After seeing the ratings for this 2nd season and reading some of the comments, I was on the fence about whether I should watch this sequel or not.
I decided to watch it because I really wanted to know that happened to Ruo Bai and the end results of the competition between Bai Cao and Ting Yi. (And also for Ji Chang Wook XD!) Considering the fact that Yang Yang couldn't return to film this, I didn't mind they way that they approached the Ruo Bai matter.
Even though I usually like romances in the dramas I watch, I enjoyed the fact that this drama was mainly focused on the competitions, action, etc. In my opinion, the story line would probably still have worked without a love line between the two main leads. I think I even enjoyed the first 18~20ish episodes more because there was so little/no romantic plot-line in the first half of the drama.
The drama could have done with less flashbacks. Many of the flashbacks would be one after another without the extra flashbacks adding anything important.(I.e. They could have just flashed-back to just one moment instead of many.) From the last two episodes, only the first 20~25 minutes were actually important. Also considering the amount of overlapping between each episode (i.e. last bit of the episode and the beginning of the next episode), the whole drama felt a little draggy. It was almost as if they were trying to make the drama last a bit longer. The drama could have probably been done in 34 episodes, maybe even 32.
I didn't mind the change of the main characters that much, they're pretty good actors/actresses, but it did take an episode or 2 to adjust to the change in actress playing Bai Cao.
The ending is very open-ended for the Ruo Bai matter and also the Ting Hao and Feng Yun situation, making me hope that there will be at least some sort of sequel for this sequel! (But at least the ending wasn't abrupt like the 1st season!)
The music is not memorable, but suitable.
I would probably re-watch it if a sequel came out.
Overall, (maybe an unpopular opinion,) I think I enjoyed this season a bit more than the first.
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