Brilliant, Heartbreaking, and Difficult to Watch at Times
I have such mixed feelings about this drama. A story can be brilliantly crafted and emotionally rich, but if the emotional cost—especially due to brutality or themes of cruelty—is too high, it creates an internal conflict.As a whole, the drama is absolutely wonderful—powerful and introspective. The narrative is an odyssey of sorts, telling an epic story across timelines that brings you into the characters’ hardships and evolving lives. The misfortunes speak to your soul and make you feel deeply. And there are comedic pauses and beautiful cinematography that engage the senses so that the trauma isn’t overwhelming.
But what made this drama difficult for me wasn’t the plot, which centered on hate and revenge—it was how the main character, Siling, translated those elements on screen. There was never enough justification, for me, for how she enacted her malice. Though I understood, intellectually, why she felt hatred and pain—I wished her choices had been executed differently. I think she could have delivered the same wrath without the vicious brutality. And that’s where Siling, and Feud as a whole, lost me. It’s just not my cup of tea to watch people be that brutal to one another. That’s also why I’ve struggled with other dramas like Love & Bid Farewell and Goodbye, My Princess.
So while I was immersed and highly engaged in the beginning and end, episodes 17–27 made it hard for me to imagine watching this again. And for a drama to make it onto my top watch list, my personal criteria is that I must be able to rewatch it. With that said, the performances were phenomenal—especially from Bai Lu and Zeng Shunxi. The supporting cast also shone, with many carrying the main storyline at different points. The show wouldn’t have been the same without them.
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An Enjoyable First Half that Didn't Sustain Itself
I greatly enjoyed the first half, but unfortunately the strength and pacing didn't hold up for me. I thought the initial episodes showcased a promising power couple whose dynamics were captivating. The drama introduced conflicts with depth and logical progression that were executed well, but as the narrative progressed and the leads fell in love, it was too “honey bunny" for me. Confrontations became repetitive and I found the second half lacked its original plot logic.I debated dropping the drama with just an hour left because it felt like each conflict was introduced without fully developing the previous one. Finally, the ending was unsatisfying, comprised mostly of flashbacks with an added narrative that included only a few new lines. Overall, this ended up being an okay watch for me because of how the execution and script unraveled at the end.
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A Dark and Psychological Drama That Explores Trauma, Revenge, and Forgiveness
I really liked this. It’s gripping, dark, and highly psychological. The only downside for me was that Yan Zixian wasn’t the main lead—especially since I felt something missing in Zhang Chuhan’s performance who was. That said, Yan Zixian still played a significant role, and at times it felt like he and Zhang Chuhan were dual leads. Both characters were essential to the female lead’s development, offering two very different arcs: one rooted in healing and closure, and the other offering a future and fresh start. I think this drama really highlights Yan Zixian’s talent and delivers a powerful portrayal of mental anguish, revenge, and the complex layers involved in processing trauma and forgiveness. It's a haunting piece, so I do think it deserves fair warning before jumping in.Was this review helpful to you?
Interesting Story, Rough Execution (Pacing and Script Issues)
I don’t know, folks. I’ve like the leads in other dramas, but I went back and forth on this one. The short runtime is definitely a plus, since it doesn’t require a huge time commitment and is largely why I could finish it out. The storyline itself is pretty interesting—but I struggled with the dialogue, which felt repetitive, and some of the tropes gave the male characters a forced aggressive exterior that frequently crossed the line for me.I think the main reason I struggled with the execution is that the script just didn’t land for me. There were so many repeated misunderstandings that, if trimmed, the series could probably have been reduced to 10–15 episodes. It often felt like for every two steps forward, there were two steps back, with the story resetting the characters to where they were in episode one. That became frustrating over time. There’s a lot of potential here IMO, and I think the actors did the best with what they were given. But overall, this wasn't a win for me.
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Game Show: Performance Face-Offs and Director Challenges
This is a game show featuring performance face-offs, where teams of actors are divided under different directors. Each episode presents a series of challenges, and these images represent each challenge per episode. Sometimes, team members compete against one another for seats and are graded by the lead directors. Other times, teams compete against each other, with the audience acting as the judges.I had a lot of fun watching this show, which I started primarily for Guo Jingming. Since much of it wasn’t subtitled, it was difficult to consistently gauge the commentary, and I occasionally used a translation app to understand the praise or critiques given by the directors. Even so, I found myself really immersed in the clips and short performances, which I felt were the heart of the show and where the raw talent truly stood out.
Because the episodes are almost three hours long, by the midpoint this became more of a background watch for me. I paid closer attention to the parts that interested me most—such as the challenges—and less to the judging, unless Guo Jingming was giving commentary or performers I liked were on stage. That said, I plan to continue with season two, and I’m excited to see the performers that were cast.
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A Promising Rebirth Story That Lost Me
I've watched almost all of Yan Zixian's dramas, and unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this one. I initially dropped it early the first time I tried watching, and even on a second attempt—this time all the way through—my impressions remained unchanged, as is often the case for me.The narrative itself is intriguing and should have worked, especially since it revolves around three people who experience rebirth. It follows the familiar rebirth trope of righting past wrongs and trying to avoid one’s fate, which I usually find compelling. The beginning was especially strong and immediately drew me in. However, once the story got underway, I lost interest. The execution and pacing didn’t work for me—the scenes lacked smooth transitions, felt disjointed, and the overall pace was slow. And for some reason, I also struggle with Smile Hu’s performances, so there were many elements that didn't land for me.
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Enjoyable Chemistry, Mixed Execution
I thought this was an okay watch. For me, it was a nice in-between show, but nothing I took too seriously. It had some nice moments, while others felt like they only skimmed the surface. I mainly watched this for Quan Yilun, and I thought the dynamic between Sebrina Cheng and Quan Yilun worked well—I genuinely enjoyed their storyline. I probably would have edited it down to about ten episodes to cut out much of what didn’t work for me, especially the dual relationships and personalities, as well as the overly expanded romance. Still, I liked the overall concept and the idea of fate transcending timelines and finding peace in each one.Was this review helpful to you?
From Theatrics to Investigation
This is another drama I watched well before I started writing short reviews, so this is based solely on memory and general impressions.This was a really fun watch for me. I remember finding it hilarious from beginning to end. At the same time, it also had a few twists, hidden identities, and more serious moments that gradually shifted the theatrics into genuine investigations of past events.
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A Mid-Tier Drama I Didn't Mind Watching
I watched this well before I started this group and long before I began documenting reviews after watching. Because of that, this review is based solely on my memory from nearly six years ago.That said, I remember enjoying this series, though I didn’t love it or every sequence, which is why it's placed in a mid-range rating. I enjoyed the storyline, especially since transmigration stories were still very new to me at the time. However, I also remember some pacing issues that occasionally made it difficult to stay fully engaged. And while I have a general positive impression of the drama, many of the specific details weren’t especially memorable to me.
One thing I always consider with any series though is if it was worth the watch. A series can be an alright experience overall and still deliver something meaningful by the end. Although I don't know how I would feel in 2026 having watched so many other great dramas, this was a worthwhile experience in 2020.
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Engaging Premise, Weak Payoff
I have mixed feelings. I thought the main leads did a great job performing, they worked very well together. And while the supporting cast was weaker for me, I didn’t mind since this is short-form content and somewhat expected with lower-budget dramas. I was engaged with the main storyline, but some of the subplots felt unconvincing or lazy. The climax also let me down, coming across as underdeveloped. And I struggled with the ending, finding elements of it unsatisfying and had to use my imagination to fill in the gaps. Overall, I’d call this a rainy-day watch.Was this review helpful to you?
Good Performances, Repetitive Storytelling
I’m sorry folks, but this ended up being just an okay watch for me. I thought the opening was exciting, and I loved seeing Li Muchen and Ye Shengjia in lead roles together again. There were a few poignant and comedic moments that really elevated the drama, and the overall theme is something I usually love in cinematic stories—cultivation and mysticism. But as the story progressed, I felt the narrative didn’t show much growth. It was frequently interrupted by predictable conflicts that you knew would be resolved, yet still dragged on and felt repetitive. By the end, I found myself more involved in the second lead’s story than the main one.Was this review helpful to you?
A Worthwhile Watch for Han Dong Fans
I enjoyed the overall experience, but I was unsatisfied with the ending. The film includes several great action sequences, and the narrative itself is engaging, following two sisters with contrasting personalities and challenges, as well as their relationship with the male lead. I think it's a solid Han Dong film for those looking to see more of his work in a leading role. I found it well-paced and well-executed, and I would recommend it to anyone who doesn’t mind an ending that might leave a few questions unanswered.Was this review helpful to you?
Strong Chemistry, Engaging Storyline
While I felt the final episode lost some of the story's logical flow and coherence, I greatly enjoyed this overall. It would have been difficult not to considering "My Journey to You" and "The Only Girl You Haven't Seen" are two of my favorites. This drama blends elements together, but I felt Hu Yiyao and Wang Xuan did a great job interpreting them as a miniseries. I thought their character dynamics were a huge highlight and kept the storyline fresh and engaging.Was this review helpful to you?
Two Souls Connected: Intriguing & Emotional
Wow. I absolutely loved this and would wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone.The drama centers on two leads whose lives become mysteriously intertwined during a critical mission. As the story unfolds, unexpected twists reveal that nothing is quite what it seems. It reminded me of Cang Lan Jue (the novel behind Love Between Fairy and Devil), where the leads share a unique spiritual bond that deepens their connection over time. That same soulful connection here adds layers of identity and moral complexity, enriching both the characters and the overall narrative.
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Could Have Been Good, But Wasn't
I’m a huge Lin Zehui fan—but I was all over the place with this drama. While the narrative was engaging and Lin Zehui’s performance was top-notch, I struggled to connect with the female lead’s character and personality. This fragmented the dynamic between the leads and made me biased against her role, which in turn closed me off to any character development—which often felt like two steps forward and five steps back. I found fault with many of her decisions—partly due to the script—but it still affected how I received the drama overall. I was also disappointed with the ending. While I can sometimes appreciate nuanced conclusions, this one just didn’t work for me.Was this review helpful to you?
