Too Long & Draggy and Not Enough Bossam

Completed - 9/6/2022 - 7.75 rating

Picking this drama is because I was interested in Bossam, kidnapping widows (willingly and unwillingly) and trying to remarry them. That sounds like such an interesting plot, right? Unfortunately, there’s not enough bossam in “Bossam: Steal the Fate”. It was fun for the first couple episodes and then it became just like any other historical drama.

I binge-watched the first 10 episodes, and then got bored and put it on hold when things got political and the setting changed from the village to city. Six months later, I tried to watch this drama again and renewed my interests for about 5 episodes. Unfortunately, the pacing of the drama slows down in the last episodes with repetitive political scheming and not enough action. 20 episodes are way too long for the drama.

The first ⅓ of the drama was interesting enough. We see how a princess adapts to life as a fugitive commoner. There are many funny and touching moments. The romance is slow burn slow, but it’s very sweet in its way. It’s not passionate or steamy but perfectly comfortable because of the leads’ statuses and circumstances. The 2ML is persistent and lovesick. He did turn out to be quite a sad character and I feel bad for him. His love for FL never changes but well, he’s the second male lead so we know he won’t get the girl.

Unfortunately, the drama ended on a negative note for me. I’ve seen similar court politics in many dramas before. I don’t think “Bossam: Steal the Fate” did a particularly good job. Despite really good acting, the plot dragged on and couldn’t hold my attention.

I don’t think I will recommend this drama, unless you are fans of the actors. This drama could have been special and unique if there’s a stronger focus on bossam and peasant life and fewer episodes on court politics.

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Another unique Jdorama - The Morning After - Food for Thought.

Completed - 9/4/2022

This is a very interesting drama and quite hard for me to put a rating on it. When I first read the synopsis and saw that it’s rated R, I expect to see a very sexual, episodic drama with a lot of Japanese flair/uniqueness. Well, I was half correct.

“One Night Morning” could be interpreted as the morning after spending the night together. It’s probably fair to say that I thought all couples in this drama had sex the night before, and then had some type of awkward or passionate breakfast the morning after. However, not all the episodes are sexual. But there’s definitely a lot of food shown in this drama.

One thing common with these 8 stories is that we have very lonely people in this drama. The drama tells us stories of these lonely people and how they find comfort in each other either physically or emotionally. One way or another, they spend the night together and then have breakfast together the next day, all very unique to the story told. Sometimes it’s sexual, sometimes it’s pure and cute, and sometimes it’s supporting and encouraging someone to be the best person they can be.

Most of these episodes can be watched out of order, except for Ep 8. That should be saved for last. Even though the episodes are very short, for some reason, a couple of these stories feel long and slow to me. This is quite an uncommon feeling for a Jdorama for me, as they are usually short and fast-paced.

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Some Exciting twists from a pretty common theme of Superpowers

Completed - 9/1/2022

I found my way to “The Gifted” after checking out the filmography of Nanon (Bad Buddy) and Gun (Not Me). With such a high MDL rating of 8.6 at the time of this review and with these two young actors in it, I am easily persuaded to check it out.

Stories about people with special powers aren't anything ground-breaking. The gifts aka potentials of these high school students are OK and we’ve seen them before. However, I am actually more interested in the side effects of some of these superpowers. I find Punn and Mon’s side effects especially creative. “The Gifted” took time in introducing each student’s potential and story. Some stories are more interesting than others and a couple side plots are predictable. I like the episodes on Punn, Mon, Wave, and Mr. Pom the best. And because of this approach in introducing each student, oftentimes, characters disappear for a few episodes. I definitely forgot who Mon was when it was time for her story and had to wonder who the heck she is. And I hope you don’t get too hung up on the twins as they barely got any screen time. I do not think “The Gifted” did a good job in integrating everyone’s storylines in an exciting manner.

The acting of the main male cast is better than the female cast. I was very impressed with Gun in “Not Me” and I should not be surprised to see that he was very good in “The Gifted”. Without giving out spoilers, let’s just say the way his superpower’s side effects manifested made a very deep impression on me due to his acting. I actually wanted to see more. However, the female cast wasn’t as impressive (at least to me). Claire was not a very likable character in the beginning. Jane’s portrayal of Claire was over-the-top (she did tone down in later episodes). On the other hand, Lilly (Namtarn) and Puimetk (Mon) were a little too bland. Additionally, I am not impressed with the acting of the supporting cast or those with minor roles.

My favorite character is probably Wave, especially after we get to know his backstory. He’s quite adorable when he smiles, but we don’t see that often enough. Despite Gun’s acting, his character Punn, was only interesting during his episode. Other times, he’s not that interesting.

Despite some of the drama’s weaknesses, I had a very enjoyable time. The pacing is good and there are some pretty exciting and intense moments. The mid-term exam and the school shut down incident were both highlights for me. I actually wish the drama is longer to flush out some of the stories, since it’s such a big main cast. If I just rate this on the quality of the drama, I’ll probably give this an 8.0. But adding the somewhat surprising enjoyment factor, I am bumping this to a solid 8.5. I look forward to season 2.

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Mature romance of two broken individuals but comedic moments felt out of place

Completed - 7/16/2022 - 8.25

I was in the mood for a melodrama and mature romance, so I decided to pick this up. I am a big fan of romance dramas, but haven't really watched too many about individuals in their 40s and 50s. This is probably the first one, if memory serves me right.

Plot - Two individuals who met over 10 years ago through chance but only ML remembers what happened. They cross path many more times and eventually meet in present day due to an arranged date by their best friends. This drama slowly reveals when and how they met all those years. At present day, they are two broken individuals who had a tragic past. Trying to move past and to live only for today, they fall in love but it wasn't smooth sailing. I was taken back by the comedic moments in the first 10 episodes of the drama. I actually checked the tags to make sure I am watching a melodrama. Are they funny? Yes ,they are especially because of FL's crazy best friend. But they also feel a little out of place when we are already starting to get snippets of their chance encounters and history, and we know the rest of the drama is not going to be fluffy and happy. I also feel that the drama should have been the standard 16 one-hour episode format, or 32 thirty-minute format. It seems too long and dragged a little.

Romance - I enjoy watching our leads meet, fall in love, work out their misunderstandings and eventually love and support each other. They have great chemistry and as FL said, she wants to live in ML's gaze for a little longer. I agree. ML's gaze is not of sexual desire or passion, but of tender, love and care. They have many funny and cute moments together, but the romance is not intense or passionate. In the last part of the drama, it feels comfortable like a calm, flowing river, despite what they are going through. I guess that's the difference when you watch a couple who are in their 40s.

Supporting Cast - Ye Jin Won as FL's best friend won an award for her role here. She is quite funny and crazy in here. She really likes to speak French and do yoga in her roles. Aside from an annoying teenager, no one is too insufferable. At least the teenager's angst did not last for too long and I do understand where she's coming from. But FL's ex-hubby really need to focus more on his wife than his ex-wife. I don't blame his current wife for being jealous. He cheated on FL and has the audacity to show up in her life ALL the time. Actually both he and his wife should mind their own businesses more. Oh, Yang Cha from "Arthdal Chronicles" is the barista! I finally get to see Ki Do Hoon's face clearly without the mask and he's quite handsome.

Ending - Without giving away spoilers, all I can say is that I am happy with the ending. If we remind ourselves that this drama is about two people falling in love, then I think we can understand why it ends this way. I don't need to know if there will be a miracle, just that they are happy and in love.

Despite not having major flaws in this drama, it doesn't touch me as much as I hoped it would. Maybe it's the comedy or the pacing? I enjoy the acting, romance, and complicated pasts, but it's missing something for me to give it a higher rating. Lastly, I am a fan of Paul Kim and I love the theme song. There's just something about his voice that is so unique and lovely.

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Love Park Hae Jin and the Magic Factory - but the drama fails to excite me.

Completed - 6/23/2022 - 8.25 rounding up to 8.5

This is the third Korean fantasy-romance drama that I watched this month after "Tomorrow" and "A Korean Odyssey". And this drama reminded me of them both, yet it falls short in holding my attention and excitement in comparison to "A Korean Odyssey". There have been many dramas about shamanism + historical pasts, but what sets this drama apart is our star magician, Cha Cha Woong. His larger-than-life personality and showmanship, in addition to his little helpers, are the stars of the show. I don't find any major flaws in this drama, yet upon completion, it doesn't give me the gut feeling of rating this higher than 8.25 (B).

It's great to see Park Hae Jin again after his other not-so-great drama "Forest" (though he was super handsome in it). He was absolutely fantastic as Cha Cha Woong. It's hard to be over-the-top, egoistic and arrogant without being unlikeable and annoying. It's no surprise that we will see how CCW evolves into a better human being by the end of the drama. The transformation is natural, though predictable. Park Hae Jin is able to convey quite a wide range of emotions throughout the drama.

The Magic Factory's employees are so fun to watch. I like their love-hate relationship with CCW and their individual stories. I just wish their stories are more developed throughout the 16 episodes, and not confined to the last few. The scenes of Kpop fan General Choi are so funny. I wonder how long Jung Joon Ho practices Aris' dance moves. The behind-the-scene magic shows are the highlights for me and it's unfortunate after wow-ing us in the first couple episodes, we don't see more of them later.

It took me a couple episodes to start liking our female lead, and I don't think it's Jin Ki Joo's acting. I totally did not recognize her as the female lead in "Come and Hug Me". We do see her character mellows out after a strong and in-your-face introduction. I do like a kickass policewoman who can throw you over her shoulders. Her acting is pretty good, but just not at the level of Park Hae Jin.

I enjoyed the chemistry between the leads when they are partners than when they officially get together. The progression from misunderstanding --> unwilling partners --> friends --> falling in love, is natural and done well. Unfortunately, they got together quite late and the episodes of the sweet couple are cringey. There's just not enough time left by then as the drama needs to quickly turn its focus back to the main plot of dealing with the evil spirit.

The historical aspects of the drama was mainly concentrated on one or two episodes with quick dream sequences and flashbacks here and there. I would have liked to see better storytelling of the past to be intertwined with the present-day storyline.

Overall, I can see why many people love this drama. It just fails to move me or excite/surprise me, unfortunately.

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Cute and sweet romance - easy watch but can be predictable

Completed - 6/17/2022

"Meeting You" is another high school to college drama that China does so well. This is a simple, easy, cute and sweet watch and won't give you too much heartaches or annoyance. What's different in this drama is our ML, who battles and lives with social anxiety all his life. However, he's still the typical genius who is handsome and good with everything.

The plot is simple and somewhat predictable, and sometimes this is just what we need. There's no love triangle, no jealous ex, no miscommunication, no annoying or overly dramatic characters. All characters are pretty likable. Half of the drama takes place in high school and we have the common theme of studying for the college entrance exam that is almost present in any high school C-dramas. The second half takes place in college and there's when the leads get together. This is to be expected as high school romance is frowned upon and never fully blossomed anyway.

Wang Peng is perfect for this role as the super friendly and outgoing Xia Rui. The role is quite similar to her role in "When We Were Young", and her acting met my expectations. Sometimes, I find such characters to be annoying, but luckily, I didn't here. Guo Jun Chen is our super shy but somewhat possessive Nan Xi. I think he does a decent job in portraying this role and there are a few scenes when he's really cute, e.g. when he had his first taste of beer. I couldn't help but laugh out loud. The supporting cast is decent and nothing really to write about, except for the child actors. The little girl who plays young Xia Rui, and the little boy (Jonny Zhang,) who plays Xia Rui's stepbrother are both adorable and hilarious. I do not think the drama is dubbed, so the actors use their own voice. I wonder if it was really Johnny's real voice and live recording, because he has some pretty long and fast line, and his delivery is great.

The pacing of the drama is pretty decent. I do think it could be shortened just a tiny bit, as I was getting bored with the repetitive secondary romance. I also think some scenes are edited out, but I am not quite sure. For example, at the end of one episode, the leads are talking about ML's class and dancing. But at the start of the next episode, FL is moving in ML already. There are not talks about it as it's a pretty good deal. There are a few other minor situations like that.

Other Random Observations:
1. The drinks product placement is a little much.
2. I was not expecting the first kiss to happen that way.
3. Wang Peng is definitely more experienced in kissing on camera than Guo Jun Chen (not that the kisses were amazing).
4. A fellow reviewer, Shiro, mentioned that there are many almost/near kisses in this drama. It's totally true. I think I counted 8.
5. No dubbing - all actors own voices.
6. I personally find the ML's monolog in the last episode to be a little cringey, but others might find it romantic.
7. I am glad we don't see any therapy sessions, because I am sure I would hate them.

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Korean BL drama that spends enough time to develop friendships/relationships

Completed - 4/2/2022

Korean BL dramas tend to be pretty short, so I am glad to see that "Light on Me" is a longer one. And because of that, I feel that there's enough time for the drama to really develop the friendships and the love triangle well. The development feels organic and at a good pace. Most of the time, high school or college BL dramas focus so much on cuteness and fluffiness, that the romance develops way too fast and quite forced. "Light on Me" is able to spend time to let Woo Tae Kyung's character develop and really shows us how he grows from an anti-social loner, to one surrounded by close friends and loved ones.

Speaking of Tae Kyung, I am also happy to see a male lead that is not overly innocent and passive, a doormat or pushover. Although Tae Kyung is quiet, he's honest and will fight back. He's not afraid to speak his mind and thus, avoids any type of miscommunication or lack of communication, esp. when it comes to his relationship with Shin Da on. He wears his heart on his sleeves and really left the ball on Da On's court initially. The dynamic between him and Noh Shin Woo is different. He's not the smitten one, but one that holds the power to dictate how the relationship goes.

On the other hand, due to the longer length of the drama, I also would like to see other small subplots. I want to know more about Shin Da On's family and their family dynamics. What really prompted him to strive so hard to be liked and not be a disappointment. I want to see more about Noh Shin Woo's initial feelings towards Tae Kyung. We were only shown a few quick flashbacks of the initial attraction, but I would have loved to see more and know more of his background story. This drama did a good job in providing enough materials for Tae Kyung's character, but I wanted to know more about the other characters in general.

Acting and production quality seem to be decent. I would say Kang Yoo Seok (who plays Noh Shin Woo) might have the best acting performance out of the bunch. But then, I might also be bias as I think he's the most handsome one in this drama as well. LOL. Acting is not cringey but not always natural. They definitely act better with the more outgoing/friendly/fun scenes, than those that are emotional or require subtle facial expressions.

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Skip the movie but watch Noble Aspirations (drama) instead

Completed - 1/8/2022

I watched "Noble Aspirations" 1 & 2 about four months ago, so I still remember the drama well enough. I noticed a movie adaptation and was interested in it. Unfortunately and unsurprisingly, it's really difficult to pack all that happened in the novel and the dramas into a short movie. If you haven't read the book or watch the dramas, you might be confused. The scene changes often from one plot to another. There is just not enough time to develop the characters and their relationships in this drama. Because it's so short, if feel like everything is done half-haphazardly.

The saving grace might be Xiao Zhan's acting. He did well portraying an innocent boy to a vengeful villain. The other actors did fine as well. I am a fan of Li Qin and I like her portrayal of Lu Xue Qi here, and more so than Yang Zi's drama version.

This is Jade Dynasty 1, does it mean there's a Jade Dynasty 2? But since it's been a few years and we haven't seen one yet, it's very likely a new movie will not happen.

I would only recommend you watch this if you are a fan of Xiao Zhan, and you have nothing else to watch. I actually quite enjoy Noble Aspirations and would recommend you watch the drama instead. Here's my review: https://mydramalist.com/profile/voicelesslove/review/171507

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Great leads chemistry, disappointing second half

Completed - 1/3/2022

The second season continues the romance of our main leads, Shu Yi and Shi De, after they graduated from college and are separated for years. They finally meet again, and the leads' chemistry was amazing. I am happy to watch a BL drama that is not about high school students, but a more mature romance.

I wasn't a big fan of Shu Yi's character in the first season, and I didn't think YU's acting was on par with Sam Lin's Shi De. I am happy to say that I really like the more mature Shu Yi. YU did a good job in portraying the hurt and betrayal that Shu Yi is feeling. The internal turmoil of wanting to hate Shi De, but can't help but still feel attracted to him. The more mature Shu Yi is charismatic and gives off a very attractive vibe. He also looks really good in this tight suits.

The main reason I bumped my rating up to a 8.0 is because of Sam Lin's amazing acting at the end of episode 2. How can you not feel the heartbreak, the passion, the longing and all that he has bottled up inside of him in this "sexy" scene with YU. Actually, both YU and Sam Lin were amazing here.

I enjoy the main romance and how they reconcile with each other. Once the initial misunderstanding is cleared, they are both very honest and open with each other. The romance is sizzling and mature at the same time. I do wish to see more kisses and skinship between them. There are so many scenes where I can feel the sexual tension, but it was just a big tease.

On the downside, the other two romance storylines were quite disappointing. The dysfunctional romance between Zhen Xuan and Shou Yi took up a lot of time in the second half in this already very short drama. I was actually hoping they don't get together in the end. And the proposal at the end of the drama felt out of place as well. If I want a proposal, I want Shu Yi and Shi Den's, not someone else.

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Adorable Couple... NOT a sweet and fluffy romantic comedy

Completed - 12/11/2021 - 8.25 rounding up to 8.5

Before watching this drama, I was under the impression that this is a funny romantic comedy. Well, we do have a cute and sweet couple, but the second half of this drama is not light and fluffy. Is it good or bad that the story becomes more serious? That is up to the watcher to decide. Personally, I was looking for something different. I wanted to see Dali's growth and struggles in continuing with the management of the art museum in a more rom-com storytelling.

As a fan of Kim Min Jae (ML), I am glad to see him in a different role. I've liked him since Dr. Romantic 1+2, Flower Crew and especially in Do You Like Brahms? He has great comedic timing in his role as Jin Moo Hak, and I love his embarrassed smiles. I was initially afraid that JMH might be too over-the-top for my taste. But I love his character and his flashy suits. He might seem crude and uneducated, but he's such a smart, funny and caring guy inside.

I've seen Park Gyu Young (FL) in other dramas but she's only in a minor/supporting role. I have yet to watch The Devil Judge and probably won't see her in Sweet Home. I really enjoy her acting as our female lead, Dali. Dali appears shy, reserved and refined but there's so much inner strength inside of her. You can see that little tigress inside of her whenever she is at the police station. The teenage Dali is still there, waiting to come out at the right time. Dali has grown so much from the episode until the last episode.

Our main couple complements each other so well. I really like what Dali said that you should be with someone you love and not someone who is like you. Both of them are smart and actually think about what others said and come up with their own conclusions. They did not get bullied into a corner, whether it's because of business or love. The chemistry is great and they are so cute together(love the kisses as well) We don't see too many of lovey-dovey moments, therefore, I can accept the cheese and cringe when we get them. I also love that Dali, though refined and reserved, is not afraid to take the initiative to show any physical affection, and always catches Moo Hak off guard. You go girl!

As I mentioned, I do not quite enjoy the serious tone of the second half of the drama. I felt that the side story of Dali's cousin + Senator Ahn + Jin Family lasted too long. There isn't enough tension or suspense to keep me entertained, and it wasn't difficult to guess who the big bad wolf is.

However, I wouldn't say I don't like this drama. There's enough to keep me entertained and laughed out loud. Our leads convinced me in giving this a generous 8.5 but I was tempted to give it an 8.0. Dali and Moo Hak have become one of my favorite modern drama couples.

Other Observations:
1. They played the OST quite often, esp. in the first few episodes. The songs are played all the time to get you into the mood.
2. Love ML's amazing suits, thus, they do tone it down a little towards the end of the drama.
3. Most of Dali's dresses are quite unique and nice. But a few of them make her look like an old lady.
4. Why do they always make important phone calls out in the open for anyone to eavesdrop?
5. Definitely no second-lead syndrome here.

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A different kind of e-sport drama; lots of gaming content

Completed - 12/02/2021

I've watched my fair share of e-sports/gaming dramas and The King's Avatar is quite different from Love 020, GGS1, GGS2, Gank Your Heart, Falling Into Your Smile and Cross Fire (I am not counting Love Scenery and You Are My Glory as e-sports dramas). Though it did not surpass my favorite, Cross Fire, it is still a great drama to watch. There is no romance and the focus is on gaming and individual character's growth.

I would recommend this drama if you are a FAN of:

1) E-sports or gaming. Compared to the other esports drama that I've named above, gaming is featured predominantly. You cannot skip the gaming scenes to just focus on Yang Yang and the rest of the cast. If you do that, you would only be watching 20-30% of the drama. The CGI and the gameplay are very well done. I really enjoy the characters having their "faces" in the game. It really helps with distinguishing all the different actors and actresses, as there are many of them in this drama. Though the drama tries to explain the gameplay, I am still a little lost at times and need to rewind and watch certain parts again. I am not a gamer at all, but I do enjoy these dramas.

2) Yang Yang - I suspect the high ratings are partially due to Yang Yang's popularity. I wouldn't say his acting is amazing, but he's quite good in this drama. I just wish it's his own voice because he sounded very different (esp. after I finished watching You Are My Glory not too long ago). I see a different side of him, as his character is not the cool/stoic type as in Love020 or YAMG. He actually has a personality, will joke around and act silly and sarcastic. He should really branch out to more lively roles and not pigeon-holed into the cool and handsome roles. Well, he still looks handsome in casual wear. I also think his character is a little too perfect in this drama.

3) Individual character growth - Most e-sports dramas focus a lot of team building and teammates don't get along with each other. There are still some in this drama, but the majority of the storylines are about personal growth of individual characters. I especially enjoy the story of Qiao YiFang (played by Fang JinWei). He started out as a very shy backup player, and then worked really hard to become a vital part of the team. This is my first drama of Fang JinWei and I really like him. He's adorable but when he cries and I see snot coming out of his nose, I appreciate it :) Each of the team members has their own unique storyline, though not long, but you've seen how far they have come - from first introduced to the last episode.

Other Observations:
1) I also like the friendship and camaraderie of all the team captains. It's great to see even though they are competitors, they are professionals and have an unspoken mutual admiration of each other.
2) Took me a while to get into the personality of FL/Chen Guo (played by Jiang ShuYing).
3) There are a few pretty loud characters who talk non-stop! LOL
4) Are internet cafes really that big and fancy in China?
5) Do esports teams really have so much money that their complexes and dormitories are so grand?

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Good acting, great OST but Average drama

Completed - 11/24/2021 - Rating 7.75 rounding up to 8.0

It's hard not to compare "The Castle in the Sky" Season 2 to Season 1, even though you can watch this as a standalone. Maybe because I watched the first season not too long ago (10/3/2021), so when I am watching Season 2, I have a hard time with not comparing. Here's my review of Season 1 if interested (https://mydramalist.com/profile/voicelesslove/review/168551). I quite like the Novoland universe, I just wish the dramas are better.

What I Like:

1. Acting - I think the overall acting of all the actors and actresses are pretty good here. It's definitely better than Season 1 where a young Zhang Ruo Yun carried that show on his back . Most of the actors here are quite seasoned and have a few dramas under their belt. This is my first time watching our ML, Jeremy Tsui. At first I thought he was Vengo Gao. Even though for about half of the drama, he has this cool, serious teacher look on this face, he really does have very expressive eyes. When he has to act embarrassed or flirty, you can see how his eyes change. . I just finished "Once We Get Married" with Wang Yu Wen (FL) and Wang Zi Qi (2ML). I enjoy their very different roles in the two dramas. I have to say, Wang Zi Qi has improved and he was better in OWGM than here. I realized I've watched several of Daisy Li's dramas (2FL) but don't recognize her at all. Her acting is among the better of the bunch, as she has a more complicated and interesting character than the other leads. The other supporting cast, both younger ones and veteran actors, all did a decent job.

2. Feng Ru Che (FL) - The character development of Ah Che is a big part of this drama. She started out as a street smart and happy 18-year old girl, to become the Queen. I am glad that she's not annoyingly innocent and doesn't lose her intelligence. From street smart to being able to see through lies and schemes, to gaining the wisdom of war and battle strategies, to finally become the rightful queen - she has come a long way. Most importantly, she didn't lose her wits when she falls in love, even though she does need a lot of saving.

3. OST - The drama does play the theme songs quite often, almost every episode. But personally, I really like all the songs. They all complemented the drama well and they are all lovely. I bumped my rating to 8.0 because I enjoy the songs so much. The ending theme song "風雪嘆" is my favorite and they do play this song quite a bit in the drama.

4. ML Comedic moments - though not often and could be out-of-nowhere, I enjoy the few funny scenes of our ML. Whether he's "exercising" before he first met FL in the palace as her teacher, or the fake cough that he does - these are the rare funny moments that break the icy personality of our ML.

5. Costumes - Compared to Season 1, this season definitely has better costumes and accessories. It's not big budget quality, but for a lower budget production, we see many beautiful dresses and headpieces. Everyone looks beautiful and handsome in their battle gears.


What I Don't Like:

1. The Main romance - Personally, I don't feel a lot of chemistry between the leads. They both acted well, but I am just not feeling it. I am also a sucker for ML who would sacrifice and do anything for FL, but this romance is not giving me the feels. I guess my biggest complaint of this romance or even this drama, is the constant push-and-pull between the leads. ML keeps on wanting to leave FL for her own good and so she won't die. I am fine with this. But then, why keep on showing up in front of her again and keep on saving her in crisis? *SPOILER ALERT* Towards the end, why would you wipe out her memory, and then become her teacher again and stay in the palace? You can tell she's falling in love with you again and you see the flower sign, what's the point? Additionally, our ML is always stalking FL either using his magical mirror or by being invisible.

2. Slow Motion scenes - There are just too many slow motion scenes in this drama, like in a rom-com. You can see slow gazes, slow spinning, slow walking/running and worst of all, slow fight scenes. Although there's fighting in this drama, you can't say that it has great choreography. The sword-fighting scenes are passable but I feel that the actresses were having trouble with the fights.

3. They never die - So many characters got beat up badly. Swords and arrows flying through their bodies, bones broken when hitting cement, but they all managed to survive! Magic! There are also some other illogical scenes here and there.


Other Observations:
1. If you watch this drama on YouTube like me, the sound goes out quite often.
2. What is up with the funny-looking, flying big bad villain? Is it a bug? A bee? It looks like a Pokemon.
3. I miss the steampunk elements in Season 1.
4. I think Season 1 has a better general plot.
5. Do they really not want to tell Ah Che why she's left an orphan?

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Watch for the crime investigation but not the romance

Completed 11/7/2021

The title of this drama is quite misleading. It gives off a romantic comedy vibe, but in actuality, it's a crime investigation drama. The drama revolves several crime and murder investigations and how they are woven intricately together into the big crime by the masterminds. I enjoy this type of crime investigation as it usually takes a few episodes to solve one crime. I watched another show before where the investigation is completed in less than 2 episodes and I feel exhausted from the never-ending episodic investigations (looking at you "My roommate is a detective"). However, I might still be a little confused about how the masterminds are behind all the crimes in this drama. I am not sure if it's me, or it's the drama's fault.

I enjoy the story and the development of our two female leads. They are both new interns in the violent crimes investigation unit and have very different strengths and weaknesses. I breathed a sigh of relief when we get a supportive sismance, instead of jealous and hatred between the ladies.

The romance plot is a very small part of the drama. Do not go into the drama wanting great romance. Both main and secondary romances are slow-burn and almost non-existent. *Spoiler* I am not satisfied with the ending of both romances, as the happy endings seem to come from the left field. They are rushed and illogical in a sense. I don't see how a romance that never really blossoms can end with a casual marriage proposal, esp. right after the ML wakes up from a coma. They should have spent more time developing the slow burn romance, or just not give us this proposal.

On a positive note, the acting is pretty good all around. Wang Kai looks really good in a suit and in his police uniform (though he's a little too skinny). He has quite a few action/fight scenes and they look believable. I watch this drama in 2021, it doesn't feel dated. The makeup looks really natural, esp. for the guys who are not covered with white foundation. I love the natural tanned look.

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Above-Average fight scenes + Good acting by Young Cast (before they're famous!)

10/19/2021 - 8.25 rounding up to 8.5

I have not read the novel so this review is solely my take on the drama itself. I am pleasantly surprised that I enjoy this drama more than I thought I would. Being an 55-episode drama, I am prepared to experience a long and draggy storyline. I am actually engaged through about the first 30 or so episodes. At the time of writing this review, I've watched the first 6 episodes of season 2, and I strongly believe that they should have combined both seasons into one, and then cut down an episode or two from each of season 1's arcs. It's quite pointless to split this into 2 seasons, and then have a third season planned.

Acting: It's quite interesting to see all these big stars before they were famous. All of their acting is quite good. This is my first Li Ying Feng drama and he did a pretty good job as the male lead. I really enjoy seeing his character development from a young, innocent, and kind-hearted teenager, to become a loyal, stubborn and noble hero. The only criticism I have is that I don't quite see love in his eyes when he's looking at FL. Other than that, his portrayal of other emotions is good. I've seen quite a couple Zanilia Zhao dramas (Rookie Agent Rouge and Story of Ming Lan). I am not a big fan of hers, but I do think she did a good job in this drama as well. She looked so young and with such a baby face. Similarly, I've also seen a couple Yang Zi's dramas (Ashes of Love and Go Go Squid) and I do not like her characters in these dramas. However, I finally found her likable here and can see why she has so many fans. She looked beautiful and I like her portrayal of this calm, serious and level-headed character, yet still showing her very reserved admiration for ML. For the other two male leads, Cheng Yi and Qin Jun Jie, I am definitely a fan of them and their other works. I already know they can act and they don't disappoint here. Oh, I think Qin Jun Jie ages like fine wine :)

Martial Arts/Fight scenes: A big reason for me wanting to watch this drama is because of the fight scenes. I continue to search for dramas who will give me great fights with no slow-motion, spinning/twirling, and actors who couldn't hold a sword steadily. I would say I am quite satisfied with the fight scenes in the first half of the drama, esp. when the leads are still students. Even though there are quite a few zoomed out fight scenes and you know those were body doubles and stunt(wo)men, the overall visuals and choreography are good. However, in the second half, the use of magic and CGI increases and the actual fight scenes diminish. We got a few more good fighting towards the end of the drama. Overall, I personally think this drama has above-average fight scenes and it's a big reason I bumped my rating from an 8.0 to 8.5.

Plot/Characters: I enjoy the general plot of the drama and the different storylines. I do think that some of the arcs could be shortened. But there are enough action and events going on to keep be engaged through the first 30 episodes. I do feel that the drama slows down around episodes 30-40. I am also happy to see that our male leads, Xiao Fan and Jing Yu, continue to have this great friendship throughout the drama. Often times, you have one brother turns into an evil character. I am relieved to see them both continue to be the persons that they were as kids, and the bromance/friendship continues on when they are adults. I am also happy to see strong female characters who could fight and might be better fighters than the male characters. There's enough self-sacrifice and saving each other in this drama that I wouldn't characterize the female characters as damsels in distress. They do seem to be strong and intelligent throughout the drama.

Romance: Our main leads have a Romeo & Juliet-type romance. Even though I enjoy their scenes together and all the hardships that they go through, I only find their chemistry OK for the majority of the drama. As mentioned earlier, I am not feeling the love from Li Ying Feng. I expect more emotions if you are Romeo. I would say the turning point would be in ep. 52 when Xiao Fan heartbreakingly confesses to Bi Yao. That scene is when I can feel that chemistry. However, in the last 10 episodes, the romance seems to be running in circles - ML not wanting to see FL, FL went to see him and asked him to leave with her, ML said no - repeat a few times. The secondary romance between Jing Yu and Jin Ping Er is even weaker. There aren't enough scenes between them, and they don't have that many alone time together. I don't find it believable that Jin Ping Er would fall in love with Jing Yu. There's not enough buildup and it's not a love at first sight. There are also quite a few unrequited loves in this drama and they are decently portrayed.

CGI/Music - I have very low expectations coming into this drama regarding CGI and special effects. For a 2016 C-drama, it's decent. I laughed out loud at the appearance of a weird and slippery-looking snake though. This also might be the first drama that I've enjoyed the background music more than the songs themselves. The songs aren't that memorable but the BGM complements the different scenes appropriately.

Other observations:
1) The guy with the dice as a magical weapon is quite funny, esp. in fight scenes
2) A grown-up Jackson Yee is more handsome than a teenage Jackson Yee :)
3) What is up with the medicine product placement?!?
4) Weird directing where actors just stand there and stare at each other for 5 seconds before speaking - forcing the viewers to feel the attraction?

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Japanese traditions and beautiful desserts

10/16/2021

I saw that this drama would be leaving Amazon Prime Video in a few days, so I decided to not hesitate anymore and watch it. It's a relatively short drama, even by Japanese standards. Compared to "Watashitachi wa Douka Shiteiru", this drama focuses on romance and choosing your own paths, instead of a thriller/mystery/romance. "Kyoto Love Story" is lighter and also not as good at "Watashitachi wa Douka Shiteiru".

I enjoyed the first half of this drama more than the second half. The pace of the second half got slower and I felt like the plot was going in circles. The banter between the main leads was quite good, and it's a good development of the romance. However, once we approached the second half and FL confessed her feelings, it went downhill. I got annoyed with the ML and his reason for not reciprocating FL's feelings. The second romance is even worse. I want to punch the 2ML in the face. He's such an annoying jerk. I don't feel the chemistry of the secondary couple and I really can't tell if they do truly love each other. I don't know what is up with the male characters being so wishy washy and not straightforward. The female leads are honest about their feelings, but the male counterparts just evade the questions. The little sister's romance seems like an afterthought. It could have been better but screen time was limited.

The main positives of this drama are the beautiful sights of traditional Japanese desserts, the different kimonos worn (though they're not as exquisite as those I've seen in other dramas), and learning about Japanese culture. It's great to see temple and scenery shots in Kyoto. Aside from the 2ML, I enjoy the acting of the main cast.

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