Reviews

The plot lost custody of its senses

I bought what they were selling at the beginning, but things went downhill once the leads started dating.

The evil rich girl and the evil aunt/uncle/cousin are such overused tropes. One thing I've noticed in K-dramas is that the chaebol daughter is almost always portrayed as incompetent, often with an equally incompetent child, while the "son" is usually the decent, sensible one. Seems sexist to me.

Of all the things I didn't like, I think CSB was the one who impressed me. I honestly have no complaints about her acting.

One of my biggest disappointments, however, was HR's character. You're supposed to be a rational person, a planner with plans A to Z, and the best response you could come up with was abandoning your life's passion for a girl you'd known for barely two months?

Look, I'm a hopeless romantic, but some tropes just make me roll my eyes. Since she didn't leave without a reason, I expected him to come up with a plan A, B, C and probably D on why their relationship could work. But no. Instead, it was the usual "I can't live without you. I'd gladly give up everything I've spent my life pursuing just to spend another minute with you."

I love romance especially in fiction, but even I have my limits. That was a huge stretch.

Ten episodes somehow managed to feel both too long and too short. They barely covered anything substantial. Looking back, the drama wasn't even particularly romantic once the leads got together. Things went from hot to cold because of the family issues, which eventually became increasingly nonsensical.

The chemistry was okay, though.

6.5/10 - and that's me being generous.

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The Many Shades of Autumn

Cheng Lei gave us a masterclass in acting! His performance was absolutely outstanding. For me, he was the highlight of this drama. The way he expressed emotions through his eyes, facial expressions, and body language was remarkable. He brought his character to life, showing everything from arrogance and anger to love, pain, and vulnerability. Some of his most powerful moments were those when he barely said a word. I honestly believe this is his best performance so far!

The cinematography was beautiful, the directing excellent, and the music added so much to the atmosphere. I especially appreciated the attention to small details and the way emotions were often expressed through images rather than words.

I do have some criticism of the writing, but that does not change how much I enjoyed this drama.

It made me laugh, cry, think, and occasionally lose my patience! 😂

Is it perfect? No. Is it memorable? Absolutely!

For me, the best dramas are not always the ones without flaws. They are the ones that make you feel something, stay in your thoughts, and give you moments you will never forget. And this drama certainly did all of that. ❤️

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Overall View of this drama..

The Lament of Autumn - A beautiful Republican drama with lots of twists and turns and extraordinary acting scope.

As I have read the novel as well , This drama is slightly different from the novel at the end and gives a convincing closure compared to the novel. In the novel itself there are no answers for certain happenings and clarifications , so the drama also could not give clarifications of many incidents in-between.

Yu Changxuan (Cheng Lei )- ML, The One and Only star of the drama... This man holds the entire drama in his shoulders.. A very convincing and extra ordinary acting , gives complete justice to the role... He brings out the necessary emotions at every level.

Xiang Jueting , Tao Xiyi - The SML and the Villain, A beautiful casting and the actors have given perfect justice to the role.. I started liking tao Xiyi from the mid because her bringing up ,her anger , her empathy are beautifully portrayed . I find her character arc is beautifully matured compared to the FL.
The two Friends of ML, Lan Qing (The opera actress), Yu Jinquan (ML sister) - The cast is perfect and brought out beautifully.

The main let down and the disappointment of this drama is the FL and her Character arc.. It is poorly written and has not matured till the last. The complete infidelity of her character , and juggling between stupid naive ness and try to portray as bold , it becomes very messy...It is just because the mad love of the ML takes through the entire story...

The Chinese story writers want to portray FL as bold and beautiful then let her be and give us convincing actions till the end...If the FL want to move away from ML boldly, then she should just move on..If any small issues, she disturbs him in the name of Love ,comes back to him and accuses him if things dont go on her way, man, that is not boldness of a woman...

Instead you made the FL character as selfish ,unreliable, clueless, meek in the name of Love and try to portray as bold.....
Just standing straight and speaking in bold voice dont make a character bold...She hates ML and go to him again and again... She comes to know the SML has girl friend in japan, She came to know the betrayal of him multiple times and goes to him again and again... Take a stand Lady... She just enjoys her luxury and move out if things dont go in her way.. Many places the truth is known and she dont dare to take a stand...
The Man has been taking care of her for 2 years, and some clue she got that he killed her Mom, she didnt even verify it properly and she left him...The converstion which the ML and FL has had my nerves.. And then the truth is out that he didnt not kill her, she shamelssly came back and say we loved each other... What the hell? She dont even realize her shortcomings ...
Compare to her all the other women characters are beautifully written and the actors did justice..
Xu Ruohan - Even though the character is poorly written at some places, her acting made it worse... She definitely need to take lots of acting classes... Most of the times her face is bland and she dont give any expressions , so it is difficult to predict the mood. There are lots of emotional scenes to prove her acting and she just wasted it.....

It is a very good plot with convincing action sequences , excellent costumes and sets ,great acting by all.. The Major disappointment is the FL character arc and the poor acting by the actor who has made it the worst.

It is definitely one-time watchable...

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acting so superior that it made me close eyes to alot of things

I really cannot say this enough but I feel Cheng Lei's acting in this was amazing. His character is in a very grey area but watching from ep1 to 40 felt like I was watching YCX mature from an arrogant kid to a mature adult. The vibe change was very evident in his acting as towards the latter half of the drama he has a lot more responsibilities and is not the playboy he used to be.

Xu Ruohan did really well as well and I feel the writer/director should have given her character alot more development. She can act really good but her story felt more broken compared to the ML. I feel like if they developed both characters with balance, giving a bit more importance to Pingjun's ambitions etc, the longing, the betrayal or the reunion scenes would have felt alot more deeper.

BURNING CHEMISTRY!! I think this drama contains one of the most kiss scenes in a cdrama I have watched. The chemistry, tension, visuals and acting between the leads gives you goosebumps. There are many moments that went viral on twitter and truly it was executed so well.

Many people were feeling uncomfortable to watch the start of the drama which I can understand, but honestly the acting still pulled me in and I enjoyed seeing the character development. The ML was so bad at the start that the things he was saying in the latter half of the drama left me shocked ("is this the same YCX I know?"). He was however very bad at communicating and usually never clarified the misunderstanding YPJ always had.

During amnesia/coma phase for YPJ, I wished the writer gave her more character and not just wait for him to be back home everyday. She could have been more curious about her past try out new hobbies or something, which could have set a better foundation for her to leave once she found out. Cause her leaving with nothing to start with while being pregnant was very illogical....she could have also pretended to not remember while she tried to find the truth...but this was not given importance unfortunately.

I feel alot of unnecessary screentime was given for the war and Jiang Xueting towards the end which also caused alot of random time slips making it difficult to follow.

The drama as a whole I would say is a 7.8/10 but the acting and the chemistry between the leads brings it up to 8.5. Overall, excellent performance by the actors and I admire the effort they put in to making this drama!

!!! SPOILER ON THE ENDING !!!






I was not really satisfied with the ending mainly because the balance was off. They were separated for so long but their reunion felt like it was just for a day before they got separated again. I also rather see it as a sad ending compared to an open ending so it gives more of a closure. The death of so many people suddenly also was very hard to relate to cause the build up wasnt really clear so you dont feel much.

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Average all rounder with a childish story

This series is pretty average through and through like:

- Fighting and Action: Lacking in choreography and not much fighting likely budget reasons since it's sky fairy fighting
- Detective Work: It's not like a good detective series either but kind of just average in how they solve cases
- Love: There is none but it kind of feels like there maybe but there isn't
- Brotherhood: It swings this way like bro-love but it also doesn't feel like the bond is natural and feels forced
- Politics: Very basic like I'm always disappointed at seeing series not portray this properly if they decide to dive into it

Also the story is basic

- HAR HAR HAR I'm the bad guy type of basic
- Good vs Evil

What's funny is the ending has a bad guy reveal that I was just like okay so you did all this to do this but instead you could have just done this and got your goal done much faster and easier. Great...

It's a childish story.

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So tender it stays with you.

Genuine warmth in how they portray two people who are learning to be present for each other, and that warmth translates directly to the screen.

One of the most warm, wholesome and tender portrayals of a couple I have seen in any drama.

a big part of why is Kim Seol Hyun and Yim Si Wan.

Their chemistry is genuinely one of the most beautiful things about this drama.

Quality of softness they bring to every single scene together.

I loved most was how tender and gentle their interactions felt. The kind that comes from two actors who are actually attuned to each other.

Every small moment between them carries weight because of how quietly and carefully it is delivered.

It made my heart feel full in the most beautiful way 😊

What they capture so well is the idea that love does not always express itself loudly. it is in the patience, the gentleness, the way one person makes space for another.

That specific quality is rare to find on screen and Summer Strike has it in abundance.

This kind of portrayal matters because it shows that emotional attentiveness between two people is not just beautiful, it is genuinely compelling to watch.

Sometimes the most beautiful love stories are the ones that are simply kind. 🍀

And this one is exactly that.

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Fun

I just finished watching and I actually wish I could forget it so that I could watch it again right now. It was cute. I know, it was also cliche and it felt spooky at first and lost the "ghost" vibe too soon. It was predictable, but so cute. The acting was great. I've seen the FL in Extraordinary Attorney and can only say that I was amazed. That woman has acting skills, it was like she was a different person. A lot of people felt like this series missed the mark, but I think it was perfect. I've been watching things with way too much intrigue and wanted something lighthearted to give me a boost. It's also a good time of year for anything spooky. I wish they had not gotten rid of the ghost stories so soon, but I thought with the way it ended, it brought that beautiful vibe of helping people back to the show for a moment before the end. I tend to be harsh on stories that I feel have toxic relationships or the stupid noble sacrifice while I pretend I'm not hurting, but in this instance, they were such a well suited couple and even with grandma's interference they worked it out together, so I didn't have to hate her. Yes, it's a simple romantic comedy. Not much that's really different or fabulous to set it apart, but it was cute and it made me smile. For that reason, I loved it. The music was pretty good. I enjoy kdrama music a lot more than some of the other music in tv series I watch. I would rewatch it anytime I want a good heartwarming love story. So while it's not perfect, it could be perfect for you as it was for me.

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A Love Entangled in Power, Betrayal and Heartbreak

What makes this drama particularly heartbreaking is that love alone is not enough to overcome everything standing between the characters. There are sacrifices, painful decisions and moments that leave viewers questioning whether the characters will ever find the happiness they deserve.

Final thoughts:-
Overall, The Lament of Autumn is an emotionally intense drama that keeps viewers invested through its complicated characters, unpredictable relationships and turbulent storyline. Cheng Lei proves once again that he can carry a complex leading role, while Xu Ruohan brings strength and emotional depth to her character.

It is definitely not a sweet, uncomplicated romance. Instead, it is a story of love entangled with pride, ambition, power and sacrifice. If you enjoy Republican-era dramas featuring morally complicated male leads, strong female characters and plenty of emotional turmoil, this drama is worth considering.

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Fully Charged

The chemistry alone deserves a 100/10. It felt like watching two real people fall/be in love and we get to laugh, swoon and be happy alongside them. Kim YoungKwang and Chae Soobin absolutely nailed it in, they were the heart and soul of the drama. It wouldn’t have been the same without them. The CHEMISTRY was wow 🤯, honestly the most natural/ genuine that I’ve seen in any kdrama (top 5 for me). They portrayed all the emotions so well especially the tension filled ones. It would be a crime if we don’t get them in another drama. The storyline isn’t ’original’ but it’s not what I’m signing up for when I watch this. It’s fun and can be rewatched an endless amount of them. There’s so many bad things in the world but watching the drama helped me forget them and I felt fully immersed in their world and was rooting for their happy ending. The best rom com drama that I’ve watched. Typically I think less is more but in this case I could have watched 50 more episodes of them happily living their lives.

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Gorgeous Production, Amazing Acting, and a Story That Made Me Want to Scream

First, let me give credit where it's due: the acting was AMAZING, and the production was absolutely gorgeous. The cinematography was artistic, the shots were beautifully composed, and the actors did a phenomenal job bringing their characters and emotions to life. Even the intimate scenes deserve a mention. I heard they had intimacy coordination, and it shows. For a Chinese drama, things definitely got hot and heavy, but they were never gratuitous. There was something incredibly sweet, tender and artistic about the way those scenes were filmed. The actors did a wonderful job conveying intimacy without needing to show everything.

Now, onto the actual story. Because OH MY GOD, THE WRITING.

My biggest issue was the power imbalance in this office romance. She was young, fresh out of college and working under a man who was older, more experienced and held considerably more power. Having a crush on your boss is one thing. Blushing doesn't mean you want to sleep with him. And he was the one who initiated things, repeatedly pushed boundaries and pursued her even when she hesitated. Yet the writing seemed determined to frame everything as a mutually romantic love story. Attraction and consent are not interchangeable, and I wish the writers understood that.

What frustrated me most was how unevenly they stood to lose. She risked her career, reputation and everything she'd worked so hard to build. He, on the other hand, had considerably more protection. Every achievement of hers could be questioned, every promotion attributed to sleeping her way up, while his career would likely survive with little more than a few whispers.

And SIX YEARS? This man repeatedly made grand declarations of leaving the job for her but only ever truly walked away when his own professional pride was hurt. He could have protected her in so many ways, but instead, he wanted the relationship and the career without accepting the consequences. His cutting remarks, questionable behaviour and inability to communicate didn't exactly help his case either.

Quite frankly, I was starting to root for her NOT to go back to him. Jesus, what an asshole! He chases her for approximately one episode, and suddenly they're getting married? MF, YOU TWO HAVEN'T EVEN LEARNED HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET MARRIED? A year of chasing doesn't magically undo six years of questionable behaviour.

The writing also suffered from some rather noticeable gaps. Several timelines and plot points were skipped or left unexplained. For example, the incident where she was attacked by a man in the mountains and had to hide from him. After the ML and FL eventually saved each other, what happened to that man? He practically disappeared from the narrative. There were moments where I genuinely wondered whether I'd missed an episode because certain events were introduced with considerable weight only to be conveniently forgotten.

I do have some frustrations with her too. I understood her decisions at the beginning. She was young, naive and in love. But six years later, I expected firmer boundaries. She repeatedly insisted that no man was worth sacrificing her ambitions for, yet continued a relationship that put those very ambitions at risk.

What's interesting is that I genuinely didn't expect this storyline to bother me so much. I've always been pretty good at distinguishing drama-land from reality, but this one hit WAY too close to home personally. I couldn't simply switch off my brain and enjoy the forbidden romance.

That said, I don't think this is a bad drama. The performances, cinematography and production are genuinely impressive. If you can overlook the power imbalance and problematic aspects of the office romance, there's plenty to appreciate here.

For me, though, beautiful cinematography and amazing acting couldn't quite compensate for writing that left me wanting to throw my remote at the screen.

A gorgeous drama with a frustrating love story. I loved watching it, but I have A LOT of feelings about what I watched.

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