ronnie091

Definitely had to see the dentist after watching this drama from how sweet it is. Great review! There are definitely some obvious parallels to LBFAD like the music, body swapping, overall setting/vibe. But I found this show completely different and loved it for different reasons. First of all, the male lead was a good guy/green flag from day one. How could you not love him throughout the whole journey? I found this love story way more sugary than LBFAD. Don't get me wrong. The latter will always be in my top 10. But the love story in that show took a while to develop and wasn't "destiny" per say. In LYST, knowing from early on that they are lovers from a past life, and now going through tribulations and falling for each other again and again in different lives...it was all just too adorable.
I would have to say, aesthetically the Mystery forest is my favorite lifetime. But story wise, their original lifetime 30,000 yrs ago is my favorite. The look on his face when he finds out she is the empress is priceless. I also like Cang Hai's personality the best. She's smart and fun but also powerful. A perfect match for the young and rebellious god of war.
This is only my 2nd time watching Yang Chaoyue and she definitely did a better job here. She is undeniably pretty and not too annoying when she whines or cries. Overall, I liked her for this role and there's no one else I could think of who would fit better. Ding Yuxi did what Ding Yuxi does. You give him any assignment, he understands it and he crushes it.
I didn't mind the side characters. The bromance in the shifi/disciple lifetime was endearing but the side love story between the stone and the twin girl was just okay. Not so bad that I needed to fast forward, but not much passion there. I felt more for her brother and how hard he was working at helping his people. It was weird he looked exactly like his dad though but again...whatever. The 2ML didn't bother me. He was annoying at times but by the end he did the right thing and I liked that he let go and took the red thread bracelet so he could maybe find his own love in the future. I liked him by the end and how he just became sweet and supportive. Won't get into the villain. I've seen this actor play one in a few other dramas and he's got the look/voice for it. But other than that, eh.
I'm glad you enjoyed this drama as much as I did! It's definitely on my rewatch list.

This review had me laughing. Your writing is too funny. I don't completely agree but I get where you're coming from. I agree about the FL and her being so cringe in the beginning. Almost dropped it here too. I will say she does get better by the end, more serious about her career (even breaks up with him for a minute because he doesn't support her talent etc...) He stays about the same. Definitely seen way better performances from both of these actors. Honestly, I think your standards and expectations were just way too high going into it. I knew right away from the trailer that this was going to be a fluffy, brainless romance. The promotion doesn't promise any character depth or compelling storyline. It's supposed to be a silly romcom and it's decent as that. There is an audience for these types of shows/movies which isn't us lol But occasionally I'll watch stuff like this if I'm coming off something more serious or want to put something on that I'm not fully engaged in. I watched this because this ML was in Moonlight, which was 100x better. Kinda wish I didn't go backwards lol

I do agree this one wasn't my favorite but I still enjoyed it. I have to say that the confession scene was one of the most beautiful ones I've ever seen in a drama. The setting, acting and writing in that scene were just *chef's kiss*.

Yes, I completely agree. Degrading the whole show because of things like a character's voice/appearance or tiny insignificant plot holes like "this should be blue but now it's purple" is just petty. A lot of time and effort goes into making a drama and it's a team effort so I always try to be as fair as possible with my opinions. But I won't lie either when something is just plain terrible. And this drama was far from terrible.
You're in for a treat if you keep watching Ding Yuxi. He knocks it out of the park in every role. Love Game in Eastern Fantasy I liked less than this drama but there's no denying how good he was in it. I also agree and like to think positively about the kiss scenes too. That's a great perspective to have and a lot of others should too. I'd like to see how good the haters did in their first kisses lol Give poor Ancy Deng a break.
I also thought they cut scenes at the end. I didn't feel that Lai Luo Zhi's demise was intense enough to be completely satisfying. Let me know if you do rewatch and pick up on anything else :D and you're welcome <3

Thanks for leaving this honest & rational review. I think people who watch too much TV think they do it for a living because they are too harsh and petty sometimes. A lot of other reviews nitpicked this show apart but honestly if you go into it relaxed and with a positive mindset, it's actually pretty good! Although, you cannot watch this if your brain is in a lazy mood. There are a lot of details to stay on top of so I can see how it's not for everyone. And the story/romance are slow moving. But I still think it's worth it.
Ding Yuxi has been underrated for a while but he has always been a hard worker dedicated to his roles and this year his increase in popularity is well earned. His acting has always been perfect and his good looks are just an added bonus. As for the FL she really surprised me. She was a very admirable character. Even when she made bad decisions and almost gets herself killed, I didn't find it as annoying as I usually would because her heart was always in the right place and she would sincerely admit she did wrong. Her emotional scenes were so mature for such a young actress too. A lot of people tore her apart for her stiff kissing scenes but I think she deserves some slack it being her first romance. And besides the stale kisses, the rest of the scene she killed with her loving eyes and expressions. She paired very well with Ding Yuxi's natural intensity and they both don't look their age anyway.
I'll admit I developed side crushes on Jing Lin and Pan Chi but they were easily taken over when Shen Du shows up all regal, tall dark and handsome XD. Lai Luo Zhi did nothing for me as a villan. He was cringe. And ChuiChui was very annoying. The cinematography and OST are both great. And this is going to seem weird but I was even impressed that the injuries were even done well. Usually when characters get hurt in dramas the wounds are exaggerated or just look like ketchup stains. But when Yan Xing was sewing up Shen Du it looked very realistic. I've never watched a scene so sad, beautiful and gross at the same time lol Anyway, I genuinely enjoyed this drama and would watch it again if there wasn't anything new and interesting out at the time.

An opinion based on someone's taste and personal preference isn't a lie. But it's clear you're never going to see things any other way so let's just agree to disagree and move on.

Glad someone else agrees with my hack! I feel the same. These two work so well together. Zhou Chuan is definitely one of my all time funniest characters and Er Gou is the best drama dog.

I didn't criticize your opinion. I criticized you for attacking other people for thinking differently than you. And presented you with my own opinion as well and pointed out that many others do feel the same. No one here is lying . Your opinion is valid and correct in your eyes and so is everyone else's. It's all based on personal preference and perspective. You can't force others to have the same taste as you anymore than you can force them to like the same foods you do.

It's fine if you want to look at this drama through rose colored glasses but there happens to be a lot of people who agree with MsNotes. Everyone's opinion is valid and it's not fair to attack someone because their view differs from yours or call them a liar.
I actually enjoyed listening to the technology presentations and the office politics/business meetings were more interesting than the couple's silly interactions. But the title of the drama is Only for Love, not Only for Tech. And the show failed to deliver a convincing romance for me as well. I didn't skip any scenes and I tried my best to like it ... "infinitely more-advanced mental games-witticisms" is just a fancy way of saying this couple can't use their words. He didn't answer her texts at all in the beginning and when he did start responding it was basically with caveman grunts. The ML & FL were presented as very intelligent, hardworking people so it was frustrating to watch them act like middle schoolers when it came to romance. Trying to draw a deeper meaning from their empty, cringey interactions is just contrived nonsense and wishful thinking. They could've done a lot better with the talent they had between all of the actors/actresses.

Well said again! Thank you for the clarity and encouraging words. Now I really can't wait for the end. I've watched ZLS before and her acting just keeps getting better. But this is the 1st time I've watched this ML. At first, based on looks, I thought he was averagely pleasant looking. But with his adorable smile and the way he poured his heart and soul into this character has just made him so attractive. He started out so cheeky, cynical and cold hearted but watching his care for Duanwu grow and grow just melted my heart. I just know I'm in for a good cry in the end XD

Wow you're a great writer. This review is beautifully written! And I agree with most of it. My only hang up is I just can't forgive the writers for killing Shrimp! I stopped watching after that episode because it felt like Game of Thrones all over again. But after a brief hiatus and some emotional healing, my curiosity and love for the FL & ML brought me back. I'm on episode 25 now. I like that they didn't separate the two for long and they are still interacting without being a couple anymore. I don't know that I believe someone as fierce as Duanwu would let Yang Zijing off so easily if she truly believed in her heart he tried to kill her and killed everyone else. Even if she is emotionally broken and given up on revenge, I just don't think she would want to be that close to him still. She could've started a business anywhere else. I think deep down she knows there's something else going on. Also, I'm not as into the business games as I was the adventures at sea but from what everyone is saying the show is worth finishing. So I'm riding this bus until the last stop. Thank you for the encouraging review!