Reviews

Every Trope Known to Drama Lovers!

This is a satire written for drama lovers, as only they can fully appreciate the many tropes. There are also puns and references that only those who know Chinese culture and language will comprehend. Even without those understandings, anyone can enjoy the drama even though they will miss some humor and foreshadowing. A Dream Within a Dream is so rich in music, art, poetry, philosophy, lush cinematography, Easter eggs, and tropes that missing a few allusions won't matter, as the story holds together without needing total awareness.

The cast was exceptional, from the charismatic leads to the wonderful supporting characters.

If I had to quibble about anything, it's that a character with foreknowledge should use it to her advantage. If something horrible is going to happen in the forest at night, don't decide to travel through it at that time. It was frustrating to experience the FL floundering and making foolish choices. She took excruciatingly long to wise up to those around her, and it wasn't until late in the game that she tried to use the script to her advantage.

I found ADwaD to be fresh and innovative while using old, tired tropes. I generally don't enjoy slapstick or overt silliness, but they fit well in this parody.

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A heartfelt historical drama that offers much more than romance

The story focuses on resilience, family bonds, and personal growth during difficult times. From the start, it draws you in with strong writing and steady pacing. The drama never feels draggy, and each episode moves the story forward smoothly. Even emotional moments are handled with balance, making the viewing experience calm yet engaging.

The female lead Hua Zhi is the heart of the drama. She is intelligent, composed, and quietly strong, stepping up when her family needs her the most. Her journey is inspiring without feeling unrealistic, and her relationships with other women in the family are especially touching. The romance is mature and refreshing, built on trust, communication, and mutual respect rather than misunderstandings. The male lead complements her well, offering support without overshadowing her strength. Their chemistry is subtle but sincere.

The supporting cast adds warmth and depth, with meaningful development across the family members and side characters. There is no unnecessary jealousy or forced drama, which makes the story feel refreshing. While the plot has a few small flaws (and an annoying emperor), they are easy to overlook because the overall storytelling is strong and satisfying. This drama highlights hope, kindness, and perseverance in an amazing way.

PS: It was pure joy and satisfaction watching Zhang Jing Yi, her calm strength and graceful presence made the drama truly special.

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Almost Perfect

I love the story, from the beginning till the end. Even though many people said the early episodes are boring, I actually enjoyed it. My favorites are the Shanghai wedding arc, I really loved their interactions and banters on those episodes.

Strangely, though, I felt less chemistry once they officially dating. Some moments felt a bit bland to me, including the kiss scenes. I also felt that the male lead’s acting lacked detail in certain scenes, though it wasn’t bad overall. The soundtracks wasn’t very memorable for me either.

Overall, I still love the storyline and how most of the characters were written.

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Started because the teasers looked good but….

I started watching it because I got enthusiastic after watching the teasers.
Only doubt was because it’s a Netflix series.
The reason I stopped watching from Netflix and other big streaming platforms is the propaganda agenda from the rainbow people.
After episode 1 I started to notice those flags. But gave it a try.
After episode 3 their propaganda was obviously.
I dropped this drama.
I started to watch Asian dramas because it wasn’t about this propaganda.
Sad that this has spread to Asia also.
It gets harder to just watch a normal romantic or crime and fantasy stories without the propaganda agenda of the rainbow flag people.

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An Inspiring Show for Those Who Aspire to Become Lawyers

Before I begin my review, I want to say happy new year to all of you and hope that 2026 is going to be another great year for C-drama world with lots of fantastic new releases waiting to be promulgated when the time is ready. I also hope that all of fellow watchers stay healthy and safe as we weave into the long-awaited new year. For this new year, I decide to kick off my journey by watching “All Rise”, which seems pretty absurd to me. If you want to know why, check my review below.

“All Rise” is an original-script-based drama which centers around the journey of how to become good lawyers. In this show, we’re going to see how the story unfolds as it is interpreted by several POVs of the characters – the no-nonsense workaholic Ren Jiatong, the enthusiastic rookie Jiang Chen, the blithe and loyal bestie Guo Xiaoyu, the astute chaebol lady Yan Fei, the desperado of the year Li Ke, the hardworking Huang Yue, and lastly Wang Lu (his appearance is too short to make an impression for me). Aside from them, some senior lawyers are also involved in the story including the unrequited couple Song Yifan and Bai Xiao, the group’s senior brother Zhou Nian, Jiang Chen’s dad, Director Zhuang, and etc.

Based on what I can construe from the script, I feel that it is written quite well in terms of urban working life and how teamwork looks like (I can relate with this case the most because teamwork is arduous with my lazy bums of friends and it’s always me who have to carry the whole group). In addition, it also shows how the law in China works and what acts that must be applied should the parties undergo legal path – unfortunately, it is festooned by a plethora of law jargons, none of which I can decipher well (a minus point for me – however, since I’m not a law-ish person, I can only let the show flows naturally, sigh).

To be honest, the cast is consisted of mostly new actors, where I can only recognize Hu Xianxu, Zhou Yiran, He Landou, and Huang Shengchi. In my opinion, all of them have done well and embody each character seamlessly. I want to give a thumbs-up for Zhou Yiran who manage to capture the essential points of Ren Jiatong’s character. Ren Jiatong is quite similar to me when it comes to personality – workaholic (believing that work should be done until burning the midnight oil), guarded against others (due to her dad’s accident), huge desire of winning, lonely and have no one to rely on emotionally. Her budding romance with Jiang Chen is so-so at best, as I’m more invested in Zhu Zhisheng’s two-timing against Guo Xiaoyu lol. Meanwhile, I also love the awkward relationship between Lawyer Song and Lawyer Bai – they seem to be going in circles but never get the chance to stay together.

As far as I can discern, production quality is a tad of nice (I don’t know the exact budget, yeah, but it’s maybe a lower one) among a bunch of mediocre dramas. OSTs are good too, especially “Circles” by Li Tianzi.

Unfortunately, I’m sorry to say that I don’t complete the whole drama and still stuck in ep 17 because I’m just too lazy to continue (those jargons really create a headache for me). However, if you do have keen interest in law, this might be a good show for you for they will show how the full law procedure of solving an issue with ruthless precision. But still, it’s a 10/10 for me because I don’t want their hard work go in waste. I guess that’s all I can say, goodbye and happy watching!!!

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Unsettling, intense, and emotionally exhausting

To My Shore explores a relationship that is openly unhealthy, claustrophobic, and rooted in emotional dependence rather than stability. It never romanticizes this imbalance, but instead leans into how uncomfortable and consuming it is, which makes the story feel raw and strangely real. The chemistry between the leads is strong, especially in the beginning, where tension and attraction drive the narrative forward. Even when the writing falters and their bond feels hard to rationalize, the actors manage to sell every moment. Watching it put me through a mix of emotions, from tenderness to anger and deep frustration, which says a lot about the performances. The main weakness lies in the attempt to soften such a dark dynamic with a more reassuring ending, an approach that doesn’t fully land. Messy and manipulative at its core, this is a demanding watch, but one that stays with you precisely because it refuses to be comfortable.

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Cigarette after cigarette, you’ll fall for me

I felt so much pain while watching this series. At first, I thought: “Okay, this is a tense, almost predatory conquest of a man”—like a cat catching a mouse. But after they got together and started sharing cute and tender moments, the revelation of lies hurt even more. I truly suffered. This series broke me.

Fan Xiao is definitely toxic and awful - not only at first glance - but over time it becomes clear that he genuinely starts to love Shu Lang. His trauma does not excuse his behavior; yet as the series progresses, I found myself feeling sympathy for him, especially because he also does many good and caring things for Shu Lang.

Shu Lang isn’t a bodhisattva, which makes his role an especially interesting counterpart. On the one hand, he was very caring towards his ex-boyfriends and, with Fan Xiao, may be experiencing for the first time what it really means to be cared for and to open up to someone, rather than just caring for others. On the other hand, he consistently stands up for his own dignity and refuses to lose himself completely in the relationship.

If you’re looking for an emotional roller coaster with heavy themes, this series is exactly that. Additionally, the cinematography is excellent—for example, the cigarette-lighting scene at the beginning is beautifully shot. For my personal taste, there was a bit too much smoking, but I understand its dramaturgical purpose.

Interestingly, there are no side couples, which allows the viewer to fully focus on the multilayered main characters.

I’m also really looking forward to the special episode and hope for a few more sweet moments.

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Sweet Romance can't save Below Average acting and Annoying Childish character

Looking for a drama full of fluffy moments? Look no further because “Your Sky” will give you cavities, especially if you like the cute and adorable leads who are always happy and smiley. The main romance is practically smooth-sailing from start to finish and the drama won’t give you angst. There’s an episode towards the end that might give you a momentarily pause on the sugar, but it only lasted an episode and it’s for an understandable reason.

However, I have two main criticisms of “My Sky”

Acting - The acting is overall below average. I understand the leads are not that experienced but it’s really hard to see them either act exaggeratedly or emotionlessly. There are flashes of decent acting but not enough. I would not say they are horrible but their acting did bug me from start to finish. I can’t deny Thomas (as Muenfah) is a handsome fellow and when he’s not so wooden and flashes a shy little smile, I have a silly grin on my face. On the other hand, Kong’s happy Teerak is harder to tolerate. Both main leads’ line delivery also seem robotic. It seems like they are thinking really hard to remember the lines and carefully deliver them.

Teerak’s childish character - Teerak is supposed to be a 20-year college student. But he behaves like a 15-year old high school kid. You can be happy and sunshiney without whining and acting like a child. What’s worse is his whole family treating him like a kid. It’s no wonder he acts like one. Just the regular family interaction gives me the shivers. Teerak’s friends also treat him like this naive little boy. Muenfah definitely dotes on his little boyfriend. He’s the perfect green flag boyfriend that does everything for you, cares for you and lovingly pats your head. It was just a little too much. And because the drama builds Teerak’s character to be such a child, it was a little weird watching his first NC/intimate scene.

Despite listing two major pain points, this is an easy-to-watch drama. Like I said, it’s full of sweet moments. The friends group are lovable and supportive. Even the annoying ‘villain’ isn’t that bad. I especially like the first half of the drama when the leads are trying to learn to act like a couple in a pretend relationship. I’m also a big fan of fake/contract relationships, so as they are pretending and falling in love, that’s my favorite part of the show. Muenfah is such a sweetheart. He asks for permission and checks in the next morning to make sure Teerak is fine. Consent in a Thai BL? No forced kisses? No wrist grab? Wow!

After they got together, we got some really sweet and cute moments. But the plot is not moving and not much happened, except for the family drama. The last few episodes are over an hour long each, and the drama feels like it’s dragging towards the finish line. The secondary best-friends-to-lovers couple and the last-minute boring couple are not given sufficient time to develop their storyline. What a waste of a potential good best-friend-to-lovers romance. They should have scraped that boring last-minute couple completely.

But to end on a good note, the kisses are great. I spotted a little tongue action from Thomas. Their kisses are sweet and romantic, yet passionate and not eating each other’s faces. Their last intimate scene shows growth in the characters and in their love story. There’s visibly more passion and a little lust, yet still done in a tasty manner. Thomas looks really good in his non-school uniform and he is quite handsome. They actually show these students in school, and working on class projects and not just hanging out in the cafeteria and causing problems. Muenfah’s family is super sweet and adorable, though unrealistic.

I am not sure if I will recommend this drama because I am not a fan of the acting (it’s not horrible but it’s a personal taste). However, if you are looking for something sweet and cute, and are more forgiving about the acting performance of these young and inexperienced actors than me, then this is a good watch for a quick sugar rush.




Completed: 1/6/2026 Review #659

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THE GREENEST MALE LEAD EVER

This series was simply amazing. I don't write reviews unless I really love a series, so you can understand if I'm writing one for this. The storyline was great. The actors perfomace was phenomenal. And the best of all was the male lead. The character is the greenest flag out of all the other male leads in any other series. Some people might argue about this, but I'll tell you why he is the best amongst all.

No matter how many times the female lead pushed him away, understood her and continued being there for her. He understood that woman without her having to say a single thing. He is the most attentive person a woman can find. The way he admires her with eyes full of love and tears when he sees her doing something she loves. The way he reassures and lets her know that she deserves nothing but the best every single time she thinks she's not worth it all.

There have been many others who have done this, but no one has done it as well as Sang Yan. The lengths he went through and would go through for her🤌. It's how he stayed, even though she pushed him because he knew she had her reasons and would definitely come back one day. He is a man any girl would wish for.

The FL's friendship is also something worth praising. I loved how FL's best friend stayed with her no matter what. And her love story was cute too. It was well developed. All the characters in the series were well-written, and the actors did an incredible job playing them. They justified their roles.

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love it..

there are very few dramas that has everything at par, hidden love is one such drama, the story, the cast, the music everything is so good. the chemistry between the lead obviously is top notch and definitely the talk of the town, but the bond shown between the siblings is so beautifully explored. one such drama, where you don't complaint about anything rather just go with the flow, you laugh with duan xiazu, you cry when he is hurt, you are smiling when sang zhi heals his pain, his traumas, you root for them till the end.. I can keep talking about them, I can watch hidden love 1000 times over thats how much I love this show.

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