Familiar formula but still enjoyable

Once you’ve watched many dramas like this, it is hard to be surprised by the storyline as most of them follow the same pattern (unexpected meeting, grow to fall in love, have to part, death which leads the other one to forget their principles, back to life, overcome evil) but this drama added it’s own spin on this pattern with an interesting though hard-to- believe* opening where the FL injures herself while fleeing an arranged marriage.

Thankfully, this drama is on the new trend to give us happy endings which are not short and even used the last episode to play out a little side story which was enjoyable and let me have my feel good vibes for a whole episode as I loved seeing them live their happy life for a full episode!

The ML carried himself well as the last ancient god but I was struggling to see him he as a sickly mortal. Interesting to see how the drama chose to have a role reversal where the ML is the one who pines after the FL. It was fun to watch the FL being more matter-of-fact and let’s move on after having sex but it was a bit of out character for the ML to suddenly be so clingy & willing to throw caution to the wind when he was shown to be such a strong selfless character who put the 3 realms above his own interests during the first half of the drama.

As long as I turned off all these questions that kept popping up in my head, I was entertained with the above average CGI and sweet love story between the FL’s parents (I saw that coming a mile away so was just waiting to see how that part of the story would unfold and this drama delivered nicely)

*hard to believe on so many levels as the FL is shown to be the best fighter so how can she be so badly injured that she loses her human form. Also, she has a good relationship with her master so why were they not able to discuss the marriage alliance the same way they talked about other important issues? Didn’t really make much sense to send all the generals & soldiers to hunt her down and bring her back for the marriage as she can easily just not go through with the wedding by saying no in person during the wedding. Unfortunately, most dramas have this problem where logic is usually the first to go as long as it moves the story along in a nice way.

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But a shadow of Ten Miles of Peach Blossom

Immortals, demons, gods and nine-tail foxes are the common ingredients of this fantasy drama and Ten Miles of Peach Blossom but it falters in all aspects.

The most glaring one for me was the inconsistent CGI - some looked good while others looked childish. So important to get this right to be able to immerse yourselves in this fantasy setting. Thankfully, most of the wire work was smooth so the illusion of flying and landing and clothes flowing the right way was better than most dramas of this genre.

Dresses were beautiful and flowy but unfortunately too much dangly bits in the hair and some looking very plasticky. TMOPB is still tops for me to this day for this aspect.

Story was average with the usual misunderstandings to drive separation and evil thoughts. If you let yourselves use logic too much, you’ll end up raising your eyebrows at immortals using a toilet, walking or flying when they could teleport and much much more.

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A journey that started well, took a detour and ended with…

… rain and a mirage.

Despite knowing that the last few episodes will be rushed and unexpected, I wanted to watch this as many have raved about how good the first 3/4 of the drama is. With each episode I enjoyed, my heart filled with dread to think how bad it could get towards the end… Thank goodness, it wasn’t as bad as I had expected.

The first 20 episodes were promising - good story which was beautifully shot, nicely paced and well edited. Then in the last quarter, the story unfolded very quickly with many things happening without much explanation so you were forced to accept things as they were (when the story revolved around the betrayal in Wu).

A romance that is realistic and grown up from the way they are attracted to each other to the way they express it to each other and sadly, to the way they contemplate if their different needs will make them happy to be together. Kisses are few but so much more meaningful than Wonderland of Love. The romance atmosphere sizzles instead with beautifully captured looks and embraces. Past the halfway mark, the romantic moments got a bit draggy and forced.

Humour done right with just enough to lighten the atmosphere and not over the top like My Journey To You. It is woven into the story naturally and does not just focus on one character being the court jester of the drama. While most of it comes from the self proclaimed expert on women which he plays very well, I also laughed out loud when the princess went from suicidal to talking about sweet and sour flavoured poison. I also loved the humorous sign language moments which are not usually found in dramas.

Acting was top notch. Both the ML and FL were good together and their chemistry in the beginning episodes were more touching. What I unexpectedly enjoyed were the sparks of love of the other 2 “couples” - very heartfelt and touching. 2 characters which I particularly like are the Princess and the Casanova. Seeing the princess transform realistically from playful and naive to independent and smart was a joy especially how she tried to save herself when she was “left behind” after her brother was rescued. My heart was constantly tugged with the complex Casanova character - the actor brilliantly portrayed his carefree attitude which hid so much deeper emotions within.

The fighting scenes were well choreographed and I enjoyed it despite it being super hero level martial arts as they also showed the leads sustaining injuries from the fight.

I accept what happened to the ML and FL in the end as it flowed well within the story. But the flash forward sequence (more than 10 years later) which vaguely alluded to children that could have been theirs and a dreamlike sequence which happened with a character that doesn't have a strong bond with them did not sit well with me. I would rather see how the princess turned out in the future and let her be the one to reminisce about the heroes.

Random notes:
1. Episode 10 - Crimson Guard received a secret message from a pigeon in the usual 2 inch length cylinder vessel. Next scene shows her unscrolling the message 5 inches long from top to bottom and 7 inches wide…
2. Not sure why all the romantic scenes were ok then for the one at night in the cave, there was the dreaded giant spotlight shining from behind the couples face… and the light came from the cave…

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Scent of Time - a truly apt title

Little hints are dropped throughout the drama and I am so happy to be surprised with the twist during the final episodes. Heartbreaking as it was, it felt so much more real in many senses and so very well grounded when compared to Story of Kunning Palace.

While this drama and SOKP both have a do-over storyline, I was more touched with this storyline and how it was told. Not overly dramatic and more relatable showing the FL as a real person - hair completely down and no make up when sleeping - something SOKP wasn’t good at as they seemed overly focused on giving us a FL and ML to drool over all the time.

The romance between the FL and the various men were very well portrayed and provided just enough angst to keep me watching to find out how the events would unfold.

Some minor things left hanging and I would have liked a longer happy ending but overall, I am surprised by how much more I liked this compared to SOKP. Once the twist is revealed, it’s best not to think too much as certain events doesn’t bear close scrutiny. Bittersweet ending…

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Intriguing story with a touch of romance & passionate kisses!

I liked this unique storyline where the FL goes back in time and tries to undo all her previous mistakes. And for some events, no matter how much she tries to change it, it still happens anyway. But with perseverance, she continues to work against fate and changes the outcome of the people she cares about.

Towards the end, it was no longer about her undoing her past misdeeds so the story fell flat for me. And when the ML and FL started to acknowledge their feelings for each other, it was very stingy on the romance but instead gives us some passionate kisses and even a bedroom scene before marriage.

Overall, it was entertaining if you don’t expect too much. Thankfully, the ending was an happy one.

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Not my Wonderland

Wonderland was too fake for me to buy into their heart-to-heart talks there. And unfortunately, the tear jerker scene there just didn’t do it for me - firstly because the whole wonderland setting looked so artificial and secondly because there were too many flashback scenes. The last few episodes were too draggy.

This drama was really generous with the kissing scenes but unfortunately, some of them felt forced and out of place. Sometimes, all it takes is a hug or a loving peck on the forehead to have a more impactful, romantic atmosphere.

Parts of the story just didn’t sit well with me. A good guy turned bad just because he saw the FL in a romantic moment with the ML and he even tried to kill the man who raised him just to force the FL to be with him. Was he driven insane by his desire for the FL?

This drama likes making people go insane so it also made the FL’s father go mad and his hair turned grey overnight. And how the ML found someone who could do “magic” to cure the FL’s father took this drama away from reality.

And just when you thought the insanity cards were all played out, another character was written to go insane as well.

What I did like were their costumes and fighting scenes. The beginning storyline was interesting as well to see how the FL and ML strategised and tried to one-up the other person. Thankfully, there was a happy ending.

Random note: Is there a product placement advertising in the drama for Tang Confectionery? The way they kept talking about it and all the dried fruit and nut made it look like it was an advertisement…

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Rollercoaster Family Relations on the Farm

The beginning episodes made me wonder if there was any love in this family but still I was entertained with this drama through all the plotting, selfishness and blatant favouritism.

I liked the FL’s cheerful personality and her never- give-up attitude despite being plotted against so many times. Her character was well written to be someone smart with a heart of gold and she played it beautifully. Her chemistry with the ML was a joy to watch and the way they looked at each other made my heart melt more than the few kisses that they shared.

For all the evil plotting that the FL’s cousin did to her, it was a bit of a let down to not have her realisations fleshed out better and for her to give a meaningful apology to the FL.

One of the best moments for me was when the FL knew she would be exiting the game and she went around silently saying her farewells to everyone. Lovely music that made her expressions even more touching.

I’m a little bit lost at the very end. The FL exited the game as she and the ML were approaching each other. She was shown to be back in the real world but then, the scene cuts to being back in the game where both of them talking and having a sweet moment together as if she didn’t exit the game… if the drama had provided some explanation of how this happened, it would have given me better happy ending vibes.

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Grey’s Anatomy vibes focusing on Heart Specialists

I seldom watch contemporary Chinese dramas but was tempted to try this due to AvenueX’s glowing reviews and I was pleasantly surprised. It reminded me of Grey’s Anatomy and how it goes back and forth between the patients and medical staff’s lives.

The storyline was engaging and I enjoyed the different patients they encountered and tried to help. A good variety of scenarios made for interesting viewing as you also get more curious about the personal lives of the leads. The ML’s acting was spot on as the model doctor who was estranged from his mother as she left him when he was 5. How their relationship gradually improves over time was very realistic and touching.

His love interest was just so-so for me and I pitied him in the end. His girlfriend stalked him and chased him then needed attention from him like a normal boyfriend and when she couldn’t get it, she walked away. Glad to see he wasn’t overly distraught by it and quite realistic as an example of a relationship that doesn’t work out. As for the other couple, it was sweeter in the beginning when they were friends and enjoying each others company.

Great acting all around especially the patients - kudos to the actor who played the unidentified man nicknamed “flower”.

Bad bad bad subs on WeTV - even someone with poor Mandarin skills like myself could spot the mistakes of some easy translations. The most annoying was not even getting the gender right - Ms Zhou kept popping up when referring to the ML! Then for the rest I didn’t understand, the subtitles just didn’t make sense 30% of the time. If I had a better understanding of the story, perhaps my rating would be higher.

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What is going on??

I thought these type of totally senseless dramas only happened in the past and on less prominent platforms.

Episode 1 started off very shaky but I persevered thinking the story might improve but it becomes more and more absurd as I reached Episode 3. The ministers are behaving like children demanding for the execution of the FL just because their daughters’ faces were injured using water from the the FL’s basin. (The basins of water was by the palace servants and each maiden had their own basin of water but a funny wind blew leaves into the other basins and only the FL’s water basin was unaffected and she kindly offered the other maidens the use of her water) Even common sense dictates an investigation but nope, this drama paints the ministers as imbeciles who need immediate action without any concrete proof.

This requirement for the maidens to wash their faces in the courtyard just before meeting the Prince in itself is very odd as I have never seen this in any other drama. Not to mention that the Prince is old around 50 and looking for a concubine just because he cannot forget his wife who died 30 years ago after giving birth to his heir. He didn’t look for a concubine earlier? Then where did his younger sons come from? Another possible plot loophole as it looks like he has remained single after the death of his wife… if this doesn’t get explained, it will be totally ridiculous.

Can it get better? I’ll try it out for a bit longer… one good thing about this drama is I am not sleeping late as I have no desire to binge watch!

Update: For the next episodes, the story moved on to the harem and becomes the typical so-so drama with lots of back stabbing and plotting. Thankfully not as senseless as Episode 2 & 3, but the story is choppy and I am not feeling it with the ML, FL or SML even after 5 more episodes so it’s time to drop it.

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Ordinary in the most extraordinary way

A male lead that is ordinary in appearance but extraordinary in his analysis
A county that is ordinary on the surface but hides an extraordinary history
Officials which are ordinary but hides so much extraordinary pain and suffering

An intriguing drama that weaves a compelling tale of how nothing is as it seems as truth after truth is revealed. Leaving you with the ultimate question - who is the villain? People who are intelligent and helpful turn out to be murderers and not just one or two! Victim of circumstances? Fate?

Beautifully shot and told, it made you feel like you were transported back in time with its realistic costumes and props. Actors were all great and I was glad to have a male lead that was more ordinary looking than his 2 sidekicks!

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Lovely drama for some light romance & comedy

The basic story line is nothing new but with some refreshing touches like the FL pretending to be a weak beauty. This was a good way to inject some humour into this drama and she did it nicely. I also enjoyed the cute animal art work.

I liked that this drama didn’t try to be too smart with a vague ending and instead had an ending that was happy and not rushed. At the same time, it wasn’t too unrealistic (ie have all couples work out) but instead showed one that parted and others in the beginning / middle of their romance.

The chemistry between the main couple worked well and the way the ML confessed his feelings to the FL was something new (and not involving fireworks) so I appreciated it even more. The love triangle was not overly dramatised and it was good to see the other love interest not go overboard to protect or win the favour of the FL.

What suffered in this drama was the villains - not properly fleshed out in terms of their motivation and ability to carry out their plans. When she came into the room with more glamorous dressing and make up, I was at a loss as I thought it was a new character. Then you find out all this could have been avoided if she had spoken up before her marriage… so take this into account and just enjoy the romance part of the drama.

The ending that saw them speaking to the audience reminds me of some old old dramas / movies that do this and it was a nice playful touch.

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Healing the heart with Episode 25

Episode 25 is not a continuation of this drama but a wonderful alternative scenario of what ifs. What if he didn’t learn embroidery? What if he didn’t become a policeman? What if she got a divorce? What if she didn’t become a courtesan? What if she didn’t learn embroidery? It was an episode which I was happy to watch to heal my heart from the sad story.

One of the better produced dramas with realistic sets and costumes, this drama was also well written to have a more realistic feel. There wasn’t a fake super climax where the FL pulls everything together and the villain is punished. Instead, she suffers setbacks and plans accordingly.

The story goes back and forth between present time and 7 years ago as well as even earlier to the villain’s childhood. An interesting format that was well done and gives us so much detail into what Rulan had to go through as she tried repeatedly to seek justice and what led to her demise. The relationship between her and the FL was beautifully explored and fleshed out.

A reasonably good drama that would have been great had it fleshed out the villain’s motivations better. Was him being cheated out of a normal bride the reason for him preying on countless girls?

Random note: perhaps something got lost in translation as I am not clear about the analogy of the plum blossoms where the villain is said to prefer the fallen flowers compared to the blossoms still on the branches. All his embroideries of the plum blossoms look like they are still on branches to me…

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A beautiful blend of hilarious and heartfelt moments

One of the rare dramas that made me laugh while shedding tears shows great direction and story telling. The last 2 episodes were the best at this and it was a joy to end a drama on a high and feeling warm and fuzzy inside.

Acting was good and the characters of the main family were well fleshed out and you begin to see them in different light as the drama progresses. The interactions with each other were natural and it was fun seeing them bicker yet have each other’s back. While you start off thinking that one of the daughters was taken advantage of, it was beautifully told how this was far from the truth. While the mother seemed to rule the family with an iron fist, she loved them all fiercely and had many special moments with each of her daughters as she advised them and showed that she cared. A tiger mom that I can relate to.

A beautiful ending that has each daughter at different stages of their romance and not marrying all of them off is much appreciated so you feel that it is a life-goes-on story.

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Espionage at every turn

Superb acting and fantastic attention to detail made this fictional world of spies extremely intriguing especially since it wove in historical elements. One of the smartest dramas I’ve ever watch and I also enjoyed the little catch up at the end of each episode.

Lots of twists, turns and reveals in each episode and you are left wondering what is the truth and what is a lie. Is he a single agent, double agent, triple agent? What was real was his love for his sworn brother and wife and it broke my heart when the final reveal was made just minutes before the last episode ended.

A thought provoking drama which makes you wonder how far a person will go to achieve their goals. What is their bottom line? So sad to see so much sacrifice made for the greater good. Is the greater good worth that much loss of innocent lives and resources? A question that each person has a different answer to and unfortunately so very real in this current day and age as we are now living with a war in Ukraine that sees no end as of 3 October 2023.

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The ML as the Demon King stole my heart! Everything else was…

…a mixed bag that luckily didn’t rush the ending. How he came back to life, it is up to us to imagine but at least it gave some happy vibes in the end.

Nothing new here. Common tropes. Average acting though the ML looked very cool as the Demon King and the FL’s acting is better here that in her previous dramas. Costumes were hit and miss where some were gorgeous and ethereal and others look plasticky. Some of the FL’s super big hairdo had me in stitches especially when she was running.

I wasn’t expecting much so I was pleasantly surprised that the drama managed to give me something to look forward in episode 32-33 unlike the past few dramas I watched that quickly went downhill in the second half. However, the final confrontation was a let down and the villain had some of the stupidest lines I’ve ever heard when he tried to justify what he did.

Random note: only watched this as I have a 1-month iQIYI subscription. Unfortunately, when casting to my tv, it only allowed it at 480p so while the resolution was decent most of the times, it was horrible during the parts with CGI and everything looked very grainy. I’m not techie enough to understand if there is a way to cast a higher resolution to my tv that is not Apple TV so I will not be extending my subscription.

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