Lynn

Secret Garden is my not so secret pleasure

I watched this when it was released back in 2011 and even though ten freaking years have passed, I still go back to rewatch this gem whenever I miss Hyun Bin (and Ha Ji Won).

This drama is a must watch because:
- Hyun Bin - enough said. He’s a dream!
- Ha Ji Won - she’s a great female lead / actress.
- the sizzling chemistry that feels so good and feels so real
- swoony Hyun Bin - in the drama, he is so cute and handsome and funny - love!
- the story is fantastical and yet believable
- the supporting cast is great
- the music is so well composed and lovely to listen to
- rewatchable and one of the best ‘classic’ k dramas out there

The part that I didn’t like:
- male lead’s mother is crazy


This drama is wonderful! I love it. I love the leads! I love Hyun Bin!

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Complex and somehow swoon-worthy King

It is 2021 and I have just watched this drama after it came highly recommended by an acquaintance. Said acquaintance gushed so much about this drama that I decided that I should watch it to find out whether it was truly great.

I must say that the drama was excellent. Here are the elements that I liked:
- the OST is brilliant-I love the instrumental music. Beautifully composed.
- the cast acts well (in general)
- the King (Lee Dong Gun) stole the show. He was complex. He was tyrannical. He was insecure. He went quite mad. But, he loved the female lead fiercely. Somehow, he was swoon-worthy. I fell hard for the King. Lee Dong Gun really acted well. I could never hate him. I felt his hurt and pain. I seemed to understand him and why he did what he did.
- the plot was exciting and suspenseful (in general). I could not wait to watch the next episode and then, the next episode.
- ending was not a happily ever after one but show tried to deliver as happy an ending as possible

This drama was well-made. I didn’t like the female lead that much and there were other characters whom I found annoying but on the whole, this show deserves to be watched and ‘savoured’. It’s an excellent show with an excellent OST to match. Thumbs up!! Watch this!!

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perhaps not dazzling enough but it certainly “sparkle”, “glimmers” and “glows” … ?

I decided to watch this drama because a reviewer said that it was a “natural” drama that was very “slice of life” and not something over the top and overly dramatic and crazy. Well, I enjoyed this drama enough! ☺️ I think 8.5/10 is fair because I think it’s better than average.

What I Liked:
- FL was very natural in her acting. ML was very good too. They had chemistry.
- The supporting cast acted well too. The mothers and sons were cute. Their camaraderie seemed very believable and thus, very enviable.
- I liked that FL wasn’t a pushover. She had her own mind and she was practical. Once she understood her circumstances and her limitations, she adapted, she pivoted and she continued to try her utmost. I liked what she said about trying not to have regrets in life. However, if there are regrets, accept them and move forward as well as possible. She also talked about making her best possible decisions / moves within what was possible.
- I liked how they continued to lift each other up and to continue to live their best lives possible despite the many obstacles - both big and small setbacks. In life, we certainly face many trials and tribulations. And, we need to continue to push forward or perhaps, creep forward because time and tide wait for no one and the sun also rises. We need to keep on going albeit slowly and despite our pain.
- Ending was happy which I always like. I look forward to happy endings because they give me hope for real life happy endings.

What I Didn’t Like:
- I hated Cao Ping and his sister. Luckily, they “reformed”.
- The perverted man with no morals.
- Rather senseless fight scenes. (Luckily, the FL would usually appear to get them to stop fighting.)

Overall, I think it’s a modern drama which deserves a watch. It is very watchable. Some parts are motivational / inspirational. 💪🏼🫰🏼🙏🏼🤭

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moving forward from flourishing peony …

As I already watched Flourishing Peony, I had to watch In The Name of Blossom for the closure.

My review for FP is quite detailed and holds true for this “sequel” as well.

Overall, I found both Season 1 and Season 2 very watchable. There are a lot of things happening so it’s truly a “dramatic” drama full of ups and downs.

I think 9/10 is generous but still all right to award as it’s a watchable drama and the FL has improved a lot and looks kind of different in a positive way. The ML kept things going. I will say that this drama is “okay can!”.

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oh my peony!

I was hesitant to watch this drama at first as I didn’t have a good experience watching the FL previously. I found her kind of screamy and high-pitched and she wasn’t on my “let’s watch” list. Nonetheless, I like the ML and the reviews which I read said that this drama was good and thus, I decided to give it a go. 🙌🏼🙂

What I Liked:
- The ML was good.
- I liked some members of the supporting cast such as Chuan Yu. The emperor was a good one too. He was a very balanced emperor and not like the unhinged and power hungry ones in other dramas. The female supporting cast of nice women, such as Da Fu and her mother, made me happy.
- The storyline was very watchable.
- I like the romance between FL and ML.
- FL was rising like TRON. She became successful and whenever, she was trampled on by others and by life, she never gave up. She, being witty and resilient, kept on going and kept on doing what she desired.
- The ML supported the FL and considered her an equal and that she had value. He never looked down on her. Rather, he was proud of her and her wit and her strength to overcome adversities.

What I Didn’t Like:
- Awful misogyny.
- The second ML was all sorts of crazy and the second FL was alsl all sorts of crazy. Very hard to watch.
- The hateful in-laws of the FL. They were despicable and detestable.
- The hateful King Ning.
- How people, namely women and servants, were taken as dispensable.
- Wu Niang’s most atrocious husband and worse, her stupidity.

Overall, I like this drama enough to give it 9/10. 🙂

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do I love u or do I love u

I deliberated between giving this drama 8/10 or 7.5/10. In the end, I gave it 7.5/10.

I felt that the casting was not great. The FL is very feminine and cute in her own way. I watched her in other dramas prior to this and she was cute. However, I felt that she did not suit this drama. She was much much better in “Destined”.

The premise was all right but the mad queen was really one total crazy b*tch. Things were rather interesting at the start and then, things became just slightly frustrating afterwards when ML regained his memory. There was nothing that was a true standout for this drama. It was watchable but nothing too great imo. I did not find the chemistry between the leads “satisfying’ either. It was all just rather lukewarm.

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couldn’t find the depth

I have nothing against the actors and am, in fact, a fan of the FL. She’s so cute and pretty.

However, the show became so boring quickly that I couldn’t continue watching it. I wanted to watch everything and see what the backstory was for the ML and what the future would be for the ML and FL. However, I couldn’t continue watching because the plot was dragging along and nothing much was happening. I really liked the FL’s best girlfriend though. She was so feminine and cute.

Once again, I have nothing against both leads. I would like to find out their backstories and the ending but … I have no patience to drag it out with them.

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Raw Acting

I read the synopsis and the reviews and was pretty excited to watch this drama.

I only watched a few episodes, about 4-5, and I decided that I couldn’t continue.

The plot seemed fine but … the acting was way too raw. While I understand that it certainly takes time to hone acting chops and it takes time to gain experience… the acting in this drama was too raw for me to appreciate.

Additionally, the dubbing got on my nerves. The dubbing was also raw, perhaps? It was quite jarring to watch the actors and actresses speak in very stilted ways.

I decided to move on to other dramas as I was getting frustrated and I couldn’t tolerate that anymore.

This is my two cents’ worth.

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Dead Yet Alive, Alive Yet Dead

I was introduced to this drama by a fellow dramalist member and I must say that it is a wonderful recommendation! I love this drama! I wanted to give it a 10/10 actually but I think some minor issues with it took away 1 point.

What I Loved A Whole Bunch:
- The leads and (essentially) the entire cast were pretty amazing. They performed their roles well. Superb acting.
- The plot was intriguing and suspenseful. I was riveted and wanted to know more.
- The ML and FL were well cast. They played their roles well and had chemistry. It was pleasant and sweet to watch how their romance blossomed. I liked how sincere they were to each other and how ML expressed his jealousy and love for FL outright. No guessing games here which, to me, was great.
- There were several outstanding scenes — the scene in which FL played the guqin; how the people of Huaixiang came forward to help Magistrate Xue despite their fears; the sorrowful deaths of ML’s guards.
- The OST was lovely.

What I Didn’t Like a Wee Bit:
- There was a lot of bloodshed especially towards the end.
- Princess Wanning was princess with a bipolar disorder IMO. She toyed with people and that was hateful to me. After watching what she had to endure in Dai Country, I get why she turned out this way but I felt that she had a choice not to be thus ruthless. It was shocking to see that she killed her father. She was ‘cray cray’ from being abused and toyed with and she perpetuated what she had gone through. This was wrong.
- The very sad deaths of both ML’s best guards. I was shocked that they died in episode 40 (last episode). Why?! Oh, my heart. I guess drama wanted us to know that people die in wars.
- So many villains like the Li family and Prince Cheng and Ji Shuran and more … who had no qualms in killing others to protect themselves and to get ahead. The lack of morals is dumbfounding! (I know it’s show/ drama and such characters are needed… just saying…)
- The ending was a little frustrating because it wasn’t the kind of happy ending that I hoped for given that things seemed to be looking up for ML and FL in the end. Episode 40 was hard to get through. I had to watch the special episode - I hope I found the right one to watch - to get proper closure.

Nonetheless, this drama is top-notch and I highly recommend it! <3

Pls watch it! It’s great! Awesome production with fantastic cast, interesting plot and lovely music. <3 I know that I will be rewatching some scenes for sure! <3

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Putting One's Life on the Line to Save Others - These are Our Heroes

I came to this drama late even though I was aware of it. Nonetheless, I decided to give it a go after (sort of) running out of good dramas to watch. I like the ML as I think he is fine actor even though he isn't the most handsome out there. I have watched quite a few of his dramas and he has left a positive impression on me. The FL is decent IMO.

What I Liked:
- The cast was very good. Generally very natural acting. Ke Yao and Yu Han were fantastic in their acting. I really believed they were who they were supposed to be. I was quite blown away by their great acting. The supporting cast like Li Nian and others were generally pleasant to watch too.
- The OST was quite catchy.
- There were dramatic moments in this drama.
- Happy ending.

What I Didn't Like So Much:
- Some parts were draggy and I found that I reached for the FF button quite a lot for this drama. Not a big deal but yeah, some parts were rather repetitive and draggy.
- The love lines were not combusting with heat. Rather, the love lines were more of slow burn for Ke Lei and Mi Ka, Wen Bo and Qing Xia as well as Yu Han and Ke Yao. Relatable and realistic build up of relationships which is good but I much prefer a bit more heat and sizzle.

Overall, I enjoyed this drama and am happy to give it a high-ish 8.5/10
:o)
This is a good drama to watch and will make you look forward to the next episode. Nonetheless, you may want to get your remote control ready to press FF when the going gets a little slow.

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truly, she is in a class of her own - holding up amidst patriarchy and the boys

I came to this drama late. Understand that it aired in 2020 and it is now August 2024. Nonetheless, better late than never. I am happy that I watched this drama and I recommend those who are wondering if they should watch it or not to dive right in.

What I Liked A Whole Lot:
- It was my first time watching the FL but she was likeable. I watched ML in "Go Ahead" and had a good impression of him. The other MLs in the form of Lei Ze Xin and Yu Le Xuan were more my cup of tea though. Well, I really liked that the cast was a bunch of handsome lads. It made me happy to watch their shenanigans. Acting-wise, they were pretty decent too.
- I really liked the growth of the MLs such as Lei Ze Xin. He turned out to be so likeable. Yu Le Xuan too. The other FLs were also not that annoying. It was a nice surprise to see that Mu Xiao Man was not a damsel in distress and that Han Shu Min was not "xin ji nu". She accepted that love could not be forced and moved on well.
- I loved the competition of shooting arrows to hit the targets to get points. It was so strangely riveting that I had to keep on watching to know the result! I loved this competition part of the show. Top marks for suspense and engagement levels!
- I liked that the drama tried to tie everything up and to link things as well as possible.
- The principal turned out to be a good guy which was a good thing. Master Wang was truly a good man from start to finish and I liked episode 36 the most when he said to let him remain clueless if there were things he should not know. Wise chap!
- There was some intrigue as to what was going on. There was humour. There was comedic relief. There was happy ending!!

What I Didn't Like That Much:
- The Lord Han was villainous. He was super self-absorbed and black-hearted. He did not teach his son the right moral values. He was warped. Thankfully, he received his just punishment.

Suspend disbelief that no one can tell that "he" is actually a "she" and the drama will be enjoyable.

Personally, I found meaning in the drama.
1) combat patriarchy and misogyny; fight for equality of the sexes - both should be able to receive good education and both should be respected; what men can do, women can probably do too (and vice versa)
2) when given golden opportunities, women can be as good as men; women should not constantly be tamped down (by society and by men) and limited by ridiculous notions that go "you're a girl, so what can you achieve"; rather, "I'm a girl, so I can surely achieve something too"
e.g. as FL Wen Bin was not restricted due to her gender, she could thrive and flourish and display her good sense and intelligence as a person/ woman; she showed that women had potential too and could do well if given chances just like the lads
3) lifelong learning and being a constant student keeps us updated and "young"

I found that this drama not only entertained me for 36 episodes, but it also shared lessons about treating others with dignity and respect and that good will triumph in the end (so, choose to be a morally good person).

I recommend this drama. It was a great ride with handsome lads to watch and I really liked seeing these (young and handsome) cuties! :o)

<3

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A Singular Pursuit (in all interpretations of 'singular')

I wanted to watch something on iQiYi because I had paid for the subscription and then, I found this drama.

Having just watched "Ordinary Greatness" before this drama, I thought it would not be too bad to watch another show starring Zhang Ruo Yun. While I am not his fan, I recognise that he is an excellent actor. I am mighty glad that I decided to go ahead with this drama.

What I Liked Quite a Bit:
- The acting was good -- very solid acting.
- The plot while fixated on the issue of Silk Road Tax / $3530, moved along quite fast. I found myself wanting to know how this issue, which had been unearthed after being buried for so long, would eventually be resolved. While I knew that Shuai Jia Mo would be fine as the ML, it was interesting to see how he faced the various challenges and powerful figures who tried so hard to ensure that he kept mum and that secrets which were buried, stayed forever buried.
- Shuai Jia Mo's BFF, Feng Bao Yu, as well as his BFF's sister, turned out to be such loveable gems who recognised SJM for who he was and just let him be.
- The characters were shown to be complex which I liked. I liked seeing how the magistrate of Tongyang County did Math with SJM and recognised that while SJM was most probably right, he had other considerations to take note of and that he would still refute what SJM claimed. I liked seeing how complex and human the characters were such as the assistant magistrate of Wancheng County who, layer by layer, showed that he knew the truth and that eventually, he decided to let the truth be told.
- I liked how tactful and calm the Grand Coordinator of Fengxing was as he peeled off layer by corrupt layer to reveal the truth of the matter. (Something to learn from. There is no need to be all mean and fierce and shouty to get one's way or to get to the truth of the matter.)
- The lawyer turned out to be a fairly good fellow and I liked the budding romance between him and Feng Bi Yu.
- Blessedly happy ending in that the baddies were punished and justice prevailed. It was also very pleasant to see that SJM was finally able to get some closure of sorts and that the past no longer tortured him. It seemed that he had helped his father to solve the case of $3530 and everything fell into fall in the last episode and he could finally move on.

What I Didn't Like That Much:
- Magistrate Mao was so very shouty. He kept on yelling and bellowing.
- Ma Wen Cai was such an ass. He was super hateful. He was so corrupt and heinous.
- Fan Yuan was manipulative and malicious. He wanted to harm the innocent just to keep himself safe. He was so corrupt and so hateful.
- Erm, the elderly men looked pretty much similar. (There were so many men, especially, older men, in this drama and so few ladies.)

Overall, while this show was very singular in its pursuit, it entertained me for 14 whole episodes!!

I'd say that this drama knew that it could not be stretched for too long and it wrapped up once the case was solved and closed.

I'd highly recommend this show as an "intelligent drama" (if this makes sense). <3

:o)

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Riveting Police in Action

I did not know what to expect when I chanced upon this show (because of Bai Lu) and decided to go for it (also because of Bai Lu). I'm glad I gave it a chance and I'd like to urge viewers to watch this well-made drama too. I generously give it a 10/10 because it is a solid and spectacular production with top-notch acting from every single cast member.

What I Liked A Lot:
- The cast was "da-bomb". Everyone acted so well. I thought that the casting was excellent and appropriate too. Everyone fitted his or her role well and everyone delivered spectacularly. No one outshone the others and everyone had his or her moment to shine. Wang Shou Yi delivered remarkably. When he went on leave for two days in the drama, his absence was greatly felt and even I, the audience, felt incredibly relieved when he returned to work. I must applaud every single actor and actress in this drama. Truly, they were so real. I believed them 100%. There was no disconnect.
- The development of all the characters was great. For instance, the rookie police officers were like diamonds in the rough but they became much more polished and mature at the end of the drama in which one year had passed. The development felt real and was well-paced.
- There was plenty of suspense. I wanted to know what had happened and what would happen. I also liked that each "open" case got its "closure".
- In general, everything in the drama was tied up nicely and explained nicely.

Hmm, TBH, there wasn't much that I disliked... just those annoying minor characters like the family who harassed the couple and their little son; the obsessive helicopter parent in the form of the ridiculous and senseless female doctor; the horrible parents who neglected their parental duties and still expected filial piety; Zhou Hui's crazy mother who had to re-examine her values; Xia Jie's paranoid and crazy mother who needed therapy...

Nonetheless, the cases were all very real and showcased the unpleasant side of society and the scumbags. I guess we have to look at these terrible cases and awful people to know what NOT to follow.

Additionally, I was devastated when Cao Jian Jun committed that most senseless crime. He just wanted to do more and be an admirable person whom others could look up to. In the end, even after Wang Shou Yi told him to move on and lead another good "non-police" life, he continued to be a "police officer" and he eventually died while protecting a comrade. It was most tragic and I felt devastated for his wonderful wife, Zhou Hui. Zhou Hui stuck with him through thick and thin and she never once despised him. She was model wife with a sincere heart for him. I also felt devastated when the doctor fellow died in a senseless killing. (le sigh... the pain and the tears)

I highly recommend this drama to viewers, especially to those who aren't looking for romance. It is an excellent production!! It is fast-paced, touching, suspenseful and just simply drama at its very best!!

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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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