Reviews

THIS IS NOT MADE FOR EVERYONE

I am not saying that you cannot recognise a good drama, or that you lack the ability to appreciate subtle storytelling. That is not the point I am making at all. What I am saying is that this particular drama is meant for a very specific kind of viewer: someone who can perceive and understand the male lead’s inner world. And by understanding, I do not mean simply following the plot or grasping his motivations on paper. I mean having experienced something emotionally similar, something that allows you to feel what he is carrying rather than just observe it.

This is a drama that operates largely on the inside. The male lead’s thoughts, silences, and emotional restraints form the real narrative. Much of what defines him is not spelled out through dialogue or dramatic events, but through the way he exists in the world. If you have never lived with emotional isolation, unexpressed longing, or the quiet heaviness of holding yourself together, it may be difficult to connect with him. Not because the writing is poor, but because the experience it depicts requires a certain kind of emotional memory from the viewer.

Personally, I liked the drama very much based on the five episodes I have watched so far. The pacing felt intentional rather than slow, and the focus on internal conflict felt sincere. I did not feel the need for constant plot twists or loud emotional payoffs, because the drama was clearly invested in something deeper and more restrained. For viewers who are comfortable sitting with silence and ambiguity, this approach can feel immersive and rewarding.

However, if you are going into this drama expecting a light, comedy-heavy romantic experience, this is not for you. It does not function as an easy rom-com, and approaching it with that expectation will almost certainly lead to disappointment. The humour is minimal, understated, and never the driving force of the story. Romance exists, but it unfolds cautiously and quietly, more as an emotional undercurrent than as a central spectacle.

In that sense, the rom-com label attached to this drama is highly misleading. It sets up the wrong expectations and does a disservice to the kind of story being told. This is not a show designed for escapism or casual viewing. It asks for patience, attentiveness, and emotional openness from its audience.

This drama will not resonate with everyone, and that is not a failure. It is selective by nature. For those who can perceive and understand the male lead’s inner world through lived experience, it can feel deeply relatable and moving. For others, it may feel uneventful or inaccessible. Both reactions are valid. But it is important to understand what kind of story this is before judging it. This is not a lighthearted romance. It is a quiet exploration of an inner life, and it deserves to be approached on those terms.

Approach it with empathy and the right expectations, and it may reveal more than you initially thought possible to you.

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Not worth it.

I don't think that I'm the only one that feels completely uncomfortable watching this.
Even in strong stories for example (def not this) where the romance is the subplot, it doesn't make u feel weird in a bad way like this series does... Take Runaway as an example, it was done very well... The acting isn't even comparable lol.

The whole thing is soooo forced and I genuinely can't finish this. From the start, the story is a big mess and it's just weird af with 'the rich' taking advantage of 'the poor' and doing whatever she wants w her... I feel like maybe the leads have potential but for this one I see some really stiff acting, especially for the one playing Queen, the one playing Bo is trying at least... And, I mean I would have understood if she was on the spectrum like how Sam from GAP is subtly shown to be.. but no, it's just bad acting.. and the chemistry isn't even there.. Everything is just forced to the point it looks uncomfortable and awkward as hell.

What I dislike the most is Queen.. She's literally claiming Bo as if she owns her (which could work in some stories but not this one, it is just disgusting af) and the fact she tried taking advantage of her situation every single time yet somehow after "saving her" ( which she made her beg for btw).. she's suddenly an "angel" that doesn't want anything from her anymore, like be serious... talking sum bs about wanting Bo to satisfying you.. u realize she's forcing herself onto u bc of how desperate u are, suddenly u try to act as if u don't like it anymore..

If u liked this series I can't tell if you're just being nice or u just fw messy garbage.. Btw I didn't read the novel or anything like that, heard Queen was even more of a red flag in it? which makes me wonder what were they thinking when making this....😬

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Dark, Quirky, and Surprisingly Heartfelt

This was an excellent drama!

–What I liked:
–The plot itself completely captivated me. I saw many criticisms about the darker elements, but for me they were perfectly done. It follows the same line as It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (light horror mixed with comedy) and Holo, My Love (childhood trauma).
–Unlike many people, I really loved the way the psychological theme was handled. I admit I felt a bit apprehensive as the episodes progressed about how they would connect the hallucinations to the story, and I was afraid it might not make sense in the end. However, everything unfolded in a very thoughtful and well-constructed way.
–I absolutely love Do Ra Mi as the protagonist’s alter ego. Her personality is just wow! I honestly hope they release a doll of her—I would buy it without hesitation. I agree with some comments saying that Netflix should further explore this character or even create a similar series. She gives me strong Wednesday vibes, which I love.
–The soundtrack is beautiful. That little zombie dance also has a lot of potential!

–What I didn’t like as much:
–The male lead carries an unnecessary emotional burden in the first half, and his personality made me dislike him. In the end, everything gets resolved.
–Some scenes felt disconnected, confusing, or unnecessary.
–I don’t like it when the leads break up at the end and then get back together; it feels unnecessary to me.
–I feel that a few fun scenes after the credits were missing.

I truly hope that people with good judgment evaluate this series fairly and help raise its rating to what it truly deserves.

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Absolutely stunning and ingenious storyline!!!

I saw that a few people had really condemned this series and thats really ok, certain dramas appeal differently to people and i respect that. This is my take on the drama 'glory'
First of all, the casting was perfect both visually and on the acting basis. I had seen a lot of people having questions and frequent comments dismissing Gulinazha and although i am not her die hard fan i had still seen some of her works ( the classics of mountains and seas, snow eagle lord, fangs of fortune) making me worthy of commenting on this one : she is really a very great actress capable of executing various roles ( furyher evidenced by glory itself) and id still like to highlight she is not just a pretty face and no acting, she is a pretty face with adequate talent and i cant imagine anyone else as Rong Shanbao ( there might be but i am really satisfied with how she portrayed her role)
Neo Hou : I started this drama solely because i had seen the dramas of both actors but mostly because this was DA YAO's drama. I absolutely and sincerely love how he acts and he is one of my favourite actors especially fangs of fortune, love in the clouds, back from the brink and more to come. His acting in glory was also impeccable but i had seen some people comment that he doesnt suit the official roles and i cant disagree, his acting was indeeed perfect but i suppose that the authority that is brought with the official power really doesn't suit him , it felt like he was straining it into his acting.
The rest of the cast also portrayed their roles perfectly as they really made me feel emotions.
The storyline was seriously great something that is not seen these days like i really havent seen this kind of tea related, women leadinb family kinda drama ( different from romance of tiger and rose where it was a kingdom that was being led by women, here its a family in a kingdom with normal customs portraying the differing rules and customs being maintained against a backdrop of normality).
The Fl and Ml were on par on cunningness and wit all through the beginning although towards the end burdened by familial ties the ml lost to the fl on that aspect. I do agree that the ending 6 or 5 episodes werent really that necessary but it did not diminish the allure of the drama ( although it did diminish the ml's wittiness) .
But i really have to say the story was well executed, i really loved rong shanbao's character, she was the embodiment of a person with values and there were several instances where i really wanted to applaud her. The problems in Rong family stems from the interactions of the rong sisters and especially their grandmother and it was worthwhile to see all of them turning over a new leaf ( although how rong yun'e turned out remains unclear ), Yunxi went from scheming against shanbao to scheming with her or helping her, Yunyin became a bit understanding and Yunshu too ( i can't say she completely let go of her hatred but the changes in her were the most notable).
Each episode were interlaced with mystery, intrigue , comedy and sweetness. Although towards the end each case could be easily decoded by us viewers but id like to disagree that the entire mysteries in the drama could be easily solved by us ( i never expected the ml to fake his own attack, never expected that the little sister wasnt dead, never thought that bai yingsheng was working with shanbao, yan bailou to be wei yao and so on) . There were lots of episodes that had me resltless waiting for the next. The ml was also perfect in portraying his longing for the fl , the way he showed his anger and his very 'not so obvious ' fake hurt acting infront of fl, he also was perfect in showcasing his exceptional thinking. What i loved the most about both leads is that they were steadfast in their beliefs and duties never foresaking either. The fls execution of her noble persona also has to be noted.
For future viewers who are contemplating wether to watch yu ming cha gu, with all due respect, GO FOR IT!!!
Give it a chance before you let it down. It really was a mystery piece and i gurantee you wouldnt get bored. The romance between the leads was also very wonderful, and kind of had that dangerous yet magnetic feeling. They are not the kind of ' ill hold you when you go down ' couple its more like ' i know you can support yourself , i know you can solve it , that you will' couple ( i dont mean like they dont help each other its more like giving space for the other to solve it and not letting them take on the weak role because thats like undermining the porential of the other person).

I do agree there were a lot of miscommunications from the fls part as she did hide a lot of things from the ml but most of it were understandable if you just think. I think i forgot to mention about the osts, it was absolutely litttt and well matched with the series.

Final verdict: stop dilly dallying and go watch GLORY!!!!!

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Swords spark but the pacing perishes

I went in to watch Last Samurai Standing with one desire: well choreographed swordplay. And the series certainly delivered there. Big tick from me.

Also big tick for the death game format. I don't really understand the critique of 'we've seen this before'. I mean, we've seen heaps of spy movies before, but people keep returning to Mission Impossible and James Bond. Don't change a good thing, right? The death game set up is something I enjoy because it immediately introduces high stakes, not because there's anything novel about the trope.

Otherwise, I was pretty underwhelmed by Last Samurai Standing. There are too many characters with back stories, resulting in breadth rather than depth. Back stories should provide a) emotional attachment to a character and b) an explanation for their motivation. I found the former to be superficial at best, and the latter to be often too far-fetched.

So while I didn't mind any of the main characters, I wasn't too fussed about their fates. If I was interested in anyone, it was the Ainu character who received fleeting screen time and no backstory.

That said, this series has overall stellar production quality. There are more than just a few impressive shots, and the colour grading itself is beautiful. I'm curious to see in which direction the second season goes.

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Starts as a silly rom com and ends in equality of genders and clear communication

I disliked the start of this drama, it was a very silly frilly rom com for youngsters.

I like that the FL was a functional strong adult and I like the ML bc of Twinkling Watermellon, so I kept watching and I am glad.

The drama made a U-turn into amazing social commentary.

Eventually, it became a testimony of CLEAR COMMUNICATION, TEAM WORK, AND EQUALITY OF GENDERS, and there were many episodes in that mode

In fact, this drama is a pioneer and a peek into the future where genders are equal

How ML and FL resolved issues, separately and as a team, was great .
Two functional productive adults in great love.

The drama also addressed social stigmas, bullying and how to resolve that.

SO IF YOU THINK THIS DRAMA WAS BORING and something like Dynamite Kiss or Cam this Love Be Translated are "interesting", then we have nothing else to talk about. Do not even bother writing to me :)

=== Disclaimer ====
I wrote this review on Jan 17, 2026 bc so many ppl quoted my review earlier. They are clearly some kind of paid troll if they are making up stuff like that.

Perhaps I should have not written this review now bc someone quoting a non-exhisting review is a sure sign of a (paid) troll.
I still decided to now write this review bc I think it is important.

On April 14, 2026, I moved the disclaimer to the bottom of the review.

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Amazing loved this drama

LIKE

Fell in love with Ren Ru Yi - Liu Shi Shi is really beautiful

8 foot tall man buying pastries always teasing the height in most of Liu Yu Ning’s drama

Your nose is so sensitive. Are you a dog? His zodiac happens to be a dog. Eat your bun…

The joke in this drama lol hilarious

Everyone always teasing Ning Yuan Zhou especially his subordinates who are more like brothers

Fight scenes are good

When Yu Shi San made hand gestures to Ning Yuan Zhou about Ren Ru Yi touching his hands.. lol

Li Tong Guang's love for Ren Xin omg soso touching

When Yang Ying revealed her true identity wow

DISLIKE

Really nothing soso good

MUSIC - personal fav

奉上 Feng Shang - 刘宇宁 Liu Yu Ning
別梦寒 Bie Meng Han - 刘宇宁 Liu Yu Ning
一念关山 Yi Nian Guan Shan - 任贤齐 Ren Xian Qi
长醉 Chang Zui - 光良 Guang Liang
立剑 Li Jian - 张杰 Zhang Jie
何故春回 He Gu Chun Hui - 张栋梁 Zhang Dong Liang
半世风霜 Ban Shi Feng Shuang - 袁娅维 Yuan Ya Wei
怕梦 Pa Meng - 黄霄雲 Huang Xiao Yun
还未曾 Hai Wei Cheng - 不才 Bu Cai

REWATCH VALUE

Shall rewatch when I have time someday

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Don't Bother

I had high expectations initially. In fact, first 10 episodes were pretty good. But it went downhill afterward. I knew slapping is a staple in lakorns, but lord, there's slapping in every episode. The villains are one dimensional with no redeeming qualities, the FL is relentless but the ML might as well not be there. I mean, ok, just like in Love Hurts (Rak Rai), I feel like they intentionally do this or else it would be too intense. ML got the morals but not the spine and it gets old FAST. Also the 2nd couple was boring as hell.

If you're expecting romance between ML & FL, you're gonna be disappointed. Not only it's a slow burn, also there was barely any. Logically speaking, why would she be involved with him if their marriage is only transactional.

By episode 18, I regret not dropping the lakorn earlier and now I'm in too deep to not watch the ending. Fortunately, it has a satisfying ending.

My advice, watch it on 2x or 1.5x speed. In fact, if you skip the middle episodes, you won't be missing out on anything and you will still get the ending.

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My January 2026 recommendation

Watched this for my Recommendation Challenge from 𝑲𝒂𝒕𝒆. Let’s talk movie…

The story centers on Wei Yihang (YH), a cynical and reclusive teenager who has undergone brain surgery for a tumor. Living in constant fear of a relapse, he gradually distances himself from the world—and even from his own parents—to avoid causing them further pain. Seeing himself as a burden, YH chooses to retreat into his own isolated bubble.

His life begins to change when he meets Ma Xiaoyuan (XY), a bright, optimistic girl who also had brain cancer. Unlike YH, XY embraces every moment of her life, firmly believing that even a limited lifespan should be lived to the fullest.

At first, YH tries to push XY away. However, her warmth, optimism, and unwavering positivity slowly break through his defenses. XY teaches him how to see the world differently, encouraging him to find joy and meaning again.

XY even teaches YH to dream again.
They travel—to Paris, to the sea, to faraway skies—all within their imagination, yet feeling more real than anything else.

For a while, everything feels peaceful and perfect… until it doesn’t.

So what happens next?
Will their illnesses return, or will they be granted the happy ending they both long for?

That's pretty much the story without giving anymore spoilers. Now what I like and don't.

What I like:
+ This movie teach us how to find the positivity even in the dark moment
+ The amazing family YH had. Seeing how his entire big family support YH’s dad for his treatment is something we rarely see in dramas or even in real life
+ Amazing acting from every actor(ess) involved. We can see the pain in YH’s parent's faces, the despair in YH’s eyes or the positivity in XY.

What I too like:
- A little boring at first. But If you’re just a little bit patient you get the prize in the end. Haha…

Overall this is one of the good movies to watch.

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