odetodramas
If I were rating solely the main characters and their story & romance, this would be a 10. I haven’t seen Jeremy Tsui’s past dramas, but he plays the sharp and confident Liang Yi, to perfection. I’ve seen several of Qiao Xin’s dramas and I’m not a fan of her acting (especially when she has emotional scenes), but the writing and the chemistry make up for it here. Her character, Qiu Yan, is quick-witted and daring, doing whatever it takes to take control of her own fate, including lying and manipulating—but she does have a bottom line & is a caring person at heart. I loved both the bickering dynamic & the teamwork between Liang Yi and Qiu Yan, and the gradual development of their relationship from dislike to mutual admiration to love. It’s refreshing that they are direct with each other and there aren’t misunderstandings, things aren’t dragged out. This is a pairing where you 100% feel like they’re meant to be together and I would absolutely rewatch all their scenes together.
Besides the leads, I adored Song Jin and Liang Yi’s mother, and they both brought so much warmth and laughter to the show. The opening song is so good, but I don’t remember any other songs from the OST.
However, overall this drama isn’t a 10 for me for a few reasons. There’s investigating cases, cute romantic moments, a bitter rivalry, terrible family members, life-or-death stakes, and sometimes it felt a little uneven. (I recall a few episodes in the middle of the drama that I didn't quite care for.) I really disliked Qiu Min from beginning to end, and the resolution her character received at the end was jarring. I was also not a fan of the last half of the final episode and wished the writer(s) had went in a different direction, but I do give credit for including many references from previous episodes. It felt like there was attention paid to the details.
Still, I have a feeling this will end up in my favorite dramas of 2022 list! I had zero expectations when I started it (thought it'd be a filler drama lol) and ended up being delighted by the main characters.
Content warnings: episode 19, r*pe (scene begins at around the 33 minute mark) & a suicide attempt; episode 34, suicide
Besides the leads, I adored Song Jin and Liang Yi’s mother, and they both brought so much warmth and laughter to the show. The opening song is so good, but I don’t remember any other songs from the OST.
However, overall this drama isn’t a 10 for me for a few reasons. There’s investigating cases, cute romantic moments, a bitter rivalry, terrible family members, life-or-death stakes, and sometimes it felt a little uneven. (I recall a few episodes in the middle of the drama that I didn't quite care for.) I really disliked Qiu Min from beginning to end, and the resolution her character received at the end was jarring. I was also not a fan of the last half of the final episode and wished the writer(s) had went in a different direction, but I do give credit for including many references from previous episodes. It felt like there was attention paid to the details.
Still, I have a feeling this will end up in my favorite dramas of 2022 list! I had zero expectations when I started it (thought it'd be a filler drama lol) and ended up being delighted by the main characters.
Content warnings: episode 19, r*pe (scene begins at around the 33 minute mark) & a suicide attempt; episode 34, suicide
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