meidreams

I have yet to start the second episode, but... does the line delivery get better as the story progresses? There's something off about it, ML especially but many of the supporting cast too, and I really struggle with focusing on the story because of it.
Maybe it's a me problem and I just have to get used to it, but the delivery feels so forced and unnatural at times.

If you like somber/gloomy aesthetics in dramas, may I suggest
Mysterious Lotus Casebook
Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty
Ancient Detective
The Dream of Red Mansions (2010)
Joy of Life
In Blossom
Kill My Sins (currently watching, but a pretty strong drama up to episode 11)
The Double
Story of Kunning Palace (probably? I don't remember its aesthetic and vibe very much, been too long)
Plus GJM's movies and short movies, if you haven't checked them out yet

None of the dramas suggested above are centered around romance, so you might not like them if you prefer stories with a focus on love and romantic relationships

Does anyone know whether this is going to air on other platforms and sites or is it just an exclusive of Youku?

Am I the only one who thinks Ao Bing (from the Nezha animated movie) and Bing Yi look identical?
I understand Bing Yi as a demon/deity was inspired by Chinese folklore and legends, but now I'm starting to believe his looks and outfit were also inspired by the animated character
I can't not see the similarities

Oh my, hello! You're here too?
Yeah, I've been camping here since day one (a mess of a comment section, but I'm enjoying the drama so far, so I'll endure)

I particularly liked episodes 7 and 8. They were a lot more in line with what I had expected starting this kind of drama.
Lighthearted, a little silly and over the top.
I hope the story keeps picking up and keep this vibe and flow as it moves forward.

I don't want to give start to another discourse, but I can't help but wonder if it would've been received more positively had the actors playing the MLs been different (more popular and conventionally attractive) or if it's really just a matter of these male characters being too realistic and close to how many many men actually behave nowadays and hence triggering some viewers.

But you can't deny he's a fans' favourite. Despite him being toxic and physically violent towards the FL, people love his character and were rooting for him to become her love interest.
That's my point. Wasn't he also toxic and abusive? But people actually shipped him with FL.
And an abusive ML that DID become end game is Xie Wei from Story of Kunning Palace. He wasn't that much better than the men from Perfect Match, but many people like him and find him hot.
In the end, I really believe it's a matter of how close those stories and characters are to reality and real men, because many MLs from other dramas did much much worse than cheating and skamming (I could name a couple who caused actual genocides), but still had their happy ending after going through character development .

That makes two of us

I thought a little about it and I think it's because they are too human in their awfulness. Too realistic and too close to how men still behave nowadays.
Let me try to put it into perspective.
Xiang Liu from Lost You Forever (at the beginning of season one) was one of the most toxic and abusive characters I've ever seen in a Wuxia drama. Forcefully sucking blood aside, he was also physically violent with the FL (chocking, slashing her back, literally kicking her from a high place into the sea and so on and so on), but fans still find him immensely attractive and wanted him to be the final, official partner.
But here we have cheaters and liars and their bad hits a little too close to home, because which man is most likely to enter your life? A cowardly cheater or a demon with vampire tendencies?
Red flag MLs in wuxia and xianxia are so over the top in the terrible things they do that they're not seen as true, realistic threats to the viewers.
But the men from PM could be your friend, family member, classmate or neighbour.

Okay, yes. I think this is probably the reason

As I write myself... I really hate this whole system idea.
But now things make a lot of sense.

Same company as The Double... no wonder there were so many familiar faces from that drama.

The acting so far is good (or at least decent) and a couple of actors I really like are there, so perhaps it's the script itself and I'm not even realising it. But it really feels low budget on a visual level, I can't really explain it.

Maybe it's just a me problem - most likely.

Am I the only one who thinks this drama has both good quality and low budget vibes?
Like, I can't quite put my finger on it, but I can't help but be reminded of short, low budget dramas when I'm watching it.
And yet costumes and hairstyles are decent, the filter/colouring is solid and the set and interiors look grounded and realistic (and streets and buildings are crowded, so they paid many extras).
Plus, they always put enough attention to small details such as skirts getting soiled from dirty streets, the cooking process of traditional dishes, the hygiene and nighttime attire... and yet there is something that feels very low budget, almost amateurish. It's very confusing.

Oh, I didn't know that about Yan Lin's first life. Like, I got the whole hating her to the core after what happened to his family, but not that he went that far in being a terrible person before the whole reincarnation/second chance plot.
Like, both men sucked in the original life (and now that I know what actually happens in the novel, it turns out they sucked even more than I thought), but I don't understand why Yan Lin became a better, mature person in the second life, while Xie Wei remained the same red flag even though things took a different turn and so he should have improved as a character?
I still think she should have remained with Zhang Zhe tho
That whole break-up scene and the reasons of that break-up never really convinced me. I understand the guilt and not wanting to drag him, but still
The whole point of her second life is that she deeply regrets her first and wants to make things right and do and be better, and she actively tries to be a better person and help people she wronged, so I wish she would have also let go of the idea of "I'm a bad person and I only deserve to be with a bad person"
I'm struggling to put it into words, I'm sorry, but I feel that because of this mentality still rooted in her she didn't really complete her character growth journey?
Either Zhang Zhe or alone, nobody deserves that red flag in their lives

Same, same. Either Zhang Zhe or Yan Lin.
Yan Lin started as rather arrogant and spoiled, but I loved his character growth, from a jealous man to someone who respected JXN wishes and boundaries and only wanted her happiness.
Honestly, to this day I still don't get how she chose Xie Wei when those two absolute green flags loved and supported her?
The whole time Xie Wei was on screen I was literally like: now he gets better... right?

I think we are so busy discussing about the men of this drama, that we are ignoring how good our FLs are? I really don't find any comment about them and it's such a shame. I love these sisters bond and how close and protective they are to each other.
Considering the society they are moving in, they are so strong and resourceful and they are not the usual "whiny" FL/damsel in distress I have found in so many dramas. They don't have superpowers nor know martial arts, but they have their strengths, are strong willed and are not afraid to bite back and look for revenge when mistreated by men. It shows a woman can be strong while still remaining feminine and emotional (AKA without turning into a male, unfeeling warrior with a skirt and heels).
I'm really loving them so far and I'm looking forward to knowing them better.
Honestly, I would be more than content with just watching them doing their business and dealing with misogyny, no romance needed.
They should be the highlight and focus of this comment section.

I've been asking myself the same thing.
The men in this drama suck, I'm not excusing them and I know I won't be forgiving some of them solely due to their future character growth (albeit I'm still looking forward to it, because I just love seeing characters' journeys in dramas, be it for better or for worse, and this drama is promising a lot of growth and development for many of its characters), but why do people don't have the same issues with other red flags ML from other works?
I don't excuse cheating and abuse the same way I don't excuse literal torture, killing attempts and jealousy/possessive/obsessive behaviours, but I see people finding "hot" many ML with such traits.
Xie Wei from Story of Kunning Palace is a red flag from start to end of that drama, but many many people don't have a problem with his behaviour and actually find him an attractive red flag.
I despised his character the same way I'm despising the men of this show and I despise all the other popular red flags of dramaland and I won't forgive their behaviour just because they get better later on, but since they are fictional characters moving in a fictional world, I look forward to see how the writing will deal with their journey and growth.
Could the writing have been better? Yes, this drama is in no way a masterpiece and a female writer among the team could have helped a lot, but I also believe they are not excusing those men behaviours. They are trying to depict how misogynistic those times were in a realistic way and the male characters, at least up to episode 6, are held accountable for their horrible behaviours.
Of course, if they stay red flags of the worst species till the end, I will be utterly disappointed and regret even starting this drama, but right now I still have hope and I will give them time to develop as characters.

I'm actually liking how ML is written so far.
His behaviour makes sense for the times this drama takes place in, but he also has his dignity and morals. You can say he's "morally grey" and that he doesn't really agree with his cousin's behaviour (we see him hitting and scolding him on more occasions), but he also has a "duty" to defend his family.
And I believe Kang Ning and Chai An are sort of a mirror of each other? They are both proud and cunning and if he does one thing, she'll counterattack with the same.