Brain says "Flaws!" but heart says "I don't care!"

When I started this drama I expected a light and funny story with a time travel twist. The synopsis looked interesting- a boy going back in time and meeting his own parents when they were the same age as him. But as I got on with the drama, I came to know that this might not be as light as I expected it to be. This drama has made me laugh, be on the verge of tears, and was even was kind of thought provoking.

The story mainly revolves around Ha Eun Gyeol, a model student with a passion for music. He is a CODA (i.e. Child Of Deaf Adults) and is the only peron in his family that can hear, so he acts as the bridge between the silent world of the family and the outside world. (Actually, I went into this drama not knowing this crucial piece of information, and in the first scene when Eun Gyeol and Eun Ho, his brother, were at a coffee shop and were interacting in sign language, I was all confused, and was like are they trying to act cool or did they not want the waitresses to hear their conversation? lol. Everything only became clear to me after the narrative explained it.)When his father, Ha Yi Chan, learns that Eun Gyeol is in a band after school hours, he orders him to quit. Ha Yi Chan is proud of his son's academic achievements and considers Eun Gyeol the family's "trophy." Eun Gyeol rages at his father and runs away. Torn between familial obligations and his passion, he chooses to abandon his passion and destroy his guitar. But then the quiet night turns into a night with two moons, and the strange, mysterious music instrument shop Viva La Vida lights up. As Eun Gyeol walks into this mysterious shop, his adventure begins.

The 1st ep of this drama was the best ep for me, it pulled me in right away. This ep focused on Eun Gyeol's backstory and on Eun Gyeol's family and their bond, which, imo, is the best part of the story. To me, this story is not about romance, but the development of each characters as the story progresses and the people that they come across in the journey.

Among the main characters, I like Yi Chan's and Eun Gyeol's interactions the most. Despite the fact that Yi Chan is Eun Gyeol's father, the bromance between them during the time travel is what I'm all for. I also really liked how Yi Chan and Cheong Ah's romance developed. Cheong Ah had a crush on Yi Chan before he knew she existed, back when he was all smitten with Se Kyeong. Their conversations, how Yi Chan learnt sign language for her, and everything were so heartwarming. Amoung the suporting characters, I liked Ha Eun Ho and Viva the best.

The cast did an amazing job is portraying their characters. I had seen Ryeoun in 18 Again only, where he had a minor role. But I liked him there. I liked him even more here, he has the potential. I had set my eyes on Choi Hyun Wook since 25-21 and Weak Hero Class 1 and I loved him here too. But my only comlpain, which is unrelated to the drama, is that he does only the same kind of roles. His roles in all the dramas that I've seen him in, including this, is very much similar. Seol In Ah also did a good job but.. I was kinda annoyed at her though out the series, idk if it's her fault or the character's. I loved Shin Eun Soo in this. This is the first drama I've seen of hers. When her character was introduced at first, I thought she had stiff expressions. But as we began to explore her character more, I liked her more and more. I also liked the actors playing Eun Gyeol's parents as adults.

The comedic timings in this drama were perfect. After all Choi Hyun Wwook is there in this drama. I loved Ha Yi Chan blurting out random english words in the middle of the sentences. lol

Overall, this was a very good drama. I really loved it. A solid 9/10 from me. But there were many plotholes and things that were not explained and didn't have a proper closure. Though the ending wasn't rushed, I think that a few more minutes or an addictional episode would have been good.






***SPOILERS***

I actually have many questions about the ending.
First of all, how did Cheong Ah convince her father to let her marry Yi Chan if he was going to sent her abroad to study and never let her return? They should have never shown that scene where her father said this if they weren't going to answer this.
And did Yi Chan recognise Eun Gyeol? I kinda understand that they left this for the audiences' interpretation and why.. but I would have liked an answer to it.
I also think that they should have added scenes with what happened with Yi Chan and Cheong Ah after the accident and Eun Gyeol left.
Another question is does Eun Gyeol remember his life after the time travel like the 18 years of his life when he grew up wealthy?
And how and why did Viva become a time traveller? This is another question left open. But it would have been better to leave him as a mysterious man who helped them.

OMG there are so many questions! But this is a rare kind of drama that makes me forget it's flaws. If I were to take all the flaws into account, the rating would have been much lower.
I kinda knew that it was going to have a 'fate can never be changed' kind of ending. If everything was going to change nothing would have remained the same and there wouldn't have been any guarantee that Yi Chan and Cheong Ah would have ended up togther just because they were dating during high school.

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At least for our Priest boy, it's worth it.

I'm conflicted about how I feel about this now. Thought that I'll be rating this drama lower, but the last 2 eps have changed my opinion completely.


I think, they should have spent more time on world building and other details. This is primarily a fantasy drama, so they should take time for such things. Instead, they dove right into the main plot, leaving those who hadn't read the webtoon (me, for one) at a loss. The first two episodes were as uninteresting as they could be, if not worse. It was frustrating to watch, to be honest. They wasted almost 3 hours and nothing much was going on. The story wasn't moving as strongly as it ought to have. I would have really dropped it if it weren't for the cast and the short run time. I expected this drama to be more impactful and intense. But, something felt missing here and there... Like, the flow of the story was kinda bumpy. But toward the end, the story did get better with the appearance of Goong Tan. The last 2 eps were darn good! And that cliffhanger at the end has me expecting a better and more engaging second season.


Speaking of characters, it was Eun Woo's that spoke to me the most. Sure, Van and Won Mi Ho were good, but they sometimes seemed really boring to me. Mi Ho sure was funny, but she laked depth. She felt too flat or one-dimensional. While Van's character had depth, I couldn't empathise with him, even with his tragic past. He is silent and brooding but, sometimes I get the impressions that he is so full of himself and isn't really feeling guilt as he is said to have. But, I didn't have a single boring or dull moment when our Priest boy came on screen. He literally owned this show, in my opinion. But I'm looking forward to Van's and Mi Ho's character development in the next season (if it does happen).


The cast was fantastic. They made the best of the mediocre scripts they were given. Ki Nam Gil slayed his character, his look is perfect for it. Lee Da Hee was good too, I have no other comments. But Eun Woo! Honestly, I wasn't even his fan before! He was FANTASTIC in this drama! I haven't seen any of his past works, but I think he isn't really as bad at acting as some people make him out to be, or he must have really improved. Mind you, I don't tolerate bad acting even if oppa has a pretty face and defined abs XD. I'm being honest here.


Oh girl, I've lost count of the amount of times I cried laughing while watching this drama's CGI monsters! They were not at all scary, and on the contrary, they were funny enough for comedy genre to be added to this drama! The CGI is an absolute failure. It's so fucking bad that after some good CGI dramas, I really can't accept this one. I might have overlooked this defect if this had a much more interesting story line, but sadly, that isn't the case with Island.


Overall, this is a one-time-watch, for me. I'm not sure if I'll ever come back to this drama (maybe I'll if the 2nd season is a blast). Considering all the aspects, this drama is basically a 7/10.

0.5 points extra in honour of our eye candy priest boy. ;D

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Dumb Shit

After watching this, what I have to say is that either the scriptwriters are total dumbasses or they didn't really mean this to be a sensible drama.

The story is so full of plot holes that even a dumb person can detect them. I enjoyed the first two episodes (or I wouldn't even have finished this). But as the story moved on, it became more and more senseless. I can't really say that this drama is predictable, coz no sane person would expect such idiotic plot twists anyway! Some of the characters' actions made me wonder what the fuck is going on! Like, when a person died, they were so fucking calm! Not even one character had even one active brain cell, they left me speechless. Anyway, I had a good laugh watching this dumb shit.

The cast was excellent, though. They managed to make the most of their scripts and put in performances that would leave audiences laughing even when there was not much substance. They also had good chemistry on screen. But I hope they choose better scripts in the future. This drama is a waste of the actors' talent.

Anyway, talking of chemistry, Off's and Mond's was the best! I wanted more scenes with them. I was almost shipping Sun with one of the three main roles! I hope my poor boy, Mond, will get many main roles in the future (with, of course, better scripts).

Talking of rewatch value, I'd rather not even hear this drama's name again. Overall, this just wasted my precious 5 hours. Honestly, it wasn't even worth watching for the cast. If you wanna watch them, there are some of their better projects out there. This drama is just a solid NO for me.

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LEGENDARY

Not gonna lie, this drama, from script, direction, and acting, up to CGI and editing, was just legendary. But how did this become legendary? This season continues the story where it was left off in the 1st season, which I rated 9.5. So, why did I rate this 8.5 instead?


To be honest, the first season is far superior to this one, and the reason this season has become so successful is clearly due to the first season. Let's look why:

First of all, this lacked the punch of the 1st Part. The 1st Part introduced us to a whole new world, and much time was used to build the lore and the details. This kept us engaged and interested. However, nothing much happened in Part 2, in general. Everything was established in the 1st seasonitself,f and this 2nd part didn't have much twists and turns like the 1st.


The pace of the story was another problem. This problem had been there in the 1st season an well. The starting episodes were amazing, but somehow, after some episodes, it felt like the story was moving downhill. The plot was, like, not moving at all. But they picked up the momentum in the later episodes, nonetheless. Honestly, they could have done the whole drama, I mean, part 1 and 2 together, In just 15 or 20 eps.


This is another issue I've had since the first season. They promised us strong, witty, smart, and brave female characters. However, all we got were sidekicks. Let's take a look at the main female characters in the story:

1. First of all, Naksu/Cho Yeong- I really wanted to see her fighting with her sword again. I wanted her to be like how she had been as Mu Doek. Don't get me wrong, I honestly loved how they separated the real Cho Yeong from the Naksu that Jin Mu created. All I wanted was for her to be as sharp-witted and as quick-witted as her older self. That Naksu was more interesting than the present Cho Yeong. In Part 2, Naksu seemed to be reduced to a one-dimensional, not-that-witty, not-that-smart person who was really only meant to host Jin Bu Yeon's priestess powers and to mend Uk's broken heart.

2. Jin Bu Yeon/Jin Seol Ran - She seemed like just a background character, appearing here and there. She was a character with much potential, but sadly, it was wasted. I would have loved to know more about the time when she was Seol Ran, how she went through what they call the Great Chaos, and all. Also, it was entioned in almost all episodes about how powerful she is. But, pity that we didn't even get a glimpse of it.

3. Maidservent Kim - She had no powers whatsoever. She had been just a mother figure for Uk and a love interest for Park Jin, right from the start to the end. But I did love her, nevertheless.

4. Jin Cho Yeon - She was introduced as one of the Jin clan, with great powers, but we didn't actually get to see even one scene where she was using her powers usefully. Again, she was reduced to just a love interest for Dang Gu.

5. Jin Ho Kyung - Again, another character with great powers. In the end, she couldn't even protect her fortress. I know she was ageing and eventually losing her powers, but when Park Jin didn't have any problems while ageing, why does she?

6. Heo Yoon Ok - Okay, I didn't like her. She wasn't said to have great powers, but what made me dislike her was that she was overcome with jealousy half of the time, going after Uk and attempting to separate him and Naksu in both the 1st and 2nd parts. And her happy ending was jsut seeing someone.

7. So Yi - She was another great character with great potential. I really liked her character. She is one of the strongest female characters in the entire series, in my opinion, whose potential got wasted. She could have been developed into a GREAT character. But...

This drama would have been even better if the FLs were as strong as they were said to be. Now, that's all about the female characters. Let's talk about other problems.


They dragged out the amnesia plot for too long. This is one of those common, clichéd plot lines that I hate. But, if executed well, it could become a masterpiece too. Sadly, this wasn't the case with AoS Part 2. They could have either made Naksu remember it earlier, or made Uk realise that it was Naksu all along. And, when they did realise it, it felt really underwhelming.


I really hated to believe that Uk had finally forgotten about his Naksu/Mu Doek and moved on to fall in love with another woman. I know it was her all along, but I just didn't like the feel of it. That ruined the whole point of this romance, for me.


Underwhelming villain characters - this was one of the main things that bothered me. The villains, especially Jin Mu, all had proper goals and objectives and plans to achieve them, but I felt like they were all acting behind the scenes. I would have liked them to be utilised more and build more tension between them and the heroes. Towards the end, Jin Mu seemed reduced to one of those cartoonish villain charactes with just an evil smile and no brains.


Now, enough with the bad points. Let's start with the good points that make this drama stand out from the rest;

The chemistry:

1. The Crown Prince and the Turtle: We can't help but love the Crown Prince. He was the best character in the entire series for me, and I was rooting for him until the very end. He and our MVP Turtle were truly the best duo in the entire series!

2. Crown Prince and Jang Uk - I really really loved the dynamics between Crown Prince and Ukkie, in the 1st as well as 2nd part. Even though it cannot be considered as a real bromance, I loved it, and I would watch an entire series with just them without any complaint.


The comic relief - I laughed hard enough watching this to add comedy as one of its genres. Those scenes were like breaths of fresh air in an intense plot line.


I loved how they explained the meaning of the title. Jang Uk being the light that protects Cho Yeong and Her being the sadow, embrassing him. It was so endearing!


Acting - DO I NEED TO SAY MORE?? The perforance of the cast was impeccably beautiful. I was initially quite disappointed in the replacement of Jung So Min with Go Yoon Jung, but after the first two episodes, I was convinced that she deserved the role. She really is a gifted actress with great potential. Even though she didin't quite manage to catch So Min's charm, she was great in her own accord.

Jae Wook's performance shook me to the core. He was a new actor to me, and I haven't seen any of his earlier works, but this drama alone is enough for me to make him a part of my list of favourite actors.

I had seen Shin Seoung Ho in A-Teen before, but I didn't even realise it! I figured this out recently, and I'm blown! I hope he gets more great characters like this in the future so that he can showcase his great talent! He really does have an acting genre in him!

All the others did a good job as well. Out of the supporting cast, the one who stands out is Do Sang Woo, who played Yul's uncle. His last scenes as Jin Mu, after the Alchemy of Souls were mind blowing. He nailed it. He really did give off the original Jin Mu's vibes!


Music - The music score and OSTs used in the drama were perfect! It gives us the right vibe for every scenes. Some of the OSTs are still on my Spotify favourites list.


Lastly, I enjoyed most part of it. Even with the slow pace, this is a good watch, nevertheless. I would surely recommend this drama to people who love fantasy and heartbreaking romance, original plot lines, amazing cast and chemistry, etc. This drama is legendary and will live on in my memory.

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One of the best modern c-dramas in the recent years

Among the normal youth c-drama, there might be some dramas with unexpected depth and warmth. Lighter & Princess is one such drama. Great acting, amazing chemistry, good soundtracks, and wonderful cinematography - this drama has everything the audience needs to enjoy it.


Lighter & Princess is adapted from the novel The Lighter and the Princess’ Gown, written by Twentine. The name is taken directly from the story. 'Lighter' symbolizes the ML, Li Xun. He always carries a small lighter along with him, which he got from his father. 'Princess' depicts the FL, Zhu Yun. Li Xun always used to call her Princess and also gifted her a 'princess gown', when they were in college.


L&P proves that rather than an over-the-top plot and dumb comedy, a simple plot and depthy characters are enough to make a drama loved. Lighter & Princess is actually a hard-hitting drama with a slow and subtle plot build. It touches many real life problems as well. The pace of the story was perfect and catchy. The drama started in the present day and shows flashbacks to the past, when the leads were in college and, in Li Xun's case, when he was a high schooler as well. I won't talk much about the plot because of the risk of spoiling something, since the synopsis barely says what actually happens in the drama. The thing about the story that wowed me the most was how everything has a rich backstory. Everything is explained without loopholes. The reason why Li Xun always carries a lighter, why he dyed his hair blonde when he came to college ( yeah, we get to see Chen Fei Yu in blond hair, and believe me, he looks awesome in that! ), and why he always calls Zhu Yun "princess" or "your highness" etc. Everything connects with each other and makes the story beautiful and moving.


The romance in the story is another aspect I liked. Li Xun is an arrogant but brilliant student, who is very much ahead of his class in coding and programming. He was even more gifted and talented than his teacher. He's handsome as hell and attracts many girls, whom he drives away through humiliation. He's always been confident in himself and hasn't had even a bit of self-doubt. Many people admire him for his brilliantness and good looks, but they hate him for his arrogant attitude. He never trusted anyone but himself and always acts like he's the king. He doesn't abide by any rules and thus becomes completely opposite to Zhu Yun's character. Another aspect of the story that I enjoyed was the romance. Li Xun is a conceited but an intelligent student who is well ahead of his peers in coding and programming. One could say tha he I as gifted and talented even more than his teacher. He's  also handsome as hell and attracts a lot of girls, whom he drives away through humiliation. He's always been self-confident and has never had any doubts about himself. Many people admire him for his intelligence and good looks, but they also fear and despise him for his arrogant demeanour. He never trusted anyone but himself and always pretended to be a King. He does not follow any rules and so becomes the absolute opposite of Zhu Yun's character. Zhu Yun is the ideal daughter that any parent would desire. She's beautiful, innocent, and pure as well.


When Zhu Yun first meets Li Xun, despite despising him, she's attracted to him by his carefree personality and confidence as well. As far as she could remember, Zhu Yun had always walked along the path that her mother had paved for her. She hasn't made a single decision for herself before and came to study programming because of her mother as well, not because she likes it. Thus, when he, Li Xun, entered her life, Zhu Yun had an urge to step out and experience life by herself. Because of Li Xun, she even started to have a liking for programming as well. Slowly, she saw herself falling in love with him. Li Xun noticed himself caring for the 'princess', who suddenly barged into his life, giving off warmth in his cold life. The romance was kinda slow burn and we got to watch how they warmed up to each other and dealt with every difficulty together.


The side characters were as interesting as the main characters too. No one felt unnecessary, and everyone had their own individual stories even without much screen time. The side characters were absolutely necessary for the plot. My favorite side character is, of course, Ren Di. I love her personality and how she deals with problems and follows her heart. In a way, she's similar to Li Xun but more open and friendly.


Now let's talk about the acting. I have not watched any works of Zhang Jing Yi or Chen Fei Yu before, but I have heard people say that Fei Yu's acting was lacking in Ever Night, his first drama. I don't know about it, but in this one he was absolutely phenomenal. I like actors who portray emotions through their eyes, and Fei Yu is one like that. He has gotten on my list of favorite actors with just this drama. Just through his gaze, one could decipher what he's feeling. That pain and anger that had been inside him for solong, we could see it. Zhang Jing Yi's performance made it seem like she was born for this role or that the character was made just for her. Her innocent appearance is perfect for the character and makes it believable.


The cinematography in L&P was simply beautiful. Each and every scene was aesthetically pleasing and very pretty to watch. It's rare to see such top notch cinematography in a c-drama, unless it's historical or xianxia.


The songs and background music used in this drama were catchy and very much in sync with the actual drama. I especially liked the song "Fireworks" by Zhou Shen and the opening theme.


Finally, it has been a long time since I properly liked a modern c-drama. I was disappointed in almost all the modern c-dramas I have seen this year. But, thank God, this came to my rescue. I highly recommend this drama to everyone who has been disappointed in the quality of recent modern C-dramas because I'm sure this won't disappoint you!

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A surprisingly wholesome movie

Coming it to think about it, I don't even know why I started this. It was just a whim of mood that I actually started this. I didn't know most of the cast (even if I had heard of them, I had never really watched any of their dramas or movies) and the plot seemed cliché and wasn't remotely tempting. But, now that I finished it, I totally don't regret starting it in the first place!

Honestly, the story isn't anything new and one may come across tons of this kind of storylines in the dramaland, but you won't come across a movie with a better execution of such a storyline that this one. This movie has many of the most over used troups and tags in dramaland like 'first love', 'time skip', 'makeover', 'coming of age' etc. It even has a love square, but it's not frustrating at all! In fact, they make your heart flutter as these helps the leads to come closer to eachother and recognise their love for each other. The way in which Truly and Tsu Tai Yu fell for eachother without even realising it, and when they finially realised it everything was too late... I really loved such cliché parts of the plot! But, had this been a 20+ episode drama, it might have ruined everything. The pace of the story was perfect to evoke a kind of nostalgia in the audience. The story is extremely simple yet so good and this is one of the plus points of this movie!

As I said before, I was unfamiliar with the cast of the drama. The only person I had heard of was Darren Wang and I had watched Jerry Yan's Meteor Garden. That was all.
I rarely get impressed with actings in movies since they are short and don't explore wide varieties of emotions of the actors and actresses. Now, after watching this movies, I'm really tempted to watch other workes of Darren Wang and Vivan Sung! They were truly awesome here! Darren was amazing portraying the bad boy Tsu Tai Yu and Vivan Sung in portraying the clumsy Truy. There were rooms for improvement for Dino Lee and Dewi Chein, but the over all performance form the whole cast was great. Even if Joe Chen and Jerry Yan were just cameo of the adult version of Truly and Tai Yu, I could feel their dynamics with eachother in the last scenes. I really wish it were longer!

Music was great and apt for the scenes. The rewatch value's fairly high too, compared to the ones I have given to other movies.

I don't usually rate dramas or movies 9.5, let alone a movie with a cliché plot. But this somehow is an exception. I can't even explain why I rated in 9.5! It's just my mind and heart telling me to do it even if the brain's not.

Overall, this is a surprisingly wholesome movie with a roller coaster of emotions portrayed It's a highly recommended movie
if you are someone who is past his/her school life for this movie, I believe, would take you back to your childhood days, when you were crushing on a hansome popular boy.

P.S. Don't mind any typos. I tend to have many of them.

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Enchantment + Chemistry + Magic = Alchemy of Souls

There have already been numerous lengthy reviews criticizing and praising this drama. So, I don't think I'll need to write another lengthy one. But I couldn't help but write one for this drama because I needed to make my points about why it's so good and deserves what it's getting. I'll try to keep this brief and to the point, but please forgive me if it gets out of hand. : D

Alchemy of Souls is a Studio Dragon and High Quality action + fantasy k-drama written by the Hong sisters (Hong Jung Eun and Hong Mi Ran) and directed by Park Joon Hwa. I'll give you a quick summary of the story:

The story takes place in Daeho, a fictional land centred on Lake Gyeongcheondaeho, where mages with the ability to control vast amounts of energy from the lake live. The plot revolves around our heroine, Naksu, the Shadow Assassin, who is regarded as a major threat to Daeho's mages. A situation arises that forces Naksu to perform the Alchemy of Souls, a forbidden magical art that allows a person to transfer their soul to another person's body. Sadly, she becomes trapped in the body of Mu Deok, a mysterious girl. Her weak body prevents her from using her abilities. Then she meets Jang Uk, the young master Jang, who is considered one of Daeho's 'Four Seasons' (Winter), along with Seo Yul (Autumn), Jin Cho Yeon (Spring), and Park Dang Gu (Summer). Jang Uk had been looking for a master who could teach him how to use spells since he was forbidden to do so from birth, which caused many scandals. Naksu agrees to teach Uk  because the deal benefits Naksu as well. Then, they work together to achieve their goals and uncover dark secrets buried deep in Daeho's history.

So, that's what the story is about.


Now, I'll focus on the plus points and short comings of the drama and justify why AoS deserves the rating I have given it.

PROS:

*AoS has an amazing story line. It's new and original. The Hong sisters created a whole new world with their imagination. The whole thing is new to us, and we can't help but watch it.

*The plot is so very intriguing with its twists and turns. The way each revelation is made is gripping. It always succeeded in keeping me on the edge of my seat! I can justify that because you'll be left with many questions as the 1st part ends. My mind is burning to know everything!

*The characters in this drama are as intriguing as the plot. They are three-dimensional and multi-faceted. We can see that the characters are built with great care so that they remain true to their original selves till the very end of the drama.

*Another positive aspect of the drama is the chemistry between the characters. Whatever their relationship was, all of the characters on screen seemed to have amazing chemistry with each other.

*The plot did justice to all of the drama's genres, whether it's comedy, action, suspense, or fantasy. The comedic scenes, particularly those between Mu Deok and the Crown Prince, were fantastic! I laughed quite a few times. The action scenes in this drama were excellent too! I liked it very much!

*The complex CGI used in this drama is spectacular! We can't take our eyes off the screen because it's so stunning! This was a visual treat to watch.

*It was a pleasure to watch the cast's acting! The majority of the cast delivered outstanding performances. They made the characters seem real. They made us feel their emotions and live with them, especially the main characters. Actually, this is my first Jung Su Mo and Lee Jae Wook drama. But this single drama has made me fall in love with them! I was astounded by Jung Su Mo's ability to portray so many different personas with so many different expressions! Lee Jae Wook was also fantastic! Despite being a relatively new actor, he seemed to outperform veteran actors! Hwang Min Hyun and Shin Seung Ho's performances have also impressed me. They both played quite difficult characters, and they nailed it! Yoo In Soo, of course, is the person who has most impressed me. I saw him in All Of Us Are Dead, where he played a very different character than he did here. To be more specific, the two characters were like night and day! The majority of the other leads have also done well. Let's give them all a standing ovation!!!

*Another thing I liked about this drama is how different it is from other wuxia dramas. Men with long wigs and women with complex hairstyles are common in Wuxia dramas. But, here, most men here have short hair and various hairstyles, whereas most women have modern hairstyles such as bangs, short hair, and so on. Some of the characters even have coloured hair! At first, I was annoyed by this, but then I realised that the variety makes this drama more memorable. *This drama's sound effects are undeniably beautiful. It provided me with the right vibes for each scene. The OSTs were all excellent as well! Scars Leave Beautiful Traces and You Are Everything To Me are some of the drama's most memorable OSTs.


CONS:

I'm not denying the drama's flaws. Everything has some drawbacks. Some of the things in the drama that irritated me the most were:

*Excessive scene repetition. After all, we are not idiots. We don't have such a bad memory that we need to be reminded of what happened every time something is mentioned.

*Another undeniable flaw in the drama is the underutilization of the female lead, Nak Su. She was introduced as a badass fl, but she was gradually reduced to being the ML's love interest only. Perhaps we'll see more of Nak Su in the coming season. So let us just wait.

*There are undeniably a lot of romantic elements in this drama. They could have given it less screen time and instead focused on improving the drama's other flaws.

*During the middle of the drama, there were numerous filler episodes. During that time, nothing actually happened. This has also turned off a lot of people. They could have finished this in 15 or 16 episodes.

*Another undeniable con of the drama is its underusing of the female lead, Nak Su. She was introduced as a badass fl but, slowly, she was sidelined to being the ML's love interest only. Maybe we'll get to see more of Nak Su in the next season. So let's wait.

*Undeniably, there are more than enough romantic elements in this drama. They could have given less screen time for it and instead focused on improving the other lacking aspects of the drama.


Overall:

I don't think I have anything more to say about the drama, but I can say confidently that this has become one of my favourite dramas, which will live on in my memory for the rest of my life. Hope this review has justified the drama.
If you like fantasy, action or adventure, this drama is highly recommended. The time invested will be worthwhile.  Let's all look forward to the Part 2 of the drama and get the answers for all our questions!

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Not sure...

Immortal Samsara is the first Xianxia that I'm rating so low. I mean, I usually rate them a 9 or above because they are worth it. To be honest, Immortal Samsara was even one of my most anticipated dramas of 2022, mainly because of the cast. But, in this case, I'm not able to do so. There are many reasons for this, which I'll be explaining in the review.


THE STORY

This drama is adapted from a novel Chen Xiang Ru Xie (沉香如屑), which literally translates as Agarwood Like Crumbs, by Su Mo. The drama is a typical eternal love story portrayed in Xianxias. There is not much difference and it has great similarity to Ashes of Love (even the kisses are similar!). FL and ML are dieties in the heavenly realm who fall in love, where their love is forbidden and opposed. They'll be hurting as well as sacrificing for each other because of their love. They'll also have love rivals on both sides who constantly stir up trouble and try to make them fall apart. Then, for some reason (mostly because of those love rivals), they will go to the mortal realm, fall in love again, and one of them will realize that they fell in love for the second time with the same person who hurt them before. But, they can't hold off their love and realize how deeply the love has been rooted in their hearts, etc. etc.. This is the common story arc of Xianxias, which is again repeated here. The only difference is that they fall in love a little too early, i.e., the drama is fast paced. I'm honestly bored out of my skull by these kinds of stories! True, there were many new elements in the story which should have made the story much more interesting, but the love story of the main lead is a total let down. But, towards the end, it seems that their story is taking an interesting turn. Fingers crossed for an interesting part 2!

A good thing about the story is the side couples. Many may not give much attention to side couples but, here, they are very hard to ignore because, somehow, I've got a feeling that they have a better love story than that of the main couple!

Note: The story has a lot of time jumps and flashbacks, and therefore, it may seem a bit confusing.


THE CHARACTERS

The male lead, Lord Ying Yuan/Tang Zhou, is not so different either. The typical handsome and cold-and-aloof-on-the-outside-but-warm-inside type of high diety/cultivator whom everyone looks up to and fairies are head over heels for. The FL has the slightest difference: she is not the usual dump girl who doesn't know what love is or the clumsy, not-so-intelligent pretty face. Yan Dan here is much more mature, witty, and strong. She has great willpower and knows how to love. That was refreshing to watch.

All Xianxias come with at least a love triangle, or should I say, an obsession triangle lol. Anyway, it's a square in this case. But, the SML, Yu Mo, is not so obsessed with Yan Dan here (he truly loves her!). In turn, it was Fairy Ying Deng who was obsessed with Ying Yuan.

Another thing is that it is the ML who usually suffers the most in these kinds of dramas. But, it's not the case here. Both Ying Yuan/Tang Zhou and Yan Dan suffer endlessly. Sometimes, it's a bit hysterical to watch, but it's immensely satisfying to see that pain and misery are not biased towards one lead XD


ACTING AND CAST

I don't think I'll have to talk about the cast. This drama sure has a star-studded cast, which will compel you to watch the drama no matter what. They were the main reasons why I held on to this drama till the end. If you are a usual watcher of Xianxia/Wuxia dramas, you'd probably notice many familiar faces throughout the cast.

Cheng Yi, the God of Blood-spitting, finally has a lot less blood-spitting scenes in a drama. I'm happy but somehow sad too. He was so hot during those scenes with some red lipstick! Taking about his acting, I have nothing much to say. He is as awesome as ever! And so is Yang Zi. If you have watched at least one of their historical dramas, you'll understand their excellence and the quality of their acting.

Yang Zi and Cheng Yi can make chemistry with whomever they are paired with, but, in this case, it's even more so! They can't be more compatible as a bickering couple!


MUSIC

The music in Xianxia dramas is always so pleasing! They always give the right feeling in the right situation!

Some of the notable OSTs in this drama are:
Agarwood (沉香) by Jane Zhang and Jackson Zhang
World Records (红尘录) by Jackson Zhang
Watch the Day (望辰) by Yang Zi
Forget the River (忘川) by Cheng Yi
Partial Star (偏星) by Jane Zhang
Never Forget (无忘) by Zhang Lei


OVERALL

If you ask me if this drama is worth watching, I'd probably reply no, because it's not. You'll know this is definitely not the best Xianxia, nor is it any different from other Xianxias. Actually, it's even worse. But, it's definitely worth a try at least for the cast. Anyhow, I doubt if this would be a good watch if you really did try.

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Love as vast as the Milky Way

Love Like The Galaxy was one of my most anticipated c-dramas of 2022. Because of China's new rule that dramas cannot exceed 40 episodes, the drama is divided into two parts with 27 and 29 episodes each. I had high hopes for this drama because of its star-studded cast and intriguing storyline, and it did not disappoint!

STORY AND CHARACTERS

Love Like The Galaxy is based on the novel 'The Stars are Brilliant, Fortunately Even Wow,' written by an author going by the pen name 'Guan Xin Le Luan,' who also wrote the novel that was adapted into the popular historical C-drama 'The Story of Minglan.'

Love Like The Galaxy is a story about love and its importance in all aspects of life. Insecurity and vulnerability can result from a lack of love. This was the case with Cheng Shao Shang. 

Cheng Shao Shang is the daughter of Colonel Cheng Shi and Xiao Yun Xi. Her parents left her behind after her birth to fight in the war. She was raised by her grandmother and her scheming aunt into what was supposedly a good-for-nothing. However, she is not a useless person. She pretended to be ridiculous and absurd but was extra cautious and meticulous to protect herself. The lack of parental love, as well as lack of love from those who raised her, made her think that there were more people who despised her than loved her, and this made her feel unsafe. She does, however, have an amazing brain and enjoys building things. She is not at all ladylike. This adds to the intrigue of her character. She longed for her parents to return from the war so she could live a happy and carefree life, but she had no idea that they would never be a family again because of their estrangement from one another. Despite the fact that her brothers and father immediately loved her, her mother, Xiao Yun Xi, was slightly annoyed by her un-ladylike behaviour and took to regulating her. This did not sit well with Shao Shang. She was obstinate, just like her mother. She despised being regulated or mocked and seeing others bullied. With her amazing wits, she is always ready to fight back against anyone. She is always willing to harm herself in order to help others. She is honest and admits her mistakes, even if it means getting punished. However, this does not mean she did not attempt to avoid punishment. Once, she even ran away from her home to avoid punishment!

This drama also shows the importance of expressing our feelings honestly and openly, because you may not get another chance if you don't seize the one you have. This was the case with Ling Bu Yi.

Ling Bu Yi is the emperor's adopted son. Ling Zi Sheng is his courtesy name. He is a General who is attempting to uncover the conspiracy behind what happened in the past. Ling Bu Yi is an efficient officer with a strong sense of duty. He is both passionate and menacing. He also has sharp wits and is not easily fooled. In some ways, the female and male leads are similar: they are both extremely stubborn and witty. He is cold and ruthless, and he rarely smiles. He regretted not expressing his feelings for Shao Shang because of his introverted and commanding personality. He was unable to express his feelings for Shao Shang because of his introverted and imposing personality. He did not seize his opportunity, instead allowed others to do so. Bu he is not like this when it comes to his job. He never leaves a coin unturned and alway seizes all evidences he can get.

CAST AND THEIR CHEMISTRY

This drama reunites Leo Wu and Zhao Lusi, who previously worked together on the drama 'The Long Ballad,' though not as a CP. Zhao Lusi and Leo Wu did an excellent job portraying the characters they were given in this drama. They convey the characters' complex emotions beautifully and sincerely, taking great care not to leave anything out.

It is common knowledge that Zhao Lusi has incredibe chemistry with who ever she is paired with. But, this drama is evidently a slow-burn and therr isn't much progress between Cheng Shao Shang and Ling Bu Yi in this part 1. But, even though they didn't have many interactions in the first few episodes, we can still sense their chemistry. And it grows even more with each episode. Furthermore, their interaction appears to be natural and realistic and the tension between them is interesting to watch. 

WHAT I LIKED:

We are promised a very entertaining and enjoyable show from the beginning of the drama. One of its strengths is the occasional comedic scene. At times, it may appear that this show is even more comedic than a true comedy drama!

The drama begins on a lighter note and stays that way until episode 10. This helps the audience in understanding the flow of the story and getting to know the characters well. Unlike in other historical c-dramas, the numerous characters are not introduced right away. On the contrary, this drama introduces the characters at a slow but not too slow pace. As a result, there is little to no chance of the audience becoming confused.

Each role is meticulously portrayed so that the audience can visualise them alive. The characters are three-dimensional and multi-faceted. The screenwriters have done an incredibly good job.

The drama's cinematography and costumes are both fantastic. The colour grading in scenes such as the lantern festival and the aftermath of the battle with the bandits leaves a lasting imprint on the viewers.

The music in this drama is fantastic! The music scoring used corresponds to the situation and atmosphere of the scene in which it is played. The final theme song, 'Splendid Stars,' is very soothing and pleasant. The music and songs help the audience get into the mood and feel of the drama.

WHAT I DISLIKED:

There are not much things I disliked. But, here are the two things that annoys me the most:

The lack of interaction between the main characters and some of the other characters causes the characters to feel distant at times. The main characters require more interaction because that is what we as viewers expect from a drama. Hopefully, we'll see more of it in the 2nd part of the drama. There are another 29 spisodes to quench our thirst!

There are too many irritating characters in this drama, such as Cheng Shao Shang's aunt and grandmother, as well as some other female characters who constantly irritate Shao Shang or  who have feelings for Ling Bu Yi. Even though these characters are common in dramas, they are abundant here! Even Cheng Shao Shang's mother can be annoying at times! Thankfully, they only little screen time! However, we are indebted to them in some ways because they were the source of some sweet moments between Shao Shang and Ling Bu Yi that almost made me swoon.

OVERALL

With its occasional comedic scenes and small twists and turns, as well as its star-studded and talented cast, their wonderful chemistry, and amazing cinematography and music, this drama sure can keep you fully immersed in it, making one unable to escape. I can give this drama a strong 9 out of 10, taking everything in accordance. The only reason I knocked off a point from it's rating is indeed because of the lack of interaction between the leads. Hopefully, it get better in the next part!

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Another breath of fresh air from Japan's part!

Japan has recently been providing the fantastic BLs that we all yearn for. Their plots are consistently unique and captivating. Old Fashion Cupcake was like that. This is a story of love between a boss and an employee. It's not the typical cliched office romance plot we have always seen. This is one of the most mature, realistic, and endearing love stories I've ever seen. I can't believe they managed to fit such a heartwarming and endearing love story into just five episodes!

On the one hand, there is 29-year-old Togawa, who aspires to live a regret-free and purposeful life. The 39-year-old Nozue, on the other hand, believes he is too old to try anything new and goes through life in a cycle of sleeping, waking up, and going to work. However, things changed as they went to a pancake shop. From that point on, Togawa had been seducing Nouze covertly under the disguise of helping with anti-aging treatment, deepening their relationship.

The leads had good chemistry together. They seemed so exceptional and natural. Watching their interactions and conversations was fun. I adored the way Togawa seduced Nozue and made the most of the anti-aging procedure. This drama was very satisfying all around. Every single second of it was enjoyable for me. It doesn't happen all the time, but sometimes I feel like I want more! I'm hoping that Japan will continue to make such unusual BLs like these.

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Hei-Bai Feng Xi, a match made in heaven!

Who Rules The World (WRTW) is a Wuxia drama with all those things a Wuxia should have. This drama follows Hei Feng Xi and Bai Feng Xi, two great martial artists who travel the world and ultimately join forces with those who wish to conquer the world in order to make it a better place.

Who Rules The World is based on Qing Ling Yue's (倾泠月) novel of the same name, "Qie Shi Tian Xia" ((=且试天下). In 2007, this was one of the best-selling novels. This play contains numerous aspects, all of which are in such perfect proportion that none bear upon another, and none feels extraneous.

As I  have said, this drama revolves around the Hei-Bai Feng Xi pair.  Hei is the Chinese word for black, whereas Bai is the Chinese word for white. They may be identified by the colour of their clothes, which match their names.

Hei Feng Xi is the Foundain Abode's Head and one of the Four Gentries. Bai Feng Xi is a Tianshuang sect heroine who is characterized in the drama as "as beautiful as she is lethal." Both are unrivaled in skill and beauty. Bai Feng Xi is unrestrained and carefree, whereas Hei Feng Xi is exquisite and indifferent. Even though everyone believes they are rivals for greatness, they are actually quite good friends, and wherever Bai Feng Xi is, Hei Feng Xi will be there too. Although, they are described as opposite attracts, they feel quite similar, like inseperable sides of a single coin.

However, in reality, both Hei Feng Xi and Bai Feng Xi are the prince and princess of Yongzhou and Qingzhou, Feng Lanxi and Feng Xiyun, respectively. While Bai Feng Xi's family is aware of her dual identities, Hei Feng Xi had to feign illness and learn martial arts in secret. Bai Feng Xi studied martial arts because she was uninterested in politics and desired to live a carefree life. Feng Lanxi, initially, began practising martial arts to protect himself, but his goal evolved from saving the people to eventually ruling the world.

Feng Qiwu is the Chief of the Feng family and one of Yongzhou's Ministers. She assists Lanxi in managing his two identities and concealing the truth from Lanxi's father, the Lord of Yongzhou. She had a crush on Lanxi initially, but it faded as she realised Lanxi's love for Fengxi.

Huang Chao is Jizhou's heir. He is also a member of the Four Gentries. He is almost usually accompanied by Yu Wuyuan, the Finest of the Four Gentries. He also intends to rule the globe with the assistance of Yu Wuyuan.


Things I enjoyed:


I absolutely like how Hei Feng Xi and Bai Feng Xi are created equal and how they keep that throughout the show. It was believable and impressive. Also, many amazing elements in this drama left me speechless, such as the meanings of the characters' names. Lanxi, for example, literally means "breath of orchid." This is significant since the orchids in this state flowered around the time Lanxi was born. He even made Bai Fengxi an orchid garden. The novel's author, who was sadly not there for the drama's screenplay, deserves all credit for this.

Yang Yang and Zhao Lusi were excellent choices for the roles! They nailed it with their acting abilities and did not disappoint me in the least. This drama provided them with an excellent opportunity to demonstrate their versatility in portraying a wide variety of emotions, which they did admirably. Despite her background in rom-coms, Lusi was able to play the serious side of her role and successfully drew the audience to herself. Yang Yang in a historical drama was something I was hoping to witness. He was excellent at portraying both the elegant Hei Feng Xi and the mysterious Feng Lan Xi. One of his strongest strengths is his ability to blend emotions of his character and make them memorable.

Many recognisable faces appear in the supporting cast, including Xuan Lu, Leon Lai, and Lui Rui Lin. If you've seen at least one of their dramas, you'll know that they're the best supporting actors a Wuxia drama can offer!

To be honest, the characters of Yang Yang and Lusi appeared to me to be brother and sister at first. At one point, I even shipped Bai Fengxi with Qiwu, who had such a deep relationship with each other that he seemed to be a third wheel in a scene with them and Lanxi! But I was confident that these two outstanding actors could sort out their connection over time, and I was not wrong. Their chemistry is one of the greatest I've witnessed in C-drama land to date.

Of course, I enjoyed the romance here as well. This was one of the sweetest and most endearing love stories I've ever seen. I like how they are portrayed as partners rather than lovers, with whom you can talk about everything. I like how they support one another throughout the show. Of course, the relationship was typical, but there were no unneeded misunderstandings, immature outbursts, or jealousy. Their love was shown without altering their genuine personalities, which is exactly as it should be!

I was also pleased to see the FL and SFL form a friendship rather than a love rivalry. I'm relieved that they didn't add a love triangle. That may have taken the pleasure out of the presentation by emphasising the romantic aspect and making the proportion of the elements in this imbalanced. The cinematography and choreography were both fantastic. This show features some impressive battle sequences that will leave you awestruck. Despite being jerky at the beginning, the CGI and editing were mostly good.


Things I didn't quite like or enjoy:


I was a little bewildered at the start because I hadn't read the novel and didn't know about the Empryean Token or the six states of Dadong. They should have been explained briefly in the first episode. For me, the last 2-3 episodes felt hurried, and the fight with the main antagonist seemed to be cut short. Some sections in between the drama felt disjointed, making it difficult to follow the main arc.

The revelation scene that Bai Feng Xi was the Feng Xiyun princess was a letdown because it didn't produce the expected effects and explotions. Even Lanxi didn't appear startled! Although the main villain was decently portrayed, there should have been more time for him to develop so that we, the viewers, could better comprehend him.

That's all.

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Sometimes, you may need to believe in magic to get through dark times and make your life colorful. 

The Sound of Magic is based on Ha Il Kwon's (하일권) webtoon "Annarasumanara" (안나라수마나라). This was one of many dramas I was looking forward to in 2022, and I had high hopes for it. I'm pleased to say that my expectations were not crushed, and that it delivered far more than I expected.


This drama is about a high school girl named Yoon Ah Yi who is struggling to support herself and her sister. Her mother had abandoned her, and her father, who was in debt and had fled to make money. She had to work part-time to make ends meet. Despite having many adult responsibilities, she always managed to get good grades and was near the top of the school. She believed that poverty was the cause of her misery and her ambition was to become an adult as soon as possible and to acquire more wealth.


One fateful day, on her way home from work with her earnings, her money flies and flies and takes her to an abandoned amusement park, where she meets the mysterious magician of rumours, Ri Eul. The rumour was that the park is home to a handsome magician who performs real magic and will ask anyone who visits if they believe in magic. He asked Ah Yi the same question, and the terrified girl ran back to her house. Then they had numerous encounters, which helped him gradually gain her trust. But she still didn't believe in magic, which she thought was childish and that the fleeting joy it provided couldn't change the harsh reality. But, as the end approached, she began to believe in the magician and his magic, which also led her to believe in herself.


Yoon Ah Yi had a rival at school, Na Il Deung, whom she always beat in maths alone. They were in the same class and shared a desk. Il Deng always followed in his parents' footsteps and studied hard not to disappoint them. But, after meeting the Magician, whom he initially did not believe and even resented, he realises how trapped he is. He shows him how cold and dark the path he is on is. Il Deung has feelings for Ah Yi as well.


The mysterious aura surrounding this magician holds us spellbound, making the drama really interesting, and because the magician's true identity was concealed until the end, he poses many questions, even questioning whether all of this magic was truly real. When I first started watching the drama, I was concerned that the story would be weak because there are only six episodes. But this is completely false. The story and script were both intriguing and fascinating! It had the potential to keep viewers guessing about what would happen next.


As a musical, this drama worked well. The drama's start took me by surprise! For a brief moment, I almost mistook this for an Indian film disguised as a Korean drama, because the characters were singing and dancing, as is common in Indian films. In any case, the musical aspect was not perfect because some of the songs felt awkward in their creation and placement. But I really liked the music and the lyrics, which were some of the most meaningful and thought-provoking. Furthermore, the majority of the sound tracks were sung by the leads themselves, making them feel more realistic when the characters sing them.


Should I really bring up the cast? They were, as expected, fantastic! True, there are some scenes that made us cringe in between the songs, but overall, they were fantastic! Ji Chang Wook's performance was the one I most enjoyed. He captured Ri Eul's mysterious aura as well as his childishness.


The visual effects were incredible and mesmerizing! The scenes with the blue butterfly fluttering around are especially lovely. I couldn't take my eyes off the screen because they were so beautiful. This exceeded my expectations!


Finally, I really enjoyed this drama as a whole (very typical of a Netflix drama). Anyone can watch this drama in a single sitting without becoming bored.

P.S. May be edited afterwards.

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Little things left unnoticed may mean very much to you

I've been looking forward to this drama since I heard about it because of its star-studded cast and the victory of the original novel, "Don't Fall in Love With the Boss" (才不要和老板谈恋爱) by Ye Fei Ran (叶斐然), which I haven't read.

This drama is told from the perspective of Qian Wei (Song Zu Er), a twenty-eight-year-old woman who was unable to write the exam to become a qualified lawyer for some reason. She now works as an assistant to Lu Xun (Hunag Zi Tao, aka Z. Tao), a former law school classmate. She saw him as an enemy, a rival who made her life as uncomfortable and difficult as possible, even back in college, when he used to beat her in everything she did. She also had an ex, Li Chong Wen, who was her law school senior.

She is involved in an accident that puts her in a coma one day. During this time, she fantasises about returning to her adolescent self, where she knows exactly what will happen. She seizes this opportunity to change her life. She plans her life to be exactly how she wants it to be. She works even harder to reclaim the things she lost to Lu Xun and swears she will never date her ex again. But something went wrong with her plan, and she fell in love with her very rival's younger self, Lu Xun, without realising it.

She awakens from her coma one day, torn between her perfect life in her dream world and the reality. Most importantly, she has lost her lover, Lu Xun, and is unsure whether he is still in love with her. However, she learns from her doctor that what happened in her dreams could be true because her subconcious brain may develop stories that people tell her while she is in coma. She then embarks on her quest to discover whether Lu Xun is truly in love with her.

I expected the typical office romance based on the title, but I was pleasantly surprised by the story's twists and turns. It was both strangely satisfying and entertaining. With their outstanding acting, the cast also contributed significantly to the success of this drama.

Song Zu Er, who plays the female lead, Qian Wei, performed admirably and convincingly in her role. Her acting is natural and adorable, and she can perfectly capture and execute each and every emotion of the character she is given.

When it came to Z.Tao, he was as charming as ever. Please do not avoid this drama because of his hair! He is, without a doubt, one of the best Chinese actors I've seen in a long time. Anyway, I think he looks better with his hair down.

The chemistry between the leads was fantastic! Much of the drama's great praise was directed at its two leads, who proved in this romantic comedy that they were more than just pretty faces.

One thing that I liked about this drama is that all the characters have their own stories to say and are independent of the main leads. They all have their own struggles to deal with and their own lives to live. Even though there was a love triangle in this drama, it was not chaotic or complicated, which improved my opinion of it.

The depiction of love, both romantic and the kind we feel for our family and friends, was excellent! I was moved to tears at times because it touched my heart.

What I liked:
# Unique plot line and its execution
# Good cast and their acting
# Well developed characters
# Independent side characters
# Uncomplicated love triangle
# Effortlessly humorous

What I disliked:
I have nothing to say except for Lu Xun's hair.

Final Thoughts

This is a fantastic college/office rom-com that has raised the bar for similar dramas. This is a fluffy romance show that is perfect for people looking for drama with a unique story line and an amazing cast. I would recommend this drama to anyone who is looking for a lighthearted drama that will make them laugh and cry at the same time.

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Life's twists and turns can be unexpected.

I chose this drama because of its unique concept. This drama takes place in a world where cisgender men can give birth as well. This concept initially creeped me out. But then I thought, "Why not?" So, I decided to give it a try. And I’m so glad I did. 

The drama is one-of-a-kind and extremely well-executed. The story raises awareness about a variety of issues that should be taken seriously, as well as teaches us some valuable lessons:

1. The roles that a man and woman "should" take on when having and raising a child. Is it really required? Should there be a division of responsibilities?

2. This refers to the difficulties that a person faces when preparing to give birth, whether it is a man or a woman.

3. It also teaches us the importance of staying true to ourselves and how it shapes who we are.

4. Last but not least, the implementation of transgender people's pressures. This is not said directly, but this sure magnifies this. People should accept and value a transgender's individuality. Transgender discrimination, in my opinion, should be considered a crime punishable by law.

All of the actors and actresses in this drama are excellent. But, in particular, for the male lead, who played the pregnant Hiyama Kentaro. He was a perfect fit for the character.

This is unquestionably a must-see. This may not be much of an entertainer for some, but it does provide us with a glimpse of the reality faced by trans men, but from the perspective of an ordinary man. I wholeheartedly recommend this drama to anyone and everyone.

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Started of interesting but, went downhill halfway.

I'm confused. That's what I've got to say after watching this ridiculous show! The first half was sufficiently unique and well-executed to pique my interest. The second half, on the other hand, was just a bunch of crap! I'm not sure what to say about it. It was a complete waste of time on my part.


The word "grid" literally means "a network of lines that cross each other," as explained in the first episode of the drama. The horizontal and vertical lines that help us locate points on a map are also referred to as Grid. On the other hand, Grid is a shield created with artificially expanded magnetic fields that protects the Earth from potentially harmful solar winds in this drama. This was the aspect that piqued my interest the most. I was excited to learn more about this, but it turns out that this concept isn't very important in this drama. It's all about the "Ghost," the person who came from the future to create the Grid, and the people who live to catch her (Kim Sae Hae, Jung Sae Byeok, and the whole of the Administration Bureau). What I don't understand is why the "Ghost" couldn't simply go back to the future instead of lurking in the past. This would have saved the Administration Bureau a lot of trouble!


Grid had a lot of potential, but the main issue with this crap is that the drama that began as science fiction devolved into fantacy. I'm referring to time travel when I say fantasy. (Some may think this is science fiction, but I think it's fantasy because time travel isn't possible in the real world and science can't explain it.) Another issue is that the ending was rushed as well as open-ended, which is something I despise in dramas, especially when they are science fiction. The ending was extremely upsetting and seemed to be out of place with the rest of the story. The addition of a new character at the last minute, as well as the final scene (which I won't reveal because it would be a major spoiler), added to the complexity and raised numerous questions.


The plot's pacing, as well as the length of the drama, had some defects. They could have extended the runtime to explain everything in detail so that we, the audience, didn't have any problems understanding. This would have improved the drama's appeal and popularity. I also wish there had been more information about the Grid and solar winds.


The acting was excellent, and the actors gave it their all with the script they were given. But, in my opinion, this drama does not deserve them. But, now that I think about it, I would have dropped this one if they weren't there as well. The drama's rich background music contributed significantly to the drama's overall mood. This is a positive aspect of the drama.


Finally, I wouldn't recommend this drama to anyone, anyone even if they like sci-fi. This drama would not satisfy anyone. Because of the first half and the acting, I've given this drama a 7. Otherwise, I would have given it a lower rating. Don't waste your time with this. There are better stuff out there.

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