Reviews

Brilliant Acting and Costumes but Romance Needs More Screen Time

After binge-watching several of Ryan Chang’s dramas in 2025, I was really looking forward to How Dare You?

That trailer looked so promising. But they did us so dirty, including all that romance into the teaser material and not into the actual drama.

The early episodes were great—fast-paced and filled with action, with our leads getting plenty of screen time while pretending to be a couple while doing their shenanigans. However, after episode 10, things started to slow down considerably. Suddenly, supporting characters, who were not all that interesting to begin with, got way too much screen time. Those dragged-out scenes really could have been cut down simply to get the point across and not hog my TV.

I felt like I was watching less of a romance drama and more of a political drama with slight romance 2/3 of the scram a. The leads hardly interacted in the middle stretch of the drama. And there was a considerable lack of romantic situations, which was disappointing since the trailer set up expectations for a lot more romance.

Sure, there were some great emotional moments between our couple—like the intense post library fire scene early in the drama—so it was frustrating when romance took a backseat for many episodes. With all the intrigues and unnecessary character scheming being spoon fed to us as if we couldn’t read between the lines, it felt like those elements could have been implied rather than shown. It seemed like many characters were added just to be killed off.

And yes, be prepared – people drop like flies here. People who waste the screen for the third of the drama. I don’t mind it sometimes when the characters are interesting, but as I’ve said, maybe only one or two were actually interesting.

In the middle, it felt like I was waiting forever for anything to happen again between Xiahou Dan & Yu Wan Yin. They were just going in circles.

Things pick up a little bit in episode 19. Romance picks up in episode 20. Finally.

After episode 25 the plot picks up too and becomes interesting. Episode 30 has some great military action sequence. We get some really cool visuals of Xiahou Dan in disguise. A must rewatch scene right before they take the capital.

The addition of characters like Flower was cute, and I wish she had been introduced earlier. Even though she is not who she is she says. I think she was one of those interesting characters that I like to see in the dramas.

The final seven episodes are mostly satisfying, though the last two dragged a bit. Still, everyone who was still alive had their stories wrapped up reasonably well.

That said, some plot points—like Xiahou Dan's character and the fate of the little crown prince—are frustratingly overlooked. It feels like important elements were introduced but never fully explored. I mean, the guy spent half his life in this world which was mostly hell for him. Why Yu Wan Yin never asked Xiahou Dan about his actual biological son after she found out how long he had been inside the novel world beats me. I think any woman would ask, considering how he treated the boy. Yes, he has his reasons. Yes they showed us what happened in a very quick two second snippet that some may have overlooked, but Yu Wan Yin did not see that snippet. So I’m just wondering whether the writers introduced this bit but then glossed over it. Actually, I don’t think they glossed over it. I think they just ignored it. If you introduce something this difficult, then you need to really close this topic properly.

Another thing I did not really get is why make Xie Yong Er from a completely different world. I just did not see the point. Again if you introduce this bit, explore it better. Otherwise, just make it from the same world as the rest of the characters who transmigrated.

In summary, this is a good drama, but I’ve seen better. The pacing is all over the place, especially in the middle, where side characters take up too much valuable screen time that could have been better spent on the leads. If you're a fan of the lead actors, you will enjoy it, but if you're looking for heavy romance, you'll find How Dare You? May know that satisfy your craving.

I also want to comment on acting in this drama.

Acting here was amazing from pretty much everyone. That includes all the child actors.

Ryan Chang here is on fire. He is one of those versatile actors who really shines no matter what kind of emotion he has to play. But he is particularly good costume dramas. In this drama, his emperor has a unique dark tragic aura, and his performance in emotional scenes adds extra depth that makes you empathize with his character. He is just as good in comedic moments.

I also really enjoyed the soundtrack.

Another thing I really liked is that this is one of probably a few C-dramas where you see both characters with hair undone and without their outwear going too bad. I mean, they literally look like they’re wearing sleepwear and their hair is down. Everyone knows this a unicorn in Asian costume dramas. They also don’t make a fuss about sleeping in one bed. They gotta do what they gotta do so they just do it without being prude about it. Also a unicorn situation.

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A truly well rounded, beautifully acted series

I loved this series so much. i watched it for Bai Jing Ting and it was fantastic. Each character was well rounded and believable. The second couple were a little bit slow but at the end it worked out and made sense. It was good to see Bai Jing Ting being playful, it was so endearing. A great mix of hospital and police, and enough action to keep the show moving.

I will definitely watch this again.

The only thing that let it down, for me, was the styling. Apart from his sister and the men, the two main females were dressed appallingly! The FL was beyond drab, I know they were trying to portray her as someone too busy for her appearance (I think) but it was quite ridiculous. The SFL was equally mostly awfully dressed. A minor irritation, just really awful styling.

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surfjava are my everything

okay so after head 2 head i was SO excited to see surfjava again and omg they did NOT disappoint in the slightest. let me just start off by saying that their chemistry is so real and genuine its kinda insane. like yall surfjava are not PLAYING these two are good at what they do. i think they both did a great job with their roles, and im not just saying this because i love them. the story is also a super fun, little story with not too much to it. its simple, its fun, its cute, and i had a great time with it.

i was suspicious of the muteluv series because i didn't think that gmmtv could pull off stories with real depth in only four episodes. while i haven't watched all of the different stories, both love me if you swear and hi! by my luck were both really well done, and i'm pleasantly surprised by their quality. the writing is sharp, the editing isn't the usual gmmtv over-the-top-corny, and, of course, the acting is on point. i want to reiterate that this series truly shines because of surfjava and their absolutely incredible performances. literally sooooooo good omg.

last thing, louis did such a good job in this show like.. he's always a scene stealer for me no matter what he's in and this is no exception, messi is an absolute cutie!! in conclusion, this show is a FANTASTIC short series and i am so pleased with how gmmtv handled this. i hope surfjava have a new series soon idk what im gonna do without them :(

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Adorable

The best thing about this show was the dynamic between the leads. Lee Dong Wook and Yoo In Ah’s characters are so adorable, and I love how they bring out the best parts of each other.

It was a very low-stakes drama, which is nice once in a while. They built good momentum in the first few episodes, but petered off in the last half. I think it lacked the law aspect, and it would have been interesting if they balanced it better with the romance. The one murder case was gripping? And I wish full episodes were dedicated to cases as well; the few we got were resolved within the same episode and felt thrown in.

I also wish Oh Jin Shim decided to stay on as a lawyer or secretary instead of making a comeback in acting because you could tell how passionate she was while working at the office; but I’m glad she was happy with what she got.

The most cliched part of the plot was the temporary breakup/misunderstanding. It didn’t need to be there. They could have written couple conflict that didn’t involve the, “I had to let you go so you could be happy,” trope.

Lee Dong Wook (per usual) aced his role. His character felt very genuine, and I loved how he portrayed a misunderstood but very caring person. Yoo In Ah’s character also grew on me as we saw who she was beyond the actress, and they were perfect for each other.

Story wise, it was okay, and I probably wouldn’t watch again. But the actors and their chemistry had me hooked!

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More Than Just Fights

I didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did. It’s chaotic in the best way, like 95% fighting and 5% actual studying.

The OST goes hard. Bang Yedam’s track hit me emotionally, and Seok Matthew and Park Gunwook’s track was a total banger.

The main and subplots were solid, with a satisfying twist.

The humor balances the action well, and surprisingly, some scenes were genuinely emotional and touching.

Minhyun fit his role perfectly. Strong casting and well-built backstories made every character memorable, even the mom was cool.

Still looking forward to season 2.

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A Design Forged Time (2025) is a really nice romance miniseries with Liu Xiaoxu (as Huo Yu Cheng) and Lan Lan (as Zhuang Qian Xi) in the leading couple’s role. The cast did a good job bringing their characters to life and the leading couple had a fantastic romance chemistry and delightful interactions; their relationship was slow burn but they were both determined and committed to their relationship.
In the meantime, this drama can be found in YouTube under the caption:“I was abandoned by a jerk, but as soon as his CEO uncle found out, he proposed to me!” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9wvyR9gVmE)

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Powerful casts but ends up being underwhelming drama.

I watched this on the day this drama was released so it's quite fresh review. All three lead actors are ones I follow, so I'll have to judge this drama as soon as possible and this drama was Zhang Xuan and Chen Linmiao version (it was the best one in terms everything acting and plot, i recommend this one) and compare to the previous version i mentioned, this version didn't live my expectation.

The plot was revised into bad state. Wang Kaimu acting really show how his limited skill was. He is playing a suave warlord but felt like a good student pretending to be a bully. Wang Nan's portrayal of the villain was good, with his red eyes being quite endearing. In this version, SML never likes FL and it was shown on when he pulls the trigger while holding the FL's hand, it feels like he just doesn't want to see FL happy instead of being jealous.

Zhi Chun He portrayal of FL was completely being nerfed in here. I didn't have any good memorable about her scene. Not saying she was bad actress but FL character was not too strong like other version. FL was too calm into passive mode in this version. Wang Kaimu and Zhi Chun He visual were quite match for uncle loli story but the chemistry were barely minimum. I preferred their interaction on BTS scene more than actual drama. Because the historical and political struggles were almost entirely cut from the series, the ending felt rushed.

The costumes and props for the drama are beautiful, and the two MLs are quite handsome, but after watching it, I realized they're not a good match. Those who like this version will love it, while those who don't will feel it's a waste of the actors' talent.

For hardcore fans only.

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Worth the Watch… But Not Without Skipping

The acting was solid, and the leads were convincing in their affection...but I couldn’t fully buy into their chemistry. The plot felt stretched out, especially with 56 episodes, and I skimmed through a lot of filler. The whole immortal-god-falling-for-someone-way-younger trope felt off to me, even if it’s fantasy. I wanted a stronger reason for their bond, beyond power or old debts. I also wasn’t thrilled that the female lead had to struggle so much. That said, curiosity kept me going, and while I didn’t love the drawn-out misunderstandings, it had enough romance to keep me hooked...just not as much as “Eternal Love.”

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Melodramatic tale of love, honor, and betrayal

Twelve Deadly Coins was a melodramatic tale of honor, duty, betrayal, and love at first sight. A fairly typical 1960s wuxia with the exception of more buckets of rain-soaked melodrama than blood.

Chief Yu runs a successful escort service and is the famous Twelve Deadly Coins Master. His son, Yu Hua, is an overly entitled idiot who is often helped behind the scenes by poor born Chiao Mao. When Chief Yu gives Hua the job of escorting 200,000 taels of silver for the military, Chiao begs the Chief to let him help. Hua takes it as an insult and orders him not to show his face. Chiao follows to make sure the drive goes well, but the notorious one-eyed bandit Yuan Cheng Lieh and his band of thieves’ attack, leaving few alive and absconding with the loot. Chiao follows the bad guys to try and recover the silver, unaware that Hua is spreading the news that Chiao is a spy and caused the theft that ruined the family. No good deed goes unpunished…

This was one of Lo Lieh’s early films when he played the hero before being relegated to villain roles. Chiao Mao was overly earnest and duty bound, completely accepting of his low status. He and the adopted daughter of the Iron Thorns fell hopelessly in love during a heated moment in battle. Lo always gave a strong performance even when it bordered on treacle. Ching Li as Yuan Rung was the gorgeous swordswoman who fell in love with Chiao at a glance. The two young people suffered for their love and their clans’ hatred of each other.

Fang Mien and Tien Feng played the two warring masters with expert aplomb. Poor Fang had the worst and yet funniest prosthetic eye I’ve ever seen. A young Wu Ma played Red Hair Bear wearing a horrendous crimson wig. The martial arts directors got in on the fun as well. Tang Chia played one of the bandits and Lau Kar Leung was a quickly killed off Coin escort. The fight choreography was solid and typical of the late 60s. There was copious use of low-tech wires and trampolines. Aside from the airborne coins and iron thorns, most of the fighting involved swords and other pointy weapons.

Twelve Deadly Coins was entertaining despite the ham-fisted melodrama and deadly misunderstandings. Pretty sure it had one of the longest death speeches I’ve ever heard. Are we sure he’s dying? The sets and scenery helped sell the story though the minute I saw the long set of stairs I wondered who would be tumbling down them. The noble honor idiocy was laid on as thick as a mason’s mortar which lowered my score. Though I almost bumped it back up when one character that was annoyingly wearisome received his due. I was actually pleased about the hero who literally walked off into the sunset. Only for fans of old martial arts films and as always, I rate them on a curve.

2 March 2026
Trigger warnings: One person was un-handed. The body count was high with people dying from a wide variety of bloody wounds though no Chang Cheh blood spewing wounds. Attempted sexual assault.

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On the edge of my seat every two episodes.

While I have my own critique about the decisions of the last round of, probably ten last episodes, when it comes to the script's timeline, I have to say that last scene saved it with the meaning of a great journey. Sometimes stories are for the characters themselves, and Zang Hai's journey deserved that change of pacing in his own life.

A taste of happiness, and melancholy, an usual feeling in cdramas, that I personally vibe with.
A series that had me on the edge of my seat every two episodes, it's not something that usually happens.

There's a scene of more or less ten minutes that barely had spoken words, with Zang Hai planning and plotting, focused in the Gui Seal, as a prior action scene. And I was thinking, if this series was a western production, instead of ten minutes, that scene would have lasted barely five seconds. So I can't stop thinking about how chinese series really put emphasis on the art, all that craft would've gone to waste in tv series that have no idea how to write nor to respect an audience. So I hope chinese productions always keep their craft chinese, and focused on the art of making, and always keep the craft above hegemonic hypes. Culture is beautiful when it's not invisible.

The cast, the craft, the direction, wonderful.

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One of the best cdramas of that time

i started it without seeing anything about it i just found it on youtube while scrolling and decided to give it a try since evan is the male lead and i really liked him in Fall In Love, i also really wanted to try a wan peng cdrama but her as the female lead since i loved her in support roles , and IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT i have binge watched it in 2 days i couldnt stop wathcing it the first 17 episodes really felt like a blurr, from the first 3 episodes i knew it was gonna be one of my favourites. Though the story got messy in the middle i felt like it was necessary for them to go through that phase, since at first the relationship felt very very rushed they needed a step back it was good for both of them, only thing i have about this cdrama is that the ending WAS SO RUSHED it was extremely rushed none of the story wrap ups actually wrapped up well, the scene of her stomache ache really made no sense it didnt add anything to the plot . OSTS are one of the best osts ive heard in my life evan has such a great voice it matches very well with the vibes of this drama and 'meeting you' is by far in my TOP 5 Osts its very very sweet it will always remind me of them.

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