Reviews

A good drama, not flawless but good

Okay so I watched it and let me simply divide it into pros and cons because it had both equally:

(This is just my opinion and it is full of spoilers, proceed at your own discretion)

PROS:

1. The caste - chef kiss, beautiful. I'll forever be the HMH fan and although I have not watched many dramas with TSY she was lovely.

2. Acting- Hands down amazing. I cried and will cry for them.

3. CGI- Beautiful! The productions value overall was high and beautiful 😍

4. OST- Is on my playlist and would never leave.

5. Story- Overall the story is engaging, beautiful with deep meaning. I loved how their was no main great villain but it was just a big karmic cycle. That was something you don't see often.

6. Xiao Yao- I think her character development and her just travelling through lives and taking no bull makes her my favourite. She was one character they did do justic to.

Now, for the CONS:

1. Ending: One of the biggest cons. I don't know what with a wholesome story with zero angst they decided it is a good decision to put a sad ending.

2. Characters: I thoroughly believe Hong Ye was treated unfairly by the story. But that's just life. Another character was The Demon Slayer who was like one of my favourite at the start but at the end he just became a character I skip every scene of. Another honourable mentions- Dali, PianPian, Tan-er.

3. Power- I see this a lot in recent dramas and maybe many don't mind it but it bugs me. They show narratively strong characters like "The most powerful Demon Lord, blessed by gods!" And the demon lord in the story (after gaining power btw) just stands... I mean this is much better than some "powerful" characters I've seen.

WARNING: First 5-6 episodes are terribly slow but trust the process. It gets good.

4. Kiss- This dramas has like 2 kiss scenes and they are just bad. No movement, no expressions. But I love HMH so I'll let it pass. To me personally good plot is what matters most so I don't mind bad kiss scenes.

Do the cons overpower the pros? No. I recommend you watch it because it is a worthwhile drama and even though the kisses may make you facepalm, the chemistry is good and worthwhile.

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Almost perfect for me

If you’re like me and you care about emotional intimacy, devotion, clear romantic intent, and actually being let into the couple’s relationship (not watching from ten miles away), then this drama will hook you hard.
This was this close to being a flawless 10/10 for me. I was obsessed, invested, swooning, laughing, and fully locked in.

LIKES
— how rudely sweet the male lead is — firm, direct, dependable, and emotionally clear
— surprisingly funny; I was scream-laughing at moments I didn’t expect
— their chemistry — natural, charged, and effortless
— strong office romance energy (one of my favorite settings)
— forced proximity done right, without dragging
— the story stays focused on them; side characters actually support the plot instead of wasting time
— the mystery/dark tone around his powers added real intrigue
— loved how forward they were about their flaws and fears — no guessing games
— my jaw was on the floor when he suggested dating to sleep together — bold, shocking, and unforgettable
— zero second-lead syndrome, which says a lot
— the way he takes charge, protects her, and waits patiently for her emotional readiness
— how healthy it felt to see her mom move on after her father’s death
— I already know this is rewatchable
— for most of the drama, there were no unnecessary breakups, and their communication actually made sense

DISLIKES
— the intimacy early on was too in-your-face; I wish they’d saved those sacred moments instead of replaying them over and over
— it’s obvious this is Disney+ — less subtle than classic K-dramas, sometimes to its detriment
— the stabbing arc was handled lazily; dramas like this usually at least attempt resistance or struggle trying to avoid the outcome. But they didn't even try.
— the last 10 minutes completely betrayed the characters. Sudden childish behavior, toxic back-and-forth, and breakups that made zero sense for who these people were. it felt manufactured, like conflict for the sake of conflict

FINAL THOUGHTS
If you’re like me and you want romance built on devotion, emotional safety, and characters who act like grown adults once they fall in love, this drama delivers — once you overlook the messy ending.
The journey is phenomenal. The chemistry is real. The romance is bold and refreshing.
Rating: 8.5–9/10
(It was a 10 until the writers panicked.)
I’m still glad I watched it. I’ll definitely be rewatch it.
I just wish they had trusted their own story enough to end it cleanly.

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Best gay-themed feature out of Asia in a long time.

Exceptional.

This will def end up in my top ten, as soon as I watch it a time or two more to pick up on all the things I'm sure I missed.
That said, while I'm always thankful to anyone who takes the time and trouble to sub a film, the subs I saw for this are hella confusing at times, plus there are times the subs disappear altogether, which is, of course, frustrating.

It was refreshing to see a gay friend group presented as something other than a collection of annoying, predictable gay stereotypes. I'm looking at you, "Love In the Big City."

Second lead Kim Hyun Mok is a gifted talent to watch. His characterization is rich and full. He drove the film nearly as much as did the lead, who is not listed above, but who I'm going to try to hunt down and add to this page. He too is excellent, plus being extremely attractive in a unique way and having a rocking bod.

Great acting, direction, production values, cinematography; now if I can get clear on some plot elements... :D

I did not get the ending I was aching for, but that's OK. A lifetime of Hollywood flicks tied up with a perfect bow at the end are the source of that ache, but seven years of Asian films, especially Korean, have taught me that not getting what I want can deepen the viewing experience. Even as I pined for the ending I wanted, I somehow masochistically liked that I didn't get it. :P

Highly recommended
9.5/10

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Stunning pictures, not thought through story...

"The Secret of Us" is a japanese youtube channel, but only doing chinese BL content. That is one their several short series but a very weak one. While the landscapes are really stunning, the story left so much to be desired. It begins fine - a hurt stranger is found by an to be aspiring veterian - but how they fell in love is not really explained. There is a red flag scene in a tent and then it's like they are together.

In the following episodes it's revealed the stranger had his goal to reach the veterian because his dog saved him from a wolf pack. But when you listen to the story, it does not make much sense, because he mentioned there were other people saving him, so they would have rendered first aid, right? And just because he did not tell him first, they break up and the stranger returns home.

The finale is the most confusing. First it's a time jump and second he wants to search for the stranger but gets a call that mr. stranger should have an operation otherwise his life is in danger and then he appears on a horse. WTF?

This is one of the weakest series from them and I have no clue why they thought the story made any sense. They had six episodes to tell a story, but most of it was filler and not needed and it ends. While it's nice he's back, will he die now? Or what was the reason for him coming back? I can't figure it out and I don't care. The actors tried their best, they delivered a decent performance but I did not feel their attraction to each other. The only good thing about this series are the stunning landscapes which is special because most dramas play out in a big city most of the time. Also the rest of the production quality was top notch wasted on such a script. Handsome actors don't make a story. So my quite high rating is only because of the production quality, because the script is really bad.

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Worth The Wait

This is a love story told with calm and restraint... the kind that gently makes you wish it were your own.

At its center is Lin Yunsen, whose feelings for Nie Xiguang begin quietly and become complicated through misunderstanding. When they cross paths again in Suzhou, the story shifts toward healing and second chances. This is not a romance driven by dramatic gestures, but by patience, timing, and emotional honesty.

Nie Xiguang stands out as a female lead with grace and self-respect. She knows her worth and does not tolerate disrespect, no matter where it comes from. Lin Yunsen, on the other hand, offers a steady presence. He waits without pressure, supports without expectation, and allows Xiguang the space to regain confidence on her own terms.

What truly holds their relationship together is communication. They speak openly, share their pasts without judgment, and give each other room to grow. The story moves at a deliberately slow pace, occasionally pausing for business-heavy conversations and frustrating side characters, but these moments ultimately serve to highlight the leads’ emotional clarity and growth (in my opinion).

The acting reflects this subtle storytelling, carrying meaning through both dialogue and silence. Warm friendships, especially those formed in Suzhou, add balance and comfort to the story.

Shine On Me is not a fast watch, but for those willing to be patient, it offers a deeply satisfying and emotionally grounded romance.

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JUST BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!

This, I think is if not the best drama, it is way up there!!!!! It is DEFINITELY the very best i have watched in a while. A few of the recent releases have either been so evil that I've pretty much clawed my way through the drama, or theyve been soooo corny!!!!!!! But this one was just TOOOOO beautiful!!!!!!!! My eyes kept leaking 🙈😅😅😅 The cast was awesome!!!!!!! My favourite, of course (i say of course juat because i dont see how he wouldnt be anyones favourite 😅) was Choi Hyun-Wook. His voice and.....juat his whole vibe was BRILLIANT!!!!!!!! I've never seen Yoon Jae-chan, and will definitely be adding him to my list. But the characters, the story (and when Choi Hyun-wook was singing, the music).....it was juat SUCH a heartwarming, funny and sometimes sad, story. Thank you for this!!!!!!!!!

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Cute and Sweet

I was so excited when the preview of this drama came out because I’m a complete sucker for anything fantasy, especially if the ML is one of my favorites. I wasn’t over with Love in the Clouds, and now Hou Ming Hao has another drama with “cloud” in its title. Of course I was sold. I’ve only seen Tan Songyun in Whirlwind Girl and I couldn’t say much about her acting. Everyone seems to love her in drama land, so I was like okay, I’ll give it a go because this is a Hou Ming Hao drama and I know it won’t disappoint. I ended up enjoying her performance here. She’s cute and funny. This drama was special in its own way. I can’t compare this to Love in the Clouds. It’s cliche because almost every fantasy drama out there is made up of the same ingredients. I’m not complaining, though. The ML, Hong Ye, was awakened from a century’s nap by a young girl. We all know they’re linked somehow from the past, as always. The girl, Xiao Yao, was saved from falling off a cliff by the ML. She was brought back to the Demons’ Valley where she met some friends, the pig demon, Luoluo, and Dali, a flower demon. When Hong Ye was triggered by a memory, he started strangling Xiao Yao because he was so pissed. We saw a sneak peek of the memory that showed how Princess Ning’an betrayed him. I love how he fell for her right away after realizing they’re not the same person. I already knew that whatever she did to him 100 years ago wasn’t the full truth. Whenever Ning’an’s name popped up, she gets sad. She thinks Hong Ye only helps her because she looks like his past lover. When she saw Ning’an’s illusion, she asked what’s so special about her that Hong Ye kept thinking about her. In the end we found out that she is Ning’an and she’s also the Azure dragon Lord from 10,000 years ago who was the monarch of all demons. I love how Xiao Yao doesn’t stay mad for long when complications arise. She’s always there for him. Hou Ming Hao doesn’t show much of his acting chops here because Hong Ye was supposed to be this gentle, kind hearted demon that only wants peace between the human and demon race. It was nice to see Zhao Liying as the exalted immortal at the beginning. I started missing The Legend of Shen Li all of a sudden. The CG effects, music, fight scenes, and settings were really great in this drama. I adored the little Zhuyu herbs. They were so cute! The kisses were simple, not passionate. The chemistry between the leads was kinda off. I can’t put my finger on it. Overall, it was a great drama. I have to shave a point here because first off, what the heck was that ending? I refused to accept it. Poor Hong Ye! I hate that kind of ending. Why can’t they just guard the kunlun mirror and still be together? That really ripped my heart out. Then the writers killed off the three great demons as well. I really wanted to see them again. Anyway, I really thought Hong Ye was originally from an extinct dragon clan like what one of the theories say. Turns out, that was actually Xiao Yao. It’s funny how in the end, Hong Ye who used to be a human prince fought with Bingzhu, who used to be human, too. I love Xiao Yao because she has a good heart. When she learned the truth from 10,000 years ago, she transferred her power to him and made sure that Hong Ye will never die. He will become a demon and atone for his sins. She accepted the truth no matter how unbearable it was. Ah, true love. I was smiling and giggling whenever they had cute moments. I loved this drama so much. I highly recommend it for fantasy junkies like me.

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LOVE YOURSELF

This is a surprisingly nuanced rom-com that utilizes a sci-fi premise to explore modern beauty standards. It follows Su Chengcheng, an ordinary girl who finds a high-tech bracelet that allows her to change her appearance into several different 'beautiful' personas. Tan Jianci as the ML IS FANTASTIC. He plays a nerdy yet sincere character who keeps falling for Su Chencheng's various avatars, unaware that they are all the same person. It's genuinely funny, especially the absurd ways her personas have to disappear when her bracelet needs an update.

Moreover, the drama explores how we curate ourselves. Just like Su Chegcheng uses the bracelet to become the beautiful Su Miao or the professional Dr. Fang Jin, people in real life use social media filters to create idealized personas. This shows that when we spend too much time behind a filter, we start to alienate our true selves, like the FL who eventually realizes that while her personas get more attention, they aren't living her life; she is just a ghost haunting her own successes.

Also, this drama doesn't shy away from the reality that beauty makes life easier. As Su Miao, the FL gets job offers and social grace that she never received as her ordinary self. It critiques a society that rewards a solidified orsingle standard of beauty. This drama specifically highlights a 'big speech' the Fl gives to a cosmetics company, challenging the idea that a woman's value is determined solely by her aesthetic appeal. The ML Tang Qi falls for multiple versions of the FL without knowing they are the same person. This creates a fascinating psychological angle. The drama asks, 'Do we love a person, or do we love the projection of who we want them to be?' Tang Qi's journey is about realizing that he wasn't falling for different faces; he was falling for the same soul ( The FL's kindness, humor, and courage), regardless of the 'skin' she was wearing.

Lastly, by the end of the series, the leads start a beauty brand called ' Chirping Birds'. Instead of selling perfection, they promote natural and confident real beauty. True confidence doesn't come from hiding flaws, but from the hard work and authenticity required to pursue one's dreams as they are. The 'filter' wasn't just on her face; it was on her mindset. Once she stopped herself as 'not enough', she didn't need the bracelet anymore.

This drama was the hidden gem of 2025 that leaves you thinking about self-acceptance. I recommend it (‾◡◝)

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Frustratingly fine ?

If you’re like me and you care about emotional intimacy, devotion, being let into the couple’s relationship, and not having to sit through endless cringe before anything meaningful happens — this drama is going to test your patience. Hard. I finished it, but I was annoyed for most of the ride.

LIKES:
-The music is cute and honestly one of the few consistently pleasant things about the show.
-The cast is strong, which is the only reason I didn’t fully rage-quit early on.
-Once they finally get together, the chemistry improves and the drama becomes watchable.
-I did appreciate the more realistic conversations about marriage, pressure, and expectations — in theory.
-The second half is clearly better than the beginning, which made me understand why people like this drama… even though I still don’t love it.

DISLIKES:
-The female lead is written as painfully naive, clingy, and lacking self-respect — not in a cute way, not in a sympathetic way, but in a secondhand-embarrassment way.
There are cute versions of naive characters. She is not that version. She makes me cringe.
-She has no dignity. People clearly don’t want her, don’t choose her, don’t treat her well — and she keeps forcing herself into their lives anyway. The pool auction scene incident made me furious. She chased a man who treated her like trash, got herself arrested, humiliated herself, and still didn’t learn anything from it.
-No self-control, no dignity, no backbone. Just constant bad decisions followed by crying. She gets drunk, causes problems, has zero self-esteem, and somehow the drama wants me to root for this behavior. I couldn’t.
-The early episodes are so slow it felt like a chore. I was bored, irritated, and not emotionally invested at all.
-I disliked almost every character at the start, which made it hard to care where the story was going.
-The barista situation completely turned me off — making out with someone else while acting emotionally invested elsewhere felt gross and careless.
-The tone is way too silly and childish for a drama that wants to talk seriously about marriage.
-I came in expecting devotion and emotional growth, and instead got chaos, immaturity, and nonsense for way too long.
-A big part of my frustration is that this drama was overhyped to me by chatgpt, which made the disappointment worse.
-This is one of those shows where finishing it made me feel relieved, not satisfied.

CONCLUSION:
I didn’t absolutely hate this drama, but I also don’t understand the hype. It has moments, and the second half improves, but the beginning is rough, frustrating, and emotionally empty for far too long. I’m glad I finished it, but I would never randomly start it again.
For me, this is a 6/10 — not awful, not great, and very dependent on mood. If you’re sensitive to cringe, humiliation arcs, and characters with no self-respect, this will probably irritate you more than entertain you.

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Love and family. What more do you need?

If you’re like me and you care about warmth, emotional intimacy, found family, quiet devotion, and romance that grows naturally instead of being shoved down your throat, this drama is absolutely for you.
I came into this not expecting much beyond something “nice,” and it completely wrecked me in the best way. This is one of those dramas that feels like you’re not watching characters — you’re living alongside them.

LIKES
— The warmth. I don’t even know how to explain it properly. It’s the kind of warmth that settles into your chest and stays there.
— The sibling dynamic is unbelievably real. Their chemistry is so natural it genuinely feels like you’re watching actual siblings grow up together.
— I love how the male lead is written. He’s not cold, not standoffish, not emotionally unavailable. He’s kind, observant, worried, gentle — and that alone already sets this drama apart.
— The way romance is handled is so respectful. When he likes her, he’s straightforward. No games, no dragged-out nonsense, no dramatic internal monologues.
— The female lead is emotionally generous. She loves her friend, supports her, welcomes her into her space
— The forced proximity turning into neighbors was such a natural progression, and I loved how quietly that tension built.
— The emotional arcs hit hard. The dad breaking down, the boys leaving, the separation — I cried for hours.
— The transitional episodes were devastating in the best way. They didn’t rush the pain or sanitize it.
— The ending made complete sense. Everything came together naturally, not conveniently

DISLIKES
— I did wish the romance picked up a little sooner. Around episode 8, it briefly felt like it was slowing down.
— The chemistry, while good, wasn’t explosive — I wanted just a tiny bit more intensity between them.

FINAL THOUGHTS
This drama feels thought out. Every choice feels intentional. Nothing feels wasted. It’s rare to see a story that balances romance, family, grief, and healing this well without losing its emotional core.
I genuinely can’t rate this lower than a 10/10.
Maybe a 9.9 if I’m being picky — but emotionally? This was a perfect watch for me.
This is one of those dramas that reminds you why you love K-dramas in the first place.

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poise & pain

I felt like I was being suffocated right alongside Saori because she is just a walking, open wound for two hours. Satomii just let herself be ugly and it felt so painfully real. She is frantic and aggressive and looks like she hasn't brushed her hair since Miu vanished. I didn't see a single shred of poise left in her. I saw a woman being eaten alive by the fact that she was at a concert when her kid went missing and the internet will not let her forget it for a second. Watching her scroll through comments from trolls who decided she deserves this pain was devastating. I could feel every ounce of her self loathing.

"If I don't read them, it is like she has already been forgotten. This is the only place people are still talking about her."

I think she feels so dangerously authentic because Satomii doesn't try to make her grief look cinematic or poetic. It is just heavy and exhausted and mean. I felt the weight of her emotions in the way she breathes and the way her voice cracks when she is screaming at people who are just trying to help. She made me feel that desperation as if it was my own life falling apart. The media in this was actually nauseating for me to watch because of how they egg her on when she is at her lowest point. I can't get that scene out of my head where she actually proposes holding a birthday party for Miu and the news crew just leans into it because they know it will make for a pathetic sensational shot. I could see Yutaka absolutely hating the idea but he is so drained that he just stands there while they light the candles.

"I feel like I'm already dead. I'm just moving because I have to find her."

It broke my heart to see her so desperate to keep her daughter's face on TV that she starts performing her own grief for the cameras just to keep the search from dying out. I felt like Yutaka trying to be the stoic anchor just felt like abandonment to her and I watched their house become a pressure cooker where they just end up lashing out at each other in the dark. The brother Keigo is obviously another part that really got to me. He was the last person seen with the girl and because he is socially awkward he becomes a target. Seeing Saori turn her rage on him because she needs someone to blame and I think it shows how a tragedy like this just fractures a family until there is nothing left.

I was completely captivated by the way Satomii inhabits this specific, haunting brand of misery. I saw her standing in that yellow crossing guard vest at the end and it just gutted me. There is no magic resolution. She is just there in the street protecting other people's kids while hers is still gone. It is a quiet and miserable kind of strength. I felt like she was forcing me to sit in the wreckage with her until the very last frame.

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it truly shines beautifully

My highly anticipated Shine On Me... thank you for being the last sense of warmth of my 2025 and the first ray of light of my 2026!

As I said, I highly anticipated this drama from the beginning so it could only go insanely well or insanely bad. Luckily, it never once disappointed me despite some annoying side characters – they only made me root for my beloved characters even more; it's part of life and part of the story.

Song Weilong and Zhao Jinmai are the perfect Lin Yusen and Nie Xiguang. I loved them more each episode. They are dramatic without being over the top, they are funny in a way that feels effortlessly and they seem to truly like and respect each other which, believe me, it's really important for the dynamic of their characters. Once they start their relationship you really feel like they're a couple, even in small details.

As for the story, their plot begins with a misunderstanding that doesn't take long to be halfway cleared but even before that their dynamic is not annoying, in fact it feels kinda amusing. The story mainly revolves around the main couple and their ways of learning more about each other, themselves and learning to let go. If you're going into Shine On Me with an open heart, you can definitely learn a thing or two or at least reflect about life related stuff you might already know. Most of the support characters are really nice, even making me wish to see more of some of them. Some are just painfully annoying but we all encounter some of those in real life, right? We can survive them.

Some aspects of their professional life might be boring for some, but honestly I wouldn't give that too much attention and it kinda makes you understand their personal growth as well by the end. The writers really put an effort in ending the drama in a satisfying way for the fans of the couple (once again, remember this is a romance drama!) that actually made me (happily) surprised!

The visuals (despite some funny cgi, but to be honest if you're not new to cdramas you've seen worse) are beautiful and you can see the drama crew really put a lot of thought in every scene, especially those that are meant to be highlighted. The original soundtrack is now among my favorite ones ever (thumbs up for Zhang Hao he did AMAZING)!!!!!

All of that to say thank you Shine On Me for being with me for this couple of weeks and yes, everyone should check it out if it fits the genre you usually like to watch. Don't expect excessive drama, power struggles, lots of action scenes or anything like that. There's a reason everything in this drama revolves around finding light and it broadcasted in winter (holidays season even).

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It's hard to put into words

Disclaimer

What I am writing here are my views and thoughts about this series. Some of you may not like it. That does not give you the right to try to come at me with your opinions on why this series should get a higher or lower score and why it is better/worse than I think it is. You have your own opinions, and I have mine. Kindly respect that.

I am seeing a lot of people saying this, and I agree with them – this series is hard to rate. I mean, I finished this series in January 03, and I am now rating it on January 07. It did carry us on a journey, but the characters, oh, the characters. They had flaws that made me hate them as well as having me ask questions like, 'Why would they do that?' But, oh, I was entertained! Fan Xiao is a black flag. The things that he did to You Shu Lang are highly questionable, but he says that he does it for love.

I like the character of You Shu Lang in the beginning, as I feel proud of the way he handles things once he sees the true colours of Fan Xiao. But there is so much he can take of him as Fan Xiao keeps testing him. I honestly did not know how to think about Fan Xiao, as he did change his ways in the end. But was it a little too late? Was what he did previously too much to just be forgiven like that? I personally felt so. But I guess You Shu Lang wanted happiness in the end, and I guess seeing Fan Xiao change over these past few months made him personally feel he deserved a second chance.

All in all it was an entertaining show that carried me on a journey. I may not agree with how some of the things were handled in the final episode but I will agree that these two characters have made an impressionable impact on me with thier story.

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