At first, I wasn’t too eager to watch this drama: an older woman-younger guy kind of stories weren’t exactly my favourite, the main actors were complete strangers for me and the number of people on MDL who saw this drama wasn’t too encouraging also. But then, after few days of fruitlessly searching for a good drama to watch I became a bit desperate and thought “ whatever, if it sucks as much as I think it does, I’ll drop it”. And I watched episode one.
...
Then, after two days, I woke up from a trance and realised I’ve watched it all. And absolutely loved it! Main actors, the chemistry between them, the script, the humour, the older ahjussi with mysterious something on his butt, her meddling mother and his aggressive sister, being shockingly open (as for Korean standards of course) about sexuality... I loved everything. The only thing that stopped me from giving this drama a full 10 was the ending, which seemed a bit rushed and kind of out of place.
So what I try to tell you in this review is this: seriously, go watch it, it’s too hilarious and sweet and touching and awesome and... I could go on like this for ages! The point is, you won’t be disappointed. That’s all.
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Not your cliche fairytale dramas
The drama from the start has been chaotic and funny but at the same time does well with the emotional moments too. The chemistry between the leads isn't fiery and passionate but kept subtle and fluffy. There are many funny moments and twists in every episode but it never overpowers the core of the story. The drama isn't your fairytale ones but a mature approach to such topics.The dynamics between the family be it that of husband - wife or father- daughter are complicated because of their painful past and struggles. Every character be it the family members or other characters have their own inner struggles that slowly comes out and is healed with the help of their loved ones.
Ji Jin Hee nailed it with his role as Mu Jin. Till now I have only seen him in serious roles but he knows how to pull off both emotional and funny moments well. Kim Jee Soo as a mother and wife showed her conflicting emotions really well. Na Eun and Min Ho too have done good with their part, they are not great but not bad too.
It is one good drama if you are looking for something more than the average cute fluffy dramas that are going on right now.
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This review may contain spoilers
Revenge First, Love Later (Actually… Revenge Always)
Oki, where to start with this.First of all: Yu Xuan Chen as the ML? Never in doubt. The man showed up, delivered, and suffered beautifully.
This is my third project with this FL and I’m officially sold—she did great. Together they’re painfully good-looking, very stand in dramatic lighting while secrets loom energy.
Now the dynamic, because it’s deliciously unbalanced. I love a yearning ML, and this man is down bad. Meanwhile, the FL has exactly one brain cell and it is labeled REVENGE, so she keeps throwing him under the bus like it’s an Olympic sport. He never catches a break. And yet—he loves her unconditionally. Through lies, schemes, and emotional hit-and-runs. Tragic. Beautiful. I sighed loudly.
The chemistry is there, but the spice is low—and that fits. This was never about flirty fireworks. It’s about pain, loyalty, and emotional suffering with good lighting. Even the kisses reflect that: not awkward, just… not exactly scorching either.
Pacing-wise, ep.1–20 work well, especially since the ML figures out her real identity early. Immediate tension upgrade, no clueless era. Love that.
But around ep.21/22 the story starts dragging. Once the big reveals are out, the conflict stops escalating and just… loops. This did not need to be 30 episodes. Airing viewers suffered. Bingers might survive.
One thing that really doesn’t help the pacing is the excessive use of flashbacks. For a drama with already short episodes, it leans on them far too often, sometimes in very questionable moments—yes, even during intimate scenes. Nothing kills momentum quite like cutting away mid-emotion to replay something we’ve already seen.
Of course, the classic mini-drama tropes are present: revenge/rebirth, childhood connection, ML who’s loved her forever while hurting her to protect her, etc. The last two tropes need a decade-long nap because if I never see them again, it would still be too soon. Budget limitations are very visible, but I’m forgiving with mini dramas—they tend to be bolder, messier, and more fun than full-length dramas that play it safe.
Yes, most side characters are underdeveloped and comically decorative, but this is a short, punchy watch—not a character study dissertation. It knows what it is and commits.
Final thoughts: I was really into this for the first two-thirds. Then it becomes a dragged, messy spiral that makes you mad because the FL clearly outclasses the villains. Add the ML into the mix and the bad guys should’ve been DONE—yet we keep the charade going for no reason. As a revenge story, not very satisfying.
Still messy, still dramatic, still enjoyable in parts, and yes, a happy ending for the leads :)
Consume at your own risk 😉
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Absolutely beautiful and astonishing with being unique!
Having a storyline without any plot holes, mesmerizing cinematography and CGI, great acting, and almost perfect execution with the most suitable soundtracks and OSTs. 'Rattan' nailed in every aspect giving me pleasure and a smile on my face... till the last minute of the show. Surely made a place among my most favorite once. Being a fan of fantasy and mystery finding such drama is the best thing for me.Story:
Revolves around Si Teng who is from Yi Tribe, in other words, an alien, and Qin Fang who's helping her first unwillingly but not for much time as gradually he starts to know her and also like her. Here's a perfect combination of mystery and romance genre without overlapping each other but side by side complementing each other is another strong point of the drama. Well, it's a female-centered plot so it mainly focuses on Si Teng's story and her journey. The unexpected twists and surprises are the best thing, we can definitely say it's so unpredictable without any typical cliches and overused troops in it.
Characters:
Si Teng being the center of attention, her character is one of the best FLs I've ever encountered. Strong, intelligent, elegant, stunning but still upright and kind (Though she doesn't like to admit it) her character is the soul of the show. Being badass her cuteness and sometimes adorable actions never fail to put a smile on our faces. Qin Fang aww he is just so sweet and adorable, his willingness to help and do anything for Si Teng to any extent is just amazing. They both compliment each other and make a perfect pair for sure! Another character I would like to mention is definitely Yan Fu Rui he is really a show stealer at many points, in the mystery and romance genre he is the one who makes it to comedy too! being super cute he has definitely nailed it.
Cinematography:
One of the most beautiful cinematography I've ever seen, with a mesmerizing scenario, stunning greenery the cinematography becomes the most astonishing aspect of the show, it surely is a feast for the eyes to see such beautiful locations and set.
Other things I would like to point are...
Music and OSTs at the perfect scene and enhancing the beauty of it with it.
The costumes being most beautiful and elegant surely beautifying everything with it.
I would really love to appreciate the child actress who played the role of Si Teng... the role was made for her.
Though ending not be in everyone's like still for me it was the most suitable and perfect ending.
Last not least Wafang didn't get much screentime after the first few episodes but he was such a cutie.
So overall I loved it, and hats of for being so consistently good from the starting to the end.
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No matter what “they called”, bromance or what so ever, but the love story amongst of those two (Yi You and Yi Ling) were very clear especially when their eyes met. 👀
Sometimes we don't really have to label a series as a BL from kissing scenes let alone sex scenes, but with very good storytelling it can satisfy some viewers like I did.
Translate to Indonesian:
Meskipun cerita yang sedikit kurang masuk akal, namun chemistry antar dua karakter utama yang dibangun secara perlahan sejak episode pertama membuahkan hasil maksimal hingga akhir.
Mau mereka sebut ini hanya sekedar bromance, tapi kisah cinta keduanya sudah amat jelas terlihat dari kedua mata You and Liang saat bertemu.
Terkadang kita tidak harus mencap sebagai BL series dari adegan ciuman apalagi sex, dengan pengisahan yang sangat baik sudah dapat memuaskan penonton seperti saya.
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This is not for those who are intimidated-shy with well-done nude love scenes and these actors did a very convincing job in all aspects - not too many and not too explicit, remember this is about making babies & lusty love for this triangle. This movie reminded me of a chess piece roles... Pawn helps/loved King; King loves Pawn; Pawn services Queen; King alone & in love; Queen loves Pawn; Pawn is always sacrificed. Would I watch again? Probably not, too many more to discover.
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1Underutilized everything, but the chemistry.
I’m just kind of underwhelmed by everything I witnessed - the last episode just made me crave for me. Why center your plot around such an interesting concept to barely use it? What’s the point?Starting from the good - the chemistry between Pond and Peterpan was amazing. Fireworks on screen, literally and metaphorically. The tension was there, the desire, love, fear and hope. I did believe every emotion that was presented in the context of their relationship. Especially from Thada. Yes, I do believe Armin loved Thada, but Thada LOVED Armin - all caps. The devotion this man presents. I am sorry, but he deserves better than Armin - I said it and I’ll stand by it. Both actors delivered amazing performances though.
Then we have the true MVP, easily my favorite character Veynai. What a comedic timing this man had. There was not one bad scene of him. He often delivered just one or two lines, but they were so on point we did not need more. Also, shoutout to Janine who was the best pro manager ever. I wish they actually did more than vague hints that maybe one day there might be something between them. What an unstoppable duo they would be.
From the good I’d also give props to music and aesthetics. So many songs were such bangers, and even if the night sky at times gave me AI generated vibes, the drama was still visually stunning.
Onto the bad - everything else.
The plot was so mid it’s actually sad. At least they could have made it ridiculously entertaining. The villain was both tragically cartoonish, and painfully boring. The whole mystery was non-existing, we know from the start who is behind everything and it’s just frustrating for the leads to do NOTHING to eliminate the issue from the start. The “reincarnation/waking up in old body” aspect is barely used too. This could have brought so much more angst and tension, but instead we had like “I’m old” jokes every 2 episodes. And then there is the whole issue of the last “accident” which I rant about in the comment under spoiler. That thing though, almost broke my brain, I was so frustrated.
Overall, yes for the chemistry, no for the plot.
Side note, around half way through the drama I was chatting with a friend how whenever someone says Tada, I always repeat after them with the ‘ta-da” intonation and I’ve sent this gif: https://media.tenor.com/8pLlGDVzPRYAAAAM/muppet-family-christmas-muppets.gif and then… till the end of the show I had that muppet in my brain whenever someone said ML’s name.
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This review may contain spoilers
Slow paced, but in a good way
Let me just start this off by saying I do not entirely enjoy watching thrillers. I tend to find them a bit boring at times with just how slow they can move along and end up dropping them halfway through. When it came to this series on the other hand, it was slow at the beginning but once I got over episode 3, I feel like the episodes flew by.When it comes to the story... just wow was it messed up. I was shocked by just how dark and twisted it was going to be, not something I anticipated when I put it on my to watch list. This is definitely a series that I can say I have never seen anything like it before and I would not say I was unhappy with anything that happened throughout this short series, but the pacing is just so slow during the first half that it felt as if it was dragging along.
Favorite character of the series has to go to Choi Sungjun who is played by Park Heesoon. Seeing the dynamic that he has with Park Sangmin and their issues grow throughout the show to see how it also ends. I especially love how they show Sangmin telling Sungjun to go visit his son and the last scene of the series we see is him going to visit his son. Just touches my heart.
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The acting was really well done by everyone especially the crazy Seh Hee/See Hee.
This is one of those movies that makes you think. The end is a WTF just happened. I didn\''t really understand but it was still an interesting movie so I\''d recommend it.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Masterpiece People Are Sleeping On
I don’t usually write reviews, but Shadow Love has completely blown me away, and I feel like more people need to know about it. This is easily my favorite drama of 2025, and trust me, I’ve watched a lot.The premise itself is fresh and bold: a superhero story set in ancient China. It feels like a clever answer to Marvel’s global success, but instead of copying, the production makes it uniquely Chinese in both spirit and execution. The world-building is rich, the action is sharp, and the storytelling ties it all together in a way that feels both modern and deeply rooted in tradition.
At 38 episodes you’d expect some drag or rushed arcs, which is a problem in many long Chinese dramas. But not here. The pacing is masterful. Every storyline is given enough space to breathe, and nothing feels confusing or underdeveloped. I never once felt lost, and every subplot tied back beautifully to the main narrative.
And then there is the chemistry. Cheng Lei and Song Yi absolutely light up the screen together. I know some people hesitate to watch because they are hung up on Cheng Lei’s previous roles or Song Yi’s off-screen rumors, but honestly, that is a shame. Their on-screen connection is electric, mature, and natural. They bring out the best in each other. And yes, Cheng Lei has plenty of shirtless scenes sprinkled throughout, which definitely does not hurt (I may have replayed a few too many times.....🥺🥺)
Speaking of Cheng Lei, he was born for action roles. His fight scenes are exhilarating, but what impressed me more was his range. In his previous dramas, he often played cold, domineering types. Here, he is carefree, playful, and charismatic, yet still deadly when needed. His ability to switch between these personas shows just how versatile he really is.
As for Song Yi, this was my first drama with her, and I’m stunned. Some viewers have criticized her use of a bow as her main weapon, calling it impractical, but honestly, her fight choreography is still compelling. What really sets her apart, though, are her emotional performances. Few dramas have ever made me cry the way Shadow Love did, and that is largely thanks to Song Yi’s ability to embody grief and vulnerability with such raw power.
Overall, Shadow Love is a drama that deserves way more attention than it is getting. It is not just another historical fantasy. It is a rare combination of gripping storytelling, stellar performances, and unforgettable chemistry. If you are sleeping on it, you are missing out on what I would confidently call the best drama of the year.
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Papol played by Boom is a rich guy who have lived with trying to win the affection of his father,but only got rejection and neglect.In his mind the new wife of his fathers is a intruder to the perfect happy family he always dreamed of,and therefore he hates her with all his being and looks down on where she came from.So in this story he meets the very passionate Pantawan and gets drawn to her bright nature while also despising the attraction he feels for her.Pantawan is a hardworking young woman who has to sing and dance in nightclubs to get great pay for her foster mothers gambling debts.She despise Papol on sight for his cruel behaviour and injustice view of her life.But Papol never expected her to be the mysterious owner of the beautiful voice he wants to represent to his new music company-and both find themselves working together.Both characters shares the pain of feeling abandoned,and finds themselves falling in love.Papol did everything for Pantawan to love him when she didn`t love him.It was a courtship and chase i loved to watch.But after their marriage in ep 10 a despicable twist happens,and i literally wanted to claw his eyes out.Papol is a main-hero who have a heart he doesn`t understand,eyes in which he does not see and ears in which he don´t hear.But you find yourself cry your heart out,getting angry so hard you want to hurl your computer across the room...but sigh for what the power of love can accomplish.Papol and Pantawan are characters that only can fall in love once,but its a kind of love that stays for always.
I found myself having second lead syndrome for Non played by Great Sapol,he had such a great character and was the greatest friend Pantawan could have had.Loved how he stood up for her!The younger sister Pat is a character i can`t stand.I still haven`t forgiven her for what she did to Pan early in the story because of her unlogical jealousy.I couldn`t relate to Pantawan`s real mother,she did so many things i found so unloyal and humiliating,i never cared about any of her "pain" or "regrets".I absolutely love the first 10 episodes..they were exciting,cute,sexy and romantic in so many ways..but it just kinda fell down from there for me.I do hope Boom and Pimmy co-star again,since their chemistry is truly exceptional and shattering,loved how they could look deep into each other eyes.!
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Actually a pretty good drama! (wanted to write a positive review since there aren't many)
I just finished this drama and I saw a lot of bad reviews on it. I must say, I think this drama is not bad at all. The music is perfect, the cast is wonderful and the story is decent. Don't watch this if you're expecting a very adventurous and perhaps seductive drama (this is just a heads-up because the poster is slightly misleading).Story: Alright so the story. Since this review will not have spoilers, I'm just going to talk about what I think about it. The story gets slightly repetitive and there isn't TOO much of a development to it. HOWEVER, since this drama is mainly focused on the romance, I do think this is good. First off, the story that is shown is probably not enough to bore you, although there are a lot more better story lines out there, this drama is mostly focused on the romance (as I already said before). 2. Other than watching the interactions between the main couple, the secondary characters are very interesting and well written. 3. The romance is quite nice with a handful of adorable moments in there. It's very entertaining to see the contrast between the characters when they're working and when they're with their love interest. Also, I HAVE to bring this up. There is no toxicity in the romance of both the lead couple and the other secondary couples. There is no taking advantage of or romanticizing some kind of toxic behavior.
Acting/Cast: They chose a very good cast to act in this drama. The actors and actresses all portray their characters perfectly and they all have a defined personality to them. The acting is also wonderful, it allows us, as watchers, to experience the story the same way as the characters do. I think the leads have very good chemistry and acted the roles flawlessly. I also enjoyed the side characters a lot, there was some character development and it was entertaining to watch the different side characters.
Music: I think the soundtrack of this drama was lovely, it fit the scenes well and DAMN that first ost (Fire Dance) is so catchy. The music really helped portray the emotions in this drama and it was a very nice listening experience.
Rewatch Value: I must say, I would rewatch a lot of scenes 100%. I would probably not rewatch the whole drama as it is slightly lengthy but I definitely enjoyed watching it the first time.
More of a personal opinion (you don't have to read this if you don't want to) MIGHT INCLUDE MINOR SPOILERS:
I personally LOVED this drama. I came for Liu Xue Yi as this is his first modern day drama as the male lead. I think everyone did wonderfully and this drama certainly did not deserve all the hate that it got. I think I liked this slow-burn drama, I think it is more of a realistic relationship and I loved this journey.
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
I enjoyed that the male lead did not just try to express his love to the female lead in the beginning since he knew she had a boyfriend/fiancé.
Also LOVED Lin Si Yu's character development. Ship her with Wang Ji.
I like how Xu Qing You is independent. Hate when female leads just depend on the male leads.
Thank you for reading my review! I hope this convinced you to give this drama a try :D
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This review may contain spoilers
Once in a millennia
I created an account just to add my review. Please give this drama a chance. There were no promotions or support from its platform because there are no traffic stars in here, but the story, the cast, and crew were well worth it. This drama easily became my top 3.Chao Feng and Qing Kui stole my heart in this drama. Because the director isn’t well known to flesh out his characters emotionally, especially when this drama is a comedy and avoids heavy feelings, the actors have to rely on limited scenes to build their chemistry. Chemistry is the most important element in every story. Without tears, it’s hard to feel the true love between the characters. The entire cast was great, but Chen Mu Chi and He Xuan Lin took it to another level with their crying scenes. It’s so hard to find actors/actresses who can cry so beautifully now. I just watched a break up scene in a currently airing drama and the lead actress had absolutely no tears, but people were praising and raving about her amazing acting. I was puzzled on how the director even passed that scene?! A lot of the post 95 female leads can’t compare to their predecessors who can cry fountains on cue. Yes, I treasure tears and ones with emotions, too.
It was extremely refreshing to see Qing Kui cry at all the right moments, making every scene heart gripping. Tears never made her weak; she was smart, strong, and brave yet kind and gentle, genuinely changing Chao Feng from a bad boy to hero, effortlessly. Chao Feng’s close relationship with his mother, the sacrifices he made for his soldiers, saving Qing Kui every time, risking his life and millennia long war with the Void Empress, was nothing but impressive and touching. When Chao Feng’s tears flowed out of his eyes in front of Lamu’s house, to when he was carrying his mother on his back after losing all his powers, to when he married Qing Kui in prison, to when Qing Kui died, if it weren’t for Chen Mu Chi’s tears, those scenes would’ve been passable but not awesomely memorable. I am so proud of my pair for jerking hearts with their beautiful crying scenes. The leading pair were more comedic relief, but my second pair delivered all the emotions and moved the audience beyond with their tears. I’m not sure if that’s how they intended the drama to go, but the story wouldn’t be complete without Chao Feng and Qing Kui. They executed all of the tears, feelings, and chemistry so well. I hope they get to collaborate again, soon.
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This review may contain spoilers
It’s Not That Bad
For a change, it seems I’m on the opposite end of an unpopular opinion.I placed spoilers at the end of this review.
I thought this was an interesting and funny series. I don’t know how much it mirrors the French TV series (Call My Agent!), but I thought this script was good. However, It’s not perfect. There were some aspects of the script that I did not like. See spoiler alert at the end of this review for more information. I thought the cast was wonderful. I liked the group dynamic and that all of the characters were likably flawed. I also loved seeing the various guest actors in each episode playing mock versions of themselves. The one main critique is the pacing. The series starts off strong but gradually losses energy throughout the series. As for the ending, see the spoiler alert on my take of it.
Random Note: As stated above, I did not see the French TV series this was based on which is probably why I enjoyed this series. Is the series perfect? No, but I don’t think it deserves all the hate it’s getting. I’ve seen far worse dramas than this one.
******Spoiler Alert******
The relationship development between Ma Tae Oh and So Hyun Joo is inconsistent for the first half of the series. It does not progress in a natural way.
I did not need the hinted incest love attraction throughout the series between two of the characters. This was unnecessary and seemed out of place. It also served no purpose in this series (for now at least).
Everything towards the end of the last episode is hinting at a second season. If so, the ending is perfect. I would absolutely watch it. If not, then I’m completely pissed off how they ended it.
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♥ 17.3 about a sex ♥
This drama is about 3 high school girls who are trying to find their sexuality and more about sex topic in high school. Sakura is serious, Tsugumi is not interested to date anyone, and Yuna is experienced in dating a lot of guys. Sakura falls in love with a guy in her high school but she is still not ready to do it. Do you think at the age of 17 is early to do it?As a Japanese I think age it's very early, it's better to fall in love and do it with the right guy. Even in the age of 20s some people are scared to have sex but that's how society is in Japan. I think this drama is really worth watching as it's soft, and cute romantic ♥♥♥Was this review helpful to you?
