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Completed
Silent
12 people found this review helpful
Dec 24, 2022
11 of 11 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0

Hands down, one of the best J-dramas out there.

Silent is one the most modern J-dramas I have seen and I only hope more Japanese dramas come out like this one.

As much as I like the silly over-the-top funny J-drams, Silent was just so refreshing. I truly felt like I was watching a cool Korean or C drama. I don’t think the FL has to be submissive. I don’t think the ML has to hold all the cards and is the only one can dress nice. I don’t think dramas have to be overly steamy or have complicated angst.

I love dramas where it focuses on the relationships, has character development and best of all, Kindness! Crazy concept huh?

I picked up the drama because of the ratings and within the first five minutes I thought I was watching a K-drama. Silent is super modern. The FL and ML are pretty with great wardrobe! Thank you for having the leading actress be girly, but also not frumpy. Yes, the FL can have long hair and wear make-up, but she can also wear cool clothing and be stylish.

I really like the soundtrack too, since music and hearing is a big part of the drama, I’m glad they picked a decent theme song that really makes the scenes pleasant to watch.

The best part of the drama was casting. The FL and ML were the best choices for the drama and you can feel the organic chemistry between the two. I love that the drama was also about the side characters. What about the boyfriend, the brother / sister or the parents? How do they feel about this? These parts / episodes might be a little slow and boring for some, but it’s a nice break to really see different POVs.

I should say that I don’t really like J-dramas because they make the FL usually really submissive. It has to take a really good storyline for me to get into it, like The Incurable Case of Love, but even then, some parts can be cringy. I’m SO HAPPY something like Silent was made. I hope this drama was very successful in Japan, because I want more dramas like this.

The FL doesn’t always have to be submissive, frumpy or conservative. Please write more dramas about relationships, kindness and normal females. They can just be regular women with regular feelings and that is okay. The character is strong-enough to be a leading role.

If you ever wanted to start a J-drama or you think you are only a K-drama fan, I 100% recommend Silent. It will completely change your view of J-dramas.

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Completed
Love in Contract
13 people found this review helpful
Feb 20, 2023
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 1.0

Could have been, but wasn't. Epic Fail

Love in Contract had so much appeal. After the disappointment of Forecasting love and weather, I was really hoping this would be Min-Young’s big come back! We all love Park Min-Young from What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim and Her Private Life but Love in Contract was not the drama for any of the actors.

The big wrong:

1.) Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. What happened to Min Young’s face? It looks like she got the trendy Buccal Fat removal surgery. Why does her face look like a skeleton? It makes me sad as a fan that she thinks she has to look a certain way to feel beautiful. She has already had plenty of surgeries and her dieting has dropped so much of her weight. Call me crazy but being a size 0 is okay, she didn’t need to go into double zero territory.

The girl looks like she is starving and it’s so sad that she did that. I read articles saying that she didn’t have any surgery on her face and it’s just weight loss (regardless of what happened). I’m just disappointed that she didn’t feel like she was beautiful enough. She looked perfectly fine in Forecasting Love and Weather.

2.) Loved Go Kyung Pyo from Reply 1988 but this drama didn’t help his acting ability. I blame it on the script and directing. The main lead was cold, stiff and one dimensional. I didn’t really see any chemistry between him and the FL and I was wondering why I could root for such a bland character?

3.) The awful script. I can’t put my finger on it, but there was a lot of situational writing. I felt like the writing was setting up scenes for a climax. Like having the actor use the stairs all of sudden so they would not run into each on the stairs. Or there would be scenes when the characters have conversations, then go home, have a conversation with a different character and then call the person they just left to meet up again. So many times characters would re-meet up in the same day. It felt like it was silly writing.

4.) I couldn’t stand the characters. The choices they made was just annoying and frustrating. The whole plot focused on a girl who was adopted into a corporation to be a bride is just so out there, I couldn’t get into the storyline. The relationships the FL formed (with second male lead, best friend and nanny) was odd and just didn’t fully develop.

5.) The wardrobe. I don’t get it. The FL dresses VERY slutty in the first 70% of the drama, to the point where it didn’t make sense. Like do you really wear a crop top mini-dress to go buy food? I liked the high fashion, but there’s a time and place for certain outfits. It was as if the writers were trying to say, “the FL is a call-girl” but we can’t really say she is. Then in the last few episodes, she stopped dressing slutty and that even confused me more. What happened to the crop tops and open neck shoulder outfits? Why are you so covered now? The wardrobe was not consistent and I was disappointed on the character portrayal on the FL.

Overall, I wanted to watch the drama because I simply love Park Min-Young, I have watched most of all of her dramas, even her reality show, Busted (which I loved), but this drama really changed the way I feel about her. I’m not sure how much pressure she is under or what people she has around her, but with the combination of two failed dramas (Love in Contract, and Forecasting Love and Weather) with questionable wardrobe choices (not sure if she had any say in it) and the weird Skelton face and abnormally dieting, I feel like this girl needs some self-love and better people around her.

PLEASE go back to the old days. You are beautiful as you are and pick better dramas.

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Completed
Love Like the Galaxy: Part 2
7 people found this review helpful
Sep 1, 2022
29 of 29 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 10

And Thus, a Classic Drama is created.

And Thus, a Classic Drama is created.

With all the hype and positive reviews and with an A list cast for this drama, I had very high expectations. And all of my expectations were met. For a 56 episode drama, I could have watched 20 – 30 more episodes, it was just that good. I didn’t even fast forward once and that says a lot for a 56 episode C drama!

The BEST part of the drama for me, besides the amazing casting, is the character building. The script is the heart of the show and if it wasn’t for the beautiful dialogue and relationship building screen play, I’m not sure how it would have hold my interest so much.

The costumes, hair and makeup were amazing. I love the styles of the dresses, it was just beautiful and so different. I loved the long hair and elegant hair pieces. Even the ML costumes were great and they kept his look very plain to match his personality.

The star of the show are the main leads. As much as everyone loves ML, Leo Wu (I loved him in The Long Ballad too!), my favorite by far is Zhao Lu Si. I loved her in Who Rules the World and almost any drama she is in. I love her range of emotions, how she can play a rom-com or a melodrama. She can be sweet and naïve to fierce and mature. I also love that the leads are close to age. Since both are very young, 22 and 23, they usually star in roles with older actors, so it’s nice to see them equally matched in physical appearance to age and acting ability.

The drama has many story arcs and even though you watch it for the romance between the leads, you start to get sucked into all the side plots and side stories. It’s just that good. I really enjoyed watching the FL and the mom conflict. It kept my interest and as much as you want to side with one person, you see both sides. Again, another thing that is great about the drama is you see both sides and it’s hard to see who is truly right.

The pacing is pretty much on point with the drama.

Overall, there is no comparison to this drama. It has a strong FL that is independent, smart (street smart), beautiful and goes through a lot of hardships and struggles. Sometimes she saves herself and sometimes the ML saves her, but regardless, it’s always a learning lesson for her. You have the ML with a bitter past and yes Leo is very good in playing the stoic, cruel lead, I did enjoy is humorous moments (and he does have them!).

The chemistry between the leads is very good and probably the driving force of the drama. I wouldn’t say this drama has too much politics, just the right amount to keep you hooked and interested. Don’t go into this drama expecting typical misunderstanding troupes, it’s all about relationship building, resolving conflict and the characters are always weighing the pros and cons to any decisions.

Love like the Galaxy is different, beautiful and it’s a drama you could watch again and again. I know I wil!

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Completed
Café Minamdang
7 people found this review helpful
Dec 5, 2022
18 of 18 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

Great Concept, but awkward execution


I’m not sure how this drama could be stretched out to 18 episodes, but they did it. The only reason why I picked up the drama was because of Seo In Guk. I absolutely loved him in Doom At Your Service and honestly I wish he did more serious roles, because he can act it.

The thing that really killed the show for me was the FL, as much as I loved her in Korean Odyssey, I didn’t like her character at all. Her character in the first half of the drama is absolutely annoying and although she “mellows” out eventually, she was so off-putting in the beginning it was hard for me to like her ever.

The FL continues to get in the ML’s way and not only she gets in his way she keeps on using violence in doing so, I understand it’s for comic relief, but I found it cringy and frustrating to watch. There was ZERO chemistry between the leads and it’s so sad because I know they can act well.

Even though the comedy was a little forced and cringy, it was basically the saving grace for the show. It really kept the tension low and moved the drama forward. The storylines are VERY slow and EVERY detail is played out. This drama could have easily been edited down to 12 episodes.

Finally, we get to the overall storyline and it was the most boring storyline ever. How many episodes can the team focuses on ONE killer? Several episodes, they said the guy’s name so many times, I was getting annoyed to how many times they were yelling out who the killer’s name is.

I didn’t even mind how obvious all the storylines were, because that doesn’t bother me, I was just annoyed at pacing and character development.

The best advice I can give is if you truly like the actors and want to support them (like me), put the drama in the background, dubbed in English (I’m American) and even though I can’t get their real voices, at least I’m supporting them and hopefully they bring a better drama to Netflix.

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Completed
Time Flies and You Are Here
4 people found this review helpful
Aug 21, 2022
32 of 32 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 1.0

Melodrama and tons of misunderstandings.

I started this drama for Liang Jie, she's adorable, I love her voice and she's really good at comedies. I feel like the best part of the drama were the actors, however that doesn't mean the relationship worked.

To sum up the entire drama is by one word: MISUNDERSTANDINGS.

1.) In one episode, there is a misunderstanding between FL and ML.

This could be EASILY fixed by a CONVERSATION.

2.) They fight, bicker, do silly stuff, like say how much they hate each other and do selfish actions.

3.) One or two episodes later, it's all cleared up by **GASP** a conversation. And it's all lovely eyes again.

4.) And then it's back to one again, rinse and repeat this cycle for the ENTIRE drama. I think there is about a DOZEN misunderstandings the main leads goes through.

With that said, this trope can be for some folks. It's super angsty and the tension is mega high when you watch the drama. You can see early on when the misunderstandings will happen, so it's like watching a slow motion car crash that is about to impact.

Some people like this stuff, I, however do not.

On the bright side, I enjoyed Joseph Zeng's acting and even though his character was horrible in the beginning, you actually feel bad for the guy as you go on and he grows on you.

The last part of the drama is more politics and I kind of wanted that to be a little more in the middle. I just had a problem with the pacing and the overall plot.

The whole plot is driven by the couple misunderstanding each other, so they break up and get together throughout the drama and it's all to make the series .... well, dramatic.

Overall, I could have been fine passing on this drama, but the actors really made me want to complete the series. Just go into story watching a couple fight, break up and then makeup again.

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Completed
The Blue Whisper: Part 1
3 people found this review helpful
Jun 17, 2022
22 of 22 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 7.0

They actually kiss! (no fake kissing! FINALLY!)

I felt like this was the most anticipated drama of 2022, what an A list cast with epic budget, explosive CGI and impressive costumes.

I 100% watched this drama because of Dilraba Dilmurat and Allen Ren and what can I say. The no kissing clause is no more! I know it's silly to mention this but it was very disappointing to see The Long Ballad with no kissing and Allen's 6 years of dramas with no kissing. To have the main leads actual kiss, really made a difference in my opinion.

I have mixed feelings on this drama. Overall, I enjoyed it and it's hard not to with the over the top CGI, beautiful costumes and impressive sets.

For me the drama is broken into 3 different arcs. I'm not sure if I favored one arc over another, but the drama does have the classic fantasy C drama vibes. You have the epic, melodramatic love and obstacles coming from all angles. The most gripe I have is the pacing of the show.

First off, I didn't like watching the first few minutes of the drama, because it gave us a flash forward of what happened to the couple (that doesn't even happen until midway), so throughout the entire first half of the drama I was wondering when the first few mins would be explained, I wished they left that part out.

I did like the first arc where the FL and ML met and the ML is very innocent and happy. I love the inner torment of the FL (and I know some complained about this) but I really enjoyed watching the FL struggle. I felt like it gave Dilraba depth of character.

The second arc I struggled the most because of the pacing. I felt like it felt forever to resolve the main issue that couple was going through. I enjoyed watching the secondary and third couple (although the butterfly was a bit too young for him, so it was a little creepy) but a hilarious storyline to watch.

I kind of wished the main couple didn't struggle as much and we got to enjoy more than the few episodes here and there of their "cutesy" moments. That's something I couldn't help compare to the Long Ballad, where I truly loved the pacing in that one.

By the time we get to the 3rd arc I was a little tired of the couple struggling and I was wondering when the resolved misunderstanding would happen because it's been dragged way out.

I feel like if you are a fan of the actors and love fantasy high budget C dramas, this one is worth watching. The sound track is pretty amazing and it's just an overall pretty drama to watch. But for me, it doesn't hold a candle to the classics.

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Completed
Meet Yourself
4 people found this review helpful
Feb 9, 2023
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 8.0

Small town and Slice of Life kind of drama

Meet yourself was very refreshing to watch. I like the overall plot of the drama which was about the FL taking a break from the hustle and bustle of big city and enjoying the quiet country life where clocks don’t matter.

The best part of the drama is hands down the casting. Love the leads, you know them from Mulan (the American Live action version) and Go Go Squid. Both I haven’t seen in for some time and it was really nice to see them matched together. The chemistry was off the charts and it’s nice to see the ML actually younger (in real life).

The secondary characters were great to watch too and with 40 episodes, everyone got to tell their tale. So, the story building was very good and you got to know the characters very well.

The second best part of the drama was the friendship and kindness everyone had towards each other. It’s a VERY low angst drama and a lot of the issues were simple, but interesting, like small town feuds, or one sided love or parental drama. There’s one or two stories we could all relate to.

I really enjoyed the setting and costumes. The setting was something I’ve never seen before and I LOVED they took a historical town and made it so charming. The stables and barn looked like it was something from an American film. Just really beautiful to watch. I also loved that the FL never dressed frumpy and her hair and makeup was always beautiful.

I really appreciate the tone and theme of the drama. The leads were very mature and was always respectful to each other. It’s one of the more realistic relationships I’ve seen in a C drama, where two people get to know each other and over time, fall in love.

The storylines were very realistic too, you will NOT see any cheesy C drama troupes. I wouldn’t have mind one or two troupes because at times the pacing was a bit slow and there are tons of stories to follow.

Overall, a really simple and easy drama to watch.

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Completed
Love Like the Galaxy: Part 1
5 people found this review helpful
Sep 1, 2022
27 of 27 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 10

And Thus, a Classic Drama is created.

And Thus, a Classic Drama is created.

With all the hype and positive reviews and with an A list cast for this drama, I had very high expectations. And all of my expectations were met. For a 56 episode drama, I could have watched 20 – 30 more episodes, it was just that good. I didn’t even fast forward once and that says a lot for a 56 episode C drama!

The BEST part of the drama for me, besides the amazing casting, is the character building. The script is the heart of the show and if it wasn’t for the beautiful dialogue and relationship building screen play, I’m not sure how it would have hold my interest so much.

The costumes, hair and makeup were amazing. I love the styles of the dresses, it was just beautiful and so different. I loved the long hair and elegant hair pieces. Even the ML costumes were great and they kept his look very plain to match his personality.

The star of the show are the main leads. As much as everyone loves ML, Leo Wu (I loved him in The Long Ballad too!), my favorite by far is Zhao Lu Si. I loved her in Who Rules the World and almost any drama she is in. I love her range of emotions, how she can play a rom-com or a melodrama. She can be sweet and naïve to fierce and mature. I also love that the leads are close to age. Since both are very young, 22 and 23, they usually star in roles with older actors, so it’s nice to see them equally matched in physical appearance to age and acting ability.

The drama has many story arcs and even though you watch it for the romance between the leads, you start to get sucked into all the side plots and side stories. It’s just that good. I really enjoyed watching the FL and the mom conflict. It kept my interest and as much as you want to side with one person, you see both sides. Again, another thing that is great about the drama is you see both sides and it’s hard to see who is truly right.

The pacing is pretty much on point with the drama.

Overall, there is no comparison to this drama. It has a strong FL that is independent, smart (street smart), beautiful and goes through a lot of hardships and struggles. Sometimes she saves herself and sometimes the ML saves her, but regardless, it’s always a learning lesson for her. You have the ML with a bitter past and yes Leo is very good in playing the stoic, cruel lead, I did enjoy is humorous moments (and he does have them!).

The chemistry between the leads is very good and probably the driving force of the drama. I wouldn’t say this drama has too much politics, just the right amount to keep you hooked and interested. Don’t go into this drama expecting typical misunderstanding troupes, it’s all about relationship building, resolving conflict and the characters are always weighing the pros and cons to any decisions.

Love like the Galaxy is different, beautiful and it’s a drama you could watch again and again. I know I wil!

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Completed
My Annoying Roommate
3 people found this review helpful
Sep 27, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 2.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

Just like the title, a little annoying.

My Annoying Roommate had potential. I love a high school / teen rom-com. I love small town dramas with a rag-tag cast of friends and uncles and aunties. The FL, Ji Mei Han, is adorable from Make My Heart Smile and her look is VERY popular these days. Everyone loves the big-eyes, baby doll face, so I would say she truly carried the show.

With all that is said and done, with a 12 episode series at 30 mins each, it would seem in theory this show would be easy to watch, but I couldn’t really tell you what it was truly about. Was it a slice of life kind of drama? Not really. What really was the plot of the show?

If you like an enemies to lovers romance with childish troupes and high angst value, then you will like this rom-com. I found the leads VERY difficult to like and cheer on. As much as I love the actress, her character was beyond childish, she plays a 17 year old but truly acted like she was 10 or 12 maybe?

The ML, Zhang Jia Shuo has been playing support roles and I can see why. He still has a long way to go in regard towards the acting department. He plays VERY stiff and his dubbing needs work. Towards the end of the show he gets better as he gains more personality, but he needs to act better on camera. Even his TV presence was lack luster. I felt like the FL out shined him a lot (even with her annoying character).

I like the idea of the show, but everything was a mess to be honest. This rom-com felt very contrived and forced. It’s as if the script writer couldn’t really write good plot points, so the only plot point in the drama were fights between the leads. If one was upset (mostly the FL), she would throw a tantrum and cause a scene and fight. Then when the leads finally make-up, she would get upset again and rinse and repeat. Instead of focusing on good plot points to work on, the script writers focused on stupid little fights between the leads to create tension. It was very difficult and annoying to watch.

The romance didn’t feel organic at all, if anything, the leads felt like brothers and sisters fighting dumb things. Who wants to watch that?

I like that the show was short and the FL is a cute actress. Other than that, the show was just basically about two people fighting until the very end.

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Completed
A Different Mr. Xiao
3 people found this review helpful
Aug 28, 2023
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 7.5
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

A good attempt.

I liked the summary of A Different Mr. Xiao. The ML, Xiao Jing is from the future, 200 years in the future. He needs to save his sister’s life and the medicine is from a plant that is no longer in existence. He has the time travel to our present time (2023) where the plant was last sighted.

Zhao Yi Qin plays the ML and this is my first drama with him in it. I didn’t know he’s a seasoned actor. I haven’t really formed an opinion on his acting yet. I thought he played his role well and his expressions were pretty good, but the script he had to work with was a little difficult to really show his acting range.

Like typical C drama fashion, they like to cast super young actors, the FL, at 21 is very young. She doesn’t look young though. I haven’t seen anything with Duan Xing Yu in it. The FL character was a bit hard for me to get into. I wasn’t fond of her styling (very typical frumpy, FL, girl next door look) and she was a bit all over the place.

There are some aspects of the drama I like and there were a lot parts that needed improvement, but a drama with a lower production budget, I get it.

The chemistry between the leads was very lacking and I don’t want to say it’s because of the acting, but mainly with the script. It was hard to see the attraction when the ML’s character was so stiff. The drama starts out like enemies to lovers, but the antics the leads played on each other was a little silly and childish. I get it, the script writer was trying to make it comical and light, I appreciate that, but I was generally concerned with the FL every time the ML kicked her out of his car (especially at night).

The pacing was a bit off. It started out pretty quick, the ML hurry and tries to get the plant. The FL does everything she can (without knowing) messing up his plans. Again, tried to be funny, but it came out a little silly.

Then, the story gets a little flat and it almost feels like a slice of life kind of drama. You really don’t get much story with the plant, other than the ML is working on it. The plot is focused on the relationship between the leads and secondary ML. The Love Triangle.

The love triangle between the leads and second male lead is probably my favorite part of the drama. The second male lead is a baby too, no age is listed. He has great cameral appeal too and it was nice to see both leads fighting over the girl.

The worst part of the drama was the secondary couple. They were plain awful to watch. Just boring, lack luster and no camera appeal. I did fast forward their parts, sorry.

Another thing to note, I don’t think the subtitles were fully out yet. Once I got to episode 20ish, it felt like I was watching AI generated subtitles and I have to say that hindered my experience. So maybe once all of the subs have fully been uploaded / edited by a human, there will be better reviews.

Overall, I got great exposure to actors I don’t have any experience with. The leads were very good looking and had great cameral appeal. I will watch out for them. Even though the budget was lacking and the fashion was awful, I think the problem for me was just pacing. There wasn’t enough substance during the main episodes to really hold my attention for the duration of the drama. The script writer focused too much on antics and childish plot devices, instead of really focusing on character development and creating organic chemistry between the leads.

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Completed
My Uncanny Destiny
3 people found this review helpful
Mar 2, 2023
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 8.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.5

So funny, so much kissing, YES!

Super hilarious! I usually am not a fan of rom-com historical dramas, but you can't help but get sucked into this one. From the very start, I couldn't stop laughing!

This drama has the over-the-top comedy, so think slap-stick comedy with a little palace drama. If you don't think this is your jam, I beg you to give it a try because you will forever like this silly writing.

The best part of the drama was probably the cast, especially the leads. It's good to see some actors that usually have supporting roles or roles that aren't that big, finally do a drama where they can really shine.

The chemistry between the leads is really good and probably because they are in their late twenties (THANK YOU!). As much as I love watching young C drama actors, I like it when they cast someone over 25 (they don't look so baby).

The storyline is very comical and I love all the side couples. You can't help but root for all of the players. The plot is okay. It's a very basic storyline of some misunderstandings, plotting and keeping secrets (usually not my thing), but the comedy and skin-ship of the show really outshines everything else.

If you like kissing, there is PLENTY of that in this one.

The audio isn't the best as sometimes when they project really loudly, you can hear some of the static, but that is okay, it's a low budget drama, so you take it for what it is. Also, if there is a season 2, I REALLY do hope they have fight scenes (again probably because of budget) but I've never seen a historical drama that had little to no fight scenes to watch (I'm talking about the martial art epic scenes of people flying and jumping on trees).

Overall, if you need something uplifting and put smiles on your face, this is the show to watch!

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A Dream of Splendor
3 people found this review helpful
Aug 5, 2022
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0

Sisterhood / Modern Romance / Visually Stunning Sets and Costumes

The perfect slice of life historical romance c drama. I really feel like this drama was made for me. I was really surprised how much I enjoyed Dream of Splendor. It has the perfect balance of day to day interactions between interesting characters and a really charming romance that just puts a smile on your face as you watch it progress. The best part of the drama for me was the lack of politics and very minimal misunderstandings.

Amazing costume and sets – You can really see the high budget production of this drama. With beautiful simple but colorful costumes and organic sets. I love all the woodwork and simple details that really shine bright on the camera. I felt like the women wore dresses very elegantly but simple since they held no position.

The perfect casting – It’s to note that the drama is about three ladies and their sisterhood bond. The romance between the main character is an equal and heavy part of the drama, but if I didn’t love the side characters so much I don’t think I could have stuck to the drama. I was very much invested in all three women and their tales of triumph and woes.

The romance between the main leads – The BEST part of the drama and it had a heavy emphasis in the overall plot and story of the show. I really enjoyed the pacing of the relationship between the main leads. I would consider it a slow burn at the beginning and probably my favorite part as they get to know each other.

I found the relationship very respectful and overall they spoke about their issues and it just felt very mature and enjoyable to watch.

Liu Yi Fei – It’s Mulan! I was surprised to see the FL played Mulan in the 2020 Disney live action remake. As much as everyone swooning over the ML, I truly enjoyed and found a kinship with the FL. Her acting is incredible. I would call her subtle acting and I loved it. She didn’t really have to yell or be over the top, you can see her emotions by her simple expressions. It’s also easy to love her because of the character she played. She’s very strong, smart and just character you want to root for.

Chen Xiao – Everyone loves Chen Xiao and I can see that. As a character who isn’t super tall or look super idol looking, he can create a presence. The chemistry between main leads was very good. I loved their banter. I haven’t seen a drama with the ML and I will be on the lookout now.

Art of filming– The score was pretty good. It was simple, catching and fit the tune of the drama. I did enjoy the artsy part of the drama. I loved the dancing, the tea pouring. The directing was very good in expressing the history and cultural of China through beautiful characters, art and visually stunning sets.

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Completed
My Journey to You
3 people found this review helpful
Nov 6, 2023
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 10

This is the drama we have been looking for

I watched this drama with my husband and he only watches really good C dramas so I went into viewing with high expectations due to reviews. I have to say. This was probably one of the C dramas that had the best character development for such a short 24 episode series.

The best part of the drama for me was that I never knew what was going to happen. Just when I thought the writer was going to write some basic storyline to drive angst or tension, something else is written and craziness explodes. I wouldn't call the drama perfect. Sure, at times the bickering is a little too much and long and going from one story arc to the next can be lengthy but the characters! The entire cast is pretty important in the drama and everyone has a story which is something I enjoyed a lot. I never knew I could care so much for the B and even C cast.

Esther Yu totally shines in this drama and gone is the dizzy girl with the high pitch voice. I really think this was the drama for her to act and to show the world that she can be a good serious actress. I was really excited that Zhang Ling He was casted as the male lead and I really wanted to see him shine. We got a taste of him in Love between Fairy and the Devil. I thought he was fairly good, but he still needs to work on his camera presence. For someone who is over 6 feet tall, you want your character to command the scene and that is something I feel like he still struggles with, but there is hope because he is pretty close.

Overall, the drama was exciting to watch and isn't for the faint of heart. A lot of dramatic events happen, but you will truly feel for all the characters which is totally new for me.

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Completed
Our Blooming Youth
3 people found this review helpful
Jun 1, 2023
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

SUPER boring and no Romance

I don’t even know where to begin. I WISHED I READ THE REVIEWS! This is not the romantic melo-drama I was expecting. Nope, you will not get Red Sleeve or some great romance.

The drama is focused on two things I don’t like watching, high on politics, low on romance and non-existent skinship.

HUGE SIGH.

After watching Happiness, I was SUPER excited for Park Hyung Sik and I was completely shocked how he acted in Our blooming Youth and maybe its because of the writing, but I felt no chemistry between him and the FL. I understand the drama wanted to be authentic and have it pure to the history, no touching or any flirty conversations, BUT is that something I want to watch on TV?

If I wanted to watch a boring Joson drama, then why was it advertised as a romance? I felt like the false advertising was to draw the audience, rather than actually telling the viewers what they were getting themselves into.

The drama was too boring, too slow and had too many fillers. The side stories were not even interesting and the fact that the FL was a man for the entire drama was very disappointing. I didn’t sign up for that so the drama poster is VERY misleading.

Overall, the drama was a complete waste of time for someone who loves romantic K dramas and I’m a little irritated that it was advertised as such.

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Completed
The Autumn Ballad
3 people found this review helpful
Aug 16, 2022
34 of 34 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0

A hidden gem

I feel like The Autumn Ballad is one of those little hidden historical C drama gems that needs to have more viewership.

The best part of the drama was probably Jeremy Tsui's real voice. He's always dubbed with someone with a deeper voice and to actually hear how he really sounds, I felt like his character had better depth and range. It's fairly high pitched, but it's so different, I liked it in the end.

I thought the chemistry between the main leads was very good. I also loved Qiao Xin's voice and she did complete justice to her character. She was strong, smart and very independent. I liked her character a lot and it's a new trend in these C dramas, so keep up with this fierce FL roles please!

I thought the first 30 episodes were the best part of the series. There was a great slow burn between the leads. I loved the way the two of them paired up to investigate and solve mysteries together. They were very smart and it was easy and fun to watch.

Like most C dramas, a lot of stuff and external factors always happens in the last few episodes, but I really feel like that shouldn't shadow most of the series which has been perfect so far.

Overall, it's a witty drama with great chemistry between the leads. A drama worth watching.

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