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Love for Love's Sake
25 people found this review helpful
by cejj
Feb 1, 2024
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

I am so normal with this show......

omgomgomgomgomgomgomgomg Love for loves sake is a game-changer in the bl realm, taking you on a journey that's anything but ordinary.

Tae Myung Ha's switcheroo from a regular 29-year-old to a 19-year-old character inside a virtual game is like stepping into uncharted territory. The quest to sprinkle some happiness into Cha Yeo Woon's pixelated life brings forth a mix of track and field glory, handsome looks, and emotional wrecking...

The ending is pure cinematic magic, not rushed but carefully crafted, making it stand out in the Kbl landscape. The chemistry between the characters feels real. The acting is good. Characters are lovable. Iconic lines. Well-written script. Nice visuals. Name it. This is Cinema!

A must watch! It is a delightful anomaly in the best way possible, offering a unique blend of romance, drama, and a dash of virtual reality that's anything but normal.

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Completed
Begin Again
25 people found this review helpful
Dec 20, 2020
35 of 35 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 7.5
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.0

I’ve included a review of the English subs available

Chinese romance dramas used to always be either melodramas full of angst and sorrow or they would be over the top silly comedies. But lately they’ve been putting out some really good romantic comedies that are just the right combination of romance, comedy, and intrigue. This drama falls into that category. It’s not perfect but it’s a pretty decent drama.

Acting: It’s a rarity for me but I have no complaints about any of the actors in this drama. They all did a good job. But the main leads did a much better than average job. Let me explain.

The male lead:
When it starts out he reminds me a lot of a typical second male lead. He’s very sweet, kind, and charming. I like how, as the drama progresses, the male lead draws us in by slowly revealing everything his character has had to endure and why he’s so grateful for the little things in life. And as his character grows and matures into a much more confident and forceful person, you can’t help being touched.

The female lead:
The female leads portrayal of a cold and arrogant CEO is spot on. But when she gradually shows glimpses of the soft heart she hides beneath that tough cold exterior, that’s when you really start to understand and connect with her character. You can’t help but feel for her as she slowly reveals how tortured she is over her past. I liked how well she portrayed her characters immense growth and maturity too.

Cinematography and set design:
There was no weird camera angles or choppy editing. It flowed smoothly and seamlessly. I was never confused about what was happening. The set design was really nice and for once I have no complaints about the wardrobe (Chinese dramas tend to put really baggy or weird clothes on the female leads in modern romcoms). The music was perfect for each occasion never taking away from the scenes or getting too loud and drowning out the actors voices.

Storyline:
Taking the typical drama plot and reversing it by having a cold rich female CEO chase after the male lead was a refreshing take on an old cliche. The comedy was perfectly timed and the characters were entertaining. But after a while you get tired of seeing the female lead continually chasing after the male lead only to get coldly rejected every time. I started to feel embarrassed for her. And the silly goofy over the top antics her “frenemy” resorted to when pursuing the male lead was not only annoying but it didn’t sit well with me since he was married. These things go on for almost 16 straight episodes which was just too long. It was cute and funny in the beginning but after a while it became repetitive and predictable. I found myself hoping for something different or more interesting to happen. Fortunately the chasing ends and the annoying “frenemy” has lots of character growth and I even started liking her. Then they even put in some intriguing plot twists midway through the drama, breathing fresh life into it. But one of the plot twists didn’t make sense and hurt rather than helped the drama. It’s never a good idea when a drama makes the audience angry at one of the leads for doing something stupid and hurtful. There’s lots of ways of making a drama more interesting without making one of the main leads hurt the other one even if it’s with noble intentions. Nothing irritates me more than noble idiocy. It’s one drama trope that’s been way over used lately. If they hadn’t dragged things out for so long in the beginning and if they hadn’t made a main character do the noble idiocy thing, it would have been a perfect drama.

For those watching it with English subs:
There aren’t a lot of good English subs out there for this drama. The best I could find were on Daily Motion by Carmon Eng Sub, but be forewarned that they aren’t perfect. The subs would be pretty good for a while then there would be short periods where the conjugation and sentence structure would be way off. During these periods the basic thoughts are there but you have to reconstruct the sentences in your head for it to make sense, which got tiresome. The depth of emotion and deeper essence of what’s being conveyed is missing during these periods. I’m still not 100% sure what exactly happened with some of the business aspects of the drama because of this. These subs are much better than the google translate subs, they're the best out there for this drama, and they’re definitely worth watching. And I really do appreciate this nice subbers hard work. But just be prepared for brief periods where the subs aren’t conjugated properly requiring you to pause everything so you can figure it out.

Overall thoughts:
Does this drama have flaws? Yes. Was I irritated at times? Yes. But I have to say that the main leads chemistry and romance really stood out in this drama. They have great kissing scenes, lots of hugs, piggyback rides, cuddles, etc. And the secondary couple are pretty cute too. There are a lot of lovable characters in this drama that you will root for. It’s not perfect but it’s pretty darn sweet and memorable.

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Completed
In Between
25 people found this review helpful
Sep 29, 2024
27 of 27 episodes seen
Completed 3
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Realistic depiction of the complexities of Love

This is not just a typical plot based romantic drama with fluff and beautiful faces. Of course, it has beautiful faces (and I can’t wait to see Edward Chen, my newest crush, but I digress). After finishing the drama, I love it even more the when I started. This drama that leaves you thinking after each episode ends.

This is a great study/exploration on human’s need for companionship, human shortfalls, human motivation, different views on what love means; basically the complexities of relationships/ love. In a way, every character has their own selfishness & shortfall that causes failures in their relationships. It feels realistic as we can think of a few people in our own lives who have similarities. We cannot be quick to judge anyone’s actions (except maybe a couple of characters) because they are imperfect humans just like us.

The quality of the production is top notch in my book. You feel the vibe of these cities they live in. The actors are fantastic. The way it’s directed is interesting and creative. It interjects skits that summarizes the theme of each episode.I appreciate how it uses symbolism (in stead of just narrating peoples thoughts) to depict a person’s character, or the MFL’s internal battle/thoughts with her conscience which is supposed to guide her but doesn’t always succeed nor is it always right. Each episode you learn a little more about each character and boy…..it changes how you view them. All the complexities make this drama a fun, interesting, and worthwhile watch.

I look forward to soak up my one episode a day.

Updated after finishing (below comments do not give away specific details but may give overall ending):
I bumped this drama up to a 10 for me due to enjoyment value.




This is an enjoyable self growth drama. Realistic. Three ladies with different backgrounds, motivations, and values. Neither one feels fulfilled in their current lives. As they embark on the journey of life seeking what they think will fulfill it, they discover what truly does with the support of true friendships. Love the various relationships portrayed, whether romantic, platonic , family, or professional. Love the growth of each character.

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Completed
The Last Empress
25 people found this review helpful
by Soula
Mar 2, 2019
52 of 52 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers
I started this drama out of shear curiosity and really got hooked on the super drama it ended up turning into. I loved the plot and the character dynamics and could not wait for the romance between the Empress and the Chief body guard/Na Wang Shik. But......
The ending completely fell apart. It was exceptionally disappointing. I hated the way the writers wrapped things up. Min Yoo Ra being raped was just too much for me. It didn't make sense - it was like they were trying to justify and redeem her being a horrible person (throughout more than 75% of the drama) by saying that she went through something horrible (rape *is* horrible, but there was no reason to add that to her story because her story already made justifiable sense). Her horrible actions and mentally was already explained through her thinking she was abandoned when pregnant. They didn't need to add such a cruel thing on top of it. It was unnecessary and honestly, for me personally, distasteful.

Another thing that was handled poorly and was a complete let down for me was how Na Wang Shik was not in the final episodes - it felt really REALLY wrong. He needed to be there some how. Flashbacks would have been a great addition to kind of bridge the gap of the actor's absence! It was like they were trying to get us to forget he ever existed in the drama....but he was present in EVERY SINGLE EPISODE so trying to brush off his character in the last 4 episodes was just stupid and not well compensated for.

A logical issue in the plot that I could not fathom was the culprit behind the death of the Grandmother/Grand Empress Dowager....or apparently a suicide. Even if her suicide was planned by the writers, it made NO LOGICAL SENSE. NONE. How would her suicide help ANYONE (her reasoning behind killing herself rather than being murdered by her own family members)? UGH that was soooo frustrating and stupid too.

In regards to the island the Empress Dowager wanted so badly..... I was thinking that the island was gonna have something extremely taboo, cruel and crazy - the poppies with the cocaine production just really didn't cut it for me. Yes, the human experimenting was awful, but I didn't understand the point to it. Why do experimenting on humans with poppy extract? What's the goal/purpose??? That was left unexplained, which made it feel like they never really knew what was on the island until it was time to reveal it and then they didn't come up with anything worthy of all the desire to KILL over.

The ending with the Empress Dowager killing her own son was goosebumps evoking. It just didn't make sense to me how they made it seem like in his dying breaths the Dowager didn't mean it.....she tried to blow him up like 2 days ago.....

It was also sad that the sister to the emperor was simply too dumb to get involved with all the crazy stuff and therefore never trusted to handle anything. It protected her in the end, but man she felt so betrayed and surprised/appalled at their actions. Poor thing.

I also didn't get why the Empress (Sunny) was made to look like she's going to miss the Emperor after his death/murder but not once does she seem to mourn or remember Na Wang Shik. How does that even make sense to them?! They were in frickin love! Everyone knew it, but thanks to the actor's inability to be present in the last 4 episodes they decided to pretend that they weren't leading to that the whole time?! Where was Sunny crying herself to sleep because she loved him and he died protecting her from the bomb explosion (which they didn't really explain well either, just kind of glazed over to get him out of the picture). That makes me so mad.

There was some dramatic irony of people walking around looking at "antique " stuff from in the palace. That had me cracking up.

What I can say about the ending that was good was at least Sunny always loved Ari and wanted to protect her, which she managed to do till the end. That's a plus.

You see and this is a prime reason why I never watched currently airing dramas in the first place! The ending to this drama was so awful that it ruined the whole drama for me, even though I absolutely loved mostly everything up until the way they started to wrap up the ending.
Sunny didn't get to be with Chun Woo Bin/Na Wang Shik (which I wasn't originally rooting for, but after all the implications, I found myself wanting them to end up happy together) and that kinda bugged me because they were definitely alluding to their romance. And then they took it away!

Also, what was UP with Sunny's hair cut in the end?! That style did NOT suit her. And I don't think a haircut automatically equals a progression/lapse in time so that was definitely unnecessary too (though, I'm totally nit-picking, so I'll stop there).

Overall, I want to say I enjoyed this drama more than I did, but the ending makes it something I do NOT want to rewatch. Even the epilogue scene was a let-down. It implied that the Emperor and Sunny were supposed to be together if they had met in another life in different circumstances, but the whole drama spent time showing us that they would never be together and Na Wang Shik was her *fit*.
While the drama was highly addictive and paced well, the way the writers chose to handle the drama extension and not having the actor for Na Wang Shik included in the final 4 episodes ruined everything. I think the writers really need to reflect on how they handled this drama (in plot), their characters (in development), and their actors.
I would only consider recommending this drama/rewatching this drama if there was an alternate ending including Na Wang Shik's character and their happily ever after (rather than the bittersweet ending we got).

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Completed
Ten Years of Loving You
25 people found this review helpful
Apr 17, 2022
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 4.0

Way too rushed or this would've been better


I was casually checking up for Ding Yuxi's upcoming works on his MDL profile page and came across this movie… the synopsis sounded interesting so I thought of checking it out… but wait what a blunder!

Having read the synopsis I knew this was gonna be a bit of rollercoaster and sad stuff… and it literally went like that… the plot moves with the speed of light, almost 3×10^8 m/s … that's the biggest complain I have here… they don't give you any time to adjust with the changes or understand the characters… the twist are like this, one thing happened, next this happens, then that and that…

the movie is 1 hour 44 minutes long, I wish it was at least 2.5 or 3 hours long… I won't mind the length but the story will be delivered better in that way.

Then they didn't even care to explain us the medical terms and elaborate us about the twists… I see they're crying but give me a reason to cry along with them… Tbh, the story isn't very bad as it seems, the only issue is the execution only if they showed us some basic character build up or some scenes related before verbally saying all the twists…

despite that some small scenes in between with the main leads that are barely of 1-2 minutes each are cute… as a cute pair they look great together but what a waste that the execution sucked… the only thing I am satisfied with is acting… I really hope the same leads work together for a better script… they deserve better…

from the OST lineup… I liked —
♪Accompany you♪ (sang by Yu Jiayun)
♪Ten years of smoke♪ (sang by Tang Hanxiao).

All in all, I don't recommend this to anyone. If you haven't watched any works of the cast before, please refer to their other works before cause this isn't the choice for a first impression.

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Completed
All about My Wife
25 people found this review helpful
by Ginger
Feb 4, 2013
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 7.0
funny...with great lessons to learn ^^
the movie describes a main problem that comes along with long relationships...losing contact...
when things goes wrong...go back to the beginning & rebuild things again...
the acting was great the directing was fabulous...
I'm a fan of French songs...so |I loved the music...
***watch it...you will not regret it ;)
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Completed
Missing: The Other Side
25 people found this review helpful
Oct 12, 2020
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 8.0

You may feel hurt in your heart a lot of the times.

This show has been one hell of an emotional roller coaster. It really hurt where it was supposed to hurt, it's that type of a story.
The acting was good and really, the story itself and it's progression was definitely smooth, despite having many parallel story lines going on of different characters. The Director and the Writer did very well in this regard. Personally, I've seen many shows where they mess up the story line if a lot of things going on in one drama, but, Not this one. Although one of two details are missing that should have been addressed. But, you can't really expect more from a drama that's just 12 episode long.
The cinematography was great, although most Korean shows have them. It's the overall progression of the story that really did the job for me, It wasn't too fast, neither too slow, just my cup of tea.
Overall, a good show, with a very good cast, good story line, good acting and great music.

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Completed
The School Nurse Files
25 people found this review helpful
by Richel
Sep 26, 2020
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.0

Incoming: mild fever dream

Wow. What an…experience.

Objectively, I had a few issues with the drama’s execution. Not-so-objectively, this is a perfect show to accompany a couple of spiked seltzers (ahem...only if you're of legal age, please): it’s cra-zy. Loco, I tell you.

The School Nurse Files is not your conventional television show, let alone your run-of-the-mill K-drama. It really does have a “Netflix original” vibe to it (as I would describe such a “genre”): creative and at times disturbing, but most importantly, outlandish. Each episode is a trip into peculiar jelly (warning: gross to look at) encounters, meeting eccentric characters, and the resulting chaos. Mixed together with moments of dry humor, the show can feel overwhelming at times, but is unexpectedly entertaining.

I can picture this drama as suiting those with more niche preferences, so I wouldn't recommend it on a whim. The computer graphics are done so well that the resulting creepiness can be physically off-putting. And though our main character may be a toy sword, BB gun-wielding fanatic, this show’s themes are quite serious and—on certain occasions—dark. Altogether, it’s a weird cocktail of comic tomfoolery and harsh reality that’s the first of its kind in the K-drama realm.

In terms of writing, the length of the drama turned out to be a handicap. The story was interesting enough, but the progression was slightly faster than what I prefer. With even one more episode, I think the pacing could have been smoother and the message of the show would have come across much stronger.

While I liked the characters, none of them were developed to their full potentials. In the fantasy genre, where plot tends to be overpowering by nature, it’s important to build characters as interesting human beings in order to complement such compelling stories. I don’t think that was entirely accomplished here, and that’s my main qualm with the show. The characters are supposed to be strange. Most of them are supposed to rub you the wrong way. But then what? They fall flat. Altogether, the freshness of the plot is what carries you through the show.

Admittedly, my initial interest was due to Nam Joo Hyuk. Jung Yoo Mi being on the cast list was an extra plus. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the two of them performed excellently. Jung Yoo Mi excelled in her oddballish yet emotional lead role, and Nam Joo Hyuk’s portrayal of a mellow and genuine sidekick was equally fun to watch. Oh, Nam Joo Hyuk. Never could I have expected him, of all people, to lead me...here. But here I am. In jelly-world.

Because it’s such a unique drama, there’s really no way of predicting whether you’ll enjoy it unless you try it. This is one of those rare shows where watching the first half hour is likely enough for you to make an accurate judgment about how much you’ll like the rest. So, empty your mind and jump in…just…your head needs to be totally empty to accept the amount of insanity it’s about to encounter.

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Completed
Revenant
25 people found this review helpful
by Mochi
Sep 8, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 6.0

Worthy k-horror with top notch acting by Kim Tae Ri

Horror is not usually my choice of genre but was drawn by Kim Tae Ri’s versatile acting and was hooked from the beginning. Also a long mystery, each episode was full of suspense and was drawn wanting to find out the backstories. No love story unfortunately but there was a hint of romance between all the blood and deaths with the detective. Some could say there was also something with the Folklore professor but if they dropped in romance I’d be team detective. Ending also has a good message. Would recommend.
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Completed
Semantic Error
25 people found this review helpful
Mar 10, 2022
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 4
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 9.5

A silver lining on the Korean BL horizon

Semantic Error may not reinvent the wheel, but its authentic characters, convincing performances of the lead actors and charming storytelling make this one of the most entertaining BLs I've recently watched.

The strongest aspect of Semantic Error are the characters and the palpable chemistry between the lead actors. Both Jaeyoung and Sangwoo are incredibly likeable characters, which is always a good thing in a romance drama. If I don't like one of the leads, it's just hard to get invested and root for their relationship. Our lead actors seemed to have fun playing these roles, and it felt like they genuinely wanted to tell this story. There was absolutely no awkwardness or apprehension between them, instead we got sizzling chemistry and gradual attraction that convincingly builds up the tension between our main couple. It's reminiscent of last years "To My Star" in terms of quality and chemistry between the leads.

Park Jaechan plays Chu Sangwoo an intelligent but emotionally distant computer science major. Sangwoo´s stubborn nature and obsession with rules could have made him come off as cold, but he was surprisingly sweet and funny. Through Park Jae Chans excellent portrayal, Sangwoo´s robotic tendencies come off as charming and endearing instead of unnerving.

Park Seoham plays Jang Jaeyoung a confident, popular and talented design major. Seoham is a social butterfly, seemingly getting along with everyone, he's the typical handsome cool kid. What makes him different from a lot of other leads of this stereotype is that he's actually a kind soul and rather self-reflective. Something I was very thankful for since Jaeyoung´s charming, caring and fun personality made it so easy to root for him.

The supporting cast may have not been fleshed out like our leads, but we got some memorable additions to the cast. Often when side characters show up in short dramas like this, it feels like they are taking away screen time from our main couple. That was absolutely not the case for Semantic Error, since we usually got fun banter or meaningful conversations whenever one of the side characters showed up. Apart from the characters, I really enjoyed the dialogues and humor in this show. It never felt forced and enhanced the lighthearted and fun atmosphere.

The cinematography gives you a cozy feeling with its fall setting and use of vibrant colors. I also want to point out the excellent soundtrack by Coldin. "Romantic Devil" is super catchy, while "Can you stay" is a soothing track that makes you feel all warm inside.

Personally, I was entertained from the first to the last episode, so there isn't much to criticize. You could argue it's rather uninventive with its university setting, enemies to lovers trope and the school rebel falls for nerd setting. All of these valid reasons to give this a pass since it's been done so many times before. If you aren't tired of it yet or if you're the type to be won over by good storytelling and endearing characters, I would give this one a chance nonetheless.

Semantic Error was able to not only establish incredibly likable characters, but also show the gradual affection between them. We see they're falling for each other and most importantly we understand why they are falling for each other. Frankly, that's something not all romance centered dramas accomplish. Although short, this show is very well paced, perfectly utilizing the amount of time they have without focusing on unnecessary fillers or rushing anything. It's a short and sweet youth drama which is the perfect comfort watch if you need something to warm your heart and make you smile. Definitely re-watch material.

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Completed
Call It Love
25 people found this review helpful
by SG22
Apr 5, 2023
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 10

Best Healing show ever made

This is the best thing you will see in 2023. Its so comforting and healing and beautiful and soft that you will not want it to end. Its slow.. but not slow where you want to skip to other parts or you find it boring. No its slow in a very pleasing manner. When the characters find comfort and peace you will find it too. It honest about human emotions. The Characters are flawed and human and you love them.

The love that builds up between the two is so pure and beautiful and the way they both want to sacrifice every single peace in their life to just give a little comfort to the other is sooo soothing and so pure. They will forever be my favourite.

If you have not started watching it because of any reason, stop thinking and start it. Just start and you will never want to stop watching

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Completed
Winter Sonata
25 people found this review helpful
by Rule
Mar 1, 2013
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
Winter Sonata is a beautiful, nostalgic and addictive romantic melodrama.
The first few episodes are really adorable, love the characters of both the leads, I like them both as actors.
Then from the middle to the end (even though its still beautiful) the story drags a lot. The pace is really really slow and situations repeat themselves one way or the other to the point that you have to ff to get on with it.
But for anyone who likes a romantic melodrama, this is not to be missed. I have already watched it twice and probably will next time too when I need to watch a sad and romantic story with a nice ending.
Mind you all the cliches are there, the dreaded love triangle, terminal illness, birth secrets and many more. But still its a beautiful watch.

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Completed
Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace
25 people found this review helpful
by Trin
Aug 4, 2020
87 of 87 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

"Always find myself looking back at memories"

Before I begin I just want to say I first watched this drama a year ago and the story has stayed in my heart and will remain in my heart. This drama is my favourite of all time. There are no flying leaps and swishy capes. Nor is there any magic and cheesy romance. This story is heartbreaking and I still constantly think about it.

Story:
One word sum up: Mesmerizing
Explanation: For anyone that doesn't know, this drama is based on real history so those complaining about the ending are arguing with history lol. This is definitely a sad story with a sad ending. It's basically is 84 episodes of heartbreak, betrayal, and angst. It shows us a relationship once filled with love and passion crumble apart. It was a relief from happy ending dramas but it is also a drama that can not be compared with others and destroys you inside & out. It was an honest and painful look at love. A thing I loved about this show is that they showed multiple different types of love: sisterly love, motherly love, unrequited love, and of course romantic love. I do not recommend this drama to anyone with a weak heart. Its a harem drama and one based on real events so if you cant take harem you won't be able to take Ruyi. I've seen a lot of reviews saying they stopped when Ruyi became empress because they couldn't bare to see her in any more pain which is understandable but something I never could do. You feel every emotion this show conveys.

Cast:
One word sum up: Perfect
Explanation: I wouldn't change one cast member. They all played their parts perfectly. Zhou Xun and Wallace Huo did such an amazing job. Watching you could really believe they were the people they were betraying. Zhou Xun showed how strong Ruyis character is. She always showed the perfect emotional reaction for Ruyi with each situation that came up. Even her just gazing out of a window makes your heart cry. Wallace Huo made me hate him with a passion because of this drama even now watching dramas with him in it I think back to the person he was betraying in this drama. You feel every emotion they betray.

Music:
One word sum up: Beautiful
Explanation: The main songs and the wordless musical ones were all spectacular. Lei Jia did an amazing job with the main ost. Every time I hear it the show's images flash in my mind. And of course, Mao BuYi & Zhou Shen did a fantastic job as with every drama ost they do.

Negatives:
Like I said do not watch this if you can't do harem drama or expect a fluffy sweet romance. This is a soul-crushing story. You would think with 84 episodes there would be a lot of filler but honestly, there wasn't except on the last few episodes but that was because of the wild situation at the end. There is a lot of drama and when I mean a lot I mean a lot. Lots of murders and torture. Everyone dies.

Positives:
They really put a lot of effort into this show and it comes through. From the food, clothing and decorations as the seasons change to the speaking manner and positions and placements of the cast in a scene. I could take 10 random screen recordings of this show and I would have an official-looking background for an ost song cover. They put so much detail into this show. The hairpins, hairstyles, and clothing all change helping understand the changing of times as this show goes on. They beautifully showed time passing and I have yet to find a drama that matches up to it.

Final words:
This drama is engraved in my mind like some of my most important memories I would rewatch right now but I'm mentally getting ready for it as it is very depressing but such a masterpiece. If you decide to start your Ruyi journey I wish you luck and hope you appreciate and love this drama as much as I do.

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Completed
We Go Fast on Trust
25 people found this review helpful
by Shiro
Nov 18, 2023
22 of 22 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 1.0

We Go FAST Through the Censorship Process...

This is one of those dramas where we witness how patriotism and propagande pretty much take away all the focus from the otherwise ok plot. A drama with some really good characters, friendships and relationships that just do not get the time they deserve to develop and give us our romance and fluff... Instead we keep on seeing how evil the foreign countries can be... How they just discard the Chinese engineering, and that China is better off fighting alone... or together with other Chinese people... putting trust in pretty much any one outside Chine is bad... and so on and so on... Between the moments of Go China we get to see opposites attract, trauma will confine you but love, trust and the mother land will set you free...

The pacing for the couples is frustratingly slow, and on again off again at times even if most of the characters are lovely. I did find it hard to relate to their choices. The drama could have been 10 episodes or less if they just cut out the flashbacks, slow mo, and repetitive stuff.

That said I did find myself curious about how things will turn out, I was rooting for the couples, and the umbrellas in this drama where top, top, top!

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Completed
Make a Wish
25 people found this review helpful
by bann25
Apr 26, 2023
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 3.5
Story 3.5
Acting/Cast 6.5
Music 2.5
Rewatch Value 2.0

no expectations no disappointment

what was this I came to see this because of FLUKE AND NIKE but what the hell this is UGH I want to like it but I just DON'T LIKE IT I didn't meet the expectations I had of it.
What went through the mind of the producer and director when they made it.
An angel coming out of a TREE? I knew that elves, fairies, etc. live in the trees, but this is the first time I've heard of angels in the trees.
The special effects are exaggerated, not to mention the sound.
Not even the NC scene was good angel krit reminded me of pharm at that moment with the haircut and everything and that scene died there and we are talking about FLUKE who can achieve great scenes and proof of this is RED WINE IN THE DARK NIGHT.
I expected something better knowing that it was a series by the same writer as TRIAGE AND MANER OF DEAD and knowing that I was part of the production but this is a total disappointment, if this is the same as the novel I will say that the writer did it in a day where all his imagination had gone to create such nonsense and I hope the next book that is going to be adapted is better than this. It is not worth that it lasts an hour and more than 30 minutes is more than enough for this kind of show. And that I waited for all the episodes to see if it improved but apart from the great performance of NIKE Y PON there is nothing else.

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