Disappointing..

The first few episodes were really good and I rated most 10/10. However, I began to have real problems as the story went along.
First, I am not a big fan of unequal relationships. In this case, I felt that Kurosawa was too humble in the relationship. A healthy relationship should never be one where one person is too cautious and sacrificing. No matter what, he deserved a period of anger and disappointment after the events of episode 11. However, everything was resolved too easily and Kurosawa easily let it go that Adachi had previously chosen magic over him . In a better script, this issue shouldn't have been dismissed too easily.
That said, the cast was pretty good looking which I liked. I especially liked how cute Minato and Rokkaku are. Kurosawa is very good-looking too and there is something irresistible about him when he smiles. Fujisaki's character was also quite good.
Anyway, I wouldn't rewatch this because there isn't much to see except the characters' quirkiness.

Leggi di Più

Very good

I read the reviews of this drama but I was still surprised by how good it was.
The story is good. The only reason I deducted half a point is because we never get to know the reason behind the reset.
The acting is also very good. The elder actors are especially impressive but the younger ones don't lose out. Some moments really hit home in a powerful way. The production team did a good job of casting and the costumes were realistic unlike most idol dramas of the same genre.
The music is good. Subtle but very fitting for the drama.
Overall, I recommend this drama.

Leggi di Più

Good

The plot was pretty good and well thought out. I like that the FL did not give up her revenge halfway. My only problem is that my OTP wasn't the FL and ML but the FL and the villain's husband. Anyway, I am okay with how it turned out.
The acting was mostly good, but there were still some instances of good old Korean shouting. That said, the facial expressions were very on point and the director was quite clever to occasionally focus on it. The cast's clothing was also quite good, especially Yeon-Jin.
The music was good and brilliant in some instances.
Overall, the drama is worth watching and rewatching.

Leggi di Più

Okay

I am mostly shocked that this short drama passed censorship!
Did the laws change while I wasn't paying attention? Otherwise, was the reviewer drunk when they approved this show?
The drama doesn't even bother to beat around the bush about the relationship between the two leads. For that alone, this drama is worth watching.
Objectively speaking, the story's world setting is very interesting but the drama is too short to truly explore it. Basically, the entire drama is a collection of snippets without a lot of depth. It's truly unfortunate since the plot has a lot of potential.
The acting especially Lu Ling is bad.
The production is also bad (I don't want to think about the terrible fight scene in the tunnel).
The music is good.
Overall, watch when there is nothing else and rewatch because the censorship is a bit generous.

Leggi di Più

Strange...

I read the book before watching the drama and I have to say that I had a strange experience of watching the drama. The drama is an adaptation of the novel but I feel like the novel is the better adaptation of the drama.
The novel mentioned but failed to explore several intriguing relationships while the drama completely omitted said relationships and instead added new relationships that were never mentioned in the novel. Also, the script really messed up the characterisations of most characters which I did not enjoy. Other characters especially members of the Su family were omitted and why did the script even have to change the origin of the betrothal?
I also hate how Su Jinbei was made into a Mary Sue character that couldn't even get angry with a white lotus who tried several times to destroy her lie.
All in all, I think I would have enjoyed this drama more if I didn't read the novel before watching.

Leggi di Più

Okay

The first half of the drama was quite good but the second half was a bit of a mess. There were a lot of plotholes and inconsistencies which made you wonder whether you accidentally skipped an episode that explained some of the things that were happening. I would have also liked to see more endings e.g. what happened to the street children who were part of Wang Zhi's network? Did Tang Fan and Sui Zhou get promoted after the incident? etc.

I expected more fight scenes in the series but I wasn't severely disappointed by the few that happened. My favourite was the fight between Gao Yi and Amasanj. As for music, it wasn't memorable but it wasn't bad.

I liked most of the characters. Wang Zhi was a favourite when he wasn't infected with a plague called 'Tang Fan'. Sui Zhou was also very impressive whenever Tang Fan wasn't around. As for Tang Fan, I had an 'on' and 'off' like for him. He was very good at times but in others, he was the egotistical person who took advantage of the affection of those around him. It was also strange how he could be knowledgeable about politics in one instance but a novice in others. For example, he once asked Wang Zhi to request supervisory power from the emperor which inevitably risked Wang Zhi's life. At that point, he seemed unaware of the implications of his actions. However, he also told Wang Zhi that it would be good if a day came when the emperor forgot him which shows that he understood the threat to Wang Zhi's life due to how powerful he had become. There are such many contradictions that leave you wondering. There were also instances of him causing trouble because of his self-righteousness and belief that he couldn't possibly be wrong. Overall, Tang Fan wasn't my favourite.
I also liked her highness Wan Zhen'er. She was a badass woman but also soft when it counted. She was great, especially in the last two episodes.

The bromance was just okay. The chemistry is incomparable to some of the greats like 'the untamed, word of honour, advance bravely, love is more than a word, guardian, etc' but it was okay. There was a total lack of ambiguity though which was a bit disappointing. Luckily, neither Tang Fan nor Sui Zhou ended up with a woman.

I don't think I will rewatch this drama any time soon but I will probably do so in a few years.

Leggi di Più

Disappointed

I am honestly disappointed in this drama. The CP didn't get into a relationship until the last half of the last episode. I liked the makeout session but it wasn't enough to wipe out my frustration. The CP had so much chemistry and I feel that it was completely wasted. It's a pity.

The acting was awkward at times especially when the two male leads were contrived to be in a compromising situation. That said, I loved Shi Lei's mum, she was the best. As for Shi Lei, his character especially during the first few episodes was not likable. However, he is so beautiful and his smile is infectious. He has cute ears and just looking at him makes you happy.

I loved most of the music. The lyrics for the music were also very good which I liked.
Overall, it was an okay drama with several highs and lows.

Leggi di Più

Amuse-bouche...

The series feels like an appetizer. After watching 24 episodes, I feel like I need to immediately read the book so that I can get the full story.
My favourite character was Zhao Jue by a long shot and I really want to know his story and especially his relationship with Zhan Yao-I suspect they are father and son. I desperately want to know what happened in the past since the old guys are trying very hard to keep everything buried. Another character that I really liked was Zhao Zhen irrespective of the fact that he always seemed to appear in all the right places for no reason whatsoever. The casting of Zhao Jue, Zhao Zhen, Zhan Yao, and Bai Yutong was really on point.
My least favourite thing about the show was the relationship between Gongsun Ce and Bai Qingtian. It was all over the place and impossible to understand. I honestly couldn't like them. Another thing that I disliked was the villains in the first few episodes. There were too stereotypical and lacking in imagination.
I Iiked the bromance between the main leads but I would have liked a little more of it. I would have wanted to see some lingering looks filled with implications and other subtle things to indicate that this is an adaptation of a bl novel. The untamed, love is more than a word, and advance bravely have really mastered the art of subtly showing BL without being explicit about it. It's too bad that SCI couldn't achieve that.
Overall, the show feels like a prologue but I still liked it.

Leggi di Più

Surprisingly good.

I almost gave up after watching the first episode because the MCs character was a bit too timid and stupid. However, I decided to give it a chance and I am so glad that I did because the story got a lot better.
The story mostly focused on the relationship between the two leads but you could also see an underlying plot. Unfortunately, the episodes were too few to fully uncover the mystery. One can only read the novel to satisfy their curiosity.
One of the most impressive things about the show was the cast. Each member seemed to be born for their role which was a very good thing to see. The costumes and makeup were perfectly done which added a lot of aesthetic value to the show. Finally, the acting was also very good and lacked the awkwardness that we usually see in BL shows.
The music was a bit of a disappointment though. I would have preferred each episode to end with a song but they ended with dialogue spoiler of the next episode. The opening theme song wasn't that good also, it was quite forgettable.
The chemistry of the two male leads was clear to see from the very first episode and it only got better as the story progressed. Finally, the last half of the last episode was definitely my favourite. I really loved the wedding disguised as a banquet.
I am sure to rewatch this show in the future.

Leggi di Più

What a disappointment!!!

One of the first things I noticed was the makeup on the actors. Generally, the makeup was gaudy, and sometimes, it was so over-the-top that it leaves you wondering whether the show was attempting a parody or something. Anyway, it was completely lacking in taste.
The acting *sigh*. Aside from a few characters, most of the cast had major problems. Most of them have zero control of their expressions which makes them look fake and very awkward. Gu Han/Xiao Jinghan's evil laugh was the worst when it came to acting, it was truly terrible.
The scenes that were supposed to be very emotional were very bland especially because of the poor acting and they left you feeling impatient. I don't know if it was because of the acting, those scenes seemed very long to me and I couldn't wait for them to end.
The characterization was a major problem for me. Lu Bai was completely lacking in depth which made him very boring and superfluous. He was just an awkward character that appeared all over the place because he was supposed to. The rest aren't any better.
The fight scenes....., the horse riding scenes......., I don't even know where to begin.
Finally, there is zero romance or even hints of it. There aren't any lingering looks, there aren't any touching scenes. We know that this was supposed to be BL because Rongrong shipped the CPs. It is because the relationships and even friendships are not properly developed that the story fails to draw an emotional response except disappointment.

Leggi di Più

Okay

The show is the typical plot of a Chinese romance novel.
However, it is too short to fit in all the drama and face slapping but maybe that works for it rather than against it.
The acting is also not the best but not the worst either.
Anyway, it is easy going and I enjoyed watching it despite the poor production and weird continuity.
The short drama could have benefited from a bigger budget but it is still a fun watch.

Overall, you shouldn't expect a full plot drama going into this. It is the kind of drama to watch when you are trying to relax and not too concerned about plot holes and good storytelling.

Leggi di Più

TERRIBLE!!!

Story: What story?

Acting/Cast: We had some good looking people, but that couldn't make up for the terrible acting. I don't know whose idea it was to have the cast frequently speak English but the idea was terrible. Aside from a few characters, most of the English was impossible to understand. That Yuri character was especially bad. I couldn't understand what she was saying and even after replaying a few times, I still couldn't get more than a few words. This aspect of the show was really terrible. Most of the acting was unnatural and exaggerated. That said, there was one person who stood out for me. Pierre/Tae Woo only appeared thrice for a few seconds each time but he was the most impressive. His role as Pierre was well thought out and in his role as Tae Woo, he managed to draw me in with that longing/miserable/helpless look when Ji Han chased after Asin. The actor was quite good.

Music: Not great but passable.

Romance: There was BL but it was unrealistic and rushed. I couldn't get invested in the relationship. As for the BG....*sigh* It would have been better if Hung Tae got together with Pierre/Tae Woo rather than forcibly shipping Jay. It would have made more sense since both Pierre and Hung Tae are immortal.

Rewatch Value: I honestly can't see any rewatch value. It is impossible for me to ever rewatch this short drama.

Leggi di Più

Disappointing...

I had a lot of problems with this drama and most of them were because of the story.
First, the development between TengTeng and Licheng was very poorly done. The friendship at the beginning was great but everything went downhill from there. Licheng fell in love and immediately began to act without giving TengTeng any time to think things through. I had major problems with how Licheng made major decisions without consulting his other half-like buying a house. TengTeng will also have to live in that house for the rest of his life but he never got a chance to choose and only got consulted after it had been bought and he had to help carry a 30-years mortgage. This isn't how a relationship should be.
Xingsi and Yongjie were a better couple in my books. Yongjie's personality is very excessive and the relationship didn't start well but the development was better than TengCheng. The stepmother was a gem and the father was a well-thought-out character.
The worst thing about the show was the rotten girls. Fangirling should be kept to fictional characters or stars but it shouldn't be done so excessively with regards to the people around you. After all, there is a difference between life and fiction. The drama failed to draw that line and treated the TengCheng relationship as too much of a joke.
Overall, I liked that the actors were quite good looking especially Teng Muren but the story was disappointing.

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