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1This review may contain spoilers
SOMETIMES LESS IS MORE !
***DISCLAIMER: THIS IS JUST MY OPINION. YOU DON'T HAVE TO AGREE AND I'M NOT HERE TO ARGUE WITH ANYONE.***LONG STORY SHORT:
IF THEY WRAPPED THIS DRAMA UP IN 10-12 EPISODES IT COULD'VE BEEN SO MUCH BETTER.
1ST HALF – GOOD / WATCHABLE, 2ND HALF – A HOT MESS.
OVERVIEW:
The drama opens with a married couple putting on a show for the cameras then the scenes pan to reality as the husband is actually miserable in the marriage and desperately wants a divorce. He convinces himself he hates his wife and can no longer live with her / remain by her side. That is until she is diagnosed with a rare condition called cloud cytoma which affects her brains cognitive functions. She loses track of time, hallucinates and begins to lose her memory. Eventually Haein tells Hyunwoo about her medical condition and he is overjoyed because now he can just wait until she dies instead of filing for divorce. Hyunwoo’s friend (Yang-Gi) convinces him that he may be able to inherit Queen’s group if Haein leaves it in her will. Consequently, he decides to be a ”perfect” dutiful husband until then so nobody will suspect him. From there we follow this couple and their family through the ups and down of their marriage on a backdrop of another family scheming for their very downfall.
COMMENTARY:
The drama gets a bit silly from episode 8 onward. It would have been so much better without the parasite plot. Don’t get me wrong at first it seemed interesting but the evil guy turning out to be the mothers son who she abandoned and put into foster care then he was adopted then she orchestrated his adopted parents death was just WILD. Too much was going on and not in a good way.
I have to say this drama quite literally pulls out every cliche from the book. I would've preferred if the writers focused more on the main couple's marital issues, the process of healing each others wounds and dealing with grief / loss of a loved one etc. It could’ve been so much more developed and I feel like even the actors could've utilized their skills more in showing how they confront those emotions by dealing with them as a whole.
QoT was just not executed as well as it could have been. It could’ve been amazing had they leaned into the "slice of life aspect" of it more. Yes the disease was fictitious but that doesn’t mean they couldn't have tried to make the plot more feasible. Even after her surgery… she had no hair loss, no chemotherapy, no check ups. After she came out of surgery she was just magically cured with the exception of her losing her memories? Once again, that was so unrealistic.
I didn't connect to the side characters at all and a lot of the storylines with them were so irrelevant. Honestly I didn't care for Soocheol and Dahye's story especially because he just accepted her back so easily, no questions asked. They did not communicate or have an honest conversation about her abusive ex, who was the reason why she kept on running away without a second thought. Which brings me to Haein and her mom’s relationship. They had an opportunity to show the complexity of it but Haein forgave her so easily just like that and there was no period of the talking things out and healing their own individual trauma and then finally coming together to work through everything? Some people would argue seeing that would be boring but no… with a drama like this it needed more depth and more layers.
The leads have visually stunning scenes but I didn't feel any sparks or fireworks between them. I'm not gonna lie, it felt forced and there was no natural chemistry. I could sense the actors were just pretending if that makes sense. They had me rooting for them in the beginning but lost me towards the middle especially when there was no real breaking point or indication of them working through their issues. I felt like they behaved more like teens falling in love for the first time than a married couple who had been through so much. There was also too much back and forth one minute they were ready to fix everything and reconcile the next they were pushing each other away and then back to square one, AGAIN.
Honestly this drama was sad and exhausting more than anything. The way everyone talks about this drama you’d think they had so many romantic scenes when in reality it was just heartbreak and grief because they anticipated Haein's death. But they didn't work through these emotions they just kind of accepted the inevitable.
LIKES:
First of all, the OST is amazing!
The epilogue scenes were really well done and I liked the fact that they gave us some insight into the couples past through Haein's memories. I really loved that scene where Hyunwoo got drunk and then told Haein he loved her.
I thought the cinematography was beautiful and everything looked picturesque especially in the flashback scenes.
I think both actors did a good job, particularly in the tear-jerking scenes. I believe Soo Hyun is mediocre and he's only ever good at crying scenes. Likewise, I wished we could've seen more expressions from Ji Won but I guess her character was more stony and cold so she represented that as best as she could. Again, the scenes where she broke down crying were notable.
Although I hated the villains they nailed their roles. I loved the acting from the aunt, I thought she brought some humor to the drama.
I also like all the fan edits of the lead couple as I feel those edits tend to capture their moments / emotions better while tuning out the background noise. Lol when I say edits are better than the drama itself, Queen of Tears would be the perfect example.
DISLIKES:
I have a problem with how no one is allowed to criticize this drama. I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion even the persons leaving bad reviews or who were let down after watching.
Initially I really was happy to see a drama dealing with marital issues but the problem is they didn’t really show them dealing with or working through their issues together.
In the earlier episodes, Hyunwoo wishing Haein's death was brutal and I would literally not wish cancer upon my worst enemy. Haein had her own flaws as she is a bit of a narcissist and a control freak. She also came off very condescending and cold towards others. I guess that’s her characterization but her realizing she only had 3 months to live made her drastically turn into a whole different person.
It truly felt like Haein and Hyunwoo didn’t even try in their marriage. After they lost the baby it’s like everything just fell apart, and they both allowed it. They didn’t even try couples therapy or delve deeper into their grief. I assume Haein poured herself into her work while Hyunwoo distanced himself from her, moved into the baby’s room and also got consumed by work. But I genuinely needed more than that.
The writers were unable to strike the perfect balance between showing and telling because they wanted to do flashbacks and also present day, but they didn't really delve into the loss of their child and why their marriage essentially fell apart.
I believe the writers wanted to create multidimensional characters but failed in their execution. It is clear the writers adored Eunseong and expected people to sympathize with him but they were sorely mistaken. Anyone who defends Eunseong is nuts. No matter how bad someone's life is or how terrible they feel about others, that doesn't give them the right to become a deranged vengeance-seeking murderer. Furthermore, the mother-son duo with their tumultuous relationship took up far too much screen time. It took so much out of me to not just skip over their scenes especially when a lot of it was just showing them scheming to take down Queens group.
The “happy ending” was bittersweet and left a sour taste in my mouth. We didn’t get a lot of happy moments between Haein and Hyunwoo for the majority of the drama, so I was hoping for at least some good moments between them in the finale. But no once again the writers had other plans. They wanted to end the story on a tragic / somber note, with Hyunwoo carrying flowers to Haein's grave. However, she did not die as early as expected. It was implied got to enjoy her life, they had a child etc. but Hyunwoo still had to mourn her before eventually following her to "heaven". The scene when they saw each other again did nothing for me, just made me have conflicting emotions to be honest.
OVERALL:
QoT had too many storylines. Most of the arcs were unnecessary rendering the storylines improbable. The side characters were poorly developed, annoying and didn’t add anything. It’s only watchable because of Kim Ji Won and Kim Soo Hyun. I felt like something was missing since the beginning because there was just so much to unpack that they never did.
The plot is very early 2010s formulaic and I believe this drama's weakness was its production in 2024, as well as the overdone cliches. Everything was completely anticipated and not shocking at all imo. The showrunners tried to hold people's attention by throwing in the most bizarre plot lines but this got tiresome / old quickly. It was as if whenever there was anything good, something awful had to happen to balance it out, which just didn't seem realistic or practical.
THE WRITERS NEEDED SOMEONE TO TELL THEM TO PUT THEIR PENS DOWN! They truly needed someone to slap some sense into them and tell them to stop the overdramatic makjang plots. Imo, most of the characters were just used as plot devices to further the storyline and create illogical chaos.
Would I rewatch this? No. I would only watch scenes I liked and an edit would suffice instead of the entire drama as a whole.
With all of that said, I rate it a 6/10 (my objective rating)
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Update: Honestly, this deserves a much lower score after the revelations about KSH being a repulsive predator. I’m done watching his dramas, and you should be too! Those who say it’s a great drama are fooling themselves; it’s nothing more than mediocre, and you’re not missing a thing. Just skip it altogether if you haven't already watched.
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At the end of the day if you don’t believe some of the reviews you just have to decide for yourself if you will watch the drama for or not.
Good Luck!
˚ʚ♡ɞ˚
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Ridiculous storyline and unappealing characters.
This drama quickly turned ridiculous and boring. I stopped watching it in the middle of the 3rd episode. The first 2 episodes were already a sign of how poor this drama seemed but the 3 episode confirmed it. Don’t waste your time on this one. if you’re truly curious then just watch the 1st episode then you’ll know… It goes downhill from there trust me.I cannot understand how anyone can give this drama anything above a 4.
The “Dr.” is portrayed as an incompetent space tourist with a secret “mission”. Although he has been training with the Team of astronauts for a year before their takeoff he falls apart during and after takeoff. The Commander pulls a gun on the Dr. because she suspects he’s up to something suspicious but then she hugs him after he saves a lab rat during an open heart surgery in space. If this doesn’t sound ridiculous yet, there’s more! They delayed connecting to the space station for 20 minutes because of 2 fruit flies mating in space to the Commander’s fascination and obsession. I just can’t! 🤦🏻♀️
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This review may contain spoilers
From Rock, Paper, Scissors to a Love Without Secrets - The Best Taiwanese BL of 2025
I’ve watched every Taiwanese BL released this year, and without a doubt Secret Lover is the best of 2025. It is not the usual formula. Instead, it is fast paced, emotionally rich, and captivating from start to finish. Not once did it leave me bored.From the very beginning, I was drawn to both leads. Tuo is obsessive and intense, while JunXi is sweet, gentle, and adorable. Their bond, rooted in childhood, grows naturally into something deeper, and watching them fall into love felt organic and inevitable. The NC scenes were tender yet romantic, their kisses full of sincerity, and the playful “rock, paper, scissors” moment to decide who tops or bottoms was cheeky, lighthearted, and unforgettable.
What makes this story shine is the shift in their dynamic. For once, it was JunXi who chased after Tuo, who kissed him first, who showed boldness where there was once only hesitation. Usually, Tuo takes the lead, so JunXi’s affection was refreshing and heartfelt. Their communication was equally moving. When Tuo admitted he had only dated girls to hide his true feelings for JunXi, his honesty was raw and deeply touching. His apology lifted a weight from them both, and in that moment, his growth was undeniable.
The smallest details melted my heart, cuddles, forehead kisses, waking up together, and most of all JunXi’s quiet back hug after Tuo’s fight with his father. Without a single word, that embrace carried the message: I am here. You are not alone.
Even Tuo’s father was written with nuance. A single parent abandoned by his wife, he worked tirelessly to raise his son, though his strictness strained their bond. I sympathized with his burdens, but it made me appreciate JunXi even more. He gave Tuo the love and reassurance his father could not, validating every piece of who Tuo was.
Many judged Tuo early on, calling him selfish or forceful. But episode nine revealed the truth. Tuo never left JunXi because he loved him less. He left because he loved him too much. He could not bear to see JunXi hide forever or carry the weight of secrecy. That is why the series carries the title Secret Lover. Tuo’s love was not possession but protection.
And then came JunXi’s powerful declaration: Even if my parents are against it, I still want to be with Tuo. I didn’t realize I loved him this much. At the park scene, it was JunXi who kissed first, who confessed first, who chose reconciliation. This was not weakness but extraordinary courage, especially in a culture where tradition and family reputation hold such power. I admired him deeply, because I know I could not be as brave.
Love often needs distance to return stronger. You do not realize the depth of your love until you almost lose it. This series captured that truth with aching precision, showing that Tuo was never the villain but always the protector of the one he loved most.
When JunXi finally cried, his tears were not born of sadness but of joy. They carried the weight of years of silence, and with them, the heavy stone pressing on his heart was finally lifted. For so long he had hidden his love, afraid of disappointing his parents in a culture bound by tradition and generational values. Yet as his hand clasped Tuo’s, he was no longer alone. Their love was no longer a secret in the dark but a truth they carried into the light.
The most moving moment of all was the parents’ reaction. They had always known. When the truth was spoken, they embraced their sons with warmth, kindness, and joy. Their smiles shone brighter than words, their love wrapped around the boys like a blessing. This is what every parent should give, the assurance that love is love, no matter gender, no matter expectation, and happiness is the only thing that matters.
As the story closed, it became clear this was not just another BL. It was the best Taiwanese BL of the year for me. No dragging storylines, no unnecessary jealousy, no forced third wheel. Every kiss, every touch, every NC scene was alive with passion, intimacy, and vulnerability. Their chemistry was breathtaking, transcending the screen itself.
It did not feel like acting. It felt like watching two souls discover one another. The glances, the touches, the comfort in each other’s presence, it was impossible to believe it was fiction. Even behind the scenes, in playful moments and tender gestures, they radiated a closeness too real to ignore. Perhaps this was more than a story, perhaps it was something lasting even beyond the cameras.
Now it has ended, and their absence lingers like a quiet ache. Secret Lover was not simply entertainment. It was a memory carved deep into the heart, a love story that breathed, that lived, and that will be missed long after the credits fade.
💯 Secret Lover is pure perfection. Romantic, emotional, meaningful, and bold, it is everything I could ever want in a BL. Without question, it is the best Taiwanese BL of 2025.
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I watched all versions of Hana Kimi, thus I wanted to discover the Korean incarnation.
2) Storyline/Plot:
*I already knew the general story which means that I didn’t try to discover it (predictable). I will basically compare storylines and plot changes.
Positive Points:
*Unlike other versions, this one focused on the romantic side; there were too many fluffy moments that would make the drama more enjoyable. Moreover, this Korean adaptation gave the romantic elements its right to be intensively present.
*This version had the best visual cinematography; yes I had to admit that since other versions didn’t focus on this aspect. I am glad that this one took it into consideration and actually pulled it off in a good way.
Negative Points:
*The huge negative point that I found in this version was the absence of friendship and relationships inside dorms, it was the main element in other versions that’s why I felt betrayal when I didn’t find it here. Yes, the version should stand out but cutting such an important element made the drama lose its taste.
*Another important negative point: The lack of humor; It was an important element too, maybe it wasn’t present in all other versions but here, it felt absent or maybe “left behind”. That was annoying; the lack of funny scenes was simply bothersome because it created many boring moments.
*I hated the fact that script writers wanted to cover up for everything by showing the cute romance the whole time, it felt like cheating the audience and creating fan-service scenes by using Choi Min Ho’s body and Lee Hyun Woo’s face.
*Dragging: The drama fell into dragging especially near the end; that wasn’t nice to watch.
Story: 4/10.
2) Acting/Cast:
*This drama’s cast is mostly singers so you can’t expect to have strong acted scenes plus the storyline didn’t allow actors to show their skills since it focused on the cute side. However, that doesn’t deny that Choi Min Ho, Sully and Lee Hyun Woo did a respectable job in this.
*As for characters, Tae Joon’s Sano was a decent portrayal out of all versions I’ve seen. Goo Jae Hee was average: no love, no hate.
Eun Gyeol character was the worst Nakatsu portrayal mostly because it lacked humor and took the triangle side way too seriously, yes, there were some cute imagination moments but they didn’t last for long. That being said, I have to refer that Hyun Woo was the best actor in this drama, it wasn’t his fault that the storyline made his character more serious than it’s supposed to be.
*Side characters were uninteresting most of the time which was the storyline’s fault for cutting and changing many important characters.
*Appreciated character: Min Hyun Jae because he had a different character from what I remember plus his presence was always good to watch.
*Relationships:
--->Romance: On terms of chemistry, I can’t say that it was the greatest ever but there were many cute and fluffy moments all over the place.
--->Friendship: None! I haven’t felt any friendship between characters except some moments with Eun Gyeol and his roommate. Other than that, it was annoyingly absent.
--->The triangle: It was taken way too seriously than other versions so it felt bothersome to watch.
Cast: 6/10.
Acting: 7/10.
4) The ending:
Finally! I kept waiting for the drama to end ever since the 10th episode. It was a normal ending, no special feelings.
The ending: 6/10.
5) My impression (How did it affect me):
*I was really excited at the beginning but after three or four episodes, I just lost interest somehow.
*This was a disappointing remake for me, I expected a lot from the K-version but I end up watching something pretty and shallow.
*Is this drama memorable: No, I can’t possibly remember this drama because it dragged a lot which made it pretty boring but I may remember the vivid colors and the cuteness overload.
My impression: 3/10.
6) Overall:
*If you’re looking for a cute school drama then you may like this.
*If you watched other Hana Kimi versions and want to see more romance then you would like this.
*If you want something pretty to look at then watch this.
*To the Beautiful You was a cute drama that dragged a lot and delivered nothing when it comes to friendship and school relationships. As a remake it was a disappointment.
Overall: 5/10.
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finally, a real bl from China, and so beautifully intimate
Oh how I loved this show. I've seen so many mixed reviews and while I understand the complaints, this story was an absolute gem.In an attempt to avoid censorship by airing this as a webseries outside of China, they started off strong by pushing out the first 4 episodes on iqiyi, but of course the censorship gods got to the series so they had to take a long pause and figure out how to get this back on air. Eventually we got it back on Gagaoolala (which is great bc no one is more suitable to air this show than a Queer Taiwanese streaming platform), and I'm so proud of this Chinese team for fighting so hard to get here.
The story-- Qi Lu is a rich student artist desperate to get out from underneath his father's abusive thumb, one day he coincidentally meets his muse, a poor student artist Qin Xiao who's rough around the edges. After some back and forth they end up becoming close and deeper feelings start to form. The friendships and family dynamics are messy and realistic, but the restless romance between our leads is sweet, exciting, and wholesome. Their story plays out almost like a slice of life bromance that naturally develops into a romance, and its absolutely beautifully done.
What I love about this show is how effortlessly intimate it is. When their skin touches, you feel a warm buzz rush through you and the tension of the scene is a tight knot in your throat.
The actors-- they do such a great job making you fall in love with the characters, no over the top acting or cringe dramatics from our main leads. Full transparency, I skipped over almost all of the second couple romance, their story was a major miss for me. Initially I liked that there was deaf representation and they seemed cute enough, but to be honest their story is a bit of a toxic mess and the chemistry just isn't there.
My only other complaint in the story is the end, while I'd say it's a happy ending, it felt rushed and didn't leave you feeling quite satisfied. I do wonder how much of that was within their control, and its possible they ran out of budget, support, or other essentials mid filming.
The production-- honestly it was great, you can tell that this show didn't have an endless budget, but that didn't stop them from making it beautiful.
Overall I may have rated this higher than most people, but I have to follow my heart here. I loved these two, my recommendation is to skip the second side couple storyline and just fall in love with our main couple's beautiful intimate chemistry.
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But even though it has some major flaws, I kind of like it, I would be lying if I told you otherwise. So here’s some reasons why it isn’t an amazing movie, but why it’s still worth the watch.
The first half of the movie feels a bit flat in my opinion. The main character is put through these trials that are somewhat repetitive and don’t really engage you since he feels like a stranger, empty and lacking a clear personality. A problem that persists throughout the whole movie. It’s hard to care about the outcome of the judgments when you can’t really connect with the characters.
Another thing that is off putting with the trials, is the fact that they never get exciting or serious. You never feel nervous for the outcome because of how predictable and silly they are. I still, as I wrote previously, love the concept though.
In the second half of the movie you get to know all the characters a little better, better but not well enough to make them feel like 3-dimensional, full characters. Even though it’s still very predictable, you want to see how the story unfolds and if you are a crier like me, you might even cry a little. I must say though, that the comedy and the tragedy in this movie isn’t that great. They play on your emotions in the most typical ways and often fail.
What I really like about the movie is the CGI. Almost every setting and fight was nicely done, something that is rare for these kinds of movies. The great surroundings truly make the movie come alive.
So all in all, I think that they could’ve made the movie a lot better and way more interesting if they wanted to, but at the same time it is an enjoyable movie and totally worth the watch. At least if you are into things like the afterlife, reincarnation, angels and Gods. I know I am, but are you?
Just because a movie isn’t amazing or flawless, doesn’t mean it’s not worth the ride, so don’t let all the not-so-great stuff prevent you from watching this nice movie.
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The Best Sapphic Themed Romance in a Long Time
You were my dream, my longing and my one and only Prince!”If someone had told me that a supporting character would rise to be the main lead’s love interest, I wouldn’t have believed them. That was until I watched “Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born” and was left mesmerized by the romance between Jeongnyeon and Jooran. A classic retelling of the webtoon “Jeong Nyeon” (정년이) written by Seo Irae (서이레) and illustrated by Namon (나몬). If you are worried that the show is a censored adaptation, so it won’t have the same romantic connotations as the original, fret not. “Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born” encompasses a spell binding romance in the midst of encapsulating the Korean art forms, Pansori & Gukgeuk. For those unaware, there is a difference between both. Pansori is a Korean genre of musical storytelling performed by a singer and a drummer, where the singer tells the story by singing and the drummer accompanies her on the drum. Gukgeuk refers to a theatrical performance that combines both singing and dancing. The show embodies the very essence of both art forms that were quite popular in the post-war era. Being an all women production, even the male roles were portrayed by females. We are going to talk about the different facets of this show that strongly betray its homoerotic context!
Read the complete article here-
https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/11/19/jeongnyeon-the-star-is-born-series-review-ep-1-to-12/
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Across the board, outstanding!
Time travel that works?Amazing music?
Brilliant cast?
Amazing story?
Great Humour?
Life lessons?
Not all in one drama at the same time, right? Yep!
Bottom line, ya just need to watch it, brilliant.
OK, Mr/Miss/Mrs Sceptic who is still here, why...
First up - time travel stories are hard to do well and this one nails it. It doesn't go overboard, and its respectful of the timeline. Is it perfect? No, because it's never going to be - time travel doesn't exist right? - but it feels right and not over done.
There's some great humour here, a towards the start (and a little again at the end) there's these fun little riffs on the Back to the Future sound track and some familiar facial expressions and reactions from Eun Gyeol that you might recognise from it too. But - true to everything else, they don't overdo it. Get it out of the way, have a quiet chuckle with the audience, and move on. This isn't back to the future, it has its own story to tell (probably a more meaningful one, if we're honest here - and I'm a BTTF fan).
The cast are utterly brilliant in every respect, different characters portrayed really well. I loved the deaf angle on this one, it makes it stand out - who'd have thought to make a heavily musical story, about musicians, and then make key characters deaf? Takes a bold team, and Jin Soo Wan (writer) and Son Jung Hyun (director) pulled it off.
The music, throughout, is fantastic. I'll be getting some of these on my spotify play list as soon as possible. Fun, upbeat, something to sway to.
Broadly, the main character is the only hearing-able person in his household and this weighs on him constantly, his passion is music but he's afraid to share it because it's something the others can't do themselves so it feels selfish. After his dad discovers him performing in a band and careless heated words are spoken in both directions, the main character finds himself wandering into a music store to sell is beloved guitar and give up on his dreams. The owner of the store takes the guitar and after they talk for a while, the main character leaves - and finds himself back in 1995, where he soon meets up with his younger father - who can hear just fine.
OK back to the waffle / gushing...
I really enjoyed the storyline elements involving Cheong-ah (main characters mother) and the journey that, in particular, her father took. There's a moment where the main character says to him something like "I really want you to see your daughter smile, she has the most beautiful smile" and later when he does see it, it pays off big time, Kim Tae Woo who plays her father nails the scene perfectly.
Our two main characters learn and grow through this journey in different ways, they each get different things out of this but they get what they need to put themselves back on the right track.
Enjoy it, the title is wacky, the drama is a bit wacky, the characters are completely wacky, the music is fabulous and the end result is one of the most fun dramas of the year in my view.
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Final review : Sadly it crashed towards the end
When I started this drama, I really enjoyed it and looked forward to each episode every day. But from ep 25 onwards, I became impatient to know who Yesha was, so I started getting a little bored. The final six episodes were disappointing, though still somewhat acceptable to me.Towards the end—especially in the last six episodes, the drama seemed to throw in every leftover plot points randomly and illogically just to wrap things up. The twists felt confusing instead of shocking, and they were rushed, leaving the audience no time to process anything.
For example, at the start of ep 31, they suddenly decided to kill off Tong Shuang—not even five minutes in and then immediately jumped to the mourning scenes. Right after that, the remaining four sat together, and out of nowhere Xiao Beiming announced that he had discovered the identity of the Yesha who committed the murder back then (Miao Yue at Fengbo Lake), and that there was actually a second Yesha. He then rattled off the how, why, and what, ending with the conclusion that the second Yesha might be Miao Yun, Miao Yue’s adopted Haiya orphan. The whole thing felt anticlimactic, and the “build-up” to Xiao Beiming realizing Tong Shuang was Yesha was unconvincing. Like, what do you mean he just needed some alone time in a cell, squeezing every last brain cell, to magically connect all the dots?
And then there’s my favorite bit of absurdity: Zhong Xueman recognizing Miao Yun from a portrait drawn by Zhuge Tong and saying he “seemed familiar.” Plot twist: she’d seen him ONCE, three years ago, and they locked eyes for less than a minute. Girl. Be serious. If you can pull a three-year-old, one-minute memory out of thin air, you need to be studied by science. I can’t even remember who I bumped into yesterday.
The reveal that Tong Shuang was Bei Kun and wanted revenge also fell flat. He just failed and died? I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t that. I didn’t expect fireworks, but I did expect something more than “welp, guess that’s over.” Also, maybe it’s just me but I noticed that as they uncovered more about Yesha, the camera sometimes focused more on Tong Shuang, even when he wasn’t the main subject of the scene. At first, I found it odd, but now I think it might have been a deliberate hint or it's just me overthinking.
As for the ending, it was exactly what everyone expected: the leads’ second marriage ceremony. Predictable, sure, but after all they’d been through, it made sense. Still, I’m sorry but they just didn’t have chemistry or sparks as a couple. Maybe it’s because the story didn’t focus on romance, so their emotional connection never developed in a believable way.
On the acting side, Wang Xing Yue did well overall, especially in emotional scenes. Xiang Hanzhi did her best, and while I get why some people complain about her, I think it’s also because the character was written in a way that made her hard to love. Personally, I didn’t have a big problem with her acting, but she didn’t wow me either. Most of the side characters were fine, but when it came to He Luoluo as Yesha, I found him a bit underwhelming. He lacked the aura of a true villain, and it took me a while to take him seriously because the image of bright, adorable Tong Shuang was still too strong in my mind.
In the end, I enjoyed the character bonds and the way they stuck together through thick and thin. The first half of the drama was solid and right up my alley. But as it went on, it kept testing my intelligence with increasingly ridiculous twists until I couldn’t ignore the nonsense anymore. Final verdict: not the best, not the worst but definitely the kind of ride where you start off cheering and end up sighing.
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Over rated
First series of Esther Yu, now I'm really wondering why she is so famous with that kind of acting skill?About the series:
1. 1st episode is very boring and not clear of what the series going to lead us to.
2. The next 10 series are quite entertaining with the humor and fast pacing story lines, but then afterwards the stories become dull and boring.
3. It is strange to have a so called "heroine" who can't or never fight at all ==> referring to the main female lead, whose facial expression is very dull and only able to act cute
4. second male lead acting also not great, flat facial expression and no chemistry with the second female lead
Overall, I do enjoy some part of the series, especially the beginning, but afterwards the story lines just draggy and acting from the main actress really lame make it quite difficult to watch.
No offense to Esther Yu hard core fans.. this is purely my personal opinion. I shall see her other work to make sure whether she can act or if this is her character in this series.
But looking at the background of her character, she is not supposed to be a "cute" person, from her modern era character she is not with that cute personality, why suddenly when she become the heroine character in the novel she become overly unnecessary "cute"? (to be precise : tried to act cute, but does not cute at all)
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"Useless Lies" should have been the Main Title
I binge watched first 6 episodes and it felt really good. The story is unique and the suspense part in the starting episodes made it more interesting and got me hooked. Also the lie detecting scenarios felt really good and funny in the first few episodes. To be precise - "A great Start".I reason I said "Useless Lies" would be more suitable for the main title is because I felt even thought Female Lead can detect lies the situation or the questions might be inaccurate(If you know..you know). So, I felt week by week the story deteriorated but it was watchable and not boring at all. But it picked up again when the murder mystery came into light.
Their dating era felt surreal to me. But got to admit they have the healthiest relationship ever. I am happy it ended really well. But kudos to the writer and the team of "My Lovely Liar" I have not even a bit expected the plot twist with Deuk Chan.
Coming to the Acting everyone performed really well. But I kinda expected more from them but that's ok, the story made it up for me. Leads did a great job. Lee Si woo(syaon) is a great actress, she portrayed the character really well, can't wait to see her in a main role. And i'm happy for Chi Hoon, he finally acheived his dream........hahaha.Literally Chi hoon is the most aloof and a funny character.
In short, it started well, the mystery and plot twist is awesome, and it ended really well. Just another good fantasy K-drama. So, Go Watch it!!!!!!
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THIS DRAMA's COLOUR IS GREEN. GREEN FLAGS EVERYWHERE
This was such a breath of fresh air. So different from other kdramas and I have watched 150 of them. Intelligent and logical FL . ML was like a shy puppy . Both of them green flags. This drama has a love triangle but it so mature. THE BEST SECOND LEAD I REPEAT BEST SECOND LEAD in any k drama ever. Respects her boundaries, respects her bf , not a typical kdrama triangle plot. Also if you go to the drama without knowing any spoilers, you are in for a surprise. Like the plot will shock you a bit, that bein said it's a murder mystery too but don't go for just the mystery. It was so refreshing to watch , If you are in a mood for a happy ending romance kdrama, with no disgusting drama and green flags give it a chanceWas this review helpful to you?
Missing parts.
Let me preface this review with a warning - this is a well-loved drama that I simply fail to appreciate. If my criticism of it will offend you or ruin the joy you found in it, best give this a skip.The soundbites are tantalizing: a taboo romance between a eunuch and a concubine; a ruthless and scheming male lead; a spirited and clever female lead; and palace conspiracies and mysteries aplenty. Not to mention Wang Hedi's Xiao Duo exudes that intense tall, dark, and dangerous kind of sex appeal that screams he is no Lord Varys. So I jumped in despite my reservations over Chen Yuqi's acting. As it turns out, that is one of the drama's lesser problems.
This drama is an inane attempt at dark satire aimed at the obscene privilege of emperors. It opens with the shockingly cruel practice of sending off childless concubines, known as tribute ladies to accompany the emperor in the afterlife. After high powered eunuch Xiao Duo rescues Bu Yinlou from this dastardly fate, an alliance of sorts forms between the two as they navigate treacherous palace politics in a time of power transition. I like how it was just a mutually beneficial relationship initially and how they disliked and were wary of each other; that the romance did not blossom instantly. Where it falters is in showing me why the two most powerful men in the palace connect with and fall so utterly for a woman afflicted by bizarre facial paroxysms.
Xiao Duo's wicked ruthlessness is gleefully conveyed with wit, panache, and flawless comedic timing by Wang Hedi. This is well matched by Peter Ho's slightly over-the-top portrayal of the deceptively simplistic, cartoonish-ly obsessive, and delusional emperor. Both portrayals convey each character's underlying ethos; a past sadness and secret loneliness. Unfortunately, Chen Yuqi’s jarring and tacky comedic interpretation is far more typical of a slapstick comedy than dark satire. Her exaggerated rapid eye movement and outlandish facial expressions had me triple-checking the synopsis to see if the character is supposed to be epileptic, schizophrenic, or simply possessed. While a huge upgrade from her usual vacuous sleepwalking, for the first 14 episodes, there is little beyond brazen tasteless humor in Chen Yuqi's Bu Yinlou. After that, she gets into character and delivers some really good scenes. She has good romantic chemistry with Wang Hedi that elevates her performance and the more serious tone the story takes also helps. But her acting is not consistent and wobbles again at the ending episodes. It highlights her limited range and is quite inexcusable for someone who is an acting school graduate with a long list of drama lead role credits. This is the best I have seen from her in years but that says nothing at all.
This drama's biggest issue is that it is missing a good plot. The storyline is contrived, naive and so ridiculous it is disdainful of audience intelligence. The writer's ignorance and superficial understanding of feudal imperial inner palace workings are embarrassing. It is impossible for someone like Bu Yinlou to waltz in and out of the inner palace like it is a hotel, live at a brothel and gallivant all over the kingdom with Xiao Duo. The production leaked "cut" romantic scenes like a sieve, trying to blame the abysmal failure in storytelling on censorship. The truth is all the kiss scenes in the world cannot salvage the messy plot and inconsistent characterizations. We are told both leads are smart characters but they are actually the architects of their own troubles. The allegedly Machiavelli Xiao Duo wrests the crown prince from the custody of the one person with the highest incentive to keep him alive and healthy and puts him in the hands of the person with the strongest incentive to kill him dead! As a couple, they have repeated opportunities to escape, but choose not to. Xiao Duo's revenge is anti-climatic and hastily swept under the rug once the killer is uncovered. They flaunt their affair with such reckless impunity they so deserved to get busted. I stopped caring if they ended up together and sat on the meh ending episode for weeks. I finally finished watching this so you don't have to. To my dismay, they got an ending they didn't earn or deserve.
The bottom line is Wang Hedi is the only reason to watch this drama. He is sexy even when he glowers and scowls and his costuming and visuals in this drama are swoon-worthy. In fact, save yourself some time and just watch all the fan-made videos of the romantic scenes hard-core fans have stitched together. You can skip all the rest because as foreshadowed by the eunuch theme, this drama has critical missing parts. I can only rate it 6.5/10.0 to finish at the rock bottom of my completed list for 2022.
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