Reviews

Your next addiction starts here

This drama is so f****** crazy, and K-drama land is really on a roll because they just decided to drop all the good shows at once and we are genuinely eating so well before the year ends. Ji Chang Wook never fails to deliver, and this really proves that action dramas are perfectly tailored for him. The plot is so unpredictable that you can’t even blink because every moment feels like another twist waiting to jump out. It’s been such a long time since I’ve watched a drama this wild, and the adrenaline this show gives is actually insane. The writing is sharp, the tension never dies, and the way the story plays with your expectations is just chef’s kiss. They honestly deserve all the awards for how tight and fearless this series is turning out to be. It’s not even finished yet, but at this point I can confidently say it’s already a full-blown masterpiece. Thriller fans, you won’t regret a single second of this ride.

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a bite sized romance

I stumbled upon My Secret Vampire after seeing it recommended on a BL site, and the vampire premise hooked me right away. After enjoying The Golden Blood, I hoped this one would take that supernatural angle and push it even further. But knowing how budget limitations usually affect Korean BLs with fantasy concepts, I kept my expectations modest.

The vampire element turned out to be a very small part of the story, and honestly, that was a bit of a letdown. If you removed the supernatural angle and turned this into a simple story about four odd housemates and one of them secretly crushing on the lead, it would still function the same way. The concept had potential, but it didn’t get the depth or focus it deserved. Instead, the narrative leaned more heavily on the slow development of feelings between the leads. That part worked, but it left me wishing they explored the vampire angle more.

Still, I appreciated that they didn’t overload the short runtime with unnecessary twists. They kept it clean, cohesive, and easy to follow. With only eight episodes running around twenty minutes each, I expected conflicts to resolve quickly. They did take a bit of time to unfold, but the payoff felt short and could have used a stronger emotional push. Even so, the story felt complete.

The cast carried a lot of the charm. Yu Sin’s calm, almost unreadable expressions softened whenever he smiled which made his character feel warm even without many words. Dong Ju, on the other hand, was bright, fresh, and emotional when needed. Dongha’s naivety surprisingly didn’t irritate me because his expressions felt genuine. The comedy added by Dong Yeol and Ju Young balanced the mood while Taehyung handled most of the tension.

The visuals were beautiful as expected from a Korean production, and the OST was solid. I also loved the nostalgic touch of using the Oh! Boarding House location. And of course, credit where it’s due, Ju Won and Dongha’s kiss was done well. If a drama wants to include a kiss, it should commit to it instead of faking it.

Overall, My Secret Vampire could have delivered a stronger supernatural narrative, but it made the most of what it had. It was cute, light, a little emotional, and a good way to relax without thinking too hard. It may not fully satisfy viewers craving a deep vampire plot, but as a fluffy romance with hints of fantasy, it works.

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A Cliche Romance That Couldn't be Worst!!

I expected a masterpiece but was treated to mediocrity!

The reason to start this show was that I absolutely loved Jung So Min in “Alchemy of Souls” & “Love Next Door”. The variability in her choices is exciting, and I was hoping this would be a follow-up. Sadly, the show starts off with a strong premise & interesting characters, but the later half nosedives into obscurity. What started as an interesting romance between star crossed lovers turns into a story with no character growth; the worst part being that the lead couple had zero chemistry. I was more disappointed by their lack of chemistry than the convoluted plot, because Jung So Min is known to have a phenomenal rapport with her co-stars. The supporting characters were annoying, even the antagonists were a major let down. Waiting for the show to end became a weekly respite!

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2025/11/17/would-you-marry-me-series-review/

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If You're A Fan of Watching Painful Scenes Ad Nauseam This Drama Is For You...

OMG! Idk what is going on in Korea but why are they scraping the bottom of the barrel for material like this one!?! This abused child has been turned into the dumbest psycho villainess I've ever had the misfortune to watch! I had to drop the show halfway through the 3rd episode. She made so many STUPID decisions/mistakes by then that I wanted to slap her and I'm a pacifist! Her codependent stepbrother who apparently IS a pacifist STILL having a relationship with his Mommy Dearest Mother was over the top BS for me! I was an abused child myself and IMO none of this is realistic. The author obviously only skimmed through a few psychology courses. Idk how it's getting 10 star reviews!?! I have liked the M & F leads in other dramas but this one is NOT worthy of my time! I'm so disappointed with Viki for not posting warnings about the intense level of violence in this trash. A rating of "R" is NOT enough!

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Enchanting and mentally stimulating artwork, great in every aspect

The first drama I've watched (and rewatched) from the first to the last second, intro and outro included. Excellent direction, pacing and balance between suspence and distension, care for details, lights, settings, camera frames...

The plot is apparently simple: after discovering his ex is missing, an underdog (blogger with passion for investigations nicknamed Da Hui Hui) starts to suspect she was killed by a renowned ceramic artist and a rising young prof (Zeng Jie) with "tending to perfection" as his Leitmotiv. DHH befriends a policeman (Li De) who believes "only in evidence" and initially doubts his "logic behind truth" (which is also the name of DHH's blog-channel) but is intrigued by his sense for details and deduction methods based on clues, assumptions, leads and circumstantial reasoning. Their explicative dialogues are intermittently inserted in action scenes regarding mainly the life and the personality of the artist DHH intends to "debunk" and DHH's flashbacks regarding his ex. Gradually, DHH discovers that behind the well-cured image of a sophisticated artist "tending to perfection", self-confident and socially respectable person, ZJ is an insecure person, womanizer, social climber and money-grabber in an unhappy marriage with a rich woman who helps him to maintain the respectable image in public, but belittles him in private, triggering his terror of poverty and aggressivity. The life of this couple (and in particular the life of ZJ) is meticulously scrutinized and displayed through numerous flashbacks, containing incredible findings, twists and clues, steadily complicating the story, like drops of rain gradually enlarging the crater and flowing further on.

Fluid elements are omnipresent and aesthetically excellently employed: the rain scenes, the ocean light effects in DHH living room/studio, close shots of intoxicating liquids being poured in glasses... conveying the sense of slippery, of danger, of a vague dream and making us doubt of what we see. To pay his tuition, ZJ painted countless copies of Monet's "Sunrise, impression" - ofc. the choice of this painting wasn't casual: its unique haziness inhences the sensation that the reality we see is just a blury vision of what impressed us the most.

All scenes are perfectly lighted and staged, cured in details, often set as theatrical stages with all actors performing great. But there's ONE...

UNFORGETTABLE scene: ZJ's monologue, brilliantly delivered by Wang Duo, in the shed where he painted Monet's reproductions. Young and poor ZJ gets drunk for the first time. He has just won his first important award and heard that his hard-working father was celebrating it with his colleagues in a distant place where he worked. He buys a bottle of cheapest booze, returns to the shed, gets stoned seeing the sea from the painting pouring down and talking to himself, disjointly commenting who knows what (the painting, his poverty, his parents' unreasonable ambition?), creating the following couplets: "Harmony blending light with dust/ Dust blinding my vision /Vision blurred by arrogance". That's the moment in which we realize ZJ is a true artist, he is not just posing as one. Vulnerable, desperate and drunkly aware that recognition seeking will be his curse. A rare moment in which he is truly himself, not pretending. Smth truly memorable, a must watch scene.

The choice of music is not extensive but is good, in particular the melanchonic song in English.

Ofc., there were certain "blemish flaws" even in such a "tending to perfection" drama. The story covered a good part of ZJ's life but left certain "tiny holes" (why his parents were so ambitious, expecting from him to sacrifice everything and everybody, even them, for success? his inspirations and creativity remained blurred, as well as his relation with the older rich lady in a moment of his crucial characterial transformation...). The ending report of trial verdicts was totally unnecessary. Besides, one in particular, containing a HUGE legal error, got on my nerves. Hand-made reproductions of famous paintings ARE NOT ILLEGAL as long as the original work is in the public domain (and all Impressionists' works are sufficiently old to be in public domain), and can be legally copied, even for sale (ofc. as copies not as originals, selling them as originals would be a fraud). So, the sentence inflicted to the painting village was not only unnecessary but silly, laughable! Whoever added those sentences misinforming about the legality of this line of work should be fired if not sent to serve exactly the same punishment.

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“Glad you Watched It… But you’ll Probably Forget you Did”

10/10 for Jung So-min and Choi Woo-shik. 🥹✨
10/10 for the laughter and the characters' bgs. 😂💯
Personally loved all episodes

A GENERAL REVIEW:

------------------------------------------------------- **Rating & First Impressions** --------------------------------------------------------

The story isn’t new or groundbreaking, but I don’t really need that from a romcom.
If I wanted something twisty and mind-bending, I’d put on a sci-fi thriller.
Here, I just wanted comfort and fun — and I got plenty of that. 💫

I genuinely enjoyed so many moments, whether it was the main couple, the second couple, or the office squad.
The whole thing had the familiar warmth of older K-romcoms, and with *Jung So-min* in the mix, it felt even more like home. 🏠💗

However, the easier it was to engross oneself in the fun moments, the faster it was to detach once those moments were over. 😶‍🌫️

-------------------------------------------------- **Jung So-min: Selling the Character, Not Herself** -----------------------------------------------

This is what happens when an actor *sells the character more than themselves*.
*Jung So-min* doesn’t feel overexposed in the media, so when I watch her, I only see the role in front of me. 🎭

I slip easily into her characters — maybe because her acting is that good, or because I haven’t seen much of her in variety shows to detach her from her roles. 🌸

------------------------------------------------------- **The Main Couple’s Dynamic** -------------------------------------------------------

*Choi Woo-shik* and *Jung So-min* also share a similar, gentle energy.
Together, they felt like two slightly awkward kids who made a sincere decision to spend their lives together.

Their interactions were soft, specific, and very *“them.”* 🥺💍
The plot might be cliché, but their dynamic stayed consistently sweet and fun. 🍯

If you look for that deep, sweeping chemistry, it might feel a bit lacking.
But when it came to serious conversations or heart-to-heart moments,
I reminded myself: *they’re not star-crossed lovers waiting 1000 years for each other.*

They only just started dating. Sometimes you don’t need soul-crushing passion for a romance to work — sometimes an ordinary, slowly forming bond is more realistic to how most people actually start out. 🌱

*P.S:* I loved the sulky Choi 😂😂😂

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If this had been one of my first K-dramas, I’d probably rate it around *8–8.5*. ⭐

But after watching so many, I can’t shake the feeling that this drama, despite all its charm, is a *missed opportunity.* 😔

Reminded me of another 12-episode release this year, *Tastefully Yours*, with a different vibe but similar after-feeling.

Characters like *Eung-soo*, the aunt, and the second couple had so much potential.
Instead, the narrative spent too much time on *Woo-ju the cheater*, while the people we actually wanted more of kept getting pushed aside.

Maybe 16 episodes could have allowed the emotional beats to breathe a little more. Still, even within 12, some scenes felt unnecessary or could have been framed and directed more effectively. 🎬

------------------------------------- **Sang-hyeon & Jin Gyeong: The “What Could Have Been” Couple** --------------------------------------

*Sang-hyeon* is a perfect example of wasted potential. He started as such an interesting character, but his arc became monotonous a bit later. 😕

Even so, I’m sure many viewers were quietly rooting to see more of him and *Jin Gyeong* together.
Those two were complete opposites in personality — a sharp contrast to the soft, cheerful main couple. ⚖️

*Jin Gyeong* sometimes really drew me in: her accent, her boldness, her little antics. 😆
But at other times, it felt like I was watching someone *“perform”* a persona rather than simply existing as the character.

Maybe I’m just not used to that type; I’ve never met anyone who talks quite like that in real life. 🤔

Both female leads were very thin, but Jin Gyeong’s styling in particular — the extremely tight outfits — sometimes made her look more like a doll than a person. 🧸


For us viewers, *Sang-hyeon and Jin Gyeong* were the biggest *“what could have been.”* 💔

---------------------------------------------------------- **The Aunt & Eung-soo** -------------------------------------------------------------------

But there was another pair I had even higher hopes for, *the aunt and Eung-soo.*

From the beginning, they came across as emotional fools — 🥲

*Eung-soo*, remembering Woo-ju’s favorite foods, birthdays, and toys, showed how closely he’d been watching him over the years.

It wasn’t a sense of duty; it felt like genuine, instinctive kindness. 💌

The kind of basic warmth you’d extend even to a stranger — something *Woo-ju*, ironically, was starved of in his own family.

Even under the pressure from his parents to compete and protect himself, Eung-soo never seemed to truly want to hurt Woo-ju.

He takes after his mother: soft-hearted, clumsy, but sincere.

Both mother and son are written as sweet, slightly average-intelligence characters who love deeply and don’t hold grudges. The aunt said she never scolded Eung-soo for his grades, because she herself struggled academically.

He treats her as his entire world. She isn’t a perfect parent, but she never abandoned him.
She shows up, and drags him to meetings, argues with the grandmother, and fights for his rights. 🥹🫶

*Ik their late remorse doesn’t undo the harm they caused,* but the aunt apologizing emotionally and asking Woo-ju for forgiveness was the first moment in the drama that truly moved me. 😭

They aren’t villains. They’re flawed people who desperately needed proper guidance, recognition, and love.

And in contrast, it was actually Woo-ju’s grandparents who never quite managed to express affection clearly or fairly, which felt more wrong.

Watching how Woo-ju is treated over the years, despite losing his parents, it’s hard to say the *“injustice”* the aunt keeps talking about is entirely baseless.

The aunt and Eung-soo both lived in a house where the patriarch hated Woo-ju for *“killing”* his son.
Under that shadow, it’s natural that his daughter and her son couldn’t think/act too differently. 🌫️

Most of us rarely manage to fully separate our opinions from our parents’, lest we act. 🧠💭

Well, ig they did show a moderate enough screentime..so its okay ...~~ Maybe more would be more complicated

-------------------------------------------------- **Kim Woo-ju: The Unnecessary** ------------------------------------------------------------

I won’t lie — I did find *Woo-ju* funny at times, especially with the sarcastic background music.
His acting was good. 😂🎶
But at times, he still felt *unnecessary.*

I might’ve appreciated him more if there weren’t other, stronger plotlines and characters waiting for their turn.
And his story was made to feel *important.*

He was a ridiculous character, and one of the foolish evils..
I wouldn't go into the moral details, or this would become an Oxford essay.

A light watch! No need to fully focus or be anxious.


MY PERSONAL VIEWPOINT?:

However, on a personal preference, I loved it. 🥹💖

The start, the end, the middle — even the frustrating parts. Not everything will be logical in a comedy, afterall?
Yeah, I did feel tired or bored sometimes 😮‍💨, but whatever — I still found it decently interesting and emotionally satisfying in its own way. ✨📺💕

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Billybabe

This series is amazing, the storyline, the genre, the back-and-forth between the past and the present. It feels natural not forced and the acting by every cast member even the villain top top-notch. Billy has really improved in his acting, not that he was a bad actor but the way he acts through his eyes is amazing and the way Babe’s character acts when he can’t see the ghost is very natural. In the latest episode, when he saw the ghost (Billy’s character) inside the servant's body, I could feel his confusion. This is Babe’s second series and it’s twice as good as the previous one. I can’t wait to see more and see how they get together.

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Incoherent storyline and ridiculous acting

First, the characters of the lead male actors are more feminine than the female characters. Why do Chinese dramas/movies portray all men as cooks at home who come from work and then cook for their wives and families, and all women as masculine?

The fact that this show had no reviews or details anywhere on the internet made it obvious that this was a total flop that no one even bothered to market or subtitle for the overseas Chinese audience.

The plot is set in a corporate drama with characters vying to take over and lead companies. The lead actors who were all less than 30 years old, and just do not have the acting skills to convincingly portray corporate sharks.

The romantic story arcs are highly tedious. The "love" cliché is used as a trump card to make characters behave in ways that are just not relatable. For example, one wife repeatedly cheats on her CEO husband by repeatedly pursuing a rival CEO, takes pictures in bed with the rival, leaks critical information about her husband's business plans to the rival CEO in order to destroy her own husband. And the husband finds out about all these betrayals, repeatedly, and does nothing. Yup, a supposedly ruthless business CEO tolerates his wife's betrayal and attempts to destroy him. But why?????? Answer - "Love" of course. It was utterly revolting to watch supposedly strong men behave like teenage lovesick puppies and mental retards.

Another strong business CEO makes decisions about companies based on "love" even though it was going bankrupt. The plot device of "love" is essentially a trick used by lazy screenwriters/directors so they don't have to do the hard work of writing plausible characters and scenarios. With "LOVE" you will accept murder, theft, betrayal and everything under the sun and hell, even fly like Superman, in CDramas.

The first lead male - Qiao Ren Liang - was badly miscast. He just could not elicit any sympathy for his character and after four episodes it became necessary to skip his story arc. His acting was subpar and he just did not have the gravitas to portray an intelligent business shark who could play the corporate takeover game.

The second male lead - Yuan Wen Kang - had the most interesting story arc and this was what kept me from abandoning the show. However, his acting skills were juvenile. His constant shrill screaming in order to show "anger" made one think he would deliver some consequences to his enemies. But no, he would then walk away and his enemies would continue their bad behavior including his wife.

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A Hurricane in Sneakers, a Handsome Disaster, and Pure Absurdity—Backstreet Rookie Wins.

Okay, listen. This show is chaotic in the best possible way. From minute one, I’m yelling at my brain: “This is absurd. This is hilarious. Keep up.” Saet Byul walks in like a hurricane in sneakers, and Dae Hyun just… exists—calm, handsome, suffering quietly. The contrast? Chef’s kiss.

The romance? It’s there. Tiny little sparks. But it’s not a swoon-fest, thank god. It’s an absurd rom-com. If you try to take it seriously, it collapses like a Jenga tower in a wind tunnel. The point is the chaos, the banter, the moments that make you go: “What even is happening right now—and why am I laughing so hard?”

Some people complain the leads lack chemistry. Uh… no. They have chemistry, it’s just the weird, awkward, quirky kind that fits the show’s tone. It’s like someone sprinkled love and sarcasm in the blender and hit high-speed. You get awkward flirting, hilarious misunderstandings, and moments of genuine warmth all wrapped in ridiculousness.

Sideplots? Love triangles? Minimal, thank god. This is about comedy first. Romance second, if you even notice it. The absurdity is the star. And oh my god, Crazy by April as the opening theme? I hum it, scream it, possibly annoy my neighbors daily. Perfect chaotic anthem.

💭 Final Mood:

“Laughing until my ribs hurt, grimacing at the cringe moments, teared up once because I secretly care about them, fully embracing the absurdity, and now considering how much my own life lacks Saet Byul-level energy. 10/10. Would watch at 2 a.m., preferably with snacks, sarcasm, and zero self-control.”

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Enemies, Lovers, and One Green Tea Disaster—Just You Has It All.

I watched this because I was in the mood for something Taiwanese. I usually enjoy most older Taiwanese shows. This is your typical enemy-to-lovers trope kind of drama. But that's ok, I love these kinds of shows.

The moment the leads meet, the chemistry was good. I mean, they played enemies great. However, as the story progresses, and they stopped being enemies, the FL kinda went from fierce to stuttering, blithering idiot at times. But it didn't deter from the show, I kept watching, and for the most part enjoyed it. I mean, it’s very rare to love everything about a show, even my faves and my ultimate rewatches have their own flaws.

The SFL, lawd, this bitch is the typical green tea, messed in the head. And with this being aired originally in the 2010's… wait actually the era doesn’t matter. Bitchy jealous, "That's MY man, and no one is going to take him from me." SFLs don’t necessarily get better with time; it's just how the actress portrays the role that's different. Well, there were times that I felt the SFL arc was overdone. But when it came down to it, logically speaking, it actually fit—even if it was highly annoying at times.

Overall, it was cute. Had its flaws, but I still enjoyed it.

💭 Final Mood:

Cute, enemy-to-lovers, green tea chaos, and overall enjoyable.

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Rushed, Random, and Somehow Still Watchable (Thanks, Sung Hoon).

I watched this because I enjoy watching shows with Sung Hoon, especially his older ones.

And… while this wasn’t a bad show, it was definitely not a favorite.

First: 20 episodes at 15 minutes each. Basically ten 30-minute episodes. So yeah… rushed. Everything happens at lightning speed. The FL? Her screaming got on my last nerve. But at least she had backbone and fight (mostly).

The cat. Oh, the cat. Cute. Thank you, cat.

Now the CEO plotline. If they had leaned into the whole “dangerous life CEO gets helped by a vet” premise, this could’ve been amazing. Instead, he’s attacked for… no reason? Saved by the vet? Compensates by buying her hospital? Then suddenly decides she should be his girlfriend?! I’m just… confused. Were episodes missing? Did I blink and skip some character development?

Party scene: supposed friend says, “You’re a poor country bumpkin, what qualifications do you have to be here?” And then… next scene: terrace kiss. Sure, makes sense… if you squint and ignore logic.

Overall? Finished it. Liked it… kind of. Cute, rushed, random, with moments of absurdity that make me laugh and sigh simultaneously.

💭 Final Mood:

“Cute cat. Screaming FL. Sung Hoon being Sung Hoon. Random romance chaos. Would I watch again? Maybe, if I want 15-minute snacks of chaos. 3/5 for drama, 4/5 for cast, 5/5 for cat.”

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Rich-Girl Drama, Questionable Logistics, and a Filming Location That’s Clearly Not Mainland China.

📝 Review (WARNING: Potential Spoilers — I’m Not Saving You from Emotional Damage)

The story is set in Mainland China… except it was very obviously filmed in Taipei, Taiwan. And listen, I wouldn’t have cared if the show didn’t keep insisting “Beijing! Beijing!” while the cast is strolling through Miramar Mall like it’s completely normal. Even Viki and MDL tag it as China—but Mainland vs. Taiwan is a whole thing—and my brain spent half the drama whispering, “Besties… you’re already in Taipei. Why are you booking flights to Taipei?”

So yes, we started off with geographical whiplash.

The plot itself felt like someone stretched a vertical mini-drama to full length. We’ve got the whole “princess and prince arranged marriage” setup, except the princess is in “love” with the prince, he’s busy swooning over a sweet poor girl™, and then the princess falls for a poor boy who’s supposed to help her get the prince. It’s a whole triangle… square… rhombus… I don’t know, geometry was happening.

The FL? Whew. Whiny, bratty, and genuinely challenging to watch for a good chunk of the show.
The ML? Surprisingly solid from start to finish.
The SML? Hated him at first, but he actually had the most character development—did a full redemption arc like he was trying to graduate from Character Growth University.
The SFL? Couldn’t stand her, not for a single episode. She kept riding that “but I’m poor and you’re rich!” victim horse long past the point anyone cared. Girl, the jig is up—step off the carousel.

Now, things I actually liked:

The Bear Knight arc was a fun, quirky way to chip at someone’s emotional walls.

The FL’s “mom” had fabulous hair—priorities.

The unusual take on the mom/stepmom trope was refreshing.

And the house from Just You popping up here? Loved that little “ah-ha, they really ARE in Taiwan” moment.


Overall, the characters could’ve used a bit more depth, the plot could’ve used a tune-up, and maybe—just maybe—don’t film in one country while insisting you’re in another unless you’re ready to fully commit to the bit. With a little sharpening, this could’ve hit harder.

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Victoria Song's Wedding Proposal dance- the best scene in the drama.

Good acting from Joe Chen, but the age gap is quite obvious. If the older brother Wei played Han Mei, the age gap wouldn’t be as noticeable.

The pairing between Wei Jun and Chu Yu is perfect — I can see the brother being attracted to Chu Yu.

However, I really like Ding in this series. He’s so cute and adorable in Episodes 1 and 2. The sudden transformation from being playful and cheeky to a serious young man and the head of the Wei family shows how versatile he is as an actor.

The pairing between Victoria Song and Ding is also brilliant, as their age gap isn’t as obvious.

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The best romcom series 2025

I've seen positive reviews everywhere. The pages are good at analyzing, to the point, and clear. But here, it's like being in a different world, like people here are watching a different series than outside. Ha~
But it's okay, even though a few people here tried to tell me how bad it was, I still enjoyed it. It's very romantic, with just the right amount of comedy and minimal drama. I love the emotional resolutions from the main characters. They don't leave any misunderstandings hanging. They hardly ever fight, which is good for my heart. I love how the main couple understands each other's feelings.
This is a romantic comedy that will keep you happy all the way through. It has perfect timing, lots of cute and unique scenes, and a cast with incredible chemistry and excellent rom-com skills. The dialogue is memorable, and despite some annoying characters, the ending is fitting.

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