Reviews

This Is Reality: , Facing Life, Romance, Friendship, Hatred, and Grieving

I don’t usually enjoy medical dramas because I feel dizzy watching operations.

But for this one, it was worth it. The banter between the characters was amazing, and the blooming tension between Dr. Koo and Oh Yi Young was so good. They went from in-laws to enemies, with Oh Yi Young crushing hard. And to be honest—she fell harder. I really wish it had been 16 episodes because it felt too short!

I better not forget about the other residents and their love stories—some were crushing _hard_. I’m looking at you, idol boy. He was falling fast, and I wish there had been more scenes with him and Kim Sa Bi. Speaking of Kim Sa Bi, she’s my favorite character—so down-to-earth, and the only one (in my opinion) who faced a life-threatening event.

I also feel like Pyo Nam Gyeong was maybe crushing on the doctor intern. There was a little tension between them, even if it wasn’t obvious.

And let me not forget some characters I would happily give the finger! Every time they spoke, I felt my face twist in irritation. One abused his professional power, and the other was a backstabber—what a vile human being. But hey, that’s proof the drama did its job well—getting me invested, making me _feel_ something! Every great story needs a few villains to stir the pot. Still, I wouldn’t have minded seeing some well-deserved karma hit them like a freight train.

On top of all that, the funny and slice-of-life moments were the best—watching them stand up for each other was heartwarming, and the phenomenal actors made it all so real.

Thank you for a great drama, TvN!

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Fighting for the right cause with a huge price

I was attracted to Love in Pavilion without knowing anything of the Fox Spirit Matchmaker universe, solely due to Liu Shishi after her superb performance in A Journey to Love. Although she hasnt climbed into my favourite actress list yet to stand alongside Zhao Liying, she definitely left a mark in my mind.

The story is really engaging from start to finish without much boring scene. The opening scene of the masked group joining hands with the Dongfang sisters to fight off demons already ignited enough spark to keep me watching. Then the clash at the Nan Gong household only fuels the fire even more.

They didnt leave us the audience to lament in sorrow much after our main leads started to fall out due to FL Dongfang Huaizhu’s distaste of political strategic manoevres by ML Wangquan Hongye, as they pitched in the ‘back to the future’ arc as ML went to rescue FL 20years in the future. Then came the Beast Kingdom part where they started to get lovey dovey and then the showdown in Tushan & Beyond the Boundary. Real fast paced despite being a show about love stories.

Although I fast forwarded much of romance scene of the other side couple (but not enough to miss the whole of their own love story), basically I get the gist that this is a show that lays out multiple love stories around the main leads. Some unrequited and many managed to get reciprocated although all met with a tragic ending.

Basically this is one of the superhero story of how huge power comes with huge responsibility and may cost you your whole life.

Liu Shishi is gorgeous as ever, of course, i think she ages like wine. She looked better in ancient costume now compared to the one I saw when she was younger. Her talent is unquestionable, she carries her character well as the gentle and aloof but strict Dongfang Huaizhu, then a 180deg turn as the evil and scheming Left Guardian Huaizhu of Sky City 20 years in the future. Her romance scenes are all on point except for the kissing part cuz she looked rather stiff. But romance and sad scene are definitely her forte!

I am not familiar with the actor playing ML, but I just thought he looked weird and too pale here. Do they purposely do his make up to look like a vampire? He looked so pale and gaunt. But putting aside his looks, his acting is equally superb with Liu Shishi’s, especially the sad scenes. Simply powerful. But to be honest I kinda prefered if the one who played Zhang Zheng to cast as ML instead. He had the looks of handsome, decisive and scheming person. 😬

The songs are so pleasing and brilliant, especially the opening OST Divine Fire by Yang Bing Yin, oh gosh so beautifully done. I have a playlist costume drama OST that I listen to when I run, and realized that most of the songs here mostly sung by Yang Bing Yin, Zhou Shen, Sa Ding Ding, Liu Yuning and Zhang Bichen. I guess my ears also have a preference. So yeah I’m adding Divine Fire to this playlist next. The slow songs for romantic scenes are equally great, although I wouldn’t add them as I am not into slow type of songs.

This is the third show I’ve seen with Liu Shishi as the FL, somehow it makes me wonder if she has the tendency to pick stories with tragic ending? 😆 but honestly, i must thank the super traumatic character massacre of A Journey to Love for hardening me to face tragic endings in other shows. They don’t affect me much anymore after I cried buckets for A Journey to Love.

All in all, if you hate sad endings and can’t handle them, then avoid the Fox Spirit Matchmaker series (3 in total - Love in Pavilion, Sword and Beloved and Red Moon Pact) at all cost. But if you love the actions and can handle tragic endings fine, then hell yeah you can definitely binge this! This is definitely one of the best productions of 2025.

SPOILER BEYOND THIS LINE!!!
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I cant get over the last arc at the Beyond the Boundary. It’s totally the others’ fault that they still follow ML even as he already left them to go alone into the Boundary despite knowing their future. i mean, at least ML tried to change something by leaving them behind. And the fact that they didn’t help much other than making things worse for ML is even more frustrating. Their fights didnt weaken the Black Fox, in fact only feeds its power as their hatred after seeing their beloved getting killed is absorbed by Black Fox. More importantly had Yang Yitan remained behind, Black Fox wouldnt have known all ML’s moves in advance and ML’s shield wouldnt have been broken.

The Black Fox only started to engage and absorb the Grief Tree in Tushan’s power (at which point FL can start to purify the tree, thus weakening Black Fox) after ML started to go crazy when his sister was killed and seeing all the others dead. This wouldnt have happened if they had stayed behind as per ML’s original plan. I believe if ML hadnt been distracted and his mental strength weakened after seeing their deaths, he wouldnt have been controlled so easily by the Black Fox to kill himself. After all, all she did to convince ML to kill himself was by blaming the others’ death on him. So yeah, i think the real reason why ML’s life was ripped to shreds was due to the other Masked Group members who recklessly and stupidly follow him across the Boundary.

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Beautiful and Honest

This BL series had an undeniable charm, with a lighthearted and visually stunning approach that made it enjoyable despite some narrative shortcomings. While the story itself followed familiar tropes, it could have developed the emotional depth of the romance. The relationship between the two leads had potential, especially given their contrasting personalities, which added intrigue to each episode. However, the lack of substantial development in their connection made certain moments feel somewhat rushed or underexplored. One of the most remarkable aspects of the series was its cinematography. Each shot captured the essence and beauty of Chiang Mai, turning the province into a character in itself. Despite its shortcomings, the series maintained an earnest charm, with the lead actors delivering genuine performances that added emotional sincerity to the narrative. A solid 4/5 stars for the beautiful visuals and honest storytelling!

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Let middle aged women shine !!

I won’t go into the flaws of this drama that others have already pointed out - such as the implausibility of the FL’s character, the monotonous acting, or the distracted screenwriting style.

Instead, I’m interested in The Glory's double edged sword: its treatment of female relationships.

The drama’s strength is, without a doubt, Haiyan’s relationship with her mother: the beautifully cast Wen Zheng Rong. The mother/daughter connection is first presented as a deep emotional knot waiting to be untied over thirty episodes. From her first frames in episode one, Wen Zheng Rong is the strongest presence on screen (with kudos to the costume and makeup department who went above and beyond the brief). Mother figures in historical C-dramas are often depicted as either wicked and cunning or self-sacrificing, willing to do anything to protect their offspring. At first, thanks to some intricate unknotting in the relationship between mother and daughter, it looked like The Glory might break from convention. Unfortunately (without going into spoilers), it was not to be.

The other strength of the drama - albeit a fleeting one - is the subtextual GL relationship between Hanyan and Chai Jing. I was really hoping that I could live in my self-deluded fantasy where they could pursue their unspoken romance while the ML/FL relationship took its lavender-scented course. Alas, my fantasy crashed out a lot earlier than I was expecting.

Which brings me to the flip side of the coin. Surprisingly, I don’t think the ML is the drama’s weakness. The FL/ML relationship is, for the most part, one of mutually beneficial transaction. The ML has red flags, but no more than the FL does. And he’s not the one who destroys the aforementioned relationships between Hanyan and the two key women in her life. The writers are the guilty party.

[Admittedly there is a tiny spoiler in the paragraph below]

The writers find pretexts to remove the FL from her two close relationships with women, leaving her isolated. Unlike the FL in Story of Pearl Girl, for example, the FL in The Glory has no commercial traits that would provide her with financial independence. And thus the historical setting matched with the plot-driven isolation means she turns to the ML as a source of material support (because it’s hard to pursue revenge without food in your belly and a roof over your head). The ML therefore doesn’t need to rely on coercive methods - such as the blackmail marriage trope - because the broader plot effectively does it for him.

When the FL goes on her spree of neoliberal feminist campaigning in middle episodes, it comes across flat and hollow. By this point in the series, the writers have forbidden her from developing deep women/women relationships (romantic or platonic) and unlike other dramas of this genre, she doesn’t even have a close relationship with her maidservants.

Honestly, I could’ve given this a lower star rating. Fortunately, the show is somewhat redeemed thanks to He Hong Shan - who is a delight, as always - and Wen Zheng Rong (100000%). If nothing else, watch it for her. She steals the show.

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ONE OF MY FAVOURITE DRAMAS OF 2025 WITHOUT A DOUBT

Well, I’m not really sure where to start talking about this amazing drama, but I’d like to begin by saying that this series has been super special to me — not just because it’s about one of my favorite genres, medical dramas, but also because it’s part of the Hospital Playlist universe.

I felt like I had to write something about this drama because Hospital Playlist is my all-time favorite, and I also wrote a review for it back when I watched it.

To get straight to the point and leaving comparisons aside, Resident Playbook isn’t a drama for everyone. It has a slow, more relaxed pace, it’s not like other medical dramas that are packed with action or suspense. This one really focuses on telling the story of a group of first-year residents in depth, showing how their friendships grow and how they develop as professionals. It also gives a lot of importance to the stories of the patients, which adds a touching layer to everything.

The characters in this drama are super charismatic. Each of them has a unique personality, and honestly, it’s impossible not to grow fond of them and even the supporting characters are lovable.

The OST is also amazing and brings back Mido and Falasol, which makes it feel even more special.

I’d also like to say that, if we compare it to Hospital Playlist, I think this series really holds up. It gives off the same vibes, makes you care about the characters in a similar way, but still manages to have its own identity. While Hospital Playlist feels a bit more mature and less youthful, Resident Playbook is the total opposite. It focuses on young people just starting their professional journey — they’re going to mess up, learn, and build strong bonds along the way. And that’s what makes this drama special: watching everything take shape from the very beginning and seeing how they add humor to everyday situations to make life at the hospital a bit easier.

To wrap it up, I’d say that if there’s one word that describes both this drama and Hospital Playlist, it’s HOME. Every episode makes you feel like you’re part of the group, part of the story. And even though it might not be for everyone, I truly think it’s worth giving it a shot.

If you’ve read all the way to the end — thank you so much! I hope you enjoy the drama if you decide to give it a chance.

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Liu Xue Yi, the rising star of Cdrama

I am not that sure of why this drama has received such a low rating, however, I do have my guess.
The drama started really nice, we have a story about fantasy and the imaginary of the Flower realm is absolutely beautiful. I like that the story doesn’t focus on unnecessary drama and also they didn’t add unnecessary scenes that makes you skip the parts. I also believe is my first drama where I didn’t skip the human life trial episodes because I actually really enjoyed them and they were pretty exciting.
I like Liu Xue Yi’s acting the most, I think he is one of the few chinese ML who delivers in every drama he is part of, his facial expressions, emotions and of course looks in costume dramas are out of this world. I am such a big fan of him.
However, I cannot say the same of the FL. I do like her acting and I think she did pretty well, but the way they wrote her character isn’t the best. At times she seems selfish and self centered, also a bit dummy, for example she still meets Yang Lin (the white camelia) even if she knows how despicable he is and she doesn’t do absolutely anything to confront him, I found this super annoying.
But other than that I laughed a lot because of Ao Rui Peng and Jing Yan Jun who were the funniest.

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I don't know why it took me so long to watch this. Oh wait, I remember. No season 2 yet! Now that season 2 is out, i finally watch this show. This show is so good. The storyline, the interaction, the plot twist, the characters, the acting. It's so good. It's more of a political story, which you have to focus when watching. There are small details that the characters gave away that you won't get unless you have your full concentration. The acting, especially the more senior and experienced actor and actress is great. Zhang Ruo Yun is fantastic as well. Now i'm on to the second season. Hopefully it's worth the five year wait..

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Zhen Zi Qi in his most romantic role while wearing military uniform ❤️❤️❤️

I am a big fan of Zhen Zi Qi and recently started to like Li Ke Yi's dramas. I was anxious when I started this drama because I dropped the other drama that they acted together. It was too cruel. I was very delighted that this drama was mostly enjoyable to watch.

What I liked:
1. ML characterisation - OMG, this must be Zhen Zi Qi's most romantic role ever! I understood his wariness of FL's actions in the beginning but was smart enough to follow his instincts and investigate. ZZQ had the best lines in this drama, most notable was during the blood testing and during a converstion with FL's biological brother at the hospital.
2. Romance - Gosh I loved that ML initiated those kisses & moves to get FL closer to him. FL reciprocated too. ZZQ & LKY had amazing chemistry (both acting and visual) in this drama.
3. Styling - Beautiful clothes worn by LKY. ZZQ looked hot in the 1920s Chinese military uniform! I also liked his hairstyle and overall look when he wore white shirts.
4. Supporting characters - ML's subordinate entertained me with his witty quips. Even though they had short screen time, I liked the lady who raised FL and FL's biological father. He had a soothing voice.

What I disliked:
1. FL's arc - OMG she had such bad luck when it came to family. Both adopted & biological family members (san biological father) were mean to her. I was happy with her stance towards the ending.
2. Antagonists - Damn, ML's pre-arranged fiancée, her mother & brother were vile & entitled people. FL's adopted mother was evil.

Favourite scene
The blood testing

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A cute romance to keep you entertained

I enjoyed it. I did feel that some episodes dragged on a bit but it was overall enjoyable, and I find I find I wasn't fast forwarding as often as I do with other dramas. I like the main leads, they were cute and worked well. I liked that the female lead was ditzy sure, but she also did stand up for herself where needed. Similarly, the male lead portrayed a rich smart dude but he was not completely arrogant and he spent a lot of the show learning about what the female lead needs and wants, not assuming. The whole soy milk thing was adorable. I didn't really love Xibai and the cousin's romance, it was bland and uninteresting. The friend couple were cute, but that's about it. I also didn't find the other couple interesting much, Wan Wan's high school friends - that couple. I did like though that this didn't become a drama where that dude suddenly decided that oh, I do like Wan Wan and all that crap. I also loved that the pick me girl was given no attention from Ren Chu, the way most dramas should be.

Overall, it's a fun watch for something light-hearted.

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Watchable if you like the cast and Cute plots

So they got the 4 most handsome and great actors they could for this show
But ofcource it turned out exactly as i thought it would
The sole reason i watched it was because i love all these 4 boys who were gonna be in this and then i ended up liking some more of the side characters too
The plot seemed fun and cute she promising initially so i thought it wouldn't be as bad as i thought it could be but nope it went downhill from episode 5 or 6
The female lead was the weirdest character ever even though it's fiction but still. Getting along with all these handsome boys lol.
Jaeyeol's character was the saddest male lead ever in romcoms.
Won was a great guy despite the fact that ge didn't know boundaries 😅
So yeah then basically conflicts and conflicts and conflicts.
I just watched it bec i like the cast
The kisses were boring sadly
Nevertheless I still love all the comedy and cute fluttering moments of the show
The 2nd could was v cute too
Thankgod there's a happy ending otherwise i would've gone crazy

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Boom could be a revolutionary industry twunk

I haven't written a review in forever but Boom's performance in this is just exceptionally good that I just have to.

pros:
1. Boom is one of the most believable actor who has such a wide emotional range. I haven't seen a performance this convincing with a script this complex in a while.

2. soundtrack is sexy as fuuuuuck. enough said.

3. NC-17 scenes are not cringe, mostly thanks to Booms natural blush and his begging for the d eyes.

4. Smartboom's chemistry is exceptional!!

areas for improvement:
1. pacing is off - I wish there was better balance between sweet scenes and pure anguish. Literally if I experience half of Akin's hardships I would kms. Like let the boy live for an episode man. Some of the conflict was also useless - what was the point of the SA scene with Johnny? Did it really progress the plot? Not in my eyes.

2. Boom's performance just outshined everyone else's. This is not a complaint by any means but there is a stark difference in the level of acting between Boom and the rest of the cast. Don't get me wrong, there was absolutely no bad actors in the series, but there was different levels of believability in my opinion. Having Boom there just highlights the minor flaws in the other performances.

3. Award show and the whole sexiest man competition is so poorly done. Award show looks cheap and empty, the sexiest man competition show just looks very poorly edited. Ruined the watching experience a little bit.

4. Writing is subpar. They mainly rely on SmartBoom's acting and chemistry to save the show. Episode 1 to the episode where they get together is great, the rest feels plotless

Honestly it's worth the watch even if its just for Boom's acting.

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Resident Playbook: A Soft, Honest Look at Tired Hearts in White Coats

After being delayed for over a year, Resident Playbook, the spinoff of Hospital Playlist, finally aired and it really lived up to expectations. The story is told from a fresh angle, the point of view of residents. They are not complete beginners like interns and not yet experienced doctors either. They are in that tough middle stage where the real struggles begin and it was interesting to see the medical field through their eyes.

The story follows four OBGYN residents, each with their own distinct personality. They have their own ideals, fears and personal struggles making them feel real and relatable. Unlike most dramas where rookies are portrayed as overly enthusiastic and high spirited, this drama captures a more honest reality i.e. most residents are overworked, mentally drained and constantly questioning whether they should continue. Their emotional fatigue and lack of drive may come across as pessimistic or even frustrating but its a raw and accurate depiction of what many residents actually experience.

The slice of life charm and realism that defined Hospital Playlist are very much present here. Every episode highlights how residents navigate the challenges of patient care, the pain their patients endure, the lessons they learn and how they grow, not just as doctors but as people. Its a slow, deeply human story that quietly leaves a strong impression.


Each of the four main characters offers something unique:

Oh Yiyoung is laid back and seemingly unambitious, doing her residency only to repay a debt. As the lead character, she defies the usual bright and inspiring protagonist trope and instead leans heavily into pessimism. While that might be off putting at times, its a brave and unconventional choice.

Pyo Nam Gyeong, the fashionista of the group, maintains a balanced outlook. She isnt overly positive or negative, she exists somewhere in the middle, to whom people can relate.

Kim Sabi is the smart one, a total genius. But even though her IQ is high, she struggles to understand emotions. She doesnt always get what patients are feeling but she wants to improve, which makes her journey interesting.

Uhm Jaeil, my personal favorite, is the heart of the show. He is cheerful, kind, endlessly optimistic and hardworking. Though not the most brilliant academically, he makes up for it with compassion and effort. His desire to connect with patients and make them feel seen is both touching and admirable. His kind spirit, resilience and charm make him a standout character.

While romance wasnt the central theme, i wasnt particularly invested in the main romantic pairing between Yiyoung and Dowon. Their dynamic felt dull, both are quiet and emotionally reserved, which made their relationship feel stagnant. Dowon also appeared significantly older than Yiyoung, further reducing the chemistry. I couldnt help but think that pairing Yiyoung with someone like Uhm Jaeil, with a completely opposite personality, would have made for a far more compelling and dynamic relationship.

On the other hand, i really enjoyed the subtle hints of romance between Jaeil and Kim Sabi. Though their relationship was only beginning to develop by the final episode, i wish it had started earlier, it would have been lovely to watch their connection grow throughout the series.

Resident Playbook keeps the heart and warmth of Hospital Playlist alive. It tells a more realistic and emotional story about young doctors and it absolutely met my expectations.

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Romance is Just A Bonus

As the title says, romance is just a bonus in this show. If you're expecting some cheesy and fluttering romantic scenes, then you won't find a lot here. The romance is quite mature in this show, since this show is about an older woman and younger man couple. The story is quite heartwarming, about a woman who never gives up fighting for her life even with age disadvantage. They create a great couple, who is always there for each other in every hardship. The comedy is also good here. And since the romance is calm and mature, the comedy scenes are more powerful in my opinion. It doesn't appear frequently though, since it's not the main genre.

Although the summary above is quite heartwarming, the biggest problem in this show is nothing more special of that. It's just about a woman struggling to find a job for living, then after she finds it she still struggles while doing it, then she finds someone who is willing to be there for her, that's all. It's like the romance show that you can find on TV every week. The soundtracks are somewhat great. I personally like the screenwriting style with book-alike type like what the do at the end of each episode. The visualization of unrealistic thought like when Dan-I dances at the first episode is also seems interesting. However, these styles are not consistently applied and only come occassionally.

Unfortunately, I am kinda dislike the ML character. While chasing Dan-I as well as competing his feeling with Seo-Jun, what Eun-Ho mostly does is nothing. He looks like a coward who just sit down and wait until the universe serves it for him. Dan-I is a super caring mother to her daughter, but after she becomes together with Eun-Ho she suddenly forgets about her daughter. Everything outside this complicated relationship also seems too much, for example the Kang Byeong-Jun mystery. Though some of the additional tropes are more enjoyable.

With 16 episodes on this show, I think it's too long. Maybe it'll be better if it's shorter and more focus to the ML and FL. It's still good for rewatch, but in my opinion there are a lot of better rom-coms than this for rewatch.

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“The more you watch, the more you’ll love it.”

A drama that starts slow but gradually pulls you in with its emotional depth and evolving characters. It's slow-paced and fast-paced at the same time — a rare paradox that somehow works.

Cinematography: Beautiful, atmospheric, and immersive.

Acting: Strong performances that carry the weight of the story well.

Direction: Feels a bit weak at times — could’ve been more refined.

Storyline: Decent overall. Not groundbreaking, but emotionally resonant.

Ending: Not dreamy or fairy-tale. It’s realistic, painful, and beautiful in a way that lingers.

Despite its flaws, Dear Hongrang leaves a mark. It’s not the kind of show you forget easily.

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