Drama that actually dares to entertain...
How Dare You, also known as This Is Ridiculous, is one of those dramas that knows it is a little over the top and just runs with it. And honestly, that is part of its charm. It does not pretend to be deep political philosophy. It is here to entertain, poke fun, and serve romance with a side of sass.The story kicks off with a strong female lead who does not sit quietly in a corner waiting to be rescued. She talks back. She questions. She dares. The male lead is not your typical cold stone statue either. He has layers. At first, you might think, here we go again, arrogant man meets bold woman. But slowly the dynamic shifts. There is banter, tension, and actual growth. That is what makes it fun to watch. The romance builds through clashes, misunderstandings, and those classic moments where pride almost ruins everything.
The cast does a solid job. The leads carry the drama well, especially in emotional scenes. They manage to balance comedy and sincerity without making it feel forced. Supporting characters add color instead of just filling space. Some are dramatic, some are chaotic, and some are surprisingly wise. It never feels empty around the main couple.
Production wise, it looks polished. The sets are well designed, especially the palace and noble house scenes. Nothing looks cheap or rushed. The cinematography is clean, and the lighting in romantic scenes gives that soft glow without turning everyone into a candle. It feels high quality but not flashy for the sake of it.
Now let us talk about the costumes. The wardrobe team clearly understood the assignment. The female lead’s outfits are elegant but practical, fitting her personality. The embroidery and fabric choices give that classic historical drama feel without going overboard. The male lead’s robes are structured and sharp, matching his status and character growth. You can tell effort went into making each look meaningful, not random.
The OST quietly does its job. It is not the type where you instantly add every song to your playlist, but it fits the mood. The background music lifts emotional scenes and softens romantic moments. When tension rises, the music follows. It supports the story rather than overpowering it.
As for relationships, this drama actually shows something refreshing. Yes, there are break ups, misunderstandings, and moments where you want to shout at the screen. But when they come back together, it is through communication and personal change, not just dramatic declarations. That is what makes it feel healthier than many other dramas. Love here is not just obsession. It is learning to respect and stand beside each other.
The ending ties things up in a satisfying way. It does not drag endlessly, and it does not leave you confused. It gives closure, growth, and a sense that the characters earned their happiness. Not perfect. There are a few loopholes and convenient plot turns, but nothing that ruins the ride.
Overall, How Dare You is witty, dramatic, and surprisingly heartfelt. It knows when to laugh at itself and when to get serious. It is not flawless, but it is done right. For me, this is an excellent drama.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
It's a very eventful drama. I was pleasantly surprised by its storyline. From the very beginning, it was a pleasure to watch, and I laughed at every moment. Towards the middle, the plot shifted from positive to dramatic, which was expected. There were so many intrigues and their resolutions, and so many people close to Wan Yin and Xiahou Dan who couldn't be protected. You get worried about everyone and look forward to watching the episodes every day. The acting is outstanding! Cheng Lei and Chu Ran are definitely the strongest cast match! They both bring their characters to life in a delightful way, making the drama a pleasure to watch.
I highly recommend it to everyone!
Was this review helpful to you?
A Perfect Match Made in Drama Heaven – Ryan Cheng and Yu Ran Shine!
From the very first episode, I couldn't contain my excitement for "How Dare You!?"—and it absolutely delivered! Ryan Cheng and Yu Ran are simply perfect together. As someone who has watched many of their dramas individually, seeing them together here is everything I hoped for and more.Ryan Cheng's eyes are incredibly expressive—truly versatile, shifting moods with such nuance that you feel every emotion alongside his character. Yu Ran matches him beat for beat, portraying her role with equal depth and authenticity. Their chemistry is magnetic and makes every scene they share worth savoring.
This drama had me counting down the minutes between episodes. Every moment was worth the wait. And the ending? It surprised me completely—in the best way! It wrapped up beautifully, though I'm now desperately hoping for a second season or perhaps a special episode showing where they end up in a different setting. I'm just not ready to let these characters go!
If you haven't watched "How Dare You!?" yet, do yourself a favor and start immediately. This is how you do a drama right!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Meeting Another Transmigrator is Such a Blessing
Welcome back to my dear review section, guys! I’m really sorry for the delay, but I need to restrain myself from writing new updates due to overload schedule and grueling exam, which (thank God) was completed last Monday. Since I have a lot of free time now, I may as well do my little business right now before I become a total couch potato lol. Let’s go rocking, shall we?Disclaimer: I actually enjoyed and loved “How Dare You!?”, and unfortunately, I watched it later than other people, which meant the videos were removed by Bilibili and other pirating sites. At that time, I only managed to binge-watch until ep 13 (what a bummer!). What I’m trying to say is that the review will ONLY cover the first 13 episodes as I have no idea of what’s going to happen in the end. I know very super duper clear that I’m not supposed to make “How Dare You!?” as completed, but don’t you think it’s a pity to banish it to the dropped list?
The story is centered around a rookie corporate slave Wang Cuihua, who is tasked with reading a cheesy romance novel about transmigrated lovers in historical fiction setting (I forgot the title already) and finds it very hard to accomplish the assignment in one fell swoop. As she takes a subway back home, the time stops abruptly and another second, she is sent into the novel’s world, taking the identity of a cannon fodder character, Yu Wanyin, who is destined to die in the middle half of the story. As Cuihua navigates the palace politics and soap opera with the hope of returning back to the real life, she accidentally meets fellow transmigrator, Zhang San, who poses as a delusional emperor Xiahou Dan. Together, the two people on the same boat transform into an unbeatable duo as they concoct schemes after schemes to survive in the palace and ultimately find the path to go back home. Meanwhile, they also have to face interminable threats from Xie Yong’er, another transmigrator who has read the whole original source upside down, and Xiahou Bo, Dan’s little brother who’s been coveting his throne and is hellbent on usurping the power of the palace court.
Basically, there is nothing new about the plot except that we have two transmigrators instead of one (as in the case of other dramas with similar themes). The production team utilizes the source material shrewdly and create a combo duo who are always engaging in comedic bickering sprinkled with modern jargons and ancient speeches as well. The drama does sell a point in its comedy and humor aspect, which wins the heart of all watchers. On the other hand, we also get the glimpse of the life in harem and how consorts’ positions are being elevated at one time and discarded at some other point. However, sometimes I do feel exhausted with all this scheming here and there, especially Bo. I don’t really understand what his ultimate goal is, other than toppling down Dan. And we haven’t gotten the slightest idea of how Yong’er enters into the novel as well (or maybe it is exacerbated by lack of episodes that I watched back then). Overall, if you overlook the inconsistencies and focus on the humorous side instead, things will be much better for you, I guarantee.
Both Ryan Cheng and Wang Churan deliver strong acting with perfect timing in terms of micro-expressions. I totally feel the emotional scenes between them two and I wish so badly I had taken up “How Dare You!?” earlier. Daddi Tang and Hu Yixuan also perform well despite the stiffness in several scenes, but I won’t complain further. And shout out to Cui Yi, who plays Bei Shu (female version) so convincingly comical that I keep laughing out loud, with the most memorable scene being her digging up Bo’s kitchen courtyard to search for Xu Yao’s strategy book.
OSTs are nice, but I think they are decent at best, if you compare them with the OSTs of other dramas. Costumes, settings, backgrounds are lavishly styled as per a historical fiction drama would apply.
For the rewatch point, I’ll make it 10, but I’m afraid I won’t be rewatching myself as I have many more upcoming tasks plus I need to catch on with other ongoing dramas before they are removed abruptly as well. I guess that’s all I’ve got to say, thank you for reading, good luck and happy watching!!!
Was this review helpful to you?
How are you? -Fine, Thank you and you?
On the occasion of completing 1 year with MDL😁, I am writing my first review.(So, forgive me if I made any mistake.)
Since this was a transmigration drama, I didn’t get my hopes up. I just wanted to enjoy the chemistry between the leads, and they didn’t disappoint me.
I loved how the transitions unfolded in the story and the way each character was portrayed.
Cheng Lei truly portrayed his character exceptionally well. He is genuinely a king of expressions ..❤️ every subtle look and emotional shift felt convincing and powerful.
Wang Chu Ran - As expected our strong lady, sometimes I was getting vibe of Liu Mian Tang. 🫣
I will miss them both ...like how calm and casual they were with each other.
I discovered a whole new side of Hu Yi Xuan here as I hadn't watched any historical drama of her before.... but I think its time to watch.😅
Tang Xiao Tian - Truly nailed it...👌 At some point I actually started to hate him.
Also gonna miss Bei Shu and A Bai... looking forward to see more dramas of Cheng Hong Xin.....😋
OSTs 🎶 —Already added in Playlist ✅
Overall.... for me, this was one of the best transmigration dramas I’ve watched till now.
That’s it for now. I’ll stop here and work on improving my reviews over time. See you next time… bye~~! 👋
Was this review helpful to you?
Worth the wait..
Waited so long for this drama to come out.. and well I'm not disappointed 💜 the thing i loved about this drama was that the writer actually spent time on the characters.. they allowed you to like them.. love them or hate them with reason.. development wasnt rushed.. even the ending wasnt rushed like typical with cdramas.. story was chaotic and funny.. it kept my attention throughout the show.. if you're a Cheng Lei fan like me.. he does not disappoint in this.. his acting is always on point.. gorgeous and manly as ever 💜 This was a wonderful show to watch and I highly recommend it. Rewatch value? Yes I'd rewatch it again 💜Was this review helpful to you?
Hello! How are you? Fine .. thank-you... and you ?
After Guardians of the dafeng in cdrama and Mr. Queen in kdrama.. this was the only transmigration plot that had checked all the boxes for me. While writing most transmigration series, writers forget that their protagonist travelled through a time-space wrap and it's inevitable for them to carry that modern aura and attitude .. it's almost impossible for them to not use their modern habits and ideas no matter in which time zone or book/game world they end up in. I am glad this fact wasn't ignored here. The protagonists used their limited knowledge of the book script they entered as well as their modern knowledge to combat the challenges they faced in this foreign world. There were a few more twists like ML and FL (vamp in the book plot) traveled 16 years apart when she entered the plot he was already there for so long that his real life seemed like a dream to him. Her arrival was actually the point when he realised he doesn't belong to this world. Second was the arrival of another FL (real FL in the book).It was pleasant to see that the writer emphasised less on bitch fights and unnecessary misunderstandings' cliche instead kept the pace smooth with logic and organic issues. Cherry on top was their idea of developing modern weapon prototypes to fight the war in that ancient setting... Chef's kiss.
The cast was fantastic. Chu Ran absolutely owned the FL character .. She was beautiful, charming, witty, spontaneous, and kind, ...just so lively and real. And then there’s Ryan Cheng, who surprised me in the best way. I had previously seen him in My Journey to You and The Legend of the Female General, where he mostly played quiet, serious, straight-faced characters. This time, he was talkative, energetic, and genuinely fun.His shifts between tyrant king and playful CEO were amazing. Plus the way his character unfolds from tyrant king to transmigrating modern CEO to someone who spent 16 long years in this dimension kept me second guessing.
Their chemistry was so natural and genuine... For two people stuck in a dangerous world with only each other for emotional survival. When every step might lead to doom, falling for the only person who truly understands you feels almost inevitable. And these two delivered it beautifully… ✨
And it was so cute watching him feed her... putting berries, grapes, plums or whatnot in her mouth all the time ..like he wasn't just showing love but straight up spoiling her. And to top it all He even built a tunnel from his bed chamber to her palace ... Seriously that was so sweet even beating the feeling of carrying her in your arms and flying in the sky as many xianxia wuxia couples do. Ahh !! So magical ...
Other than the writing and the cast, the styling department also deserves a praise. Just look at the FL’s outfits, her makeup, and all those delicate accessories. What a visual treat!!! Honestly, she looked like some divine goddess Absolutely mind-blowing.
And those nail or fingertip ornaments she wore, I’m not even sure what they’re officially called, but they were stunning. They added such an elegant, almost regal touch to her whole look. Every detail, from the fabrics to the jewelry, felt exquisite. Big shoutout to the styling dept. 🫰💫
And giving the remaining credit where it is due .. the 'music dept' .. BGM was outstanding ... All the songs were beautifully soothing and melodious but the show stopper was that last song of battle ... Full marks for that song alone.
To sum it all ..this was the type of drama I can proudly recommend ..go watch it ..enjoy it
Was this review helpful to you?
Meu novo favorito!
Eu poderia me estender aqui dizendo o quanto eu amei profundamente a música, a cinematografia, que o figurino é maravilhoso etc, mas eu decidi fazer essa review pra falar do que senti emocialmente e tentar convencer você a assistir também.O Xiahou Dan e a Yu WanYin são personagens especiais, é muito fácil se encantar por eles e foi por eles que maratonei 10 episódios em um dia só, mas além deles existem outros personagens incríveis nesse c-drama, personagens pelos quais me apaguei muito facilmente.
Antes de perceber, a jornada deles se tornou a minha e eu acredito que esse é o maior trunfo desse drama: a capacidade de nos fazer apaixonar por personagens fictícios, dentro e fora da tela, torcer por eles e sofrer por eles juntos aos protagonistas. Em vários momentos, senti como se eu fosse outra transmigradora da história, olhando de fora o desfecho de tudo.
Mesmo que o enredo possa ser um pouco confuso as vezes (eu pessoalmente me perdi bastante), ele é completamente envolvente ao decorrer do quanto mais você vai descobrindo sobre ele, vale muito a pena.
Vou sentir muita saudade dessa série. Quero muito reassistir no futuro, mesmo nunca tendo sido de rever nada antes. Só posso agradecer a todos os envolvidos por terem me tirado de uma ressaca enorme... depois de mais de um ano, finalmente terminei um drama de novo.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A pretty drama with a pretty cast that lived up to my expectations
My first ongoing C-drama in 2026. I’ve been waiting for this drama since I discovered Cheng Lei last year, and it doesn’t disappoint! I’ve never read the novel, the manhwa, nor watched the donghua, so I’m watching the drama as an original viewer lol.I love it so much! I kind of lost track at the beginning of the plot. I mean, I know Prince Duan and the Empress Dowager are the villains, but their “slaves” (the ministers and allies) were all confusing me hahaha. I think I need more experience with politics and the monarch system in Chinese costume dramas (but come on, maybe I was just too tired to concentrate, because I digested Legend of Zang Hai just fine last year).
Anyway, I started the drama because of Cheng Lei, and he lived up to my expectations. His acting was just wow. When he switched his tyrant mode on, I was so scared. The angst… the backstory… when he silently cried inside for Zhang San’s memories, when Uncle Bei was gone, when he tried not to get emotionally attached to the other 2D characters… I cried with him :(((. I watched a lot of his dramas last year, and he set a new standard, at least for me.
Wang Chu Ran was also doing great with her role. She SUITS YU WANYIN TO THE BONE. The comedy was executed well, too. It’s not cringey, it suits the plot, and it IS funny. All the details of the modern “innovations” they brought to the palace, hahahahah I LOVE IT. As expected, my hotpot couple lol.
Praise to Wang Chu Ran as well, because what she portrayed is not just a pretty lucky girl holding spoilers from the book and trying to survive in the palace, but someone who actually made her power useful. I like how Yu Wanyin is such an F person (I mean her MBTI lol), because that’s what balances the soulless Xiahou Dan. She ‘undead’ him, wow.
Annndd, I need to make another paragraph for the visual production. IT IS AMAZING. I love how they threw red into the costumes, the makeup, the VISUALS. Xiahou Dan’s style is perfect. I love all the colors of his robes, the red-black one, the purple, the green, even the white at the Empress Dowager’s funeral. The hair is also good. I mean, I know C-costume dramas always deliver with long hair, but this one is just too good. Also, WANG CHU RAN, YOU PRETTY GIRL. I am not a fan of her, but I know I need to compliment her this time. The dresses… I mean, ALL HER CLOTHES ARE AMAZING. I love her makeup, her hairstyles, her sparkling accessories, even her silk pajamas lol. And COME ON, I REPLAYED THE EMPRESS STRUT LIKE FOUR TIMES?? The crown, the dress, the tail ARGH, SHE’S BEAUTIFUL. And I saved her photo in that costume, the one Cheng Lei posted on Weibo. You know which one lol.
So, I’m glad I’m watching How Dare You while it’s ongoing, because I’m embracing all the hype and replaying the clips on my timeline since I don’t want to move on yet. One thing, though: the ending might be disappointing for some people (especially novel readers), because it’s just too short (noooooo), but I’m slowly accepting it :D.
I’ve seen worse endings for this kind of transmigration story lol. At least we got that iconic HI HOW ARE YOU I’M FINE THANK YOU AND YOU (and adult Zhang San in pretty styling) arrrggghhhh!
Was this review helpful to you?
I Really love the ost song??
I actually really love their acting especially the main lead and because of this movie he’s now one of my favorite🫠🫠😍, but they would have should the second female lead how she went back to the city I was really expecting something like that cause of how she was in the river but anyway everything was nice.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Great acting but too dark for me
Things I adored1 The costumes of the FL. Gorgeous and she wore them perfectly. She was so elegant, so beautiful in these costumes, it's uncanny.
Things I loved
1 The FL. This is the first time I watched her on anything and she's beautiful and so talented. I loved her and I'm looking forward to watch other dramas with her.
2 The ML. Same for him. he was great and I will look for other series with him. He had great chemistry with the FL which was also a plus and kept me watching.
Things I hated
1 The too dark past f the ML. I can't stand that kind of plot and it triggered a lot of things that made me enjoy less the series.
2 The intrigues and the whole palace thing. I hate power people who abuse of their power and if it weren't for the leads I would have dropped this the moment it went dark.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Excellent drama! Wang Churan and Cheng Lei are sensational! If they don't act in another drama together it will be a crime! Everyone in the cast was great! I only have a few things that keep this from being a 10/10 story. About half way through, I was worried the story was going to fall flat, because I just wasn't as engaged with what was happened on screen. The forth wall breaks from the first few episodes was a breath of fresh air, and felt like a commentary on c-dramas in general. When they stopped and the typical tropes c-dramas fall into started frequently happening, I thought I might have to drop this one. But the story quickly picked back up and I was eagerly anticipating each episode drop!
My gripe with the music is more just with c-drama music in general. The overuse of songs bores me. I get it, more songs is more money spent, but I get tired of hearing the same motifs over and over again. This music in this drama is fine. I just got bored with it.
Overall, a very enjoyable drama! Kudos to Wang Churan and Cheng Lei! They truly were wonderfully cast! Their chemistry was electric! Wanyin and Dan were such lovely characters, and they brought them to life perfectly!
Was this review helpful to you?
