Reviews

ML who never gave up on true love

This was one of the earliest vertical dramas I watched when I first discovered them back in December 2024. I found this drama through a playlist of Han Jia Hui's dramas. It took me awhile to track info for this drama to be submitted as New Title. Delighted this MDL page is live because this drama is highly recommended.

What I liked:
1. Pregnancy - In most vertical dramas, unplanned pregnancy happens after a one-night stand, be it sober or intoxicated. It's different in this drama - the child was actually a product of love.
2. ML characterisation - I loved that ML never gave up in his search to find his true love even after many years of no contact. He was smart and had good instincts.
3. FL characterisation - It's wonderful that FL fight back against office bully. She is without flaw but I understand her reason for leaving ML after his surgery.
4. Romance - I loved the love story between ML and FL. There was love, passion and desire from both sides.
5. Styling - I liked the clothes worn by FL and her daughter. Beautiful and sensible clothes for leisure and for work.
6. Supporting character - FL's daughter is so adorable. She does resemble Li Zhuo Yao. FL's best friend is a great friend.

What I disliked:
1. Antagonist - Green tea just obsessed at becoming Mrs Ji because of status. She's vicious for using FL's daughter to threat FL.
2. Secrets - I wish FL had just told ML about her identity and their kid sooner. The lack of honest communication and red herring made FL an easy target for the green tea.

Favourite scene
When ML saved FL's daughter from being abducted

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Starts decently but gets kinda weird

Started watching it after reading some reviews here, was confusing cus most stuff i saw was either flop or an 8+. After watching most of it i can say i can see the appeal at the beginning but i have to agree with the ones calling it disappointing.

I need to start this by asking everyone here please to stop romanticizing stalking and calling this a beautiful romance. If MC was literally a generic ugly creep of a random kdrama chasing the girl who rejected him as much as this guy did here he'd be top 10 creepy villains, i know kdrama romances do push this kind of things a bit, but I'm genuinely concerned for the love life of whoever gave this a 10 or 8+ for its romance.

That said and without spoiling the plot for whoever who wants to watch it regardless, if you still wanna watch it, be advised, whoever wrote this kdrama has either a stalk kink of some kind or hasn't experienced an actual healthy relationship. If when watching any other kdramas felt weirded out by an mc doing something similar to what I described above I suggest you avoid this one, cus it's that turned to 11.

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Must watch

"Top Form" is more than just a BL drama; it is a masterclass in storytelling, character development, and on-screen chemistry. Boom and Smart's exceptional performances anchor a series that is beautifully written, expertly directed, and technically polished. The emotional bond between their characters is the heart of the drama, resonating with viewers on a profound level. It is a refreshing and captivating series that has undoubtedly earned its place as a standout production of 2025 and a must-watch for fans of the genre and beyond. The high scores attributed to acting, cast, and music are not just opinions; they are a testament to the exceptional quality that "Top Form" consistently delivers.

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Love watching Guo Yu Xin as a fashion designer in the 80s!

I was ecstatic to find Guo Yu Xin's new drama so soon after Spring Day. I watched this drama on the day of its release.

What I liked:
1. FL characterisation - There are several FLs who are fashion designers in the world of vertical dramas but I liked this one even more because I got to see her as a business owner as well. I loved that she talked about intellectual property. Guo Yu Xin was well cast in this role.
2. Reborn arc - I enjoyed the arc because it questioned me about the choices that we made. If we have knowledge about the future, should we use it to our advantage or do we just wait for things to happen?
3. Romance - Sweet romance and good kisses. I could sense their love for and dependence on each other. Guo Yu Xin and Su Jun He have great chemistry.
4. Styling - I love the bright clothes worn in the drama. Guo Yu Xin's cherry blouse was quick memorable but my favourite is the blue and orange business suit combo. So pretty! SFL wore nice clothes as well.

What I disliked:
1. Antagonist - SFL chose to take control of her fate after being reborn (yes, she was reborn too) but she was never accountable for her actions. She kept blaming FL whenever things didn't go according to her expectations. She was vicious in her means to bring down FL but I must say good job to the writer for writing such arc.
2. Genetic testing - I think that genetic testing that was done the second time was too advanced for that time. DNA testing was very new in the late 1980s and it was focused on crime solving. So I think DNA testing couldn't be use for parental dispute in 1989 yet especially outside of the UK/US/Germany.

Favourite scene
When FL introduced a new fashion trend outside of her store

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Elements of an epic drama but individual Arcs fail to weave together for greater impact

Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75

“Love in Pavilion” has all the elements of an epic fantasy xianxia that can move me to tears, especially when it has such a strong focus on romance. I LOVE romance. But as I am approaching the last quarter of the drama, I realized why it didn’t hit me with all the feelings as much as “Moonlight Mystique” (MM). I finished MM not too long ago and even though the plot is different, there are some similarities. I love MM and felt its strength is the weakness of “Love in Pavilion” (LIP).

MM is able to weave each individual supporting character’s arc beautifully and harmoniously into the overarching plot. The most important part is that MM introduces all characters in the earlier episodes and allows viewers to start caring for them individually early on. When such an affection is established, what happens to them later on affects me deeply, because I already fell in love with each and everyone of them.

Unfortunately, I have not developed such an affection for the supporting cast in LIP. Although the actors did a fine job acting wise, and their stories are heartwarming and heartwrenching, it did not arouse the same emotions compared to MM. After one arc is over, I just move on to the second one, and so on. It’s not until the last few episodes during the final battle do I really feel for the characters. At that point, I already knew the ending and though sad, it didn’t gut punch me as hard.

However, I can’t deny loving the guest roles and the small supporting roles of some big stars. They often are scene stealers and overshadow the main cast. Ding Yu Xi is especially outstanding as Zhang Zheng. His eyes really shine the brightest with the different emotions. I would have liked to see him introduced sooner and start building his sideplot and not wait till the second half. I also enjoy Charles Lin’s portrayal of the Demon Jiu Huo. He was deliciously charismatic compared to Zhang Yun Long as the main lead. The rest of the supporting cast did well individually, but it lacked chemistry as a group/duo/trio.

To be fair, Zhang Yun Long actually did a pretty good job. I think it’s the writing of his character that is the problem and it makes him pale in comparison to the aforementioned actors/characters. I miss seeing Wangquan Hong Ye when he was powerful, manipulative and a little cunning in the first few episodes. But once he falls in love and the drama focuses so much on his romance, he becomes an adorable loverboy. I also find Zhang Yun Long and Liu Shi Shi’s chemistry to be only decent. Liu Shi Shi always gives me the impression of a graceful, mild-mannered but standoff-ish beauty. Their love is too mature and too calm as a river for the most part. I am missing some underlying sizzle or angst (except the few scenes when FL was being a seductress). Oh, their kisses are disappointing. In fact, almost all the kisses are disappointing except for one of Ding Yu Xi’s.

I watched quite a number of xianxia in the last couple months, and unfortunately, this one is one that I didn’t enjoy as much, and I really wanted to. I don’t deny the fact that I might be having a xianxia hangover/fatigue. Therefore, I can’t really say whether I can recommend or not recommend this drama. I didn’t watch the prequel (Red-Moon Pact) and that didn’t affect my understanding of the “Love in Pavilion”. But I do plan to watch the sequel (Sword and Beloved) to follow the next generation’s story, well, unless the reviews are as bad as Red-Moon Pact.


Other Random Observations:
I am disappointed that everyone is dubbed in this drama.
But, I do think Zhang Yun Long’s real voice might not match the voice of Wangquan Hong Ye. The voice actor sounds better.
CGI is bad in the beginning but seems to have improved in the second half. There’s a lot of CGI fighting (as in other xianxia dramas).
Not enough happy moments to balance out the sad moments.
I like the costumes and accessories, especially the guest roles.
ML’s mask is too hilarious. I can’t blame Liu Shi Shi for not being able to keep a straight face.


Completed: 5/17/2025 - Review #577

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There is a lot of beauty in quiet strength

What I liked:
1. Romance - This drama really focuses on the relationship between FL and ML. It is a slow burn but rich romance. They went into a marriage of convenience but I like how FL was open to affection and physical touch even though she was shy about kissing at first. I enjoy the chemistry (both acting & visual) between Guo Yu Xin and Chen Zheng Yang. There are at least 2 times that Guo Yu Xin’s ears turned red - was she cold or shy filming certain scenes with Chen Zheng Yang?
2. ML characterisation - I must say ML is the star of this drama. He is mature, emotionally stable and attentive to the needs of his partner. What I like most about him is his empathy. I was touched by his reaction when FL confided in him about a nasty encounter with her father’s acquaintance. They both sought comfort in each other. Chen Zheng Yang truly excelled in this role.
3. FL characterisation - There is a lot of beauty in quiet strength. She understands her self-worth, that’s an attribute I like about her. She cares for people who are genuinely concerned about her and if people treat her badly, then she gives similar kind of treatment to that group of people. Guo Yu Xin was great in portraying an intricate character.
4. Supporting characters - I love FL’s grandpa because he genuinely cares for FL. The actor was very good. ML’s assistant was a delight to watch as well.
5. Styling - I love the clothes worn by FL especially the traditional wedding dress. Exquisite beadwork. In this drama, Chen Zheng Yang wore a lot of wide leg pants and clunky shoes. I love seeing him in white suit because his outfit matched Guo Yu Xin’s white qipao.
6. Cinematography - Just beautiful!

What I disliked
1. Antagonist - Wow, FL’s father is a scumbag for treating his daughters as commodities. He even drugged his daughters and suitors to increase chances of marriage deals. Song Ziyan was petulant while Jiang Fei, his ex girlfriend was despicable.
2. Extras - There is a scene in which cleaners gossip about FL and ML. One cleaner wore stilettos which led to my surprise. Maybe extras could wear any shoes they wanted.

Favourite scene
ML’s reaction when FL confided in him about a nasty encounter with her father’s acquaintance

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Nice to pass the time but forgettable

Hmm... Well again I'm not the target audience so... Here's my 2 cents:

Story 1: Honestly the weakest story of the lot. Maybe young male teenagers can relate but an almost 40 year-old woman I find the whole thing barely watchable. That would be a 3.5 from me.

Story 2: Cute romance but pretty flat. Acting from FL and ML was pretty good. I had already seen Ryeo Un in previous projets before that one and was pretty surprised when he got cast on such a "small drama". Nothing new though. I think this story will probably appeal to female teenagers and early 20 something but it failed to resonate with me... Probably because there's no nostalgic feel or whatever. Still average cute. Not bad, but not extraordinary either. So Okayish... 7

Story 3: Strangely unlike most comments, I found that story much more engaging. Probably because at the core, it's more about a slightly overweight girl who has to learn self-love before seeking to be loved from an outsider and seek validation from it... Something that lots of people fail to do even way after their teenage years.

This being said, from the very first minute you could tell this is not really a fat girl. Sure, she's got weight... But you don't have legs like that unless you're a fairly active girl. This girl has very strong and firm muscles under that layer of fat, this is the body of a sporty girl who just happens to be overweight. On the other side, her "nemesis" is just skinny with no muscle mass. I've drawn a fair share of naked bodies so I could immediately tell, than there is that dance in the last episode which confirmed what I thought.

Asia has an obsession about skinny bodies but skinny doesn't necessarily equals "healthy". And while having too much fat is obviously unhealthy... in the case of this girl, she doesn't belong in the unhealthy category... although she'd probably better lose a few pounds just for her joints. Your body won't mind the extra fat when you're young, sporty and active.... but past your prime, your joints are going to give you hell.

Anyway, I met the same type of b*** in middle and high school but from shared experience with lots of people I've met in life, the general conclusion is people who were really popular in high school rarely end up having the best lives once into adulthood. Probably because they spent too much time chasing popularity instead of real skills.

Anyway, that's a solid 8.5 for the last story...

Rounded it up that's a 6.5 overall.

Last story best of the 3 which is surprising given everybody was more into the 2nd one... But again, I think one's appreciation of this will really depend on how old you are.

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Psychological Masterpiece - Hugely Misunderstood

The first season of Under the Skin was the literal first ever Chinese drama I ever watched. This was the beginning of my full departure from terrible, stale, morally bankrupt western entertainment, so Under the Skin was more than a mere breath of fresh air, it was water in the desert, a fireplace in winter, and so on. I know a lot of people watched Season 1 mainly for the bromance between Shen Yi and Du Cheng, and that was definitely a very good and wholesome friendship that served as the story axis of the whole season, but it wasn’t the reason I was watching. In a way season one was like Shen Yi’s origin story. It was also Du Cheng overcoming his own trauma and sense of failure and becoming a genuinely excellent leader for his little team.

Shen Yi is an excellent example of how a character can be deeply complex without being morally ambiguous. In Season 2, Shen Yi, having established himself as a committed, talented resource in the police’s fight against crime, had to undergo his next trial. He always struck me as innocent, even naive, but innately brilliant. His brilliance didn’t come from experience, it was his sharp, attentive mind. He could dissect a person’s character, but because he didn’t have much experience dealing with actual people, these astute observations and accurate, seemingly magical deductions, came from a well of knowledge he himself didn’t fully grasp. This is especially shown in the fact that he is very frequently the guy on the other side of the glass listening and watching, not actually talking to the criminal. Sometimes he does, but usually not. In this season this fact is underscored repeatedly when Shen Yi seems to almost fantastically arrive at crucial facts via his artistic process. The knowledge he put on the canvas came from somewhere but he didn’t understand where. So it seemed like magic to the viewer. A clever, disorienting detail.

Throughout season one, up to the beginning of season two, his efforts had been met with success after success. He himself doesn’t even question his success. As far as he’s concerned, the model works. However, when he encounters his first failure, his first catastrophic oversight and a little girl is murdered, that innate brilliance is suddenly shrouded in darkness. Not darkness in the sense of evil, but in the sense of uncertainty. Like all brilliant minds, he begins to question the futility of the fight against evil. In the briefly excellent British drama Ripper Street the main character, a Victorian investigator who had been demoted after he had failed to catch Jack the Ripper, experiences a similar crisis throughout one of the seasons. In one memorable scene he recalls a conversation he had with a philosopher about entropy. This conversation had troubled him ever since. If, despite all our efforts to maintain order and peace, everything is naturally decaying into chaos, what is the point of fighting it? The detective’s friend urgently reminded him that they keep fighting it because if they don’t, chaos wins. But, the detective argued, on a long enough timeline, chaos always wins.

Later, the detective was sharing this same line of worry with a woman he had met, an orphan-keeper in a poor corner of his district whose work seemed equally futile. Her response was immediate and unqualified: “He who saves one person, saves the world entire.”

Du Cheng’s attitude was identical to the orphan-keeper’s. Their job as police was not to save the whole world and erase crime entirely. Their job was to save the person who needs saving right now, stop the criminal who needs to be stopped right now. And then the next person. And then the next person. That’s the job. And it’s important, but it’s also thankless and exhausting and fills you with despair. When one little girl slips through your fingers, every life you’ve ever saved suddenly seems meaningless. Du Cheng, as a character, didn’t really need to develop in this season. His role, narratively speaking, was to serve as the anchor or lighthouse for Shen Yi who was enduring the stormiest seas he had ever known. Tan Jian Ci’s acting as Shen Yi was incredible, here. Always I got the heartbreaking sense from him that he was barely hanging on, that he was clinging to hope by his fingernails, but that he had entirely lost the sense that what he was doing was making any difference. Even when victories renewed his resolve, still you got the sense that he had no light or map in his fight against entropy and that without it, this job would break him and he would become a hollowed out shell running through the motions with a pessimistic sense of hopelessness. “If,” he would often say at the end of a case, “we could have prevented…” And then Du Cheng would silence him, “That is NOT our job.” Pause, then a forced smile and: “I know.”

The writing in this season was difficult and sophisticated. One of the things I admired about the first season was the soft, delicate touch with which they handled very complex moral issues. And, more importantly, that the writers’ sense of right and wrong and morality in general was very sound and was conveyed very well but without seeming preachy, as Chinese cop dramas can sometimes be.

But if the first season went under the skin, this season got into the viscera and the marrow. Every case dug deeper and deeper into the psychological origins of that something that drives a seemingly ordinary person to actually kill another person. And as each case dug deeper, Shen Yi struggled more and more and Du Cheng watched, keeping his distance. Because he knew that this was a fight Shen Yi had to either win or lose alone.

Every case was fascinating, unexpected, and deeply uncomfortable. In that sense I found this season darker than the first, but in a welcome way. Sometimes I found it hard to reach the end because of that inherently tragic reality that most killers did not start evil. But that a series of bad choices led to that final, horrible one. And that at every turn they could have gone back, they could have stopped. But they didn’t. At the end of the day, after all, the ultimate impetus in criminality is the will of the criminal. And Shen Yi could draw and paint and sculpt until his hands fell off, but he would never be able to control human will. Whether of not he could make his peace with that was the ultimate driving question of the entire season.

I don’t care about music. I don’t care about costumes or set design. I care about story and acting. And both were incredible. I loved the addition of Fang Kai Yi. He served as an ideal way to develop the complexity of Shen Yi’s internal struggle. He was a false lighthouse in Shen Yi’s struggle against entropy and that worried Du Cheng who believed Shen Yi was in danger of shipwreck.

There was never a struggle in Shen Yi between good and evil. The struggle was deeper and more fundamental. The writing came at it obliquely and then, from time to time, forced us to hold prolonged eye contact with it. An absolutely, masterfully well-done character development.

Quite liked the possibilities presented with that ending, too.

My only complaint would be that I didn’t get to see more of Shen Yi’s cat. Loved that little dude.

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I thought it was my type of drama, but sadly it was not it...

So, Jae wook in historicals is soo my type, so there's no reason I would miss this drama. And he never disappoints, he had given more than 100% for his character. Jo Bo ah and all others were soo good in their role. Osts was sooo GOOD!!!. Making, direction was also good.
So my problem is with the story and writing, the plot was interesting, but watching the whole story it was not for me, I personally didn't really liked how the story was going. So, I didn't really liked the whole story...
Now, the Snow man, I liked that one. It was quite interesting for me.
!!‼️may be a little spoiler here!!!!
And last My favorite character is the REAL HONGRANG!!! appreciation to the child actor ❤️

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the search for a lost brother

finished 9/10 🌟

What a trip filled with beautiful landscapes and an impeccable story you gave me, dear Hongrang 👏
It's been a while since a Korean historical film excited me so much.
Lee Jaewook is impeccable and proves once again that this type of role suits him perfectly ✨
Boah performed excellently, especially in his melancholic scenes. I could feel his pain and anguish through his character 👏
Kim Jaewook as a villain, which was spectacular, although I felt that I needed more of him. I wanted to see more representation of his character and I was left wanting more 😭
A heartbreaking but healing ending that teaches us that someone always comes into our lives who gives us a purpose for living.
It may not be a kdrama for everyone, but for those of us who love the historical genre, I must say that this kdrama is incredible 👏

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It's okay....

my final thought when finishing this was "... well that was okay..." like not great but not bad. I agree with others that this is a "filler drama" lol. The chemistry between leads was good but the story got so repetitive and boring at times that I think I only finished it because I watched it as it came out.
The really smooth filter they have on all their faces drives me nuts lol. I felt like it lost its comedic edge that it had in the beginning- that was disappointing.
But all in all, it's your basic kdrama. If you want eye candy, it has plenty of it. If you want drama, it has some of that.

One redeeming quality is the one girl I thought was going to be a jealous backstabber ended up not being one. I hate those plots lol.

The acting boosted the score a lot and I found a lot of the side characters very charming

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Wonderful must watch (BR/almost BL)

If you are into BL or BR, you will like this. It is engaging, fun to watch, and has an interesting plot. It's a mini-series. I watched some of it on TT, but I found a link somewhere else. I hope it will be on QIYI or another more accessible platform. I was able to watch some on YouTube as well. The actors were skilled, had great comedic timing, and the chemistry was also A+. The supporting characters were also an added highlight in addition to the plot and the setting, not to mention the flow was on point. I did not feel bored. It was also something I could understand. Sometimes, the mini-series is cut in a way that it can be confusing and not for this series. I do not want to give away any spoilers, but it is a must-watch for any BR or BL fans.

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