Unique plot but only average acting

The best thing about “DNA Says Love You” is the unique and original plot. Although I wouldn’t say the drama is full of unexpected plot twists and it’s actually somewhat predictable, I enjoy the writing and the introduction of the mysterious Amber. The characters are college students, but I am glad that this is not a college drama. Friendship plays a central theme in this drama, and there are some fun and solid friendships and banter.

However, I was actually not very interested in the first couple episodes. I did not like the unnatural acting of Lukas Huang, who plays ML Pu Le Chien (Ah Le). I also find the general acting of Lin Wei Jie and Tannie Huang a little over-the-top, but that’s probably because Taiwanese acting is a little hit-or-miss for me. I did get used to it after a while but as a whole, it’s just OK acting. With the introduction of Erek Lin’s character, Amber, the story picks up its pace. I like Erek’s acting more than others, probably because his character is not as loud, and his acting needs to be more subtle.

Once Amber comes into the picture, the plot moves a lot better for me. I enjoy how he’s welcomed into the circle of friends, and how he really gets close to Ah Le. I think viewers slowly find out the identity of this mysterious Amber. I enjoy seeing how the friendship/romance develops but do think it’s too fast for Ah Le to go from realizing his feelings and to falling head over heels within 15 minutes of screen time. I wish there’s more time for his realization to set in, for him to ponder and agonize over it a little more. The last four episodes are emotional and really touching, and definitely better than the first four episodes.

The secondary romance could have been written better. They have so much screen time in the beginning and then disappear after their subplot is over. I thought they left town already but they haven’t.

The OST only has four songs but I like them, especially the three slower ones: 決定我愛你, 蝴蝶 Butterfly, and 曖昧關係 Ambiguity. I added all three to my Spotify playlist. ?

Despite not being a big fan of everyone’s acting, I do recommend you to check it out for its unique plot and lovely songs. There are only 12 thirty-minute episodes and it is an easy and quick watch.


Completed: 5/7/2024 - Review #437

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Interesting Plot but Annoyed with all the slow-motion scenes

Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75


“Hard to Find” is a mid-length drama that actually has a very interesting and attractive plot. With 28 episodes and about 20 minutes each, I would not consider this as a mini-drama, like most of the dramas that male lead, Zhao Yi Qin, is known for. There’s a lot to like, yet quite a few areas that annoy me.


What I Like:

General Plot - I really do find the general plot/story of this drama interesting. I especially enjoyed the first half of the drama when the leads reunited, up until she regained her memory. The story is easy to follow, yet not overly simple. It has a good mix of romance, fantasy plot, mystery, revenge and a little bit of palace politics.

Shen Yu Jie (FL) - Shen Yu Jie plays the female lead, Feng Yuan. The costume designer and hairstylist got brownie points from me for dressing her up so beautifully. Her acting is also the best of the cast. Checking out her profile, I realized she’s only 22 years old but has been in quite a few bigger budget dramas. I thought she is also one of those mini-dramas actresses. I see a lot of potential in her.

Great visuals & production - For a lower budget drama, “Hard to Find” is beautiful to watch. Not only is the whole cast good-looking, but some of the scenes are shot beautifully. Costumes, hair accessories, set designs and props, all look pretty good and not cheap. I also enjoy the songs played, even though they are overplayed.

Wang Ze Xuan - Without spoiling too much, I just have to say I enjoyed his acting in the last 5 episodes of the drama. He looks so ‘pretty’ and portrays the character in a dramatic fashion, but not over-the-top. I’ve seen him in “A Familiar Stranger” and I guess he’s got a knack for playing the bad guys convincingly.


What Bothers Me:

Slow Motion Everything - This is very personal, but I generally dislike the use of slow-motion in dramas for extra dramatic effects. I especially detest fight scenes that are sloooow moving and have actors posing during a fight. The first comment I wrote down in my notes is slow mo fighting (yuck!). There aren’t even that many fight scenes, so to not be able to enjoy a few good ones is disappointing. Not only the fight scenes slow, there are sooo many scenes that are shot like that. I get more and more annoyed towards the second half of the drama. It also drags down the pace as well, and I lose my focus slightly in the second half because of that. Additionally, they also change the voiceover to this slow echoey voice, and add in non-stop background music during these slow scenes.

Zhao Yi Qin (ML) - I have seen Zhao Yi Qin in quite a few mini dramas and have generally enjoyed them. For some reason, he seems to be trying very hard in this drama and appears overly dramatic. When he’s acting angry, he looks exaggerated. He frowns more than I’ve seen in his other dramas. For some reason, his acting is just not clicking with him. He’s a good-looking guy, but if I have to compare what he looks like in his MDL profile picture and him in this drama, he looks a little gaunt and exhausted, even during the honeymoon phase of the romance. Is he overworked?

Over-the-top Dramatics - Not only is Zhao Yi Qin’s acting a little over dramatic, there are many elements in this drama that are like this. The drama is trying too hard to stand out, yet comes across as trying too hard. I think the drama would be so much better if it is a little more grounded and tones down on all the dramatics (constant background music playing, shining light on faces, wind blowing at hair, etc.) The drama has a solid script but lacks perfect execution.



“Hard to Find” has such a strong start and I was willing to give it an 8.5 rating, until all the slow motion scenes accumulated and annoyed the heck out of me. The second half also loses some steam and the pace slows down. Unfortunately, in the end, I will have to give a lower rating of 7.75. I might rate this lower if this is a bigger budget production. “Hard to Find” is still a decent drama if you want something short with an interesting plot. But this is definitely not a must-see.



Completed: 5/5/2024 - Review #436

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Well-acted, Mature and Dark drama with a controversial Female Lead

At the writing of this review, its MDL rating is at 8.5. I am actually a little surprised that it’s so high. Not that I don’t like the drama, in fact, I really like it. But for the fact that with quite a controversial and flawed female lead, who has made some questionable decisions and said some mean words, I think some watchers might really be put off by her.

“Will Love in Spring” is definitely not a romantic comedy. Death is a central theme, and if this is one of your taboo subjects, do not watch this drama. There are some funny and sweet/fluffy moments. But for the most part, this is a mature, dark, healing drama. It’s a character-driven drama that focuses on our main leads' development and their relationships with family members and each other. This is a mature drama that makes you think.

Li Xian and Zhou Yu Tong have excellent chemistry from start to finish. Their romance is nicely developed from when they first met in high school, to reconnecting again as adults. They had a long and bumpy ride before they hit the final destination in the very last episode. Zhang Jie (FL) is an independent, feisty, outgoing professional woman who still struggles with low-esteem due to her disability. However, at one point, I do find her shenanigans a little repetitive. I also believe many viewers are mad at her during the New Year’s Eve episode (ep 15?). Her actions and words towards Chen Mai Dong (ML) were uncalled for and downright mean. But given what happened that night at home, her past trauma and what she’s gone through in life, I can understand her and choose to have faith in her. What was most disappointing to me is her decision in the last couple episodes. Not being honest with ML about her decision and plans until the very end is more unforgiving to me. They have always had an honest and open relationship from bickering to comforting each other. Why can’t she be honest now? But, I give props to the drama for not crashing and burning in the end. The final episode wraps out everything nicely and gives me closure to Chen Main Dong and Zhang Jie’s story. The conversation they had at the NanPing train station: FL’s realization of her actions and ML’s clear understanding of FL’s personality, strengths and weaknesses, and his explanation and forgiveness, brought me so much comfort and joy. In the end, they found love and learned to love. For romance lovers, let’s not forget to include the fact that this couple is very affectionate and not afraid to display their affections through kisses and hugs. Lastly, Chen Mai Dong is another green flag and only he can balance out Zhang Jie’s energy.

There are so many lovely side characters in this drama. I love the relationship of the siblings. Niao Niao (little sis) is played by the talented child actress, Zhang Xi Wei. What a little firecracker and smartass she is. She brings so much color to the drama. Wu Jun Ting plays the quirky and sweet younger brother, Zhuang Yan. Who has a pet goose and walks it like a dog?? Zhuang Yan! I haven’t seen Wu Jun Ting since “Time and Her are Just Right”. I loved him in that drama and remembered his nice deep voice. I also envy the friendship between Grandma Chen and Grandma Lin. They are the poster children for best-friend-forever friendship. I enjoy the sisterhood between FL and Wang Xi Xia. Wang Peng looks so pretty as the best friend. She looks so much more mature and sexy than in her previous roles. Last but not the least, FL’s mother. I bet she’s another character that many hate. She’s the typical loud Chinese mother, who can’t stop criticizing her children. She’s tolerable but at one point I also want to strangle her. Glad she got a lot better towards the last few episodes. I am not sure if it’s the actress or the character, but she always seems to talk and laugh with a fake smile.

I would love to see more of the funny romance between BFF Wang Xi Xia and the Doc. The Doc is so quirky and adorable at the same time. Their scenes give the drama a more light-hearted touch, as they are hilarious together. I just want more of them.

I am not familiar with the funeral industry or the role of an embalmer. So, I can’t comment on how realistic “Will Love in Spring” is portraying that. It’s not a profession that we see in dramas often, so I am glad to get a peek into ML’s job.

I would recommend this drama to those that love a realistic portrayal of life, struggles, and relationships. The characters in this drama are all flawed and they make decisions that we don’t always agree with. But life is not rosy and we are not perfect. If you don’t mind the topic of death, this is an excellently acted drama. I had a great time watching this, even if I had a roller coaster ride of emotions.



Completed: 5/4/2024 - Review #437

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Amazing musical performances - a Light and Feel-Good drama

Disclaimer: I enjoy music but won’t say I am a big fan of classical music. I also don’t play any instruments. The rating is purely based on my enjoyment while watching and after watching.

+0.5 because of the beautiful full-length musical performances.

Usually, I would rate a drama like “Reversal Orchestra” an 8.0 rating. The plot is simple and light-hearted. It’s a typical drama about a group of people (musicians here) who work hard to achieve the ultimate goal together. Along the way, you have side stories of different members with a tiny little romance subplot. These side stories are simple enough to give each character a little background, but not long enough to give it depth. There aren't any annoying characters. All the musicians are supportive of each other. There’s no in-group rivalry and they are just TOO nice. This is definitely a feel-good drama. This is not a drama that will spark deep conversations or amaze you in many ways.

But to me, what stands out in this drama compared to other dramas with a music focus, is the amazing performances. If you enjoy classical music, this is the drama for you. Much of the screen time is dedicated to music playing. There are several full-length performances that are amazing to watch and listen to. Oftentimes, I get disappointed when I watch a drama about music, and you get chopped up performances, especially when the characters are supposed to be preparing for this big showdown. The showdown becomes a letdown. But not here! “Reversal Orchestra” not only has a believable orchestra playing the music and we have satisfying performances. It’s quite amazing to see the actors so in sync when playing their instruments. They do make me believe they are true musicians. Each movement is synchronized within the section. It’s beautiful to see. However, what I just described could also be what you dislike most about the drama. You might find it boring because the focus is on music playing and performances. The background music is classical music. There are not songs with lyrics, like a traditional OST.

The actors and actresses deliver good performances as well. It’s a typical J-drama with moments of overdramatic acting. I have been on a Tanaka Kei (ML) binge recently, and am happy to see another side of him. I cannot sing enough praises of his choice of projects. They are so diverse! Kawowaki Mugi plays a likable female lead. So glad she’s not another innocent, naive pushover. She’s kind but could be crazy and feisty.

If you are a classical music lover and want a light and easy watch, “Reversal Orchestra” is definitely the right drama for you. However, if you are looking for something deeper with a stronger message or moral, you might want to look elsewhere.


Completed: 5/1/2024 - Review #436

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“Gray Shelter” is one of the few darker Korean BL out there. It’s short and dark, and you really need to take the time to understand and feel what’s going on. The premise isn’t difficult. Two step brothers bonded through surviving difficult family lives. Yoon Dae tried to cut off his relationship with his father, and moved away from home. But that doesn’t seem to bring him much happiness or hope. Soo Hyuk, though not living with his parents, is still burdened by duties that he doesn’t seem to be able to shake off.

The two reunited by chance and rekindled a complicated brotherhood bond. It’s a push-and-pull, give-and-take relationship. It’s a never-ending cycle that was finally broken. The ending can be open to interpretation. I want to believe that they both need to work on themselves, before breaking off whatever is preventing them to lead a much happier life together.

I was quite impressed with Lee Jae Bin’s acting as Yoon Dae after seeing him in “Choco Milk Shake”. He’s still new to the industry and already has the opportunity to act in two vastly different roles. This is Jang Woo Young’s first drama, and he did fine. His character, Soo Hyuk, is so solemn that he can’t really deviate too much away and show us if he has any acting range.

This is a small budget production, and it shows. The sets are simple, the transition and editing appear jerky at times. The storytelling and the execution of the plot could be better.

“Gray Shelter” is a quick watch if you are in the mood for something darker and more mature. It’ a breath of fresh air from all the rom-coms out there.


Completed: 4/28/2024 - Review #435

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Not enough singing and dancing

Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75

You would think if this is called a concert, there will be a lot of singing and dancing. Unfortunately, I found that almost 50% of the show is just two annoying hosts interviewing the cast and playing games. I understand fans want to know what happened behind-the-scenes, watch some fun bloopers and hear the cast members talk. I get that and I like them too, to a certain extent. I don't care for their fake awards given out to the cast members. Or the hosts trying to stir up rumors between two cast members.

What I want is hear most of the songs being sung live during the concert. "Dream High" has such a great OST and a diverse set of songs. Maybe it's hard for the cast members to remember all the lyrics AND the choreographed dance moves? Luckily, at least I see an amazing dance performed by OK Taec Yeon, Jang Woo Young and Park Jin Young.

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Deep and thought-provoking conversations & quotes - BUT could be too much and boring to some.

I forgot how I stumbled upon this drama, “Is Love Sustainable?” aka “Jizoku Kanona Koi Desuka: Chichi to Musume no Kekkon Koushinkyoku”. It’s either from the feeds, or as I was browsing through dramas of the male lead, Tanaka Kei, after watching him in Ossan Love. I wanted to see him play a slightly more normal character, not crazy and over-the-top.

I was very impressed with the first episode. It was full of meaningful conversations, great chemistry between daughter and father, and good romantic chemistry between Kyoka and Seita. It has some nice cinematography, and thought-provoking enough for me to be interested in their views of relationships and marriages. But as the story progresses, I realize some of these positives could be negatives for other viewers.

This is a pretty slow-paced slice-of-life drama. The plot is character-driven, and really nothing too exciting happens. There are many wonderful quotes of life and marriages, and a lot of yoga and yoga teachings. I don’t practice yoga, and especially not understanding its deeper meanings and lectures. Dad is a lexicographer and dictionary editor. He loves words! Throughout the drama, you can see him explaining the origin of words and seeing him trying to learn new slangs is quite interesting. All of this could either be very wonderful and interesting, or super boring to the viewers. I was initially impressed but it did get to be a little too much towards the end.

I enjoy watching the romance development of both couples. They are mature, communicative, and have some cute moments. Both couples have great chemistry. The drama also challenges traditional gender roles at home. Not all wives want to be home and are good at doing household chores. It also talks about the difficulty of balancing work, family life and personal time.

Overall, I had a pretty decent time watching “Is Love Sustainable?”. The pace at times is slow and I think 10 episodes are too much, maybe 8 would be better. If you enjoy thought-provoking quotes/teachings and deep conversations, this is the drama for you. But if you like something faster paced and more plot-driven, then I would not recommend this for you.


Other Random Observations:
1. Tanaka Kei is a very normal-looking guy, but there’s something about him that I like. He also looks pretty good in suits.
2. It’s quite interesting seeing a bunch of old guys (dictionary editors) discussing ‘kyun’ and other modern slangs.
3. Who knew match-making services are that involved and comprehensive. They even teach you how to start and carry a conversation.
4. Igawa Haruka (Ortho surgeon) is so beautiful and elegant!
5. Ueno Jury (FL) makes me believe she’s a yoga instructor. Her body type and yoga moves look very legit from my novice eyes.
6. Pleasantly surprised to see a Jdorama (or Asian dramas) to feature a body-positive yoga class.


Completed: 4/27/2024 - Review #434

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Love all the Singing and Dancing!

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.75

Wow… what a pleasant surprise! I can’t believe I had so much fun watching “Dream High” in 2024, and not find it cringey and dated (Ok, it did take me a couple episodes to get past how annoying Suzy’s character was in the beginning). Now that the cast are A-listers, it’s interesting to look back at how they started. As I am writing this review, I am also watching the concert ?

I am quite impressed with everyone’s acting even though it was a first drama for some of the cast members. I think out of the 6 main leads, Kim Soo Hyun did a little better and he’s more experienced than the rest of the cast. His character undergoes tremendous change from the first episodes to the last episode. Towards the second half of the drama, you can see how his character changes just by looking at his eyes. OK Taec Yeon has such a charismatic presence. Out of all the guys, I find him most attractive and can’t take my eyes off him when he’s on my screen. This is Suzy and IU’s first drama and I think they both did quite well. The veteran supporting cast is great, and some provide us with memorable comedic moments.

I love all the singing and dancing. IU has such a beautiful voice and is so talented. Ham Eun Jung has a more powerful but equally beautiful voice. The OST has some amazing songs. The dance choreography is great and I feel like I am really watching idols in the making. Jang Woo Young (Jason) is the best dancer in the drama and also the best out of all the actors. His dancing is cool and stylish. However, I found Taec Yeon dances with more charisma and joy and is infectious. Can't forget Teacher Yang, who is also the drama’s Creative Director and Choreographer. His moves are really sharp and precise. I forgot flash mobs were a thing back in the day, and it really brought back memories, and songs I haven’t heard in a long time.

I really like how the drama gives me a little peep into the idol training world. I’ve seen other dramas which focus a lot more on just singing and dancing, and fighting between students and group members. But “Dream High” shows us more than that. I enjoy watching the songwriting class, learning how to sing with emotions while acting out the lyrics, and even the pitch test. Additionally, I like that they didn’t make it a big deal with the IU’s weight loss. I wasn’t happy with her initial reason to lose weight, but I’m glad she came around. Though the weight loss was brought up in the professional/music/PR world, the issue was not dragged on.

The romance… well, my ship did not sail, but that’s OK. Even though there’s a love triangle/square, it was not bad. Guys are respectful of each other and are both positive influences. Unfortunately, I found the chemistry between the three main leads a little lacking. I like Suzy and Tac Yeong’s chemistry a little better than Suzy and Kim Soo Hyun. The secondary romance is cute and sweet, and provides the drama with limited fluffy moments. I actually wanted to see more of them.

There are many laugh-out-loud moments and very emotional ones. In ep 13, I was very moved by a solo performance with the assist from another member. However, I also found there’s a little too much crying in the second half of the drama, especially from FL/Suzy. I do not like FL’s father and how he just abandons his kids and disappears for a year. The debt collection side plot is quite unrealistic.

Overall, I have a great time watching this. I wouldl recommend this to those who enjoy a lot of singing and dancing, and if you are interested in the idol training world. It’s quite fun to see how young these superstars were back then.


Completed: 4/27/2024 - Review #433

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A waste of an amazing cast with a poorly written script

What attracted me to watch “The Jungle” is its stacked cast. Look at all the handsome men and beautiful women! Unfortunately, that’s where the positive stops, well, it also has a few great songs.

If you are watching just for the cast, then you will have an enjoyable time. The boys aka The Jungle have good chemistry and are fun together. They all look really good. Unfortunately, their acting is a mixed bag for me. The standout actors are Nanon and Krist. It’s my first time watching Luke and he’s the weakest of the bunch.

On the girls side, their acting is average except for Pat. Pat never disappoints. She is probably one of my favorites, if not my most favorite Thai actress. She doesn’t have a lot of screen time but she has presence and charisma. Unfortunately, this drama centers around guys, so the girls are mostly confined to the guy she’s attached to, and then you don’t see her much anymore.

But the writing is just not good. The romance stories are all half-baked. They are not mysterious enough, dark enough or sexy enough. Some scenes are quite cringey. Not enough time is dedicated to each pair, when we have so many pairs to share these 16 episodes. Most of the romances are typical and predictable. But they are easy to watch and won’t raise your blood pressure. But the ‘serious’ plots are so poorly written. In the first half of the show, we have reporter investigations of a certain death. The way it was conducted is unprofessional, illogical and unrealistic. In the latter half of the drama, it touched upon another ‘serious’ plot in a startup company where several of the main characters used to work. The way they approach the perpetrator in the last episode is laughable. There are just so many things that don’t make sense in this drama, and I only half-turned on my brain.

With such an amazing cast, the actors are unable to really perform to their standards. It’s such a waste of talent. I would only recommend “The Jungle” for the visuals and drool over the guys and girls. But you will need to overlook the cheap sets (that’s the cheapest looking high end bar I’ve seen), the poorly written storylines and the illogical, shake-my-head moments. I was going to rate this a 7.5 until I watch the final episode. So, a solid 7.0 for the cast.



Completed: 4/23/2024 - Review #432

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Trying to tell too many stories, but a VERY lovely main romance & First experience

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

Stumbled upon “Ripe for the Picking” on Netflix as it silently shows up without much fanfare. As I read the synopsis, I was expecting another over-the-top rom-com about a 30-year-old virgin and a socially awkward guy. But I was pleasantly surprised that this is lovely and heartfelt love story between two vastly different individuals.

This is a very short drama, only 9 episodes and less than 30 minutes each. I would say my biggest complaint would be too many side stories. As much as I enjoy learning each co-worker’s individual journey to love and finding themselves, they are too short and take away screen time from the leads. The leads’ love story has become an afterthought in the first few episodes, while the drama spends its precious limited time on:

A working mom trying to find work/life balance, and her own identity.
A career woman whose sole focus on work jeopardizes her personal relationships
A girl with low-esteem struggling to find love in all the wrong places and being shallow as hell.
A asexual co-worker whose story was mentioned in passing without much depth

These are all interesting stories individually, but with such limited time, they just seem to be stories that hit all the checkboxes. They are not given the proper time and effort in developing them into meaningful ones.

Having said all that, the main romance is lovely. The leads are both awkward but sweet individuals. Their encounters and subsequent development are lovely to see. Oh, and there are quite a few frustrating moments with communication, but I’ve learned to forgive them because they tug my heartstrings.

Female lead is pretty and quite successful at work, yet she hasn’t had a boyfriend since high school (hard to believe!). She’s embarrassed to be a virgin at 32 and is on a mission to sleep with someone. That drive and desire propelled her to take the initiative in approaching our socially awkward ML. I have to applaud FL’s shy forwardness because she is the one making all the moves and trying to clear all misunderstanding/miscommunication. My heart breaks for her when she was ‘rejected’ and was so confused about what happened.

But what I love best about this drama is how it gives us a sweet, awkward but very realistic portrayal of a first sexual experience. I’m glad so much care and thought are put into writing their intimate time together. It was beautiful to witness (and quite embarrassing as I feel like a voyeur). When they do open up to each other, no matter how weird and awkwardly frustrating it is, it feels honest and intimate. And special brownie points to great kisses that feel romantic, tender and a lot of desire.

This drama might not be for all, especially if you usually get upset with a lack of communication. We have some of those frustrating moments, but they get cleared up pretty fast. I had a lovely time watching this and shed some tears of (seemingly) heartbreaks for the leads.



Completed: 4/21/2024 - Review #431

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Excellent acting & chemistry but a little long and not always exciting.

Wang Yi Bo probably attracted many viewers to “War of Faith”. Serious Chinese Republican era dramas are usually not very popular. However, I wish viewers who came for Wang Yi Bo would stay for the rest of the amazing cast members. I cannot stop praising how good the acting is in this drama.

I watch this because of Wang Yang and Li Qin, and they are both AMAZING. It’s not a surprise that Wang Yang is excellent, as he’s a veteran who excels in any role he plays. I love him in “The Rebel” where he gave a similar vibe and acting performance as in “War of Faith”. I even watched the business rom-com “Stand or Fall” for him and Qin Lan. He’s charismatic, sexy and has screen presence. He’s the MVP of this drama.

On the other hand, Li Qin surprises me the most. I’ve seen her in many other dramas, but not the serious ones such as “The Youth Memories”. But I am a fan. I even watched’ Thousand Years for You” for Li Qin. Her acting performance exceeds my expectations. She plays a strong, underground Communist sniper/assassin. Then she turned around and became an elegant high society lady. There are quite a few emotional scenes where she had to control her emotions and others where she had to let it all out.

Wang Yang and Li Qin’s sibling relationship is the best relationship in the whole drama. They play off each other so well. They care and support each other, they bicker and joke. But in the second half of the drama, when things get serious and dangerous, they have a few very, very emotional scenes. It was hard to see them both wanting what’s best for China and its people, but have such different beliefs and ways of achieving that.

Another standout performance for me is from Zhang Tian Yang. I’ve seen many of his dramas but they are never memorable enough for me to remember him. I was reminded that he’s the emperor from “A Journey to Love” and that’s such a different role than the one in “War of Faith”. But what a great performance here as well, and he suddenly is in a role where he’s hot and sexy. LOL.

Of course, we have Wang Yi Bo. He’s also pretty solid in this drama and probably the best I’ve seen him. Though the drama centers around his character’s growth and journey, his performance did not stand out for me. He’s still pretty good, but this drama has such a big cast and everyone is so good that it’s hard to stand out.

The rest of the supporting cast, young and old, novice or veteran, are all amazing. In fact, I feel that I am constantly in awe of everyone’s acting, that I am not really paying attention to the plot as much. This is one of the rare Republican era dramas that focuses so much on the finance world and stock market. The spy stuff seems secondary to the business world. I personally feel that 38 episodes are too long. The drama is unable to hold my attention from start to end. I am more interested in individual characters and their relationships, more so than the bigger plot.

I also would not recommend you watching this if you are looking for romance. There are two established couples in the drama. This is not a romantic drama, but I do have to say the limited screen time that these two couples have, they are amazing. They are mature, supportive and they survive through tough times. These women are tough as nails and they are their men’s biggest supporters.

Here are some other areas I enjoy. I love the actors using their own voices and the live recording. The live recording really enhances the viewing pleasure in emotional scenes. There’s no rom-com skin smoothing or white filter. You see the natural looks, flaws and all. All the characters are intelligent. They do not make dumb decisions that are out of character, and you applaud them trying to outsmart each other. The villains are not cartoonish, they just have different interests and beliefs. You also do not hear the OST blasting songs at weird times. In fact, there’s an episode where I did not notice any music until the ending theme starts to play. This drama is full of meaningful conversations and dialogs, and you do need to pay attention to truly understand each character’s motives.

I would recommend this drama for its excellent acting and great production. Your enjoyment level probably depends on whether you are a fan of this genre and finance talks. It is also to be expected that there’s a lot of ‘propaganda’, but to me, it’s just telling China’s history and the rise of Communism. I think the drama is too long and the plot doesn’t keep me on the edge of my seat enough. Overall, it is a great drama and truly a War of Faith and Beliefs.



Completed: 4/21/2024 - Review #430

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Not my kind of drama - 70% Wars/Battles + 30% Palace Politics & Scheming

Overall Rating: 7.0
Subjective Rating: 5.0
Objective Rating 8.0

Instead of just looking at my rating, please read my reasoning first. This is a very difficult drama to rate because it’s not that “Singing All Along” is a horrible drama, instead it’s a solid one. It’s just that I am not in the mood and it’s not my cup of tea. Since I watched this as part of a challenge, I did not drop it.

Why did I not like it? My biggest criticism is that the drama spent 70% of its time in wars/deserts/battles, and then the other 30% in palace politics, scheming evilness and harem fights. Not that I don’t like any of this, as I expected them in a C-drama historical drama. My dislike is the uneven distribution of these elements. 70% of wars and battles is too much for my liking. After a while, everything feels repetitive. As a romance lover, sometimes romance can help me get through some of these more serious elements. Unfortunately, the romance does not move me, despite a solid and faithful relationship between the leads. I was never too sad, emotional, happy, or giggly. For someone who usually doesn’t skip scenes or increase the speed, I ended up watching most of the drama at 1.25-1.5x speed, and then 1.75x in the last episode so that I can finish this ASAP. I wasn’t even paying much attention. This drama has become background noise to me. And because of that, I am giving it a subjective rating of 5.0 - purely based on my viewing enjoyment.

However, that would not be a fair rating for a pretty good drama. If I have to rate this objectively, there are also many elements I enjoy.
-Strong female lead, mentally and physically. Yin Li Hua is a consistently strong female warrior from start to end. She was never the damsel in distress and she actually saved the day a few times.
-Other few strong female characters - those who are smart and can fight.
-Good acting all around - from those with minor roles to our leads.
-Beautiful costumes and accessories (when they are not in battle gear).
-Surprisingly decent dubbing even though this drama is from 2016. I’ve seen some 2024 dramas with worse dubbing.
-I got to see baby Mao Zi Jun and Qin Jun Jie

Unfortunately, this is not the drama for me. But this could be a drama for you if you enjoy wars/battles and palace politics.


Completed: 4/20/2024 - Review #429

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“To Be Continued” is a simple and easy watch about second-chance romance, which is one of my favorite tropes. This is also the reason why I watch this drama despite its low rating. The plot itself is simple and there really isn’t any plot twist. Flashbacks play a big part in the storytelling, as it goes back-and-forth between the past and present timelines throughout the drama. It’s not hard to follow along, but it gets exhausting in a way. With only 8 episodes, the pacing is fine. I wish the drama has spent more time on other characters instead of all on the leads, when their story is quite simple.

This is my first time watching the main leads, Fluke (who played Ji) and Junior (who played Achi). I have to say I was not impressed with their acting, especially in the earlier episodes. They both lack facial expressions, no matter how handsome they are. I actually find Fluke really cute and adorable, more than the supposedly handsome superstar Fluke/Achi. The camera also likes to stay on their faces for 5 seconds too long. When you can’t act, it just makes everything feels awkward.

However, as we enter the second half of the drama, I do think their acting improved. I was particularly impressed with the acting In episode 7. That scene was beautifully shot and I can feel all the mixed emotions - lust, love, longing, care, hesitation, shyness and uncertainty. Their conversation and everything that happened afterwards broke my heart, even though I knew what’s about to happen. But aside from that episode, the acting is a hit or miss.

In the beginning, I found Ji to be quite mean to Achi. Through the flashbacks, you knew how Achi felt about Ji when they were in high school. So, in the back of my mind, I wonder why Ji is so mean, until the full backstory is told. They were young and innocent back then, thus making such mistakes is totally believable. But 10 years seems a little long for Achi to come back and try to patch things up. And when they finally resolved their issue, it was underwhelming and anti-climatic. With the buildup for most of the series, I was expecting more.

The secondary romance between Ji’s brother, Ki, and the farmer is also underwhelming. They could have been so cute together, but the writing of the story makes them an afterthought. It seems like there’s more to Ki’s story and why he’s a food vlogger instead of an architect.

Overall, I would only recommend this if you are interested in second-chance romance and can get past some questionable acting. It’s also nice to take a break from most Thai BLs that have a strong and sole focus on students. Though this one has many flashbacks to high schools, at least you also see the leads as a doctor and a superstar/idol (in a semi-believable way).



Completed: 4/16/2024 - Review #428

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Interesting general plot for a mini drama but with poor acting

Subjective Gut Rating - 7.75

The general plot of this mini web drama “Secrets of the Shadow Sect” is comparable to that of a bigger budget production. I find the story interesting with a FL lead who is not who she appears to be. We got a glimpse of her frivolous lifestyle and then dove right into the secret that she has. The plot continues on how her father wants that secret of hers, and expands to an evil stepmother wanting her son to be the Master of the Sect. On the other hand, we have our ML trying to get close to FL. His true intentions are slowly revealed but you won’t get the full story until the end.

All this is enough to be a full-length drama with at least 24 episodes. I think “Secrets of the Shadow Sect” did a pretty good job in consolidating all this into 3.5 hours, except for the last few episodes. The big reveal is not unexpected but could have benefited from a couple more episodes. The writing of the last episode doesn’t make sense and seems too rushed. The explanation from ML is so bad that I am sad to see it end on a low note, when I’ve enjoyed most of the episodes.

The weakest part of this drama is the acting. Both leads, Hu Yi Yao and Lin Ze Hui have appeared in quite a few mini dramas. Unfortunately, I find their acting below-average. Hu Yi Yao is so beautiful. When she plays a more seductive Ling Xuan in the early episodes, she is a lot better than in later scenes when she needs to do more subtle or emotional acting. She looks like a very pretty doll. On the other hand, Lin Ze Hui is worse. I do not think he looks handsome in this style (his profile pic on MDL is much better). His big eyes are not doing him any justice as he just widens them when he’s upset, surprised or happy. There’s no subtle microexpressions at all.

Ending on a positive note, for such a low budget drama, it does not look cheap. The sets, costumes, accessories, makeup and cinematography are not bad. Special props to the hairstylist and costume designer who did a fabulous job in dressing FL. She looks so much prettier than other female leads I’ve seen in recent period dramas.

Although the drama is quite predictable, the general story is still quite good and keeps me invested and entertained. It might not be on par with the likes of “The Killer is Also Romantic” or “A Familiar Stranger” but it’s better than most short mini dramas. If you have 3.5 hours to kill, it’s not bad.


Completed: 4/9142024 - Review #427

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Amazing chemistry and great early episodes, but with rushed ending.

I really enjoyed the first 4 episodes of “Love is Better the Second Time Around”, as I am a big fan of second-chance romance. Two high school sweethearts separated due to unconventional circumstances, reunited 14 years later as business partners. Miyata is the editor assigned to work with professor Takashi.

Through flashbacks, we learned of their high school days and how close they were. They feel like two lost souls attracted to each other. They were young and made mistakes. Feelings were hurt but feelings never went away. When they reunite, sparks fly! The chemistry is so good! Takashi is flirty and has no trouble expressing his feelings and love for Miyata. On the other hand, Miyata is trying to keep things professional and avoid getting hurt again.

I am mesmerized by Takashi. He is handsome, successful and popular with men and women. He’s also gentle, even when he’s trying to set boundaries or yell at someone. But deep down, there’s a different side of him and he’s not who he appears to be. Contrasting Miyata’s awkwardness and nervousness, they make a fun pair to watch. 14 years later, they are both more mature and can cope with challenges better. I enjoy seeing their relationship develop as well as a couple sexy scenes. I do think the kisses could have been better, especially from Miyata. Maybe he’s so lost in Takashi’s mesmerizing eyes that he forgot to actually move his lips.

Unfortunately, the last two episodes are not as satisfying. The introduction of a ‘troublemaker’ in ep 5 makes everything feel rushed. I expected to find out Takashi’s backstory eventually, but having everything wrapped so quickly and easily in the last makes the initial cause of the leads’ breakup seem unimportant. I wish the drama had more episodes, or the episodes are longer.

Even with my criticisms, I really had a great time watching “Love is Better the Second Time Around”. I love a mature second-chance romance with sizzling chemistry. There are too many BL romantic comedies and once in a blue moon, a more mature and melodramatic one hits the right spot.


Completed: 4/9/2024 - Review #426

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