dramallamareviews

I may be in the minority, but I really like this!

An unruly teenage girl meets a compassionate teacher who inspires her to change the path she’s on.

A jealous classmate acts out, causing a ripple effect of destruction. {side note: I’d never seen this actress in the sorta villainess role before, but she totally nailed it. I usually love her characters but she successfully made me dislike her character here (and then later liking.)Which just proves her talent and duality as an actress 👏🏻.}
So the Leads’ innocent friendship is painted to be something wrong and dirty. The FL is facing jail time. The ML leaves his teaching position. Outside forces cause havoc, the FL loses a dear family member, and the two wind up walking different paths.

They’re reunited by chance 13 years later. He’s returned to his post at the hospital and she’s become a street-savvy neurosurgeon in his department. Will they be able to put the past behind them and face the future together?

I love this drama. It’s by far one of my favorites in the medical genre. The storyline and pacing are done really well. The characters all make you feel all the feels - their anger and heartache, their jealousy and desperation; their happiness and friendship, their caring and strength.

And the Leads. Oh, the Leads. 🫠🫠 They have really good chemistry. I love their interactions, the big moments and the small, seemingly-inconsequential ones. They’ve never forgotten one another, never moved on from how they feel towards each other. And now that the ML has the FL back in front of him, he refuses to ever let her go again. His pursuit and wooing of her is so sweet. I love how he adjusts to her pacing and listens to her needs. She, in turn, slowly thaws under his attention, once again letting him (and only ever him!) close to her heart. Total swoon!

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-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-


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The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : ep.7 💋
- Together : ep.8 👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻
- BreakUp: Nope 🫶🏻

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Slow Means Slooooooooow

A bookshop owner reunites with his former classmate (& crush) when she returns to their hometown after growing tired of the city & numb in her career as a cellist. Will his calm personality help soothe her past hurts or will she refuse to allow her heart to heal?

Okay, look - I wanted to like this so bad! I love the lead actors & I truly enjoy so many of the supporting cast as well. They’re all extremely talented individuals who deserve applause for their hard work. My rating of this drama isn’t at all meant as a bash against any of them! I simply could not get into the story.

I think it all just moved too slow for me. I’m not opposed to a slow burn romance, so that’s not what I mean. I’m talking about the way the whole plot unraveled, their walking that was more meandering, & how even the way they spoke felt more drawn out than usual. And I know it was all intentional, the story unfolded this was at this specific pace for a reason. But I kept getting confused because of the timeline jumps - like we’d be in the “present” one moment, but then seeing a scene from earlier in the day that lead to that “present” moment. It was all just very jumbled to me so that lessened my ability to enjoy it too. And I take responsibility for that because I’m sure the problem lies with me, not the drama, haha.

So though it took me a really long time to finish it because I just couldn’t connect with any of it, I don’t want to discourage you from giving it a shot because it could be one of your new favs! Like I said, the cast are all talented & I think they did their roles justice in this drama as well. And the Leads have really good chemistry. Again, I’m sure the problem is with me, so don’t skip this drama just because I couldn’t get into it! 🤪 Not every drama is for each of us. Some are a hit & others are a miss. That’s why I’ll forever be grateful to all the writers, directors, actors, & everyone else who works so hard to continue making new dramas for us fans to devour & enjoy!

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-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-


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The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : ep.8 💋
- Together : ep.9 👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻
- BreakUp : ep.15 💔
- BackTogether : ep.16 ❤️‍🩹

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Sort of “Meh” for Me

When an online novelist makes a wish in a Fairy pool for “an unforgettable love” she’s shocked when her story’s villain appears! Despite her attempts to avoid him, he easily finds her & threatens her into taking care of him. But unfortunately for him, her wish came with a special bonus - anytime she needs help, he’s teleported to her side to protect her. Which gives us both humorous & heartwarming scenes…

I was super excited for this drama when it aired, but I’m sorry to say it didn’t meet my expectations (don’t hate me!) I don’t want my dislikes to at all dissuade others from watching it, though, so I’ll keep this extremely brief. Plus, I never want to bash or downplay the hard work & efforts of everyone involved in the drama making process (cast, directors, writers, set designers, hair & costume, producers, etc.) Just because I didn’t particularly enjoy it does NOT mean it’s a bad drama. It simply means it’s not the drama for me. But all the glowing reviews prove that others have a far different opinion than mine, which is perfectly alright. We’re all allowed to enjoy (or not enjoy as the case may be) whichever dramas we want.

Honestly, the premise of the story was good & the cast all did their characters justice. I think my problem may have been that I’d just fallen in love with the ML’s character from another one of his dramas, “Our Secret”, which is such a beautiful coming-of-age story. He gave that character such life & had fantastic chemistry with his FL co-star that it’s still one of my favorite high school age cdramas (you can check out my review of it if you’d like!) And I just didn’t feel that same kind of chemistry or connection between the Leads of this drama. BUT I know tonnnnnnns of other drama fans disagree & think this duo did awesome together so you’ll have to decide for yourself. 😉

This definitely has its funny moments. And it’s sweet moments. It also has some sad & heartbreaking moments. Which all leads to a beautiful & satisfying happy ending for the Leads - one they very much deserve.

So again - don’t let my low rating stop you from watching it because Mr. Bad could end up being one of your go-to favorites!

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Not For Me…

I hate to say it but this drama goes in the dislike pile for me. I wanted to like it so bad & I really tried, but I just could not get into it. BUT I do not at all want to dissuade you from watching it because you may absolutely love it like many other viewers do. I’ve read other reviews of those who share how great they think it is. My review is simply my opinion - you’re free to watch it & form an opinion of your own! 😉

For me, if I don’t find at least something about one or both of the Leads to be attractive then the drama’s gonna be a flop for me. (*And I’m not talking about just physical appearance because this cast is full of beautiful people!*) Sadly, that was the case with this show. I found both Leads to be rather immature/childish, more so the FL in this case.

The FL is kinda supposed to be this like… crusader against injustices against women, using her fists of fury on the icky men of the world. She’s a lawyer though so shouldn’t she know the law regarding physical violence? I think this was supposed to be a more feminist rom-com, but it missed the mark at times. Like how, in the big upheaval & drama, things got “smoothed out” when a man defended her against the bullying/attacks. Sweet gesture? Of course! But it kinda ruins the whole feminist thing by having a man save the day… right? And she didn’t really show much character growth in learning her lesson after all the times her fists got her in trouble. Use your words - that’s what lawyers do! So she kinda seemed like a split personality at times or something. Because surely someone who went to law school & passed the exams & is now an active lawyer actually KNOWS the law…right??

To me, her dating attitude/motto seems to be along the lines of, “they do it (cheating, lying, betraying, etc.), so I’ll do it to them first.” She comes onto the scene while having a one-night stand & cheating on her ex. Um… so NOT attractive to me, I don’t care if it’s a form of revenge or not. Just dump the loser & move on, don’t jeopardize your health or mental well-being!! Nobody is worth that kind of reaction. The next unattractive thing she does, imho, is when she sets out to destroy the ML after she witnesses him with a young female & completely misjudges the situation. And yet, I’m supposed to believe after seeing all these ridiculous choices & snap-judgements of hers that she’s a super smart, competent lawyer?! Hard pass ‘cause that didn’t jive for me at all. So she made a horrible first impression on me that she was never truly able to redeem herself from in my eyes.

I didn’t really dislike the ML, but I didn’t really care for him either. I found him more likable than the FL, but nothing about him really grabbed me, ya know? He has quirks from past trauma that cause people to misunderstand him which brings some humor to the scenes. And he’s all Mr. Cool & Popular superstar, so watching him get humbled & experience some character growth was mildly entertaining. He also has a really funny bromance with his bestie - they had more chemistry for me than the Leads, haha.

It wasn’t all horrible. The Leads did share some really cute & sweet moments. And they had some pretty decent chemistry. There’s also some really humorous moments. These things just weren’t quite enough to make up for the things I disliked, though.

PLEASE NOTE: The opinions I’ve shared are based solely on the show’s characters NOT the actors themselves. My comments are not meant to bash any of the hard work of anyone involved in creating the show. I respect, admire, & applaud the various talents of all who helped bring this story to life - the cast, writers, stylists, directors, producers, translators, etc.!

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-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-


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The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : ep.5💋
- Together : ep.8👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻
- BreakUp : ep.10💔
- BackTogether : ep.10❤️‍🩹

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Warm, Fluffy, Sweet, & Funny

When a drunken mishap causes a scandal between two university students, will their scheme to save their reputations succeed or will it just cause more misunderstandings?

The ML is considered a genius student both academically & athletically (this actor as a swimmer is f-i-n-e, fine!). He’s the guy all the girls want, but he’s not interested in dating. Girls aren’t even on his radar - he’s too focused on achieving his goals to waste time on such trivial things. He comes across as distant & emotionally closed off, as geniuses often do. Of course, he’s actually a very kind & caring person, which is slowly proven as the show plays on.

The FL is a bright & bubbly girl who can be a bit timid at times. She’s working towards a medical degree while also chasing another dream - the dream of finally being a CC with her childhood bestie. Believing he feels the same, she’s shocked & heartbroken when it’s not her he wants to date, but rather her other best friend - the third member of their high school trio. Feeling betrayed by their relationship, she gets drunk to dull the pain, which ends in the aforementioned scandal with the ML.

The duo decides to fake date (a trope I admittedly love!) in hopes of stopping all the gossip that’s flying around campus about them. As they try to convince their classmates that their feelings are real, these opposites discover that they may not dislike each other quite as much as they first assumed. In fact, the more time they spend “dating”, the deeper their mutual feelings of affection grow. Can they clear up the misunderstandings between them, eliminate the annoying love rivals, & finally confess their feelings, turning their fake relationship into a real one? It’s drama land so of course the answer is yes!

I found myself both amused & frustrated while watching their story unfold. I laughed at several scenes due to their silly antics but I also wanted to smack them both at times for not just being honest with one another when the opportunity arose. I don’t like when people make love so complicated - I just want them to confess & be together for the majority of the show {{a GREAT example of this is the couple from “Love Me, Love My Voice”. I absolutely adore that duo & their immediate connection & confessions. PSA, Writers - more please!!!}}.

Overall, I did enjoy this drama. I admit, though, that I skipped a few scenes due to the cringey cheesiness. I get serious second hand embarrassment that I can’t stand to watch scenes where the characters are making absolute fools of themselves. 😜

The Leads are super cute together & their journey from enemies, to frenemies, to friends, to lovers is a sweet story to witness. They have a great bond of a beautiful love that doesn’t bend or break. They bravely face all the obstacles together (long-distance & extended separation), growing as individuals & as a couple. They have a very healthy relationship full of mutual encouragement, support, & trust. They’re both 100% devoted & loyal to the other.

And they have great chemistry, too, which ALWAYS raises my enjoyment of a show. They’re openly affectionate & flirtatious, with lots of safe skinship & yummy kiss scenes. 🫠

For me, there’s nothing really noteworthy about the secondary characters. Which is no shade or reflection on the cast! They each played their role well, I simply wasn’t invested in them like I was the Leads (which is usually the case for me so it didn’t affect my rating.)

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-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-


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The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : ep.19 💋
- Together : ep.18 👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻
- BreakUp : Nope 💍

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Don’t have to be a gamer to enjoy this!

The first female pro player & the renown team captain. Can they learn to work together to win the championship… and love?

This was one of my very first Chinese dramas years ago. I kept seeing clips of it on YouTube & those little snippets drew me in. I knew absolutely nothing about esports (still don’t beyond what’s portrayed in dramas, tbh) but I still loved this show! It’s become one of my go-to feel good shows when I need a brain cleanse from drama trauma. The camaraderie & friendships are so fun. The team’s hard work & determination to win is heartwarming. And the underlying message of chasing your dreams no matter the obstacles you face is inspiring.

Of course, there’s the relationship between the Leads as well, duhhhh! *wink, wink*
They have a rocky start due to a misunderstanding & some preconceived ideas about each other (typical trope). As that fades, though, we’re left with the beauty that is them falling in love so deep that nothing comes between them. The outside world tries to rip them apart & claim it’s wrong for them to be together, but they just hold on tight & refuse to break.

Individually they’re both strong characters. The ML carries the weight of his team as their captain. He’s a more serious player due to his position, talent, & age. He comes across as cold & aloof, but he’s actually a very kind & playful person (though that side is generally only shown to the FL). The FL has lots of eyes on her as she joins this well-established & high-performance team. There are those just waiting to see her fail, ‘cause surely a girl can’t hack it in the boy’s world *insert eye roll here, please*.. She’s determined to prove them all wrong.

Together, as teammates, they have a mutual understanding & respect for one another’s talents. They work hard with the others to make their dreams a success, learning & growing as players. They stay true to themselves & remain resolute in their beliefs. They face each match with a determination to win.

Together, as lovers, they’re precious. I love how the ML always protects the FL (even when they didn’t really know each other yet.) The deeper he falls for her, the more protective he becomes. It’s not one-sided, though. She’s just as determined to protect him too, physically & mentally. When keyboard warriors attack her for being with him, it’s his reputation she’s more concerned with. At the same time, when the public strongly voices their objections, he unapologetically tells them their opinions don’t matter. I love this!

They have really great chemistry together that we get to witness in lots of scenes. Their first eye contact. Him comforting her after a loss. The drunk piggyback ride. The non-date dates. Taking care of each other when they’re sick. Their gaming interactions. The confession. The bus rides. The hand holding, hugs, & flirting. The yummy kisses. Their interactions are so cute, which makes me keep coming back & rewatching.

If you haven’t watched it yet, I say give it a shot even if you’re not a gamer. I’m not either & it didn’t at all lessen my enjoyment of this series.

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-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-


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The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : ep.23 💋
- Together : ep.21 👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻
- BreakUp : Nope 🫶🏻

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Iffy beginning & happy ending

A super fluffy (& at times cringey) story of a man { Bi Wen Jun } who’s considered “perfect” & a woman { Wu Xuan Yi } who’s… well, not.

The big tropes are all here:
1) Opposites attract - the highly successful, confident, “cold” ML & the friendly FL who’s more timid which hinders her success.

2) the Misunderstanding - she witnesses an incident involving him & judges him unfairly.

3) Controlling parent - despite being an adult, FL’s mom still forces her to the dentist to fix her “flaws”.

4) Love triangle - FL had a one-sided crush on SML for years. SML & ML are friends. ML likes FL, but now SML is back & realizing he does too.

5) the Separation - a plan was set before they got together & now they must be apart. A fight happens, they make up, he goes & she waits for his return.

Honestly, I didn’t really like the FL at first. Her initial treatment of ML didn’t make a good first impression & she was a bit too TSTL at times, imho. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ Once she matured some & accurately cluing into the world around her, my opinion started to change. By the time the Leads got together, I liked her for him. And I always liked him for her.

He’s my kind of person. Not open with everyone, he prefers just a few close people which causes others to think he’s aloof. But he treats other all with kindness & patience, even the FL when she’s a brat to him. Not quite sure why he fell for her, but since he helped change her into someone I could stand, I’m thankful he did . 😉

They’re a very solid couple. They don’t let things fester nor get into petty fights. They’re very affectionate with great chemistry & swoon worthy kisses! 🔥🫠 So while the beginning made me really frustrated, I enjoyed it after they finally became a couple.


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-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-


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The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : ep.15💋
- Together : ep.17 👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻
- BreakUp : Nope 💍

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Endearingly Beautiful

**Let me preface this by proudly stating that I’m a big fan of both this original Chinese version & the Korean remake, “Family of Our Own”. They both have their strengths & weaknesses. I like some aspects of “Go Ahead” better, while also preferring other parts from the Korean version instead. I like the cast of both versions & the characters they bring to life. Yes, there are tons of similarities - that’s to be expected when they’re made from the same story. If that bothers you then my advice is simply this - don’t watch one version right after the other. 🤷🏻‍♀️😉**

This is a truly wholesome family drama. The widowed father of a little girl takes in a young abandoned boy. When their neighbor’s wife leaves him & their son behind, the two dads form a new family unit for the three children in their care. And the bond of friendship they develop along the way makes them the most non-gay, “married couple” of the ages, haha. They’re so great!!

Where once these kids used to be alone, now they’re being raised as siblings. The studious brother, the sporty brother, & the mischievous sister. So vastly different, but yet similar in many ways. Their bond is perfection at all ages - kids, teens, & adults. I laughed so much at their antics. Plus, the depth of their loyalty, protection, & love for each other is beautiful. I just adore them 💕

Watching them as youths is a delight. Seeing their pain when they’re separated is brutal. Experiencing their distance upon reuniting after 10yrs is bittersweet. Witnessing them each finally get their happy ending (2 of them together! 💍) is everything 🩵💜💙

Note: my only complaint is that the ML’s mom got off way too easily. I understand forgiveness & familial ties, but she was so toxic & evil to him that I wasn’t happy with the ending the writer(s) gave her. Being blood isn’t a free pass for abuse 😠.

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-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-


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The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : ep.24 💋
- Together : ep.23 👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻
- BreakUp: Nope 💖

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Hibernating King Claims His Crown

This is a super fluffy, cutesy (at times cringey), easy watch for when you’re not in the mood for something heavy or that requires a lot of brainpower. I liked what I read in the synopsis for it as I find snowboarding enjoyable to watch, plus I enjoy both the lead actors so I was excited to watch this as it aired. And while it didn’t quite meet my expectations, I still found it entertaining & liked it for the most part. {{And let me say right away that I know nothing about the validity of the snowboarding aspect. I don’t participate in the sport myself nor have any knowledge of its different “styles” or whatnot.}}

I found our Leads to be really cute together. Their relationship progressed much faster than I expected but I heard the drama got like 10-15eps cut off so it then made sense to me why things moved at the rate they did. And it’s not that they became a couple right away, I was just surprised at how early they claimed one another without making it official. It didn’t at all bother me, though, since I actually prefer when they get together early on so we get lots of eps with them as a couple. 😉

The ML was once a top competitor in professional snowboarding, but an injury caused his early retirement. He could’ve continued competing, but his parents were terrified of another tragedy happening to him like it did to his younger sister, so to ease their worries he chose to retire. He can’t fully let go of his passion, though, so he travels between different cities as a local coach with his fellow boarders & friends. His experience & talents make him almost god-like on the slopes, earning him a well deserved reputation as the best. He appears content & adjusted to his new life, but he secretly still dreams of participating in the Olympics one day.

And while he’s going through the motions from day-to-day, a girl crashes into his world, lighting up his life & reigniting his passion…

There’s an incident that causes the ML to be a bit “cold” towards the FL initially, but he’s still extremely protective of her, which I really enjoyed. His words were saying one thing, but his actions were saying another. Rest assured, he’s never cruel to her, he just picks on her & teases her a lot, but never maliciously. He has a crush on her from moment one, so despite his plans to make things a bit rough on her, he never fully follows through since he cares about her.

For the FL’s part, she has no idea that her new snowboarding coach is her idol & the inspiration for her latest comic idea, so there’s a little bit of that hidden identity trope if you’re a a fan of that. I don’t usually like it, but this one got cleared up fairly quickly so I didn’t mind. She’s a very optimistic, bubbly, friendly girl who just wants to be allowed to chase her dream & live her life how she wants. Only her best friend knows the pain her smile hides. Despite her parents’ disapproval & lack of support, she remains dedicated to following her own path. When a scandal breaks out & she’s framed, resulting in the loss of her pen name & job, she’s disheartened & unsure what to do next. Then she sees a clip of a snowboarder performing incredible tricks & she’s encouraged to keep moving forward. To do that, she books a trip to the slopes to gather material for her new comic. Unknowingly putting herself on a path to meet a man who’s going to change her life in so many ways…

Like I said, I think this duo is super cute together. Their interactions were both comical & endearing. I smiled a lot at their antics, from their initial trading of sarcastic comments to their mutual attraction & flirtations. They have a lot of funny & memorable scenes throughout the whole drama. Some of my favs are:
- The switch from the green turtle to pink. IYKYK. 🐢
- Him being her “uber” down the slopes. Their positions, her sheer joy, his continued glances to check on her… 🫠
- The whole hospital scene: her expressions, him cradling her head, the adorable piggyback ride 🫶🏻
- Unexpectedly meeting at his home. The surprise that quickly turns to delight. 💖
- The landslide & all that followed. Her frantic search, their relieved hug, their mutual care & support. ✅
- The confession. Their happiness was so believable & I couldn’t stop grinning. And the kiss!! 💋
- Their first meeting after the breakup. I was so happy to finally have them back on the screen together again! 🙌🏻
- The make up scene. The apologies. Choosing to face the obstacles together. Him trusting that who he was, right then, was already good enough for her. ❤️‍🩹
-Their mutual successes. Their hard work being recognized & rewarded. Their efforts paying off & their pure joy at accomplishing their dreams. 🏆
- The whole proposal fiasco. Oh my goodness, the poor man was trying so hard & it was not going well!! But then it finally happened & wow - it was beautiful & so perfect for them! 💕

Since I mentioned their breakup in that list let me just say that those episodes are where the show took a drop for me. Not simply because of the breakup, though I always prefer my couples to not do that, but because it felt so out of character for the ML to make that choice. And while I do sorta understand where he was coming from, I don’t understand why they had to officially break up. They weren’t talking about marriage right then anyways, so why couldn’t he continue to prove himself to her parents while staying by her side, ya know? The breakup just didn’t make sense.

And speaking of her parents - ick. I did NOT like her mother. What a controlling & judgmental woman. The dad was initially fine, but once he decided to confront the ML alone he was on my “dislike” list. Yes, their actions are all explained later & “reasoned away” but, for me personally, they never redeemed themselves enough after the way they initially looked down on the ML. Just… no.

As for the support cast:
- the ML’s fellow snowboarders are aces. I liked all of them. I appreciated that there were no love rivals in the bunch, just supportive friends who always had the ML’s (& FL’s by association) back.
- the FL’s colleagues. I liked the ones who were loyal, but I do not at all understand the welcoming back of the one who betrayed them. I understand she was in a difficult position, but guess what - so were the others. She’s the only one who made horrible choices. I’m okay with them forgiving her, but for them to trust her so fully & quickly again? Seemed a bit unrealistic to me.
- The FL’s bestie. I had mixed feelings about her. I liked her relationship with the FL, but her personality outside of that was a bit off putting. Especially the way she treated the ML’s friend. She was very dismissive of his feelings after their fling (that he didn’t realize was just a fling) which was very unattractive to me.
- The male love rival. Whoa was he super annoying at first. I’ve said it before & I know I’ll say it again, but seriously - are people really that delulu?? FL was so obviously not interested in him & he was so incredibly obtuse to her rejections. BUT he totally endeared himself to me in the way he handled finding out about the FL & ML. He didn’t rant or try to sabotage them, but rather went off by himself to grieve. When he returned, he was kind & supportive, accepting the ML’s position as her boyfriend & vowing that he’d only see the FL as a little sister from then on. So while I initially found him completely dislikable, in the end he was a welcome member to the friends group.
- The ML’s sister. Utterly adorable & inspiring. Despite the tragedy she endured, she remained an optimistic & happy girl. And her relationship with the ML’s old teammate was so cute. On the one hand that guy was irritating because of his constant attempts to beat the ML, but on the other hand he was absolutely precious in his interactions with his girlfriend.

So my enjoyment dropped due to the breakup drama, overall I did really enjoy this drama. I know I’ll rewatch it again & simply skip those painful episodes.

I’ll finish my review with this since I know there’s been a lot of haters - if you don’t like the FL actresses voice or when she acts cutesy/“babyish”, then just skip this drama. Don’t watch it just to hate on her. 1) she’s doing her job. 2) it’s not our place to call her fake since we only know her virtually. And 3) most importantly, she’s a human with feelings so hearing/reading malicious comments must hurt her just like it does the rest of us.
While I’m saying this specifically about Esther Yu right now, it applies to all celebrities. Why do we build these stars up just to watch them burn out? Must we raise them so high just to tear them down? One would think, aafter all the tragic suic!des, we’d learn to stop being so cruel…

Sorry, but I find it sad when viewers share harsh opinions with no care as to how it affects the actors/actresses. 😔

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-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-


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The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : ep.13💋
- Together : ep.13 👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻
- BreakUp : ep.17 💔
- BackTogether : ep.22❤️‍🩹

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An Absolute Win in my Book!

{ Let me preface this by first acknowledging that there are a lot of mixed reviews on this drama. so there’s no pressure to agree with anyone else. Maybe you’ll love it or maybe you’ll drop it halfway through, not understanding what all the hype is about.. And ya know what? THAT’S PERFECTLY OKAY! We’re all allowed to have our own opinions about every drama we watch - there’s no right or wrong. 😉 Just know going into this review that I’m firmly in the “I love it” camp! Have questions? Let’s chat about it! }

Being granted a second chance in your current life (ie. being sent back in time to before whatever tragedy struck that brought about your demise) seemed to be a theme in 2024, in both Korean & Chinese dramas. I obviously didn’t watch them all, but a few I find noteworthy are the kdramas, “Marry My Husband” & “Perfect Marriage Revenge”. And the most notable Chinese one for me in this category for the year is this one, “Blossom”. Historical/costume/period dramas are not my usual go to genre, no matter the nationality of origin. But I kept seeing so many people raving about this particular drama & snippets kept showing up in my SM feeds so my interest was piqued & I decided to see what all the hype was about.

Let me just say - the hype is well-deserved because W O W, this drama is beautiful. My interest was immediately caught by the storyline, the cinematography, & the pacing of the scenes. The FL has a very soothing presence with her looks & voice, even in the midst of the upheaval happening around her. She also has a core of strength not usually seen so early on in the female characters which was refreshing. The way she handled herself with poise & dignity upon finding her husband cheating was perfection. She didn’t take it meekly & just resign herself to her fate. Nope, our girl immediately cut ties & left his sorry tush! And it’s this very brave action that leads her on a collision course with the ML.

So if all of the above is what brought me into the story, this man is what kept me there because wowza, he is a commanding presence. His perfect timing in rescuing her, the way the hood of his cloak falls back to revel his identity, & the absolute hotness that it is him with his white-stranded hair, ohhh yessss - I’m a big fan of that scene! 🤤 He is the PERFECT match for our FL in the looks department & his voice is just as soothing & captivating as hers is. [[[ That may be a weird thing to comment on but seriously, a good voice (or voices in this case) can really help elevate my enjoyment of a show. Consequently, my rating can also plummet if there’s an actor whose voice really grates on my ears. ]]]

From the moment their eyes meet, these Leads’ chemistry leaps off the screen & I just knew I was going to have to binge their entire story because I simply had to make sure they got a happy ending. Thank goodness I discovered this show after it was done airing ‘cause it would’ve been absolute torture to wait for new episodes to release! Kudos to all of the viewers who endured that!! 🙌🏻

Sometimes storylines like this (ones with time travel aspects) can get confusing as you swap between past & present timeline, but “Blossom” handled these scene swaps really well, imho. It was always very clear which timeline the scene was from & the majority of the time we’re in the present timeline. Since the FL is the only one who remembers everything from before, she’s the only one having the flashback scenes, so they really don’t take up a huge chunk of any episode. I really like this because I hate when a drama spends more time focusing on the past rather than the present timeline. This drama’s storyline is really easy to follow in that regard.

The story has lots of different side characters to follow, but it doesn’t get confusing. I mention this because I often get lost when there’re so many people to keep track of, especially when it’s in the historical genre as they’re all dressed in ways that are unfamiliar to me (making it harder for me to recognize anyone). That wasn’t the case here. I’m not 100% sure why but it was really easy for me to differentiate between & remember all the additional characters in this story. Whatever the reason, I never found myself distracted from the story because I was confused on who everyone was.

As I said earlier, the cinematography is beautifully done in this drama. The camera angles, the focus of the scenes, & the lighting all work in perfect tandem. There are certain scenes that will stay with the viewers long after the show is over (I’m speaking from experience!) because of how gorgeous & striking the visuals are. Like when the Leads are shot with an arrow & go crashing through the glass. Or when she’s running into that fire searching for him & he appears out of the smoke & picks her up (swoooon). And when she forces medicine on him through a kiss that has them landing amidst those sheets hanging to dry (helloooooo chemistry!) Also, when they’re both on the brink of death & mystically meet in that dream state - the way they collide together & how the arrow turns to petals when it reaches the ML’s outstretched hand is absolute perfection. 🔥🫠 If you’ve seen the drama, you know exactly what I’m talking about as the scenes are too memorable to forget!

I love the Leads, both as individuals & as a couple. They’ve each faced some seriously dark days & really hard situations. In their past they both died regretting having wasted their lives by devoting themselves to someone who didn’t deserve it (she’s referring to her cheating husband; he means being blinded by his need for revenge). In their present, with her knowledge of her past life & a book to guide her, the FL sets out to change her destiny. She uses what she knows to make a life for herself where she can be financially independent, allowing her to not be reliant on her family (which is good ‘cause they seriously suck! Side note: I love how her dad redeems himself.). And when her path once again crosses with the ML, she’s determined to change his fate as well.

I love how strong they both are. They have solid morals & good hearts, but they’re often misunderstood since they don’t fit society’s mold of how they should act (him more so than her). They strive to protect their loved ones, no matter the odds stacked against them. They willingly make the hard sacrifices if it means bettering the lives of those they hold most dear. They refuse to bow to corrupt leaders but rather fight against the schemes of the villains. They both show the world a tough persona, not allowing any weakness to be seen. But with each other, their walls slowly fall as they grow to trust in & depend on one another.

The way they meet in the present is just as enticing as how they met in the past. Again with the ML in that cloak with the hood - it’s such a striking visual! Their eye contact & body language give me the tingles. These actors have ah-maz-ing chemistry. The way they look at one another & react to each other adds so much depth to every interaction they have. Even though he’s leery of her at first (which makes sense given the circumstances they meet under) he’s still drawn to her. There’s something about her that he instinctively trusts, despite not remembering her. As for her, she’s also leery, but for different reasons. One is because of his reputation, but two is because she’s afraid that history will repeat itself if they get tangled up together. She’s determined to prevent the latter from happening. So even while she’s drawn to him, does her best to protect him/rescue him every time he’s in need, & works to save him from making the same choices in this life as he did previously she’s also trying to remain distant so as not to inadvertently cause their deaths to reoccur.

As amazing as they both are individually I had no doubts that they’d be a dynamic couple when they finally took that step. I’m happy to say I was right! This duo is total couple goals. The trust they share is inspiring. The lengths they’ll go to in order to protect one another makes me swoon (seriously, every time he showed up at the exact moment she needed him, catching her before she could fall {iykyk}, made me happy sigh so big!) And the depth of love they hold for each other makes me melt into a total puddle of goo. I honestly can’t get enough of them, nor can I move on from their beautiful love story. I’m not ready to say goodbye - I want more!

I love, love, love that they got married halfway through & stayed together the whole rest of the drama. I’m so glad the writer’s didn’t put us through a breakup trauma ‘cause I would not have handled that well. It also wouldn’t have felt true to their characters. What did happen felt natural & realistic: he wanted to save her from the pain his death would cause, she pointed out that she would be in pain whether he left her now or he died later which makes his leaving pointless, he actually LISTENED to her & heard what she was saying. He allowed her to choose for herself, then respected the choice she made. Which was, of course, to face whatever comes by his side. And then it was done - no fighting, no second-guessing, no regrets. They were as solid as they’d ever been.

And they truly were solid. So much gets thrown at them, but they never break. They hold tight & fight everyday for a lifetime of loving one another. Family & friends betray them, but they stay loyal & true. The villains seem to be winning, but they remain resolute. Ultimatums & threats are issued, but they don’t falter. Torture is administered, but they don’t give in. Hope seems lost, but they never lose faith. And when the traitors finally make their grand finale move, our Leads stand on the frontlines of the battle, refusing to cower or cave.

In the end, they’re rewarded for their efforts. They get the happy ending they’ve fought so hard to procure. They enjoy a life outside the schemes & follies of the court. And they love each other more with every breath they breathe. 💜🩵

So in conclusion, if you’re going to watch this drama, clear your schedule as you won’t want to stop once you start. There are some couples who, no matter how many other dramas you watch, you just can’t move on from. This duo is one of those unforgettable couples. ❤️‍🔥 From their first moment on screen to their ending scene they completely captivate & mesmerize. If you’re anything like me, you’re about to fall in love with this couple!

**I feel I should mention I don’t think this drama is perfect. There were a few holes in the plot or areas where the pacing felt a bit messy. Nothing too horrible that it lessened my enjoyment, I’m just saying I’m not unaware of the flaws. The one negative that did impact me & is a big enough issue to mention is the complete swap of the ML’s brother’s personality. He went from being this kind & sorta wimpy man-child who loved his brother so much he wanted to be like him to one who’s conniving & a master manipulator. There was no build up, it was just one scene to the next - it was very jarring. I get that the familial drama could cause a mental break in him but the pacing of it all was just not well done. And how he so easily influenced the FL’s bestie felt off too - those girls had faced so much together & even torture didn’t cause them to doubt one another’s loyalty. But this guy successfully gets inside the bestie’s head in so little time, causing her to act out of character? It just didn’t flow. It’s like they needed another villain & just thought, “here, use him”. It felt inconsistent with the rest of the drama.**


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-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-


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The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : ep.20 💋
- Together : ep.18 👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻
- BreakUp : Nope 🫶🏻

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Masterfully Done!

A rookie detective & an aspiring actress. They were each other’s first love. Now reunited as adults, can they finally be together?

This show will forever hold a piece of my heart. I was immediately hooked & I thoroughly enjoyed watching this. I often return to rewatch them fall in love because they’re just so perfect for one another. The story is beautifully told with the pacing of the past & present mixing, the raw emotions in each scene, & the unforgettable & irreplaceable bond the Leads share. ❤️‍🩹

This show tugs at the heart. Our Leads experienced a horrific event as teens: his father murdered her parents in front of her, but he arrived in time to save her from the same fate. He chose her over any familial loyalty & protected her by having his father arrested. In the aftermath, they’re separated & kept apart because everyone blames him for the sins of his father. Everyone except her.

But a victim & the criminal’s child can never be together. … or can they?

When they meet by chance again years later, the sparks of their long ago bond are once more fanned to flames. They fight the pull due to the feelings & expectations of those close to them, as well as from a desire to protect one another from society’s ridicule. But their bond proves too strong to ignore so they ultimately choose to follow their hearts & finally allow themselves to be with the one they love.

The ML’s constant devotion to & protection of the FL is perfection! 🔥🫠 His strength of character makes him a man amongst boys. He’s the knight with dented armor from all the battles he’s engaged in, but he’s still standing & continuing to fight for what’s right. He’s faced constant prejudice & bullying/attacks from those who don’t know the full story. He’s had very few people take his side even though he never did anything wrong. He does his best to be an upright citizen & quietly prove he’s nothing like his father. But when the FL comes under attack, he vows to protect her at any cost. He’ll stand between her & any threat, no matter who that means he’s standing against. *so much swooning!*

The FL is absolutely perfect for him. While she understands the reasons for the distance between them, she’s never forgotten him. She once told him to come to her if it ever got too hard & she meant it. She has such a big heart, filled with a pure love for the ML. She always trusts him in every situation they encounter & she’s never once blamed him for what his father did. This fact is so refreshing to witness & makes her totally girl-crush worthy! 🫶🏻 People often mistake her as weak & naive due to her kindness, but she’s got this quiet strength about her that they’re overlooking. It begins to shine through, though, when she refuses to walk away from the ML again & proudly stands by his side.

These Leads are phenomenal together. Truly one of my favorite kdrama couples. They’ve managed to stay such good people even as they struggle with the lasting effects of that horrific night. They don’t take on a victim mentality & they’re determined to not be defined by what happened back then. The villains never want to let good people live in peace, though, so they’ve still got demons to conquer. And together, that’s exactly what they do. ❤️‍🔥

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-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-


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The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : ep.21 💋
- Together : ep.21 👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻
- BreakUp : Nope 🫶🏻

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Such a great rom-com!

We meet a narcissistic executive { Park Seo Joon } who rarely acknowledges the people around him because he’s so self-absorbed. He’s become successful in large part due to his capable secretary { Park Min Young } who’s worked diligently over the past 9 years. But when she informs him of her intent to resign so she can focus on herself, hilarity ensues. He’s determined to keep her by his side & she’s just as set on leaving. Who will win this battle of wills when hearts become involved?

I absolutely love this. The quirky coworkers/friends, their families, the bromance… And then we have the Leads.

The ML & his *AURA* (iykyk) is hilarious! 😂 I love his self-confidence that makes him such an amusing fool. It’s good he never loses that belief in his own awesomeness.🙃 And his unwavering pursuit of the FL is swoon worthy. He goes all out to win her affection & I rooted for him 100%.

The FL is just as spectacular & the perfect balance to his oddities. But she’s got her own brand of crazy which is so fun to watch. They compliment each other so well! I loved her strength. She was respectful & stayed kind with the ML even when he was not so nice to her (though he was never intentionally cruel, just clueless!) And I love how she comes to appreciate his many quirks.

They have a beautiful love story born from a childhood bond (seriously, their past connection? One of the best I’ve seen!) Their chemistry makes me melt.🔥🫠 They’re wholly devoted - a wonderful OTP who give all the feels. 💕
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The things I always want to know 😉…
- F(r)K : 8 💋
- 2G : 8 👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻
- BU : Nope 💍

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Hit or Miss, You Decide

I think I’m in the minority when I say this but I really didn’t care much for this drama (don’t hate me!) And this review is in NO WAY meant to throw shade on any of the cast or others involved in the making - I’m not denying their talents. After reading a review by a viewer who’s fluent in Chinese & familiar with the culture, I think it chalks up to an unfortunate case of there being so much lost in translation for those of us who rely on the subtitles to provide the correct context for the scenes. (And I know translating is hard work so I’m by no means shaming those involved with that!) That reviewer mentioned how the ML was actually really humorous (which definitely didn’t translate through for me) & there being this whole thing around when he would & wouldn’t wear his glasses (which wasn’t at all explained). Anyways - I’m just trying to say that me not enjoying this drama doesn’t mean it’s bad, I think it’s simply that I wasn’t given enough context of the little things to help me understand the story better.

That being said, I will still give some of my thoughts for anyone who’s interested in reading them. 😉

I was excited for this drama as I like both of the Lead actors ( Bai Lu & Dylan Wang). I really tried to stick it out, but I finally gave up at ep.18. Then I completely skipped eps.19-30 & jumped back in at the last few. I really hate doing that but I was just so annoyed with the storyline. I think it had so much unmet potential by adding all the unnecessary drama of the additional love interests, the multiple POV’s, & the workplace drama for both Leads. It all added up to more drama than I like to watch. I also really didn’t like that the FL started pursuing the ML out of a selfish desire for revenge on her ex. That doesn’t say very nice things about her, that she would use him like that. Yes, I know she was acting out of high emotions after catching her boyfriend cheating on her. Yes, I understand that this happens in the real world too. BUT I would’ve preferred she stopped being ruled by her emotions & selfishness much sooner rather than prolonging her game with the ML’s emotions. And I get that he was aware she had a hidden motive behind her sudden interest in him, but it still sucked that while he was developing feelings for her, he also knew he couldn’t 100% trust her because of her schemes/lies. And because of that, he would fluctuate between hot & cold with her. Then, when she knew her feelings for him had turned real & that she genuinely liked him, she chose not to confess ‘cause she knew he’d be mad (& rightfully so!). So she just kept lying, which doesn’t at all scream “I love you” to me. I understand not wanting to lose him, but girl - fess up so y’all can either build something REAL or you can let each other go to find something healthier. Nothing built upon lies can stand the test of time…

Also, side note - he deserved a heartfelt apology. Like, a true & sincere apology from her but, to the best of my knowledge, she never said she was sorry for how she approached him with bad intentions. I think she only ever apologized for work-related things, but never for how she intended to use him for revenge. Just because he forgave her without her having to say the words doesn’t mean she didn’t need to say them or that he didn’t deserve to hear them.

So with all of that there was a lot of push & pull drama which I’m not a fan of. I thought both Leads acted really childishly for adults who were presented as mature & excellent in their respective careers. Their professional & personal personas didn’t mesh for me. Their actions didn’t match their ages (but, again, maybe it’s ‘cause too much stuff got lost in translation.)

Now, having said all that, I DID enjoy it once they finally got together. They stopped being so annoying & became a solid couple with really great, melt-your-screen chemistry. 🫠 (WHYYY couldn’t we have more of that & less of the icky drama?!?) I liked how they cared for each other, the scenes where they protected/defended the other, & the ways they unashamedly loved one another. If they just could’ve been like that for more of the show, I would’ve rated this so much higher!! I even go back & rewatch the eps. after they’re a couple because of how cute they are together.

So I really don’t know whether to recommend this drama to you or not. I’ll simply leave it up to you & advise you go in knowing there’s missing context if you rely on subtitles like me. 🙃

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-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-


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The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : ep.14 💋
- Together : ep.? 👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻
- BreakUp : ep.? 💔
- BackTogether : ep33? ❤️‍🩹

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Enemies-to-Lovers w/ Heated Kisses!

**Note: I have NOT read the novel that this drama is based on (I didn’t even know there was one) so my opinions have nothing to do with whether either drama stayed true to the book nor which one did it better!**

This is a short adaptation of the hit drama, “The Prisoner of Beauty” (which is one of my all time fav dramas now!!) So the storyline is the same, though this did make some changes in plot execution & pacing. The whole show takes about 2.5hrs to watch. Luckily, I found it on a streaming app with fairly good subtitles (though there were some serious mistakes - instead of FL being called ManMan, it kept translating it to Barbara/Barbarian… whaaaa?!? 🤯😂). For the parts where the subs got it wrong, I was able to fill in the real meaning due to having watched the original multiple times now. 😁

The actors who played the Leads both did very well. I’ve seen the ML in multiple dramas (the most recent being his role in, “Your Sunshine” ), but the FL was a new face for me. They had very good onscreen chemistry & I felt, for a short drama, they did the original justice. One major difference, though, is that this drama has quite a bit more skinship 🫣🫠 (so it could very well be labeled as a guilty pleasure type show 😉). Another big change is there’s no secondary love story, nor the core group of friends surrounding the Leads. This helped make “Yield to You” a drama in its own right, since not every single thing is the same (which you shouldn’t expect anyways since it’s so much shorter than the full length drama.)

All in all, if you’re a fan of TPoB or simply a fan of the actors’ work, I recommend watching this vertical, short drama 🙃

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Lovers of Music & Each Other

A passionate aspiring musician joins the leading Chinese entertainment industry as an assistant to a popular & unruly idol. They have a rough start due to some misunderstandings, leading to an unpleasant work environment. Will these opposites ever find a way to coexist in peace?

I wasn’t a big fan of the FL at first due to her huge crush on the SML, as well as her unfair judgments of the ML. Once she began to change, though, I came to really like her. She became the ML’s biggest supporter & fiercest protector. She always did what was best for him, even at the risk to her own career. She was a loyal friend & an honest colleague.

I loved the ML, despite his faults. He was arrogant & entitled due to his upbringing, so add his fame to the mix & he was convinced he’s all that. Seeing him grow as a human being under the FL’s influence was very satisfying. Under all the bluster, he’s just a guy who’s passionate about music & chasing his dream. And her. He becomes very focused on her. Protecting her, pursuing her, & loving her fully. 🫠

There’s a lot of character growth. They don’t stay the same people they were at the beginning. They mature, both as individuals & in their professions. It’s full of life’s moments: funny, sad, sweet, & inspiring. There’s drama - with friends, with families, with love rivals, & with competitive colleagues.

And amidst it all is a boy & a girl slowly falling in love. 💕

*Note: I watched this before knowing that the ML was a then-member of the kpop group, EXO. His musical talent is really shown in this 👏🏻

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-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-


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The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : ep.30 💋
- Together : ep.42 👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻
- BreakUp: Nope 💖

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