This is one of the best series I’ve seen, the casting was phenomenal, both main leads played their roles to perfection, the plot was straight forward and easy to follow, and not at all cliche or generic. The cinematography and the storytelling was also very well done, honestly 10/10 for everyone that worked on this project, I can tell they put their heart and souls into this piece. And the music! God you’ll find yourself unable to wait for the next masterpiece to blast through your screen, and if it’s not blasting the first time you watch this drama, I can guarantee the second time you will be listening to it on the loudest volume possible. (And I say second time because if you watched it once, you’ll definitely watch it again, I found myself skipping back so that I could experience each scene again, again and again. that’s how good this drama is, and the chemistry between the leads! Let’s not start on that or I’ll never finish writing this review!) Each song was carefully selected so that it fits each scene, characters and setting perfectly. For example I can’t stop thinking about the scene in Ep 1, the first scene where we actually meet Xiao Han whilst He Ran is searching for the mysterious man who left an impression on her. Grasshopper from Half Time Of Heart is playing in the background and it’s honestly the most fitting song for Xiao Hans character. Liao has truly outdone himself playing him, and I could say the same for all the actors and actresses, Xu Ruo for example is so easy to love and you just can’t help but root for her. I can say without an ounce of doubt, if you do watch this you’ll enjoy it. I’m glad I came across it. :)

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I originally watched this drama because it was recommended to be similar to High School Return of a Gangster (2024) and Weak Hero Class 1, if you’re looking at specifically the redemption/revenge story line, (in Boyhood very different compared to those two) we can say that they are similar, but we really do have to then ignore the rest of the details. Such is the plot line/main characters personality/ motivations in each, and despite my initial “displeasure” to seeing the main character in the first few episode (compared to the two brain/brawn powerhouse mains I mentioned above) I’m still very glad I decided to watch as it was very much worth it.

This Drama focuses on the main lead Jang Byung Tae, who in the beginning episodes I truly disliked and was disappointed with, at the very least annoyed (maybe because I still had expectations him to be someone like the main leads of the two dramas I mentioned above). Jang Byung Tae, in the begging of this drama, let’s just say is the least likely to use his brain to create some elaborate scheme to pull of some big and satisfying redemption ark. I believed him to be on the autism spectrum as well, with how much he was being misunderstood by his peers/people around him, combined with his low ability to read social clues or maybe downright ignoring them! I thought any minute he would say something idiotic and he’d get beat up by some primary school student! That how bad my view of him was. He was just making it super easy for people around him to pick on him!

Seeing him getting beat up at first was pretty sad, and there are moment even in further parts where I thought this is just inhumane and too much, however I have to admit at times I did burst out laughing at the pure idiocracy of him despite his multiple beat ups. And as you start watching the first episode you’ll understand what I mean, he doesn’t make it easier for himself. But slowly I started enjoying his silly character, I even started rooting for him. But at most I liked that in later episodes his character goes though a change, and he grows into himself and becomes from annoying, to someone I looked up to! So if you get discouraged halfway don’t lose hope, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for his character. The cringy parts turned simply funny to me, and spoiler alert: at the last episodes he starts getting back at everyone who hurt him is very good, and at times super funny, I can’t get over those last 3 episodes even now I giggle to myself as I think about them as I write this. So if just for those parts alone it’s really worth watching because they really good.

Now into the background characters and his friends I really liked Park Ji Young, she was badass and endearing, she was superb at stating the obvious, so in way I was alway left satisfied as I felt she said all I would’ve in that situation.

Cho Ho Suk Was super funny, he was literally the best comedic release and his shenanigans with Jang Byung Tae never failed to make me laugh, especially towards the end when the two gets super close.

The rest of the boys were ever changing in my opinion of them so that made the drama more interesting, they kept me in my toes whilst watching, and after the big turning point I really did like all of the boys, even our main antagonist, Jung Gyeong Tae. The actor who played him is very young and less experienced compared to his co actors but delivered his character super well! I truly believe if you give this drama a try you won’t regret it. Especially if you don’t jump into it with a large expectations and constant cross referencing/comparing it to other dramas like I did!

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Such a good Series

I had this in my plan to watch for good year now, I never quite got to the point of watching it, however, as I am per moment going through a period of sickness I made myself scroll though my PTW list and found this gem.

Honestly I regret not taking the time and watching it, the casting is phenomenal, love female lead and male was also wonderful in this, the supporting cast was also so well done, the characters felt genuine and real.

The instigators/villains of this drama were so well thought out and a twist I wasn’t prepared, I was sitting at the edge of my seat at each plot layer and secret we uncovered along with the main leads. The plan of action for the characters were so genuine and realistic at points I had to go and say”hmm, I would have done the same thing if I were in their position”, this just goes to show how well written the characters were!

If you enjoy watching dramas with mystery, character driven plots, realistic, loveable and quick to act characters you’ll definitely enjoy this drama! <3

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Overall I found it strange that in the beginning the

Overall I found it strange that in the beginning the male lead was all against even dating a 16 years old, and the next scene without any reason he was all for marriage with said 16 (I don’t think I need to explain why I find this so problematic, especially for the fact that said male lead is 26!) I usually don’t mind age gap, but this felt very much like a propaganda of marridge ideals being shoved down our throats. I like the actor who plays the male lead, but the role he was given doesn’t put him in the best light. I feel like he had many sides to offer as an actor but was just not given a chance to. The writers really did screw up the plot and the story, with plot holes, characters acting one way in one scene and another in the next. I especially found it strange that the parents were so easy to convince into letting their child (whom apparently they love so much!) married to a grown ass man, (it feels like those who made this are trying to make us believe that this this old fashioned idea that marrying off your kid before they legal is completely fine and dandy). Things just happened for the sake of the plot to move forward without actually a proper reason. (spoiler form here on out!) Especially at the hospital scene when the parents leave their daughter with the man they just met after she was hit on the head and still unconscious. (it would make sense if they knew he was a police officer but there wasn’t indication that they had any idea!) And I could say much more that I find strange with this movie but I would be just wasting my time on something I don’t enjoy, rather than spending it on something I do enjoy.

Regardless, I’m not trying to discourage those who want to see the movie, it might come helpful if you’re trying to learn of what mistakes not to make when writing your own story, or whatever floats your boat.

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The storyline would be good, if Yu Shu Xin wasn’t playing the main girl, I don’t know if it’s the way her character is written but she’s childish and annoying as hell, in the way shes trying to pretend to be more stupid than she actually is I don’t really understand the logic there, and why the screenwriters would come up with something like that. I couldn't finish watching Fairy and the Devil for this exact reason, because her acting was just the same in that too. I’m not certain if that’s the only ways she can act or if she’s always given parts like this but so far what I’ve seen from her she’s only able to play this kind of role, the silly, whiny little girl who’s always acting cute, regardless her old age, it may sound sour of me saying all this, but I don’t think she should be acting if she can’t be versatile regarding her emotions. A good example of this is Raba, she’s great at being cute and not in a cringy way, but also able to play in a strong stoic warrior, or even go as far as to pretend to be a boy. She’s never the same by the end of each series, her character development is always massive, and I don’t only mean this by her getting scripts with roles where she’s got great character developments in the end. But in the way she plays each roles different by the end. While with Yu Shu Xin I don’t see this at all, I’m fact she never changes. Her character always stuck in that naive, childish way, even if her character is supposed to be going through something tragic, such as when she was playing in Fairy and the Devil, her characters doesn’t come though genuine when she’s trying to be stoic to me, for some reason.

On the other hand, Vin Zhang is an amazing actor, and as I said the story would’ve been great to watch if the female lead was played by someone else.

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After seeing episode 6 I had to update my start to 10, this drama is a masterpiece, it touches upon life experiences on such a deep level, the characters are so colourful and lifelike with real connections and emotions, the historical touch gives it the realistic flavour and enriched the drama just at the right level. My heart beat raises to double whenever theres a stage scene, that not only am I touched by the acting of the cast, but at how much they had to work to sing so well, and how versatile they all had to be to be able to carry those stage scenes. Playing a character, singing Pansori (rather well and skilfully I might add) and at the same time having to add that touch of exaggeration that comes with acting in stage… you truly have to have the skills or rather, have to have had trained extra hard to reach this level. I am truly at tears when I see those scenes, they beautiful. The actors worked beautifully, they true artists, especially Kim Taeri, she showed a million sides of her and it’s only been 6 episodes so far. I cannot wait, regardless how it ends I will still rate it 10 out of 10 for just all that I mentioned.

Ps: Even if it you read the webtoon previously, I still believe its worth a watch, it’s different from the source, and yes an important character was cut out, but honesty, I don’t care, it’s still wonderfully made. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a drama that touched me at such a deep level like this one.

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