Reviews

When Food Outshines Everything Else in a K-Drama

After 6 episodes, one thing is very clear: this show is only about food. There’s no real story, no acting depth, nothing beyond the gastronomy. The slapstick comedy feels like the thousandth recycled version of similar shows, and the acting isn’t helping either—especially Yoona, who has been exaggerating her expressions since the very first episode. Once or twice it’s tolerable, but all the time? It quickly becomes tiring.

Lee Chaemin is decent so far, and since this is his first lead role in a major production, I don’t want to scrutinize him too harshly—I’ll wait to see how he progresses.

Now to chemistry, the dynamic between the leads feels more like siblings squabbling than a couple in the making. If the story does head toward romance (if there even is one), I’m not convinced they can deliver the needed intensity. At best, it may end up looking like two attractive actors sharing the frame rather than two characters genuinely in love. And honestly, that has always been the case with Yoona—her on-screen chemistry often feels more hyped than real, usually reduced to how well her visuals “match” with her co-star rather than any genuine emotional connection. Unfortunately, history seems to be repeating itself here.

The reasons people like this drama are simple: (1) "The Food". The gastronomy scenes are beautifully shot and guaranteed to make you crave something to eat. Most of the online comments under this drama are about how delicious the food looks and how well it’s presented or eaten—hardly anyone talks about anything else.
(2) "The Timing". With all the major dramas scheduled for mid-to-late September, this show has no real rivals. By the time the competition arrives, this one will be wrapping up, so it’s enjoying a free ride on timing and food appeal.

And now, the elephant in the room: I wish the creators had been clear about which Joseon king they based this on. If it really is the problematic figure people are speculating, then the whole premise is disturbing. How can anyone, even in fiction, imagine falling for a rapist and murderer? What were the creators thinking? 🤨 Even worse, audiences are raving about this show without considering what kind of message it sends.Honestly, it’s disappointing.

Overall, this is a no-brainer watch. If you like food, you’ll enjoy it—because the food is excellent here. But beyond that, the show offers nothing substantial, and I highly doubt that will change in the upcoming episodes.

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Not Every Drama is Romantic but helps you to understand what is LOVE better

This drama felt less like a simple series and more like a beautiful storyteller weaving emotions, values, and life lessons into every frame. From the very beginning, the director and writer proved their vision was not only clear but deeply impactful, creating something that resonated with millions of viewers around the world. It was not just entertainment, it was an experience that touched the heart and made me reflect on love, emotions, and the essence of life itself.

One of the most striking aspects of this drama was how every single episode carried meaning. There were no fillers, no unnecessary detours just a consistent delivery of messages that stayed with the audience long after the credits rolled. Each episode contributed something unique, whether it was a touching emotional moment, a powerful moral lesson, or a reminder of the beauty of human connection. This ability to make viewers feel and think at the same time is what truly set the drama apart.

However, as much as I adored the series, I couldn’t bring myself to give it a perfect 10 out of 10 rating, and that was largely because of the ending. The finale, though not entirely disappointing, felt slightly rushed and incomplete. It left me wishing the drama had been given more space to breathe perhaps an extension beyond just 12 episodes would have allowed the story to conclude more naturally and meaningfully. A longer run might have tied up the loose ends and provided the closure that the characters and the audience truly deserved.

Despite this minor shortcoming, the drama remains a remarkable piece of work. It succeeded in teaching valuable lessons about love, life, and emotions, and it left a lasting impression on me. Very few dramas manage to balance storytelling, emotional depth, and moral lessons so effectively, and this one did it beautifully. It may not have been flawless, but it was still a journey worth taking a drama that will remain in my memory for a long time.

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The Perfect Match

I followed this drama because of Song Wei Long as the ML. He is so handsome and really play well as the Prince. He is very kingly in appearance and in bearing. The FL is correct in describing him after he get up from bathtub: "His physique is great, his face like a chiseled jake, his every move is perfection..." Super handsome and manly actor and very good in subtle acting. Few words but he can express his mind and heart through looks and actions.
I found the FL very beautiful and with refreshing beauty. They are really a perfect match. I love how they tried to tease and seduce each other as husband and wife with boundaries but growing in love for each other. They are both pure and chaste and hesitant to make the first move.
I love the main characters. The ML is a great prince and general but he is not obsessed by power and greed but really focusing on the welfare of the kingdom, eradicating corruption and serving faithfully the Emperor. Despite him having a ruthless reputation he is actually a good person who is loving and caring to his soldiers and to the people in general.
The FL character is so nice. She has innocent beauty which looks young but very intelligent and always reason out. Her love of her father is very deep and is managing the household property with efficiency. It is also noteworthy that she respects people including the maids and the servants with respect.
The love story is very beautiful. It is a match of two noble families and of a young man and woman with both goodness in their hearts. The interchange of politics with tensions due to corruption and power is also very nice. The sword actions by the ML is also excellent. Even the love story of the second leads are very beautiful and touching such as the funny love-hate relationship betweem Mimin and Lord Zhang as well as the touching love between YiYin and Lord Zhu.
The secondary actors too are excellent. The Marquis General father of the FL is so wonderful. The villain Prime Minister is subtle and looks nice but brilliantly cunning. The generals and adviser friends of the ML are great actors too. This is an excellent drama worthy of the status of Song Wei Long. The music is so beautiful and touching. The actions in battles are very good.
I feel sorry for the young and very talented deputy commander whose father was murdered and he died at the end. Glad that he got his justice though. The villain is so cunning and so evil. So happy for the happy ending.

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A "secret" historical romance

Such a nice change for a gmmtv series. This historical approach was refreshing for me. The gentle love, all the yearning. My heart melted each time. Although I started it bc of AouBoom (wish we got more scenes of their couple, for me their story was more interesting) i enjoyed GreatInn enough as well. Their story was so sweet. Thee valued and loved Rati with his whole heart and he made it loud and clear. He has fallen so hard for him! They both waited for each other. Even after their separation they truly stood by the "my heart belongs to you and only you". Every scene was full of emotions that you had to read them in their eyes and gestures.

We got a glimpse for both economical statuses at the time. The wealthy ones and the ppl that worked for them. AouBooms couple was a great way to show how each one valued money. While Dech took part in muay matches for fun, Mek did it to get more money exposing his body in danger when he should be taking better care of it bc his strength was what was keeping him into work. I loved the fact that all Mek needed was a chance into education to get him do great stuff. He prooved that poor ppl are also intelligent when given the right tools.

My only complain is that we didnt get to see Thee's father relationship with his other son. I wanted to see them get even closer then just one dinner together. And also get a lityle more development on the brothers character too.

For me the rating isn't unfair. Having more subtle shows isn't bad. It was serious and romantic at the same time. While we also got some funny moments from MekDech (classic AouBoom that teases each other on their own way and we love that).

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Buy 1 get 2 FREE! (I want them all)

This drama adaption took the novel and made it better imo, it has more depth to the characters relationships, have more of a cast + their development arcs while not cutting off the novel’s main plot lines. The show shines in its costumes (very important as it easily shows the significant distinctions from all 3 personas of the main lead), fight set pieces (we literally have a vampire superhero with magical super strength & healing) & good balance between funny, emotional & serious scenes.

This definitely can be considered as Cheng Lei’s best work, all his personas are so different, just his gaze can make even a random person watching know which character he is. I know he worked really hard on his body for Xuan Yike’s scenes and it’s so so worth it! He had such great chemistry with every character, especially his girl besties Qiao & LuXin, LiTing & MoYin, even his love rival MuYang. Song Yi I think shone best in emotional scenes but her fight choreo was good as well. I think she got a brunt of criticism due to archery logically not being very General-esque style. People think she should be more manly/brolic but they heavily implied that she’s more strategic leader & never had a manly look even in the books. She’s always wanted to be feminine, but never had the opportunity or felt like she could. A very effeminate General is something we need, not just tomboyish ones. Also, her personal female army was so good & diverse.

Something positive can be negative as I really thought the drama did well by adding scenes to develop Jin’an & Shuang’s romantic relationship. But I think they spent a little too long on it (maybe 1-2 epis). They kept “telling” us about Shuang’s problems of being beholden to her adoptive family rather than showing us. But the story really got going after Jin’an remembered his true identity of Prince Aodeng. The angst part at the end & the funny shenanigans at the start are the best parts of the show. You can taste a variety of flavours of tropes and makes me want to rewatch it all!

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Good Enough

Korean Drama 'Hyper Knife' is a medical criminal drama.

The story is quite complex, and it centers around the two surgeons who are both geniuses in their field and, thus, both similar. The drama is not afraid to dig deep and to present a morally gray character who has her own way of thinking when it comes to life and death.

However, and even though the story was moving at breathtaking speed, the drama, despite all the twists and turns, had a messy ending, and it got tiring to follow the two main leads. So, a strong start, but a weak ending for this drama.

The performances, on the other hand, were all strong and great.

So, overall, six out of ten.

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Good Enough

Korean Drama 'Heavenly Ever After' is a fantasy comedy with a lot of drama elements.

The story is original and interesting at first, with the comedy being mild and not a laugh-out-loud kind of comedy, but enjoyable enough. The characters were interesting as well, and they were endearing. The romance was lovely and sweet as well and there were a lot of emotional moments. The fantasy element was, moreover, entertaining.

However, the story was not handled well. It was tiring after a while, the ending was rushed, and the melodrama didn't blend well with the comedy part.

The performances, finally, were all great.

So, overall, six out of ten.

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A love story and a man every woman dreams of having

Shadow Love is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for those who like romance and fantasy.

I will be focusing my review on three aspects of the drama: the female lead, male lead and the chemistry since this is romance heavy drama.

Cheng Lei as Jin An, Duan Ao Deng.

This is my first drama of Cheng Lei and this drama has converted me into a fan of his. He slayed his roles as Jin An, Duan Ao Deng and the man in the black. He has expressive beautiful eyes which he uses fully to his advantage to convey wide range of emotions. His acting was excellent 😙. His micro expressions were sooooo good and they made me believe in his love for Li Shuang. The way he stares at Li Shuang melted my heart every single time without fail.

His character as Jin An is the greenest C-drama male lead. He’s attentive, caring, funny, intelligent and physically attractive. I appreciate the drama showed how he made friends with the female lead’s friends and confided in them. This is so refreshing to experience.

As Duan Ao Deng, HE IS HOT AND SEXY!!!! 🥵🥵🥵
He exudes alpha male energy and commands the room the moment he walks in it, yet at the same time he’s so soft and submissive to the female lead despite him losing his memory of her and supposedly hating her. At the end of the day, the heart knows what it wants.

Man in the black - the superhero who always saves the day for the female lead.

Can you imagine what you will get when these three characters merged into one? It’s a perfect LOVER, every woman is dreaming of having!! Hot, Sexy, Caring, Funny, Intelligent, Attentive, Always there when you need him, Strong on the outside but soft and submissive on the inside when he’s with you!
I would like to believe that most of the female audience imagine ourselves as Li Shuang at one point. Myself included, of course!

Song Yi as Li Shuang
I watched a few of Song Yi’s dramas in the past but couldn’t really recall what’s her acting was like.
Some might have doubted whether her physique fits into a characterisation of a female general. I could see where people were coming from. Having said that I would say her portrayal as a female general who despises wars was spot on. She brought humility to the role. Her crying scenes made to cry with her, you felt the emotions she felt. I couldn’t imagine anyone else play Li Shuang’s role and achieve the level of chemistry he has with Cheng Lei.

Chemistry:
OH MAN! The chemistry is EXPLOSIVE between the leads, it is honestly one of the best parts of this drama. The drama spends 30 episodes to build the main leads love story which I appreciate. The chemistry is built through quiet glances, act of service, and the little ways they start to care for each other. There’s always this underlying tension when they’re both on the screen. It’s emotional, not just romantic or physical — which makes it feel so much deeper.

There’s this constant pull between them, even when Duan Ao Deng forgets his love for Li Shuang.
Like the way he instinctively gives her candies, helps her fix the rooftop and agrees to whatever she requested. You can feel him falling in love with her all over again.

Ending:
It’s satisfyingly no rush happy ending. The only complaint that I have was the drama didn’t show them having kids!

All in all, this is a highly recommended drama for those who like beautiful romance story.

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Good Enough

Korean Drama 'Friendly Rivalry' is a school drama about an obsessive relationship between two classmates and a dark secret.

The drama has impressive cinematography, especially when it came to presenting the characters. The psychological drama was also well handled and presented, and that added to the dark mood of the drama.

The plot was also enjoyable, though the finale was rushed and the twists, some of them at least, didn't make a lot of sense.

The characters were also interesting and the performances were all great by everyone in the cast.

So, overall, seven out of ten.

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Good Enough

Korean Drama 'Weak Hero Class 2' is the second season of the school drama, and this time, the main character moves to a new school, but his demons are still there to haunt him.

The drama is as good as the first season, intense, deep, with loads of action, and great performances. The characters were interesting as well and supported the story well. The main character's arc was also strong, with a smooth character development. The fighting scenes were, in addition, well-choreographed and executed. The ending was sweet as well, but a bit rushed.

So, overall, eight out of ten.

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Not Good Enough

Korean Drama 'Squid Game Season Three' is the final season of the popular and viral series.

The story takes off right from where the second season ended, as they were part one and part two. However, this time, the series was a repetition of the first one with no real surprise. The ending, though shocking, was the only thing that made sense for the plot.

The characters, moreover, were not impactful, and everyone died too quickly for the viewer to have any emotional connection with them. Also, a lot of them were just stereotypes that were already seen in the first season, as were the villains. The side stories, moreover, were boring and, in the end, didn't really add anything to the plot but were only there to fill the gaps and to make the episodes longer.

Finally, the performances were all enjoyable.

So, overall, three out of ten.

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