Michael_0718

Game of Deception: Revenge fueled by layers of lies and manipulation | Socially undertrained ML

"One does not need to be evil to invite disaster." - Zang Hai

I don't think I can begin this review without first addressing a major frustration—one that, unfortunately, hampered what was almost a flawless watching experience.

While the story's introduction effectively establishes the central mysteries, tragedies, and conflicts, the decision to deprive the male lead (Zang Hai) of essential social intelligence is a major flaw. Whether this was a choice made to facilitate a romance or to keep his moral conscience intact, it remains a significant hindrance to his revenge. His journey would have been far smoother and more efficient had his brilliance been paired with social awareness and keen perception required to navigate his surroundings and read the people around him.

What frustrated me most was how his lack of social intelligence repeatedly put him in danger. It reached a point where I started thinking, "He really was released into the public prematurely." It makes me question what he actually learned under Master Gao Ming. I was under the impression he’d been taught skepticism and social awareness, so why does it seem like he learned nothing about it beforehand?

It’s absurd how easily he was taken advantage of the moment he entered the capital. I understand he lacks knowledge of this new environment, but I find it hard to believe he failed to notice the red flags—especially since he’d been preparing for this return for years. Seeing him get tricked so quickly made me want to slap some sense into him. He should have been extra cautious because he cannot afford to fail! He was raised in the capital during his preteens and spent years with Master Gao Ming, who frequently took him to town to study social dynamics. I assumed he’d at least be able to see through basic schemes, but he clearly couldn't. I know he wasn't specifically trained to handle the deceptions of women, but it’s still unbelievable that he let his guard down the very moment he encountered one. He should have been much more guarded.

He was a promising, intelligent young man, so his development came as no surprise. Furthermore, he had excellent mentors who guided him until he mastered his craft. However, it was evident that he lacked basic street-smarts, which is disappointing considering he was mentored by the shrewd master, Gao Ming.

While he can devise brilliant plans, he often fails to consider the watchful eyes of his enemies. This oversight puts him at extreme risk and frequently jeopardizes his missions. It is frustrating to see him in constant danger due to lack of foresight and contingency planning. It makes me wonder: shouldn't he have anticipated this? Did his training with Gao Ming teach him nothing?, or has it all been for naught?

He was trained in craftsmanship, architecture, engineering, geomancy, and astronomy, but he was never properly trained in reading people’s hearts and minds. He tends to underestimate his enemies, which has led to the deaths of many who trusted him. Trusting him is a double-edged sword: people want victory, so they follow him because he seems capable, but they never expect that they will eventually have to sacrifice their own lives just so he can survive. In fact, the only reason he is still alive is because of the people who risk everything for him—and obviously, because he is the Male Lead. If he weren't, I bet he would have died less than 6 months after arriving in the capital.

He was so careless that even Zhuang Zhixing, whom he treated like a foolish hedonist, was perceptive enough to blow his cover! Honestly, if the plot wasn't written specifically to protect him, this drama would have ended before it even reached the halfway point.

I was frustrated at first, but I’ve since accepted the show's explanation that Master Liuchu’s training was incomplete, which explains the inadequacies and loopholes in his plans. Despite this, it remains my major grievance with the story. If only he had emerged from his years of training fully equipped with practical knowledge and situational awareness, he wouldn't have been nearly as disappointing as he appeared in the story. Maybe it’s just me and my lofty expectations, but it really soured my view of his character. Since I expected him to be fully prepared for his grand quest for revenge.

One of the most commendable aspects of this story is how closely the plot events are intertwined. Every subplot is well-written and executed seamlessly. Although I had a hunch about the final villain’s identity, the revelation was still incredibly satisfying. It was impressive to see how he masterfully orchestrated the scheme from the start, manipulating everyone until the very end. It was a thrilling ride that built genuine excitement for the climax and denouement of the story.

I really appreciate that they didn't take a supernatural route with the Ghost Soldiers towards the end. Instead, they kept the explanation logical, using science and hallucinogenic chemicals. This keeps the story grounded in reality and avoids deviating into a fictional universe. It strongly reminded me of the world-building in The Lost Tomb.

I was initially conflicted about the lead couple's chemistry, given their rocky first encounter and the risk of her becoming a distraction to his revenge—especially since he never learned how to resist women's seductive charms. However, the more they interact, the more their natural chemistry becomes undeniable. The deep devotion between Xiang Antu and Zanghai is admirable. Even though their bond was forged in deceit, seeing them genuinely fall for one another makes their relationship feel far more authentic and compelling.

Lastly, the fight scene between Zhuang Luyin and Zhuang Zhixing in episode 28 was truly my favorite. It certainly wasn't the most amazing fight in the show, but it was definitely the most heart-wrenching scene in the drama. I was totally sold on how affectionate and loving Zhuang Luyin is as a father. He may be a horrendous person, but he is surely a great father. The way he guided Zhuang Zhixing to stab him while recalling their bonding moments—starting from his childhood—really hit a soft spot in me.

"There's no need to show hatred on your face. Keep it in your heart as your heart is yours alone, unseen by others." - Zang Hai

Story - 9.0, The plot was compact with a great succession of events that moved the story forward naturally. It would have been perfect if the male lead (ML) had been better prepared, considering he spent the last decade cultivating his talents for the sole purpose of revenge. His inability to sense or predict people's real intentions was a significant letdown given his preparations

Acting/Cast - 10, The cast was excellent, especially Xiao Zhan, whose facial expressions were spectacular. I wish Zhang Jingyi had more screen time and stronger dialogue because her character occasionally felt a bit bratty, which was off-putting. However, her impressive fight scenes and adaptability redeemed her. Without those strengths, my rating wouldn't be this high.

Music - 10, Each song expresses great sorrow and delivers pensive emotions that fit and elevate the show's overall theme. As a ballad lover, I really enjoy them—especially during scenes depicting intense grief and suffering.

Rewatch Value - 8.0, I enjoyed the overall story, but the issues with the ML are hard to overlook. Whenever I think of the show, those specific scenes come to mind, significantly dragging down my rating for this section.

Overall - 9.0, Based on my viewing experience, the show was enjoyable but far from 'stress-free.' The male lead's recurring incompetence was truly frustrating; he only survived because of the formidable plot armor that protected him until the end. Lol.

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Compelling crime and investigative cases tainted by the writer's assassination of the ML's character

"Even a solid dyke can collapse from a single ant hole." - Qin Yi

I was initially planning to start this review by expressing my frustration with the show. However, I realized I have so much to say that it would become quite lengthy, and I might lose focus on the story's strengths. So, let me start my commentary by highlighting the positive aspects of the story first and save my complaints and negative feedback for later.

Looking back, the story was truly impressive—provided we ignore Qi Menglin's (ML) existence! The plot progression was smooth, the character dynamics were entertaining, and the dark symbolism was both compelling and well-executed. While the thematic atmosphere initially feels somber due to the exploitation of women, a hidden vibrance emerges through the main characters. Their compassionate hearts serve as a powerful counterpoint, highlighting the contrast between the drama’s unsettling, gritty tone and the protagonists' unwavering sense of justice, benevolence, and altruism.

The show's most standout feature is undoubtedly its thematic depth. Right from the start, the story establishes a dark, eerie, and mysterious atmosphere that feels incredibly promising, building significant anticipation for the plot's progression. Their consistency in delivering such scenes is what made me captivated with the cases. To the point where I found myself fully immersed in each investigative plot of the story. While the cases themselves are interesting, the main draw is the focus on the struggles women face. I don't enjoy the depiction of suffering for its own sake; instead, I am interested in the quality of the representation. Plenty of series use women as a mere plot device; so, finding one that utilizes this trope not just for the sake of men's debauchery, but to make a point and encourage the pursuit of justice, felt hopeful and heartwarming. I’m glad this is a female-centric drama that shows genuine care and empathy, rather than a show intended solely to showcase the FLs (Luo Shu) wit and prowess.

The build-up to the main plot, which centers on the tragedy and demise of Luo Shu's family was truly attention-grabbing. However, the most intriguing and riveting aspect of the show was not her story, but Qin Yi, the main antagonist. He was a scene-stealer who took over the show the moment the focus shifted to him. He’s the perfect antagonist: obsessive, mentally deranged, and a legit psychopath. I hated him for how merciless and mentally corrupted he was, yet I loved him for those exact same reasons. I admire how rigidly committed he remained to his diabolical goals and beliefs. He carried the show to the finish line like no one else—a true master schemer.

The writers really outdid themselves with how spectacularly vicious and cunningly calculative he is. The only failure in his characterization was his conclusion—a death that was hasty, abrupt, and deeply underwhelming. Honestly, I almost lost hope and accepted defeat during the climax because his schemes were so brilliant. The only reason I held onto hope for a better ending was the knowledge that story tropes rarely allow an antagonist to prevail.

The ending is my 2nd disappointment with this drama. It was wrapped up in a haste and off-screened many potentially climactic scenes. Although the result was considerably satisfying, I feel like they could have done better! It's as if they suddenly decided to 'call it a wrap' and threw away their intricately planned ending in favor of poor execution. I'm not sure if it was due to episode limitations, licensing, or something else, but it felt truly disconcerting. It’s absurd that they gave Qin Yi so much screen time for his schemes, yet were unable to spare a couple of episodes to end the drama properly.

The perfect pairing we were robbed of: Luo Shu and Han Muzhi. Even now, I feel dissatisfied with the choice of the male lead. Han Muzhi was perfect ML material, so I was truly shocked when the show gradually started to shift toward Qi Menglin. We could have had the perfect couple if only the writers hadn't felt unnecessarily 'innovative' and rebellious that day. Truly, our TOTGA!

I also have to mention that I totally look up to Luo Shu for her maturity and decisiveness. Her confrontation scene with Han Muzhi—to conclude their intimate relationship and gain proper closure—is my favorite scene of all. I aspire to have her understanding and courage; her moral fiber feels beyond my mortal intelligence. I could never be like her.

Finally, I’m moving on to the most infuriating section of my review. I’m glad to have finally reached the point where I can unleash it. God knows how much I held back my sarcasm and complaints in the sections above. Believe it or not, my draft grew excessively long because I have 9 impromptu, on-the-spot notes—all in paragraph form—solely dedicated to my disappointment and negative reactions toward Qi Menglin. Shall we start?

I didn't loathe him immediately. It was a gradual process—an accumulated annoyance that turned to hate the more he appeared on screen. He is that specific character who never ceases to irritate me, from his introduction until the very end. He constantly behaves like a foolish, immature noble; he is the walking definition of "Ignorance is bliss."

Introduced as an annoying, ignorant foil, he spoils the crime scene whenever he appears. God knows how many times his giddy, foolish personality has ruined a chance to obtain a clue. Even when he contributes, it's through sheer luck; clues are only discovered after he performs some ridiculous gag. Talk about plot convenience! It is incredibly frustrating how the scenes always divert to his slapstick antics just when we should be focusing on serious issues. He feels like an extra with an overly prominent background, so the writers keep inserting him even when he’s a nuisance to the story. He is a total distraction. Someone you couldn’t bring on an espionage mission as he sticks out like a sore thumb. He reveals himself no matter what—especially in moments when everyone else needs to stay still, remain quiet, and avoid making a mess.

For the record, there was a period when he seemingly matured and became extra cautious and rational in comparison to Luo Shu. Those scenes truly made me warm up to him and allowed me to reconsider and accept him as the legitimate male lead; because finally, it was the character development arc I had been waiting for. However, those moments were buried when the story reached its climax. My irritation and loathing toward him were replaced by contemptuous mockery by episode 32, when he landed in jail yet again. He kept being taken advantage of and became the sole reason for his family's demise. His overall decisions and actions left me disappointed and speechless; I am unable to process how he suddenly reverted to the absolute liability he initially was. I was dumbfounded and—sure as hell—mad, not only at him but also at the writers. They played with his character like a toy they could conveniently mold into whatever ridiculous shape they needed. It was total character assassination.

He has truly ruined this show for me. I never expected it to turn out like this toward the end. Any 'change of heart' I felt has gone down the drain, gradually turning into utter disappointment and anger as the story reaches its conclusion. He never truly considers the consequences of his actions, despite the warnings and the knowledge that they are in a dire situation, being actively schemed against. I don't even know how to like him starting from that point. All I can say is that it was this drama's misfortune to have such an ignorant and rebellious kid as its ML. He is beyond saving; I’ve lost all hope for him. By the end, he’s nothing but a total liability.

This is the 2nd drama I’ve seen starring Zhai Zhilu, and it’s also his second role playing a spoiled, childish, and immature young master. I’m not sure why he keeps accepting roles like this. Was he also a victim of those infamous on-site script changes? /Sighs/

P.S. I totally applaud Luo Shu for her composure and for not lashing out at Qi Menglin, the childish heir who is constantly on her tail. Her patience clearly knows no bounds; I can’t imagine how exhausting it is to effectively babysit an annoying, childish man.

Story - 9.0, I would have rated it a 9.5 or 10 based solely on the investigation scenes. However, the disappointment regarding Qi Menglin must be taken into account. Furthermore, the conclusion for Qin Yi felt rushed, and the ending was wrapped up as if the production was racing against a deadline.

Acting/Cast - 9.5, This was an almost perfect ensemble, held back only by the writing of Zhai Zilu’s character. I know I shouldn’t blame him, but my brain now automatically brands him as childish and annoying. I’m afraid I might skip his future projects—I’m absolutely traumatized.

Music - 10, As a ballad lover, the pensive and longing sound of the OSTs are my ultimate vibe in this drama! 'Heavy Snow' (大雪) is one of my favorites.

Rewatch Value - 6.0, I enjoyed all the crime and investigation plots, and I thoroughly appreciate the representation of women's plight. However, I can never watch Qi Menglin again. I don't think I can stomach him a second time.

Overall - 9.0, The crime scenes are compelling and truly enjoyable. I would have rated this higher had the writers remained consistent with Qi Menglin’s character development. It feels strange to settle on an 8.5 when it could have easily earned a 9.5 or 10, but the rushed—though well-delivered—ending makes that 8.5 feel more accurate.

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An oath to death | How did we end up with such horrendous FL? /Curses/

"I guess, I am the most incompetent Sword Bearer to date. Your Majesty, I couldn't protect you. Instead, I have to rely on you to protect me." - Cheng Ruoyu / Wang Ruoling

Are you guys ready to dive in as I scrutinize the ultimate plot hole in this story?

Before I start my review, I want to acknowledge every user who left negative feedback and dropped this drama within the first 10 episodes. Their decisions were valid; they weren't wrong, and I can't blame them for doing so since this, truly, has been the most challenging drama for me not to drop in over three years. At this point, I suppose I want to congratulate myself on finishing this arduous task, as well as let everyone know that this drama will certainly make you think countless of times about whether to drop it or not. Thank heavens, I am the type of viewer who almost never drops a show unless every aspect reaches an extremely unbearable point—and here, they simply went extremely overboard with the female lead and nothing more.

Watching this show, I was struck by one specific question that continued to haunt me until the very end:
"What were the writers thinking when they were deciding on the FL's characterization?"

I tried so hard to understand that I started trying to put myself in the writer's shoes. I even reached the point where I had to think objectively and look at the bigger picture. However, despite all that, I still can't comprehend how they came up with such trash Female Lead. I understand that the Violet Bureau are the inferior and less seriously trained guards, which is why the FL's martial arts are mediocre. What I can't accept is how the people around her still keep on calling her "Great" and other synonymous words despite her visibly not being one. Can you imagine how infuriating that is? To watch a person be called and treated as the leader of a team responsible for the Emperor's security, yet exhibit poor and inferior skills? Heck, the Emperor was even more skilled than her!

Imagine protecting a person more capable than you. Isn't that just ridiculous? Isn't she supposedly more skilled and trained? With that, it has become the biggest cliché plot twist of the story. The FL/Personal Guard being protected by the emperor—the person she's supposed to protect—countless times because she's incompetent as hell. It even comes to the point where the emperor has to train her because she's lacking, or should I say, just straight-out bad at her job. Please make it make sense! How the hell was she considered a great protector when she's the one needing saving 99% of the time? SMH.

Imagine getting so tired of a plot that you ask yourself, after seeing it countless of times: How many more times do I need to watch the ML save the FL?

He's always to the rescue and always keeps a contingency plan for her, which is an additional liability. They consistently romanticize him saving her. Gosh! This trope exhausted the hell out of me. It's infuriating how the FL is always getting taken advantage of for being naive, gullible, ignorant, and overly incompetent. What's more hilarious is how the people around her don't even trust her fully in accomplishing a task, as they immediately knew she'll always fuck up one way or another. So, I will never understand the writers' audacity to set her up as a great martial artist, ever! She's a terrible personal guard and an overhyped martial artist, period.

Even after becoming Ling Ling (Wang Rou Ling) and knowing her true identity, she still couldn't grasp the situation. Why is she like a kid that you have to be specific with, carefully spelling each letter of the word for her to understand the plan? (P.S. She remained this dull-witted for like 90%+ of the show). I am not really sure what they were trying to achieve by writing her character like this; regardless, it did not work since she's a truly awful FL.

I would understand it if she had been introduced as a low-ranking member who persistently worked hard to get to her position, but she was not. She was introduced prestigiously—as a great martial artist/swordswoman rightful of the title 'Sword Bearer' and 'Chief of the Violet Bureau,' and personal guard of the emperor—after winning an all-out competition against her peers. Yet, her skills are terrible as fuck and don't measure up to her title.

Not to mention her tactless tendency to display insolence in front of the Emperor multiple times, despite several reminders to act accordingly—especially considering they just met. She talks back, bickers, and argues with him as if they are of the same status. I just couldn't grasp her character entirely, because I could never fathom how she could act this way when she’s just a mere servant. A security guard! ​Some people view it as a sign of total innocence and purity, and I see why they view it that way. However, at the expense of what? Her impertinence, unruly nature, and impulsive actions? Towards the 'Emperor' himself? Bullshit!

God knows how much emotional endurance and tolerance I had to invest just to get past the most irritating sections of the show—which are mostly about the FL.

Another idea I want to question—because I am completely baffled by—is why they didn't let Qiu Yanzhi/Wang Ruoqing be the female lead instead. She passed all the mark with a whopping A+++ across the board. So, I really don't understand why... She’s the perfect female lead we never had.

To wrap it all up, I want to thank the writers for keeping Prince Guang the kind and pure character that he is. I was thrilled by his character development, and I won’t lie—I wanted to see even more of him! However, I am satisfied that he retained his gentle nature until the end. I’m so glad they didn't ruin his character by making him scheming and/or manipulative. All I want is for him to remain the loving, caring, and family-oriented guy he’s always been. So, knowing that he stayed true to that has put me at ease. I truly want to thank the writers for that.

"The Dragon Throne is here. I can sit on it. And if I do, that is my power. I can sit on it. And if I refuse to sit on it, that's morality. It's easy to give in to power. But dying for morality is a tough decision. No matter how low I stoop, I will never hurt my own family." - Qi Chen / Prince Guang

Story - 7.5, I have no negative reaction or comments about the story itself. The whole plot and the sub-plots are consistent; they make you wonder and leave you in awe every time. The conflicts are straightforward but still keep you on the edge of your seat, waiting to see how they resolve the situation. It was intricately crafted and put together. What impressed me even more was how they kept the characters mysterious—like a double-edged sword, you can never guess who they are truly working for or who their aim is targeted at. It would have been perfect if they hadn't messed up the FL so heavily. Considering how much I suffered through all the FL’s shenanigans, I have decided to give it this rating. If I weren't extremely patient and tolerant, I would have been less than a millimeter away from dropping this drama.

Acting/Cast - 9.5, The execution was impressive! As expected, I can think of only a few who can hold a candle to Cheng Yi in delivering such an emotionally restrained character. He was spectacular and executed his role flawlessly, with precision. ​However, the people I truly want to commend here are Mickey He (Qiu Zhiliang) and Xuan Lu (Qiu Yanzhi/Wang Ruoqing). They carried this show the same way the ML did—their backs must be hurting from the strain of carrying the burden for the FL! Lol. Han Dong equally did a great job with his portrayal of Prince Guang; I love his character a lot. Anyway, this show made me question Zhang Yuxi's choice of roles. She portrayed the pure and innocent Cheng Ruoyu well. It's a shame the writers did her dirty by assassinating her character (Horrible writing).

Music - 7.0, I failed to appreciate much of the soundtrack in this show due to the extreme anguish I felt during the FL’s unbearable scenes. However, the song placement and harmonization were great—they felt balanced and never bothered me.

Rewatch Value - 1.0, I won't even pretend to be kind toward this show. My consideration was long thrown out of the window despite the considerably excellent story plot. I could never sit through this drama again; watching the female lead was honestly traumatic. I am done with it!

Overall - 7.5, I am giving it this rating in consideration of the impressive storyline and the spectacular execution of the actors and actresses. It may look like I am undermining this drama, but after being heavily exposed to and affected by the FL's character, I don't think I can give it any higher. That being said, I don't recommend this to people who are sensitive, even a little, with foolish characterization. However, if you're like me, who is mentally tough and enduring, then go ahead! Goodluck~ Haha!

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A combination of poor writing and awful characterization | Should have been "Legend of Qishao".

"It's hard to find someone you like who likes you back. It's harder to love each other for the rest of one's life." - Noble Consort Yi (Feiye's Mother)

I am literally out of nice words for this drama. This is a clear representation of how illogical and ludicrous idol dramas were back then. It goes beyond common perception and will leave you baffled as to what just happened. For the record, I even gave it consideration... lots of it—thinking that I had to be considerate since I am watching a 2018 drama eight years later, in 2026. But heck! This show is an abomination. I couldn't even stomach watching it consecutively from episode 30 onward because the storyline increasingly became overly frustrating and unbearable to watch.

It would have been understandable if the reason for my disdain was the hateful antagonists; however, my disgust for this show is rooted in the storyline, repetitive plot, supporting characters, and the protagonists themselves. Plenty of the scenes are giving "2018–2022 idol drama" absurd tropes. I would have accepted it if they kept them to a bare minimum, but dang! They went above and beyond! Watching it today made me roll my eyes. The level and scale is just too much for me. Some examples are:

× Scene Transitions: One minute they're jumping off an enclosed pond, and the next, the setting has suddenly shifted to a massive waterfall. Where did that even come from? /Facepalms/
× Lack of Urgency: I don’t understand how they can just "chill and grill" or go stargazing when they have an enemy to catch—someone who is likely lurking nearby, waiting to kill them.
× Historical Accuracy/Etiquette: Having a concubine perform a lewd dance in front of everyone is a complete violation of palace etiquette. Not to mention, her outfit was incredibly revealing for the setting. (Episode 23)

There are a handful of these, and I am just too exhausted of this show to recall all of them.

The story started at a relatively nice pace. Though the storytelling was quite odd and the scenes were simply absurd, I kindly gave it a pass, considering that this is an idol drama and I'm watching it in 2026. However, such scenes kept on happening to the point where it started getting irritatingly unbearable. Well, it's not like it wasn't annoying at the beginning; it was at least acceptable at first, but as the story progressed, it gravely worsened. When I reached episode 30 and realized that it still had 18 episodes remaining, I started asking myself, "Why is this unnecessarily long? The story should have ended by the 30th episode to wrap up all this nonsense."

The narrative itself has potential. It has a nice foundation and could have led to a brighter and more compelling path only if they hadn't overly utilized the repetitive plot of poisoning random high-ranking individuals and saving them just to give Han Yunxi (FL) the spotlight. It was common to do that, to set up the FL as whatever legendary poison master they want her to become. However, what's annoying is the introduction and development they gave her. She was supposedly a poison master or a master-to-be, but she is simply amateurish and inexperienced for the title—and it remained that way until the very end. She's hardworking, I will give her that, but she's nothing without the people around her. Her character development felt so artificial that I started telling myself how big of a liability she is to this story. She is constantly being saved by everyone because, if not, her head would have rolled on the ground within the first 10 episodes. She was impertinent and courageous, yet incapable.

The entire story feels like a training ground that, frankly, didn't help much. In the end, she was still unable to formulate a cure for Long Feiye's poison. If it weren't for the blood inherited from her father and the medical book/bracelet belonging to her parents, she would have remained useless for 90% of the show. I'm not even sure why the drama was named after her. The only justification seems to be that her father's blood—which happened to be the cure—runs through her veins. Aside from that, I can't think of any reason the title fits. "The Story of Qishao" would have been a much more reasonable alternative title.

Regarding Long Feiye (the ML)... he is no better! He kept too many secrets and was always nonchalant about his feelings. Additionally, he maintained a cold, stoic poker face that seemed normal during the first half of the story but became exhausting to watch halfway through the show. The only moments his expression changed were when he was jealous or, on rare occasions, when he was happy. He is frustratingly reserved and rigid, which dragged out their romantic issues until the very end.

The "cheerful girl and stoic, cold guy" trope would typically work if the characters were allowed to warm up to each other naturally. But goodness—the male lead served a cold, expressionless face for 98% of the show, while the female lead remained amateurish with little improvement by the end. Not to mention her unnatural acting, which I could barely stand after enduring it for 30 episodes. Just imagine the emotional restraint and tolerance I had to exert to finish this show.

What made it even worse was the 2nd CP; who were both so immature and bickered so much that I’d get a headache the moment they appeared on screen. They started the show that way and ended it with that same demeanor—an uncalled-for consistency. I truly cannot! I’m just grateful they learned to put up a facade once he (Tang Yi) ascended the throne and they became the monarchs. If not, I would have pulled my hair out from sheer frustration.

In conclusion, a lot was happening—repetitively—and while the story wasn’t necessarily messy, it became exhausting over time. The plot felt recycled, constantly using the same tropes just to make the female lead appear capable and reliable. Surprisingly, my biggest issue wasn't the story itself, but the characterization of both the protagonists. Even the supporting roles were a pain in the ass!

The only consistent character worthy of praise was Gu Qishao. He was the MVP of the show and the lead we actually deserved. It’s a shame they decided to kill his character at the end, too. He was the male lead we never had; the story's ultimate "TOTGA" (The One That Got Away). This drama would have been miles more interesting if the focus had stayed on him. The actual protagonists were equally frustrating, and Gu Qishao alone was the reason I stuck with the show until the very end. At one point, I even hoped for a "lead reversal," wishing he would take over the story entirely. He was the only character who kept me watching and prevented me from dropping the series. That being said, it’s safe to say there was "No real winner" in this show.

If I were to create my own ending, I would have Gu Qishao and Han Yunxi end up together and let Baili Ming Xiang handle Long Feiye until he dies. lol. Halfway through the drama, you just get tired of the old, worn out plot. Well, I guess it’s my mistake for watching a 2018 drama eight years later, but dang! Some other dramas I watched that were released in the same year aren't this bad.

Let me conclude this review by saying that I dread—severely—finishing the last 18 episodes of this show. I had to make preparations per episode in order to brace myself for whatever ridiculousness they were about to serve me in the remaining episodes. It was a real challenge to finish them. This drama is way too long for its own good. 30-35 episodes would have sufficed.

P.S. I’m still wondering about the unexplained mystery of the magical bracelet. It is disappointing that the story concluded without delving into its lore, especially since it was a literal cheat code that saved Han Yunxi’s ass multiple times.

Story - 4.0, The overall storyline wasn't bad and could have worked—if only it hadn't been mismanaged and misdirected. I don't know what the director and writer were thinking when they shot those repetitive scenes. Didn't they get tired of it themselves? Smh

Acting/Cast - 4.0, I hold no personal grudge against the cast—I actually admire most of them, particularly Zhang Zhehan and Wang Youshuo. However, I am disappointed by the writing, specifically the poor characterization of the female lead and the second couple. I also believe Zhang Zhehan overplayed his character’s coldness; his unchanging poker face eventually felt grating rather than compelling.

Music - 7.0, I can't even recall how the music sounded because I was so irritated by how tiring the plot had become. Well, at least the music never bothered me, which is why I am giving it this rating.

Rewatch Value - 1.0, It's a hard NO from me. I won’t even waste more words explaining why. Just read my review above and you will know.

Overall - 5.0, This drama greatly disappointed me. I love Zhang Zhehan, so I watched it; however, it traumatized me. I don’t think I can watch his other dramas for the meantime. To sum it all up, this drama was killed by bad writing and poor characterization. I will never understand people rating it so high—geez, some people really have no taste! lol

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The farmers' grit for their land | Her Perfect Husband | Funny and strong spitting game! 哈哈

"Xiuxiu. Don't wait for him. What he can't do, I can. I'm going to make up for all the suffering you've endured." - Feng Dajiao to Ning Xiuxiu

If I were to describe this drama in one sentence. It would be "A production that will not disappoint, in any way or form, from the beginning till the very end."

Finishing this drama left me in total awe of its flawless craftsmanship. The cinematography was incredible as every detail felt intentional. You can tell it was created by masters of their craft who truly know what they’re doing. I have nothing but respect for the team behind this.

I must admit, there was also a time when I got frustrated watching this show—mainly Fei Wenxuan's preachy political scenes. But as time passed, I realized they were for the greater good of all. It made me acknowledge how shallow my views and ideologies were, and prompted me to reflect on my opinions and perspectives on life in general.

My only advice before you watch this is to absorb and savor every moment. Digest every scene, treasure the lessons in your heart, and keep any negative feedback to yourself until the very end. You must, at any cost, see it through to the finale before making a judgment. Because the only time you can truly understand the value of the story is after you have completed it.

This is the type of drama that makes you reflect on yourself and the society we live in today. It leaves me feeling a sense of gratitude that we have moved forward from a destitute and turbulent past into a much more comfortable and peaceful life. Furthermore, I hope this show can inspire everyone to appreciate and treasure life more—because that is what this story has personally taught me.

I totally enjoyed every scene this drama offered. Starting from the beginning where it presented the 360-degree shift in Ning Xiuxiu’s (FL) life and showing how she familiarized herself with, adjusted to, and gradually assimilated into her new status. From there, the story moved from their simple farm life and daily survival to sudden political maneuvers that became increasingly challenging and dangerous. It was a real eye-opener, especially for someone not familiar with the Japanese invasion back then—even though my own country was also invaded and occupied for years. I should say that I now understand where the hatred and disdain towards the Japanese are coming from... I don’t want to dwell on that too much, so I’ll stop here.

Regarding the characters, I feel for all of them. I feel like they’ve been through a lot—so much, in fact.

× Ning Xiuxiu - An excellently written character. I admire her courage and resolve, just as much as I love her open-mindedness and humility. She has been through so much in her lifetime, and I am so happy to see her evolution. My heart is with her as she weathers life alone following Feng Dajiao’s passing.

× Feng Dajiao - The man that he is. Thank you for being the pillar that supports and loves NXX unconditionally. I have nothing but mad respect for him. He showed me how to be a responsible and dutiful husband—one who is selfless, loving, and understanding. Their relationship prospered because of how genuine and transparent he was with his feelings and opinions; for me, that is their relationship's strongest foundation.

"I'm happy. Xiuxiu has a place for me in her heart. I have a home now." - Feng Dajiao

× Ning Susu - I feel the deepest sympathy for the suffering she went through. Her life was constantly fucked up by those around her, and in the blink of an eye, years had passed and she found herself at her lowest point—left out and have gained nothing. Just as she finally found true love and happiness, she was then heartlessly poisoned—along with the person who showed her the true definition of love and affection. Her tragic fate has brought me many tears.

× Fei Wenxuan - I feel heartbroken for him. He was tricked into marrying the younger sister of the woman he loved. Then later on, he was drugged so that he could unknowingly consummate his wedding with her. I admit to having been irritated by him for how seemingly irresponsible and inconsiderate he was, but over time, I just grew to understand that he was acting that way not because he was irresponsible, but because he just refused to act against his own will or submit to external obligations. I may have also hated him for how forceful he was with his political ideologies, but I understand now that he was only doing that for the greater good of all. Nonetheless, he died valiantly, and I just want to applaud him for his outstanding and selfless pursuit of public service.

In retrospect, our leads are simply victims of their families' greed (driven by a sense of responsibility) and selfish desires (believing that what they were doing was right). Although their families' methods are seemingly selfish and irresponsible, I have also come to acknowledge that they were somewhat compelled to act out of obligation and filial piety, rooted in their ancestors' teachings. Above all, I'm glad that Ning Xuexiang had his redemption moment before he died, in contrast to Madam Fei, who went crazy and died tragically, chained by the weight of the obligations placed upon her.

This is definitely one of the most authentic and wholesome dramas I have watched in years. When they feel happy, I feel happy. They they feel sad, I feel the same way. Watching this made me realize how wonderful Republican and Contemporary dramas can be—I've been so addicted to costume dramas that I’ve neglected other genres for a long time.

Lastly, I was genuinely captivated by the beauty and simplicity of living a rural farm life. It gave me a sense of reality for the future I prefer for myself when I get old and am ready to retire. I think I fit and like the simple rural life the best. I love the casual and ordinary day-to-day life.

Story - 10, It was pure, absolute perfection. Everything about this drama was exceptionally done. The story alone deserves to sweep major awards. It was a raw and authentic depiction of how tough the turbulent and impoverished times were back then. The plot and conflicts were well-crafted, and the deaths felt natural—like a natural flow and occurrence of life.

Acting/Cast - 10, I’m at a loss for words regarding how satisfied and amazed I was by the cast of this production. The caliber of acting from almost everyone was incredible. Every emotion was successfully conveyed in a heartfelt manner. The one who stood out for me was Xing Fei—I never expected her to be this good! She delivered a poignant performance; her emotional depth brought a compelling authenticity to the character. She deserves every Best Supporting Actress award she can get. I was more drawn to her character than to the main lead. I also enjoyed Ou Hao a lot here. I’m a new fan!

Music - 10, The overall music gave me a 'Sound of Music' vibe. It was freeing, soothing, and refreshing. It allowed me to enjoy the scenes while feeling lighthearted and comfortable.

Rewatch Value - 10, Most certainly! It was a true masterpiece—the kind of drama you wouldn't get tired of watching, even years later. Truly timeless.

Overall - 10, II wouldn't have it any other way. This drama deserved all the positive reviews and high ratings it could get. I'm not even sure why it's only an 8.1 on MyDramaList when some mediocre costume dramas are rated 8.2 and above. Geez!

IF you find my review helpful please let me know.

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Underwhelming & overhyped Female Detective saved by her ever-capable Husband | Lights ON! *Grins*

"No matter how trivial the detail, or how close the suspect is to you, do not be afraid to doubt them. Be brave and seek verification. Trust could also be a drive for investigation." - Chen Wen (Yan Xing's Master)

More than anything else, what truly baffled me about this story was Yan Xing’s (FL) investigation and problem-solving skills. Although she was highly regarded and praised for her expertise, her performance during those cases was either weak or mediocre at best. I don’t think she ever resolved a single case on her own; most of the time, she succeeded only with the help of those around her—whether it was her Master, her friends or most often, her husband, Shen Du.

Her overall capabilities as an investigator and coroner are average and simply do not live up to her reputation. Watching her receive constant praise for her "excellent skills" felt ridiculous because she wouldn't have solved those cases without her support system. Not to mention, the amount of time it usually took her to reach a conclusion was far from impressive.

On top of that, she lacks social awareness—a crucial trait for any investigator. She is often clueless about her surroundings. It is bad enough that her investigative skills are only at an intermediate level, but they are further hindered by her lack of social connections and situational consciousness. This brings to mind a comment from the Director of the Ministry of Justice below:

"The wives of other high-ranking officials are adept at dealing with people to learn secrets that may be useful for their husbands. Who else would be silly enough to bury their head in files and stay in the morgue all day long?" - Director of the Ministry of Justice

That said, I’m giving 90% of the credit to Shen Du. He does most of the heavy lifting and keeps Yan Xing safe 99.99% of the time. Without his impenetrable protection, our FL would have been dead the second she was targeted by the enemies she offended. He really is a true knight in shining armor!

The plot was interconnected nicely, which helped brew the main conflict of the story. I particularly liked that the focus of the minor cases was related to the main conflict; they didn't deviate into unrelated cases, which helped keep the storyline's buildup on track. Although the plot was well-woven, I have some reservations about a few specific elements:

• The sudden off-screening or exclusion of important events. It happened several times; while it didn’t negatively impact the overall plot, it leaves me wondering what actually occurred during those scenes, as the story jumps straight to the resolution while omitting the climax. It was strange because even though the plan had been laid out, we were somehow left behind the scenes—completely unaware of the process and only shown the end result. This really bothered me because those scenes are vital to the plot. Cutting them out left me totally confused, thinking: "What the hell just happened?" (I'm referring to the ending of Gannandao Arc)

• The act of keeping some information hidden in order to use for the climax of the story—I'm referring to Pan Chi discovering that it was Lai Luo Zhi who tricked Saintess Daisi but never mentioned it on his letter to Yan Xing—which didn't get utilize anyways. Like, what's the point of revealing it ahead of time if they're not gonna use? The leads even have to know the truth through Jin Cang (Yan Xing's Musician uncle). What a waste!

• When It took her 14 episodes to realize her husband had night blindness, despite all the clues and their house being excessively lit. Surely that goes beyond just being afraid of the dark. I don't know why it took her so long to figure it out.

• The out of blue sickness of Empress Dowager. It happened all of a sudden that I didn't know if she was just acting because she was emotionally unstable, poisoned or forced by Lai Luo Zhi, or is devising a plan to catch Lai Luo Zhu. It was hard to determine what was happening with her because she was being extra melancholy those times. I am glad it ended satisfyingly though.

• When Shen Du tricks Yan Xing into another wedding, but this time with a proper Wedding ceremony after she continuously rejects his reconciliation attempts. I find it inconsiderate of him especially after he disregards her threat to cut ties with him if he faced the Empress Dowager alone. I honestly feel like he should have groveled more and exerted more personal effort to win her back. One reason I feel this way is that they off-screened so many of the "winning her back" and "constantly rejecting him" scenes. /Sighs/

Lastly, I was frustrated at first that we were more than halfway through the story and the leads still weren't vocal about their feelings. But then, episode 25 finally happened. Although it took a while to get there, it was worth the wait. I loved the tension and the sincerity of their emotions during the hot spring scene, though the 'amateur-coded' kiss was a bit of a letdown.

P.S. The greatest plot twist of this drama was how genuinely innocent Prince Xian and Grand Princess Runing were. The show did a great job insinuating malice in their actions, only for it to be revealed that they had nothing to do with anything all this time. Job well done!

Story - 9.0, I honestly find the plot build-up to be great. My main issue with the story is the baseless reputation and feats attributed to Yan Xing. She has some skills, I admit, but she is definitely not at the 'expert level' the drama proclaims her to be. It might have worked if they had allowed her to grow over the course of the show, instead of having Shen Du back her up in every single situation. Additionally, I’m dumbfounded by the way they handled certain information; they off-screened, skipped, or omitted several scenes that were crucial to the story.

Acting/Cast - 9.0, I should be satisfied for the mere reason that I discovered Deng Enxi through this show and enjoyed her performance very much. However, I just can't swallow the cringeyness I felt watching some of the supporting cast, namely Xiao Yan and Song Fangyuan. I understand that this is an idol drama, but their performances are simply annoying to watch. It honestly may be their characters' lack of depth that drags them onto my bad side. How I wish they were written a little better. P.S. I just wanna mention how I love Deng Enxi's eyes—viibrant and indulgent.

Music - 9.0, While the soundtrack as a whole was not particularly memorable, I found the insert themes to be quite moving, particularly the music used during the more sentimental moments.

Rewatch Value - 7.0, While I enjoyed the series, it lacks rewatch value for me personally. However, I’d still recommend it, especially for those who follow Ding Yuxi’s work.

Overall - 9.0, The plot is clear, compact, and flows well. While the show over-hypes Yan Xing’s skills and some scenes feel omitted, the rest of the drama is solid and worth watching.

IF you find my review helpful please let me know.

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A Tapestry of Pigment and Thread | How to drive the FL to the end of her wits, multiple times!

"You're a gentleman, a good person, but kindness without a sharp edge can't fend off the sharp swords aimed at you." - Ji Yingying to Ji Yaoting

Looking back now, I struggled a lot to finish this drama because of 3 major aspects: the Plot, the conflicts in the story and the antagonists.

1. Plot - I felt so bored and irritated during the first five episodes due to the direction the story was taking. It followed the typical drama trope of the "oppressed heroine," which I'm totally cool with. However, the lasting distaste that ruined my mood was caused not by the antagonists who kept scheming against Ji Yingying (FL), but by her own family members who kept dragging her down because of their weakness, incompetence, and inability to assess the overall situation with better judgment. I'm actually glad that her brother (Ji Yaoting) almost immediately learned his lessons and started showing growth. In contrast, her mother remained stuck in her little bubble, believing that the situation would be alright as long as they stayed subservient. What's more irritating is that she remained that way until the second half of the story, which hindered Ji Yingying's progress and even became the instrument for the unnecessary and completely preventable conflict (Yang Jinglan's desperate homecoming) to occur.

2. Conflicts - Most of the conflicts in the story were totally preventable. What was more frustrating was that they felt forced just to engineer conflicts and emotional scenes. Some good examples are:

• Episode 23-34 - Yan Jinglan's desperate homecoming would have never happened if Ji Xushi (JYY's mother) hadn't been weak-minded and unnecessarily cautious. My biggest issue with her is that she doesn't know how to assess the overall situation properly and remains traumatized by the tragedy of the past. She tries so hard to avoid danger but doesn't realize that her enemies will relentlessly loom around them unless they have either utterly defeated or killed her daughter (Ji Yingying).

• Episode 30 - Sheng Dalang’s death could have been prevented if he and Sang Shisi had stayed within the group instead of running off to wander around, completely unguarded and incapable of fending for themselves. They created their own demise, period. The escort group with Yang Jinglan is fighting the bandits. So, I don't understand why they had to run in the first place when they were safer there than anywhere else. Geez!

• Episode 25 - The scene where Ji Yaoting questions the groom (Yang Jinglan) to allow him entry to the Ji abode, even though they are already married. LOL! Note that Yang Jinglan saved Ji Yingying from far worse suffering at the hands of the Yang family by snatching her from his second brother (Yang Jinglin). Additionally, I just don't find Ji Yaoting suitable/qualified to perform such a tradition. His sister would have suffered less if only he had been a reliable man in the first place. Gosh!

3. Antagonists - I guess I am just frustrated with how the entirety of the story was spent dealing with one major enemy, Niu Jin. He is cunning and may look formidable, but he is full of shortcomings. I just can't accept that he remained the biggest antagonist of this show despite all of his flaws and countless reasons to topple him down. He's one great enemy, but having him till the end became so tiring over time, especially when you consider all the chances they had to defeat him but failed to do so. This was either because they were underprepared/oblivious of his schemes or simply because he outsmarted them most of the time. Having Niu Wu Niang or Bai Sheng as the main antagonist would have been better compared to him.

This drama would have been perfectly fine with 32 episodes. 35 was reasonable, 37 was going overboard, and 40 was totally unnecessary.

I was 36 episodes in, but all I wished was for it to end. By episode 37, I completely lost interest and started thinking, "How wonderful would it be if this were the 39th episode already." By episode 38, I just wanted it to end but I persisted anyway because I still wanted to see through its ending. The halfway point of episode 39 was its saving grace; that was when I gained hope and started praying for a satisfying ending. By episode 40, I was just happy that it was finally the last episode. I found the ending lacking, but I'm just glad that it was concluded happily.

The supporting male leads in this show are the most self-righteous, lovesick men I have seen in a long time. Bai Sheng started promising—I had high hopes for him as a contender for a good second male lead—but as the story progressed, he became increasingly loathsome and possessive. The only good thing he did was to sacrifice himself to keep Ji Yingying safe. This man was obsessive, self-righteous, and overly self-pitying about his objectives and situation. He's the type of character you grow to hate as the story progresses. On the other hand, I'm rather grateful that Zhao Xiu Yuan eventually redeemed himself after taking a wicked path. I almost lost hope in him, but the scriptwriter eventually had a change of heart and gave him a chance for redemption.

In conclusion, I realized that I'd rather watch women scheme out of jealousy than watch men do it. Men's reasons have been the most unreasonable and unhinged I have ever seen. They tend to be extremely destructive and merciless for some of the most self-righteous and hell-bent reasons. At least, women do it with a sensible and much deeper reason. As for men, they gaslight their reasons to make them justifiable.

Lastly, while I've previously mentioned seemingly negative aspects of "Yang Jinglan's desperate homecoming," this is, in fact, the show's most iconic scene. His determination and devotion for Ji Yingying are powerfully demonstrated in the fight sequences, highlighting his most charismatic and attractive qualities. I absolutely love how he crashed the wedding and defied the entire Yang household—not just to stop the ceremony, but to claim it as his own. What an admirable man!

"When all else fails, seek your husband." - Yang Jinglan

Story - 8.0, The story would have been better if it hadn't over-utilized Ji Xushi's trauma and overcautiousness against Ji Yingying. It was upsetting that she was constantly being held back by pressure and restrictions placed by her own timid mother. I hope that screenwriters, directors, and producers can stop incorporating such worn-out techniques just to create hindrances and conflicts for the leads. It's frustrating when you see the people around her become the anchor that drags her down instead of a support system that keeps her moving forward. Additionally, I wish we had gotten a real influential and powerful antagonist and not just a power-hungry general that is usually easily dealt with in most dramas.

Acting/Cast - 9.5, The main leads were fantastic! I picked this show because of Tan Song Yun, but I ended up so impressed and captivated by Zheng Ye Cheng. This is my third drama of his, but it's the first time I truly appreciate his heartthrob charm and appeal. There is something about his killer smile and expressive, tantalizing eyes that made me so drawn to him in this show.

Music - 7.0, The songs in this drama felt almost non-existent to me. I'm not sure if I was just not paying attention or if they were simply not impactful at all. The only tune I can remember was the one played during Yang Jinglan's fight scenes on Episodes 23-24. Aside from that, I can't recall any other music.

Rewatch Value - 5.0, I'm sorry, but no. I honestly don't think I can watch it again. My entire watch experience does not allow me to feel the usual excitement and entertainment I have when watching a typical drama. I can't even recommend this for Pete's sake!

Overall - 8.0, This is that one drama I regret watching, yet at the same time felt grateful because I got to rediscover and see Zheng Ye Cheng in a different light. Aside from that, I am so done and would just want to move on to a next show that will excite the hell out of me.

IF you find my review helpful please let me know.

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The struggles of an undeveloped love affair | FLs relationship-baiting saved this drama.

"There are countless paths in the world. none of them are easy. I'll consider this my way of paving the way for other women to follow." Mu Dan / He Wei Feng

I have written a separate review for the prequel so this one will focus more on the sequel and the entire story itself.

I was actually quite displeased throughout my watch experience due to the lack of progress and even regression of the leads' love affair, but it wasn't until I reached the last 5 or so episodes that the realization hit me that this story wasn't what I expected it to be. It wasn't the typical lovey-dovey tropey idol historical drama I envisioned it to be, but instead a properly crafted drama that incorporates two broad-minded and mature characters who know the weight of their actions and do not dare do anything recklessly. Which turned out to be the major issue that hinders the growth of their relationship.

Honestly, I am still quite upset about the route they chose for the leads' love story that I felt cheated in some way. The prequel gave us below minimum and when I thought the sequel will offer us something grand, they gave us their uncertainties and dilemma's instead. Imagine getting the least amount of progress 12 episodes in and the next situation you are witnessing is their misunderstanding... and that'a when I thought we're gonna get a proper development on their romance on the 2nd half but 15 episodes before the drama ends, and we're still on the 'hiding/concealing feelings stage. Hayys! I was frustrated and flabbergasted at the same time! It may seem like I am totally obsessed and is dwelling too much on the romance side of the story but isn't that one of the concept this show is marketing on?

My main issue about this production is that the leads' romance hasn't officially started yet they're already ending/cutting ties with each other. They focused mostly on the characters personal goals and endeavours, which is fine, but not until they suddenly dropped and shoved us their issues. Because what do you mean we're having this after giving us little to no improvement of their relationship? It upsets me because they ended in that situation due to the lack of strong foundation—which is trust and personal understanding of one another.

I mean they both make sense—FL is bold and courageous while the ML have been traumatized and maimed that he can no longer take a risk. But then, what they lacked is mutual consideration for each other. FL kept on pushing herself to be part of the chaotic situation while the ML fears her to be involve in it.

Like, everything about their romantic relationship is going smoothly. I even thought that they're amazing for having such perfect harmony that's one in mind and in heart. However, my impression faltered and slowly crumbled after realizing that what they have is pre-mature. Because although they have the undeniable connection and understanding, they lack the intimacy, vividness and expressiveness a real couple usually have. Thank god the FL (Mu Dan) worked her ass off relationship-baiting the ML. Cause if not, then this drama is beyond salvation for me in terms of the romance department.

Regarding Sui Zhi (ML)...I get him. I understand that he got scared after that incident that almost killed Mu Dan considering her pas trauma's, however, isn't it inappropriate and unfair for Mu Dan to suddenly be left out like that? He lured and made her fall for him and when she finally did, he immediately backed out? He's clouded by his trauma and fears so he chose to ignore and decline her feelings to keep her safe from any harm and avoid getting her implicated; I get that. But he should've at least considered her feelings and why she feels that way in the first place!! Truly, this drama would've fallen to pieces if not for Mu Dan winning him over (Sighs).

I wholeheartedly love and appreciate female centric dramas but I also think that there should be borderlines we must consider when creating one. I've got nothing to pick on when it comes to the character development of Mu Dan (FL)—It was flawless and slick. But that's exactly where the issue lies. They made her so incredible that towards the end, it feels like she's overpowered the ML. To the point where it seems like he's bound to fail so bad without her interventions. Their balance shaken and suddenly he doesn't feel as reliable as he used to. Not to even mention how he was as good as dead if Prince Ning didn't purposely missed an inch when he stabbed him.

That being said, it only proves that being an entirely mature relationship also has its down sides/disadvantages as well.

Moving on from that, one thing I enjoyed from their the most is their sneaky and adorable moments together. Her countless "Fu Jun" call melts me and his shallow and feathery kisses brought me so much joy and pleasure. They had a lot of kissing scenes too bad Li Xian doesn't know how to kiss passionately. Hahaha!

"Do you know what love is? True love means loving who they love, hurting when they hurt. It means letting go, not holding them captive. Love is not a sword meant to wound. It's the bright moon, quietly watching over, enduring forever." - Mu Dan (FL) to Zi Shu (2ML)

Zi Shu's truly the most devoted and obsessive man ever. He never cease to amaze me. He keeps on holding on to the past which prevented him to see the beauty and worth of his present. This happened to him twice and I feel sad to see him lose his track and gone astray. His ending on the other hand felt sorrowful yet deserving. He keeps on blowing up his chances that at the end, seeing him dead satisfies me—just to prevent him from hurting the people who loves him again.

Lastly, ending. I guess I am just glad that they didn't kill Sui Zhi and provided us a justified reason on how he survived. Prince Ning ending was also deserving and so is Zi Shu & You Zhen's. I'm also grateful for them not killing any other supporting roles aside from She Yan as his death is a reasonable one.

P.S. I really love Liu Lang & Sui Zhi's chemistry. Liu Lang is like the son fighting his father to get his mother's attention. They should've given us more scenes of Liu Lang teasing/sabotaging Sui Zhi while Sui Zhi shaking his actions off as he simply finds him childish and immature to even pay attention to.

Story - 9.0, The story structure and plot was good, it's just that they failed in providing us deeper romantic development for the leads' which caused their misunderstanding to feel sudden and lacking in foundation. Everything else was greatly executed though.

Acting/Cast - 10, I love every actors and actresses in this production. At first, I thought Li Xian wouldn't match well with period drama set up, but heck was I wrong! He nailed his character and I found him on a new light. Yang Zi on the other hand just executed Mu Dan perfectly. Job well done!

Music - 9.5, Songs used were such a bliss to listen to. They matched the scenes they're used to and helped out a lot in making those scenes even more impactful.

Rewatch Value - 7.0, I enjoyed my time watching this drama, however, I don't think I will ever watch it again. Their romance development made me frustrated and overthink (because nothing much was happening but they're already breaking up. LMAO)

Overall - 8.5, Despite my rants and seemingly negative reaction above, I still would say that I enjoyed this drama. The story was greatly written specially Mu Dan's personal growth and development. Minus the romance part of course. Lol

IF you find my review helpful please let me know.

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A withered Peony flourished through hardships and hard work.

NOTE: I don't really know much about this drama (aside from its cast) when I first picked it; reason why my commentary below mostly expresses my initial reaction of this story alone (1st half) and will focus on it. Which means it doesn't include whatever happened on the sequel (2nd half). That being said, please allow me to share my experience watching this show.

I picked this drama hoping to have fun and enjoyment..little did I know that I am luring myself into a crazy combination of emotional frustration and entertainment. This story presented me some of the most frustrating scenes I have not seen in a long time, while simultaneously giving us excitement, thrill and inspiration.

The pacing of the drama was quite slow which made me feel like a significant amount of time is being wasted (knowing that we only have 32 episodes). However, upon learning that this is just the 1st part consoled me a lot; because finally, I can chill and calmly watch it with peace knowing that it will not be a rushed production that will give us messy patched up ending out of their incompetence.

The 1st half of the story is like the introduction of the FLs (Mu Dan) sufferings in order to rebuild herself after a failed marriage and various miseries that almost cost her, her life. It focuses on the challenges and hardships she had to endure in order to obtain a foothold and gradually achieve her dreams.

I loathe some aspects of the story at first as it mostly presents constant suffering and scheming. But as the show progresses, I have grown to understand what it truly signifies...that this drama wasn't meant to be judged only by its 32 episodes, as it's a part of a whole; and that the writer, producer, and director have tried their best to show us real-life occurrences and issues of the people who lived in the Tang dynasty—which is also related to the problems we are facing today—that way we're be able to put ourselves in the characters' shoes in order to understand and acknowledge their feelings and sentiments.

One perfect example is Wu Niang/ Qin Sheng Yi - I used to see this woman as someone who never learned her lesson—a woman who was too kind to the point of naivety. I feel for her agony and pain but also find her utterly stupid. However after some deep reflection, I gradually understand where her worries, hesitation and inhibition are coming from. She was treated as if a woman can only survive with men's support and guidance so it was natural for her to feel intimidated and inferior. She's self-deprecating for a reason and I now find her thoughts and emotions valid. Although, I still find her gullible for re-marrying her abusive and opportunistic husband but hey! I cheered when she stabbed him to death and was sad and proud when she took her own life as a sign and proof of her innocence and defiance against the law's partiality towards men.

My heart goes to Liu Chang/Zi Shu (2ML)...he's one of the greatest victim of all the mess yet branded as someone "Prideful but coward". I was rooting for him at some point for the FL; too bad he was too dense to understand the gravity of some (if not most) situations and is always tolerating his parents wrongdoings. I pity him for being powerless, feel sad for what he has become, admires him for his loyalty and resolute attitude and hates him for being an incompetent husband and overly devoted son.

Lastly, I finally found the 2nd most scarred/wounded female protagonist after Li Changge (Dilraba's character in The Long Ballad). I emphatize with Mu Dan so much. The 1st family she's married into made her almost lose her wits doing everything she can to escape the marriage and household who made use, abused and taken advantage of her and yet she can't do it easily as she's being targeted and faced with their grim/nasty schemes; and right after going to Chang'an she still had to face their undercover tactics and much cruel oppression with the help of Prince Ning & the ever malevolent Li You Zhen. She have done nothing but offer everyone sincerity and kindness yet repaid in such a in evil way.

I will have to end this review here as I feel like providing much commentary about the story is inappropriate since I haven't finished the whole story yet. Nonetheless, I can assure everyone that this 1st half is all about women's woe, misery and survival.

P.S. This drama won the "Most fucked up Wedding ceremony" Award. No woman deserves to be treated coldly during their wedding, more so, the whole year of their marriage life. Fortunately, Mu Dan took it lightly because if not...devasting!

Story - 9.0, The story was greatly told. My main issue about this drama is their phasing—they leisurely took their time with how the story progresses that It became tiring to watch at one point. It would've been really nice if they included some vital development of the main leads romantic relationship here instead of putting it almost entirely on the 2nd half.

Acting/Cast - 10, I am extremely satisfied of the cast. It's my 1st time watching both Yang Zi & Li Xian in a costume drama and I must say that they are both very good at it. I love the supporting actors/actresses as well.

Music - 10, The set of songs used are good. I enjoyed it a lot and it naturally fits the scenes and vibe of the drama.

Rewatch Value - 8.5, I wouldn't mind re-watching it but will not do so unless necessary. This half is significant as it holds the introduction of the story and progress of the characters for who they have become on the 2nd part. So watching part 1 is essential before jumping into the Part 2.

Overall - 9.0, I feel like this is the fair rating for this show. The story was good, however, I think it would've been better if they were more efficient in handling the pacing of the scenes and development of the main leads romance.

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Forget me or not?—Memory fades but feelings lingers | Bittersweet heartbreaking ending ㅠㅠ

Xingxian wasn't a bad person. It's just that, in her sufferings, she lost her kindness bit by bit. - Jiu Xuan Ye

I honestly don't know how to start my review...so shall I elaborate on how this drama completely wrecked me?

Let me start this by letting out a sigh of frustration and anguish...wow! Just, WOW! I picked this drama after watching #ThePrisonerOfBeauty and god was I so wrong for doing that—worst decision of my life this year.

The story started smoothly with a touch of intrigue and excitement that can encourage anyone to binge-watch It. However, as the story goes on the more it felt draggy. They tend to spend significant amount of time on specific plot events (namely Reunion Inn and Inside the Painting scenes) instead of producing more...which made the slow-paced development of the story feel even much dragged out rather than help it become more progressive (in terms of pacing). The main issue is that the plots and schemes were so unnecessarily detailed which makes the story too dragged out. They most probably wanna make sure that the narrative will be flawless but for the price of what? the story being seen as pedantic? I am sorry but that's just being overly perfectionist to me.

Plots, Twists and Pacing as described above are way too detailed—flawless—which I highly appreciate at the same time dislike, as it made the show feels short of action and events. Which if were altered could have given us more interaction and moments from the characters. Whenever I recollect about this drama, I only have 5 events in mind (Owl Demon, Mirror Demon, the slow and extremely detailed Reunion Inn, overly repetitive wedding loop scene and lastly, the Snake demon) which could have been more, given that they have 36 episodes.

Climax and falling action was handled nicely as it was action packed but it also felt hastily done in a way. It felt rushed as they literally unfolded it 4-5 episodes before the resolution of the conflict which is considerably too little for me as they still needed a couple of episodes to present the actual finale to conclude the story.

Ending is where it all started falling apart for me. The most heartbreaking part of this drama is when the director and writer decided to fvcking serve us with that sacrificial yet benevolent finale which is very much unnecessary and unwarrented. I detest such pretentious endings at it is a mask they often utilize to torture the viewers in all aspects. No matter what other people says, I can never tolerate anyone who romanticizes sad endings.

To top it all up, I even got to watch the Behind-the-scenes of the finale. The scene where the main leads are both crying their eyes out because of extreme agony. Ohmyghad! I was so mentally, emotionally and spiritually damaged that I began hating the director and writers of this show so much!

P.S. I got some personal beef on how many times they repeated the wedding scene inside the painting. That was truly irritating to the point where I even considered fastforwarding. I also got quite bored on how excruciatingly slow and dragged out the Reunion Inn event was. Almost lost my patience watching those parts.

Lastly, a comical line that turned grim.

"I'll marry you. You've tried to snatch me as a bride so many times, who else could I marry if not you?" - Duan Ban Xia

Story - 9.0 - Despite how sluggish and draggy it feels like, I still cannot disregard the writer and director for their flawless work of the plots and events. I still abhor them for the ending but it doesn't feel right to give this story a lower score then 9.0 just because of that.

Acting/Cast - 10, Song Zu Er & Ren Jia Lun are perfect for the role and they both delivered really well. The supporting roles were also remarkably good in portraying their given roles. Kudos to every single one of them.

Music - 10, When it comes to C-dramas, music is that one thing I am not very particular with (in comparison to K-dramas) as long as the music used are good and never bothered me, then it will be a 10 for me.

Rewatch Value - 6.0, I honestly don't think I will ever watch it again. I am giving it this score out of consideration entirely for the compact and detailed story.

Overall - 9.0 - This score feels right to me. Not too low and to high either. I still feel disappointed about the ending but all in all it was good. Although some parts of it became tiring at one point, they all still make sense at the end. Again, I can never discredit the work just because I hate some parts of it.

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Ep.1 is an endurance test | Annoying FL & Charming ML + Underwhelming utilization of a good Plot!

"Don't be afraid of making mistakes. To recognize one's mistake and correct them is the greatest value" - Song Xu

[!] Warning - Please take a mouthful of "Chill Pill" prior to watching this.

First and foremost, I wanna say that watching this drama will be a huge challenge to anyone who have been watching 'proper' dramas in such a long time because your tolerance will be put to an extremely great test during its very 1st episode for how ludicrous and crappy the introduction of the story was. I even thought to myself "How the heck did I even survived that intolerable Episode" and "That consumed 50% of my tolerance and patience for this drama" for how unreasonable and childish it was. I even reached the point where I felt an empty hollow space within myself after finishing the 1st episode because it was just simply illogical like you will wonder how can the director and writer create such garbage as if their critical thinking flew out of the window while filming this.

PLEASE NOTE: That I'm writing this as a warning that episode 1 will be a TOUGH watch that may result for anyone to drop the show. So proceed with caution!

I don't wanna repeat myself but again the biggest challenge watching this drama all lies on episode 1. Once you've past through that it will very slowlyyy become a bit tolerable. I can't honestly even gauge it because I gritted my teeth so much while binge watching episode 2 to 10-ish...sure! It was not as severe and hopeless compared to Ep.1 but the FLs crazy, annoying and unbearable antics might surely trigger you to stop watching this drama. She was the worst and I don't even have any words to protect her from my criticisms cause she genuinely deserves it for how irrirating she is. After all those, the succeeding episodes will be more reasonable to watch but still prepare yourself I would say, because we have different tastes and perspectives and you may or may not come up with a completely different view while watching it. (Please do share me through the comment section below on how you feel about it. I would love to read and know your reaction to the story)

Moral sense of the story is that we have to take action if we don't like a certain event to happen. But honestly, I don't even know...more so...I refused to accept that idea for this story because the way it was delivered in this drama was way too irrational and unacceptable for me. It outweighs all the good intentions and ideas there is because it was executed through various dirty and immoral tricks.

Chemistry - I would say it's fine. It really helped that the Male Lead got this refreshing and charming vibe that anyone paired to him will effortlessly fit together with him. He's like a a picturesque scenery that can turn anything plain and unattractive into something beautiful the moment you put it on one frame with him.

Editing, Color grading and Overall Design - Editing is borderline bad. I am not even sure why did they incorporate a plot they will not use properly and I feel like it would be better if they showed us more of the actual conflicts instead of skipping through all of the most exciting parts and ended up giving us only the positive outcomes. Color grading was too orange-ish at first which resulted for the saturation to look boring and gloomy and I am just glad that they somehow fixed it along the way. Overall design was an improving factor for me...everything they showed us on the 1st episode looked low cost cheap and simply unattractive. Thank god they picked up the slack and improved as the story goes on. I guess they fired and changed the editor-in-chief after episode 1. Lol!

Final sentiments and violent reactions - The Female lead was annoying as Hell! She's really a "Special Lady" because no one can outmatch her for being childish, immature and irritating during the first half of the show. When it comes to the Male lead, I was pissed and frustrated on how lenient and forbearing he is to the FL despite all the filthy tricks she had set up on his way. Like how can he tolerate all the FLs misconduct, misdeed and nasty schemings? A good definition of noble to the extent of stupidity.

Story - 7.0, The drama was on the right track during Episode 12 to 20+ but the path they took to turn the events baffled me quite a lot. I feel like the 2nd ML was treated dirty and he just didn't deserve any of that. + The fact that they were not able to fully utilize the main plot they have set up since Ep.1 disappointed me a lot. Let's not even mention the countless frustrations I have to endure just to reach the 'better' section of this story. All I can say is that I went through a lot!! This story truly put my patience on a serious test and I am extremely proud of myself for completing this challenging drama.

Acting/Cast - 8.5, Both Main leads acting has gotten in my nerve during the first 10 episodes but I managed to deal with them by telling myself that this is afterall an Idol romance drama and the acting typically gets irrational and over the top; and because of that I was able to gradually accept and even appreciate their acting skills. Specially the Male lead—he's simply a star. I few more experience and exposure to good acting projects and I'm sure he'll be great.

Music - 9.0, Their choice of songs are fine and I never really got bother by it throughout the entire show. + I grew to love one of the BGMs used in this drama.

Rewatch Value - 3.0, I'm honestly being kind for not giving this a 1.0 and that's in consideration of the 1/3 of this show which I unexpectedly enjoyed. Nonetheless, this is one of the dramas I will NEVER watch again.

Overall - 6.5, I'm determined to give it a higher rating but after further consideration and deliberation, I have finally decided to give it a rating it truly deserves.

IF you find my review helpful please let me know.

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The immortal fairy w/ amnesia and her 3 failed attempts in love | Shows how filthy & nasty men are!

[!!] PLEASE WATCH THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK AND MERCY!

This story is all about Ye Xi and her misfortune in finding true love in the wrong places with the wrong set of men; and how she's been constantly getting deceived by those pretentious men to utilize her for their hidden agendas—For 3 consecutive times, by the way! Which is incredibly irritating to be very honest! Once is enough, twice is too much and thrice is overkill!

Above all, I want to officially start this review by giving its possible viewers a piece of good warning and advice... This drama is more than all of the positive reviews you can find in MDL. I picked this show simply because I am a fan of Li HongYi and mainly because of all the good and positive reviews I have read on this site. However, the moment I start watching it and the further I get into it, the more increasingly mad and irritated I am to myself for trusting all those reviews who gave this drama a 9-10 ratings. It felt like I fell on trap and got fraud by how 'terrible' it actually is! I can't believe how people are saying that it is an 'easy watch' drama when I can barely tolerate the first 3 episodes and I just had to blindly go through the succeeding occurences by biting my tongue while writing rants per episode to suppress all my pent up irritations and to at least give it the 'benefit of the doubt' hoping for it to reach its 'better' part which eventually came at around episode 10 or so. Which is almost half of the drama!! Not to mention that the saga of awfulness didn't immediately ended there and it still occasionally appeared till the end of the show. I honestly feel like I need some chill pill after going through all those stuff and it is also the main reason why I took great time to write this section of my review to give warnings and emphasize this dramas lousiness.

Anyways, I will treat the above as my collective description and reaction of the horrific things about this drama and will only give a summary list of the properties I find horrendous about this show below.

× Purple Costumes on Ep.2 looks straight up ugly and tacky.
× Bai Yue's smug look the entire time is justifiable at the end. However, I can never tolerate how he kept on strangling and pushing Ye Xi all those time he can't control/suppress her. Like, can't he do it in a non-physical way?
× Horrible fight scenes and What's with Ep.4? They attacked the Tang Manor like a whole bunch of kids running towards the main gate because school is finally over. Ghad, It sucks! Don't they have acting choreography? and how did they even stomach using that for the final cut!
× Lack of financial support/budget. I was cackling so loud when they show the 1 piece trebuchet at Ep.4. Hahaha!
× Art director of this drama needs to retire. Even the Wanted posters of Ye Xi doesn't look even a bit like her and it was drawn so bad. Geez!

Moving forward to the good parts of the story... I truly think that all my sufferings were paid back with better stuff when Ep 10-11 came; that was also the time my faith for this show had slowly got restored. Better story pacing that's away from the confusing and chaotic exposition of the story, mysteries are being addressed and answered, finally getting all the lovey-dovey moments we all have been waiting for and finally, Bai Yue giving his very best to express his love by making efforts to make Ye Xi remember him.

Story - 7.0, This drama could have been 'easy to watch' and even better if Ye Xi just stayed with Bai Yue and bicker with him the whole time while occasionally dealing with some challenges (lovers quarrel) and all those trivialities of the Martial arts world. The thing is, they made it too complex and dramatic not knowing that their capabilities can't measure up to their mission and vision yet... which is sad and disappointing.

Acting/Cast - 7.0, Their acting looks fine but in the wrong places. Lol The scenes/events are not set up yet but the characters are already throwing their final lines. Like, daheck are these people saying? Isn't it too early? and why are things going together all at once like they're short of time and in a time crunch? Therefore, I conclude that it's the lack of proper momentum and bad direction. I like the actors and actresses though (subjectively).

Music - 6.5, I like the opening theme as it exudes playfulness, positive vibes and vibrant energy. However, aside from that, nothing else stood out for me. I can't even remember the BGMs used to the most important scenes. It's either they're not note worthy at all or they just never impacted my watch experience for this drama.

Rewatch Value - 2.0, I'm actually being kind by giving it this rating. I actually don't loathe this drama but instead just hate it as it deserves; since it still has its redemption parts. But, I know for a fact that I can never go through the same agony I suffered just to finish this.

Overall - 6.0, I'm extremely considerate for giving this! Oh wow! This is unexpectedly tough! I scaled it really hard in consideration of its good aspects but I still ended up giving this rating. I would say, Deserve? and I'm not even being too critical or bias or whatnot. This is my genuine rating and feedback after finishing this amateur project and production overall.

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The sword and her shield + A bunch of naive and troublemaker supporting characters!

"Don't always bother about the ending. The ending you want may not be what others want. Why don't you just follow your heart? - Madaam Nichang

This whole drama as the title suggests, is all about Zhou Fei and her adventure to get stronger and powerful while protecting the oppressed people by fighting the demon sect.

Looking back... We can divide this whole drama into 3 major parts. First (1-20 episodes) would be the introduction of the FL and how her love story started and went on while improving her skills by going in missions and meeting several masters who taught her techniques to better build her martial arts skills. Second (21-40) is her pursuit to deepen her romance with Xie Yun while strengthening her skills by gradually defeating some mid to high ranking enemies. Lastly (41-51) is where she deals with everything on her way while achieving great heights with her fighting skills to vanquish the main villain and to achieve peace and order.

Everything considered, I'd say that this drama did good in terms of the FLs improvements when it comes to her martial arts skills. Although I'd also admit that some of it is simply ridiculous at some point (For example is the way she dealt with the enemies during the rare-medicinal-plant searching is plain questionable and stupid) but one thing I love about it is that they never went extremely overboard and it was a rather stable process of hardwork, strong will and perseverance.

If anything, one of the main problem I've had with this is the amount of foolish and burden side characters they have. It made the story slower and more eventful in an irritating way. I honestly felt like things could've been resolved quickly without their stupid interferance and random interventions. They're always the major reason why things are escalating badly and I hated how they constantly do it without suffering heavy consequences. Mind you!! I'm not talking about 1-3 characters here, it is beyond that! Probably around 6-7 maximum. Just imagine!!

And even when I admire and appreciate how they executed this very thought of "Stay calm, be brave and you'll win" there's always a limitation to everything! I hated how they can still freaking take their time like they're on a field trip while all the mess is happening— Sense of crisis and urgency was sacrificed for some romantic scenes... Which is stupid. And lastly, is how their kindness tends to bite them back, always. I detested the constant kindness and sympathy they showed to their enemies only to be betrayed right at the next moment.

Anyways, looking at the brighter side. I just love the CPs in this drama. Despite their incompetence and flaws, they managed to liven up the whole vibe of the show and make it more exciting and fun to watch. Of course! special mention to our Main Leads who devoured everyone in terms of chemistry. Wang Yibo's smile is so enchanting and charming that you can get lost in it. I swear!

Lastly, the Ending... I'm still hesitant whether to feel good or displeased about it. It made me go "that's it? after all the chaos and fighting?" because of how simple and fast it all went on after all the dramas. It's disappointing how they settled for less after going through great lengths to build up and intensify the whole story. It was very underwhelming and unexpected in a negative way. A waste of energy, time and money. Well, I guess, atleast they all got happy ending? Lol

P.S. "True love, means you can't even stand her eating someone else's dishes" I just love this phrase so much. + Their love language of pulling each other's hair was such a bliss to see. <3

Story - 8.0, Actually, It wasn't bad. It just that they added so much unnecessary plots and dramas that made the story boring and bland here and there. Would've been better if they stick on solving problems without making the supporting characters a bait and stop them from being completely reliant to the Main leads to rescue them. Also, they could've invested on a more signifant and impactful ending. Unfortunately... they did not!

Acting/Cast - 9.5, Acting is actually good. Oh God, Wang Yibo is mesmerizing while Zhao Liying deadass nailed it. I just wish to get more smiles from her specially during the lighter and romantic scenes. Also, better character improvement and structure for the CPs. They all shined but their roles made them seem incapable. it irked me!

Music - 9.5, The overall BGM is good and I love how I can feel at ease listening to them while watching the scenes. The only issue I got with it is that they often overlaps with the conversions in almost the same volume as the dialogues; to the point where it's distracting me already. They should've focused on better music placement and sound control i'd say.

Rewatch Value - 8.0, If i were to watch this drama again, I'd probably do a lot of skips and will only watch the moments I find memorable and fun. The story was dragged so much in the middle so watching it as a whole would be a tough job for me to do.

Overall - 8.5, This is considerably a good drama with its flaws and imperfection. I just think that improvements could've been implemented in various areas to make the characters and story more structured and exciting to watch.

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The FLs enticing & shameless pursuit to marry the ML + Merxat's enchanting charms killed me!

To know a man you must observe his attitude towards the world - Liu Ling

I'm out of words for this drama, not because I have too much of them but because I've got little to none of it...

Looking back to the whole story, I feel like the main theme this drama focuses on is Liu Ling's pursuit to pester and entice Shen Yan to like and marry her, and the following events just simply follows this sequence. So, I'm not really sure where to start with this review since all I think about is them and the other plot seemed shallow and almost non-existent to me. Well, I guess that's a good thing?

Anyways, lemme just summarize the elements I like and dislike about this drama.

Plot & Twists - The major plot they've been trying to work and brew on since the very beginning ended disappointingly. It feels like they just want to get over with it so they nonchalantly settled with the most obscure way to dismiss and have it concluded. While the other minor events straightout felt insignificant and unremarkable at all to be even remembered and mentioned.

Camera Works - It's like the best thing this dramas has to offer. I can still can't get enough of the alley way fight scene and how it was meticulously executed. Every angle was captured accordingly with proper timing and consistency. Although, they kinda did a terrible job during Shen Yan & Lu Mingshan's final clash, I'd say that overall I'm still satisfied.

Main Leads Chemistry - I've got a rough start with their compatibilty to be honest. For some reason, I cringe whenever the FLs trying to seduce the ML and it's not helping that they got a handful of preposterous scenes in the early parts of the story— the falling from the cliff scene, the bridge scene and a lot more came pouring like raindrops that made it hard for me to bear and digest them at first. But after 'a while' I just learned to gradually accept and love them. It was hard earned I'd say.

Deep diving with our Main Leads... I just wanna say how I cringe yet still love Liu Ling's character as a whole. She's childish, immature and shameless but something about her bold and unrestrained attitude dismisses all her negative traits and captured my attention completely. She was a bizarre subject for me. Shen Yan on the other hand is like the typical cold and stoic guy with a twist!! His smooth yet erotic advances sends provocative thoughts in my head! He's addicting!!

Lead Couples - I expected quite a bit when it comes to Shen Yu & Shi Jin's story. I know they can give us more but they chose to just provide the bare minimum. All the teasing and bickerings only leads to a single kiss and that's it /sighs/. While Luo Fan & Ling Bi is the cutest to me. For some reason I'm satisfied with whatever they've got and I'm just happy that they finally got them together.

Lastly, I just wanna mention how much I love the relationship between Liu Ling and her Grandfather. That's pure love and adoration right there! Also, the Shen Brother's bond never failed to make me smile too. They're the coolest!

P.S. Ending it with another remarkable line... I don't want you to betray your heart to satisfy my feelings and change yourself - Shen Yan

Story - 8.0, They could've work on it a little bit by making the Major plot work but they just didn't. They focused so much on the Main lead's love story that the other stuff didn't stoodout even a bit. It felt neglected and shortly, abandoned. Thank god the Love story side worked out pretty well... if not, I may have butchered this section.

Acting/Cast - 10, What a set of flexible and talented actors/actresses. Yuan BingYan alone already added so much color to this production. Not to mention the Crisp and arousing aura Zhang Yechang contributed, Zhang Yue's flawless execution and the ever charming, gorgeous and meticulous spark Merxat showered to this group. He slayed this drama's visual to the very extent! Unworldly.

Music - 10, I love how mellow the songs are and the timing and placement itself helped the scenes stoodout and felt more heartfelt as a whole.

Rewatch Value - 7.5, This is me being considerate and respectful of this production. It wasn't bad and certainly has a good and enjoyable sides to it but I guess I'll never be able to bring myself to watch it again. Afterall, there are plenty of drama's out there who's more worthy.

Overall - 8.5, It's a drama that has a solid love story but kinda lack when it comes to proper usage of other plot factors. It's worthy while it last but will not linger around after that. I still love it nonetheless... the actors and actresses made me to, honestly! They all were a combo times 3!

IF you find my review helpful please let me know.

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Learning to Appreciate, Forgive and Love Deeply. + Preserve and Protect our Oceans!

I will never get tired of saying how heartwarming, inspiring and genuine Japanese dramas are. They always got this magic in their crafts that will make you so emotionally attached to it no matter which genre you are into... I guess they just understand human emotions and feelings the best, huh?

Right off the bat, I wanna say that this drama felt restricted... Like they could've added more to it but chose to limit it for some unknown reasons. I probably got used to heavily plotted dramas but I just know when something is needed or not and I would say this drama could've been more eventful and exciting if they added little more tweaks to its overall plot.

I badly want to expand my thoughts about this drama so please allow me to share some of them.

Plot - Overall plot is good but improvements can still be provided left and right. I feel like they got caught up with other side plots (3 Brothers affairs) and consumed lots of episodes that should've been focused on our main leads; does making the story vulnerable to plot holes and felt lacking in terms of story progression.

Twist - I always feel like there's a missing piece when it comes to this drama's overall story structure. Like, something is inadequate and it could've been better if they give more 'drama' to the FLs character. I mean, she's a mermaid and they could very well expound onto that to make it more interesting and exciting, at least.

Editing and production... I got serious problems with this, honestly. Most of the time, I felt like they were throwing sequences randomly to the point where it just doesn't fit at all. God knows how many times I find it weird that a scene or two are being included in a completely unrelated moment. Which are very awkward to me!

Chemistry is a perfection for me— aside from the fact that Ayano Go and Ishihara Satomi look equally beautiful and handsome; there's just more to them that's beyond our eyes can see and perceive. Something that can only be seen when you indulge yourself on the way they carry themselves into their roles. Their Drive and Passion to be 'in-character' is insane!

Color scheme, texture and mood - I was in genuine peace while watching and appreciating this dramas beach scenes. I just love how fresh, tranquil and cozy it made me feel as viewer. Very relaxing and accomodating.

Second Couple and 3 Brothers Plot - Both are really interesting to watch and I'm just glad they didn't add anymore dramas to the 'Brothers' plot cause I feel like they just had enough. LOL! and I'm also satisfied on how they wrap things up for the 2nd Couple. No more escalated dramas and rather ended it in a more mature and receptive way.

P.S. I feasted so much whenever Ayano Go's acting giddy, nervous and child-like. It gave more colors to his character and I just find him super cute and adorable during those scenes.

Story - 9.0, I wanna rate this drama higher but I just can't ignore a lot of missed opportunities they could've took advantage of to make it more eventful and dramatic. + The awkward and misplaced sequence editing made this drama stood out like a sore thumb for me.

Acting/Cast - 9.5, Main Casts, specially Ayano Go and Ishihara Satomi were such a stellar actor and actress. The way they execute their roles emotionally made me admire them a lot and will tell you how invested they're in their respective characters. The only disappointments I have are with the supporting roles who acts ridiculous and simply baseless. Like they were added for plot twist and nothing else.

Music - 9.0, I only heard 1 music in this drama. Well, aside from the casual melodies and sounds used to set the mood and to add color to the scenes... So, I'd say they could've added more but for me it was just enough. I wasn't bothered and never felt like it was lacking.

Rewatch Value - 8.0, It took me 2 years to finally watch it and I wanna say that it deserves the wait. Hahaha! I never feel like watching it again honestly. I was only here for Ishihara Satomi but I'm just grateful to have finally watched it because I got to know Ayano Go in the process.

Overall - 9 0, I have a lot 'what ifs' for this drama and up till this moment, I still feel regretful that the director didn't fully utilized the set of spectacular actors they got to make this drama great. Not to mention how lacking the script and how random the editing was. Nonetheless, I still enjoyed watching this story and I appreciate the warmth and passion it gave me.

IF you find my review helpful please let me know.

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