Reviews

All the Tropes and All the Charm..

Skipping Love Your Enemy means missing out on some pretty solid writing and acting.. You might have seen losers in love before.. But this drama takes silliness to an entirely new level.. That said.. I have to admit I genuinely enjoyed their relationship.. There were a lot of unexpected heartfelt moments in the drama..

I started watching for JJH.. But the cast surprised me.. I really loved the supporting characters... They delivered great performances.. And the story has its moments.. The comedy was on point.. No unnecessary side plots or gimmicks.. Even the second male lead was well written.. Which is rare in kdramas.. He wasnt annoying at all.. Well not until his last scene..

One of the standout elements in Love Your Enemy is Seok Jiwon’s character design.. Particularly his integrity.. It adds so much depth to his character.. He was truly admirable throughout the drama..

For me the highlight of the drama was their younger version.. Their teenage relationship.. It was so well written.. And the actors really portrayed it with such authenticity.. Honestly they deserved a couple of episodes just for themselves..

Overall.. Love Your Enemy is a refreshing drama.. It has all the tropes.. Childhood friends, Childhood sweethearts, Enemies to lovers, Workplace romance and Second chance romance.. It delivers great humor and a no nonsense storyline.. Easily one of the best romcoms of 2024..

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Preachy with questionable lessons and toddler love story.

Can’t believe I watched a whole show with a cloud of flies as the villain. Why did he do what he did? Because he is evil. Why was the war happening? No one knows, it just was. Why was the leader of fairies wanting to keep the war going? Why not I guess, they just hate each other.

Here’s the thing, if you take 10 random viewers of the show and ask them to describe in detail what was the plot of the show and motivations for all the characters, you would get a description of 10 completely different shows. Why? Because all this drama had was a framework of the plot, but no substance inside it. There was little to no world or character building, no proper set up, no proper conclusion, no details of the magic system and rules how it operates. The drama just lacked… writing.

I could potentially still enjoy it for the romance, if the romance was good. It was not. I just cannot get behind the weird toddler with grown up man romance. Here me out - I have exactly zero issues with childish female leads, there are quite a few dramas with them that I enjoyed, but I am completely against child-like female leads. There is a huge difference between a character behaving in an immature fashion, and a character behaving like a child, and sadly the Fairy was just an annoying toddler.

Possessive and toxic love story? Sign me up, but not when it feels like a romance between a father and his minor kid. I do not care if she matured in the last 6 episodes - too little too late. This whole pairing freaked me out for a good 30 episodes.

Orchid just ain’t it. Girl was dumb, loud, irresponsible, pretentiously good (sorry, but a guy colluding with evil for 30k years and getting so many people dead because of his delusional love was not just a small mistake). While Dongfang Qing Cang was truly hot during many scenes, I still could not enjoy the character to his full potential because of the context of his romance with the little flower. Out of all the characters, the two I truly enjoyed were Die Yi and Dear Daddy Devil’s little brother.

Yes, the performances were strong. Esther Yu was perfect for the role of the most annoying child female lead and delivered all the proper expressions and lines needed. The emotional scenes were great and I actually really liked her in the last 3 episodes. Dylan Wang ate the role. All the pain and suffering, all the confusion about the new emotions he was feeling, all the internal and external dilemmas he was facing. Not to mention both Esther and Dylan did a phenomenal job with the soul switching scenes (even if I did not enjoy them, I am not going to deny the acting skills needed to deliver them).

Production value was great, at least in terms of special effects and most of the set and costume designs. There were few extremely cheap looking additions to few dresses and war armors, but overall - for sure more beauty than trash. Truth to be told, it kind of felt as if they used 80% of the budget on the aesthetics.

As for the soundtrack, can we talk about that one song that sounds like an anime intro that felt painfully misplaced in the story? Too many tracks were completely mismatched, and while they sounded like nice tunes, they did not fit the scenes at all.

Overall, I am just happy I survived this watch. I hated the preachy narration at the end about how love can cure us all, when literally the whole villain story and all the wars happened because of one dude’s delusional love. The writers need to reread their material before they write dumb conclusions, really.

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A forgotten gem

I am actually surprised that this series was not blown up. The acting, the music, the plot... I like pretty much everything. You guys should really give this a try, it's like a whole updated level of OhmFluke.
To me, it's a gem among BL series considering, like every other period, we are swamped with school-theme BL. Ohm acting shows a lot of progress. Fluke acting is versatile, as always. The side couple is very cute too. The story is nowhere near predictable and the series is a perfect blend between funny moments and serious, sad ones.
Really think I will rewatch this later :)))

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Ever Night has its flaws, but it ended up being one of my favorites anyway. The first thing that stands out about this drama is its beautiful cinematography and great action scenes; the fight choreography is exceptional, and the CGI is pretty solid overall. The main characters are interesting and likable, but flawed enough to be realistic. Ning Que, the protagonist, is more antihero than hero, shaped by his childhood trauma and his struggle to survive while also supporting his "maid," Sang Sang. He comes across as having a chip on his shoulder (with pretty good reason) and he is guarded around most of the other characters - Sang Sang being one of the few notable exceptions. She is such a gentle, cheerful young woman that it would be easy to forget what a difficult life she's led if not for her extreme practicality and her anxieties surrounding finances. Occasionally Sang Sang's emotions get the best of her, but no other character is as supportive or industrious as she is.

The relationship between Ning Que and Sang Sang is complex due to their unusual circumstances and there are multiple layers to their dynamic. She initially appears to be a maid who happens to be very fond of the person she serves, but it's quickly evident that their power dynamic is not quite that cut-and-dried. When he was a young child, he found her as a baby in a pile of corpses and took her in. They are a few years apart in age, and although he was obviously her caretaker in her younger years, it wasn't too long before she was carrying her own weight. He has made a living by killing bandits, while she has taken care of domestic chores and finances. There are subtle elements of caretaker-dependent and older brother-younger sister to their interactions at times, but overall they seem best described as platonic life partners for the first thirty or so episodes (with occasional, subtle hints of romantic feelings/attraction).

Later in the series, when Ning Que shows up with a love interest after a period of being away from home, they're forced to confront their true feelings and figure out what they really want. It's pretty obvious just by the fact that Sang Sang is the second lead which way Ning Que will lean (or even by the synopsis on this page), so I don't think this could be considered a spoiler. I watched this drama on Viki with comments on, so I know how divisive their relationship is. It is an upsetting development for some viewers who only see one aspect of Ning Que and Sang Sang's dynamic. Some viewers consider Ning Que to be too much of a father figure to Sang Sang to accept the turn their relationship takes, claiming (or implying) that it is incest. I personally don't agree with this viewpoint – but if you think the relationship could be squicky for you based on how I described it, and you believe that would interfere too much with your enjoyment of the series as a whole, you may want to give this one a pass. Just a heads up.

I rated this drama highly in large part because I really enjoyed most of the characters and the main relationship (I can forgive a lot if I become attached to the characters), however I did feel that there were some issues with the plot. The pacing is a bit uneven, and the exposition scenes are quite dull at times. Although there were a couple of exceptions, I felt that the antagonists were much too one-dimensional. The character arc for one of the main antagonists – Long Qing – particularly felt like a waste of time. Most of his scenes could have been left out and the result would have been the same. That was especially irritating given that his scenes were so tedious to watch. The last ten episodes are sluggish and feel like they could have been cut in half (at least). In fact, the same could be said for the series as a whole - but that has been true with almost any Chinese drama I've seen.

Another thing that I found off-putting is that, sometimes, some of the characters would know what's going on in a distant location without any apparent reason - as if they were watching it on television. When it was Fu Zi - who is generally considered the greatest cultivator in the world - I decided to just go with it. It didn't make sense, but whatever. When it was Fu Zi's disciples, I also just accepted it; they learned it from him, I guessed. But when it was still used with characters who had no background in cultivation, it became kind of aggravating. No matter what, it feels like lazy writing, but there really should be some brief explanation given for something like that. Similarly, there were many times when characters received news quicker than really seemed believable. Things like this were just minor annoyances, but they did pull me out of the viewing experience.

I've read some criticisms of Chen Feiyu (Arthur Chen)'s acting, but I didn't think he was a bad Ning Que overall. He was actually pretty expressive, though unevenly so; he was effective at conveying affection/infatuation and anger/aggression, but fell short in scenes that required him to express emotional anguish and physical pain. One thing that I found a bit annoying is that he frequently raises/moves his eyebrows in a way that kind of looks like they're spasming. Sometimes the eyebrow raise is effective, but more often it's not. That aside, I became attached to his character in spite of his considerable shortcomings, and some of that was due to Feiyu's charm and charisma. (Note: He won't be returning to the role in the second season due to scheduling conflicts; he will be replaced by Dylan Wang.)

I felt that Song Yiren (Ireine Song)'s acting was stronger; she was lively, sweet, and adorable as Sang Sang. Whatever the scene called for, she was almost always able to hit the right emotional notes. When I watched the trailer, the only thing I had reservations about was her character, so it's kind of ironic that she ended up being my favorite. I looked forward to her scenes most, and I'm very glad Song Yiren will be returning for a second season. There were many great supporting characters, and the other actors were quite good overall. I enjoyed the fact that several older characters had prominent roles in the story, and they also ended up being among the most interesting characters to watch (most notably Chin Shih Chieh as Yan Se and Ni Dahong as Wei Guangming).

So, tl;dr:

Pros – memorable characters, cute relationship, great action scenes, beautiful cinematography, lovely OST, mostly good CGI

Cons – one-dimensional antagonists, potentially squicky relationship (YMMV)

If you're into action/adventure and fantasy dramas, and you don't think that the main relationship would negatively impact your ability to enjoy the series, then definitely give this one a shot.

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One of best Asian drama to come out this year!

I am usually reluctant to Chinese dramas. As rarely any good series in terms of content, writing and acting comes out these days. Plus, their overdramatic love triangles and unnecessary misunderstanding among leads has had me hesitant to touch a series of forty plus episodes.

But what should I say about, Go Ahead, I mean I can criticise on so many things but my heart doesn't allow it because this series touches your heart before it does anything else.

Three young souls, broken deep from their painful pasts comes together to create a new home, new life, and new happiness. Love is the only thing that binds them together. From their loving and caring dads to their evil moms, each harbors a story only they can tell.

Having lived in China, seeing their culture closely, I was stunned by their level of understanding, bonding and the love they showed in this series. Who loved who, who suffered how much and who endured the most pain, is meaningless, as what was important to those three people was their presence for each other and warmth of love they churn in togetherness, and in separation, that keep giving them hope in their cold and dark days.

From ZQ cute face to LX serious expressions and JJ innocent soul, they were never three, they were always one. Their dad, LHC and LHP, gave everything they could to raise those 3 champs, who turned out to be best of the best human beings. It was a first lengthy episodic length drama, I never got bored from. I just loved their bickering, sweet and cozy moments, to their sweet adolescent and matured years.

After every fall, they never hesitated to embrace each other, I guess thats what a family is. You hold the fallen ones and keep them close, not because you won't let them fall, but you will always be there to pick them up, after every fall.

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I watch this movie a few days ago. I thought it was amazing!! I love a good revenge movie~! (And trust me...after seeing what this villain does...you'll want to jump in the movie and kill him yourself!) The action scenes are GREAT!! Especially towards the end...and it had what many would call a "bow-tie" ending. So, If you like Koreans, action, revenge, a little mystery & suspense....WATCH THIS. But I warn you...The only reason I couldn't give this movie a 10/10 is because the graphics are "Saw" level and made my stomach turn...I had to look away a few times...soooo i guess you'll have to like gory movies as well...LOL

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DO NOT WATCH THIS DRAMA. It is cute and funny and mildly interesting in the beginning, but then the plot and the logic disappears. From episode 9 onward, you watch pain without knowing the reason for it, even though that pain is beautiful to watch. And just when you think it is totally done for and you can't watch another moment of this crap, they give you a shining moment, or actually a good episode that makes you giggle and sigh and nod your head saying "that make sense." And the Ending. Abominable. The finale should have been episode 16 so they could have played out the aftermath for an episode, or at least 15 minutes! No, we don't even get to see the moment that the entire series is leading up to. FAIL, drama. You traitor.

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Could have been better but it lacks chemistry so badly...

I'm not the biggest fan of a love triangle but I'm even less a fan if the chemistry does not match the story.
While we all know this is a low budget effort, they should have at least tried to have at least good chemistry to elevate the story. But they failed miserable.

It felt all detached and shallow and for me neither Doha nor Woohyun gave me the vibe that they long for each other. For me they felt steril and they could not convince me at all. I don't care about a high polished production but even in the worst thai productions at least the chemistry between the couples comes through even when everything else fails. First Woohyu loves his teacher and when he get rejected (of course), he seems to turn to Doha. But never ever I had the feeling this was the pivotal moment when his feeling changed. It just happens because the script said so. And of course they are together even when they are 8000km apart... yeah for sure.

In this series they fail with everything. While not cringe or stupid, it's just boring.and unbelievable. Cute/handsome actors can't make up for the story if there is no chemistry at all. I expected more from a South Korean series, but not every series can deliver. So this is the first big disappointment in 2025 and if you have skipped it, you don't miss a thing.

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A ride that starts with fun and chaos but ends up being a mess by the end.

I still remember watching Jim Carrey's "Liar Liar" and how a laughter riot it was filled with chaotic moments. When I read the synopsis of this drama, I knew it is gonna be a ball of chaos and that is exactly what it has been to most extent.

Go Kyung Pyo is a great casting for the role and damn he is humorous with his expressions and acting. Looking at his past dramas with him pulling off different types of characters, he has improved a lot.
I always wanted to see Kang Hanna in lead roles, so was quite happy to see her in this drama.

There are some cliche tropes used like the love triangle between ML,FL and SML but even with the triangle, things are kept humorous and simple instead of going for overly dramatic confrontations and stuff.

The first half of the drama is full of many funny, chaotic and dramatic moments but the second half is a mess with unnecessary storylines being added and finished rapidly. The story turned into a total healing melodrama with nothing to do with the main highlight of the title. It did become somewhat boring by the end and I am glad they only kept it till 12 eps cuz looks like even the writers knew they had no idea on what to do with story or how to end it.

Overall It is a decent watch.

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messy and noisy plot

I was excited when I learned that Woo Do Hwan and Lee Yu Mi were the main leads. I enjoyed their acting in previous projects, and I thought they matched well—Woo Do Hwan has a sharp, intense look, while Lee Yu Mi gives off a bubbly vibe.

However, the plot just didn’t work for me. I found it messy. The story tried to pack in too much information, but I didn’t care for the side plots—for instance, the whole bloodline thing and the gang’s revenge. I was more interested in the main leads’ relationship and the male lead’s journey to find his biological father, especially since we knew he was sick. All of the side plots made the series feel too noisy, in my opinion. About halfway through, I also started getting annoyed with Lee Yu Mi’s character because she screamed a lot, which kinda ruined the mood.

I wanted to like this series. In fact, I had high expectations since I like both main leads, and the premise had so much potentials. But sadly, this one is not for me.

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You're All Surrounded is definitely one of the best dramas I've watched all year. It has action, romance, suspense, drama, and even comedy. This series grabs you within the first ten minutes and never lets go until the very end.

I think that the wide collection of diverse characters and their individual stories is what drives the drama straight to the top. Each character feels well balanced and adds something to the story that another character couldn't. And all the intertwining relationships and background stories added to the overall enjoyment of this series.

All of the actors did an incredible job with their parts, creating dynamic and believable characters that not only tugged on my heartstrings, but also made my stomach turn with disgust and anger. Even the characters that were part of the side investigations (that didn't really have anything to do with the main plot, but rather bringing the main cast together) were particularly dynamic and brought incredible emotions to the table for the short time they were on screen.

The plot was just as amazing. When you thought the drama was going to turn right, it made a left. There was so much tension and heart in the side investigations alone, but the main stories were even more incredible and satisfying.

The setting, the music, costuming, etc. was also pretty good. Definitely one of the more visually pleasing dramas I've seen in a while.

Although this drama was pretty amazing, it's not without it's faults. The last few episodes did feel like a bit of a drag. It's regrettable, because I feel that it had to do with the main plot line (which, sadly, began to fall in excitement and love-abilty at about episode 16). Thankfully it picked up again on episode 19 and everything went back to the exciting nature of the drama.

Overall this was a completely satisfying and particularly amazing drama, one of the best I've seen all year. I will probably end up watching it again sometime in the future. I recommend this drama for anyone, even if you don't like cop dramas you should still give it a try (don't knock something before you try it, or you might miss out on this fantastic drama).

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So dumb, yet so entertaining.

Deep has a negative brain cell energy and I live for it. It's a pure brainless entertainment: the writer has no brain, the characters have no brain, and by the end of the movie, you will also have no brain.

All the build up tension and clock ticking to the tune of death are hilarious when you know there is a ridiculously easy solution to the dilemma the characters are facing. I was watching the movie laughing, face palming and asking “why y'all making it so difficult when it’s not?”.

I mean, I knew they were all dumb when female lead asked about money and not side effects at the beginning of the movie, even though she is a medical student ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

That said, the characters being so stupid, which leads to the plot being so stupid, was exactly what I liked about it. It’s supposed to be a thriller, but damn, I thought it was some dark comedy on crack.

Production wise it’s cool. Love the soundtrack, and I found it truly fitting. The effect used when showcasing the messed up perception after sleepless nights of the main cast were well done. I had some issues with the directing in terms of pacing… felt a bit jarring.

The plot twist was there… and I was like OH! But then I went into Oh? Wait… what? And then I had to remind myself that no one is using their brain in the movie, so for them the actions might make sense.

Overall, not smart, not groundbreaking, but truly fun to watch. The cast had amazing chemistry and sold the story through their acting. I love the bond, I love the friendship, even if they all shared one brain cell. Stupidity entertaining till the end. It’s the first time I truly adored such a bunch of idiots, and just for that this movie deserves a medal.

That said, Deep left me with one question: How easy is it to study medicine in Thailand if these 4 idiots not only got in, but also passed at least a few semesters?

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I feel disappointed.

I've been looking for ways to let out my thoughts and opinions and I'm glad MDL provided this.

I have lots of things to say but let me start with why this drama didn't go well with me.

I've always disliked dramas whose storyline are too common. I don't like dramas where the female lead has to chase the male lead. This drama even worsens my dislike because the supposed Male Lead already likes her. He's secretly been in love with her for years. So what's the problem with you taking the lead after she's given so many green light? I hate playing dumb and this Male lead keeps getting on my nerves.

I thought that was a personal issue so I kept going, just I like I did with When I Fly Towards You.

However, with every episode, I'm getting more pissed and it's very sad. I've been anticipating this drama since the first announcement was made because I've been a fan of the Female Lead since Love In The Cloud and Love Between Lines.

I keep trying to stay and watch but nooooo. The acting and storyline is a No for me.

I personally feel like there shouldn't have been a lot of couple in the drama. I hate dramas that have lots of couples. Can we just focus on the Lead? 2 Couples is enough for me. Having too many is stressful and it doesn't help in anyway.

Also, the character of Feifei is too common in East Asian dramas. I expected something different. Something more. The Storytelling is too poor. I'm so sad.

My expectations were very high but now, it's been cut short ridiculously.

I saw some reviews about the editing and shooting. Yes, that too. The cinematography is great at all. It all boils down to the storytelling.

I really hope I later enjoy this drama. I plan to keep going until I see them fall in love. I may probably enjoy it more when the Male Lead starts chasing the Female Lead.

Until then, this is where I drop my ink!

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Still can't believe this is a History series..

Let's start with the positives. The second couple is amazing, the chemistry is hot, the storyline between them is good, and I am absolutely living for it!

Now, onto the main couple. We've got a time-travel story here, and we all know time-travel storylines are like complicated recipes. If you're gonna make it, make it right! Unfortunately, they didn't do that. The time-travel element in this series is not only confusing but doesn't really add any significance to the show. And let's talk about Dai-Johnny. Dude comes off annoying, childish, and worse, a terrible kisser. I mean, if you're gonna go back in time, at least learn some kissing skills before you do.
Plus, Considering this is a History show, I don't think he should have played this role, because dude acts like he isn't up for this gay ish. Come on, man, show some enthusiasm. And what's up with the lack of skinship? It's been 20 episodes, people! Get it together!

And speaking of things that don't make sense, how did they end up going from living in a storage unit to working for Hai-yi's dad's company, when the whole point was Hai-yi running away from home and not wanting to work with his dad? A lot of details are missing in this series. It's a little confusing, and I have so many questions

Overall, I am quite dissappointed considering how History 1 chemistry even has more spark than this. But hey, at least it's not boring. So i'mma hang in there. Who knows, maybe things will heat up in the next episode... or not."

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NO SPOILER - Is it physical attraction or is it real love connection?

Watching this drama I wondered if sexual tension could ignate real love connections ?

The story : Amidst chaotic political struggle of 3 cities, the most beautiful woman of the desert, gets involved with 3 Influencial men.

Well... This drama is not a slowburn romance like I thought. It is more a story about infatuation with a sprinkle of toxic romance in an unstable desert, where a power struggle is happening.
The main characters begin their journey with sexual tension that develop into something else, as the drama progresses. Intimacy is a big topic of the plot. There is a lot of sexual harrassment as well. Especially in the first half of the drama.
Indeed, in this savage desert, the women's sexuality is a bargaining ship. It can be exchanged as a payment or as a reward for victory. Meanwhile, the rapists are glamorized. So I would say that sex is emphasized more than romance in this drama, at least in the first half.
This is why the dare, here, is to transend the physical attraction into real romantic love while fighting the power stuggles in the desert.

Would this be doable? Indeed, it is, if we take psychology in account.
The "shaking bridge effect" is a psychological effect that can fake attractivness.
Because, a dangerous situation can make people mistake their own physiological sensations for love.
So, being in a life or death situation can arouse them and lead them to desire each other.
ML and FL entanglement is believable and very well enacted in my opinion.


Pros :
- FL is a witty and gifted princess.
- ML is a mysterious city lord/ chief BOA (intelligence service) of the desert.
- Chemistry is good between all the couples. Some MLs know how to bed FLs.
- Acting is wonderful. my favs are FL, Hankiz Omar, who is doing a great job as a cold and proud princess, and Alen Fang who is great as a resourceful chief of spies.
- Great cinematography. The setting is gorgeous. The desert scene were filmed in Gobi desert. It is a feast for the eyes.
- The pacing is quick in the beginning.
- Some scenes are very theatrical. Sometimes it was like watching "Ottelo", "Carmen" other times "Romeo and juliet" or "The phantom of the opera".

Cons:
- The exposition scenes last a lot before the real plot starts.
- Rape culture. Some would say that it takes place in ancient times and they will excuse the multiple men who want to constantly rape the female leads. But I don't agree. This is just annoying to me because it is so repetitive.
- The physical attraction from the start could jeopardize the deep romance. Was it believable? Yes it was and the acting was on point.
- SML and SFL are not complex characters. They are basically like desert Bonnie and Clyde.
- Pacing was a little slow at the beginning but improved after 5 episodes.

Overall:
I was captivated by this drama. This barbaric desert is the worst place to be, especially for a woman like Bei Shuang.
But she is so clever, that she still managed to pursue her goals and it was a bliss to watch her use her wits to outmatch every antagonist.
I had a hard time with the second couple, all their actions was just so annoying or disgusting to me. You'll see what I mean, when you watch the drama. But, I could understand that some people turn like that, in a violent place like this ruthless desert. However, the SFL remains a mystery to me. How can she be a princess and act so wildly and in such a disgusting way. What about the filial piety and the etiquette that every royal should have been tought since childhood? Once again, you will know what I mean as you watch the show. You might went to drop it at some point, because of the second couple but I assure you, this is a great story worth watching.
Even if, at the end I had few doubt about how the antagonists were punished for their misdeeds.
I recommend this drama if you like beautiful epic romance, full of commitments and sacrifices.
Indeed, the fact that it is not a slowburn romance doesn't disturb me. I am a fan of the Lead's love story.

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