Reviews

A Standard Plot with Boring Beats

I’ve made it to episode 12, and honestly, the domestic conflict here strongly reminds me of 'The Glory' style of plotting. You’ve got the legitimate daughter cast out because of a 'bad omen' prophecy, the villainous concubine and her children, a spineless patriarch with zero integrity, and the 'weak' primary wife.

To be fair, this type of trope is starting to feel a bit exhausting, especially when layered with the usual palace politics. Even 12 episodes in, I’m still not feeling the chemistry between the leads. I haven't quite engaged with the storyline or the main characters yet.

The only thing keeping me interested so far is the production design. The costumes and accessories, especially for the female characters, are stunning and look so beautifully crafted.

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I've been ugly crying since the last episode of the series.

Right now I’m sitting with a cup of coffee, puffy eyes, and unsuccessfully trying to find a way to describe this drama without spoilers. I usually have plenty to say, but this time I realized there’s no surefire way to talk about it.

It’s so simple and complex at the same time. It’s a story that makes you think about the value of time and the profound impact one person can have on another. That pretty much sums up the entire series.

I really liked the way it was filmed. The series gives us snapshots of Narutaki Ryu’s and Hwang Jo Han’s lives — like flipping through a stack of old photos, just quick flashes of particular moments. I think it was a very smart approach for a story that spans ten years. We don’t need to see every single event to understand what they’re going through.

I loved the characters, because this isn’t just a story about their feelings, desires, and passions. No — it’s about choices, dignity, and how deeply someone can leave a mark on your soul. Don’t be fooled by the summary or your expectations: this is not a love story. It’s about two people who meet at the most difficult moments in their lives and continue walking through life together without putting a label or frame on their relationship.

As for the music, I really wanted it to be more memorable. It worked well enough as background, but I hoped for something stronger.

In the end, this show deeply affected me. I had knots in my stomach for most of it, and after finishing it this morning, I could do nothing but stare at the ceiling, absorbing everything I had just watched.
For me, that’s the sign of a truly wonderful series — one that reaches into your soul, touches your heart, and actually makes you feel.

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everything that could go wrong went wrong. balled my eyes out at seven am, i wasnt even expecting to go through this lord help me. i did have a hunch it was not going to be a proper bl, some parts were predictable (that might just be me im too good at the guessing game) yet stirred my stomach as i waited for the plot to progress. overall it was good but i think the story did a 180 degree somewhere in the middle, adding a subplot which was really unnecessary. ryu's and yohan's relationship/bond could definitely use a bit of work because a lot of it felt left unsaid. first half of the show was genuinely better than the rest, i found myself crossing my fingers everytime ryu showed concern for sumiko because i so didnt want him to take over as the "father". about the ending, they did confess their love *romantically* because yohan said aishiteru, i feel like a lot of people are missing that. but even if there was no physical intimacy, the story lacked the portrayal of that strong bond for sure. it feels incomplete and perplexed. i usually enjoy watching anything even if its a little disappointing so i get why others have such strong opinions on this.

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This should be talked about more!

I watched the trailer for this and thought it looked interesting, but omg this blew my expectations out of the water! Absolutely loved it! It was so different than I thought it was going to be in the best way. The characters were actually smart and enjoyable to watch, no time was wasted with things being dragged out, everything was answered...I just loved it. The actors all did an amazing job as well!

The show is super violent and could definitely be triggering for some. If Selfh*rm is one of your triggers, I would not recommend watching this. The show doesn't hold back on its gore aspect.

Characters:
Se A-An absolute baddie of a main character. She was so cool. She was caring, lovable, and so brave. I loved watching her. Her relationship with her friends showed how much she cares about them all. Her relationship with Geon U was so sweet. You could really feel how much they truly loved each other. I loved her chemistry with Ha Jun too I can't lie.

Geon U-Again you could see just how much he truly loved Se A and cared for his friends. He was such an adorable guy! Just had the cutest and sweetest personality. I was very happy he didn't die in the beginning of the season after he made his wish lol

Ha Jun-I think he was my favorite character to be honest. He was so smart, sweet, caring, and I just loved whenever he was on screen. I love that even though he liked Se A and had many opportunities to try to make a move on her (like when they were really close to each other in the circle) he still didn't. He didn't push any boundaries, didn't cross the line, and stayed as just a caring friend the entire time. I thought that was so respectful and quite different for a series since they were kind of a love triangle. Depends on who you ask really. I loved seeing his relationship with his brother-in-law develop too.

Na Ri-I didn't trust her from the very beginning to be honest. Her vibes were just off, and I wasn't shocked when she started shit talking her friends and even tried stealing Geon U. She was just a bad person through and through. I've seen some theories that people think she could be the next person to haunt the phone and I wouldn't be shocked at that at all.

Hyeong Uk-Even though we barely saw his character, I felt so bad for him! He didn't deserve what happened to him at all. I'm glad him and Se A were able to talk at his house before he died because I felt like it cleared up some insecurities about his friends for him. Man needed a big hug!

Bang Ui-Loved him!!! He was so funny and really brought some good comedic moments to the show. I absolutely adored him trying to get close to Ha Jun! So cute! Very glad he didn't die either because I was so worried he would. I would love another season to see more of how his power works but it's cool either way.

Ha Yeong-A true baddie! I loved her! She was so brave and was the true GOAT of the season!! I do wish they expanded a bit more on why her and brother didn't seem super close, but that's ok.

Si Won-This mf. An awful friend and an even worse person. You could tell she was shady right away and it just got worse and worse. She deserved an awful fate and I'm glad she got one. I wasn't shocked when she was the one haunting the phone rather than Hye Ryeong just because of the type of person she was.

Hye Ryeong-This poor girl!! Someone give her a hug too! I felt so bad for her over and over again. By the end I couldn't even blame her for her wish at all. Everyone was so awful to her, especially Si Won who was supposed to be her best friend. I was so angry for her. Sweet girl didn't deserve any of that.

I just loved this show so much. The plot was so well thought out. It was creepy and horrifying. I really had no issues with it all. Very easy to binge as well. I don't know if it's getting a season two, I don't think it is, but whether it does or not I loved it. I think it ended in a way that's fine to leave it where it is or could continue on. Highly recommend!

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Computa, please make these guys do foreplay.

That was so much better than I expected it to be, holy shit. For a short drama and even a drama at that, I thought this was, for one, a great idea and two, incredibly done. I am truly impressed. I would give it a 9 out of 10. I am going to say what I liked and what I didn't like, and then end the review.

I don't really give out 9's lightly for short dramas, because they can be enjoyable and still be crap, but this one was good. It's about these guys pretending to be an online couple, and then they go on a dating show and eventually get found out, but realize that they loved each other all along. How could someone not like that? I thought the dating show felt very realistic, with the games, the crappy shots, and the weird, invasive angles. IT FELT SO REAL. I LOVED THAT. A really good job to whoever was on camera duty, because it didn't feel like a short drama at all. One of the guys was in the team leader drama that was lowkey weird as hell, but he did a great job in this one, and so did the other guy. They played the fake relationship role really well, and I could tell immediately that the taller guy had had a crush on him for a while, and it wasn't a surprise. I could also tell when the other guy fell for him, which was good to see. I thought it flowed very nicely; the other characters also felt very natural and didn't take away from our main couple. The long-haired guy pissed me off silly, but that's what he was meant to do, so I can't even get mad at that. I like the reveal that he liked the shorter guy in college, but not anymore because he was less innocent now, LIKE CRAZY, BUT I LOVED THAT. What else? I think the guys don't have a lot of chemistry, but it is enough for this show, especially because they are fake dating (I do think that at the end their chemistry got better, so that's also good to see). This was well done because there wasn't a lot going on. The plot was very fluid, it was new, and it was creative, so it was very enjoyable. Yeah, that's all, good show! I had tons of fun watching it and was on my toes the entire time, lmao.

The main things that I didn't like were that the cuts between episodes weren't very fluid and a little bit choppy, but that's more of a technical error than anything. I also wish they added an extra 5 episodes so they could be happy land a little longer because I really enjoyed them as well as our other couples. The other X guy, who was not the long-haired one, dropped off the face of the earth lmao. His sexy ass was nowhere to be seen after his introduction. Their kisses were really awkward, but it's kind of a given with two straight guys, so I will cut them some slack. I wish we had a little more love and cuteness at the end, I said that at the start of the things I didn't like. Like, I didn't need a full-on sex scene, but maybe like some foreplay or something, like please, your girl is desperate. Computa, please make these guys do foreplay (my new headline because this was funny). Not a lot to hate on with this show, so that's all!

I would 100% recommend this to anyone needing some joy on their 7th week of school with a midterm tomorrow (and one today that I hopefully did not fail), or they just want a short drama to watch that's not crappy. This is your go-to. Yeah, just overall a good short drama, and I hope to see more like it in the future. Okay bye!

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Don’t be a sleeper on this one

My greatest pleasure in this story is the main female character of JinZhao. Seldom we see a strong woman who sticks to her mind and business. A woman who thinks outside the box, plans her life meticulously, is devoted to those she cares for but not afraid to take them down if in the wrong. Smart, cunningly beautiful, and ferociously protective of what’s right and just, she’s a joy to watch. Actress is doing a great job and she effectively draw viewers to cling to her every move wondering how she’s gonna deliver her adversity. She does not disappoint.

Story doesn’t need to be super complicated to be appreciated. It just needs to flow connecting point by point in scenes. That’s the stronghold of this one.
Often times with longer dramas, it sometimes loses grips, directions, or even focal point. This drama paces well, keeps you engaged, eager for next. The intrigues of family dynamics, government officials in power, and in center are the hero and heroine who are driven to save the kingdom with righteousness. I have not once needed the speed button. I’ve enjoyed the storytelling and when it’s down to four more episodes, yeah it’s very good.

Male lead is perfectly casted. While physical looks is not a primary (or secondary) thing, he is a very handsome man. More than that, he’s a great actor. His ability to transform his facial expressions, to fit the mood of the moments is so good. Both he and female lead have that ability so yeah, very well matched.

I can’t applaud enough though the entire cast, the veteran cast who are pivotal to the plot, everyone! Their hard work brings us great entertainment.

I’m a romantic and I appreciate this element even in this story. Not overpowering, not forced, but subtle and forthcoming. I so enjoy the development of their relationship and there are plenty of sweet moments, which aren’t cringy but make the story more enjoyable.

I want a happy ending and it can easily be on my favorites list. Hope 🤞🏽. Don’t be a sleeper on this one, at least watch five episodes to give it a fair chance. You might be like me who had no expectations but ends up quite feeling accomplished having started in the first place.
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Concluding thoughts now that it is done:
To be honest, it feels a little underwhelming. I just feel that the last four episodes didn't explode, in fact, I wouldn't of wanted it to end in the battlefield. I think sticking with the nuances of the court and family dynamics, while trapping the bad guys would of made more sense. Instead, a bloody battlefield felt distasteful to the whole story (in my opinion), thus leaving an ending that doesn't linger but....it's done.

I still enjoyed the story. I truly think the love story was a strong point. They managed to show a couple that was a team, conferring with each other about everything, and that to be in love, to show it especially during these historical times is appreciated. Disappointed that the antagonist didn't get the ending deserved, much too light. Thanks for reading.

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Wholesome from beginning to end

I genuinely still can’t grasp the fact that there are no more episodes of Pursuit of Jade. This drama was honestly perfection from beginning to end. Every single episode gave me something to look forward to, and not once did the story feel dull or dragged out.

The entire cast delivered incredible performances. Zhang Linghe and Tian Xiwei were absolutely brilliant together. Their chemistry felt natural, emotional, and believable in every scene. I originally started this drama lowkey for Zhang Linghe, but Tian Xiwei completely won me over. Her portrayal of Fan Changyu was one of the strongest female lead performances I’ve watched in a long time. Fan Changyu’s growth throughout the series, from her small town upbringing to fighting for justice and standing strong through war, grief, betrayal, and hardship, was so beautifully written and portrayed.

The supporting cast also deserves so much praise. Deng Kai and Snow Kong completely stole my heart together. Their chemistry was honestly the cherry on top for me personally. Even the villains were compelling. I genuinely couldn’t bring myself to hate Qi Min because his character was written with so much depth, intoxicating, dangerous, loyal, tragic, and emotionally layered all at once.

The child actors were also amazing. The performances from the young actors who played Yu Bao’er and Fan Changning were incredible and added so much warmth and emotion to the story.

What truly made this drama stand out for me was the storytelling. The writing, foreshadowing, pacing, family dynamics, betrayals, forbidden love, toxic love, loyalty, friendship, vengeance, grief, everything was woven together beautifully. The drama balanced romance, comedy, politics, warfare, and emotional moments so perfectly. I laughed, smiled uncontrollably, and cried my eyes out throughout these 40 episodes.

The cinematography and visual effects were stunning. The battle scenes and warfare sequences were visually gripping, and Marquis Wu’An’s entrance scenes with the triumphant music were honestly unforgettable. The soundtrack itself deserves praise because every piece of music matched the emotions of the scenes perfectly.

I also want to especially commend director Zheng Qing Jie because the directing in this drama was absolutely phenomenal. This is honestly one of the first dramas where I found myself fully appreciating and watching the battle scenes and bloody sequences without wanting to skip through them. The way he captured the scale of the battles, the atmosphere surrounding the characters, and the emotions within every scene was breathtaking.

The winter scenes in particular were beautifully filmed. The snow scenery somehow felt both cold and incredibly warm at the same time, which made so many emotional moments hit even harder. I was especially in love with the way Lin’an village was portrayed. The cinematography captured the beauty of nature, the warmth of the community, and the peaceful feeling of village life so perfectly. Absolutely brilliant work from this director.

One of my favorite aspects of the drama was its emphasis on community, friendship, and perseverance. I loved how the story showed the importance of having people who support you and stand beside you through the worst and best moments of life. Lin’an felt alive and warm because of the friendships, loyalty, and sense of community portrayed throughout the series.

And the ending? Absolutely satisfying. Watching the villains finally receive punishment and then seeing the alternate life ending sequence imagining a world without the Jinzhou tragedy was emotional and beautifully done.

Honestly, I have almost nothing bad to say about this drama. I lost sleep binge watching all 40 episodes because I simply could not stop watching. Pursuit of Jade deserves every bit of hype it gets. It’s emotional, visually beautiful, action packed, romantic, heartbreaking, wholesome, and inspiring all at once.

This drama completely hooked me until the very end, and I already miss these characters so much.

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It’s just cute you know? ?

If you’re expecting top tier acting and a masterful plot then wait for Happy Ending. That is going to give the plot, depth and emotional madness we are all craving. This is just a fun, quirky, nonsensical show. The plot isn’t complicated, it’s aliens on earth , baking and falling in love. If you watched the pilot and expected more, then I don’t understand. 🤔 It doesn’t take itself seriously which I actually love.

Cringe moments: yes.
Over the top comedy beats : yes
nonsense sci fi plot: yes
small emotional moments: yes
Jeff & Barcode being cute af: yes 🙌

Essentially Jeff is an alien Prince who comes to Earth and meets Wooju who is Barcode. Antics ensue in the bakery while a haphazard alien takeover plot happens in the background. Despite that, the chemistry is fantastic 🤗 and the emotional beats, even though they are small specks here and there, are appreciated. In 8 episodes I can see how they fell for each other and I love it!

Also shout out to the side couple. Not much time or dialogue but I would watch a show with them ngl 🤷🏾‍♀️

This show gives ✨Disney Channel Original✨ movie vibes like early 2000’s. It’s giving Zenon lol I’m old don’t judge 😩.

Jeff & Barcode are silly and adorable yet still manage to have great chemistry. The acting isn’t terrible for what it is. You can tell they had fun filming. If you just want to watch something cute and short, I recommend it just for that. If you like silly shows with over the top comedy bits and just a fun vibe you’ll like this. Even Jeff himself said that was the expectation.

Let’s not forget how long ago the show was made. So many are saying they are really let down but this was their first show after KP as a pair. Not only that, it wasn’t even going to be released until another studio bought it. I don’t think you should judge their capabilities on this show and just sit back and enjoy the ride. ✨

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started strong then just dragged

Caught this drama on Youku, wasn't sure what to expect, it was one of those dramas where someone from current day gets pulled into a fantasy world simulation of some sort. As usual the CGI was quite good and on par with other dramas of this type

The drama started strong the first 10 episodes or so kept me interested. Then the plot just started to drag, nothing really happens for 5 or 6 episodes, some of the main characters get amnesia in a big battle scene and the drama spends the next few episodes watching them trying to regain their memories. Then another main character gets amnesia, and again we spend a few episodes of them trying to regain their memories. The villains are boring and uninteresting. One of the main villains is constantly lying and yet everyone believes all of the lies being told.

It was a struggle to finish this drama and even had to fast forward through episodes to get through it. This drama probably could have been shortened by at least 10 episodes.

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Not an 'any of the tag words' - story, but a beautiful adult love story

I just finished watching this in one go and just want to say that this is one of the most beautiful love stories I have seen yet.

I don't watch any of the modern, copy and paste feminised BL dramas for many reasons I don't want to elaborate.
But I watched this and was deeply moved by the way this story was told, and by the fact it was NOT about cheap, repetitive, one-dimensional, childish, unrealistic romance mainly made for teenage girls.

In fact, this was not about sex and cheap butterflies in the stomach triggers at all. It was about human relationships and it was about love in different shades, and life coming in between in all sort of ways. I was touched by many things in this, by the FL with the story of her childhood with a mother who completely ignored her as well as I was touched by the main male characters and especially the last few episodes.

I also liked it was multilingual and shot in different countries, one of them my home country even. I loved that the two male lead looked ordinary, in a way of their natural complexion instead of chalky white makeup and pink lipstick. I liked that their hair was messy when they got up in the morning, that they had dark circles under their eyes when they were stressed and desperate. I simply liked they looked like real people for a change.
This was not something to watch in between or for escapism and feeling better, many things here were without words and explanations. Many things were about reading the room, about glances, about guessing what a character might think in one moment or another, so, in short, it was something for people with brains - which I crave so much and which is so very rare these days.

Of all the actors I only knew Ok Taecyeon, whom I liked because he was in one of the first dramas I watched and liked about ten years ago.
I think his role as Jo-han here was by far his most serious, adult and actingwise his best role.
I enjoyed this a lot and will certainly rewatch it some time.

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It hurt me!! But I loved it.

I've been waiting for this series ever since the casting was announced, I truly couldn't care less if it was gay or not I just wanted to watch it because I really like these two actors.

I gotta say that I am absolutely impressed with how good this series is, I didn't know what the plot was going to be exactly as I avoided reading the description and didn't watch the trailer, but that poster, it was obvious that it was going to be a sad one, but I didn't expect it to be this sad!! I cried, I'm still crying, from the very beginning it's just so gloomy, although there are cute happy moments it's mostly sad. It is still worth it, the story is beautifully told, the acting is fantastic and the episodes are short so it's an easy binge.

I loved it, it hurt me, it hurt me so that I need to go watch some cartoons or something cute to lighten my mood, but I still would recommend and maybe watch again at least 1 more time.

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Not Compelling In The Least

I genuinely dont understand why this drama is so hyped. It was hard just trying to make it to episode 3. There is no soul to this story. Here are my main gripes so far:

-The characters are uninteresting or downright unlikeable. Our male lead feels like a half naked marbel statue. He's all beauty and little character. Meanwhile, the female lead is just not an attractive character. Sure, she's beautiful, but that's it. Overall she is a pretty self-absorbed character with arrogant confidence. I could understand a little if her arc is supposed to humble her and make her become more sincere as a character. But you can have complex and selfish characters that are still compelling, interesting and enjoyable from the start regardless. She just vexed me greatly.

-The main leads don't have chemistry. all their interactions feel a lot like models posing at each other, or a fencing duel. They're dancing around each other flaunting their competant, shiny swords and poking each other. It's like they're verbally mogging. Their dynamic just feels unnatural and forced. Even their laughs dont sound genuine, the both have that stupid-rich laugh that makes me want to smack em. And don't get me started on the countless, rather distracting slow motion scenes to emphasize their beauty. It was overdone and made the characters feel more like products. Additionally, I just think the scenes they are given together have so far been inadequate for building their relationship. The kiss scene in the third episode felt premature and unrewarding.

-Building off the last point, the politics overtake the show a bit and honestly, I ended up skipping a lot of in episode 3 because it just didnt grab me and I just wanted to know if the main leads were going to be interesting enough to compensate.

-It's supposed to be a comedy but I did not laugh once in any the episodes I watched, and I'm fairly easy to please humor-wise! I saw the attempts at comedy, but it just didn't land. Possibly because the characters weren't likable enough to be that charming or witty.

-I have a headache now

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