Highly Frustrating Plot that's NOTHING like What You'd Expect

This drama was an absolute mess! None of the characters were enjoyable to watch. There was so much potential from the trailer and drama description, but this drama was nothing like I had expected. This drama was filled with jealousy, incomprehensible actions, and a lot more conspiracies than I thought. Don't expect much development of the main couple because the trailer covered it all. That 2 minute trailer was as lovey-dovey as they'll get and was far better than the actual drama itself.

Characters: All of them were annoying in their own way.
1. Mu Xing Chen - He constantly made inconsistent actions that didn't match his words. He said he loved the FL but none of his actions reflected that. Instead, he did the opposite the entire time and you're left wondering, "what in the world is he thinking?" All his actions left the FL feeling insecure.
2. Ye Yun Shang - As the FL, she was utterly a lost cause. She often mistrusted the ML but ALWAYS forgave him just from a few words he said. Sure, she loved him and wasn't willing to give him up, but she had little to no limits and forgave him easily every time. The same went with her fake best friend.
3. Chu Tian Yao - Her character will leave you with the largest headache ever. She did whatever she wanted in her attempts to satisfy her obsession with the ML (which was completely unnecessary and uncalled for).

This was a missed opportunity since it sounded like there was so much potential, but the story and characters were far worse than I had ever thought they could be. I would suggest imagining your own plot from the trailer and drama description. For me, I wish they would've focused on:
1. The ML's life in his tribe and when the FL appeared.
2. The mains improving themselves as they collaborated as doctors.
3. How they find love in the process.
4. How they could've used medicine to help salvage the relationship between their people.

Sadly, none of that was present and this drama left me highly disappointed when I think of what could've been.

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Sweet and simple (maybe a bit too simple...)

Story: The overarching plot was fun and sweet with some great messages to convey here and there. The progression was very fast-paced which is good, but all problems felt like they were very conveniently introduced and resolved. The progression of everything was very simple and it was evident that things were happening just to move the main story along. It also felt like a fantasy the whole time since the overarching story is pretty unique which made the characters also feel very unrealistic.

Acting: All cast members did wonderfully in conveying their characters with what they had (despite the script). The side characters (Wei Lei, Ah Tao, and Jiang Jiang) could've had more character development but the actors all did well despite the lack of background information about them and dialogue between them.
Meng Hui - Her transitions between personalities were smooth and believable.
Shen Yi - Felt the love he wanted to convey to MH and how devoted he was to her.
Sui An - A dark horse. His slight facial expressions held so much depth as a reflection of his character's experiences.

Overall, it was a good light-romcom that had everything it needed to be one but lacks depth in both the overarching story and character development. The actors all make up for it though and their characters can be very endearing despite the lack of depth.

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Comedic yet heartwarming

While it could be viewed as overwhelmingly comedic and even ridiculous at times (especially since it was based on a webtoon), it was more than a mere comedy. The snippets you get of the character's lives help you sympathize with them all. While each of them have their own past, this drama shows you that while you may not be completely content with parts of your life, you can still experience happiness in the present and future.

It shows just how important it is to be compassionate and kind to each other while embracing and trying to become better versions of yourself. There was also a large emphasis on caring for each other so that everybody could find happiness in their daily lives.

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Mixed Feelings but in a good way

Started this drama with low expectations but it turned out much better than I thought. Though the first episode reminded me of lower budget daily dramas from the cameras used and editing, it seemed to get better over time (or I just got used to it) and stuck around for the main leads I grew to like. Though slow paced, the main characters were still enjoyable to watch and pro tip if you decide to give this a chance: watch on 1.5 or 2 times speed!

The Good:
-internal monologues: this added dimension to the characters and helped me become more invested in who they were.
-script (parts of it): they actually tried to TALK things out which is something I rarely see being done.

The Meh:
-cliches: this drama is jam packed with them. Certain elements of the story and characters reminded me of many other dramas that I've seen before like "Playful Kiss" and "Boys Over Flowers."
-slower paced: for some reason, these episodes felt really looooong even though a lot of different events occur in each episode.

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One of the Best FL and Main Couple in a Modern C-drama

< Review mostly focuses on the main couple >

STORY
Overall: The absolute best part was how their characters were written and portrayed! The romance for the main couple was gradually developed and felt natural (don't worry, they have their fair share of sweet and romantic moments). Their relationships and friendships with other characters were nicely interwoven. The progression is good and while it sometimes quickly jumped to a month or two later (with a mere mention of it in dialogue), it was a bit more realistic compared to some dramas where a bunch of dramatic events occur in succession and they date/break-up in less than 2 months. Though there were times I wondered where things would go and how, it was never boring and only made me more invested.

Breaking it down,
Beginning: Don't be fooled by the initial tropes like cohabitation, bad first impression, and being online friends because there was so much more to offer. Their acting and reactions during the first third was highly entertaining and fun. It offers glimpses into who the characters really are as well.
Middle: Initially wasn't sure how the story would progress but with additional characters, there was more to the story and relationship development.
End: Changes in setting were somewhat randomly added sometimes in later eps to add more romance, but it helps since they were often in the same setting of either Zhou Chuan's house or the Yuan Yue Publishing Office.

CHARACTERS
1. Chu Li (Female Lead):
Chu Li retains the main characteristic of a typical FL that's bubbly and cute, but she goes beyond the typical damsel in distress that always fails and has to rely on the ML. Instead, she often refuses to! She was smart, thorough, persistent, firm, strong, and confident. She could solve problems on her own and knew how to stand up for herself.
2. Zhou Chuan (Male Lead):
Zhou Chuan started off as a character that had a rude demeanor and was the typical tsundere ML. However, his online persona and friendship with Jiang Yu Cheng showcased his nicer side in the beginning until we could see improvements in how he treated Chu Li.

Chu Li <3 Zhou Chuan as a Couple:
What I enjoyed about the two of them is that they kept this drama light and enjoyable. They gradually became interested in each other romantically until they came to see each other as partners in life. The best part of their relationship was how they were:
1. being mutually supportive,
2. respectful of each other's views/work/decisions,
3. concerned about each other's well-being (physical and emotional),
4. present in each other's happy and sad moments,
5. trusting/confident in their love and feelings for each other
6. understanding and accepting of each other's flaws

Overall, both Chu Li and Zhou Chuan were multidimensional characters that made rational decisions which made sense for who they were and what they wanted to achieve. While each of them had their flaws/weaknesses, they had their own strengths to utilize towards their goals. They weren't perfect but that's what made them relatable. Their efforts inspire viewers to do work hard, grow from our past, and end up stronger on the other side.

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Jam Packed with Themes

I was immersed in this since it got me to reflect on my own life but by the end of it I still felt something was missing. Perhaps it may have been because this was a splice-of-life drama so there was less story to develop.

However, I was pleasantly surprised to see all the themes this drama was able to touch upon. These were some I noticed even if they weren't explicitly mentioned:
1. sexuality
2. family and socio-economic status
3. self-love/care and mental health
4. boundaries and personal space
5. masculinity and emotions
6. strong and independent females
7. disability (visible or invisible)
8. dreams and goals
9. environmentalism
10. friendship
11. justice
12. ageism and seniority

Just seeing all these themes in one drama today made me happy and I'm sure there were some I missed. It seems that shows/entertainment are moving towards a more positive direction where these topics (some more sensitive than others) can become more open for discussion. If you're curious about how these themes were incorporated, I would recommend trying this drama out. Perhaps you can notice more than I did.

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Has Character Development Horror Movies Always Lack!

I was anxious, scared, uneasy, angry, curious, worried and sometimes heartbroken but that's what I love about this! This drama was cinematically beautiful and musically eerie from the start! The film style was like a high-budget movie and the writing was enough to captivate me from the start (with the first 2-4 episodes being the most jarring).

STORY
The fast-paced introduction full of supernatural events, religious rituals, death, fear, and mystery sets the tone for the rest of the drama. The first half involved a lot of individual cases (similar to ones in crime dramas that only last for 2 eps) to provide necessary clues in connection to the larger mystery/enemy. In the second half, there was a noticeable change from individual cases to developing the main mystery. It was a change I appreciated since single cases get very repetitive. With a larger focus on the mystery of who exactly their enemy was, the twists and turns had me switching back-and-forth between guesses.

CHARACTERS
The tragedies and resulting effects the characters experienced had me worried for their well-being and that of the people who cared for them. Each character had sufficient time spent on truly developing their character's backgrounds, personality, and psyche with the progression of events. A detail I enjoyed was how they kept true to the limitations/restraints of what Choi Yoon and Kang Gil Young could do and when because of their jobs since this bit of realism made it more believable. All the actors had an amazing portrayal of their characters and were able to convey their emotions well.

OVERALL
Quickly piquing my curiosity, I became invested in how this trio would go about avenging their families against a demonic enemy. From how these characters were written, I came to care for all of them and hoped for the best overall outcome. From start to finish, this was a wild ride and one worth being a 10/10 rating!

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