Best cdrama ever!
Best cdrama ever for romance without the stupid stupid breakups, idiotic manipulative exes, and a FL who isn’t a childish baby voice and actually a nice mature young lady. The chemistry is something else and the kissing scenes plus bonus 😎 are 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥Of course it wouldn’t be a drama without some stupid drama and I guess the budget didn’t stretch to police uniforms lol because on the couple occasions it called for it, it was nowhere to be seen. However we can excuse this nonsense because the rest of the show is just beautiful. OST & cinematography was fantastic.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Had so much potential to be a 10 star
Things I loved:Music! Incredible- sadly can't seem to find the OST.
Main Lead fantastic, perfectly portrayed the idol star
Chemistry - on one hand this was really great between the main leads.
Character ARC for ML.
Things that took it from a 10 to an 8:
Pacing - this drama could have easily been cut in half. I love that friendship develops first but it dragged and dragged.
Chemistry- there were so many moments that we could have gotten a reaction to their inner feelings of attraction/love but it never came.
First kiss is in one of the last episodes.
FL behavior is ridiculous as the story progresses she becomes more silly. The constant rejection or flinching away was believable in the beginning, as ML is a joker. But once it becomes clear he loves her, she is still doing it
FL kissing is frozen.
This drama would have absolutely killed it had they come together faster, leaned into the great chemistry that the actors had, and more scenes post getting together of working thru the issues of star/manager/voice problems/industry/hostage taking as a proper couple.
The side story of the bestie falling in love with 2ML was easily erasable.
How was it OK for Xu have a relationship but not for the 2ML. So many plot holes.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
We all could have written a better ending
Aghh so hard to rate this an 8 but I’m doing it anyway, this show was so good and then derailed big time. Why oh why oh why do you dumb writers do this. Dynamite Kiss did the same thing. Don’t need to try to act clever, just send her home and give us 3 episodes oh how she went back to get to know him and now hes here or something. This was on track to be a solid 9 for me, but best I can do is 7.5. I love these leads and all their shows. This just made me mad. Was so weird!!!I dunno, what the point of it was once we hit the first proposal-the whole plot stopped plotting and from then on, it didn’t stay true to what we had just watched 3/4 of the show. It’s like the writer was just like “now what” and pulled rando ideas out of a hat.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Passionately in love what now? Not at all
I dropped this after multiple kiss scenes that were zero kissing.Please China stop casting girls who refuse to kiss in your romance dramas. Like minimal kissing is ok when the story is written well, but cutting away when a kiss is about to start and giving us the sky or a tree and then expecting us to feel and chemistry or sizzle, um no, it died a sudden death.
The story isn’t even strong. It’s been a struggle to even watch up to this point, I don’t want to even waste my time any more because thats what this feels like. I total waste of time. Even the ML can’t salvage this one. Disaster drama.
Dropped.
Was this review helpful to you?
Beautiful Secrets, Wonderful Lies
98 episodes of extremely depressing and miserable content. Everyone is lying at some point even the 2 leads who hide information at times. I don’t think we saw any kind of beautiful or wonderful live until the final 2 episodes which means, this show is overvaluing itself lol. Jin Woo is my favourite and his character is hilarious as the show develops.The mothers all need to do one, I don’t think I’ve been as annoyed at 3 grown women as I have in this show. Especially the blomde witch. The writers seemed to be trippin all over the place, logic was thrown out the window. Don’t get me started on the hospital staff, like hello do you do your job or do the relatives do it for you?!!!
I was so frustrated throughout this drama I was about to give it 1 star but I bumped it to 6 for my guy getting a happy ending.
Was this review helpful to you?
Great visuals, romance is flat
I love everything this actor does, and one thing he does incredibly is bring the chemistry with the way he interacts, looks and kisses his FLs. Sadly though that didn’t show up. But honestly I kind of expected. This FL is pretty much frozen fish. You can imply chemistry all you want but it didn’t show up here, which, since the premise of this whole show is romance-impacts the plausibility of the entire thing.I’m not really quite sure why comments are calling the ex toxic? I felt for him almost the minute we discover the reason for the break up. Naturally there is frustration at his lack of communication and honesty, but they do a massive disservice to those who are struggling with mental health issues by villianising him. That felt really uncomfortable.If they wanted to make him a part of the plot there should have been more development there, and some growth, instead we get one scene where she continues to just be mad.
The length of the drama probably leads to the under development of too many sub plots. I almost feel grateful they tied up the bestie relationship because I was started to feel that might drop off too. Bestie was the best part of this show, she had such a well written role.
At the length of the “Soundtrack” dramas, you can’t really go beyond a couple plots-and Soundtracks do that expertly. They have all the sexual tension and simple plot. This one had beautiful wide cinematography and a OST that hits Sh**ting Stars vibes, but I felt almost nothing with the romance, the hugs the frozen kisses made it real hard for our ML to make up the difference.
Disappointed honestly-the ratings are high but I can’t give it more than 7.5.
Was this review helpful to you?
Almost made it
Got hooked with this actor while watching My Lethal Man. He was absolutely incredible in that show and I was shocked when I discovered how young he was, he for sure had my convinced he was a seasoned actor in his 30’s. Was disappointed with the next release and dropped it, so was really hopeful for this one to be better. It was, but only so far. I’m starting to think he just got real lucky with an awesome script and Director for My Lethal Man.The length of this drama is thankfully short for a cdrama. There are moments where it lags, and plenty of plot holes. It’s watchable, I had high hopes, but I was still confused at almost the halfway point, and that’s not a good look.
Asthetically well matched, the casting was spot on for the leads, but they didn’t quite hit the mark with the chemistry sadly. I did appreciate the realistic kisses and behavior once in a relationship (often that falls flat of cdrama FLs don’t know how or seem to want to kiss the lead). That was satisfying. But they missed a connection that the story is “telling” you is there but don’t quite hit the mark at showing you. Also, the script is subpar and the lines a bit ridiculous.
Overall a good watch, typical cdrama for the tropes, not sure I’d bother rewatching. Worth it one time at least.
Was this review helpful to you?
Short fluffy drama
Overall I liked this short drama, and probably would have rated it higher if it wasn’t for some of the iffy writing.The best friend is questionable far too often. Her lovely green flag bf has to put up with a lot, I’m not sure a guy would tolerate her flip floppy fickle behavior.
The FL also behaves very questionable for someone who’s been in love for 10+ yrs you’d think when it happens you’d be happy. I didn’t like how the writers wrote her response or her initial behavior once in a relationship. It just does nothing to build any chemistry and seems off.
There’s some angst but its very minimal, no triangles thank goodness and no drama with the parents, so lets be thankful that trope was skipped.
Little puppy is adorable we needed more scenes 🥰
Was this review helpful to you?
Lots to Love, a few things to hate
Where to start with this, because overall I felt like this was such a much needed improvement on typical cdrama fare.Arthur Chen proves that good looks and incredible acting skills can go hand in hand (Leo Wu is another example). In fact when you consider how young these guys are, they both should have an incredible future ahead in adult roles. The intensity that is required of him in this role plays a huge part in the credibility of the script, so kudos to him. Job well done.
Likewise, a lot is askes of Zhang Jing Yi, who for the most part plays it well. There are times when her silence or inability to respond feels extremely frustrating but this could be the constraints of the script or the directing.
Be warned, it gets very heavy and serious with topics like revenge, obsession, tragedy, the usual cdrama tropes of 2FL delusion, rude controlling parents, jealousy that gets twisted to never be the perpetrators fault but everyone else’s.
There are moments in the show where it all becomes a little unecessary and actually damages what could have been the best cdrama I’ve ever seen. Instead the low blows and cheap shots the writers throw into this show randomly is destructive to it. That’s where my disappointment ends.
The other friendships that form, between college friends through to the awesome gang at Flying Network help support the two leads who really need it throughout. When you lack family support the friends need to come through and there are some touching scenes.
The romance is genuine, and the chemistry between the two is amazing.
Occasionally it felt draggy, but all dramas do at times. I would have loved a little more variety with scenes, it gets very top heavy with college classes, programming group - I do think they could have got the message across about who dominates who without 50 hrs of classroom/club scenes (over exaggerating but you get the drfit) and towards the end too much tedious office scenes, but thats just balance and you kind of tolerate it when the story is good.
Loved the music, the OST was top notch, however I supose it will be hard to find? I never can find full drama OST’s for chinese shows on the streaming services.
Was this review helpful to you?
Always here for Jun Ho ?
I kept avoiding this one, despite my deep admiration for LJH, mostly due to awful reviews on trusted tiktok review accts, but finally decided to do my own thing and give it a go because how awful could it really be, right? Turns out its not a bad sort at all and for the most part I really enjoyed this mash up of the usual kdrama fare with a strong hint of classic dramas everyone loves from the old days. Perhaps it was the chaotic band of thugs - or the down on his luck ML, it surprisingly feels like something from the early 2010s, not the end. The trio of leads were fantastic, and the friendship connection between them all truly was a gem to watch. I love the unselfish way we see the romance plot develop between the 2 leads, but was glad that it finally did move forward. There were lots of holes, which usually irk me, but my biggest gripe here was the overdone interfereing parent trope. I know there is deep respect for your elders in Korea, however I am really confused as to how 2 consenting adults, that have already lived outside of the home, married and dealt with the betrayal (abandonment/adultery) ended up divorced but then we see FL being controlled like shes 15 years old. Please writers just stop it. It’s stupid and makes no sense. The spin of “class” or someone not matching financial expectations is so ridiculous when you consider the rich fiance/spouse did the dirty on your daughter and disappeared without a care at her worst moment, yet the genuine loving (albeit a bit loud in the kitchen) and LOYAL boyfriend somehow doesn’t match the mark. Dumb and stupid, and she got annoying too fast.The humor in the show was comedy gold, and carried it well.
Jun Ho as expected is a class actor, and played his role well. From the depths of the lowest his life could be he clawed his way back up and proved again why he deserves these kind of roles.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Had potential ruined by the writers towards the end
I came for the plot breakdown, actors and the music. Sadly Riley Wang is left with his unemotional angry face for far too long in thos drama. Once he warms up, the chemistry shifts for the 2 ml. For most of the drama the 2L love life had a lot more tension and chemistry and I am mad that the writers brought in Mars to take the woman. Yes the guy could have resolved and clarified the misunderstandings sooner and that relationship could have been saved. It is just too unbelievable that after years of loving someone she has fallen in love with another guy rushed into a wedding, even after her love of many years apologized for all the misunderstandings. Sorry you can’t pack it into a box and suddenly be that happy to be insta marrying a stranger - that ticked me off. Then the absolutely stupid way they ended this drama was ridiculous. The FL does not have to care one hoot about random busybody phone calls - and you don’t have to break up with the love of your life nor do you ditch them at the airport like a ghost either. Let him go with you for a bit. Talk it out. Share the creepy phone calls. One of these days writers will get that viewers like the stories to be on an adult level where everyone makes smart decisions and stays happy. We despise idiotic breakups. Business Proposal is one in which they get this right.Shame, I was about to give this a 8 or 9 but the crappy writing in the last 1/4 of this drama took it all the way down.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
So many unnecessaries
Lets start with the good. The first episodes it really felt like I was here for another epic like Hidden Love and First Frost. The cinematography was giving vibes of both. I was hopeful this is the direction it was going. Visuals on the leads are off the charts. Unique sub plot of TCM was fun, to the point where it started to feel like TCM was the sponsor. Wouldn’t be surprised. Green flag ML, yes he liked her from the first moment, thank goodness or there would have been little to show up for in the beginning.Here’s some things I found irritating for me, and why I knocked off 1.5 stars off of something that was headed in the 10 star rating direction.
The overall story was missing something- it didn’t need to be more angst, as there was enough for the pace this drama was going for. I can’t put my finger on it. Chrmistry struggled with FL. She already had plenty of loving expressions and curiosity about her, but the sudden rejection after we knew she was deeply into him was weird. In fact lets discuss this study abroad plot. I honestly don’t understand the obsession in Asian dramas wuth study abroads. I get it, but what are your reasons? In asian dramas it is always sold as, you’ll have a better future if you do it, and hence nothing should ever stand in thecway of your future career or you will have regrets. Its the same thing every single show. Most people can attain the future with a domestic university. Let’s look at why people in real life study abroad, because lets face it, its not the easiest or cheapest option.
1) They are wealthy and curious, and its about ego or just something fun to have some fun with away from home. So sure why not.
2) The school offers something-either accreditation or unique learning that other domestic schools can’t offer. This is true for a handful of study abroad opportunities.
3) They want to become proficient in the language in that country, and seek immersion opportunities that are easier to apply for than trying to get a job.
Only the second of these would I say comes even close to a reason to seperate for a long period of time, for the sake of future career. Very rarely do we see them heading abroad to a top flight school because its the only place in the world to give them that. In fact 99% of the time that’s not it in dramas. They break up perfectly good green flag relationships. This show is no different. Yes no breakup per say here, but it felt stupid and they rushed through the away time, and then had an unecessary extension-that whole time it felt very one sided, ML was aching for her, she was off having fun. After all of that, masters in hotel management she comes back and rushes in to running a small restaurant with her best friend… ohhhhhkaaaayyyyy then. Her job AT THE HOTEL she had already was already a solid job in that career of hotel management and likely would have got her where she wanted to be had she just stayed. It was the most pointless part of the show. The side story with her mother felt like a typical “give me a reason to stay” moment, but we knew it was there for that plot only and that it wouldn’t stop her trope. For goodness sakes if an amazing relationship with ML isn’t gonna stop you skipping out, nothing will lol.
So no, the study abroad thing ended up a stupid way to add some angst, even if she thought about it early on - I wish they had found a way for her move forward without it. For once can a show, do what no one ever does as a writer and show how important good healthy relationships are, making mature decisions like the fact the ML is already getting on a bit. Who has wimsy to go abroad for a bit of experience she was already getting in her “management job at a fancy hotel”… good relationships can be hard to come by, and can offer great mental health benefits and memories. This is never promoted.
Enough on that. The efforts to push a 2ML & 2FL both were extremely flat.
Occasionally something is in the script thats just laughable and silly. Eg “your room is on the 9th floor” of a hotel that never once shows a building anywhere near as tall as one that even has 9 floors. 5 maybe at most. And every hotel room scene is ground level with outdoor door access lol.
I found some dragging too, which I thought theres too many episodes but then they rushed through things near the end, so I think overall pacing dropped off after a handful of episodes. I started off bingeing and end up trying to keep watching.
So in the end, this was no Hidden Love, not even close. I have zero desire to watch this through again. Even a 8.5 is a stretch, but I’m doing it for what I think they wanted this show to go.
Was this review helpful to you?
Glad I didn’t read reviews first
It’s kind of funny showing up a year later to pick up a show I didn’t bother watching because I’m not a bandwagon watcher, nor a particularly big fan of the leads. I’m here primarily to support KSH in the whole crap shoot attack on his life, and even tho I don’t care that much for his shows, I decided it was time to throw some traction behind this show eventually. 2025 has been rather disappointing in kdrama land, and I’ve been hanging out with their J & C counterparts.Have to say it. When you come to the table with zero bias and haven’t read the silly reviews, you finally get to watch a show for what it is. This show was so well written - and yes lets forget the crazy stuff that gets chucked left right and center to get 16 episodes out of it - but nothing was predictable and you don’t really know what’s going to happen next. It was as well done as well as I enjoyed shows like Vincenzo, and nice cameo by the way by corn salad lol.
This was a real good watch, not my fave of the 24 shows but its up there.
One of the locations they filmed is in ky daughters town and I saw it while on a walk last summer. Fun to finally see it on the screen.
I loved mostly the massive growth arc for the family, and them also uniting with the inlaws. Such significance to that and a healthy development you don’t see often in asian dramas when it comes to families.
The lawyer buddies were awesome. The village neighbors also.
I’ll even say the baddy did a great job. Some fine acting all around. I hoped for a little more chemistry at times between the leads. I took off half a star because that felt lacking, and was a shame. I’m not sure if its the lack of intimacy between 2 people who supposedly can’t live without each other, or that FL is so brash so much of the time, shes a little hard to believe she really loves him deep down.
Either way a great drama. Ignore the haters. I’m a little more convinced after that to watch more shows by KSH, so hopefully he can win all his cases against the bullies and get back to living his life.
Was this review helpful to you?
Absolutely INCREDIBLE!!
Thank you Kdramaland for NOT throwing a side plot of creepy murder into this show. It was raw and packed full pf emotions from the very start. The character development was stellar, the casting A plus.Love, pain, family, bonding, small town drama at its finest.
I don’t cry much in dramas, but happy tears poured down my face at the end of this show.
We’ve had at most 4-5 10 star worthy dramas come out of Korea in 2024, and this is certainly one of them.
It felt different, unique and apart from the absolutely horrendous mother of ML, I feel like we pretty much steered clear of the usual tropes too.
Don’t miss this one. It’s a much watch.
Was this review helpful to you?
Loved this drama!
Someone has to post a good review to offset this mixed bag of miserable ones lol!!I thought it was great, I’m prone to skipping boring parts, and didn’t feel the need here. Yes, some elements are a bit predictable- but that’s what we love about K-dramas. I loved both the ML’s and the writers and actors did a good job at me rooting for them both at different times.
First episode if rammed full of very quick paced overview of what the FL does as a Single Life Helper, so fast that at times it was starting to get a bit confusing. I was glad when that was done and we could settle into the story.
The intro of the ex-wife was a bit annoying at first, but hey we needed someone from the past to show up right? The typical kdrama “break up” was pointless if you ask me- and my only gripe was after all the tension and emotion they build up - the reconciliation was a dead cat flop. Some sparks or a bit more emotion from them both would have been so much more satisfying and we are right back into the quirky bit of planning future.
Overall though I loved it and would watch again.
Was this review helpful to you?
