Ice Queen wrapped in Candy

This drama surprised me on many levels.

It might be the only drama I know where the FL is actually smarter and more calculating than the ML.
Surely, it’s still a chinese drama so for the first half it’s a cat and mouse game but you already get glimpses into the true strength of the female lead.

The more you watch, the better it gets.
But now to the good vs the bad (spoilers ahead)

Good parts:
- the audio / dubbing is much better than I expected from a low budget drama like this
- The female lead, her deep voice and capacity to actually kill and rule like a man. Never saw this actress before but I‘ll closely follow her upcoming projects now because she is very good at looking cold and dominating. She sees through everyone and for once in cdramaland it’s actually believable that she grew up pretending to be a man. She doesn’t turn into a cutesy girl, and although in the earlier episodes she isn’t as calculating as later on, I‘d say preserve because it’s worth it :)
- The eye candy. Let’s be honest there was no actual need for the guys to be shirtless that much, but nonetheless I enjoyed it ;))
- the comedy is very slapstick funny and the crossdressing of the ML made me laugh out loud, he truly is a beauty
- the chemistry between all characters was good

About the romance part (spoiler territory):
I loved that the roles are reversed here, especially once they become a couple.
He is very devoted to her, following her advice and she holds the reins. The kisses are often steamy and unique (hint: stairway kiss).
Also: a couple that reads smut together, stays together- enough said ;D

The not so good parts:
- Love triangle. I‘m just not a fan of them, especially when the SML has a similar character to FL and you know they‘d fit together perfectly.
- The animal cruelty. It’s 2023. Do we still need to talk about how it’s not okay to hold up a bunny by its ears and putting in water, visibly struggling? Same goes for the rat. And the horse that was pulling a carriage, which was turned 180degrees in an instant and made it trip multiple times? ~ there was a disclaimer at the end but we have eyes ? especially after WRTW we know that "no animals were hurt" means absolutely nothing in cdramas.
- sometimes I loved the ML acting, sometimes I hated it. I loved his grin/wink at FL but I‘m still on the fence about him. I do like the actor in other dramas tho.
Lastly, it does suffer from a rushed (happy) ending - it’s good and all but given the post credits we might get a s2, who knows :)

All in all it was way better than expected and although it was it’s flaws it now belongs to the 10% of dramas that I didn’t drop half way, which means a lot.

The female lead deserves a 10/10 and will go down as the one FL in my opinion that was stronger than the ML, despite both being lords.

Read More

"The Only Thing Left Between Us Are Goodbyes"

TROP was one hell of a watch that consumed every part of me.
I binged the entire 70 episodes in mere 5 days and I am still mind blown by this masterpiece.

It's hard to start the review because I want to cover a lot of things without spoiling potentional viewers.
Let me break it down to: The Good, The Characters and The Pain & Problems (the last one will contain spoilers)

THE GOOD:
The production quality of this drama is by the best I have ever seen by a (chinese) historical and every-single-episode was a cinematic experience.
What sets this drama apart from all other historical is for one the outstanding performance by Chen Kun as Prince Ning Yi, but also how the story was set up.

There is no "one" villain that needs to be defeated, rather everyone had their reasons for scheming and every few episodes we were introduced to another unique character. I have to give it up for the scriptwriters, not a single re-occuring character in this drama was a copy-paste plot device. They all had loved ones, goals and ways to survive (or not, lol).

THE CHARACTERS:

Ning Yi is very eccentric and his days as a tailor, spending his time with his trusted squad, flirting with and teasing our female lead Wei Zhi / Fang Zhiwei were absolute EYE CANDY. In the early episodes he reminded me of Willy Wonka... sounds funny right? But the actor is truly amazing and shines in all ways.

My absolute favorite moments were when they'd save each other from dire situations. They both had their own strengths.
I loved that neither could control the other and a bonus for me was they were both the same height, so it seemed even more so like they are equal - even though the ML is a prince. Their feelings for each other grow quietly but their glances are INTENSE.
However, do not expect to see them as a happy-go-lucky couple. Because this is mainly a fight-for-the-throne drama, there are also episodes where the leads barely see each other - but I promise it's worth it.

I also want to say that there are really good other characters in this drama and our two leads share equal screen time with them.

What I loved:
+ ML & FL teasing (the facial expressions around her are crazy hot and oh the biting... not gonna say more ;))
+ the friendship between the old Emperor & Wei Zhi when it lasted was very nice
+ Prince Helian Zheng; especially the salt and dancing scene


THE PAIN & PROBLEMS (ending spoilers ahead)

I often read about the last 10-20 episodes being bad and I somewhat disagree. Yes, it hurt but mainly the last 3 episodes.
The drama is heavy throughout and you have to hold your breath a lot but it's just SOO GOOD.

++ ending spoiler & interpretation ++
The ending itself was mainly heartbreaking because Ning Yi stares directly into the camera for the last few seconds, breaking the fourth wall. Not gonna say more BUT if you truly listen to the last few words you can sense hope, especially since in Chinese beliefs being reborn is not uncommon. + the novel version of the drama continues after the drama ending and gives a happy ending that I chose to belief in.

HOWEVER in the last 2 episodes it became evident that there was no hope for their love in this life, although one part was still holding one. Like sand it slipped through their hands, - we were so close but then we were so far.
I believe their love will start anew in another life as tailor and racoon.

I want to end this review with a quote near the end...
It's where I believe that the romance ended:

"Ning Yi, why are always saying goodbye?"
"Maybe the only thing left between us are goodbyes"


... and despite it's flaws this is the best historical cdrama I have ever watched.... I mean I watched this within 5 days and while having strawberry week. So I was already a mess. Ok now I gotta go cry.

Read More

Night Vibe with a touch of K-Drama

I would like to start by saying that I‘m a serial dropper - so the fact that I was able to finish this drama within mere days means it had to be good or at least in some ways bingeable.

I had it on my watchlist for a long time for superficial reasons: the FL looked too webtoon-ish for me and the ML more business-handsome than the idol look I normally go for in dramas BUT I decided to give it a go after watching AvenueX‘s first impressions video.

My pros:
- leads have hot tension; and they act out on it; I wonder how this drama passed censorship but I am sooo happy it did
- Once they got together their relationship was very healthy and many little details were added that made their relationship feel believable and it goes down as one of my favorite cdrama portrayals of a healthy relationship
- ML is wipped for FL: I just love it when this happens
- ML is in his mid 30s and part of a bar band. Feels unique and cool

Cons:
- the supporting couples: I gotta be honest I completely skipped through their scenes because it felt so empty and no chemistry whatsoever; but it didn’t affect the main story one bit
- the exes coming back trope: it was alright since they were never too invasive and all their efforts failed since the leading couple was great at communicating; but still the ML ex was a bit too unreflective & selfish to have been his type at one point… it seems unbelievable that he once loved her knowing his character

From to the OST that reminded of "Adrenaline" from the K-Drama "Vincenzo", down to the romantic/intimate scenes and the rain & drunk scenes it often felt like a K-Drama. Both in cinematography, acting and style.
That was a nice surprise.
In addition I find the title "Love at Night" very fitting since the entire drama - even the day scenes - had a sensual night vibe.
I watched it at night too and I haven’t felt like that before while watching a drama.


Endnote: it’s a light but romantic tension filled drama between 2 mature people with a lot of daily and nightly romance.
If you’re sick of censorship in cdramas; then watch this because they literally have at least 3-4 intense kisses each episode once they get together. Their chemistry feels authentic and it’s satisfying to watch.
However I‘d recommend skipping the other 2 couples otherwise it might feel too long.

Read More

a very tame soap opera

When I started this drama it was said to have 20 episodes, very much Taiwanese drama standard. Come to find out it has 40!
If I didn't know it was pre-produced, then I would be convinced the producers of this drama also only found out this crucial piece of information, when it already started airing because it has sooo much filler and is stretched out to the max.
To the point where I wouldn't even call it "filler" anymore but rather from episode 20-39 is just watered down blah-blah.

(PRODUCTION)
Instead of making it twice as long as other tw-dramas and have it be regular length, they could have had a higher budget because that is one of the biggest issues this drama has. With stars like Marcus Chang and Eugenie Liu on board I thought this surely must at least look good... oh well I thought wrong. Or maybe they spent all their budget on casting ? Who knows.
Whatever it was - someone needs to teach this production crew how to properly(!) use a muffler or deadcat. The background noise of outside scenes was coming and going as if they had used the "remove background noise" button on a cheap video editing software like Filmora or ShotCut.
Another big issue with sound was that the mics were not configured correctly for scenes when someone is screaming or crying. My poor ears. If you watched early 2000s k-dramas, you know what I mean.

(DIRECTOR/SCREENWRITER)
But let's continue. Eric Hao, the director of the beloved classic "Lost Romance" collaborated with the scriptwriter of "Bromance" Shao Hui Ting, on paper this combination should evoke anticipation in you. Especially because the synopsis of "Trick or Love" is throwing things like "gender bender" and "pretend to be gay" in our direction... but once again the devil is in the details.
Eric Hao is also behind 2018's "Between" aka Sandwich Girl, an absolute catastrophe of a drama, so maybe his credentials are up for debate? Marcus Chang was leading that drama, so even the ever dashing never-aging beaut had his fair share of hit-or-misses.
(ACTING)
I'm aware that this is his official leading man comeback after his pretty serious health scare a few years back but for some reason he seems a bit rusty. One moment I'm totally falling for his flirty scheming, the next his facial expressions are so obviously acted / dramatized that I cannot help but laugh. I really am a big fan of his acting but more often than not he very clearly over acted in this drama.
This was also his second time leading a romance drama with Eugenie Liu and it's true, they do seem very comfortable with each other. Especially in the first part of the drama with the whole gender-bender. However romantic chemistry was not to be found. (We did get that from the second leads tho) Charming as Marcus is, I kept asking myself why Heng Wei would fall in love with Jing Tsen, other than following the script. Yeah she was nice-ish to him, but is that really enough to deeply fall in love with someone?
Eugenie Liu completely tanked for me, the acting was just very stiff and put on, maybe that's also why I couldn't feel any chemistry. I liked her a lot in "Triad Princess" tho. Probably have to give props to the costume department as she really did look very boyish / androgynous even when she was no longer pretending to be a guy.
Overall in the acting department both leads were a let down for me, especially because they did better in "Behind Your Smile" and their other respective work.
The supporting roles were all okay, some better, some more obviously acted but nothing horrible worth mentioning.

(STORY)
The first twenty episodes are pretty much as the synopsis says. I liked that, unlike in other cross dressing dramas, the FL was not too shy in front of the ML and was pretty neutral towards him and his flirts. Over the course of the entire drama we have some typical soap opera / melodrama moments, but all of them are pretty tame and easily forgotten. Things that seem important at first, got watered down as the story goes and by the end it's no longer that important. Characters that seem annoying or evil at first, change into nice ones by the end. As I said above the second part of this drama is not like the first half.
It's mainly about the second lead couple, that is actually more interesting and has better chemistry, but is also very cliche.

Funny enough, in the last 15 episodes the two leads slip into supporting roles, not that I mind, but they take up maybe 20 minutes of the 45 per episode. Another random thing I noticed is how much they infantilize his brother Heng Da. I was kinda shocked when I found out he is supposed be 23. Yeah you're still young at that age but they treat him like a minor and he also acts more like a child (notice: not childish but child-like). Dunno what that was about.
It's not a horrible drama nor do I hate it, it's just very, very watered down and most of the interesting stuff happens early on and then you have to hang on for another 20 episodes.

Last but not least: The OST is very good, probably the best thing to come out from this drama. Plus it made me discover Howard Lee, now a regular in my spotify playlist.

Okay, so why did I rate it a 6 if it's so boring and the acting is not very good either? I am biased. Firstly I added this drama page, updated it and I am a fan of Marcus. I also did some light translation work. So in some way this feels 10% like my baby and also the reason why I even finished watching it because... well... I would have dropped it at episode 1 otherwise.

My final conclusion: unless you really love soap operas with not much plot and love the leading actors, to the point where you don't mind anything else - skip this drama. 40 episodes is just way too long to waste your time.

Read More

solid script, great brotherhood + interesting relationship dynamics

I watched this drama under the title "Flirting with my Enemy" on YouTube and was unaware that it's actually this drama until I was about half way through - and I am SO GLAD about that!

If you happen to read this before watching the drama. STOP. Just watch it, don't read up on it. It's the most enjoyable going into it without much prior knowledge about. But now for my actual review and why I think this is criminally underrated (7.7...really?!)

SCRIPTWRITING:
The drama was written by the leading actor and it makes a lot of sense. It just feels different, less dramatized and more focused on the individual personalities and relationship dynamics. Yes, it has tropes and a few flaws but I'll take a script like that over other dramas of the same genre (business, friends, adults). I normally struggle with a drama this length but I could have watched another 10 episodes, no problem.

FRIENDSHIP:
What I enjoyed most about this drama was the brotherhood of the four guys in their mid 30s, even if its unrealistic - this is how imagined me and my friends from high school would end up like as adults. One can really be called lucky to have such a bond even as adults.
A Chef, a Salesman, A teacher and a tech engineer. I really appreciated the diversity, in their style, overall personalities and how they approach their aspirations in life. I loved how they all evolved over time. Everyone had their own struggles, unrelated to the rest of the guys, yet they each supported each other and like true brothers sometimes had arguments over beers.
I think the actors were well casted, again no two are alike and all delivered good, natural performances. Both for the guys and the women. I loved the curly heads! Sad we dont see that more often.

RELATIONSHIPS:
I have to admit that no couple has insane chemistry or anything like that BUT the relationships were all so different from each other and the dynamics were as unique as the guys themselves, which made every couple interesting (to me). I liked how not every relationship started right away or was obvious. enemies-to-lovers, contract marriage, age difference (both ways), Ml chases fl first, simp and levelheaded girl... it has it all.

Healthy Spicy Times! Yes! Finally a drama where it's not a taboo topic at all nor is anyone shy. I was sooo glad that non of the gals were damsel in distress. They were as strong as the guys and 3 out of 4 were more accomplished than their male counterpart.
In the same breath I also wanna mention how much I appreciated the asexual relationship of the curly-hair-couple! It had nothing to do with being a prude or shy and I absolutely loved how she communicated what she needed in a relationship. He was just so adorable and they grew on me the most. They stayed true to their commitment and it shows just how every relationship is different and if you truly love each other you can make it work.

THANKFUL FOR:
...every drama that has adult leads and no evil parents in law (in that department we actually only see them in the final episodes) deserves praise from me. It was just so relaxing to not have to worry about that aspect.
I liked the adult humor, no need to be chaste among guys in their mid thirties. Maybe that's the reason this drama got pulled? There were a few zesty moments and I almost suspect that XF was Bi, but it's a cdrama so shh!
The King, damn his voice is just so great! - Platonic friendships are just great and they truly stayed that. I also loved his last minute coupling, made me smirk.

FLAWS:
Nothing truly bothered me, it was just small things that I didn't fully love. For example I couldn't fully catch the moment where XF and Shangneng fell for each other, since she just wanted a husband on paper and he's a playboy but suddenly he loves her?
This couple only grew on me the second round. At first he became too tame too quickly and basically became a trophy husband. + the initial love interest of Guo Teacher wasnt my favorite. Also the business side of the tech guy was too business-like for me at times but I still didnt skip.

ENDING (spoilers) & CONCLUSION
At the end of ep39 the guys reach a conclusion that induces this-is-gonna-be-the-end-of-the-drama type feeling. From that moment on, the plot was basically over and we got an entire episode of happy-ending. All struggle was left behind - almost fairytale like or the ending of a fantasy novel where a narrator takes over - but I liked it. It left me with a warm feeling.

All in all from beginning to end this drama has a solid script and a conclusive storyline. There are no plot holes or questions left at the end. A very satisfying watch to me and will stand out as the best male friend group cdrama to me :)
I recommend it as a chill watch, that has all elements you could wish for.

Edit: Just to address the "controversy" of this drama. It was removed from streaming services due to heated response from the public, expect from YouTube, but I find the reasoning hypocritical. 1st: The SA allegations came from viewers, not the actress herself. 2nd: these viewers seem to have been blind the moment the FL grabbed MLs butt a few episodes later. Where's the SA allegation here? Hm. Plus just in "My Uncanny Destiny" the ML also touched FLs chest? I don't get how a scripted (fictional!) drama, where you have to shoot a scene several times, can get such allegations? ...

Read More

My favorite costume cdrama with good kisses

First of all, my taste is a bit weird. Although I tried watching many costume cdramas this is one of the very few ones I actually finished.
I binged all 30 episodes in 3 days :D

The only thing I regret is reading the comments here before… they made me anticipate for a bad second half but I beg to differ.
The first half was a cute romcom with a unique side to it (first female student), the later half was still good but less comedy - HOWEVER I loved that they never broke up after getting together & that we got lots of kisses and affectionate moments. Rarely do I see dramas where the main leads are together for the entire later half of the drama. GREAT!

It‘s an easy watch and certainly fantasy in many aspects (how easy things are often for FL and that there are no „higher ups“ meddling in everyone’s business especially at the college) but this is exactly what I liked about it. It’s not heavy at all and even if the villain becomes more prominent in the later half, it‘s always one step back & forth. Not too frustrating.

Spoilerrrrr!!!

I would probably rate it a 9/10 if we got more romance in the last 2-3 episodes because I remember at one point we had 4 kisses in a episode and in the finale zero :/
Still - i really liked it and it was a happy ending :))

Read More

rather than it being a wound, it feels like looking at a scar that has now healed.

This drama is like nothing I have ever watched before and has become my all-time-favorite-k-drama within only a few episodes.

This drama is probably not everyone, but for someone who is barely a main character in their own life, feeling "Lost" in life and dealing with depression, this was everything I never knew I needed.
I thought I would cry but instead it gave me great comfort.
The dialogues and monologues gave me more than enough content to fill the notes app on my phone. I will surely look at them often.

I seriously want to bow before both screenwriter and director for making this masterpiece. The cast was just perfect and I found myself having a unique experience while watching this drama... I was truly lost inside "Lost".

As the series progresses I also realized that the real villain of the story is life itself. As much as you might dislike a character at first, the more you will feel for them as the episodes go by. As cruel as it can be, it not only affects you and me but also the people we often blame for our own suffering. People that were hurt and didn't heal can only ever hurt people in order to feel better about themselves.

I don't want to spoil too much or talk much about the storyline, as I think everyone should discover this drama on their own without any spoilers because there are a lot of things that can be missed if you don't pay attention. Yes, it is a slow pace but silence can have so much more meaning than any written line.

Read More

good chemistry but oh so slow

A slow burn story that combines slice-of-life with mystery, some interesting symbolism, a little bit of fan service but one that is overall not very exciting.

Truthfully, I only watched this drama because it's cast and director are the same as "The Confidence". It's set in the same city, only a short while later and although it's not nearly as dark or a thriller, it does share similarities beyond it's casting choices.
I'll split this review in two parts, one is a comparison to "The Confidence" and all the references I pick up on along the way. The other is a review on just this drama as a stand alone.

Part I: "Unexpected Falling" (spoiler warning)

Ruan Zhen Zhen is a reserved person, who is used to living a quiet life as a housewife. She has a slightly depressed aura around her, although she can see beauty in the small things. She is resilient and I liked that she fought most of her battles quietly and evaluated what is worth her time vs. what is not. Some of the symbolism I mentioned above are her habits around food and beverages. For example, she really loves a certain type of cake from a specific bakery. Or whenever she is upset about something she'll drink a whole glass of water, soup or coffee in one go. Because her husband left her with so much debt, she also learns to live very frugal and works as a dishwasher at a restaurant. I liked that they actually showed where she saved on money vs where she spent it all the while trying to investigate her late husband's debt and dealing with people who are trying to bury his secrets with him.

Up until EP14 I found the story to be moving super slow and not a single question I had was answered, and although it found a better flow later on, this is where I accepted it's just a very slow burn story and that the questions I had in the first episode weren't going to be answered until the finale. Thinking about it, if this was a true story, the timeline in which all these events occur, is probably be closer to reality than an action drama with the same plot.
I skipped the "bad guys" in the office, simply because watching paint dry would be more interesting, but other than that it was interesting enough to keep watching, even for someone who is a serial dropper. Although the script and directing has some flaws, and more so is underwhelming, as a slow burn story with complicated feelings involved, it's watchable. Especially if you like the leading actors because they really work their magic here.
One random thing I loved: Her apartment!

What I disliked:
Conflicts between multiple supporting characters were either not resolved or just brushed over by the end. I was having a good time trash talking the ML with viki live comments, but as a romantic interest he was questionable. He not only lied and patronized the FL, but the amount of times he made a move on her when she had already rejected him was really off-putting. I liked that she called him out on his BS and her reaction in general, but yeah, he could have been less of a creep at times. The drama only has a slight romance tag but I think there was just enough focus on it.
What I mainly disliked was how long everything took. I'm still unsure what they were really after, yeah there was talk about "the thing", they're looking for "the thing", but what does it actually contain? A client list? - yeah, but what clients? and what did he do so wrong to these clients? Also did he really die in an accident or was he killed? A lot of questions left unanswered or at least partially.
I also could have done with less supporting characters, yeah they came and went - never overstayed their welcome but their stories also kind of went nowhere... this is probably because I watched "The Confidence" right before, but I expected a bit more action and drive.
The actual debt lawsuit was also handled mostly off-screen and despite the ML being her lawyer and her having court dates, I believe the total amount of time of her spending in court or talking to someone involved in the lawsuit amounts to less half an hour. Most of the story is about her trying to find out where the 40 million are and just how much her husband hid from her. All while the ML pretends to be her old schoolmate who wants to help her as a lawyer but in reality he's also trying to find "the thing".

Part II: "The Confidence vs. Unexpected Falling" (spoiler warning)

Peng Guan Ying once again plays a man with a hidden identity. Although he doesn't share the same sociopathic tendencies, he's controlling and forcefully kissing the FL more than once. To say he's a good person is a stretch but besides his lack of respect for consent, he's not really dangerous either. As always Peng Guan Ying is handsome af, so yeah, I was happy - but I found the acting and chemistry of both actors to be better in the "The Confidence" due to the script and direction being much better and more exciting.

Some less obvious parallels:
- 12 actors star in both dramas, one even has the same character name (A'Gang)
- The FL drives a red car in both dramas, and she has the same pink bunny ears alarm clock on her bedside table
- The ML finds the FL's surveillance camera, which is placed next to a red decor lighthouse. Which is identical to the blue decor lighthouse that the ML used to spy on the FL in "The Confidence".
- early on the ML wears glasses, once he stops wearing them, his personality and style become a bit more like FSX.
- in both dramas the ML likes boats and spends time by the port
- at some point the leads have a cat-and-mouse game that involves her putting on a play in front of him, this happens in both dramas but it's much more extended and detailed in "The Confidence".

Direct references:
- in the episode where the FL discovers ML's true identity and suggests they work together, a team member of his is seen watching "The Confidence" on a laptop. She says "finally they're working together", as a scene plays where Ke Ying talks to Xiao Wu.
- The ML is at an antique store and sees the helmet and armour his character owned in "The Confidence". He looks at it for a while, picks up THE anchor chain necklace and puts it on the armour. Later in the drama he returns to the antique store with the FL and they both look at it, he asks her if she likes it, she doesn't clarify but states that she finds it interesting. They linger for a bit and then leave.

I was very happy with all the parallels, especially because it's not a sequel or spin-off. Obviously the production team knows the viewers wanted some more, so they gave us a little bit of fan service and included some easter eggs here and there. I probably missed some but these were all I picked up on.
I do think they wasted an opportunity though, when it came to the casting of the FL's husband. He remained faceless for the entire drama, with only his voice and outline being shown in an earlier episode. At one point a character even looks at a picture of him, however that picture is not revealed to the audience. Part of me thinks they actually had an actor but for some reason had to cut it out and another part of me thinks it was on purpose. Whatever it was it was a wasted opportunity to have either Xiao Wu or Yang Yuze be a guest star at the end to play husband in a flashback. All they really needed was one scene and it would have been the perfect last surprise.

As a follow up to "The Confidence" I don't regret watching this at all despite it being mid overall. I got what I wanted and I'm 100% down to watch these two (and the team) in another drama.

Read More

Curiosity is the biggest bait

[this is more of an after thought than a full review]

This drama has Guo Jing Ming (director/screenwriter) written all over it making it a double edged sword from start to finish.
As someone who only found out about the existence of c-drama during the Pandemic, his work had a sense of exciting familiarity from the get go. The way he uses visual story telling and symbolism reminded me of some of my favorite movies/shows growing up. I have yet to find another Chinese Director or writer who is able to evoke that feeling in me.
Visually this drama really is impressive. I have a massive soft spot for dark, goth-vibe movies and shows. Combine that with the bad-ass BGM when the characters were introduced and the carefully crafted visual storytelling ... ah I love it!

The more dramas I watch, the more drama-fatigue I get and it's hard to watch anything from start to finish because everything becomes so predictable. But for the first time in a long time I watched episode after episode being excited about what happens next. I could not have guessed it and that made it a really good watch for me.

Instead of thinking of it as FL, ML, SFL, SML, TML,... It was quite clear (to me) that this drama has multiple mains and every story is equally as important. Although it begins quite ambiguous, it becomes more and more evident that among all the leading characters there's no one who is really a villain. Everyone's ambitions are justifiable and not born out of greed. This solidified my initial impression that this is a story of many, not of just two.
But unfortunately the story of first CP dragged along after having a very good start. Any sense of chemistry that was there eventually fell into a slumber as their story became more and more lukewarm. The intense stares and slow mo walking past-each-other scenes early on quickly ceased to exist and in my opinion this is what gave the second CP the chance to shine even brighter because they kept the intensity up. ZY was introduced as the spoiled son that spends a lot of time hanging out at the dance house (brothel?), likes to drink and pretends to be weaker than he actually is. He often rebelled against his father and did not hesitate to yell that he will leave. Everything about his introduction had me believed he would at some point reveal his true character and show every one his wits especially after the tattoo scene, however he and YS were gradually reduced to being the safe option in order for the more complex characters to go about their story. After all you cannot have your bread buttered on both sides.
GSJ and GZY had such epic introductions, with epic instrumental that is not commonly used by c-dramas and their styling was also much better than that of the ML, who sometimes looked like his make up was wet paint.
The brothers reminded me of a duo of wolves, so calculated but also deeply complex and their dynamic was amazing. In comparison ZY fell short on so many levels and became the SW although GSJ was much more qualified and long term would have been more respected and feared by outsiders. Thinking about ZY ten years down the line... I cannot help but to suspect that the reputation of Gong will become less and less feared. Selfishly though I must admit this provides GSJ with a tiny chance of freedom, that he unlikely is to take willingly but if the circumstances are right I believe he could have his own drama about how he leaves the Gong family, despite having an undying sense of loyalty towards them. I have no doubts was the situation flipped YZ would not hesitate and leave to be with YSS... but doesn't it sound more interesting if it was the so-sure-about-his-place character that ended up leaving the mountain? - Wishful thinking I know.


Not being able to have multiple deeper, darker main characters is something I have noticed in every c-drama that attempted this so far - guess this is where Censorship comes into play. At this point I don't think I'll ever get see a 10/10 drama from China because only the most dark and twisted (love) stories can get such a rating from me.

GSJ, GZY and SSQ were the most interesting part of this drama. She was thrown into a lion's den and of the two assassins, her mission was much trickier and therefore so much more exciting. We only got glimpses but I believe these three could have their own drama, making it a push-and-pull game of wits and raw feelings. I would not want it to be ruined by idol romance but rather make it a dark romance. I'm kinda fed up with healthy or realistic relationships in dramas, it's fictional so give me all the borderline toxicity. I wasn't walking around in a "Mrs. Salvatore" hoodie for years because I liked Matt, lol. (vampire diaries).
The story of these 3 had an even flow and from all the characters I found theirs could be the perfect background story for a season 2. Yet I did wish we had gotten more scenes of them taking a (dangerous) liking to each other.
But I really didn't like how they schemed against her near the end. It wasn't until then, that SSQ was singled out as the only antagonist of the four/five. YZ did not tell her about the fortnight flies and she also ratted her out to the others, which totally took away the element of surprise and potential for a great reveal scene. I was actually looking forward to that a lot and I'd almost say while watching it was one of my biggest disappointments.
My favorite scenes were early on when GSJ was riding a horse in the dark and the camera films from above and then through an open gate as he rides past.. and a little earlier GZY being on the roof to stop ZY - just EPIC. You already get the clear feeling that these two are very different from your usual drama characters and they delivered 100%.


--BIG SPOILER--

I read up on the final scene and it's interesting how on Chinese internet the interpretation is that SSQ's life ended since he saw her standing on water. Previously only for-sure dead characters were 'seen' by the leads, so the fact that he imagined seeing her could hint at that she is no longer alive. On the contrary on mdl, reddit, etc everyone is certain she is alive since she was seen in a garden tending to the flowers.

-- CONCLUSION--

In the beginning it all felt like one epic production and I could envision it continuing in so many ways. Even now I still think if they were ever to make this a multi-season show, they could really pull the wheel around and make it amazing. Somehow I can't shake the feeling that it felt like the backstory of something greater. Knowing how this is most likely a stand alone drama, I do feel let down but in my mind there is no doubt that the story continues and the best is yet to come. (small hope is that the screenwriter/director has multiple works that have more than one part)
As I said, it truly feels a prologue. In a perfect world (or literally just a country without TV censorship) this could turn into a complex game of survival and love that could de-throne any drama I ever watched. As small as the world of Wufeng & Gong was, it was just the perfect amount to get immersed into the story without feeling like you need to care about the rest of the world. I really loved that aspect.

One of SSQ's lines early on was "curiosity is the biggest bait" and they really took that and went with it for the entire drama. I was really curious after the very intriguing start and was baited into watching till the end. I don't regret as it stands out a lot to me and is not comparable to other dramas in my opinion but I also kept waiting and waiting for big things to happen and from to time things did happen but the entire 3 trials thing was such a big plot of the drama which I really didn't like it at all. I only fast forwarded twice during this drama, both times were during the second trial. I really wanted the leads to have a more intense story. Also I feel like for some of the symbolism I know too little about chinese language, culture/history to really get it. I felt like there was a lot of hidden meaning behind things shown and spoken.
In all of the drama, there is only one thing visually that bothered me. The transitions... some of them were just like the ones you use for a fancy power point.
Also there are so many single tear drops running down the characters face… I was about to make a drinking game out of it, lol

Full circle moment back to the beginning of this after thought that turned into an endless thought: Guo Jing Ming's work is always like that. I watched his movie "The End of Endless Love" a few days ago and had the exact same feeling afterwards. Some real glimpses of gold, that just hit so right and feel totally unique but he's never able to make a full stream of light from the few glimpses. Makes me wonder, does he just have really great ideas but doesn't have what it takes to turn them into reality... he needs to pair up with a superb screenwriter and maybe then it will turn into a masterpiece.

Another drama watched that was on my "not interested" list and ended up leaving a big impression. Maybe I should listen more to what people are hyping up?

Read More

Pistachio Love for Christmas

Although the reason for the delayed air date is quite tragic I‘m glad that it was released the day before Christmas because in my opinion it’s the perfect (binge) watch for the holidays! ;)

I think it shouldn’t be compared to other dramas (which is why it gets negative comments) but rather seen as a stand-alone year end light party romcom to watch during the holidays or when you need a pick-me up.
It’s kind of like those year end assemble movies but in drama length.

It’s a bunch of hot, young party people that live in a colorful, positive world without it being fluffy or cringy. The romance seems very much in tune with youth and it’s more liberal & flirty than your standard kdrama… which again brings me back to not comparing it to other dramas ;)

Anyways I really liked it as a christmas/holiday binge ~~
Due it’s light and flirty vibe it’s also highly rewatchable :)

Read More

It was chill & drama free BUT stay away from this type of ML

I started this drama because I saw a very short edit that kinda looked cute.
Normally I don't watch dramas that I didn't research but I wanted to try this.
I actually have not seen any of these actors before (which is something I really like because it makes the characters more believable to me, since I have no memory of another character/drama attached to their face).

My preference at the moment is a clever, not-hyper tempered FL as well as an aloof ML (aloof = neutral; not interested but also not mean; might appear cold but is not bullying FL or something). - I was pleasantly surprised when both leads seemed to be just that, especially the ML because he seemed very unbothered but also wasn't mean or anything.
But at around ep 10-15 is when things turned bitter (for me)

My critique points (spoilers ahead):

- the story could have easily been told in 12-16 episodes; no need for 24
- superficial / too short of a back story of FL & SML (did not give us enough context to have SMLS)
The SML character was added like a copy & paste because of course every drama like that needs a SML who likes FL and then gets his heart broken (according to the writers)... this drama really really didnt need a SML but they still added him and only gave him the scenes he absolutely needed and not a minute more. He was only there to push the story of FL & ML forwards and get his heart broken. I didnt get Second male lead syndrome at all because he had no uniqueness and his purpose was all too obvious.

- I never realized when and why the FL started liking ML; felt like she just did because the script said so

- Male Lead character + acting
- the weird skinship / body contact between the two leads


Ok, these last two go hand in hand but I don't think I've ever seen such uncomfortable "cute" scenes. The way the ML is touching her (holding hand, hugging, putting his hand on her head, kisses, nose rubbing) were VERY strange... a bit as if he is forcing himself to do so.
I was alright with the height difference, since I normally love that but in those scenes it was if he was a stick and he often starred into random places while performing a "cute" scene. What made this even worse (in a way) is the fact that the FL's acting was good/believable. So in those scenes it felt like she was giving us her all but he was forcing himself to do so. Very strange.
I love scenes like that in dramas but this was sooo off that it started to bother me more and more. It felt incredibly unnatural on his side.

This was my first time seeing this actor and in no means do I hate him or do I just think he a bad actor. At least not in the normal "bad actor" way. I thought his character was just aloof in the beginning but as they show went on he didn't have character development but rather he showed his true colors(character).

- very bad communicator
- controlling

... EVERY ounce of communication was started by the FL and in return he was controlling to a point that it was bothering the viewing experience.
How is this attractive? Why would the writers think we like that kind of ML?
I tried to be civil but damn those last few episodes she was scared to professionally work with a guy that liked her (but she already turned him down) because her BF (ML) forbid it and said she is not allowed to look at him for longer than 5seconds.
I'm not talking about cute jealousy but she was genuinely worried about his reaction and in many scenes she asked ML of permission to meet people or do something. MAJOR RED FLAG

and one more thing...
there were MANY good moments for a first kiss. One that was even started by the FL but the writers thought it was a good idea to skip all of them and then use the most toxic moment for a forced first kiss?? like dayum. From that moment one is when I felt like the drama has turned toxic and bitter. Not all the time but it just had that aftertaste that bothered me a lot. In a way the ML was too realistic but not in "slice-of-life" real but rather... oh he is one of *those* jerks that are aloof but behind that they are just controlling and toxic. I highly doubt this was the intent of the producers but the combo of script and acting made it that way (to me).

END NOTE:

I don't fully hate this drama because it didn't infuriate me. There were no bully characters and it felt drama free.. which was very nice. It had a chill, superficial vibe that wasn't very deep. I'd say it's a good drama if you just wanna turn off your brain for a bit and want something light that isn't overly stupid or cutesy.
But it has sparkles of controlling behavior coming from the ML left and right, but since he is pretty aloof most of the times you can ignore it. I just criticize it so harshly because I am writing a review.

... I also read up on the actor afterwards and found some not so good accusations. I guess I can't be too mad about the character his played here then, right?

Read More

The Good Kind of Heavy

I just finished this drama minutes ago and so my review is very much still fresh out of the oven,
but I just have to share my love for this drama because it is really THAT GOOD.

I honestly want to bow down before webtoon writer, scrip writer, director, actor & everyone involved in this production because this drama is now easily in my top 3 dramas of all time.

Let me just say I am a mentally unstable potato and so a drama that focuses on line between life and death as well as the consequences of various issues such as su1cde, death, bullying, historical crimes, crimes against women, etc. would probably not be good for a person like me BUT it did the complete opposite. This drama helped me heal in a way.
It was entertaining as hell (pun intended), the bits of comedy were always so on point but most importantly the cases would each take 1-2 episodes and ending was always satisfying and the issues were resolved. No plot was dragged out or made me feel frustrated beyond the ending of an episode.
I also learned about korean history in some of the episodes, which were incredibly well shot and I have to say EVERY guest star/role was perfectly casted and acted. I loved the diversity of the cases; it humanized taboo topics without getting too serious.
I really liked that the drama was episodic and it did not have one fixed storyline that it followed; in terms of story-telling it reminded of American TV Shows mid 2010s (not to say it's old fashioned! not at all)

I used to watch a lot of shows like The Vampire Diaries and so the supernatural aspect of cold grim reapers was just HOT.
Lee Soo Hyuk for sure knows what characters suit him well. I was hiding under my blanket with one eye out because he had INSANE charisma and chemistry (not gonna say more)

The cinematography and CGI in this drama are top notch and made this whole project a S-Tier production.

For me this is a 10/10 drama; which is a rating I give out very rarely and the fact that the ending matched the rest of the episodes was just chef's kiss. I LOVED THE FINALE.
There is room for a season 2 but it does not feel unfinished nor rushed (which was a fear of mine in advance).

Happy watching!

Read More

"Warm On A Cold Night" meets "Royal Rumors" and adds fantasy to the mix

This is more of a rant/after thought upon finishing the drama than a review. Please don’t read it if you really want to watch it.

But first let me get the good things out of the way:
- the intro OST is very fitting, down to the lyrics.
- ML is a good actor with facial (especially eyes) expressions that bring the character to life
- The initial set up is different from other dramas
- No parents are interfering or seen for more than 1 episode (this is always is a plus for me)
- FL is pretty independent, thanks to her parents (although she is clumsy once she enters the beast palace/ is taken hostage)
- The references to S1 were funny although they were few (like english words or the statue)
- No love triangle or people saying Leads can’t be together
- The first few episodes were a lot of fun

Now to the rant:
Drawing direct ties to my feelings when I watched "Royal Rumors" earlier this year… I kept waiting for "IT“ to happen but that never came.
Both dramas had enough of a unique set up / character dynamic for the drama to be exciting. However both dramas had low budget and nothing ended up happening. Most of the interesting stuff happens in the first few episodes and then the characters stay at the same location for the rest of the drama.

It’s unpredictable in the worst way - because non of the things that I thought might happen happened and although it did all romance to-do‘s, I thought there would be more to the plot given the beginning of the drama and the overall set up. The romance was good, especially near the ending. But I didn’t quite catch the moment where they fell in love. Especially on his side. It kinda just happened.

Like so many asian dramas that include werewolves, vampires, etc in romance dramas, it’s a let down.
I love asian dramas and think they’re superior to American TV but when it comes to Werewolves & Vampires American TV is just miles ahead.

There were some funny moments and scenarios that I wish they had explored more but from the target audience and set up, I didn’t expect them to go down that route anyway.
If it was higher budget then it could have been able to pull of comedy like "The Starry Love".

In the case of "The Princess and The Werewolf" I had expected there would be much more back and forth between the beast realm and daxia (also thought they’d be the villains) but was disappointed when the princess is basically stuck in the beast palace the entire time. She goes back one time for no more than one episode and we don’t see anything about Daxia.
Quite disappointing when you think that this is season two of "Go Princess Go", which only had daxia(and the modern world)and it was a quite funny place.

Another drama that did this - but the other way around was "Warm on a Cold Night", where they never went to the wolf tribe, despite that looking like a exciting place. They only stayed in the human city. So in a way these dramas have quite a few similarities but switched.

Kui Mulang - is like that old vine "on all levels, except physical, I am a wolf“… because that boy looks like a dark elf or mage but most definitely not like a wolf.

I Understand they had a low budget but why give a werewolf elf ears??
Just call him a dark elf at this point- the wolf in "Warm on a cold night“ didnt do much wolf-ing either but he was much more convincing, since he transformed into a wolf once and generally had more wolf-human features than Kui Mulang.
On top of that he hides his "wolf“ appearance from the beast tribe because they‘d call him a monster. -It’s the beast tribe.
Aren’t they supposed to look like beasts?!
What they going around acting shocked when they see a "beast"?
I mean for god’s sake there is a farting(!) butterfly (tbh i find that funny tho).
Plot hole is all I can say to that.
Because ofc there needs to be struggle for the ML, otherwise how would we feel empathetic towards him?

The male lead actor is good, I like his facial expressions (specifically his eyes) Convinced he can pull off all sorts of romantic roles at this point… whether that’s modern, fantasy or historical.
Female actress was okay, although I was very frustrated with the character she played at certain points. Random thing I noticed: Did she get veneers/dentals without fixing her overbite first or does she just have super prominent upper teeth?

The villains in this drama are unnecessary and worst of all - uninteresting. They just kinda appear and start doing their secret plotting. And once we get to the end it’s way too easy for them to take over the situation. Honestly this just felt lazy… but also very on point with it being low budget.

I did my fair share amount of complaining and ranting but I did complete it and if I had hated it or found it very boring I would have dropped it. So ultimately- yes it’s watchable but it’s quite silly.
Best enjoyed if you turn off your brain.

Read More

Tenderness Meets Kindness

About once or twice a year I come across a "wow“ drama.
At the very end of 2022 this treasure wow-ed me in the best possible way.

A music lover that lost his hearing and a girl that will go the extra mile for the person she treasures.

Essentially that’s the story but there was sooo much depth and nuance that I - once again - fell in love with the genre "melodrama". A genre that often gets a bad rep but this one is just so good.

This drama features the most kind FL I‘ve ever seen - but not in a generic way. The ML is having a really hard time and I don’t want to spoil anything so I‘m just gonna say, that he is very tender and she is very kind to him.

Without any words the actor has given a 10/10 performance that touched my heart.
His smile is so pure and deep in a way. It lights up the room in a natural way. It doesn’t feel like he’s acting.

The drama also is very poetic and has very good dialogue (even in sign language) and people are very honest with each other. Although some interactions may be a bit too good to be true, for a drama it was just heart-wrenchingly beautiful.

My recommendation while watching this drama is to give it a few episodes. It doesn’t start weak or anything but the more you watch the more meaningful and touching it gets.

Let’s end this with a quote that I really liked.
"A world without sound…is not a sad world"

Minus Point:
- the music editing is very off putting at times since the music cuts off all the time mid lyric. Idk what they thought they were doing.
They may wanted to show that for him it’s silent but she hears it but it happened even in scenes where he wasn’t on screen so it felt random.

Read More

perfect example of how a movie ages poorly

Obviously this movie was going to be fat-shaming but that wasn't even the worst thing about this movie.

It was made in 2006, so I know that I cannot hold it up to today's standards but this movie was
really sexist(featuring the male gaze), unfunny and made me uncomfortable while watching.

The "romance" scenes were borderline assault in my opinion. I cannot believe they wanted us to think that the kissing scene on the couch was supposed to be romantic. The way he looked at her legs and then forcefully kissed her, was the straw that broke the camels back - and how he dismissed her when she was obviously uncomfortable... ugh it still makes me angry!
...don't even get me started on the countless times he dismissed her, telling her to be quiet when they were talking business. That wasn't even ML jerk-behavior. Just sexism.
And the typical "overheard-you-talking-bs-about-me-in-the-bathroom" trope was never resolved, so I guess he actually thought about her that way.

ANYWAYS, I did not like this movie one bit. For a long time I could not watch the ML actor in dramas because of that couch-scene. I felt so opposed by his male gaze.

Read More