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One of My Favorite Series!!!!!

First of all, I really want to thank the writer, producer, director, and the entire crew for choosing these couples. Seeing both Boom and Mix in the same series was honestly a dream come true! I never expected it to happen because Boom didn't have an established partner before. So, thank you to whoever decided to pair Boom and Aou together.

Now, let's start the review.

📢📢 Warning: This review contains MAJOR SPOILERS. I repeat: SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Story / Plot:
The first thing I want to talk about is the story and plot. The story itself was great. Many fans expected lots of chaos and complicated relationships similar to Season 1, but that didn't really happen. Personally, I don't mind that at all. However, my main issue is with the plot gaps and unanswered questions, such as:

1- How and when did Jack and Dean first meet?
2- How did Tua and Arnold meet and become friends?
3- Why were we never told how or when Dean became a host?
4- How did Jack find out that Dean was a host?
5- Why didn't we get any scenes showing Dean and Jack's first breakup?
6- Why did Raffy fall for Jack, and how did they meet?
7- Why didn't we see any scenes of Jack becoming an alcoholic and going to rehab?
8- During the outing when Dean was drugged, why didn't he explain the situation to Jack?
9- How was Dean able to buy a new apartment when he was struggling financially? We saw this after both Jack and Tua kicked him out.
10 -Why does Jack hate Rome and his father?
11- Why weren't we told what happened between Raffy and his mother after he ignored her calls?
12- Did Pete ever return the money he stole? And why did he steal it in the first place?
13- Why didn't Pete expose Raffy and Rome when he saw them in the forest, especially considering he was following Rome?
14- Who told Raffy that Pete was the one who leaked the photo, or how did he figure it out?
15- Why do Dean and Raffy dislike each other so much? I don't think it's only because they both loved Jack.
16- Why did Jack and Tua get angry and break up with their partners when there wasn't any actual cheating? Dean and Arnold didn't intentionally do anything wrong. Everyone knew they were drunk and not fully aware of what was happening.
17- Was Dean and Jack's first breakup really justified? Jack said he knew about Dean's financial struggles, yet his reason for breaking up was that Dean didn't ask him for help. Is that really enough reason to end a relationship? It would've made more sense if the breakup had been because Dean was working as a host for wealthy clients.
18- Why did Dean and Jack completely lose contact after their second breakup when they agreed to stay friends?
19- What happened to Timmy and Pete after graduation?
20- Despite Dean becoming popular during his pairing with Arnold and even receiving an acting offer from a photographer, what happened to that opportunity? How did he end up working as cabin crew instead of pursuing his dream, especially considering his fanbase and theater experience?
21- What's the story behind the necklaces that Dean and Jack wear?
22- My final and most important question: Why didn't Jack apologize to Dean even once? He never listened to Dean's explanations or believed him regarding becoming a host or being drugged, and he repeatedly labeled him a cheater.

These are just some of the questions the series never answered.



I also really want to say this: Why is Dean portrayed as the bad guy when Raffy and Jack are also at fault?

Jack:
Jack never allowed Dean to explain himself during either breakup. On top of that, he gets jealous when Dean flirts with strangers, yet he's willing to sleep with someone else himself. How does that make sense? Dean tried talking to him multiple times, but Jack refused to listen. He also clearly doesn't trust Dean. Is it really possible to love someone without trusting them even 1%? If so, why are they still together and in love? It just doesn't make sense.

Raffy:
Raffy exposed Dean's work as a host and publicly humiliated him. He also secretly filmed Dean and Arnold in the forest and intended to release that video as well. Why isn't he considered one of the villains? Jealousy isn't an excuse for those actions. He has feelings for Jack while sleeping with strangers. He also keeps giving Rome hope that he might love him someday, only to run back to Jack again.



What I didn't like is that the series introduced many important topics but never properly explored them. That's a mistake on the writer's and production team's part. They should provide a complete story, not one filled with missing pieces. However, I loved the variety of relationships between the couples. Arnold and Tua had a sweet relationship that started as a friendship.
Rome and Raffy were complicated, with a relationship built on desire and mistakes. Dean and Jack were former lovers who reunited. Their relationship was toxic, but they still deeply loved each other. Out of all the couples, they were definitely the most chaotic. I never felt bored watching the other couples, even though I'm mainly an EarthMix fan. I honestly didn't expect to enjoy the other characters and their relationship development as much as I did.



Which Season Was Better?
In terms of story, I'd say Season 1 was better.
In terms of acting and NC scenes, Season 2 wins.
Overall, though, I actually prefer Season 2.

Season 1 had some boring moments, chaotic plotlines until the very end, and an unhealthy amount of toxicity in the relationships. I mainly watched it for First and Khaotung, with no disrespect to the other actors.

Season 1: 7.5/10
I don't know... the relationships were just too messy. Cheating, forgiveness, and repeating the same cycle over and over again. The relationships were extremely toxic.
I usually enjoy dark and complicated dramas like this, but for some reasons this particular series made me feel anxious while watching it 😂

Season 2: 8.5/10
The score would've been higher if the plot had fewer unanswered questions.



Acting:
Everyone worked incredibly hard on this series, and it definitely shows.

Mix:
The actor who impressed me the most was Mix. As a fan, but also as a viewer trying to remain unbiased, I can confidently say that Mix is one of the best actors in GMMTV. Despite having less acting experience than many others, he constantly manages to impress me. Honestly, he has been excellent since A Tale of Thousand Stars and Moonlight Chicken. He has incredible charisma and screen presence, along with excellent control of his facial expressions and emotional delivery. One example is the amount of criticism and hate he received because of his character in this series. That only proves how convincingly he portrayed the role and its emotions. I loved Mix's character in this series and would love to see him play similar roles again. I almost forgot to mention the NC scenes. EarthMix absolutely nailed those scenes. Both the scenes and the characters felt completely different from anything they've done before. I honestly didn't expect the NC scenes to be that intense... hehe. Their scenes were definitely my favorite.

Aou:
Aou also stood out a lot in this series. He delivered a fantastic performance and handled his role very well. He has a bright future ahead of him, and I genuinely wish him success. It looks like I'm becoming an AouBoom fan too 😂
And those NC scenes... I was genuinely shocked. Since they're still a relatively new pairing, I wasn't expecting much, but the pool scene and the bathroom scene... My God.

Joss, Gawin, and Boom:
Let's not forget Joss, Gawin, and Boom. They all worked hard and performed their roles excellently.



OST / Music:
For me, the soundtrack fit the series perfectly. Especially that song and instrumental that played during the final scene of Episode 1 — the Dean and Jack scene where they were engaging in some very intimate activities... If you know, you know 😂😂



Rewatch Value:
I finished the entire series in two days and have already rewatched it more than four times. So yes, I can confidently say I'll definitely watch it again.



Final Thoughts:
I'm genuinely sad that the series is over. I feel a real sense of emptiness now. I love this cast so much, and I genuinely enjoyed watching their interviews, events, fan meetings, livestreams, and reaction videos. I don't know why, but they all seem incredibly comfortable with each other. You can see it in their jokes, their interactions, their skinship, and even during promotions. I truly hope we get to see them all together again in another project someday.

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This is a masterpiece!!!!

A True Masterpiece!

There’s only one word to describe this drama: masterpiece.
I’ve already watched it three times—and finished the entire series in just three days. That’s how captivating it was.

From the storyline to the production, OST, acting, and visuals, everything was simply top-tier. If I were to rate each element, it would be a solid 10/10 across the board.

The original soundtrack was breathtaking—it fit the emotions and atmosphere of the drama perfectly. The singers deserve just as much praise; their voices brought the story to life in such a powerful way.

The storyline was flawless. It explored themes like friendship, hatred, injustice, betrayal, and so much more. There were so many unexpected twists that genuinely surprised me. I also appreciated the light-hearted, humorous moments sprinkled throughout—they balanced out the heavy scenes and kept the pacing just right.

As for the acting, the entire cast was phenomenal. They made me feel like I was living every scene alongside them. I especially loved how each character had a unique personality, which made the story richer and more realistic.

The production quality was exceptional. You could tell the team put an incredible amount of work into it. The visual effects were beautifully done—no overuse of CGI, just the right amount to enhance the experience. Every detail felt polished and cinematic.

I do have one small wish, though:
In the final episode, especially that last scene—I really hoped to see more of Lan Zhan and Wei Wu Xian after their reunion. Instead of just Lan Zhan’s voice and Wei Wu Xian’s smile, I wanted to see their expressions, how they looked at each other, how they felt. That moment could’ve been even more powerful with just a few more seconds.

Wang Yibo and Xiao Zhan absolutely delivered. Their chemistry was undeniable—both on-screen and off-screen—and they brought their characters to life in such a deep, memorable way.

I truly hope we get to see them work together again in the future. Even after everything that happened with Xiao Zhan's fanbase, I still hold onto hope that time will heal things, and they’ll be able to reunite in a new project someday. They deserve to shine—together.

Wishing both of them the very best in their careers. Their talent is rare, and their bond is even rarer.

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Masterpiece!!!!

The first thing I’d like to say is that this series is a masterpiece.

First, I’d like to talk about several things that attracted me to it:

1. The story:
The story is amazingly unpredictable. I’m not sure, but the idea of two martial arts rivals being lovers is truly wonderful. The storyline itself isn’t entirely new—like the hero wanting to unite nations, which I’ve seen in many series—but portraying the hero as seemingly weak while actually being cunning and intelligent is really impressive. This series made me think and kept me excited to see how the two protagonists would overcome the crises and obstacles in their way to achieve their dreams.

2. The cast:
Both Zhao Lusi and Yang Yang put a lot of effort into their acting—they are truly great actors. Their relationship felt pure, and they made me genuinely feel love and sincerity. Their chemistry is amazing, and I applaud the casting team for choosing them (haha, it’s obvious I got a bit jealous of their relationship). As for the other actors, they also performed their roles very well, to the point that I actually hated some of the characters. It seems I’ll feel a sense of emptiness after all the romance I’ve seen in this series.

3. Cinematography and production:
I liked that the director and production team didn’t overuse editing or excessive Photoshop and similar effects like in some other Chinese dramas. It leans more toward realism, which makes it easier to watch and stay focused.

4. The events:
As for the plot progression, it’s well-organized and not rushed, with a good pace—perhaps because the series has 40 episodes. I liked the speed and attention to detail, although there were things the show didn’t explore deeply, such as the Soultaker sect and its massacre, and not all the schemes and crimes of Yu Wuyuan were revealed.

We also weren’t shown what happened to Huang Chao’s sister—how she was killed or what happened to her body—and many other things that weren’t addressed. However, this didn’t negatively affect my overall evaluation.

There’s also a scene where Hei Fengxi helps Bai Fengxi and his hair turns white. When I saw that, I was reminded of Word of Honor, when Wen Kexing helped Zhou Zishu and his hair turned white and they became immortal. But to my shock, it turned out that Hei Fengxi would only live for 10 years, which made me sad.

As for the ending, I feel like it’s somewhere between sad and happy, but it leans more toward happiness. Hei Fengxi gives up his dream of uniting the nations because of his limited time, despite all the effort both of them made to achieve their ambitions. The fact that he only has 10 years left is also sad, but in the end, they seem to find peace after leaving power behind, spending their remaining time together, and living a normal life.

I wish there had been a special episode like in Word of Honor showing what happens between the two protagonists afterward. I also wanted to see their child, but five years without children makes me wonder why the writer chose that.

Usually, I don’t watch many Chinese dramas—I’ve seen no more than five—so I wanted to try something new. I don’t regret it at all, because I usually get bored with series longer than 20 episodes, but this one was so good that I finished it in about 3–4 days.

Personally, I highly recommend everyone to watch this series.

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