A Cute and Funny Rom-Com That You Can Watch Under 2 Hrs!

STORY-8.0
Based on the Webtoon of the same name, which I have not watched, Uncle Cool tells the love story between a cheerful high school girl and a cold but caring doctor. Besides these tropes, we have some others: Height Difference, Older Man/Younger Woman, School Bullying, Neighbors. The rather big age gap (seems to be 10 years at most) may be a bit bothersome for some, but as someone who usually doesn't mind these kinds of age gaps, I was perfectly fine with this couple. They are cute, and awkward in a good way! There were also quite a few comedic moments where I was laughing quite fiercely, a nice cherry on the top!

As this drama was only about 80 minutes, there wasn't a very deep and long story, but it managed to pack in the details very nicely. There are two rather touchy topics- School bullying, and child abuse. They played a crucial part in the drama and we watched the female lead become more confident and stronger as she overcame these problems.

There were also some heartwarming places in this drama. I particularly loved Na Na’s ‘enemy-to-friends’ relationship with a girl in school. Shows how much friendship is important to us and can help us get through hard times.

ACTING-8.5
The actors are all at the novice level-they haven’t acted in many dramas, but I loved their characters and they were not awkward or strange as their characters at all. I felt that the main leads had reasonable chemistry; Of course, there wasn’t enough time for more cute interactions that would have left me fawning over them.

There weren’t many actors either, but they all did reasonably well, expressing their emotions very realistically and touchingly.

OVERALL-8.0
If you just want some relaxation with some fluff and a few laughs, I would immediately recommend Uncle Cool. There were no annoying details or characters with numerous heartwarming and cute scenes. Awesome character development as well!

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You Are My Glory: A Beautiful Romance Carrying a Jade Rabbit's Dream

Landing on the moon’s surface on December 14, 2013, the Yu Tu Rover (玉兔, Jade Rabbit) worked on the moon for a total of 31 months, far exceeding its original expected lifespan of 3 months and becoming the longest-operating rover on the moon. Part of China’s Chang’e 3 Mission, Yu Tu traveled a total of 114 meters, sending amazing data back to earth.

Yu Tu said goodbye on August 3, 2016, with a beautiful message:

“There are still many questions I would like answers to, but I’m the rabbit who has seen the most stars.”

(As a girl from a Chinese family, I knew of Yu Tu before YAMG, but this still makes me tearful T^T)
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Enough of story-telling. I’m sure most people were anticipating this drama for days, weeks, months...Admit it, one of the main reasons for the tiresome wait was for the gorgeous main leads. Yang Yang and Dilraba...in a rom-com? Are you kidding me? (nope!)

As soon as the drama started, I was fully immersed. The first 2 minutes, with Liu Yuning’s Fireworks and Stars (烟火星辰) was just a beautiful blessing to my eyes. The galactic palate was a job well done.

With an MDL low of 8.3 at a point when You Are My Glory (YAMG) was airing, the ratings slowly increased to a very understandable 8.7. All credits to the story goes to Gu Man, the author of the original novel- You’re My Glory (same Chinese name as the drama as well, 你是我的荣耀). Gu Man is also the screenwriter of the drama, the reason why you would realize that there is a shortage of differences between the novel and drama if you read the novel, which is a must-read if you’re craving for short but cute webnovels. And the small number of differences was a delightful surprise, as there wasn’t much in the fluffy story that needed to be changed to make the drama a success. (and it is!) As someone who rarely reads Cdrama original novels, I thoroughly enjoyed You’re My Glory as I impatiently waited for the last releases of the drama.

The story is simple but unique; the love story between a popular actress and an aerospace engineer who were high school (and middle school) classmates 10 years ago. Seems kinda cliche at first glance, doesn’t it? Haha, well, I do daresay that it isn’t! Gu Man really played around with her creative ideas. Qiao Jingjing has a month to improve her oh-pretty-bad (actually, quite bad) gaming skills to prove to everyone that she can play the game that she endorses. Who does she ask for help? The very talented Yu Tu, of course!

Before I continue with my hopeless YAMG gushing, please allow me to clarify a point: YAMG is NOT an E-sports drama. While it does involve an online game, King of Glory, no one in this drama is a professional gamer. Ok, continue reading. :)

Yu Tu (spelled, 于途, a homophone of the Jade Rabbit Yu Tu) may seem like your typical Cdrama male god - Earning full marks in high school, attending Tsinghua (the top university in China), being even a god at basketball, even looking like a god (I mean, he’s Yang Yang lol). He’s the full Male God Package!

But WAIT. What is that? He has a dilemma? Hmm...not your typical male god, perhaps? Yu Tu had more realistic problems, but that doesn’t stop him from being thoughtful and caring to his family and friends. You Are My Glory is a much more mature rom-com, with not just characters dreaming of a lovey-dovey future, but with hardships that accompany their dreams.

Let’s go back to that quote from the Jade Rabbit Rover, “I’m the rabbit who has seen the most stars.” Qiao Jingjing said a version of this beautiful quote to Yu Tu, who carried with him his inspirational aerospace dream. Supportive of Yu Tu no matter what, she was always there for him.

“You’re the rabbit who has seen the most stars.” Explains Yu Tu’s dream, which seemed unreachable at first, but he slowly neared that dream, being an inspiration to all.

Behind Actress and Superstar Qiao Jingjing is a girl with a huge heart. Her kindness is almost unparalleled; As much as she seems to be self-centered with her glamorous attire and noble air, you’ll soon discover that there is so much to see than just being in the spotlight. She also displays unwavering perseverance. If Qiao Jingjing sets her mind on something, she’ll get it done AND she’ll get it done well, from her demanding job to helping out friends. People who were talking about Jingjing’s high EQ were totally right.

Oh, and YAMG is frustration-free! No b*tchy exes nagging the leads, no annoying in-laws in opposition, no unnecessary drama in the entertainment circle, this is what I call the full Cdrama Romcom Package, with no unnecessary details and a perfectly cut diamond.

YAMG provides plenty of cute scenes, as well as ‘omg DAMN’ ones, and hilariously funny situations. There were several times where I was telling my friends (who didn’t understand Mandarin) to not watch the episodes without subs because the scenes were THAT funny. What else is there to ask of a cute and funny rom-com?
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I won’t gush about eye-candy, but I’m sure you already know what I’m talking about. (*wink*) Yang Yang and Dilraba can both be considered veteran actors and are very popular, both on MDL and around the world (including mainland China), thus the high number of users with YAMG on their PTW lists. As for acting, Yang Yang and Dilraba have witnessed both praises and insults, but they really shone here, wonderfully embodying their characters, both their lovable traits, and their hard times as they faced their challenges. The acting was not at all forced and had a very natural air from beginning to end.

I could name a few actresses that Yang Yang had great chemistry with and a few actors that Dilraba looked great with, but wow, these two can really act as a pair! This is what ‘off the charts’ chemistry is really like, my friends!

YAMG doesn’t have a second couple, but with Jingjing and Yu Tu’s sweetness, another couple wasn’t necessary at all. Besides, we got Jingjing’s Pei Pei and Sister Ling, who supported her no matter what, and Yu Tu’s Zhai Liang and Guan Zai, accompanying him through both happy and lonely times.

One more surprise- Janice Wu and Gina Jin are guest roles here! Although they didn’t have much screen time, it was just delightful seeing them in a drama again, and like always, they did amazing. :D
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You Are My Glory’s OST is short but delightful. There was one song that stood out to me- Fireworks and Stars sung by Liu Yuning. The other songs were lovely and nice, but they weren’t extraordinarily outstanding. In fact, there was one song with a nice start but started to feel a little nagging in the middle. Maybe it’s just me. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ But background music was chosen very nicely and always gave off a light and airy feeling.

The production is also very deserving of two high thumbs up. Jingjing’s outfits were always very beautiful, but they never were over-the-top fancy or anything of the sort. And don’t even get me started with Yu Tu, I could go on for hours about Yang Yang’s outfits and his GLASSES. Lighting and camera angles were very pleasing to the eyes, especially the camera angles during intimate scenes.
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All in all, the looong wait for YAMG ended with no disappointment. In fact, I think You Are My Glory has exceeded many of our expectations. Of course, it doesn’t suit everyone, but if you’re in need of a light and cute rom-com, give You Are My Glory a try! Maybe you’ll be like many of us, falling in love with the drama and its wonderful story.

~

If you would like to know the Jade Rabbits story (the rabbit, not the rover), here’s a quick read for you: https://www.waiyeehong.com/oriental-culture/jade-rabbit-yutu/

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Love Among the Vast Galaxy of Stars

Love Like the Galaxy: Part 2, or Yue Sheng Cang Hai (月升沧海), is the continuation of the first part of the drama, Xing Han Can Lan (星汉灿烂), with a bit more of a political twist to it. The titles of these two parts are simply gorgeous, as they relate to the shining stars and vast waters of the sea. To be completely honest, I did not even plan to watch Love Like the Galaxy, not expecting the plot to be so gripping, the character development to be so well-rounded. With many veteran actors in this drama, the characters were brought to life, with bright smiles as well as tears to be shed.

“If the husband is the sun that brightens the road for thousands of Li way, then the wife would be the star, the brilliant galaxy. The sun, the moon and the galaxy neither is superior or inferior, they’re indispensable. We can only create a world by coexisting."

STORY- 8.5
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While the first part of the drama was focused on Cheng Shaoshang’s journey of getting to know her family members, the second part also highlights Ling Buyi’s path to seeking revenge, with bits of political strife among officials as well. One could perhaps use the term “Star-crossed lovers” on Cheng Shaoshang and Ling Buyi. Although loving and caring towards one another, it was clear that the two did not truly come to understand each other fully in Part 1 of the drama, and Part 2 witnesses the two gaining the full trust of each other and walking towards the frontlines as a duo, and not one person trying to protect the other.

Again, I write that the second part does include more political scenes, which do affect the couple’s relationship. The audience also learns more about Ling Buyi’s past and the path he has decided to take for the future. Being the sole living descendant of the Huo Family other than his mother, he is forced to choose who to protect. Both Ling Buyi and Cheng Shaoshang grew up with minimal love, learning that they had only themselves to rely on. This caused both of them to grow up to become strong-willed people who were determined to do whatever their heart was set on. This, however, also meant that it took much longer for both of them to start trusting other people, and their frustrating stubbornness sometimes caused what you could call unnecessary arguments. The drama undoubtedly has some of the most heartbreaking scenes that were filmed in the most beautiful way, prompting the audience to rewatch specific scenes over and over again.

If you’ve already watched the first part, you probably won’t be able to list many common drama tropes that show up in Love Like the Galaxy, because simply, the director was smart enough to avoid these annoying tropes. No second lead causing unnecessary misunderstandings, no close friend turning evil, and even no fighting in the emperor’s harem. The relationship between Empress Xuan and Consort Yue is so pure and loving. Even if the two did not have many direct interactions, their dialogues are one of the most heart-warming scenes in this drama. Xuan Shen An lived a life of longing, longing for true love, longing for a life without high authoritative power. Unlike other empresses, she isn’t a haughty, all-above woman. Instead, she only hopes for her children to live a happy and free-spirited life, unlike her, bound inside the imperial palace, knowing that Emperor Wen loved another, Consort Yue. But even so, this didn’t hurt the two women’s strong relationship. They treated each other as true sisters, with no scheming and hatred.

The last few episodes were a bit of a drag, with the precedented time skip, but the separation was executed strongly, even with just actions and no dialogue. The last arc, which was about Shaoshang and Zisheng getting back together, was edited a bit messily, putting some more focus on unprecedented side characters. Apparently, 10 episodes were edited out of the series, resulting in the rushness. This was a bit unfortunate as the audience wasn't looking forward to the multiple Ling Buyi-Comes-to-Shaoshang's-Rescue-Again scenes as much as the scenes that focused on the couple's relationship, which was overshadowed by schemes and headstrog leads.

However, even with the numerous tense scenes in Part 2, some comedic scenes were added here and there for bits of laughter. Emperor Wen wins Funniest Man in a Historical Cdrama, no joke. He cared for Ling Buyi as if he was his own son, and was probably the couple’s best matchmaker. It was beautiful how the emperor and his two wives stood up for Zisheng and Shaoshang, as if they were their own children. Empress Xuan was Shaoshang’s quiet resort, her paradise.

CAST - 10
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Again, LLTG is filled with experienced actors, many well-acclaimed in mainland China. The eye candy is a plus, but the emotional expressions on every single one of the actors’ faces were astonishing. Each tear fell at the perfect time, each smile crooked at an angle. Leo Wu’s face was truly terrifying at times, showing the revenge he had to take, his hatred toward those that killed his uncle and the rest of the Huo Family. Zhao Lusi’s Cheng Shaoshang started off as a hyper and chirpy girl, and if you’ve watched a few of her other dramas, is a role that she shines in. However, this girl became a quiet and virtuous young woman as time grew by, and Zhao Lusi brought this time and the experiences that Shaoshang faced to life.

Rather than saying the character development was the most amazing, the development between character relationships was even more phenomenal. More than half of the Part 1 of LLTG had a Xiao Yuanyi that the audience strongly disliked. She was portrayed as a heartless mother who only knew of military punishment, and frankly, this description is not very wrong. However, her estranged relationship with her daughter slowly thawed as she started to show love and care physically, and not just inside of herself. Xiao Yuanyi slowly learned what it meant to have a daughter, and how to truly care for her. This is only one detail of the strong Cheng Family. There is not a single person in the family that does not care for Shaoshang’s well-being, and her parents, siblings, cousin, and even grandmother were always ready to step in front of her, to protect her. In the direst times, even the shy Yang Yang looked the opposing official in the eye, ready to fight.

No team of actors could have executed each scene as intricately as this team did. The audience could feel the heartwrenching pain, not only for the leads but for the supporting characters as well. Each supporting character had their own story, no matter loving or evil. With lovable characters came jealous figures and power-hungry villains.

PRODUCTION- 10
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Although not a formal MDL review category, LLTG’s production is worth mentioning. Each scene is set at a thought-provoking angle, from the bird-eye view of a lone carriage among the grand walls of the palace to the ancient curtains that basked in gentle candlelight. Even the opening to each episode showed figurine scenes of the drama, instrumental and mysterious. As simple as the costumes seemed at first, clothing colors were chosen with care, ranging from mahogany reds to soft cerulean blues. The earrings were studded with one of two beads that highlighted the beauty of the actresses’ faces. The hairstylist also did a good job of putting the long hairs up in a regal way, but also with a simple air to them. The costumes seemed much simpler than in other dramas at first, but the gentle patterns and colors were unique to every character. Although it is important to ask if Wang Ling was wearing the same purple dress the whole time. Perhaps it would of been better to give the supporting characters some wardrobe changes as well.

Another point was the terms in this drama, which I’ve never heard in other historical dramas due to different time periods. Instead of Jie Jie (姐姐), for example, older sister was called A’Zi (阿姊), and mother and father were called A’Mu and A’Fu, different from other traditional callings such as the much more common Mu Qing (母亲) and Fu Qing (父亲).

MUSIC - 9.0
LLTG has three sung OSTs (two of them were special to the two parts), as well as a few theme songs played with traditional Chinese instruments for a few characters. The OSTs were sung with emotion and feeling, prompting the listener to close their eyes and enjoy the tender melodies. As beautiful as they were, it would have been to have a few more supplemental OSTs to enhance the drama atmosphere.

The OSTs are a beautiful treat, though:
Love Like the Galaxy (星汉灿烂) - Sung by Shan Yi Chun
Song of Strings (弦歌) - Sung by Ayanga
Sigh of Starry River (星河叹) - Isabelle Huang

Overall, Part 2 has nicely wrapped up the historical series, with a gripping plot and lovable characters, both leading and supporting. Character relationship in Love Like the Galaxy is one of the most precious and unique parts of the drama, showing every kind of love, and not just romantic. Through interactions and experiences, Cheng Shaoshang has finally come to accept her position in the world, and Ling Buyi has come to trust Shaoshang as not just the person he loves, but as her own separate person.

“I know it’s her with just one glance, it’ll be her this lifetime, this century.”

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The Agarwood is Still Burning but I'm Burnt Out

Ok, so, where should I start? If you're a long-time Xianxia drama lover looking for a new, quality Xianxia drama, it might (emphasize on the might!) be helpful for you to read this review. Or if you're looking to see if you should continue the series. If you love love LOVE this drama, I'd advise you to stop here as although there were some loveable moments in the series, there were some major disappointments that did not allow for the best love story and drama overall, and I will be elaborating on these details in the review. Although the series was divided into two parts with 59 episodes in total, my review covers both parts. Spoilers are at a minimum with the assumption that the audience has a bit of information about the story.

I have been waiting for the release of Immortal Samsara since the first day the series announced its amazing cast, with Cheng Yi as Ying Yuan Dijun and Yang Zi as Yan Dan. Both are A-listed Chinese actors with a huge fanbase both in China and internationally, as well as many well-received dramas in the past. Immortal Samsara is directed by Director Guo Hu, who directed the well-received 2021 Chinese drama One and Only, as well as co-directed famous Xianxias Eternal Love (TMoPB) and Love and Destiny. As a huge Xianxia lover, how could I miss out on such a big Xianxia with seemingly beautiful production? It was like a dream come true, with Ashes of Love's FL and Love and Redemption's ML, as well as a supporting cast from both dramas.

Adapted from the Chinese Xianxia novel with the same Part 1 name, "Chen Xiang Ru Xie" (沉香如屑) by author Su Mo (苏寞), Immortal Samsara tells the romance between the noble and prestigious Dijun, or Heavenly Lord, Ying Yuan and carefree and bubbly lotus flower, Yan Dan. Again, Yang Zi plays the role of a rather naive little girl who knows basically nothing about the hardships of the world at the beginning, planning to rely on sister and friends. So here you are given a typical Xianxia male and female lead. Although love is forbidden among immortals in the Heavenly Realm, the two find themselves falling for each other, and thus, starting their heartbreaking love story spanning more than a thousand years. However, the drama is filled with many common Xianxia tropes, resulting in a predictable story with pretty much cliche characters. Again, do not get me wrong, I love Yang Zi and Cheng Zi and their acting was PHENOMENAL in this drama, as usual, however, their roles were dull and what one could call your "average" Xianxia lead, with a story filled with betrayal, misunderstandings, and amnesia.

To be completely honest, I thoroughly enjoyed the first 10 or so episodes, which took place in the Heavenly Realm. The episodes were filled with cuteness, laughs, and some character development from Yan Dan. Not to mention Ying Yuan's funny habit of flipping the turtle onto its back. But of course, Xianxias are notorious for the heartbreaking means the leads have to go through to finally be together happily, and the audience's emotions are also abused in the process. Predictably (cough), the first half of the drama has two, not one, second female leads, coveting Ying Yuan's powerful position, bitchy Ying Deng, and (surprise!), Yan Dan's older sister, Zhi Xi. While Ying Yuan is pretending to have never loved her to protect her for the greater good, poor Yan Dan is out there being targeted by not only high immortal Ying Deng, but Zhi Xi as well, the older twin sister who vowed to always protect her. Fun, right? Girl's having it way too hard on her. So basically, after Yan Dan truly falls for Ying Yuan, the rest of her time in the Heavenly Realm before she leaves for the River of Forgetness (Wang Chuan) is suffering, more suffering, and the more terrible of sufferings. She even cut out half her lotus heart to keep Ying Yuan alive, and this all-great lord pushes her away, even telling her before she walks onto the River of Forgetness that he has never loved her, leaving her in utter despair.

If this had been 2018, I would have probably been bawling every 3 episodes, but I did not cry a single time in this drama. This doesn't really indicate anything, but I could not understand many of the characters, as character development was rushed and not focused on. The drama just seemed like a cycle of, I love you, I'll sacrifice for you, goodbye, we meet again. The entire time, I was asking myself, is this going to get any better? Because I truly wanted to enjoy Immortal Samsara.

As with most if not all Xianxia romance dramas, there is always a Mortal Arc, where the leads go down to the Mortal Realm and their romance progresses from there. And like most other Xianxia dramas, our two leads enter the Mortal Realm with no idea of their past in the Heavenly Realm, their memories erased of their love and grievances towards each other. Obviously, they meet and fall in love again. Nothing new. In my honest opinion, the Mortal Arc was way too long, with unnecessary side stories that bored the audience. Jiang Chen and Pei Luo's ending was different than the novel, with a rather pathetic ending instead of the audience's wished for ending of them putting down their differences and living together happily. On the other hand, ridiculous amounts of screen time were given to the third female lead, Ying Deng, who is one of the haughtiest b*tches I've ever seen in the Cdrama world. Not on par with Su Jin of Eternal Love just yet, but she was almost there. It felt as if she had an infinite number of costumes to change into, while FL Yan Dan was wearing the same outfit the entire episode. I was over the moon when she was turned into stone, but guess what? SHE JUST MELTS BACK. As if rock can turn into a person. sigh. Yu Mo truly loved and cared for Yan Dan, but over time, the excessive amount of screen time that he as a second male lead got also became pretty much of a bore, as I longed for more strong interaction between the two leads.

However, the Mortal Arc also had its good sides. I absolutely love Zi Lin, the immortal turtle. His expression when he realized that Tang Zhou was the Flipping Turtle Lord was hands-on PRICELESS. Although Ying Yuan in the Heavenly Realm would never admit his deep feelings for Yan Dan to "protect her", Tang Zhou was the exact opposite, telling his sect members that he would live for himself just this one time, molding him into a more understandable and loveable person. Although both Ying Yuan and Tang Zhou had heavy responsibilities, Tang Zhou acknowledged the fact that his purpose of living was not just for the greater good of others, but for himself as well. Ying Yuan on the other hand, did not realize this message until it was too late.

In terms of acting, again, Yang Zi and Cheng Yi did not disappoint. Each heartbreaking scene was expressed with meticulous emotions on their faces, especially when it came to crying scenes. Ying Yuan and Yan Dan's love for each other was obvious, but unfortunately, even with the amazing acting skills, the story fell short. However, it's imperial to say that Cheng Zi amazed everyone with his acting as three different personalities, Ying Yuan, Tang Zhou, and Xuan Ye. Each figure was so different and unique from the others that it didn't seem like they were all acted by the same person. Cheng Yi had a totally different aura when he played the three roles, creating different atmospheres. Yang Zi's every tear was dropped with precise timing, showing the heartbreaking reality of her love, which she thought was unreciprocated. Meng Ziyi as Zhi Xi was beautifully acted out as a female immortal who aimed to become one of the best, although suddenly cast in the shadow of her playful sister. The bond between the sisters at the end is truly loveable, with heartwarming scenes between the two, even if Zhi Xi did break her sister's heart and trust in the Heavenly Realm. As for Zhang Rui as Yu Mo, his acting felt rather forced, and similarly, with other demons, I could not relate to them at all and was not very invested whatsoever in their separate stories.

You might be wondering, if I was so tired of these tropes, why did I continue watching? From the very start of the drama, not only was I looking forward to Ying Yuan and Yan Dan's love story (which was unfortunately much of a letdown), I was extremely excited to watch the side story of Ying Yuan's parents, Asura Lord Xuan Ye and Heavenly Realm female god, Ran Qing. Fortunately, I was much more invested in their love story, however, many questions were left unanswered when it comes to these two episodes. What were Xuan Ye's thoughts as his son when he learned of Qingli Ying Yuan Dijun? Did he know that his son was that powerful man? Xuan Ye evilness is definitely unparalleled, but he still fell in love with an immortal deity. By the way, Cheng Yi dubbed Xuan Ye, lowering his voice for a much more mysterious and frightening low-pitched voice.

When it comes to the ending of the drama, I, once again, was very disappointed. However, I wasn't disappointed with the outcome of the story, I was more let down by how rushed everything was. For a 59-episode drama that focused so much on a boring Mortal Arc, I was expecting a more explained ending, with an ending not only for the two leads but for supporting characters as well. That was not covered by Immortal Samsara in the least little bit. There were only 20 minutes left of the last episode of Immortal Samsara, and the leads were still fighting against the villain! Does the director have any sense of balancing out time and scenes? (probably not) Yes, I was most invested in the leads but I don't want to leave the supporting characters hanging in midair. Although screen time should be mainly focused on Ying Yuan and Yan Dan, the drama did not do this in a balanced way. The Mortal Arc focused way too much on other characters while the ending gave them a mere 5 or so minutes and none for the rest of the many characters in the drama. The leads disappeared together, and that was it. No more explanation. It is said that 2 more episodes will be released in a few days to explain this unexpected ending, but I am not sure if I will watch it. Why not just air everything together, instead of making the audience, who has already paid more than their fair share of money to watch the last few episodes?

However, the OST was beautiful, with wonderfully-written songs sung by a few talented artists. Lyrics matched the story of Immortal Samsara and melodies were gorgeous and unforgettable. It would have been better even more of a treat to see a few more singers in the track listing, as well as more songs used in the drama itself, as there are instances where OSTs are recorded but not used inside the drama, but perhaps budget or time was a roadblock. Cheng Yi and Yang Zi both sang a song each, but I'm not sure they were used inside the drama as I cannot recollect the melodies. Agarwood sung by Jason Zhang and Jane Zhang was absolutely charming and full of longing.

Here is the beautiful OST listing:

1) Agarwood (沉香) - Jason Zhang & Jane Zhang
2) Hong Chen Lu (红尘录) - Jason Zhang
3) Pian Xing (偏星) - Jane Zhang
4) River of Forgetfulness (忘川) - Cheng Yi
5) Can't Forget (无忘) - Zhang Lei
6) Looking at the Sky (望辰) - Yang Zi

Finally, it's also important to acknowledge the beautiful costumes and hairstyles of the many characters in the drama, as they truly did give off ethereal Xianxia vibes. I especially loved Yan Dan's hairstyle, with a long, silky ribbon that cascaded down her black hair. CGI was also gorgeous, with colorful pastel skies and of course, the massive dreamy-like whale that Yan Dan and Ying Yuan rode on together, a recollection of some of their happy memories. The palaces inside the Heavenly Palace were a bit odd-looking and the white walls did look a bit like plastic, but the props were intricate.

All in all, you might want to give Immortal Samsara a try if you're a new Xianxia watcher, however, keep in mind that some parts are ridiculously draggy with some annoying characters. If you're reading this review and wondering if you should continue onto Part 2, I don't really think the romance gets "better", as some might say, however it does progress as the leads do spend more time together. Xuan Ye was a treat, but again, the entire drama felt like a cycle of predictable Xianxia tropes. So if you've already watched all the big Xianxia romances out there, Immortal Samsara is probably not your best choice. Although Cheng Yi and Yang Zi did fantastically in their respective roles and costumes were gorgeous, the boring and draggy plot heavily outweighed the pros of the series.

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A Star-Crossed Romance Spanning Centuries that Shows Us How to Truly Love the World

If you, like many others, including myself, have been looking for recent Xianxia dramas that try to sway away from the usual Cold-Immortal-ML-and-Bubbly-Clueless-Female premise, you might want to give Till the End of the Moon a try. But, there are also some catches. Let me explain.

Till the End of the Moon is a 40-episode long Xianxia romance drama adapted from the novel Hei Yue Guang Na Wen BE Ju Ben" (黑月光拿稳BE剧本), or Black Moonlight Holds the BE Script by Teng Luo Wei Zhi (藤萝为枝). Judging from the genre and novel title alone, you should already expect an angsty storyline, unlike other Xianxias, with blood-spitting and heartbreaking moments. The plot is divided into three or four arcs, depending on how you see it: The drama starts in the Immortal/Cultivation Realm but this lasts very briefly before the female lead is transported to the Mortal Realm. Later, we have the dream arc, where the leads take on the roles of different characters and live a part of their lives. Finally, both characters are back in the cultivation realm. Personally, the Mortal Arc was the most enjoyable and gripping arc for me, with many reasons that I may elaborate on later in the review. The drama was originally divided into two separate dramas but due to government restrictions on the number of episodes per drama, the episode count was capped at 40. Therefore, the episode lengths are a bit longer, averaging at around 50-55 minutes per episode. However, it seems as if there are still some scenes that did not make it into the final drama, which was a bit disappointing and made the second half of the drama feel a bit rushed.

Female lead Li Susu is tasked with the difficult and dangerous task of killing the heartless Demon God Tantai Jin. To do this, she is sent 500 years back into the past, entering the body of Ye Xiwu, the spoiled, legitimate daughter of the noble Ye family. The mortal arc of the drama was hands down my absolute favorite part of the drama. The plot was gripping and addicting, and the acting was simply the cherry on top. Tantai Jin’s masked hatred for the world begins to show as Li Susu (aka Ye Xiwu) tries to formulate a plan on how to kill this future demon god who will kill all of her loved ones and destroy the world. The pacing of the first arc was near perfect without filler scenes and any of the cliches that you would see in many other Xianxias. It’s absolutely heartbreaking to understand that Li Susu will have to kill Tantai Jin at the end, who is seemingly harmless and loveable for most of the Mortal Arc. Their romance is star-crossed lovers to the extreme, with both falling for each other but Li Susu living with the understanding that she has to kill the one she loves, or else the entire world would be destroyed.

Tantai Jin and Ye Xiwu’s relationship is slowly built up with both sweet and bitter aspects. It is clear that both of them truly care for one another but they aren’t able to completely convey their feelings. As Jin Emperor, Tantai Jin, while still harboring resentment toward those who maltreated him, is a very benevolent leader to the innocent citizens. It is simply heartwarming to see this slight change in character that is facilitated by the love and care that Ye Xiwu seems to give. However, we come to a point in the mortal arc where the relationship between the two turns to a rather toxic point, with quite a few misunderstandings. The largest fault in the drama is the lack of effective communication between the leads that could have resolved so many problems and saved so many innocent lives. But this does not overshadow the fact that the mortal arc, as well as the other arcs, had beautifully crafted scenes that not many other dramas can top.

For some, the next arc, which is set inside a dream, was a snooze fest. Essentially, the leads enter a dream where they take on the roles of a powerful immortal god and lively clam princess. I was quite invested in this arc up until the drama introduces an absolutely evil second female lead who completely destroys Ming Ye (ML) and Sang Jiu (FL)’s deserved happy ending. However, the dream arc plays a critical role in the next arc as Tantai Jin and Li Susu embody their true roles as future demon god and cultivator/immortal, respectively.

The plot transition into 500 years later is where questions start to surface and the pacing becomes a lot more rushed. Many questions were left unanswered regarding the futures of some of my favorite characters and were left unaddressed even at the very end of the drama. I enjoyed the brief, loving moments between Tantai Jin and Li Susu but the drama continues to take on the heavy star-crossed-lovers theme and stays persistent with not allowing “too” many loving scenes between the two. However, Li Susu undoubtedly changed Tantai Jin for the better, transforming him into a human with true feelings and wanting to make the world a better place. The drama gave us open endings for many side characters, which is, to say the least quite disappointing. What happened to them? Where did they go? Are they still alive? I would say that the last arc focused way too much screen time on some side characters, whereas the plot would have been a lot more intriguing and productive if more focus was put on the leads. Tantai Jin definitely deserved all the love and care.

Having watched several of Luo Yunxi and Bai Lu’s past dramas, they absolutely did not disappoint in TTEOTM in terms of acting. Both actors were able to near flawlessly show all gripping emotions, regardless of arc or scene. Demon God Tantai Jin was absolutely badass and evil while mortal Tan Taijin in the Ye Manor was a pitiful young man who thought he had lost everything. The way Luo Yunxi’s veins popped almost convinced me that he was actually experiencing excruciating pain, and the contrasting looks of endearing and being betrayed were evidently and effectively conveyed through his facial emotions. On the other hand, Bai Lu’s Li Susu was a caring daughter, loving ‘wife’ to Tantai Jin, and a responsible figure with the difficult task of ‘saving the world’. She delightfully surprised me with her acting in her scenes seeking revenge, filled with absolute hatred and persistence. As with their previous drama Love is Sweet, Luo Yunxi and Bai Lu worked amazingly with one another and their chemistry was once again extremely natural and appealing to the audience.

I absolutely adored side characters Pian Ran and Ye Qingyu. At first, they seemed like an unlikely couple but this pairing slowly grew on me. Pian Ran and Ye Xiwu had, hands down, the best sismance ever. Sun Zhenni as Pian Ran brought out an inexplicably unique but refreshing aura and her romance with Ye Qingyu, acted by Geng Yeting, was subtle yet heartwarming. On the other hand, Chen Duling absolutely ate up her role as seemingly innocent Ye Bingchang, then as the evil Tian Huan, and the demon Mo Nv. She totally embodied the absolute evilness of her characters to the point where I can’t stand to see her in the drama anymore. Bravo to her. Deng Wei also acts out his multiple personalities and characters very well.

Other minor characters were also essential to producing a well-rounded drama. While TTEOTM lacked in some areas of the plot and editing, Wang Yifei’s evil Si Ying as well as Zhang Zhixi’s Chu Huang and Tantai Jin’s immortal master, to name a few, were essential characters that the actors embodied quite well.

Production-wise, aside from the editing due to government regulations, the cinematography was impressive, and the costumes were gorgeous. The drama experimented a lot with different character styles and used brilliantly-colored costumes on many characters, which is something that we don’t see very often in the Xianxia genre. The hairstyles were intricately done and all slightly differed depending on the setting and character. The magical effects were also quite natural and pleasing to the eye, and the lighting of some scenes in particular really added to the quality of the drama.

As with many other dramas, Till the End of the Moon started off on a very strong note and slightly dwindled down as it approached the ending. However, this does not dismiss the very strong scenes scattered throughout the drama, the high production quality, amazing acting, and beautiful costumes that, combined, created a very nice drama experience overall. Although many questions were left unanswered and some parts of the drama seemed rushed of unnecessary, do consider giving TTEOTM a shot if you’re looking for another evil ML sort of Xianxia with awesome acting, impressive CGI, and beautiful costumes. The extensive and gorgeous OST is also a plus!

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A Xianxia That Tested My Patience

Let me just say this off the bat: I am a huge Xianxia lover, and after I watched Miss the Dragon's trailer, I was more than excited, I was ecstatic! As this was going to be my first Xianxia of the year, I counted each and every second until it started to air.

The first few episodes were fun. It was evident that this was a low-budget drama. The pink and white trees were plastic-like, but I'm not going to complain about the sets. Some of the sets were very beautiful, just a little too fake. And another male lead with white hair? Nice!

Story- 7.0
Okay, the leads' story deserves a 6.0 at the very most, but I simply loved the second leads, and as their story deserved at least a 9.0, I guess the overall score for the story will be a 7.0. The drama went downhill so quickly that I'm still not completely sure what went wrong. Perhaps it was just the recycled plot, because I was getting more bored by the second. If you've been watching Xianxia dramas for long enough, you'll notice that the plot of MTD is very similar to Eternal Love, Love and Redemption, etc, with its four reincarnations. (but much more blander)

Yuchi Longyan, a dragon demon, falls in love with a mortal girl. She first meets him in his snake form, but that part of the story left so many unanswered questions. Firstly, why was a snake kept in a bamboo cage that he could have easily slid out of? Yes, he wouldn't escape, but this is basic common sense for a girl who was supposedly scared of snakes. And, Liu Ying kept on saying 男女授受不清, which means "Men and women shouldn't touch each other" TO A SNAKE. Liu Ying, how would you have known if the snake was a male or female? I'm probably being a little nitpicky, but these loopholes are quite bothersome.

Back to the main plot. The drama was enjoyable and fun in the 1st life, 2nd meh, 3rd boring, and in the 4th, I was seriously wondering why I was still watching the drama. (But of course, it was for my amazing second lead couple) This drama would have been much better off as one life, or even just two. With four lives, the screenwriter was recycling the story better than I recycle my scrap-paper. The female lead is born into a different setting, the male lead watches her grow up, and every time she's in trouble or danger, he appears and saves her from whatever that's endangering her. If you're considering whether or not to watch this, please do not set your hopes high when you see that 'strong female lead' tag. I understand that everyone has different views on what a strong female lead is, but from what I saw, Liu Ying is NOT a strong female lead. She falls off a cliff, ladida! Yuchi Longyan is there. Some demon is attacking her, poof! He's there again. *sighing* The plot really tested my patience. It also really tested my fast-forward button clicking fingers.

The only good thing the plot gave me was the second lead couple. Man, I could watch Xue Qianxun and Qing Qing for days! Like many viewers who have watched Miss the Dragon, I seriously wish that there will be another drama just about them, and I almost never hope for sequels and season 2s. Gah, Mr or Miss Screenwriter, why did you have to torture me like this! If only they were the main couple, I would be smiling nonstop...Xue Qianxun and Qing Qing's love story is a gem, I have to say, with a mysterious backstory involved. No ff button was used during their scenes.

Acting/Cast- 7.0
I've only previously watched Bambi Zhu in two dramas, Eternal Love and Sweet Dreams, both as antagonists, so I was anticipating her bubbly and cheerful character. I loved Liu Ying the first few episodes, and even though there was this faint voice in the back of my head telling me that I liked her more as an antagonist, I was delighted that she was given a chance the opportunity to be the protagonist in a Xianxia drama. But of course, I should've known that not all cheerful female leads are likable. She was just, too, how would I say this? She wasn't useless, but she wasn't very strong and useful either. She seemed to just be there, something for the male lead to protect. And with four reincarnations comes four different girls. My favorite girl was probably A'Yu (second life). She gave me the best impression, and although she was a normal mortal girl who went to the market everyday to sell produce, she was witty and brave, and that is the kind of female lead I love.

Miss the Dragon is my second drama with Dylan Wang as the male lead. I did not enjoy Meteor Garden, and Dylan Wang did not exactly impress me with that role. He looked fine in MTD's posters, with his long white hair and billowing robes. But sometimes, appearance is not everything. His character, is just so, bland. Does a dragon demon have nothing to do but protect his love? I understand that when you're in love, you want to know what your love is doing every second of every day, but what is the purpose of his existence? I'm pretty sure Yuchi Longyan was going to do something before he met Liu Ying, but all his goals and purpose just evaporated. After he met Liu Ying, his only purpose was to protect her. Save her from countless dangers, hurt himself to protect her, and the list goes on and on. Dylan Wang's acting is hard to describe, but it just did not convince me. His expressions need more emotions, I dare say.

I was shocked when I learned that Xue Qianxun was Deng Wei's first Cdrama role. He's a natural at acting! This Lord of Luofeng Pavilion has a cold but dominating air, and his powers are not to be underestimated. He wasn't exactly enemies with Yuchi Longyan in the beginning, but they weren't friends either. As time went by, they learned to help each other and slowly became friends. The bromance in this drama is hilarious! The interactions between Yuchi Longyan and Xue Qianxun is one of the few highlights of this drama.

I liked Qing Qing more than Liu Ying, or any of Liu Ying's reincarnations, to be completely honest. Pan Mei Ye did a great job as Qing Qing, a lively and caring demon bird. As bouncy as she was, she was not annoying at all, and was always by Liu Ying (and reincarnations)'s side as her best companion. Not to mention Qing Qing never failed to make me laugh!

I'm not going to be writing any spoilers here, but I have to say that the villain in this drama is so bland and boring that there would barely be any different if he or she weren't even there. Seriously, Screenwriter, is that the best villain you can give us?

Music- 7.5
From the top of my head, I only remember three songs, and tbh, there weren't that memorable either. There was one song that always played during the leads' scenes, and it got so repetitive that I got to the point that I wanted to mute my computer. Perhaps other people loved the songs, but not me. The singing was so-so, and the melodies just got annoying. Low budget dramas almost never have many songs or an amazing OST anyway.

Rewatch Value- 5.0
This 5 is for my beloved second lead couple. You want me to rewatch the whole drama with you? No way! Only if we just watch the second leads' scenes. I've already used up all my patience watching this once. (Why did I finish this, you might be wondering? I love Xianxias and I'm not big on dropping either. I also really love the second couple (sorry, I've said this so many times).)

Overall- 6.5
Would I really recommend this? Deep inside, not really. But if you like beautiful scenery (pink trees) and white dragons, you might want to give this a try. At least it's only 36 episodes. Maybe I kind of regret watching this but it was pretty enjoyable. I'm very thankful for the 2x speed option and the ff key. First Xianxia that disappointed me, but I really enjoyed the first few episodes.

Also, please forgive my sarcasm in this review. And thanks for taking the time to read it!

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The Third Successful Installment of The Eternal Love Series

My excitement towards the announcement of a third season of The Eternal Love and its release was immense, like many other fans of the cute and lovable Xiaotan-Liancheng couple. After two previous successful seasons, I was anticipating another captivating plot with cute interactions. And while Season 3 was not as splendid as the previous two seasons in my opinion, it exceeded my expectations as I honestly had no idea what the third season was going to be about. It gave the audience more information on the magical elements included in seasons 1 and 2, as well as provided an interesting story and even some new characters.

Before continuing further with this review, I would like to say that if you are considering watching this drama but have not watched the previous two seasons, please do so before watching Season 3 because there is quite some information that you need to know before watching this. This is not a "it's okay if you don't watch the previous seasons" drama. If you skip the previous two seasons before watching Season 3, you will be very confused. Also, if you have not watched the previous two seasons, do not read this review unless you don't mind spoilers about S1 and S2.

You might have realized that The Eternal Love (all seasons) does not have a very high budget, but the drama did a great job with the money they had. The costumes in the third season seem to be a little more fancier, and as usual, very gorgeous. It didn’t seem like the drama had as many people as there should have been, for example, the manor (servants, housekeepers) and the palace (eunuchs, servants, etc), but there were enough extras to keep the story going.

Story-8.0
There really wasn't anything extraordinary about The Eternal Love Season 3. Just like in the previous two seasons, time travel plays a major part in the story. (or this time, rather, an alternate or parallel universe) This time, Emperor Mo Liancheng and Empress Qu Xiaotan travel to another Dongyue with matriarchy, or in other words, a place where women had more power than men. I immediately thought of The Romance of Tiger and Rose, as aside from time travel, this was another major detail the dramas had in common. I would have preferred the matriarchy in The Eternal Love Season 3 to be more prominent, though. Season 3 had quite a few questionable points when it came to matriarchy, but I won't write much about this to avoid spoilers. .

The first few episodes were very light and fluffy, the plot just focused on the leads being lovey-dovey birds. You may remember the many kisses in Seasons 1 and 2. Well, Season 3 is perfect for those craving for more. For me, though, I thought there might have been too many kisses. Something that popped up in my mind was that when there weren't kisses for a long time, the plot was moving on more quickly and smoothly. But the leads are very good kissers, so I have no complaints about that aspect.

As the story moved further, more and more questions surfaced about the new characters. There are quite a few new characters in Season 3, and although it wasn't hard to remember their names or anything or that sort, I honestly did not really know their importance in the drama until the later episodes. I spent quite some time wondering their identities and why they were introduced to us in the third season. Some characters did serve a very important purpose in the end, but others just kind of...fell flat. I wanted to know more about them, their desires and pains. While the drama did show much of their desires and pain, I always had this sense of wanting to know more. I also wanted to know more about the background story of Xuanling Continent and the pearl, more about why they were whisked to a different land again (I know that some of these questions have been elaborated on, but for me, it wasn't quite enough).

This feeling is pretty hard to describe, but I felt that the plot was a little...unfinished? Not exactly unfinished, but some parts in the drama, especially the ending, felt a little rushed with some plot holes, like a big pumpkin pie missing a tiny slice, while the middle felt a little dragged. The plot was interesting, yes, but I wasn't standing on my tippy-toes waiting for the next episodes to be aired.

Acting/Cast-9.0
Fortunately, most of the cast came back to film the third season, and there wasn't any replacement needed. (for those actors and actresses who were unable to film the drama, the drama expertly managed to cover this up by introducing more interesting characters.) I was already very familiar with the cast from Seasons 1 and 2, so I already knew what to expect from them in terms of acting. Again, they acted very well, especially when the characters they acted had a drastic personality change. (because most of the drama took place in another universe) But even with the changes, the drama maintained our cute couples: Mo Liancheng and Qu Xiaotan, and Jing Xin and Mo Jingxuan (14). Jing Xin and Fourteen had some very cute moments together, just like in the previous seasons. Seems like fate kept these couples together.

I was also pretty familiar with a few of the new actors and actresses who played new characters, especially Fang Yilun (Alen) and Zhou Zixin, who played major supporting roles. They showed their characters’ desperateness very well and their devastation when they couldn’t get ahold of the things they wanted to obtain the most. Although Mo Yanchen and Qu Mei’er were not exactly the most likable characters, I have to applaud Yilun and Zixin for their amazing portrayals as them.

Back to the leads. Xing Zhaolin and Liang Jie’s burning chemistry was not a surprise. They’ve had it since the first season, and the chemistry just continues to burn nonstop. Mo Liancheng and Qu Xiaotan are cuter than ever, and we can just see the love they have for each other in their eyes. Maybe I should also applaud the leads for not falling in love with each other irl yet, because the characters’ love for each other is just so pure and surreal.

Mo Liancheng has to act like the cold male lead from Season 1 again, but with a different identity, for a reason that I will not disclose, so there really wasn’t anything new about the male lead. But Xing Zhaolin acted very well during various timings, showing Mo Liancheng’s personality and temper. The Mo Liancheng in the other Dongyue is also reserved, but he was reserved in a different way due to the matriarchal society. He is not royalty anymore, but has a rather noble status. I also liked the way the drama portrayed new Mo Liancheng’s character development. I got a breath of fresh air after watching the previous two seasons. On the other hand, Qu Tan’er is now a princess and the emperor holds high expectations for her. And, there’s no better actress to act out as the emperor, Tan’er’s aunt, than Liang Jie herself. I really liked the two contrasting personalities here as it really brought out Liang Jie’s extraordinary acting skills. On one side, she’s the bouncy and bright Xiaotan and on the other side, she acts as the emperor of Dongyue, cold, poised, and rather scheming. It was nice to see Liang Jie act rather devilishly, as I normally saw her as a quiet or cute female lead.

I didn’t exactly understand the emperor’s desperation for what she wanted though, as it was clear that who she wanted was not alive anymore but she just kept thinking that there was still hope and refused to let go. That was my biggest frustration, because this poised and elegant emperor suddenly toppled down her step just because of this one person who she knew about since the beginning. (will not name the person because of spoilers)

Music-7.0
To be completely honest, I was a little disappointed when I realized that the third season was just reusing the songs used in the previous two seasons. I don’t think there was one new song. But I love the OSTs, so there’s nothing to complain about the soundtrack besides no new songs. And this could just be me, but I felt that a few bgms were a little too overused. For example, the same background music could have been used two times in just a matter of a few minutes when another bgm could have been used. Perhaps this was due to the budget, but I did get annoyed by the bgm use at some point during the watch. But as soon as I heard the OSTs again, I was flooded once again with memories of my past watches and experiences with this series, brightening my day.

Rewatch Value-7.0
I would prefer to watch the previous two seasons over the third season but I’m sure the first few episodes would be a light watch with some popcorn. Again, the middle became a little dragged, but the audience was rewarded with a cute and once again, happy ending.

Overall-8.0
I thoroughly enjoyed The Eternal Love Season 3. More interesting characters were introduced along with the welcoming back of our beloved leads and supporting characters, and cuteness and fluffiness were blended with a little desperation, darkness, and mystery. I was delighted to see our couple back on screen again, and really enjoyed their third adventure together that showed their bond even more. Again, some outside forces blocked them from being together immediately, but their love for each other stood out and was more important than anything. Season 3 is truly another successful installment of The Eternal Love Series. Happy watching!

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