Reviews

The best couple in Chinese historical drama series together again

The best couple in Chinese historical drama series.. They acted in 3 series together and their performance continued to increase... The first series I watched was Princess Agent. Seeing them together again in this series after a long time made me both very happy and excited.. the series When I first read the news about it, I was hoping that I would encounter a better series than Prinsess Agent. If we take their acting and harmony out of the series, although it is only visually rich, I would definitely not watch the series if another couple played it. Even though I do not like fantasy TV series, the fact that my favorite couple is in the lead role of the series makes it great. It is one of the factors that make people watch it.. After about 7 years, there should be a TV series on Prinsess Agent with the subject of the series they starred in together... As someone who loves watching this couple, I hope that we can have the pleasure of watching a new historical series together without waiting so long.. whatever. Even though I don't like the subject as much and find it simple, there are many people behind the camera. We would like to thank everyone who contributed to the production and broadcast.

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Deserves every bit of its 20 M YouTube views ..

Short ..feel good ..romance ..light comedy ,best package for a binge watch. The plot has twists but not the type that entangle with each other ,dragged to 20 episodes and bring the whole story down ... There is a OG contract fiancee soft lovestory surrounded by all sort of pranks and conspiracy but they are being solved simultaneously keeping the freshness in the story intact ...

I loved the way this series portrayed the emotions of a homosexual boy for a straight person and I loved none of them very unapologetic about their feelings ... We often talk of China as a country of controlled speech ..but in this particular case I must say it better to be unapologetic than being called Homo-phobic just for being straight (like we do in west)

Cast was lovely .. FL has appeared in support roles in a couple of shows I have seen . Her performance as a FL was very good ... ML character is sweet and charismatic... Played extremely well by the boy ...

On the whole I can NOT pick any reason to criticize this show ...
Worth a re-watch : yes

Waiting for the next season . <3

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UNIQUE

Tender Light is another one of those underrated gems that come out once in a while and feel refreshingly different.

This review is mostly for people that are hesitant to watch it, because of the rating, the length or any other reason.

I will briefly mention some of the things I didn't like and then I will refer to the things that made me really enjoy this series.

Things that I disliked or could have been better:
- Some of the actors' performances. I specifically think that both Tong Yao starring as Nan Ya and Wang Zi Xuan as Qing Li were not as great as they should be in their roles.
- Last half an hour - no spoilers-, but it could have definitely been better execution-wise, but unfortunately it ended up being another example that proves that censorship ruins creative freedom.
- Some plot points, character choices in the last few eps were very sudden and out of place.


Now to the things I loved and why I think you should give this a watch:

Length
Despite its 28 episodes the drama manages to keep your attention. Even though it could be shortened, since there were quite a lot of scenes that felt like fillers, I think they added to the atmosphere. It was ideal to watch, while it was airing, since it is definitely not a binge-worthy show.

Zhang Xin Cheng
I haven't watched many Cdramas and even though many actors and actresses were good, I can't help but mention specifically Zhang Xing Cheng. He did an incredible job portraying a very complex character and honestly I can't believe he is the same person that starred in Justice in the Dark and The Day of Becoming You. It's like he completely transforms, when he acts (and no not all actors manage that, despite being their job).

Characters
Tender Light has some of the most complex, realistic, flawed and raw characters I have seen in a very long time. Some are a joy to watch, others can get frustrating, but all of them manage -for the most part- to feel very very real.

Directing/Cinematography
I must mention that the series is visually stunning. It's nothing like the typical Cdrama, it is obvious that the director has paid attention to every single shot and most importantly he managed to make every frame filled with emotions.

Atmosphere
The series is talking place -mostly- in 1999 and 2000 and the atmosphere captures greatly that time. The subtle transitions because of technological advancements is evident and even though it may feel sometimes that the series is talking place years earlier, I think it was a great choice taking into consideration that the drama is taking place in a very small town/village, where things obviously can't be as advanced as in the capital.

Mystery/Plot
No spoilers allowed, so I will just say that generally speaking the plot is pretty well written. Even though the series is slow paced and character driven, the mystery and the revelations will keep you glued to the screen.

Village/Small town setting
Well, apparently this is one of my favorite things. I love this setting, mostly because as viewers we know all the characters. As a result, it is much more entertaining when guessing who could have done what, cause no new characters are going to pop out of nowhere.
Plus, it is a great ''excuse'' to deal with themes like marginalization, stigma and of course the whole ''everyone knows everyone, everyone judges everyone'' and my most favorite ''no matter what happens, it's none of our business'' one of the biggest problems in any society.

Sensitive subjects
One of the strongest, if not the strongest, part of this series is the subjects it is dealing with. Tender Light deals with many -non-sensitive- themes like unconditional love and friendships, but also with many sensitive subjects like abuse, mental health, obsession, greed, jealousy (and many others I will not mention cause of spoilers, but if you have any triggers, please check the tags.)

Eroticism/Love
Many people argued about the existence or romance in this series, but I disagree. It is there, but it is a dark kind of love and it can be difficult to watch at times, especially since it starts quite differently. Regardless, the eroticism radiates from many of the scenes and even though romance is not the main theme it is equally -and I would dare say more- impactful than most love stories.

Music
Oh, dear. Amazing. Mostly instrumental music is used, but all I can say is that it is a pleasure for the ears. I would even say that the music in combination with some of the scenes, gave off -strong- Wong Kar-wai vibes.

Daring
Even though I mentioned about censorship and artistic freedom above, I must also mention that the series plot-wise and character-wise was very bold. Some of the scenes felt very real and were hard to watch and at the same time the characters' actions or even their whole personalities were so flawed to a point I was actually wondering how this managed to pass censorship.

Director's skill
What do I mean by that? Well, besides the gorgeous shots and generally the stunning cinematography, the director upgraded the skills of his actors -something that I rarely see, even though it is part of their jobs-. Like mentioned, some actors were good, others not so much. The thing is that he managed to make the good ones look even better and he also managed to make the bad/less good ones seem pretty good -at times-, cause of the shots, the angles he chose. That deserves some applause honestly, because we would be talking about something completely different if he wasn't the one in charge of the directing.


Now, as mentioned, this series has many positive points, but is it for everyone? No. Why?

Here are a few notes for those wondering if it is for them:
- It is quite slow paced
- It is mostly character driven
- It deals with themes that may trigger people or just make them uncomfortable
- A lot of attention is focused on the visual storytelling that many people don't enjoy
- Characters are quite flawed, something that may cause annoyance
- The ''romance'' tag is there for a reason, but the series also doesn't have the usual, healthy or at least lighthearted love story you may be used to watching and can easily make someone uncomfortable, since it starts quite intensely.


All in all, Tender Light is unique. That is the only word that describes it perfectly. It is different and that makes it shine, despite its flaws especially during the last few episodes.

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Delightful!

I originally put off seeing this since I thought it was another Noona romance, but I found the series to be so fun to watch . The premise (noblewoman as a ninja-like avenger) is sightly ridiculous but presented with a sarcastic “tongue in cheek” that made it surprisingly fun. Lee Ha Nee is a talented actress, not afraid to do comedyic scenes. She tried hard to create some chemistry with Lee Jong Won but I found the 11 years age difference too much to overcome. They kept it sweet, though, and that made the romance more believable. Lee Jong Won is very attractive and capable actor. I enjoyed this series, which I am glad they kept at 12 episodes, short but sweet.

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Waste of time to watch

Critique While "My ID is Gangnam Beauty" has many strengths, it also has notable weaknesses:

Repetition and Predictability: Some plot points and conflicts feel repetitive and predictable, making parts of the story seem formulaic. This can diminish the impact of key moments.

Character Development: Although the main characters are well-developed, several supporting characters are underutilized. Their motivations and backstories could have been explored more deeply, which would have added richness to the narrative.

Pacing Issues: At times, the drama's pacing is uneven. Some episodes drag, particularly in the middle, which can make the series feel longer than necessary.

Clichés: The drama occasionally relies on clichés common in K-dramas, such as love triangles and misunderstandings, which can feel tiresome for viewers familiar with the genre.Superficial Treatment of Themes: While the drama addresses important issues like beauty standards and self-esteem, these themes are sometimes handled in a surface-level manner. A deeper exploration could have made the message more impactful.

Rating 7/10

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It didn't stick the landing

Boy oh boy but do I have some conflicting feelings about this show!
I went into it with some pretty strong reservations given how viscerally uncomfortable power imbalance and consent issues in relationships (no matter how fictional) make me, but I decided to give it a go anyway because of the screenwriter and directors' involvement in shows like Jack o' Frost and Old Fashion Cupcake, both series that I absolutely adore.
Given that initial hesitancy I have to say I was both positively and negatively surprised by Taikan Yoho.

On the one hand it is technically excellent - the cinematography is brilliant, the editing and pacing are well though-out and cohesive, and the performances are stellar.
There is also the fact that the main characters' relationship, unhealthy and co-dependent as it may start out, seems to improve significantly as the show goes on, so much so that I became genuinely invested and was even sold on the idea that yeah, these two do love each other in their own, confused way don't they.
The intimacy the two share feels natural and believable even when set against the backdrop of so much emotional turmoil and denial.

On the other hand, all that promising build-up pretty much goes out the window with the final episode.
To explain:
I was surprised by how many similarities Taikan Yoho has to Utsukushii Kare, at least where the main characters' dynamic is concerned.
It's clear from the start how terrible both Mizuki and Yoh are at communicating (Yoh being especially guilty of this) and how much of their issues stem from the deep insecurities both of them seem to harbour about their relationship. But instead of making use of this premise and actually developing the characters (rather than just explaining their motivations), the show completely shoots itself in the foot by veering in distinctly the wrong direction, in my opinion.
Because rather than showing the characters taking steps towards a more even footing with one another, which is exactly what makes Utsukushii Kare work so well, they settle even more into their respective roles with Mizuki becoming uncomfortably domineering and essentially none of their misunderstandings cleared up, which makes any progress the two previously made feel completely inconsequential.
And kind of heartbreaking, too, given how Mizuki previously indicates he loves it when Yoh doesn't simply obey blindly but also shows his wants and needs.
Putting that aside, I don't even think the show works properly as a depiction of a healthy D/S dynamic.
Granted, I am not particularly well-versed in the subject so take what I say with a grain of salt (a much more reliable and in-depth analysis on the topic can be found here, should you be interested: https://www.tumblr.com/lutawolf/725726059919736832/my-person-weatherman-or-taikan-yoho?source=share), but I do know that what's most important in such relationships is communication and clearly drawn boundaries. And while Yoh's and Mizuki's relationship does bear many strong resemblances to certain types of D/S relationships, those vital features are clearly missing from their dynamic.

I don't regret having watched the show, nor would I discourage anyone else from watching it, but I do think it's important to be aware of the series' short-comings, especially where delicate but highly important topics like consent and power are concerned.
I also can't help feeling disappointed that the story didn't live up to its potential but rather falls prey to some of the most egregious cliches of the genre, especially with such a talented production team and cast .

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Between Love And Friendship

Never had a drama a more fitting title!
Never was there a drama for me where I did not want the main leads to end up together.
Never had I seen a couple of utterly dislikable characters with horrendous and extremely weak personalities.
Never were the truer words said than when the ML finally admits to his own shortcomings 5 min before the ending!

As the title says, this is a story of two friends who want to become more but they are just caught in a string of missed opportunities, lack of courage, misunderstandings, lack of courage, lies, lack of courage and of course, lack of courage. They are both so insecure behind the hard surface that they do not dare to speak the truth to each other. But the reason was never the obvious one: to keep the friendship intact because their friendship, even though they were close, was never really deep and sincere. They liked spending time together but both of them wanted to become more while neither of them dared to say it. It turned out to be an extremely frustrating watch.

What it proved, as if the proof was needed, is that the men are weak creatures, without spine or courage but who talk big. Women on the other hand are not afraid to talk and lie, to fight what they want, to abandon what they do not need anymore.

What I liked about this drama is the structure of it: the same story is told from the both main characters' point of view as each episode tells about the same events. What I did not like very much is the usual overuse of voiceover but that is such a j drama thing so we end up getting used to it! I loved the music : the final song was beautiful. But I did not like the ML: he is the most annoying, spineless, cowardly, stupid, idiotic ML I have ever watched. What I hated about this is the predictable ending: I did not want them to end up happily ever after! They had so many opportunities to be happy together but they let every one of those slip through their fingers so they can wallow in misery and pretend to be happy. They actually deserved to remain alone and really miserable while having huge regrets and never acting on them! It was never clear what they liked so much about each other: probably they recognized each other's flaws in themselves: they are both equally insincere!

The drama's 10 episodes, 5 from Rina's POV and 5 from Ren's, span a 7 year period: it took them over 7 years to finally realize what they wanted (especially Ren: he is an idiot when he needs his ex-wife to explain some truths to him!) and timidly try to do something about it. I really thought that Ren was going to run away again in the end when she said "No way!" to his proposal..

Interesting concept but annoying characters with an undeserving happy end! Watching suggestion: watch the two versions at the same time in this order: episodes: 1, 6, 2, 7, 3, 8, 4, 9, 5, 10.

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just beautiful.

this was the most beautiful bl, not only by cinematography but storywise as well. the romance was so deep, it was so much more of a serious bl and i loved that! it didn't only focus on the romance, there was a lot of it focusing on the characters themselves and their struggles which I LOOOOOVEED. something other bls need to take notes on, it really fleshes out the characters and makes them that much more real! again the cinematography was amazing. scenes were shot so beautifully and the quality was just amazing. the whole surfing plot was TO DIE FOR. i love surfing and ocean aesthetic so i loved this. such a beautiful and respectful way of talking about mental health and depression as well, i've never really see a show do it so good and so real. also LOVE the how the side characters were actually accepting, it was just so sweet. all the side characters were really good too, they felt like real people and not just there to assist the main couple. love my supportive queens yoon won and ae-ri.

ugh this is just the most gorgeous produciton. yes their love wasn't a perfect cute bl love, but it was raw and real. watch this if you haven't it'll change your life.

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not my fave but still cute.

this one im kinda not sure where to rate it cuz i actually liked it but some parts i really didn't. i really liked the romantic scenes in this bl, a lot of them were so cute and tropey and i found them really cute. i didn't like the actual plot and story of the romance, because it was really tied up and far fetched. i mean the two mains didn't even like eachother like that before, and one of them even really liked someone else at the start. to switch it all up (and i means ALLLLL UP) is a little crazy, i mean i guess it could happen but it didn't even take place over that much time so like... also some of the acting threw me off, like ida isn't really emotinal at all so it's kinda hard to see romance from his side. and aoki was a little cringey in the japanese bl way, and it became a bit too much sometimes. idk their relationship just didn't seem very strong, and i didn't see much of a connection. though besides that the romantic scenes were cute and it was pretty high quality on the production side.

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SO CUTE

one of my fave bls it's jsut so cute and sweet i love it. i first read the manga (go read it if you haven't!) and it was sooo good so when i heard about the show i HAD to watch. supringly it did not disappoint, a lot of bl manga and webtoons have actually been destroyed by being turned into a tv show.

this is one of the cutest bls out there, their connection is so pure and sweet. it really is perfectly paced, it didn't feel rushed at all and i felt like i really saw a genuine connection grow between the characters. the storyline with the food was just so unique too, there nothing else like it. and how can i write a review about it without mentioning tane! god he is soooo adorable and really was so sweet. he adds this pure and childlike element to the romance between the two mains, and the way he plays into interuppting or starting romantic moments between minoru and yutaka. also he's just really cute and always made me smile when he was on screen.

overall this is just so cute (i know i've said that a million times but it's because it's TRUE!), and such a beautiful story. also sweet that they didn't remove the kiss scene that's in the manga cuz i find its rare in japenese bl.

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just bad.

the only thing that kept me watching this was my unfavthomable bordem and being curious about what crazy random thing they were going to add next. (and the fact that its onlyoneof)

this was just really really bad. the acting was really cheesy and bad, but at least they're idols and not professional actors. the acting for the villain was espeically bad, it was just so cringey and i could barely watch. i didn't like the whole gay buissness concept, i mean like i guess its trying to be so meta and life changing in the way they're trying to disect the social norm of shipping kpop idols but like actually making it the concept to get queer fans (legit queerbaiting!) is gross. also production budget was low im sure cuz the quality was really not that good, even that acting of the characters who weren't the idols was bad too.

the romance between the two mains wasn't even good so like the concept wasn't even worth it. they really didn't have much chemistry and i hattttttted the way mills character was like the "innocent" one like it was lowkey weird and gross and hard to watch. there was so much random weird plot going on like the evil guy legit trying to get his henchwoman to have sex with the main without his consent... gross. and even if i considered that maybe it's just an actual evil thing to do, it was impossible to believe that while watching because the acting was so bad and cringey. so many random plots too to try and involve all the members but itmade it really confusing and took away from the main romance.

the only good thing about this show was the music, cuz i loooove onlyoneof's songs and that was basically the only soundtrack in the show.

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Few episodes were good and few were bored

Men in Love," as the name suggests, is a story about four men in their thirties who have gone through a lot since high school, but their bond has only grown stronger over the years. One man is married but faces problems in his married life. Another man's wife has passed away, and he has never moved on from it. The third man had a breakup, and the fourth is still single. This is where the story begins.

The married man struggles to save his marriage from divorce. In the life of the widower, a new girl enters who has loved him for many years. She is his best friend's sister and is ten years younger than him, so he always keeps a distance from her . The man who experienced a breakup falls in love again, but misunderstandings arise when his ex returns to his life. The fourth man's love story faces many ups and downs due to his mother's refusal to accept their relationship.
The drama showcases how each man's love story survives.
I didn't like the attitude of the first man's wife; she always doubts him. However, he is somewhat responsible for her behavior because he never builds trust with her and gets easily flattered by beautiful women.
The girl who loves the widower also annoyed me. Despite his clear rejection, she continues to pursue him. She often became a spoilsport and misbehaved with any girl who came near him.
Among all four love stories, I liked the first two the most. The first man's wife's whenever doubt on him and his reactions made me laugh, and the second man's love story is cute.

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Too Good To Be True

I don't want to say this isn't a good show, because it's quite the contrary! The story this time is one of the more interesting ones I have seen in a long while, however, that isn't necessarily true for the show in its entirety, unfortunately....

The cast was wonderfully picked, but I do think (if a remake was/is to be made) I would recast a few roles; though that may just make this story more focused on the popularity of the actors alone instead of both actors and the script, which is well deserving of a lot of attention! Honestly, this is truly a curious and exciting story to watch as each episode had me on the edge of my seat, mesmerized and wondering what happen next!

The plot and story themselves were very original; each episode had me holding my breath while I tried to put the pieces together of what would happen next.... and I could never figure things out. The first few episodes were probably my favorite of the series, really; the reference to some popular artists was a highlight and kept the thrilling action rising right up to the peak point in the final episode(s).

Watching the teamwork throughout each episode was fun, too. Seeing them grow as a team during each case and "Marutai" was fascinating; it wasn't like watching a lot of "bodyguard" or "special police/security" teams in dramas, shows, or movies now, but it does seem to be the script/storyline does seem to be the base-line for a few. Not so much, though, that things are familiar and I can immediately point them out in other shows, but enough to realize I've seen them before. Though this script truly is one of a kind, most definitely a story unlike any other! A lot of creative minds must have collaborated and worked diligently to create such an interesting and spectacular show.

If you're looking for a good mystery, a show to begin your viewing of Japanese dramas, or if you're an Okada Junichi fan then this show would be interesting to keep in mind!

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Give it a try, but for me it fell short

Things I liked:
-Loved the relationship between ML and his two ghost partners. Yoo In Soo as Sung Ho and Eum Moon Suk as Nam Goo were both very good. There was quite a bit of humor when these three were involved.
-FL's friend the attorney that climbed up the hill to her office. I LOVED the yellow suit she was wearing.
-The way they styled ML. Loved the color of his hair, it set him apart. I also loved the clothes they put him in, loose, comfortable clothes.
-2FL storyline (for the most part).
-I liked the cameos.

On the other side of the coin:
-ML and FL had no chemistry, as far as I was concerned. The whole thing seemed kind of forced to me. However, they didn't have the cliche misunderstanding breakup.
-Some of the filming was extremely dark. If you aren't in a dark room when you watch it, you'll miss stuff.
-I didn't like the character of the FL at all. I don't care for forward women, and she just couldn't get the hint.
-Continuity issues - they are drinking in the park at night, and suddenly when they are walking home it's daytime.
-I felt that this show suffered from too many episodes. There was a lot of wasted time.
-The cop ghost - didn't like the ending of his story, or his lack of resolution with his wife.
-The 2FL and the office ghost in a relationship? Please, that was just too ridiculous.
-Though it was a happy ending, I was pretty disappointed in the show once I finished it.

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just not what i thought it was

i was definitley mislead by tiktok to think that this is a genuine romance, but it really isn't. i really was just looking for a cute romance and even if this was that sometimes, the unsatisfying ending of it all being fake really left me wanting more. even if one of the characters does think its geniune, the other charachter was just playing him the whole time as a way to have fun. legit more psych than romance.
i thought the acting was actually pretty good, espeically beacause its done by idols and not actors.

honestly it wasn't that bad but really i was just mislead by the edits and i didn't end up liking what i got.

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