Rumi

Clichés done right: Romance, comedy, and writing that clicks

I’m not sure if it’s just the algorithm, but I’ve barely seen anyone talk about this drama, and I honestly don’t know why.

I LOVE everything about it. Sure, it’s packed with clichés (the entire plot practically rests on them), but after years of watching Kdramas (and now Cdramas), I’ve learned that clichés don’t automatically lessen a show’s quality. At the end of the day, it always comes down to the foundation: the writing.

From start to finish, the writing stayed consistent, and that alone made the series such a joy to watch. I don’t even know where to begin with my favorite parts because there are so many:

1. Characters act their age. Despite traumas and past experiences, they behave like adults. No one’s dumbed down to fit a romcom stereotype, which I really appreciate.

2. The FL tries. She’s rigid and uptight because of her trauma, but she makes an effort, and that makes her relationship with the ML healthy. Yes, there are clichés, but they communicate.

3. ML is a green flag. A rich kid, a company president, AND a green flag. WHATTTT.

4. Clichés aren’t overcomplicated. No endless twists or “twists of twists". No childhood connection (OMG YESSSSSS!!!!). The pacing was perfect, like the writer mapped it out on her best days. It’s not exhausting to watch. In fact, you’ll have to stop yourself from bingeing until sunrise.

5. Secondary characters matter. They’re not dumbed down either; each has their own narrative. And the second FL is smart, too. Which I really like.

6. Comedy that actually lands. The romcom here is genuinely funny. The timing of the jokes was spot‑on, and the quirky sound effects (some I’d never heard before) elevated the whole experience. Nothing felt forced. It was all so natural.

I just love this series. I love the cast. I love their performances. Yes, it’s cliché‑driven, but executed so well that it doesn’t need a grand twist. Just solid, consistent writing and really, really good execution. I think this is going to be one of my favorite romcoms!

Read More

A rare find in the time slip jungle: A drama you won’t fast‑forward, where consistency shines

I’m just realizing that a good drama doesn’t need to hinge on one heavily scrutinized trait—technical or otherwise. Honestly, I’m not sure if this review will make perfect sense, but here’s what I mean: this drama isn’t flawless, yet I’ve been struggling to find one that’s simply good (average at best) without hitting that discouraging midway slump where I want to drop it. And now, I’ve finally found a series that I genuinely enjoyed from start to finish, without the urge to fast forward through scenes. That’s rare these days.

What I love most is its simplicity. No frills, no smoke curtains to disguise a weak plot. It’s straightforward, respects its audience, and keeps the pacing tight.

The writing isn’t perfect, but it’s consistent. No filler arcs, no unnecessary love lines. Even the flashbacks and sharp scene transitions, while imperfect, don’t ruin the experience.

The characters are written honestly. They’re perceived exactly as they are, without forcing the audience to see them a certain way. The leads are mature, communicate well, and stay in sync without overexplaining every unresolved issue. They’re smart and scheming, but never cross into that frustrating “borderline evil” trope.

And that plot twist, wow!!! I didn’t see it coming, and the best part is it wasn’t overhyped. It landed naturally, blew me away, and still made perfect sense!

As for the time slip trope, in most Cdramas, it is treated as a mere crutch, like a device to make it seem like there’s more depth when it’s really just an accessory. But here, it finally has purpose, woven into the story in a way that elevates the narrative.

In the end, I’m just really happy. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride without skipping scenes, which is reason enough for me to give it a high rating.

Also… Zhang Wan Yi, please go back to Hengdian!!!!!!

Read More

For the hopeless romantic who craves a little too much fluff

Watching this made me realize that even a show designed to be consumed with your brain turned off still requires a certain level of skill to navigate the overly saturated romance genre.

This series isn’t meant to be taken seriously. So, if you’re looking for depth, lasting impact, or a love story filled with beautiful rhetoric, symbolism, and life lessons—this isn’t it. But for romantics like me, who occasionally crave an easy watch after a streak of series that either don’t suit my taste or are just plain bad, and still want that feel-good rush (the butterflies, the giddy “kick your feet in the air” kind of feel), then this ticks all the boxes.

Of course, there are things I don’t like: the ML being way too thirsty, ready to devour the FL at every chance (to the point where she looks like she’s about to snap her neck from all the aggressive kissing,—though this is more of a personal preference thing I think); things that don’t make sense realistically (but again, this isn’t meant to be taken seriously); and parts that could’ve been written better (like the SML and SFL romance and progression). Still, at the end of the day, this is something I truly enjoyed and something I looked forward to after a long day.

It’s like indulging a midnight craving: not necessarily good, but satisfying and comforting all the same.

When it comes to romance, the writer clearly knows what they’re doing. The cast has great chemistry, too. And the OST? Absolutely beautiful. I’ve been playing it non-stop, actually!

Read More

Visually brilliant superhero tale that carries just enough emotional weight

I’m not familiar with the source material, but I still felt the worldbuilding lacked depth and intricacy. It didn’t quite meet the expectations set by its visual scale.

I also didn’t know any of the cast beforehand, and it was only after watching that I learned Mark Chao and Deng Lun are top-tier actors. I can see why. Their performances weren’t over the top, but they delivered just the right amount of emotion to match their characters and the demands of each scene.

The rest of the cast didn’t fall short either. I think everyone gave solid performances.

The strongest aspect of the film is definitely its visuals. The CGI and cinematography are impressive, and the color grading is beautiful.

I especially appreciated how background elements were used to enhance lighting—lamps casting warm orange glows, the moon shifting the palette to cool blues on dark nights. It’s visually stunning.

The music scoring was excellent, too. There was a seamless blend of traditional and contemporary styles, and the music entered scenes with perfect timing that were always elevating and never intrusive.

Technically, the film is impressive. Groundbreaking, even. I wasn’t surprised to learn it was directed by Guo Jing Ming. I’ve seen My Journey to You and Fangs of Fortune, and his signature style definitely spilled into this film.

Based on those two works, I’ve noticed a recurring imbalance between technical brilliance and storytelling.

While the production is consistently impressive, the narrative often suffers, leaving a visually rich but emotionally hollow experience.

Fortunately, in this case, the storytelling—while not groundbreaking—is fairly decent.

Still, it feels like a missed opportunity not to have explored the characters more deeply. A bit more buildup and backstory would’ve helped, as I often felt left to piece things together on my own.

Some plot points also got muddled, and I’m not sure if the missing context is only accessible to those familiar with the source material. That lack of clarity has definitely affected the emotional impact and depth of the film.

But overall… it’s okay. Despite the patchiness, the writer showed control and a clear sense of direction.

My favorite storytelling element was the use of names as a plot device.

The film opens with the quote: “A name is the shortest form of a spell.”

Beyond Qing Ming’s repeated cries of “Boya! Boya!”—each under different stages of their relationship and circumstances—names were used meaningfully to explore other characters, too.

For Killing Stone, his name symbolized acknowledgement and a second chance. For Fangyue, it reflected her longing for commemoration. As for Qing Ming, obtaining the title “The Yin-Yang Master” at the end is a crucial moment, not just for his character arc, but for the film’s overall narrative.

Technically, this film is a masterpiece. The storytelling isn’t flawless, but it’s good enough—action-heavy with just the right emotional pull to keep you hooked.

It reminds me of Marvel or superhero movies—not just because of the visual effects, but because of the feeling it leaves you with: protagonists who are still figuring things out but have saved the world, for now.

Read More

Decent time-slip for a short drama

If one can reconcile with the limitations of a short drama, this series can actually be a quite good binge.

There are a lot of instances in this drama where one has to suspend disbelief, especially this is a speculative work of fiction where time travel is involved.

Production-wise, although unverified, I assume that this is made with little budget as well.

All that considered, I am especially in awe by how they were able to pack the story neatly within five episodes. No fillers, no fuss, just the story, romance, stakes, and resolution—all cleanly wrapped up in the last episode.

The acting is decent (special mention: Ding Yuxi school of ((eye)) acting), the pacing worked, and the OST is good!

More than anything, the emotional impact is also there.

Only downside is that the English subtitles on IQIYI are horrible.

Read More

A more realistic slice-of-life exploring different types of love

I wasn’t supposed to watch Melo Movie, as I was under the impression that the “melo” meant melodrama, as in the genre.

However, the “melo” means “romance” or “romantic” in this context—a mix-up I wouldn’t find the time to look into if I didn’t learn who the screenwriter of the series is: Lee Na Eun.

Lee Na Eun is the same screenwriter of Our Beloved Summer (2021), one of my favorite K-dramas from that year.

It wasn’t just because of the fluff though, nor it was just the resolution for the individual vs self conflicts of the series. It was the character depth that Lee Na Eun allowed the audience to explore.

Given the history, I was then compelled to pick up the series for my weekend binge.

Thankfully, for Melo Movie, Lee Na Eun was able to maintain her momentum in writing compelling characters.

In this series, a flawless switch of POVs among the characters, which includes the secondary characters, was used as a device for the viewers to explore the characters’ complexities and motivations.

My favorite part of the series is that it did not draw a glaring line to separate the main characters from the secondary characters; the secondary characters get their own stage to tell their own stories. With this, the audience are able to invest the same degree of emotional commitment they have for the main characters.

As we get to know more about the characters, we will see how they navigate the desolation of life and the consolation a love may bring.

Pacing is pretty decent for a 10-episode, too, and the OST is remarkable and unforgettable like its predecessor’s.

Regrettably, the plot lags behind, particularly the story of the main characters. It’s weak that it was overshadowed by the secondary couple’s and character’s narratives.

I am also not sure if having some loose ends remain untied is part of the writer’s intention, but some may come off as a plot hole, which is quite difficult to reconcile with.

Setting that aside, I’d still consider this a good slice-of-life romance, with a decent amount of comedy hitting the right note.

I’d gladly recommend this as a good binge for those looking for something uncomplicated but has enough emotional grip to keep one invested.

I’ll also be on the lookout for Lee Na Eun’s future work. Her storytelling style in slice-of-life might have just become one of my favorites!

Read More

Weak worldbuilding and story structure; a slow-burn that doesn't work

CGI, cinematography, and OST are fairly decent.

I got hooked with the first episode and thought the first arc was well-paced, with things running pretty much smoothly.

However, during the second arc, everything started feeling draggy and the push and pull of ML isn’t really working for me for some reasons, considering I’ve had a lot of this in the past.

Maybe it’s been dragged out for too long, or maybe the worldbuilding remained weak and lacked overall direction. Maybe even a combination of both.

I noticed that the series is character-driven. Still, the way they’re written also lacked depth.

I also don’t like how the ML’s character is written out. In the second arc, the second ML stood out better for me, which made me root for him instead.

When I was fast-forwarding a lot of scenes, I knew it was time to quit.

It’s such a shame, because they did a good work in writing the FL’s character: strong, smart, and beautiful.

And when I say smart, this is also in congruent with her view on self-worth. She set boundaries when the ML drew a line. She put more value on herself and the greater good rather than chasing a man who denied sharing any relationship with her. Maybe this will change, and the chase will start after the episode where I stopped.

Maybe even the plot will start picking up.

Unfortunately, at this point, even these possibilities couldn’t make me continue watching.

Read More

Fake marriage trope built on deception that was stretched out way too long

One of my favorite tropes is fake marriage, but the series overextended it and backed it up with ML's lies upon lies—this arc could’ve been shorter, because they were mixing in a lot of things that did not add value to the plot at all.

The fake marriage arc felt like a huge chunk of fillers, and it was quite a challenge to get pass through them.

It does not help that the FL’s character is not my cup of tea. She’s like a confused philanthropist who’s a tsundere and a badass for the most part but gets affectionate during full moons. I'd usually pass this as a part of dimension in a character's depth, but for Liu Mian Tang, it's not really convincing.

The secondary characters were more likeable and had more potential for a proper character development, but I doubt this will be properly explored.

Are You the One is definitely not the one. At least for me.

Read More

A storytelling where the events unfold backwards, but unfortunately still under-delivers

The first episode reveals that the FL and ML do end up together—that’s one stress off the list.

First episodes got me pretty hooked as the series begin to introduce the characters—tropey, as expected, but we have excellent series that didn’t really go outside the box either, so I don’t really use this as a deciding factor.

The main couple got together pretty early, which is not really an issue as well, but after this, everything went downhill—characters introduced that were forgotten, issues presented that were left unresolved, and the lack of compelling motivations of the characters.

The characters’ situations are all relatable, but it’s somehow difficult to connect with the characters themselves.

I think they also wanted to portray the main couple as someone with a healthy relationship, but I couldn’t look past the lies upon lies they had to do. The secondary couple is no good either.

I’m not pretty impressed with Julia Xiang’s performance as the FL and I don’t think there’s enough material for this series as it feels dragging and lacking.

Read More

Only the premise is good, everything else is bad

I am aware that this is a low-budget drama and this could be one of the factors why the series didn’t work. At least for me.

However, I have a few experiences with dramas with little funding that did not scream “low-budget!!!!” so I think this should not be an excuse to produce such a terrible piece and make it so obvious how the production team had to cut corners.

First, there are quite a handful technical mistakes I can name: terrible transition, mismatched footage, and the consistently poor editing in general.

In terms of writing and execution, I find it such a waste for such a good concept to be misused and not properly explored—there was an attempt to highlight the struggles of women in a patriarchal society, where the FL disguises herself as a man to secure a position in a government office. There’s also romance and politics in play, as the ML is a prince.

This trope is a no-brainer, and awfully easy to play with, if I’m being honest. I cannot comprehend why they couldn’t at least make this part work.

I tried so hard to get past each episode, but the longer I put up with it, the more it increasingly became unbearable to watch.

I’m giving extra points because of Zhang Linghe. His good performance was good for a television debut.

Read More

Ridiculous, silly, and an utterly enjoyable watch!

I started the series without looking up anything about it – I just know it’s a Ding Yuxi romcom with Zhao Lusi as the FL, so I was sold immediately.

Watching the first few episodes made me feel like the entire thing (plot, story, characters) is an irony of some sort. Like it was poking fun at something, but I couldn’t put my finger on what it is exactly.

So, I went back to MDL to check and was able to confirm that the series is actually a satire, and there is a whole interview detailing what the message it is trying to convey.

Now, I just know that it intends to, or in some way, critic the current state of dramas, but I haven’t been able to check the interview as I want to interpret the series based on my impressions. Partly, I was also trying to avoid spoilers but mainly, I just wanted to enjoy the series as is. And boy, I did have fun!

As a satire, it implies that there are subtexts that needs to be understood, and points that need to be seen. However, I didn’t want to tiptoe around those to avoid affecting my experience.

And so, I didn’t take the series seriously, but in a good way. Since I kind of know the intention of the series, I was able to suspend disbelief and let the story flow on its own. I had fun and a good laugh in every episode, and the series did not fail to send out butterflies to my stomach.

What I adore is how neatly the story concluded, which is ironically, something that a lot of dramas fail to do.

Regardless of how one process the drama though, it would fare well both ways. If one will view this as a commentary, then it is pretty well done as it literally pokes fun at the ironies and every trope there is in a drama.

If one chooses this as something to pass time, it is still a good choice, as it gives a good level of entertainment and a good dose of romance. Most importantly, it has a highly satisfying ending!

Read More

Promising plot with unique storyline and horrible writing. An OK rom-com, thanks to Wang Hedi

The series nudged on the topic of social roles in ancient and imperial China, with high focus on the oppression and discrimination against women: this is my first time learning about the burial rites in ancient China where (childless) concubines and palace maids were buried alive with the deceased emperor. Aside from Wang Hedi, the unexplored and rarely told story about this funeral custom made me pick up the drama despite the mixed reviews it garnered.

The storyline also explored themes of death, revenge, and domestic abuse, although the narrative did not heavily focus on those.

Comedic bits were inserted in between scenes, which actually worked, and they were neither awkward nor forced. The comedy made the overall tone lighter and digress from the heavier and darker aspect of these subjects.

The first episodes were slower in setting the pace, but this improved in the succeeding episodes. However, a struggle in consistency is notable as the story progresses.

What initially gripped me made me want to skip a few minutes of some episodes because it fails to anchor on the message and theme of the story.

The story lacked depth and the usual revenge and star-crossed lovers tropes did not even allow me to develop a deep emotional investment for the leads and other characters.

It is important to note that a number of scenes, especially the steamy ones, were omitted due to censorships, but upon checking, the said deleted scenes do not hold much significance to the development of the story, unless (steamy) kissing scenes are a prerequisite to your good romance.

For the romance aspect, Wang Hedi delivered. He makes a successful tsundere who’s down bad for the female lead.

This is my second Wang Hedi drama coming from Love Between Fairy and Devil (LBFD) and based from the two series of Wang Hedi I’ve watched so far, I can see that he has the ability to build chemistry with his co-lead. Yes, his handsome face is enough to give you butterflies in the stomach, but he also makes use of facial expressions in conveying emotions that are very effective.

In contrast, I feel Chen Yuqi (as Bu Yinlou) fell short in acting. She was average in some scenes, but overall, I cannot identify the emotions she wanted to convey—by making her eyes appear larger and doing these rapid eye movements, what does she want me to feel exactly? Grief? Joy? Or is there an incoming gag that I need to anticipate so I could break into laughter?

Bu Yinlou is actually a rare female character type who’s clumsy and funny but has a thinking head on her shoulder. Often times, Bu Yinlou is independent and does not need saving when stuck in a dire situation. It's a shame this character was not portrayed better, effectively, and consistently.

The secondary characters have their own story, too, but the narrative did not dwell on these and clearly, the focus of the story was to resolve the conflicts of the main characters.

From a technical standpoint, the writing is definitely askew and the inconsistency is jarring. The plot holes (life of concubines in the inner court, Deer's Reed Residence tunnel, to name a few), though, would not require much effort to ignore.

Wang Hedi’s fight scenes have good choreography and again, to underline his acting skills, he was able to depict the strength and tenacity of his character during these scenes. Some scenes had stunts which were unnecessary (I remember Wang Hedi was just trying to climb into the bed, but he had to flip awkwardly in the air like an acrobat just to do that).

It’s a shame for a drama with unexplored topics like ancient burial customs to make a sharp turn downwards due to horrible writing, but for those looking for an instant fluff, especially Wang Hedi fans who want to admire his good acting (and face), this could pass as an enjoyable watch.

Read More

Even Ding Yuxi’s school of acting couldn’t save this…

I have absolutely no problems with overly used tropes:

1. FL
- has an emotional intelligence of a five-year-old
- terrible in academics
- amiable among her peers

2. ML
- smart without even trying
- school’s sporty heartthrob
- eccentric
- huge tsundere
- most importantly, someone who is head-over heels for FL

3. Misunderstanding on top of other misunderstandings due to lack of or terrible communication

4. Love square

After all, these are effective formulas for a successful romcom.

However, the execution is so terrible.

In fact, there are subplots (FL is pretty insecure about herself; SFL and ML have family issues) which they could’ve played with—they can probably be used these as a device for character development or even as an accurate portrayal of what people their age go through.

It’s just such a shame that these were not properly utilized nor explored and were left to disperse in a corner (though I doubt they could execute these properly). I’m just not aware if these are things that will be resolved in the end, but I’m afraid I could no longer wait for it as I’ve really run out of patience with this one…

I have a huge admiration for Ding Yuxi; it was actually because of him that I picked this up. And it breaks my heart to be dropping this as this is ½ of his youth dramas.

I would love to see him in school uniform doing romcom, but unfortunately, my love for him (plus plenty of fast-forwarding scenes) alone couldn’t make this work.

Read More