Reviews

transmigration on a time crunch

A lovely little transmigration story - on a budget! While watching the show it is obvious it is not a big scale production but it is still really well made. The female lead is lovely, smart and actually funny which I enjoyed. She showed understanding to make it believable she was from the present but nothing too over the top like other transmigration stories have done which I liked. The couple is really affectionate with each other when they get together, there is plenty of skinship as well which I am really glad about! OST is really nice and enjoyable, Hua Ni's outfits are so lovely and I LOVED her hair pieces!

Although the ending is unpleasant for many, I do understand why she was brought back to the present and how it turned out she was "dreaming" it all. I understand the ending is because straight up time travel in shows is not allowed anymore (reason why Story of Kunning Palace had a story within a book kind of ending).

Now when it comes to understanding it: At the beginning of the series it is implied that she goes into the book she is reading and she turns from that book at the end. The show depicts it that she simply hit her head hard and dreamt that up in the time she was passed out but the bracelet and the flower shows us that she truly did go back in time. They love each other but can't be together per the time difference, a a la Moon Lovers Scarlet Heart Ryo - style.

All in all, I'm not mad at it because everything else hit the mark for me. I say give it a shot !!

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I don't understand the negativity

True it has several minor plot holes but if you think a little bit, everything becomes understandable. It had a little awkwardness and stiffness throughout the drama which I believe would be something to do with budget or production but it was okay. It has a refreshing storyline. People shouldn't ignore the fantasy tag in the description. True it has an out of this world type of fantasy. But its a cute story. If you are looking for some breathing space in kdrama world or looking for a light fluffy story, this is good. It does have some villainy and annoying characters tho. Quite refreshing.

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Frustrating to watch. Problematic characters. Toxic FL.

The character design is quite problematic. I'm really struggling to understand the FL's mother and brother.

----------Mother----------
Regarding the mother, she's been blaming the FL for her own negligence in supervising her small children, which resulted in a serious accident when the FL was just 10 years old. It's absurd how she continues to openly blame a child for 20 years when it's obvious that the adult should take responsibility. She doesn't just do this in their personal life, but also in their work life, going as far as finding reasons to sue her own daughter, which could harm their family company that's publicly traded on the stock market. And all of this is happening right under the noses of the FL's grandfather and father, who are much more rational and surely wouldn't want their corporation's reputation tarnished. The whole situation is just so unrealistic and absurd.

----------Brother----------
As for the brother, it's unbelievable. His wife deceives him into marriage and even has a child with another man while they're married. Then she flees away with money of her husband's family, only to return after being abused by her child's biological father. Despite all this, the brother unquestionably welcomes her back with open arms, and still loves her illegitimate child as if the child is his own. It's like he lacks any capacity for learning or judgment. It's hard to trust someone like him to run a company at an executive level, yet he holds a high-ranking position in their publicly listed company. How is that even possible?

----------Female Lead----------
And don't even get me started on the FL herself. She gets kidnapped by the villain in a car. And when the ML catches up with them after a violent car chase, succeeding in rescuing her while he's injured, she complies with the villain's gaslighting to say that she voluntarily follows the villain, then she willingly gets back into the villain's car to be kidnapped again. The reason the villain gives her is that if she doesn't go along, the ML will realize her illness is worsening, causing her to mistake the villain for the ML. But later on, the ML still has to break into the house where the FL is being held captive to rescue her once more, and she still has to tell the ML the truth in the end. It's infuriating how easily she falls for such manipulation, especially considering the ML already knows about her illness and its progression.

----------Toxic love----------
Let me address the ML's love for the FL as my last point. I find his renewed affection for her perplexing. While his initial love before their marriage is understandable, I fail to comprehend how he could still love her after enduring a toxic relationship. Despite their troubled history, she continues to resist cooperation, vilify him, withhold her true feelings, and maintain emotional distance. It appears to be a very one-sided effort, devoid of reciprocity. His affection seems solely driven by blind devotion, without any tangible reason or justification. Their past history of love before marriage doesn't seem to influence his current feelings, and the FL's behavior offers little to warrant his continued love. In essence, it feels like he is merely serving her as a servant of love. Such a dynamic doesn't foster a genuine and sustainable relationship in real life, though.

The story's irrational elements are so frustrating to watch. I keep going with it until the end because I'm a fan of the lead actors. However, while the FL's acting is passable, it still comes across as quite stiff to me. I've seen her in 3 series, including 'Descendants of the Sun' and 'Fight for My Way,' and her acting seems to be consistently one-dimensional, and not even the best version of the character she's portraying.

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A well-written mix of happiness, angst, sorrow, joy and excitement portrayed magically!

I once dropped this show after watching 3 episodes. They were too deep and sad for my mental state back then and I decided to stop. But I'm just so glad, months later, I gave this show another go. Best decision ever! This has to be one of my favourite shows. This show has made me wanting a WFH set-up in a beautiful airbnb in a peaceful environment so much!

What I like the most about this show is that ALL the leads have a brilliant background and story. Yes, you heard it right. You do not feel any imbalance in how they handle the multiple characters. Enough and more time is spent on the struggles, achievements and daily life of all the characters instead of being focused on only Hong Dou and Zhi Yao.

I also like how they've shown a broken yet extremely independent and sensible woman in the form of Hong Dou. She prioritises her mental health, is willing to work on herself when things are not right but overcomes it all (with the help of our wonderful characters) to get back on her feet. She does not let others guide her future and is a force to reckon with. Whether it be her family, or love, nothing gets in the way of her dreams, and that is just aspirational. What is even more amazing about this is that she does all of this without stepping on others, she considers everyone's feelings, acknowledges them and talks it out peacefully, commendable!

I also like the character of Chairman Xie. He is a self-aware and brilliant guy who knows exactly what he wants and gives his all to achieve the same. Although his character is too good to be true and very philanthropist-y for my liking, kudos to him for being like that and staying at it throughout the show. His commitment to his goal and community is commendable and it makes me look out for my own Chairman Xie.

My favourite characters though have to be of Na Na and Da Mai. They have developed beautifully over the show, given their best performances and worked magic on the screen. The bond between the two is also magical and something I aspire for. But having said that, all the actors including the village aunties and uncles, have brilliantly depicted their roles and the acting in this show is very top-notch by everyone.

What amazes me to this date is just how calm, composed and peaceful Xu Hong Dou sounds. The tranquility that sets whenever she's talking is no joke. So gentle and so sweet. It's like she could say 1000 mean things to me, and I would still be focused only on just how tranquil and gentle she sounds. I've never heard any actor portray a character like that and usually I find it very annoying but Hong Dou's tone matched the entire show and it's concept so well that it was a brilliant touch!

What I didn't like about the show is the little Chinese propaganda flowing throughout, but personally, I've learnt to overcome the same after having watched countless Chinese shows. At some point it also feels like a tourism documentary but I don't find any problem with that because the show has otherwise delivered on every single front so what's the problem with a little advertisement. I've been to Yunnan, Kunming and Dali and hands down the beauty of these places needs to be shared with everyone.

If you're looking for a feel-good, deep, and absolutely BRILLIANT show, then don't think twice. THIS IS IT. I can't recommend this show enough to everyone. What an amazing 35 hours of my life. Cheers! ?

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A drama that you shouldn't miss

I usually stay away from dramas that has more than 30 episodes but I'm glad that I tried watching it because once I started I just couldn't stop.

The FL & ML are smart, selfless and patriotic. Their love and trust for each other are unmatchable. I love how they are sorrounded with family & friends that share the same value as them.

I hate how smart the villain is just as the ML in this drama. It's like the ML & the villain shares the same brain but just have different values. The other is evil and the other is righteous who puts the country & people above all but it makes the drama more interesting and somehow unpredictable not knowing how the issues can be reversed.

I also love how I, as the viewer we're able to watch all the characters grow despite going through so much predicaments and near death situations. All of the good and relevant characters will grow on you as you watch them transform from young, free and idle individuals to outstanding heroes.

Story wise, it was well written. There were no unnecessary filler scenes. I didn't feel the need to skip or fast foward to other scenes despite having 40 episodes with at least 40mins duration. The story shows patriotism and how the characters navigate their way into overturning situations despite the villain's plans and hindrance. However, I feel like that the villain's story should have been discussed more because somehow his reason for revenge was not heavy enough compared to the efforts and the level of chaos he brought to everyones lives. He should have been given a heavier backstory so the viewers can understand his reasons well.

Characters- I love the ML so much! He played his role well and manage to give life to the character. The FL was okay but I think someone can play the role better than her. I feel like she wasn't able to fully embody the character the way the ML did.

Music - It was okay. I heard better music and ost from other dramas. Whenever I like the music used in dramas I always try to find it on spotify and add on my playlist. The songs on this drama didn't make the cut. It was just a regular song for me, nothing special.

Wardrobe - I notice that they only use few costumes on this drama and almost use the same clothes but I don't mind as the story are great and you won't really have the time to focus on it as you will be engrosed to the story.

I highly highly recommend this drama.

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one of the best c-series for me

Where do I begin?… I was able to finish this in a day technically, started it mid day and ended it today around past 1 pm.

In my opinion, this has got to be my most favorite c-series, from lost you forever, this has became my number 1 c-drama.

I was so immersed in this, FL I love her from back to the brink but not in everyone loves me, she’s was excellent here. She had so much chemistry with all the cast tbh.

a whirl wind of emotions indeed, This series made me laugh, cry, mad, happy, touched etc. countelsss times. I have nothing but praises but of crouse there’s room for improvement, I hoped they added more episodes I kept wanting to know more about certain situations, but over all this is such a beautiful series… it’s not shallow, but it’s truly remarkable and enjoyable, you’ll get a lot of hope, realizations, and lessons.

I love it so muchhhhu!!!!

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A consistent drama

Doctor Slump has a good start focusing on what hustle culture and burnout does to the mental health of a professional who is used to be outstanding and has found a wall they can't pass by. I found this storyline, regarding Park Shin Hye's character, the most engaging and I think she delivered a really solid portrayal of a person living with a depression diagnosis and going totally under the radar. We usually wonder how people get to a certain point in life and if her character hadn't been able to ask for help, one would have to wonder if her story might have been different.

On the other hand, Park Hyun Shik's character takes a more conventional arc that we are used to see in this kind of dramas: the hot shot doctor who finds himself abandoned by everyone, except this story finds way to give us glimpses at this life and how utterly lonely it has been. Almost alienated and finding a difficult time to make real connections. His downfall, I think, it's a blessing in disguise because he finds himself with the possibility of exploring other ways to form lasting relationships.

The two main characters are the perfect fold of each other and their arc together it's very endearing to watch. Going from childhood rivals, to comrades in sadness, friends and finally falling in love with each other. They have seen themselves and the other in their worst and find a way to hold up each other, only like a true friend can. And that's why they are so darn cute to watch.

There are other characters dealing with certain social status and mental health issues but theirs are never properly developed until the last minute, which is a shame because it would have given one particular character a much more nuanced story.

This is when I have to admit the story fizzles a little when it moves away from its original premise and goes into other genres that, sure, made for an interesting watch but ultimately fell flat.

Nevertheless, Doctor Slump manages to maintain the viewer entertained for its entire run thanks to the great chemistry between all the characters.

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A Revenge Plot With Twists & Turns

Wei Zhe Ming is back with another historical (after “White Cat Legend, where he had a horrible hairdo and costume). Paired opposite Xu Lu, their chemistry is natural and evergreen, this being their second project after “Hello, I’m at Your Service”. Revenge saga seem to be the latest trend in Chinese dramas these days, so is face swapping (because obviously Plastic Surgery didn’t exist in that era and yet this storyline is entirely possible). There are quite a few reductant themes like- stepmother & stepsister torture & betrayal, found family love and hidden identity crisis. Everything has been tightly bundled together in a story line with an ensemble casting that is a major characteristic of most Chinese historicals. Lets suss out the details as we talk about this show!

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/05/03/lady-revenger-returns-from-the-fire-first-impressions/#more-787

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Love the leads together. Had a great chemistry.

I liked the drama despite what people say about it. The plot is the same as What's Wrong with Secretary Kim & A Business Proposal, but the chemistry between the leads & other cast members is great. You should give it a try if you're a fan of leads.

Love the dynamic between Gu Won & Cheon Sa Rang. They’ve great chemistry. Love their bickering

Cheon Sa Rang is a confident, talented, fast learner, a hard worker, because of which she is able to impress everyone.

Gu Won is straightforward, a man of few words. The good thing about him is he isn't narcissistic, which most rich male leads are in K & C dramas. He is mature, understanding.

Gu Won & Cheon Sa Rang first interaction in his bathroom, then in the party where Cheon Sa Rang hid her face behind a flower bouquet.

The person who says that you’re not my type always ends up with that same person.

Love Gu Won & No Sang Sik relationship.

It’s cute how much Gu Won was worried about Cheon Sa Rang because she went on a business trip.

Gu Won hates fake smiles, but it’s the same thing that made him fall for Cheon Sa Rang.

I loved how, despite all the struggle, Gu Won went to the mountains to save Cheon Sa Rang. Then stayed with her all night.

Laughed so much at Gu Won & Arab Price argument.

Gu Won looked so cute with stuffed eggs in his mouth.

Laughed so hard seeing Gu Won & Cheon Sa Rang friends reaction when they saw them kissing & their mortified faces. Cheon Sa Rang's friend's reactions after knowing Gu Won’s true identity.

The scene where Cheon Sa Rang was shocked at seeing Gu Won's abs, reminded me the BTS of this scene.

I watched What's Wrong with Secretary Kim, A Business Proposal & King the Land back to back. 3 dramas have a similar plot romance between the CEO & Employee. What shines in these 3 dramas is lead chemistry. Someone may like 3 dramas, someone may hate all 3 or someone may like 2. I liked A Business Proposal & King the Land more than What's Wrong with Secretary Kim, I know people will be shocked to know that I didn't like What's Wrong with Secretary Kim that much. Honestly, the side character of What's Wrong with Secretary Kim was annoying to me.

These 3 dramas have one thing in common which is all 3 ML have PTSD.

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Surprisingly Enjoyable

The summary on the site for this series doesn't do it enough justice. If it weren't for the fact that there are some rare series out there with more intricate and complex plots, I would have given this a higher rating. There really isn't anything negative to point out: the actors were charismatic, the story flow was done well, the action scenes were good, and despite some supernatural aspects, nothing was under or overdone.

The first arc gave a slight undertone of The Addams Family or maybe The Nightmare Before Christmas in the sense of the darker undertone and the protagonists having interesting relationship developments. Nothing was romanticized, which was a breath of fresh air. Because of this, I never felt the need to time-skip at all for the entire 36 episodes. Unlike the summary where it references one particular arc, there are actually multiple mysteries involved that are relatively standalone (where it isn't being forced into being related to the overall plot). This is what really kept the series interesting without the feeling of it being dragged on.

For those who enjoy watching supernatural elements along with case solving as I do, this one is highly recommended. Unlike other series that have a great synopsis and deceivingly high ratings (per my biased opinions/tastes of course) but end up disappointing with a major flaw or more, this one exceeded expectations. Note that despite some darker undertones of the mysteries, it is balanced with comradery and fun. I'm looking forward to season two.

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August

Zhang Zhehan lost his name in the storm in August 2021, and had all traces of his existence and all his achievements wiped away, so he decided to hit the road again and find himself. Doesn't he have anger and grievance? Doesn't he have fear and anxiety? I think it's all there. In the narration, he confessed the hurt he had suffered, his career was wiped out, he was afraid to go out, and it was difficult to introduce his name to others. But he did not vent or try to express his emotions to the audience. He just told the audience sincerely and frankly: what I have experienced. A cycling documentary, the process of seeing the world, all sentient beings, and yourself! Brave, touching, healing and heart-warming documentary! The Tibet Cycling Trip "August" documentary is not just a scenery film, not just a cycling film, it is about a little boy who always lives in his heart and grows up to become a man, to find himself and his own name. Find a good night's sleep, find inner peace, find the little boy you once were, and find the way forward.

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Fun

This is not a historical drama. This is a drama set in a historical period while applying modern concepts of female empowerment, which will never work in ancient China. Take this drama for what it is - entertainment, not an accurate representation of history.

The acting and chemistry between the characters was great. The relationship between Yin Zheng and Li Wei was endearing, wholesome, and an absolute pleasure to watch. This has got to be one of the healthiest relationships between couples I've seen in Asian drama. They were the whole package - mutual respect, understanding, devotion, and love. Yin Zheng was unspoiled and dutiful. Li Wei was optimistic and loving. Even the side characters were fun.

The only minus is that the drama did not really have a coherent plot. I guess the central idea was the relationship between ML and FL, except most of the story centered around female characters and sisterhood. At the beginning ML and FL met and started liking each other. Then the story switched to female characters, making the romance kind of a side story. And, towards the end, the story switched back to the relationship between ML and FL. Some character wholly disappeared after they reached a certain milestone. Song Wu was completely written off after she got marred, even though she was a constant semi-annoying character at the beginning. The same was with the second prince after he was exiled. It seemed the writers were not too focused on conflict. Nevertheless, the drama had a pretty good pacing, character development, and wholesome relationships. This is one of those rare stories were women do not undermine and betray each other for men and power, but instead, help and uplift each other.

If you are looking for a feel-good story without a deep plot, this is it.

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Literally became the Queen of Tears watching this.

I don't think I've ever cried this much watching a k-drama.

I give it a solid 8. My thoughts are all over the place but will just use bulletpoints.

- Great cast and acting from all characters!
- Top-notch pairing KimxKim couple!
- OST is on repeat as we speak!
- Story/plot was there but felt like it was lost near the last few eps, so it felt rushed and seemed like it just needed to end and tie it all in somehow.
- EunSeong was unbearable, like boyyyy that's not love, that's obsession but didn't care much for the villains tbh.
- I would have loved to see a "what went wrong in our marriage" conversation between the leads. eg. the miscarriage pain T_T
- Why didn't HI see/watch HW pre-recorded video??? would have loved to cry some more.
- The final ep where they show they grew old and HI died first of old age was nice but I needed more, like the life before they grew old, maybe HI remembering more memory here and there not just a quick scene of them with their kid.
- I did like the auntie at first but she got a bit too much and did not need to have that many scenes esp for the final ep.
- May rewatch but only if I wanna cry or watch their sweet/funny scenes.
- Will pay to see eps about their pre-marriage hehe

Random fact: I didn't see them, but I was in Berlin last year July, just crazy to think they were also there filming! Would have loved to see them!!

Soooo, what do I watch now.... T_T BRB just gonna scroll Tiktok for more behind the scenes and fan edits.

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Acting And Story

I really like this series it was full of emotions, but the acting was kind...I mean not bad nor good I guess you say normal and you can't compered to Boku no Ita Jikan (So much better than this series) I like the story I recommended
and the ending was perfect
I just hope they have more time between the FL and ML kind sad
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a promising premise wrapped in brutality

this show would be great if it weren't for the egregious and unrepentant police brutality. half of the cast is the one doling out the violence, and the other half happily defends the violence and remains friends with the perpetrators.

you might, like me, hope that they will learn through taejoo that violence is not the answer, that they are violating people's human rights, and doing way more harm than good. this seems to be the obvious arc from the first episode, as taejoo is introduced as a whistleblower for police violence/incompetence, and won't let someone go to prison with tampered-with/false evidence. that is an extremely likeable character. and yet, instead taejoo learns that sometimes, beating people into confessing (a method that does not work, there's a reason you cannot use confessions gained from torture) and creating false evidence is necessary. even the most reprehensible character, the asshole cop who's name i can't even remember because i hated him so much, who perpetuates rape culture, wouldn't help a woman being stalked if the others hadn't forced him, and nearly kills a man from "interrogating him" is one we are supposed to see as "the good guy". he's supposed to be a likeable rapscallion because at least he gets the job done. this is not background violence, or an uncritical portrayal of the police - when given the option of how to portray this violence, they explicitly defend it and double down on it each and every time.

because i have a brain, i can watch a drama that has cops beating people up, or intentionally disregarding proper procedure; most cop dramas (even asian dramas) contain these things, it's part and parcel of being a cop drama and being copaganda. it's in the cops' best interest for you to think that them having to do things legally is impeding "justice". but in those dramas i can think critically and understand that that is wrong, and not root for those characters, and most of the time it isn't the point of the drama. in fact, cop dramas are one of my favourite genres. i loved signal, and hoped this show would be similar!

but even thinking critically with this drama, and acknowledging the biases it is predisposed to have, i cannot defend it nor enjoy it. having watched all the episodes, none of which were aided by the egregious (and often-times comical) violence done by the police in every single episode, there's no conclusion to come to other than that this is the message we are intended to come away with - police have to beat people, and fake evidence, and torture people, because otherwise 'bad people' would be on the streets. bad people hurt people and deserve to be in prison no matter what it takes, and their human rights get in the way of that. but when a cop hurts someone, it's good, because they're a cop, and the bad people need to end up in prison.

i could talk about how i liked the characters, and the acting, but there's no character on earth that would let me look past such horrible violence and messaging, and i don't think this show really deserves the praise.

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