Reviews

Delivers what it promises

This drama is the perfect rom-com for me. The story is cute and inspiring, the casting and acting are great, and most importantly it delivers plenty of funny and heart-fluttering moments as a rom-com should. The plot isn’t overly complicated, but it’s still well paced and logical, not making it boring as in some other dramas that focus only on the relationship of the two leads. Plus there’s an element of mistery to the past of the ML which keeps you intrigued.

*Spoilers ahead!

Things that I particularly enjoyed:
• despite the cliches, the relationships feel more mature, realistic and healthier than your usual kdrama
• not your stereotypical one-dimensional characters (for example the rich father doing the most to split the main couple)
• portrayal of wholesome friendships
• the FL taking her own path rather than having her destiny dictated by the ML (typical Cinderella story)

Things I particularly disliked:

• not so happy ending for some of the second leads (Sang-shik who ends up still alone and Da-eul who stays with her joke of a husband)

Overall this drama kept me engaged from start to end and managed to make me feel connected to the characters which is a must to keep my interest as a viewer.

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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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It is not as shi.tty as many writes

Firstly, Zhao Lu Si series..... alot of humorous, cheeky and adorable scenes. I do have fondness of watching both Zhao Lu Si and Xu Kai Cheng's series but somehow, both of them together as a couple doesn't really sit right for me (personal opinion). They do not really match as a pair - compared to all the other series I watched of the both of them individually. Nonetheless, they did a good job together in this series. One is all seriousness, no nonsense and sometimes abit aloof while the other is constantly bubbly, cheeky and lively. Watching both of them together in this series can be quite amusing.

The other casts all did a very good job. Including Ren Hao as Zhao Lu Si's childhood bestie and "sweetheart". Yes, there are many talks about how his possessiveness sort of ruined the show, however not every show / series are meant to be a rose garden. Some reflects on real life too. His character's possessiveness isn't something new in real life either. There are some crazies, both male and female, that do not know the borderline whatsoever when in love with another person. I do not think that it is a reason for people to shoot down the series. Yes, the drama of it in this series is quite tiring and annoying ... heck you would also be tired out and annoyed if it happens to you in real life. I wouldn't just shelf something over a tiny detail.

I find that this series, excluding the "drama" is actually quite good. All the casts did a very good job acting in this series. And this series is good because being a first female in school during ancient times is very very hard to come by. Many can really just dream about it or learn in secrecy. Therefore, to be given a chance to enter school to study and go thru the examinations is no small feat. So I find this series a good 1st watch. Whether you find fit to rewatch, well that is entirely up to you personally.

Not all the music paired with this show is to my liking but there is some really nice tracks for this series.

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The love of a confused people is pure white... (OST)

This story is one of my favourite genre as I like the topic of betrayal in married life but mainly the husband was the one who start it in most dramas but when the wife it is not so common...

This is underrated drama and not well known, though it is been 19 years but the social realism of age gap as older woman/younger man is not something new in asian drama.

When a housewife is not satisfied with her boring married life and think she loves her husband and is happy with him but deeply deny the fact that they are just like housemates no more than that... this is what the case is here about the relationship of kozue and hideo.

It was sudden like a storm (english title) because the unexpected encounter of kozue with someone teenager who makes her yearn for her youth days that she lived complaining being the tallest with no so much intimate friends around her and nothing in common between her mates in junior high till the lonely and abscent minded brown hair school boy with bangs striking her attention at the middle of the road of a rainy day... (Takuma the storm who changed her life)

Kozue is the one confused and not honest with her self didn't mind the accompany of takuma the dancer teacher and mysterious one, at the beginning he pushed her to practice dance when persuading her that dance will change her view of herself and as she thought she is not the one who may know how to do it, taking steps by steps to join him after the fate of them meeting so many times...

Something inside her made a storm in her feelings toward him, is it a "disease of luxury" as she said to pamper herself by dancing to awake after the slump in her boring life or is it the feelings for the person who made her more confident about herself and to take care of her beauty that she missed while she is with hideo her husband?!

Takuma did not wanted to reveal his mystery to kozue as sick person suffering from emphysema, at each time she decided to end her relationship with him, something happening to him about his disease stopped her from being decisive and empathy with him, couldn't help leaving him alone when her husband was in need for her...

It was not a scandalous affair to say but a betrayal of kozue for hideo who is oblivious and didn't want to doubt the loyality of kozue for him cause at everytime takuma taking a step ahead towards her, she would avoid him for no more feeling guilty about her husband...

Kozue's mother caught her when takuma confessed to her and warned her that "married woman shouldn't falling in love"...

Yoriko was the one receiving the messages of what kozue did in detail with takuma and yoriko wanted kozue to be with takuma as she knew his medical issue and she is the cause for confessing to hideo what kozue was doing behind his back but yoriko did all of this because she had a crush on hideo...

The confess of takuma to kozue that he loved her after he didn't know what this kind of feeling of him for her, was shaking her more and she strayed his seriousness with another talk but couldn't do anything just to love him back but didn't have the courage to tell him that as the society will judge her badly and everyone around kozue and takuma will be in pain and despise them regarding their 16 years age gap...

Divorce will happen after hideo saw the real scene of kozue hugging takuma who has been attacked by emphysema and crying loudly, couldn't dance anymore according to his health condition was more worthy for kozue than to justify to hideo what is her relationship with takuma was what about...

I didn't like the end at all as I wished kozue and takuma ended up together but kozue choosed to be independent and as takuma is special for her she wanted to free him from her for not facing more criticism from the society but takuma wanted for sure to be a great man and finding a job for kozue to accept him and he didn't care for the great age gap 18 vs 34 as he wanted her so badly but if it was the opposit I would give it 10 as overall rating for sure...

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Lawful Manners of Deadly Attraction

This title was supposed to be a (poor) homage to Manner of Death aka one of my favorite crime Bls to this day.

Laws of Attraction was all over my dashboard and timeline for MONTHS, so I did have quite some expectations. I was hoping that this could be the Manner of Death of 2023. The premise was very interesting and I did enjoy the first episode. Though, the show didn't manage to keep up my interest throughout the other seven episodes. I'm not entirely sure if I want this show to be longer to flesh out some characters and arcs or if I need this show to fix the pacing and speed things up and use the gained time more efficiently. I'm not super nitpicky about the fight scenes, the VFX/CGI and other stuff, but the budget was noticeable. This show reminded me a lot of Manner of Death, the amount of times they get beat up or chased and almost killed is nearly identical. The acting was also a little over the top or stiff. The main couple was nice in theory but Tinn seemed a bit too good for Charn. Like there was no "okay they are both unhinged, I can see it work". On one hand you have squeaky clean goody-two-shoes big bro and on the other hand you have a corrupt lawyer who has no issue faking evidence and putting innocent people behind bars and burning down houses to get what he wants. I feel like Charn had great potential but was screwed over by the writing and pacing of the show. The side couple managed to steal my heart. What can I say, I am a sucker for the bodyguard trope. Though I gotta admit, that I did struggle with Thaenthai quite a lot in the first few episodes. Specifically his apathy and disregard for other people and their death. But his character arc and storyline was interesting. The execution was fine, nothing groundbreaking or new, but fine. The sapphic couple was a nice addiction though very minor. The scene about marriage equality was brief and a little too on-the-nose, but I liked it nonetheless.

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The Entire Premise & Plot are about GUI (Xiao) and LU (Chen)

The Entire Premise & Plot are about GUI (Xiao) and LU (Chen) -- Thus, the very apt name of this drama: Gui Lu.

I wanted to watch this drama because of Jing Bo Ran. He is very tall, manly, charming and handsome. Drama truly presented him in the best light possible which adds greatly to his devastating charm. In this drama, he cooked so well, he loved deeply, he behaved responsibly, he acted with loyalty as well as with integrity. I would definitely like a Lu Chen for myself.

What I loved a lot about this drama:
- Jing Bo Ran. He stole the show. I want a Lu Chen too. Charming, responsible, loving, courageous, sensible, faithful... WOW!
- Relationship between FL and ML was believable. I liked that they only had eyes for each other and truly loved each other madly and deeply. The fact that they re-united and got together after they broke up when they were young made their 'new' relationship a mature one. I liked it.
- FL's and ML's besties were also GOAT. I liked Duan Rou, Meng Xiao Shan, Qing Feng, Hai Dong and Qin Ming Yu.
- I enjoyed the breath-taking scenery. I liked seeing ML and FL in such beautiful surroundings.
- This was also a 'happily-ever-after' drama. I am a sucker for happy endings.

What could have been better:
- Editing was abrupt. Some scenes were fragmented and jumped from one part to another. At times, I went 'huh?' and wondered if I missed something.
- I was looking forward to Jing Bo Ran's shower scene which I spied on YouTube... but, I did not see it while watching the drama.

What I didn't like:
- ML's father was all kinds of f-ed up. Luckily, ML managed to deal with his father forcefully enough too and was not a wimp and he did not allow his loved ones to be hurt by an unreasonable and atrocious maniac.

Overall, I love this drama because I love Jing Bo Ran. I also love his character, Lu Chen. I highly recommend this drama because JBR! <3

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Ridiculous, Cheesy Fun

Ah, but there is just something special about these mini C-dramas.
It's true, they suffer from a lack of budget, a lack of plot, and a lack of being allowed to have their goddamn mains kiss on screen for once, but they are also incredibly skilled at circumventing all those issues.
Here, the plot, even if it is weak or densely packed into a very short runtime, is compelling and easy to follow and the likeable (and let's not kid ourselves - beautiful) characters are more than enough to keep the audience captivated and entertained for the, sadly all too brief, duration of the show's runtime.
Furthermore the series never takes itself too seriously. The team clearly knew exactly what kind of show they were making and they went all-in. And that's precisely what makes it work. It's that commitment, combined with just a few moments of tongue-in-cheek meta humour that makes the entire thing so wholly charming and fun to watch.
Yes, I wish there were more depictions of queer people in general and queer women specifically in our media and yes, I wish I could get to see the makers behind these shows get to produce something unafraid and wholly, explicitly queer and yes, it breaks my damn heart that, for now, we can't have any of those things.
But I also feel heartened by shows like this. They are ridiculous, bold, unflinching little acts of defiance and seeing more and more of them produced in the last few years has been a real treat.
For now, these will do. For now, we at least get to see cute girls with swords turning the world on its head to be with each other. And that's not nothing.

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Here for SJK, but fell for Babo!

The acting of both MLs are on fire! I mean....who would have thought a cute innocent intern turned out to be a psychopath Babo? Are they even the same person? Geez!

Not to mention the ruthless mafia lawyer turned a sweet gay prince charming turned a flower boy shaman. Its like watching costume play! haha

This shows the acting skills of both MLs are top tier, its SO good and its what really save the show!

Without them, this show probably wouldn't be as good and enjoyable

Now, these are minor details I feel would have made it 10/10 if its better

1. It could be cut down to 12 episodes or so. The 1st 7 episodes are so thrilling and it just went on draggy and complicated. It really doesn't have to be that fancily complicated, it just becomes a nuisance. Also, too much emphasis on the "finding gold" part that its just irritating. Like, I get it..now, can we find it?

2. The first few episodes are cringey, which I feel what made people dropped. They could improved the style of comedy. Actually, after that few scenes, some of the comedy are really good. Its just that few scenes

3. The lack of sparks between ML and FL. IT's non existence and then they end up kissing? Like, where does this come from? I know the focus isn't on the romance which I am okay, but at least, there gotta be some sparks, so we are excited when they kiss, right? I usually am excited with such scenes but here, Im just like...how and why and wtf?

Also, the show gets darker and darker...not to mention gruel towards the end. Its not for everyone definitely

I'll still recommend this because of the excellent acting. If its not to your liking, you can drop it then.

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Nice drama

This is an amazing drama either you will cry because of sadness or cry of laughter……

I actually dropped this at ep 6 like maybe a year ago and tried again and here I am to put a comment on it I really found it’s a good drama. You will find boring on the first half but getting sadder and happier on the second half.

Thanks me later



This is an amazing drama either you will cry because of sadness or cry of laughter……

I actually dropped this at ep 6 like maybe a year ago and tried again and here I am to put a comment on it I really found it’s a good drama. You will find boring on the first half but getting sadder and happier on the second half.

Thanks me later

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A Modern Kdrama with a Touch of Older Kdramas that Can Be Confusing and Unpredictable at Times

“Destined with You” is a drama with a mix of light and dark genres, which starts with a light tone, then the tone shifts, darkens as it gets more serious to reveal the backstory, and make viewers realise that they’ve been given clues along the way, and they just need to connect the dots as the story is unfolding, which means…

…it is also the type of drama that needs you to pay full attention or you will miss out on the details left by the writer/director. Trust me, I’d been rewatching while waiting for next episodes and found details that I didn’t notice on my first watch.

The drama does not spell out every detail for you due its non-linear narrative, but gives enough hints and details along the way if you pay attention. It does not hold smooth consistent tones from start to finish, nor are the characters all perfect and more akin to flawed human beings you find irl. The characters have layers and depth that you need to understand as a whole and if you only chose to see them from the surface, then you will definitely misunderstand them and their motives, actions etc You have to be patient with both, story and characters, in order to see it all unfolding and to enjoy it.

I missed the kind of feelings I get from Kdramas that remind me of how I fell in love with Kdramaland 13 years ago. Most modern Kdramas have become more westernised, most storylines and characters have become rather… ‘forgettable’. Kdrama has been losing its essence since few years ago that I switched to Thai/C/Jdramas that feel more like home.

But this one, is some kind of refreshments for me. It’s modern, but it also contains some tropes we saw in older Kdramas.

We have leads with FLAWS, which allows space for character development. We have dramatic, confusing and exciting plots - best when we watch it ongoing, sharing theories with other viewers.

My final say:

I suggest if you’re ready to start watching this drama, go with an OPEN MIND. Just go with the flow (it has non-linear narrative, so that’s where it gets confusing sometimes), so that you won’t be questioning why this happens, why this character did what they did, etc..

Don’t be too stuck up and too strict. This way you might end up loving this drama as a whole!

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A cute story with a unrealistic female character (and i know this is a fiction)

At first glance, 'Usokon' presents itself as a heartwarming romantic comedy that reunites two childhood friends who lost touch for ten years. Takumi, the male lead, approaches her with an unconventional proposition, to be his fake wife for six months.

As the story unfolds, 'Usokon' initially weaves a charming tale of cute and heartwarming moments, where you can witness how this lie gradually transforms into their truth.

However, as the plot progresses, the portrayal of the female lead character, Yae, raises some concerns. She is selfless and sweet but her naivety and unrealistic behavior can be hard to ignore. The central conflict in the story becomes ... bonkers? as it involves a girl who had a brief relationship with Takumi a decade ago suddenly resurfacing and demanding Yae to go away, so she can be with Takumi. And she does!!!! This development feels unrealistic, with the character seemingly disregarding everything Takumi did and said up until that point.

While I initially enjoyed the dorama despite some minor annoyances, the appearance of this new character marked a downturn in the plot. If a conflict was needed to drive the story, it could have been approached in an entirely different and more believable manner.

On a brighter note, I found Takumi, Shindo, and Remi's characters to be quite engaging. I look forward to seeing these actors in future doramas, hoping for a more compelling storyline that does justice to their talents. ♥

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Extraordianry game with time. Nothing and no one is the same.

My idea about this series: After the first episode, I thought it would be a pleasant relaxing series where we have footage from the present when something happened and we go back to the past and the story tells us what and why happened in the past and also in the present... Reality: I was more and more out of it with each subsequent episode, I was yelled at sometimes in the 6th episode, totally psycho... who is who and at what time it happened, because the times didn't fit at all, neither the characters nor the names. From a pleasant relaxing time, it changed into a brutal game with time, storylines, and characters. I devoured this series in about two days. Thank you for releasing it into the world with all the parts at once. If it were done gradually, I would probably snap or stop watching it. The casting was 100% successful. Acting skills were at the highest level. This was the Ahn Hyo Seop I had been waiting for for a very long time. Not the artificial, conceited, most stylish one like in Business Proposal, nor such a bunny as in Abyss, or in 30 but 17. He suited me better in Lovers of the Red Sky but here in A time called you, he was perfect here from the first moment to the last. I enjoyed every scene with him. Also, Kang Hoon surprised me even more after The Red Sleeve. The boys did a great job playing both student and adult roles. And Jeon Yeo Bin was also awesome. How action-packed and funny she was in Vincenzo, here she was incredibly emotional and cared about every detail of her characters. Anyone who has seen Memories of Alhambra will surely recognize Min Jin-Woong, who he played as Hyun Bin's assistant and good friend. In this series, however, he got a completely different character, actually several characters...each different, but refined. I recommend watching this series when you have enough time to watch it continuously. I had to rewatch a few things again to better understand the storyline.

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I see it two times

I really like the story and overall acting. Now, I am waiting for season 2. I am from Bangladesh, after seeing this series I really start to like Xiao Zhan. I like to see more series from xiao zhan like this. And he is so cutie. I like his acting and after seeing this series I saw the Untamed which made me so emotion. At least 2 times I saw it. Again I want to see it. The longest promise is best action, best romantic. I think I almost finish the drama from Xiao zhan, I am waiting for new drama. In traditional customs, Xiao zhan so cute. I feel like I am crush on him.

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love love love

I was so surprised at every twist and turn. I loved how confident the female lead was. She was strong and talented on her own which made the male lead and her love even more amazing. I am glad that the "criminal" and "bully" got what they deserved, since its always so unsatisfying when the villain gets happiness anyways, but they showed the reasons leading up to why they become what they are.
All and all this series was so packed with so many twists and turns that you are so excited for every episode. I am normally very good at discerning what will happen before it does but this one really kept me on my toes, especially finding out who the main villain(s) were... (0.0)
a must see for anyone looking for an amazing series.

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Visualmente lindo e bem produzido.

visualmente lindo e bem produzido.

Achei a história confusa de entender no início, meu personagem favorito sem dúvidas é Chang yi, ele é tão profundo e lindo seja amando ela incondicionalmente, seja achando que a odeia incondicionalmente. Algumas partes e personagens ficaram esquecidos e por se tratar de muitos personagens fica massante, acho que deveriam focar apenas no principal, e portanto entra minha curiosidade do que há por trás de toda a situação com mestre imortal e a história dele, e o que isso tem de importante para o enredo principal. Nesse caso só assistindo a parte 2.

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