Sloooowwwww, but so pretty!

OVERALL
This drama is truly unique. As of now, I don't think there's another one quite like it. Watch it if you 1) are looking for a nice slow burn, 2) want a drama with mature vibes, 3) like slice-of-life series. Skip if 1) lowkey propaganda bothers you, 2) ensemble dramas (which focus on many different characters) bother you, 3) dramas without a plot bother you.

THE STORY
Let's be honest: there is no story here haha This drama is just about life. It does start out as a story (something happens, FL needs a break and goes to the countryside), but then it's just 40 eps of FL living in the countryside, travelling back to the city, and living some more in the countryside. As someone who is not really into slice-of-life dramas, I dropped the drama at least 10 times. But I kept going back to it every couple of months because it's SO different, and I can now say I'm really glad I pulled through.

What's good about the drama:

- Mature vibes, from ALL the characters. No childish, annoying women, no high-pitched baby voices. Real people. I LOVE it.
- FL and ML have a very refreshing relationship, the friends-to-lovers type but in which both are really self-aware. Once they get together, they're also quite playful, and they have pretty decent chemistry. I liked them a lot!
- The script is at times quite deep. Lots of topics are addressed in this drama, from burnout and work stress to mourning and loss, and many inspiring quotes are told. You can tell when a drama takes itself seriously because the writing is 10x better than average.
- The cinematography is AMAZING. Awesome scenery, great filters, nice sets. Everything is flawless in that department! It makes you yearn for country life haha
- Story-wise, the second half of the drama is MUCH better than the first. It feels faster paced, and we get more of the main leads (rather than the many side characters)
- The relationship between family members is super endearing, especially in FL's family

That being said, Meet Yourself is not going to be in my list of favorite dramas of all times for a couple of reasons:

- I prefer dramas with a plot. The first half of this drama felt SO slow. I kept falling asleep while watching, even when skipping parts. Artistically, the slow pace is meaningful (it reflects how life also feels slower in the country), but I personally do not watch a drama to see life unfold in real time. I have enough of that in real life, thank you! Give me a plot and a decent pace! Luckily, the pace picks up in the second half.
- There are too many characters with a "story" of their own, and they're not all interesting. At least, I couldn't care for most of them. It would have been better if only 2-3 of them were 3D (developed) and the rest were just 2D friends or neighbors.
- In the first half (mostly), this drama feels too much like government propaganda to lure people into the countryside (go there, there's less stress, people are nicer, and they need you). Almost every ep had the characters gathering somewhere to talk shit about the city and how their lives were miserable there, and every other ep, some characters pointing out how life is hard for the people in the country because of lack of funds/labour/etc. It kind of got old and pulled me out of the story.

I still definitely think everyone should give this drama a try. If Chinese contemporary dramas could all go in this direction (and improve it), that would be so great!

THE ACTING
Fab, fab, fab. Liu Yifei was awesome! But the rest of the cast didn't fall too much behind. Their interactions were so organic, you don't often see that in dramas!

THE MUSIC
Catchy and fitting, but only the Chinese songs. The English songs were a monstrosity! haha

REWATCH VALUE
Low. It's just too slow for me. But I'd love to rewatch some clips, especially of main couple!

Read More

Would be perfect...without the kids

OVERALL
Awesome human, superhero drama. Watch it, no ifs, because there's something for everyone to like!

THE STORY
I'm not a fan of superhero stories (God knows Hollywood has made enough for anyone to grow sick of them!), but I like stories that combine fantasy/sci-fi with the real world. That root the superheroes in reality. Moving is one of them. There's teenage angst, there're political conflicts; there's romance, there's tragedy. Yes, it's a story of people with superpowers, but it's also A LOT more than a story of people with superpowers.

The Best of this drama:
- The structure of the drama is pretty interesting. It gives away information little by little and keeps you wanting more
- The writing is *chef kiss* You can really tell writers thought it all well, from the episode titles (which are so meaningful!) to some of the lines.
- The long flashbacks, which reveal the backstory of the cast and connect all the mini-plots (there are few) together
- The overarching plot, which is about used people who rebel against the people using them
- The "parent" storylines (especially Bongseok's parents)
- Our teenage ML being overweight (I'm all for this representation!)
- The female characters are all so well written in this drama. Strong and with character, but each in their own way. That's great!

The Worst of the drama:
- Nothing, objectively, but subjectively speaking, I couldn't care less about the kids haha I would have loved a Moving focused entirely on the parents. Probably why I won't like S2 haha
- Also, if I want to be picky, I would say that gore needs a purpose. Sometimes it felt extra for no reason in this drama...

THE ACTING
Fab, fab, fab! It would be hard to pick a best actor in here. They were all SO amazing!

THE MUSIC
Pretty good!

REWATCH VALUE
Average, just because if I rewatch I'm definitely I'm skipping the teenage drama parts!

Read More

Sometimes gripping, Sometimes not

OVERALL
If you're looking for some adventure, even if it's rough around the edges, and a bit of romance, but fun and worthwhile romance, watch. If you're looking for a deep and well-written plot, or convincing CGI, or both, skip.

THE STORY
I started watching this drama when I had nothing else of interest to watch. I binged a couple of episodes when it got good, skipped parts in other episodes when it got boring. Before I knew it, it was over. My verdict is, it served its purpose. It's a good filler, but nothing more.

On the good side:
- There are enough twists to surprise you in the adventure plot, and you start out with enough mysteries to unfold to hook you
- The romance is surprisingly fun, with some comedy and some melodrama towards the end (but good drama, you know, the kind you want to happen to spice up a love story)
- FL is how I like them (strong, smart, but kind), ML is also how I like them (a bit aloof but nice)
- Most secondary characters are endearing and you won't feel the need to skip their parts
- The setting is fresh and interesting (no more Shanghai, yay! I LOVE that most of it happens in the desert)

On the bad side:
- Special effects are horrid in this drama, like REALLY bad
- You can get lost and confused in the fantasy elements and the way the plot is nonlinear (ie. the characters have a goal, but they keep going on side quests or tangents or wtv). It also makes the drama feel draggy at times.
That's it! haha But careful, the bad weighs nearly as much as the good (maybe even a bit more)!

THE ACTING
Good stuff! There are a couple of emotional scenes and the actors delivered!

THE MUSIC
Quite okay!

REWATCH VALUE
Uff...not high haha I might rewatch the romance parts. I liked those! The rest was a bit too much of a wild ride. I think experiencing it once is enough! :)

Read More

It weirdly works!

OVERALL
If you 1) are looking for a FL-likes-ML-first love story, 2) are into the older-guy, younger-girl trope, 3) like when FL is "innocent", and 4) can get over the fact that ML and FL meet when she' s a minor (and played by an actress who looks like she's 10), then this drama is right up your alley. If any of the above bother you...maybe still give it a try? It worked for me!

THE STORY
So, not going to lie, the premise of this drama is everything I hate. I'm really not into stories where the FL pathetically pines for the ML for 2/3 of the drama, I don't like FLs that are "innocent" (because 9/10 times, they're just childish and immature), and I'm not particularly into the older-guy/younger-girl trope. The only reason why I decided to give this drama a try is because of the controversy (it had pretty polarized reviews on YT). I wanted to see what everyone was talking about.

The main issue people had brought up is that FL starts out looking like a literal YOUNG child (definitely younger than the 14 she is supposed to be), while ML is the main actor (so adult actor), and it feels very wrong to see any scene between then two or imagine them getting together later on. Giving these comments, I was expecting something huge. But while it was off-putting, it wasn't that bad, imo. These scenes with the child actress are just a few flashbacks, and it's just FL liking ML (not the other way around), so...I just took at as a silly girl doing her thing.

I'm not going to say this is the drama of the year. The plot is very basic (almost a non-plot, revolving entirely around FL's unrequited feelings for ML...until they stop being unrequited), and the core of the story (a girl crushing over some guy for years) remains something I'm just not a fan of. But I was truly pleasantly surprised by some aspects of this show:

- First, FL is thankfully not the childish/immature type of "innocent" girl. I think the writers did a good job of giving her a bit of character, a bit of youthfulness, a bit of maturity. She feels very 3D and likeable.
- The writers also did pretty well in cutting out the pining, so FL doesn't look that obsessed with ML and her unrequited love is easier to swallow
- While I had trouble buying that FL started loving ML as a pre-teen (just looked liked admiration to me, like when girls become fans of idols), I liked how the drama shows ML finding out he likes FL and the extent to which she loves him. Overall, the relationship between the two is also very sweet and caring, and rooted in respect. It's a bit cringey sometimes, but on the good side of cringe.
- The secondary characters are all pretty cool additions to the show (which is rare, they're usually useless and annoying). I LOVED the relationship between FL and her brother, as well as FL and her parents. ML's friends were fun too!
- The ending scene is honestly the funniest innovation of a common cliché ever. I loved it!
- Finally, the overall vibes of the show are totally my style. No childish quirks or annoying music. Feels more mature and raw.

Bottom line: I didn't expect to enjoy this drama and I did, so if you're like me, just give it a try!

THE ACTING
Good, all around. I love Zhao Lusi. Nothing else to say haha ML was also pretty impressive, and it was my first time seeing him. The child actress was great too (but she did look WAY too young for the part). On the chemistry department...it was okay. Could have been better, imo, if the writing focused a bit less on FL's age and her being young.

THE MUSIC
Alright, I guess, though nothing I'd listen to on my own!

REWATCH VALUE
Oh, it's high. I've already rewatched it once (with some skipping, I won't lie, but still)!

Read More

THIS is romance done right!

OVERALL
Watch this drama if you 1) are looking for a series that actually gives enough screentime to the love story, 2) want a FL who can think for herself and knows how to fight, 3) crave a fast-paced series, with plenty of action/adventure. If you are prone to ML bias, though, I guess you should skip. Your loss!

THE STORY
I have to say my expectations were quite low for this drama because on a cinematographic level, it's nothing great. Really basic shots, bright filters, quirky BGM, and the CGI *eyeroll* BUT BUT BUT...as it turns out, I LOVED it! Let's begin with the good stuff:
- Absolute #1 for me is the perfect balance of action/adventure and romance. 90% of Chinese dramas seriously have no clue what a romance drama is supposed to be like. They're always 85% palace (or work) drama and 10-15% love story. For once, here, we have a solid 50/50 (maybe even 60/40 sometimes) and that alone makes it an above-average drama for me!
- I loved FL because yes, she knows how to fight and she is pretty smart, but she is also a bit of a trickster. Nowadays, so many dramas give you a "strong" FL but they're all the same. At least she has something different!
- The relationship between ML and FL is cute and fun. Their arguments are sad and frustrating, but realistic and (for the most part) understandable. I really appreciated how they never really broke up due to cliché misunderstandings (or maybe just once)
- The drama is also pretty well-paced. Especially at the beginning, you always feel like the characters get out of one situation to jump right into another. It's a good change, compared to dramas that drag. At some point (starting ep 25 or 26), you have a couple of episodes that feel slower, but it doesn't last very long.
- The ending is satisfying

Now, the drama is definitely not perfect. It does have its flaws:
- While I liked the pace of the show (with lots of action/adventure), I have to say the action/adventure plot got kind of repetitive. Lots of poisoning and kidnapping. It also was pretty predictable.
- Ironically, they did well with the fresh and fun romance, but SO bad with their third wheels. You can't get more cliché, obsessed unrequited lovers than the ones in this drama. This probably was the most infuriating part.
- Finally, I appreciated the fact that the relationship drama was understandable (and not random, plot devices just to separate the main leads), okay, I did...but I have to say it was kind of tiring how, for about 6-8 eps, the main couple just goes from one argument to another. You just want the drama to end and for them to be happy together (or fighting evil together)! haha

The bad is not enough to ruin the drama, so I'd still give it a try, but it's good to keep in mind!


THE ACTING
Stellar cast, nothing else to say. Pretty good chemistry between the main leads and they both did well on their own too (Xu Kai probably a bit more, he really was great!). Some side characters sometimes stole the show (eg. Crown Princess) too. All good!

THE MUSIC
Don't remember much...I guess it was fine?

REWATCH VALUE
Very high.

Read More

Good palace politics, Horrifying ML

OVERALL
This drama is another heaven-and-hell production. Watch it if 1) you LOVE palace politics, 2) you're looking for mature cinematography and filters, 3) you want a drama with a smart(ish) FL. If you're looking for a great ML or a heartfelt love story, I can't urge you enough, SKIP!

THE STORY
So I was looking for another good historical drama after watching Wonderland Love and saw that this one was highly rated, so I decided to give it a try. Uff, what a disappointment! But let me start with the good stuff:
- The premise of FL going back to her youth to change history is interesting (while not original) because you want to see if she'll succeed. This I really liked, and I think the drama does a good job of handling this part of the plot.
- FL is smart (when the drama wants her to be) and in a mature, age-appropriate way
- For once (in a long time), we have mature cinematography with nice, dark(ish) filters and none of that childish quirky music that always plagues Chinese historicals
- Palace politics is thrilling, with the bad guys making the good guys sweat sometimes (which is good, it's boring when the good guys are always ahead)

Now, onto the bad stuff:
- Top of the list, 200%, is ML. He is so boorish, I can't believe a C-drama came up with a character like that in 2023. It's okay to have a cold or slightly aggressive ML when there is enough backstory to make us feel bad for him AND if he redeems himself. Kunning Palace's ML has neither. The backstory is definitely not enough to make me sympathize with him, and he never, NEVER redeems himself. He's just dislikable, from beginning to end.
- Obviously, the love story then falls very short. It was extremely funny (and disturbing) how his outbursts of anger and violence towards FL were romanticized. I just can't...Also, having such nice, 2nd and 3rd ML made it all worse, because in what world would a smart girl like FL EVER choose this abusive ML over her other options? It's hilariously ridiculous.
- The fact that ML is FL's teacher adds an extra layer of weird and bad for me, because of the power dynamics. He's already boorish, then you add to it the fact that he can just boss her around and treat her like a 5 year old as her teacher? Yuk.
- A third flaw in this drama (definitely less important but still worth mentioning) is how brushed aside the story of FL's sister was. I think the character is presented as somewhat important but then we never see what happens to her after a major event, which feels like a loophole.

Overall, if you are not into romance and are indifferent to ML's terrible character, go ahead, watch this drama. The palace politics will keep you going. If you really care about character development and you were craving a good love story, do yourself a favor and skip!

THE ACTING
Good, though nothing out of this world for me. I wouldn't say there was any chemistry between FL and any of the guys in the show either.

THE MUSIC
That, I liked! I'm all for more mature vibes!

REWATCH VALUE
Absolutely null. I'd rather re-watch Yanxi Palace than this, and I used to think Yanxi Palace's emperor was the absolute worse ML hahaha

Read More

Meh...

OVERALL
Watch if you're into LOADS of work drama. Skip if you're not. This drama doesn't have much more to offer.

THE STORY
These days Chinese romance dramas are NOT romance dramas haha This one in particular was essentially a work drama. On the good side, it really manages to get your attention. I kind of liked seeing all the issues pilots and flight attendants go through - which is a first, I usually don't care for work drama. The series makes the ordeals they go through realistic and gripping. Another thing I like with Flight to You is that Female lead is the one that does the chasing for a while (and openly too), which is refreshing, while Male lead is the one that is shy and awkward. Male lead also has a bit of depth, with a backstory that makes him a complex character, and he's into gender equality, which is nice.

On the bad side, that's basically all there is to Flight to You. The romance is subpar, the typical twenty episodes of veeeryyy slow burn followed by 10+ episodes of utter and complete stagnation, and ending with 2-3 episodes of rushed resolution, topped with the most archaic of all tropes: miscommunication between the leads, who don't know how to TALK and seem to compete for worst bad decision of the year. Also, the secondary characters are not too annoying, but I couldn't really care about them or their storylines. Female lead is not unbearable, but she's still ditsy and borderline childish at times. The villain is a villain for NO reason, which is just bad writing. And then there's the mom, the typical devil that magically is redeemed by the end of the drama (even though she clearly does not deserve it). And then the drama gifts you with an unnecessary, hateful cliche in the last episode too.

Bottom Line: I don't recommend...unless you're into the secret lives of pilots and flight attendants.

THE ACTING
Cool. I like both Wang Kai and Tan Songyun, especially him. No chemistry though.

THE MUSIC
What music?

REWATCH VALUE.
Low.

Read More

Frustrating

OVERALL
Now, I might be in the minority, but this drama felt like a waste of time to me. Watch it if 1) you like the impossible love trope, 2) you like the main actors, 3) you like slow and uneventful dramas. If that doesn't sound like you, then skip.

THE STORY
So. Let me just say that when I started this drama, I was really hyped. Female Lead was not my cup of tea (she's basically a waif), but I liked the aesthetics of the drama, I LOVED how Male Lead wasn't the typical mean, arrogant and misogynistic guy, and I saw potential between the two. Unfortunately, the drama failed to deliver. To me, it felt like the series was on hold for about 10-15 episodes. It's not like nothing REALLY happens. People come and go, there are wars and conflicts, conversations, confessions. But it's pretty clear that the drama is about Male Lead and Female Lead's romance, and the thing is, after they both realize their feelings for one another, nothing DOES happen between them for episodes on end. It's just them suffering in silence and reiterating again, and again, and AGAIN, how they can't be together. I'm sure it's some people's type of plot. I prefer mine to move along and not stagnate. After episode 20, I skipped ahead to see if it was worth continuing, saw that it wasn't, and gave up.

THE ACTING
Ok.

THE MUSIC
Pretty good!

REWATCH VALUE
Null.

Read More

I just can't with Male Lead

OVERALL
Give it a try if you are really tolerant of crappy Male Leads and desperate for a good mystery. If you're not any of the two, skip.

THE STORY
I have to say, the premise of this drama is pretty interesting (and not to mention, very realistic). Female Lead's husband dies and suddenly a whole bunch of problems arise in her life, making her realize that he kept many secrets from her. Although the drama does not make you fall in love with Female Lead, you do feel a bit bad for all that she has to go through. I also got hooked right away trying to figure out what exactly happened in her husband's life and whether he was a good or bad guy. I still want to know, but I had to give this drama up because it's yet another C-drama with a simply insufferable Male Lead. He's mean, rude, disrespectful. I just can't.

Oh, I'm sure they'll find a way to excuse his behavior. My guess is a crappy childhood and trying to get revenge or something. I don't care. I'm sick of Male characters being a-holes and Female leads taking it in (or worse, swooning over it). It's particularly painful to watch here because Female Lead LITERALLY just lost her husband and he's constantly going off on her. So I'm out. If you're like me, save yourself the trouble and skip. If you're not, then go ahead and watch. The suspense is actually pretty good.

THE ACTING
Ok.

THE MUSIC
Ok.

REWATCH VALUE
Null.

Read More

Watch for the thrills, not the romance

OVERALL
It's a decent disaster drama but a subpar relationship drama so watch it if you're into the former, not the latter.

THE STORY
There are things I really like about this drama. Three, to be exact. First, female lead is probably the most mature I've seen. I LOVE how she is completely unbothered by the cliché third-wheel girl who's convinced she can get Male Lead even though he doesn't want her. Female Lead has zero insecurity around the relationship and saves us from the usual jealousy scenes. She also has a lot of self-respect and dignity and doesn't let people trample all over her. Secondly, I really appreciated the representation of people with "disabilities" through Male Lead's sister who is deaf. What I like is that they didn't confine her to a bubble, she ended up being just like any other character and having her own love story. The third thing I really liked was precisely her love story, which is really cute and relatively drama free. Apart from these three things, I also enjoyed the disaster situations in which the main cast was found and seeing some of the work rescue teams do to help people. This drama really makes you appreciate the effort of people who put their lives at risk every day to save complete strangers.

But there are many issues with this drama that were just hard to swallow. First, I wasn't a huge fan of Male Lead. He's not terrible, I've seen worse, but he doesn't come off as supportive of Female Lead and some of the thing he does, especially towards the end...it's just a letdown. I couldn't appreciate the character afterwards. Secondly, the main love story is pretty much a fail. It starts out fine, then becomes increasingly watered down so that by the end you don't feel a thing for the OTP. There aren't many emotional scenes, there isn't much skinship either, it's just underwhelming. Lastly, there's a third couple that is absolutely insufferable and is getting WAY too much screentime in my opinion (especially in the second half of the drama).

Overall, it's a decent filler. Feel free to watch when you're bored. Just don't expect too much and don't come in for romance.

THE ACTING
Ok.

THE MUSIC
Ok.

REWATCH VALUE
Not very high.

Read More

Cheap writing

OVERALL
I watched it all the way to the end because I was bored. Watch it if you really, REALLY don't care about quality...or you're bored. If none of the above apply, then skip. DEFINITELY skip.

THE STORY
I tried watching this drama three times before. Each time, I gave it up within the first minutes of Episode 1. The production was just really not impressive (sets and costumes looked so fake), and Female Lead was too silly. But the other day I had nothing else, so I pushed through and watched it all. My opinion about the drama has NOT improved haha

The worse thing about this drama is the writing. It's just SO bad. Things happen out of nowhere, things that would never occur in the past occur, the love story is random and unbelievable, Female Lead is not likeable, Male Lead is...like every other male lead. It's just bad. I can't think about anything that can redeem this show, except a couple of scenes here and there that managed to make me laugh. That's not enough to salvage the drama though, so I wouldn't recommend it to anybody.

THE ACTING
Not impressed. And don't expect chemistry, you won't find any.

THE MUSIC
No comment.

REWATCH VALUE
LOL.

Read More

Almost perfect

OVERALL
Without being the emotionally investing type of show, this drama ticks all the right boxes, imo. Watch it if 1) you're looking for a well-written romance that's coherent, sweet, and full of sizzling chemistry and skinship, 2) you want interesting side stories that are actually worth watching, 3) you need dramas with very few flaws. Think twice if you're looking for lots of sports drama, because that's really just a background theme here...but then maybe still watch it?

THE STORY
I sometimes complain about Chinese dramas that have too much fluff and not enough drama, and I still believe that for storytelling purposes a good story needs a healthy dose of drama, it can't always be rainbows and unicorns...BUT I think a drama like Falling Into You shows that there are exceptions.

What makes this drama work is the fact that the writing is SO tight, it makes up for the excess fluff. The main leads are adorbs individually (Male Lead is the unconventional crybaby and I LOVED it!), you can't help but care and root for them. Together, they're FIRE (as in CRAZY chemistry), and their love story develops naturally. The drama doesn't do the mistakes we see 90% of the time (either have a good "falling in love" part and a bad "being in love" part or the opposite), both the "falling in love" and the "being in love" parts of the OTP are well-written and given the right amount of screentime. The drama also doesn't ruin everything with annoying secondary leads, useless sequences or overused cliches, has mature vibes (yay!) and although the romance itself doesn't have much drama, the sports drama (which is mild but still there throughout the show) kind of makes up for it. So you see, this drama is almost perfect.

I say ALMOST because there are a few little (very little) things here and there that could have been better. First, I didn't really like Male Lead's mother and how wishy-washy the drama made her. She's not terrible like in many dramas, but she looks fake and kind of...hypocritical? Second (this bothered me a lot less but I know some were triggered), Female Lead is Male Lead's coach for most of the drama, which adds a weird/awkward feel to their relationship (because of the imbalance of power). The show could have easily made her give up the role early to avoid that. Lastly, the ending is not my favorite (it's not bad at all, but the final sequence really doesn't give the rest of the drama justice). Still, for a drama that is basically just a fluffy, watch-to-be-entertained-and-feel-envious-of-what-you'll-never-have type of show, that's very little to complain about. So go ahead and watch!

THE ACTING
Perf! It's my first time seeing Male Lead and I liked him a lot! Female Lead I saw in You're My Glory and some other rom-com (not worth remembering haha), but this drama has got to be the best one I've seen her in so far. The rest of the cast was also quite good, with the exception of maybe one side actor.

THE MUSIC
Not so perf haha I have nothing against using English songs in dramas but make them good. Some of them were cringe! Still, there isn't an excess of music like in many C-dramas here, and for the most part the music fits the scene, so it's fine!

REWATCH VALUE
Super high! I'm thinking much higher than You're My Glory, and I must have watched that one three times! These fluffy dramas are always good to return to when you need a dose of sweetness!

Read More

Surprisingly good!

OVERALL
It's short, to-the-point, and without major flaws. Watch it if you're bored and in need of a quick, small dose of romance. If you're really not a fan of fantasy or like to be super invested in your dramas, then reconsider. I would still give it a try. It's so short!

THE STORY
I like the switched-bodies trope, but I'm always wary because it comes with so many overused cliches I can't stand. Luckily, this drama does without them. Female lead is mature, poised and smart (although sometimes a bit helpless), Male lead isn't the usual cold prick and is also smart enough not to misunderstand things, so they face the situation differently than the protagonists of other dramas. It's just refreshing not to see the same old mambo. The couple is pretty cute too. There just isn't much to dislike about the story (it's a bit weird what happens with the villains but it's not so bad as to ruin the show).

There are definitely disadvantages to a short web-series format, the biggest one being that there isn't enough time to develop characters, relationships and plot very well. This drama does as well as it can with the time constraint, but you still don't feel very attached or invested in the characters. It's like watching the highlights of a drama rather than a complete drama. However, I find that there are also lots of advantages, the main one being no time for useless side stories that C-dramas are OBSESSED with. And THAT, I'm here for it! If you're the same, give this drama a try. I think it's worth it!

THE ACTING
Good stuff. The switching-body trope is pretty demanding, I thought the two actresses did a fantastic job. Main leads had some decent chemistry too. I have no complaints.

THE MUSIC
Can't remember, but it's not a bad thing!

REWATCH VALUE
Not super high, but not quite low. There were some really cute scenes, but I didn't care about this drama enough to rewatch it whole. I might rewatch parts of it!

Read More

Gave me the chills!

OVERALL
China has blessed us with good thrillers this year, and this drama is definitely one of them. Watch it if 1) you want loads of suspense (I would even say kind of creepy vibes), 2) you like when characters are all smart and figuring things out properly, 3) you're looking for a hint of romance. Think twice if 1) you want to see a well-developed love story, 2) you don't like ensemble dramas (dramas with several overlapping storylines), and 3) hearing about certain crimes make you uncomfortable.

THE STORY
The Disappearing Child in many ways was what I expected. A missing child, intrigue, police investigation. But in many ways, it really surprised me. I didn't expect the drama to focus on so many different characters (some episodes are barely about the missing child haha), but it does and it's cool because even though all these stories feel very disconnected at first, you eventually see how they are all linked. Something else that I did not expect was for the drama to have so many uncomfortable things happening, things you wouldn't expect to see in a drama. I think it's good, dramas can't always be all rainbows and unicorns. They need to delve into all the messed-up shit that happens in the real world. And yet another thing that surprised me was the hint of romance (warm and cute though surrounded by pretty dark stuff), I really wasn't expecting it.

Overall, the drama has an amazing opening sequence, a good pace, a great production, smart characters, and a satisfying ending (not rushed too, yay!). The mystery also isn't revealed (or easy to guess completely) until the end, which is awesome. The only problem I see with this drama is that the characters are not particularly endearing (they're not dislikable, they're just not likable) so you don't care too much about them. But it's okay, the suspense is enough to keep you going! I also think one character is a bit too stereotypical, but I'm a harsh viewer.

THE ACTING
Good stuff. Didn't know anybody except the mom (she was in Sword & the Brocade), but I liked everybody's acting.

THE MUSIC
Song-wise, I can't remember a thing, but the instrumental soundtrack was ON POINT.

REWATCH VALUE
Honestly, not super high. I might rewatch it, but I think it won't be high in my rewatch list. It's just a bit too heavy haha

Read More

Plot Twist Master

OVERALL
This drama does plot twists like no other. Watch it if 1) you're looking for a new whodunit, 2) you want to see a bit of romance, 3) you like mature female leads (as opposed to the childish ones). Think twice if 1) you're craving kisses and sexy scenes, 2) too many plot twists give you a headache, or 3) you don't like crappy endings.

THE STORY
I came into this drama with low expectations and can honestly say it blew me away haha At the beginning, it looks like just another revenge drama, but it's not. It's actually a whodunit drama, spiced up with a little Rashomon effect (if you know, you know, if you don't, google). That's so cool because you literally are kept hooked and guessing what the hell happened until the very end. Now, I got to say, the final reveal sucked, but it's okay, I enjoyed the ride!

Still, I can't give this drama a super high rating because: 1) I'm really not a fan of the ending, it feels like a huge let-down, and 2) the love story between the leads was promising at the beginning but ended up being such a disappointment. For these reasons, I also feel like I'm never going to watch this drama again. It was binge material and I was definitely hooked all the way to the end, but I'm not about to re-live the experience haha

THE ACTING
Okay, but not impressive.

THE MUSIC
I LOVED it. So mature, so...normal. I especially liked the song Evening Wind (Wanfeng).

REWATCH VALUE
Low.

Read More