Reviews

This Drama is good :)

So i see this drama get a lot of bad review. First of all, i watch a lot of K-Drama, C-Drama and fantasy is one of my favourite genre. I'm picky and dropped dramas before.
BUT this drama is good. To be honest, after watching like a hundred C-drama, if i see its gonna be long, i know exactly what to expect. Evil side leads, a love what can not come true, and hopefully a partially happy ending. I'm ready for all this, and i don't mind. Of course it would be better with 25-30 episode, but we all know that this is how c-dramas are. They are long. To be fair im so happy to see this 38-40 episode dramas, compare to the normal 56-60.
I think this years best was Love between Fairy and Devil, and its hard to do better, but i think they don't need to. :)

I think the first 15-20 episode is really strong, we have romance and fight, some conflict what actually compare to other dramas are solved pretty quick ( this was a good surprise), but then from 20-30 we have some boring parts what are obviously for more screen time, and maybe because this is also a drama thing :D
i enjoyed the last 10 episode, and cried a lot near to the end. This is a must by these dramas i guess.

There are characters who i loved like He Na, who was truly amazing, as a true friend, who is not selfish and always put the persons he love in front of him. It was heartbreaking and lovely to watch him . I also liked Liu Ning, and i think her story is really sad, but a must and adds a lot to the main storyline.

The 2 main leads are totally fine. I'm not amazed but i do think the way how they portrayed the characters, was loveable. I didn't read the original novel, but i do think they where a good choice to this.

I think the costumes where good, and so the CGI.
I think this drama is worth watching, but i will not rewatch it again. I think this a strong one to watch one time.
The music is heart catching and the songs went strait to my Spotify list.

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The First Romance that I truly fell for (pun intended)

POST POST SCRIPT: It's been a few months since I last watched this and I've cooled down a bit. I still really like this, mainly because of the chemistry. There is so much chemistry-
POST SCRIPT THAT I SHOVED TO THE BEGGINING OF THIS REVIEW:
The drama is a drama meaning that it does have misunderstandings between characters, but they always handle them quickly (like think one episode or at most two) and maturely. Characters don't hurt those that they love during hard times, they rely on each other. Most of the characters also respect each others privacy.
The parents are bishes.
The end :)

STORY:
Are you looking for a sweet romance where the leads only have eyes for each other? Want chemistry? Want tons of cute moments? Want no crazy drama? Want the leads to have most of the screen time? No super crazy and stupid misunderstandings or break up scenes? Want second leads (cuz these are unavoidable in dramas) that don't really matter? Want reasonable characters? Want heartwarming family moments? Then this drama is for you!
I don't typically watch romances, I like detective, mystery, serial killing, etc. dramas. But this one was just so simple and lovable. My heart beat so fast I thought it would burst every time the leads looked at each other.

ACTING:
If you didn't tell me that these people were actors, I would have thought that they really did truly love each other. The acting is perfect down to the very micromovements of the eyes and lips. The dubbing (which can't be avoided in c-drama) wasn't the best - but surprisingly, the acting was so good that it made up for the voice over completely!

MUSIC:
The music is perfect. It captures the beauty of whimsical first love perfectly. My heart flutters every time at their song choice. The music isn't overly loud or soft, it plays just at the right spot.
The people who produced this drama are masters at playing around with the audience's emotions with different song choices. Also, the piano music that was chosen was amazing! Yes, I get it, the actors all used body doubles... but does that really matter? Its not like they have to learn a whole new skill that should take years just for a drama.

REWATCH VALUE:
I would watch this tens, hundred, thousands of times over and over again if I could (but I don't think my life will be that long LOL).

OVERALL:
Great cast, great story, great script, great message, great feels. The beginning and ending were perfect. The drama talks to its audience quiet literally, they have these sort of "interviews" at the end where different characters talk to viewers about their feelings and its just so amazing all the way through.
The only thing I would change about this is the second leads. The main characters only had eyes for each other and although the second leads were great at acting, it would have been better to not include them. But... you can never ever ever escape second leads in drama world so-
Just watch it. If you don't like it, leave it. If you like it, you've been blessed. MWAH.

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Disastrous

There's only so much you can stuff into a 6-ep series. Unfortunately, everything stuffed into this is awful.

The first question is, what genre is this? It was marketed as a BL, and most of the couples in this involve two boys, although only one is just two boys. The other two are everyone's favorite thing, love triangles.

Or is is a murder mystery? Maybe, except the dead body at the beginning is not the same body as turns out to be the case, nor at the same level of deceasedness. Which makes me wonder if Thai emergency services frequently transport live people in body bags. If so, I hope they remember to poke air holes in them.

Or is it about a rivalry between two bitchy girls? On the surface, no, that's not what it is, but that leads us to wonder why almost the entire runtime of this series is consumed by two almost supernaturally unpleasant people who I'm sure almost the entire audience wishes were not in the series at all.

The all-male love triangle involves a boy who's into BDSM, which is handled with the usual BL sensitivity, i.e. none at all, portraying it as deviant and possibly evil - certainly PTSD-inducing, and instead of his partner finding a way to accommodate his tastes, BDSM-boy is forced to give it up in the name of True Love, which can never include "deviant" behavior in BL. There's actually a scene where non-BDSM boy wants to break up because he realized that BDSM-boy has a slight preference for being a dom over a sub, and so he feels that he is horrendously depriving him of pleasure. Seriously, that's the conversation. Then he goes on to describe how flicking him with a toy whip makes him feel like he's inflicting violence on someone he loves. Sigh.

The love triangle with the girl involves a self-indentifed slut (who had sex with a grand total of one person, so what is the message here? ) and two step-brothers. Another favorite theme of BL audiences. Let's combine cheating, an evil female, and incest into one storyline - yay? I don't actually mind step-brother stories, but I know that a large part of the audience does mind, a larger part of the audience doesn't like cheating, and almost the entire audience doesn't like stories to be chewed up by evil girlfriends.

The only reasonably uncomplicated storyline is between Burger & King (get it?), and it is cute largely because the two boys are adorable. It's certainly not because of their acting ability or the amount of time spent on their story.

Which brings us to the topic of acting. I don't want to be too critical, because these are all beginners and they were clearly doing their best, but each of them only has one facial expression and it's not really enough. Maybe if they had two each it would have worked better. Non-BDSM-boy has kicked-puppy face, King has "did I live the iron on?" face, Evil Girl #2 has "what is that smell?", etc. There are one or two experienced actors in this (like Art, as beautiful as ever, but he has at most 60 seconds of screentime).

Worse, there is, again, an awful trans character who is loud, ridiculous, and an awful person, because Thail BL is unable to conceive of anything but "straight" people as being "good" and "normal". That's improved a decent amount in BL in general, but that progress hasn't reached this catastrophe of a series.

Perhaps worst of all, it doesn't end. None of the relationships get anywhere, and even though we know whodunnit, that story isn't resolved either. Couldn't they at least have left it as a mystery if they were going to end on a cliffhanger? What possible motivation do I have to continue watching this into the next season?

This series is a ripoff of the Spanish show Elite, which is far better. A central problem with Hit Bite Love is that it's set in high school (because that's a BL law or something) and it's themes are adult. Because of this, and because most of the actors are underage, the series is crippled by conservative Thai morality and so the story can never dig its teeth into any of its themes. This is so serious an issue that even when boys are at the swimming pool, if there's any romantic connection between them, their torsos are wrapped in big towels, as if having two boys who like each other shirtless is Crossing the Line.

Other than the cuteness factor of BurgerKing and Art being on my screen, the only positive quality is the background music, which is better than usual, and actually supports the story, such as it is. Although the theme song has so much autotune I assumed it was on purpose - although it does sound like a malfunctining robot and I'm not sure why you would want that.

I would skip this. If you had to decide between this and watching, say, Gen Y 2, then I would probably just kill myself. But Hit Bite Love is a lot shorter, so more of your brain might survive if you were to choose it.

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players slayed and master of games.

(please note that this is my first time writing a review so it might not be very good! but i hope this provides you with an intel on the show!)

it was long awaited but worth it! you need to watch the first season for the opening, introductions of characters. the second season is a continuation of the first season.

the storyline is simple, you play a game and earn visas. without these visas, you will die and a high chance of you dying when you lose in a game. continuation of the first season, this season focuses on the jacks, queens and kings which are the highest or highest, that only means that the challenges are harder and harder.

the games might be simple, but there are a lot of thinking and thoughts needed to outplay the other players. let's be honest, despite knowing that the main characters will not die, i feel safe about it. however, the suspend, the intensity is still there. there are surprises here and there for you to unwrap as the show goes on. one thing i would love is where they would explore more of different games and have a longer duration! like come on, i want more than 8 episodes.

i know there are some people that don't like/prefer japanese's acting but i feel like it is rather realistic. after watching many japanese dramas, i often feel like it is an autumn acting. i don't know what's an autumn acting but it is something more of feeling the autumn vibes. just because it is not up to your preference, it does not mean that it is not good.

an example would be arisu (kento)'s acting in the first episode where he was running super fast. the facial expression might be foreign to some but it was realistic. as you're running in your fullest speed, you wouldn't be looking good or near perfect. if you're wondering on the mature scenes, other than the bloody deaths, niragi, and yamapi's butt cheeks, the rest are fine.

what do i like about the show?
- games
- how the players play the game
- interactions between the players
- their acting

what i dislike about the show?
- too short
- niragi (this asshole never changes)

all the games are amazing but one that blew my mind was the queen of hearts. yes, it is the hearts. the ending is good, but i would love to see the other characters get back the memory during the time here. i just wish for a 3rd season with longer duration or more episodes.

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unrealistic and frustrating

I tried giving this drama a chance to like it but finding it so disappointing and very frustrated with the story. It is very unrealistic for the female lead who had a crush on the male lead and following him around. Very unrealistic for a the male lead to allow a fan (stranger) to get into his circle. How can a stranger (female lead) who had a crush on a celebrity and be able to get through the security, mistaken as girl friend, allow to ride in the bus with the team and so forth. The way the female lead chasing and following the male lead (who doesn't really know her) around and able to get into his circle of friend and team is nauseating. The female lead is supposed to be intelligent and gifted but too stupid to follow her crush without thinking about her own safety makes me angry about the whole story.

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Hwayugi, a much-anticipated offering from The Hong Sisters, is an ambitious attempt at a prestige fantasy series with middling results. What begins as an intriguing—if fraught, production-wise—modern spin on the classic Journey to the West, ends as a jumbled mess with an identity crisis.

When a story lacks direction, it’s sure to suffer. What did this drama want to be? An idol drama with tons of romance? A monster-of-the-week romp, or an urban fantasy with cataclysmic consequences? The tone is erratic, especially in the beginning, whiplashing viewers between horror and comedy without prelude. In addition to the copious filler, the plot was pulled in so many directions that very little progress was actually made. Not even the romance between the leads received the attention it required to blossom satisfyingly—it just happens, for no rhyme or reason, and we’re expected to invest in it immediately. Overall, the story promises apocalyptic stakes yet delivers something haphazard and episodic, peppered with hollow romantic scenes (the exemplar of which is an early out-of-character, cat-themed aegyo from the female protagonist).

One of the main issues can be found in the massive cast, populated by multiple big names and actors of varying talent and skill. Despite a valiant effort by Lee Seung Gi as Son Oh Gong, the secondary cast steals the show. Lee Hong Ki (PK) and Lee Se Young (Bu Ja) are a delight in spite of frustrating plot developments, easily drawing focus away from the main storyline. The same goes for Lee El as the dog-demon assistant Ma Ji Yeong, Kim Sung Oh as hapless secretary Lee Han Joo, and Sang Hyuk as General Frost and his warm-hearted sister, with whom he shares a body. Cha Seung Won, however, is completely wasted in his role as Ma Wang, the demon king. The character gives him no room to stretch his dramatic legs, instead relying on the zany comedy he so excels at—but this gets old fast, and it’s frustrating to see him spin his wheels with such a flat character. This leads us to the weakest of the bunch—Oh Yeon Seo’s performance as Jin Sun Mi is uninspired, and I couldn’t tell you if her expression changed even once. Her scenes with Lee Seung Gi are sometimes almost uncomfortable to watch, given how dynamic he is in comparison.

That said, the OST is consistently good. Standouts include the absolute bop “Let Me Out” by NU’EST, the tender ballad “When I Saw You” by Bumkey, and the cheerful “I Will Be By Your Side” by MeloMance.

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Why do people like this drama so much?

This drama is highly talked about and recommended so I thought checked it out and wow...

Beware of Rant.

Worst Romantic-Gaming drama I have ever seen:
1st - The FL is a stalker. Let's just put it out there. She is. She follows the ML around & sends him weird spam-like messages from a fake internet cafe account & follows him places. How he doesn't block, ghost her and file a restraining order I really don't know.

2nd - The FL is famous on her own but for some reason, she's still incredibly stalker-like & timid. She has her own fan base but has 0 confidence. I can't tell you how many times I was cringing at her behavior towards the ML.

3rd - The ML's reason for leaving his old team... I was waiting for this big reason why he left his old team. The captain must have done something pretty terrible for the ML to cry & whine so much about his old captain choosing to leave the team right? Wrong! Turns out the ML is crying & whining over the captain leaving FOR HIS CHILD!! The captain chose to take care of his child over the team. In what world does a grown man guilt someone else over taking care of their child??

4th - If you love dramas with gaming this is not the drama for you. The "gaming" is poorly portrayed. "Here's a black screen with boxes and code, & OH we won!" It's just poorly poorly done.

5th - The Chinese nationalism. Nationalism is fine but this was way overboard.

Honestly, I had such a hard time getting through it. The only saving grace is how absolutely handsome the ML & his cousin are. It does get better after episode 30 or so but I do not understand the hype of this drama. At times its absolutely painful to get through.

Would not recommend.
Would never re-watch.

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A Vivid Portrayal of Queer Struggles against Heteronormative Society

“With or without it, you’re still you.”

I should warn you now: this review may not make much sense. I’ve just finished Love in the Big City, and my thoughts and feelings are a bit scattered. But isn’t that what Love in the Big City is all about? It’s about thoughts, regrets, and emotions that seem all over the place, yet somehow come together in a relatable and bittersweet culmination of life’s chaotic realizations.

Adapted from Park Sang Young’s novel, Love in the Big City is less a love story and more a journey of finding peace and acceptance with yourself and your circumstances. It follows Ko Yeong (Nam Yoon Su), a gay man navigating multiple relationships, from his best friend Choi Mi Ae (Lee Soo Kyung) to his mother Eun Suk (Oh Hyun Kyung) to his lovers—Kim Nam Gyu (Kwon Hyuk), No Young-Soo (Na Hyun-Woo), and Gyu Ho (Jin Ho Eun)—all while coming to terms with his HIV diagnosis, which he refers to as “Kylie.”

It’s a story about failure, success, and facing the parts of yourself that’s been through both.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/10/23/love-in-the-big-city-series-review-ep-1-to-8/

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A waste of time

Nevertheless is a K-Drama adopted from a webtoon with the same name. Before watching the kdrama, I have already read and finished the webtoon.

*SPOILERS FROM THE WEBTOON*

In the webtoon, the story was straightforward because we know that PJE is just playing with Nabi. Nabi knew this NEVERTHELESS she still wants him. However, PJE continued being a player and Nabi ended up with Dohyuk, who had more depth in the webtoon.

Now that we have gotten the overall storyline from the webtoon, lets talk about the drama. I came into this knowing that the writers would definitely change up some parts because we know that kdramas doesn't like to be faithful to its webtoon counterpart (True Beauty). My expectations were not met at all. This drama is just 10 episodes of repetitiveness and back and forth from the main leads whereas the background stories were definitely more compelling. I will be analyzing the main leads only for this review since some of the characters weren't in the webtoon.

1. Park Jae Eon: In the webtoon, he is your charming playboy who can't commit to a single girl. He tried to but his efforts were diminished by Nabi when she told his gf a very off-putting comment which ruined his relationship with Nabi and his gf. This scene happened in the drama. HOWEVER, somehow, for some unknown reason, he forgives Nabi and is suddenly infatuated with her for no reason. What makes her different? Well we don't know. The writers completely took a different approach and painted Park Jae Eon as a victim with a sad background story and can't convey his emotions blah blah blah. The story was supposed to be realistic but it turned out cringey and predictable. A typical "bad-boy-turned-soft-when-he-falls-in-love". People who like PJE only sees him through Song Kang's face. Prove me wrong

2. Nabi: In the webtoon, Nabi was more outspoken. In the drama, she's more passive. There is nothing compelling about her. Nothing interesting. She is a very bland character who needs to find herself first before committing and jumping into relationships. One minute shes angry at PJE and the other shes not. Like, what make up your mind?!?!

3. Dohyuk: In the webtoon, he is cute but as we got to know him we found out that he did it with a girl who had a boyfriend. Hence thats why we see him saying that he always falls for girls who have boyfriends. In the webtoon, he ends up with Nabi. In the drama, Dohyuk is just too smitten with Nabi that he sees everything in rose-colored glasses. Basically he'd do anything for Nabi. This kind of character could definitely bore some viewers so that's why I think the writers should've added more dimension to his character. Well, they should've added dimension to all of the main characters.

All in all, I wouldn't rewatch because the episodes are too long and the leads gets on my nerves. The OST is really good tho. The acting... well.... it could've been better. I think this drama would've been better if it was just a short webdrama instead of a long 10 episodes with 1 hour each drama.

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One of those series whose true beauty unfolds only gradually

Happily, another jewel in the KDrama sky of 2025. Our Unwritten Seoul is one of those series whose true beauty unfolds only gradually—like the secret bloom of an evening primrose, opening quietly under the cover of dusk, revealing its radiance only to those who wait with patience.

Many voices have called the series emotionally profound, poetic, introspective, healing… It spent weeks in the global Netflix charts and entered the Top 10 in more than 28 countries. At its heart, it is a drama about identity, self‑perception, and familial wounds. And within it, Park Bo‑young surpasses herself in a dual role as Mi‑ji and Mi‑rae.

What first appears to be a quiet drama reveals itself as a finely woven net of fate, self‑deception, transformation, and quiet hope. It does not show a world that is better, but one that is honest. A world where dreams fail, families grow weary, people live side by side without listening to each other. And yet: there are strawberries. There are warm embraces. There is the possibility of beginning again.

The story of twin sisters who exchange roles may sound familiar, but here it becomes a meditation on identity, self‑worth, and the longing to be someone else.

Park Bo‑young does not merely carry the series—she shapes it. As Mi‑ji and Mi‑rae—and, in truth, as four substantial versions of them: each as herself, and each as the other in disguise. She grows through the subtle distinctions of expression, the quiet shifts in tone and posture, the evolving body language. Rarely has a double role been so convincingly embodied.

Lee Ho‑su (Park Jin‑young) is not the typical love interest. He is a man marked by scars, visible and invisible. Half deaf, half estranged from his own body, he becomes a mirror of imperfection—the very quality that makes the series so valuable. His relationships with mentor, mother, past, and with Mi‑rae and Mi‑ji are told without pathos.

The cafeteria jobs, the small‑town life, the broken dreams—these make Our Unwritten Seoul a counterpoint to dramas suffocated by glamour. Even though its stars come from the KPop orbit, their performances reach a new level: restrained, reflective, human. Even the supporting characters carry their own stories, which gradually draw us in. This makes the world believable and layered. The supporting actresses Cha Mi‑kyung, Kim Sun‑young, and Jang Young‑nam add depth without overshadowing.

And then the deliberate contrasts: city and countryside, high‑rise and strawberry farm. The farm scenes are almost meditative—a place of healing. Han Se‑jin’s departure from the hedge‑fund world is more than symbolic: it is about rediscovering a way of life that does not need to be efficient.

The theme of self‑compassion also finds its place here: the series asks not only how we see others, but how we treat ourselves when no one is watching.

The OST serves as an emotional companion. The visual design is carefully attuned to the story. The series employs a chiastic structure, working with opposites and reflections so that the characters’ development and healing become visible. Even the colors shift gradually, reflecting the inner states of the protagonists.

In the end, the story closes a circle. The characters return to places where they began—changed, grown, carrying their old wounds, which now can begin to heal. Subtle, beautiful. And, indeed: valuable.

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A realistic and modern approach to love and healing.

This drama ain't your fluffy romantic love story full of cliche tropes but a modern and realistic one where both the leads have their own career, goals and views towards life. One is a town's boy who wants to live a slow and peaceful life while the other is a city girl with high ambitions and dreams.

Both are different from each other and have their own baggage they carry within them while one is physically affected, the other is mentally. The leads have good chemistry and is shown through their teasing and lowkey flirting with each other. Things are kept at a good pace and aren't draggy.

One thing about this drama is that not everyone will like FL's character as some will find her selfish and annoying which she is too some extent and that she keeps on hurting ML's feelings which she does but then again this was never a drama with two perfect people. It has been more about two people, each having their own baggage and different way of living end up liking each other and seeing whether things work out or not. It is quite realistic and modern approach to love.

It is a good watch if you are looking something different and relatable type of a drama.

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Top-notch production that leaves you craving for more!

The scenery in this drama is simply breathtaking, especially the Jifeng Pavillion with its elegant woodwork and raining white petals that look almost like snow. The costumes, action scenes and CGI are also on point. I'm genuinely impressed with the high-quality production.

It has a very similar feel to Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms and The Journey of Flower, which were also directed by Lin Yu Fen, perhaps a little darker and less fantasy-like. And just in case you're wondering, Pearl Eclipse is pretty much stand-alone so no need to watch the others in the Novoland series beforehand.

The drama starts off with a master-disciple relationship between Fang Jianming and Fang Haishi that would soon blossom into a bittersweet and forbidden romance, where they're destined to meet but still restrained in many ways. It's not supposed to be a straightforward love, but rather the slow-burn and somewhat tormenting type. Yet, this is what makes those rare moments of sweetness even more precious. Personally, I find that the real charm of this show lies in its maturity and character development. But do get prepared, because you'll be taken on one crazy rollercoaster ride!

Yang Mi is literally in her element here playing a strong, cross-dressing FL. Despite the age difference, she still pulls off the role of the playful yet smart and daring young master Haishi very naturally. I think having Yang Mi doing her own dubbing really helps as well, so all credits to her. And those intense fighting scenes radiate some serious badass FL energy. I nearly forgot to breathe watching her shoot archery while spinning 360 on horseback! As she becomes Madam Pearl, we get to see Haishi swapping her boyish charms for a more mature and elegant persona, highlighting the different phases of her life. I particularly love her sibling bickering with Zhouying, they're such a hilarious comedy duo. But as much as they would tease each other, you can also feel their deep sibling bond and how they always have each other's back, especially Zhouying being the caring big brother that he is.

I'm going to be honest here, it took me a couple of eps to warm up to William Chan as Fang Jianming. I found his hairstyle a bit flat and awkward at first but I've grown fond of it gradually. He's graceful and calm normally but also fierce and intimidating when the occasion calls for it. I love how he's so protective of his disciples despite the cold front and prefers to selflessly suffer in silence, like all our favourite C-drama kuuderes (ahem... Ye Hua, Bai Zi Hua, Zhou Sheng Chen just to name a few). However, he's way too loyal and devoted to the Emperor that it's almost to a fault. It makes me often wonder whether they should just marry each other... Oh wait, they kind of did with the Baixi oath, where Fang Jianmiang has to act as a body double and shoulder all the injuries that befall Emperor Xu. This is surely not the 'love triangle' I had quite expected. Poor Haishi, it looks like she'll have a very fierce rival to beat, the bromance.

We're also greeted with another 2 couples along the way: Emperor Xu and Tilan, Zhuoying and Zheliu. While the fates of all 6 characters are very much intertwined, each couple still has its own pace and storyline.

The Emperor... sometimes I just want to reach across the screen and slap him hard. The guy can be so exasperating at times. His attitude towards Tilan at the beginning is uncalled for, regardless of his past suffering. As a ruler, Emperor Xu is not greedy or evil but he's not exactly empathetic or prudent either. Fortunately, his temperament does get much better and I quite like his 'passionate' bromance with Fang Jianming, as complicated as it may be. On the other hand, Tilan is portrayed as kind and supportive but I do find her character a bit weak sometimes. I guess her being a "caged bird", restricted by her royal upbringing and female status, serves as a contrast to Haishi who's "free" like a falcon having been raised as a boy in the imperial secret force.

Zhuoying and Zheliu is that one couple that you can never get enough of. I love how sweet and innocent their love is. It's adorkable seeing Zhouying gets all shy and love-struck in front of Zheliu, and then getting teased by Haishi for it. I kind of wish this couple has more screen time because the other 2 couples can get a bit too heavy at times.

I don't think there's much to say for the OSTs. I mean you open with Zhang Bichen and end with Zhou Shen, 2 of the best historical OST singers out there, so nothing can't go wrong. And the lyrics are so poetic and fit the story really well. Overall, it's a solid show with great cinematography and many unpredictable twists and turns. If you enjoy a good historical drama and not afraid to put your heart on the line, then this gem is for you.

FAVOURITE QUOTES:

"In our line of duty, people could die any minute. Every time we parted, it could be forever. So, I’m not afraid of death. I’m afraid that [Master] push me away or let me go.” Fang Haishi

"I don’t want [Haishi] to follow in my footsteps or take my path. She can’t be another Fang Jianming because I know better than anyone how painful that is. I don’t regret living like this but I hope the one I love can lead a normal and happy life.” Fang Jiangming

"[Emperor Xu] is my best friend. He is more important than my life. I took an oath to be faithful to him." Fang Jiangming

“All these years, others all think I’ve been tolerating Xu or even indulging him, but the truth is, I just want to protect him. The tougher he looks on the outside, the softer he is on the inside… as an emperor, he couldn’t share his pain with anyone.” Fang Jiangming

“Jianming, I’ve never expected you to be a loyal official. All I want is for you to live a carefree and happy life.” Emperor Xu

"Jianming, don’t underestimate Fang Haishi's feelings for you. Even if I don’t tell her, she knows you’re in a tough spot and she will do everything to protect you.” Emperor Xu

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I had no idea what to expect going into it. And the little things I did expect were completely shut down. I don’t know if I’m just not yet used to the format/style of Taiwanese dramas, but it felt weird to me.

But I liked it. I'm so torn about what to rate it, I keep going back and forth between 7.5 and 8. It's like a 7.8

There’s just something about it that kept me watching.

I started watching when there were already eleven episodes out. I kept telling myself, “This is a good place to stop. I’ll do something else, I’ll go to sleep, and I’ll finish tomorrow” and then I’d finish the episode and hit the next button and the process would continue until I was caught up with the lives.

Here’s the thing: you have to watch this drama with an open mind. I’m sorry, but I could not take the plot seriously. It was pretty predictable, and, I know this is a korean term, but it was a makjang drama. I don’t know how else to describe it. It was so weird and cheesy and over-dramatic, but I found it funny and enjoyable. If you go into the drama expecting some serious movie-like mob drama, you will be disappointed.

It was so freaking cheesy. Like every possible cliche happened within the first episode. The entire drama was like this, but it didn’t bother me because I thought it was hilarious. I know some people get annoyed with cliches though, so I’m letting everyone know now.

Also, part of the reason I couldn’t take it seriously from the beginning was because everything happened so fast. Like a whole episode’s worth (or two) of plot set-up happened within the first like ten minutes? It moved really fast and it was really extreme. But don’t stop watching because of this.

Also there were some little details with the plot that bugged me. For example: not putting someone into dry clothes when they have hypothermia, a person who just had surgery walking around without crutches. The birth. But whatever, I’m a nit-picky person.

One thing that made me really happy was that Megan actually looked like a guy. The stylists did a really good job. It was the first time I’ve seen a gender-bender drama where the girl convincingly looked like a guy. Also, she blew me away with her acting. She did a really good job at acting like she grew up living like a boy. Her posture and the way she walked were so convincing.

The romance was so enjoyable, they had fantastic chemistry together. And they had so many amazing kisses! Like a ton of them! Passionate ones! The main lead was nice from the start, and was a genuinely good and caring guy. I am now a fan of Baron Chen.

There are some issues I had with the drama, I won't go too deep into them because most of them contain spoilers. Basically I docked points from the rating because of some issues I had with the plot and some of the acting. I thought the cast had great chemistry together, but the things that should have been taken seriously, I couldn't take seriously. However, overall I enjoyed it, which is saying something coming from a person who doesn’t really like gender-benders.

What really made me happy about this drama was that there was never any homophobia. “As long as two people genuinely love each other, does it matter who the partner is?” Like damn, the messages in this drama were so good, I’m kind of wishing they were actually gay to make a stronger point. The message still came across strong, and not just through our leads, but through the other couples too.

This was a fun drama, and despite the issues I had, I’m glad I watched it.

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Over the top, exaggerated

Not sure if this story even touches the reality of the fashion world, but the whole thing was so clichéd and looked like parts were borrowed from many other fashion movies.
Not sure if it was meant to be a romcom or a slice of life - it didn't fit either genre.

It could have been classified as a light hearted sweet drama - but no!
I'm sorry it is not sweet. The over acting of all the characters makes you grit your teeth and bang your head for watching it.

Except for three , EVERY other character acts atrociously over the top. It could very well be the director or writer's imagination of the behavior of people who work in the fashion industry, but those poor fashion folks should validate this overbearing nonsense.

The only one who did a great job is the supermodel. Not only was she stunning, but she flowed through her role as a supermodel and kept her emotions beautifully underplayed. She was really a superb actor.
The other two actors who stood out were the ex- boyfriend and the editor of the magazine - who had really small roles.

The ML was so lost, the FL was all over the place trying to be the eternal goddess of goodness.
And everyone else - seriously- behaved like they were in some exaggerated street mime show.

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