Reviews

Masterpiece....

Dr. Cheon and the Lost Talisman is an absolute cinematic gem that effortlessly blends supernatural elements with laugh-out-loud comedy. This Korean film is a rollercoaster ride of emotions, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats while simultaneously tickling their funny bone.

From the moment the film starts, it grabs your attention with its intriguing premise and vibrant characters. The portrayal of Dr. Cheon, a charismatic fake exorcist, is nothing short of brilliant. His on-screen presence is magnetic, and his witty banter with his sidekick, In-bae, is pure gold.

The film’s masterful blend of horror and humor is a testament to the director's skill. The suspenseful moments are genuinely chilling, while the comedic relief comes at just the right time, preventing the film from becoming overly dark. The special effects are top-notch, immersing the audience in a world of supernatural wonder.

Every aspect of this film is executed to perfection. The pacing is impeccable, the storyline is engaging, and the characters are relatable. It's rare to find a film that delivers on all fronts, but "Dr. Cheon and the Lost Talisman" undoubtedly achieves this.

If you're looking for a thrilling, entertaining, and unforgettable cinematic experience, I wholeheartedly recommend "Dr. Cheon and the Lost Talisman." It's a 10/10 in my book.

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Magical; GMMTV's best BL yet

I think everything good has already been said in the other reviews and in the comments. We waited more than a year for A Tale of Thousand Stars to air, and I am so glad to say, the wait was definitely worth it. I only have the following takeaways:

1. Before ATOTS, Earth was never in my radar as a leading man material. He's got the body, yes, but acting and appeal wise, I thought he had none. ATOTS changed my perspective of him, and I could not imagine any other actor from GMMTV's slate that could play Phupha better than he did. It is his best work, and his performance is definitely one of the greatest I've seen. What I loved the most about his version of Phupha is he does not really communicate through actions but through his eyes. Earth did it so well, and very few actors can do that.

2. For Mix, I would say that he's still got some room for improvement, but that does not mean his performance was bad. In fact, he carried the show so well. It wasn't hard to sympathize with Tian because Mix just transformed himself into the role smoothly. But there were still some moments in the series where I felt he was lacking. However, if GMMTV can give this guy more opportunities to improve, I have huge faith that Mix will turn himself into one of the studio's most treasured leading men. Just watch the old trailer of 1000 Stars and you can see how much he has improved in the span of a year.

3. ATOTS was a refreshing take on the Thai BL genre, which after 5+ years of feeding us student-student relationships, has grown quite bleak and tiresome. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is probably the first GMMTV BL that is not set within university walls? The point here is, ATOTS highlights that the idea of making a boys love series not involving students can actually work. I am very excited in seeing how ATOTS' success will impact the studio's future lakorns. Will we finally get our wish to see a BL between two grown men? A BL set in the workplace? We'll just have to wait and see.

4. I think 1000 Stars had the best set of supporting characters and actors. I loved how they utilized some actors on the GMMTV slate that have not been getting any good roles lately. For instance, I haven't seen P'Champ in a series since My Dear Loser: Edge of 17, and that was way back in 2017! I like the fact that despite not having much lines, he was still largely present throughout the show. There's also Nammon, who played Dr. Nam, probably the best character in the entire series. This is another guy I do not see often lately. It is unfortunate that he already left GMM, but I find it amazing that he gave the studio his best work in his very last project for them. It is such a fitting ending to a career he's held with GMM for many years. Drake was given a surprisingly small role, too small that they did not even bother including him in the show's poster. This was a guy who had been getting main roles in the recent past, I wonder what made him settle for less? I don't have much to say about his character of Rang because his time in the series was just too limited. Nevertheless, Drake can give a solid performance if he is given the right material, you can check out Cause You're My Boy that was aired back in 2018. P'Thanom's performance as Khama is very reflective of his long experience in the industry. His last scene in the drama where he was on the verge of tears was my favorite moment of his. Aye and White, despite their very short screen time, were also effective as Torfun and Tul, respectively. And Khaotung, thank God he rebounded quickly from that Tonhon Chonlatee travesty. His performance as Longtae is so far my favorite of his own work. Although I think he is getting a bit typecast as that caring, sensible friend to the show's leading man. And we should not forget about Tian's students. Each of them had his/her own charm and was completely indispensable in the story.

5. I don't care much about songs, but ATOTS's soundtrack is too incredible to be ignored. Among all the songs linked to GMMTV series, I only liked two: Gun Napat's title song here and Gawin Caskey's song in Dark Blue Kiss. Gun's song may even move you to tears if you understand the full context of the show that it goes with. Moreover, one thing I noticed about P'Aof's past series is that he tends to overuse silly sound effects. I guess he learned how those SFX can ruin the mood of his dramas, so he minimized them significantly in ATOTS, which I truly, truly appreciate.

6. The location was shot so beautifully, it almost feels as if you have been transported to Pha Pun Dao. I noticed that P'Aof does out-of-town scenes particularly well. From In and Sun's episode in Our Skyy to ATOTS, not only did he capture what the scenario looks like but also how it feels to be there. What contributed to this feat was that the ambient sounds in the mountains were captured very well. I also loved the lighting for the nighttime scenes, which does not look artificial (in itself, this feat is superb because lakorns (at least from what I have seen) usually suck in making nighttime lighting look natural!). The production design was just the cherry on top. Heck, this is the first time I actually commented on a lakorn's production design! That just shows how groundbreaking this series was!

7. The only negative comment I can give is related to some unresolved conflicts in the story. The one that really sticks its head out was: what happened to Sakda's men? After all that gunfire, I could not believe it just ended right then and there. There was no resolution to his story at all. In addition to that, the problem regarding the village losing its major source of livelihood was also left open. When the stocks of those teabags were burned down along with the school, the issue was not brought up again. Although I understand that we were never given closure about these two key issues in the story since the drama's priority is Tian and Phupha's relationship, these issues are quite serious and we can't just pretend they never happened.


All in all, a highly recommended show. SOTUS and SOTUS S have just been dethroned as the best BL that GMMTV can offer. It will take the studio a long time to upend this feat.

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You'll ache but in the prettiest way possible

Watched it a day ago and I've realized how there's no getting over... I tried writing down how I felt watching it and then I thought for 50 mins but I just couldn't get the right words to describe this movie without doing injustice to it.
This movie healed me in every way possible... and broke me in every way possible. I didn't even realize how torn I was until it all ended and I was there left to take it all in, Halfway through you just don't feel anything and then it all suddenly hit, like a wave. A big one. It all starts making sense and it just ached. Throughout. Cuz of how real it was and simply on how it was portrayed, So beautifully and really, so beautifully but sadly...

The way they showed us the three perspectives. How whenever we were taken through each of them, we discovered smth new and everything made more sense and the realization just kicked in each time...

The way the two actors portrayed their characters, the way their little actions spoke for everything, the way their smiles, their sorrow spoke for everything, the way their laughs made me feel so happy, but sad, and the way the whole movie was carried out. It was everything it could ever be.

The 10 rating on all of them is real . One of the best movies I've ever watched in my whole entire living...Wanting to rewatch just 15 mins in says a lot on how much of an impact this movie had on me, and everyone who watched it in general.

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An action packed story that keeps you interested despite its flaws

Some spoilers but no specific details

This started off very nice, and was still interesting till the end although I was not fully satisfied with a lot of things, the ending was a big fat useless cliffhanger with basically all the big plots still left unanswered. We basically just got rid of some "npcs" lol. And i just could not for the life of me understand how so many of these people (even the mc) survived the sht they went through: a machine gun blasting from every corner/ a shot through the eyes, stab to the throat and a burning house/ 2 freaking grenades!!!!!! and the list goes on. And STILL they all get up with a minor scar. Just very very unrealistic and a huge pet peeve for me.

a little bit of a spoiler here:
I like that the uncle wasn't invincible, like you could see him get beaten down buy a bunch of random dudes before he finally managed to take care of them and you could also see that he got scared from time to time. At first I was like mehh it takes away from the amazingly badass mysterious vibe they set him out to be in the first couple of eps... but then I thought this ACTUALLY makes him even more of a realistic character and less like the mc with the plot armor protecting her.

All in all this was a fun watch, I really wanted ALL those bad guys, especially THAT specific one to go out very, very painfully but I am at least happy Honda got avenged, he was my favorite character :'(

Edit: Oh wait I just realized something that annoyed me in the first couple of episodes and I don't think it was answered till the end. Why on earth were a bunch of killers obligated to protect the mc? like what would force them to do that, especially since some of them just took out whatever those implants were? Not mentioned, they never even showed up lmfao xD

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Shortly, the story was about the romance of shopkeeper and his fake sister.
It's a funny story with hilarious characters and predictable plot.

I wasn't familiar with the actors, but they portray their roles nice. The outro song was good too.

The one thing i really hate are the subtitle! But I know it's always the problem with MGTV dramas.
I feel like the story was okay, but the subtitles makes it unbearable.

The episodes are only 10 mins long, so i could finish the whole thing in about 3 hours.
This drama is perfect if you want a light watch and not think of anything deep. But be prepared of the cliches and terrible subtitles.

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A Shallow Pond

This one was easy to marathon because of its small amount of episodes, and with a duration of 45 min each, they kept even those kinda short.

The title is dope. Can't deny this, I'm a sucker for those things. And it fits, too.

As for the story... I'm always in for a nice Sci fi plot (as a writer you can let your imagination run wild and create so many things, as long as you can make them believable) and the basic idea here is indeed interesting. But when you look at every element, there sadly is nothing new. The overall story is very similar to The Expanse (some of you might be familiar with that show) and some other interstellar movies. The storyline and the characters are very stereotype and predictable. There's the team leader who wouldn't move and wants to finish the mission, the rebellious biologist, the spy and a mix of some different crew members. The politician who is a follower of capitalism and confidentiality, and a hidden third party.

The thing that annoyed me the most was the technical execution. It's set in the future, there should be a certain digital and technical progress in everything. Some things did indeed look that way, but then again there were so many things that didn't fit in. Usually I like to overlook things like that but in these kinds of shows I want to see the progress in every little detail, no matter how small it might be. I want to admire them. I want to ~feel that the story is located in the future. Not to mention the medical parts. Come on, the doc only needs one look at a patient and already knows what's wrong with him. Yeah, right...

There are things happening and decisions made that seem weird. You want to know why they did what they did, but you don't get an exact answer.

So, with all the criticism above I couldn't decide whether the show was either too long or too short. The second half felt dragging (funny considering that it has only 8 eps in total), yet I wish they would have added more episodes to explain every single puzzle in more detail.

The inaccuracies turned The Silent Sea into a shallow pond.

I do praise the cast, they at least did a fantastic job with an otherwise lacking script. Some extra points for them, the cinematography and the idea. This doesn't mean it was a complete failure though. It had its good parts as well, I did enjoy certain things and also completed the show.

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SPARKLING CHEMISTRY OF MAIN LEADS (w/ a speck of undetailed spoiler)

I was driving along with the straight storyline and doing alright under the clear night sky full of stars, but not until I was about to reach the climax. I was staring to these two twinkling stars. I didn't expect the road to take a left turn and I fall off the cliff. I managed to survive in the end though.

These two stars named Dunk (as Nuea) and Joong (as Kluen) shined so brightly. They are one of the main leads of a BL series that has great chemistry. Dunk, who looks like your average-looking actor, caught me off-guard with his charming smiles. And together with Joong, who speaks to me with his glittery eyes, made me finish the episodes 7 and 8.

What I find messy in this entire series is the misplacement of all Kluen's flashback (except the sunflower pot). They could have done the same thing to Kluen's flashback as what they did to Nuea's flashback. I lost interest in his past while he's telling Nuea about it. Also to mention Gia's BF problem and Nuea-Typhoon's relationship, who in their right mind would choose those in the climax? I mean those topics are great but they unwisely picked the worst scenarios and scripts ever. Nonetheless, the early and mid-episodes are above decent for sure with little and ignorable issues.

It could've been a must-watched series. (sigh) Never mind, I still enjoy this series. I like Dunk-Joong as main leads.

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You have to be in the right mood to enjoy this

If you're in the mood for something cosy and comforting, then you'll love this. It's ideal if you just want to relax and watch an easy slice-of-life show with delicious without worrying about any drama. The costumes, food and setting in general all look amazing.

However, there's also a risk that you'll be completely bored. There is essentially no plot in the show, over the course of nine episodes almost nothing happens. There is also no tension or conflict in the show, everyone is friends and they always agree with each other. There's never any barriers in their way or difficulties to be overcome. There's no suggestion that cooking for a large household is difficult or that you might ever have frustrations with your job or housemates (or even how Kiyo became as good as a professional chef). Instead, there's a level of constant smiling and laughing that you normally only see in propaganda.

Oddly enough, it doesn't show much about the life of a maiko, so it's vague about how they actually earn a living. How do they entertain these much older men? What if they have a difficult client or someone they don't enjoy talking to? Are there challenges with maintaining such a traditional lifestyle in the modern age?

The show would be much more interesting had it grappled with these questions instead of presenting it as an almost perfect world where everyone is always happy and nothing ever goes wrong. Success is most enjoyable when it feels earned.

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To the ends of the earth.

The Lonely Warrior is a crime thriller about one man's obstinate, obsessive thirteen year quest for justice. It is a highly dramatized account of a real life case. The movie version Endless Journey is led by Zhang Yi whereas this drama version is led by Qin Hao.

In the middle of a tense, emotional criminal case, an interrogation accident ends the careers of the elite Third Brigade investigative unit led by Cheng Bing. After a ten year stint in prison that costs Cheng Bing everything, he emerges hell bent on hunting down the violent killer Wang Dayong who eluded them all those years ago. He reunites with his squad, all of whom have at surface moved on with their lives but are still haunted by this cold case. They initially go to great lengths to help Cheng Bing but as a result of life commitments end up dropping out. Cheng Bing soldiers on deliberately, methodically pursing the vicious Wang Dayong seemingly till the ends of the earth, leaving no stone unturned.

The strongest aspect of this drama are the chase scenes and the way tension builds in a gripping and chillingly suspenseful way. What I didn't like was how Wang Dayong barely appears in the latter episodes. It was done to raise doubt over whether Cheng Bing was doggedly on the right track but it also made me quite frustrated with his obduracy. They failed to capitalise on Chen Minghao who delivers an incredibly menacing, ruthless and unpredictable Wang Dayong, a hardened criminal with exceptional survival instincts. I was also dismayed with what they did to his appearance; effectively obscuring all the nuances of his expressions. This would have been a lot better if they focused more in the cat-and-mouse chase between Cheng Bing and Wang Dayong with heart stopping near misses instead of pushing Wang Dayong off-screen for such long stretches.

My biggest issue with the narrative is that it delves too deeply into Cheng Bing's and the Third Brigade's personal stories. Qin Hao never fails to impresses in how he conveys deep emotions and he really out did himself in making us feel the weight of everything he loss. But I was not convinced at all by his relationship with Miao Miao. This is not a necessary character even though Ren Min does a good job with it. Add Tong Tong to the mix and I was just rolling my eyes. Even though I enjoyed the Third Brigade's camaraderie, they should either have had them see the case through all the way with Cheng Bing or not at all. It is very annoying to watch the narrative build up all of their personal stories only to see them drop out half way through. The most relevant and interesting relationship is the contentious one between Pan Dahai and Cheng Bing. These many digressions come at the cost of losing the momentum of the chase. This would be a much tighter and better drama with fewer episodes. As such, I am not surprised that the movie version has been better received than the drama even though I personally think the drama has a better lead cast.

Despite some pacing issues, this is overall a very enjoyable suspense thriller anchored by a stellar cast. Happy to rate it 7.5/10.0.

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An unexpected take on a hauntingly beautiful historical romance

Although there are many tragic Sageuks that I have loved watching over the years, "The Red Sleeve" stands out for so many reasons. The chemistry between the leads, the fact that it's a non-idealistic look at love, and a female lead who does not fit into the expected tropes. I think this drama is extremely addictive initially as we watch the two leads fall in love, but we soon see a tragic clash of two world perspectives that is both intriguing and frustrating to watch. As frustrated as I was during a lot of this drama what I appreciated was seeing the reality that love isn't always enough. I know this was based on true events, but I had no clue before watching where the story would go since I don't really know much about Korean history. I did know enough to not expect a "cheerful" ending. I admit that the beginning of this drama was much more appealing and addictive than the later episodes, especially watching the banter between
Lee Jun Ho and Lee Se Young, but it's the overall story arc that makes the lasting power of this drama so strong.

Lee Jun Ho is amazing as Yi San. I loved feeling like I could see his evolution to becoming a great king. He also pulled off a longing and obsession for Sung Deok Im that could have easily come across as majorly creepy in a #metoo way and not romantic at all if played wrong. Yi San was strong yet vulnerable and inspired laughter, tears, or butterflies with a single look. I think this really is a breakthrough performance for him. I've seen him be great before in "Just Between Lovers" and even "Wok of Love", but this role required so much range and he knocked it out of the park. He is matched with Lee Se Young Court Lady Deok Im and as much as there were times when I couldn't stand her character I loved her performance. Some may feel like she didn't show enough emotion but what impressed me was Deok Im's commitment to wearing a poker face and having the upper hand. Usually, arrogant male characters are accepted and condoned but here we have a truly unapologetically headstrong and arrogant female lead. She's clever and stubborn. She doesn't do what viewers may want her to do. Sometimes I cheered her on and sometimes I cursed at her through the screen but it was nice to see a female character in a historical drama with this kind of nerve. I won't give all the credit to the adult actors. There are some pretty brilliant child actors that help tell this story well too but the best parts of this drama are definitely when the main leads are together. I didn't expect to get so addicted to their banter but I quickly did.

There are a lot of Allstars in this cast that makes the typical corrupt Joseon court storyline feel not so cliché. Jang Hye Jin as Court Lady Seo and Oh Dae Hwan as the bodyguard are the real MVPs of this drama, and I also really liked the bond between the Court Lady Bffs. I did eventually grow tired of one storyline in particular with Park Ji Young as Head Court Lady Jo. I felt it didn't go far enough so it just seem like filler after a while. In contrast, I loved watching Lee Deok Hwa as King Yeongjo who's unpredictably manic responses made some of the conflicts much more exciting to watch than they normally would be for me. I'm not the biggest fan of 'fight for the crown' storylines, but the characters were well done which made me care more. This is still primarily a love story, and I'm grateful for that, even if it's a messy one.

Would I watch this again? I think so. I can see myself reading up more on the actual history then revisiting this drama again. I am fascinated by reinterpretations of history but I liked the idea that they tried to give a voice to Sung Deok Im as to what was behind the choices she made in real life, making her an independent court lady struggling to establish her own life by her own rules. I also felt deeply for the story of King Jeongjo and his profound loneliness in contrast to his legacy. I'm sure a lot went over my head during the first viewing so it may even be better the second time around.

I do appreciate that this drama has 17 episodes, so they didn't have to rush through the ending at all, but there were parts that started to drag and get too repetitive for me towards the end. The mixed signals and constant rejection plot really did affect the pace and my interest, but one thing that kept me from ever being too bored is the absolutely breathtaking cinematography. They really went above and beyond with how some of the scenes were shot. I would often rewind just to have a second glance at an image on the screen. You can see the care in the direction.

Overall, "The Red Sleeve" may not be for the "does this have a happy ending?" crowd but it is a beautiful take on this historical love story that doesn't shy away from the true events or the harsh dynamics of life in the palace. The excitement and longing in this drama is palpable and I think that is its main appeal. I also never read the Novel but I get a sense of what it was adapted from through the characters' internal thoughts, without them ever abusing narration in the script too much. Dramas often explore what we would sacrifice for love but rarely what we won't. I had strong opinions about Deok Im's reasoning and Yi San's persistence but in the end, I was fully invested in their love story. The only thing stopping this from being a new favorite of mine is some repetitiveness and my lack of interest in the political plots. Jun Ho's performance alone is enough to make this a much watch Sagaek and drama overall. Seeing a female character deviate from the 'Cinderalla as goals' narrative is also refreshing in a lot of ways, even when she annoyed me. It may not be the type of escapism that many romance fans look for in a drama, and yes many tears will likely be shed, but believe the rating hype on this one. A romance without romanticizing too much. A love story that challenges whether together is the best choice. An attempt at giving a voice to a voiceless royal concubine. If you know the story and wonder "What kind of woman back then would have the nerve to reject a king?!!" this drama answers that question very well... in an intriguing, hilarious, exciting, heartbreaking, and poetic way.

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Second time the charm

When I first watched SIMM I didn't like it for some reason i still cannot understand. I remember watching it more for the sake of watching a bl (i was 16 at the time ikik) than for understanding the story. Or maybe its because the plot hit way too close to home for my own comfort and I didnt like how the character behaved cause of what was happening in my life at that time. Regardless of the answer I decided to give it a rewatch and a second change and to be fair, I'm glad I did so.

Rewatching it make me realize that, beside definetly not being a masterpiece, it was very enjoyable and very cute. The funniest part is that the show would have ended ep.1 if just Kluen was able to express his feelings like a normal person. No like, fr. The whole thing happened because Kluen was not able to talk (he'd rather leave the room than answer a question that requires some emotional though) and Nuea that was like "yeah but I don't love him anymore" while still very much loving him. And unfortunately for me, I'm a big fan of this trope. Even tho I really think they scratched the limit a bit too much with Kluen like he was really getting annoying to watch at a certain point cause like please SPEAK pls. Really.

The story was simple. It had elements that I liked and elements that I didnt like. For example, oh god, I absolutely hate when a series reference the school being "shippers" like the whole #kluennuea or #nueaklun was geniunly painful to hear cause in no case ever anybody behaved like this omg no need really. I also highly disliked Typhoon character, like, brother, Nuea very much told you very clearly that he has a problem with rejecting people, that it pains him and he is not able and what do you do? Keep asking him out untill he gives in because that's literally his trauma. I found it so distasteful and I wanted for it to be addressed more, like, made clear that personal limits exist and Phoon was CLEARLY stepping over them.

I remember not liking the acting but I kinda need to change my mind. OK, its not exactly oscar worthy, nor a "once in a lifetime" performance, but I gotta say that both of them did their job well enough to get me into the story. Side characters as well. The story is, if you are young, pretty emotional but if you rationally think of it its nothing groundbreaking so of course they didnt exactly have that much to work on, its actually pretty simple and straightforward.

The aesthetic was absolutely non existent, not found not even searched to begin with I guess. I might be a hater on this point but damn. No color grading, some cuts between scenes I could have done better with capcut. The only scene I liked was the one at night at the beach. Still not how I would have executed it but I think the closest this show ever gets to it. Oh, and stop putting music anywhere. Sometimes is way better to just listen to the natural sounds trust me.

Rewatch value was actually very high, cause it was the rewatch that made me like this show. I feel like its one of those shows that, since its being referred to a younger audience, it really changes when you watch it and your older. Kinda nostalgic.

Ps. Joong the prettiest cryer I've ever seen

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A full review of Veil of Shadows because I have… a lot of thoughts ?

Firstly, I must give major credit to Ju Jingyi and Tian Jiarui. As Lu Wuyi and Ji Ling, they absolutely carried this show. And honestly… they kind of had to, because by the end it really felt like they were the only true main leads, despite Wu Wangyan and Wu Shiguang being billed the same. Now, in terms of performance? They delivered. Their story might not have been the strongest in terms of writing, but the portrayal was solid. They had chemistry, they looked amazing together, and they sold the emotional weight of their characters really well. Ji Ling, though… had WAY too many identities 😭 I genuinely lost track. And every single one came with tragic baggage, like please let this man rest. And then Wu Yi is equally tragic, if not worse. Her entire existence is just heartbreaking. Being created by Jiu Ying, not even having a “real” origin, her memories not being hers… It’s honestly one of the more tragic identity arcs I’ve seen. The only thing she can claim as real is her love for Ji Ling, and even that feels questionable because of how she was created to be "fated." It’s just pain layered on pain.

Now let’s talk about the plot… because wow. It was really plotting, but almost to its own detriment. The twists just kept coming nonstop to the point where it became overwhelming. My brain was genuinely overloading trying to keep up. It went from a fairly straightforward “find the Dragon Deity power” storyline to a full-on time loop, sacrifice-your-life-to-save-your-lover narrative. The shift was so drastic that by around episode 18, I’m not even gonna lie, I stopped watching for the plot. At that point, I was there for the visuals, OSTs, VFX, and CGI… which were actually really good. Like, yes, the slow-mo + dubstep background music combo was overused, but at the same time?? It gave us some really cool, cinematic moments.

But the writing… that’s where things fell apart for me. So much of the dialogue felt vague and non-committal. Characters would talk in circles, talk about how to execute the plan, hint at things, say cryptic lines that don’t actually move the plot forward. You don’t really understand what’s going on until much later, and even then, it’s messy. The only time the dialogue actually becomes clear is when it comes to emotions, confessions, sacrifices, “I did all this for you” type of lines. Those hit, but everything else just feels frustratingly unclear.

Also… I can’t not mention Li Jie 😭 he is so handsome it’s actually distracting. In the earlier episodes, his exposed arm had me looking away from his face like hello?? And then his second identity, Yuan Wuhou, so annoying, but also somehow even more attractive in that dark, dangerous way. I was fighting for my life every time he was on screen.

And now… my biggest disappointment: My Wuwu couple.

Wu Wangyan and Wu Shiguang started off so strong. Wangyan was this cunning, flirtatious, powerful nine-tailed fox, and Shiguang was this revenge-driven character with intense presence. Then we get the huge reveal...Shiguang is the 10th Dragon Deity, one of the most powerful beings, and Wangyan is tied to the massacre of his clan under Jiu Ying’s possession. That setup alone had insane potential.

But what did the show do with it…?

Shiguang, the actual 10th Dragon Deity, the key to defeating Jiu Ying in a story literally about finding that power, gets reduced to a background character. He should’ve been central to the conflict, a driving force that shifts the entire power balance. Instead, he’s sidelined, underutilized, and barely feels impactful when he should’ve been one of the most important characters in the entire narrative.

And Wangyan… don’t even get me started. She’s a thousand-year-old nine-tailed fox. From the first episode, she was sharp, capable, and clearly powerful. But as the story goes on, it feels like all she does is look, cry, and be sad. Where did her fighting skills go? Where did that presence and cunning from the beginning disappear to? You’d expect her to be actively involved in these major conflicts, especially with how connected she is to everything, but instead, she feels strangely passive.

And that’s what makes it so frustrating. Because their storyline had everything from enemies-to-lovers tension, moral conflict, deep lore connections, and emotional weight, and it just wasn’t explored the way it should’ve been.

They went from feeling like co-leads… to feeling like background characters in Wu Yi and Ji Ling’s story.

+ Acting (8.5/10): Ju Jingyi and Tian Jiarui really carried emotionally.
+ Visuals/OST/VFX (8/10): super immersive, even if a bit over-the-top sometimes.
– Plot (6/10): ambitious but messy, way too many twists thrown in without enough grounding.
– Writing/dialogue (5.5/10): too vague, too cryptic, not enough clarity.
– Character balance (5/10): wasted potential, especially for Wuwu.

So yeah, 6.5 feels fair. enjoyable to watch, especially for vibes and performances, but frustrating if you’re looking for tight storytelling and balanced character development.

It’s a drama with a lot of potential, a lot of style, and some really strong performances, but also one that kind of loses itself in its own complexity.

Still watched it through though 😭

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I am in crazy love with it!

I am a fan of RomComs and this drama has made a spot in favorites. Everything happening in the drama is crazy and will make you fall in love with it.
Every episode has its own share of twists and even after being a RomCom, it has suspense and thrill. Each episode is crazy and unpredictable. It leaves you wanting more.
The characters are lovely. I won't say the personalities were something out of the box, they had typical personalities, a rude annoying bossy male lead, and a nice persevering female lead. And the character development, the leads falling in love, hate-to-love relationships, and cringy moments are the common elements in many office romances. But the way it was executed was absolutely entertaining.
Even though we know the overall story, the small surprising elements and twists are what make the drama so engaging and enjoyable.
I absolutely enjoyed the initial few episodes which had me laughing hard. The later part of the story is a bit serious and focuses a bit on story and character development.
Overall definitely worth the watch.

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