Reviews

Mulan would be disappointed!!!

I don't understand what all the fuss is about!

Bad dialogue, boring/bad acting, stupid logic... FL was badass in the first 2 episodes (that's why I watched it) and then get more and more into girly-teenie mode in every episode. She should disguise as a man but looks, talks (doesn't even try to change her voice) and acts extremely feminine. Every normal person would recognize her as a woman. And then she's super strong and way too perfect. How can a soldier just do whatever he wants, comes and goes to your commander, talks like he's on the same level, makes fun of him, walks into his room (even drunk!) and talks about random topics... come on, no discipline, no military decorum, no consequences... nothing???

Don't judge a book by its cover... well this one only has a beautiful cover and a shallow content.
So sorry for the leads. I like Zhou Ye but her role in LOTFG is absurd.

Skipped some scenes and finally dropped at episode 14.

Now I have to rewatch "The Prisoner of Beauty"... I need a good writing after this.

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An incurable case of immaturity

This one is on my top 5 WORST drama ever and I've seen a lot - well probably the worst...
I can't stand the FL. She has no self-respect and dignity. She only exists for him. She became a nurse for the wrong reasons and unfortunately remained for the wrong reasons. I thought she had an epiphany after she got hurt, but no, it only got more and more stupid. An immature lovesick puppy with no pride. The only good thing is how she treats the patients.

The ML acts like he's a living god. He is a jerk, cold and constantly calling her dumb.

CHEMISTRY = 0!!!

I like Takeru Sato, but not in this drama. Tried to watch this after "Marry My Husband", but ewwwww.

Dropped it at episode 5. What a waste of time.

Can't understand the high rating.

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"I rebel; therefore we exist"

So glad I finally got around to seeing this. It was sooooo good.

Acting:

Holy shit that was filled with some great performances. Just so good all around. Everyone was cast perfectly for their role. No notes, just so damn good. BRAVO

Writing:

This was such a damn good story. I think there was more potential with the soul/body-connection thing, but regardless this was still so well written. I loved it through and through. I only wish there was more. I want to know where they end up and if White’s parents pull strings for him and if that would cause a rift between the group and supporters. I’m just so curious and hungry for mooooreee. I like that every decision felt necessary and made sense. I also really liked that it didn’t feel like the truth was dragged out too long; it made sense that it was revealed when it was.

Chemistry/Romance/Kissing:

The chemistry was so solid. I loved how Gun and Off flawlessly portrayed the chemistry between White and Sean while also being able to show the animosity between Black and Sean. SO GOOD. This was a fantastic romance. I loved their growth and journey. The kissing was superb, good job out there boys.

Side Couple:

I really loved them. The connection they had with art and rebellion was lovely. I also adored how they acted out the nude drawing scene, it was so well done and intimate and vulnerable and it really said everything about them in such a short amount of time.

Production/Cinematography:

The production was fantastic. They did such a good job with everything from the fights to the shooting locations. I enjoyed the cinematography as well. They did everything right for an action drama.

Music/SFX:

I enjoyed most of the music except for a couple of your typical drama corny songs in there. But overall, it was good. SFX were great.

THIS WAS SO FUN I LOVED IT SO MUCH

Now, for some highlights from my notes:

- These parents suck big time
- Well that was a quick decision there, buddy
- Wait, so this gang is made up of law, art, and poli sci students who take learning seriously LMAO
- *Three hundred sixty-five degrees. Burning down the house*
- Why tf does graffiti have a gun???
- *Presses play on Nude by Radiohead*
- Bros are getting vulnerable
- So bro definitely shot pops
- That shit was intimate
- A KISSSS AHHHHH
- Sex brought bro back to life LMAO
- SPEAK THE TRUTH HE DESERVES IT
- Lieutenant Dan lmao
- *Back to Black*
- I knew Todd was slimy
- Gram such a good guy
- Black is a wild dog fr
- YAY the truth is out in the air
- Bro is so angsty
- Noooo my poor Yok doesn’t deserve all this
- Awe the people help the people
- I like how pops hasn’t shown himself at all

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Leads truly feel like a couple & solved misunderstandings w/20min to spare

(I rate vertical dramas on their own sliding scale. General spoilers only.) Green flag ML, no abuse, no kidnappings. The chemistry between the leads was awesome. The flirting was both adorable and exciting. The leads seemed fully comfortable with each other and really felt like a true couple. Great skinship, multiple moments of romantic or sexual tension, a couple of suggestive lines and even a scene where they exit the shower together in towels, and a couple of good make-out scenes.

The ML was great! (Lan Lan was fabulous, as usual. I didn’t always like her character's choices, but I always liked her.) First time I've seen the ML and definitely curious to see more. His confession scene closer to the end was beautifully layered. The long-standing pain of unrequited love (as he was recounting the past) was palpable alongside his open devotion. Moments of self-deprication and old helplessness blended with relief and hope. All very natural and touching. My only wish was that the screenplay had given the FL more to say in reply, but the way the actor's embraced held a world of words anyway.

ML is Hu Jiacheng 胡嘉程, not yet on MDL as of 9/12/25.

There are long-standing, and repeating, misunderstandings/misconceptions between the leads, but they do all get sorted out 20min before the end so there's a good chunk of time with the leads just being happy together.

There are some of the typical antagonist scenes (like a green tea that won't give up) but at least they felt like secondary plot. Things regarding the ML's family were rushed near the end and didn't feel fully finished, but the ending for the leads themselves was solid.

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A Must-Watch

After such a long time, I finally watched Alchemy of Souls!! I honestly feel like I should’ve seen it earlier, but better late than never. I’d been watching rom-coms on streak and this drama completely shifted my taste. It’s the perfect mix of romance, fantasy, mystery, and history, and I was completely hooked.

Storyline:-

The drama was kinda slow at first, but never boring, and actually really fun to watch. Most of the story built up slowly, which was enjoyable, but the real major events happened in episodes 17–19, which felt a bit rushed after the slow pacing. I was really excited to see the real Naksu fight, but… I wasn’t fully satisfied.

I didn’t like how she gave up her power so easily. I feel there could have been more drama or a bigger showdown—she could have kept the power longer or faced a proper fight that made my heart race. The fight with the soul shifter just didn’t hit as hard as I wanted; it wasn’t as thrilling as I imagined.

Characters:-

The characters were still great—every lead and side character had depth, and their interactions kept me engaged. The romance, friendships, and rivalries were all well done, which made the slow parts enjoyable.

Episodes:-

20 episodes, about 80 minutes each. Slow build, fun moments, but then a rushed climax. Even with that, I binged it because I wanted to see it all, and the world-building and relationships were satisfying enough to stay hooked.

Music:-

The OST is beautiful—“Scars Leave Beautiful Trace” is so good, and every lyric felt like it perfectly portrayed the characters’ emotions. I’m in love with it.

Final Thoughts:-

Alchemy of Souls is an experience. Intense, emotional, magical, and mostly unforgettable. After the finale and seeing the hints for Season 2, I had to give it a full 10/10. Even if some parts left me wishing for a bigger showdown, the drama still left a huge impact, and I’m beyond excited for what’s next. Though it wasn’t fully the way i wanted it to be, still i wanna say that, this is a must watch. It was worth watching.

Rating:- 10/10 — a must watch

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the self righteousness wore me out

I liked he yan and her saga, even though I do not think her plight was treated with the gravity it deserved. For someone that suffered so much, there should have been just... more there. but at least the story was almost fully centered on her legend. I liked her cheerfulness and how she was just so happy to finally exist as herself poor girl🥹. and the small smile playing at the corner of her mouth the entire time? it didn't really look right, but it makes sense that she can't control her expressions bc she's worn a mask her entire life.
i also liked cheng lei, even though I think his character was underutilized compared to the 2ml who had a more developed character arc and was more fleshed out, I didn't care though I was just so happy to see him. and he ended up being adequate.
another call out were the fight scenes, esp he yan's, they were forceful and violent, really befitting a general. I like that they took it as seriously as the men's fight scenes, it really added to the character's prestige.
there were few romantic moments between the leads, so its hard to judge their romantic chemistry overall, but in the bits they gave us, they were sweet. and I kinda liked that they eschewed romance to focus on the story, even though all that focus still didn't produce an interesting story lol

let me ignore the main villain and all the loopholes/lol/wtf/deus ex machina moments around the mask, her identity, the switch, her multiple brushes with death and her brother bc i'm just too bored to go there and focus on my main problem, the self righteousness.
cdrama writers, esp when writing female characters often confuse being inspirational for self righteousness. you can distinctly see that he yan was supposed to be the former but oh boy! they missed that mark by at least a mile. I really cannot get with self righteous/morally perfect characters who run around spieling vaguely self involved self righteous rhetoric. after the half way mark in the drama, its like they handed her a mic and a soapbox which she never quite managed to get off, her inspirational speeches to random groups of people just went on and on in every other ep and made what was already an underwhelming story even duller. I'd rather a character someone can empathize with than one who can 'do no wrong' and is just the best of the best in all the rooms at all times.
they tried to make it a 'risen from the ashes' story too but they don't really focus on her suffering or the impact it had on her so her 'rise' doesn't play out properly.
and because they made such light work of her plight in favour of her being this upright figure constantly spouting bluntly crafted motivational messages while perched on her dubious soapbox, her tale wasn't that engaging, like do I really care if she gets her revenge? no. but she also seems to be more pre-occupied with more 'honorable' goals so.
this is the second story of a fml general drama i've seen, and I dislike them equally lol but for separate reasons, I hope to never watch another one.
will I finish this? idc

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Watched it in sept 2025 and felt like i was dating someone i love

If you want to squeal and giggle in your bed watching something so lovely, this is it. And if you ever feel like real love doesn’t exist, this drama might just prove you otherwise.

✨ What this drama has:
• Healthy love
• No love triangles
• Genuine friendships and brotherhoods
• Emotional scenes that will make you cry
• Every episode worth watching
• ML and FL with amazing chemistry

I don’t usually write reviews — normally I just give a rating and move on to the next drama. But this one was different. It made me feel something so genuine that I couldn’t just stay quiet.

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A fantastic note on friendship with all shades of colours!

The story opens with Chae Song Yeon convincing Ryu Eun Jung to accompany her for her final moments. With the whole series spanning their childhood to their late 40s.

I found their high school times the most adorable to watch. They're so young yet grappling their embarassments. Chae Song Yeon later reflects how those tiny thoughts really made her the adult she is.

The story moves to their 20s, when they're in college. Kim Song Hak who shares the same first name as Song Yeon's brother and becomes the college sweetheart of Eun Jung. It was frustrating to watch the push and pull between all three of them. How much they do mean to each other, with Song Yeon battling her toughest times.

Moving to their 30s, coincidence brings them back but now we have spiralled from their childish rivalry, the bitterness of their work, pride and kindness swallows the delicate relationship between the girls causing an irreparable drift. The two are way past childish whims, Song Yeon solidified her character with all the setbacks triggering her — the actress acted so well ! My favourite scene had to be when she admitted it outright her grief as made her the borderline obsessive person she is now.

With the previous decades deed, imagine the surprise Eun Jung would have felt now that Song Yeon wants to revisit her. The most remarkable thing about how they depicted the relationship - the two girls had it all: rivalry, jealousy, hatred, loathe, sweetness but their kept coming back because there is Love ! I found the storyline consistent, I enjoyed the two main actress work, especially Go Eun moving. I have my tissues drenched with tears. As someone who knows the pain of losing, the show was not an easy watch.

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Disney + Korea's redemption.... hopefully

"I went into this show solely for the cast, unsure about the political thriller theme, but I'm genuinely surprised and hooked.

It centers on a woman whose presidential candidate husband is assassinated, prompting her to uncover the truth. She crosses paths with a shadowy mercenary who becomes her protector. The show demands your attention; the storytelling is swift yet engaging, perfect for a nine-episode series. The acting is superb, and the themes of politics, suspense, and mystery are masterfully handled. It's rare to see a stellar cast paired with such a high-quality script. Disney+ Korea has finally delivered a winner this year!"

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Great Chemistry- Worth the Watch

I have to say this is one of the better BL series I've watched. It has such good tension and chemistry between the MCs, and I love the idea of reincarnation stories. The fact that these are all young new actors amazes me how well they did. I was totally immersed in their love story. That being said there were Pros and Cons of course.
Here's my take:

Pros:
The lead couple was dynamite. Everything about their interactions felt honest and they worked really well together.
The music was well timed and fitting
The little bonus episodes in between were fun and interesting
The villains did a good job making you dislike them
Janine- perfection
Lily- hilarious and evil
Thada- CEO daddy vibes on point
Armin- That smile *swoon*


Cons:
Bom is too damn cute to be a villain- I said it. Would love to see him in MC role- definitely cinnamon roll potential
The makeup on the older versions of the actors didn't work at all- Especially Armin (those glasses did him no favors and he is very handsome)
The scenes where someone gets shot or injured should have resulted in more serious injuries- the placement on the body of the gunshot would have killed him for sure- that fall from the distance they show should have killed him for sure- a bit unbelievable that he survived.

Overall definitely in my top 3 for this year.
LKB

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What a great 26 episodes

I didn’t want to go into too much detail with this one. Mostly it’s because I skipped parts of the last 5-7 episodes and fast-forwarded through some scenes.

After rereading my review, I realized I need to add the things I loved at the beginning, since my rating was actually quite high.

The trope was right up my alley, and they really managed to portray the enemies-to-lovers setting well with this one. I was fascinated from the start. Liu Yu Ning was a new face for me, and it didn’t take long before I started appreciating his strong acting. Wei Shao was a character who immediately resonated with me and kept me invested in the story from the very start. To be completely honest i could watch 40 episodes solely about his life journey. I wouldn’t mind another series of him and his four loyal men. Man how i wish they’d have had his characterization from the beginning more apparent in later scenes.

I feel it a bit shame i don’t have much to say about our main character. She surely had her moments and did a satisfactory job keeping things going and the plot alive. Could she have been a more exciting as a character? For sure. Song Zu Er’s acting was very good but they missed with qiao man’s characterization.

This drama started off extremely promising. Sadly, when it came to the last 10 episodes, even the complex character of Wei Shao wasn’t enough to keep things interesting anymore. Because of the writing, the plot became so plain-vanilla it was hard to swallow. I do wonder about the genre. What had me locked from beginning became something more of a romantic comedy with heavier music in between.

I feel like they could’ve kept the drama shorter, which would have worked perfectly. In the latter half of the series, multiple small issues popped up only to be resolved within five minutes of time. Somehow days had passed though. With the heavy themes this drama touched upon, I think it would have benefited from deeper contemplation of the bigger issues, instead of brushing them off with short, “funny” moments between the main couple that felt out of character. I know China has restrictions on morally gray plotlines, but I still think they could’ve preserved the soul of the drama in a better way.

I hope no one minds if I say that when the Qiao cousins had their falling out, I almost fell asleep. Qiao Fan’s character bored me out of my mind. Did the others even notice her passing, or did i skip that part of the series? Thinking back, what was even her point in the drama? I couldn’t grasp Bi Zhi’s character either. Surely he has more to him than just loving a girl and jumping around in the forest, hunting deer? Their screen time could have been cut in half and nothing would’ve been missed.

I was thankful for the cuteness from the other secondary couple, Wei Liang and Xiao Tao. However, Wei Liang, who started as the most grounded, fun, life-loving character, was reduced to comic relief and then written out of the drama rather randomly. When will cdrama writers learn that you don’t necessarily need to kill off a certain quota of secondary (or main) characters to make a drama good.

I think i will most definitely revisit the drama, but rather unfortunatelly i most likely will be rewatching the first 20 or so episodes. Those 20 episodes were enough for me to give this high a rating and think back to it fondly.

I do see people rate this drama high and i think many might disagree with my review. Some might direct me to more heavier themed dramas but it seems that China tends to end those with majority of characters dying off to underline moral lessons about cherishing what you have and the fleeting nature of happiness etc. How many times that same lesson needs to be hammered into people’s heads with these dramas is another issue altogether.

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A Gripping C-Drama with Strong Characters but a Weak Ending

This is a very good drama overall. It started off really strong, especially with the FL, who was portrayed as extremely smart and calculating—I loved that about her. The ML was also refreshing; he wasn’t your typical “green flag” or “red flag” ML, but rather a morally gray character. For once, he was genuinely mean, cruel, and not secretly soft on the inside, which I found unique and engaging.

I really enjoyed how their story developed, but I didn’t like the memory loss plotline. It felt like such a cliché at this point, and what disappointed me most was how it made the FL seem less intelligent. She started off sharp and calculating, which I loved, but that quality faded as the series went on.

The poison storyline was another weak point for me. It felt overused and lazy, especially because the same actor played a role with a similar plot in Love Me, Kill Me. The fact that the ML took the poison himself felt unnecessary.

As for the ending, I found it disappointing. It wasn’t terrible, but it could have been so much better. I would’ve loved to see the political storylines tied up more neatly—like the throne being secured, the two countries forming an alliance, and the FL and ML’s future life together more clearly resolved. Even the bodyguard’s storyline felt like it needed more development.

That said, the drama is still a solid C-drama with an intense, full plotline and excellent acting from all the cast members. I especially loved the political intrigue, the fight for the throne, and the clever maneuvering of characters. Despite its flaws, it’s definitely worth watching.

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