Reviews

It Looks Repetitive But It Isn’t

After episode 20, it honestly feels like just another C-drama. The familiar setup appears: separation, sacrifice, misunderstandings that push the leads apart. For a moment, it seems like the same cycle we’ve seen countless times.

But stop — there’s more.

Unlike many earlier C-dramas where misunderstandings escalate into hurting each other, emotional damage or stubborn silence, this drama handles conflict differently. They don’t intentionally wound each other. Even when separated, they continue to protect and support one another.

The biggest shift is growth. The ML reflects. He allows others to point out that poor communication caused the misunderstanding — and instead of reacting with pride, he re-evaluates himself. That evolution is rare.

The distinction between love and toxic obsession is clearly drawn. When he asks her not to appear before him, she leaves immediately. Not out of weakness but respect and dignity. That moment defines mature love.

Their vulnerability arc is subtle but powerful. The ML initially sees the FL as noble and emotionally untouchable. She breaks that illusion by acknowledging she cannot live without him. While he sure takes his time and only was able to show his vulnerable side in his drunken confession it still will become the turning point that has unconcealed future emotional openness.

The supporting characters are thoughtfully written I can write a whole review for them and still my admiration for them won't be enough to put in the writing the FL’s father, Princess Tianyi, her loved one (this character lifts the drama alone), the comedic friend and the two male (whatever is it called). Each adds texture rather than filler.

The FL is emotionally more mature than the ML, and he recognizes it and grows.The villains work well, though slightly two-dimensional.

What seems predictable at first gradually reveals itself as an evolution of the genre — not by avoiding tropes, but by handling them with awareness and growth.

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Lukewarm drama.

I watched this because of Shi Xuejing but i had lukewarm feeling about this drama. It didn't memorable enough for me.

ML is an anorexic prince, very tsundere, but surprisingly resilient, he can go five days without eating and not collapse. The female lead is a chatterbox, Shi Xuejing's absolute comfort zone, like a script tailor-made for her, not much different from her previous characters.

The beginning is quite good, but the later plot revolves around the restaurant competition, resulting in a slight decline in quality. However, it's clear the director and screenwriter's handling of the romance is slightly weak. Average drama but actually the food doesn't look appetizing enough for me.

This is generic drama, lacking surprises, the actors didn't show any breakthroughs, and neither did the director. Also ,ML is just a background character.

Only for hardcore fans

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Till the End of the Moon is literally the definition of "emotional damage" ??

Tantai Jin’s life was just one big tragedy from the literal womb until his very last breath like, can the universe give this man a break for once?! He spent his whole life being bullied, hated, and betrayed, and just when he finally got a tiny, microscopic slice of happiness with Li Susu, the plot just snatched it away and threw him into more despair. It’s actually insane how he sacrificed everything for a world that never even showed him an ounce of kindness. My heart is honestly in pieces!

I swear, the story is so unique and the visuals are top-tier, but that ending heartbreak. I love the drama to bits but there is NO WAY I’m ever watching it again because the pain is just too much to handle. It’s a literal masterpiece of misery and I’ve officially run out of tears. Consider my heart permanently shattered I’m closing this chapter and never looking back because it’s just too painful to relive that trauma!

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zhang miaoyi and Zhou Yiran should have another drama together!

I saw this drama on 2023 while it was still ongoing. At first i didn't want to watch it especially it has 24 eps and have 1h duration but i saw an edit where it was said that the male lead was the guy from "falling into your smile". It interest me cause yiran have a cute dimple. When i atch it i didn't expect to be obsessed with Miaoyi and her acting skills! She became my fav and know i'm waiting for every drama she stars in!! When I fly towards you is a very light, healthy, cute drama that is so clean and no unnecessary drama! i love how it's awkward in some time but it's perfect considering that its a high school drama! The musi are on point! Beautiful music, cast, and acting! I'm currently watching it for the nth time and i will always be grateful to those editor's who made edits of this drama!!!!

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"The Story Sucks"

Jazz for Two is an enemies-to-lovers BL series, and honestly, nothing hits quite like this trope when it’s done right. Trust me — this one had huge potential to be a banger, but unfortunately it ended up falling flat.

The main problem with this series is that it does so many things that should never have been done. The story felt like a walking trash bin. Han Tae I was a massive red flag for me. He was literally abusing Yun Se Heon for no valid reason. Having past trauma does not justify that kind of behavior. Please stop romanticizing sexual harassment in dramas — it’s gross.

When it comes to the acting and visuals, they were genuinely good. My disappointment lies purely with the writing.

Now, about the second couple — I was seriously hyped for them, but once again, we got another bully dynamic. Juha wasn’t exactly evil, but the whole “I acted badly for my sister” excuse? Absolutely not. If that’s the justification, he seriously needs therapy. He kept bullying Do Yun repeatedly, and the show still tries to normalize this mess in the name of love.

Juha is a walking red flag, and Do Yun is completely color-blind to it.

The ending also felt rushed. Overall, almost every aspect of this series needs major improvement. That said, I don’t regret watching it — but it definitely wasn’t a good drama.

And honestly, the biggest culprit here is the writing.

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Enjoyable escapism

This drama is good cotton candy. If you are in for the plot, you'll be disappointed. There are some plot holes and loose ends nothing major and the drama makes up for it in bunches thanks to its great acting, comedy and visuals. Chu Ran was made for this role where she can be silly and showcase her comedic talent. She was giving off some young Julia Robert vibes. On top of that she looked so beautiful in those dresses. As the lead couple, Chu Ran and Ryan cannot be more photogenic. Their chemistry and banter is what also keeps you in the drama. I particularly enjoyed their lines where as transmigrators, they talked about pop culture and how to identify if someone is from the modern era or just a character who only exists in the book.

For the plot you have to be more forgiving, although it does have some twists and character reveals that were not telegraphed so it was not all completely predictable. The side characters, in particular the ML's bodyguard, were also fun to watch. With regard to the secondary leads, Yi Xuan from Unforgettable Love (2021) is lovely and radiant as always (I never get tired of her beaming smile) while Xiao Tian from My Little Happiness (2021) always does a great job even though the script didn't offer him much to chew on. The same goes for the Empress who was another antagonist that could have used more of a backstory to give her depth. Nevertheless, the shortcomings are not too significant when considering the drama for its visuals, the chemistry between the leads and its bright and colorful cinematography.

The ending is great, full of positive vibes, and it was beautifully shot. In sum, while the plot and character development are not top-notch (I did fast forward here and there), the selling point here is the beautiful and charming Chu Ran, along with the great casting, comedy and the visuals. These alone make the drama a good watch for carefree and enjoyable escapism.

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I was surprised by the stellar acting & good storytelling

I was moody & getting headache on Saturday evening because of unexpected work during daytime. I wasn't in the mood for new releases but still wanted to watch a vertical drama so I picked this title from my watchlist. Wow this drama went beyond my expectation. I liked it a lot!

What I liked:
1. Acting - Wow, Ma Qiu Yuan impressed me with her stellar acting. Her character's frustrations & desperation reached my heart. He Cong Rui gave a great performance too - he was expressive despite his character's cold demeanour. Palpable chemistry between MQY & HCR.
2. FL characterisation - Her life was filled with misfortunes but she was tenacious. It was good to see her vulnerability.
3. ML characterisation - He was a jerk at first but slowly became a better man after getting to know FL. I liked that he accepted FL's decision when she asked for breakup. He also prioritised FL's studies.
4. Romance - Rocky at first because ML treated her like a plaything. However the relationship became caring once ML understood the situation that FL was facing. I enjoyed the tender moments between FL and ML especially the face caress.
5. Supporting characters - I liked ML's assistant a lot because of his perceptiveness. I also liked ML's mother, the traditional healer, FL's friend & FL's brother.
6. Styling - I liked FL's kooky jumpers. I noticed how small MQY was when I saw her shoes.
7. Writing - I thought this was going to be another Cold CEO with naïve poor virgin. Whoa I was wrong - there were many twists.

What I disliked:
1. Antagonists - I knew that he was a baddie. ML's arranged fiancee was snobbish and atrocious. Glad they got retribution.
2. ML's actions - I disliked ML as first because of his red flag tendency. The forced kisses were a turn off.

Favourite scene
When FL told ML about her frustrations around episode 31

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This was a tough one and here’s why……..

This drama was a tough one…..I can 100 percent see why its rated so high. Because when this drama was good it was sooo good!! The acting was amazing, character development was there and chemistry was amazing. The problem was it took like 18 episodes for it to be good, I mean there were moments in these episodes that were decent and kept me interested but, I was fighting though the first 18 episodes because everyone kept saying its amazing and so good. I just felt like we didnt need 18 long episodes to get to the point of the drama. Im used to CDramas taking forever for the couple to get together but at least the plot is unrevealing at the same time. This one they spent so much time world building and connected to charaters to one another and then final when the show is almost over did we get answers and the main couple finally got together. But with that being said I still rate this drama a solid 8 cuz the last 10 episodes were sooooo good, and worth the wait. The wrap up time didnt feel rushed and for that I am greatful. I would recommend this drama to romance lovers despite how long it took to get good.

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cutest bl everrrr

ITS SOOO PEAKKK saturdays are amazing because that just means a new episode of dwu is outtttt istg it fills something in my heart that hasn't been filled, its so darn cute, every damn episode i'm geeked out. if you love golden retriever v. black cat this is your cup of tea. its so cute how duang is always chasing qin and hes just a chill guy not giving a f. but u can tell throughout every episode that they have this unmatched connection with one another. duang taught me to authentically be yourself, he really doesn't gaf about what others think and is just chasing his man. ahhh hes such a cutie HIGHLY HIGHLYYY REOCMMENDDD best bl dare i say of 2026 def my comfort show i love duang and qin cant wait for new episodes;)))

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Force love on gender reverse role

I watched this drama because of Sun Qian Xun. The beginning of the drama is a bit exaggerated, it was fun but i don't like it since it was sexual harassment but in gender reverse role. FL has bipolar disorder and quite pervert .

The plot is about FL who finds ML through genetic matching and is determined to have a child with him since her grandmother is seriously ill. ML is an orphan who was adopted by a wealthy family as a child and was humiliated and abused by their children.

At first, she directly tries to steal the ML, thinking she can sleep with him whenever she wants. Although FL is quite skilled, the ML is wary and prevents her from succeeding. FL starts by influencing the ML's grandmother, gaining her trust as she's anxious about his marriage and moving into his house

Wang Chaoyang in this drama was quite unfortunate, he is damsel in distress ML and it's Sun Qian Xun who don't get unfortunate and it become her remark as strong woman.

But believe me, the plot flows smoothly, and the setup is well-done. The revelation of the ML's past is very reasonable, with well-executed plot twists.

Still decent drama if you don't mind the first scene.

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A Positively Mixed Bag

Disclaimer: I read the manhwa
All spoilers mentioned are related to the manhwa. Only broad and generalized comments about the Drama was mentioned.

The GOOD:

As a stand alone romance drama, Positively yours was pretty average. It has everything needed for a romantic plot: a prince charming, a damsel, a wicked witch and a supportive cast. If you have NOT read the manhwa I would rate almost 7.

I enjoyed the evil sister in law's villain arc. It was satisfying to watch in a makjang. was she over the top sometimes, yes but I was there for it. I also loved the personal assistant. He was such a scene stealer with his one liners. I enjoyed the supportiveness of ML's niece and FL's coworkers. Often times they banded around the main couple in solidarity. I also liked the messiness of the ML's father. Most times in dramas, the characters are either from two extremes; either great or terrible. That the ML's father was a muddy mess was a delight to watch. He was definitely the SIL's villain origin story and created a lot of problems with his poor decisions. These decisions affected people negatively around him.

Overall the drama was ok but I'm judging from the source material.


The BAD:

As an adaptation, this drama sucked big time. This was one of the worst I've seen. In my opinion, the writers didn't understand the manhwa at all. The reason why the main couple had issues with marriage and relationships was because of their family values and upbringing. Do Jun comes from a large family and feels smothered at times while Hui won's comes from a broken single family unit that practically abandoned her. Do Jun was terrified of the weight of family and responsibility whereas Hui Won was terrified of the hurt that comes from broken trust.

The drama didn't capture this at all. They just did their own thing.

The love triangle in the plot was horrible because Min Uk was the family she had after her parents neglected her. It was like they stole her support system. He was her nieghbour when they were young and he became her safe haven when things were difficult at home. Min Uk was the first person to show her sincerity and because of that she confused her feelings of gratitude for love. It was why she felt so betrayed when her best friends were dating behind her back.

And as much as I enjoyed the SIL, she was the solution to a problem that never existed. The manhwa was character driven so there weren't any real Heroes or Villains. The characters got in their own way because their hang ups.

And the fact that they erased Hui Won's father was crazy. Hui Won's parents are a core part of her character. Hui Won's father was a man who loved love and at the time of Hui Won's pregnancy, he was getting married for the 4th time (I think). He had numerous relationships throughout Hui Won's life and was the main source of her trust issues.


The UGLY:

My biggest gripe with this drama was how they portrayed Hui Won's mother as a bitter, drunk, single woman. There was no denying she was an awful mother. But her faults lay with her being unable to communicate her feelings to her daughter. The parent's marriage failed because of Hui won's father fun loving nature clashed with her mother's ambition. She wanted to be more than just a wife and mother and wanted a career. She did feel a bit a resentment but it wasn't toward Hui Won holding her back but because of the lack of support she received for trying to pursue her career. She loves her daughter but feels burdened by the mistakes that were made. She had a successful career and was even in a relationship but the drama portrayed her so poorly.

Another peeve was the beer company! I mean why choose that hill to die on? Pregnancy and alcohol! There were so many other controversial topics to exploit. Like career driven mothers, single motherhood, children raised in broken family homes, divorce and remarriage and the impact it has on children. The manhwa had so many topics that I couldn't understand why they had to create such a poor one.

As someone who loves when adaptations come to life, Positively Yours failed to satisfy basic storyline.

TLDR: If you read the manhwa you will hate it. If you didn't it's a normal romance drama

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A detailed analysis of the main characters' interactions, dynamics and their relationships.

Empress Ki is an unforgettable and truly magnificent historical drama with an amazing cast and mesmerising performances especially from HJW and JCW.

First off, JCW was exceptional in this role. This is one of his best performances (another being The Worst of Evil). He plays complex and three-dimensional characters unbelievably well. I didnt expect the emperor to be such a fascinating character and I was immediately drawn to him when he showed up so fearful and innocent on-screen.

The emperor was a flawed hero but so captivating and a pleasure to watch; he poured every emotion out of the character, the same can be said about the beautiful and strong Nyang.

I didnt know the real story or history of Empress Ki so I watched this out of curiosity and interest. The story pulls you in from the first episode and I enjoyed every episode!

What I loved about this drama was that it wasn't a predictable straightforward love story. The ending and outcome were completely different.

From the opening scene and first episode I was expecting an epic love story between the king (Wang Yoo) and Nyang. I predicted Wang Yoo and Nyang would be the main couple, it was set up like that. It made sense as both were from Goreo and he had saved her once when they were children, so they already had a connection from childhood. Despite knowing they were supposed to be the main couple; as the drama continued, I started to become less enthusiastic and convinced about them than the earlier episodes.

The way I watch a film or drama is by believing or accepting what the story is showing or telling me rather than me guessing, assuming or wanting what will happen, especially with love stories. So if I am to believe that wang yoo is the main lead, then why am I seeing the emperor in almost every shot. He had way more exposure than wang yoo. Every time he came on screen with his charming presence and funny antics he stole the show. Wang Yoo was sent away fighting or out of the main plot most of the time which meant not only was he getting less and less screen time but was also apart from Nyang. He just faded into the background.

I began to doubt if Nyang and wang yoo would end up togther. In a love triangle as tense as this and where the first relationship wasn't well executed and then there were too many scenes with her and the emperor togther, I began to feel an emotional detachment for them as a couple.

I was soon more swayed with the emperor and Nyang pairing because it was based on real life and I generally find these stories more appealing. Then on top the emperor and empress's interactions were so natural and addictive to watch.

I needed to see more of a connection with wang yoo and nyang for me to believe in them, and not for them to be shown through memories or dreams and long distance gazes. Initially, I thought she returned to the emperor only for revenge or would stay with him whilst loving another man. I think perhaps that might have been the original storyline; however in this drama she never went back to Wang Yoo, even after her revenge she didn't return and she never uttered words of love to him. As the drama was reaching it's climax wang yoo was then killed off. He died in the penultimate episode. How can the (supposedly) male lead die with one episode left and the other lead still be remaining, unless it is the emperor she'll be with till the end. I was also expecting her to express her feelings to wang yoo after he died, she cried her eyes out but her tears were only of regret and remorse. She kept saying she'd repay him back (possibly out of guilt) after everything he did for her, but there were no expressions of love or regret she had left him or not returned back to him. I was waiting to hear words with emotion or longing for him - it didn't happen. Then I understood, wang yoo wasn't the one!

The main reasons why the emperor felt like the main lead and Nyang and him felt like the end couple in this drama were:

1. Their many interactions and exchanges were playful and cute in the beginning and then later quite passionate.
2. Her thinking about the emperor (example - after Wang Yoo's proposal) left me perplexed. If she truly loved Wang Yoo then she would have happily accepted his proposal even after thinking over it. She could have hesitated for other reasons (not feeling worthy or good enough perhaps), but her thinking of the emperor at that moment made her acceptance to Wang Yoo's proposal feel like a compromise at the end.
3. Their chemistry on screen was more thrilling to watch and they had much more screen time together.
4. Their story from the beginning till end was well thought out and written compared to Wang Yoo and Nyangs story. As a viewer you could see their journey together, their story felt complete.
5. Their scenes generally had a modern romantic setting and vibe normally against a beautiful background creating a visually alluring mood and presence between them.

As I was getting confused with who the main lead was; in the middle of watching the drama I decided to read the real story of Empress Ki. The emperor was fundamental to the plot of her becoming an empress. I then understood in the drama why there was a shift to the emperor and the focus was on them rather than Wang Yoo and Nyang. I think this is an example where the combination of having a story with characters based on real life and a fictional story (that didn't actually happen) can be distracting and possibly unnecessary because wang yoo didn't exist in that history meaning he is unessential to the plot of Nyang rising to power and becoming empress ki. So, either the story had to follow the fictional love triangle plot or the historical plot.
The drama ultimately followed history, with the man that gave Nyang position and title.

One thing to note, Nyang didnt look at or think of wang yoo in the same way after returning to the palace. She shed tears for him remembering what had happened between them but after her and the emperor were intimate and had their own family the drama showed she had moved on. You could see her reluctantly, yet slowly falling for the emperor, the scenes prior to the hunting episode showed her softening towards him. After Wang yoo and Nyangs exchanges were short and formal and when they formed an alliance it was purely for political reasons. She cared enough to show compassion, but maintained her emotional boundaries.

Even though the emperor loved and was obsessed with Nyang; her decisions alone determined her fate at the end. She chose to go back to the emperor knowing how he felt about her, she chose to get emotionally and physically close to him, she chose to stay with him, she chose to remain loyal to him, she chose Ayu and her new family, she chose to become the empress, she chose to love the emperor (her only confession in the drama) and stayed by his side no matter what and she chose to forgive all his wrongdoings. This proves she was never in conflict with who she should be with or loyal to, Nyang's conflict was with her identity and where she really belonged in the world (her being Goryeon in China).

Identity crisis was a running theme throughout the drama and this was her main struggle in the story. Apart from running back to wang yoo (if she truly loved him), another reason to return to her homeland would have been the palace not accepting her. But, the drama didn't show her as a coward or weak who would abandon those she loved. She was a woman whose love for her family forced her to protect them at whatever cost and to survive the conflicts inside and outside the palace. She was tough, strong, cold, more deadly towards her enemies, yet at the same time loyal, protective, stayed true to her principles, never wavering in any situation. This was how the viewers could sympathise and root for our heroine in the drama, as opposed to her becoming revengeful, heartless or powerhungry.

Except for a few issues or weaknesses; the story/plot was close to perfect. If I were to be really picky then the few issues would be, for example Bayan's appearance and storyline felt repetitive after Tanashiri's death. I found El Temur's death was dragged and didn't need to hear his long speech. Also Maha wasn't well thought out or needed in the story. Nyang returned to the palace for revenge over what happened to her son and friends, but she could still have taken her revenge over what happened to them without the baby plot line. He was killed off anyway before knowing who his parents were, so what was the point of his storyline in the first place. He was only used to create more angst and conflict between the main characters and to keep wang yoo in the love triangle which by this point was getting tedious as it didn't make any difference to the plot; nothing changed between Nyang and wang yoo.

Frankly, there was enough drama going on in the palace to keep the viewers attention. The drama should have kept to the politics, conspiracies, conflicts and backstabbing within the palace and then Nyang overcoming all that turmoil and focused on the relationship between the emperor and her, rebuilding the trust and reconnecting with each other. This would have kept more with the real facts and a better story. Near the end, the drama felt rushed because there were so many problems and events that had to be resolved.

Finally, after all the trials and tribulations; the final episode felt incredibly moving. I felt that this episode answered alot of questions especially concerning Nyang. In this final episode when the emperor is sick but still alive in her arms, she could just have let him die without confessing. The viewers knew he loved her and he showed her how much she meant to him. He just wanted her to know he loved her. She did say earlier she would tell him her true feelings one day or when the time was right and from the smile on his face after hearing her confession, it seemed like he already knew it. I'm guessing in those times, saying the words 'I love you' was a big deal, it wasn't frequently said compared to nowadays and only said when really felt or meant it. Wang Yoo had said the words to Nyang in her dream in the previous episode but she hadn't reciprocated his feelings. In fact, in the final episode there was no mention or thoughts about Wang Yoo, even when Wang Yoo's men and Nyang were talking about Eagle House and Wang Yoo's name came up, Nyang appeared indifferent, there was no reaction upon hearing his name.

Wang Yoo had the advantage of meeting Nyang first (in childhood and then later as adults), he had alot of FIRSTS with her.
So, her love confession to the emperor was particularly poignant and special as this was his FIRST with her and also the viewers FINALLY hear her express her real feelings.
Ultimately, Nyang remained strong and loyal to her principles and to the man she fell in love with and a country she adopted as her own.

The ending was emotional and bittersweet. Ayu's voice in the background with his parents riding away was touching. I just wish I could have seen all three togther.

But, it was a perfect ending to a perfect drama!

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Enticing, captivating, intriguing, interesting suspense drama!!!!

With a well written plot, fast paced story, no messy side plots, mind blowing twists and turns,The Wanted Detective, has truly impressed me and by far the best detective drama I have ever watched!!
The storyline and its execution is excellent💯👍
The acting of the cast is perfect.
Wang Xingyue has truly excelled in this role and is phenomenal in his acting. 👌
I liked the friendship between Xiao Beiming, Zhong Xueman, Huo Dairong, Feng Qingzhou and Zhuge Kongyun.
A special mention of Deng Kai as Zhuge Kongyun and He Luoluo as Tong Shuang, they really excelled in their roles. 👏
The music is good, action scenes were perfect with not being over the top, and everything else is good.
This was the drama that kept me hooked right from the start itself and imho, I didn't find any boring moments, but rather was deeply invested in it.
The plot proceeds at a very steady pace, the investigation is very good and how the group join hands together to solve the center problem of the whole drama,is truly impressive😍
On a final note, A HIGHLY RECOMMENDED DRAMA which is teuly thrilling right from the start and takes you on a roller coaster ride of investigation, emotions, friendship, love, hatred,and trust.
Thank you team The wanted detective for this MASTERPIECE. I cant wait to recommend enough this drama., 💯👍👌

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