Reviews

This is for you, Sad Ending Enjoyer!

I give you warning if you don't like BE or Sad Ending go see another drama.

I quite like most of Peng Yao works. For Yang Peng Cheng, his works is hit-and-miss but i am not avoiding his work since i believe he can polish his acting skill. The chemistry between them has potential even there is almost no romantic moment.
The plot is about the FL seeks for ML who was young thug helps to fight her abusive uncle. The relationship between FL and ML from mutual use to mutual salvation and they found themselves "home".

My pet peeve to this drama, in the middle (eps 50 above) the plot was kind of dragged and ML mother death are biggest letdown to this drama. I understand the writer want to make tragedy drama but there is unnecessary to make ML mother died.

Recommended to someone who love BE.

Read More

DAMMMM! that was unexpected!

I need to breathe and stop freaking out, don't know how I will move on.
Firstly, my expectations for this drama were very low, since I have only seen one actor before in other dramas, and I just wanted to watch this one to pass time, because of another drama.

BUT HOLY MOLY THIS WAS GOOD! WAHT!
This is not going to be a long review, but my honest opinion with no spoilers, and only hints to let you know, why i enjoyed it and if you maybe will.

Firstly, this drama is meant to have a female lead, cheerful & happy, smart but not wise.
I normally HATE! these sort of characters and don't really watch dramas with just a female lead like this, but the actor did such a good job, and you get so many breaks, because the second female lead is a strong independent woman, and the female leads ALWAYS TRUST ONE ANOTHER! There is no unnecessary drama there.

It gave me the wrong vibe to start off with the couple of first episodes, but at the same time, the way they did this drama, I just kept watching and have now finished the whole drama in under 50 hours...... it really can suck you in, so let me put it into simple terms with hints to see if you will like it.

- Cheerful female lead, who never wavers and is always honest and trusts the people around her.
- NO UNNECESSARY DRAMA! The plot points are good and VERY SURPRISING! I got surprised by 2 major ones, and spoiled myself from TikTok on one of them.
- Never wavering love
- This drama really has the female lead at the center role, with her bff coming in later strong!
I feel like there was no character development from the female leads, besides the romantic part of the story BUT
- HOLY MOLY! The male characters have major development and honestly, you don't feel like you're missing out. The characters are well written and the story and plot as well. I don't get why people find it boring.
- The males are soo well written and i love their acting, i was freaking out a lot because of their "interactions" with the females and such, and each other.

Is it 36 episodes? YES! but in a drama with that many episodes, you have to wait for your turn to see all the good stuff, and honestly! They come so quick. So quickly that I was worried that it was going to have a bad story around 20 episodes, but NOT AT ALL! Totally surprised me as well.

Read More

Rewrite The Stars.

For a drama that was being provided for free on Youtube, Head 2 Head exceeded my expectations. The storyline is nothing new, and the very simple portrayal of family, friendship and the explosive dynamics between them all is what elevates this show to another level.

Childhood friends turned rivals Jerome and Jinn has made it their mission to annoy the living daylights out of each other, including moving to extreme lengths such as courting the other's crush.
When one such 'competition' ends with Jerome crashing his car, he starts to dream visions from 10 years ahead... visions in which he and Jinn are no longer at war. Jerome begins to realize that the dreams might not be as simple as they seem when he scarily cross checks facts, revealing a crucial information that rewrites everything he had assumed about Jinn.

Why was he receiving these visions? Could he really change what awaits him? Who exactly was Jinn to him?

☆ Most of the drama takes place at college, or in their homes. Honestly, it's an almost accurate portrayal of a college students life. The relationship between the kids and their parents is one of the main backbones of the tale and I adored how it was depicted.

☆ I have to give it to GMMTV... this is my 4th drama from them and however the story strays, the characters are all fully fleshed out human beings who are relatable. Characters are empathetic and make logical arguments, which was refreshing to watch.
Yes, there were tough episodes, but the writers couldn't afford to drag out conflicts with only 12 episodes.

This might be the true highlight of Head 2 Head. Not to mention that every actor was convincing to my eyes.

☆ The second couple, Farm and Van are equally captivating as the main one. They were definitely the sour apples, and time might've been insufficent to portray Van's growth, but they somehow managed to bring it to the finish line.
Throw in their friend Mai and we get a gang of mixed personalities that doesn't seem unrealistic.

I'm not the best judge when it comes to technicalities, but, honestly, this drama was a warm hug for me since November 2025, without being overboard or underwhelming.
It was a sunshine after rain moment for me after Khemjira, which I had completed prior to it. I'm slightly upset that I won't have anything to escape from reality for a while.
I wish that Jerome, Jinn, Van, Farm and Mai continue to live their lives in the best way, whichever universe they exist in.

Read More

SPOILERS!!! THOUGHTS!!!

Overall, this drama was good. It was interesting at times, but also a little hard to follow. I loved the characters and the growth in them, but it just didn’t captivate me. I wanted more action scenes and emotional scenes. I don’t think there was enough. But, it was really good at the end. I loved the ending the most.

Zhao Jinmai is really really naturally pretty. When she was wearing the Persian outfits, GORGEOUS. Her acting is always very stable and she can convey emotions so well. Zhang Linghe’s acting was also really really good in this drama. But, this wasn’t my favorite characters for either of them. I think their characters in other dramas fit them more.

I like the plot of this cdrama. It’s unique to everything else that I’ve watched before. The enemies to lovers start and then the rediscovering was really well done. Especially since both of them have the chance to rewrite their fate and story.

From episode 2, u can tell that Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan have love and care in their hearts for each other. It may be buried very deep down but they are constantly and instinctively protecting each other. They are able to tell from the style of gameplay that they both lived 20 extra years. I think Li Rong was just hurt because of Pei Wenxuan’s childhood best friend and she assumed that meant he loved her so she shut down her emotions. Once that happened, Pei Wenxuan was hurt as well, so they both built emotional walls. But, still, they both always care about each other, so I don’t know what was going on in end of their future lives. My prediction is that it is a big misunderstanding though. (I was right)

I love their bickering with each other very early on. It shows their familiarity but also that like married couple type of fighting that occurs. They’re both so sarcastic with each other and try to hide their love, so it’s very interesting to watch.

Why am I distressed in the beginning and confused? I know that Su Rongqing is probably a bad guy in the end, but their chemistry with each other in the beginning was strong too. Especially in that closet scene. But I also love Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan, their chemistry just comes naturally. It flows like a married couple.

Nevermind, I’m on team Pei Wenxuan and Li Rong. His confession in the rain was so emotionally moving. “When she was sad, I became nervous. When she smiled, it felt like every day was a good day. If she fancied a hairpin, I’d make sure to remember what it was like. If the weather changed, I’d be worried if she was soaked in the rain. If she left home for a few days, I would pine for her. I wanted to write her a letter daily to tell her how much I missed her. I’d wonder how many kids we would have. I’d also wonder if we would grow old together. If I do have regrets, they’ll only be about you. The one I loved and lost was only you, Li Rong.”😢😢

I love Li Chuan and Li Rong’s relationship at the beginning especially. They have so much care for each other and are always trying to get the other out of trouble. Li Rong is such a strong FL, who isn’t afraid to go against their own mother for Li Chuan’s good and wishes. It’s sad to see the flashbacks of how their relationship deteriorates, but I hope it changes this time around.

“Let’s live in the present and not give up important things for fear of future uncertainties.” That is one of the best quotes I’ve ever heard from any drama ever. This is what one should live by to live their life to its fullest. Courage, honesty, and passion is what stems from this piece of advice.

“As your husband, no one can do anything to you unless they step over my dead body. As your ally, I’ll stand in front of you even if everyone wants to kill you. So whether we are a couple or allies, our fates have been long tied together. Just choose a path you like.” The words of affirmation from Pei Wenxuan is actually super sweet. Especially for Li Rong, when she’s contemplating a big decision. “I would always die for you without hesitation.” Whether they admit it or not, Pei Wenxuan and Li Rong would give up their own lives for the other. No questions asked.

Episode 20 and Li Rong still needs to figure out how to be vulnerable with her emotions. Pei Wenxuan’s attempt at romance with the buttercup flowers, Li Rong’s favorite outfit, and his favorite guqin. Everything was thought out so carefully for Li Rong but at the end, she didn’t catch on to the hint. Ugh the misunderstanding happening between them. Pei Wenxuan openly expresses his love while Li Rong has to figure out how to openly express her love for him. She does it through protecting and defending him against enemies, but still needs to work on admitting it.

Pei Wenxuan willing to wait for Li Rong to figure out her feelings really struck me at the heart. He said “10 years, 20 years or even longer if you need I will always be here. Because I like you and I will always wait for you.” He’s so understanding even when emotionally hurt and dejected. He still tries to put in his best effort emotionally to help Li Rong and give her space and freedom to figure out her own feelings.

Pei Wenxuan is able to read Li Rong so well and her actions/emotions. He always knows when she needs help or what help she needs. He’s always there for her and knows how to make Li Rong the most comfortable and live her best life. Their deep bond is just different in an unexplainable way.

Who would’ve thought that Su Rongqing also came back from 20 years in the future? My question is how, because he didn’t die right? Only Pei Wenxuan and Li Rong did. I can lowk feel for Su Rongqing though. After his family met their horrible demise in every way, he’s filled with revenge and a want to protect his family in this 2nd chance at life.

Episode 25 with Pei Wenxuan brought me through so many emotions. When he forcefully pushed himself onto her, I was conflicted. I didn’t know whether to be mad at Pei Wenxuan or feel for him because I understand his feelings at the time. He cares so much for her and just wants a little bit of reciprocity back from Li Rong. But, I also get Li Rong as she was trying to make Pei Wenxuan’s life the best it could be, even if it means leaving her. She’s had to hide her vulnerable side and everybody misunderstands her “cold” temper.

Awww they’re so cute when they have to hide their relationship to convince everyone else they divorced. Their secret yearning and meet ups were so cute. Pei Wenxuan really becomes the baby in the relationship and Li Rong is like his guardian, keeping him in check.

I feel so bad for Su Ronghua. Him and Shangguan should be able to be together. I hope they figure it out. Politics are one thing, but the gentle love they have is another. Su Ronghua doesn’t care about power or the throne, he just wants to live comfortably. And I think it’s the same for Shangguan, she just has it harder cus she’s their only daughter.

Omg the plot twist in episode 33. So literally everyone Li Rong trusted besides Pei Wenxuan decided to tag team her and kill her. Who would’ve thought? Everything was just a big misunderstanding though. I really hope their fate can change in this life because that is such a depressing way to die, at the hands of a misunderstanding. Everyone was plotting against Li Rong, the betrayal runs deep let me tell you.

Ok episode 36 really confused me. The time jumping and recollection of events was a little hard to follow, so at the end, I didn’t even know what was happening at one time. But, when Su Ronghua and Shangguan Ya said goodbye, I was so maddd. The only reason they can’t be together is politics. The politics screwed them over bro.

Li Chuan I think truly loves Li Rong. When he gave her the sword to kill him before the future becomes like how it was in the past, his eyes held that little brother look in them. He looked so pitiful, you can’t help but feel bad. I truly truly don’t think he has any ill intentions. I really want Li Chuan to have a happy ending. Everyone should just have a happy ending….please.

Episode 40 with Su Rongqing’s end was so sadd. I know he’s supposed to be the enemy, but his motivation for everything came down to his love, either for Li Rong or his family. And when he gave the dragonfly and said congratulations for her being pregnant and having a child, I felt so sorry for him. The only he wanted was for Li Rong to be happy, and at the end, u can really see that.

But of course, I’m glad Pei Wenxuan and Li Rong ended up together. Now, their love is just undeniable from both sides. They are willing to die for each other time and time again.

I’m so glad everyone got a redo at life. Chuan ended up as a good person with time spent together with Qin Zhenzhen. Shangguan Ya and Su Ronghua were able to be happy. And ofc our main couple. Only Su Rongqing had a sad ending😔. “A happy farewell” is the last song he ever played for Li Rong and then ended up burning himself to death cus he has nothing to live for anymore. But he was still smiling at the end of it😭😭 This is like the first time I’ve wanted the villain to have a better ending.

Read More

Powerful, Raw, and Deeply Human

This is a powerfully delivered performance and not one for the light-hearted. The cinematography is beautifully executed, adding depth to the storytelling as it unfolds in layers and keeps you engaged throughout. The narrative has real grit, examining difficult choices and harsh realities while delving into the heartbreaking and complex psychology of its characters. The story is raw and compelling, with a whodunit element that slowly pulls back the curtain to reveal the truth behind multiple events. Loyalties and friendships are tested—some fail, while others grow when least expected. This is a drama whose characters stay with you long after the final episode.

I’m not sure this series is for everyone. It depends on what styles and tones resonate with you. I often see people looking for light rom-coms, and this is not that. It explores dark, gripping themes, but it does so with honesty and beauty, telling a compelling story filled with characters I truly fell in love with. I would rate this as a top-shelf watch.

Read More

A Short but Addictive Mini-Series

I started this mini-series just to pass the time, but I couldn’t stop watching : I really loved it!

The story is easy to follow and full of humor, which makes it very enjoyable from beginning to end. The costumes are well done, the special effects are decent, and the fight scenes are well executed.

I honestly wish the series were longer, because time flew by while watching it. The episodes are short (around 10 minutes each), but they are never boring and keep you engaged the whole time.

Overall, it’s a fun and entertaining mini-series that’s perfect for a light and enjoyable watch.

Read More

A pastel mess.A cute GL that made me smile… and side-eye the direction hard

This series is undeniably cute . Like, tooth-achingly cute at times. The chemistry wants to work, and honestly, the entire cast does a really good job acting and thy try to make some awareness about transgender issues and same gender relationships. Their emotions feel sincere, the shy looks land, and the realization arc between the leads is something I genuinely enjoyed as a fem×fem sapphic🌈💗

One thing I absolutely loved and I mean loved is that the show clearly uses the word “lesbian.” No vague dodging, no euphemisms. Say it with your chest. That alone earned major points from me.

That said… whew. The direction is very silly and weak. It feels like the director straight-up missed so many important moments that should’ve deepened the story and the romance. The plot itself is pretty much just flooding —nothing special, nothing memorable, just events happening without much impact.

My biggest gripe is the relationship progression. After they get together, it feels awkward and fake 😐. They’re sleeping side by side like an old married couple, barely touching. Girl?? Newly together couples are usually clingy, hugging, leaning, always finding excuses for skin contact. That intimacy just wasn’t there, and it completely broke the illusion for me. The actors could’ve sold it—but again, this feels like a directing failure, not theirs.

Final thoughts:
Cute? Yes. Well-acted? Absolutely. Groundbreaking plot or convincing romantic direction? Not really. I liked it, I wanted to love it, but the weak direction held it back hard. Still, for sapphics who enjoy soft GLs and appreciate clear representation, it’s worth a watch—just keep your expectations pastel, not bold. 🎨✨

Read More

la mejor serie de la existencia

Es, sin duda alguna, la mejor serie que podrás ver en toda tu vida. Nunca había encontrado algo siquiera parecido, ni una historia que lograra atraparme de esta manera desde el primer momento. Cada episodio es una experiencia única que te envuelve por completo, haciendo imposible dejar de verla. Los visuales son simplemente espectaculares, cuidados hasta el más mínimo detalle, convirtiendo cada escena en una auténtica obra de arte.

Las canciones son otro nivel: cada una encaja perfectamente con la historia y logra transmitirte emociones profundas, haciéndote sentir parte de ese mundo. Es una serie que no solo se ve, se siente, y que permanece contigo incluso después de terminarla.

La recomiendo totalmente a todo el mundo, porque es una experiencia que merece ser vivida al menos una vez en la vida. De verdad, quedé completamente encantada y enamorada de cada aspecto de esta serie 🥹💓

Read More

*******SPOLIERS****SPOILERS****SPOILERS****SPOILERS****SPOILERS****SPOILERS****SPOILERS*******

I liked the series overall but for me it spent was too much time on the flashbacks. This could have been a much better drama but it wasn't. It seemed like we were going to get mature adults but the series wavered through way too much push and pull and when I thought the characters has started to communicate more, and would weather all storms, we get a break up in the 11th episode. Not that the break was unneeded but it should have come 6/7 ep. I didn't mind them getting together in the end b/c on some level it finally showed they could be done with what anyone else thought about the relationship.

I thought the cast was really good and Park Seo Joon and Won Ji An were excellent in their scenes together. l liked the fact the Kyeong Do's mother was understanding about his and Ji Woo's relationship. She could have been bitter about this woman who destroyed her son at one time but she was forgiving. I also, liked that Ji Woo and Ji Yeon were chaebol siblings who loved and cared each other. I am such a fan of Lee El and she was absolutely fantastic in this.

What I hated the most was that the series spent way to much time on Ji Yeo's husband's evil deeds only to not show him be arrested publicly and just be in jail. That really pissed me off!

1/11/26

Read More

Classic wuxia with well-developed backlore

I absolutely loved this show for the first 10 episodes or so. The humor is excellent. Lei Wujie is so adorably dumb, in the best and cutest way (I also like that he’s self-aware about it). Xiao Se is kind of the opposite, but hilarious in another way- deadpan sarcastic. Add in Wu Xin, who has his own style of calm quipping, and I was laughing every episode. It is so much fun to watch them and their other friends traipsing across the Jianghu, that I barely cared that such a deep friendship came out of nowhere.

Sadly, the fun and games don’t really last. I will credit this show with maintaining some excellent flashes of humor all the way to the end. But the sparkling fun tone doesn’t make it through, and by the second half it’s pretty much devolved into classic power struggles and throne drama. These are not badly done, but power struggles can only be so interesting to me. I would have preferred more focus on the characters, their development, and their interactions.

This show does have a band-of-friends feel and a focus on camaraderie. But in the end, it’s mostly Xiao Se’s story. I found him to be a likable protagonist with his own set of relatable emotions; a sullen streak and some past trauma, but mostly a good guy and of course a very smart mastermind. In his orbit are some other likable characters as well, but it was this show’s loss to relegate Wuxin- one of the best characters- to the back burner for the majority of the show.

There are a lot of other characters of varying importance, plus a lot of complicated relations, a lot of gradually revealed backstories, and a lot of traditions and lore in this universe. Some of it is straight up told to us by Xiao Se through dialogue- lazy storytelling but still helpful to an overwhelmed viewer. Still, I had a hard time keeping track of everything. I found the show better on a second pass when I already knew a little of what was going on, but I only rewatched because I took a long break; I didn’t like this show enough to rewatch for fun.

I think the plot is not bad, just all the power struggles did not fully captivate me. There is a good amount of pathos, a realistic emperor, backstories with depth (hence an entire prequel for it!), and a villain that is easy to hate. It also, to its credit, stays strong until the end. But I think the real strengths of this show are its humor and snarky characters, which they did not lean into nearly enough.

Unlike most Cdramas, the title is actually relevant. “Blood of Youth”- there is indeed a consistent focus on the youth of the heroes and how they must forge their own paths. It’s especially relevant since this Jianghu is filled with the legends of the past generation, who’s prior actions brought us to our present state. The way this idea of youth comes up regularly and in different ways, is actually quite well done.

Unfortunately, it’s just not a theme that particularly resonates with me. It might be more meaningful to a younger person. The show in general feels very shounen, or maybe classic wuxia. For example, the endless parade of powerful legends, each more powerful than the last, and the obsession with who is more powerful than whom. Lots of posing, looking cool, and being proud to be a badass.

Some parts of this martial world I do appreciate. It feels very RPG-esque how everyone has their own characteristic weapon, as well as a few distinctive abilities that are accompanied by flashy CGI sequences of dubious functionality (what are all those flower petals for again?) It’s all good fun, but sometimes they go a little overboard trying to make people look cool. I am too old to be impressed by somebody yelling some noble-sounding catchphrase.

This show is also kind of casually sexist. Everyone seems to care a bit too much about the beauty of the women. At least it is mostly just the culture of the show’s world, rather than baked into reality- there are still plenty of strong, capable female characters. Even they, though, also seem to think that beauty is a woman’s most important trait. And don’t get me started on Li Hanyi; some of her interactions seem like they came out of my HR training.

And while we’re on it, many of the female characters come with romance stories, and the romances are not done well. I never understood “no chemistry” until I saw Xiao Se and Sikong Qianluo. My goodness, it was so awkward and cringe, but at least not that important. Plus Qianluo is not developed enough for me to care about her. Lei Wujie’s romance was funny as comedic relief only; when it seemed like it might work out, I started to cringe. Luckily, also not that important.

Acting-wise, I think this cast did a pretty good job. My favorite is probably Ao Ruipeng as Lei Wujie- this is still the best role I’ve seen him in, managed to make the guy 100% lovable instead of dumb or annoying. The emperor also did a great job.

The fighting is very CGI-based, sometimes very fake-looking, but not bad if you think of it as a CGI sequence in an RPG. The flashiness of a particular technique means nothing. They all look infinitely destructive and are countered by equally destructive-looking things.

The costumes are nice, and also color-coordinated well. Somehow nobody seems to look very good wearing them, though.

The music is very good. The songs are more energetic rather than slow or romance-y, which matches the tone and focus, and the BGM in particular sounds good and is used well to set mood.

Overall, this is an enjoyable show that I liked but did not love. I would watch the sequel when that comes out, but I don’t care enough to, for instance, watch the anime. There is also currently a prequel and spinoff that gives background on some of the other characters; however, since I already know how they end based on this show, I have no intention of watching them.

ENDING – READ AHEAD ONLY IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, CONTAINS SPOILERS





This show has a happy ending. The main conflict ends in the second to last episode, giving us an entire episode to wrap things up peacefully and send Xiao Se and friends off to happily travel the world. Some people scatter, but there is a promise to meet again. There is even a special which shows Tang Lian coming back. It’s a pretty satisfying ending, but I may just be saying that because I see a sequel already planned.

Read More

Enjoyable and worth watching

I'm really surprised at the low-ratings this Chinese drama has received on certain platforms. It deserves better. Yes, it's uneven in places, it drags at the end--and the acting chops of the numerous characters range from overly-dramatic to reasonably competent to blanked out, poker-faced bots. BUT...by and large the female leads are magnetic, energetic, and convincing as the five clever and spirited Li sisters-all of them in the market for a marital match made in heaven.

What the ladies get instead is a plethora of trouble, involving in-laws and outlaws and just plain craziness, as each daughter, in turn, finds what appears to be the "perfect match," but in fact--is not.

Mother Li (played by an outstanding actor) has her work cut out for her. For each of the five, she has to find an appropriate husband, with a modicum of wealth and a propitious astrology chart–someone belonging to a socially respectable, congenial family. And, of course, she has to provide each of her five girls with a sufficient dowry.

Is Mother Li looking for someone her daughters will like and get along with? Strike that last requirement. Personal compatibility was pretty low on the priority list in that day and age.

Not to worry, though, these incredible women are all resourceful, capable, and able to finesse the various situations--marital, familial, and legal--as well as the chauvinistic society they find themselves in. Not all of their shenanigans work as planned and the plot isn't always believable. In fact, the fifth daughter's marriage situation was so ridiculous that I fast forwarded through most of it. Shades of "I Love Lucy" reruns in some of the antics. Her attempts to whip her would-be spouse into shape (and I do mean "whip") went on waaay too long. Personally, I don't find marital abuse funny, no matter how richly deserved or who's doing it.

It would have been nice if the servants were depicted as real human beings instead of props for the nobles to use as they saw fit.

But the costumes and hairdos are to die for. And the absolutely delightful "lion contest" in episode 32 made up for a lot of the cheesier moments.

Who knew that 1000 years ago the Chinese city of Bianjing was such a nest of vipers?

Read More

Cartoon cliches

Series writers, directors, and other such craftsmen are masters of misdirection. In THE TRAUMA CODE, we’re encouraged to focus, indeed obsess, about Baek Kang-hyeok, the series’ enigmatic, superman doctor, while all manner of insanity is swept under the rug.

What kind of insanity? The buffoonish behavior of a certain hysterical hospital administrator who screams, yells, and bloviates while bodies are piling up in the corridors. The fact that said hospital has such a skeletal staff that minimally trained people are recruited to do serious surgery whenever the head dude isn’t around. The constant catastrophizing as our hero theatrically attends to one patient after another–once under a hail of bullets, once while clinging precariously to the side of a cliff. Each time the viewers are assured that the patient’s chances are slim to none–but somehow they all pull through. (Well, almost all.)

I know. This is standard fare for a medical drama, especially one based on a webtoon. And, I have to admit, it’s done smoothly and almost (but not quite) convincingly here.

Read More