Reviews

It had a good start but eventually the drama became boring and nonsense. what a stupid ending, doesn't it mean that the story will repeat itself for ever and they will never be able to do anything against the will of the writer!!! even if they succeed to be together, they will start this suffering all over again once the story is ended!
It feels like a cliche tragedy reincarnation story, don't let the good start fouls you, don't believe that this drama is different because they made fun of other cliche dramas.
Honestly, it should have been a short web series instead of 32 episodes drama.
I'm disappointed :(

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A Mixed Bag of Everything

"Gone With the Rain" presents a diverse mix of elements right from the start. It combines comedy, wars, romance, sisterly love, murders, forced marriages, conspiracy, sacrifice, unfulfilled love, war games, strategies, suspense and thrillers. It's like experiencing a buffet of genres in one story. However, the romance aspect of the story leaves a somewhat unpleasant taste. Brazen atrocities are committed with impunity, and the suspense and mystery elements resemble an Agatha Christie whodunit set in a schoolhouse. At times, the logic of the plot feels a bit childish, as the storyline takes unexpected twists and turns to fit the writer's desired ending.

Based on the romance novel "Storm and Rouge" (Feng Yu Nong, Yan Zhi Luan) by Ni Luo, the drama revolves around the lives of Tang Moxi (played by Zhang Nan) and her first cousin, Bai Fengyao (played by Wang Yuwen). Having grown up together in Bai Fengyao’s home after Moxi loses both her parents, they navigate through a turbulent era of wars, scarcity, losses, forced marriages, hardships, betrayals, and nearly every challenge imaginable. Their bond is defined by their unwavering love and devotion to each other, overshadowing the traditional romance aspect that serves more as a subplot.

Tang Moxi defies the conventions of a typical heroine. She doesn't fit the mold of a delicate flower waiting to be saved or a Cinderella longing for a prince. In fact, she lacks education, refinement, and even exhibits selfish and greedy traits in her pursuit of goals. Nevertheless, she demonstrates a care for love and morality, alongside her fearless and untamed nature. She fearlessly shelters a wounded young officer rumored to be a spy, intimidates creditors with a kitchen chopping knife to protect Bai Fengyao, and skillfully negotiates with unsavory characters. Moxi's strong-willed and passionate character is akin to a torrential rain that is difficult to ignore.

Moxi, portrayed by Zhang Nan, appears as a young girl, around 15 years old, reflected in her clothing style, with shorter skirts paired with long pants. Initially, this may seem odd if viewers are unaware of Moxi's young age, possibly due to the actor's tall stature. However, as the story progresses and Moxi reaches marriageable age at 17, she looks stunning in her adult costumes. Despite her constant sour expression, her smile radiates warmth, which Zhang Nan portrays wonderfully.

Bai Fengyao, played by Wang Yuwen, contrasts Moxi's character. She embodies gentleness and strength, occasionally displaying stubbornness and possessing extensive knowledge from wide reading. Wang Yuwen convincingly brings the character to life, with Bai Fengyao appearing younger than Moxi due to the actor's youthful-looking face. The heartfelt sisterly relationship between Moxi and Bai Fengyao is portrayed with heartbreaking sacrifices and unconditional love.

Moxi falls in love at first sight with Wan Jiagui (portrayed by Zhao Yingbo), a young and handsome officer who initially hesitates to commit due to his unwavering dedication to the country. However, he eventually falls for Moxi, captivated by her courage, intelligence, and selflessness as she saves him without expecting anything in return. A big applause to Zhao Yingbo's portrayal of the Wan Jiagui character.

Early in the story, Moxi encounters Chen Wende (Sun Yizhou aka Sean Sun), who is significantly older, around 13 to 14 years her senior. Contrary to others' fear of him due to his unflattering reputation, Moxi boldly insults and chides him, leading to continuous banter between the two characters throughout the drama. Moxi's forthrightness and unpretentiousness intrigue and amuse Chen Wende to the extent that he falls in love with her. Sean Sun's excellent portrayal of the character adds believability to their evolving relationship.

The entire cast delivers commendable performances, although some actors may have slightly overacted, making it difficult to discern if it was intentional for humor or a result of their acting abilities.

My Verdict

The series comprises two narrative layers. One layer delves into the emotional entanglement between Mo Xi and Chen Wende, Feng Yao and Wan Jiagui, while the other layer explores the story of four individuals protecting each other and serving their homeland. These two narrative layers intertwine, merging personal emotions with feelings of family and country.

The story beautifully captures the essence of self-preservation, mutual support, and understanding within the two main female characters. Although the sisterly relationship takes precedence, unfulfilled love becomes a central theme, amplifying the committed relationship between the two cousin sisters. The pain and torment experienced when the two lovers are forcibly separated by fate and events create a bittersweet romance. However, romance enthusiasts may be disappointed when the direction of the romance changes by the end of the story.

It may take some time to adapt to the storytelling format of the drama, as Moxi's wild imagination often takes the form of playful and silly scenarios on screen. This is understandable, considering Moxi's young age and her tendency to engage in immature thinking.

The entire story is built around a conspiracy to overthrow the throne, with wars, deaths, separated lovers, and a hero unjustly accused. However, all these events seem somewhat futile, as Moxi effortlessly exposes the conspiracy's flaws in the end. The climax of the story disappoints and is hardly worth mentioning. Plot holes and logic conflicts are prevalent, but viewers are advised not to take them too seriously.

Although left to be desired, the overall plot is quite intriguing, the acting is commendable, and the attention to costume and props is evident throughout.

A rather fun watch! Recommended!

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Wuxia show featuring friendships, youth and ethics

I loved this show so much, i was watching it on VIKI and then paid subscription to YOUKU so i could watch the latest episodes! The actors playing the characters did a great job, and I enjoyed all the fight scenes/CGIs. Every episode has been nail biting and i havent felt it has dragged on at all. I usually fast forward drama shows with annoying jealous 3rd parties thankfully theres none of that here. The show focuses on friendships, integrity and forgiveness towards self and others.

I feel the romance between Qianluo and Xiao Se is a bit extra, not feeling any chemistry between them. Ao Ruipeng is the perfect actor to play the gullible but loyal Lei Wujie. Li Hongyi captured Xiao Se's disdainful looks and elegance well. Lie Xueyi gave a moving portrayal of Wuxin, who is plagued with a troubled past. Some scenes really moved me, like when Wuxin saw his master before he departed for good. There seemed to be many lessons on life in this show. All the side characters and stories enriched the show without being too long/complicated either.

Overall a great show which i had stumbled upon and im so glad i started watching it!

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It is al about the dynamics and try not to mind the details

My only 12% is a sweet story about life, family, youth and friendship as we watch these two boys who grew up together figure out what they are for each other in a not overly dramatic more evolvement kind of way...

What I love about this show is the dynamics between all of the cast, the dialog the playfulness and the characters themselves as most of the characters are lovable, supportive and I guess human in a way. I will admit that there were 2 side characters that I could have done without and would have wished could have stayed out of the story, I was also really annoyed y the turn the drama took in the last 2 episodes, it was kind of predictable and the sole reason this is not a 9. The drama also deals with a bunch of issues facing young gay teens that are rarely shown this way. Including the importance of representation in media as well as the risk of being taken advantage of without letting those parts become too big of a deal and outshine the friendships, the family ties and the over all support that takes up most of the screen time in this drama.

If you are the type to pay attention to details, you will most probably be bothered by quite a lot as there are signs of the 2020s, oddly collected signs of the 90s here and there, plus a bunch of small details that just feel out of place. So you may want to accept them or laugh at them but if you are bothered by this, it may not fully be your cup of coffee/tea...

If you ara looking for some intense emotions, thrilling twists and drama you may want to skip this as it is more of a slice of life type of youth.

While I personally would have loved to see more of this drama, and follow the different characters longer, I found the two last episodes a bit rushed and as mentioned in a direction that just felt meeh to me... So i am hoping for a special episode or two or a spin off to get to see more of these characters and do reccomend it to all those who appreciate a friends to lovers slice of life drama with great dynamics...

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In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to choose your line.

So much was happening, but also nothing was happening, and how is that even possible?

If we talk about the actual events, this is a 40 minute movie at best. Exorcism, chat, death, chat, exorcism, chat, exorcism - more or less the plot. But if we take into consideration the topics introduced in said chats - that's a one semester lecture for you. Lack of faith in the men of faith. The misogyny in church and the lack of equality between men and women. Nuns doing tarot readings? Sure. Also a power team of nuns and schaman doing exorcisms. I guess. Then we have illness, I guess shame, but that was not explained at all. One could say this was a women empowerment movie, but was it really? And then the whole final sequence, as beautiful as it was, was also painfully dumb.

Even Song Hye Kyo was a hit or miss depending on the scene. Her nonchalant and confident scenes were great, but every time she tried to be more angry domineering and scream it just felt painfully flat. I feel like at least for some lines, if they switched her raised voice to a really chilling whisper with the music going quiet, it would have far more impact.

Moon Woo Jin did an amazing job holding back laughter, because that performance was just ridiculous. In a good way. It was exactly what the director and writer wanted, that's clear.

Lee Jin Wook was there, acted like an asshole. Was gone. He is not the main role, that I can tell you, and Jeon Yeo Been, while definitely more prominent, had to somehow deliver a character that brought nothing on the screen.

What's good? The movie was beautiful. Quite a few breathtaking scenes and good use of special effects.

Overall, pass - in both senses of the world. I'm not mad I watched it, it passed. But also, don't waste your time, pass.

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I'll be honest, I never thought I would enjoy this drama as much as I did, it proved to me to be a real surprise, I immediately got into the story and yet I had so many prejudices before starting it and assumed it would be boring and like one of those short and stupid Chinese dramas however I was so wrong :p Yes it stars Ma Ke and it was my real first time seeing him as the male lead so that might explain why I never imagined it could be to my liking and to say the truth he did a pretty good job, at least I didn't have to complain, not in the least ;D
So in my humble opinion the most enjoyable parts of the drama are the story and the friendship between our three main characters : Yun Xiu, Feng Jing and Liu Yi :

1. I really found the story interesting and quite intriguing, firstly the revenge part where our lead is reborn as a new man with a new face, then his path to become a popular and acclaimed actor not for his look but only for his acting and at the same time getting his revenge, secondly the other important element is about the entertainment industry and how it works; what the actors have to go through before being accepted in an agency, how they are selected for their first project, it also deals with the internal battles between agents and last but not least the harsh competitiveness between actors, I found all of that fairly well done and realistic except for one or two things but nothing can be perfect.

2. The intense friendship between our main characters, I found it so real, pure and honest. It's true Yun Xiu isn't without faults but he knows how to value friendship, he is such a loving and caring man. He always gives support to Feng Jing and Liu Yi in most difficult times and the fact that it is reciprocal for them was very beautiful to see. It was mostly hard for Yun Xiu and Feng Jing to trust again after what happened to them in the past but when they met they knew they were meant to be good friends and that they could trust each other unconditionally and yes those who love bromance I can tell it's one of the deepest I've seen, it kinda startled me at first ^^. The strongest point of this drama definitely and what I loved the most about Revive. Surely for me they were the only attractive characters of the drama but they were just purely amazing and made this drama 100% worth watching for me.

My mind was only focused on Ma Ke, Xu Joe and Zhang Viann's characters the other actors weren't enough interesting to me and didn't add any savor to the drama that's why I won't say anything about them, but I need to say the twin brothers (whom I already saw in The Journey of Flower) had important roles here and I appreciated they weren't there just to block the two male leads' way even though I wanted to know more about them but they were not boring villains at least for me, just too stubborn at times.
Ma Ke delivered his part very well and was very credible in these different roles, I couldn't tell it was the same actor playing those various personalities, he was such a delight for the eyes, really well done. Both Xu Joe and Zhang Viann did really great too and surprised me in a good way, I loved how Xu Joe made his character so cold, meticulous and yet very heartwarming and vulnerable. A guy full of inner charms and principles ^^
Zhang Viann what a radiant actress and wow her black hair *.*, I really had eyes only for her, she's so beautiful and lovely as Liu Yi, a very understanding person, her best trait.

The music wasn't impressive unfortunately and didn't leave a great impression on me, only two or three BGMs caught my attention, the songs were just boring and not so much present in the drama.

There are other bad points and things I didn't like such as the dubbing which was very bad and disturbed me all throughout the series, I never complain about that as I'm used to it but when it's bad it's simply bad! Secondly I found the other characters so bland and very unappealing, for most of them I didn't like their acting and they were very frustrating (cf: Amanda, Qin Chu, Zhu Feng, Xie Yi ...) to be frank Lin Xuan was useless as well. There are other flaws but I'm a little bit lazy so I will stop there for now ;p

I would still recommend it for those who wanna watch something short and addicting, actually that's how this drama made me feel. Just if like me you start this drama with some apprehension you might end up liking it!
As for the ending, it was fine like that, I personally don't need a second season and I even think it would be a waste of time, so no complaint from me.

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First of all, I give a big 10 for the chemistry and the passion, lust and love between the leads. It felt so so real like it wasn't the act at all and that is something we don't get to see every day. This is a dark romance drama with that depressed atmosphere like in old Japanese dramas which is something I really love and enjoy in dramas like that.

Suzuki was gorgeous and I get now when men write and say she's a MILF. :P Yup, no doubt she is. :P She is a fantastic actress and I love her from before in other dramas but in this one she simply shined with her personality, looks and sex appeal. Rui is one strong, confident, smart woman who didn't let emotions got in her way but of course everything fell apart and her guard was put down when Ko appeared. She is a woman who loved for her work, she is divorced and she experienced a married life, she even got a child from that married life (on top of that her child is played by amazing Ayano Go who was such a plus in this drama with his wild, rebel personality and his unique, weird sense of style and fashion, a young man who simply didn't do anything in his life aside from playing in some band for fun and taking money from his mother). But she chose career as something most important in her life at that time and she haven't felt regretful about that. Anyway from that angle her character is a very respectful and admirable one.

As for Hasegawa Hiroki, he was HOT and ATTRACTIVE LIKE CRAZY, I don't know how to put into words his expressions when he was with her, his glances, his stares, look in his eyes, his gestures, it was a mind blowing, seriously I literally felt his eyes on me. ;) Naughty naughty but yeah the main genre of this drama is romance so from that angle it was a successful one. The sparkles between them were flying all over the place, in every scene when they were together it was so impossible not to feel all those emotions and attraction, so rare to see that nowdays. And you have to take in consideration that age gap between the actors is 11 years which is also a plus more in here, you didn't feel that not for a second.
Both of the leads are a respectful people In their work and their respective jobs of publishing and stock trading play an important role in the story and contribute to the tension besides the usual plot devices for affair dramas. I like that part about their professional career, the whole show was so real with problems on their work, on solving them and although this drama is a romance one with affair going on, that wasn't the only thing and that's why I enjoyed in watching, you get to see every day problems and their daily life at work. And dialogs were written very good, whole screenplay was an intelligent one which is something very very important in dramas.

What I didn't like is his wife Marie, she was one big evil bitch, manipulative one with many complex in her life, she was a typical housewife who didn't do anything in her life except of satisfying her husband and depending on him about every little thing, soooo boring and stupid, I mean where is your life, your hobbies, your time and freedom?! Anyway she was the most awful person in this drama and a main culprit for everything. In the last episode maybe someone would or could somehow understand her but I simply didn't want that because she didn't deserve nor pity nor understanding. At least in my opinion.
Also I find the pacing really fast and just when you think a plot device is too cliched, it quickly moves on. But I didn't like that, I do love more slow pace in these kind of dramas with details, much more story and character development, somehow in historical dramas a fast pace is much more logical but in this one a big no for me. It's like I almost got to use to particular happening, dialog and scene and in the next moment it's one year later. That doesn't work for me.

Oh and the music was fantastic with such a beautiful melody, some tones reminded me of Secret Garden's music and the main song sang by Koda Kumi "Anata dake ga" graved in my heart and I'm still playing a song in my mind.
Overall I liked this drama a lot with its darkness and that old J drama feel, I liked the screenplay, the acting was brilliant from the two main leads, as for the characters I didn't like any of them cause all of them were hungry for power, money or some other things, too much selfishness and emotionless but that is why I found this drama to be different and not an ordinary one. I do recommend it to people who love mature, dark, serious plot and story with great chemistry and some real passion and who don't mind not happy and fluffy endings.
With all its flaws and this show does have them pretty much, I've enjoyed and it was my guilty pleasure.

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Unrealistic, but adorable

Brothers was a pleasant surprise for me! Here are my pros and cons:

PROS:

DRAMA. There were some dramatic moments here (the parents' divorce issue, Chon's dad's health, etc.), but they never evolved into the melodrama that BL is often guilty of, problems were talked out and solved.

ACTORS. While there were no Oscar winning performances here, the boys were all adorable.

WHOLESOMENESS. Despite some "unusual" plotlines here and there (read below), this was wholesomeness, the likes of which I've never seen in a Thai BL. Borders on Cherry Magic wholesomeness.

OST. I loved the soundtrack, especially the theme song.

CONS:

THE "NUDE" INTERMISSION PHOTOS. Just tacky and bordering on creepy. They could have been clothed. What was the director thinking?

TEACHER/STUDENT. I don't know why they had to go there. So Maping (the student) didn't have the hots for the teacher, but the teacher DID have the hots for the student. That was the real issue. Not really sure what purpose this served.

TWINCEST. Okay, I'll admit it. As a gay guy, when I was in high school, the idea of having a threesome with cute identical twin brothers would have been my dream come true, lol! But in reality, the thought of blood brothers (twins or otherwise) engaging in a threesome together is pretty cringeworthy.

PACING. Most of it was fine, but there were dull moments that just lasted too long (i.e., "Byenior" party; some of the Khun scenes).

But I digress. The cons were not dealbreakers at all. I really liked this one.

8.5/10

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Unavoidable Fate which is tangled with a Human being and The God of Destiny

I love surprises and this one... having zero expectations from anything but then you start to love it, definitely counts as a surprise, right?

This drama surely has the feel of Goblin from the poster to the very first scene of the drama, but still, it's not like Goblin though that's what I felt, for me one of the best short dramas I've seen so far especially it's made for binging. Now let's talk about the story. As I wrote in the title 'Unavoidable Fate which is tangled with a Human being and The God of Destiny.' I'll say it's cleverly written nothing feels draggy or unnecessary still we have some unanswered questions in the end.

The execution was done properly, I won't say we get the best acting here but surely not bad. It's cliche and cringes.... um very cringe (Who would have thought I would like cringe someday) but it's so enjoyable and funny and you enjoy every bit of it without getting bored. We get a well-made story and character in just 10 episodes who fairly are just 24-30 minutes. It's beautiful, the scenery and cinematography are the souls of the show. The music it's brilliant it goes with every scene I'll say it's the key point which absolutely makes the drama more special.

Overall it was full-pack drama best to binge! Fun, sweet, fantasy, romance, bromance, and little fluff.

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Man to Man had a lot to live up to right out of the gate. Hawking an all star cast led by Park Hae Jin. This drama was going to be part spy drama, part comedy and part romance, all beautifully wrapped with a red bow. Though I don't think it was ever able to live up to its sky high expectations, I do think it was a pretty fun drama.

Man to Man's handling of its comedy was top notch! There were a number of moments that just had me rolling, especially when they were featuring the dynamic between stoic Kim Guard, Cha Do Ha and Yeo Woon Gwang. This trio kept me rolling. The effect that Woon Gwang and Do Ha have on the normally straight faced and unflappable Seol Woo kept me in stitches. I think this drama initially touted an amazing bromance between Seol Woo and Woon Gwang. I personally feel like there was some untapped potential that the drama could have played up a little more.

Overall, I think the drama had some trouble with balancing the suspense and romance. I tended to get a little tired of the political power plays. Nor was I ever all that intrigued with Mo Seung Jae's role as the main antagonist. I felt like the romance between Seol Woo and Do Ha seemed a little unnatural. I loved how they played off each other, but as a romantic couple ... the drama never really got me there.

Even though this drama can come off as a little unbalanced and a bit all over the place, its comedy is its saving grace. I so enjoyed watching Park Hae Jin play in a comedic role. His acting chops and range are on full display in his role as Kim Seol Woo, ghost agent and body guard. To be honest, I wish this drama was touted more for being about friendship and the family you choose. I worry that this drama will be remembered for not being able to live up to its hype, but I think it's a worthwhile drama. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a comedy with a little action on the side or anyone that is looking for some amazing Park Hae Jin eye candy haha!

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Suddenly This Summer is a coming-of-age, slice-of-life drama that feels SO realistic and relatable. He Luo and Zhang Yuan, the main characters, have one of my all-time favorite drama-land romances. This show isn't as addictive or dramatic as some other similar shows that I've liked (such as With You). The focus is really on character growth over time, which some might find boring, but it's so relatable and solid and sometimes it's nice not getting emotionally jerked around. :)

THE GOOD: Realistic relationships and romance done right. Also some pretty good acting and good pacing.

Having a realistic, wholesome romance seems so simple, yet it's amazing how much I love this drama BECAUSE of how well the romance and relationships are done. You won't find any cliche plot twists or evil and petty romantic rivals here. Instead, the villains in this show are time, distance, change, and circumstances of life. Sure, there are some romantic rivals, but it's astounding (and almost UNrealistic) how RATIONAL and normal they are! They respect the fact that the people they're interested in are in relationships and don't try to sabotage or intentionally mislead. Which seems pretty standard in real life but is really novel for drama-land.

Both Bu Guan Jin (who plays He Luo) and Bai Yu (who plays Zhang Yuan) are so great and natural in their respective roles and really bring each character to life. Part of what makes the show and the relationships and character growth feel so real is in the acting! There's no stiffness and they emote so well. The pacing of the show is also good, with time devoted to high school, college, and post-undergrad so that we can really watch the characters grow over time.

THE BAD: I'm being nit-picky but -- random anime scenes and confusing passage of time.

This might be a personal thing, but I really didn't like the anime scenes that frequently showed up in the beginning of the show, and gradually disappeared. I get that it might be an homage to the original novel, but to me they felt random and didn't really add to the story. I would rather get more time spent on some of the side characters!

I also found the passage of time really confusing throughout the show. The scenes flowed together, which made it feel like each episode was only spanning a few days, when in reality sometimes they would cover whole months or years. At one point I thought only a month of college had passed, when in reality the characters were already in their second year! What! I only remember two parts of the show where the passage of time was actually shown in captions. It would have been a lot less confusing if they had shown some sort of intermediate shot showing the passage of time. Maybe the seasons changing? It didn't really detract from the viewing experience, but just made me confused.

Overall, I would highly suggest watching Suddenly This Summer if you like realistic romance and slice-of-life dramas! It can be a little slow and doesn't have a ton of ups and downs -- I didn't really cry or squee -- but it's wholesome and will leave you feeling good.

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There's no doubt that Dream High is way better than its second part. It is a light story full of dreams and the pain one goes through to fulfill it. The "one" being a bunch of teenagers and you know how school life is incomplete without a little bit of rivalry, competition and the need to win over everyone else. Dream High is a combinations of sacrifice and dreams. Realizations as well. The cast is superb, the best teen cast out there. I liked all the female leads for the first time in a drama but Suzy could've controlled her stiffness. The music's good with the theme song being my favourite. You know, the title song that starts with a violin is nice. Rewatch value for me is good coz I watch the scenes (mostly IU and WooYoung's - The Milky Couple) when I stumble upon it. Overall, its a one time watch for me and for the competition thrill.
P.S - Its much much MUCH much much MUCH better than Dream High 2. :-|
So go watch it once.

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I like it... not so much however (AN HONEST REVIEW FROM A LONG TIME LAKORN VIEWER)

I really dragged myself to finish the show because my lovely Mark was the main lead. (Mind you, it's been awhile since I watched a lakorn since the airing of Baifern's 'Bai Mai Tee Plid Plew'. And I forgot how long lakorns are!! 1 hour and 40 minutes per episode!!) By the way, I really think Mark likes this cold and arrogant character, similar to his previous role in Kleun Cheewit.

Anyways the story, I felt like there were really random parts of the story which took way too much of the show. Such as the hacking between our main leads. Then Myanmar. Then the Moei going off-grid to avoid him. I loved the scenes and they do seem relevant enough, I just don't think I need two to four episodes long in one issue. It was draggy, and the real excitement I actually got was from the beginning when they got married. Honestly, I felt that Yada and her abusive husband had more of an interesting story than this show overall was. I have to admit, I skipped so many scenes to finish the show. Why, because it takes 5 minutes for one scene between two talking people. DRAGGY AF.

I loved the way the writers made Moei's love for Thien consistent. Everything she does is for him, at some point in the drama it starts to feel stalkerish and obsessive but you know how dramatic Lakorn can get. One particular thing about Mew is that she plays her role really well. For example in scenes with Mark; she will constantly look at him and smile like an idiot because that is the character she is playing-- someone completely in love one-sided. Could be the script, but could be that she is an amazing actress.

I actually hate Thien's character. I just really feel like his character could've been written better. Mark executed the script great, just hated how bad they made the character so oblivious.

The cons:

I don't know if it was just me but some scenes were very toxic and are sadly portrayed in media that it's just love. I hated the scene where Thien tied her his bed frame to keep her from going out of his sight. Or when he confiscated her electronics and locked her up in a room a day with no food. Or when she was denied internet connection because he didn't want her contacting the outside world. I know this is typical Thai Lakorns but isn't this too overused. I am a killer for slap n kiss, but this wasn't even that.

Anyways take my review with an grain of salt, you might end up liking it because Mark and Mew did a wonderful job. Yet, as a long time Lakorn audience this was just a typical drama played by two popular celebrities-- and for me was not worth the hype.

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A love story that transcends time and space.

In a xianxia romance that spans multiple lifetimes and universes, When Destiny Brings the Demon chronicles the journey of Liao Tingyan as she is unwillingly transmigrated into a fantastical realm of immortals and demons. Blindsided by her abrupt displacement, she attempts to carve a quiet and lazy life for herself here — but fate has other plans. Against her wishes, she falls under the mercy of the notorious grandmaster, Sima Jiao, who is said to have a cruel heart and fiery temper. However, through their forced coexistence, she learns that beneath the lord's hotheaded exterior, he is a complex and lonely soul.

The initial episodes are weighed down by an influx of info dumping, but bear with it, because your patience will be rewarded with one of the sweetest love stories to emerge from cdramaland this year. Liao Tingyan and Sima Jiao's chemistry needs to be studied. From enemies, to servant and master, to friends, to lovers — their relationship develops fast but believably so. In a world where they are both outcasts and no one is to be trusted, they are drawn to each other. Passionate, angsty, selfless — I find myself gushing over all of their tender moments, and there are so many of them. You will laugh, cry, rage, and fall in love with their love story.

The actors, Wang Ying Lu and Arthur Chen, are sensational in these roles. In less capable hands, Liao Tingyan would have come off as annoying, considering how passive and meek her character started off as. Instead, Wang Ying Lu is able to make Tingyan relatable, funny, and endearing. She effortlessly transitions Tingyan from a damsel in distress into a force to be reckoned with — someone who not only can protect herself but her loved ones as well. Arthur Chen is also perfectly casted as Sima Jiao, brilliantly portraying his loneliness, pain, and rage in a way that brings justice to the character. Watching Sima Jiao's growth from a man who is suspicious of everyone into a man capable of compassion, trust, and forgiveness because of his love for Tingyan is as healing for him as it is for me to watch. The performances of these actors moved me and I have a new profound respect for the both of them.

Aside from the characters, there are also so many other things to love. The cgi is gorgeous and it adds so much vibrancy and personality to this world. The visual impact would not have been as memorable without it. The osts are haunting, marvelously complementing the story and elevating every scene to a new level of enjoyment. I constantly hum the melodies even when I'm not watching the drama and thinking about the music evokes a strong feeling of longing for the characters and their stories. The fight scenes are riveting — it is obvious how much thought and intentions the director and action choreographers put into those sequences.

My two biggest complaints are probably that the plot was secondary to the romance and the pacing was very slow at times. There are moments in the drama where the romance will be developing with ease, but the plot isn't moving at all. The conflicts in the first half of the story are repetitive, stalling the plot. Personally, I feel the drama could have been reduced to fewer episodes to create an even more engaging story. However, I recognize that this will cut back on some of the romantic scenes, and this will be a great loss for the drama since the romance is such an important factor in the story. Therefore, I am able to overlook the drama's weaknesses in this respect.

After finishing When Destiny Brings the Demon, I am only left with positive feelings of love, admiration and satisfaction for the story. Given the genre and the censorship placed on dramas with transmigration, I couldn't have asked for a better ending. The writers neatly conclude the story with no loose ends. It is definitely a love story that transcends time and space, worthy of experiencing, and I highly recommend it for the romance lovers.

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