Reviews

Chemistry Not as Magical as Cherry Magic

Being a HUGE fan of Cherry Magic (I’ve watched the J drama, movie, and anime versions multiple times), I can’t help but compare this BL office romance with it. Honestly even if they come up with 10 more with this exact same story, I’m here for it. It was refreshing that this series only has 5 episodes, so it leaves the rest up to imagination. I didn’t like the fact that they keep harping on the older guy’s age as if 40 is on your deathbed. Carl Jung has said that 40 is when the true life really starts. Anyway I actually liked the younger guy’s acting much better. The protagonist Nozue (the 40 year old) seemed lackluster till the end, and even when he said he liked Togawa (the 30 year old), I didn’t quite believe him. He looked a bit constipated in his emotions, but Togawa was really into it. He was the “Kurosawa” character from Cherry Magic, but the protagonist- the one who feels stuck, unworthy, uninspired (the counterpart of Adachi) was neither as cute or interesting as Adachi was. I think if they had cast someone else as the lead, the chemistry could have been much better. This is what was lacking- the chemistry. Nevertheless, I still liked it, and perhaps my favorite part of the series was the intro/outro song Blue Blur" (feat. Mabanua) by Ryu Matsuyama really set the vibe- it was super romantic.

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Visual Storytelling at Its Best

This drama has truly earned its praise, and for good reason. If you're just getting into Chinese dramas and looking for an amazing female-centric revenge story, "The Double" is the one to see. The visuals are stunning, featuring amazing cinematography, beautifully choreographed fight scenes, and only a few slow episodes (and that’s always a blast in my book with historical C dramas). It stands out as a top-notch palace intrigue drama.

The story centers on Xue Fangfei, who faces betrayal by her husband and adopts a new identity to seek revenge. While the romance with Duke Su unfolds as a slow burn, it is ultimately satisfying. The chemistry between the leads is truly remarkable, and some of the best moments come from their interactions.

I liked the parallels the drama was trying to show us with what it would be like for our female lead to actually be with the man who cared for her as opposed to the disaster of her first marriage.

However, I do want to warn viewers who are seeking a heavy romance—this drama isn't that. This is a revenge-heavy drama about a woman hell-bent on restoring justice for everyone who didn’t get it.

Romance, here is just a cherry on top. I do think that some of the best episodes were of Duke Su and Xue Fangfei interactions.


I do have things to mention I believe were unnecessary.

Several elements I found less enjoyable, particularly after episode 30, where too much time becomes focused on the backstories of the villains, especially the Eldest Princess. Although it's important to understand her character, the amount of screen time felt excessive and could have been better balanced throughout the series. Those scenes were draggy and dialogues could have been cut in half.

One point of frustration was the abrupt cut of a kissing scene between the main leads near the end (it was somewhere after episode 30). Their romance doesn't feel fully bloomed until the final episode where the director finally chooses to include proper kissing scene. I think reason why it threw me off is because the drama itself does not gloss over bloody and violent scenes and sexual violence. So cutting off intimate interaction between main leads seemed extremely strange. But this is just me because I like my romance with lots of skinship if there is romance. otherwise, I don’t want any teasing with romantic upload if we are not going to get it in full.

For those who crave a clear happy ending, my recommendation is to stop watching the last episode after the marriage scene. The last ten minutes felt unnecessary and out of the left field.

While I appreciated the aesthetics of the closing moments and understood why the writers decided to go in that direction, I couldn't shake the feeling that the leads deserved a more definitive conclusion. After being so invested in their struggles for 40 episodes, the final twist—suggesting a meeting in the afterlife—felt like a punch to the gut. Our heroine ends up in misery, which feels undeserved after all she's been through.

I understand that some dramas aim for realistic endings, but after 40 episodes of suspension of my belief, I wanted a clear at least happy for now ending. Therefore, I docked half a point for that creator’s choice.

Overall, despite a few missteps, the cinematography, writing, and production value make "The Double" a must-watch.

Memorable episodes for me or episode 17 where our female lead is drunk. That scene in the rain was amazing.

Another memorable scene was when Xue Fangfei played a folk piece at the academy exam.

Despite my dislike of the ending, I actually did like the way the last 10 minutes were executed. Aesthetically that last sequence was very touching.

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Stunning 10 star Drama

Stellar cast of excellent actors who make you believe the characters they play are authentic relatable human beings. The 3 leads and the 2 actors portraying the mothers gave outstanding performances.
The story was engaging- I was drawn into the lives of these characters. I liked the values portrayed about self actualization and growth. Each character worked thru his/her issues and demonstrated growth in a realistic manner.
There were hilarious laugh out loud scenes as well a dramatic uncomfortable scenes which tapped into a range of emotions. The number of episodes was a perfect fit for the story. I rate this series a 10!

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awesome chemistry

Honestly I've been in a C-drama slump lately, none can catch my attention. This was also my first impression of Song Weilong and he does live up to the hype. He is very handsome and has amazing chemistry with the FL. This is an office setting romance, rich FL and rich ML, CEO trope, and a little bit of a love triangle. I love how head strong the FL is but also isn't afraid to admit she is wrong. Her group of high school friends are all pretty nice except for one of them. She is very "pick me" and is toxic. This is a VERY slow burn and they don't get their first kiss until like episode 29 I think. However the chemistry is CHEMISTRYING and the kisses in the later episodes make up for it OMG. The plot is very attention catching and doesn't have any unnecesary plot holes or long dragging plots. Though the FL's dad's wife and daughter pmo a lot. but other than that i'd definetely give this drama a try, it's a good first starter c-drama too.

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would you give me butterflies

Don't listen to bad reviews! If you love light, romantic, comforting dramas that feel warm, funny, and safe — the kind you’d rewatch when you just want to feel good — then WATCH THIS NOW!
This felt like rain on a sunny day. Beautiful, romantic, fluffy, calming, and surprisingly satisfying. I was honestly shocked at how much I loved it, especially after seeing how low some of the ratings were. This should be sitting comfortably in the low 8s at minimum.
This drama felt like it was made for me.

LIKES
— The fashion, cast, and production are top-notch. There’s a nostalgic, comforting quality to the visuals that made the whole drama feel cozy and familiar.
— I fully expected the male lead to be boyish and the female lead to be a doormat — and I was wrong on both counts. He’s not childish at all, and she stands up for herself consistently.
— The pacing feels right. New characters are introduced naturally, nothing feels random, and the story flows smoothly.
— It genuinely feels like Marry My Husband meets Because This Is My First Life, which is basically my dream combo.
— Their chemistry is great, and I loved how fast things progressed without feeling rushed.
— I love how the male lead takes charge in a way that feels protective and intentional, not controlling.
— The first love side story was surprisingly sweet and meaningful.
— The first kiss was stunning, earned, and deeply reassuring — both for the viewers and for her as a character. It was manly of him to not let her push him away.
— The female lead’s mom is one of the best K-drama moms I’ve seen in a while — loving, understanding, forgiving, and emotionally healthy. A great role model.
— Episode 8, their night walk / first date? Absolutely beautiful. I was crying.
— This drama fixes its problems as it goes. Every time I thought, “please don’t drag this,” they resolved it quickly.
— The villains actually paid — fully. No soft landings, no “they still live okay” nonsense. One of them literally gets executed, which was shocking but satisfying.
— The second male lead’s character development surprised me in the best way. I ended up really liking him, and I’d honestly watch a spinoff of his story.
— The hate for this drama is completely unwarranted. This felt like one of the most complete light romance dramas I’ve seen in a long time.
— It doesn’t overcomplicate itself, but it gives you everything you need.
— Fake marriage, office romance, forced proximity, revenge, suspense, devotion — it’s literally everything I love rolled into one.


DISLIKES
— Around episode 6, I got genuinely annoyed when the cheating ex came back and she started letting him get away with things he absolutely did not deserve.
— (And even this? They fixed it. Quickly.)

FINAL THOUGHTS
I almost didn’t watch this because of the ratings, and that would have been a huge mistake. This is one of my top comfort, fluffy romance dramas, and I will absolutely rewatch it.
It’s warm. It’s romantic. It’s satisfying. It doesn’t waste your time. And it actually lets bad people face real consequences.
Rating: 10/10 for me.

If you love light romance with substance, clear devotion, and emotional payoff, don’t let the reviews scare you off like they almost scared me.

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Love it?

Everything about this drama is very interesting and I love the ML and FL 🩷🩷 so much for their understand and trust they have for eachother till the end... makes me like it more😘👏👏💯💯❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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Subverted Cliches

Flashbacks aren't a favorite narrative device of mine, but My Fated Boy did them well, and they added greatly to the story. The viewer watched expectant neighboring parents pledge their unborn children to one another in marriage and then agonize as the daughter was born first, and the son was born seven years later, effectively ruining their plans. With each episode, we saw the little girl go from major disappointment that the new baby was a boy (when she'd hoped for a girl), to bullying and using the toddler baby as her scapegoat, to finally becoming his close friend and protector.

He Yu was adorable as the smitten kitten totally in love with his childhood friend. The supporting cast was a joy, with screenwriter Meng Hu giving depth to characters other writers treat as paint by number. The wife of the CEO was smart, warm, and loyal to her sister, but she was also kind and considerate to her sister's rival. The 2FL was a breath of fresh air in drama world. She was passionate and determined (and I did dislike her greatly at first), but she grew from entitled to admirable. The FL's friends added to the warm and supportive feel. Other characters deviated from the run-of-the-mill drama script, which was refreshing! I'd see the set-up and groan that here comes another evil executive, and I'd have my expectations subverted. Thank goodness! And most of the noble idiocy acts were short and overcome quickly.

The OST fit the drama well, the cast was great, and the ML was the cutest puppy in love.

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Unexpectedly Sweet

I just finished Falling Into Your Smile, and it completely exceeded my expectations. Tong Yao is honestly the first Chinese drama heroine I’ve watched in a while who doesn’t irritate me. Her voice isn’t high-pitched or grating, and she delivers her emotions naturally and beautifully. She’s not only very pretty but also a talented character, which makes watching her scenes a real pleasure.

Lu Sicheng is equally impressive. He’s incredibly attractive, but it’s really his personality that stands out. He has this perfect “Scorpio” vibe, intense, confident, a little cold, and completely magnetic. The romance between them develops slowly but naturally, with moments that are both sweet and surprising, like when he decides to kiss Tong Yao unexpectedly. These moments feel genuine and keep you invested in their connection.

One of the aspects I loved most about the drama is its focus on gaming. The scenes remind me of League of Legends, which I really enjoy. Watching the training sessions, tactics, matches, and cinematics is exciting and visually engaging. The final game was particularly interesting, and I really enjoyed the team dynamics in that climax.

The secondary characters are also a highlight. Some of the other players are genuinely entertaining, especially Chubby and K, who both add humor and charm to the team dynamic. I also appreciated seeing Tong Yao’s ex grow as a person and learn to accept her happiness, which added depth to the story and closure to his arc.
If I had to point out negatives, the product placement throughout the series can be excessive at times. KFC, facial masks, and iced tea appear in nearly every scene, which occasionally breaks the immersion. Fortunately, it doesn’t overshadow the story or the characters.

Overall, Falling Into Your Smile is a drama I would highly recommend. It balances a slow-burning romance with engaging gaming action, memorable characters, and strong performances from the leads. It’s visually appealing, emotionally satisfying, and genuinely fun to watch from start to finish. I would give it 9 out of 10.

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This might be the best K-drama I have watched in a long time

This is what I have been missing in K-dramas recently. The slow burn is actually slow, the characters are not one-dimensional, and the story is interesting without going overboard with secret organizations or ridiculous twists. All the side characters have their own motivations and feel just as real as the main couple.

I will admit taht after the first fight and the way Saet-byul jumped Dae-hyun, I had my reservations and was a bit doubtful about this drama. D: But I should not have been. It was silly at times, serious at others, and it never failed to entertain me. Those weird visual effects even made it feel like I was reading a manhwa, which honestly worked in its favor.

The second couple, Geum-bi and Dal-sik’s storyline had real ups and downs, and they were not just shoved together so the writers could get rid of the second leads. The fact that the real second leads Yeon-joo and Seung-joon did not end up together, and that they did not look for a girlfriend for Ji-Wook was refreshing. Even Dae-hyun’s family storylines were genuinely interesting. Yeon-joo’s family was clearly there so the audience could have someone to hate, but every drama needs characters like that. Eun-byul’s character development was also really well executed! She acted her age in the beginning, and you could actually see her grow up by the end. :)

They managed to braid all these different stories together into a really lively world. I loved how the story came full circle, with Saet-byul working at the convenience store again as a part-timer after Dae-hyun had been running it for nearly two days straight. The structure almost feels chiastic, though I am not entirely sure. And at the end, where they panned to the production crew and showed all the ending for the side characters... I did shed a tear, I won't lie.

And that ending, with Dal-sik “writing” their story… wow. Suddenly it made sense why they only shared one chaste kiss. Ji Chang-wook can play incredibly passionate characters, yet they don't even properly kiss with Kim Yoo-jung... maybe because of their 12-year age gap? Who knows.

Overall, this was such a feel-good drama for me.

Kim Yoo-jung played Saet-byul so well. She can express so much with just her stare and those adoring eyes. I loved that she was not the angelic, flawless female lead so many dramas push nowadays. She is strong, has her own ethics and morals, and while she initially seems suspicious or rough around the edges, she is actually a saint. Taking care of her little sister, staying strong after losing both parents, navigating life on her own, and still giving everything for her sister… and then falling for Dae-hyun at first sight and holding onto that love for ten years. Admirable. I hated that she removed herself from his life so he could be better off, but luckily Dae-hyun waited. She needed that time to find herself. :D

Dae-hyun was such a sweet character. I loved watching him on screen. He was a bit like a blade of grass, always bending with the wind, always listening to his parents, being the perfect son, and constantly indulging Yeon-joo while they were dating. But when it really mattered, he stood up for himself and for Saet-byul. He is an honest man with steel-like morals. And while he was only so-so at fighting, Saet-byul was more than good enough for both of them. Even if Ji Chang-wook is the king of action, he deserves to chill sometimes and let others handle the fights. :D

Honestly, this might be the best newer K-drama I have watched in a long time.

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Positives and Negatives

As I'm about to finish the show it is getting more intense and emotional, but I also feel a little more annoyed each episode. There's no longer the "problem" of cringy and meaningless small talk (we kinda signed up for from the get-go), instead the two main-plotlines get heavier. Annoying is that those two plotlines take 100% of the show and the characters not involved get zero screentime. That makes it far too heavy and one dimensional. Sangho for example was always doing great for making us laugh. But especially the two love-candidates who joined the show a little late are absolutely nowhere to be seen on screen, we basically know nothing about them and their feelings. Either something scandalous happened during/after the show or the editors are highly disrespectful. In that sense I can't say it is a good show, although I continuously feel like watching it and even think about it at times (when I don't watch).
One of the positive aspects is that I can like and respect nearly all the characters in this show. There is no asshole, no villain, no supermacho... and I find this very refreshing ~ further I find myself to like the panel a lot. Initially I felt really irritated by Eunji, but she's actually great with her loose energy. The other three were great from the start.

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disappointing sequel that lost the magic of Season 1

I was so excited for Season 2 after loving Season 1 — that one was near perfect with its perfect mix of sharp comedy, real emotional stakes, heavy action, and satisfying justice moments. But this season? It just kept getting more ridiculous as it went on, and by the second half, it felt like a completely different show.
The over-the-top comedy was tolerable (even fun) in the first half — some silly gags and Busan energy worked okay. But then it went completely out of hand: everyone turns into goofy caricatures, the priest (Kim Hae-il) loses his grounded fiery intensity and becomes this exaggerated clown, and suddenly the whole team has these absurd “super powers” or cartoonish abilities that feel forced and cringy. The humor overpowers everything, intruding on what could have been serious scenes, and it just got exhausting.
Too many characters crammed in, making the story feel bloated and directionless. The core trio gets diluted, and new additions don’t get enough development. Specifically hated how they sidelined four characters (including on that dragged-out boat sequence) — it felt like lazy writing. And Bibi as Goo Ja-young (Goo Ja-young) was honestly the best new character: sassy, energetic, great Busan vibe, and she brought fresh fire early on. But then she basically disappears or gets minimized in the last 2 episodes — no real payoff, no spotlight in the finale chaos. What a waste of such a strong addition!
The plot drags in places, the villains feel incompetent and cartoonish, the action loses impact compared to Season 1, and the ending wraps things up anticlimactically with rushed consequences and no real emotional catharsis. It’s like they leaned way too hard into “mindless fun” and forgot what made the original special — that balance of laughs with heart and stakes.
Acting is still solid (the cast is talented and clearly having fun on set), but the script and direction let them down by making everyone overact into parody territory. If you want pure chaotic comedy and don’t mind the flaws, it might be okay as brain-off entertainment. But as a fan of Season 1, this was a big letdown. Season 1: 9.5/10. This: barely passing.
Hoping any potential Season 3 brings back the balance… but after this, I’m not holding my breath. 😕

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Everyone is Duplicitous, Trust No One

All caught up to episode 21 and I've just about had enough of this drama

TRUST NO ONE. The evil sisters are clearly evil and the good sisters may also be evil. The suitors who are sweet and protective in the beginning will be conniving and spiteful later on if they are not chosen to be the FL's lover. The ML and FL clearly do not trust each other at all, they are constantly doing things behind each other's back and spying on each other, as if both of them doubt that they will stand on the side of justice and the greater good in the end, so they intentionally mislead and deceive each other.

TOO MANY CHARACTERS. There are way too many characters. Too many suitors, too many sisters, too many aids and confidants and enemies. How can one survive in a world where you don't have just a couple of enemies that you have to watch out for, but over a dozen? And they are all slowly becoming more villainous and dangerous to you over time. Just as you pacify/silence one threat, 3 more appear, each with distinct motives for why thy want to oppose you. Like you are in the tea making business, life does not need to be this dramatic. And the cast list is like a balloon waiting to burst. So many characters get introduced, and then you look at the cast list and they are like #15 on the list. So I am supposed to pay attention to these scenes that are all focused on your conflict/betrayal/scheme, knowing that there are at least a dozen other more important character arcs that I need to remember? This screenwriter was all over the place, too many distracting side characters that should have been left out for cohesion and storytelling (I'm looking at you, Mr. Song, a character I'm sure most people will forget about by episode 10).

THE MEN ARE TOO OBSESSED WITH ROMANTIC PURSUITS. I was really misled the MDL synopsis of this drama. I saw the words "magistrate", "murder case", and "battle of wits" and thought there would be some great court justice and power plays. But instead, it is a story about a single matrilocal family trying to play match maker for the eldest daughter, while every other sister is running 100 schemes to dethrone her. Constant petty fights, schemes that are malicious at their core (and sometimes even murderous), adult men growing crazed and betraying their conscience because they've "fallen in love", and grown-up women whining and pouting and throwing tantrums like they are 5 years old (and I'm not even referring to the mentally handicapped sister).
And the "search for a son-in-law" really dragggggged along. Such an uninteresting plotline about testing all these non-main/barely supporting character suitors that just kept going around in circles, and that almost exclusively takes places inside of a single household for many, many episodes. All this for the sake of one woman trying to pick a suitor amongst a handful of suitors that NEVER LEAVE HER HOUSE, even after she picks (and then picks again).

EVERYONE IS A BAD PERSON. Why would a writer create a world in which 90% of the characters at a certain point do something that is unforgivable? Whether it be murder, framing, betraying family members, abandoning children, scheming in a way that ruins someone's future, or scheming in a way that only benefits oneself regardless of whoever suffers because of it. Being an unjust and cruel boss, being a gossip who sows seeds of distrust, division, and resentment in others. There were way too many people for whom I saw there actions and thought "okay, I am no longer tracking with how evil and inhumane you can be. Unless you are designed to a pure villain whose motivations are past all understanding and purely written to dramatize the plot, there's no reason for you to behave this way." Thinking this was about one character is fine, I guess (although the signs of a really well written script is when even the main adversary is understandable, you don't agree with what they are doing but you can understand all of the circumstances that led up to this person choosing to behave in such a way.) But multiple characters making you feel this way is very unrealistic and just takes me out of the show entirely.
Even the FL is pretty flawed. How she handled the court case at the midpoint of the series was pretty underhanded. It seemed like she committed perjury and only stood on the side of justice in the end because she was put in a corner (although maybe we are supposed to believe that was her plan all along). I don't really like any character at this point, so why should I care to see how your story unfolds? The entire Rong family is pretty rotten to the core and deserves to fall into ruin, even though they aren't necessarily producing any evil in their society, just look at the ruthless, selfish, sinister daughters that they have produced? The ML may be the only good guy, but he alone cannot shoulder the entire drama. And the drama is firmly hinting that any other redeemable character you still see at the midway point will soon devolve into villainy as well.

TL/DR; Everyone is a villain at some point. Too many narcissistic, mal-intended characters left unchecked. Too many sisters from hell and jealous SMLs out to destroy the main CP. And there is an unnecessary web of characters that should have been thinned out and can be attributed to sloppy writing. I felt more moments of frustration than peace while watching. so I don't want to continue.

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