Reviews

Must watch if you’re a huge fan of Liu Tao!!

If you enjoy watching slice-of-life dramas based around friendship like Hello, My Twenties! and Hospital Playlist, you would love this drama, too. It’s refreshing to see a show where none of the main characters are morally upright or perfect, but you can’t help but root for them. I didn’t particularly care for any of the love stories, but that didn’t detract from the watching experience, except for the Wei Wei guy who I hate with a passion.

Unlike Hello, My Twenties! 2 and Hospital Playlist 2, Ode to Joy 2 didn’t retain the momentum that it carried in season one. There were inconsistencies in storytelling and character struggles, especially with Andy’s character, but still, it was an enjoyable experience.

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boring...

This series had an unusual premise, but the execution didn’t really work for me. The whole "waiting 300 years and suddenly confessing" part felt rushed and a bit random, and I never fully connected with the characters. The pacing was slow, and the story leaned too much on the forced-love idea, which made it hard to enjoy the romance.

There were a few nice moments and the cast tried their best, but overall it just wasn’t engaging. For me, it ended up being more boring than exciting, and I wished the script had developed the plot and relationship in a more natural way.

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Face swaps, secret identities, and an arranged marriage with a twist.

In the desperate search to find her missing sister, Shi Qi is thrust into a political conspiracy that is far more dangerous and complex than a humble artist like herself can fathom. After a commissioned painting session goes horribly wrong, she wakes up with the face of Shen Qin, the powerful prime minister's daughter. She is then coerced into the wedding meant for Shen Qin, and blackmailed into an uneasy alliance with the cruel and cunning Prince Ning. With the promise that her sister and true identity will be returned to her, Shi Qi must retrieve a missing item from the general she is about to marry, General Xiao Hansheng. But fate throws her into a loop of turmoil and delight when she realizes that her betrothed is none other than the man who has been occupying her mind for the past few years. Face swaps, secret identities, and an arranged marriage with a twist — can a romance rooted in deception ever truly flourish?

For a short series, the production value is quite impressive. The cinematography is thoughtfully executed, demonstrating that a beautiful drama doesn't always require a high budget. The art direction and lighting work in perfect harmony to set a tangible mood for every scene. For instance, the flowy curtains softly dancing in the breeze give one of the smaller sets an expansive feel, the serene image of rain cascading down rooftops is wonderfully captured and enhanced by the color grading, while the gentle glow of lanterns at night evokes warmth and intimacy. These intentional creative choices are what make the drama feel so aesthetically pleasing, showing how strategic visual storytelling can compensate for a smaller scale.

The true magic of A Familiar Stranger is the captivating chemistry between Shi Qi and Xiao Hansheng. In a refreshing take on the arranged marriage trope, their relationship grows without the typical hostility found between opposing forces. Rather than treating the supposed daughter of his enemy, Shen Qin, with coldness or suspicion, Xiao Hansheng approaches her with open understanding. Their marriage might have began with deception, but their romance is built upon genuine affection. With limited screen time, the actors are able to effortlessly convey a deep and gentle connection between these two characters through every quiet interaction, from a lingering gaze to a knowing smile. Shi Qi and Xiao Hansheng are so incredibly patient and tender with each other, I can't help but fall in love with the way they care for one another.

Ultimately, A Familiar Stranger was a pleasant surprise. My only complaint is that while its premise of face swaps and secret identities was compelling, the political intrigue and antagonists were underdeveloped due to the limitations of the short series format. Thankfully, the drama's strength resided in its beautiful portrayal of the central romance, which effortlessly overshadowed its narrative flaws. The captivating and tender chemistry between Shi Qi and Xiao Hansheng was consistently enjoyable and was undeniably the heart and soul of the story. I was left thoroughly giddy and content by their journey from a deceptive arrangement to a flourishing relationship of genuine love and mutual respect. This drama is a rare gem that delivers big emotions for a small investment of time, and I’m truly glad I gave it a chance.

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Everyone who says they like this show is a toxic, misogynistic pick-me.

I just finished the show, and I can confidently say it's one of the most infuriating series I've ever seen in my life. Romantic? Please—spare me. Every so-called "romantic" scene between the main couple made me feel sick. The male lead was flirting with the female lead while his girlfriend of eight years was pregnant. And the female lead, knowing all of this, still started developing feelings for a man who was about to become a father. Absolutely disgusting, both of them.

When the pregnant woman lost the baby, the male lead didn’t even care. If you can become that cold toward a woman you've been with for eight years just because someone else caught your eye, you're a heartless piece of trash.

I hate these kinds of storylines that degrade women and portray them as desperate for the love of a disloyal, weak man. It’s revolting.

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Two Cutie Patooties who fall in love ??

A Calm Sea and Beautiful Days with You

2025

📺: Viki 10 eps

◇1930s

◇Arrange Marriage

◇Sweet Romance

◇HEA

I feel like the writers of Jdramas are finally listening to us 🥹

For me personally, it has been impossible to find a Japanese drama where the leads respect each other.

Most of them are written that our male lead is a walking red flag and excuse all his behavior and he NEVER apologizes.

Not this one, they make mistakes and apologize almost iimmediately. I can't tell you have refreshing that was.

For that alone, this drama has my respect. Now that being said it's not perfect. The kissing scenes especially in the 2nd half could have been better. I understand censorship with Japanese dramas but it didn't make sense to the plot. This drama is told to use like it were a play of sorts and it took me out of the story from time to time. It wasn't bad just not used to that type of storytelling.

This drama takes place in the 1930s so you will see some traditional elements and beliefs in the plot. I personally liked it and I thought it was sweet at times.

Another thing that I found endearing was how awkward they both were. It was sweet how hard they tried to understand each other.

Overall I enjoyed my watch of this one and would recommend it. A good one-time watch for me ⭐️⭐️⭐️



#jdrama #asiandrama #Japanesedrama

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A 13 year old show that still feels fresh when you watch it

This show is so good
even tough this is not comedy some of the scenes were really hilarious and I laughed really hard.

it's a 18 epi series but still it's doesn't feel draggy at all, everything is well thought out.

this show is easily one of my favourites, I highly recommend everyone to watch it, don't just see 2013 and skip (that's what I was doing until I finally watched it)
this is genuinely good and not for second it felt like this was made 13 years ago the production quality was really good.

the OST for this show is good as well

The cast and acting was solid especially the ML and FL
Acting wise I liked the ML and character wise I like the FL, she was a little flawed but that's what made her character more genuine.

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A fun watch, but not a romcom

This was a great drama, but it was not a romcom. Yes, they most certaintly wanted us to have fun watching, and I did. There were a ton of laugh out loud moments, but this drama had a serious tone and pacing problem. The quick cuts from comedy to tragedy got dizzying and by the end I was just skipping the silly bits so I could get back to the main plot. And the main plot is rewlly convoluted on its own, I’ve been watching dramas since 2014 and I couldn't guess where it was going because it seemingly went in nonsensical directions just to try and elongate the episodes and keep it fresh. Again, I liked this drama but it could have been 4 episodes shorter. The male lead was wonderful though, he was everything the story needed him to be at any given time, and he had no issues with his sweet and cute scenes. It was just annoying how much he didn't want to show the female lead how much he loved her, again this set the plot back by a lot. This story is totally male lead falls first and hard, but it's not really an older woman/younger male tag, which is where I found this. There's time travel involved but when she's in the past they are the same age in reality. And that brings me to the female lead, I did like her, but not as much as the male lead. She was very passionate but didn't consider the male lead's feelings as much as she should have, causing them years of heartbreak and loneliness. And also, let's be clear that these two look their age. There's nothing wrong with that but all the characters looked like they were in their late 20s to mid 30s and it was not believable seeing them dressed up as high schoolers and then as college freshman.
Overall I really did like this drama and if there had been a bit more editing and awareness of tone shifts, this would have been a 10. Sadly, I'll give it a 9 instead.

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"I love the moon but the moon doesn't know"

THE FIRST HISTORICAL CDRAMA THAT I FINISHED and still wanna keep watching
I love this drama a little too much that idk how to move on currently typing this while listening to the osts on Spotify on repeat
and just finished rewatching this for like the nth time .
Do you ever find that drama where the actors are made for the role .
The story actually teaches u something
It's like so many lessons so many adventures all packed like that in an anime .
You would get such depth in every character
It would feel like being part of an era
The friendships , the emotions , a love as bright and beautiful like the moon.
Plus the acting is so good that u wouldn't even feel it's acting it's like literally so natural .
I'm glad I got to watch this drama

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Liu Yu Ning does it again!

This drama has its great moments and has some draggy moments. I think as a whole I can say I really did like this drama there was just some moments that frustrated and annoyed me, but there are not many. The biggest thing that really annoyed me was the FL I think this drama really drags out her non trust of the ML way too long that it does kind of takes away from the romance a bit.

Watch this for:
Liu Yu Ning
So watch this if you are a fan of his he does not disappoint and he is so great to watch in this. Especially his character Li sixteen love the costumes for this character. His character Nan Heng also goes through so much that you really just feel for him and that no one ever listens to him or even trusts him. Liu Yu Ning plays these characters amazingly and I really enjoy watching him.

Riley Wang
I think his character Shangguan He steals the show sometime and that may just be my opinion, but he was just a great character and his love story with Song Yi Ting was so cute that I think I enjoyed it more then the main love story. Shangguan He was also so loyal that he was ready to die for the ML then to let him get in trouble for him. I think his character deserves to be mentioned and should be watched for.

Zhu Xu Dan
Her character Song Yi Ting also deserves to be watched she is such a strong and talented character, and I didn't think when I started watching this that she was going to be such a great character. I enjoyed watching her more then the FL at times cause they do make the FL so stupid that this girl outshines her in every way. Her love story with Shangguan He is also so cute and worth watching.

Chang Long
When I first started watching this I thought I was going to really hate Nan Rui because he just comes off as such a dumb character was he funny yes this guy is always funny so he should be watched for that. Nan Rui turns out to be so much more he is not just foolish he is a completely lovable character and is not as stupid as everyone thinks. Also really liked him and his guard's relationship. You will think that his guard is really annoyed and bothered by him but actually thinks more of him then you think.

The Story:
I do actually really like the story of this drama it has so many great moments that will just pull you in and you will be glued to the screen, but it also has its moments of draggy and frustrating scenes that will have you thinking why am I still watching it. If you can make it through most of those I think you will find that it is worth watching.

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Sweet, Silly, and Seriously Entertaining!

This is a light-hearted fluff comedy show—short, sweet, and feel-good. You won’t feel like you wasted your time.

I loved all four leads. The main couple—Na Aejoon, the teacher, and idol Si Yeol have a charming romance that develops quickly. The teacher is hilariously awkward and gives you secondhand embarrassment in the best way. The idol is a flirt master with a hidden agenda: he's taking revenge for his best friend.
The second couple —(cousin of the teacher and BFF of idol) isn’t shown much, but you can tell they’re well-developed. They share a past that neither can fully leave behind or forget, adding emotional depth to even their brief scenes.

Both couples have decent chemistry. The kiss scene between the main couple was a letdown, but not enough to ruin the vibe.

There’s a fun cameo from a Jazz for Two cast members.

The acting is decent- nothing noteworthy. The cinematography complements the light-hearted tone with bright, warm colors, giving the show a cozy vibe. However, it sometimes felt a bit too dreamy, especially in the beginning.

Overall, I’m loving it so far and would definitely watch again. It’s genuinely hilarious, a great pick-me-up, and refreshingly free of dragging episodes—likely because it’s such a short series. I’m excited to see how it wraps up!

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A Must Watch But....

What happened to this year?? SERIOUSLY best xianxia and drama month by month a must watch .
I am not a fan of Chen but this drama is the best and FL done her character perfectly..best CGi
I started episode 1 I wonder how I end up in 9-10 plot keep interesting somewhat similar to love between fairy and devil( dragon-snake, hell flame -spirit fire 70k something yrs-500yrs)

Okk....I just want to know why xianxia writers always want a weak, clingy,dumb FL??? Instead of powerful or atleast normal?? As per the formula of xianxia dramas WDBTD also have Immortal -demon relationship, reincarnation, amnesia but that's not a problem after 27-28 episodes the story not moving remains the same ML repeatedly dying, rebirth, at some point I lost all my emotions and unable to carryon because I know what will the next , FL have 3 identity which I got bored but when she had amnesia she still trust him and didn't hurt his feelings when she forgot him completely.
(This is my opinion don't mind me)
I know if we want to watch xianxia should not expect logic and lock your brains if you are a fan of Chen this is a best wonderful drama for you.
Happy watching

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Son Oh kong & Woo Ma Wang's Bromance saved it for me.

I will keep it short.The story is engaging indeed.with every passing episode You will be more curious to watch what happen next!! This point is important for me atleast while watching dramas.Thats why i am giving story a 9 although if we watch it nowadays it'll feel like having more loop holes. But its okay.

Acting: All the actors did Really great job except except our very female lead.She is literally showing few expression all over the show.Its really hard to watch her but LSY did save it for her.He is amazing. His comedy was really good.

BROMANCE was the one that i really enjoyed throughout the show.

OST: One the strongest point of this drama.I literally keep waiting to hear it.

Rewatch : Obviously i'll rewatch but in You tube edits with this beautiful OST.

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