Reviews

Exciting first act but after that comes a typical jealous love rival arc

I was in the mood for flash marriage trope so I looked up my iQIYI app and found this title. Bai Xue Ru is fast becoming my favourite actress and Wang Yan Xin is so damn handsome and tall. The first act of the drama was exciting but when second act came, it had the typical jealous love rival arc which didn't offer anything new. I wish they had stayed with the master-servant arc.

What I liked:
1. Acting - Bai Xue Ru was awesome in her role. She conveyed different emotions very well. While I liked Wang Yan Xin in this role, I wish he pushed himself more during emotional moments.
2. First act - Damn, the master-servant arc was fascinating. I wish it was explored further especially when she was pregnant because I didn't think this special dynamic was just related to sex.
3. Dynamics - I liked FL-ML dynamic from boss-employee then to master-servant & husband-wife. I also enjoyed watching the son interactions with his dad.
4. Supporting characters - Their kid was so adorable. I also liked FL's grandma & ML's grandpa.
5. Styling - I liked the clothes worn by ML, FL and their kid.
6. Tone - This is a lighthearted story with some spicy moments (love them!). FL certainly made an impression on ML.

What I disliked:
1. Romance - Even though I could sense them falling for each other, I wish there were many scenes of their romantic entanglement. They married for convenience. So what made them realise that their relationship was more than just master-servant?
2. Antagonists - There was the usual delusional love rival, Yanyin who couldn't accept ML's rejection of her. I also disliked ML's uncle & aunt who each had their own plans to inherit Xie family wealth.

Favourite scene
When ML was aroused after FL scolded him

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the depiction of the ugly side of friendships

we all have a definition of toxic relationships whether may it be love or friendships and images of what a toxic relationship can be

for me I considered this as toxic

when I first saw the trailer I knew we were gonna be in for a toxic ride and I was right

in the beginning it was kinda hard to watch because it didn’t really interest me
the thing with melodramas is that it can be rather boring or super interesting for me

story wise it was decent, I did find it a shame that the guy was a pushing factor in the drama of the friendship and that once again its romance that is used as a plot tool to separate and cause drama among the two female leads
I rather wish we got more focus on the two women instead of a trio a good majority of the time

I know sang yeon was the antagonist this whole time leading to a lot of people hating on her
but I would say that the world isn’t always in black or white but maybe it’s gray
that can also apply to characters and stories

I’m not saying sangyeon deserves a redemption
she rightfully got what she deserved by the end of the series
I myself relate a lot to sangyeon cause I share that sentiment of loneliness all too well but also feeling inferior
we could see that she drove herself to the results of her life by the end of the series a.k.a that self sabotage
I felt a lot of pity for her because all she wanted was to be loved and accepted

I consider their friendship as rather mentally abusive
they both had their wrongs during their friendship and college years but ultimately it was sangyeon who choses to end it due to her jealous and envy
also if a ex friend like her reached out to me like that after what she did I would be mad

I myself went through a toxic friendship with someone I considered my best friend of 6 years
so the betrayals that hurt the most are always the people who are close to you

I think it portrayed it rather realistic on how ugly friendships between humans can be and how emotions like envy, jealousy, etc can be such a driving point to crumble that structure built

I noticed how when they met up for the third time of their lives (office) how sangyeon grew out her hair and became more social whilst eun jeong sported more a short hair and tomboyish clothes
as if sangyeon was trying to imitate her in a sense? idk if it is intentional or not but that wig was cheap as hell

I think 15 episodes were enough to tell and depicts the three stages in their lives and how their friendship impacted each others lives

to end this off it was interesting but I would not rewatch it, the acting was done really well and I saw comment about the two leading actress were not too convincing as young adults during those college years but I think otherwise cause Kim goeun looked so young

I would say to go in with an open mind if you plan to watch it cause sometimes we can have quite a lot of tunnel vision

I wish that no one like eun jeong or just people in general find themselves in these sorts of friendships that will hurt them deeply cause it is hell
I hope that people can be more kind and understanding towards one another because sometimes our worst enemies are ourselves and we fail to notice before it’s too late

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" If I lose memories again, don't tell me the truth. Continue the lie that you're my papa"

Once I start watch, I can't stop!! With suspense cliffhanger at the end of every episode make on the edge of your seat.. I felt excited, curious and thrilled throughout the drama... Also excellent storyline that pack with plot twist with another plot twist.. Great journey where the connection revealed bit by bit from one episode to another episode while the truth seems unsure.

Other than that, surrounded with A-list cast from senior, villain and kid delivered best performance and make the drama significant.. They nailed the role and I don't see awkward moment between them.. Nice plot, great script, amazing acting and beautiful OST ^_^

Highly recommended!! One of the best 2025 jdrama

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Wasted potential

This was such a frustrating drama. The first half I was interested and invested and then we completely switch focus to some randoms that we've never met before. I care about the other characters, I don't care about these people. I am baffled by that second half, such a waste of time.

I loved one of the couples and I wanted to see so much more of them. I can't believe they wasted their chemistry in favour of the new characters. The other couple was okay, but I was nowhere near as interested in them as in the other one.

I loved the setting. I was unfamiliar with Macau prior to watching this. Other than knowing of its existence, I knew nothing and now I know a lot more and it's a place I would love to visit so the drama did promote Macau well.

Overall, this was a disappointment. I really liked the first half and while I did enjoy the ending, the rest of the second half was a huge disappointment.

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Visually Beautiful with Zero Depth

For those looking for a short and sweet review, this show had beautiful cinematography and virtually no plot which unfortunately made it relatively boring to sit through.

The long version as to why can be found below.

Characters:
- Thee is an extremely one-dimensional character, despite being one of the main leads. We learn nothing about him throughout the entirety of the show, except for that fact that he's born of status, in love with Rati, and a man of conviction. And even the conviction part, given that it's only ever directed at his love for Rati and not duty to country for family is questionable since he fell in love with Rati at first sight. Cute in theory, but Rati could have been a terrible person, a hardened criminal, and even an axe murder and Thee would never have known or maybe even cared, because his love came first.
- Rati has a bit more depth, a solid two-dimensional character with motivations and history that does not revolve solely around his love for Thee.
- Mek & Dech - These two are the most flushed out characters of the main leads with Mek taking the gold in this regard. He has motivations, convictions, and goals for his life that don't center around his love for Dech (which is nearly unseen throughout the show and a driving point different/side character specific review).

Plot:
As mentioned before, there almost isn't one. Due to the fact that Thee's love for Rati is so strong the audience isn't ever prepared for an internal battle or will-he-won't-he plot. Given the time that this is set in that would have been the most appropriate plot to have, but assuming because the directors, writers, or producers wanted to keep this series safeguarded from that, it places the show in an unusual realm where there is drama but no conflict. A plot cannot survive without some sort of conflict, tension, or friction that must be overcome and without these things a story cannot have a climax either. Instead what we are given as viewers is drama. There is some family drama and "from two different worlds" drama, but because the conviction of the characters, specifically Thee, toward his love is so high it makes these dramas seem almost hollow, because you know that he will choose his heart over anything else. There is never a moment in this drama where one thinks, "Oh shoot, will they or won't they" because it's guaranteed that they will, so for maybe the last 3-4 episodes, you're basically going through the motions to get to their happy ending.

Cinematography:
The reason that this show wasn't a total waste and it's not (it may be slow and boring, but overall it's fine as a show - not great, but also not awful) is the cinematography. It's a beautifully filmed show with great scenery and a similarly great wardrobe. There are some parts that do look set-ish, but overall for a drama set in 1930s Thailand, they did a pretty good job setting things up.

So yea, overall I wanted to love this drama and while I walked away not hating it, I'm still partially baffled at how a show could be so middle of the road to the point that, "It's fine" is a true depiction of the show.

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Strong Female Lead

Legend of The Female General
📺: Viki and !QLY
EPs: 36

Ever since we saw the clip they teased back in 2023 I knew this show was going to be special. I have always loved stories about strong characters and this Mulan-like story did not disappoint. From the acting, writing, and the fighting choreography, it was all amazing!!

Loved how the characters were strong and well-written. The leads supported each other and their character development was beautiful to witness.
If you're a fan of Chinese political dramas with romance and humor in the mix I recommend this one. What a fantastic Chinese drama 9.5/10

Currently sitting as my #1 favorite historical Chinese drama!!!

#LegendofTheFemaleGeneral #锦月如歌 #asiandrama #cdrama #kdramas #mulantrope #mulan #politcaldrama

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"If I understood him I’d lose him”

Stolen Life starring Zhao Xun showed how being brought up without real affection and acceptance can lead a young woman to settle for whatever crumbs she can glean from a man who is the very definition of a red flag. People can perform all sorts of mental gymnastics to avoid facing the truth and in this tale, Yan Ni paid a heavy price for ignoring the glaring warning signs.

Wu Yan Ni lives with her grandmother and aunt in Beijing. Her mother was an “intellectual” sent to the countryside where she met Yan Ni’s father. Quiet Yan Ni rarely sees her mother and meets her father for the first time when she’s fourteen. The women think she should learn a trade and marry. Her father declares she should go to college (university) so that her future would hold more opportunities than theirs. On her first day at the university, she meets a handsome delivery driver named Mu Yu. He showers her with attention and small gifts which causes Yan Ni to lose her heart…and her common sense.

This film highlighted the problems that can arise from not communicating. Yan Ni’s mom never told her why she was living with her grandmother leaving Yan Ni to believe she’d been abandoned. For fourteen years her father never made contact. Yan Ni was so afraid of being alone that she never asked Mu Yu any personal questions for fear of the answers or upsetting him. She knew instinctively and empirically when he was lying to her yet chose to ignore the facts in order to stay with him. It was like watching a person continually swerve into oncoming traffic and expecting to not get hit. The costs to her physical and mental health continued to grow.

Stolen Life was frustrating to watch, especially with most of Yan Ni’s feelings being explained by a voiceover, not shown through her actions and reactions. Whatever the artistic reason for the scene-by-scene narration, it cost the story emotional integrity and distanced this viewer from the characters due to the near constant interruptions. It really was a shame because the film discussed a couple of issues not normally seen in Chinese films and the actors were more than capable of handling the sensitive subjects. Aside from the lessons in communication and self-worth, the film also emphasized the old saying, “It takes a mighty good man to be better than no man at all.”*

15 September 2025
*Dixie Carter

Spoilery comments below:











Can a baby’s father and grandmother determine a baby will be put up for adoption without the birth mother’s consent in China?

Female students forced to leave school for being pregnant is ridiculous. It’s not catching! Plus, the mother will need the better opportunities higher education will give her in the job market to help her raise the baby.

Mu Yu was playing a ridiculously long con on the women he scammed. His doormat detector was honed to perfection. He could spot a woman desperately alone and without any self-esteem. This is why women without supportive families desperately need good girlfriends.

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A Commentary on Society-Destroying Meritocracy

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

It became clear by the end of this series, that this is a social thriller depicting the damaging effects of living in a meritocracy. I wish I knew from the beginning...maybe then I wouldn’t have been so pissed off by the ending.
By the way, this review encompasses both parts.

Acting/Cast: There were certain characters that over-acted pretty consistently. I also didn’t like the acting style of the main student (the one in charge of filming interviews). Other than that, it was alright and for the most part the acting improves throughout the course of the drama. 5/10

Writing: The purpose of this drama is to criticize meritocracy by using the backdrop of an alien invasion. A meritocracy is “a political system in which economic goods or political power are vested in individual people based on ability and talent, rather than wealth or social class. Advancement in such a system is based on performance, as measured through examination or demonstrated achievement.” In short, it’s a system where a person’s performance in school is really the only thing that matters. This drama depicts the consequences of that type of society. This is a huge problem in South Korea in particular. It has created a society where a student’s peers are seen as competition, creating a lack of comradery between them. It also results in a divide between child and parent—with the parent’s love being conditional to their child’s academic achievement. In a metaphorical sense, citizens are thrown into warfare to fight within a brutal system at a very young age far before they are able to mentally handle it, which is something the drama did in a literal sense with these students. Such an extreme focus on grades results in a blindness to all other valuable aspects of life—fun, love, friendship, truth—which prevents one from truly experiencing a full life and finding happiness. They are seen as expendable soldiers, as illustrated in the drama, and are easily used as pawns due to this hyper fixation on grades to the point where common sense has gone out the window. These aspects of a meritocracy cause mental illness in those who are forced to participate—depression, suicide, psychopathy, low self-esteem, insecurity. The drama shows all of this and it’s inevitable conclusion: death.

With that being said, is this drama written well? Even though I understand what the writers are trying to convey, there are obvious issues throughout the drama. There are scenes that are so infuriatingly frustrating and there are scenes that don’t make much sense. For instance, all of the students have guns, but conveniently they suddenly don’t have them when they actually need to use them. We see one student kill an alien using a blunt object and brute force, but later, when it’s ten kids versus one alien, they can’t kill it because they don’t have guns. At one point, an important key falls behind a cabinet and they spend five minutes trying to stretch their arm to reach it and none of them thinks to grab something to make their reach longer. So, the kids are either really dumb or really smart depending on how the writers need them to be in order to make the scene work, but that doesn’t work for me. Because of these issues, I actually preferred part 2; the kids were more consistently intelligent in part 2 (except for the end). I liked the opening sequence for part 2. It really showed the change and positive growth of the students and how they’ve learned to work together. I also really liked the prison sequence in part 2. Even though it was frustrating as like other scenes, it was really powerful in showing character relationships and character growth. This sequence also serves to further reveal the darkness and corruption of humans and that the humans have caused the downfall of their own society (by implementing a maritocratic system); it was not the aliens who were responsible. The aliens were simply there as a sort of judgment day or ‘a reckoning’.

From this point on in the drama, the aliens are less of a focus. Instead, the psychology of the students becomes the focus. Now we are seeing the lasting effects of the maritocratic system come into play—corruption, manipulation, distrust between peers, and mental disorders. I read that viewers really didn’t like this part of the drama, but it was inevitable. The ultimate ending was also a problem for viewers, but that too was inevitable because of the meaning behind the script. I still didn’t like it. The gruesomeness of the ending was so far removed from the lightness, fun, and feelings of hopefulness of part one and half of part 2. In other words, the ending sequences of part 2 were disturbingly dark compared to the rest of the drama...traumatically dark. It was hard to watch. It was also frustrating because the students were all trained marksmen by this point, with guns in hand, and they still were unable to subdue the threat. This is why viewers were so angry, I think. This is why I was angry. Another reason is because endings like this one tend to make the entire drama feel like a waste of time. 4/10
       
Direction/SFX/Music: Hot take...I actually don’t like the alien design. I think they look very nonthreatening and it’s kind of ridiculous watching so many people be terrified of them. They are also killed very easily, which is something discovered pretty early on, but not really utilized. The first alien they encountered was really a tease because we never see anything as threatening as that alien for the rest of the drama. There were some minor things with the scene editing that I had an issue with in part 1. The editing and flow seemed better in part 2. I like the OST; it’s energetic and fun. 4.5/10       

Entertainment Value: This was a pretty entertaining drama despite it being so frustrating. I was always worried for everyone because the writers were obviously fine with killing off important characters. Also, I had no idea where they were taking the plot, so that kept it interesting. The ending pretty much ruined this drama. It almost felt like they didn’t know what else to do with the plot so they just set it on fire. But, looking at it as a condemnation of maritocracy, it seems like this was the intention from the beginning. Even though I didn’t like the ending, I can say that I probably won’t forget it. By the way, there isn’t really any romance in this drama, so that made it a little less entertaining to me as well. 5/10

Combining both parts into one, I gave this drama a 4.5/10 (4 stars and up are ‘enjoyable enough for a watch’). This drama is similar to Happiness in that it is also a social thriller that uses the metaphor of a sci-fi infestation to commentate on destructive aspects of South Korean society. Understanding that this drama is depicting a judgment on maritocracy and its long term effects will provide viewers with perspective on why the writers chose to have the plot play out in the way that it did. However, there are still a lot of issues with the writing that make this drama an aggravating watch and the ultimate ending may still make you feel like you’ve wasted your time. I do like the thought-provoking nature of the story through allegory, but the script isn’t written well enough for it to have as much as an impact that it could have had.

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Disappointing Despite the Hype

This drama came highly recommended by a friend who's a big fan of Cheng Yi. She mentioned it was an S+ production and that Cheng Yi’s dramas never go wrong. However, after a few episodes, I honestly began to question the standard of what’s considered S+ these days.

My personal opinions from the episodes I picked up so far:

1. Production Quality. The overall production falls short of what I expect from a top-tier drama. The CGI looks unsophisticated and at times even distracting. The cinematography feels flat and lacks visual depth, making the scenes appear two-dimensional. Some of the fight scenes are so chaotic that they’re difficult to follow.

2. Costume Design. The costume design, particularly for the ML, is quite underwhelming. Some outfits are overly plain . There is a set in particular, a simple white and pink ensemble with a matching sash, appeared to lack any styling effort. While a few other costumes lean too heavily into a feminine aesthetic, which feels out of sync with the ML’s character and presence. Furthermore his hairstyle looks unkempt in some non-action scenes.

3. ML's Acting & Line Delivery. Given that this is a time-travel drama, I expected more comedic or confused reactions from the ML as he adjusts to an unfamiliar world. Unfortunately, his performance feels flat, lacking the emotional range or expression the situation demands. It was so flat that both his character and the overall tone of the scenes come across as dull and even exhausting to watch. Even more frustrating is his line delivery where his enunciation is so unclear that I often have to rely on subtitles and even rewind to catch the details I missed from reading the subtitles. This makes it impossible to watch at 1.5x speed or multitask, which is quite a drawback. Instead, I’m forced to focus entirely on the screen, which only draws more attention to the flaws in his delivery and acting.

4. Storyline & Logic. The plot has quite a few logical inconsistencies. For example, the ML’s mother shows a baffling level of bias towards him, despite his older brother being clearly more sensible and responsible. The time-travel aspect is also poorly executed that I feel it was added to tap on the AI hype. And no one seems to notice or question the ML’s odd behaviour, which feels lacking from a writing standpoint.

Final Thoughts:

Personally, this drama feels like a letdown, especially considering the S+ label and the high expectations surrounding Cheng Yi’s performance. Ironically, it’s the weight of these labels and glowing fan reviews that set the bar so high, only for the drama to fall short in several key areas.

Without all the surrounding hype, I feel it still a watchable show. My friend mentions the story picks up after episode 8, but honestly, I think I’ve seen enough. Perhaps this series will still appeal to devoted fans. For me, it just didn’t deliver.

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Too woke for me had potential but not my cup of tea

I recently watched Her Story, a Chinese comedy-drama (genres: comedy, drama) that runs about 120 minutes, and while I had high hopes for its heartfelt premise, it left me with mixed feelings. Directed by Shao Yihui, the film follows Wang Tiemei (Song Jia), a resilient single mother who suddenly loses her job and has to relocate with her young daughter, Nini (Zeng Mumei). In their new neighborhood, Wang Tiemei strikes up an unlikely friendship with her quirky neighbor, Xiaoye (Zhong Chuxi), who seems bubbly on the surface but is quietly battling depression. As these two women lean on each other, they form a makeshift family that includes Nini, navigating life's curveballs like meddlesome ex-husbands—Wang Tiemei's former spouse (Zhang Yu) keeps stirring up trouble—and budding romantic entanglements, all while rediscovering joy in the everyday chaos. What drew me in right away was the sweet core of a single mom building her own circle of support, turning strangers into something like family. Nini (Zeng Mumei) is an absolute standout—she's this wise-beyond-her-years little girl who's incredibly perceptive and grounded, clearly a testament to how well Wang Tiemei (Song Jia) has raised her despite the hardships. Their bond feels genuine and touching, and scenes of the trio hanging out brought some real warmth to the screen, highlighting themes of chosen family and quiet strength. That said, I was completely shocked by how "woke" the movie wound up being, which clashed with my expectations for an international film. I watch Chinese cinema hoping to escape those elements that dominate American shows, but Her Story dives headfirst into them. There's this awkward subplot where people assume Wang Tiemei (Song Jia) and Xiaoye (Zhong Chuxi) are gay just because of their close friendship, which felt out of place and forced—especially in a Chinese context where the culture isn't exactly open to alternative sexualities. It came across as shoehorned in for progressive points rather than organic to the characters. Then there's the heavy "I don't need a man" vibe permeating everything, with Wang Tiemei (Song Jia) portrayed as this ultra-strong, independent woman who's bossy and unapologetic. Her casual fling with a younger guy (Mark Chao) is explicit and promiscuous, emphasizing her sexual freedom in a way that screamed modern feminism, which I found jarring and unnecessary. The low point for me was that cringe-worthy dinner table scene where Wang Tiemei's ex-husband (Zhang Yu) and her new boyfriend (Mark Chao) get into this absurd challenge, arguing over who’s read more "woke" books and who believes men are inherently worse—it's like a parody of feminist talking points, but played straight, and it pulled me right out of the story. All these elements—promiscuous behavior, overt feminist agendas, and gay undertones—ruined what could have been a charming tale about a single mother and her adorable daughter forging real connections. Instead, it mirrors the very American tropes I try to avoid, proving that you can't always assume Asian films will steer clear of that stuff. Overall, Her Story had so much potential with its relatable setup and lovable characters like Nini (Zeng Mumei), but the heavy-handed social messaging overshadowed the heart. If you're into light-hearted stories about female friendships, it might still be worth a watch for the early charm, but brace for the ideological detours. If you like that sort of content, then you may really like this. But, if that is not your jam, then you might, like me not care for this one.

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the best drama I’ve watched this year.

this drama was amazing. it really pulled at my heart strings. their interactions were so cute and heartfelt. I thought the story line/plot were well thought out. sometimes things didn’t make sense but then it was explained later on. I love that they didn’t really have any misunderstandings and worked together to solve the problems they faced. Sima Jiao experienced so much pain and heartbreak during this life and he finally found the one that would Change all of that. Tian Yan was amazing. her character was so cute and you could see her grow through out the series. she just wanted to take a vacation from life and wound up being with the most powerful immortal of all time and saving everyone. both actors did a wonderful job and I hope they get to work together again.

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