Reviews

I was very reluctant to watch this show at first, since the first kdrama that made me fall in love with it was Love Rain, I only wanted to watch shows with Jang Keun Suk or Yoona in it. My tutor kept recommending me this, so in the end, there was an offer and I bought this cd.
I was just going to watch it to pass time. BOY, that was one of the most dangerous decisions ever. After the 2nd episode, I stuffed my homework in a corner and started racing through this show like crazy. I couldn't stop.Whenever I stopped I thought bout this day in day out! I marathonned this show till I couldn't remember where I stopped, and though I told my mum I would watch it with her, I hehe didn't. (though i still rewathced it with her after that). Okay, all these aside. i think you get my drift, this drama was hands-down AMAZING.

Plot: It's the typical rich-guy-poor-girl drama, but I happen to love those dramas a lot! It absolutely doesn't hurt that the leads have an AMAZING CHEMISTRY THERE

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I've never been a huge sageuk fan, but I can't resit a good ‘what if?’ historical retelling. What if, Jang Ok Jung wasn't the evil, conniving woman that history paints her as? What if she wasn't totally about greed and power. What if it really was all about love between Lee Soon and herself, to hell with all else…?

Pshh.. This is well documented Korean history.

But that doesn’t mean there couldn’t be more to the story than history has to say. Or that the inner motivations of these highly visible personages were ever truly known by more than themselves or a few other people.

In other words, history always gives us this much leeway to make a romance out of nothing. If you want to approach Jang Ok Jung, Live in Love as infallible history, don’t. But if you’re in the mood for a sweeping epic love story set in historical period based more or less on real people– this might be a good drama for you.

We’re certainly not working with highbrow historical revisionism here.
JOJ: Live in Love is a snapshot of Joseon history ca. 1680s. It's a complicated and very violent story of King Sukjong (before, Crown Prince Lee Soon) and his wives/concubines- among whom are some of the most well known female figures of the age, including the famously tragic Queen Inhyun.

JOJ, however is a romantic and simplified spin on what’s probably 10x more complicated than the drama depicts. I’m actually okay with that, because it does a decent job of making all these events make sense in a way that won’t make your head spin.

But it’s also romantic in that the story it tells is exactly opposite from what history tries to tell. Give a quick thought back to last year’s hit drama Queen Inhyun’s Man, and the depiction you get of Jang Ok Jung is of a conniving bitch. So who wants to see Ok Jung get a makeover? Apparently not Korean audiences, because the ratings were just not there. It took an extra dose of romantic scenes to garner interest in the show. I think it’s shame because despite the unconventional retelling, Jang Ok Jung wasn’t all that bad.

The actors were fabulous, particularly Hong Soo Hyun- she just does sageuk figures so well, and I loved how they played with her Inhyun character in tandem with Ok Jung's dramafied character.

Overall, it was compelling. However, this is history, and history has an outcome that won’t be undone by fiction no matter how good your script is. As for the love between Lee Soon and his beloved concubine/queen, I bought it completely. Even within the grounds of how unhistorical it was that King Sukjong could’ve only had one person he ever loved (or even slept with – because, history says he had tons of concubines and a parcel of children). But I liked how the relationship between the two worked as an anchor for the overall political story. Ok Jung was portrayed as smart and wily, King Sukjong as a master politician, and as such their teamwork was a boon to the storyline. It kept things fresh and interesting at least 80% of the time.

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This is the best drama I have seen in a long time. It's very engaging almost from the first minute. In each episode you get to know a little more about the mystery surrounding a kidnapping 20 years ago through the stories of witnesses whom the journalist is meeting. The acting is so good, and it's a shame a lot of these people have mostly played in subpar drama with over the top japanese humor. I really didn't know how good actors they were until I watched them here.

The drama is only 5 episodes long, so there's hardly any boring parts. The background music is amazing. It's so well done and fits the drama and the mood perfectly. I am really looking forward to the OST being released.

Anyway, this is seriously a must-watch. Best japanese drama in a very very long time.

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the cast and the acting was great!

Decibel is a sound terror action film that revolves around a bomb designer who wants to occupy the city center with a special bomb that explodes when the noise increases and a former naval deputy commander who becomes his target.

the combination of the great actors was awesome everyone was good.
KRW, JSH, CEW, and of course my dear LJS.(the main and the supporting cast are great)
lee jong suk as a villain is so damn good. same as BM liked the challenge he took for himself and hopes to see it more in the future.
the plot wasn't boring but the storyline felt ordinary, not particular. don't hope for something special well my main reason to watch was LJS and I enjoyed seeing him!

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Had potential but lost the track.

I would say this drama has one of the great starting that any drama can had, yep it start with a blast and I thought it has potential to become this years best drama, great starting, good backstory, amazing cast it had all potential to be the best but it lost the track.

Cons -
1. They made a very strong second main lead much better than main lead and the first episode was full of the backstory of HJK so it kind of gave hopes to the HJP fans that there is still chance for him.
2. No character development I mean there was nothing new aspect in characters they have same personality from starting to end.
3. This drama should be based on start up but it ended up dragging love triangle all the way that's the thing made this drama a disappointment. I am not upset because of who got the girl thing I am upset because if female lead gonna end up with male lead then what is reason of making 2nd lead perfect?
4. The male lead. One the main reason of failure of this drama I know many of NDS fan's que is what did NDS did wrong but thing is he did nothing, really nothing it was one of the poor written character of the drama without any character development.
5. The female lead. In the first few episodes I thought SDM had potential to be one the strongest and clever female lead, but it became kind of miserable you know they use the concept ( typical ) knight saving beauty.
6. The lovestory between main leads wasn't that interesting.

Pros -
1. Beautiful cinematography I must say the cinematography was great with beautiful camera anglrs.
2. The strong backstory.
3. The relation between HJP or I say Good boy and Grandmother was potraited beautifully it was the thing I liked most in the drama.
4. Ost and soundtrack was amazing I must say.

Overall it was an average drama if you are big fan of main leads or you have a lot of time free then you should watch it. It wasn't all waste of time but it's also not worth of time,

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I've never wanted amnesia until this bl

I want to address the fact that some reviews are saying "it depends on what genre you like" how does that make any sense? The genre has nothing to do with how most of us feel negatively about this drama right? So, I'm going to be blunt about how much I hate this series. Also, at episode 10 I couldn't take how slow this show was going so I watched it in 1.75 speed.


STORY- TW: Pedophilia/Grooming, Non-consensual Sex

The story is dry, and the script is so shit. The same problems were repeated over and over again where the characters keep lying to one another. They put in some sex scenes so we can ignore the fact that they're in a toxic relationship of lying, abuse of power, pedophilia/grooming, etc. However, the sex scenes still fall flat cause there was no build up and it's just Lian forcing Kuea to have sex with him. This drama is a BL it's not a porno, so a sex scene was so unexpected. Also, the people who were praising this show for "consent" are absolutely wrong because after halfway through the show they throw consent out the window because whenever Kuea kept telling Lian to "stop it" he never stopped and just kept going. This is also true for Hia Yi, and Diao cause their sex scene was so out of the blue and came just after Hia Yi confessed to him and there was no verbal communication, just did it without even saying anything.

About the pedophilia/grooming part, Lian was 7-12 when Kuea was born so there is a big age gap. If I can re-call I think Lian said something about loving him since the day he was born which I find really weird because I assume the type of love he is talking about is romantic and not platonic. The abuse of power comes from how Lian forces Kuea to live with him and doesn't take no for an answer. They're lying to each other because they can't trust the other. Trust is an important factor of a relationship, so this just further shows how they don't have a healthy one.

At the beginning of the show, they made it seem like Diao also had a fiancé but that wasn't even close to what was going on between him and Yi because they weren't even in a relationship. The plot was dragged on and on and didn't develop till the last 2 episodes either.

The arranged marriage part wasn't necessary since there was no reason for the adults to arrange one in the first place. Also, the way Kuea's father just arranges a marriage for them even though Kuea is just an infant is so odd and gross to me.

Diao interfered in Kuea and Lian's relationship after being told he shouldn't which is so childish. Diao and Hia Yi have a major plot hole in their relationship because their past relationship and how they met and what happened to Diao wasn't cleared up.

Lian says to Kuea "I don't think it is love yet" so Lian didn't love him but after Kuea says he's going to call off the engagement he suddenly loves him? They also didn't explain how Lian and Kuea's family became friends. It's also just insane how they make Lian hide the fact that he bought the Keerati family's property from Kuea because something as important as that I think Kuea should definitely know. Honestly, this show is just absurd.

CHARACTERS-

Kuea:
Lian proposed to Kuea, but Kuea rejects him and even after all the "misunderstandings" are cleared he still won't accept his proposal because he wanted to propose to him instead which shows how selfish Kuea is. Kuea is also one who doesn't clear things up and just makes assumptions like, "they didn't tell me because they think I'm a kid". Kuea assumes that Lian doesn't love him despite Lian CLEARLY repeating that he loves him over and over again. He also overreacts and cries way too much. A good example of a character crying a lot is in Theory of Love where they made me actually feel the pain the character is going through and for good reason too. Also, Kuea's real character wasn't elaborated on enough cause the only things we know is that he's a biker, a singer, wears cool clothes, and an engineer student. And once Kuea revealed his true self to Lian he hasn't changed at all and still acts somewhat like a doll.

Lian:
He thinks that Kuea is a "bad boy", who needs to be forced into an environment where he has no choice but confess who he really is. Lian has a small set of facial expressions and is supposed to appear as a cold boss of a big company but clearly doesn't seem to appear that way. Lian at the start of the drama payed little to no attention to Kuea and was cold to him. At the end he has completely fallen for him and acts like a puppy desperate for the other's affection. Lian also is someone who does things behind his lover's back like stalking and getting information on him from people he knows which is really weird.

Diao:
Making it seem like he is a kid who needs to have someone look after him and keep him in check. Diao acts like a kid and still does things like interfering in someone else's relationship. Making NC scenes between him and Yi uncomfortable.

Yi:
A man who pities a guy he loves. Hia Yi got in an accident with Diao at some point and pitied him for what he had done so he gave him a house to stay in. Hia Yi is possessive and controlling to the point where he wants to know where Diao is almost 24/7. Hia Yi and Diao can't properly communicate (which is really bad for a relationship) so Yi buys Diao a dog instead hoping to make up with him.

University friends:
Kuea is a university student and studies engineering. seem familiar? bet it does. Well although his university life doesn't appear a lot in the show there is a side couple of Syn and Nuer. Syn and Nuer had chemistry but barely any screen time at all. The show showed one scene of Kuea's university friend Nuchy where she stood up for how when a woman is mad it doesn't mean they're on their period. This drama has made 1-3 attempts to show how they "care" about lgbtq+ people and women. However, I don't see it as how they care they're just trying to gain likeability.

ACTORS/CAST-
The actors are all good looking and some have great acting experience. I like the cast but their acting in this show wasn't their best. NuNew's acting was.. it was good enough, but he doesn't have any other experience in acting and also the only times he didn't seem cringe to me was when he's at university and when he's on stage.

CHEMISTRY-

Lian and Kuea:
Their chemistry was practically non-existent for me. Only during NC scenes did I feel like they had some tiny bit of chemistry.

Yi and Diao:
Not a lot of chemistry.

Syn and Nuer:
They had good chemistry and a healthy relationship, but I feel like they could pull it off better if they had more screen time. I hope they get to act in a different series together with more screen time.

MUSIC-
2 birds with 1 stone. Thats what it was. NuNew is a singer and an actor he is also good looking. They made him sing the opening song (which I didn't like). He also sang a lot of other songs in the show, but I only liked 1 of them. I feel like they could've just made him the singer and have a different actor for Kuea.

PRODUCTION-
Production quality was definitely great.

TROPES/OVERUSAGE-
The childhood friend trope is definitely an overused one to be honest. Also, Kuea is in university and does engineering which is obviously overused and anyone would know this if you've seen university based bl's. Like they could've made Kuea be in computer engineering and that would honestly make me feel better about this.

OVERALL-
This series is a waste of budget and a waste of your time. This show makes people think being controlled and manipulated is "hot" when it isn't.

P.S.-
Why is an 18+ rated drama on YouTube? that makes no sense whatsoever. If I could give this show a lower rating I would.

If you actually read all my nonsense then thanks. (This is my 3rd review, so I bet it's really shitty)

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Overrated

Stop writing fluffy reviews about this drama. It's not that good you'll just have backlash because it WON'T LIVE UP TO EXPECTATIONS. I went to watch this after seeing the unusual 9.2 and was highly disappointed with how cliché this is. The fans of this are too ride or die and idek why. Probably because of the cute graphics that resemble Tim Burton style but besides that and the autistic character there's nothing special about this show, it's tropes galore and honestly Kim Soohyun performance in this in kinda dull. Yes he's a good crier but besides that his character is not captivating.

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There's a certain phenomenon that happens to everyone that makes them want to buy or have a brand name product, only to find out that it's not all that cracked up to be and end up with buyer's remorse. The same can be applied to Korean dramas. Sometimes dramas are labeled as "the-best-drama-you-will-ever-see-in-your-lifetime" that people are blinded by how flawed the plot is because they can't look past the pretty-pretty faces of our lovely actors/actresses and don't notice the cheesiness of it all, when a ever-so-mushy kiss scene comes across.


People often think that because something is popular, means that it's good. Lots of people don't understand that something being popular doesn't necessarily correlate to the quality of it! Quality is what makes something popular, not the other way around. People are often get sucked into peer-pressure from talks and gossip and buy into the fact that something bad is actually good because people keep saying that it is.


Well, Descendant of the Suns is no exception here. One of the co-writers, Kim Eun-Sook, is revered as a popular screen writer who has written a slew of popular dramas in the past, but most of her dramas are not written very well (IMO). In the early 2000's, her writing style was a hitting trend in the drama business. Writing dramas with the happy-go-lucky damsel in distress with the misfortune of having to put up with a pompous rich and handsome chaebol who has a heart of ice that can only be melted by her cheerful attitude. But these days, the trend of dramas demands a little more realism and a deeper understanding and display of human emotions, instead of superficial dramatics scenes and fleeting emotions driven by the moment. Her characters lack depth, her plots are horrendous (and that's putting it nicely) and her pacing is erratic, if not, very inconsistent. I admit, I find two of her dramas, mildly entertaining, Lovers and Secret Garden. But Descendants of the Sun was just a complete and utter mess.


I don't know what this writer wanted to do with the army and soldier part of it all, because it just seemed like an excuse to somehow squeeze in some action into it, but the relationship development between the two leads were hard to watch. It was like a child pushing a naked Barbie and Ken doll together, and see if they'd make a baby. Kim Eun-sook literally did just this with our two leads, and created no real connection with the two aside from the super cliche bump into each other, hate each other, share a memory or two and (BAM!) fall in love. The feelings that Yoo Shi-jun had for Dr. Kang Mo Yeon felt like it just suddenly appeared out of nowhere when he met her. There was no real gradually (realistic) feelings of romance, it was just WAM, hes sees her across the hall and he thinks to himself "I love this woman!" deal.


I didn't know what this drama wanted to be! A rom-com, a melo-drama, an action movie?! It is possible to combine so many kinds of genres into a drama, but it needs good timing, wit and creativeness to pull it all off. This drama tried to do that, but it all felt very rushed as if it couldn't wait to get to the next drama-filled scene.


Cliches are sometimes a guilty pleasure for South Koreans, and we love a typical love triangle and angst (myself included), and that's fine, but it would be appreciated if you at least TRIED to develop your writing more to grow your talents and maybe realize, "Writing fun dramas is fine, but I think I can do better!". Most of Kim Eun-sook's dramas are very typical, and really boring! REALLY BORING! The Heirs was like nails on a chalkboard. If you're going to ask me, then why watch them? Because of the wonderful and talented actors that are involved. T-T It makes me wonder why they chose her dramas. Because they thought it was a good drama, or because they thought the press involvement would be good for their career. To be honest, I'm hoping it's the latter. After Descendants of the Sun, Kim Eun-Sook is a drama writer that any actor/actress wants to be involved with because lately, by being a part of her dramas has helped dramatically in furthering their exposure and acting career. It's a career move, and we can't blame an actor/actress for wanting to take advantage of that. After all, actors/actresses make a living off our consistent admiration and interest in them.


To be honest, I'm really scared of what she's going to do with Goblin, because it's got some of my favorite actors/actresses in it, and I'd hate to see their talents diminished by such horrible plot writing and lack of character development. I know this review has been mostly centralized around Kim Eun-Sook's writing, but it's been frustrating to see how her dramas, that involve great and amazing actors/actresses, fall so short and end up being a very long and boring 16 or 20 episode thing. I'm willing to give Goblin a chance because of the cast, but we'll see if maybe Kim Eun-sook can bring something new to her repertoire of boring-and-typical-drama, product line.

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Only if you're a Liu Yu Ning fan

After watching The Prisoner of Beauty I really wanted to love this but it wasn't meant to be. Don't get me wrong Liu Yu Ning was terrific as the male lead Nan Heng / Li Shi Liu unfortunately he couldn't save this drama.

I have never been so angry watching a drama before. But this one managed to piss me off to no end. How could one character (the male lead at that) be so hated. Everyone (aside from his people) were mean, downright cruel to him. And then along comes the female lead and dang if she isn't the worse of the lot (and that includes the emperor and that's saying something)

His own father hated him for something he didn't do. Honestly how could a child be responsible for a grown up's death? And it just went downhill from there.

Every episode seemed to get worse starting from the very first episode. In just a couple of episodes I was actually rooting for Nan Heng to ride off into the sunset and leave the rest to their own fate.

Then around episode 30 the writer decides to change it up and have the emperor realize he'd wronged Nan Heng. And of course the female lead finally comes in with the "White head, same heart" but personally, I felt it was too little too late.

Great happy ending.

Would I recommend it? No. But if you are a Liu Yu Ning fan and you've seen everything else of his then give it a shot, he's the only reason to watch it. However, I'd recommend a rewatch of The Prisoner of Beauty instead.

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A Poetically Crafted Story That Deeply Captured The Essence Of An Unconditional Love

"The First Frost" is a modern romance drama adaptation of the novel titled "Nan Hong" which means "Hard To Coax", written by a well-known author, Zhu Yi. It focuses on the romantic tale between Sang Yan and his high school deskmate, Wen Yi Fan. The drama immerses into the nostalgic youthful idea of first love and intertwines it together with the melancholic pining of second chances. While its cinematography visually creates a gloomy and dreamy-like vibe, the OSTs adds a sentimental touch that completely draws you into its romantic tale. However...

The First Frost is no ordinary modern romance drama, it is a poetically crafted story that deeply captured the essence of an unconditional love and engraved it as a lasting imprint. An unconditional love that embodies unwavering commitment and fosters a heartfelt emotional journey which leads to personal growth and self-discovery. It is where love isn't a mere consolation or healer of wounds and scars, instead it is where love is a guiding light that illuminates through the darkness bringing peace and safety. It is also where love is depicted to be more than just an emotion and feeling, but a constant deliberate choice that comes from ones willingness to choose to love every single day without any exceptions — no matter the uncertainty or the storms ahead. This drama meaningfully entails an invaluable love while also beholding an important message about self-love.

STORYLINE₊ ⊹❅
The storytelling follows a nonlinear timeline that instills flashbacks of the main protagonists' high school life into their present adult life exuding a reminiscent nostalgic feel. It generally revolves around the female lead, Wen Yi Fan's point of view but it also glimpses through the point of view of the male lead, Sang Yan by the end of each episode which further adds enrichment to the story. The drama begins with a heartbreaking memory that occurred on one rainy night where Wen Yi Fan and Sang Yan separated in tears, then courses straight into more heavier scenes that can be triggering as it tackles a sensitive topic which women in real life faces, these scenes highlighted the life struggles of Wen Yi Fan and serves as a necessary element that allowed viewers to have a clearer grasp of her character. The defining line is drawn here as the drama's trajectory focuses not solely into romance, but also into trauma; its effect on life and love itself.

The first half of the drama creates a somber atmosphere that eventually balances out with warmer tones and a mixture of lighthearted moments as Wen Yi Fan and Sang Yan crosses paths once again — they become two strangers living together under one roof with a shared painful past. This showed the contrasting differences in their lives and opened the door to their feelings. What I love during this part of the story is how both yearning and loneliness is set-up so gut-wrenchingly yet soothes it with understated affections through the conscious acts of Sang Yan and the unconscious acts of Wen Yi Fan. I found the sleepwalking scenes of Wen Yi Fan to be made not only as a mere catalyst that shortens the distance between her and Sang Yan, but a significant metaphor that reflects Wen Yi Fan's deep-seated feelings which even her conscious self isn't aware about. How she walked amidst the darkness towards the sun to embrace its warmth speaks about her pains, fears and her desperate call to be found — without knowing the sun she had reached out to was Sang Yan, the only person that ever brought warmth and light to her world — this scene was meaningfully executed and deeply tugged on the heartstrings.

What ultimately shapes the story more coherently lies in the second half as it dives deeper into the main protagonists innermost feelings and their past. This is where an evident romantic progress between Wen Yi Fan and Sang Yan is seen, but it is also where the shadow that has long been haunting Wen Yi Fan comes into the picture. I appreciated their sweet and intimate moments which led into a much livelier atmosphere, although it soon transitioned into the angsty and heavy arcs, such transition helped heightened the emotions evoked during these arcs. The separation in Hong Kong wasn't added simply as a mere trope, it showed the comprehensive depth of the story and stayed consistent to Wen Yi Fan's trauma. As much as it is emotionally gripping, it brought out more layers of Sang Yan and Wen Yi Fan's characters. This aspect is one of the dramas advantageous feat because of how it had interwoven trauma into the story with an insightful knowledge and at the same time dealt with it respectfully. It did justice in showing how trauma greatly impacts one's life, how coping mechanisms varies greatly for different individuals, and how healing is not linear nor does it heal easily. It gave a realistic portrayal of trauma and wrapped it with a positive message.

As for the romance between Wen Yi Fan and Sang Yan, it leans more to slow-burn where their relationship developed intricately, hence, I thought it felt more organic as the characters were made to gradually intensify their feelings. The way their love story was written never felt cringe or cliche, it was mature and brilliantly stood out for how utterly beautiful and unparalleled it was depicted. The drama painted Wen Yi Fan and Sang Yan's love story in translucid colors that vividly showed the pure unconditional love they have for each other, to the extent that even the words "I love you" pales away in comparison for how wholeheartedly they conveyed love in more than just three words. The second leads romance wasn't able to fully pique my interest at first as their story felt lackluster however, the latter half of the drama showcased a much more interesting plot for them which eventually made me invested in them as well.

The drama ended on a very satisfying note as all loose ends were neatly tied leaving no room for unresolved matters. The antagonists in the story each faced the consequences of their actions, there was no unnecessary redemption arc as every toxic connection was cut off. Wen Yi Fan and Sang Yan's high school memories were remarkably concluded by how they seamlessly weaved all the details together and the addition of Sang Yan's unseen point of view gave light for viewers to see how absolutely profound their relationship actually truly is. As if it couldn't be more perfect, they executed the proposal scene in a way that magnificently captured the raw authentic emotions expressed by Wen Yi Fan and Sang Yan during that moment, making it feel so realistic — the evident nervousness, trembling hands and lips, the tears, and heartfelt words. It is the best proposal scene to have ever been created. The ending they had given is beyond just a happy ending, it is an unforgettable and deeply-moving moment that certainly left a lasting impression.

The cinematography artistically enhanced the overall emotional tone of each scene with the constant use of lights, mirrors and reflections that gives off visuals that are a blend of dreamy, melancholic and nostalgic vibes. It was breathtakingly cinematic and definitely elevated the watching experience.

CHARACTERS & ACTING₊ ⊹❅
Bai Jing Ting as Sang Yan
Sang Yan is a character written with so many good qualities in him that it overshadows his flaws and makes him come off as someone too perfect, but actually he is far from perfect. He just happens to have a lot of love in him as he was born surrounded with love which is his greatest privilege. He grew up in a loving home where he is constantly showered with affection and care from his family. He used to be someone spoiled and self-centered as he had never suffered any setbacks in his life, everything had always went well for him and this is what made him flawed. It was through his separation with Wen Yi Fan where he realized that the world doesn't revolve around him. The pain he felt in this heartbreaking experience is one of the important things that helped shaped him into becoming the present Sang Yan. Sang Yan is a character who is the complete embodiment of persistence, regardless of being afraid or the outcome, he just tries and never gives up.

Sang Yan's love for Wen Yi Fan isn't an ever-burning passionate love instead it is a quietly-fierce and unconditional love that is strong and unwavering. Despite how his love is fierce, he had never forced his feelings on Wen Yi Fan. He expresses his love for her through subtle acts of affection, where he notices and cares for even the smallest things about her. What struck me the most about him is how he is able to let down his pride and acknowledge its insignificance compared to the pain and suffering Wen Yi Fan has been through. Sang Yan letting down his pride doesn't necessarily mean he lacks self-respect rather it spoke of his inner strength that emanated from his deep sense of self-worth. Instead of becoming another storm in Wen Yi Fan's life, he became her home, he truly understood and sees through her; not just her heart but her very soul. He is an emotionally intelligent man who loves not because he wants something in return, but because he willingly wants to give love to the person he values — and this speaks about his self-love, he loved himself that loving Wen Yi Fan comes naturally for him.

Bai Jing Ting's acting performance and portrayal of Sang Yan is phenomenal. Every emotion he expressed across the screen was strongly felt. His facial expressions and eye-acting, particularly his micro expressions were so apparent it helped connect with his character in an emotional level easily. His eyes always held so many emotions that his crying scenes are carried out realistically. He is one of the very few actors I know who can really act a crying scene without making it fake. He really gave life to his character.

Zhang Ruo Nan as Wen Yi Fan | Wen Shuangjiang
Wen Yi Fan is a character who suffers from trauma and abandonment issues. She is someone who had lived life wearing a facade to mask away all her pain, but before all the suffering she has been through, she used to be someone bright and filled with love. The biggest turning point in her life was when she lost her father, she didn't only lose the person who cherished and cared for her most, she also lost her home and a part of herself. She is someone who had long stopped believing in love and believing in what she deserves. She had built a wall around herself that even her closest friends aren't able to see through her. She is a damaged person who is afraid to reach out for help because she still carried the betrayal of her mother who left her to suffer alone. Running away has always been her coping mechanism and way of survival. The separation and reconciliation arc in Hong Kong is a major event that helped her character to outgrow her traumas, realize her strength and opened her heart to self-love. Wen Yi Fan is actually a character who is courageous and resilient. Her ability to move forward with life despite everything she has been through and her constant determination to continue to live speaks so much of it.

Wen Yi Fan's love for Sang Yan is absolutely selfless and unconditional. Her way of loving Sang Yan does not come in the form of wanting to own him, instead it is in the form of wanting the best for him. Wen Yi Fan had always believed that Sang Yan is a person who deserves all the good things in the world, she sees him as someone so precious that she wants to preserve his brightness. Although, her decision to runaway without reaching out to him wasn't a completely right choice, it was still an understandable act as she did it to protect him from the shadow that has constantly been haunting her, because the last thing she would want to happen is for Sang Yan to lose his life. Her love for Sang Yan helped her break through the shackles that had long chained her, she healed not for herself alone but so that she could be the best for him. She values Sang Yan a lot that she willingly meets him where he is at just as much as he willingly does for her too. In the past, she might have broken his heart but she was one of the reason that helped shaped him to become stronger.

Zhang Ruo Nan's portrayal of Wen Yi Fan is worthy of recognition and praise. She really understood and connected with her character that she conveyed every emotional scene brilliantly. Most especially her crying scenes, they were so heartfelt. She wasn't only good at emotional scenes but her drunk scene is deserving of appreciation too for how natural she portrayed it. Her acting performance is outstanding.

OSTs₊ ⊹❅
The OSTs helped set the vibe of each specific scene which allowed every emotion depicted in the drama to come across the screen more impactfully. They weren't only captivating to listen to, each of the songs were meaningfully written and gives highlight to Sang Yan and Wen Yi Fan's love. It is definitely one of the key elements of the drama that enriches the watching experience. I love all the songs and my most favorite of them all is 'I'm So Into You' by Xiao Bing Chih.

OVERALL IMPRESSION₊ ⊹❅
The First Frost is a masterpiece that rekindled the feeling of what it is like to have a first love, it is a drama that deeply portrayed yearning and reunion through its rich plot. It is also a drama that takes you to experience an unforgettable and meaningful story that will not only move you, but make you feel seen as well.

The First Frost is a beautiful reminder for when we forget to be kinder to ourselves, for when we forget to remember love..."Treat yourself well, and the world will hold more love for you".

Bai Jing Ting and Zhang Ruo Nan's chemistry is impeccable. I will never forget their portrayal of Sang Yan and Wen Yi Fan, they did justice to their characters and truly brought the love between these fictional characters so powerfully on screen. All the other actors and crew of The First Frost did an amazing job as well in creating this drama, their efforts and hardwork wasn't in vain. The First Frost is now officially my top favorite modern romance drama.

FAVE SCENES₊ ⊹❅
- Wen Yi Fan's sleepwalking scene
- Sang Yan and Wen Yi Fan's confession scene in Beiyu noodle shop
- Sang Yan formally introducing Wen Yi Fan as his girlfriend on Qian Fei's Wedding
- Sang Yan taking care of his drunk girlfriend Wen Yi Fan
- Sang Yan's fight scenes
- Wen Yi Fan and Sang Yan's hospital talk scene
- Wen Yi Fan and Sang Yan's entire high school memory
- Wen Yi Fan finding out about Sang Yan's momento or keepsake box
- Sang Yan's "I volunteered"
- Wen Yi Fan's talk with her younger self
- All their intimate scenes
- Proposal scene

p.s all of Sang Yan and Wen Yi Fan's scenes together are my favorite.

˖ . ݁❅𝜗𝜚❅. ݁₊

"When you're old, gray, and sleepy,
you snuggle wearily by the fireside,
and take a random book for company,
you savor the look in your eyes,
when you were chasing your dreams.
You used to have that look,
and be full of affection.
I loved your great and elegant past,
your mistakes, and your true beauty.
There is only one man who has ever gazed,
into your pious and holy heart,
and fallen inlove,
with your sad and aging face.
In the moonlight,
you bowed your head,
stooped, and murmured dejectedly,
in an attempt to escape from love.
Then you sneaked over the hill,
and hid your face.
Someone who is fierce,
who will love me among the stars, until death,
and know that love is as strong as death,
and be on my side,
forever and ever.
I want someone who is fierce,
and will love me until death,
it's you."
— Sang Yan & Wen Yi Fan (Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson)

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Only watch it for Leo Luo

I was quite skeptical whether to start watching as the reviews weren't that good. But from the trailer it looks like Leo Luo was pretty charming so I decided to go ahead.

The overall series was just normal, sufficient amount of fighting scenes and romantic scenes, but nothing big to entice people to love the series. Shang Guan Tou was a pretty charming character from the start to the end, he was beautiful, smart, protective and gentle which gives you no reason to not love him. HOWEVER, on the other hand, the female lead was a totally opposite character. Not one of but the WORST female lead character I've ever met in all C-dramas. She supposed to be skillful as she learnt the powerful Kungfu, supposed to be brave and smart as she was the clan leader, but instead she was dumb, weak, useless, immature, dependent, cry baby and acts rashly. I understand that male lead are always the heroic ones to save the female lead, was this female lead is just TOO WEAK. The male lead was always injured because of the girl but instead he is always the one to save the female lead from baddies when she is actually more skillful in terms of Kungfu, like WHAT? It is so not realistic. Also, when the male lead saves her for so many times, she chose to left him with some absurd misunderstanding, so I personally felt the love story is just so frustrating and I disliked it a lot.

In conclusion, story was okay but female lead character was extremely unfavourable. Not recommended but you can consider if you enjoy watching Leo Luo.

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I continuously tried to justify Blood's shortcomings to myself - I wanted to like it, I really did. Then came the one part that was just too much for me to excuse: the ending. Within minutes of finishing this drama, I took to the internet to have the finale explained to me. What was I missing? Every minute of the last episode made less sense than the one preceding. Reviews and recaps confirmed that the ending was nonsensical - I hadn't missed a thing. In the comments, fans of Blood ignored logic, trying to rationalize the shreds of a story viewers were left with.

The lead acting was mediocre at best. I compliment Goo Hye Sun on her improvement, but it wasn't enough to warrant another lead role. I desperately wish Ahn Jae Hyeon had stuck to modeling and minor roles, because I'm left with a sour resentment towards his involvement in this drama that will take a long time to heal. The supporting cast was average and unmemorable, bordering on uncomfortable to watch. The exception is Son Soo Hyeon, who made the best of a lack luster character.

Musically, Blood neither excelled nor stood out. The scores were overused enough that when a certain tune began, you could predetermine the outcome of the accompanying scene. The OST features boring ballads, certainly nothing I would want hear of my own volition.

In order to re-watch Blood, I would have to be offered money. Even then, it would take a heavy amount of consideration based on both how much money I was being offered, and how little else I had to do at the time.

I'm left with feelings of resentment, but at who, I don't know. Maybe the writers, for attempting to pass of this untenable excuse of a story. Maybe at myself, for excusing Blood's flaws until it was too late to quit.

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