Loose Ending

Better than a lot of dramas out but still has its issues. Some predictability in some aspects of the story. It was still one that I enjoyed.

The Good

Acting was decent and the story kept me engaged, although transmigration stories are similar, this one tried to do things a little different with the plot and tell a unique story. The main 2 characters were good and have nice chemistry. The FL’s character was very likable and had a strong personality. She definitely wasn’t perfect and did things good and bad which makes her interesting. She was a very rational character. Lots of action and great fight scenes.

The Bad

Although FL was rational, she was also irrational at times which made some of the subplots repetitive due to her repeated mistakes. Some of the characters weren’t that interesting. Also, a lot of unanswered questions like why she was in another world and what happened to them all at the end. Leaves plot holes.

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Non distinctive Xianxia

Xianxia’s typically follow the same routes and this one is no exception. It’s a standalone sequel to Ancient Love Poetry but didn’t compare, in terms of execution, to ALP.

Plot

The story wasn’t uniquely theirs as it takes its queue from many other Xianxias and pieces it together within this story. Enemies to lovers, secrets, misunderstandings, self sacrifice, evil clans, reincarnations, etc. are all there. The typical makings of a Xianxia can be found in this show. Although it’s typical and has a sense of predictability, there are still moments that will make you smile.

Characters

If you are a fan of the cast then you may enjoy this one. I wouldn’t say this was some of the main cast’s best work but they performed to the best the role in this show can offer.

Although ALP wasn’t one my top Xianxias, it still has a higher rewatch value than this one. Visuals wasn’t high budget, nor was the production. Costumes were also typical. I enjoyed this for its simplicity and enjoy some bits of the OST but a one time watch is enough.

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Novel meets a game

The novel and transmigration stories aren’t new in CDramas but not many are as good as this one. This was a fun, amazing watch.

The Good

The plot had a strong execution and was written well for about 95% of the drama with the exception of a couple of hiccups. Again, transmigration stories are common for CDramas but what made this one stand out was the integration of a novel into a game format and the acting. The drama had a great balance of story telling, romance and joy/fun and sadness. The characters were all interesting with our main 2 leads shining throughout. Their chemistry was just as good as it was in Moonlight. I also appreciated the production quality. The CGI, visual FX, costumes, sounds, and OSTs were all high quality and stands out from lots of 2024 dramas. Out of most CDramas in this genre, this one had a strong ending for me that wrapped up the story nicely.

The Bad

Had some throwaway episodes starting from around episode 18-26. The show took a slight downturn and had a couple of plot holes during these episodes that made it seem like they cut some scenes or just rushed some of the explanations. It made it difficult to watch especially since it was releasing an episode a day. I stuck it out for the leads.

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Not the best but not the worse

Not too much positive to say about this drama. Pretty basic story, recycled plot, a lot of exaggerated angst created just to create a heightened story but no real depth. This story does not have much story building, it’s just a bunch of random things happening to the FL each episode to draw out the angst of their relationship; no real substance. On the positive end, the acting wasn’t bad but not the greatest. Costumes and sets weren’t the worse but pretty mediocre. OST was decent enough. This is definitely a one a time watch and wouldn’t necessarily recommend but can serve as an in between angsty drama while you’re waiting on your anticipated dramas.

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No character consistency

This drama had potential, with a decent plot and the mystery elements but fell short in character consistency.

The Good

The drama started off strong with the 2 leading characters Pan Yue, played by Liu Xueyi, and Yang Cai Wei, played by Zheng He Huizi. The story was intriguing with the crime solving elements and decent chemistry amongst the characters. The acting was strong and made it an interesting watch. We also had Shangguan Zhi, played by Ju Jingyi, introduced as the obsessed 3 wheel who brought a twist to the story. The costumes and visuals were really nice and the OSTs were also good. That’s as about a good as it got and then it went downhill…

The Bad

The main issue was the lack of character consistency after the face swap. Besides her appearance, her character arc/personality completely changed from being either of the 2 characters. On the one hand, we understand that she is pretending to be someone else but at the core she should have pretended to be Shangguan Zhi. Yang Cai Wai was reserved, calm, independent, with her guard up. Shangguan Zhi was possessive, cold, calculating and mean. Introducing Ju Jingyi as the main leads, she was neither of these things. Once the two girls switched, there was a clear difference in the characters and it was hard to connect Ju Jingyi as either Yang Cai Wei or Shangguan Zhi. This further made things unconvincing to know that she was actually the original woman. I’ve seen Ju Jingyi in lots of dramas and have enjoyed some but can’t help but think that her character is a little type cast, in which she is a copy paste version of the same character in every show she is in. I don’t see clear differences in her acting style from one project to the next. The directors should have also known better to make sure that there was consistency with the characters because old habits die hard. No matter if their appearance changed, the underlying essence/nature of that person would not.

Some people or fans of the leads may enjoy this. I myself am a fan of Liu Xueyi as he is an amazing actor but I had to drop this one because even his acting could not keep me interested. Make your own decision on whether to watch. It was a no for me.

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Poorly Written

This story was very poorly written. I completely fault the writers on this one. This story had potential to be better but fell flat.

The Good

The one saving grace was it had a little comedy that made me stick through it. The OST was also decent.

The Bad

Predictable plot, basic character setup with cold ML hiding his identity, lovesick ditzy FL, Emperor who is a dunce, jealous 2nd FL, corrupt ministers who get away with everything and Empress Dowager who only cares about power and image at the risk of selling her soul. This show had all the makings of every other basic, predictable setup along with many unlikeable characters, unnecessary misunderstandings and situations that defy logic. There was nothing different and was easy to guess what would happen. There was absolutely no character development in this story. Everyone was just going around in the circle making the same mistakes over and over.

I almost think the rating I’m giving it may be too generous but the actors did their best for what they had to work with. I’ve seen ML and FL in better projects. Hope they will all get something better for their next go round.

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Unconventional Love Story

I think the English Title is somewhat misleading because it makes you think this story is a romance drama. This is a melodrama first with very little romance. There is a mixed bag of reviews with some hating this and some loving but I quite enjoyed this story for what it was, as it displayed the downsides to relationship, showcasing that relationships aren’t fairytales, like what we see on tv.

The good

The highlight of this drama for me was on the meteorological aspect because it was a fresh idea that I hadn’t seen in a drama before. I actually found this part of the story to be very interesting. Not sure how accurate it was to the profession but it gave us a look at how stressful this profession could be and how it could have an impact on relationships, both romantically and familial. I also found enjoyment in seeing the relationships unfold because each story was different. Although it was quite odd that this drama focused heavily on the cheating couple, it still gave us a different perspective. Although I wasn’t as vested in that couples ending, there was a very real take on how their decisions led to the turmoil in the relationship and how they still impacted the main couple’s relationship. It was refreshing to see not so fluffy mature, realistic relationships.

The bad

I would say the acting overall met the high bar but did not exceed it. Each character brought a fresh take to the story but the level of good acting definitely did not add up among the characters which caused some people to be less interesting than others. I found the main couple's relationship problematic as this story didn’t showcase much of their time together as a couple. We got a few little side flashbacks of their time together that apparently occurred but wasn’t shown in realtime during the show. This actually made me feel less involved in their relationship and disconnected from their breakup towards the end.

This drama does not have a high rewatch value but if you like the lead actors, watch and make your own decision on how you would rate this. For me, it’s a one and done.

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Not Unique but Entertaining

This drama does not necessarily stand out from other modern dramas of the same category. It doesn’t have any unique aspects or issues but it was entertaining.

The Good

The characters were easy to connect with. They were your everyday average people whom weren’t over the top. They didn’t have extreme personalities or major childhood traumas that affected their daily life. It was your average run of the mill, guy and girl meet, then fall for each other. This show had pockets of comedy that kept it entertaining and even though the leads were inexperienced in love, neither did anything that compromised their integrity. Also, a strong plus was there weren’t any evil love triangles. The secondary couple was also quite interesting to watch since they were more experienced in relationships and faced a completely different issue than our main couple. I would definitely say this is a more mature/normal take on relationships. Lastly, the acting was decent all around.

The Bad

Number one thing is it doesn’t stand out from other modern dramas. The plot didn’t offer anything new and some may not find it interesting. Although I mentioned that it’s a more mature drama, there were some aspects that were a little immature such as the FL clothing style but it didn’t bother me much.

I’d recommend a watch if you are looking for a light Rom Com but don’t expect anything mind blowing.

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Very fun indeed!

As others have pointed out, the production is very low budget, random terrible acting, laughable CGI that looks like different webcam backgrounds, arcade game sound effects but none of that even matters. The story was very interesting and held my attention throughout the entire show. No throwaway episodes whatsoever. The one thing I would say that I didn't like was the portrayal of all of the women, besides his mom and Pavillion Master, were insane. Most were overacting but the immediate accusations thrown at him upon meeting him was a little strange. Other than that, the ML was very cool. I would love to see these types of characters in more shows. Glad this drama left out all the xianxia tropes including the hopeless, angsty romance that dooms the ML. Would be nice to have a season 2 for this drama.

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Nice feel good show!

I quite enjoyed this drama. I went in not knowing what to expect as I didn’t read the synopsis nor watch any trailers. I am a fan of Zhou Ye and Tan Jian Ci and have enjoyed many of their dramas. This one was no exception!

What I liked:

This was a great cast. Everyone did well in the role they were given and both leads had a sense of realism that made you believe they were truly in love. Great on screen chemistry. I appreciate the versatility of the two leads. It gives them a chance to really show their acting range so they don’t become typecast in the usual drama types they go for.

I also enjoyed the OST. Many beautiful songs were sang and fit in well with the theme of the story. I especially appreciate the attention it paid to the profession of voice acting alongside of singing as it’s not something that is talked about much. It made me have a new profound appreciation for it.

Lastly, I enjoyed the overall story. It’s nice to see chill dramas that don’t have too much conflict happening. Gives an even balance to the highs and lows we feel with most of these dramas out here and allows us a chance to reset and prepare for the next drama. I loved the portrayal of all the characters and how normal they seemed. No whiny FLs, cold MLs, or strange plots that make you question the writers. This one was really fun and sweet. It was a beautiful love story but shows us that you can truly find love and build lasting friendships in some of the most unconventional ways and continue living a normal life.

What I didn’t like:

Although I loved the overall story, I still rate the story an 8.5 because there were some parts that seemed a little unreal. It was very prevalent with the FL being a little too reserved at times which sometimes made her seem more like a teenager in certain instances than an adult woman. She overall was very mature though. It is just a personal preference I have to see an adult woman act a little more adult-like but that is just my issue. Overall it didn’t take much away from the story because I still give it a 9.

This drama will not be for everyone. The story focuses on the day to day life of the characters. Some may say there is no real plot. If you enjoy the fluff/sweetness and slice of life dramas then give it a watch.

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As good as expected

This was one of my highly anticipated watches of the year and it lived up to my expectations.

The bad

The only things I didn’t like was the random forced love connections they were trying to make with our leading men. They were clearly not interested but glad it didn’t take the same approach like Blood of the Youth and force it in the end. Also, the acting of Chen Du Ling left a lot to be desired. During her crying scenes, I couldn’t tell if she was crying or smiling. Definitely didn’t move me. The third thing was the constant vicious cycle that Di Feichang had with Jiao Li Qiao.. That story arc could have ended earlier on but they sort of dragged that out for the sake of having a story. Lastly, the OST wasn’t anything special.

The good

So many good things about this show. I still give an overall 10 rating even with some flaws because it was a uniquely written story that kept me engaged all the way through. There wasn’t a single throwaway episode. I appreciated how they kept the story progressing even when completing side cases. Many of those still connected to the larger story. I also loved how our 3 men used their real voices. It made things so much more authentic and the conversations and interactions between them seemed so natural. Definitely one of the more interesting and most fun leads in a show. Each had a different personality and brought something unique to their trio. Of course the acting was top notch in here. Besides Chen Du Ling, everyone else did such an amazing job, especially our 3 male leads. Hands down, this is the best show I’ve seen for them 3 to date. Next the fighting scenes were amazing. I wish we had more. It’s refreshing to see leads with good coordination and real martial arts pull off the scenes. It elevated the show for sure. Lastly, the visuals were beautiful. Pretty good CGI, costumes were good, high quality wigs with no visible lace fronts that I see quite a bit in CDramas. Also no CDrama tropes that most of us come to dread.

Watch for yourself but this one goes down as one my favorites. Make your own judgement.

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Very cute story

I almost overlooked this story because the trailer didn’t catch my attention much but this turned out to be a really cute love story.

The Good

I really appreciated the mature and calm nature of the main leads throughout their story since contract relationships are a common trope in CDramas. What made this one stand out was the fact that all the couples just rolled with the relationships and didn’t make things awkward. They each accepted their feelings. The relationships built up naturally and more realistic and did not contain too many of the tropes. I absolutely adored the ending and loved that they gave us closure to their love story. Fairly decent acting, nice OST and decent production for a modern drama.

The Bad

Still constrained the usual misunderstandings and unnecessary love triangles. With the limited amount of episodes, I’m glad they didn’t drag them out longer than necessary. I also wished there was just a little more romance but for what we got it was fairly good.

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Great Horror Series

This was a great horror series and also one of the best series of 2024 for cdramas. Even though this show was only allowed to be aired on international platforms due to source material being a BL, I hope that cdramas are able to make more horror style shows such as this in this future. This is a highly recommended.

The Good

Strong plot! The show executed the horror theme very well and kept things engaging throughout. It didn't have any boring plots or stories in the doors throughout for me. Production was decent for a modern drama and the OST was nice. The highlight of the show were definitely the relationships between each character and the connections they formed with each other. The acting was also decent and everybody played their character well. Each of the characters were also interesting throughout the series. I appreciated that romance wasn't the main focus of this story as it is with most cdramas. It's nice to watch something different sometimes. I loved that focus of the story was on the doors. They rarely deviated from the main plot of the story with subplots which kept our attention on what mattered most in this show.

The Bad

A couple of loose ends that never was handled such as Ling Jiushi's friend still being shrouded in mystery. The last 20 minutes of the last episode fell a little flat for me but I assume it was to pass censorship. Wish ed it could have wrapped it up stronger. Would have liked to see a little more world building and character backstory for some of the other characters but was satisfied with the overall focus being on what was happening in the doors.

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Enjoyable and frustrating

This slice of life, coming of age drama was a nice watch. The plot wasn’t a new concept for high school, college dramas but this one ranks high among dramas of this genre due to the great acting, relatable topics, and realistic ending. The English title was a great choice to sum up the happenings in this show. There were many joyful light hearted and frustrating heavy moments that kept me watching. I was highly invested into each character and their story. For the time period, 90s to early 2000s, definitely brought back some nostalgia with the clothes and technology being used. The time period was well represented and the OST was very nice.

The main negatives were the overuse of misunderstandings being dragged out. This is a staple in cdramaland though.

A definite recommended watch.

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