Reviews

A capable FL, a flustered ML, and a plot that clearly did not get the memo about pacing

A wuxia mini drama that has more going for it than it sometimes deserves credit for and more problems than it sometimes acknowledges.

Ling Xuan is the kind of FL this genre needs more of. Capable, sharp, and never once reduced to waiting to be rescued even when the plot tries very hard to arrange it. Her ML is a trained killer who completely falls apart around her, which is both very funny and surprisingly endearing. Their dynamic carries the show through its uneven middle stretch and the middle stretch is genuinely uneven.

The romance moves faster than the writing earns it, the villain gets shortchanged, and the ending wraps things up more than it resolves them.

Secrets of the Shadow Sect has genuine highlights — the leads, the identity thread seeded patiently from episode one. But highlights alone cannot carry a drama with uneven writing and a story that loses the plot in its own middle stretch. Whether the good moments are enough will depend entirely on your tolerance for uneven storytelling.

7/10 - fun when it works, genuinely maddening when it doesn’t.

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The most disappointing drama in a long time

I’ve been looking forward to this drama ever since it was in the talks, since IU is my favourite leading lady and Byeon Woo-Seok is my favourite leading man. The two did everything they could with the terribly written script, but even they couldn’t save it. I think a lot of people are mistaking bad writing for bad acting - there’s only so much the actors can do when the material they’re given is garbage.

I wanted to see an alternate universe Korean monarchy plot done well ever since The King: Eternal Monarch flopped, but the ball has unfortunately been dropped again. Maybe it’s just not meant to be.

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Toxic love, gratuitous wickedness, and repetitive script.

Bad boy meets good girl. Nothing original in the sea. Since Rebel without a cause, the pattern has been used in so many films and dramas. But in this case, ML is not only rebellious, but also rude and arrogant. Even after what happens to his family or to the 3 years in prison, he behaves exactly the same as before. There are no regrets, or a different attitude toward the FL, friends, or colleagues. He is the same. Seems a privileged intelligence gives the right to behave badly with the inferiors (for him: all except him).

FL is a nice girl who seems attracted to ML's intelligence. Her role could be even worse and more naive, but she defends her own capacities and intelligence. So, in that sense, we can save her. However, she believes everything that ML says or does. She doesn’t need explanations, nor does she need to be asked for her opinion. If he says or does anything, she believes him and follows him as a puppet. Even when he screams at her or defies her parents. If that is not a toxic love and a big red flag….

Her mother is especially snobbish and square-minded, but that doesn’t justify how he treats her parents. Even when we know he does what he does for her best interest. Who is he to decide for her?

Mention apart from the the 2 seconday male roles (Old Gao and Fang Zhijing). What on earth is someone going to believe such a level of hate and at such a young age? Nobody has suffered a bullying guy at school or university, or a jerky colleague? Does that justify even the intention of murder or the willingness to imprison a person? Old Gao has a serious problem of complex insecurities that made him absolutely crazy. No matter how the ML is, his attitude and actions cannot be justified or redeemed in the last two episodes. He needs psychiatric help.

In 36 episodes, everything is the same: bad guys, a good girl, and her nice friends. Well, I want to mention the role of her man friend: Tian Xiu Zhu. I imagine his name is Tian (Heaven) because indeed he is the only “angel” in the drama.

Love? I don’t see any love. Despite the fact that there are people like the main characters in the world, we can not romanticize them. Or at least, if we do, let’s do because they change and show love and mercy. One last episode doesn’t solve the previous ones.

I didn’t like. In fact, this drama made me feel uncomfortable. However, I waited until the end to see if there was any change, and endured all episodes because of the great performance of all actors and actresses. They were superb. Specifically: Arthur Chen, Zhao Zhi Wei and Zhang Jing Yi.

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A Suspenseful Drama with Great Twists but a Confusing Story

I really enjoyed If wishes could kill and I ended up giving it an 8.5/10. I really liked the characters of Ha Joon and Se Ah, and I got attached to the whole friend group as well as Ha Joon’s brothers-in-law. One thing I especially loved was the plot twist where the drama makes us believe one specific person created the app, when actually that wasn’t the case at all. That reveal genuinely surprised me.

I also really liked the atmosphere of the drama. For something involving deaths and a supernatural app, I thought the mood and tension were handled pretty well overall. Even though some of the special effects looked a little awkward at times, it didn’t completely ruin the experience for me.

However, I do have to admit that the story became a bit messy toward the end. Sometimes it felt like the plot didn’t fully know where it wanted to go, and I found it complicated to understand why the app suddenly became “alive” and how everything actually worked. Some explanations felt confusing or underdeveloped, which made certain moments harder to follow.

Still, despite those flaws, I found the drama entertaining, suspenseful, and emotionally engaging because of the characters and relationships.

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Interesting plot with sub-optimal execution.

Overall:
Apparently this is controversial compared to existing reviews, but this drama is only worth 6-6.5/10, in my opinion. Whilst the plot pulls you in at first, it becomes dull extremely quickly, and only pulls you back in for the ending. Truly a loss. Furthermore, quite a few characters are unlikeable – especially Xin Mei which is an issue considering the amount of screen time she is given. However, Lu Qianqiao is an interesting and easy-to-root-for character who holds much more depth than XM. He has an interesting backstory which fuels his ironclad resolve to 'fit in', somewhere or another, through whatever means possible. This motive makes it easy to follow his intentions, and even easier for the audience to reel themselves in and root for him. While his backstory is described, it wouldn't hurt to have focused more on him instead of XM. If such was possible, the rating could be much higher as the plot does hold potential.

Story/Characters:
At the start of the drama, this plot is quite intriguing and motivates you continue watching, but that only lasts until Xin Mei's revenge arc for Lu Huai ends, with the beginning of her amnesia. The revenge is refreshing and really sets expectations for what Xin Mei's character is like: stubborn in her own morals. It is especially compelling considering her introductory 'detached' character which only seeks to marry a death-row prisoner. As she goes on a killing rampage, the audience feels a need to root for her to clear out these corrupt officials who wrongfully accused an innocent man to death by a thousand cuts. But that's about as much as her character goes. With the start of her amnesia, she grows to become a dull, stubborn, selfish, and self-righteous character who centres the entire world around herself. Bold claim, perhaps, but when she is blinded by her confidence and stubborn morals, she becomes unlikeable. From injuring Lu Qingqiao because she found out about his identity as a War Ghost to lecturing the sect disciples about good v. evil, she somehow has this unwavering confidence that she is always correct, therefore others must listen to her. It is exactly this unwillingness to consider the perspectives of others that makes her unlikeable.

Lu Qianqiao is an interesting character. He seeks to become human because he wishes to fit in somewhere, after living his entire life as neither this, nor that. It is exactly through this that we can understand his character and what is to be expected from him. His mother and father were spies from opposing forces who came together to create LQQ, meaning the fragmentation of his identity is inevitable. He is constantly forced to choose one side, yet he cannot, because he cannot belong entirely to one. Thus, he begins on his quest to truly become a human – it is this motivation that makes the audience want to root for him, becoming interested in the plot. What a pity that the drama decided to (arguably) give more time to XM instead, although even that was poorly-executed.

While this is disputed, I enjoyed A Sheng's character. Whilst she was not likeable, you could understand why she acted as she did, thanks to her entire backstory. This, in clear contrast to Xin Mei who has no explicit backstory aside from a couple lines about her being the only one left in her family, makes it easier to gravitate towards A Sheng. A pitiful child yet cunning child who turns the tables. Even as part of the main character group, she commits her own evils, especially towards Jin Lun, showing that she is not perfect nor does she have to be. She grew up in an environment where you either kill or get killed, so it's no wonder she's so heartless. Again, this ruthlessness and imperfection makes her character interesting. Not good, but interesting.

Overall, the plot has potential. I don't expect much depth nor nuance from idol-dramas, so this plot did exceed my expectations. The introduction of various determinants of good v. evil have the audience unsure about whose side to take. An ally today may become an enemy tomorrow, and vice versa. A clear contrast between the beginning, where the sect disciples are hunting down our main character group, and the final fight, where the sect disciples have allied with the main character group to retaliate against the final evil, the sect leader. It is impossible to fully determine what is good and what is evil, and this plot manages to touch upon that grey area. So much better than a plot where the villain is clear from episode 1, and they are evil for the sake of being evil. However, the middle of the drama drags on and the pacing is a bit odd, making them feel like filler episodes instead of actual plot. Scenes which could have progressed much faster are filled with the characters conversing, even when arguing during action/battle scenes.

Acting:
To start off with the male lead, Ren Jialun as Lu Qianqiao, his acting was fitting for this drama. He is able to accurately create the gradual change from War Ghost to human, as LQQ slowly begins to acquire a more humane understanding of the world. Whether its his childlike wonder for food, or his curiosity about the human experience, the subtleness is there and well-executed, making his character interesting. His range of emotions is the best part about his acting because he doesn't use the same expression or face for sadness, happiness, anger, fury, disappointment, disgust, etc., and actually creates some nuance. To be human is to feel multiple feelings at once, and he portrays that. While this may be the entry-mark to acting, to do so well is difficult, and the bar is considerably low nowadays.

Wang Herun as Xin Mei has absolutely no appeal. I am unsure whether this is a result of her poor acting, XM's confusing character, or both. When I watched the first episode, I had to double check who the female lead was as I felt absolutely no interest towards her; she simply felt like a guest character, no main character sentiments at all. The only time I was even vaguely compelled to focus was the shift from detachment to absolute fury XM faced when Lu Huai was unjustly killed. Such contrast created an actual incentive for me to focus on the story as we watched her unleash her wrath. However, even throughout that storyline, the actress was still lacking that final fit of rage. This feeling of lacking something continues with the rest of the drama, because it seems that she has three expressions: happy when she's with LQQ, sad when something happens, and an inexplicable overconfidence when she is lecturing others.

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anticipated this drama so much…but it just not up to expectations.

After finishing this drama, I’m truly not a fan of this screenwriter. TDHR might be popular among many but not me. I just don’t like how the writer wrote it. She unable to make me sit throughout the different plots, which is the same for FCY. I fast forward many scenes due to dull dialogues and weak buildups.

I’m a fan of Guo Hu’s works but I realised his work reflects better with good scriptwriters. this was reflected wonderfully in One and Only & MLC.

The CGI was superb, set up and casts were wonderful. what could be wrong?

It was when Xin Mei delivered super long speech at Chongling Valley, I knew it. At that time, I swear that was the longest boring dialogue I’ve ever heard in a drama. to add, the short screen time of ML at the start bothered me. and with more and more characters introduced, story became more on the surface and unable to go deep. the story involves immortals, humans and war demon. yet the end goal was about immortals insecurities towards human inventions? pfft…

I’ve been following some of RJL works and I’m not surprised because his works are more of my type of dramas I’ll watch. I just feel Lu Qianqiao character is very deep, potentially can be expanded further. he’s such an interesting character to study. he’s a war demon, lived for 200 years. and he’s the only war demon left? I just wish writer wrote about remaining war demons rather than perished all of them.

romance part, I never bothered if it’s RJL’s dramas. used to it. however, he needs to stop giving me the same expressions he’s been showing since One and Only days. also, I felt Wang Herun overact a little like a little girl when she’s in love lol. like gurllll, act your age. unless you tell me she never had a crush which is not, since her first crush was Bai Zongying.

shoutout to Bai Zongying & Chu Ying. they are my favourite characters throughout the show.

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Sweet and cute and pretty funny

Overall I enjoyed watching this. It was sweet and cute and fun to watch.

Absolute best sister. <3

Vicky is a genuinely interesting character. One of those characters that even the slightest difference in the portrayal could make her a very different character. But to me, she ended up being quite compelling.

The only real criticisms I have are that the camerawork feels a bit more web-drama level than polished. And the writing is a bit clumsy at times.

But it still tells a pretty sweet story and the story and emotions involved are actually pretty interesting, the history, the insecurities, some actual thought put into the emotional beats.

Oh and for some reason the OST is all like 90s sitcom style soundtrack? LOL not saying its bad but it is ...weirdly specific in the vibe that it brings.

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Decent BL but great thrill and mystery

I ahve a few things i want to comment on this show: first the storyline captivated me with the somewhat with its unique premise, especially in a BL, and as we progresses and the story kinda unfolded itself, various elements of the show tied in really well to create a conclusion and thrill that had been building up throughout. The plot twist however, was somewhat predictable, yet it still manages to deliver an exhilarating surprise that keopt me on the edge, the whole ending of the show wherew the twist unfolds was amazing to watch. The buildup to this twist is executed with such intensity that it heightens the overall experience, making the moments leading up to it feel genuinely suspenseful and engaging. And this is something i really enjoyed about the show. The THRILL. Its a very plot driven show but it just works well when it came to all the things that happens. I dont want to spoil. But the thrill of what will happen and to who was just super engaging and well written.

ON the other hand though, one of the most significant shortcomings of this drama lies in the imbalance between its romantic elements and the VERY central crime storyline. Given that the narrative of the stopry revolves around serious criminal events, including multiple fatalities and intense, perilous situations, I anticipated a greater degree of tension and emotional depth from Joong and Dunk. The stakes felt high, but the execution of those tense moments sometimes and often missed the mark. I expected the characters to respond with more authenticity and gravity to the circumstances they found themselves in, reflecting the severity of the events around them. Instead, the crime elements came across as underdeveloped, and at times, they were eclipsed by the romantic plotlines. This overshadowing not only diluted the potential impact of the crime storyline but also undermined the overall narrative tension, leaving the viewer with a sense of unfulfilled potential.

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It Will Hook You....But

Unquestionably this story grabs you from the beginning. Hooks you in with its intrigue. Begins to drift in the middle in a meandering tropey and cliché fashion and then by the end, pretty much loses you. Regrettably, the ending is a disappointment and is a set-up for another season. That is all well and good, if there is one. I would have liked a bit more meat on the bone for this series, however. Nonetheless, it is entertaining because of the strong presence of the main protagonists. Even though they are tropey, they kicked their acting up a notch to make their characters so enticing to watch. To be sure, this is an entertaining series throughout. I dislike the use of humor in graphic or violent series as I think it diminishes the message and cheapens the presentation. Some things just do not lend themselves to humor. On occasion perhaps but this series relied too heavy on it, which reduces the seriousness of its message. Ugly messages need to be presented – ugly. Do not try to minimize that reality with cheap humor.

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