A long-drawn whodunit with lousy cast

I watched this as the reviews and rating were both good. I saw a few short clips and thought that this drama could be worth the while. I was wrong.

Pls don’t watch! Don’t watch because:
- The young male lead is so annoying. He is, IMO, a poor actor. He isn’t handsome so it’s even more annoying to watch him on my big screen. It’s like he sullies my screen! He is not handsome at all and the part where he went ‘Oh Kang Hee’ or something like that with a very close up shot of his thin, unsexy lips left me traumatized and it was terrible when there was a recap on it. Oh my! Double trauma.
- The female lead, IMO and I’m entitled to my opinion just like you are entitled to yours, is not good-looking too. She’s a bit weird looking. She looks like the toad in ‘Frog and Toad’. She’s not sexy and she’s not the best actress out there. Quite painful to watch.
- The plot is a whodunnit plot which is so long-drawn that I couldn’t take it and dropped this show. I’ll just get the information later on. This drama is too insufferable. I cannot continue watching it to find out. No way.
- The plot, thus far, is draggy and longgggg.

My heartfelt advice is: Don’t waste time! Watch something else! Don’t even embark on this!

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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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Excellent because of heart-throb -- Vin Zhang <3

I am suffering from withdrawal from the very charming and very suave and very handsome Vin Zhang as Xu Yan Shi. My O MY, he is the embodiment of gentlemanly gorgeousness! I love seeing him on my screen. He is like a god!

What I love about this drama:
- Vin Zhang, ML, as XYS. Oh goodness. He is seriously a good-looking fellow! His presence and appearance take my breath away. He is well-built and manly. (I loved him in The King's Woman and I am thrilled to see him here.)
- I like how the character, XYS, is written and portrayed. He just takes things as they come and he tries his best to do the right things and the best things possible. It is no wonder that his "underlings" adore and respect him so much. If I had such a capable and sacrificial leader, I would too.
- I like the FL as she is an excellent actress but I wonder if another actress will be even more suitable for her role. However, as she is a fine actress, she does justice to the drama.
- The many kissing scenes are exceedingly hot! Woo hoo! :)
- I like that the leads are truly into each other. They do not fool around with others after making promises to commit as a couple. I like the bit of "healthy jealousy" in that the leads get jealous when there is reason to. They are not crazily jealous and do ridiculous things. I also really like that XYS is secure and that he tells FL to be herself and to show-off her wealth and style if she wishes to.
- I like that, in this show, it is the FL in charge and in control. She is the one who has the immense wealth to be the mover and shaker. Usually, it is the ML who is the "chaebol" type and the FL is the little woman in need of saving and such. Here, the FL is fully independent and fully capable. She does not need a man to complete her life. She is whole and autonomous. I really like this! She wants to be with him because she wants him in her life and not because she requires saving or that she feels that she lacks a man.
- The supporting cast are not the best actors and actresses in my opinion but they try and they are, generally, not hateful. In fact, I am quite fond of the supporting cast. The grandpa is cute. The little "underlings" are quite cute too.
- There are plentiful things happening in the drama which serve well to keep me riveted. I like a good story.
- I like that the bad guys get their just deserts which felt really great!
- The ending is an extremely happy one (for all the good guys)! I love happy endings even if they are cliché.

What I do not fancy too much:
- Some parts are a little draggy. But, just use FF button.
- I do not like the bad guys but we need action which comes from villains.

Overall, this drama is a lovely one because of the leading man, Vin Zhang as XYS. He is such a gorgeous gentleman in the show. I want to present him with "Boyfriend of the year (2023) award" for his stunning, convincing and lovely portrayal of XYS.

I love XYS and I love Vin Zhang as XYS! <3

I foresee myself re-watching the lovey-dovey scenes which showcase the handsome ML in all his absolutely delicious glory!

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Exciting, Intriguing and then, Hmm.

The first 1/3 of this drama was exciting. Plenty of things were happening and there was great excitement as to what would happen next! I thoroughly enjoyed the first 1/3 of this drama.

The second 1/3 of this drama was intriguing. There was plenty of suspense and I kept guessing as to what would happen next. I am pleased to say that I truly enjoyed the second 1/3 of this drama.

The third and last 1/3 of this drama was ‘meh’ and ‘huh’ and ‘hmm’ for me. After the exciting ride at the start, the last part of this drama was quite a letdown. Despite the ‘happy-ish’ ending, the final part and very last episode felt rushed and abrupt.

What I liked:
- plenty of excitement and intrigue at the start and middle
- good-looking actors (though still young and not the most able but good enough)
- many lovely characters like Gu Yue Shuang
- the female lead was intelligent, shrewd and resourceful - I like that she wasn’t a pushover and that she had a good, strong backbone

What I didn’t like:
- plenty of bloodshed but I understand it’s a war drama so …
- patriarchal attitude from the oldies
- Pei Shao Jun and Tan Sang Yu were insufferably annoying - every time they appeared on my screen, I felt great angst

Verdict: Can watch. Much better than other dramas out there but, viewer may wish to fast forward the third and last 1/3 of this drama.

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‘Healing’ type? More like MEH type.

I read the reviews for this drama before I started on it. I must say that I trusted the reviews from all the different reviewers and had fairly high expectations of this drama. Unfortunately, this drama is, to me, very MEH and I cannot understand why other viewers have given it great reviews.

The slightly good stuff:
- drama moves along quite fast as it’s just 10 episodes long and each episode is less than half an hour long
- drama’s characters are okay to watch - they aren’t the best actors but they are decent
- ending is happy

The MEH stuff:
- strange plot in my opinion
- lack of chemistry between the leads
- as things move quickly along, there are parts that aren’t explained well and are just glossed over
- the plot and the characters don’t make you feel invested in them in anyway - everything seems very external if you get what I mean

I’d say watch something else. Not worth your time. This drama isn’t sweet and fluffy at all. There are definitely better dramas out there.

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Intense.

I was fairly intrigued by the premise of this drama and I decided to watch it because I like the female lead. She’s pretty and kind of cute.

What I liked:
- intense drama with a lot, a lot of things happening
- plenty of unexpected twists and turns
- it’s a long-drawn chess game which lasts 49 episodes
- never know what will happen so you have to go episode after episode
- the male lead is handsome (it’s my first time ‘meeting’ him and he’s quite fine
- the female lead is pretty and quite fine too

What I didn’t like:
- crazy eunuch - he’s nuts and hateful
- too many twists and turns - I was quite confused and puzzled (but things do get solved and explained which is good)
- quite bloody with plenty of deaths

A drama worth an 8/10 is a drama worth watching in my opinion. If you are thinking of whether to watch or not, I’d say watch if you have time for 49 episodes.

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Slice of life that was at times quite draggy.

I was drawn to this drama because of Liu Tao and because of the good reviews that I had read.

I watched the whole drama and I must say that I was at first impressed and intrigued but as the drama progressed, I felt quite disappointed that a show which had much potential turned out rather ‘meh’ towards the end.

What I liked:
- The actors and actresses are skilled and honed in their craft. They acted excellently.
- The show is a slice of life drama and many parts of the show are relatable and enable viewers to discuss about both real life and reel life. For instance, the part where Chen Jiao Rui suffered from postnatal depression was very raw and real. Her hatred towards her husband, who wanted a child but didn’t support her much in terms of childcare and her personal needs, touched a raw nerve.
- The characters were very human and very complex. No one is perfect just like in real life. The characters also learn and grow as the drama progresses.
- I like the strong female characters.
- It’s an adult show — in that youngsters may not fully get the issues raised in the drama.

What I didn’t like:
- The drama became draggy after one-third of it was done.
- The characters are very flawed and thus, are very frustrating. Dr Mo Ming was certainly 莫名其妙. He did many questionable things as a doctor and I wondered if he was kind of incompetent and crazy as both a husband and a doctor.
- The young adult called Yan Zhi was super frustrating. He was so immature!
- The ending was a fairly happy one but it was a quick ending. Episode 40 tried to tie up loose ends but… it did not have enough time to do a very good job at providing closure. Perhaps, drama is trying to reflect life — closures do not always happen in real life.

For me, I look at at least an 8/10 to determine if I’d watch a drama. For this, I’d only give 7.5 / 10 at the most. I would not highly recommend it.

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A must watch for men and women

As a mother, I was drawn to the show to find out what Birth Centre was all about. I found the show relatable on the whole.
Of course, there were some parts that weren’t that believable but it’s a drama after all and not real real life. The women were walking too comfortably and normally which is unlike how most women who have given birth naturally do... but, this is a show after all. Most parts were realistic.

I recommend this show for teens - boys and girls - so that they understand that pregnancy and childbirth are NOT walks in the park and to be careful with birth control.

I recommend this show for husbands, especially fathers-to-be, so that they know a little bit more of what pregnancy and child birth are like for their wives / partners. Pregnancy and birth are difficult.

I like the part in the show where the Manager of Serenity Postpartum Care Centre says: it’s very different from what you expected. Everyone says pregnancy and labor are beautiful but it isn’t necessarily true for all women. Pregnancy is exhausting, labor is cruel and the recovery process is miserable. — I totally nodded my head in agreement. It is a blessing to have a healthy baby but a mother’s sacrifices should not be ignored. A newborn baby’s needs are of utmost importance but a mother’s needs are equally (if not more) important. A mother has to be well to take care of her baby.

Another part which resonate was: the wicked 5 kg which can’t to gotten rid of (nods), the saggy boobs due to breastfeeding, the postpartum hair loss (terrible and horrifying).

The show was generally fast-paced and entertaining other than some scary bits. The show deals with weighty issues like a newborn’s death and how mothers are under pressure to be perfect mothers and wives and to continuously sacrifice to be seen as good mothers.

I like that show ended with: a good mother isn’t a perfect mother but a happy mother who’s happy with her life and thus, happy with her child. I think a main takeaway is that mothers are also human beings who should be seen and recognised for who they are and not simply as “so and so’s” mother. A mother is a unique individual and should be seen as one too (other than being a mother).

I recommend this for teens - watch to understand what not to get yourselves into.
I recommend this for husbands / fathers to be - to understand your wives / partners better.
I recommend this for women / mothers - to know that we are all in this womanhood / motherhood together.

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Watch for the Cute Leads

I’m not a fan of medical dramas but I gave this a shot because I like both the male and female leads. PSH is such a beauty. She’s lovely to watch on screen. KRW is really manly and handsome. He’s lovely to watch on screen too.

Watch because:
- beautiful leads
- overall, good-looking cast
- plot is generally interesting throughout
- plot is generally well-linked
- plot is generally fast-paced
- chemistry between the two leads is sizzling - I love watching them being lovey-dovey on screen
- kissing scenes on fire between the two leads
- love triangles that aren’t full of angst

Worth watching for sure.
Rewatch value is pretty high!
Enjoy!

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One's Insecurity & Lack of Self-Esteem Leads to One's Downfall

I decided to watch this because (i) there are only 8 episodes which means it's quite easy to finish this drama and (ii) the cast is top-notch.

What I Found Good:
- The acting is top-notch (I reiterate). I think Mike He's transformation to tired working class husband is very convincing. I think he acted the best in this drama.
- The plot deals with very real issues like relationships problems between daughter-in-law and mother-in-law, dementia, care-giving and its burdens, the duality of life - Jian Qing Fen wanted her MIL dead as caring for her was so hard but when she finally died, she missed her presence, the challenges of being a working parent, the frustration with the mundaneness of day to day life, the dissatisfaction of simply just living day to day without anything much that's exciting... ...
- Thought-provoking dialogue.
- The child actor who acted as Jian Qing Fen's son was quite endearing. He seemed sweet and was not a troublesome kind of kid.


What I Did Not Find So Great:
- The segue from present to past, past to present was at times, very confusing for me. I tried to make sense and tried to join the parts together. At times, I found the segue to be frustrating.
- The young Rebecca had kind of weird make-up and behaviours. She acted very oddly like a diffident teenager with autism. It was strange to watch. The present day Rebecca was very much more normal.

On the whole, this drama is on the heavy side so if you are looking for a light-hearted and humorous drama, this isn't your cup of tea. However, if you are looking for a drama with good acting, good cast and is quite short, you may want to consider this drama. :o)

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harsh realities of the workforce & the importance of book smarts and street smarts

I wanted to watch this when it aired.

Alas! I am 4 years late but better late than never. I highly recommend this drama to mature viewers who have experience being in the workforce. It is also a good drama for those who have not entered the workforce to get a "taste" of what it is like.

What I Like Very Much:
- This drama has a stellar cast. Never once did I cringe because of poor acting. The acting is top-notch and very believable. Big Kudos to the cast, especially the main leads.
- I like the complex character in the form of Wu Ke Zhi. Although he is not a perfect worker/ superior, he comes across as someone with heart and whom I, like Fatty, will like to work for and to work with. He is portrayed as someone who deserves respect for how hard he works and for how dedicated to being a good person he is.
- Lin Yu Ming is another character that I like very much. I like the way he speaks and how he knows what works for him and what does not.
- The plot, despite being in the workplace and all, is not boring at all. In fact, I find the storyline engaging and eventful. I want to know what happens next and am riveted enough to want to keep on watching.
- This drama is a drama about growth of the different interns/ newbies as well as the development of the older staff. I enjoy seeing how the interns/ newbies become more skilled, more experienced, more tactful etc.

What I Do Not Like at All:
- Yin Sheng Chao is positively heinous. What makes this worse is that there are really people like him in the world. He is devious, evil, malicious, selfish, manipulative and just downright a scumbag!
- I find the drastic change in Hao Shuai from cunning and bold to a little "broken down" puppy hard to swallow. The drastic character change does not appear realistic and congruent to me. I do not like it. I feel that he should stay feisty and shrewd. Nonetheless, Yin Sheng Chao gets his just desserts in the end which makes things feel much better.
- Ma Zhong is another annoying boot-licking character who curry favours the top and ill-treats the subordinates.
- Gao Si Cong is positively irritating. He thinks too highly of himself when he actually is not that great. Thankfully, he grows and changes positively.

Additionally, from this drama, I have come to realise that a college degree is important because without it, doors are closed. Case in point - Sun Yi Qiu. He has the smarts and he is willing to work very hard but, without a proper college degree, he cannot find good employment in a reputable company.

Overall, I highly recommend this drama because of the amazing cast and the great plot!

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Worth a watch :o)

This is an extremely belated post/ review because I watched this several years back. I just want to keep a record of what I have watched (as much as possible).

From what I remember, this drama is quite exciting. The acting by the leads is excellent. A slice-of-life in the office kind of drama whereby people work hard to keep their jobs/ climb the corporate ladder. I remember feeling similar feelings as the characters as they struggled and tried their utmost.

This is a believable/ realistic drama with an excellent cast of actors and actresses who can act. They delivered. They brought the feels. I recommend this drama even though it is an old one. If you have not watched it and you like office type of dramas, give this a go. :)

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Romance in Sports and Sports in Romance

I watched this drama because of the FL. She's gorgeous. I have watched several of her dramas. She is also a good actress who is versatile.

What I Enjoyed:
- The FL shone in this drama.
- I liked the plot. There were sporting events going on and whenever there were competitions, it was fun to watch.
- I liked the FL and the supporting cast, in general. FL's male companion, Wu Ze, was a nice guy. Li Ge turned out to be very funny and even endearing. I really liked how clueless Coach Yang was and his reactions when he realised that FL and ML were dating. Watching him pace up and down, at a total loss for words, was hilarious. Da Xia was endearing. Mao Mao Qi turned out to be quite cute too.
- I liked that things moved at a fairly good pace and that it was not draggy.
- Happy ending.
- OST matched the different parts of the story.

What I Didn't Enjoy So Much:
- The ML was kind of cute but he was too immature and too clingy and too whiny and too jealous. Yes, I understood that he was the young hot-blooded lover but he was really quite immature.

Overall, I enjoyed this drama and I'd recommend it to others. It is a light watch that's entertaining. :)

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Of piercing gazes and steadfast love.

I was hesitant to watch this drama despite the good reviews that I read as, TBH, the title was a little odd. However, now that I have watched it, the title makes perfect sense and is apt!

What I enjoyed:
- ML and FL had chemistry and they carried the drama well.
- Plot was quite intriguing on the whole. I was riveted and I kept wanting to know what would happen next. Plot moved along quite fast. Some lines of the drama were "da bomb" and meaningful.
- This was my first time watching the ML and I must say that he has charisma. He had a brooding and yet, piercing gaze. I liked his role as a super confident dude simply because he knew his own capabilities and he knew that he was remarkably talented and smart. He also had the work ethics to boot.
- I liked that the two leads only had eyes and feelings for each other. They were true to each other.
- I liked the whole bunch of people from Flying Heart Company. They were funny enough. I liked how they ended up supporting ML and FL.
- I liked the supportive female friends in the form of Ren Di and Fang Shu Miao. I liked that there was no b*tch in this drama and that Xu Li Na turned out to be endearing.
- I liked that the drama was pretty realistic on the whole. For instance, I liked how FL's parents were portrayed because it added realism.
- The starting track was dramatic and well-composed. I have been listening to it! The other songs as part of the OST were nice too. The songs fitted the different parts of the drama.
- I liked that the story had a happy enough ending and that everything wrapped up quite nicely.

What I didn't enjoy:
- Oh, I hated Gao Jian Hong and Fang Zhi Jing. They were total scumbags. I hated them to the core. I hated how they were so insecure and instead of using proper and ethical ways to better themselves, they chose to step on others to climb up.
- It was heartbreaking to see how ML lost his loved ones - parents and sister. I hated his brother-in-law.

Overall, this drama is pretty excellent and I highly recommend it! :o)
<3

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For Han Dong Jun

My reason for picking this drama to watch was simple - the leading man, Han Dong Jun. He's gorgeous. I watched him in 'Siege in Fog' and charmed I was. On the whole, I enjoyed this drama.

Thumbs-Up for:
- The leading man, but of course. He is tall, handsome, very deliciously charming.
- The FL is pretty cute.
- I like that ML and FL behave in a mature manner. Once they have decided to get together, they have (in general) open conversations and behave like mature and sensible adults. They understand that the other party is a unique individual and with personal goals to achieve. They support each other and do not get in each other's climb up the corporate ladder by being petty and silly. I truly like that they behave like two mature adults who love each other and want to make their relationship work out.
- The second FL is pretty cute too.
- I like that the motivations of different people are gradually explained as the show goes on and that hatchets are buried.
- I like the relationship between the 'sisters' - FL and second FL. I like that they genuinely love and care for the other party without interfering unnecessarily.
- Happy ending though fairly cliched.
- The OST is great. I like the jazzy feel and tunes.

Thumbs-Down:
- Watching the crazily obsessed boyfriend in the form of Xi Jia Bai was extremely painful. He appeared extremely neurotic and unhinged.
- The very self-absorbed senior/ tutor of the FL who came across as totally obnoxious and egoistic. He said things that were totally out of line and that were extremely old-fashioned and inappropriate.
- Taking credit for another person's work (but it's the unfortunate 'norm' in workplaces and in life).

Overall, my verdict:
Watch this, especially if you like a mature drama in which the FL and ML are both good-looking and are both committed to each other once they have formally confessed their genuine feelings to each other. The romance between the two feels real and they have chemistry. Their relationship is an 'urban romance' in which two people try their best to make their mark at work while juggling a romantic relationship.

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