Reviews

It didn't deliver for me

Things I liked

1 The premise. Funny, original and with so much potential.

2 The Three exes. They were interesting enough and the actresses were good enough to keep my attention.

Things I disliked

1 The FL. She didn't embrace her role. I don't know if it was the role or her acting skills but I don't think she did a great job.

2 Her relationship with her sister, I found her intolerable and even though she had some redeeming qualities this is the kind of character I dislike thoroughly.

3 ML. Not handsome enough or talented enough to bring me to care for his character.

Things I hated

1 That such a brilliant premise was ruined by casting the wrong leads.

2 That such a brilliant premise was ruined by a sloppy script. It could have been brilliant if they took the time to write a decent script. This wasn't funny or witty or interesting. A shame.

Read More

Can’t stop watching Kim Go-Eun

This was an excellent thriller. There were so many questions during the show, and I finished it in 2 days. I constantly wondered if An Yun was the killer, and later, I wondered why Mo Eun wanted to kill the son. ( These questions are answered in flashbcks. ) I was constantly yelling at the tv. “Don’t you understand that all of your actions are being monitored? Why would you go to the dentists’s house w your monitor on? CCTVs are everywhere? wearing a cap can’t disguise all that hair!” I was shocked when the killers were revealed. I’m watching it again to find some things I missed. Don’t miss this one.

Read More

I feel that the chemistry between the two never quite clicked.

I watched it because I'm a big fan of Ding Yuxi, and in that sense, it didn't disappoint: he has presence, charisma, and he knew how to portray the character.

The story and plot served their purpose of entertaining me, although I personally would have liked them to have stayed more faithful to the original novel.

Regarding the female lead, it was the first time I'd seen her in a drama. However, I feel that the chemistry between the two never quite clicked. The age difference was quite noticeable, and, at least for me as a viewer, the relationship didn't feel entirely natural or convincing.

Even so, there were plot points and some secondary couples that I found interesting and that helped keep the drama light and a little more enjoyable.

Read More

They Found Each Other Again—And That’s Why It Worked for Me

I started Summit of Our Youth already knowing the ending, and I think that made a huge difference in how I experienced the drama. If I hadn’t known how it ends, I probably would’ve rated it much lower. Knowing the ending in advance helped me accept it, especially since time-travel and rebirth dramas tend to follow the same pattern due to censorship. At this point, I’ve watched so many of these stories that I’m somewhat used to this kind of conclusion. As long as the main couple finds each other again, I’m usually satisfied—and here, I knew they would.

Putting the ending aside, the drama itself is fairly enjoyable. It’s definitely watchable, though not particularly groundbreaking or original. What I did appreciate was that both leads time-traveled, which is rare; usually only one character does. That was a refreshing change. The overall plot was decent, but the focus leaned more toward the female lead’s success and growth in her reborn life rather than romance, which makes sense for the story—but I personally wanted more romance. The main couple had great chemistry, and it felt underused.

There were quite a few scenes that seemed cut short, especially once they started living together. I would’ve preferred more domestic and emotional moments instead of some of the business-heavy focus. That said, the actors did a great job. The female lead in particular stood out to me—she’s beautiful, talented, and very underrated. I also loved the height difference between the leads.

As for the side characters, I honestly didn’t care much for them. I liked the brother as a character, but I didn’t enjoy his relationship with the female lead’s enemy. Several storylines felt underdeveloped. One of my biggest disappointments was the ex-boyfriend’s unnecessary villain arc. I really liked his character and development early on, so seeing all of that thrown away was frustrating.

What bothered me most about the ending, though, was that GOA dies and her parents fail. That was the saddest and hardest part to accept. I think the ending could’ve been handled much better—similar to how Yummy Yummy Yummy wrapped up its rebirth storyline, where things felt more emotionally resolved. I would’ve preferred to see her family succeed again and more focus on the characters repairing their lives, rather than spending so much time on the company plot.

Overall, Summit of Our Youth is a decent, enjoyable watch. It’s not extraordinary, but it’s fun and offers a nice change of pace, especially with its entrepreneurial angle—it even reminded me a bit of the K-drama Start-Up. I honestly recommend watching it only if you know the ending beforehand. If you go in blind, you’ll probably be disappointed. Knowing what I was signing up for is what allowed me to enjoy it.

Read More

A retired ballerina returns home and found her son is alive and she rekindles her first love.

Plot/Story (8.5/10)
This film drama has an excellent and rich plot and story, which combines romance, drama and mystery. It has nice soundtrack and musical scores accompanying the film, and some nice photography taken during the filming. In addition, the story is diverse, covering about a unique wine industry, contemporary art of ballet, business and investments, natural disasters, and high mountain region of China with spectacular sceneries of the country sites.
The story started with the return of a re-known ballerina (Tan Siting) as she retired from France and intended to teach at home. At the same time, a young winery owner (Feng Rui) also returned home from his trip to France after receiving gold medal on his Cygne winery special brand, These two characters were first lovers, but separated due to circumstances related to disapproval from his mom. His mom separated Siting's young baby at birth and sent her away to France to get rid her from her son. The drama revolved around their slowly getting to know each other again as time progresses. Siting thought initially that Feng Rui was already married and had a son named Lexuan, not knowing that the young boy is her biological son.
The drama also involved with the close friends of Siting - a brother and sister named Wang Zeyuan and Wang Shuhan; with a young piano teacher named Wen Pei Yan who helps Feng Rui's family and liked by Rui's mother and initially groomed to be Rui's wife. Siting has been searching his disappearing dad since before leaving for France, and continues after her return home. Siting's work at the ballet school at home meets with two young ballerinas (Zheng Yufan and the younger Qu Zhen who is originally from the Hongyuan mountain region. The drama also included the daily life of Lexuan at school, dealing with bullies, learning piano lessons from Pei Yan and getting to know ballet teacher Siting.
Once Siting and Feng Rui get together again after the successful trip to find her dad in the Hongyuan area near Tibet, they must face Feng Rui's mom. cancel his wedding with Pei Yan, and try to get Le's acceptance into the new venture together.
My issue with the rich plot is on how present the details and put the drama together for acceptance by the audience. Too much background info slipped into the drama makes the continuation of the film choppy and difficult to understand. The combination of romance with some mystery behind it , while intriguing, may provide some disappointment to some of the audience.

Cast/Characters

Cast (9/10)
Tan Siting was played by Qin Lan, and her main partner Feng Rui by Wallace Chung. Other actors in the film included Michelle Bai as Wen Pei Yan and Wang Hao Ze as little Lexuan. Her best friend Shuhan was played by Wang Zhen Er. her brother Ze Yuan was played by Lawrence Wong. The two young ballerinas were Yufan played by Lai Chu Yu, and the mountain little girl Qu Zhen by Durje Tsering. Feng Rui's domineering mom was played by Chen Jin, and Siting's dad (Tang Juan) was played by Liu Da Wei.
I consider that all of the actors and actresses play their roles very well. Besides of her slim body and her beauty, Qin Lan has a distinct face with line features which like a character in a Japanese anime film suh as the Final Fantasy. She had a unique short hair in this drama, although I found that she appeared also in many different hair style in the past. Her voice is also unique, sometimes almost muffled or came from her nose.

Characters (8/10)
The character for Feng Rui appears to be slow and hesitant in his life. He should have been more decisive when he found that Siting returns home. Siting is also slow in trying to bring the drama to an end for Le, as understandably, she was hesitant and afraid for not being accepted right the way.
I feel sorry for Pei Yan , who appears to be royal to Rui and his family until the end . I think she is also one of the heroine of this drama, after all of the troubles that she went through, with her efforts on the wedding preparations, and her curiosity towards Siting.
On the other hand, I am not very fond of Zeyuan's character in pursuing Siting, as he still chases her even after a hint from Siting herself and advice from her own sister. Shuhan's character is also a surprise at the end of this drama.
The head of the ballet school - Madame Zhuang is an elegant lady, understanding and has been good to Siting in all of the years. In some of the shots, I sometimes mistake her appearance initially from Rui's mom's character (Gao Hui).
The domineering appearances of Gao Hui and her dad (Rui's grandpa) make his dad (Feng Ming) small and unimportant. However, he has a surprise in the story as well.

Music (8/10)
This drama has a number of beautiful songs and nice scores.

Re-watch Value (8/10)
Good rewatch value. The story and dialogs are rich with details and they are worth to re-watch some of the scenes to understand and enjoy the drama in full.

Scenery/Filmography (8.5/10)
Beautiful sceneries of the country sites and the simplicity of living in the Hongyuan county. Nice photography to capture the ballet performances by Siting and/or her students. Nice wedding dresses wore by Pei Yan. Some night dances and country's atmosphere are beautiful. I also noted for night shots of the beautiful city when the filming of Siting and Rui together, or when Pei Yan broke her relationship with Rui at the bridge/terrace facing the City.

Personal comments
- Some of the episodes in the You-tube channels contain a mix of story of this drama with another drama (2022 - Because of Love) who had the same actor Wallace Chung in it. Some of the clips from previous episodes have also been used repetitively added , making it confusing to watch.
- Siting's dresses appear to be quite modest and conservatives. Pei Yan and Shuhan have nice dresses. I could not figure out the poor choice of using the black sock and the black, soldier shoes that Siting wears during the ballet instruction classes. Also, when she was drunk and almost slip on the stairways, her black shoes look so old fashioned and ugly.
- While looking desperately for her dad in the Hongyuan county, young ballerina Qu Zhen's request to deliver throat lozenges to her mom appears to be a key to finding Siting's dad.
- Pei Yan appears to have a good character and accept all of the trouble and her effort to marry Rui.

Read More

A solid mystery drama carried by consistent writing and earned emotional payoff

I didn’t expect this drama to pull me in the way it did, but by the time I reached the end, I realized how quietly strong its grip had been all along. What stood out most wasn’t the spectacle or the mysteries themselves, but the consistency of its world and the patience of its storytelling. The cases varied in impact, some arcs landed harder than others. And the writing occasionally leaned too much on exposition rather than visual deduction, but the overall structure remained tight and purposeful.

More than anything, this series succeeds for me because of Lu Lingfeng’s character journey. Watching him grow from an impulsive, proud imperial guard general into someone who learns to see the people behind the system, the suffering of the people, and eventually stand as an equal beside Su Wuming was deeply satisfying. That growth feels earned and gradual, never rushed or forced. Su Wuming remains steady and principled throughout, while Pei Xijun’s evolution from a doted, desperate daughter into a perceptive and emotionally grounded woman was another highlight.

The drama’s approach to the supernatural — where “ghosts” are almost always human cruelty, fear, or obsession — stays coherent across arcs and reinforces its themes about power, injustice, and manipulation within the court. Romance is understated and restrained, sometimes frustratingly so, but it suits the tone of the story, prioritizing trust and companionship over grand gestures.

By the finale, the story doesn’t just resolve its last case; it brings emotional closure to long-running wounds, particularly those tied to legacy, mentorship, and unfinished justice. It isn’t a flawless drama, but it is a thoughtful and well-constructed one.

Final score 8.5/10 - Not flawless, but consistently engaging and emotionally rewarding.

Read More

Where's the trap?

Peach Trap is the kind of drama you put on when you want something easy to digest. It is not mentally demanding or emotionally heavy, and while that makes it comfortable to watch, it also keeps it firmly in the “serviceable” category rather than something memorable. I first came across it through social media buzz, and I intentionally waited for the hype to settle before starting it.

The premise is familiar from the get go. A three man dynamic circling around one main lead makes it obvious where the story is heading. Nothing about the setup feels new or daring. The first three episodes were genuinely entertaining and gave me hope that the series might elevate the formula. Unfortunately, the latter half slowed down significantly and became dull, though I still stayed to see if it could redeem itself.

One undeniable strength of Peach Trap is the face card. The cast is visually striking, and the framing and composition highlight that well. Su Bin and Do Han in particular stood out, and if I am being honest, this was a big reason why I finished the series. On a technical level, the drama does not disappoint. The cinematography is polished, the visual effects are clean, and the OST fits the mood nicely. The intimate scenes were also handled well, with the actors committing to them instead of awkwardly holding back.

Acting wise, the results were mixed. Su Bin unfortunately came across as monotonous and one dimensional most of the time. During the cute and fluffy moments, he struggled to fully embody the character despite having the perfect visuals for it. His constant pouty delivery made it hard for me to emotionally connect with Do Ha. The other three leads performed better, with Se Jin being the most expressive and engaging. Still, even their solid performances were not enough to fully pull me into their characters’ journeys.

As the story progressed, it became clear who Do Ha would end up choosing, turning the drama into a straightforward best friends to lovers arc rather than a compelling emotional tug of war. Personally, I found Do Ha and Yeonsang’s dynamic more appealing. Haram’s feelings for Do Ha also felt confusing and underdeveloped, especially at the beginning. The conflicts had the potential to explore themes of self realization and emotional honesty, but the writing chose the safest route possible, which dulled the impact.

In the end, Peach Trap is not a bad drama. It just does not make the most of its potential. It is watchable, pleasant to look at, and technically sound, but it is also easy to get bored with. If you need something light after finishing a heavy series, this might work for you. And if you dropped it halfway out of boredom, you are definitely not alone.

Read More

Success never goes unpunished.

It was a beautiful success story. It was well-crafted. However, it certainly had its shortcomings. Perhaps there were deficiencies in adapting the novel to the stage. Because some scenes seemed too simplistic to me. Superficiality prevailed in general. No event was explored in depth. The story felt incomplete in some way. Especially the father's story was glossed over with a barely naive and superficial narrative. However, the importance given to the mother was not given to the father; the father is at fault, but shouldn't the fault have been explored and detailed? That question remains in my mind. I also thought that the scenes were cut short because a more in-depth explanation would have required longer scenes and more episodes.

It's a success story, but our main character is a scholar. Is it possible for a scholar to act with a merchant's mentality? I don't think so. But can he be successful? Maybe. But is it possible for this scholar, in this state, to escape from a wild, reckless bandit in a remote, cold, snowy, mountainous region? No. Some things, as I said, were very superficial. People are easily deceived or persuaded. If he gets involved in a business venture, he's always successful. He makes those around him rich, and, as luck would have it, he never benefits from it himself. But when he needs money, these people he made rich help him out of goodwill. How wonderful. It's a complete dream world. Is it believable? I don't think so.

Even the Empress praises him, meets with him, and paves the way for him. It's gone too far. He never stumbled. But he's not interested in money or wealth at all. His father also turned out to be rich. But he was someone who abandoned them and hindered them. That was also strange. The meeting between the mother and father was strange. The fact that they both fell ill suddenly was strange. And they died a day apart. A coincidence? Because of the superficiality of the event, I couldn't understand these shocks and illnesses. I couldn't figure it out. Their shock, surprise, a little disappointment, a little hurt, anger during their meeting after all these years... But it's not unexpected, it's unlikely, that they would be affected to the point of illness and subsequently die. There are such strange situations in our series. However, the portrayal of a success story impressed me. It was beautifully directed, and the cinematography was excellent. The acting was also great.

The relationship between the main characters was also rather strange. It wasn't clear if they loved each other. Later, the girl made a request, but the man avoided it. Because they had an engagement from childhood. I think they separated during the imperial exams. They never saw each other again. Years passed. They changed. And the fiancée fell in love with a rebel. But the male character still insists, even though he doesn't love her. Because there's someone who loves and wants her. He knows this. He himself was affected by that girl. But for some reason, he doesn't leave his childhood fiancée. He pressures her. I think there was a sense of shame towards the parents here. Traditions were involved. While the girl didn't care about this, the man's remaining at this level, especially for a more traveled, experienced, and learned person, was very absurd.

Ultimately, it was absurd that someone who had achieved great success in business ended up in prison, that all that success was punished, even that their head was to be cut off, only to be saved thanks to the Governor, to whom they had brought so much money. I didn't like this ending. It didn't work. This ending didn't suit this success story, frankly. I didn't like it.

Chen Xiao carried the series on his own from beginning to end and was very successful. I liked him. Sun Qian did more than her share. I liked her. Luo Zhi Yhou was very well-suited to his role. I liked him. Ling Zhuo was very, very successful. He's very good at comedy. He prepared well for his role. He acted very well. Well done. Zhu Ya Wen and Julia Xiang had short appearances but delivered very effective performances. Well done. Cheng Tai Shen, Liang Guan Hua, Liu Pei Qi, Li Chun, Huang Zi Zhong, and Zhu Yin were the standout actors I liked. Overall, all the actors were quite good. I liked it.

Read More

Contract Relationship with Highschool Deskmate?!

Okay, this drama was pretty short, It had its ups and downs , like some parts were super cute and funny and some of them were rushed, and didn't make sense. It's a short fluffy drama,i would re-watch if I have really nothing else to watch or something I'd watch after a long drama with a lot of plot , since this drama is pretty refreshing. They tried adding everything,every trope,every clichés ,every contract marriage situation that could ever happen.

MAIN LEAD :
Honestly I loved the main lead , he was such a green flag, But I wish he expressed his feelings more, i mean he is an introverted guy and and since it's a contract relationship I get that it's awkward but I don't think people realise that their love language is act of service. I read alot of reviews of him not expressing as much, and i feel heis but itis not as open as normal cdramas

LOVE LANGUAGE:
If you observe the couple really close he's always helping her someway. When she was harrassed by her roomates, he stepped in without thinking, giving her mosquito repellent, making her soup, cheering her up , savings her from peer pressure to drink alcohol , etc. and she is more awkward than him, but he enjoys it, it's the part that made him fall for her.

DISLIKES:
I didn't like the the second love interests at the end, i mean i get it , they were just there to bring drama but it could've been avoided as it is already a short drama, why add more drama at the end while it was going pretty smooth. The female lead was a damsel in distress the whole drama , i wish she had her own moment but she didn't get an single one. If they added more drama and new characters at the end, they could've made it more episodes,since the ending was rushed .

SECOND LEADS:
The second leads definitely did a good job in taking the role seriously. Their trope enemies to lovers were good. I wish they had more enemies part before they got together. I wasn't that invested in their story as much as everyone else. But their definitely more chaotic and straightforward than the main couple. Their dynamic was cute.

FAV SCENE:
The scene I loved the most was when she was peer pressured to drink alcohol. And he saw that she was clearly uncomfortable. While he asks the female lead if she wants to go home, and she was hesitant. He says "If you want to go home, we go home"
It's a simple scene but carries so much like he has also an important meeting but he is willing to leave that for her, is very cute.

Read More

Im watching cdramas for a long time now and its rare for modern drama mainly idol to have good storylines..cuz they are not ancient and can be boring as hell!
Plot is not slow and going with steady speed..really like how they are progressing in relation and how well misunderstanding between them resolving
( like letters thing, adopted thing, why ml living like this )
Ep1 really did me bad, imagine ur daughter is returning after years but you dont even care like wtf. Ok i get u have a new family now but it dosent make ur 1st daughter love gone😔.
Leads chm is insane, they do romance from eyes ifykyk. Jiangmu potrayel of Esther was really well good. Car racing scenes have my heart🔥🏎
Its rare in cdramas to find such storyline..so im hoping you all enjoy it without any fandoms fight and hate things🎐

Read More