Reviews

Unsatisfying. No revealed motive for main mystery & the "link" gets limited use

I tried it because it was on Disney+ & I had a free month of it.
It was nonsensical to me that everyone was trying to keep secrets that if shared or if taken to the police, would have helped. Dropping it this early still has me wondering what happened to /who is the sister, but I'm really not enjoying it a whole lot now & looking at the reviews, I don't see a reason to continue when there is alot of other dramas that are more enjoyable.
so other reviewers mentioned :
By the end you need to use your own interpretations to fill in the blanks (plot holes)
The motive for the missing sister is never explained.
main couple separate/ distance themselves from each five+ times.
The link seemed to just be for crying and fear most of the time

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Facial let down

The premise is very interesting as it touches a very interesting topic but the execution and delivery is not great at all the weakest point is the handsome male lead with single facial expression whether that is direction given or acting limitation that should not how social awkwardness should be portrayed the huyn is actually portraying an android trying to be human

Also lead actress is great but she is clearly playing a character younger than she is bur most of the actors look younger so it gives the vibe that she is an older student who got late into university

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Refreshingly Realistic Characters in a Character-Driven Story

This is my first review, but I felt I really needed to explain why this series is worth your time. Please give it a chance if anything I write about resonates with you below :)

SPOILER-FREE PORTION OF REVIEW :

PROS : You should watch this series if you are craving these items :

- realistic character portrayals (flaws, fears, trauma responses, etc.)
- healthy communication (unless it makes sense for a character’s struggle with expressing themselves due to past trauma)
- no over-the-top acting usually typical of GMMTV shows
- minimal sound effect usage beyond the few comedic beats
- JoongDunk & AouBoom’s acting is phenomenal and natural with incredible chemistry
- emotional intimacy over tons of NC scenes (there are definitely some hot kissing scenes, don’t worry, but the majority of the intimacy in this series comes from the emotional moments between characters or simple natural touches)
- a female supporting character that ISN’T the villain
- lack of a “true” villain character (except for one person, iykyk) - if we dislike a character, it’s usually because we don’t understand a character fully yet.
- character development that makes sense (mistake —> accountability —> apology —> honesty —> growth)
- character-driven story vs. plot-driven (the plot points take a back seat to the characters' relationships and personal growth)

I realize this series isn’t for everyone and that is perfectly fine, but if you are tired of overdramatic plot-lines with a frustrating lack of communication and overly-animated characters, I’d give this one a shot. Sure, there are things I’d change and there will always be critiques, but please don’t ignore this one because of the rating/reviews. It’s simple, yes, but it’s refreshingly realistic and grounded.

PRODUCTION --
The cinematography is GORGEOUS; it’s soft and dreamy, very cinematic and simple but beautiful. Pair that with a refreshing lack of sound effects and properly (but sparingly) placed music cues, and this show had me glued to the screen. Even the background music feels dreamy and relaxed. I'm happy they didn't over exhaust the GMMTV music library with the same music choices we hear over and over again. and used music that didn't overpower the emotional tone during JokeZo talks. Even the music for the NC scene was refreshingly intimate.
ACTING --
Everyone’s acting is refreshingly well-restrained. Don’t get me wrong, I love comedic relief as much as the next person, but I didn’t realize how much I was craving a soft drama storyline with natural comedy that doesn’t make them feel like over-the-top caricatures of normal people backed by sound effects.

MAY CONTAIN LOOSE SPOILERS BELOW :

DUNK (as Zo) --
After binge-watching all of JoongDunk’s projects, I feel I can credibly say that I think this is Dunk’s best-acted role. Style, from The Heart Killers was wonderfully chaotic and I’ll always love him for it, but Dunk feels so natural as Zo that I sometimes forgot he was acting. Many people don’t understand Dunk’s acting style or they expect him to be high-energy like many GMMTV leads. And when he doesn’t they blame his acting. But as someone who is OBSESSED with eye-acting and micro-expressions, I thoroughly appreciate Dunk’s acting, especially as Zo. He’s written as a character that is relatively closed-off when it comes to expressing his feelings and overthinks many situations. Maybe it's because I relate so heavily to Zo, but I was genuinely feeling everything he felt throughout the series: his anxiety with whether to trust his head or his heart first, needing time to understand his own emotions (end then not even trusting them fully when it adds something good to his life), never feeling like he lives up to standards he places on himself, being stuck in his head while blaming himself for everyone else's emotions, etc.
Dunk did wonderful playing this normal but complex character - perfect casting in my opinion.

STORY --
The dialogue doesn’t feel forced, the characters feel like genuinely real people, and the importance of good communication feels incredibly natural. After finishing the series, I can confidently say that I this series (in my opinion) is one of the most relatable and honest BL's I've seen so far. Every character is written so well; they don't feel like characters made to fill a quota for a specific plot, but like normal people with realistic character arcs, fears, and trauma responses. They structured the story to encourage us, the audience, to make snap judgements when a character made a questionable decision and then later, when they were ready, would reveal a truth that would help us understand their actions.

For example: while I would have loved for them to touch on Joke's family dynamic earlier in the series, it makes complete sense that we would only learn about it in the final episode. The writers set everything up perfectly for his character so that when we discover his family dynamic, we have an ""Ah-ha!"" moment. All of a sudden, everything made sense to me: Joke's need to help Zo feel appreciated (because Joke didn't in his own family), encouraging Zo to feel his emotions fully (while neglecting his own), and clinging hard to his relationships (for fear of losing the people closest to him). Even his ability to read emotions so well is a common trait of people who grow up in emotionally-closed-off households.

THIS is how you write realistic characters. This is how it is in real life relationships: we don't ever have all the information on those around us, we all have our limits, and nothing is black and white. These characters are so special to me because they weren't perfect. They made mistakes, sought forgiveness, and grew.

I've seen many reviews calling this series boring or lacking in plot, but honestly, I felt it was pretty much perfect. Maybe it's just where I'm at in my life, seeking comfort in knowing there are people in the world that also struggle with overthinking, masking emotions, and just wanting to make their loved ones proud, but I believe if more people approached this series with a more open mind and an empathetic heart, they'd get a lot out of it.

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Great cast with a decent plot

Although the drama has been primarily promoted as a comedy, and while I didn't dislike it in that aspect, I feel its strongest moments are undoubtedly the most serious. The conflicts and obstacles are quite simple and predictable; the tension never quite explodes, and the stakes don't feel entirely convincing.

However, its greatest strength lies in the casting and character development. Both the main and supporting characters are very well-developed, which makes a script without too many surprising elements stand out more than one might expect within its genre.

Up until episode 10, I was enjoying it, but it didn't strike me as anything exceptional; I kept watching mainly because of the performances of the main cast. From then on, I started to connect more with the story, although not all parts interested me equally, and it never completely captivated me. And since that's important to me, it's the reason I only give it a 7.5/10: as much as the characters and their performances fascinated me, they don't quite compensate for a plot I consider somewhat weak.

I want to especially highlight Wang Churan, the only member of the main cast I hadn't seen before, and who completely captivated me; every time she appeared on screen, my attention was drawn to her. In contrast, the Empress as the antagonist struck me as unconvincing, almost cartoonish, while Prince Duan seemed a much more complete and better-developed character.

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One of my favorite Bls of all time

I don't know why people are saying that the plot is too confusing, boring, or even lazy and cliché. Personally i think it's a series that feels a little unsual,you don’t often see such a serious and maybe dense plot in BLs, and that’s exactly what I liked about it. The way it tells a story that isn’t necessarily a romance at first sight makes it more than that. I would love to see more Bls that are a little more experimental, and are not afraid to show a "confusing" plot. I say confusing, but honestly, i dont think is that confusing, you just have to be watching the series, as it stupid as that sounds lol.
That said, I definitely understand people who didn’t get it because they were watching the series as it was airing, i did too, and im not gonna lie i was a little complicated that i dropped it, but i rewatched it and it was totally worth it. I definitely recomeded it, but only if you are for an actually plotline along with the romance.

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I love Joong and Dunk but this series is not highlighting their talent/chemistry

This story could have been amazing but the amount of genre swapping in terms of tone throughout the series made it really difficult to be invested in. Serious murders are happening but Jade and Kamin are off being romantic instead actually taking anything seriously.
The characters could have been interesting but they didn't have enough time to develop, having loved series' like manner of death this attempt at that genre is poor.
They really needed the investigation to be at the forefront rather than the back and let JDs chemistry do the romance building through a few (like literally a few instead 200) flightatious remarks and lingering glances. The runtime could have been extended to increase the investigation sections or just half of the romance bits could have been shortened and that would have made the series a least somewhat better.
At times the colours and lighting was also very off and looked rather awful making their skin look sallow and jaundice.
I don't want to say but this is probably the only JD series I'll never rewatch.

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Boring

"Drama" it is not.

It's the same old story told a thousand times. Unfortunately, I can't find enough redeeming qualities to keep me watching.

Yes, the fact that the leads aren't in their early twenties is a nice change. But neither of them is at all appealing. Come on, we KNOW there's eye candy out there in their thirties and forties. "Love is For Suckers" comes to mind.

Evil mother, evil sister-in-law, m/f besties dating behind your back, unplanned pregnancy after a one night stand you can't forget..at least there's no time travel or malevolent spirits.

Glad I didn't expect much. At least I'm not too disappointed l

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Moving

Using shots and subtle character development, the story Pavane moved my heart ever so subtly and would have had me thinking for days if I had let it. Observation of the human condition, curiously done. However, it did leave a lot to be desired. A lot of moments were left hanging, leaving the viewer to wonder what it even meant and what was going on in that moment. There were a few scenes I thought were sort of displaced or disjointed, trying too hard to be edgy or in an attempt at unnecessary shock value, I'm not so sure. However, there was a humanness about it that I cannot dismiss.

I would have given it an 8, but I was truly moved at the end of it. The extra .5 is a point for sentimentality, well done. I was left surprised and melancholy by the end, which is interesting because I hadn't thought the movie had done enough to make me feel that much for the characters, though they were interesting and curious. But lo and behold, I ended up feeling more than I thought I would and having more thoughts than I thought it would evoke. The what-ifs and suddenness of the situation left me reeling. So, I think it should be watched without knowing how it ends or without a lot of spoilers about it.

The depiction of how life inevitably moves on after loss is heartbreaking, but realistic and even a little happy in the sense that it's a happy thing that others find the strength to live again, anyway. If I had known how it would end, then I may not have been so melancholy and appreciative about the way I feel about it. There's something about youth that I think odd movies like this capture well. The characters remind me of characters from a John Green book. Full of sometimes warm, but mostly unreasonable and uncanny energy. I was an odd child and experienced life in strong colours when I was younger, and so for me, depictions like this are very human indeed.

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beautiful storyline ?

This is how a relationship should be... They understand each other the best... I love how they grew up together in career and how they supported each other... This drama is full of lessons... If you have watched it correctly it's gonna change your perspective of living your life... It is not finding the perfect person, it is about being the one... I hope this kind of love find everyone ❤️
And I also like how like other dramas they didn't make being drunk a normal thing in daily life... Alcohol is not good for health so drinking a lot everyday should not be promoted in the dramas 😶

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If you like drama like Goblin and that type this is for you.

This drama was really good in some parts and some parts were not interesting to me. At the beginning, Eun ho really annoyed me with her behavior, but somehow as I continued watching I started to like her and somehow she became a different person in some parts of the episodes, but at the same time she was the same as at the beginning. The last two episodes were so stressful for me because I didn't know what was going to happen and simply in that thriller for the last episode when I saw Kang Si-yeol's grave I was already scared of the end. But honestly, I liked the end and it somehow reminds me of some series that had a similar context to this series.

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Flawed But Not Without Merits

Long story short, I loved it! This drama has lots of flaws and frustrating moments, and it's admittedly not perfect but it still has its fair share of merits.

Many people pointed out the less-than-optimal editing and storytelling, and honestly, it's a bit difficult not to. The editing team did a phenomenal disservice to an otherwise good drama. Especially in the initial episodes where some scenes seemed to have been clumsily stitched together without any regard for the flow, leaving the viewers to read between the lines. But as the story progresses, it gradually gets better and is no longer a major issue. So, if you are willing to give this drama a try, I’d suggest watching at least 6-8 eps before dropping because once you get hooked, it gets better.

The drama has a classical wuxia setting and gives Blood of Youth/Dashing youth and The Untamed vibes with intertwining friendships, love and hatred transcending generations. If you are new to wuxia, it may be overwhelming to keep track of the seemingly important looking unimportant characters sprawled across the board but in hindsight, they are ones who make the Jianghu feel alive and vibrant and help you appreciate the world-building in the long run.

The plot and the characters make for an interesting watch and personally, the cast really pulled through and saved this drama.

Zhou Yiran did a fabulous job portraying Mu Qingyan. He perfectly captured the nuances of MQY and looked absolutely stunning playing him. MQY is a complicated character; he is jealous, obsessive, manipulative, a bit unhinged and morally grey. But he’s also loyal, determined and is willing to go above and beyond to get what he wants because he has seen the people he loves, live with regrets their whole lives. He is very much flawed and at times, a bit difficult to like or defend but it’s still easy to root for him.

Now, Cai Zhao is the free-willed, strong and independent female lead that most writers fail to write. She is emotionally and physically strong and is extremely secure in her standing. She has a go with the flow attitude but is actually willing to take responsibility for her whims and doesn’t expect others to clean up after her or fight her battles. She knows what she wants and followed her heart. She loved MQY in her own way but also refused to compromise and let go of everything else that mattered to her. Some people might call her indecisive, but I’ll forever love CZ for standing her ground. And Bao Shang En deserves so much praise for successfully bringing CZ to life.

The chemistry between the leads is really good but their relationship dynamic is potentially the most problematic part of this drama: They are toxic and rather frustrating to watch at times, so tread carefully. But personally, I think they save themselves before falling from the edge and take time to grow and is actually okay by the end.

And the award for the best second male lead goes to Song Yuzhi! I don’t care what anyone says, I absolutely love him. Yuzhi starts off as the typical cold, rigid, righteous and slightly pretentious 2ML but we soon get to see how clever and surprisingly flexible he is. He did what he thought was right and had a clean conscience. He was always the first to see through MQY’s schemes and called him out on it but never interfered where it wasn’t his place to interfere. And he admired, respected and liked CZ in the best way possible, supportive but never trying to impose or influence her feelings and decisions. And he's so cute, I loved his interactions with his father, who is also an absolute vibe might I add.

The other supporting characters were also written very well. And I simply cannot not mention You Guanyue. He single-handedly uplifted this drama for me ever since he first appeared. He is such a diva and his interactions with literally anyone is a joy to watch.

The character writing is honestly the best part of this drama for me. They start off as typical and risk falling flat but there are certain nuances which give them depth. And most importantly, the writing is consistent. MQY didn’t suddenly stop scheming and become 'good' to be more likable, CZ didn’t just forget she had a life and responsibilities after falling in love, SYZ didn’t become jealous and obsessive out of nowhere just because CZ didn’t love him. The writers being able to move the story forward and portray growth without uncharacteristically altering their personalities is something I can’t help but appreciate.

Now, the plot itself was good but a little weak at times. As much as I understand Cai Pingshu’s importance and why literally everyone admired and loved her, she was overused as the driving force of the plot and emotional building to the point that no one could even have a conversation without someone mentioning her every other minute.

The storytelling was also somewhat lacking, and I can understand the disappointment of the novel readers, especially if they are mourning the potential of what this drama could’ve been. However, as I’ve never read the novel and just watched it as it came, I quite enjoyed this drama. Like I mentioned before, this drama has its flaws and if you wish to pick on it, there would be reasons not to like it. But personally, I think the cinematography, osts, characters and the acting really came together as the story progressed and made it worth a shot.

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"I'll check the shark fins"

Johnnie To’s Exiled was a thrill a minute ride with four gangster friends + 1 exiled ex-gangster friend who had to choose between triad loyalty to the boss or to each other. Throw in a wife and new baby making the stakes even higher.

Wo left the gang years ago after an assassination attempt on the boss. He came back to Macau with his wife and new baby where four old friends are waiting on him. Two are determined to protect him and the other two are assigned to kill him. After a gun fight in his apartment which led to moving furniture and dinner, friendship won out but that left them all in a precarious position with not just one gang, but two.

This is one of those films that I rated on the genre as well as the film itself. The gangster genre can be a lot of lather, rinse, and repeat with double crosses and triple crosses. I was pleased that the friends’ bond was stronger than their triad bond. Of course, that meant copious amounts of blood and flying lead and bodies. The cinematography, music, and lighting were all well above average. The acting was perfect for the characters. Anthony Wong reined in his scenery chewing abilities as did Francis Ng while still making their characters edgy, unique, and decidedly human. Roy Cheung with his gorgeous long hair and Lam Suet made for loyal backseat friends. Given their profession, all of the characters had made acquaintances with Death and found the gallows’ humor in their strange situations.

Wo’s wife played by Josie Ho had an important role to play as did Ellen Chan’s “Hooker.” Simon Yam came to life as the ruthless crime boss. Benz Hui’s retiring cop showed up occasionally to inject humor into scenes and explain why the police never swarmed the buildings being torn apart by gunfire and littered with dead bodies. A Red Bull product placement might have been the best commercial for it ever as that can definitely proved it had wings. The fight choreography was often highly stylized and at other times straight forward yet always highly effective.

I loved the look and feel of the film but it was the friendships that sold me. I had no illusions about how this film would end but still cheered when Ng closed the door. If you enjoy bloody buddy adventures and a different approach to a gangster flick this might be one to try. Probably an 8.0 but I enjoyed it to the end so I gave it an 8.5.

28 February 2026
Trigger warnings: Sexual content, brief nudity, graphic operating scene, lots of blood and violence.

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A young travel executive whose overseas old sweetheart just returned met a feisty young doctor

Plot/Story 8/10
This romance drama appears to be a typical story of quarreling couples who ended up getting romantically involved. The drama also had the typical interruption of their life from their respective parents. Although the story ends well, I still find that it is a little bit sad and wonder if the intention of the writers were to provide more mystery to the story. I did not fully like the direction of the story at the end, although it is not the worst drama story. For this reason, I gave a lower score for the plot/story. I also find that the drama appears to be too long; and with that many episodes, it becomes difficult to predict the outcome of the romantic story that the two main characters are heading.

Cast/Characters
Cast 8.5/10
Yuan Hao is the travel executive played by handsome and known actor Hu Ge. The feisty young eye doctor is Dr. Mao Xiao Chun, played by Wang Xiao Chen. Hao's current girlfriend who just arrived back from the USA is Shan shan, played by beautiful Xu Ba Hui. Zhu Tao is a Beijing owner of a local cafe and friend of Hao, played by Xu Ya Jun. A young, rich guy who started to join the company where Hao works is Luo Yi Yang, played by Elvis Han. Actor Lu Liang played as Hao's dad - an owner of a qipao dress store. Fang fang played as Shan shan's mom, Aunty Pang.
I do not know much about actress Ms. Wang as Dr. Mao, but she looks OK and nothing special. I do like the appearance of actress Xu Ba Hui, and she is pretty and gracious. I also thought that she and Hu Ge would be a better match than between Hu Ge and Ms. Wang.

Characters 8.5/10
The film drama shows the many occasional quarrels and conflicts between Dr. Mao and Hao, culminated with the fire cracker pranks by Dr. Mao and later on by trapping Dr. Mao on top of of the Ferris wheel as a revenge from Hao.
I can feel the frustration of Shan shan when she confronted Hao about the marriage. However, I also found that her western education's manner and etiquettes do not sit well with Hao's up-bringing in China. Therefore, there appears to be a big gap on the connection between the hearts of these two characters after she left for the USA 10 years ago. She finally, however accepted this difference with grace and dignity by returning to the USA without him. They finally parted and she just wants to keep loving him and becomes old friends.
The introduction of young character Luo Yi Yang was a little mystery initially, i.e. who is he> and why he suddenly enters into the life of this drama. Eventually, the mystery is solved. I do not particularly like the extra story about Zhu Tao's niece and relationship with Luo Yi yang, the pet store, etc., which adding too much of the story to this drama.

Music 7/10
Nothing special on the music and tunes of this drama

Re-watch value 7/10
I enjoyed re-watching the beginning of the drama when the two main characters clashed; and near the end when some tragic accident happens.

Scenery/Filmography 7/10
Some nice sceneries and shootings of the grassland, complete with nice huts. Memorable night scene when Shan shan and Hao met together to finally face the fate of their relationship.

Personal comments
- I like the way Shan shan dealt her relationship with Hao. She recognized how things have changed over the last 10 years, and decided to break up with him amicably. She looks so beautiful when she smiles and so understanding.
- both qipao dresses worn by Dr. Mao (white) and Shan shan (blue) are beautiful. I like it better on the one worn by Shan shan.
- I do not particularly like the introduction of Bing bing's character, and the story about expensive handbags drama.
- I do not particularly like the girl who played as Xu'er - Zhu Tao's niece. She looks and behaves like a tomboy. In my opinion, some of her and Lou Yi yang's comic were not funny.

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