Reviews

Unforgettable Collaborations, a Mastermind Villain, Nail-Biting Plot Twists, and a Beautiful Romance

This drama is one of the best dramas out there if someone is looking for a lot of thrill with nerve-wracking plot twists and cliffhangers and a drama with well-structured crimes as well as investigations then then you have reached your station. One of the best things that makes this drama stand out is how real the drama looks for example here the ML doesn't just magically solves cases but rather goes through various iterations again and again making sense out of the evidence and drawing various plans, this is what that is usually missing from most crime-thriller dramas. Another aspect is that the characters all had their own lives instead of all working on the same case for the sake of the plot always surrounding the ML Instead all had their own share of things to take care of many were investigating other cases many helped ML solve the cases through their own domain expertise which is also different than another other drama out there which made this drama look more like a real-world situation where we sometimes collaborate with someone other time with others, sometimes someone asks for help sometimes you get help from someone, if someone is injured or takes holidays we have their replacements. So for me, it felt more like watching a separate world through the camera lens. Wait there is still a lot more😂😂.
The plot revolves around the police department, NFS, and firefighters, and here we see cases that involve all three of them working together or at least called together on sites which later turns into collaborations. Each place has a set of repeating characters which we can consider the main characters yet they can also change given the circumstances It doesn't mean that any of them lack substance rather all will end up becoming your favorite For example here Doha was an addition that I really like his collaboration with ML just makes sense they are a perfect duo just like how we saw Jindo dog and Bulldozer together in S1.
The cases are much more extreme in S2 than in S1 making us think how the hell are they gonna do, whether they will make it out alive or not. These cases will keep you up all night until you complete the whole drama😂😂. There is also slight romance in the drama, not many scenes but it will surely melt your heart whenever you see them together in any scene. Both ML and FL have their own love language and their own way of expressing it. Oh man at this rate I will keep on going all day long talking about them😂😂 let's move on.
This drama also has one of the most brilliant villains who made all the best of the bests in the drama (like Jin Ho Gae, Kang Do Ha, and Yoon Hong, etc.) run around in the palm of his hands. He was the main mastermind pulling all the strings from behind but no one could even speculate even the crimes he drew let alone his identity or his involvement. This man literally used the whole country as his playing field and our character as players to play with. He was always working on many things at once unlike the normal villains who give their all in only one crime until they fail and move on to another, he on the other hand always had his hands full of plans to execute.
Although S2 is a little bit behind S1 but cases shown here are better than S1 and it also has much much better collaborations between the different teams, departments, and characters. The lineup at the end of S2 seemed too overly powered to me where all the best of the best were working together so I don't know if S3 comes out any of the villains would even last a single episode😂. I would really love to see the actors working together again, especially the ML and FL. I don't know if there will be another season or not but all I know is that this drama created a whole different level or standard for other crime thriller dramas to work towards.

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What happens when you reconnect with the one that got away?

The original Present Perfect is a good film, albeit has a very serious tone. This director showed us how to top up a good movie and not suffer from sequelitis.

Toey is once again in his 'escape trip', and after four long years, Oat decided to show up and reconnect. If I may say, Oat and Toey both somehow managed to look 'hotter' than when they shot the first film. The hotel is the perfect romantic backdrop, and the new character - Jen - provided what i never expected to be a needed lightness to the story. Kenta was cute but a little bit underused.

Yes, the story isnt unique by any means but our connection with the characters kept it engaging. I like the fact that Toey isnt all that selfsih and is self aware of the damage he could cause. I am specially moved by how they handled the situation with Oat's wife. One thing that surprised me negatively is that they made Yumi a divorcee in the end, as i didnt think it was necessary.

Is it a must watch? No, not exactly, its not a waste of time but it is NOTunforgettable. Is it rewatchable? To be honest, no, once is enough. If you're curious, go see the first film before watching this. At least the subscription to gagaoolala (for that month) was made worthy because of this. Overall rating 8 out of 10 stars.

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Ok I just need to write a review of this, I mean seriously this is one of the best movies I've seen in my life, damn! this is too good.

This film is quite smart, it plays with your mind and emotions from beginning to end, this is a roller coaster of emotions. From the very beginning I was totally blown up and so many times while watching the movie I just found myself -literally- open mouthed because I just couldn't believe what I was watching. Too good.

They tell us the story step by step without missing details, so we don't get the whole bunch of information abruptly and it keeps you hooked up to the story.
One of the things that I loved the most about this, was definitely the ethical-moral question the whole movie sets. Who's right? who's wrong? who has the right point of view about justice? The film won't answer these questions, it just shows different points of views and it's all up to you to decide who's right or wrong...
The ending is an open ending but not a bad ending at all! it's really hard to make an open ending good, but this one was pretty good. I loved the very last scene so much.

About the acting... Ikuta Toma is a great actor, he deserves every single acting award that exists in this planet. His acting was superb! Actually everyone did a great acting job.
Camera and directing work it's perfect for the film, the colors and the tones and use of the light gives to every moment a special feeling.

Music was pretty accurate to each scene, in some scenes I just felt that music was another character of the movie. :)

This movie is based on the novel "No Otoko" by Urio Shudo :)

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The start of the new decade might be slow for Japanese dramas but in this year 2020 we got some of the funniest and wildest WTF plot in recent years, like the stalker masochist CEO in "Konootoko ha Jinseisaidai no Ayamachi Desu", and in this drama Uchida Rio portrays a woman who has intimate relationships with 5 different partners. When I said wild I don't mean the same goofy, meme worthy material you find in most Japanese advertisements, what I mean is the subject it tackled may be offensive to some especially if you are a person who always take everything seriously even if it's comedy.

This is by far the funniest Japanese drama I've seen this year and the reason for that is language they use is too graphic. There are moments where I can't believe the dialogue that coming from these characters, I cringe but then laugh out loud after. The setting is also another plus points for me given that I love anime, they work in CG Production Company for games and anime. You see them working hard but there are times where they are just slacking off and fooling around, and I don't blame them as working conditions in this industry is one of the worst. Like for example they rushed one project so that one of their colleagues won't miss his date, but not really it's just a usual appointment with a girl in a sex shop where he is a regular customer. LOL

It's more of a character driven than story driven plot, characters are not railroaded to certain goals or events, it's just these characters, their funny interactions, their development, those are what made this such fun drama. The cast are composed of quirky individuals, the female lead who is addicted to sex, the virgin friend boys love fanatic, the ex girlfriend obsessed muscle man, sex shop naive patron and this office fling playboy. Each episodes consists of segments where each explores the lives of these characters. We follow them in a slice of life way in which most of the time are just wild and WTF moments.

The acting is good for the most part, you don't need award winning acting for this type of drama anyway and all of them are good in comedy, their comedic timing is almost perfect. The chemistry between these actors is excellent, in which their characters compliments each other really well. The opening song at the beginning is as wild as this drama goes.

Conclusion In today's world where people are easily get offended by everything they see and hear, it seems this type plot wouldn't feel right, but just give this one a chance and you will see characters who respect and support each other for who they are. How I wish I have colleagues such as them.

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Operation: Blue Lightning

Operation: Special Warfare is a co-production between CCTV, Penguin Films, Bona Films, Xiaoyao Films and Ram Films. This big budget production that involves extensive use of modern Chinese military hardware and facilities was filmed in Northwest China, including a segment at Taklamakan desert in Xinjiang.

Directed by Liu Ting and based on the original screenplay written by Duan Lian Min, himself a former member of the Chinese military, having served as a platoon commander. He has written many military-themed novels and screenplays as well as directed dramas and films of similar genre for which he has won numerous accolades. He is currently attached to the Political Department of the Chinese Navy serving as a director and screenwriter for military productions.

The drama follows the journey of young recruits of the newly-formed anti-terrorism special forces of the People’s Liberation Army, called the Blue Lightning. Central to the narrative is the growth of both the individuals and the collective as the new recruits come of age during their experiences of military training and real life combat situations.

As with any military-themed C-dramas, expect a fair amount of jingoistic propaganda and patriotic flag-waving which is par for the course when the production requires extensive support from the military and CCP during the filming process and to get the greenlight for distribution release. In addition to action and adventure, the drama features youth themes, slice-of-life elements and subtle hints of romance. There is some violence and gore but nothing too terrifying for viewers.

What I Enjoyed

Usually modern C-dramas tend to be lengthy with too much fillers. The military-themed ones are a hit or miss, case in point My Dear Guardian which turned out to be a little bit too fluffy for my liking. This one, however, manages to avoid all those pitfalls. It’s only 35 episodes in length instead of the usual 40+ episodes, doesn’t contain nearly as much fillers as most others though they are still present, and on the whole is more intensely dramatic rather than fluffy or comedic in its storytelling approach. Throughout the course of the drama, I did not really feel bored at any point in time because the drama surprisingly incorporates quite a number of interesting sub-plots and side stories to the main narrative at a very engaging pace, with a nice balance of action, drama, introspective and emotive moments.

This production showcases a number of modern military hardware in greater detail than I have ever encountered. How accurate or up to date they are, I have no idea, but I feel pretty convinced. For the most part, based on my little research, the depiction is consistent with the standard equipment used, such as the QBZ-95 (or Type 95) automatic assault rifles favoured by the PLA as well as their commando sub-units. Additionally viewers will get to observe countless UAVs and armoured ground vehicles on display in the drama, which I find quite fascinating.

In terms of the technical aspects, the action planning and choreography, as well as the special effects are worthy of mention. This drama showcases many action sequences involving firefights, explosions, as well as both armed and unarmed combat. These scenes are not confined to a single location but take place across multiple venues. One memorable segment features a suspenseful game of cat and mouse across the Taklamakan desert in the dead of night between the Blue Lightning unit and armed terrorists. I’ve also enjoyed the somewhat refreshing depiction of the military training comprising the so-called Devil’s Week competition, sniper competition and squad leader selection tests. That said, certain aspects of the training concerning “physical torture” do appear incredulous. I’m unaware of the authenticity but in a land that invented Shaolin martial arts, I guess anything is possible.

One of the major reasons for watching this drama is of course the cast, which is headlined by Vengo Gao who plays the Captain of the Blue Lightning, Qin Guan. If the drama is about the military, whether in a contemporary or historical context, you can count on this man to deliver an utterly convincing portrayal of the characterization. He not only looks and sounds the part, but his entire being exudes military commander vibes as well. There is absolutely no question whatsoever that without him, this drama would be lacking in so many ways. From the cold, stoic persona to the physical prowess in executing his stunts, Vengo totally slays his role.

Hu Bing Qing plays the FL Ning Meng, one of the young recruits of the new anti-terrorism team. My first time seeing her in entirety instead of previous guest appearances, I think she’s very talented and showcases strong performances particularly during her emotional scenes. I also quite like her nuanced take that helps inject a sense of vulnerability to humanise the role of a female soldier.

The drama’s soundtrack features 5 songs, with the patriotic opening theme being the most upbeat and energetic of them all. My personal favourite is the ending theme performed by Hu Bing Qing herself, the love ballad You and Me. Full listing as follows:

Flaming Lady 烈焰巾帼 - 金志文 Jin Zhiwen
Xiang Yang 向阳 - 黄霄雲 Huang Xiaoyun
You and Me 你和我 - 胡冰卿 Hu Bingqing
My Comrade 我的战友 - 钟强 Zhong Qiang
Fearless 无畏 - 王晰 Wang Xi

What Fell Short

I think the most glaring aspect would be the villains. We are never going to get a C-drama that depicts profoundly layered or morally grey terrorists, because the Chinese military and censors would never sanction it. As far as the powers that be are concerned, stories of this nature are straightforward - good guys versus bad guys are simply portrayed as black or white. Hence in this drama, in relation to the overarching plot concerning the terrorist organisation, S Group, the antagonists are merely written to be the stereotypical one-dimensional cardboard caricatures - bad-tempered, cold-blooded, power hungry and striving for world domination. The terrorist leader is even shown at one point chomping on cigars by the poolside surrounded by bikini-clad femme fatales where the only thing missing is a huge furry cat.

Final Thoughts

I would categorise Operation: Special Warfare as one of the more fascinating and well-produced mature military-themed dramas that I have seen recently. It’s the kind of show where viewers can enjoy with a relaxed mind and without the need to exercise too much brain cells. A final note though - do be forewarned, the subtitles available on WeTV are auto-translated (at the time of writing) and may not be of the usual high quality.

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Probably one of the more devastating offerings of 2014, Han Gong Ju is a hard film to critique by virtue of its content, which is as controversial and difficult to discuss in real life as it is in the world of this film. The acting was absolutely phenomenal, as Chun Woo Hee holds the weight of the film by virtue of her huge, expressive eyes. She's perfectly cast as a girl whose presence is almost ephemeral, with the effects of her story slowly causing her to disintegrate.

While the director deserves acknowledgment of his dedication to this story and in bringing it to the spotlight, there are areas of the film where there was need for a more skilled, tighter hand. Nonlinear storytelling and an unreliable protagonists causes some confusion for viewers, especially those who might not be a native Korean speaker. Yet the overall moody and haunting atmosphere highlighted by a skilled use of light and music accentuates the ultimate tragedy of the film.

This is not a film that most people would rewatch; pre-knowledge of Gong Ju's story leaves the audience emotionally wracked and exhausted even before the first few minutes of the film. However, it is an important film all the same.

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Excellent, but too short

This is a very good 44 minute long LGBT short movie. It is well made and well written. The story is intense, concerning a young man who, after suffering sexual abuse at the hands of his stepfather, turns to selling himself to other abusive men. But the arc of the plot turns happier (and sexier) when he meets an undercover cop who falls for him.

Strong points:

-- The plot is interesting, engaging and well-conceived. It concerns some heavy topics but is not overwhelmingly depressing. (That said, it does feature a couple of incidents of rape, and people who are sensitive to sexual violence should be warned.)
-- The acting is truly excellent. Jed Chung does a good job of communicating how clueless and lost Light is. Even more, I thought Max Liu was tantastic -- thoroughly believable as Light's savior, Shuo. Liu is intense, masculine and yet soft -- the way he treated Light was perfect. (In some ways he takes the place of the father-figure Light never had). And he has a wonderful deep voice and a gorgeous body, so what's not to love? (P.S. the MDL pic of Max, above, does NOT do him justice.)
-- The cinematography is first rate, with great camera work. (I loved the opening scene, where the cam is following Light through the market as he goes to meet one of his "johns".)
-- There is not a lot of music actually in the movie, that I remember......however the film concludes with a music video (I think the name of the song is "Light") and that one is truly excellent.

Weak point:

-- The decision to make this a short movie limited the creators too much. A longer treatment could have given the audience a better understanding of the development of Shuo's affection for Light. It seems to appear out of nowhere. The lovely scene where Shuo abandons his reserve and makes love to Light would have been just wonderful if the audience had a better feeling for the tensions/mixed feelings that were afflicting Shuo.

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BEAUTIFUL !!! WOW WOW WOW WOW !! TOP HONORS!!! This drama deserves Grand Awards!!

Such a beautiful, heart touching pure and true love story between Go Min Si and Lee Do Hyun!!! This drama deserves to be part of the history of great korean dramas!!! 1000% FABULOUS!!

LEE DO HYUN - WOW WOW WOW WOW, He is such a Natural onscreen, born to act, brilliant performance by him!! He pulled us in with his screen presence and character portrayal deeply and his grip on you is solid!!
You are always smiling looking at him, and you cry and laugh and deeply sigh in all his scenes as he mesmerises you with just himself!

AWESOME pairing between Lee do hyun and Go Min si - such great chemistry and naturalness between them, as if they are truly made for each other!!

This drama is a beautiful depiction of pure love caught amidst extremely harsh trying times during the gwanju uprising and KUDOS & STANDING OVATION to the entire Team of Youth Of May, for great casting of especially the leads, great script writing, great direction and just for everyone in the cast especially LEE DO HYUN!!

SHOW USP - LEE DO HYUN!! He is magnificent!!

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GREAT ACTING IN A PAINFULLY SLOW SERIES

If they made this a short series with 6 to 8 episodes i would totally eat this show. The painfully slow and repetitive execution has wasted talented new actors.

The very good: the characters and the acting. I just love everyone, I think there was a treasure of character here that could have made the story so much richer. Add to thr fact that eventhough these are relative newbie actors, they all acted so naturally.

The so-so: the story. Started with a good overall plot, and then it became boring. And then they gifted us with Pangs couple, and then they bored us with it too. And then that final act - stretched in 4 to 5 episodes.

The really bad: the execution. For the love of the forces above, who gave them the idea that its fun to watch a series of about 14 20-minute episodes where there was almost nothing new happening every week. Waiting for episodes weekly is painful but for it to be uneventful was like torture. Adding salt to the injury is the unending reuse of footages disguised as mystery revelations but is just there to explain what actually happened as if viewers are kindergartens. Long intro, then a recap, then the repetitious episodes as if the recap isnt enough and then the long outro - you can just imagine how much time is left for the new content. If they transformed it into a mini series with about 6 to 8 episodes they could have given us a very solid series.

Will i rewatch- of course not, why would i subject myself to the pain again.

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I wasn't sure about this drama in the beginning. 98 episodes is a lot to wade through, and at about 50 episodes, I was still feeling that way. It was an average melodrama plot, nothing unusual. The leads were cute and sympathetic, but hardly exciting.



And then around episode 60, this thing starts gaining serious momentum. Revelations fly right and left, the revenge plot finally starts up, and the bad guys start to tumble one after another. If you can get through the first half, the second half is amazing. The flawed characters really start to show their conflicts. The good characters want revenge but are hurting others, the bad characters are pitiable but brought everything on themselves.



If they could cut this down to 20 episodes, it would have been the most amazing show ever. But, as it is, it's still a great drama.

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Works against its time limitations

"Blue of Winter" has plenty of potential and indie charm, but what it didn't have was enough time. Unfortunately, its screenwriting makes this as obvious as possible. Instead of using a smaller fraction of the source material and fleshing it out, it seems the screenwriter attempted to squeeze in too many events for its short duration. This makes the progression of the story rushed and difficult to follow.

While it doesn't completely make up for the underdeveloped story, I did enjoy the atmosphere of the drama. Its camera framing, editing, and moody instrumentals give it a pleasantly nostalgic feel. And I must say the actors did well for their debut. Actor, In Gi stands out among the cast as the role of "Ji Seok" required more versatility. He was able to deliver both the confident charisma and sincerity of the character.

It's not the most memorable thing you'll watch but if you're a BL/LGBTQ drama enthusiast, go for it. As a warning, it does end on a cliffhanger and a continuation is not guaranteed at the time that I’m writing this.

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Twin Fates: A Low-Budget Feast with Extra Spice (and Open Robes) Updated review

Well, well, well—what do we have here? A surprisingly solid mini drama that knows exactly what lane it’s in and speeds right through it with unapologetic flair. Twin Fates doesn’t hide its low budget—you’ll notice it quickly—but instead of sinking under it, the production doubles down on bright colors, pretty costumes, and atmospheric sets that make you feel like you’ve stepped into a fantasy-fairytale painting. It’s immersive, it’s whimsical, and honestly? It works.

The cast is all new faces for me, which is always refreshing. And while the ML might not be my “type” per se, let’s just say the directors clearly knew what they were doing when they styled him in that infamous red open robe. Did they miss a single opportunity to flaunt that bod? Absolutely not. Did I complain? Absolutely not (yes, I’m easy like that, lmao).

Plot-wise, it’s engaging enough to keep me binging—currently at episode 16 and having a blast. The FL is smart, likeable, and holds her ground, while the ML serves us one of the most entertaining jealous streaks I’ve seen in a while. Add to that some genuinely sweet chemistry, a gradual strengthening of their dynamic, and more than a fair share of kissing scenes, and you’ve got a treat for romance junkies like me.

Now, let’s be honest: the tropes are here. The corny, cringey, déjà-vu tropes we’ve all seen before. But that’s exactly the point—this drama leans into them with a guilty-pleasure confidence that makes you roll your eyes and grin at the same time.

This is best enjoyed with an open mind and reasonable expectations for the genre. I’m not claiming it’s a masterpiece—but it’s undeniably fun. At its core, Twin Fates is guilty pleasure done right: a low-budget package sprinkled with charm, swoon-worthy moments, and just enough spice to keep you entertained. Come for the fairy-tale colors, stay for the jealous ML, and don’t be surprised if you end up grinning like a fool at all the cheesiness.

Verdict? Guilty pleasure at its finest—with flavors worth tasting.

I’ll be back to update this once I finish the rest of the episodes—so far, it’s been loads of fun, and I’m curious to see if the ending keeps the magic alive.

✨Update✨

Okay, y’all—I finished it. And let me tell you, this drama is basically a cinnamon pancake: sweet, fluffy, sometimes sprinkled with unexpected spice, and the perfect comfort binge for romance junkies like me.

Cdramas already defy physics on the daily (flying sleeves, magical teleports, gravity who?), but this one had the FL sneezing on command like it’s her side hustle. Bro, that’s a superpower. I salute her commitment to the bit 😂.

Now, the romance? Chef’s kiss. If you like jealous MLs acting like territorial cats, endless smooching sessions, and cozy chemistry that feels like a blanket fresh out of the dryer, this is your pit stop. And guess what—they actually gave us a whole final episode just for the happy ending. Do you realize how rare that is in cdramaland? That’s rarer than finding a drama without a love triangle!

But let’s keep it real:

- Yes, this drama is low budget and short in length, so continuity hiccups and budget gaps are there.
- Yes, the actors did a solid job, though in a few scenes you can feel the effort to nail the expressions. Not terrible, just noticeable.
- And yes, I’m still not sure if I find the ML attractive. But listen—the directors clearly didn’t care because they kept showing him with that open robe and sometimes half-naked till the credits rolled. I, a certified shallow menace, humbly accepted this offering.

So if any of that sounds like a deal-breaker—move along. But if you can handle low budget with high fluff, jealous antics, and unapologetic guilty pleasure? Then Twin Fates might just become your new cinnamon pancake. 🥞💋

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Most natural and genuine romance with diabetes chemistry.

“They give me butterflies just by them being in the same airspace.” - me

Wu Lei & Zhao Jinmai, my all-time favorite couple from now on. I absolutely adore the organic evolution of their relationship, from the initial awkward, blind-date-like tension to becoming utterly smitten with one another. It’s rare to maintain such palpable chemistry throughout the entire series, especially considering that they got together relatively early on. Most shows struggle to keep the romantic tension once the couple has formed, but this series deftly keeps the spark alive in every interaction. What’s even better is that their connection feels incredibly natural and genuine, with unbeatable on-screen chemistry that is both sizzling and enthralling, a testament to their exceptional acting prowess and talent. I'm particularly fond of their meticulous attention to detail, evident in the subtle nuances of facial expressions and deliberate gestures executed by the characters. I can genuinely sense the level of hard work and dedication they pour into their acting behind the scenes, as they excellently presented the delicate interplay of ambiguity and tension inherent in the process of falling in love, and how their interactions still shine after coming together.

Quoting roughly from Wu Lei’s acting teacher, Teacher Cui, on them: “Wu Lei is a very serious person. Every time he takes on a role, he always fully immerses himself in the life of that character in advance. Every frown, every smile, every movement is executed with professionalism and in deep immersion of that character. No wonder so many people like him, because the quality he brings to his performances is exceptional. The manner in which they both handle intricacies and communicate when they're together makes their couple pairing very good.”

Lovely, therapeutic, mesmerizing, heartwarming, soothing, wholesome, tender, and comforting.
An absolute treat that cures depression, yet causes diabetes.

I found the casting to be perfect. Alongside the Lin Yiyang-Yin Guo (Yi-Guo) couple, I thoroughly enjoyed the supporting characters like Wu Wei & lil bro Meng Xiaotian. Their presence injected a playful energy into the story, often through subtle teasing or reactions to the leads, while consistently remaining strongly supportive of them. The bromance and rivalry were superb too—the trio Lin Yiyang, Jiang Yang & Meng Xiaodong all harbored mutual respect and admiration for one another, adding to the wholesome feel of the show. Furthermore, all of them played the role of wingmen well, putting in a decent amount of good words for Lin Yiyang along the way. So how can one not like the cast? Heck, even Yin Guo’s friends are good wingwomen.
I also loved the scenic filming locations that contribute to the gorgeous & cozy vibe of the show—filmed in Finland, France, and China; 3 countries & 11 cities. The BGM adeptly complemented the mood of the show, seamlessly blending with the atmosphere and drawing me in, with the OSTs being catchily good as well.

Some people don’t understand that the plot IS the interactions and the growing relationship/romance. The reason some perceive it as dull, draggy, or devoid of any plot is simply because they don't vibe with the chemistry between the couple as much. And for a series that heavily depends on the dynamics of the couple, this can make-or-break the show for you, so just give few eps a try and feel the chemistry urself to see if you’ll like it or not. And if you are skipping/ff-ing their scenes it’s totally pointless/invalid.
Just know that I love the tension and the tender relationship between the two throughout its entire run.

As someone who enjoys playing 8-ball/9-ball pool & snooker, I appreciate the cast’s efforts to learn the sport from scratch, training hard for a few months, immaculately capturing the aura of a professional player and successfully showcasing some impressive plays.

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Here’s a brief overview of the gameplay for those who have never played before (feel free to skip):

In snooker, players must pot a red ball (1 pt) first before they can attempt to pot a colored ball, which carries varying point values (yellow-2, green-3, brown-4, blue-5, pink-6, black-7 pts).
This alternation between potting reds and colored balls (red, colored, red, colored) continues until all the red balls are cleared from the table, after which players must pot the colored balls in sequence from yellow to black. To maximize their points, players need to strategically position the cue ball (white ball), ideally near the black ball (which yields the most points), after potting a red. They must also position for the next red ball after potting the black. The colored balls are spotted—placed back onto its designated spot once they’re potted, as long as there are still red balls on the table.
Players will also need to deal with being "snookered," where their opponent skillfully blocks the path to the required ball, typically as fewer red balls remain on the table. Failing to hit the required ball results in a foul, with the opponent gaining a minimum of 4 pts (misses all the balls, or hits any colored ball lower than 5 pts). Contacting let’s say a blue ball when you are supposed to hit a red ball will be a foul that gives the opponent the blue-ball points (5 pts), while illegally contacting pink or black ball will give the opponent 6 or 7 pts respectively. The one with the most points at the end of the game wins, obviously, with the maximum break score of 147 attainable (potting red and only black in alternation) which is insanely challenging even for professional players.

For 9-ball pool, it’s simpler, players just have to pot the balls numbered 1 through 9 in sequential order, starting from the lowest numbered ball. The player who pots the 9-ball (yellow stripe ball) at any point wins the game (so a legal shot—hitting a required lowest numbered ball first, but successfully potting the 9-ball in the process results in an instant win). In the show, you will also see the players determining the order of play or break through “lagging”. This involves each player simultaneously hitting their assigned ball from the head string (horizontal line running across the table) towards the opposite cushion of the table, aiming to return the ball closer to the head cushion (the cushion nearest to where they initially hit the ball) than the opponent. The player whose ball stops closest to the head cushion wins the lag and earns the right to break the rack of balls to start the game.
Breaking first is usually more advantageous since the likelihood of pocketing any balls at the break is quite high. This is even more so for skilled players as they have an even higher chance of performing a run-out or clearance, where they pot all the remaining balls on the table in a single turn, thereby winning the game.

Most people (myself included), at least for recreational/non-competitive players, find snooker to be a much more challenging game than pool. This is primarily due to its larger table size, tighter pockets, and smaller balls, making potting more difficult as there is less margin for error, demanding more precise shot-making. Moreover, snooker’s greater number of balls and its scoring system, which includes more extensive rules and fouls, further adds to its complexity (possibly more strategic depth), and a game of snooker is typically longer than a game of 9-ball pool so it can be more mentally taxing as well.
That said, both snooker and pool demands precise ball control (power, spin, accuracy) for positioning and strategic thinking, since players cannot simply pot whichever ball they want and must always plan for the next or several shots ahead.
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I’m now a huge fan of both Wu Lei and Zhao Jinmai. Their chemistry is electrifying and off-the-charts. If they don’t win the best couple award, I’ll riot, because I don’t know who else could.

Please, for the sake of humanity, give them a few more dramas as lovers, because their chemistry is too good to be wasted on just one project.

I’ll miss this show greatly.
And yes, their chemistry outweighs any negatives for me.

10/10.

Weibo Content (BTS, Interviews, etc):
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-tVcTH8XLtaimpDae1dtmGkXAfbvTcLCERXHEwrl61Y/edit?usp=sharing

Episodes: 30
Runtime: 23 Hours

Please refer to my review’s comments section for further details and discussions regarding some of the criticism or complaints towards the show.

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Cliche? Yup. Bad CGI? Definitely. But it somehow manages to pull through, maybe because I'm a huge Danson Tang fan, or I'm just a sucker for long reunited romance, which always happens in vampire stories. You're probably wondering if I'm a Twilight fan. Yes, guilty. So DO watch this drama if you liked Twilight, and if you're a Danson Tang fan (if you are then you MUST watch this drama as he is the hottest he has ever been, portraying a vampire). Watch the version with his original voice!

Plot wise, like I said earlier it's pretty cliche. Nevertheless, the execution was still decent enough and entertaining. It has all the things a drama should, a funny comedic relief actor, some good friends, an annoying antagonist, and family. I have to say, the ending isn't that great but I guess it's happy *enough*, but still left me a bit hanging. Aside from that, the romantic development was pretty fast, since it's only 9 episodes, so there's little to no dragging (which is great!). The plot really is similar to Twilight, but much better chemistry between the leads, and no sparkling vampires. The antagonist is to be expected, and that plot line wasn't that irritating. It's also set on a university campus, so I really liked how it was a campus romance.

Even though I easily fall in love with drama OST's, this drama's music was very 'ehh'. It seriously was not special, probably because I expected more, much more. Even now, I don't remember any of the songs which is rare ( if you look at my other reviews you'll see why).

Re-watch value is not that high, mostly because the only version available I could find was pretty low quality, which isn't easy on the eyes. Disregarding that though, re-watch value based on purely the drama could be high, after all it's only 9 episodes and if you like a cute but cliche vampire love story. I recommend this drama a lot; it's so unfortunate how not many people know about this drama. (8.5/8.5)

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