bf back and have him beg to get back together. Then they reveal that oops! It was a misunderstanding and he got in an accident and lost everything and thats why he dumped her. But still she cries and says she loves Cheng Lang. But then its revealed that her mom forced him to lie and break up with her for no reason and then that leads to a whole mess of her defending her ex in front of Cheng Lang and then eventually choosing him and going to study abroad. The writers then decide its a great choice to make Cheng Lang become successful but still make him heartbroken and long for Lin You and then end it with him seeing her back in China and excited to talk to her only to see her with her boyfriend that ISN'T the man she left him for. Thus rubbing it in his face that not only did she leave you and run back into her ex's arms, she dumped that guy too and STILL didn't come back to you.
As for TaoTao and Huang Jun the writers ruined their cute relationship. They randomly through in Menglu who purposely tried to break them up. Huang Jun faltered and lied to Tao Tao even after she gave him another chance. Then when she fully breaks it off he goes on to date Menglu only to still fawn over TaoTao and complain about Menglu not understanding (which serves her right because how is she gonna break them up and then complain because he still cares about her and act like he wouldn't cheat on her). 2 years pass since their breakup and only then after seeing TaoTao happy Huang Jun decides to become possessive & pathetic and never leaves Tao Tao alone despite now being with Menglu. He even begins ignoring her calls without breaking up her. He harasses TaoTao until the end until finally he sings a last song for her and she agrees that one day they can be friends and that she doesnt want to be enemies even though she still hates what he did. He cries, and holds onto her hand and she takes it away and he wishes her happiness. I'm glad Tao Tao got a happy ending and I'm glad Huang Jun suffered and BaoBao came back but everything was too random and thrown together. Why did Tao Tao keep their relationship a secret from Xiaoju for YEARS. We were led to believe she was just chatting with a stranger and thats why she was so secretive. Then years later she announces her marriage. I started suspecting it was BaoBao but it seemed so far fetched and laughable. BaoBao appears and apparently Shiyi knew this entire time. Nothing is explained on what he has been doing or how he and TaoTao got together. A random party is thrown and they get married.
The entire last 2 episodes were ridiculously rushed and made no sense. It was clear that Shiyi's "girlfriend" was going to be Xiaoju and that he was just playing a dumb trick on her. When she finally does realized she goes to the beach to wait for him and we are led to believe he is going to do the confession he planned for his "girlfriend" but nope he gets a work emergency and Xiaoju doesn't believe him. She then ignores him at the party and they both act childish to each other all the way up until the ceremony (but not before a drunk kiss initiated by wasted Xiaoju followed by a hinted possible hookup). Then once the ceremony ends and Xiaoju catches the bouquet, Shiyi confesses (IN THE MIDDLE OF TAOTAO AND BAO BAO'S WEDDING) and Xiaoju ask about his gf and he says she is the only one 🙄 then he PROPOSES and they kiss and boom The End.
Yep thats it. We get a random time skip and zero explanation of why Shiyi never contacted her but suddenly everything is okay and they are ready to marry each other. We also get zero explanation on TaoTao and BaoBao's relationship and Cheng Lang and Lin You's relationship is resolved with Cheng Lang never stopping loving her and having to see her on the street with ANOTHER guy.
36 episodes ended randomly and rushed as if the writers just threw darts at a wheel and went with it. 36 episodes and we never get to see Shiyi and Xiaoju as an actual couple and the only kisses we get are all within the span of the last 10 mins of the show. So many things built only to be thrown away completely. I wished the show would have stayed focus on the groups friendship but by the end the bond didnt feel as strong.
I would say give it a watch if you are bored but 36 episodes is A LOT and no amount of skipping would make it more bearable. Super bummed it turned out this way.
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Story
Welcome to the ugly side of the business and enterprise world. The drama talks strictly about the ways CEOs and company presidents try to multiply their revenue, manipulating each other, using and abusing their power and money in order to achieve their goals.
In its core the drama wants to express how in such power games there are no friends, presidents are ready to form alliances to destroy their opponents and then turn their back on their “friends” to become the winners. It is a constant, never-ending battle for power filled with dirty scheming and despicable plotting. Therefore the drama ends up being quite unfulfilling and frustrating as it makes us feel like it goes nowhere.
Night Light focuses on a female ceo who wants to become the richest woman in Korea destroying her opponents, having no friends, using and throwing away people in order to accomplish her ambitious goal.
The drama does not offer any comic relief, no side stories, no romance at all, no sad backstory, nothing. It is firm and brutal staying in the same strict line of corporations.
Best thing I could mention about the drama was the constant turning of tables, the winner never stays the winner for more than 1-2 episodes while the alliances between the power people changed all the time depending on their interests.
My favourite thing however was easily the amazing underlying chemistry of Lee Yo Won and Uee in their roles. Usually in kdramas the female leads are enemies or frenemies at best. Here on the other hand, the chemistry was off the charts and the relationship was a lot more fluid which made the drama very interesting and kept me going. Moreover, i feel inclined to mention the incredible clothes fashion by the main cast that was a pleasure to watch as well as the spotless background music instrumentals that made most of the drama pretty atmospheric.
At this point i feel inclined to talk about the girl power in the drama. The drama is all about female empowerment. We get a female lead who is vicious and strong beyond imagination. Saying something sophisticated and memorable whenever she opened her mouth, slaying men, scheming and plotting, destroying them in their own game. If this isn't stimulating and exhilarating in a sea of weak female characters in kdramaland, i don't know what is!
The first half of the drama was more interesting for me as there was some background story and the relationship between the main characters was quite intriguing as well as the drama talked about relatable stuff like the importance of money. That being said, the second half of the drama focused almost completely in the subtle battles between the companies and that in combination with the characters being completely difficult to empathize with and the situations being thoroughly unrelatable made the drama very difficult to keep up with and rather boring.
Acting
I read quite some viewers had issues with the acting, but I beg to differ.
I could easily say that acting is the best part of the drama mainly because of Lee Yo Won. Her naturally cold aura fitted perfectly with her strong, cold-blooded and ruthless character. I was utterly impressed by her performance from start to finish. Best and most vicious character I’ve seen in a kdrama and best portrayal of such character!
Uee has a lot of haters but I think her acting was equally as good in a very sweet but determined character. She stood well next to Lee Yo Won and in a very weird but beautiful way they complemented each other. It was a blast seeing them on screen together hope they can work together again.
Jin Goo’s character was rather weak and a pushover. I think he didn’t suit the character well at all, it was almost annoying seeing him act but I can’t say his acting was bad per-se, he just wasn’t a good choice I think.
Recommend/Rewatch
The drama is difficult and not for everyone. If you want romance, melodrama, comedy or anything usually found in kdramaland, this is not for you. This is strictly a business drama only for lovers of the backstabbing and the fluidity of such situations which is the beauty of them. I will never rewatch this.
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I want the main leads together in another show!!!
This is was great show. I wish it would've been longer than 12-13 minutes. The ML is an asshole but it's been so long since i have seen such characters in dramas.. it's my guilty pleasure😝The Acting was GREAT. The cast is top notch. The chemistry between the main leads is the main thing that keeps you watching this drama till the end.
i LOVE the OST.
The ending scene of two years later didn't even make sense so i will pretend it did not happen. But i wish FL would've known the truth about the actual culprit of her family's death and the true villian is zhou zichen. BUT THEN AGAIN, she would've been guilty of killing the ML and kill herself out of guilt rather than loving ML too much to stay alive. So i guess it made sense for her to die first.
And this way... FL actually is the one that kills ML... and i so wanted this to happen. ML deserved to die from FL's hands!!!!
I hope we get to see both main leads together in another show, probably a modern day office romance drama! Their chemistry is reallyyyyy good and they'll look even better together in Modern day dramas!!!
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From the get-go, Confession was promising. The first case was exciting, given the unpredictability of the suspect. And so that path led the characters to other, overlapping ones, and they led to the final destination. The writer gave liberty to the audience to explore various scenarios along with the characters. Next thing you know, you are invested in the plot. My favourite occurrences happened in the court - it was a pleasure to see Choi Do Hyun / the lead cleverly handle affairs. Sometimes, particularly in the first half, you would expect the plot to go another direction, and may even want that to happen (like myself), but the second half ensured me that the writer knew what they were doing. The pace was maintained - it may have slowed in the middle, but not unnecessarily. The characters had connections with each other due to a single event - it's nothing new in kdramaland. yet it was impactful. I had a few complaints with regards to how distant the characters felt, but my worries were eased by episode 11.
I was torn about how I should rate the acting. The actors were not given roles that were complex, but they were not simple either, so I was satisfied but not won over. I was about to settle with 8.5, but one performance stood out to me, and I believe I will not do the actor justice by being greedy. He had a small role, but it has left an impact on many, including me: the suspect in the first case, played by Ryu Gyeong Su. He stole the spotlight. He was the character I was most drawn to, and I anticipated his appearance each episode. Of course, the main cast did good with what they were given. Lee Jun Ho was persuasive in his composed portrayal, and others stayed true to their respective roles. What I appreciated was the female leads' harmonious teamwork, and their guts, especially Ha Yoo Ri.
I liked the instrumental they used. It could be loud in certain instances, but I liked how it added to the moment and nature of the drama. The OSTs were not played, so I have no comments on that.
I am not sure if one would rewatch it, knowing all the progressions in plot. If you are someone like me, you might want to watch Choi Do Hyun being a smartass in court.
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Brutal, Logical, True to Itself.
Hard to Find, indeed. The only flaw I can point out right from the get go is the music which sometimes sounds too loud, and the rules of Lin Chuan's ancient tree, which I personally found unclear in some instances. This might have also taken the ‘impact’ away from the final episodes as I was trying to make sense of the character's actions and trying to link events and laws.Alrighty, now that I've got out these *cold pricklies* away from my mind, I'll dive straight into why I think this drama is far better than many other throwaway idol dramas released per year.
Also - thank you to whoever selected the English title and designed the opening credits. If it was some big budget drama out there, we'd probably be stuck with some title such as ‘Love Lasts Forever/Forever Love’ or the word which is currently in vogue - ‘Blossom’.
When Master He Lian Xi of the divine Lin Chuan clan married Princess Feng Yuan, a marriage with a foreigner after almost a century, he expected to live a quiet life with his wife and the rest of his tribe away from the turbulent world as always. What he did not know was that Feng Yuan was purposefully sent to him with a motive far bigger than what his tribe could've handled. The fatal marriage results in an unprecedented bloodshed in which his entire tribe is wiped out and Lin Chuan falls into ruins, forgotten by all.
Three years later, he returns with vengeance to seek for answers and find the divine artifact that can bring back his clan, which belongs to Feng Yuan, the person who initiated the tragedy.
The drama runs for around 19 to 20 minutes and it does not dawdle around unnecessary plot points and ‘twirly’ swirly dramatics.
It's one of the most brutal ones I've seen in terms of CDramaland with plenty of knife cuts and torture. The entire aura of the story is dark right from the start. Not to mention, the very ominous all-black end credits.
The Characters in particular are given plenty of background and depth. I could see why they made the choices they did, their anger and despair. I felt particularly sad for the Lin Chuan clan – they were pure souls who did not deserve the fate that had befallen them. Props to Zhao Yi Qin in particular. He is definitely one of the best actors in CDramaland and it's a shame that he is not given an opportunity to showcase his talent in some full length drama. Or maybe it's safe that he is away from toxic fandoms.
Shen Yu Jie was not behind at all, but for some reason, I kept getting distracted by her well manicured nails, which seemed out of place in certain situations. [There were close up shots of her hand.]
Her emotional scenes were convincing enough, and I liked how strong her character was.
Also, two familiar faces: Feng Yin and Hua'e. Though, I have to tell that I liked Feng Yin better in A Familiar Stranger. His character was more challenging here, and kudos to the actor, particularly in the final episodes.
With supporting characters such as Shu Yin, Qing Sang and Xiu Jiu, the ultimate finale seemed more hopeful.
The costumes were beautiful without being overdone, leaning more towards darker shades without any splash of color for Feng Yuan and He Lian Xi.
Though, I have to say, the outfit designs for Xi Jiu were the most eye-catching to me.
Music was hauntingly beautiful. But, it was overpowering at times. Also, the background score was to die for, particularly the one in EP16 and EP27. I hope they release every single track.
I'd suggest this to anyone who wants a break from filler-stuffed long dramas and seek a solid plot with excellent performances and chemistry. This is the second time I was relieved that a drama was over, (the first being Goodbye, My Princess) both for myself and the leading couple. They deserved a break after all that mayhem.
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Wild goose chase.
Ancient conspiracy thrillers are right up my alley so I looked forward to Luoyang with bated breath. This is set in Shendu (now Luoyang), capital of Wu Zetian's Wu Zhou Dynasty (690-705). As the only female emperor in over 5000 years of Chinese history, Wu Zetian remains a controversial figure - an ambitious, usurper whose exceptional intelligence and leadership is only matched by her ruthlessness against anyone in her way, including or especially her own children. She cultivated informers and multiple secret police and spy rings that gathered evidence against her detractors. and maintained a careful balance of power between the important political structures of her administration. This is reflected in the drama in the clear delineation of responsibilities between the Judiciary, Inner Guard and Secret Police (Lianfang). During this time, the Wu clan and Li clan were embroiled in a power struggle which persisted until Wu Zetian intervened and clarified her succession plans. Nonetheless it ended in messy plotting, betrayals and twists that are drama worthy in and of themselves. This is rich fodder for conspiracy plots such as this one.The drama starts thrillingly with a bold daylight assassination of an informer and his daughter and the ensuing dizzying high speed chase through the streets of Shendu. All three main protagonists mortician Gao Bingzhu, foodie Baili Hongyi and inner guard Wu Shiyue are at the scene and invisible threads from their past pull them together to uncover a much deeper conspiracy that could rock the very foundations of Wu Zetian's empire. Clues emerge that connect seemingly unrelated cases and force the three protagonists to work together, at first reluctantly and with selfish agendas and then with growing mutual respect and trust that blossoms into deep friendships. I most enjoyed the tripartite friendship in the drama and would have liked to see it better explored rather than unnecessary romantic arcs. Huang Xuan nailed it with his cynical yet paradoxically idealistic Gao Bingzhu; whose shrewdness and insight into dark hearts of man does not extend to those he cares for. I also did not see much chemistry between him and Song Qian who impresses with her fight scenes but falters somewhat in her line delivery. Wang Yibo's performance is strong in some aspects but uneven overall with too many scenes where he is clearly unsure what facial expression to wear. This role does not elevate him for me from an actor that I don't mind watching but wouldn't seek out. That said the trio has enough combined chemistry that I am happy to watch them together again. As for Song Yi, she has gotten enough flack and her character was so poorly written that all I will say is this is a role such a wonderful actress should have just passed on.
I did not enjoy the first two episodes of the drama - too much was happening at the same time and the cameraman swung the camera so wildly I thought he was possessed. The action scenes are exciting and well choreographed enough they did not need to artificially augmented by cheap camera tricks. After the psycho camera settles down, the plot unfolds at an intense and exciting pace against a gorgeous backdrop of dazzling sets and with a deluge of colorfully garbed denizens - they must have hijacked and costumed practically every Hengdian tourist as extras on set I have never seen so many people crammed into each scene. My personal favorite set is the Unwelcome Well which looks almost too inviting to be a ghetto. While the costumes and certain props are anachronistic, everything comes together is such a vibrant and captivating panorama that it scarcely matters. This is complemented by well designed side characters that are based on well known historical figures. Hints of their personalities, scandalous affairs and alliances are quite faithful to history and add a nice ambiance to the setting. It set up for intriguing Dumas like plot twists that didn't materialize.
This drama builds to a top-notch, shocking and heartbreaking climax prematurely at episode 20 where both actors delivered standing ovation worthy performances. It achieves that perfect sequence of shock followed immediately by stunned comprehension and acceptance as all the clues rushed to the fore to blindside the viewer to the next unfolding twist. In the second half, the plot visibly loses momentum and digresses into romantic arcs that don't belong in this genre and filler maudlin flashbacks. The writing of the mini-threads in the second half is insipid with excessive gratuitous character implants, many of whom delivered cringe worthy performances.
In hindsight it would have been difficult to top the fantastic mid-drama climax but it is still extremely disappointing for the final reveal to be so bland. The hollow villain that everyone was on to as a bad guy early on but dismissed as too obvious turns out indeed to be the final villain, one that is not worthy of being called a mastermind. Both their motive and end game plot is not well articulated or convincing. Multiple clues and more interesting suspicious characters that don't play out leave me feeling like I went on a wild goose chase. I don't know if they ran out of money or wasted it on too many bodies but there is no sense of peril or excitement in the final showdown. Forget explosions or collapsing buildings, we don't even get one good last fight scene. The final insult is how unfathomably a feather brain like Liu Feng manages to find himself in the right place at the right time to deliver an unnecessary and uncalled for outcome. This is just a misguided attempt to deliver an audience shocker to make up for the nothing burger of a final reveal.
Even though this remains a very entertaining and highly recommended watch, the ending is a big let down that knocks 0.5 off my final rating for the show. I feel that an 8.0 is the best I can give to this show, which is still one of the better c-dramas of the second half of 2021.
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