Reviews

The Road to Splendor: A Love Letter to My New Obsession (and Why I'm Side-Eyeing My Past Self)

Okay, let me start with a confession: I dropped Melody of a Golden Age after three episodes. I know, I know—please don't throw tomatoes. But here's the thing—The Road to Splendor has me seriously reconsidering my life choices. If this is what Ding Yuxi can do with a role, I owe that drama a second chance. More on that later.

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Zhao Ling: The Man, The Myth, The Salt Smuggler

Let's talk about Ding Yuxi as Zhao Ling for a moment, because I need to scream into the void about this man.

In the beginning, he's a dashing salt smuggler—and I mean this in the most romantic, "every girl's first love should be this" way possible. He's brave, reckless, has swagger for days, and when love hits him? It hits him like a ton of bricks. You can see the exact moment he realizes he's done for. His eyes go from cocky "I'm just here to make money" to "I would burn the world down for this woman" in approximately 2.5 seconds.

And the way he looks at Fu Ting Yun?

If anyone ever looked at me the way Zhao Ling looks at her, I would simply pass away. Daily. I'd be swooning so hard I'd need a fainting couch—and I don't even own one. Ding Yuxi's eyes are SO expressive. I had no idea he could convey that much longing, devotion, and pure yearning with just a glance. He went from reckless smuggler to mature General Zhao who fights for the poor, stands for justice, and somehow got even MORE attractive in the process. How is that fair?

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Fu Ting Yun: The Woman We All Want to Be

Ancy Deng—where do I even begin? She's so young, but her eyes tell a million stories. She was made for this role. Fu Ting Yun is what every girl wants to be when they grow up: intelligent, resourceful, resilient, and absolutely refusing to die quietly in a nunnery after being falsely accused by her own family. She doesn't just survive—she thrives.

And watching her grow? Chef's kiss.

· Fu Clan Ting Yun: The perfect noblewoman, polished and poised.
· Xie Clan Ting Yun: Forced into survival mode, using her wit to navigate treacherous waters.
· Zhao Clan Ting Yun: Finally, finally, finding her equal and her home.

Her growth felt earned. Every scar, every setback, every moment of triumph—I was right there with her. Ancy Deng didn't just play Fu Ting Yun; she inhabited her.

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The Chemistry: SIZZLING

Okay, let's address the elephant in the room: Ding Yuxi and Ancy Deng's chemistry is INSANE.

It's a slow burn romance that starts with mutual respect and survival instincts, grows into partnership and trust, and then—WHEN THEY GET MARRIED—matures into something everlasting and so deeply romantic it made me clutch my chest multiple times.

You know when a couple has chemistry so good that you forget you're watching actors? That's these two. Every glance, every accidental touch, every quiet moment between them felt electric. The way Zhao Ling looks at her like she hung the moon? And the way Fu Ting Yun softens just for him while still being a complete boss? I'm unwell.

Side note: This show convinced me to give Melody of a Golden Age another try. I dropped it the first time, but if Ding Yuxi can deliver this level of performance here, I owe it to myself to revisit. Wish me luck.

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The Supporting Cast: A Perfect Foil

The women of Ganlin Town, Commander Wang, Mo Yi—all of them were perfect foils to Zhao Ling and Fu Ting Yun's growth. They added depth, heart, and sometimes much-needed comic relief.

But let's talk about the villains:

· Wen Zheng as Madame Yu: I HATED HER. And I mean that as the highest compliment. Every time she appeared on screen, I was ready to throw hands. She was SO convincing as the conniving, despicable matriarch that I forgot she's just an actress doing her job. Well done, Wen Zheng. Well done.
· Dong Zi Fan as Yu Jing Xiu: A confused man with all his priorities crossed. His regret arc was tragic and well-acted. You could see the conflict in his eyes—the desire to do right vs. the weight of his family's corruption. He broke my heart a little.

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The Real MVP: On-Location Cinematography

One thing I LOVED about this drama? Real locations over heavy CGI. The mountain and period settings felt lived-in, authentic, and immersive. You could almost smell the tea and feel the river breeze. It gave the whole series such a grounded, earthy feel that so many historical dramas miss with their green-screen backdrops.

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The Ending: Satisfying & Sweet

The 36-episode run wrapped up beautifully. Zhao Ling resigning from the court to live a peaceful, quiet life with Tingyun? YES. After being used as political tools the entire series, they deserved their happy ending. Side characters got closure too—A-Sen building his home, Madam Mo's son passing the imperial exam, Miss Wu finding freedom. It felt earned.

Criticisms? Sure, the final political arc felt a little rushed compared to the earlier high-stakes survival elements. And some viewers (rightfully) noted that Master Yu's death—accidental head injury during a struggle—felt too easy. We wanted to see him face proper justice!

But honestly? The emotional payoff was so strong that I forgave it.

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Final Verdict

Watch this drama. Just do it. Prepare to swoon, cry, cheer, and maybe reconsider your life choices (like me with Melody of a Golden Age). The cast is phenomenal, the chemistry is off the charts, and the story will stick with you long after the final credits roll.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go find someone who looks at me the way Zhao Ling looks at Fu Ting Yun.

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Amnesia romcom is a totally forgettable watch

I will never turn down a K-Drama starring Jung Hae In. He's one of the few versatile actors and always has undeniable chemistry with all his female leads. May it be melodrama, romcom, action, thriller, Jung Hae In can do them all with no doubt and with flying colors.

Our Sticky Love is not an exception. It became one of my most anticipated K-Dramas this year because I look forward to watching Hae In in a romcom again. His comic timing and relatable portrayal in Love Next Door just proves he has a Midas touch in being effortlessly charming and funny. Hence, I was naturally disappointed that Our Sticky Love wasted his potential with a drab, nondescript story.

Our Sticky Love tells the story about Go Eun Sae (Ha Young) who wakes up in a hospital with no memory of her name, job or past and Jang Tae Ha (Jung Hae In) who introduces himself as his boyfriend. Eun Sae does not remember it yet, but she is actually a prosecutor who works in anti-corruption cases and Tae Hae is not her boyfriend but a thug who saves her life in his last mission. Eun Sae grows suspicious of him because nothing about the taffy village or their neighbors or his face is familiar to her. Will she regain her memory first before her enemies come and find her or will she fall in love with the quiet, kind-hearted but brass-knuckled gangster?

For starters, Ha Young is a new face to me. I believe this is her first leading role, and she’s got the looks as well as the body (that toned abs!) to be one. She portrays Eun Sae with a feisty attitude and cheery demeanor, with the latter coming across as over the top and forced sometimes. There’s nothing much about Ha Young except she brings light and hope to Hae In’s dark days. It's clear to me she's not the main character of the series but Hae In.

Gangster Hae In is so hot. Hair theory is half true and half not, because even with the disheveled perm hair, Hae In's face card is still peeking through. Even if he looks scruffy, he can't hide his handsome face. Hae In shifts seamlessly between his shy, innocent puppy face and vicious, badass gangster identity. This is the highlight of the series for me – getting two polar opposite characters from Hae In in just one show. You get to drool over an intimidating Hae In in a suit or melt your heart over a sweet and caring Hae In in a track jacket, a totally win-win situation for me.

Aside from being a ruthless thug, he also tries his hand at building world of lies to make Ha Young stay safe beside him. Kudos to him for being creative but he should definitely stick in beating a bunch of men than weaving a story because it’s clear he ain’t a reliable narrator lmao. He is all ruthless and cold when throwing punches but the faintest touch or stare from his first love makes him flustered and scatter-brained. Hae In is a tough gangster but a soft lover. And so the badass gangster fell in love with the feisty prosecutor.

I went into this expecting a fun romcom infused with noirish crime drama but sadly it just focuses on the former. Out of nowhere, the story becomes all about the simple and quiet life in the countryside. This would have been fine by me only if the village people were fleshed-out characters. To my chagrin, the cast is merely one-dimensional and their screentimes are merely fillers. Their presence is just used to prove that Hae In is the pride and golden boy of taffy village.

Nothing about the romcom moments or backstories of village people is memorable. I was expecting a more action-packed story but all we’ve got is a handful of sob stories from village people and an unrequited love story of a thug. Then we had the plot twist which proves my hunch that this works better as a movie or a shorter runtime (6 episodes would have been enough to be honest). The show took its precious time unfolding and building up the surprise twist. Anyways, I must commend the villain for being despicable and sadistic and for successfully creeping the hell out of me. He surely knows how to push your buttons to hurt you the most.

In summary, this is an easy watch but also a no-brainer. Nothing special here, just Hae In throwing a couple of fists here and there. Even the action sequence is a yawner with a ballad song playing in the background. How groundbreaking. It’s a very low-stakes action and drawn-out drama. The story recycles old romance clichés but fails to offer a fresh twist or engaging conflict. At the end of the day, this series centers on Jung Hae In’s life - his dreams, his heart of gold, his neighbors who raised him and his first love who brought sunshine to his rainy days. This gist sounds like touching story but because of poor execution, Our Sticky Love ends up becoming a sticky mess.

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Fun, silly and doesn't take itself seriously...what rom coms should be

To correct what other reviewers have said, this isn't a "testing the water" mature couple drama. This is a follow up to the smash hit Silver Vows：Suddenly Married to a Billionaire, which was a one of the most watched cshorts in Asia in 2024. It's not meant to be a serious soapy drama, it's a typical cshort style rom com with outlandish plot that doesn't take itself seriously. It's meant to be fun and entertaining and it does its job. What made it and its predecessor a hit is really the leads. Their chemistry is off the charts. The FL is endearing and the ML has charisma in spades. It just sucks you in and allows you to not take its ridiculous premise and plot seriously as it was intended. It's pure entertainment that makes you giggle at its absurd moments.

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this is such a feel good drama

yo idk whats wrong with people rating this beautiful drama below 5 bruh, are you serious?? Like people saying this was boring, the casts wasnt good, are you guys for real??? It was suchh a fun to watch, absolutely worth watching and it wasn't boring at all, and I love the casts like main leads, side characters all of em were soo good. I loved this drama alott. and specially the chemistry between the main leads was actually reallyyy fun to watch nd the dog was cute af, I think if you're wondering if you should watch it or not its definitely worth watching like I sweare

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A good one

Our Sticky Love is the story of two individuals who suffered trauma—one during her childhood and the other in his adulthood. Because of their experiences, they chose different paths. One path led one of them to search for the truth, while the other led the other into darkness. However, their paths eventually crossed, and one person's honesty and faith gave the other the strength to fight the darkness.

As such, the story didn't have much charm because similar stories have been made many times before. However, the performers' performances kept me engaged with the drama until the end.

And as for the male lead, I was completely captivated by both of his looks—the innocent one and the badass one.

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I loved everything, but in the end, I would have liked more scenes of him with his family and his baby being happy again. I feel like the reunion was too short, haha. I would have preferred them to reunite and then have a meal together, or for them to show me a little more of his life after he's readjusted, something like that.
I really liked the story; it keeps you hooked to find out what happens. The actors, wow, what great casting! It's like each one was made for that role. I really liked the duality of the main actor.
Anyway, I don't think it's a drama I would rewatch, not because it's bad, but because I already know what happens. Maybe in a few years, when I've forgotten it...

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The Road to Splendor — Paved with Ambition, Tough Choices, Regrets, Conscience and Love

"The Road to Splendor" drama centres around leads FTY and ZL. Fu Tingyun, a noblewoman of marriageable age, and the declining Fu family, who see the chastity arches as a way to use Fu family's women's “virtue” to marry her up the societal ladder. And when she is accused of adultery, the same family decides to sacrifice her for the sake of their reputation. Zhao Ling, on the other hand, is a street-smart salt smuggler with a conscience, more versed in martial arts and surviving on the streets than in the mind games of politics. Through a sequence of events, ZL ends up having to save FTY. What follows is their journey of mutual cooperation, shared dreams and, eventually, love—as they make their way from rock bottom to the top.

The drama is set during the period of the salt reforms, when the grain-for-salt system under the emperor was shifting towards the silver-for-salt system. It is also a time when women did not have the same rights as men, and even among men, nobles enjoyed privileges that merchants and common people did not. Corruption was rampant, and social standing could determine how much power and protection a person had.

"The Road to Splendor" is much more than a simple romance or palace/political drama. At its heart, it is a story about choices, ambition, temptation, conscience, and the consequences of fulfilling one's desires while trying to climb up from rock bottom, especially when one comes from an unprivileged background.

What sets this drama apart from others with similar stories, for me, is:

1. A coherent plot and well-fleshed-out characters :
The biggest strength of the drama is its writing. Each episode is crafted with enough substance to keep you focused on what is happening and the suspense comes more from the previews than from cliffhanger.
The plot tries to remain as realistic as possible and, does not shy away from letting the leads make choices that a normal human might make under the same circumstances. They are not always morally perfect or conveniently rational just because they are the protagonists.
The character evolution is equally well handled. Whether a character is moral or evil, the drama takes the time to show their background and circumstances, allowing the audience to like them, hate them, or sometimes do both, while still understanding what brought them to that point. The drama also handles betrayals well. They don't feel like betrayals inserted simply for shock value; most stem from the characters' circumstances, ambitions, loyalties and choices. Some hurt precisely because you understand why the character chose to do it, even when you don't agree with them.
And importantly, every character have a role of their own. They have their own personality, motivations and choices rather than simply existing to push the leads or the plot forward.
Even the side characters get their own mini-stories and arcs. Their lives don't revolve entirely around FTY and ZL, and their choices sometimes intersect with the main story rather than simply serving it. These smaller stories add to the world and make the drama feel much bigger than just the leads' journey.

2. World-building :
The drama does a great job of making us feel that we are actually living within the constraints of that period. The characters have to work within the social restrictions of their time.
The societal constraints are woven into the world through things like chastity arches, women being expected to marry up, and being paraded almost as vessels for bearing children. What makes it hit harder is that the drama never stops to tell us how wrong any of this is or turn it into social commentary. To everyone in public, this is simply the way things are. It is only in private that we see the quiet resignation, the suppressed anger and the internal battles of those living within this system. That contrast between how normal it is to society and what it actually costs the people living under it makes the reality of those constraints far more powerful.
No character is given a convenient escape from the constraints of the world they live in. ZL, despite everything he achieves, still has to fight a society prejudiced against his background. His enemies can use their position and power against him, forcing ZL to constantly rally support and find ways to protect himself. Even the Emperor, while using ZL when it serves his own interests, does not simply hand him power or protection; he is equally quick to make his displeasure known when ZL no longer serves his purpose. Even YJX though born in previlege has to become pawn for his father's greedy schemes and Yu family reputation.
The merchants face their own struggles, constantly having to deal with nobles and officials who can use their power to manipulate them, exploit them as they see fit, and treat them with little respect.
Everyone is operating within a hierarchy where someone more powerful can make their choices for them.
The drama does not give its characters an easy way out of the world they were born into; instead, it makes us watch them find their own ways to survive, navigate and rise within it. It does not impose the modern lens-on-an-ancient-world trope.

3. Acting:
Complementing the tight script and world-building is the acting. Every actor brings their character to life.
Ding Yuxi as Zhao Ling carries the complexity of his character particularly well. We see him evolve from a street-smart, free-spirited young salt smuggler, to someone oppressed within the army and forced to fight for himself, and eventually to a court official. He especially shines in scenes where Zhao Ling is caught between conflicting emotions and choices. He really surpassed himself in this role, and whatever I say about his performance still feels like an understatement.
Deng Ancy as Fu Tingyun plays her with the grace and restraint expected of an intelligent, well-trained woman from a high-status family. Her character doesn't need to constantly announce how clever or capable she is; much of it comes through in the way she conducts herself.
And Wen Zheng Rong as Madam Yu, playing the villain, is another cherry on the cake. She is the kind of character you can dislike while still being interested in understanding her.

These are the three performances that stood out to me in a drama where everyone brought their best to the table.

4. Weirdly feminist:
One of the things I found fascinating about the drama is that it is, weirdly, quite feminist without trying to turn its setting into a modern one.Women technically had far fewer rights and much less direct power, but that doesn't mean they were powerless. The drama shows women running things behind the scenes.
The wives of officials hold literary gatherings and tea parties, but these aren't merely social occasions. They become spaces to gather information, build relationships, influence officials, support their family's standing, promote people they favour, or create chaos for their opponents.
So while women may not have been able to openly participate in politics in the same way as men, they found their own channels of influence within the society they lived in and played much more important roles than they are often given credit for.
That, to me, is much more interesting than simply giving an ancient female character modern attitudes and calling it feminism. The drama shows women exercising agency within the limitations of their world, rather than pretending those limitations did not exist.

5. OSTs :The OSTs deserve a special mention—not just for being good, but for how perfectly the right OST, with the right lyrics, was used at the right moment. The songs often added another layer to the emotions of the scene and made certain moments hit harder.

6. Dialogues:
There are many lines in the drama that hold a depth of wisdom that remains relevant even today. I have collected as many as possible, along with other viewers . Do share your favourite ones!
https://kisskh.at/703207-hua-kai-jin-xiu/discussions/154432-wise-bites-along-the-road-to-splendor

7. Relationships between couples:
ZL is hands down a green-flag man—honest, someone who keeps his promises, and a man who genuinely cherishes FTY. For him, she is his everything, and he treats her as such even when they have their differences. Even when given the choice to choose power and put the blame on her, he chooses not to succumb to it. In his own words, she is his anchor.
And FTY is no powerless lady. She stands her ground and does what she believes is right. They have their differences, but it is their ability to have open conversations, speak their minds to each other, be vulnerable around one another and eventually work through those differences that makes them the power couple they are.
The drama also highlights the contrast between them and the villain couple. They are well-matched, work together and are successful, but there is no real love between them. When it comes to power, they are willing to sacrifice even each other, and there are instances where Madam Yu herself has to compromise for her husband.
Then there is FTY's mother and her verbally abusive father. Her character reflects the reality of women who, despite having the means to leave, sometimes remain in such relationships—whether because of societal constraints or simply because they are not psychologically ready to walk away. Sometimes, by the time they finally find the courage to leave, it is already too late.

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This drama was a masterclass in direction, editing, acting and world-building. It never leaned too heavily towards either the political or the romantic side, allowing both to complement each other while giving every character their own space to shine and have their epic moments.

The result was a well-balanced, holistic drama that never felt like we were simply watching FTY and ZL's story unfold, but rather like we were accompanying them on their journey—from rock bottom to the top, on their Road to Splendor.

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Another healthy duanju story

I watched this last year because of Wang Ziyi attire in this drama and Wang Yanfei acting is exceptionally good, the two have amazing chemistry. This is a very short and sweet romance drama. FL, is a great character—smart, doesn't fight back, has a sharp tongue that never backs down, and is also strong in combat. She's sunny, cheerful, and quick to learn; her grandmother raised her very well. ML is brave, resourceful, and incredibly romantic, with a strong sense of boundaries! No shielding, no drugging, no "white moonlight" (idealized love interest). ML's sole focus is on the FL. They firmly believe in each other, team up to avenge her, and everyone helps them achieve a happy ending. The cons of this drama there is no conflict and the supporting actors except child actor were mediocre and quite not memorable for me. I rewatched for reminiscing the drama and the highlight was Wang Yanfei acting.

Still recommended if you like healthy story without conflict.

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Too simple for reborn drama

I watched this drama because of Liu Sansi. I describe this drama as a simple and sweet drama. The classic story of a reborn heroine dumping a scumbag and refusing to be a simp. ML saved her from drowning in her past life. Reborn, the heroine wants to focus on her studies and avoids the scumbag. Her first encounter with the ML is simply to repay the debt of saving her in her previous life. Later, as they develop a relationship, they bicker constantly, each suspecting the other of liking them – it's quite fun! The plot mainly revolves around the ML and FL. TFL is sincere and brave; she takes the initiative when she loves. ML is a good person who respects and cherishes the heroine. Their relationship is very sweet. SML is a generic scumbag, but bad guys get their comeuppance. Liu Sansi is perfect for playing good guy and the chemistry between him and Zheng Chengyu is surprisingly good. The cons in this drama the plot was quite predictable and too simple for me. If you like simple and basic sweet reborn story you can watch this.

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Slow Burn Pace but Beautiful Character Growth

This drama isn't mainly about romance, but it does focus on romance after all. Leave it if you're not into it.

I really admire Shang Zhi Tao's growth in both her feelings and her work life. This story has two POVs. From the FL's perspective, every action she takes is understandable. She starts as a fresh graduate at a well-known company, moves from the Northeast to a huge city, and even gets involved in HR recruitment by helping establish new employee criteria. Logically, her criteria don't even match the standard, which makes it harder for her to pursue a stable position at work and a normal love life in Beijing. So, I can totally understand why she’s so easily taken advantage of by others or is quite a pushover in some situations (though she still has a core stance). She’s really insecure about herself and puts way too much pressure and expectation on herself to make everything go smoothly, especially with her life in Beijing.

Honestly, the first quarter of this drama is a bit slow, but I do enjoy it because I'm willing to wait for the main plot, SZT transformation, and her character development.

Talk about Luan Nian, he plays a constant push-and-pull game when expressing his feelings. He tends to think emotions and softness aren't something worth focusing on and believes that maintaining his work is all he needs. Since he already achieves everything and is in a stable position, he thinks he can pursue the other things he wants by dealing with them through his miserable attitude. He is surrounded by a city and an urban circle where warmth, honesty, and trustworthiness are far from reality. Everyone looks for benefits and competence. Even in love, people use relationships to compete over material things. His sharp tongue is his way of pushing away disloyal people, and he has become accustomed to it. This way of dealing with people is also what allows him to remain in Lingmei. Even when he starts to fly higher than the place he usually stands, he forgets he doesn't have wings of his own. What he fails to realize is that SZT's admiration, respect, and love have lifted him and embraced him, and he is confused about how to respond to honesty and sincerity.

At last, I think the love from Shang Zhi Tao will make Luan Nian soften emotionally, learn to appreciate moments and the little things in life, while the dim love from Luan Nian lets Shang Zhi Tao learn to value herself for how she can be worth it even without Luan Nian by her side (Shang Zhi Tao, I'm supporting you from your backk)

I see this story as a journey of emotions that makes their lives worth living, with the workplace and Beijing serving as the main backdrop for their growth.

PS: Also, at first I didn't have much impression of the supporting roles, but they're surprisingly good! Each of them is diverse and a great support for the female lead's growth, which makes it hard for me to think about dropping this drama ;D

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50 shades of Luan Nian... or not?

After finishing the drama, I can confidently say that this has been one of my favorite Chinese dramas of 2026.

The synopsis and trailers initially give off the typical “dominant ML, nice FL” kind of vibe, but is that really what the drama is? Not quite.

The story moves surprisingly fast. From the very first episode, it gets straight to the point, and the leads continue developing almost every episode. Yes, this is a workplace romance, but it does not feel like the usual workplace-romance formula. The leads have a somewhat peculiar dynamic, and watching that dynamic gradually change is one of the most interesting parts of the drama.

Overall, I think the drama is very well made. The production, lighting, script, OST, atmosphere, and even the opening credits all contribute to its charm. But what caught my attention much more than the aesthetics was the development of the leads and, especially, their relationship.

Their relationship is constantly evolving. They misunderstand each other, learn about each other, change their views, become more vulnerable, and gradually grow closer. You can actually see how and why they fall in love instead of simply being told that they do.

And now to what is probably my favorite part of the entire drama: the chemistry, romance, and intimacy.

My God.

This is genuinely one of the very few dramas I have watched where the intimacy between the leads feels this natural and palpable. Their chemistry is amazing. The hugs, kisses, touching, hand-holding, physical closeness, eye contact, and all those small affectionate gestures make them feel like an actual couple rather than two actors performing a romance.

The romance does not feel sanitized or distant. There is warmth, desire, affection, awkwardness, tenderness, and physical attraction between them. You can actually feel that these two people want to be close to each other.

Jing Boran and Sun Qian both did wonderfully. Their performances complement each other so well, and their chemistry is honestly one of the drama's greatest strengths. So many romantic dramas claim to have chemistry between their leads, but here it is actually visible on screen. The intimacy feels effortless rather than staged.

Another thing I really appreciated was how focused the writing remained on the main couple. There are no unnecessary love triangles dragging the story down, no second leads constantly interfering just to create artificial drama, and no excessive amount of screen time wasted on minor characters whose stories have little connection to the main plot. The drama knows who its central characters are and allows us to actually spend time with them.

That does not mean the drama was completely without flaws. There were some minor issues. Apparently, episodes had to be cut down because of Youku's budget-related decisions, and I think you can occasionally feel the consequences of that. The timeline becomes a little blurry at certain points, and some transitions could have been clearer.

But these issues were relatively minor for me. The overall writing remained coherent, the emotional progression of the leads made sense, and the story never completely lost its focus.

I have also noticed that because the drama became popular, some people from other fandoms seem to have decided to target it or dismiss it simply because of the attention it is receiving. I think that is unfortunate and unfair. Of course, everyone is free to dislike a drama, but there is a difference between genuine criticism and attacking something merely because it has become popular.

If anything, attracting that much attention—including negative attention—shows just how much impact the drama managed to have. The hype did not appear out of nowhere. People became invested because the romance works, the leads have excellent chemistry, and the drama gives viewers something that has become surprisingly difficult to find: an adult romantic relationship that actually feels romantic.

And I honestly think we may have to wait quite a while before another drama with this particular combination of chemistry, intimacy, character development, and focus on the main couple comes along.

So, if you are reading this because you are wondering whether the hype is deserved, for me the answer is absolutely yes.

And if you are craving a romantic drama with plenty of hugs, kisses, hand-holding, physical affection, emotional intimacy, and two leads who genuinely look like they are falling in love with each other, definitely give this one a try.

The chemistry alone is top-notch, but thankfully, there is also a genuinely good drama around it.

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Fresh Idea, Too Many Plot Holes

I appreciate that the series tried something new and different, and that is probably its biggest strength. However, there were far too many things that simply did not make sense.

How was the first phone hacked in the first place? And if they could already hack the first phone, why did they even need the second one?

I also did not understand how he was able to replace the real person’s fingerprint with his own. Even if we accept that it was possible, why were there no previous records connected to that person?

The main character suddenly leaving the house without taking anything with him also felt extremely forced.

From the beginning, he could have at least tried going to the police and telling them everything he knew. Even if he was afraid to go in person, he could have called them.

They accuse him of being a terrible person because he stole someone else's ideas and published them, while the other side literally kills multiple people. On top of that, the other person had years to write and publish the book himself. Even if one idea was taken away from him, why did he never write any of his other ideas? What was he doing all those years?

Dropping out of university because of a rumor that two people slept together also felt ridiculous. If the rumors bothered them that much, changing universities would have made far more sense.

The same goes for the woman dropping out of her master’s program because of the rumors and then basically staying at home for years. It just did not feel believable.

No Ja was another issue. He seemed to know from the very beginning who was following him, yet he did absolutely nothing about it.

I also found it hard to believe that everyone in some random village would be willing to risk their lives and attack the police just for money.

And what exactly motivated the guy with the shotgun? His determination to keep chasing them was never properly explained. Why was he so loyal and persistent from the very beginning?

Even if the main character could not prove his identity, the police could still have investigated both sides at the same time. Why did they focus entirely on only one version of the story? There obviously could not be two identical people with the same identity, so investigating the other person should have eventually exposed the truth.

The arrested man had already told the police most of what happened, including the identity change, so that made the lack of investigation even harder to understand.

Overall, it genuinely tried to do something different. Unfortunately, there were too many logical inconsistencies, and the story also felt rushed because everything had to be squeezed into Netflix's 10-episode format.

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