Reviews

Overbearing CEO having an affair with his own wife

First thing you HAVE to do before starting this is turn off your brain. Seriously, this is the kind of script that crumbles the more you think about it so don't hurt yourself by trying to make sense of anything, it's not worth it. If you can do that, this a fun and kinky version of the classic rich arrogant CEO and Cinderella romance where he tries to bang her a lot, not always asking for permission. This retained my attention mostly for the lux production and gorgeous cast (Ryan Ren is made of legs and has a resting bitch face that fits extremely well with the angry-sexy boss cliche he's playing while Li Xing Yao is the perfect Cinderella, cute by day and seductive by night). I love how hilariously extra the direction is, they film make-out sessions like action scenes, Ryan Ren is jumping everywhere like a panther on steroïds, and everything is so maximalist, you can't not be entertained. I was not always pleased with the story, there is too many crazy rivals who have zero personnality beyond pure jealousy and I hate secret baby plots with a burning passsion. I think the drama went downhill after that twist, but I still completed it and (mostly) enjoyed it.

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Thap In losers we‘re going shopping!

This review definitely contains spoilers.

What I loved:
Thap and In are such well written characters and Jimmy and Sea played them so well. I get excitement aggression.

Thap is assertive and stubborn at times. He likes to bicker and tease. Loves a bit of a challenge. All this is partially because of his profession as a Doctor. What I also really liked about him is how he treats other people with grace even when his motives may be a little selfish. How he makes Tul realize how his behaviour puts In into a difficult spot with the motive of ‚In‘s mine‘ in Episode 5. MMh.

In is soft hearted (or ‚fluffly and soft‘ in the words of Thap), but with a shell. He cares deeply about the people he loves. But sees himself as the source of possible pain and suffering because of his ability and how the death of his parents occured.
He wants to see people happy, healthy and safe. And in that aspect Thap and In are the same. They both want that. But while In thinks it‘s fate, even if he tries he can‘t prevent it and thinks it’s better that he suffers instead of others. Thap, as doctor, has the mindset of ‚if I can help you I will do my best so you can *live*‘. Two different points of view about the same wish. But it works so well together.

Their honesty and vulnerability with each other that developed their relationship was marvellous to witness.

Jimmy and Sea played them so well. Idk if there‘s much more that needs to be said. They definitely acted in ways I haven‘t seen them before. Aaaah. 🫠 🤌🤌 Thank you very much for this performance. For them alone it‘s definitely worth watching.

The moment when Thap and In are at the flea market at the bracelet stand as well as the scene in the hospital when In holds back from joining Thaps family can so easily be read as jealousy or him thinking the same as the mother… I love that it was so much more than just that. I sighed in relief.

The side/secondary couple had the right amount of screen time. It was a nice bridge between Thap and In‘s story and the mystery/crime base plotline.

First played the part of the ‚villain‘ very well. Karn always appeared and acted a little sus, so it wasn‘t hard to guess that he has something to do with the incidents. Why he did it is a different question, that I could not answer before it was revealed.

The imperfections:
- Unfortunately every time when they shouted or screamed the audio clipped/sounded distorted. It made me jump every single time and took me out of the moment. Maybe it was a style choice… if so it was the wrong one.
- some things were just a little too unbelievable. Like in Ep. 7 how Thap just took over as doctor in the ambulance. Eh. Or also how quickly the police were there after he got shot. okayy. It’s better not to think about it too much.
- First simply being part of the cast made it very obvious to me (and probably anyone who knows him from other series) that a well established actor like him will probably be the ‚villain‘. Despite that it‘s always fun to see ‚coupled‘ actors in roles independent from said couple. So I gotta mention the appearance of Junior and Book as well :) More of that please.

a few little things that just caught my attention:
- ahahahaa, during the product placements I realized Thailand now also has the bottle caps that stay attached. Made me giggle.
- emotional support blankie! yay (at times it seemed a little too hot to sleep with two blankets though)
- this is probably more an issue on my side: in the end when we get all these so far somewhat background characters (Wan and the father) and their emotional clarity and open communication… it felt a little unreal to me because I am so used to the opposite in media and real life. I hope we can see more communication like this.

(Have to go over this review again to maybe find some better words, sort and edit a little. But for now it is what it is)

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Love in the Clouds : Defeat, Disguise, and Desire:

Okay, this is my rewritten review after finishing the full drama 💫. Honestly, Love in the Clouds didn’t disappoint me. It had its flaws, but it also gave me so many things to love.

When we talk about the story, it begins with two warriors facing each other in a grand tournament ⚔️. One wins, one loses. But here’s the twist — the one who lost is actually a girl disguised as a man, and she has been the undefeated champion for years. This time, not only does she lose, but she’s also poisoned. The winner, Ji Bozai, becomes the rising star of his realm overnight 🌙, while Ming Yi, the fallen champion, believes he was the one who poisoned her. To find the antidote, she disguises herself as a dancer in a brothel — the very place her opponent often visits. And from there, the story unfolds with fate, revenge, and a growing tenderness that caught me completely off guard 💕.

I really love this kind of setup — it’s dramatic, mysterious, and full of emotional tension.

❤️ Chemistry & Leads

Now, my favorite part — the main couple. Ahh I’m dead 😭. I absolutely love both the ML and FL. Together, they’re breathtaking. Their chemistry feels like gold melting with mercury — radiant, fluid, and inseparable ✨. Every time they appear together, I get butterflies in my stomach 🦋.

Hou Minghao and Lu Yuxiao are perfect in their roles. Their eyes say everything — full of pain, longing, and unspoken emotions. Just one glance between them can tell an entire love story 💞. Maybe I’m biased because I already love both actors, but their connection feels so alive that I completely forget they’re acting.

Honestly, the best part of the whole drama for me was them — Ji Bozai & Ming Yi. Their chemistry is the reason this drama became a success 🌹. Separately, they’re good — but together, they’re absolutely stunning.

✨ Supporting Cast

The second male lead really tested my patience 😤. At first, he seemed pitiful and I felt sorry for him. I even thought, “Okay, he might be annoying but not evil.” But later… he really disappointed me. Still, I couldn’t fully hate him because I liked that actor in his previous dramas 😅.

The third male lead was the opposite — I actually started liking him from the beginning, even when he appeared to be a villain. But as the story went on, it turned out he wasn’t bad at all, and I really appreciated his character growth 🩵.

As for the second female lead, oh gosh, she was super annoying at first 🙄. I didn’t like her at all. But later, she softened and became really sweet — it surprised me in a good way. The third female lead, on the other hand, broke my heart 💔. She did so much for the man she loved, but he never returned her feelings. I really felt for her.

🤔 Pacing & Production

If I have to mention a flaw, it’s definitely the pacing. The first few episodes were quite slow, full of teasing and buildup before the real plot started. The main story only picked up around episode 4 or 5.

And I have to talk about the background settings. The Jixiu Abyss looked fine, but Yaoguang Mountain... hmm 😬 I really didn’t like it. Inconsistent set design, cheap background CGI, and awkward visual effects — maybe I’m picky, but it didn’t look right to me. Some side characters who appeared just once or twice were also quite cringe 😅. Their acting didn’t feel natural. acting was stiff

But aside from those few weak points, I loved the costumes, the story progression, and how well the main roles were written. The character growth was clear and satisfying, and even though some camera angles felt awkward, it didn’t ruin my overall experience 🎥.

🌸 Overall

Love in the Clouds is a gorgeous, emotional, and engaging fantasy drama. It gave me everything I love — a mix of disguise, revenge, fate, and a deep emotional connection between the leads 🌧️. It’s beautifully shot, romantically written, and full of tension that keeps your heart hooked.

If you like xianxia romance with beautiful chemistry, intense emotions, and a touch of mystery, this one is absolutely worth watching 💕.

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Disappointment on detour

Disclaimer: I had to switch to another video after the first half, hence subtitle quality was significantly worse for the second part.

The inital idea was quite intriguing: A highly skilled assassin suddenly wakes up in the body of a high school girl. Although she seems to have no intention to find out what happened to her former body or to return to her former life, that part of the plot appeared quite consistently throughout the story until the last quarter of the drama. Since 99.9% of vertical dramas cater to some sort of damsel in distress trope, I was excited to finally find one where the "helpless girl" wasn't the least bit interested in ML's attempts to "save" her.

If you're expecting this kind of plot, you'll end up being disappointed. FL turned into a damsel in distress almost every episode and her only ideas to save herself lied in showing off how pretty she was or turn to some sort of violence. ML's rescue missions relied on his social status and economical power every single time, becoming less and less sophisticated as the drama progressed. If the dialogues hadn't said so, you could have thought the main leads actually hated each other and were trying to rain on each others' parade. With all the attempts to make FL badass and independent, the writers forgot to give her feelings for ML, too. I would've loved to see both team up instead of each doing their own rescue missions neither of them appreciated. And while FL's former life kept being mentioned, it was more of an unexplored plot device than a new spin on an old tale.

If you like pretty leads, the damsel in distress trope and an interesting initial setting, this might be sufficient to entertain you. Still, I recommend watching a vertical drama that's easier to find. The original plot idea isn't worth digging through the web for.

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Only a KDrama can spark my interest in Rugby ?

I really NEVER expected to like this drama that much!!! From the characters, to the setting, it was quite well done. I liked how all the Rugby boys had such very different and unique characters. Also, unlike Racket Boys, it was not all just Badminton but for example the girls were in the shooting team. So I learned a little bit about shooting as well and wow it does look like a very cool sport.
I also really likes the othet adult characters. The intrigues school politics and all the unfair things going on really fired me up even more and made it harder to stop and take a break.
I just really love a good underdog story! And KDramas about sports usually don’t disappoint.

The only downside and critique about this drama I have is how powerless everyone was, including the president of the school. It was a bit too much for me seeing those two annoying men do whatever they wanted and acting like they owned that place. Tbh it seemed a bit unrealistic to me. Also, Bae I-ji was so mad at Garam at the beginning but where was that anger towards that disgusting Shooting Coach? He was way more terrible to her than Garam ever was… That was another thing that pissed me off.

Everything else, including the amazing Soundtrack, was really a good watch! Finished it in less than a week 😂

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Another surprisingly well written story

Love the script. The lead couple have great chemistry as well as the second couple. I love the fact that the lead couple are so devoted to each other and don’t forget the second couple wherein the guy did his best so he could convince his family that his gf is the only girl he’ll marry in that lifetime 😊. The aunts are villainous but the grandmothers have surprisingly good attitude towards the female lead’s character making this drama great despite the other bad characters surrounding her.

The Soundtracks are great too as well as the costumes. And despite ZWY’s supposedly deadpan face, it doesn’t make me dislike his acting.

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A poetic ode to love stories that wait: when timeless love knows no end

‘The First Frost’ feels like a miracle love story. Rich in emotion and poetic quality, it follows the lives of Sang Yan and Wen Yi Fan; two people who meet after what feels like a lifetime has passed between the abrupt departures that separated them and where they stand now. Such pairings in real life, where one person is open and ready for the next step in a relationship while the other isn’t yet ready to commit because of past trauma and low self-esteem, typically don’t end well. In most cases, the emotionally unaware person fails to heal or open up to others. One can only wonder how this common trope will unfold between the leads. How far will Sang Yan’s love bring them? Will it be reciprocated strongly enough, on her side, for her to rebuild herself and heal? Like a sunflower growing towards the sun, Wen Yi Fan slowly leans into his embrace—a space he crafted with patience, security, understanding, and warmth, ready to support her healing journey and allow her to find safety....and eventually bloom.

First high school sweethearts, then strangers, and finally, roommates. By pure chance, their lives collide with the force of old flames of passion waiting to reawaken their glow. Lit with a tender yet strong vulnerability, their reincounter blazes both of their worlds to their core. Wen Yi Fan, now working in journalism, finally moves out of her co-living space, left scattered by multiple harassment incidents. Sang Yan is owner of ‘Overtime’, a trendy bar where nightlifers go to take refuge from the rush of work and the neon lights of the big city. Graceful like ballet, Wen Yi Fan’s quiet resilience lingers in every step she takes, bruises and pain hidden behind a shy smile. This delicate power—a faint light that stubbornly refuses to give out—taunts him to further discover her hidden beauty, to hold it, love it, and fuel it with his hands that dare let go of something so passionate. Slowly and quietly, their lives veer off into a journey of rediscovering the paths to each other’s hearts.

Usually, dramas in which the leads meet in a second encounter after having known each other when younger offer a fresh start to a new relationship, one where lost strings are quickly sewn together. Unlike these dramas, ‘The First Frost' handles the theme of reconciliation with a past lover with the fragile touch of melancholy, regret, and longing, showing the true face of separation, not shying away from its rawness. Sang Yan is an attentive, confident, and thoughtful yet emotionally guarded character of great depth in emotion. He secretly has a tender heart despite his cold appearance. As for Wen Yi Fan, she is someone quiet yet strong, loving yet reserved. Together, they alight heart-fluttering sparks of chemistry. But the more hope that finds home in their hearts, the more something more sorrowful grows from deep within. In every moment, between every accidental and intentional brush of skin, the past sizzles underneath, like a quiet truth waiting to be found somewhere under the dark hues of hesitation, regret, and confusion that have tainted their bond. Is it possible to rekindle such a lost connection, one where trauma and years of no contact set them further apart?

When, in every conversation, there is something left untouched, and every silence is met with a lingering gaze, yearning to spill words left unsaid, there is a certain tension that builds, palpable through the screen. This tension is especially felt in a café scene in which they pretend not to recognize each other when first meeting again for the first time after six years. It is also ever-present when both are—seemingly very much against their own liking—forced to a closer proximity through a shared living experience after both face unfortunate fates in past homes. Even before their past is fully revealed, it is evident they share a complicated history. Viewers are left with the impending wonder of what the emotionally-charged energy between them will amount to—whether it'll burst in a second chance or a second departure, a retelling of past goodbyes. With delicacy, the leads intertwine their newly growing relationship with bits of their past. Within the quietude of their masked selves, every resolve, every disappointment, every bit of hope, lies bare a vulnerability struggling to hide behind faces of faked indifference.

Heavy on societal commentary and the problems faced by women in modern society, the visually appealing show—both cinematographically and in terms of the actors’ visuals—gains substance mostly through the trauma lived by Wen Yi Fan. Throughout the series, Yi Fan carries the weight of past trauma and struggles. Left scarred from abandonment and abuse, she develops the habit of guarding her emotions, feeling undeserving of receiving or giving love to others. Her eventually opening her heart goes both ways—the way she ends up accepting Sang Yan’s love and reciprocating it is also her accepting and choosing to love herself. Her self-healing process manifests itself through the story’s central plot of romance, because it runs in parallel to her relationship with Sang Yan. This tactic at reflecting her inner growth to her outside relationship with Sang Yan—something more tangible, more obvious to the eye—only adds depth to the romantic component of the show. It showcases how love is a long, complex process and that true love is something that builds on patience, understanding and trust rather than arriving spontaneously.

As the story slowly progresses, the depth of their relationship is revealed in a gradual, non-linear manner, breathing life into the series’ message. The mosaic of small moments that make up their past—scattered at the beginning of each episode—eventually becomes a fuller picture, coming together to create the core component of their relationship: true, long-lasting love. Alongside this coming-together of what becomes a legendary romantic tale, comparisons are drawn between their current and past connection, enabling viewers to grasp the characters’ choices and complex personalities more fully. Across each timeline, there is no chase, but only a mere constant reminder for Wen Yi Fan that there is someone waiting even in the darkest of nights to catch and save her: Sang Yan. And it is this constant devotion of Sang Yan that pumps the chemistry—not fueled by explosive moments but by a timeless passion for love that transcends all. Wen Yi Fan and Sang Yan’s story is one of choosing vulnerability over pride—an act of sacrifice and strength.

‘The First Frost’’s ending is powerful because it reinforces this lesson and flips our perception of Sang Yan. Throughout the story, he is portrayed as the steady and composed one, while Wen Yifan is painted as more fragile because of her struggles at work, her family situation, and trauma. But when he confesses being the weaker one in their relationship, it is revealed that his “strength” was a façade to protect his pride. Instead of risking being vulnerable, he chose to pretend he was no longer interested after Wen Yi Fan when she started pulling away. For two years, he missed her but chose to love in silence, which mirrors their earlier dynamic when she had been the one waiting for him, scared to confess her feelings out of fear of not being good enough for him. This cycle makes their coming-together even more touching, because it reveals the one thing keeping them apart was the fear of being the first to let their guard down. In the end, by choosing to love her fully, he was finally able to be by her side not as someone who needed protecting but as the one who could protect. He finally became her strength—not out of being perfect, but from being real.

The cinematography captures the show’s essence beautifully, giving a poetic undertone to the bustling city life of Chongqing, the Chinese “mountain city” where the leads’ stories unfold. Each scene seems carefully curated down to every detail—music, frames, lighting—to build an overall atmosphere that feels intimate and satisfyingly perfect…it almost feels like cozying up while reading a well-written book. Its soundtrack only reinforces this feeling. If not with its hefty narrative and deep nature in terms of themes, it is with its standard-meeting portrayal of the male lead that enables ‘The First Frost’ to resemble its sister series; ‘Hidden Love’, the iconic wholesome romance starring hit actress Zhao Lusi, released in 2023. What ‘Hidden Love’ didn’t delve deeper into with its main characters Sang Zhi and Duan Jia Xu, ‘The First Frost’ did through Sang Zhi’s elder brother Sang Yan and his romantic interest. Though much more mature, this series does draw comparisons to the show it spins off, at least with what it is at-heart: a beautiful, inspiring love story.

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1st time I realized 2nd lead cliche

I really loved this drama at the start, all the characters were written great & loved their bond but the classic trying to paint main lead character as the pure & kind character & getting everything was what I hated the most. 2nd female lead actually sacrificed more, gave money for her friend surgery & gave up guy she liked for her best friend but at the end she was robbed of everything & even destiny played cruel joke of not giving her anything no warm family, friends nor lover. Like she was utterly alone despite her being equally as kind as main character. Cliche of main character always getting to do the right thing while not losing anything & also getting to be the pity character when she gets stabbed, 2nd female lead would have done the same but she was kinda treated like bad character by her best friends mom & friends even though it wasn’t her fault. So watching the last few episodes I found it hypocritical. The first time I hated the main leads so much.

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Confused who is the actual FL

This drama started off so great with the two FL friendships, struggles, family life, dreams, hopes and ambitions. The entire narrative as to why JH disappeared was not addressed properly. YR seems to have not shared the fact that JH left to save YR’s life with anyone, including JP. The 7 year time jump with the JP and YR suddenly being so close felt forced. The whole JP being so crazy in love with YR after JH showed up made no sense. JH was JP’s first love and he didn’t even bat an eyelid when he found out JH vanished because of YR and broke up with him because YR was in love with him. It’s like she absolutely didn’t matter. YR and Jung Hyun felt more organic and I rooted for them more than YR-JP. JH and YS felt more organic and heartwarming. It felt so incomplete that they didn’t show them getting together. Also, even though YR is supposed to be FL JH carried the show. The fact that everyone was mad at JH when YR was in the hospital made no sense. That was absolutely not JH’s fault and moreover she literally did something similar for YR without any recognition or acknowledgment by anyone. JH was so ready to sacrifice everything for YR’s family and their friends but they all treated JH as an afterthought (except YS who was the only one who valued or recognized her). Overall the drama started of with so much potential, great actors, excellent cinematography and realistic 80’s depiction. It was disappointing how hodgepodge the second half was.

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A misguided fantasy

A fantasy drama retelling a story of our childhood in a confused drama version.

With A-list cast, there was some sort of expectations, even if they weren't much high. But, instead of being magical, the show turned out to be boring and so hard to finish.

The first half of the show was diving into the nothingness - no story, no characterisation, only unnecessary conversations and unfunny moments. Now, about the characters. Suzy’s role was supposed to be intriguing — detached, emotionless — but it never evolved. Instead of pulling me in, it just felt flat, almost robotic. Kim Woo-bin had flashes of brilliance, but his genie/Iblis character was all over the place. One second playful, the next scary, but not in a way that felt layered… more like inconsistent writing. The supporting cast were just added layers. This is Suzy’s successive misfire, after 2023's Doona.

The visuals and OST were good, but that's about it. These were the only positives I could find about the show. In the end, the series misses an opportunity to explore the profound struggle between good and evil as it truly is.

Overall, Genie, Make A Wish is an extremely huge scale disappointment of the year.

My Rating : 2/10

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