a worthwhile slow-burn

A melodrama that uniquely dances within several genres (slice-of-life, corruption, school bullying, romance) while connecting its very essence with mathematics. Huge fan of both leads. Watched Lee Do Hyun last in Youth of May (one of my all-time favorite kdramas) and was not disappointed by his role here. OST was beautiful and well-placed.

Well worth the watch. Some commentators here had a lot of prejudice toward the misconception that there would be a pedophilic or predatory student-teacher relationship, but it's nothing like that whatsoever. I've also seen many reviewers leave poor ratings because of their personal distaste for math. I also hate math, but I really appreciated the unique way it was implemented for this drama. All around solid cast with several worthy antagonists.

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Honest Review to Rise Above the Angry Chatter

I got very frustrated with MyDramaList and the reviews/comments on this show because it seems *very* one-sided, so allow me to include my own opinion of the show. I hope this is helpful for those like me who are looking for actual reviews and not angry, short tirades.

**First Impressions of the ML & FL
ML - Actor: Shawn Dou (insert major heart eyes here, because WOW)- Xia Bei Chen - He's charismatic, charming, beautiful, and immature. I can tell his arc will include a lot of growth, and I'm excited about it. He is the spoiled son of a father in high power, and he lost his mother at a young age which, I feel, has both scarred him and impeded his emotional maturity. He has chemistry with his FL in a childish, teasing-bullying way (like kids in a playground), and I can sense a long journey for them both as they mature and experience hardships individually and together.

**FL- Actress: Chen Du Jing- Lin Hang Jing- She's aloof, mysterious, headstrong, and has a low tolerance for Xia Bei Chen's bullshit. I LOVE that; I think it's very complimentary to their dynamic because he needs someone who won't take his bratty attitude and who will also elevate him as he gets his act together. They fit well because I can see how they'll bring out each other's best traits together. I see a lot of hate toward her character, and I'm immensely curious if I'll eventually board the hate train. So far, I like them as individuals and their chemistry as a future couple. As of right now, she's dealing with an impetuous child (Bei Chen) who keeps bullying her to like him while she spends her energy writing articles about abandoned children needing homes. I'd be irritated too.

"But let me ask you, do you even have a dream for your life, society, country, loved ones, or even just for yourself? That's why I said I look down on you."

**Plot: It's very engaging so far. I can sense A N G S T in the future, and I'm ready for it.

**Episode 1:
The episode has a disjointed first half where it's clear (at least to me) that the editors aren't sure how they want to leave their first impressions, so both the music and the scenes start and end a bit jarringly, and it pulls me out of the scene a few times. Set design, costumes, and Shawn Dou's visuals kept me pulled in, though, and I'm glad because the episode finds its footing in the 2nd half of the episode, and I found myself easily engaged.

***Episode 6 Update:
The plot has been interesting so far, and I like the dynamics between the ML and FL. A few episodes ago, a moment in the garden was a clear turning point for the ML in his feelings toward HangJing. However, she is still very much locked in the mindset that BeiChen is just a pompous bully who meddles in her life when he doesn't get his way, so I totally understand why she's standoffish and suspicious of him when he does something noble. How would she know? Only we, as the viewers, understand his mind clearly. Still, when ***SPOILER** his friends take it upon themselves to have her kidnapped, and he's disciplined for it, she defends him; then later, when their group is attacked, her first instinct is to block him from harm, and I can see her eyes softening toward him. There is a much slower but still obvious transition happening for her as well. His friends are dumb and make it difficult for BeiChen to come off likable when they often do fairly despicable things to manipulate HangJing into doing his bidding. She's obviously assuming BeiChen is the reason behind it all, so I'd be irritated too. Despite that, they meet up anyway (she was coerced, and he was tricked) for the first time in a solo outing at the Lantern Festival and have the *cutest* time together. Their chemistry is really fun to watch here, and the lighting makes them both look so beautiful.

***Episode 14 Update:
I love the father/son relationship. It's complex, full of unspoken words, and it's undoubtedly full of love. As imperfect as he is, I think his father really cherishes BeiChen. There has been a time jump of several years, and I like the maturity BeiChen has gained while still being his usual silly self at home. I still have no problem sensing the chemistry between him and HangJing. She admires him and finds him attractive; it's easy to see in her lingering expressions and body language. If anyone is threatened by her relationship with Zi Zheng, I find that pretty ridiculous. He's been kind toward her from the start and has been working with her at the newspaper these years Beichen has been gone. As far as I can tell, she doesn't reciprocate Zi Zheng's feelings (at least not on the same level) and is only reciprocating his kindness. Relax, y'all. I find both the plot and the revolving changes within BeiChen and Hang Jing to be very interesting.

***Episode 20 Update:
The series has had a few major developments in its storyline from each major aspect. The ML/FL doesn't have any shortage of misunderstandings between them. Any forward momentum in their relationship has required some kind of misunderstanding/fight to occur first, and it can be frustrating for anyone watching who can't see the forest for the trees. I think, on a very basic level, the initial misunderstandings occurred because the ML is insecure and emotionally immature within their relationship when conflict arises, and the FL is too passive and prideful (what a terrible combo) to admit her faults or address the misunderstanding. These misunderstandings then spiral into stretches of time where they'll avoid each other and avoid any solution. For example, their argument over the kite in her room could have been quickly smashed had she insisted on explaining her side instead of angrily clamming up and letting him walkout. It's an interesting parallel to watch with Beichen since he holds such a respectable, high position within the military that requires him to see the bigger picture and know how to strategize properly, but when it comes to love, he's still very immature and hotheaded. I'm glad both sides have revealed true feelings, and they understand there is true love and care there. We've also been introduced to the secondary foil (the first being Zi Zheng), the MLs childhood friend (who's also deeply in love with him and wholly toxic as a character), so we'll get more misunderstandings and unnecessary fighting in the future. Still, I'm enjoying this series.

***Finish. Overall final thought:

* This series isn't nearly as bad as some of these commentators make it out to be.
* Shawn Dou as Bei Chen isn't just a delicious snack, he's a whole meal. Not just visually, but as a very impressive and emotive actor. I only wish we could have heard this real (very attractive) voice instead of the dub, especially for his more emotional scenes since I believe there is nuance lost when a voice is dubbed over.
* Chen Du Ling as Hang Jing *really isn't as bad as everyone makes her out to be*. Throughout the misunderstandings, I never suspected that she didn't love Bei Chen. Did she make a lot of unnecessary decisions? Definitely. Could she have been more vocal about her love for him, especially considering he's the type of person that *needs* that vocal confirmation? Most definitely.
* I didn't like the ridiculous amount of death at the very end and Bei Chen losing pretty much everyone around him.
* The series sometimes had a soap opera-y feel to it that I wasn't a huge fan of, but when I was in those thoughts, I just stared at Shawn Dou's face and felt better.
* The music is the most jarring aspect of the series IMO. It starts and ends so abruptly mid-scene to indicate to the viewer a shift in tone, but it's so unnecessary and always throws me off. The selections are also sometimes so melodramatic and corny.
That said, Zhou Shen's song, Shining Galaxy is gorgeous. I also really love the instrumental version of it that's played in scenes with the ML and FL.
* The ending is not open-ended in my opinion. It's very clearly a happy ending for our ML and FL - there's even a photo of them reunited online that was eventually cut, but it exists so I'm firmly rooted in that they end up together as a family at the end.
*I would have liked more lovey-dovey scenes between the ML and FL to at least help counterbalance all of the fighting and misunderstandings. I would have also liked to see a little bit more emotional growth toward each other since their fighting throughout all the years together never seem to improve tremendously.

* TLDR: I wouldn't watch this series again but I don't regret having watched it, and I really hope to see Shawn Dou in more leading roles because he's truly an extraordinary actor and a very, very, beautiful person to watch on screen. His BTS is also super cute to watch, he seems to be a silly and charismatic person in real life, so that's fun to look up if you're into behind-the-scenes footage. I also found it interesting to see Chen Du Ling behind the scenes because their chemistry is even better there. Her dubbing and the way her character is written certainly don't help her much in terms of likeability, but as I said earlier, she's nowhere near as bad as most of these reviews have said.

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A more mature story on school bullying, albeit a bit green and cliche around the edges.

My curiosity was peaked by the mention of a male student enduring school bullying as I'm used to seeing more of a damsel in distress-type situation play out in Korean television with the male savior trope a little too played out. It was refreshing to see the roles switched, and I was interested to see it unfold onscreen. I'm not familiar with GOT7 excluding Jinyoung from The Devil Judge, and only because I saw the "IDOL" hashtag and realized he was a band member after the fact. I think he's a fantastic actor and has a beautiful cry face (lol). That said, I only realized Youngjae was a member because of the other reviews here exalting his performance as "perfect" and "amazing." I expected him to blow me away based on their reviews and honestly, had I just watched the show without first seeing their comments, I probably would have had a much higher rating for him. Be that as it may, I came out of the mini-drama fully understanding that he is very green still and thought he did well considering.

The show itself threw me off quite a bit in the first few episodes. It starts off very silly and like a cliche-rom-com with the FL a bit too bubbly and smiley and the music too simplistic and designed for comedic effect. As the series goes on and we're introduced to the antagonists, the tone of the show becomes a bit more serious, and the music shifts into mostly calm and melodic piano. The leader of the bullies was a little over the top and felt more like an evil caricature, and I was more scared by the unhinged ex-girlfriend because of her instability and reactionary anger. The climax of the series was definitely dark (with her slicing at Youngjae's neck) and I thought that scene was excellently done. It caused the hair on my arms to stand on end, and my jaw dropped. I wish the resolution had been given more breathing room, and I thought the time-skip at the end was an overused cop-out. Overall, I wouldn't watch this series again, but I wouldn't say I didn't enjoy it. While Youngjae is certainly green around the edges (and not quite ready for heavy emotional scenes as was evidenced by his pleading scene at the end of Episode 9), I do think he has a bright future in acting ahead of him and will only improve with time and experience with his peers.

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The longggggg road home.

Romance and Jing Boran could only keep my interest for so long.

More time was spent on propaganda and off-screen dramatic character changes than on even-paced writing. Significant character personality shifts made little sense because all major conflict resolutions happened off-screen. I didn't care for the drawn-out military montages of our ML being a super badass and the long-winded explanations of "sacrifice for the motherland." It felt on-the-nose and unnatural to say to another person when there were no cameras around. On the plus, the drama is a visual feast for the eyes with overviews of isolated, snow-covered towns, prairies of ice and trees, and Jing Boran's perfectly placed eye mole.

I'm excited to continue watching Jing Boran in future dramas, but this one was hard to like after a while. The pacing was too slow, conflicts weren't fully fleshed out on-screen, and I hoped to feel a broader emotional spectrum to match the 30-episode watch duration. Still, there was no talent shortage from every actor (including the child actor). I'd blame my dislikes for the drama on writing and pacing more than anything else because, at the end of the day, if you're looking for a drama that's a feast for the eyes without much to sate your hunger, you'll leave satisfied anyway.

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Voyeuristic lens into the enduring machinations of a male escort

*Beautiful wide-lens cinematography that captures the room and the emotions of each character while retaining a sense of obscurity and a voyeuristic quality as we're never allowed to see too closely.

*The explicit scenes are not gratuitous and help drive the narrative

*The acting from everyone, especially Kai Ko, was deeply effective.

*Cons: Although I'm sure they served an artistic purpose, I thought the karaoke scene at the beginning and the dance scene at the end was uncomfortably long. It adds to the voyeuristic quality of the film, for sure, but I kept hoping it would end because I felt like it took away from being able to add more to other scenes. I also wish we were given just a little more insight into our main character. I wanted to know more about him, what he was feeling, and what ultimately happens to him. Some things are better left unsaid and to our imagination, so I'll have to give the writers extra credit for making me sad I couldn't get just a little more.

Definitely worth a higher rating on MDL. It was an artsy piece that I enjoyed watching.

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the machinations of a gilded cage

TLDR-
You may expect the normal melodramatic saquek, but this drama will surprise you.
Gorgeous OST, beautifully shot cinematography with layers of deeper meaning that'll break your heart when you're paying attention; a strong plot that doesn't meander, and very strong acting throughout to keep it all seamlessly tied together. Even saquek-tired viewers will be pleasantly surprised by this fresh, even modern take on a real-life story.

Thoughts on the main leads:
Lee Jun Ho: I've been a devoted Lee Jun Ho fan since watching his first main role in Just Between Lovers. I first watched that series because I really liked the premise and the cover photo, and quickly became utterly enamored by Jun Ho's character. He was charismatic, deeply troubled, and full of old physical and emotional scars that drew me in throughout the entirety of the series. The arc between him and his grandma crushed me and I thought his emotional scenes were masterfully done (including his public breakdown in the street when he received his diagnosis). I had no clue he was an IDOL until I looked him up afterward and saw that his real-life persona couldn't be more different from his character in the series, which impressed me even more. From then on, I was a huge fan and looked forward to his other roles. His charisma certainly knows no bounds and is not limited to 1 genre. He portrayed his role as the crown prince (and later as the king) masterfully and I can't help but replay his emotional scenes over and over. His relationship with his grandfather, the king, was troubled and full of complications that I enjoyed watching play out on screen. It teetered so often on domestic abuse with the emotional and sometimes physical warfare the king inflicted on him, despite how often he claimed to love him. The dynamic was interesting and effective and I found myself both angry at the king and full of pity. In the end, I could sense the raw loneliness, grief, love, and pain Yi San felt for him.

Lee Se Young: Although I'd only seen Lee Se Young in another saguek, The Crowned Clown, that series also happens to be one of my all-time favorite KDRAMAS so I had high hopes for her. Her role in The Crowned Clown was much meeker in character, and I actually thought her character took away from the overall plot and pacing of the drama because I thought the most interesting aspect of that drama was Yeo Jin Goo's Clown Ha Sun and King Yi Heon and when the romantic melodrama aspect started taking the forefront of the drama and pushing the suspenseful dynamic of the twin brothers to the background, it changed my overall interest in the show (although I still loved it for different reasons). Her role in The Red Sleeve is much more prominent and gives her a lot of room to stretch her acting skills, both emotionally and physically and in different genres, so I especially loved watching her this time. Her facial expressions are so emotive and I found myself laughing and crying with and at her on several occasions.

OST: Gorgeous. Emotive. Enhanced every scene without overwhelming it.

Plot: Surprising and fresh with subverted tropes, strong and empowered female characters, broken stereotypes (female saves male MULTIPLE times, female with strong willpower, sensitive man, etc). I loved Deok Im's strength as a woman in her determination to live for herself, regardless of the pain she'd feel by not going the easy route. I loved that she saved Yi San and was able to protect him on multiple occasions. I loved Yi San's consideration for Deok Im later on in his conviction to treat her as a woman and not as an inferior subject. I loved Yi San's royal guard and his adorable gullibility and fierce loyalty. He brought on moments of much-warranted levity which brightened both the scene and Yi San's countenance. I loved the friendship between the court ladies and the moral greyness of some of the other women. I loved that the "antagonists" in this drama wasn't the true villain; it was the palace and its rules that entrapped our main characters and the "heroes" were the very people that were pillars keeping the palace living and breathing.

Episode 14 Update:
I've grown very frustrated with the relationship between Yi San and Deok Im.
I understand there are many complexities, and I empathize and understand Deok Im's fears and insecurities toward accepting the role as a concubine so I can't fault her for refusing the role and putting herself first; however, Yi San has only ever been fully honest with her regarding his feelings and his desire to keep her safe whilst she's *brutally* turned him down so many times, I've lost count. She disregards his feelings to intentionally hurt him and push him away despite her true feelings, and she only ever treats him for his title and not as a man. Yi San frustrates me as well because he's so painfully aware of his title, that his desperation to be treated as a man by Deok Im understates how serious and challenging that request would be for a normal person to hear. All physical skinship, excluding the reuniting hug, after she saved him from the ambush, has been physically forced and one-sided, including the kiss at the end of Episode 14. If I'm being told to believe she wanted that kiss because she submits into it at the end, no thank you k-drama world, that's not how reality works. I'm frustrated he did that, and I'm frustrated that it was *once again* a one-sided show of affection (that she didn't even ask for). I want to see HER fight for him *as a man* just 1 time and she hasn't. It has only ever been for her king and highness (excluding the time when they were children), and I pity him for that (despite disapproving of his behavior toward her physically).

Episode 15:
"I have deceived his Majesty. His Majesty may deceive the court ladies at his will, but a court lady may not deceive the King."
UGH. Still pretty frustrated with their relationship. They're both in very difficult positions, both on the level as a man and a woman and as King and court lady. I selfishly really just want her to hug him and tell him she cares about him too and he's not so painfully alone in the world.


Epsiode 16 & 17:
Oh. My. Tears. What a heart-breaking, gorgeous, beautiful, punch in the gut.
I love the ending so much. I love the subtle and nuanced cinematography that captured so elegantly the "prison walls" that framed so many of our characters throughout. I loved that Yi San stripped away and laid himself bare for Deok Im and that she *finally* openly acknowledged her love (and without saying it still) for him. I loved that they ended up together and both willingly chose the other in the end. If I'm not making much sense atm, it's because I'm still typing through my tears.

Can't recommend this drama enough, and I'm so happy our beloved cast and crew received the proper attention and accolades that were well deserved.

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Huge fan of the main cast -holy hotness Kim Jae-Wook!

I avoided this series for a long time because I kept reading how "bubbly" and "fluffy" it was, but I warmed up to it realllllly quickly. It was interesting watching Kim Jae-Wook in a romantic comedy because he has such a dark countenance (broody and handsome!) and I just came from watching him in the horror series, The Guest. Still, he did wonderfully and I was 2nd hand embarrassed for him in the physical acting he had to do (but not in a cringy bad way).

The real stand-out for me in the entire series though was DEFINITELY Kim Sun-Young.
She was *so hysterical* and stole every single scene she was in. I just watched her play a gruff, sarcastic, hard-working police detective in The Guardians, so it was a huge change in her role that left me gasping with laughter.

If you have doubts about watching this show, I'd definitely recommend giving it a chance. There are a lot of hysterical scenes that play out, but there is also a healthy romance between two mature adults (which is very refreshing to watch), and a back-story with Jae-Wook's character that squeezes the heart.

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An intimate POV love story; one of my new all-time favorite BLs

Snapshot Impressions of Each Episode: [[SPOILERS!]]

1. The writing is introspective, honest, and beautiful. I like the POV format and the window into Hira's mind.

"I want to keep these near me forever. I've never felt this way before. A cruel and glorious imprint. Beautiful like a spring storm. Overwhelming in its power."

"What a nuisance. Just take your time. I'll wait."

2. I really, really liked this episode. It reminded me of my years in high school when I felt disassociated from those around me, even though they inhabited my space and held my time hostage. Bonus @13:44 when Kiyoi startled the pants off Hira on his bike, LOL. I also thought it was especially poignant when Hira mentally envisioned Kiyoi's expression after having called him a "strange guy" while on the bike, and we as the viewer could see Kiyoi was, in fact, gently smiling. I thought that was beautiful.

"I live here, but I want to go home."

"Because I want to be invisible. When I look through the viewfinder, I feel like I'm cropped out from the rest of the world. No one can bother me. I'm in a place where I can be alone."

"I am yanked again by hope and despair I have no right to feel...."

3. The writing continues to move me. The shifting dynamic between Kiyoi and Hira is mesmerizing. The visual of Hira and the symbolic image of his shadow walking upstairs toward confrontation was * p o w e r f u l *. Finding a voice in action.

"The apex of the pyramid began to waver and change."

"Ever since childhood, I floated along in filthy water...Thanks to Kiyoi, I want to move forward despite the stagnant air."

"There you go again." - the affection slowly lilting into his voice when he says that now, is really precious.

4. OOf. The time passage. The desperate yearning behind eyes that hadn't met in years. The hurt.
I'm eating every moment; every in-between stolen glance, with eagerness.

"University life is pleasant. I have friends who understand me and yet, so easily and abruptly...like a flash storm. Kiyoi wreaks havoc in my life just as it was starting to come together."

"For several insipid years, all I did was grow up."

5. Oh. my. goodness. The sudden switch to Kiyoi's POV. To be able to see behind those pensive eyes. It was thrilling.
I've always known there was a level of complexity behind his throwaway barbs and indecisive micro-expressions. He is a man. Thinking and feeling and deserving of the right to own his emotions, like anyone else. He is not just a face to be idolized and doted on. His vulnerability, insecurity, and heart-rendering yearning were indescribably beautiful. All this time he's been more than the face Hira has relentlessly stared at. The miscommunication between their unspoken words is truly heartbreaking, especially because their souls and thoughts are more in synch than either of them realize.

"I want to be stared at with those eyes again. My heart pounds with that hope...I didn't know what that feeling was called. I love you."

"I wanted to know the feelings behind the look in his eyes."

"There's no best way to describe my relationship with him. But...because of Hira, I want to move forward despite the stagnant air."

"I want to see him again. I never want to see him again."

6. It's hard to put this final episode into words. A whole different side comes out of Hira when he's with Kiyoi in these later years; it's sensual and almost preying in its intensity and I admittedly watched the finger scene an unhealthy amount of times, lol. Even despite Kiyoi's obvious desire to be understood and footed to the ground with Hira, the high pedestal on which Hira has placed Kiyoi keeps them both unobtainable from the other. The climax between them when Kiyoi *f i n a l l y* let out his true feelings gave me total body chills. His voice was so raw and pure and full of pain. It's also unfathomable how sad it is that Hira simply can't imagine being the object of Kiyoi's affection. That Kiyoi is literally screaming out his frustration and his feelings to Hira, but Hira can only assume he's referring to someone else. The bike ride at the end and the synchronicity in which their communication lines up spoke more than additional scenes needed to say (although I admittedly wanted to see more of the lovey-dovey part of their relationship because their chemistry was insannnne). I'm thankful for the way it ended; they make a beautiful couple and the journey it took warrants a happy ending.

"I wish I could spend the rest of my life being the light shining on Kiyoi."

"I don't care if you chase your ideal of me... but leave the real me alone. I don't think you'll ever understand my feelings."

"I'm not the 'King.' Screw you!"

"Makes me wonder why I fell in love with a creepy guy like you."

Overall Takeaway:
This is likely my new, all-time favorite BL. At the very least, my favorite Japanese love story.
We're looking through the viewfinder into their intimate thoughts and insecurities; they're two dots, never overlapping, but always yearning for the other. How they find their way to each other was both heartbreaking and beautiful; the climax burns intensely. I've already rewatched my favorite scenes and each time, I have butterflies and am mesmerized by its beauty.
My only negative is the theme song- it's very...jarring? Loud? Overly peppy? I hope they release a movie version of this series so I don't have to skip through the theme song with each episode because it's always kind of grating. I wish they'd used something more pretty at the end scene with them together and not the theme - it takes me out of an otherwise gorgeous shot.

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Tonal Issues & Poor Ending To an Overall Very Promising Series

*SPOILERS*

TLDR; Overall, as a huge fan of Joo Ji Hoon and Jun Ji Hyun, I enjoyed watching this show but felt like the execution and final episode were lacking.

The initial episodes had some tonal issues that bothered me. At the beginning of one episode, viewers are blasted with hard rock music to energize the rescue scenes of the mountain rangers and show how cool and daring they are. Then, not 10 minutes later, we're hearing eerie and beautifully ethereal Icelandic artist Jonsi playing throughout a slowed-down scene of a failed rescue. I loved the more eerie and instrumental songs that would play during extended reels of the forest and angles of smoke and mist. It added to the tonal portions of the show I liked the most (the supernatural side of it).

I feel like the director couldn't quite figure out if he wanted a procedural mountain rescue/murder-mystery type show or a suspense-supernatural murder-mystery type series and I wish it had meshed a bit better. I was also a little perturbed by the pacing of the series as well. The first quarter of the show is a character dump that I enjoyed, but they didn't give enough backstory to Kang Hyun Jo aside from his past military experience and the visions. Meanwhile, we're shown Seo Yi Kang's relationship with her grandma, her parents, her first love, and her childhood growing up. I was much more curious throughout the series over Kang Hyun Jo (despite being a fan of Seo Yi Kang's character overall and her spirited attitude).

I thought their chemistry as main leads were killer. I really wish the romance thread had been expanded a bit more. Especially during the last half of the series leading up to the accident - their chemistry was electrifying whenever they were near (when she touched his knee and he flirtatiously teased her by touching her hand to "make it even.") It was obvious he cared about her more than as just his Sunbae, and I could tell she felt the same during the 2nd half of the show (or perhaps the last quarter).

The reveal at the end was done well, but not surprising. I could tell he was the culprit as early as when Hyun Jo ran into him in the cave in Black Bridge. I may have even had some suspicion beforehand since I wasn't overly surprised. I liked that our conviction over the culprit was often tested when the show would suggest it could be someone else. I wish the series had spent less time showing extended scenes of the forest canopy and walking sequences of Hyun Jo's ghost walking around, and more time on his waking up/rehab-recovery/reunion with Seo Yi Kang. I kept wishing they'd reunite and the romance would have a chance to breathe before the series end, and instead, we're left with a ridiculously short scene of them reuniting on the mountain without a spoken word between them. I also wanted to see Seo Yi Kang's recovery as well, instead of just randomly getting better. I can understand Hyun Jo's recovery since it was the mountain that kept his spirit in limbo from his body to solve the mystery, but Seo Yi Kang got legitimately injured from her accident- how did she miraculously get cured?

Overall, I looked forward to this series and am happy to have watched it, but it did have some issues that left me still wanting at the end. If anything else, I really enjoyed watching Joo Ji Hoon and Jun Ji Hyun for 16 episodes. They're both beautiful, have strong chemistry, and are great actors. Special shout out as well to Oh Jung Se.

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Gratuitous pretty kisses can't save bad acting and weak story writing

As great as the kisses were, the acting and the storyline are baddddd.

The acting is borderline cringe. Not a single strong actor IMO (from any of the actors playing romantic pairings. Some actors, like Perth and a few others, were fine in their roles). I felt a lot of 2nd hand embarrassment watching the main and secondary actors flirting. After just coming off the Not Me series and being caught up with KinnPorsche, where incredible, structured storylines and strong acting are seen in spades, the disconnect with Cutie Pie is much more glaring.
The BL game is stepping up to astronomical heights, and this just ain't it. The acting reminded me of how cringy TharnType was. Mew and Gulf were beyond cringe in their facial expressions and intonations toward each other; I don't know how anyone could muster through it, let alone their overly problematic sex scenes. Consent, anyone?

The audience is smart - While it may be fun to watch, gratuitous sex scenes/skinship isn't enough to save a series from terrible writing and poor, over-the-top acting. Pass on this series and go turn on KinnPorsche, Not Me, or Bad Buddy instead.

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Wu Lei & Zhao Lusi's best drama. OST, lighting, cinematography, etc.

I haven't been this invested in a 40+ episode cdrama since I watched The Untamed.

Every aspect of this drama is gorgeously done.
Cinematography, lighting, fight scene choreography, acting, instrumental OST, pacing, story - it's all so rich and wonderfully done. I found myself practically frothing at the mouth, waiting for each episode and deep diving into the MDL discussion section with everyone else as we invested our time and emotions into the nuance of each episode.

The cast is perfect. Everyone (especially the Cheng family, Emperor Wen, and Ling Buyi) is perfectly cast. I've been a huge Wu Lei stan for a long time, but this drama is my favorite of his (Crossfire is a close 2nd). Same for Zhao Lusi. The chemistry within the Cheng family between CSS and her brothers and Yang Yang is wonderful to watch; the chemistry between Qiu Fei, Qiu Qi, and Ling Buyi is always a fantastic ice breaker for more somber scenes, Qi Qi and Cheng Song are cute, and Ling Buyi and CSS have a natural and fiery chemistry that I adore. It's difficult for me to describe how perfect this drama is for me eloquently. I wish MDL didn't force the series to be split into two parts so the discussion board and ratings can stay combined because I adore the ravings of all of our LLTG fanatics in one spot, haha.

**Don't get put off by the slower pacing from Ep 1-7. While it might seem painstaking if you're impatient, world-building is meticulously done for a good reason. By the end of Part 1, you're so invested in the story precisely because it took its time explaining the complexity of each character's personality to a point where unspoken glances speak volumes to you because you understand the nuance of each character and backstory so well. It makes the drama and your investment in it that much more meaningful. I also perused the lower ratings listed and couldn't disagree more with their lazy observations. If you went into this drama with the expectation that it's going to be fast-paced - when right off the bat, you could see it's slated for 56 episodes- you're mistaken. This isn't a 10-episode limited drama. This is a series that has to honor a widely popular book that has a *lot* of content to cover, and for anyone to give a crap, the production needs to put in a lot of effort for us to *understand* and *know* the world our characters live in. You're sorely mistaken if you expect to just jump into the deep end for a long, fiery, ridiculous battle. This is a slow burn (and burn, it surely does!).

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Great Chemistry Burdened by Filters-Gone-Wild

The Pros:
- Force and Book have natural chemistry. I'm excited to see them in more work together and separately.
- I'm especially enamored by Force. Visually, he's one of the most attractive Thai (and BL) actors I've seen. He's just got...stunning visuals and very expressive eyes. He's a natural-born actor and I'm really excited to follow his work.
- Lots of cute moments between the two actors as it leads into their confession.
-OST is good.
-The university is stunning.
-I like the concept of the plot
- The kiss scenes. <3

The Cons:
- The plot is too overwrought with unnecessary drama and typical BL tropes to an infuriating degree. ESPECIALLY after watching the GMMTV masterpiece, Not Me, and *knowing* they're fully capable of elevating their content.
- If I have to hear, "I'm your Enchante" one more dang time, Imma throw hands.
- Book is not Brad Pitt, nor is he even more visually appealing (IMO) than Force, so it's hard for me to grasp that a total of 5 men (and evidently the whole school) are immediately pining after him within the first day of school and not a single person acknowledges the absolute stunner that is Akk standing beside him. I literally couldn't take my eyes off Akk the whole time.
- The filter on everyone's face, *especially* Book was incredibly distracting. Book didn't even look real sometimes.
- Too much live singing. Just a personal preference not to take away from the already short episodes with multiple musical numbers. I don't feel like it adds anything to the plot, excluding maybe the final performance of the song Saifa wrote to Theo since it has parallels to Theo's relationship to Akk.
- I felt like the OST dumbed down its viewers a bit. I didn't need pauses in music and heartbeat sounds to know a moment was meant to be sexually or romantically charged. I can easily see it for myself. It didn't really add to the scene, it just eroded my suspension of disbelief because I could just hear the editors saying, "Okay..now this is the part you should get excited about."
- Egg and Im were so cute. I liked the levity they added to their scenes.

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How to lump as many Kdrama tropes as possible

I was excited for this series because I watched a ton of BTS videos on Youtube between Park Eun Bin and Rowoon and they have some of the best chemistry I've seen. They're so cute and so funny together.

The series was a giant hot mess. From start to finish, I began pointing out all of the stereotypical KDRAMA tropes from, "we met while children and became each other 1st love then fatefully reunited later as gorgeous adults", love triangle, female-disguised as male but falls in love with the right hand, etc etc etc. It just felt like the writers wanted to lump in as many tropes as possible while simultaneously stretccccching out the series to an unnecessary 20 episodes.

I liked watching Rowoon and loved that he accepted his sexuality and loved Eun Bin despite full-heartedly believing she was a man, versus Park Bo-Gum's character in Love in the Moonlight falling in love with his eunuch and discovering he was a she BEFORE the kiss scene, which felt a lot like gay-baiting to me because I loved his self-discovery regarding his sexuality too and thought it was a cop-out for viewers to be tricked into thinking he still thought Hong Sam Nom was a man during the kiss scene than in the very next episode revealing he'd seen Sam Nom change her clothes and reveal her true gender before he'd kissed her in the garden.

I couldn't finish this series. I literally skipped through the majority of them after faithfully watching the first 6 episodes. If you want to watch great chemistry, watch their BTS videos online. This series ain't it.

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a mature lens into complicated relationships and real people.

No character in this drama is black and white. They've got layers to peel back, revealing complex reasoning behind outwardly simple acts. Chu Kehuan is a character who immediately drew me in. I was curious about his intentions, his reasoning, and his backstory. He's introduced as an aloof figure who repeatedly imposes his presence on Weiwei with childish pranks and flamboyant flirting, but the realities behind his actions are anything but.

The drama focuses on 3 relationships.

Chu Kehuan & Ziyuan:
One relationship has long detached from its root, swaying in an indifferent, icy cold breeze. Physical affections ended long ago, they sleep in separate rooms, and their interactions are largely transactional as Ziyuan overcompensates his lack of warmth with expensive daily purchases and micromanages every aspect of his life without his consent. It's formidably suffocating, and he subverts his lack of control in his relationship by imposing himself into Weiwei's life over and over. He seems trapped within this loveless relationship because of his obligations to his girlfriend's late mother and perhaps because he doesn't want to hurt Ziyuan. Ziyuan's despair is barely concealed behind disingenuous smiles and eyes that seem always to have a tearful gloss. She convinces herself that their relationship is normal. At the same time, she imposes her controlling behavior on Chu Kehuan "all for his good," and her often delusional behavior is both toxic (to herself and Kehuan) and sad. It gets to a point fairly early where it becomes alarming to witness. She forces herself into his life, disrespects all of his personal and professional boundaries even when he explicitly says no, and she encroaches into his career, his work connections, and even his friendships. It gets to a point where it feels like blackmail for him because her involvement has entangled into his life so intrinsically that his career isn't guaranteed if he leaves her. "Remember, without her; you wouldn't be who you are today."

Wei Wei & Li Haoyi:
The other relationship is also largely transactional. It consists of lists and endless boxes to check without passion or sincerity. Li Haoyi is gentle, dependable, goal-driven, earnest, and p r e d i c t a b l e to a fault. A life of hardship and scrounging for money has burdened him with a carefully curated and budget-driven future. Despite his obvious love for Weiwei, he has blinders on their 65-year retirement plan that prevents him from appreciating her or what they have in the present. He takes Weiwei for granted, even as he's convinced their every step is toward a mutually happy future. In other words, he does not see the forest for the trees. I do pity his naivety, especially because he's not incapable of flexibility; it just takes him *a lot longer* to get to a place where he's willing to modify his carefully laid out plan, and Weiwei is exhausted from his rigidity and lack of spontaneously in their relationship (it's not Saturday!). He prioritizes responsibilities and other aspects of their life, but not their relationship or Weiwei as a partner. I didn't like his character arc near the end. It got a little too....tropey? He went from a fairly reasonable but selfish person to an over-the-top type of evil caricature, and I'm not sure it made sense.

Chu Kehuan & Weiwei:
Chu Kehuans entrance into Weiwei's life has cracked every barely patched-over facade of perfection and normalcy in either relationship. They shake the foundations laid through years of complacency and familiarity. I think it does a disservice to the realities of their situations to say that Chu Kehuan is responsible for being a "home-wrecker" in Weiwei's relationship. Neither relationship has been healthy for a long time, and they use different mechanisms to supplement or substitute the missing elements. Chu Kehuan is self-assured from the start. Every step taken is a set toward Weiwei. Weiwei takes much longer to get there, but she also has much more to lose. I would have liked to see Chu Kehuan emotionally lose it at least once. Tears and not just forlorn stares and wallowing. I would have also liked more of their story after meeting again, although I don't mind the ending and their positive outlook.

The drama takes its time with each relationship. Like, an extraordinaryyyyyy length of time. Nothing is rushed (made me a bit impatient and frustrated at times, especially with Weiwei's denial), but it makes the big turning points more effective and packs a bigger punch when they finally get their moment to land. The sexual tension is undeniable between Weiwei and Chu Kehuan. Still, the changes and growth they enable in each other ultimately catalyze them to face each other (and themselves) honestly and openly.

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Cerebral, exciting, and easily one of the best Cdramas out there.

I don't think I can properly convey how incredible this series was.

It was intense, cerebral, stunningly gorgeous in set and costume design, and viscerally moving.
The OST and strongly emotive ensemble acting catapulted every scene into an experience that made me feel physically there with them. I'm at a loss for words. This series introduced me to a few actors I'd seen but wasn't very familiar with, namely Jackson Yee, Zhou Yi Wei, Zhao Wei, and Lei Jia Yin. All incredible actors with high expectations to meet such masterfully crafted and painstakingly intricate costumes and set pieces. How heartbreaking would it have been to have such a visually beautiful series with flatlining actors? They all met their benchmarks and then some. I want to place extra praise on Zhou Yi Wei, whose charismatic and deeply complex character made me struggle with whether I wanted to root for him or condemn him, despite his crime being so wholeheartedly evil in its scheming. Jackson Yee is so young, yet I felt every emotion behind his nuanced portrayal as Chief Li Bi. I especially liked the last 15 episodes as he tried to hold onto every last thread, even as the world around him continued to unravel. His convictions were steadfast and admirable. I also like the historical backstory between him and the Crown Prince. It was very interesting (and pretty obvious) once you watched the show while aware of how "close" they were. Even the colors that are worn between them (red and green) had symbolic meaning.

I don't think I exhaled for the first 20 episodes. The action, strategy, and choreography between each chase within Chang'an were something I've never seen before. I literally had to stop my husband as he walked by to rewind the scene where Commander Zhang chased the Wolven Squad member riding on horseback with the watchtower's aid so he could watch *how fricken cool* that whole sequence went down. The codes, the foot messengers, the smoke bombs and smoke arrows, the watchtower drums - It was all *so* intimidating and *so* cool to watch unfold. I'm so impressed.

This was easily one of the best CDRAMAS I've ever watched. I watched from start to finish, without skipping through and with bated breath. I can't recommend it enough.

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