Reviews

1st half: So realistic, it makes you queasy — 2nd half: so clichéd, it makes you yawn (loudly)

This series is definitely for a more mature audience, now I get the 19+ rating. It's not your typical fluffy rom-com with a lighthearted tone, sweet more caricatural than real characters and heart fluttering moments.

Well, this series does make your heart flutter, but for other reasons, namely, a) the sexual tension between the leads and b) the anxiety and unease that comes along with it. It initially is a realistic depiction of what dating nowadays looks like, of trust issues, fear of commitment, the struggle to really open up and the stress when you can't read your crushes' mind and intentions. When to call yourselves exclusive? Is there even such a thing? Nowadays, is there really the option of falling in love and staying in a monogamous relationship when there might always be 'a better option' out there? You might be one swipe away from an exciting rendezvous, the acknowledgement you lack from your partner, the distraction and escape you need (from yourself). The earlier episodes of the show really makes you ponder on all these things.

Also, you can really see that women are working on this show as they've captured the essence of what concerns and bothers women (in their twenties) so well. Be it the excitement, obsession and fear of rejection when having a huge crush on someone, the dejection when you try hard at university or work and are still left-behind, the urge to fit in and still feel disconnected with everyone. Really well-done.
The cinematography, pace, dialogues and background score also enhance the emotions and mood to a great extent.

As for the romance, the main theme of the plot, I think a lot of people might actually drop this series, because the story seems so relatable and doomed to be painful, too relatable even, for those who have experienced something similar and just can't cope with it anymore. And even if you might not agree with all of the female lead's actions and at times find her annoying and irritatingly irrational, she is still absolutely relatable, as you can literally grasp the train of thoughts that leads to these actions and decisions of hers. I further believe we've all either been in such a situation, were tempted enough or 'have this one friend' to/who despite seeing the red flags can't help overlooking them, knowing this might eventually crush us/them. Cudos to the cast for making our anxieties come alive.

Sadly, the earlier episode are by far better than the latter ones. At some point the story starts to feel repetitive and drained; there is no real progress and the authenticity and originality up until then slowly but gradually devolves into a clichéd run-on-the-mill romance, —outdated even — in which the heroine is (seemingly) stuck b/w two boys; although her final choice is blatantly obvious. Curious if there'll be an unexpected turn in the end. Also, there were some personal issues with an actor, wherefore his screen time was reduced drastically; reasonable, but unfortunately it took a toll on the quality of the drama.

All in all, this show had great potential — until the makers felt obliged to follow the 101 k-drama formula. Watchable only for the chemistry of the leads and the side stories, even though the ending is unfit imo and Song Kang's lack of emotions (blame the character) even make his pretty face boring.
And I urge you all to listen to the soundtrack, even if you don't want to watch the show: so fresh and SO good!

*EDIT*
If you've already seen the show (or do not plan on watching it) and would like to know why I felt the ending wasn't really fitting, see the comment section below this review. It's marked as a spoiler.

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Satisfying and Rewarding

I started this review while ongoing and now it’s done, I’m editing my final analysis.

Cast: From main leads to supporting, I think this one is well chosen.
Li Xian (Mai Dong) -i give him credit for choosing works that makes his acting credible. Seen him in go go squid and meet yourself. With this third one, he’s secured a spot in my top seven list of male Chinese actors. He brings out the character he plays so well you just admire it. He’s the cold, serious, never smiles mortician…until Jie.
Zhou Tong (Z Jie)- is an incredible versatile actress with a colorful array of roles with big actors. She’s unfiltered, unabashedly comfortable in this role which makes her character so endearing. She has a handicap but it doesn’t stop her from pursuing her dreams, and a love in MaiDong.
Wan Peng (Xiaxia) has a minor role as bestie of Jie. Loved her in My girlfriend is an alien. Here’s she’s almost unrecognizable with her matured new (to me) look. Beautiful.
The rest of cast are so good each putting in their best to compliment and complete this storytelling.

Writing is very good. So many poignant points about life. It really makes you think. FL had lots of insecurities and there are some parts she may seem toxic even. What I like though is how ideal relationships should be. One part she said something totally out of place that really hurt ML. Immediately though she sought his forgiveness, explaining her why’s. I think for many who haven’t had love lives may be turned off automatically after this incident but those of us who have can relate that it’s relationship building in progress. This couple did make progress, big time.

I think it’s unique that the main guy is a make up artist of the deceased. The portrayal of the handling of others loved ones makes me appreciate those who do these acts. These artists are in the background, hardly thought of, recognized. This gives an enlightenment of sort. Definitely an appreciated work.

There’s so many thoughtful lines that goes along that gives us so much feels. “Life is full of different destinations. Eventually you’ll go the grave”. “People buy special urns or beautiful tombstone to make their loved one standout. Those are just illusions. Once you’re dead, you’re dead. Nothing more outstanding than that. Therefore, live the best life you can, while you can”.

This drama is for the matured thinkers. It’s written well, and acted well. As for romance? You got to see it to believe it. It’s exactly as how two people who have just fallen in love act. Finally we see that true warmth of love through eye connections, touches, real hugs, and kisses. Definitely modern display of love. Kissing in public? What? No fish kisses either. Chemistry is sizzling I’m piqued whether it’s acting or real. lol. They did well. Appreciate their work.

It takes an explosive incident to put the decision at rest. Together forever we will be. Done. Very well done.

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A breath of fresh air.

I have to say, this drama is one of the best dramas I've watched in a while. I haven't felt like this about a drama since Secret Garden. This drama is cute and romantic and the idea of time traveling back and forth from the Joseon Dynasty kept me interested. I really appreciated the way the writers explained everything unlike most dramas that leave you asking questions to as why something happened.

The actors/actresses were eye catching, especially the main characters. Yoo In Na and Ji Hyun Woo are absolutely adorable together. The only thing that I don't agree with what everyone says is Yoo In Na's acting. Don't get me wrong, her sob scenes were really moving, but when she wasn't sobbing, and she was just crying normally, it felt like she was forcing it. But other than that, she was great.

Overall, it's a really great drama that I would recommend to everyone who just wants to watch a good romance. Words cannot describe how amazing Queen Inhyun's Man is.

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Survivor: The Mother-in-Law Obstacles.

Xu Lingyi, marquis Yongping is all that a mother could ask for: a patriotic high ranking court official, ethical, cultured, responsible and a shining example of Confucian filial piety who asks not if he is happy with his wives, it is enough that his mother is. When his official wife dies, he takes her younger half-sister Luo Shiyi, a lowly concubine's daughter as his official wife, thus preserving the marriage ties between the Luo and Xu family. But Shiyi is a talented and resourceful woman ahead of her times and values her freedom and independence over making such an excellent match. She has her own agenda and unlike his fawning concubines, is quite happy to be neglected by Lingyi and left to her own devices. Her attitude bemuses and intrigues Lingyi out of his indifference and he finds to his dismay that he is increasingly attracted to her.

The best part of this drama is how the romance blossoms at a realistic pace between Lingyi and Shiyi, leisurely exploring important phases from distrust, to mild annoyance, to intrigue and blossoming attraction, to collaboration with some conflict and a healthy dose of jealousy thrown in. Neither character is perfect - Lingyi is a workaholic, neglects his harem, is aloof, overly strict with his children and his brother and just generally comes across as no fun at all. Except for the flashes of subtle humour that emerges when he deals with impertinence from his close aides or criticism from his family. Wallace Chung really delivers a very nuanced portrayal as a lonely and kind nobleman beneath a strict and unapproachable exterior. I really enjoy watching him come out of his shell and become a more complete person as he discovers happiness with Shiyi. Shiyi grows from a rather headstrong and defiant young wife into the caring, responsible and capable mistress of Yongping manor. This is a very different kind of role for Tan Songyun and although I feel her interpretation of the role is not that inspired, her Shiyi is likeable and pleasant to watch. Both leads are consummate actors with very solid chemistry, delivering many sweet and thrilling romantic moments as they fall in love and grow together as a couple.

Even though I don't expect much from the plot when it comes to character dramas, I have to say that the writing overall leaves a lot to be desired. It actually starts out fairly well even though it is incredibly tropey from the beginning. That is because there is a satirical approach to the writing, with subtle humour nicely woven neatly into the dialogue that had me grinning away. And some of the characters, especially the hateful concubine Qiao and Erniang were such parodies and so well acted that I got many chuckles and base enjoyment out of their setbacks and defeats. That fizzles out after the Qiao arc and at that point the mystery and defeat of the mastermind should have just been quickly wrapped out instead of dragged into repetitive plot lines and themes. The writer with a sense of humour must also have bowed out at that point because it wasn't funny anymore.

Which brings me to the mother-in-law from hell. This MIL is a real piece of work - she picks all of her sons wives, she is snobbish, biased, hypocritical, is completely illogical and plays the matriarch card all the time to get her way. This character turned the drama into some bizarre edition of Survivor where the contestants are parachuted into Ming Dynasty where they need to survive the mother-in-law of all obstacles and win the heart of the dude. Shiyi and all of Lingyi's wives are pitted against this troll who thinks that the ultimate reward is marriage to her son. The most unbelievable part of the story is that none of these rather ruthless and resentful bitches took the initiative to poison her. It would have made for an excellent Murder on the Orient Express kind of murder mystery if they all did it. As for Shiyi, her winning strategy is to kill everyone from her MIL to her love rivals with kindness. This took so long and we have to endure so many ridiculous, lazily written and repetitive arcs that I couldn't help but think poison would work so much faster.

The two main takeaways from this drama is it really sucked to be a woman during Ming Dynasty and bad shit happens when your mother picks your wives. Overall an ok watch to pass time but nothing to write home about. 7.5/8.0 overall, maybe 8.0 for just the first ~half.

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Screwed-up adults living in a screwed-up house

I'm probably going to get a lot of stick and downvotes on this review but I still want to share my dissatisfaction with this show.

STORY (No spoilers)
This show is about 4 adults with various emotional and psychological problems living together and, as a result, messing each other up with their screwed-up-ness. And fair warning: there is sexual content in this show with issues of a sexual nature raised. If you're in the mood for a rather disturbing, ambiguous show with heavy sexual content but with no proper character progression or story development then this show is for you.

With 10 episodes at around 30 minutes each, this show has very limited time to address any of the deep, fractured emotional problems and psychology the characters have. Unfortunately, this ambitious undertaking falls far short of its mark because seriously, nothing really gets addressed. The show never really delved deep into the psychology of our screwed up characters, nor into their healing process. It's a glorified 'slice of life' show about dysfunctional people being dysfunctional with a sexual twist embedded, period.

I personally thought that this show could be really intriguing and even ground-breaking with the kind of issues it raised in the early episodes but was sorely disappointed with the lack of development, growth and progression of the characters as episode after episode went by. There was no effort made by the show to address any of the problems the characters were facing in a healthy and considerate way. These people need help - serious help - but the show doesn't tell you how to get it. This drama came across pointless and aimless and I have no idea what sort of message this show wanted to send but I was certainly getting nothing positive from it.

ACTING/ CAST
Serviceable. Nothing particularly outstanding because each character seemed to represent an extreme end of the spectrum of dysfunctionality.

I have to hand it to Masaki Nakao who plays the withdrawn and socially inept Hongyo though - the ability to deadpan some of what would be the most embarrassing lines under some of the craziest situations is noteworthy.

MUSIC
Nothing particularly outstanding or memorable.

RE-WATCH VALUE
I personally disliked the show. I have no problem with shows that introduce dysfunctional people who suffer from emotional, psychological and sexual problems but I do have an issue when a show does that without really addressing the problems it raised and simply lets its characters mess about with one another, stirring up pools of muddy water for the sake of entertainment.

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Tragically Beautiful..

Mr. Plankton was a total gem from start to finish.. It truly set a high standard.. Delivered quality in every departments.. From start to finish there were no bad scenes.. No bad characters.. And not a single bad performance from any of the actors.. Each actor brought depth and authenticity to their role.. Made them essential to the story no matter how small their screentime is.. Cinematography was impressive.. The romance was just chaotic.. Messy and yet strangely perfect.. They were a chaotic couple.. And funny even when they shouldnt be.. And come on what more can you expect from a drama that had two marriages in the first episode and The ML kidnapped both the brides.. It was a rollercoaster of chaos and fun..

The first scene itself screamed ' No happy ending here '.. And that was actually the way to go.. The entire story leading to that last moment.. ' His Death '.. That was the perfect ending.. No miracle cure.. Nothing magical.. Just a journey filled with Love..
Comedy and Pure Messy Romance..

At one point.. I genuinely feared that WDH wasnt just acting.. Maybe he was actually going through something himself.. He was that good.. He was really living the character..

The scene where Jae Mi kissed Hae Jo at that the bus stop after kidnapping him from the hospital honestly didnt feel like it was scripted.. It felt real.. As real as it can be.. Such a perfect moment..

And the last scene..

" In the end.. You are the final scene of my life.. I guess that means i had a pretty good life.. "

What a powerful way to end the story.. The ending was expected but heartbreaking nonetheless..

Overall.. Another strong contender for drama of the year.. Loved the characters journey and their warm connection and relationship with each other.. WDH certainly deserves an award for his performance here.. And kudos to the writer for that ending.. This drama is going to stay with me for a long time..

They entered our lives so effortlessly.. And in just ten episodes.. They left us shattered and aching..

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After watching the first season I wasn't sure how I'd like this one. But I was surprised and found myself actually enjoying this one just as much if not more. One this is for sure - you don't have to watch this series in order. While the story is quite similar to the first season - it's a whole new group of students and therefore new stories, new problems.



While the original Gokusen had popular names such as Matsumoto Jun and Oguri Shun, Gokusen 2 has Kamenashi Kazuya, Akanishi Jin, Hayami Mokomichi, and Koike Teppei. For those who've seen the first Gokusen you'll find familiar faces also among the cast - and a return of Kuma! One of my favorites from the first season, I was happy to see him return in Gokusen 2!



The acting was great, I loved the entire cast!



The music wasn't anything special - the theme song changed from "Feel Your Breeze" to "No More Cry" at the end which wasn't a bad song. I loved Kamenashi Kazuya's "Kizuna" that was played during the drama, though (:



I can see myself rewatching this drama sometime, but probably not for a long time.



Overall - I enjoyed it just as much as the first season. For those of you who have seen the first season - you won't be disappointed with this one. For those who haven't seen any of the seasons yet but are curious because you like the cast - watch it! (:

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Densha Otoko is definitely one of the best dramas I’ve watched, not about the super rich boy who falls for the poor girl, but about an otaku that falls for a refined lady. I have not watched the anime nor the movie that was aired first so I can’t make any comparisons.

But for the drama I can say that the actors were really well picked. Itoh Atsushi was definitely my favorite character and he really portrayed it well, the normal otaku one would imagine. But what I liked the most about Yamada was the way he felt towards Hermes and how he expressed it. From the first time they met and especially when he had to reveal his true self. I just found it so cute.

Itoh Misaki was also great. At first I thought she was a bit stiff, but I guess that’s how the character is supposed to be and she kind of started to grew on me, since they actually made a really cute couple.

And, of course, all the user of the internet thread made the story a lot more interesting, I just loved their conversations, their unique ways to react and their sometimes laughable sometimes useful advice that went accordingly to their internet characters. There were times when I couldn’t stop laughing.

Definitely a must watch. : D

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This is the drama I have been waiting for my entire life! [so to speak, since I've only been watching them for half a year...] This drama's style fits my taste perfectly. It's the kind of drama that won't make you cry one bit yet still keep you interested. I had almost given up hope that such a drama exists until I came across this one. I used to think that no matter how funny or light an Asian show is, it will still get very serious and dramatic at one point, because it's unavoidable and all dramas must have heartbreaking moments. I was SO WRONG. There is ONE exception (that I know of so far) and that is called Fondant Garden.

I started watching it by accident, because I noticed Park Jung Min's name in the cast list. Since I'm an SS501 fan and I have a particular attachment to Jung Min... I started watching it JUST for him, but it wasn't long until I got hooked on the actual drama. Beware though, for the first few episodes you will have to put up with an overload of sweetness and some pretty bad acting from Jung Min. Since he was the only reason for watching at first, I didn't have high expectations at all and just wanted to see him, so of course I kept watching. But if you're not a crazy Jung Min fan and are easily turned off by overly sweet moments, don't drop the drama after the first few episodes! You won't know what you're missing! Jung Min's acting improves considerably over the next few episodes and they gradually lessen the sugar a little bit :P but you will probably get used to it anyway.

To sum it up in a few words, this show has a very sweet and comical kind of romance accentuated by the playful character of Jung Min, good chemistry between the leads, some amusing bits and even some controlled drama. With emphasis on CONTROLLED. It's truly controlled in this one. They don't go overboard with it. It's just enough to keep the story going. I admit I cried at one point during the show (exactly halfway through) but that was the most emotional bit of the entire drama. Nothing exceeds that intensity afterwards. What I particularly like about this one is that there's no evil witch interfering with the main leads! She's actually interfering in the wrong couple, the other side of the love triangle, which only pushes Mi En more towards Xi Huan (Jung Min), so in other words the evil witch in this show actually... somehow... helps the leads to get closer. Which would've been beyond my wildest dreams for Asian dramas *-*


I just can't keep it short, I'm sorry. I'm trying though... There's something else I need to add about it: it's a very soothing drama. I think that's the word that fits it best. More than it is romantic and more than it is humorous, it is soothing. I enjoyed every second of it. I was always eager to watch another episode knowing it will put me in a good mood, because I could expect nothing bad from it. It is that kind of light drama that you can actually connect to and get attached to without risking to stir up a tornado of emotions inside of you. I especially appreciate how they handled the ending. In all the dramas I've watched so far, the ending disappointed me, even if just a bit. But this show's ending was just perfect. I could not have asked for a better ending. And it's not just the ending actually, they managed to handle all the romantic moments brilliantly. Most of the time, dramas have a hard time portraying key moments like confessions, proposals, endings etc. Because for the sake of emphasising the romance and importance of the moment they end up diverting a bit too much from the characters' personality and make the moment overly-romantic and awkward. I'm happy to say Fondant Garden had absolutely no awkward moment like that. I'm very appreciative of the fact that they managed to make all the romantic moments and especially the ending, fit to their personalities.

Music: Very fitting for this drama's style. It complements the mood of every scene perfectly. There are a few songs that will forever be stuck in my head: The intro song, the one Jung Min sings (he's got a remarkable voice!) and So Good by Kimberly Chen which was my absolute favourite from the entire show.

Acting: As I said above, it is lacking in the beginning on Park Jung Min's character, but it gets a lot better as the show progresses. The rest of them impersonated their characters flawlessly. Though some may say Jian Man Shu wasn't very believable at first. To me she was ok, except on very few scenes, maybe.

Give this drama a go! You have nothing to lose. You will either fall in love with it or just end up not connecting to it if it's not your style. In any case, it's not a waste of time, at the very least there will be some sweet moments that will remain in your mind :)

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A dish best served... twice?

I first watched this drama last year as it aired, and even though some elements were a bit hard to follow at times, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I watched it with my sisters and we looked forward to it every day.

Now, I'm currently watching it over again with my mom, and let me tell you... it's almost a completely different experience.
In a good way. When you know what's going to happen already, you can concentrate on the smaller details you didn't catch the first time that'll make you go "OHHH NOW I UNDERSTAND".
It makes you realize just how much hard work and attention to detail was no doubt put into this drama. Ad it'll be just as, if not more entertaining then the first time you watched it.
So trust me, if you've only seen this drama once, watch it again. This rewatch is a pleasant surprise.

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I rarely watch dramas longer than 16 episodes by myself. Although I have watched several longer dramas, this is usually with friends who help keep me interested and engaged. However, I watched all 30 episodes of ISWAK and 20 episodes of They Kiss Again on my own, and have since re-watched them several times. I really only have one favorite drama in the different drama genres, and this show (both season) is my absolutely favorite sweet romance. Having watched Playful Kiss first, I was curious to see how this version told the story. I immediately fell in love with the characters in the first season, but I was still worried that the second season would not live up to my expectations. All too often, second seasons falter behind the amazing quality of their predecessors and I am frequently left disappointed. However, I was delighted to discover that this was not true with They Kiss Again. If anything, this story was actually better than the first. It Started With a Kiss gets the main characters together, but They Kiss Again shows them developing their relationship. This isn't the normal story where everyone is more or less perfect and the amazing guy marries that perfectly sweet girl who finally got prince charming. The charm of They Kiss Again is the fact that Zhi Shu and Xiang Qin are more than half of their own problems. Zhi Shu is emotionally stunted, and has to learn that there is beauty in Xiang Qin's simplicity. On the other hand, Xiang Qin has to learn to stand on her own two feet. They learn that they both have weaknesses and that marriage is about learning to love and accept those weaknesses. I have rarely seen such excellent story and character development, particularly in a second season for a show. This is beautifully written, and I freely admit that I still go back to my favorite parts (which I have bookmarked) whenever I need a pick-me-up. This is sweet, charming, intelligent, and well worth the time to watch. It's romance, but it is thoughtful romance. I truly love this show and I recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the first season

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Glorious dreams, strong women and their 100/10 chemistry

A dream of splendor is adapted from the opera "Zhao Pan Er Feng Yue Jiu Feng Chen" (赵盼儿风月救风尘) written by Guan Han Qing.

Characters and Plot —
The drama revolves around three ladies Zhao Pan'er, Sun Sunniang, Song Yinzhang and the "living devil" Gu Qianfan. Zhao Pan'er is the strong backbone of their friendship who is intelligent and good in tea art. She uses her dancing skills to serve tea and her wit and ways of creativity wonders everyone. Sanniang is her close friend whose cooking skills are inferior to none while Yinzhang is a talented girl who will be seen carrying a pipa around often. Her pipa music is as magical as Sunniang's pastries. And Gu Qianfan is the cruel yet nice commander of capital security office.

A Dream of Splendor radiates women empowerment, women teamwork, a woman's self respect and how women can excel in everything. Our leading ladies aren't easy to be fooled, they have their strengths/weaknesses and they go through thick and thin together. They have self respect and just because she was once a "pariah" doesn't mean she doesn't deserve respect and is not capable.
(Pariah – a low status of woman back in ancient China who were performers or prostitutes who were looked down on by everyone)
Their sisterhood is another delightful thing to watch here. I can't forget to mention Zhaodi, she entered late in the group but I like her supportive character. So, if I have to rate the female centered plot, it's 9.5/10, almost everything I expected.

Along with this we have a good political plot going on which is more like a side topic, not too complicated, rather light and less angsty. Of course except that one mean guy I wish I could kill him in the starting. He's just so despicable, absolutely selfish.

Their Chemistry —
Zhao Pan'er and Gu Qianfan together are like two people who will give up anything for each other. Their concept of using yellow flowers to express "I miss you", their eye gazes, their longing, their protection for each other and just them being is love is everything. Small moments between them fill you up like a scene where he is applying medicine on her face (even I felt like a third wheel between them let alone other characters xD)

Humour —
We have Chi Pan who is amusingly naughty with lame, childish acts but his words and expressions often bring fun in the drama. And he's such a cute crybaby haha.

Cast/Acting —
• Liu Yifei – I came to this drama for her as she was returning to dramas after a long time and I am still impressed with her acting. Also isn't she so gorgeous in every frame. Her eyes, body language and this aura is strong just like Zhao Pan'er.
• Chen Xiao – Gu Qianfan is a great character and Chen Xiao also looks great in this role. His styling or I don't know what but he often reminded me of Prince An (Wang Ziqi) in the Imperial Coroner.
• Ada Liu – Sun Sunniang is such a cheerful lady with strong hands. Ada Liu suits for this role. All her strong moments like throwing someone in the river or showing off some butcher skills came out perfectly.
• Jelly Lin – I never had a good experience with Lin's dramas, most of them are like dropped after some episodes but somehow I liked her here. When she played pipa as Yinzhang, she looked so cool and her cute dimples work for me!
• Dai Xu – Finally! Chi Pan is my second favorite character after Zhao Pan'er. Just the comedy he adds and Dai Xu's expressions are out of this world. Would love to see more of his works in future.

OSTs —

1. Jane Zhang (张靓颖) - ♪Spare No Time♪ (不惜时光) …a slow and sublime song that ends every episode beautifully.

2. Liu Yuning (刘宇宁) - ♪Meng Hua♪ (梦华) …with the spirit of fighting all the troubles together and Liu Yuning's voice makes this song more special.

3. Sunnee (杨芸晴) - ♪What Year Is Today♪ (今夕是何年)
4. Kiki Wei (魏奇奇) - ♪Nian Nian♪ (念念)

5. Rachel (银临) - ♪The Red Apricot Branch Is Full Of Spring♪ (红杏枝头春意闹) …the song representing their ups and downs and the longing for hope.

To conclude, what's worth watching the most in this drama —
⛧ character development of three ladies starting from scratch
⛧ strong female characters
⛧ the chemistry between Gu Qianfan and Zhao Pan'er
⛧ great supporting characters and friendship/sisterhood/companionship
⛧ Chi Pan (Dai Xu) as a comedy factor.
~ A Dream of Splendor is recommended!

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"The law is just the law. It's only the gate to justice but the law itself isn't justice"

for a person who avoids political dramas like the plague, this one was different. from the aesthetics, the ost and to any scene in every single episode, it was a brilliantly artistic take in showing a well-balanced story involving romance and politics.

so, what did i love?

-the amazing cast
there are many familiar faces in this but one thing's for sure, everyone's performances in this drama didn't fall short. not even an inch.

gun really didn't pull back from giving his all in both his roles as black and white. it was as though i was watching two people play their parts and i had to blink hard as black and white truly had distinct personalities. again, i'm not surprised by gun's talent as he never failed in showing his talent on screen.

i used to be skeptical of off's acting but in here, he was able to depict a broken character seeking revenge against unjustice. those expressions of anger mixed with helplessness and those cute scenes with white, off nailed it as sean.

first didn't fail me in this drama. he was lowkey smug but at the same time, this boy knows how to break my heart into pieces. paired with fluke, they both served emotions that hit you right at your chest. fluke did well as a police officer that wants to fight against the corrupt, a person that wanted to change.

the whole gang had me in shambles for how much they cared for each other. with how good the chemistry is between all of them, it was inevitable that the friend group was shippable. despite being a serious drama, there were funny moments as well. gumpa as the father of five (including black ofc) was portrayed wonderfully by papang. even though his acting was a bit iffy at times, he definitely gave off the fatherly vibe as he trained and helped the boys out whenever trouble came their way.

i was so used to seeing sing as a silly or playful character in other dramas so seeing him play a new type of role was a surprise. he managed to blow me away whenever he showed up and his scenes with black are worthy to be applauded.

-the couples !!!!
sean x white:
as one of the well-known bl couples, the offgun duo strikes again. the angst between these two was steaming hot. before sean and white got together, the tension they had was enough to make me scream internally. once they broke the ice and started to cuddle up to each other, i saw sunshine, rainbows and thunder. white who used to not understand sean's pain slowly became sean's comfort. their love to fight and protect each other will forever be something i'm envious of.

dan x yok:
the conflict that comes along with falling for someone you laid your trust on is heavier than one can imagine. maybe, i'm masochistic but the relationship between dan and yok had so much to it that i can't help but root for them. those sentimental scenes in which they started to open up to each other and weren't afraid to show their vulnerable side.... it was purely beautiful. besides the angsty scenes, they have their cute moments that i cherish A LOT.

-the women
we don't see petty arguments or grudges. what this drama offered is women that stand their ground. namo, eugene and nuch are all clear on their views and have such an impactful character to them that doesn't make it overwhelming or underwhelming. this is one of those dramas that i appreciate for not writing female characters as stereotypes.

-the cinematography
if i wanted to screenshot every single second of this drama, i would. the camera angles and close up shots of small details in the emotional and intimate scenes were my absolutely favorites. i love how this drama was filmed and how the colorisation fitted the scenes perfectly.
also, i really appreciate that the actors looked naturally beautiful in this one. there was less makeup and it gives off this no filter feel to it.

-the important topics covered
this drama is not just a bl drama. it shows many issues that goes on in the real world as well. to name a few, it highlights:
1) privilege
2) lgbtq+ rights (marriage equality)
3) disability rights
4) political corruption

things i didn't like:
-the way the ending got wrapped up felt rushed
-gram and eugene as a couple
-the whole twin connection wasn't explored more (but then i understand it would stray far away from the drama's focal points)
-some questions left unanswered
eg. was dan let go just like that? what is todd's story? what will tawi do?

regardless of the imperfections, 'not me' is easily on my top bl dramas that i keep close to my heart.

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The first good point about the story, it's the fact that it really start at the first minute of the first episode. Don't say : "I'll watch the first 10 minutes now and then I'll watch the rest after work if I find it interesting", because you'll end up skipping work...

Then, you get to know the characters, and each and every one of them have a real personality, so you can be sure you will be moved by at least one of them. All the characters are slowly evolving during the drama, in a quite subtle way. I gave the story a 9 because I felt it was sometimes a little too slow.

Personally, I was really impressed by the two lead's acting performance, as well as the second male lead (while the second female lead's acting was so average it made me drop a point in my review). Thanks to their acting, you really beleive in the story, and in the characters.

Finally, I'll talk about the music : I just love it. My special award is for the song "Gu Rae Do"(Nevertheless) by Soo Ji, and its instrumental version which were so beautiful and unique they became a real plus to the drama.

Oh and, no spoiler, but I love the ending. I won't say if it's a bad or good one, but I just think this story deserved that kind of ending.

This drama is really worth watching, and I hope you'll enjoy it too!
That's the end of my review, hope it's been helpful.^^

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Put the remote down and walk away...

First off, let me say that I LOVE Dilraba - she's probably my all-time favorite Chinese actress! This series was so tough for me to watch and stay interested. I lost interest half way though as the storyline became stale and blah. The 4.5 stars are mostly for the Jay Walk Studio actors. The chemistry between Dilraba and Vic Chou was horrific, and often times unbearable to watch - I think it may be due to the age difference (and Vic Chou is too old and too feminine to play a lead male role with younger cast - IMO). I'd take back the 50 hours spent watching this if I could.

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