Reviews

Changtai’s failed last stand and final loving embraces

Changtai came way too close in actually pulling off a coup. Huayong throws him off taking the blade intended for the emperor. After that, he kept his sword on his father demanding the truth of his poisoning. Here the Emperor soundly denies it and offers to die by his sword if thought guilty. There is a sweet embrace of father and son as HuaYong recounts his memories of his father staying by his side tenderly hovering over him with love and support while doctors searched for a cure. He then leaves the building to find XiHe. She and the other ladies were barricaded in and while most screamed in panic, she collected sachets and prepared a dose for the guards should they break in. She reminded the ladies that hairpins were excellent weapons and others armed themselves with vases and heavy decor to clock an intruder. Changqing shows up to find the ladies had done a good job of defending themselves and XiHe ran out to find Huayong. Huayong’s trusty guard managed to signal all guards outside so they could enter as defense. In between the attack sites imperial guards and Lie combined with embroidered guards to finish off Changtai. Even at the end Lie could not outright kill his brother. He listened to the lament and urged him to turn himself in. Changtai decided to stab himself and join his wife. While he was arguing with his dad, he did not get the recognition he dreamed of. He was reminded that all things asked of him were the demands placed on would be emperors. He was so sure he had won when Huayong intervened. He was certain he had broken their bond and just couldn’t accept it. XiHe and Huayong find each other in the aftermath and it’s very clear both are a bit worse for the wear. He spoke so lovingly to her and they embraced as they could with their injuries. ❤️We waited 27 episodes for their love to take root and when it finally did, it blossomed beautifully.🌹 Theses last minutes together said everything about their love and commitment to each other. Next episode shows Changqing laying claim to what is not his to claim. 😡🤬 He deserves whatever consequence comes for this foolishness. For now it is time to mourn the main couple and wait to see that all is well with little goldfish who will be named Junshu regardless of gender. Dad and gpa have paved the way to ensure the baby’s rightful place as much as they were able. Mom and dad are remembering the red maple trees and their wish to see them together. 😞😭

Read More

Shifting winds and mandarin duck feathers

I am stunned by how everything changed in this episode! From a relatively peaceful palace life, we have moved to such a high-tension, action-packed situation. I am a little afraid of how it all will go from here, but I also absolutely loved the shift! 🤩Firstly, we have ShaoShang who is confined in Changqiu Palace, but with the help of the Empress, she escapes to search for the truth of her father's fate. Even though with her actions the Empress defied the Emperor, she is willing to be ShaoShang's shield in the back rather than a barrier that hinders the resolute and steadfast girl she loves almost like her own daughter. Amazing woman, and I can only applaud her for such a brave move! 👏🥹Secondly, once again, I can be grateful to Yuan Shen for interfering and thus helping ShaoShang with her reckless plan to visit her family with the fake badge. But the Grandmother... she really doesn't stop with her overdramatic ways! At least she brings some comedy. 😅And, finally, the main star of this episode, ofc, was BuYi. Not only did he convince everyone to think his shoulder pads were made from mandarin duck feathers and not from chicken feathers (because ShaoShang said so), but he also single-handedly dealt with the Shouchun army and opened the city gates for his army to enter the city and arrest Peng Kun... And the combat scenes, and BuYi's moves — phenomenal! Pure cinema! 🤩👏 Additionally, a perfect, yet only semi-expected, moment was that the armor ShaoShang made for him actually saved him from getting pierced through his heart... 🫣😌But now I wonder, what is BuYi's father's link to the Gu City massacre? Was he among those who plotted and acted to destroy that city and General Huo Chong? If he was, then why would he do that? BuYi said his parents were on good terms once, so, maybe this specific reason is what drove them apart and not BuYi's mother's mental state? 🤔🤨

Read More

So tired of the stupid, contrived, 'misunderstandings'

This show is an exhausting exercise in how a script writer can go way, way overboard with absurd, contrived 'misunderstanding' plot tropes. We are 9 episodes in and the characters do not behave or communicate anywhere close to the way normal human adults do and so fall into one stupid 'misunderstanding' after another. And there seems to be no end in site as the episode ends with what is obviously yet another misunderstanding as Shuyi obviously mistakes Shi Yue's weichat address for that of Shi Yan's. Speaking of Shi Yan, this ia a good point to talk about what an absolutely crap character he is, that the writer has handed off to be played by the (then young) Dylan Wang. I can't blame Dylan at all. The character has clearly been scripted to be have like a 12 year old petulant, moody child with the _worst_ communication skills and that is exactly who the character has been straight through these 9 episodes. There is almost nothing 'likable' about him so far yet in this series and so it is extremely difficult to root for him as the romantic interest of Bai Lu's character. Yes, I'm sure that the writer will magically transform this jerk into a great guy by the end of the series. But it's just so stupid and unrealistic. People can't really change THAT much and he has way too far to go to become a likable character. This whole 'cold, emotionally stunted CEO' that falls in love with an changes just for Cinderella is just so tired and over-done in C-Dramas. Who on earth finds such characters to be 'attractive' as the male lead? Shi Yan screams, "toxic!" in every way. Oh well. I like a lot of the rest of the cast and I will grit my teeth waiting for the show to finally turn over and away from these two stupid, annoying plot tropes and hopefully become something more. The many positive reviews can't all be wrong, right?

Read More

the meal was bitter+sweet & fulfilling ，not eupohoric thojugh

winter snuck up on me ，i have not been keeping track ofthe season progression. there’s so much you can gleam from every scene like I’m still trying to decode the signifacne of her hair being untied & unrestrained when she confronts the crown prince. there’s one thing I’m conflicted with & that’s how i feel about her finding out through chance slip+up but I’ll elt it play out. i hope shen xi he can gain more friends to bew honest ，i enjoy seeing how her demeanor can intimidate others while also encouraging othders to sober up & rise to the occassion. i like this. i like the pace she takes herself ，i also just like seeing her be a professional in whatever situation she gets put into.

Read More

The game's afoot!

With a fast-paced and smartly edited first episode "Match Point" launched itself on a familiar enemies-to-lovers (or rivals-to-boyfriends) trajectory. The cast is big and mixed, consisting of senior actors (Pure, Am, Chai and Tangmo), seasoned, long-time GMMTV operators (Sing, Chimon and Java – with Arm and the Jutamas twins to appear in later episodes) and several members of the company’s younger/less experienced crew (Tata, Franc, Michiru, Maitai). This diversity works well: while most of the heavy lifting is done by the main couple (Teshow and Ping), the supporting cast does a very good job establishing the show’s setting and introducing its premise. Sing and Teshow did very well in this episode, with the latter being responsible for most of the palpable tension between Bay and Sun. "Match Point" is not a copy of "Bad Buddy" nor "Head 2 Head" – Ping and Teshow will tell their own story, different from those told by Nanon, Ohm, Keen and Sea. Episode 1 of that story looks very promising.

Read More

hmmm wont lie am kinda bored & every character…

hmmm wont lie am kinda bored & every character needed to vanquish their own demons is an over used trope so i wasn't that interested as each character's "test" was kinda meeh so was the way they overcame it. then Niran smashing the vessel to release all the souls that demon consumed was a sweet move as it gave Pete his sister back (even though she such an insignificant character to me, i wasn't that moved). but the fact that Li Pou Saeming is so powerful he was able to reach them & try & stop the ritual let alone then get a piece of the vessel Niran broke to do a spell & curse him. sorry but i am rooting for the bad-guy. here Pete has to reach out to the guys in the group that should know more about the ritualistic sh*t & not the other way around. heck how the f*ck did Li Pou Saeming get any part of that vessel - why none of the guys that should know better didn't know better??? Niran's situation is their fault & they should be the one endangering themselves trying to get his soul back. but we need Pete for the fake bromance hinting at BL trope for the fans i guess.. crap writing IMO.

Read More

Five Stars

I LOVE THE ENDING SO MUCHH! what i love the most is the relationship between tae-hoon and han soo, I was as much as surprised when tae-hoon hug his father hahaha. I love them so much they are so funny. I also love the scene where hansoo accidentally copied jin-cheol and said "honey" that was so him. And i also love how they finally give what mr.kim and minji deserves, after all the sacrifices thar mr.kim have done just so they could live peacefully (thanks to hansoo and jincheol who also helped him even though their kids got in danger-oh the type of friendship that i wished i have). I was smiling the whole 30 minutes, that was a long ending. Hoping to have season 2.

Read More

What a plot twist!

Wow, what a plot twist! 😲Thanks to Yuan Shen for interfering with the arrest, and thanks to the Crown Prince and the Empress for standing by ShaoShang when she pleaded to meet the Emperor, soaked in the rain. 🥺🙏ShaoShang made reasonable points about why her father might not be guilty and is possibly being framed as a traitor. Those county magistrates could actually be the ones who are aiding in that framing, if they are so firm with their accusations. 🤨Also, I am a little mad at the Emperor for confining ShaoShang to Changqiu Palace, but I also understand why he didn't want her to go to Tongniu County to search for her father. Difficult situation for everyone there, but I hope they resolve this soon! 🫣🤞

Read More