Reviews

Watch it!! - no regrets :)

I absolutely adored!! It had it had cuteness. It had romance. It had drama. It had mystery thriller. It had tension. It basically had everything!!

I love a series that pulls together and has a nice balance of everything and that’s exactly what this series had not only that but it also brought a light. The fact of truth that K-pop stars have to go through. Hopefully fans have watched this and they’re gonna reflect on their behaviour and be more like the fans at the end respecting privacy and protect protecting the idols privacy 👀👏🙏

I’d kind of figured out that it was the ex she just got so suspicious by the end but at the same time I’m so glad it wasn’t someone unexpected that you’d grown to love! The music was addicting and the way the main characters grew together was so wholesome and cute!! I’m definitely going to look at series with these actors and actresses in because they were all great and I would definitely watch a drama from this director again!

There was found family there was tension there were suspicion. I’d like to know whether the mum went to the concert. I’m hoping she did but I feel like she solved the ticket… and the ex manager/owner of golden boys the way he was almost like a father figure and he apologised for his behaviour so reflection tick tick! (I do love the actor who played the manager/owner of Golden boys I’ve seen him in quite a few things and he’s acting is incredible! Same goes for the male lead apart from that I don’t think I recognised many in this series but I will be looking them up for recommendations of other ones to watch now!

Overall, an amazing series really enjoyable really captivating and fun to watch!

Read More

PM: a jewel produced through the lens of art and aesthetics.

Shakespeare wouldn't feel embarrassed signing this brilliant series. Really Perfect!

Many have tried to reduce and drag PM into a small, unfounded discussion about misogyny, when what is really in scene are the dichotomies of human nature, light and darkness. What is most curious about this criticism is that it is an unequivocally matriarchal story in which men, naturally arrogant and oppressive as a reflection of the education and culture of the time, when they get married, they become docile husbands to their wives, all of whom are very strong-willed women. This transformation does not harm the dignity of men, but balances the forces between man and woman.

The series manages to bring together all human virtues, innocence, honor, compassion, generosity, in counterpoint with villainy, misunderstandings, family intrigues, compromising pasts, murders, revenge. I identify, in PM, traces of Shakespeare's comedies and tragedies. But if you ask me how similar these works are, the answer is simple. Shakespeare's work builds plots exploring virtues, human flaws, intrigues and surprising twists, whose stage is the intra-family and palace life, of society in all its shades. Perfect Match has the same atmosphere.

The plot has the merit of, from a single thread (the Li family), weaving an intricate network that begins at home and expands to other layers of society, until reaching the powerful.

The series is a light and very fun comedy, with a dynamic rhythm that unfolds in many twists. Like all comedy, it also has its space for tears, whether in lyrical scenes that address the sensitive side of human beings, or in scenes that bring out the painful side of life.

The PM scenes are constructed with theatrical logic, in small spaces and intimate actions, such as the garden, the rooms, the meals, even palatial and noble environments, is framed in a small spatial perspective, giving the feeling of proximity that we have in the theater. I also highlight the theatrical way of acting of three burlesque characters in particular: Madam Li (Ni Hong Jie), Le Shan (Huangyang Tian Tian) and Fan Liang Han (Huang Cheng Chi), with their facial and body expressions, vocalization, reactions, gestures, temperaments, performed with exaggeration, exacerbation, are theatrical concepts that enrich the characters' dynamics and color the narrative. The scene cuts resemble the curtain closing. This combination takes us into the scene, as a local spectator.

I could not fail to mention the first daughter Shou Hua in the context of the non-negotiable defense of woman's dignity. This character does not seem to be understood in her human greatness, and this incomprehension has made her the target of many unfair criticisms, since what some viewers consider to be resentment, grudge, inability to love is, in fact, the non-negotiable defense of woman's dgnity. Shou Hua has a monastic aura and deserves to be understood as a woman who asserts her dignity at a time when women were nullified and according to the law of the time, they were worth less than men. The ironic detail of this criticism made against Shou Hua is that precisely the women who accuse the series of misogeny are the ones who most criticize this character who gives stature and dignity to women. In my opinion, she is the best-crafted and most beautiful character in the series. It is very rare for series to portray women with this depth and delicacy.

The family is the microorganism that constitutes society, PM shows these entrails with mastery. PM is a precious mosaic of microstories that involve a sophisticated cocktail of successes and mistakes inherent to life that gain dimension and life of their own in the expansion of family ties. These microstories have no other theme than virtues and human miseries. In this complex cocktail, everything related to human behavior is on the screen.

In addition to PM having visual beauty, with photography that offers aesthetic pleasure, its narrative interweaves the best of Chinese literature (present not only in quotations from works, but in the deep and delicate universe of Chinese Poetry, recited throughout the series), painting, philosophy. This artistic conception amplifies the beauty of PM's messages.

PM portrays the daily lives of ordinary people, like us. The seesaw of the characters' human flaws and virtues oscillates, and this gives grace and life to the plot, but at the same time, it leaves open the possibility of everyone redeeming themselves.

Why should we be such strict judges? We all deserve this chance.

Read More

Tale as old as time.

The Legend of Shen Li is a highly entertaining xianxia with a terrific starting hook. Injured while fleeing an unwanted marriage, Shen Li crashes into the mortal realm in her innate phoenix form. Mistaken for a chicken, she is rescued and healed by Xing Yun, a sickly ginseng salesman. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be shipping an unseemly attachment between a haughty chicken and a weak but insolent mortal. Their hilarious interactions and witty repartee had me grinning like a fool. This has to be the first CP that I got invested in before the FL properly meets the ML.

While I find Legend of Shen Li quite enjoyable, it is a tale as old as time and I am not just making fun of Xingzhi's age. This kind of forbidden love story between a lonely, crusty old god and a much younger one is the staple of this genre. This one is written more as a character story so there is little plot movement until the second half of the drama. The plot itself leans heavily on well known xianxia tropes with a modern, role reversal approach. What makes it special is that it is well executed, the main CP has scorching chemistry, it is anchored by a stellar cast and tongue-in-cheek dialogue has deep and heart tugging undertones. This is an excellent entry-level xianxia that will thrill and delight newcomers to the genre the most. While die hard fans of the genre will certainly enjoy the fresh take on old themes, they may find the plot predictable after the early arcs.

For me, the mortal realm is always the most interesting xianxia arc and this is no exception. It is at the same time the most disappointing arc in terms of missed opportunities. It is too short and half the time Shen Li is an angry CGI bird. Shen Li's feelings for Xing Yun developed so quickly I felt shortchanged on the how and the why she fell in love. Worse, their story is overshadowed by the two utterly heart wrenching ill-fated love stories. To some extent, the narrative coasts on the residual heat from Princess Agents and assumes the audience is already invested in the main CP. The issue is viewers who did not watch that may not feel the chemistry between them. The arc ends so abruptly that it barely dawns upon me that Shen Li's affections could be one-sided. She very high-handedly falls for a helpless mortal and doesn't give him any say in the matter because she knew it to be transitory. This is quite sad and complex and it is a pity the narrative dealt with it too cursorily.

As someone hungering for closure from Princess Agents, I am stoked to report that the chemistry between Lin Gengxin and Zhao Liying burns as hot as ever. This drama is generous to a fault in fusing passionate love scenes with humor and moving romantic moments. I find myself chuckling at how hot and flustered Shen Li gets by Xingzhi's shameless flirting until the veiled pathos behind Xingzhi's careless words hits me and makes me tear up. Both characters are designed to recycle the strengths of their previous collaboration without taking much risks. Notably, there is no extra dimension or complexity to Zhao Liying's role or portrayal. She once again delivers in spades what she does best from the brilliant, combative glitter in her eyes to her signature awesomely bad-ass fight scenes. I would have liked to see more facets to King Bicang beyond the fierce warrior with a deadpan expression who is casually cruel to CGI animals. There is more scope for Lin Gengxin to shine as Xingzhi is a contradiction; the most powerful and yet the most powerless being in the three realms. I was impressed by Lin Gengxin's heart wrenching and nuanced portrayal of this so very alone ancient being who will crack a joke to stop your heart from breaking for him.

As a couple, Shen Li and Xingzhi are too perfect for each other - their world view is largely aligned and besides the one bombastic obstacle of an existential crisis for the realms, there is no real conflict in their relationship. While they experience some acutely angsty moments, they are all short lived. Most of the intense and lingering agony in this xianxia actually comes from the three devastating side love stories. Both characters are fully realised beings that don't grow much. That is left to the likes of Furong who is my favorite character in the first half of the narrative and the character that shows the most growth overall. His limelight in the second half is stolen by Lady Jin who is by far my favorite character and one who saves the draggy second half of the show for me. I find the villains quite boring and archetypal and those roles are also the least well acted. Even though Shen Li and Xingzhi come together in a moving and masterful ending climax, the finale is too much of something I have seen many times before. I did not enjoy the extended ending fight sequences and the heavy handed CGI.

Despite the unoriginal plot, this is an excellent character driven story. I was invested in many characters beyond the leads - Furong, Youlan, Qing Ye, Feng Lai, Mofang, Lady Jin and the indignant Cluck Cluck. The dialogue uses comedy brilliantly as a gateway to the profound in highlighting complex, deep and at times tragic existential themes. I enjoyed the conversation about how if we can work together against evil, we may no longer need gods to be our babysitters. I also felt a shiver of fear in this age of AI at the idea that as creators, one day we will become an existential threat to our creation. Overall a very enjoyable and highly recommended funny and intelligent xianxia that I am happy to rate 8.5/10.0.

Read More

For being so short, these writers and actors pack a punch. I wouldn't recommend it to just anyone, because it has some emotional and physical domestic abuse (even if some of it is implied). I think it is interesting Le Jun Kai is actually hurting himself as much as he is Ye Zi while he is tormenting her. This was a great melodrama that ended just as I thought it would. I liked the artsy feel to it.

Peter Ho and Janine Chang are very good actors that had great chemistry together. They were intense which was what was needed for their characters.

The music is perfect. I have been trying to find the music on youtube and itunes, but so far no luck. If any of you out there know where I can find it then please let me know. :-)

It was quick to watch the first time, so I can see myself rewatching this in the future.

If you like melodrama, then this is definitely a drama to watch. It only takes about 2 1/2 hours.

Read More

If you are looking for a serious plot and cannot take lame jokes then I'm sorry. This drama is not for you. Do not waste your time on this. But if you are looking for a light hearted drama to watch after a long day of work or a drama to watch while you're eating in which you don't need to pay full attention for. Then you have the right drama here.

*Story*
I'm gonna be honest. When I first watched it, the whole time I was like WTF is this? The plot is lame, the jokes are lame, the acting is really exaggerating and... Wait a minute, am I watching the right drama?! I remember a lot of people being very confused about the genre of the drama. The two female leads call each other wifey, the two male leads has... Like THE most romantic moments EVER! Reading the summery again, I would swear that it's not a gay drama. A lot of people call it Queerbaiting but I actually disagree. It kind of suits the style of the drama and the synopsis clearly states that the male lead will end up with the female lead. The whole drama is just one big comedy with some serious plot in it that will slowly uncover as time passes by. The jokes are so bad in a way that's hilarious. The male lead is someone of modern time who rebirth to the world of this drama and I just love how the lead is also dissing the script so much. To put it short, you need to get through a few episodes to get used to the weird concept, but the moment you do, it becomes so good XD. However... the arcs never really ends... well. There are so many times when I'm like "Uhm, writer? Do you still remember that love line?" But yeah... unless they make a season 2, I felt the plot quite unfinished after finishing the show.

*Characters*
I've not read the original novel so I can't really say if they were similar to the novel or not. However, it did feel a bit exaggerated at first. Especially the female lead. Whether it was her personality or look, I felt like she took the wrong role. Not that she was a bad actor, but it simply didn't suit her. However, as time passed by, I actually started to like her a lot. I guess I had to get used to a foreigner (or at least a mixed race) playing an ancient role. I found her really pretty later and began to love her as well. I guess you have to keep in mind that it is meant to be a comedy so some exaggeration is completely normal. You just gotta get used to it. Generally speaking, none of the actors were really bad. Maybe a bit awkward here and there but not to the point of bad. Generally speaking, it was quite alright.

*Music*
I liked it. Have nothing else to say about it

*Rewatch value*
Did I enjoy it? Absolutely. Would I watch it again.... Probably not. One time is enough, but some lame parts/scenes are definitely worth to be put on repeat

Read More

Nothing new.. but watchable.

This drama had been one of my most curious dramas of 2022 . The drama being a BL, I was really surprised that China let it happen. But, I didn't have much expectation, knowing well about the bans and censorships that China usually impose on its shows. I watched it out of pure curiosity.

Honestly, I did like the first episode. But, the story didn't seem to keep a fixed pace. Some parts felt too fast, while some felt too slow to me. This is nothing new and I didn't seem to enjoy this as much as I would have watching a BL.

The acting was meh. I didn't feel it at all. Hu Shi Wen, who played Cheng Yi was alright but there is, of course, possibilities of improvement. Anyways, Hu Bo Wen seemed like a robot. The supporting too didn't do the job of making this interesting.

The music was good. This is the only thing in the whole drama that I wholeheartedly liked.

The editing was terrible. Sometimes, it makes the drama unwatchable. That is SOMETIMES. Overally, the drama is fairly watchable, in spite of some substandard elements.

Read More

I could write a novel to compare how this adaptation succeded and failed! But because this is a review and not an analysis I'll try to be as brief and fair as possible.

This is what I call the Disney version of KWP! They took the core storyline and characters but repackaged it to satisfy a broader demographic. That's not a bad thing if you like cute romantic comedies with a hint of salaciousness and happy ending! The concept of KWP is unique in itself it's interesting and satisfying. However, if you are a fan of the original manga or original series you might be disappointed at the loss of the story's hard edges.

By softening the characters it actually made the relationship between Sumire and Takeshi "Momo" feel less passionate and dynamic. It also made their growth as individuals feel less dramatic. Without those rough and uncomfortable moments you lose much of the stories impact about intolerance from social/moral/gender expectations. That probably isn't a big deal to most but if you really enjoy those wtf elements (I call it rollercoaster euphoria) from the more mature storyline then you probably won't be fully satisfied with this latest adaptation!

The acting was fine. No one in this drama stood out to me as spectacular but they were adequate. If I had one gripe it would be Iriyama Noriko startled/deer-in-headlights look that I assume is supposed to represent nervous insecurity? I'll be nice though because it seems to work with this adaptations Sumire.  But nitpicky me really wanted that composed and confident public facade in the original. The same with Takeshi "Momo" he was too adorable to the point of being childish vs Man-child. But again it feels appropriate for this version.

Nothing to add on music though the introduction was nice.

Overall rated good, but without the original uncomfortable mature situations it's nothing special. I might watch this again because I love the KWP storyline but I'm not emotionally attached to this version

Read More

Idols With A Twist…

With a predominantly idol actor cast ( aside from actual actress Jung Ji So) and respectfully a lot of hyped fans of these idols watching the drama, it does objectively brand the question for a lot of drama-watchers ( especially those who aren’t interested or a part of idol fanbases), whether ‘ Imitation’ is actually worth watching as a storyline , or is a waste of time.

There is a balance of good things and more critical points when it comes to ‘ Imitation’. On a strong note ‘ Imitation’ has a prominent message about problems with the idol industry and does not shy away from tackling themes such as corruption, the media, toxicity present in idol fanbases , mental health and hardships . What resonated even further was undeniably having a predominantly idol-cast playing in those roles. However, the show often did fall short with how consistent it was trying to be with conveying these messages through writing and character writing also.

Let’s start with the main female lead Ma-Ha. Ji-So is a good actress, however, although initial introduction wasn’t terrible, it didn’t quite embody her role either. It had nothing to do with Ji-So not being an idol. After all she takes on roles in order to adapt herself to becoming someone else onscreen whilst the cameras are rolling. That’s her job. Instead, its rather the fact that Ma-Ha was always a character who you should’ve felt sorry for with her hardships, but often it was easy to grow detached from the FL with Ji-So’s lacking vitality invested with her given - performance. This isn’t entirely the actress’ fault, as this was also sparked by screenwriting problems also .

As viewers there’s a lot we are supposed to like about Ma-Ha. She’s not only the female lead of the drama, but the “ underdog” archetype who takes a central position as a member of her girl group and desperately yearns for the group to become famous. These goals were easily likeable traits, but then when we actually exposed to her reasons for “ becoming an idol” as well as her “ will they, won’t they?” lacklustre onscreen chemistry with popular Shax boyband member Ryeok ( Jun from U-KISS), her character simply became uninteresting for the most part. This is because rather than depending Ma-Ha’s own sense of purpose outside of the group in early episodes , the female lead’s entire being was pretty much defined by romantic tropes, than actual character development.

Oh boy, this leads us onto the romance elements and setups of the show. Tackling this topic in a drama about idols evidently isn’t a crime. After all, a lot of idols have love lives and date in secret but the problem with “ Imitation”’s depiction of the turbulent love lives of idols was that it lacked a lot of depth. There were multiple opportunities for us as viewers to perk up and take note of what really happens in the lives of idols, when the spotlight and cameras aren’t rolling. However, instead “ Imitation” was focused nearly entirely upon bringing in pairings which were fairly dull.

This is even case and point with our main pairing between Ma-Ha and Ryeok. Jun is a really good actor alongside Ji-So but the tropes and cliches soon diminished a lot of onscreen chemistry between them. This was because similar to Ma-Ha, Ryeok’s original character was fairly interesting. He had clear goals and motives, as well as presenting an evident contrast to Ma-Ha due to being successful and suffering under a lot of emotional burdens. Yet rather than connecting these characters under their similarities and learning to symbiotically “ lean” upon one another gradually from their “ hate to love” relationship , the drama attempted to present too many cliche “ differences” between them, which often fell short due to questioning why on earth these characters should have been together if this was all their relationship equated to.

Similarly one of the most poorly-written couples in this drama was Hyun Ji ( Lim Nayoung )and Yoo Jun ( Hwiyoung). Hyun Ji was by herself an interesting character alongside fellow member of Teaparty Ri-A ( Minseo). However, her pairing with Yoo Jun? It was incredibly enforced to say the least. Hyun Ji’s feelings for Yoo Jun were fairly unrequited as Yoo Jun, rarely reciprocated them romantically. Their screen time interactions were minimal and when they were together, the topic was usually just about Ma-Ha. If the show had developed this couple more, or had just disregarded entirely and explored Hyun Ji’s relationship with her fellow members then it would have been a lot more coherent than the pairing we were presented with onscreen .

Aside from the romantic factor, the biggest flaw in this show was undeniably disregarding the seemingly “major” established storyline around Eunjo and Annie. Now this was an interesting part of the show, however, it was nonsensical and seriously bad writing to disregard these characters, bring them up for a few seconds when it was called for and then anticlimactically solve the case, without rhyme or reason .

Perhaps the one character who you surprisingly grow to love as a viewer is solo singer La Li Ma( Jiyeon from T-ara). Ji Yeon really gave a dynamic performance as the soloist, and her character takes some surprising turns away from the stereotypical “ catty second female lead” trope that she was presented within in the first few episodes. It was oddly refreshing and enjoyable to see this character grow.


So, is “ Imitation” worth watching? The drama presents some fairly hard-hitting issues about the idol industry, but sometimes struggled to convey these meanings due to the heavy investment of romance as well as disregarding major plot lines and character development also. The acting is a mixed-bag. There are times where the acting front is really good, and other scenes where it is questionable . The OST is okay also -a little generic, but certainly nothing wrong with it either. Overall, certainly not a bad show but dependent on what you’re looking for. If you’re watching for the idol cast and themes about music, idol and cutesy couple moments, then you’ll absolutely love this one. If you’re not a major fan of them and where enticed by the darker storyline topics, then you may be a little disappointed.

Read More

Women hold up half the sky.

Song of Youth is a historical Chinese soap opera that pays tribute to 红楼梦 Hongloumeng (Dream of the Red Chamber), widely regarded as China's greatest novel. Fans of the novel will immediately recognize that the backstory of an aristocratic family in decline and the multiple character blueprints that are based on this vernacular classic. Uniquely, this narrative plucks out the all-consuming, angsty, tragically epic love triangle that forms the core of the novel and focuses instead on broader, often less appreciated themes. The love triangle is still there but it is been muted to the extent that it is only peeks out towards the end.

Lin Shaochun, a talented actress from a performing troupe marries Sun Yulou, the youngest scion of the noble Sun family. With her innate resourcefulness and the support of her husband, she becomes indispensable to his initially disapproving family by ably resolving all their internal and external conflicts and challenges. Bai Lu as always delivers a very enjoyable performance as the supportive and loving wife of Sun Yulou and the clever, thoughtful and femininely authoritative Sun family fixer. Even though I think Wang Yizhe has a lot of potential as an actor, he struggled to get into character and I didn't see much spark between him and Bai Lu. But it doesn't matter because albeit with some challenges, their arc is short and it is ultimately a rather pedestrian love match. After that the narrative explores more complicated and more poignant relationships where the couples have limited ability to make their own choices. Very much like Court Lady, Lin Shaochun is just a tour guide through the social structures, culture, relationships, vanities and daily life details of feudal 18th century China. Thankfully unlike Court Lady, Bai Lu's portrayal of the role as occasionally ruthless and not overly preachy and righteous makes Lin Shaochun very likeable if too infallible to be that interesting.

What stands out about this drama is that very much like Hongloumeng, it celebrates the contribution of women to society - Mao Zedong was far from the first to acknowledge that women hold up half the sky. True to the novel, the drama is very female centric - Lin Shaochun is the main protagonist and in a fitting role reversal the ML Sun Yulou is just a prop; an attractive, decorative vase. Even the best antagonists are formidable and devious women. In fact, most of the male characters in the drama are rather weak and not that intelligent - Sun Yulou only pulls himself together to be worthy of Lin Shaochun, his oldest brother is a foolish gold digger's wet dream, his second brother is the most capable of the lot and his third brother is a henpecked wastrel. All of them become better, more successful men thanks to their smart, determined and capable wives. I find both the eldest and (especially) the second brothers' stories to be far more interesting than that of the main CP. Unfortunately the second brother's story fizzles out in the middle and ends in a slightly disappointing way. Nonetheless, Yao Dizu is by far the most multi-faceted and refreshing character in the drama, more so than Lin Shaochun. She is also the only character that gets to be the author of her own story. If Lin Shaochun were written to be more of a bystander and less of the person who always saves the day, this would be a much better drama. She always wins by the same modus operandi so by the second or third arc, I was on to her and the "twists" become predictable.

The other problem with this drama is that it doesn't seem to be written in one voice or tone and thus gives the impression that it doesn't know what it wants to be. I think it is intended to be a satire or parody of bourgeois upper society during Ming Dynasty. Unfortunately in parts the humor is quite slapstick when it comes to Lamu Yangzi and some of Jin Chen's scenes because that matches the kind of humor they do best. Bai Lu and the rest of the cast however, are better suited towards more subtle, satirical humor and when the writing tries for something in between, it comes across as forced and half the time it misses the mark. That said, there are some really good laugh out loud moments but overall the wit and humor is hit or miss. The rhythm of the screenplay is particularly awkward at the beginning but more enjoyable from the middle episodes. After the four brothers' stories, the recycling of themes around the fallout from arranged marriages gets old and the final arcs flatline - I saw the final end twist a mile away so the end was predictable and anti-climatic.

This gorgeous production was clearly shot with meticulous attention to detail from the sets to the authenticity of the costumes, make up and the cultural details. The only lapse is perhaps the fact that the classic Cantonese opera Legend of the Purple Hairpin is sung in Mandarin and not in its original language (this was one of my grandma's favorite operas, she used to play the Liza Wang/Adam Cheng recording all the time). Overall a high quality production that is an enjoyable light watch even though it falls well short of Hongloumeng in terms of panoramic impression, breadth of social commentary and lasting impact. This is fun enough for me to rate this a 7.5.

Read More

LOVED IT SO MUCH

There were many negative reviews on this one but this most comes from international viewers, since many don't tend to watch long running weekend family dramas and have high expectations. I watched this ever since the start week after week and it's honestly the best family drama I've watched not in terms of story (!!) . The story was meh as people say because it does not have many dramatic plotholes or out of the ordinary. But it's worth your time if you go and appreciate this show as its own, family, friendship, love, comedy, forgiveness, and abit of revenge plots here and there but it isn't HUGE. This drama is purely warmth and love, we watch villains in this drama and some go through huge character developments along the way and change for the better. You will cry for the antagonists. You will cry for the protagonists. Chemistry between all couples and families is amazing and the cast is really the best, they all look like actual families. I've really grown attached to this family and show. The last 2 episodes made me cry alot, was really touching. Proud to say this is one of my life dramas (인생드라마) . Loved it alot alot. I'll miss Samgwang alot.

Read More

awesome setting/styling, slightly confusing plot (watch suggestions)

Overall: while I loved the setting/styling, there were way too many characters/plot for 12 episodes and I was ambivalent about the romance aspect with the leads. Because of the collaboration, actual kisses & wide release, this got a bit of a rating boost. The series is based on a book but I reviewed the series on its own merits. 12 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired 2 episodes per week on: YouTube, GagaOOLala, Viki, iQIYI, WeTV, Loklok & Heavenly (more info at the end of this review)

Content Warnings: murders/deaths, rape?/non con turned consensual?, suicide, non con kissing, strangling, manhandling, fights/violence, blood, torture, manipulation, drugging, theft, kidnapping

Watch Suggestions (focuses on the leads, takes out love triangle, most violence/angst/pain)
- watch episodes 1-5 (beware episode 1 has non con/dub con)
- watch episode 6 at 31 minutes if you want a plot explainer
- skip episode 7 (angst and torture)
- episode 8 watch 5m30s-9 for a side couple, the rest is angst, pain, love triangle stuff
- episode 9 start at 29 minutes and watch to the end to get more plot developments
- episode 10 skip 7:30-20 or watch the whole episode
- episode 11 start at 11 min to 14:40, 18:30-20:20, 23:45-25
- episode 12 watch 7:45-18, 26:30-30, 34:10 to the end

What I Liked
- an opposites attract dynamic
- sweet moments
- setting/style
- really happy that a character convinced another character not to see/forgive a truly terrible character in episode 12
- got actual, shown kisses
- the production really made an effort to get this on as many platforms and to as many people as they could, they also wrote out the countries on their social media that had access to each platform
- collaborative effort between China, Taiwan and Thailand; hope this was successful and we see more collaborations

Room For Improvement
- exposition dump to start the series
- too many characters and plot given and I was confused until finally in episode 6 at 31 minutes they explained the plot more clearly, spent too much time on the leads apart
- wish they had modified the scenes in episode 1 and in episode 6
- how no one was concerned about the sister's fate
- wanted more relationship development shown of the side couple, it seemed that it mostly happened off screen
- Su Yin was infuriating and had way too much screen time
- the dubbing especially with 1 character (I guess he was speaking Thai and then they dubbed over it)
- odd camera angles

Thoughts on Grey Characters/Their Romantic Relationships
Sometimes these characters and their dynamic work for me and other times they don't. Here are the factors that I think about:
1. was there a realistic reason why the character/s acted the way they did in the past (Huai En was tortured/abused/manipulated his whole life but that doesn't forgive what he may have done in ep 6)
2. how bad was/is the treatment (because this is fade to black and based on reaction afterwards, I'm not sure if episode 6 was rape or turned consensual but it was still terrible, and in episode 9 he was choking the other lead)
3. were both characters grey or was one squeaky clean (Xiao Bao was pretty squeaky clean, he's very dense, Huai En was a cold blooded killer)
4. was there some kind of apology/amend making (I don't think Huai En apologized, he did save Xiao Bao and his family and risked his life to do so)
5. was there character growth (episode 9 and Huai En was still physically violent, in episode 11 he did have a revelation of the tighter he tried to hold on to Xiao Bao the more he slipped away)
6. do I believe that the characters will stay together in a happy romantic relationship (maybe)
final verdict: I'm nervous that the first time Xiao Bao looks at another attractive person Huai En will rape/kill him, but they did seem pretty happy at the end


Airing Platforms/Links/Countries (country info was from the production company)
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkzvQsQu-ofvkwO5v1gax9jqOYNYvhWN4
Airing everywhere except: Thailand, Japan and South Korea

GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4541/meet-you-at-the-blossom-2024-e01
Airing everywhere except: Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong China, Vietnam, Philippines, Canada, Australia, India, Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia and Brazil.

Viki https://www.viki.com/tv/40650c-meet-you-at-the-blossom
Airing: Americas, Oceania, Middle East, Europe, India

iQIYI https://www.iq.com/album/meet-you-at-the-blossom-2024-1689d4pr2sl
Airing: USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Macau China, Brunei, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Mexico, Spain, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Brazil

WeTV https://wetv.vip/en/album/c5o1ffdwm6yhwy5
Airing: Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Macau China, United States, Canada, Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Portugal

Loklok - airing: Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, India, Mexico, Spain, Russia

Heavenly - airing in South Korea

Read More

Incase if you can’t get this movie this might be helpful!

At first, The Great Flood may not feel like a “bad” movie, but it can definitely feel confusing, especially if you’re used to traditional K-drama or Korean films with a clear emotional or linear storyline. This movie suddenly shifts tone and narrative, which can be disorienting. However, once you understand what the film is actually about, it becomes deeply meaningful and emotionally powerful.

The world in the movie is already ending. Humanity is almost extinct. The experiment exists because humans are trying to recreate humanity, not just biologically, but emotionally. They realize that without real emotions, especially love, the new humanity they create will never truly be human.

This is where An-na and Ja-in come in.

An-na is part of the Emotion Engine Experiment. She agrees to have her brain implanted into a simulation where she relives the same scenario again and again which is loop as y’all know.
Her role is to demonstrate genuine human emotion, particularly maternal love, because nothing is more raw or instinctive than a mother’s love for a child.

Ja-in, the child, is technically “just a subject.” She is supposed to abandon him. She is meant to choose logic over emotion. But she doesn’t. She loves him like a real child — and that is the entire point of the experiment.

An-na is tested to see if she can:
• Form real emotional attachment
• Make moral choices
• Choose love even when logic and rules tell her not to

She fails thousands of times.

The drawings scattered throughout the movie are not random. They represent past loops of the simulation. Each drawing shows Ja-in remembering her words: “I’ll be back. Wait for me.”
That’s why he keeps hiding in the closet every time. That’s why he keeps drawing the helicopter scene — and why the drawings slowly get better and more detailed. He remembers. He learns. He feels.

When An-na once tells him, “Draw me with some color,” the drawings begin to change. This proves emotional memory exists — even inside a simulation.

Her shirt changing numbers shows how many times she has repeated the loop. Each number represents another failure. Another reset. In total, she is trapped for 13,499 attempts, spanning around five years from her perspective (or even longer depending on interpretation). Some theories place it closer to 21,499 days, roughly 58 years, emphasizing the unimaginable emotional weight of the experiment.

The AI systems try to stop her ( mans with gun’s) They want to reset the simulation because the machine only activates when the subject reaches their version of emotional perfection. The world ends over and over because the simulation can run thousands of apocalyptic scenarios faster than real time.

The truth is:
An-na and Ja-in are already dead.
This is a machine using their memories to learn how human emotions work so it can create the next generation of “humans.”

In the end, An-na passes the test because she chooses love over logic.

Ja-in separating from her shows free will — something artificial intelligence cannot fake. When she is allowed to return to Earth, we see others who have also passed similar simulations. Humanity doesn’t survive because bodies are recreated — it survives because love was successfully learned.

The final message of the movie is clear:
Being human isn’t about being real or artificial.
It’s about love, memory, sacrifice, and the choices we make.

This movie isn’t confusing — it’s layered.
And once you understand it, it’s devastatingly beautiful. Also including few extra words I would say the experiment proves humans are defined not by survival instincts, but by who they choose to save, plus many of people have asked why “love” they would better come with something else but going deep down maternal love is used because it’s the hardest emotion to fake or replicate while AI can simulate logic endlessly, but love requires irrational sacrifice…

That’s it!!

Read More

From promising to waste, barely romantic

Zhou Yiran and Sabrina's acting was the only thing good on this show, but from what's promising to be on par with one of best dramas in 2023 along with Hidden Love, When I Fly Towards You, Road Home, Meet Yourself, and The Love that You Gave Me. This suddenly break it's momentum from doing great to being time waster.

When I heard this show was giving Forever Love vibe, I had to watched it, and considering I was definitely impressed by Zhou Yiran, with Sabrina as female lead, I was excited that I had binge watch first 9 episodes, I get so excited waiting for new episode then second half of the show happens, and it all went down the drain. I have excuse the poor editing as I was enjoying the characters, but plot turn 180 and I was suddenly questioning why I even started this.

Don't even compare this to Forever Love because that was a gem, a treasure you can find in the midst of underrated show, this was being hype so much that I cannot believe the sparked from this couple had dim so fast, this couple was only good pre-confession, they are another couple that lost it's shine after, and was barely romantic to each other.

I kept hoping it would picked up till last minute, I kept hoping and it DID NOT DELIVER.
Such a waste of potential.

Read More