Very Cute but leaves you wanting more

There is honestly a lot of potential here with these leads and the plot but short format doesnt allow for enough time to really flesh anything out. Even if pieced into a 2 hr movie the editing would need to be overhauled to make something completely coherent.
At 18 or 24 full epsiodes we could've had a really great show.
Its really a shame because the ML is a smokeshow with real talent. I dont understand how he's not one of the biggest stars in China already. He was amazing in Maid's Revenge.
I liked the FL lead and the fact that she was "real person" pretty and didnt act like she was 12. I also liked the fact that she initiated the first kiss and it wasnt totally akward.
I still enjoyed this show despite it's short comings. Its like eating a fun sized chocolate bar, you wish there was more but you dont regret the morsel you ate.

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Underrated

I knew the ending somewhat going in (that the ML lead dies or appears to) and that there is no season 2, and likely never will be. It was still worth the watch. *spoiler alert* ill tell you how he "dies" at the end of review, so skip if you dont want to know.

A common complai t i read in comments before watching was about the FL. Yes, the FL was cringe in first few episodes, but honeslty if you watch enough cdramas you should be thoroughly innoculated to loud, obnoixious, naive FLs. If not, then chinese drama is probably not for you because this seems like the standard for the opening episodes of every cdrama ive seen. Even the FLs that are pretty cool are honestly still fairly annoying in the beginning of act 1.

I didnt find this FL that bad and i liked her a lot more in later episodes. Even though she was so very ignorant of everything going on at first, as she learned new information she didnt loose her sh*t. She did have to be saved multiple times, 'cause shes not a kung fu master or gunslinger like everyone else so thats to be expected, but she was still very brave and able to stall or even talk her way out of some situations. She was kind of a dork, occasionally a cry baby, but she was smart under pressure. And once she gave in to her feelings, she was willing to walk through fire for him.

ML was adorable and badass. At first i had a hard time with how young he looked, like under age young. The story and action was engrossing enough to pull me along and eventually it didnt both me as much.

The fights were amazing, great choreography! The music added the perfect atmosphere to every scene.

The romance was cute and silly at first, with the ML following the FL like a smitten puppy, and her embarrassed she couldve possibly been involved with a "kid" but still unable to walk away from him.
Later it was sweet and heartbreaking. The romance never distracted from the story, rather it was one of the driving forces later.

Now the ending, it wasn't the worst ive seen or the saddest. You can stop watching after the newly reunited couple says their good byes at the bridge where he is on his way to prison. She says she will wait for him. Just pretend he served his time or got out on early release and they lived happily ever after and youll have a bittersweet ending. If there was never any intention for season 2 this is probably where the writters would have ended it.
However, they clearly hoped to do a 2nd season.

**Spoiler** So at the end the prison transport van loses brakes and it careens off the bridge into the water.
The last shot before credits is the rear view of "someone" in the ML's alter-ego outfit looking out over the city at night.
Its him. Of course its him. Even if they dont show his face, to me there's no question.
So while its not the final ending i'd like, its not bad enough to prevent me from encouraging others to watch. Save for the last 5 min or so, its a great show that i really enjoyed.

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Decent start to a rom-com but no ending

I only watched because i like the ML, even after all the reviews warning about the ending.
The FL is pretty good, i enjoyed watching her. Shes not screeching her lines or completely helpless and she is intelligent. Like another reviewer said, in some shots she really resembles Zhao LuSi, the acting is similar as well.
The romance is cute, funny and tropey, everything you've come to expect from a run of the mill cdrama in this genre. Chemisty is luke warm, ML is great at conveying longing and desire with his expressions, FL not so much, at least not AS good.

The ending is a cliff hanger, zero plot threads are tied up other than the main couple being back togther (theres at least 1 1/2 break ups). If there is a second half then i'd consider it a decent drama but i wont hold my breath. So unfortunately I cant really recommend it to anyone unless you just have a love for the actors and your show inventory is running dry.

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Good but overhyped

You have a great cast and an intriguing plot, and yet it was harder and harder to get through each episode the longer it went on.

The whole going back in time and redoing things plot device was good at first but its usefulness runs out early on. I honestly forgot about it half way through because it doesnt matter much to the story anymore. Not that it mattered any way since the entire story is a novel the author wants to re-write to have a less tragic outcome for her leads.

Palace intrigue is the focus here. The FL is eager to take herself out of the messy equation but shes drawn in anyway, so she changes her part in it.

The romamce is extreme slow burn. So slow that its hard to believe when it finally happens in the last handful of episodes. The ML clearly likes the FL for quite some time but it feels like the FL is simply giving in and settling because she cant get away from their fate and be with the one she really wantes. By her actions its clear she cares about ML but romantically she's cold and resigned. It was very underwhelming. There are 2 impassioned forced kisses by the ML and 1 consensual bed scene all toward the end.
I suppose it would be more believable that she fell in love with him if there was more screen time between them but there really isnt room for it with the many, many moving parts of all the plots. The story was just too complex with all the schemeing and backstabbing to thread in a satisfying love line.

The end is cute enough to satisfy most romance fans who hold out for all the episodes. At least there is that.

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Cookie cutter rom-com

Slice of life, coming of age kind of rom-com, kind of meandering with no real plot or direction. No villians, no invasive love triangles, no break up.
The romance is cute but certainly not the fluffiest ive seen. I liked the characters, the acting, and the chemisty for the most part. Did start to FF through a lot of the side characters and most of the parts with FL at work.

There are a couple of kiss scenes, all of them fell flat for me. Very stiff and unnatural, like watching 6th graders who dont know what theyre doing and might be slightly repulsed.

A lot of people really liked this show so i gave it a go but it was just kinda 'meh' for me.

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Pirate's life for me!

I feel kind of silly saying I love this drama when it was at times difficult to get through. I watched on YouTube and the sound and subtitles are just awful, as was the editing at some points. I couldn’t stand the FL in the first episode. Her voice was grating and whiny and she seemed like a toddler in a womans body and yet she was just smart enough and wise enough that i could begrudgingly overlook it, especially once the ML stepped onto the screen. He made her much more tolerable and they played off of eachother well. The chemistry was good, unfortunately their more intimate scences are the most heavily edited (*cough* censored).
As i'm sure most would agree, it is the ML who makes this show what it is. He is arrogant, intelligent, so manly, at times silly and other times so vulnerable it breaks your heart.
I cant say i grew to love the FL but she was considerably less annoying as time went on and I got more invested. The story is fun and exciting, and mostly keeps up the pace. Side characters are enjoyable, and the token love triangle is not as terrible or drawn out as some shows.
Despite all of the shows flaws, it has become on of my favorites that i would have no problem re-watching.

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