Reviews

This show puts an emphasis on the side characters rather than the ML & FL

This story was very interesting. It showed a different point of view of those types of dramas, where this poor, kind girl saves a rich CEO’s grandma. Then the grandma takes her as a good daughter, and later the girl takes everything away from the actual daughter. I like how it shows how the villainess struggles and doesn’t only show her bad side. The system acts as if we were the audience, trying to make the ML and FL end up together no matter what happens on the other side. The mess it creates—this drama shows that mess. It also gives the side characters a chance to show themselves. I really liked this drama and would recommend it.

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High hopes for this tale of revenge & love triangle but writing was a letdown

I was browsing Huang Bo's douyin when I saw trailers of this drama. I wa excited because I like both Huang Bo and He Jian Qi's acting. Today when the drama was released I realised that Chen Yu Ling was the female lead so high hopes. Unfortunately Dangers Deal didn't meet my expectations.

What I liked:
1. Acting - Huang Bo & He Jian Qi performed very well. They gave some depth / maturity to the characters.
2. Styling - Great outfits were selected for FL, ML & SML.
3. Supporting characters - I liked SML's half bro / right hand man for his astute observations of SML's feelings for FL.
4. Intimacy - A lot of kissing. He Jian Qi sure is a great onscreen kisser.
5. Rivalry - I liked that both ML & SML were rivals in the oil business. I appreciated writer injecting some oul & gas industry knowledge, instead of the usual company competitions, to this drama.

What I disliked:
1. FL characterisation - She was a nepo baby. Gosh I was frsutrated when ML had to explain to her about oil price fluctuations. She only wanted Duan company because she felt entitled to it. I disliked her for toying with feelings of both men.
2. Revenge - Poorly planned but somehow she managed to get 2 smart & attractive men to do the thinking for her. The plot didn't go anywhere. She just wanted to marry ML since she had said that to her dad but disguised it as her revenge plan.
3. Acting - I felt Chen Yu Ling was miscast. She didn't have enough charisma to play an heiress gamed for hostile takeover. She had some chemistry with both He Jian Qi and Huang Bo but I felt she could have pushed for more sexual tension with Huang Bo.

Favourite scene
When SML unveiled to FL his relationship with her father

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A Masterpiece Worth Every Second!

Having watched over 1,432 episodes across 52 dramas (yes, I love MDL's stats 😄), I can honestly say I’ve never seen anything quite like Mobius.

The story is intellectually gripping, elevated by sharp, well-placed humor—those rare witty comments (just a few in the whole drama, but each one gold!) made the tension even more engaging. The pacing is tight, the casting is flawless—Bai Jingting was born for this role—and surprisingly, the soundtrack completely stole my heart. I was literally counting down the hours between episodes.

A true modern masterpiece. Highly, highly recommended… and yes, I’ll definitely be rewatching soon! ;)
Total rate: 11/10 :D

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Let yourself be carried away by this story ;)

PLOT: The FL, a general of country A, takes in an amnesiac kid (more or less vampire, with whom she shares a "blood bond"). The kid quickly transforms into a very protective adult (with extraordinary intermittent powers). Their bond strengthens, but they find themselves mired in power struggles [the crazy king & the cruel 1st prince want to kill the CP, who still ends up ascending the throne and wants to marry the FL].
The ML is actually Prince Annang (young king's brother of enemy country B) whom the conspiring empress and her Evil Mage tried to transform into a Puppet Warrior. The empress detains the emperor (more or less dead), installs her son on the throne, and becomes regent.

+++ Extraordinary CL with Song Yi and Ryan Cheng ヽ(♡‿♡)ノ who bring to life three endearing, adorable, and charismatic characters. Their performances are phenomenal in both the fight and emotional scenes, and create a beautiful alchemy.
+++ CGI are top-notch (*^‿^*), especially the ML transformation.
+++ Excellent cast with famous and talented actors (including the villains, who are detestable ;)
+++ Excellent OSTs that effectively enhance the mood of the scenes.
+++ Flawless direction: 2 great producers [Deng Ke & Gao Cong Kai] ensure superb cinematography: pacing, framing, lighting, costumes, fight scenes, etc. PERFECT ヽ(♡‿♡)ノ

### No hint of humor :( Viewers are surfing on many other emotions (love, courage, sadness, friendship, jealousy, etc.), but have no opportunity to laugh or smile...

=> A MUST-TO-SEE without a doubt (to watch and rewatch -- it's hard to leave these characters behind) that demonstrates the breadth of Ryan Cheng's talent.
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Laissez vous emporter par cette histoire ;)

PLOT: La FL, générale d'1 armée pays A, recueille un gamin amnésique (et +/- vampire avec qui elle partage un "lien de sang"). Le gamin se transforme rapidement en un adulte très protecteur (aux pouvoirs intermittents extraordinaires). Leurs liens se renforcent mais ils se retrouvent englués ds des luttes de pouvoir [roi cinglé & 1e prince cruel veulent tuer le CP, qui finit qd mm par monter s/ le trône et veut épouser la FL].
Le ML est en fait le Prince Annang (frère du roi du pays B ennemi) que l'impératrice conspiratrice et son Evil mage, ont essayé de transformer en Puppet Warrior. L'impératrice détient l'empereur (+/- mort), installe son fils s/ le trône et devient régente.

+++ CL extraordinaire avec Song Yi et Ryan Cheng ヽ(♡‿♡)ノ qui donne vie à 3 personnages attachants, adorables et charismatiques. Leur performance est phénoménale tant dans les scènes de fight que d'émotion, et créent une belle alchimie.
+++ CGI top-notch (*^‿^*) notamment la transformation du ML.
+++ Excellent cast avec des acteurs fameux et talentueux (y compris les Villains, qui sont détestables ;)
+++ Excellents OSTs qui soutiennent efficacement l'ambiance
+++ Réalis° sans défaut : 2 great producters [Deng Ke & Gao Cong Kai] pr assurer une superbe cinématographie : rythme, cadrages, lumières, costumes, scènes de combat, etc. PARFAIT ヽ(♡‿♡)ノ

### Pas de touche d'humour :( On navigue sur beaucoup d'autres émotions (amour, courage, tristesse, amitié, jalousie, etc.), mais on a peu l'occasion de rire ou sourire...

=> A MUST-TO-SEE sans aucun doute (à voir et revoir -- on a du mal à quitter ces personnages) qui montre l'ampleur du talent de Ryan Cheng.

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Foolish love yet so wonderful

Once again I decided to watch this drama because of the handsome ML. I really love his smile and this is the 3rd drama of him that I've finished. Im glad that this ML is so loving and caring to his FL. Despite the fact that he was harboring anger towards the wife for thinking that she was unfaithful but he didn't make her suffer. He was always a gentleman.
The FL is so beautiful and perfect in the role of lady doctor. She is simple, intelligent, dignified, kind hearted to people but also know how to speak her mind. She will not allow herself to be manipulated. She is strong willed. She knew the secret of the ML all-along but she remained silent about it because she doesn't want to break a family and doesn't want to be entangled to an alleged unfaithful man. No wonder that the mother in law loves her very much.
The mother in law is so loving.
The young brother of the FL is so cute and handsome.
The boy Cheng-Cheng is very intelligent and reasonable.
The ML and the Assistant are so stupid for not knowing the basic info about the wife of the Boss. Not even the basic information on her looks and job and profession. They are completely ignorant even of basic facts.
I believe that the villain woman was not punished enough. but in a way glad that no terrible violence have been presented. No torture and kidnappings usually employed in many dramas.
Despite the flaws of the story I find the happy ending so beautiful.

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Flawed story and lack of character continuity

The cast for the most part was pretty decent. Some OTT acting here and there but nothing egregious.

The story was the problem. Incompent police. Telling Seo to wait to be arrested and then he still running around. Hwang saying no one is above the law and after everything Seo and police officer Kim were never held accountable, arrested and brought to trial. That just bad writing and inconsistent for the main characters' espoused values.

I enjoy drama twist and turns despite the above -- though I ended up yelling at my TV quite a bit and the end was a huge letdown with Seo getting Hwang's old job and never finding out what happen to Officer Kim except catching soju with the captain (probably the most incompetent police office out of the lot).

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There is no denying this is a hypnotic creation.. Proof once again that even if the idea itself isn’t anything new, a genius execution of an exciting theme can work wonders.. Especially when orchestrated with immaculate rigor.. Every detail in the drama reflects a rare aesthetic.. It’s no exaggeration to say the drama unfolds as a complete experience..

The visuals in this drama are pretty good with some really striking shots.. And of course, BJT absolutely kills it not just in the action scenes but with a powerhouse performance overall.. The execution of the complex narrative structure is near perfection.. Time loops are tricky but the drama handles them so smoothly that while the story may feel confusing at times, but never messy..

The first episode was a perfect 10 for me.. It set the stage beautifully and instantly made me interested in the story and its characters.. The comedy was on point and the squad’s chemistry was just too good.. The action scenes were meticulously done.. BJT excelled in both hand to hand combat and gunfights, it clearly showed his dedication and wholehearted commitment..

There were two things that felt a bit off to me.. First, even though this isn’t a romance drama, the chemistry between the ML and FL felt lacking.. Their supposed feelings for each other just didn’t connect with me.. Maybe that was intentional, but it still left me unconvinced.. Second, the way he became a time loop perceiver felt underdeveloped.. They could have handled that part much better.. Again it was not convincing..

Overall, this is a truly remarkable drama.. You can see how carefully everything was thought out and pieced together and above all, you can feel the passion poured into the drama by everyone involved.. And that’s why it comes across as such a mesmerizing work.. Beautiful to the eyes, ears and heart.. It’s perfection in the form of a drama, one that will be hard to forget..

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Great Story So Disappointed In The Acting! Shame!

I was a bit surprised as to how inward and esoteric this series was. It was prodigiously reflective. I found myself surprisingly moved by its content and the detailed struggles of the major players. It is not just a BL; it was also a story about verity. To be sure, maybe too much scope was covered in such a short period of time. However, I appreciated its thoughtful efforts in coveting normal issues of everyday people in warmly touching routines. The screenplay is very good overall for this series. And admittedly, the individual acting is good to very good. Where this series utterly failed is the execution of its very theme. Although they were trying to convince us that they had, they never did. Love. Where the acting completely and I do mean completely failed and collapsed is trying to persuade us, one, that they were a couple, and two, they were in love with each other. It was obvious that the two of them had little to no screen chemistry together. I did not believe for a second that they were a ‘couple’. They were tense, uncomfortable, awkward, and insincere when together as a couple. It showed on their faces and in their movements. Secondly, ALL their kissing scenes, were ‘dead fish’ kisses. Honestly, I have never seen worse kissing in my life on screen from two guys. They could not even pretend to like it or enjoy it. Both looked like they were going to vomit. Their lack of physical connection was simply appalling.

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Perhaps the best modern CDrama of 2025

This is the perfect example of when not to trust reviews. This drama slaps. In all ways possible.

I literally don’t even know where to start— the beautiful leads, the perfectly annoying antagonists, the wow factor of a “ceo coming back to life” introduction, that OST?! I’ve watched hundreds of dramas and this honestly is in my top five cdramas, def my top modern cdrama of 2025 by a mile.

First of all, our badass female lead shows no weakness in front of her enemies. She just survived hell for the past three years to make an epic comeback in front of the family that stole her family’s legacy. From the brink of death to reclaiming her throne, as she should, her beauty and brains blind all. Even when any other normal person would fall in defeat, her determination to avenge her family and bring justice was truly commendable.

And then our male lead 🥰 This is the first time watching this actor act, but his puppy dog persona juxtaposing our headstrong female lead was just the cherry on top. Having been abroad with sports, his morals aren't corrupted by his business-focused family so when he trusts and approaches Haimeng whilst everyone legit pulls him away, I melted. He's just so soft and innocent but not in the weak way where he doesn't know how to differentiate between right and wrong. He knows how to protect his girl **swoons**

Their CHEMISTRY especially, was off the charts. Normally, the idea of getting with an in-law sounds pretty revolting, but in this case I could not encourage them more. (and good, because the ex-husband doesn't deserve her) The cinematography captured each of our leads' perspectives SO WELL (BRAVO). The lighting and colors, light and/or dark, capture the beauty of Haimeng and Siyu as seen from each others' eyes perfectly. I found myself falling for them at the same time as them HAHAH. It started with Haimeng's icy exterior melting in front of Siyu, the only person in the house who doesn't treat her with contempt. With the gradual increase in trust came the natural development of respect and soon after, feelings. I love how until the end, they chose to trust each other despite what could've turned into a situation of messy misunderstandings.

I’m assuming this was low budget but girl, you can't even tell. Other than some crowds seeming sparse or lack of diverse locations, everything from outfits (our girl is a legit MODEL) to pace of storyline distracts you and honestly makes it seem like a very well thought-out, highly-sponsored masterpiece.
I don't ever write reviews, but this one was much needed especially with the weirdos giving this such poor ones! Please give this a try, it's the perfect length (not the super short ones but also not so long it drags the story) and really moves at a steady intriguing pace. It won't be perfect, with some loopholes, but they can be easily disregarded lol

LOVE IT! 🩵 SOOO glad I watched this. I'm happier :)

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I'm just glad that I finished it

Disclaimer

What I am writing here are my views and thoughts about this series. Some of you may not like it. That does not give you the right to try to come at me with your opinions on why this series should get a higher or lower score and why it is better/worse than I think it is. You have your own opinions, and I have mine. Kindly respect that.

I decided to give this series a watch because it has been a while since I watched an Oxin production, and the last (mini) series that I watched from them was surprisingly okay. Also, one of the MCs from that series (Haunted Hearts) was appearing in this series as well. I have finished it, and I am just... disappointed. There was too much going on with so many characters that I just got lost in it. Also, the only good thing for me in this whole series was Jarret and Gin and, unfortunately, they could not save this series.

The OST's of course, was awesome, until it started to border on the line of annoying for me. I was so out of it that I still don't know if the bad guy got his just desserts because I was zoning in and out in the last episode. I'm just glad that I am done with this series, and I am once again taking a (much) needed break from any Oxin production series.

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Passionate Piece of work

It’s clear that Shine is a true success in terms of writing and depth. The work on the characters, both main and supporting, is remarkable and makes them both interesting and memorable.

The five main characters are all very different, but they are united by common circumstances. I particularly liked Trin, Krailert, and Victor, who, despite the trials they face, continue to fight and do their best.

I found the historical context very relevant, as the series highlights the protests in Thailand and the weariness of a youth suffering from political corruption and deprived of their freedom and money. This subject, unfortunately, remains current even in 2025.

I would have liked the series to explore the potential love triangle between Trin, Tanwa, and Victor more deeply. Victor was rejected too soon. I also felt that the relationship between Trin and Tanwa deserved more development. Their couple doesn't exude great passion; it feels more like two people just having a good time together without worrying about tomorrow, even if Trin tries to clarify things. Tanwa's indecision and his inhibited side don't help.

In contrast, the relationship between Krailert and Naran is much more intense and passionate. They understand each other without needing to speak, but they have a lot to lose. Both are already in relationships, making their homosexual love impossible to live out in the open, which makes them very complex characters.

My favorite characters remain Krailert and Victor.

Krailert leads a difficult life. As a soldier, he is a victim of blackmail and repeatedly loses people he holds dear. He tries to do his best, but fate is against him. Furthermore, he suffers in silence from not being able to openly live his homosexuality. This is reflected in his personality: he is constantly on guard, as if he expects to be attacked at any moment.

As for Victor, he brings a breath of fresh air to the series. However, his character, initially described as a determined activist aiming to start a business, was relegated to the role of a student madly in love with his teacher whose love is unrequited. I like him a lot, because he represents what many young people should do: fight for their rights.

I would have loved if the politics on the show were not toned down but hey it is what it is. They take a side.

To conclude, Shine is not a classic BL. Far from being a simple romantic comedy, its political approach and authenticity set it apart from other series in the genre, and I wonder if the usual BL audience will appreciate it for what it is.

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