Rhea
Malaysia
There is a moment early on where our main character, Karl, watches, mesmerized, as his neighbor Vlad dances carelessly in his living room and we wonder, does he want Vlad, or does he want to be Vlad? And as the show unfolds it becomes evident that the answer is both. He wants Vlad but coming to terms with that means coming to understand elements of himself that Karl would perhaps rather leave unexamined. And so this is a story about romance, but also about coming of age, because life will push him, force him to grow into himself.
Unfortunately, neither issue is fully resolved in our 8 episodes. That isn’t a bad thing because both of these issues are as much about the journey as the destination. Being able to actually ask the questions the show poses is enough of a step itself, as unresolved as it feels.
The things that hit most for me are the details that clarified the queer lens of the show. The emergence of Karl’s internalized homophobia as small, ignorant micro-agressions that aren’t left to stand unexamined, the value the story gives to older queers in gaining a sense of self-understanding (which is rarely actually represented), the well-intentioned allyship that often becomes self-centering in straight characters, etc all lift this show from the general BL milieu into a delightfully queer story.
I love that the relationship between our leads is shown thru an exploration of their intimacy with one another, instead of hinging on the fact that they’re both attractive humans cast as the leads in a television show. I love that the conflict feels real and is not hand-waved to try to force a resolution in 8 episodes. There are no easy answers to growing up and the show doesn’t try to patronizingly give any. And I actually love that because of all that the show doesn’t quite end as much as feel like its paused. Though the knowledge that a season 2 is a question of when not if, apparently, helps a lot with that but even if it never happens I feel the story as it stands is beautiful enough on its own.
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Now on to the story, I am on a roll for Thai Dramas and this one also came from a Youtube Random. It looked interesting from the video I saw and immediately watched the drama while also being lost because this is what happen when I don't read the synopsis before watching. But, I managed. But, this was an interesting drama despite it's looks. I only watched 2 episodes currently and it felt like I watched many already, one being it was almost 2 hours per episode and another being it was cut into 9 parts per episode.
The story was interesting and the portrayal of character was great. I am totally immersed in trying to find out what's going on in the moment and what's gonna happen because the characters are unpredictable. What can you say when one actor is acting two different characters at different times? I get confused at times. But still, this is absolutely worth the watch.
The fantasy part caught my attention when I watched it because well right from the start, fantasy appeared but then, the characters themselves caught my attention. It's interesting to see how they move along with the story and sometimes how absurd things are because in a fantasy drama, I love absurd.
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So, not even halfway through the first episode, I was greeted with a supernatural event and damn I was spooked especially since I was viewing it alone in my room. I covered one of my eyes to see through the whole episode. But then, I was able to manage and found the series to be pretty intriguing and has similarities to one of the Western Ghost-related series that I have watched before in the female lead's role in the story. But, I found that the first episode was to ensure that the viewer had the capability to continue into the story by upping the horror element. Since after that, I can manage other ghost encounters in the story.
On the cast, I enjoyed watching the leads of the drama but well, what else can I do since they're pretty much the only ones who are in the hospital. Every time a case occurs, it is always the same doctors and nurses who handle them. Others who came are like cameos. You don't really notice them there as their presence was just that weak. Even still, I still enjoyed the acting performance given by the leads.
By the way, there is a love triangle but it is not obvious enough to affect the story negatively in any way and I like it. My ship kept sailing all the way to the end and I love every moment of it. I am in love with the main leads. Their interactions were cute and casual and most importantly, pretty direct without even revealing their feelings. The male lead had a one-tracked mind and so did she, in the sense that they do not see others but the other. Their love story kept developing and never had a moment where it could have fallen. Their chemistry was just too good that I did not find any fault in their acting. I could rewind their scenes many times and never get bored. They are just fun to watch.
One of the things I don't quite like is the abundant use of product placements throughout the whole series to the point where I go, "Oh, here we go again. Another PPL... Hmm..." You cannot go an episode without two to three PPL scenes. Another thing, I don't like about it is how effective it is since it made me crave for what they are having. Hehehe..... There are even some scenes where the PPL was not that smooth that it seems odd to be having it suddenly there in the scene. Putting PPL is one thing but to make it so obvious is another one thing. Everytime, the PPL scene occured, they would either blur the surroundings or zoom to the item. It is like ads all the time. I am okay with PPL where it is not that obvious that they are promoting it, being that for a drink, they have it or something. Or a scene which perfectly suitable for it occurs. But well.... ANYWAYS, I am probably exaggerating it a bit here but surely I can say, the PPL only disturbs a few minutes of your time watching the story.
In conclusion, go ahead and watch this drama. It is simple, cliche and all of the above but still overall a great drama to watch. I am definitely excited for another drama from Pae after watching this series seeing how good he was in his role and most definitely, I loved this drama despite the kinda rushed ending because they are pretty cheesy that it is enough to win my heart. Come on and Let's Drama-Watching!!! Hehehe....
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Plot: So I Married the Anti-Fan is a story of a top star, Who Joon, and a magazine reporter (who was also named as Who Joon's anti-fan), Geunyoung, got in a reality show together. This is where their story started.
Things I liked about the drama
Light story with full of heart-fluttering moments
With all these heavy dramas (not only in the K-Drama world but also in real life), we really need a breather, something that will just makes us "feel good". And this drama is one of the dramas I can recommend. I was having a hard time with my job and all I needed is something to lighten up my mood. This drama is full of kilig moments. You will really wish to just be an anti-fan and experience everything Lee Geun Young is feeling. Compared to other dramas, you don't really need to think a lot with the plot. The storyline is very simple but that's what makes it special.
The main leads have a great chemistry
It's been awhile since I last shipped a drama couple so hard. The last time I remember was the Chinese drama, Skate into Love. The feeling I had with this pairing was the feeling I felt when I watched W: Two Worlds, like, I wouldn't really mind if they ended up together in real life. In fact, I would love that to happen! But the main reason why I am stopping myself from shipping them in real life is because both the leads are into a happy relationship. Sooyoung has been dating Jung Kyung Ho for a long time already and Tae Joon has been dating Park Shin Hye. I love all of them, therefore, I am happy for them.
The eye-pleasing kisses
Let's say that this drama has a lot of kissing scenes. I usually say galawang Who-Joon because he kisses Geun Young in a smooth way. For example, during the car scene. He was pretending to look for something in the car but mischievously kisses Geun Young. Their scenes will just make you roll out of your bed. I really got addicted with this drama that I'm having a separation anxiety with the characters.
Anyway, this drama will always have a special place in my heart. If life is stressing me again, I will just re-watch this to feel better. How about you, have you watched this series? It's available on the iQIYI app. So, download it now!
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Encourages finding Solace despite going through misfortunes !
It has been a long time since I last wrote a KDrama review. I haven’t been watching a drama recently, or if I did, I don’t know how I should write a review about it. Recently, I have been seeing a lot of fun and cute clips about this drama, Angel’s Last Mission: Love. So, I decided to watch it. I haven’t read any reviews about this or even the plot of this drama, so I was only basing the few clips I have seen.Before I continue with my review or thoughts about this drama, I would like to give some disclaimers. First, I am not a pro at making drama reviews. I only write my opinions, thoughts, and how that certain drama affected me. My opinions may be similar or different from yours. So, it will still be your judgement if you like it or not. Second, this review might contain spoilers. In order for me to fully share my thoughts, I may include some scenes from the drama that I watched.
Things I liked about “Angel’s Last Mission: Love”
The story line
This is my first time watching a drama about an angel who fell in love with a human. Although I know some dramas that also consist of an angel and a human. So, this drama is a bit new to me. To be very honest, it has a typical plot where the main characters have this tragedy love. But what made it special is because of the differences of the characters and how everything doesn’t go the way they wanted it to be. Lee Yeon Seo, a beautiful and well-loved ballerina, lost all her loved ones and even experienced blindness because of an accident. Dan, who was once a human and died when he was still a child, became an angel for Lee Yeon Seo. Both experienced such tragedies, yet both can’t have each other because they are different.
How it constantly made me cry
I love KDramas who makes me cry. Yes, it may feel weird but somehow these kinds of dramas make me realize that I am a human with feelings. This drama is consistent in making me cry. I started crying from the very first episode until the last one. Maybe because I was feeling down lately that made me cry harder than usual. But the scenes were well developed. It all started when Mr. Jo died in the first few episodes and how Yeon Seo reminisced her past with him. Death is truly inevitable. It’s just that we don’t know when it will happen that made it painful. Knowing that Dan can turn into dust on that certain day, the two of them created more memories and enjoyed every second. I don’t actually know which is more painful – to know that your special person is leaving you or to not know at all and be shocked when it happens.
The casts
1) Shin Hye Sun as Lee Yeon Seo
I knew this actress since Legend of the Blue Sea and I really find her so talented. I know some of her dramas, but I haven’t watched it. This is my first time watching her drama where she has the lead role. Definitely, she is one of the best actresses today. I can totally feel the pain she is feeling, the bitterness inside her, everything. Her eyes can show all those emotions without trying hard.
Shin Hye Sun is not a ballerina in real life so it is really challenging for her to do the routines of a true ballerina. But that didn’t stop her from portraying a great role. To whoever casted her in this role, you really did a great job.
2)Kim Myungsoo as Kim Dan
I knew him as a member of the KPOP group Infinite. A lot of my friends actually like him. To be honest, he is really good looking. But the reason why I didn’t stan him is that I feel like there are a lot of people who already likes him, and sometimes I feel like he is too overrated. But I eat my words. I started liking him now because of this drama. Well, I actually do not know if I like Kim Myungsoo or Kim Dan. There’s a difference between the two. Aside from the fact that he is really good to look at, I like that he can make me laugh at a simple phrase or whatsoever. Kim Myungsoo also did a great job in portraying Kim Dan. You can definitely feel that Kim Dan has a pure heart, just quite naïve. I thank this drama for making me like Myungsoo. I just hope I’m not yet too late to like him.
3)Gil Eun Hye as Geum Ru Na
She’s probably one of the best actresses in this drama. She does not do anything yet whenever she appears on screen I get irritated to the point that I wanted to go inside the screen of my computer and slap her. This only means one thing, she is a really good actress.
The use of references
One of the main things I’ve noticed is how they used “Giselle” as a reference to what is currently happening to Yeon Seo and Kim Dan. I am not familiar with the story of Giselle to be honest. I only know Swan Lake in terms of ballets. In Giselle, the guy pretended to be a peasant when in fact he is an upper class. In the drama, Kim Dan pretended to be a human when in fact he is an angel. Giselle fell in love with the guy. Yeon Seo fell in love with Kim Dan.
I love these kinds of stories wherein they use references and somehow incorporate those references on the current story.
Things I somehow disliked about “Angel’s Last Mission: Love”
It’s not that I totally dislike it, it’s just that I needed more.
Lee Dong Gun as Ji Kang Woo
Lee Dong Gun was one of the first K-actors that I admired. I just stopped admiring him when he broke up with Jiyeon and later revealed that he is getting married with another woman and that woman is pregnant. I don’t know the whole story but yeah, I kinda feel awkward with him ever since . Anyway, Lee Dong Gun is still a great actor up until now. It’s just that think he is physically suited to play the role of Ji Kang Woo. It’s just my own preference. But I wanted someone who is a bit younger than him who can play the role. Nonetheless, he is still good.
Ending
I wanted it to be a happy ending. Well, who doesn’t right? Because after all the hardships that Lee Yeon Seo felt, I believe she deserves a happy ending. The good thing is, yes, it was a happy ending, but it lacks something. I needed more. All throughout the drama, I felt pain. There were only few happy moments and until the very last time, it was still few. How does Ms. Jung feel when Kim Dan was back? What did they do after? I needed more happy interactions for the very last time. But I was deprived from having it. Well, at least it was a happy ending. That was the only thing that I tell myself so that I won’t feel disappointed.
Thoughts on the ending, Conclusion & Lessons
Before watching it, I honestly thought that it was a fun and chill drama because almost all the clips I have seen are funny. I wanted to watch a chill drama since “Voice 3” was a bit heartbreaking for me (I still can’t even write a proper review of it). But as I watch the first episode, I realized that it wasn’t a chill drama. It was a heavy one. But nevertheless, I liked it and it probably became part of my top 3 favorite KDrama of all time together with Scarlet Heart Ryeo and W: Two Worlds. This drama still left me a lot of questions. Like what I mentioned earlier, how does Ms. Jung feel knowing that Kim Dan was back? Also, how about Geum Ru Na? Was she possessed by an evil spirit because whenever she had plans on her mind a whisper can be heard? I didn’t get any answers to that. But I guess, it’s just a part of the story. There are some questions better left unanswered.
There are a few things that I learned in this drama. First, “People come, and people go”. Not everyone in our lives will continue to stay in our lives. They will eventually die or just leave us. So, we should just cherish every moment we have to that certain person.
Second, we get mad at God most of the time for not giving us what we want. There are even times that we start to question Him on why He is doing such things to human beings. If He is really the God of Love why are we suffering? Even an angel asked Him these during the series. Sometimes, we just tend follow our own instincts that is why we feel like we are betrayed by Him. Everything has their own time and every prayer has their own answers. But whatever answer it may be, it’s for the best.
That doesn’t mean that we should no longer ask Him and just go on with the flow. We should always align our prayers to His will. And believe me, He answers prayers.
Third, not all the time we can get what we want even if we have worked hard for it. Geum Ni Na is a great example. She worked hard but at the end she still loses the spot of being Giselle. Maybe it’s not yet her time? Or maybe it’s not really the path for her. At the end of the drama, she became an instructor to children and there she is happy. Most of the time, we tend to focus on what we want and sometimes forget that there are still other things around us. I am not saying that we should no longer work hard for the things we want but we should know when to continue and when to stop.
Angel’s Last Mission: Love is a drama that I will treasure forever. I thank those who created this for giving me such a great time. How about you? What are your thoughts in this drama?
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A Waste Of A Good Story
Love Of Thousand Years could really have been an epic like Love And Destiny and The Untamed if it is better laid out. But the producers have wasted a good story to me. It does have a few things going for it to make it watchable though. Firstly, the main leads make a cute couple. Zheng Ye Cheng and Zhao Lu Si did their best to display the pull of a forbidden relationship as they toy with each other. They display a chemistry that makes it easy for viewers to root for a happy ending for them.Secondly, I feel the main cast acted well in all their roles. At least, I did not cringe at their acting throughout the drama. Zheng Ye Cheng has the aura of a flirtatious immortal and he is able to capture on-screen attention with his stares. Zhao Lu Si gives me the vibe of a carefree princess who has matured due to the tragic events that she has experienced. Molly Wang has an arrogance and evilness in her character that are tempered with self-doubt and a desire to let go. She is able to portray a character in conflict with herself. As for Liu Yi Tong, he did well as a man wrecked by guilt and loathing because of his father’s betrayal.
Finally, Love Of Thousand Years is really a good story if you ignore the editing and details. The pacing is quite good as it doesn’t really drag on and on like some longer dramas. I know it is hard to overlook the drama’s weaknesses but do give the story a chance regardless of the ending. I think it is an interesting one but just that, it has not been fully taken advantage of to give viewers a truly epic tale.
Why You Should Drop It
Now that I have told you why you should watch Love Of Thousand Years, I should also warn you where it fails. The first thing that could put people off is right at the beginning. The drama starts with Angelina Jiang as Princess Yan Yan. Just as you think she is the main actress, that changes immediately to Zhao Lu Si in the second episode. So, the lady that Jiu Yun loves in the first episode has a totally different face in the second although they are supposed to be the same person. The plot requires the face change but to some viewers, it takes away the romanticism that is important in a love story.
The next thing that could make you drop this is the poor editing especially in the last episode. The scenes jump without proper explanation of what is going on. It could also be because the story is not being told in a right way with many things being left out and unexplained. Without the details, the drama is full of plot holes and guess work.
Another thing that annoys me is the flashbacks. It is fine to have flashbacks to emphasize a certain point or feeling but it shouldn’t be overdone. In Love Of Thousand Years, I find that they have inserted one too many flashbacks that repeat the same scenes. Perhaps they want to lengthen certain episodes but I find them to be unnecessary.
Finally, the ending for this drama sucks. There is no proper clarification as to what happened. I know some dramas do leave room for viewers’ imagination such as Legend Of Yun Xi. But this really takes it to another level when viewers are unsure if everything is a dream, a rebirth, or just a story in a painting.
My Verdict
As much as I want to, I can’t really give a high rating for this Love Of Thousand Years review. A score of 6.5/10 is perhaps fair given its weaknesses as laid out above. I wouldn’t really recommend you to watch it if you are very particular about having a good ending for your dramas. This one is most probably going to leave you disappointed.
It is also a pity that they have censored some of the kissing scenes. I know even modern dramas like Here To Heart have to take out steamy scenes to comply with the strict rules. You have the sweet moments for the main couple here but if you are expecting a bit more kisses to let you feel the love between them, it is going to fall short compared to, say, The Love By Hypnotic with its numerous intimate scenes.
Having said that, you can still watch Love Of Thousand Years for Zheng Ye Cheng. I like him from Love 020 and he has definitely matured with this role as the flirtatious Jiu Yun. Speaking of being flirty, I still prefer Ethan Juan’s Wuji in Legend Of Fuyao but then, I’m sure many female viewers can’t resist Zheng Ye Cheng’s handsome boy looks either. 😍
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A Tale of Two… Tales
Skip to the final section for a quick, spoiler-free rating.I found Cinderella Chef (Chinese title: 萌妻食神) during a month-long binge of transmigration/time-travel Chinese dramas back in 2018, and it’s one of the few that’s stayed with me since. It’s fun, original, and tells one hell of a story!
Cinderella Chef follows the journey of a modern girl Ye Jiayao, or “Yaoyao,” who time travels to the past after bonding with the inventor of a time machine. In ancient China, she finds herself hitched to Xia Chunyu, an agent of an imperial prince who’s gone undercover to infiltrate the Black Wind Fortress (ancient China’s equivalent of an organized mob). Together, they work out the ins and outs of their fake marriage, and what each other’s secrets mean for their relationship.
That’s a very basic synopsis of the premise of a looong fifty-six episode drama.
The Main Pairing
Ye Jiayao does not disappoint as a leading lady. She’s upbeat but pragmatic, idealistic but whip-smart, ambitious but self-aware. She knows her worth and does not care what anybody thinks of her at any time. She is such a go-getter that even if you don’t care for her as a person, her perception of the world and how she toughs out all her obstacles make her an easy character to follow. I love her entrepreneurial spirit and what her priorities in life are—not men, not money (alright, some money), but an innate need to improve her craft and leave a mark upon the world.
Xia Chunyu took me a while to like in the first season, largely because for a good chunk of the drama, I didn’t like his relationship with Yaoyao. He’s not a terrible husband, but because of the nature of his undercover mission, you can’t help but be wary of the motives driving his actions, even as you see his feelings for her slowly becoming more genuine as the drama goes on. I also feel like he loses out to the second male lead charisma-wise, to be honest, before the shit hit the fan.
He’s awful at the beginning of the second season with the ways he goes about winning Ye Jiayao back, the worst of it being when he buys out her place of employment, thus making her have to choose between losing her livelihood or having to work under him. (He eventually reveals that he bought it for her, but like… he makes her suffer for it first, so I don’t count it.)
Luckily, the third male lead can’t hold a candle to him in terms of, well, everything. And once him and Yaoyao got together for real, he becomes a lot better once he stops being petty towards her and includes her in his scheming. (To be fair, she’s also pretty petty towards him. I just think he holds more power over her and is therefore guiltier.)
Tropes, Tropes, Tropes
Time-traveling to the past? Check.
Transmigration? Check.
The MC using modern knowledge to their advantage? Check.
Pretend relationship/fake marriage? Check.
Every character you care about dies and the main pairing starts anew with old wounds? Yeah, that happened. Fuck me in my feelings.
Season 1 Characters Deserve Better
I love the Black Wind Fortress gang, aside from that one weaselly looking asshole who betrayed everyone whose name I’m not remembering off the top of my head. I love Bai Chongye’s multifaceted-ness—how he goes from ruthless mafia head, to awkward but loving father, to prankster, to just a Dude You Can Get a Drink With. I love Sheng Sheng and Sang Sang’s mean-girl spirits. I especially adore Song Qi and his devotion to his “grandma.”
I love Ding Qi, his swearing, his child-like sexism, and his all-boys club. Him and his crew just need hugs.
They’ve done nothing wrong and none of them deserves to die. Aside from all the murdering, the pillaging, the smuggling, the blackmailing, the backstabbing, that is… I genuinely did not see the mass murdering coming in the middle of the drama—I literally had to pause and make sure I didn’t accidentally marathon to the end because I was freaking out why everybody died in the middle of the story. When Song Qi was shot, I almost stopped watching, had I not been curious enough to want to know how the rest of the drama is going to go without most of its supporting characters.
Needless to say, I don’t have high opinions of the second 2 folks. Not even He Lianjing, whom I referred to for multiple episodes as Not-Song Qi until he became Yaoyao’s love interest, and then he was Not-Ding Qi until he fell in love with another character.
Second 2 Is a Lot More Conventional
When I wrote earlier that the drama is original, I really meant season 1. Maybe it’s because I haven’t watched enough Chinese historical dramas, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen the gangs of the pugilist world depicted as literal organized crime families before. They always tend to be… lofty and… weird in a cult-like way, living in mountain and shit. Not here. These people are literal gangsters with gangster problems, and I just think that’s hilarious.
Season 2 is a lot more entrenched in politics and the usual tropes of “main female character marries into a family out of her social standing.” There’s a wicked stepmother who wants to oust the main male lead from the family, a two-faced love rival who stops at nothing to steal the main male lead, an emperor with numerous sons fighting for the throne, all that stuff. The pro is the plot is a lot easier to follow. The con is it’s not as interesting.
The Villain Is Surprisingly True-to-Life
The single best scene in the drama for me is when Yaoyao confronts the Prince of Yu for actually being the inventor of the time machine and a fellow transmigrator. These two have such great chemistry and energy together that I was really, really bummed out when the Prince of Yu turned out to be the end boss—him being the villain is far from unforeseeable, I just got caught up in the female lead’s joy of finding camaraderie.
The Prince of Yu is an incel. Not in the literal sense of the term, although once he got the idea that he and Yaoyao belonged together, he did take on that meaning as well. It’s that he feels so aggrieved by the slights he suffered (his professor stole his research in his old life, his new identity/body as a prince was of one mistreated badly enough by everyone that he committed suicide) that he becomes convinced that the world he reborn into owes him, and that he’s entitled to what he wants by virtue of him being a superior “modern” man. You know your villain’s good when someone can look at him and think, “I know this dude. I know multiple, real life examples of this dude, and they’re all pathetic and sad.”
He is the perfect foil to Yaoyao, who kept her chin up and kept forward despite suffering similar setbacks in both lives.
Cringes and Surprises
If there’s one thing I don’t like about Yaoyao, it’s her sense of fashion in season 1.
I’m sorry, but she dresses like how a nine-year-old thinks a stylish person should dress. Is that mean?
I could’ve also done without the random bursts of bad rapping and choreographed dances.
One thing I’m surprised by is how integral Yaoyao being a chef is to the story. I had expected the drama to abandon that idea altogether early on, like some other, much worse time-travel/transmigration dramas *cough* Instead, Cinderella Chef went all out and pursued actual chef and food related plot lines, which I really appreciate.
Final Rating and Recommendations
Cinderella Chef’s great. What else can I say but “go watch it” and “put it on your rewatch list if you’ve seen it already.”
It’s got a kick-ass main lady who wants her man but doesn’t need him, two stories for the effort you’d normally put into getting to know one, a pretty nifty endgame villain, and it’s an absolutely great take on the time-travel/transmigration trope.
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Quite sweet , warm and funny - Worth watch it !
Yumi’s Cell is the first Korean drama to blend in animation into the drama in such a intrinsic way. You can seen that there is a lot of work behind it and these little animated figures do a lot for the story and make it stand out from other dramas. The story really come to life because of them.The drama manages to bridge the gap between rom-com and more slice-of-life drama in my opinion. To me it has this calm and gentle focus the characters’ everyday lives that never feels too dramatic or unnatural, aside from the animated characters that bring out the more cute and comedic side of the story.
the cells that bring the humor (and are often my favorite parts of each episode) while the other characters get to be much more down-to-earth. It still has some those characters that you often find in traditional rom-coms but it manages to undermine some of these tropes and make it refreshing to watch. You can really just sit back and relax while watching the episodes.
Some of the side characters do not feel as complex, which may because we do not get to see the cells of all of them work like Yumi or Gu Woong who are in the leads and perhaps the drama relays a little too much on those cell characters to understand the nuances of the characters. But when it does the drama does a good job of showing all the little twists and turns of communication that Yumi or Gu Woong encounter, whether you agree with them or not, because you see the thoughts behind them.
The cells are a key factor in this and often make you look at things from a different perspective. The story really seems to stand by it’s characters though and allows them to be unlikeable when needs be, and also gives us a good lgbt representative (although he does not appear as often as I would like him to do) as kdrams do not do that often.
The pacing a bit unconventional and the story focuses a lot on communication and misunderstanding when Yumi steps back into the dating world after many years of closing her heart and the mistakes that come with that as a result. And I thought I managed to bring that theme it pretty well to the forefront without dragging the plot or making it too dramatic. The story always seems rather mild and light in my opinion. There was a certain calm over the story no matter what happened.
I found Yumi’s Cell to be quite sweet, warm and funny drama to watch. It is missing a key element that I like in kdramas, which is that the story hasn’t ended yet because we are only at the end of season one. I personally really enjoy kdramas because we get a beginning, middle and a end in about 16 episode. It’s one of their charms. There is so many shows that drag the plot and the tension until most of everything you enjoyed about the series is no longer there. But I’m excited to see how Yumi’s Cells handle this multiple season format. The drama is sweet and stands out from other dramas and just hope the next series manages to keep them charming and not drag the story out.
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Great Overall But…
Generally, I don’t have much to complain about Eternal Love Of Dream. It is a highly watchable production. The CGI is better than many xianxia dramas and the interaction between Dong Hua and the fox feels real. All the characters look good in their beautiful costumes and it is obvious that this is a big budget project. The most important factor is, of course, the chemistry between Vengo Gao and Dilraba Dilmurat. I dare say that without that chemistry, The Pillow Book might indeed make us all fall asleep as we follow their story.Acting
After watching Vengo Gao as Dong Hua in Eternal Love Ten Miles Of Peach Blossoms and again in Eternal Love Of Dream, I think viewers would not be able to picture any other actor in this role. He completely nailed it to give the character the required aloofness and an aura of seniority and reverence. Dong Hua is not an excitable immortal but calm and rational. He doesn’t make a lot of movements when he talks but Vengo Gao’s expressive eyes and micro facial expressions make Dong Hua a pleasure to watch. He looks so different here compared to his role in Legend Of Fuyao.
On the other hand, Feng Jiu is a complete opposite. She is young and innocent. She dares to love and is full of life. Dilraba Dilmurat’s portrayal is spot on to give the character a level of innocence and that suits her age and lovestruck demeanor. Hence, when the 2 opposite characters interact, the chemistry is palpable due to their great portrayal of their roles.
Plot
Unlike Ten Miles Of Peach Blossoms and Love And Destiny, The Pillow Book’s story is more abstract. For some dramas, you will know what is going on even if you don’t understand Mandarin. But for Eternal Love Of Dream, you will need to listen or read the subtitles carefully to follow the story. It can get confusing especially during the Aranya’s Dream part.
Overall, the plot outline is nothing new. It is not as unique as another popular xianxia drama, The Untamed. Basically, it is about the hero using all his cultivation powers to defeat a Demon Ruler while falling in love with the heroine and trying to protect her in his own way.
Perhaps the first part is refreshing when they start off their relationship as master and pet fox. But once we get through that, the romance is kind of predictable with unrequited love in the beginning. What saves it is, as mentioned, the chemistry and unique dynamics of the couple. Many dramas are saved from being mediocre or even unwatchable this way such as Under The Power and Love Of Thousand Years.
My Verdict
Eternal Love Of Dream is a great drama and you should watch it. But certain parts can be a bore. I think one of the problems is the beginning of the romance and the couple’s time in the mortal realm mirror the story in Ten Miles Of Peach Blossoms. The difference is they have lengthen their interactions and change a bit of the story here and there in Eternal Love Of Dream. But the gist of it remains the same. So, if you have watched Ye Hua and Bai Qian’s story, you will know what Feng Jiu will eventually do to Dong Hua in the mortal realm. That is why some people would suggest we start watching from Episode 21 which is the tail end of their time in the mortal world.
Personally, I also find the story in Eternal Love Of Dream to be less compelling compared to Ten Miles Of Peach Blossoms. It doesn’t move me as much emotionally. In Ye Hua and Bai Qian’s story, there is much more angst and pain. Hence, you would feel more for the couple. The story is also more straightforward and flows better. In Dong Hua and Feng Jiu’s story, there is a vague feeling of being sidetracked at times especially during their time in the dream world.
Having said that, I would still recommend a watch for this Eternal Love Of Dream review. In fact, some people would prefer this to Ten Miles Of Peach Blossoms. The bottom line is the relationship dynamics of both couples are different. If you like a more serious tone to your romance, then Ten Miles Of Peach Blossoms should be the preferred choice. But if you like a sweeter and cuter couple, then Eternal Love Of Dream would beat the earlier drama hands down.
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Girl Chasing Guy Drama
If you like romance dramas that see the girl taking the initiative to pursue the guy, then Be With You would fit the bill. This theme is similar to Begin Again but without the same depth to its story. I guess this is to be expected as Be With You is a rom-com after all. So, it is not a drama that you would see serious character growth and deep exploration of feelings unlike the more intense romance in You Are My Destiny or Here To Heart.
Of course, it is perfectly alright to have a simple plot especially for a rom-com. But where Be With You is lacking to me is the mandatory sweetness which drives this type of dramas. I understand different people will have different standards of what constitutes sweetness in a romance. If you see a much older and domineering man taking the reins in the relationship as sweet, then you would like this couple. It is an unequal relationship albeit a protective one given that the guy is much more matured compared to the girl.
Personally, I’m more into couples that have mutual respect for each other like the one in Love Is Sweet. That is why it is a little hard for me to root for the couple in Be With You. This is not to say that I can’t accept an older man and younger woman romance. It also has to do with the couple dynamics and personality which bring up my next point.
Male Lead’s Character Flaw
A much older and successful male lead is nothing new in a rom-com just like Lu Jin in Dating In the Kitchen. But the female lead in Gu Sheng Nan is gutsy with a spine and hence, the relationship is able to generate the required sparks for it to be exciting. Comparatively, Qi Nian in Be With You is much meeker. With Professor Ji’s character being a controlling one, it is not exactly an ideal romantic couple in my books. Of course, no one is perfect and the saving grace is Professor Ji does love Qi Nian and is aware of his own controlling nature.
Thus, you really have to get over Professor Ji’s flaws to be able to enjoy this rom-com. If you start dissecting his character like I did, the romantic vibes will immediately take a dive especially if you also prefer couples that are more equal in terms of power dynamics in their relationship.
Chemistry Could Be Better
The chemistry between Ji Xiao Bing and Zhang Ya Qin is not exactly bad but there is definitely room for improvement. It is passable for a simple rom-com but it fails to lift it to its full potential. I don’t think that their acting is the problem though. Perhaps the nature of the characters that they play makes it a little hard to generate more sizzling interactions between them. I would think that if one character is too dominant and there is a lack of tender moments between them, it will indeed be hard for the chemistry to flow naturally. This is in contrast to say, Perfect And Casual, whereby the chemistry of the leads really drives the drama as the sweetness is magnified in each interaction.
My Verdict – It’s Nothing Special
Be With You is the type of drama that you would watch when you have absolutely nothing better to do and want to indulge in some fairytale romance. As mentioned, the plot is simple and whether it will come off as sweet will depend on your ability to overlook faults in the male lead who also seems to be toying with the female lead’s affections at times. Hence, he is very different from the suave and almost perfect male lead in Intense Love which is also a fairytale-like romance drama.
A further word of warning is that this short drama also has 2 other couple stories included. Hence, they take up quite a bit of screen time overall especially the second couple of Si Qi and Qing Wu. If you like the secondary pairing, it will be the icing on the cake. If not, it can be annoying because they take up the majority of the screen time around Episode 18 onwards which is similar to the problem in Love Designer as it progresses towards the ending.
For this Be With You 2020 drama review, I would give it a score of 6.5/10. It is really nothing new from the plot to the characters that it is hard to justify giving it a higher score. Watch it if you absolutely like stress-free rom-coms for a little escapism. Don’t think too much though if you really want to enjoy it. But if you are the type who can’t help but want a more perfect male lead and heartfelt romance, then drop it. Be With You would be hard put to satisfy the cravings for a fulfilling romance story.
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Too Long!
When I saw that Hello, The Sharpshooter (你好, 神枪手) is 40 episodes long, it really made me think twice if I should give this a shot. My first instinct told me that it would be a drag. After all, if you have watched enough of Chinese dramas, you would know how common it is for them to stretch on longer than necessary even when the plot is pretty simple. So, I started this with much apprehension. The cast made me take the risk. Was my instinct right or is this better than I thought? My Hello, The Sharpshooter review below will try provide some answers.40 episodes is indeed too long for Hello, The Sharpshooter. This could have been a much tighter story if the producers had cut it down to 30 episodes or less. There are many fillers and flashbacks which are not necessary. To me, the first 20 episodes or so seems monotonous. There is no excitement to make you crave for more as you watch. Although many Chinese dramas also tend to have boring stretches, there are usually high points or a feeling of anticipation here and there to keep your interest.
However, Hello, The Sharpshooter is pretty flat for half the drama. The story picks up only around Episode 21 when there are more happenings to drive the story forward. I wouldn’t term it as a bad drama but it is certainly nothing great either given the laborious way the story has been told. It is also predictable given some of the cliches and recycled plots.
Old And New Issues
Basically, the plot is about a guy who has selective amnesia and has forgotten about the girl although they used to be a couple. This amnesia theme is nothing new for a romance drama and you can easily predict what is going to happen to his memory loss. Viewers are not told what happened to this couple upfront. Instead, you are merely given hints every now and then through dialogues and flashbacks of their time together. The whole story of what happened to both of them is only revealed much later.
What is different though is the sport chosen as the backdrop to the story. We have enough of winter sports drama such as To Fly With You and Skate Into Love. They are also plenty of e-gaming ones including Falling Into Your Smile. Shooting certainly doesn’t seem as exciting. However, it is a sport that requires focus and mental toughness. Hence, the psychological issues that the drama bring up is an ideal fit for the sport. This is where there is something new being offered to the viewers as mental illness is not a common Chinese drama theme.
The downside though is not to expect much professionalism and in-depth exploration of the psychological disorder afflicting the protagonists. Just like in Dream Garden, if you start judging it through a professional lens, the protagonists’ recovery will seem overly simplistic and unreal. After all, apart from the psychological issues, the drama also has to give air time to the romance, training, friendship, and work. So, it is good as it doesn’t get bogged down with details but would be disappointing if you want a more serious psychological drama.
The Romance
I think most people who choose to watch Hello, The Sharpshooter are doing it for the romance. Personally, the romance of the main couple is sweet. It is also a gradual progress and the relationship is a very supportive one. They communicate with each other when problems arise. So, you can feel a deepening of the relationship as the drama progresses. The guy may be possessive and jealous but in a good and light mannered way. Some will even see it as cute and sweet.
However, what the romance lacks is passion. It is not a steamy kind of romance like what you would get in You Are My Glory. The kisses are limited to mostly pecks which kind of reminds me of Forever And Ever. it is understandable though because of the leads’ psychological issues and thus, the need to take things slow. Furthermore, it is a sports drama and the main character is supposedly a national athlete. So, I guess they have to keep it relatively clean. But that impulse and passion are certainly missing from this couple and as a viewer, it feels lacking in some way.
Acting And Chemistry
The role of Tang Xin is really nothing new for Fair Xing. The character is cute and chirpy and you will get the feeling that you have seen it all before in her previous dramas such as Put Your Head On My Shoulder and My Little Happiness. Therefore, if you are her fan, this one would seem familiar. But there is no breakthrough as far as her acting is concerned.
The same goes for Hu Yu Tian in Hello, The Sharpshooter. He is good-looking and you could be drawn to his eyes. But I find his acting to be pretty bland in this drama as there is little variation in his expressions. Maybe the director wanted it that way since he plays a top shooter who is supposed to have a calm and stable personality. His acting isn’t horrible but it doesn’t give you reason to be impressed either.
When the 2 leads are put together, you will find a big height difference between them. I really think it is time to stop pairing Fair Xing with tall actors as it is getting repetitive despite the supposed cuteness. Their chemistry is visible but nothing extraordinary. Hence, there is little motivation to rewatch their scenes unlike some other on-screen couples who have sizzling chemistry such as the ones in Why Women Love and Love At Night.
My Verdict – A So-So Drama
I think Hello, The Sharpshooter does require a bit of patience to sit through. The plot is drawn out especially for the first half. You can literally leave the drama running in the background while doing something else and you would still be able to follow the story. So, I won’t be surprised if this is tedious to watch for some viewers. For me, I took breaks in between before I completed it as it was too monotonous for binge watching.
Having said that, I can also see how this drama could have its fans. Apart from the leads, the main couple’s romance is a sweet and supportive one. It is a natural progress and not everyone likes a rushed relationship development. It may be slow-moving but each happening is like a building block to the complete story that goes back to their past. I guess if you really like the couple’s interactions and their stable romance, then you might find this enjoyable because the leads are together in most of the scenes. But if you find them to be only an average couple, then this will become a big bore due to the length of the drama.
For this Hello, The Sharpshooter review, I would give it a score of 7/10. It tries to bring up the issue of a mental disorder in a romance which is something refreshing. But it still couldn’t run away from a memory loss cliche which makes it predictable. Overall, it is a case of being a so-so drama – neither entirely good nor bad. In other words, it is forgettable once you have completed the whole 40 episodes with no real urge to rewatch despite a logical layout to the story.
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Psychological Cases
Basically, Dream Garden is like a collection of psychological cases that are string together to create a drama with romance as the icing on the cake. The protagonists will encounter people that are afflicted with various psychological problems which they will need to resolve. These include delusional, gaslighting, and controlling behaviors. Each case could take about 2 episodes for a resolution. Therefore, characters related to each of the cases will come and go. Only a small number of core characters will remain throughout the drama.One major issue about this kind of drama that revolves around a profession would be its accuracy or the lack of it. I’m not a psychologist and hence, I can’t comment whether the patients’ treatment and the characters’ actions in Dream Garden would fit reality. But you know it would be farfetched for someone who has not studied psychology to be hired as an assistant to the partner. This is how it is in the drama. So, I suppose you just have to treat it as pure entertainment and not nitpick on the details and accuracy from a professional angle. Otherwise, it would be very hard to get into the story.
Fairly Interesting Cases
As Dream Garden relies on psychological cases to move the story along, its success would depend on how interesting and convincing these cases may be. Personally, I find the cases to be fairly interesting. I think the brevity of each case helps to minimize the boredom as they do get resolved within 2 episodes or so. It also provides some insights into how people could be psychologically affected by the behavior of those closest to them.
However, I also think you must have some level of interest in the subject to find this drama worthwhile. This is because it is not a thriller or a suspenseful drama like Stealth Walker. The protagonists are mainly trying to help people with their psychological issues and hypnosis are constantly used as a solution. Hence, some may find it repetitive. With each episode being an hour long, it can certainly feel drawn out for those who prefer more excitement.
On top of that, there is also a revenge factor as part of the plot. This is the last case which is used to prep the viewers for a climatic ending. But it falls short and it is the least convincing case of the lot to me. The perpetrator obviously needed psychological help but the drama must have a villain. So, he seems like a convenient choice as a way to end the story.
Slow Burn Romance
Would I watch Dream Garden for the romance? My answer would be no. In fact, the whole drama could stand on its own without any romance being included. But I guess viewers always like some sweetness in a drama and a matching pair of on screen lovers does sell. Just like in The Lion’s Secret, the couple in Dream Garden officially get together rather late in the drama. However, they do spend a lot of time together from the very beginning which should satisfy that craving for some fluff and sweetness in their interactions.
Nevertheless, if you are looking for your sugary fix, I would still say that this is not the drama to watch. For that, you are better off watching You Are My Glory or Forever And Ever. In Dream Garden, the cases is the meat of the story while the romance simply offers a sweet distraction to make the drama less heavy throughout. Yes, there are also kisses towards the end of the drama when the couple started dating to spice things up. But it doesn’t automatically transform it into a great love story as the drama is not meant to be one.
Acting And Chemistry
Simon Gong is as good-looking as always and he does have the necessary acting skills to give viewers a satisfactory portrayal of his characters in all his project thus far. So, there is nothing much to complain about either with his portrayal of Lin Shen in Dream Garden. He depicts Lin Shen as a capable professional and does that convincingly.
Bridgette Qiao plays Xiao Xiao who is more impulsive and expressive compared to Lin Shen. Xiao Xiao is not an instantly likable or adorable character but the actress still managed to make her grow on you as the drama progresses. I think Bridgette Qiao did well with what she was given. Xiao Xiao is supposed to be smart but she ends up being rather dumb when it comes to the second male lead. So, I can’t blame the actress because that is how her character was written.
The chemistry of these 2 leads is great for a drama that is not entirely romance-focused. They are sweet when it needs to be and they look good as lovers. At the very least, I think Bridgette Qiao has much better chemistry with her co-star here than with Hu Yi Tian in You Complete Me. Perhaps the easy banter between them and Lin Shen’s cheekiness at times help with the couple vibes in Dream Garden.
My Verdict – Neither The Best Nor The Worst
I would say Dream Garden is neither the best nor the worst of the lot where Chinese dramas are concerned. Whether you would enjoy it would depend on how much you want it to mirror reality in the psychology field. If you think the cases presented and the leads’ actions as psychologists are unreal, then the drama’s watch value will go down the drain. To me, the cases are pretty interesting. While I do get the feeling that the leads’ behavior doesn’t seem professional at times, I also didn’t have the urge to question and nitpick over the details. So, I guess if you can just treat this as a drama and not expect the story to strictly adhere to the standards of the profession, then this would be more enjoyable.
Having said that, the sore point for me is the way the villain’s story is told. The female lead completely lets down her guard with him when she has been very astute in sniffing out the psychological problems of others around her. You might also roll your eyes over all the “coincidental” meetings each time he shows up in front of her. In other words, the execution of the revenge plot falls short to me. Since they have also identified a villain, his case could have been a suspenseful and thrilling end to a psychological drama. Unfortunately, this aspect is totally missing from Dream Garden.
So, for this Dream Garden review, I would only give it a score of 7/10. Without sufficient excitement, the romance is a sweet distraction and helps to make up for the shortfall. Overall, it is an average drama for me with little rewatch value. Give it a try and you should know within the first few episodes if this is up your alley.
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Mik as Talay…let’s just say it was very mellow. He was adorable let’s give Talay some credit for that lol but I wanted spice and a part of me wanted him to remember already at this point. Talay and Moya for me did not have chemistry. I’m not sure if it had to do with their character or what not but it felt flat for me. Natee and Moya on the other hand had chemistry. Is that weird? 😆 Mik is playing both characters with the same nangek but him as Natee was better and had more chemistry with Sammy hahahaha. Do we agree on that? I guess we all missed that tough and “mean” praek in this lakorn.
But he wasn’t mean mean right? He was only mean for one episode and after that he told Moya that he was going to pursue her and told Moya that he was going to make her love him for him and forget Talay which is weird because he is Talay 🤣🤣🤣 At one point he was jealous of himself LOL. Talay/Natee was also smart and I loved that about his character. He knew not to trust the villains and didn’t give a shit about Nune amnesia and not amnesia. I remember some girls were joking about how Tohmon from Mia Jum Pben can’t relate hahaha 😝 Sammy as Moya was adorable too.
Moya is just a pure optimistic character that I feel like she is one of the most human character I’ve come across in lakorn world, if that makes any sense. The only thing I didn’t like about her character was how she treated Yotsakorn. Okay Yotsakorn is a villain, a psychopath, etc but I felt it was kind of wrong to use him in those last few episodes just to get evidence. There was a scene where I had wished she told Yotsakorn the truth how she actually feels about him, maybe then he would have stopped and let her free. Who knows? That was the only thing I wished was different about Moya.
Speaking of Yotsakorn, I felt bad for him only because he genuinely loved Moya and like I mentioned I didn’t like him getting used like that. As for his killing and stuff, yeah that was a no and he and Baitong from WWH should never meet 😂 But I did not feel bad for his mother at all. Another character I also felt bad for was Nune. She too also genuinely loved Natee but the love wasn’t returned. She didn’t deserve to be killed like that. Another character I liked was Prapas. Bless his soul. He did not deserve to be killed but it’s expected in lakorns for good characters anyways. And was I the only one that was skeptical about Prapas though? Hahaha. Like I think it took me a few episodes in to accept that he’s a good guy. I can’t help but be suspicious when murder is involved and the actor is always playing a villain and just in Lah Tah Chon was when I first watch his character was good so I was skeptical about him in this lakorn too.
Side characters I also enjoyed watching on screen was little Pooma! 🥰 She was just too adorable and I really love her scenes with Talay/Natee! Also Andrew as Thaneth hahaha. What a comic relief. I thought he was going to be a serious villain but he brings humor to this lakorn. I like his famous line of my little nemo fish Moya hahahahaha. I actually liked all the cast in here. The employees on the island bring good comic relief for stressful scenes. Our second couple was cute too. The actress Karn who plays as Namrin in here, this was her debut lakorn. I have to say she is pretty decent but I hope she work on projecting her voice a little better. She reminds me of Marie Broenner when Marie debuted as well. Her voice was so high-pitched. I don’t know if it was her character situation or not but yeah. I’m not a fan of Karn’s voice 😅
Overall this lakorn was good. The villains showed their character early on so you didn’t have to guess much. I wish the ending was executed better but I’ll accept what they gave us. For those that have watched this lakorn, I do want to hear your opinion on this lakorn and whether you prefer kitten Talay or lion Natee hahahaha. Thanks for watching and supporting me on this lakorn. Special thanks to timing team for helping me weekly. I was warned that some Mik fans are demanding and impatient (this is my first Mik lakorn I subbed) but I didn’t encounter any. Luckily hahaha. Thank you for that ❤️❤️
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This review may contain spoilers
Blandly Okay
Skip to the final section for a quick, spoiler-free rating.Maiden Holmes (Chinese title: 少女大人) is a 2020 Chinese drama about a female detective and a prince. Disguised as a man, Su Ci works as a constable of the Mingjing Office in the capital. In actuality, she is the sole survivor of a clan wiped out years ago after being framed for high treason. She meets the Prince of Qi, battle-scarred and recently forced to forfeit his military power by his uncle the Prince of Yun, and their paths become entwined. Danger, heartbreaks, friendships, and political struggles follow.
The drama is actually less dramatic than how I made it sound—and definitely much less dramatic than other existing summaries out there, so much so that I went into it with higher expectations than what the drama ended up delivering. But despite me quickly adjusting those expectations, Maiden Holmes still fell short of good.
Before I get into why, let’s start with some positives.
Structurally Sound Procedurals
I really enjoyed the set ups to some of the mystery cases. They’re not particularly well-executed at times as a lot of them are predictable, but you can see that the writers went the extra mile to make them believable and intriguing crimes. My favorite is the serial killer case—it’s the only one of the bunch where I didn’t foresee the actual culprit until it was obvious. Su Ci is, by all means, a great detective. She’s genuinely good at her job and takes pride in what she does.
What’s more, her crime solving skills are one of the few things the drama shows instead of tells, which is rare whenever a drama protagonist is declared to have a specialty skill. They tried to model her after the BBC’s version of Sherlock Holmes in the beginning though, which resulted in this utterly ridiculous moment in episode 2 of her deducing that a pigeon is too burnt to eat:
Thank goodness that didn’t last long.
Reasonable, Adult Characters
I’ve never seen such a perfectly reasonable bunch of main and side characters.
When it’s revealed to the friend group that Su Ci is a woman, Rushuang stayed angry for, like, one afternoon before forgiving her.
After Su Ci’s true gender gets exposed, the Prince of Qi becomes “woke” and makes it a mission to promote the idea of female officials and feminism in the workforce.
When Fu Ziyou rejects Princess Yun Chuan, she wishes him all the best and lets him be instead of becoming embittered.
Even the Empress Dowager and the Emperor’s relationships with the Prince of Qi are amicable and cordial, when in every other drama there would’ve been suspicions and doubts abound.
Every notable “good” character in Maiden Holmes communicates with each other. They’re almost always on the same page, hold similar points of view, and are all incredibly understanding and empathetic to each other’s plights.
Consequently, there are no direct major conflicts between any of them. No philosophical disagreements, no opposing points of view, no discord due to conflicting allegiances, no differing principles shaped by different upbringings. Even the eventual reveal of Xie Beiming’s adopted father, which leads to him to question where his loyalty lay, gets quickly resolved with some heart-to-heart bro talk with the Prince of Qi. Which brings me to Maiden Holmes’ biggest flaw…
Not Enough Antagonism
The Prince of Yun is a stock villain at best. You can spot his villainy a mile away, and it’s beyond obvious every step of the way that he’s directly or indirectly responsible for most of the crimes in the drama.
Despite him being a constant hindering presence, that’s all he does—he hinders. He’s a very reactive character, always taking actions after he learns what the good guys are up to. The problems he creates for them—the framing and mass murdering of the Bai Liang clan, the military sabotages, the secret amassing of an army and supplies—all happens either before the drama’s present-day, or off screen. That doesn’t make for a very exciting baddie.
I think he would’ve been an okay villain for any other set of protagonists. But for a group like Su Ci, the Prince of Qi, Rushuang, and Xie Beiming (and I’d even count the Emperor, who loves and trusts his brother a little too unconditionally for someone so close to his throne), who are somehow able to resolve every interpersonal misunderstanding and internal strife, he’s just an ineffective opponent. This is especially evident during the anticlimactic ending episode, where his every move gets countered and rendered useless by the Prince of Qi.
Major Pacing Issues and Plot Driven Conveniences
Maiden Holmes is also riddled with pacing issues.
For instance, in episode 23, when Su Ci is explaining why a victim’s blood splatter didn’t match witness accounts, she spends three whole minutes giving her friend (and thus us, the audience) a forensic breakdown on the angles of blood splatters. She could’ve easily proven her point in ten, fifteen seconds top.
It’s like that all throughout. Conversations that could have taken two or three lines of dialogues drag on for minutes. Scenes that could have taken a minute drag on for five. There are fluff and filler moments everywhere, killing the momentum.
There are also random moments of convenience. For example, in episode 18, the main suspect for poisoning Princess Yun Chuan just… leaves a major piece of evidence behind. And it gets played off as, “Oh no! I, a seasoned and professional spy and assassin, escaped. But I, a seasoned and professional spy and assassin, forgot the one piece of evidence that could implicate me and my superior.” Now, of course, things like that happen in real life. But it’s narratively stupid to do so without setting this character up to be someone who would forget.
The Romance? Cliches Galore
One of the first notes I wrote while watching Maiden Holmes episode 1 was, “This episode be like: How Many Cliches Can We Stuff Into 35 Minutes” because I counted no less than five instances of tropey moments: the slo-mo and dramatic music when Su Ci and the Prince of Qi first meet, the forced-by-circumstance groping, the handcuffing, the obligatory underwater kiss, falling on top of each other, Su Ci’s hair coming undone…
Please, enough! You can’t substitute the development of real love and intimacy with… whatever that crap is!
The first moment of real chemistry between Su Ci and the Prince of Qi doesn’t happen until episode 6 when she swears to repay him rescuing her with three stipulations of his choosing, which I feel was the first time their relationship spoke for itself. From there on, bolstered by the fact that the good guys in this drama are incapable of having fundamental disagreements with each other, their romance goes on to be relatively unproblematic and free of sustained troubles. Which is okay if you’re into that sort of thing in a drama.
On that note, another thing Maiden Holmes does have going for it is the lack of love triangles. Props to that.
Final Rating and Recommendations
Is Maiden Holmes good? No, I think it sucks. It’s bland, repetitive, cheesy, preachy, superficial, and clumsy story-telling. It feels as if the writers were so caught up in trying to make the drama faultless that they neglected to make it interesting. Every rising problem gets resolved instantly. The protagonists are never truly challenged because the plot shields them so much. You’re never once in doubt that the good guys are going to win at the end of the day.
But on the flip side, it’s not without its saving graces. The characters communicate with each other, for once. The actors and the costumes are nice to look at. The detective/procedural parts of the overall story actually exist, and are sometimes well done. It’s very much a “safe” story, one that you’re guaranteed to come from away emotionally intact.
If you’re looking to get immersed and excited by conflicts, plot twists, and dynamic characters, look elsewhere. But if you just want something feel-good and predictable, Maiden Holmes is the drama for you.
My Rating: 3.5/10
(Note : This is the first drama to be given the lowest rating) Luckily I managed through the story . Thank God for that !
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This review may contain spoilers
What Went Wrong in this Show ? - Not Worth Watching
Note : I'm hella sorry , if I hurt anyone your feeling by this review as if because I'm gonna be trashing the show . Completely a negative review . If y'all wanna positive review for this show , lemme down at comment section below !When The King: Eternal Monarch was announced as the newest project of star writer Kim Eun-sook, drama fans were looking forward to another blockbuster hit. Kim probably has the longest-running streak of hit shows among Korean screenwriters. She has dominated three successive decades with award-winning and commercially successful shows, from her Lovers’ trilogy in the early 2000s, to Secret Garden and The Heirs in the 2010s, and finally, Descendants of the Sun, Goblin, and Mr. Sunshine in the 2020s. It seems that with The King: Eternal Monarch, Kim wanted to ring in the new decade with yet another hit but ended up not quite hitting the mark.
The show premiered to much hype by virtue of being Lee Min-ho’s comeback drama and a decent 11% nationwide rating. Towards the second half, however, the show failed to move past the 6–8% bracket, ending its run with a measly 8% ratings. This was surprising, especially for a Kim Eun-sook drama, as her dramas are known for breaking ratings records. Many are wondering why, despite having so many factors to its advantage—a stellar lead pairing in Lee Min-ho and Kim Go-eun, interesting supporting cast featuring Woo Do-hwan, Lee Jung-jin, Jung Eun-chae, and Kim Kyung-nam, enormous budget, an exciting sci-fi premise, intense promotions by Netflix—did the show fail to make the splash we were all hoping for? Let’s look at some possible reasons.
An Under-Utilized Villain
The main villain of the show, Lee Rim, portrayed by the mysterious and dangerous-looking Lee Jung-jin, was probably one of the biggest let-downs in the plot. He is introduced to us as the evil uncle who leads a coup against Lee Gon’s father, steals the magical flute manpasikjeok, and tries to kill Lee Gon in the very first episode. Following this, he travels to a parallel world using the flute, finds his counterpart in that world, and kills him. Pretty scandalous, right? The show sets Lee Rim up to be a formidable villain, but the characterization all but falls apart in the later episodes.
For the entire run of the show, viewers are not given a backstory for Lee Rim’s character. We know that he is evil but get no insight into either his motivations or what he’s actually scheming for. Is it political power? Does he want to rule both parallel worlds? Does he want to kill his nephew and take back the other half of the magical flute? We never find out. He stays a mystery throughout, and while that’s usually a desirable trait in a villain— this time, it fell woefully short of expectations. Lee Rim never feels dangerous or creepy enough for viewers to be invested in his eventual downfall, which, frankly, was just as disappointing as the character himself.
Poor Choice of Leads
One of the criticisms often leveled against Lee Min-ho is that he plays the same character in all his dramas. Here, too, he plays a role very similar to his previous dramas—the rich, bratty guy, except this time he’s an Emperor from a different world instead of a wealthy heir. The cocky rich guy is a concept even I, a non-fan of romance, tend to enjoy occasionally. But after Boys Over Flowers, The Heirs, City Hunter, Legend of the Blue Sea, and now The King: Eternal Monarch, it is getting boring and repetitive. Granted, no one does justice to this trope like Lee Min-ho does, but some range and depth in acting would be nice. That’s why I think King Lee Gon failed to charm viewers as easily as Lee Min-ho’s previous characters have.
As for Kim Go-eun, having watched her films and her eventual transition to dramas, I personally think that she performs better in more serious, nuanced roles like the films Coin Locker Girl and Tune In For Love. She wasn’t bad in her debut drama Cheese in the Trap either, which was a slice-of-life show that didn’t require her to be in hyper-realistic settings. In Kim Eun-sook’s fantasy dramas, however, Kim is prone to overacting—be it as Goblin‘s (Guardian: The Great and Lonely God) Ji Eun-tak or The King: Eternal Monarch’s Jung Tae-eul. Even within the show, she performed much better as the street smart Luna than the emotional Tae-eul. Minimalistic and nuanced acting seems to be much more within the actress’s range and depth.
Lack of World Building
A science-fiction romance fantasy involving time travel, multiple timelines, two parallel Koreas—one a monarchy and the other a democracy—the original concept of the show sounded too good to be true. And then it aired, and we realized that it really was too good to be true. Initial episodes set the stage for several mysteries—the power of the magic flute, the mechanics of traveling between two parallel worlds, everyone from one world having a doppelganger in the parallel world, Lee Rim’s schemes, and so on. But the developments of these arcs left a lot of be desired.
For starters, the show doesn’t dedicate time to explaining the exact powers of the magical flute manpasikjeok, which is surprising because it is the most important piece of the puzzle in the show. The world building between the two Koreas starts off as promising but ends up getting confusing when viewers can’t tell which world the characters are supposed to be in. I wish there were color tones, or something I could have used to distinguish between the two words because I spent the first few episodes thoroughly lost. When the actual time-traveling begins, the plot is too far ahead for any tension to build up so viewers are left accepting whatever the show throws at them. Frankly, it came off as unrealistic that Lee Gon could travel back and forth in time, altering timelines, without any cosmic side-effects. Isn’t that the inherent rule and tragedy of every time-travel movie/show ever?
No Build Up to the Romance
For a romance drama by one of the greatest romance drama writers of all time, the romance in this show is shockingly lacking in depth. It begins quite abruptly with Lee Gon hugging a stunned Tae-eul at the end of the first episode itself. We only know that Lee Gon has grown up thinking Tae-eul saved his life. But what makes him fall in love with her, we never find out. Tae-eul, though initially distrustful of Gon, eventually opens up and falls for him, too, but this transition again is too jarring to tug at emotions and make the viewer invested in the relationship.
The few kiss scenes we get lack any tension or buildup, seeming almost forced. As a viewer, it never felt like we saw Lee Gon and Tae-eul genuinely connect and as a result, their impending separation and reunion wasn’t as high stakes as it should have been. I was reminded of Kim Eun-sook’s previous dramas like Goblin (Guardian: The Great and Lonely God) and Descendants of the Sun, where the main couples’ banter and chemistry became one of the reasons for the shows’ success. Here, the dialogue was clichéd, romance was full of tired tropes, and chemistry was lacking. The happy ending didn’t end up being satisfying, and it hurts me to say it, because this story had so much potential.
Excessive Product Placement (PPL)
The excessive PPL in the show has also come under scanner, though this is a complaint mostly from Korean viewers. PPL is common in every drama with a big budget as broadcasters seek to recover the money they spent on the show. The difference between good and bad PPL, however, is that the former is cleverly injected into the plot and doesn’t ruin the flow, while the latter, well, does. Korean viewers have called this show’s PPL some of the most notorious they have ever seen in a drama, and let me tell you why.
Almost every meal the characters are shown eating is the BBQ chicken they are promoting, and in one scene, Lee Min-ho’s character goes beyond eating to raving about the chicken…right in the middle of the plot! We know South Korea’s fried chicken is to die for, but come on. Several times, the show switches from a drama to an advertisement in the most jarring of transitions that break the flow of that particular scene. Yet another instance is Kim Go-eun breaking character to promote a lip balm, while she is supposed to be on duty as a detective. Most international fans don’t even blink at the PPL in K-dramas, but this time, we did.
Too Many Side Arcs
Instead of building up the parallel worlds, the villains, and the lead couple’s story, the focus of the show seems to be on the many, many side characters as well as their counterparts in the parallel world. There are so many stories going on at once that focusing on one was difficult. Still, if the side arcs are done well, they only add to the plot. But side characters in The King: Eternal Monarch that looked like they would impact the main plot turned out to be irrelevant. I quite enjoyed Jo Yeong/Jo Eun-seob and Kang Shin-jae’s arcs, but Goo Seo-ryung, Prince Buyeong, Myeong Na-ri, and Min Hwa-yeon, who got significant screen time, eventually ended up contributing nothing. All this time could have been spent on developing Lee Rim’s character or the romance between Lee Gon and Tae-eul.
All in all, The King: Eternal Monarch boasted of an amazing concept, but the execution left much to be desired. It seems that writer Kim Eun-sook tried to experiment with a new genre but got lost on the way. This is not to say that I’ve lost faith in her work—it’s simply a minor setback in a long and illustrious career. K-dramaland is bound to be just as excited for her next work as we were for this one.
Have you watched The King: Eternal Monarch? Let us know your thoughts about the show in the comments below!
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