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The plot is very simple but I still loved every minute of it. At first when I heard about this drama I wasn't so sure if I wanted to watch it because the plot seemed like it was only about food. I'm so glad that I gave this drama a try. The food is important so please be ready to have some type of snack with you while your watching because I guarantee you that you will be hungry. But this drama was more than food. You have a murder case as well too. You also have some romance on the side and I loved the friendships too. I just really think the writers did a great job with something so simple and making it a great drama.
The cast also made this drama too. I actually think the cast was one of the greatest things about this drama. The cast had great chemistry with each other as well too. I also loved all the characters. Soo Kyung was so fun to watch with her love of food, Jin Yi was adorable and such a sweet girl, Dae Young was a fun guy to watch and I loved his long rants about food, Attorney Kim was hilarious, and the rest of the cast was hilarious as well too. I never disliked anyone. I liked how well rounded all the characters were and how they all worked together.
This drama is very rewatchable. I just finished it and I already feel like starting it all over again. I think this will be the fun drama I will watch time and time again.
Overall, I think this drama was great. I don't know why but I loved it very much. It's so simple but amazing at the same time. You'll love the characters and have a good time laughing too. I laughed a least every episode. Once I watched the last episode I was left with a satisfying feeling.
If you want to watch something that will keep you on your toes, make you laugh, feel happy, and also make you extremely hungry then watch Let's Eat.
Warning! Please have a meal or a snack every time your watching this drama. The food scenes will make you hungry. I repeat the food will make you extremely hungry!
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1We’ve got toxic romance, and fluff, and angst - we’ve got it all, but truly we’ve got nothing.
Let’s be real, the only reason I am giving it a 7 is the entertainment value created by the insane chemistry and the insane plotlines that made no sense.We honestly got 3 separate dramas here - toxic possessive romance, fluff rom-com with some background conflict, and the most ridiculous and illogical angst melodrama. Usually when the writers reveal new information or drop the hints of the past events and characters’ background the overall picture of the story becomes more clear. Here every new detail just made the show more and more confusing. I felt like a victim of gaslighting.
What do you mean the character that was lying is “the most honest”? The character that ran away “was not holding back and gave his whole heart”? Why do I feel like my toxic ex is trying to create some false memories in my brain? This is not what I witnessed and no amount of hot chemistry, make out sessions and choking is going to convince me otherwise.
Truth to be told - no one watched it for the plot. We all watched it for Jeong Han and his sexy voice as he gets more possessive and obsessive towards Il Jo.
Plot? What plot? The plot built on the absent development? The laughable villain with no working brain cells (which is fair with all the drugs he was doing). The sweet Alabama themes that made me want to throw my laptop out of the window and bleach my eyes? The noble idiocy? None of this mattered when we got to Jeong Han looking at Il Jo with all that fire in his eyes.
Acting wise, it’s actually pretty good. Lee Dong Joo gave me the most over the top, but somehow fitting performance. Yoon Ji Sung transformed into a completely different person and each line, no matter how frustrating, was actually believable. Jeong Ri U was able to balance between the possessive force and broken puppy - somehow making it make sense.
One thing that for sure stood out for me in a positive way was the soundtrack. Maybe it just perfectly matches my type, but I added all the songs to my playlist by the end of the drama.
Overall, fun, but not necessarily good.Maybe if they had more time to actually establish the relationship and develop the characters and the conflicts the transitions between the phases of the relationship would feel more smooth and gradual. What we've got was just hot frustration.
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1This review may contain spoilers
for such a short drama, it didn't feel flat at all. the story is well paced and had the right amount of angst, balanced by the chemistry of two individuals with different backgrounds. sure, the tsundere and upbeat dynamic is not new. ji woo has a stoic personality but deep down, he's a caring dude. seo joon has a fun type of personality but he also won't back down when someone's being a dick. one thing i loved is how straightforward seo joon is with his feelings. he doesn't hesitate to express himself and it was refreshing to watch.
"I didn't want to get hurt again. And I didn't want you to get hurt either. But staying away doesn't prevent getting hurt either." -Ji Woo
the conflict between the main leads was understandable with how unpredictable things can go due to seo joon's fame and the homophobia they'd face. seo joon doesn't care what society thinks while ji woo is scared from his past experience.
i'm just happy that the plot didn't go for a complex route so things were resolved easily and the pace of the story didn't become overwhelming or mellow. acting wise, it was pretty good. ji woo's crying scene and the slight angst definitely made my heart yeet into two pieces. seo joon was undeniably quite a charmer and his smile is hella contagious. i must say the acting is decent and i'm impressed.
overall, this drama revolves around two individuals helping each other grow with each other's support. bonus points for the ost.
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An engaging drama about changing one’s fate, discovery, and growth
When "Blossom" premiered in WeTV a few weeks ago, it was not in my list of anticipated dramas. But when a friend recommended it, I decided to give it a try after finishing another series, and I'm so glad I did!"Blossom" (九重紫) is a story about second chances - a chance to do life over, a chance to avoid the same kind of fate, and a chance to live a better and more meaningful life. When Dou Zhao woke up as a young girl with a wound on her forehead, she vividly remembered her “dream”, which was actually her past life. Armed with this foreknowledge and the prophetic book (昭世録), it gave her the opportunity to change some things in her present life, which had a ripple effect, thus changing the course of something bigger than her own struggles.
This is a historical drama with all the major ingredients that I'm looking for, and done in such a way that they fall into place smoothly and cohesively - engaging storyline with twists and turns, swoon-worthy romance, diverse and interesting characters, great fight scenes and political strategizing. I went into this without reading much about the story except for the summary. The first episode got me intrigued, setting the stage for the story to unfold. The pacing is good and the story build-up is well done. Each episode builds on the previous one, revealing the plot more and stirring excitement on what’s to come. The political intrigue and strategizing are key parts of the story and they progress at the right pace, with surprises even until the last episode. Then there are the well-executed fight scenes, the great visuals and cinematography, and the original soundtrack that fit the drama’s themes and moods. Also, I like the production team’s approach in starting each episode with a scene (or two) before the opening credits and showing a quick preview of the next episode before the ending credits.
That said, there are some parts in the drama that I think could have been shortened (mainly related to the stepmother) and a subplot that could have been expounded further, but in the grand scheme of things, these are not big issues for me.
Now on to the cast of characters. Meng Zi Yi’s portrayal of Dou Zhao / Shou Gu is spot-on. She was able to show Dou Zhao as a smart, charming, decisive, and business-savvy woman who refused to be bound by the traditions of the time. Dou Zhao is loyal to the people she loves and cares for. She was able change some things in her present life, and in the process, she discovered that some people (e.g., Dou Ming, Chen Jia) did not turn out the way she expected them to, which is a part of the ripple effect.
I have seen Li Yun Rui in “Love Like the Galaxy” as Yuan Shen, who is one of my least liked characters in that drama. But here in “Blossom”, I very much like his character, Song Mo / Yan Tang, and his portrayal; he truly shines and he fits the role. He was able to show Song Mo’s struggles, angst, joy, and victories. His devotion and love for his uncle (Duke of Ding) and Dou Zhao are admirable. On a lighter note, the loose white/gray hair suits him! I read in an article in Sohu that he turned down a supporting role in Yang Zi’s drama “Flourished Peony” to star as Song Mo in “Blossom”. That's a wise decision and a good move for him 👍!
As for the main couple’s romance, I love the relationship between Dou Zhao and Song Mo. As both characters grow and develop, their relationship dynamics follow. Meng Zi Yi and Li Yun Rui have amazing chemistry. I look forward to their interactions right from the start. The scene in the theater where they first met as adults, with their masks on, was played out so well. For me, their romance got even better after they were married ♥️.
The supporting cast did very well too. I will mention some here:
• Ji Yong (Xia Zhi Guang) is an ambitious, confident, shrewd, and smart aleck type of a character. Dou Zhao, his best friend since childhood, is one of the few people he cares about.
• Alina Zhang is convincing as Wang Ying Xue. She is very much an infuriating character as well as a pathetic one.
• Chen Jia (Zhu Jun Lin) is another interesting character. He may not have many scenes, but his role is a crucial one. I like that they pair him with Zhao Zhang Ru (Liu Mei Tong), Dou Zhao’s cousin.
• Li Xin Ze is believable as Wei Ting Yu. He is not an evil person but a man without much backbone, unable to step up to his role as husband and Marquis.
• Snow Kong as Miao An Su and Yan An as Song Han have their fair share of pivotal moments, especially in the last one-third of the story.
• Other notable performances: Wang Jiu Sheng as Song Yi Chun, who has been added to my list of the worst parents in drama land; Tan Kai as the Emperor, who, despite being at the top, has his helpless moments in the face of the powerful forces in the kingdom; and Zhang Cheng He as Jiang Mei Sun (Duke of Ding), whose impact and influence extend greatly to those around him.
And last but not the least, the ending is great! I love how they wrap up the story. Most of the characters got what they deserved, and they gave us a convincingly happy ending.
Final Verdict ⭐: This is a great Chinese historical drama to end my 2024, and I highly recommend it!
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PS. I saw comments saying they don't understand the plot and some scenes don't make any sense but I think you should rewatch it. I clearly understand the story.
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1Heartfelt Slice-of-Life Drama with Charming Characters and Supernatural Twists
Head 2 Head is an emotionally charged slice-of-life drama that blends supernatural elements with raw storytelling and deeply grounded characters. It balances its heavier themes with thoughtful character exploration and heartfelt moments, never losing its light and fun tone. As the series progresses, the stakes gradually rise and the story shifts toward darker themes, adding depth to the narrative while still preserving the sweetness of the romance.Character Depth: The Heart of the Show
Jay and Jinn are the heart of the story, and they are such lovable characters that it is very easy to root for them and their relationship. Their evolution from bickering frenemies to a deeply caring couple feels earned and natural. I loved that from the very beginning, the attraction between them is palpable, even in their constant bickering. As their relationship develops, they never lose the teasing nature of their dynamic. It simply becomes more playful and affectionate, perfectly reflecting the progression of their feelings. It is one of the sweetest and most satisfying relationship progressions, and I felt so connected to both of them that the emotional gut punches in the second half of the show truly hit me.
The second couple, Van and Farm, while seemingly secondary at first, brings an unexpected depth to the story. Van’s self-sabotaging tendencies and emotional baggage create a complicated but compelling dynamic, and I appreciate that they were brave enough to give us such an easily misunderstood character like Van and took us on quite the emotional rollercoaster with these two.
The Emotional Core: Themes of Loss, Fate, and Fear
At its core, Head 2 Head is about the fear of losing those we love, and how that fear can either drive us to action or paralyze us with inaction. The series poignantly explores grief and love from two complementary angles, making the emotional stakes for both couples feel richer and more real. What makes this show stand out is how it takes its time with these emotional beats. The characters don’t just move from one conflict to another; they struggle, reflect, and grow. There’s a genuine sense of emotional progress, and you’ll find yourself rooting for them every step of the way.
The Acting: Solid across the board with Keen and Java delivering stand-out performances
I’ve been a fan of Sea and Keen’s work for a while now, so I’m slightly biased, but these two are incredibly charming together and have undeniable chemistry. Keen was a natural since his Only Boo performance, and he just keeps getting better with each project. I’m genuinely impressed by the way he expresses emotions, as it always feels like he is living through them rather than simply acting them out. He effortlessly switches between emotions in scenes and convincingly conveys underlying feelings through his eyes and microexpressions. Sea has also improved a lot, and it was refreshing to see him play such a vastly different character this time around. His teasing and joking were entertaining but also carried an underlying tension that only intensified as Jay’s feelings for Jinn grew stronger. I really loved seeing him play such an animated and open character, and I thought he did a great job balancing the playful and emotional moments.
Surf and Java showed great chemistry and tension while portraying the nuances and unspoken feelings of their complex relationship arc. Java played Van with just the right amount of vulnerability and charm, keeping the audience engaged even when Van frustrated you. I also enjoyed all the scenes with the parents and Mai. They were hilarious, added depth, and some heartfelt moments. The cast had amazing chemistry, and the comedic timing was excellent.
Visuals and Direction: A Mixed Bag
There is a lot to like about the visuals of Head 2 Head, such as the vibrant and warm color palette that captures the essence of its settings and characters. The cinematography creates atmospheric shots, and I enjoyed the music choices, both the instrumental tracks and the OSTs. That said, the editing can be quite jarring at times, with some scenes feeling too choppy, especially in the second half of the series. These transitions occasionally pull you out of emotional moments, which was a shame.
While this is not a plot-heavy show, and the supernatural elements primarily serve as a catalyst for character and relationship growth, I wish the vision plot had been incorporated more smoothly. At times it felt slightly repetitive or forgotten. With a few tweaks, such as resolving conflicts slightly earlier, some pacing issues could have been avoided. I understand the tension was intentional, but it occasionally left viewers in the dark for too long and slightly rushed the final conflict in the last episode.
Final Thoughts: They Have My Heart
Head 2 Head is a genuinely entertaining show that blends romance, supernatural elements, and deeply emotional storytelling. The series does an excellent job of exploring its characters and their relationships while balancing its more serious themes with a sweet college romance. It’s a show that takes its time, allowing its characters to grow and evolve in meaningful ways, and I’ve grown incredibly attached to them because of this.
The aspects I would criticize never took away from my personal enjoyment since the emotional core of the series keeps you engaged from start to finish. If you’re a fan of character-driven dramas that tackle heavier themes with sensitivity and empathy, Head 2 Head is a show you won’t want to miss. It’s a comfort show for me, one I’ll keep coming back to whenever I miss these characters.
Spoiler Review in the Comments
If you want to read some of my more in-depth thoughts on the show’s themes and the love between Jay and Jinn, you can find them in the comments of this review. I’ve put them under a spoiler tag because they literally spoil the entire plot. 🤣
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The fictional storyline (the Liang merchant family in specific) and the historical framework are brilliantly woven together; at first they seem to be two different stories, but eventually are brought together for sublime, and emotionally devastating effect.
Viewers who like the easy emotional shortcuts of romances, the popular BL stories especially (where the plot illogic wrenches the characters, and all sense, into alignment with maximum angst and hurt/comfort). Angst there is here, and also hurt/comfort, but these elements don't bend the story, but arise out of it, interspersed with insight, comic moments, intellectually exciting threads as we watch the politicians striving to invent, and better, their land.
The cultural differences between then and now add their interest, but the film never loses sight of the fact that we are all human beings, a thousand years ago and now, and we have roughly the same emotional needs, faults, frailties, and strengths.
Even the characters I strongly disliked had their agency, their reasons for what they did, and their human moments, even positive moments of creating beauty, or heroic action, or emotional faltering. The resolution of one long arc was amazing in its redemptive quality, taking me by surprise--I expected (even relished the thought of) the usual bloody end. But the way this was carried out was just so much better than the usual tropey story arcs.
I see myself rewatching the entire series again, probably soon, something I have only done with NIRVANA IN FIRE, this time to relish the brilliant character moments and the way they are expertly woven together.
I have watched all Daylight's shows. I think this is their best yet.
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"...THAT'S IT?!"
I genuinely cannot get over how badly *The Knot* disappointed me. This was probably my MOST anticipated BL of 2026, and I went into it ridiculously excited because we were FINALLY getting a live-action Omegaverse series. And not only Omegaverse, but with Boat and Oat, two actors I already love. This should have been a freaking goldmine.Instead, I finished it wanting to sit in a corner, cry, kick my feet, and throw a full-blown tantrum over how much potential they completely wasted. 😂😭
Because HOW do you have the entire Omegaverse at your disposal and somehow manage to do almost nothing interesting with it?
This was their opportunity to actually show viewers what makes an Alpha an ALPHA. The instincts. The possessiveness. The territorial behavior. The protectiveness over their Omega. The social hierarchy, biological differences, and all the complicated ways those instincts can clash with actual human emotions and love.
There was SO MUCH they could have done with this world, and instead the story felt like it had almost no real plot or development. I kept waiting for it to finally dig deeper into the Omegaverse elements and give us the story I thought they were building toward, and it just... never happened.
And don't even get me started on the pregnancy.
One of the biggest things people were excited and curious about was finally seeing an Omega pregnancy portrayed in a live-action Omegaverse BL. They had an opportunity to explore something we've basically never gotten to see properly on screen: a male Omega actually going through pregnancy.
His changing body. A growing belly. The Alpha becoming even more protective and territorial. Nesting. Preparing for the baby. The emotional and physical experience of carrying their child. Hell, even just seeing what pregnancy and childbirth LOOK like within the rules of this universe.
Instead, they wait until practically the LAST FIVE MINUTES to reveal that he's pregnant.
And then... THAT'S IT?!
No growing belly. No pregnancy journey. No birth. No baby. No payoff for something the story and the entire concept had made viewers excited to see.
You cannot hand me OMEGAVERSE, tease me with an Omega pregnancy, finally make him pregnant when the series is basically over, and then roll the damn credits. 😭😂 WHERE IS MY OMEGAVERSE BABY?!
I honestly cannot wrap my mind around how a series with this much potential managed to flop this badly. That's what makes me so angry. If the premise had sucked from the beginning, fine. I'd shrug, give it a bad rating, and move on.
But the premise DIDN'T suck.
The potential was enormous.
The actors were there.
The Omegaverse world was there.
The possibilities were practically endless.
There was an incredible series buried somewhere inside *The Knot*, and THAT is the series I desperately wanted to watch.
Instead, I got one of the biggest disappointments I've had watching a BL. This wasn't just a bad series to me; it was a massive waste of an opportunity to finally give us a genuinely good live-action Omegaverse adaptation.
I wanted to love this SO badly.
Now I just want to wipe it from my freaking memory and pretend the Omegaverse gods haven't betrayed me this severely. 😭🤦♀️
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So to make it short: the bullying plot is a bit tiring. Asia is known for that. I have seen my fair share of bullying series and movies. The last was the Chinese movie "Better Days" which I thought was one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen in my life. So it's not the bullying per se I have a problem with. It's just that the plot was paperthin and we got nothing than violence and violence and violence. I started watching this, because of the friendship between the guys. But the characters weren't that developed. For eight episodes we didn't get much scenes that showed us their friendship. We just got fights and fights and fights to the point where I wonderd WHY people enjoy this. They enjoy seeing high schoolers beating each other up for no good reason? They just didn't stop! I know that was the message of the series, that something small can become massive, that violence leads to more violence, but it was just tiresome to watch how they just didn't stop for god's sake! The end is more or less open, it seems one of the character had a much more gruesome fate in the manhwa. At least they didn't go that far in the series and decided to not be so precise about what happend to him.
Sigh. Gruesome. Violent. Pointless. Unrealstic.
Still I get it why people like it. Because it's entertaining, you want to know what happens next, and the only thing I really liked was how the weak hero was fighting. He was smart and he had balls, and well, he was a batshit crazy. But that was enough to fight those bullies. That gave him a big advantage despite not being physically strong. That core idea was pretty good. But please give those characters a bit more personality and make me feel something for them. I was just annyoed the whole time. The friend and what he did, at the end he said he doesn't know it either WHY he did it - people may say, yeah, that's the whole point, everything got out of control. I think this is lazy writing. They just didn't stop so the plot could move forward. I got a bit teary eyed at the end, because of the great performance of the main hero, but I didn't cry since I couldn't feel much for those characters. They were just so unrealstic with all that pointless violence. I thought it was funny how they just went back to teaching after all those fighting in the classroom. I mean after the first episode all the other students who witnessed this would need some therapy in real life. It was stupid. Over the top. Maybe this works as a manhwa, it sure does, but seeing real people behaving like this? I don't know. Not impressed.
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Boring Bromance?
Oh, this had so much potential, and I was so ready to eat it up in heaps. And to start, it was serving in all the areas it had promised. It felt a little dangerous and the ebbing enemies to lovers trope had everyone pining for the romance.It starts strong and then almost halfway through, it loses its footing and spends several episodes not really telling anything close to danger or even romance.
Moreover, Perth is a powerhouse and Chimon felt stiff in romantic scenes.
The finale was also underwhelming.
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Too much “aesthetics” for me
The photography is undeniably beautiful, but they went overboard with the sheer number of completely silent scenes. You can count on your fingers the moments when the soundtrack fills a dialogue-less scene. They went too far in the name of "aesthetics," and sometimes I wondered if I was watching a mediocre alternative indie short film.About Doona: this is your typical "not like other girls" story, and it's getting a bit old.
Personally, I found her to be an insufferable character - she doesn't elicit any empathy. She's traumatized, selfish, clueless, and has the emotional intelligence of a rock. She refuses to explain herself, making it hard for the viewer to understand her journey and empathize with her story.
Wonjoon ends up being a pitiful character, letting himself be dragged along by Doona even though it's clear she's incapable of relating to others. He takes too long to question her, and when he finally does, he doesn't do it right.
The only thing that made sense to me was the ending. Even then, it was one of the weakest stories of the year.
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Not enough payback
At the start of this show, I really loved it. A main character is driven by revenge against his ex, only to discover his ex's now successful life as an actor is embedded within a much larger, systemically corrupt problem. From the outside, and the first few episodes, this looked like something I would love. Unfortunately, as the show went on, it became more about our main character's career as an actor and less about the actual revenge.Sun (Min) was once in a happy relationship with Bank (Fuaiz), but that ended when Bank took Sun's money, ran off to become an actor, and left him with no way to pay for his mother's cancer treatment. Sun becomes hell bent on getting revenge, and after paying his mother's medical debt, is sick and tired of seeing Bank's face, who now goes by the name Sunny, on billboards. Sun auditions for the same entertainment company as Sunny in order to drag him down from the inside, and discovers a much more corrupt system than he expected.
Min as Sun was perfect - he totally delivered the cold, emotionless Sun. Plus, watching Toptap as the love interest was great. Did I enjoy the relationship dynamic between them as they fell in love? Honestly, not at all. It felt predatory, and like Sun was a victim of the very system he was seeking to destroy. Still, the actors did a great job portraying the characters even though I found Jay (Toptap) to be kind of unbearable for most of the show. I will say, if you're going into this thinking it's some crazy revenge thriller, it honestly isn't. This is more about the story of Sun's life as he struggles to claw his way out of debt, motivated only by revenge, and the way he falls in love as he's pursuing this. While still a great show, I think the revenge portion deserved way more time that it got.
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1Promising start, lackluster ending.
Although it was flawed and predictable, the first half of The Princess's Gambit was entertaining and showed great potential. I was impressed with the gorgeous costumes, the actors' chemistry, and how cut-throat the schemes were. Our main characters, Jiang Taohua and Shen Zaiye, were both intelligent and calculating, and I loved their cat-and-mouse dynamic. It felt like the start of a real enemies-to-lovers romance, their interactions being the highlight of each episode for me. I also appreciated that despite their obvious attraction to each other, their priorities were focused on their missions: Jiang Taohua's fight for her survival and her brother's safety, and Shen Zaiye's desires to dismantle the corruption in the court and seek revenge for the wrongs that were committed in the past. With such a premise, I was so sure this would become one of my favorite dramas of the summer.Unfortunately, the second half of the story came and it took an uninspiring and lazy turn. Suddenly, there was a noticeable shift in the tone for the characters and a drop in consistency for the storytelling. The plot lost its clear direction and stalled, hindered by an unnecessary trope. Miscommunication, lies, and a lack of trust between the main characters caused the story to lose its momentum, diminishing the drama's overall engagement. And the character development... what character development? Jiang Taohua — who started out as a powerless but resourceful heroine that could overcome any obstacle thrown her way with just her wits and bravery — regressed into a helpless damsel in distress in this latter arc. And Shen Zaiye — who spent years plotting and was hard set on vengeance even if he had to tarnish his own reputation and become a villain to accomplish this— suddenly became fixated on solely Taohua and uncharacteristically sidelined his own ambitions until the last remaining episodes. The change in their personalities, shift in their goals, and losses of their sense of self were painfully disappointing to watch unfold.
The plot took a nose dive, and that should have been my cue to drop the drama, but I loved the characters and I wanted to believe that the scriptwriters could salvage the narrative by the end, so I stayed. Regrettably, things didn't go as I hoped and when I finally reached the last episode, I was just happy that the drama was finally over. I learned that a few of the main reasons why the drama felt so disjointed was because there were too many people involved in the scriptwriting process and the drama had deviated significantly from the novel — which made so much sense based on what I've watched. I was left pondering what the drama could've been like if the scriptwriters had stayed faithful to the source material. Perhaps we wouldn't have such a polarizing reception of the drama?
My final thoughts: The Princess's Gambit suffered from a weak script and poor directing. The actors did the best that they could with what was given to them. Sadly, their efforts were in vain because this ended up being a very mediocre drama filled with cliches, choppy editing, and plot holes. While certain aspects of the drama were still enjoyable and commendable, it fell short of becoming great. I feel bad for the actors, because I liked them as individuals and initially I also thought that they were magnetic on screen together. There was so much wasted potential. They deserve better, and I hope they can reunite in a future project, one with a higher quality script.
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Volcano meets a Tornado !
Oh boy I have a lot to say about this drama, and I invested my time worth of 59 episodes to watch this so I really do have A LOT to say on this.First and foremost, the basic story is nice. Actually it is really good. Although I was tad creeped out by Xianji suddenly turning to a man and I was swept into a world of BL (which I totally like, only creeped out because I was not expecting it), the drama have a strong backstory. One could almost feel the pain the FL character went through in her past, (mainly because the star of mosha done a better job in acting than the god of war). And although I did feel sympathy for Si Feng, in the later episodes, the more he felt pain the more I found myself rolling my eyes, honestly is there any episode where he did not fell pain or was acting like a fool in love sacrificing himself, or comically jumping in front of the blade?
Summarized review (SPOILERS)
i) Slow and gradual process of love story. We can relate to the love story and it feels quite natural (as compared to Ashes of Love where everything seemed forced). However I personally find myself more moved by the 'sacrificing' part, probably because the ML sacrificed himself way too much that it lost the gravity, or perhaps the deliverance way not upto the mark. (or maybe I am still caught in the aftermath of Ashes of Love)
ii) The secondary characters were interesting in a way, and perhaps not so interesting in another. Honestly I did not care too much about Linglongs storyline, and her trauma really did not make any sense to me. I mean, it was the flower demon who did all that, and sure they are sharing same memories and all but why was she so affected by it? I found it rather bother than being sympathetic to be honest. Same goes for the Lize palace lords love story which rather feel stretched to be honest. But I think it might have contributed to the storyline and perhaps it was necessary but I found myself bored to the core. Now the storyline I found more interesting was of the fox and monkey, the fluff was just amazing. That reminded me, I really do not like silver snake and her death did not move me to tears sorry.
iii) The villains were... confusing. The deputy palace lord who never seems to die, dijun, who disappeared easily without any sort of punishment for all the things he done, and wu tong, for a mere mortal, dang, he did made the mighty demons run for their lives.
iv) The righteous sec leaders were just a no-no. They were harshly accusing someone with no evidence. Also arent they supposed to be kinda strong? But honestly the sec leaders felt really weak.
v) The final arch of the flask or torch or whatever that thing was tipping over to destroy the world??? Dear lord where did that come from???
Xuanji - At first she seems so childish, to an annoying level. Sure, its her naivety, so it can be pardoned. Her character development was steady, and it was sort of nice to see. However, the might of god of war was not that satisfying, in a way it made no sense? Sure she is the god of war but even the immortals cant stop her? Even when she is just a mortal? Now why is that just weird? Even with the misunderstandings, she stayed (or tried to) stay loyal to Si Feng, now that was satisfying (I am looking at you, Ashes of Love). Although she tried her best to portray the emotions, I rather felt it was fake when she did most of the time.
Sifeng - Apart from him spitting out blood all the time, and jumping in front of the blades to protect xuanji (probably because that god awful god of war armour was as useless as it seems), and sacrificing himself for love which he seems to be doing from the very beginning to the end, I really cannot understand his character. To say honestly, he really seems to lack a character outside the 'lost in love' thing. I was waiting for him to flutter his wings and show everyone that he was the son of the heavenly emperor and make everyone fall to their knees, but it never really came. It was like I waited all for nothing. Till the very end, his only character was to sacrifice and dot on Xuanji in a very toxic relationship which everything seems one sided if we look at it this way (but lucky for us its not because we know she was loyal to him) But I must say, him as the lord of Lize palace had me drooling. I mean im always drooling over him whenever he is not there spitting blood (which is like 90% of the time)
Linglong - Idk she annoys me.
Sixth senior - There was nothing much to say about him, although I found him and linglon lack chemistry and perhaps that was why the whole storyline felt dull.
I am lazy to go on about other characters.
It was a nice drama, although the story felt lacking in the later episodes, I dont regret watching it. The costumes were amazing, so was the setting. The CG was worthy to be praised. The supporting casts were amazing with their work. The OST was not that great, I expected something more. (lets blame Ashes of Love again). And the fluff was just heart eyes. but would I go back and watch it all over again? No.
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