Reviews

Cuteness overload :-)

This short series will circulate about the merman prince Gu Ze Yi in which as a prince he has a duty to marry a women from the land and to give birth to his future children.. but because his afraid of turning into bubble (showed in episode 1) he is running away from his uncle that is forcing him... during that time an unexpected event happened and she met a lady Lu Miao Miao.. in which accidentally the pearl of Gu Ze Yi is transferred to Lu Miao Miao in which after that he went to find Lu Miao Miao to retrieve his pear together with his brothers and the story begins..
.._then another mysterious lady Bai Qing is up to something and will join the story...

This is such a very simple and cute love story.. its very easy to watch, not a lengthy one or complicated while I'm watching I did not skipped anything cause of course its just short hahaha... l really love this short series you may give it a try cause I think that its worth watching and a very cute adorable drama to kill your time and entertain you at the same time...

though this series has a very low ratings.. I think its not that bad, but for me its just a good series.. thought just like any other dramas even if its long or short have a high rating or low it has still some flaws and netizens/viewers will say something about it so l there for conclude you go and see it for yourself 🙃😉

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This show is the perfect example of not sh*tting where you eat ie. to not date people aka the roommates you live with. Anyway, just got done watching the entire 10 episodes and here's are my thoughts. First of all, the opening song is great and Morikawa Aoi looks kawaii af in this. Now with that out of the way, I can ramble on about the show. What started out to be an interesting premise only turned out to be shallow love triangle. I mean, Moriakawa's character Terada is the epitome of your typical reserved and shy Japanese girl who's a pushover. Then you have Nakao Masaki's character Hongyo who's her childhood friend and is dense af to the point that he has literally no character development throughtout the course of these 10 episodes. All we know about Hongyo is that he's dense and emotionless for some reason and had sex with Terada in high school. Then we have the second male lead in Yuki Kousei's character Hase who wants to make Terada his wife because he sees something different in Terada from the girls he dated. The reason for why he wanted to be with Terada was left unexplored. Not to mention his mommy issues. Then we have Nakamura Risa's somewhat retarded-like character Akari who's weird to say the least. First she acts as if she liked Hongyo, then when Terada asked her whether she liked Hongyo, she acts as if she just discovered the very act of hugging or kissing someone out of affection. Someone get this chick to a sex ed class!

Anyway, Hongyo and Terada run into each other after she ends up living in a sharehouse thanks to her friend and due to some reason, Hongyo can only get hard when he's rubbing against Terada. The plot seemed intriguing at first but then they added Hase as a second love interest for Terada even though you as a viewer know that Terada is gonna somehow predictably end up with Hongyo in the end. (They're both even on the cover of the drama for God's sake lol) Throughout the entirity of the show, we had minimal character developments for both Terada and Hase as they narrate about their childhood and tell a bit about themselves. Hongyo being the first male lead has literally no character development since we know nothing about him other than being a dense and emotionless writer who can't get hard and who had sex with Terada in high school.

Throught the show, Hase persues Terada to marry him despite being okay with Terada and Hongyo sleeping together and even having sex. Hell, he was okay with her having Hongyo's baby when Terada thought she was pregnant. That dude has some weird psychology and the reason for him liking Terada is unclear and unexplored. The best reason he gave on the show when asked why he liked her was because her hand felt warm as she was taking care of him while he was puking. Like I said, that dude has a messed up psychology.

Then there's the second female lead Akari who has the least amount of character development since unlike Hongyo, who slept with Terada in high school, we don't really get to know much about her other than the fact that she's crazy for Hongyo and thats it! She thinks she likes Hongyo (people on the show like each other for the most bizarre reasons on this show btw) and was just okay when Terada reveals that she liked her and that her and Hongyo have been sleeping together all this time. I honestly don't know what her whole admiration with Hongyo was all about since that was left unexplored as well. Her character was just there for the sake of it contributing nothing much to the plot.

Then last but not least, we have Terada who starts liking Hongyo after having a sleeping arrangement with him and eventually having sex with him. The one thing I just didn't understand was why she liked him in the first place and what about him does she even like? Even on the show, when Hongyo asks her what she likes about him, we never got an answer to that boggling question coz here's a dense dude (Hongyo) who's emotionless to the core having a sleeping arrangement with you and thats it. They don't have the sort of chemistry you'd expect in a romcom. Neither do they have anything in common. Its like Teraada's character was written to like Hongyo just for the sake of it. On top of being a shy and fragile pushover, she deceives Akari by not telling about her about sleeping with Hongyo when she knew that Akari liked Hongyo. And then, she sleeps and has sex with Hongyo anyway despite being proposed to by Hase. And she lies to Hase in the 9th episode about her not kissing Hongyo during their sleepover time when infact she did. In that way, I found Terada's charaacter to be all sorts of messed up and I doubt a metamorphical expensive price tag is gonna solve her problems.

I kinda felt sorry for Hase when we learnt that this was gonna be a love triangle since I already knew that the second male lead was gonna get rejected . But I knew he manipulated Hongyo when they don't show what him and Hase talked about in the 9th episode due to which Hongyo was cold to Terada which caused them to break up. And on top of that, the characters lack development and progression. Not to mention how they never talk it out with each other about what they have in mind. I guess that this is a good example of how reserved the Japanese can be in general. Either way, Terada sure does get around, having dated both male roommates of hers. I can honestly say that this show despite its shallow predictablitity and lack of character development teaches us to never sh*t where you eat ie. never date the people aka the roommates you live with coz things can become awkward as hell if things don't work out. Also, Terada is the kind of girl that would stay in a shitty relationship just because of a nostalgic high school connection. If I were the writer of this show, I'd make Terada leave the house and find a better relationship than an dense dude or a manipulative dude with mommy issues. That would be a better ending than the predictable ending we got in the end.

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I think the most important thing I could say in this review is that you just have to stick with it! I was wholly unimpressed for the first 5-6 episodes. It was nothing new, and I absolutely could not get used to the lead actress's accent. And for the most part, the comedy just wasn't funny for me. But something changed around episode 7, and I was just hooked!

Of course, that still doesn't mean there is anything exceptional about this drama. The storyline is unbelievable and the characters over the top. The twist are more like straight lines and the "villains" aren't really deserving of the title. A good punch in the face, maybe, but not really evil necessarily.

What makes this drama worth the 16+ hours is post-accident Nam Hae. His character is so...adorable? It's hard to find the right adjective! His feelings for So Ra were cute and it was fun to watch them try and sort stuff out. And her and her hands, always sticking them out to help a scared, lost man who has nothing was really touching. Their romance is worth the watch!

The uncles at times were both hilarious and aggravating. I loved how much they loved So Ra and her father, and I really loved So Ra's dad. His character probably had me bustin' out laughing the most.

I really liked most of the music, though the beach/ukulele/Hawaiian-esque instrumental that they played at the end of most episodes and during the "sexy" parts was a mood killer! Nothing worse than fangirling over a kiss to have that music bash you over the head.

If you want something fun, easy and non-life altering, give this a shot! Though, I wouldn't blame you if you fast forwarded through a lot of the first 5-6 episodes!

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CLASSIC. I LOVE IT.

It's classic and I love it. Jin Yong is my favorite author, read his novels many times and never get tired. Reminded me watching 80th movies where realism is the standard of good cinematography. There isn't neat, beauty, jewelries dangling from women's hair or iron-press robes. What it is mud, messy hair, wrinkle clothing, and growling of painful thrown. This 8 episodes is only 1 part of 4 sets. There're 5 great masters; They are: Ouyang Feng (Western Venom), Hong Qigong (Northern Beggar), Huang Yaoshi (Eastern Heretic), Yideng (Southern Emperor), and Wang Chongyang (Central Divine). The tittle of this drama is 'Duel in Mount Hua' so they all should have met and fight to determine who's the most powerful and greatest martial master will own the Nine Yin Manual which everybody come fight to have it.

This time is the beginning young life of Huang Yao Shi and Ouyang Feng as they first knowing each other. They both are talented in martial arts. His friendship with Huang Yao Shi is surprising, I mean I used to know they both aren't friendly to each other, a rival. In this drama apparently they sworn in brother rather kill each other.

Ep 6 is the best scene when Ouyang Feng (Guo Wei Guang) fight in mud. When he's in the mud, he slides and thrown into, mud caked into his face and hair - hard to win the fight for sure. I love Mr. Chai, he's cute and funny, I think Mr. Chai gives boost to the story, whoever the actor is giving fun entertainment. Guo Wei Guan is great as Ouyang Feng, as he's supposedly a Westerner his face is undeniably Caucasian. This Ouyang Feng first discover world, although very talented and powerful he isn't that masterful as older-him. He still get kicks and poison, lost his attendants and money too, still naive and straight forward. Kindness is still in his DNA (not when he's older though) and wants to learn the craft. His older-self though he'll become a crazy and venomous character, his nephew is actually his illegitimate son (he fathered a son from his affair with sister-in- law) whose name Ouyang Ke. Uncle & nephew (or father & son) has the same malicious character as going after Huang YaoShi's the Nine Yin Manual and Huang Rong for marriage (in Legend of Heroes: Hot Blooded), his famous stance is Toad (frog) Skill which will rip bloody heart out or aiming to the victim's head.

Huang Yao Shi most significant is inner strength and also gifted intellectually as well as arts & medicine, he's a melancholy whom lucky to find love in Feng Heng (Chen Du Ling) which she's also super intelligent and has photographic memory. Just too bad Feng Heng is bodily weak, she loves her husband and understand him too much. Judging by the book, she doesn't live very long, she'll die in early childbirth to Huang Rong. Sad knowing that because she's a lovely lady & well read. His meeting with Feng Heng is accidental, with his life circumstances I understand why he hesitant to take her in and also he doesn't understand feeling. Because of his slow acceptance of Feng Heng into his life, he put Feng Heng in danger forever sickness from poison. He'll live in regret for the rest of his life after her death, go down into depression and anger. He injured all of his students and banished, he live in seclusion with only his new born daughter, after many years he's out about the world again looking for his missing daughter . He'll be infamously known as heretic or eccentric - don't give 'f..k' about anything or anybody. No moral compass will bound him. Zhao Yi Wei seems to know Huang Yao Shi character, he spokes softly and mannerly, concern eyes for his sadness to Feng Heng, in the novel he's slander and mind his own business type of man.

I say the director and cameramen doing awesome job, very nice deliberation. Chen Du Ling as a young (& pretty new) hold up her acting in surrounded more senior actors, her presence soften the male dominant scenes. So good job to all who involve with this drama. I would say guys watch this drama first and continue to watch Nine Yin True Sutra which about Huang Yao Shi's students. The Northern Beggar & Southern Emperor, The Five Then end it with Legend of Heroes: Hot Blooded (2024) 4 of them combine appearance for their young generation and new heroes. All related but ofcourse there's next novel to continue on.

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Felt like watching a Cnovel: nonstop action, impeccable romance, extensive plot

If you like Cnovels and their immense plotlines, intricate world-building, and lovable side characters, SI JIN delivers on all fronts. I haven't read the novel it was based on (yet), but I've read many a Cnovel (a LOT that don't have drama adaptations) and this drama felt like a realistic interpretation from this type of regressor-revenge novel. Ofc, take my word with a grain of salt since I haven't read the source material. But I could definitely tell from the tropes, pacing, and plot arcs that the drama writers decided to highlight the best parts of the novel both from a storyline perspective and the audiences' perspectives.

Also, I LOVED THE FAST PACE.

Overall, loved it loads and it was a pleasure to see my fave actors working together. The light-hearted dialogue and character antics keep this an enjoyable and entertaining watch.

PROS:
❀ Women drive the plot | "But aren't you sick of these women empowerment stories???" NEVERR!! Listen, I grew up watching Cdramas where the FL always gets saved by the ML and they fall in love bc she's cutesy and annoying (and probably lied about her identity). I'm living for these Cnovel -> Cdrama adaptations with powerful FLs (whether it's through scheming or physical prowess), especially as they've existed in novelland for quite some time.
The first half of SI JIN explores our FL Jiang Si's family backyard with your classic evil aunt, concubine/legal daughter feuds, and matriarch favoritism. Unlike some other revenge stories, SI JIN keeps the goodness of the main leads - that is, even though revenge is happening, their overall values of seeing the good in people is maintained. Our FL strives, in this lifetime, to save her older brother, father, and older sister from their demises in the first lifetime.
The second half of the show brings our leads from the courtyard to the palace where we find that everything was interconnected in some way. I thought this half was VERY exciting and ended up binging it in a day lol.
Other relevant women: the main villain was def evil and selfish, but damn was she kinda cunty at times too. I enjoyed seeing women from all different walks of life supporting and uplifting each other (no matter how small their roles were): from troupe dancer to blind princess, everyone had unique characterizations and passions.

❀ LOVED THE FAM!! | Mostly the growth of the dad and older brother omg :,) They were so silly, supportive, and cute. And right when I thought the older bro was getting annoying, the storyline kicks his character into shape. You'll have to watch to see what happens!!

❀ A couple who supports each other through thick + thin and BONUS: I enjoyed alll the side couples too | I usually see the FL's actress in tough-girl roles, but it was a pleasure to see her as a noble woman. Another reviewer mentioned how it was unrealistic that her personality was so meek in her first lifetime but she's so pro-active in her second, but I feel like they missed the point... the show WANTED to emphasize that. It's called character development :') and most regressor stories are so enjoyable because we see the mc's utilize the knowledge from their previous lives to stand up for themselves + their loved ones to make a change in the new life. Anyway,,, Jiang Si's goal of justice coincides with the ML Yu Qi's goals as well, and they end up working in tacit understanding for most of the show. It was also quite sweet to see how they fell in love in both timelines. The FL is on the more serious side while our ML is a bit sillier (especially when he gets jealous hehe), but their devotion to each other manifests in many ways throughout the show which made their romance SOOO satisfying. Also, kiss scenes early on are always a plus for me!! No edging watchers here (thank god).
Side couples: all super cutesy and lovely; all with thoughtful development. For a show that bounces to various arcs quickly, I noticed they slowed down to develop the side characters' relationships quite well, whether it's romantic or familial.

❀ Lots of arcs, lots of characters | I was pleasantly surprised to see how quick this show addresses arcs and conflicts. The subplots were back-to-back, honestly at one point I was like "this FL can't catch a break" LOL. But nah I loved it. I think the writers did a great job in balancing the execution without making it feel THAT underdeveloped/rushed. And this quick pace is why I liken it to a Cnovel because unless it's a slice of life, they are also nonstop.

❀ Misunderstanding level: 2/10 | Ummm surprisingly low for the way the plot is set up? Especially given how the FL was seemingly killed by the ML in their first life, you would expect more indignation and suspicion on her part. Honestly I'm not complaining. I love how both the FL and ML gave each other chances to explain themselves, actually LISTEN, and overall support each others' decisions. I thought the ML treated the FL SO well, and his character/behaviors definitely made up for his fumble in the past life (1000%). Ofc this treatment was reciprocated by the FL, which is why I really enjoyed this couples' romance. Ugh, nothing like mutual pining/suffering for one another (not in a toxic way dw) to get a watcher giggling and feet kicking in the air!!

CONS:
✕ Sooo much more potential with world-building | This is a minor complaint but the drama introduces really cool characters and subplots that remain unexplored which I GET - we got more important things to address - but it would have been a cool addition. Especially the history and characterizations of the Nanwu people - there was definitelyyy some tension with one of the characters and whatnot. Again, I appreciate the show focusing on the main elements of the plot. But this would have been an added plus!

✕ Wouldn't have minded more exploration with the main antagonist's motives | This again was not necessary as the storyline did develop the Princess Royal and her past/relationships quite extensively, but it would have been an added plus. OH and also some more background on the FL's mother's story as well - I bet the novel had some additional details for that subplot.

✕ Got kinda bored with some of the fam subplots | Do I think it's important to highlight these familial relationships, especially the mother-daughter bonds? Yus for sure. Were they kinda boring? Honestly yes compared to the high-stakes plotting of our main leads. But honestly didn't hate it, I just thought they were the more drag-y parts of the show.

✕ Editing kinda takes time to get used to | Another small complaint, but I thought the scenes were abrupt in the beginning (especially the past life introduction) and some scenes weren't shown which makes the watcher make conjectures to fill in those gaps at times. It isn't the worst I've seen in Cdrama-land but I do think it could make the plot confusing for a casual watcher. (I personally thought the fill-in-the-blank scenes were fine and explained in other context clues.)

OVERALL
While this is a revenge story, the tone remains carefree and light with our quirky cast of characters, hilarious dialogue, and the main leads' just and upright values/morals. As a historical romance fan, this hits just the spot as our main leads are together for most of the drama and have unwavering trust and devotion. The backyard and palace schemes are just what you expect from a Cdrama and yes, predictable, but nonetheless enjoyable as the show takes careful consideration of the female characters' personalities and development. And I'm super happy with the ending too, so this was a hit from start to finish!

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This is a binge-worthy drama and reveals a little known cultural aspect of current China. The intensity of which they pursue economic crimes against the nation and people within China. This drama was truly educational and enlightening. This special unit that will go to any country and find you and bring you back for prosecution - hard jail time, loss of rights as a citizen, and fines and restitution was amazing. However, as an American, it was culturally offensive when depicting the USA political, legal, and school system ( all white males) and racially offensive (one scene in North Carolina). The Chinese writers truly have a screwed up view of how the American people live, our justice system and our humanity and kindness to others. However, the drama did a better job in Prague (gang activity) and Nairobi, Kenya (hired mercenaries) leaving the viewer with a more positive viewpoint of other international countries.

The Story: you will learn -- family and relationships are no insulation when it comes to conviction and prosecution. The story has almost zero romance even though they have the cutest Wang Kai playing a lead role. Unless you are interested in the legal system of another country you may not want to watch all 44 episodes (it was intriguing to me since this was my previous profession). The story flows flawlessly and editing is excellent. Characters were easy to identify and follow in all of their roles (which is important for storytelling).

The Actors: All were excellent and did a perfect job in their roles -- You love them, or hate them, or feel sympathetic to them and that is what drama is suppose to do in my opinion.

The bonus: the drama is centered in Beijiang but ventures out to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Prague and Nairobi to add the intensity and dedication the officers were willing to go to solve crimes --- and I mean the cases could be as long as 10 years but they were not going to give up.

Watch or Not Watch? Not a drama for laughs, smiles, romance or thrills. No shootouts, martial arts or knockdown fights --- It is purely a crime drama sharing with the public the dedication of one of its units - the Economic unit.. You have to decide what type of drama you enjoy.

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Moving mountains, one muddy step at a time

‒Overview‒

If you are wondering whether to watch 'She and Her Girls', hesitate no longer, queue up the first episode, and prepare to lose yourself in this captivating story. Even if this isn't your typical genre and the synopsis lack the usual fantasy or glamor, you will find a hidden gem whose unvarnished substance outshines any gilded tale. In this drama you will find a timeless, universal story about the dogged spirit of a headmaster and her equally tenacious girls, who are changing the lives of others and their own in the most impoverished and anguished of circumstances. Along the way, you will fall in love with the stellar acting, production, organic comedy, emotional moments, and most of all, the touching group of individuals who made the impossible, possible. For many viewers, not only will this be an excellent introduction into the world of serious, 'proper' CDramas, it may even secure a spot among the top dramas of 2024, if not all time.

‒Review (modest spoilers)‒

You are 14 years old, one of the top students of your class. You are hardworking, responsible, with a whole life ahead of you. What do you do as the high school years approaches? Attend fun summer camps, hang out with friends, engage in hobbies and sports, or party and do teenager things? In Gu Yu's case, you drop out of school, work from dawn till dusk until your face and clothes is creased with mud, raise your sibling, pigs, and your pig of a drunkard dad, and prepare to sell the rest of your life for the bride-dowry of 30,000RMB because that's the brightest path in your future.

Such is the life of girls in the villages of Huaping, a remote, impoverished region in China's Southwest. Secluded from the cities by barricades of mountains and forest, most residents of Huaping have never been outside of their villages. For all they know, the only thing beyond the mountains are just more mountains. Modern facilities appear decades away, the same for modern values. Girls are often married off at age of 14, become mothers not long after, and spend their life not much different from the livestock they raise. If they are fortunate, they will have married a decent man, who will toil alongside her, and the cycle repeats. And if they are not fortunate, the husband will be abusive in all sorts of pre-modern ways, and the cycle repeats. To change the lives of these girls and villages is a herculean task of moving the mountains of ragged poverty, stultified structures, and ingrained mindset. Behind each mountain, are only more mountains.

And that's the crusade of Zhang Guimei, a no-nonsense teacher transplanted from the Northeast to Huaping. She had lived in Huaping for too long, and seen too many girls cut their education and future short. Too many parents pull their girls from school at the end of their 9 year compulsory education, and sometimes before then. If a family had some meager resources, they would use it for the education or dowry of their sons. By tradition, a girl's role was to be a wife and mother, the sooner the better, and education only got in the way. Zhang Guimei knew that the only way to give them a fighting chance was to open up a completely free high school for the girls. One that offered not only free tuition, but also meals, board, and living expenses. One that would not only have the girls graduate high school, but also prepare them to succeed in China's notoriously cutthroat Gaokao college entrance exam, so that they could finally scale the mountains and see the world beyond.

With unnerving stubbornness, she begins to move mountains. She hounds dropout students, cajoles skeptical parents, begs and coerces local officials just to get the school constructed. Then came more mountains: attracting teachers to such a grueling and hopeless job, keeping the school running as they scrummage for funds, leading the group of overworked, burned out teachers. And moving the biggest mountain of them all‒marshalling the under-schooled students through the long march to Gaokao, while they are outgunned in every dimension and frequently ambushed by family turmoil. But as she moved mountains, the minds and hearts of others begin to move as well. Soon, she would be joined by a tenacious group of teachers, officials, parents, and most importantly, the 100 precious souls in the initial class of Huaping Girls School. Each battling their own struggles, each a heroic inspiration. As they stumble through the muddy hills of Huaping, literally and figuratively, mountains are slowly moved, one after another.

She and Her Girls is a triumph of the individual spirit melded into an even stronger collective. The remarkable story on-screen is mirrored by the collective performance of a superb cast, for whom many recognitions and accolades await. This is the kind of drama where you are convinced the villagers walked onto the set and doubt how any of them could be actors. There are too many excellent performances to list, so I will only highlight a few notable ones. First and foremost, Song Jia (宋佳) as Zhang Guimei (张桂梅) seamlessly embodied the mannerism and personality of the real-life Zhang Guimei‒one who is stern, quick-tongued, stubborn, but also profoundly warm-hearted and devoted. The other best performance no doubt goes to Lan Xiya (兰熙雅) as Gu Yu (谷雨). Portraying the 15yro Gu Yu, the 25 yro Lan Xiya's performance was simply flawless. This is an extremely challenging role for any actress to play, and I'm still astounded how she pulled it off. The two government officials‒Zhou Shanqun and Ma Yongqiang‒played by Nie Yuan and Jiang Chao were predictably excellent in portraying the aura and mannerism of do-good officials who are nevertheless balancing competing demands in the system. Among the teachers, I was most impressed by Chen Sihai, the school administrator played by Zhang Tianyang, and Wei Tingyun played by Huang Miyi, who might be mistaken for a Zhou Xun doppleganger as she brings the soothing etherealness of the famed actress.

The production, writing, cinematography, editing, and music complete the all-round excellence. Each episode seamlessly balances laughter, emotions, and a gritty, realistic window into the triumphs and travails of the characters and society. There was no lull or filler to be found and I binged through 23 episodes in just a day and half (granted I watch all shows on 2X speed nowadays). As someone who would rate most 8.5+ MDL shows below 7, my overall rating is 8.6 (adjusted to 9.5 for MDL). This is most certainly a top 5 CDrama in 2024, and one of the best school, youth, rural China dramas of all time. For reference, the typically stingy Douban gave this a 9.4 on over 100k votes, likely crowning this as the 2024 rating champ. (This concludes Part 1 of my review. I hope to continue with a part 2, that goes into my very picky critique of the show and some relevant cultural observations.)

--Category Ratings--

- Overall - 8.6
- Plot / Execution - 8.5
- Theme / Concept / Impact - 9
- Acting - 9.2
- Visuals - 8.5
- Audio / Music - 8.5 (bonus for local dialect and undubbed recording)
- Rewatch - 8.5
- Accessibility - 7.5
- Subtitle quality - 8 (some platforms are better than others)

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Xing Fu, A One Woman Army

This was my first time watching an urban type of drama and I was watching it for ZLY. I wanted to see how she managed in this genre and she was very convincing. The woman is a wonderful actress and I don't think there's a genre out there she can't do. Didn't watch its parent story nor know the source material, so as usual based from a viewer's perspective only.

Pros: Every single character was played exceptionally well by their respective actors. Whether you were rooting for them or wanted them to go to prison, each character was complex in their own way. There was no perfect person, everyone had flaws even Xing Fu herself. She was by far the most favorite character. Followed closely by attorney Guan Tao who I know many felt had better chemistry with XF then her husband, the country bumpkin with no spine Qing Lai. I really hope ZLY and LJ get to do a series again together where they play husband and wife; their on screen support of one another was top notch. XF was the one woman army that got things done and she was a very memorable character for that.

I also loved Xi Yue; she had to go through so much stuff and yet progressed beyond and went towards her dreams. Other favorite characters were more on the sidelines, like the other lawyers at the firm with XF and GT, Qing Zhi and his girlfriend. Also old man Wan, though outdated to high hell, still evolved even at his age. All of the villagers that went from clueless to understanding when to fight for their principals.

Now while the Wang parents and Chuanjia, who were my least favorite not just because of the level of nepotism they were used to and how disgustingly they all acted, but I really feel that they all only had some sort of evolution in the last episode. I didn't like QL in the beginning because he was Mr. Nepotism but I do like the fact that they evolved him to be a pretty good supporter of his wife though it took something like 39 episodes to do.

Cons: Chuanjia is a very complex character not just because he's the main antagonist and really believable which I know makes you wonder why he's in the cons, but it's because of just how much he got away with before the very last episode that finally sent him off to prison. The writing I think is where things went south. With him and the other evildoers, instead of having just a few subplots to make the story move along it was like do something immoral, unethical, compensate a ton of money to make the problem go away; rinse, repeat.

The sheer amount of problems went beyond the norm; starting off with the first assault, stealing land, 2nd assault on QL, identity theft, well water pollution, etc. Breaking promises/coverups, spreading harmful rumors, bullying, it was nonstop. It could have been enough to fill many series instead of squeezing them into one and then waiting until episode 40 to rush around cleaning up 2 out of 35 messes. It's like the writer took every worst case scenario and just stuck them together in this.

The rushed ending was a copout, Chuanjia went to prison but XF was sending him books? Like what kind of punishment is that? So moral of the story is no matter how many people you harm or nearly kill (including kids) just say I'm sorry, give a million bucks, bow, and hey it's all hunky dory? Writing got very sloppy here. It shows that even in present times as episode 40 seemed to happen in 2019, justice is hard won and no one really has any actual regard for the law. That was a really big let down for me personally. I just wish they had incorporated the punishment fitting the crime more and more often.

Would I recommend it? Overall it was a decent drama and ZLY absolutely shone in it, so just for that I would. However, be prepared for justice to be served at the very end and not for everything plus very rushed and half-baked; if that doesn't bother you and you don't mind high blood pressure frequently, you'll enjoy this one lol.

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A spicy Jdrama with the classic office romance setup!

This drama was pretty classic, straightforward office romance, nothing deep or overly complicated, but that worked for me. The story is basic but it’s done well enough that I found myself enjoying it more than I expected.

What really stood out to me was the chemistry between the leads. They had such a natural, easy connection that made every scene together fun to watch. I also liked how they communicated. It felt mature most of the time, which is kind of rare in dramas like this.
And for a Jdrama, there was a lot of skinship and kissing and surprisingly, it was all really well done. Nothing felt forced or awkward, which made their romance feel more real.

That said, I wasn’t totally on board with the ML in the initial episodes. He definitely had some boundary issues and it bugged me a little that he didn’t really take “no” seriously at first. It did get better and didn't bother me that much because the FL clearly liked him back and reciprocated his feelings.

Even with a basic plot, this drama somehow manages to avoid most of the typical romcom trope pitfalls like overly jealous ex sabotaging present relationships etc, which made it a smoother watch.

Overall, this was good one time watch. It’s nothing groundbreaking, but the overall vibe made it fun and light.
Recommended if you are looking for something simple, sweet and spicy with the touch of usual Jdrama flair, this definitely can be one of your picks.

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Goofy Superwoman. I LOVE IT

This drama narrates the story of a female medical doctor who is transported back in times in the body of the ugly and despised Consort Chu. She is married to Prince Chu who hates her to the core and bullies her as much as he can. Will she survive?

Well ...When I stepped foot in this drama, the acting, pacing, setting, accessories... Everything was so over the top and it was so funny that I could not stop watching. At the time, the rating was arround 6.0 and now as I am writing this review, it reached 7.1. and it is going up.

Pros: Female Lead (Amy Sun) is such a great character. I love her in everything she does. She is a great Medical Doctor / Coroner/ Detective.... She is so gifted that she could rule the world if she had to.
On the contrary, Male Lead ( Wang Ting Wu) is oblivious to a lot of things and forced to obey a lot of rules, obstructing him in a lot of ways.
We would say opposites attract? And it is. Those two can't stop bickering, but it is so funny to watch.
The story is so wacky and entertaining that I like it more and more.
The music is good, like in a long drama.
Male Lead has a beautiful character development.
The villainess is very very entertaining.

Cons: The acting of some characters and the logic of the plot are sometimes lacking. For example : How could Female Lead operate a patient without cleaning her hand etc...
But, all this is done in such a comedic way that, it is easily acceptable because the drama is so crazy and funny.

Overall the plot is good and I am enjoying the show.
The cast members are very funny. I have alredy re-watched this show several times. And it always puts a smile on my face. I hope it does the same to you.
I liked the ending.

I recommend it if you like goofy dramas. Then this is for you.

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A drama with great potential ruined by controversy…

Story:

Snowdrop’s story revolves around Lim Sooho, a North Korean spy who was used, manipulated, and betrayed by his own country. The story follows his journey to accomplish his mission and return home that had been intercepted by fate, causing his red string to intertwine with that of ANSP’s director’s daughter Eun Youngro, a lively and compassionate college student at Hosu University. Due to a series of unfortunate coincidences that unravels into a much more twisted scheme of the South and North Korean government, Sooho and Youngro face tribulation after tribulation both together and alone. Two people who face an incredible amount of suffering that is too much for any one person to bear. Despite being marketed as a romance, Snowdrop is predominantly an action/thriller drama with splashes of satire and black comedy interwoven with a tragical romance. Opposite of the tragedy that is depicted in Shakespeare’s original screenplay, however, Snowdrop’s twist of Romeo and Juliet veers away from the tragical epic love story and shows its audience a love story that had bloomed through innocence and purity against storms of hardships and suffering.

Snowdrop is a drama that promises a multitude of themes that draw in viewers from every genre, which unfortunately falls short as the drama’s multiple plot lines and characters offsets the balance of the drama as a whole. Snowdrop had convoluted plot lines that ensure plot twists through every episode, but at the same time leads to many other underdeveloped stories. Amidst a satirical black comedy, a tragical romance seems out of place and at times appear unnecessary. Besides Sooho, every other main character within the plot although start off with promise and depth, end up in disappointment due to underdevelopment.

Acting/Cast:

Snowdrop’s cast is a stellar cast with actors and actresses who bring the characters they play to life, allowing its audience to connect with their characters on a much deeper level than what we were given.

Lim Sooho is the only character that is properly developed which allows the audience to emphasize with his actions, inner turmoils, and tragic back story. Jung Haein was the perfect fit for the role and had incredible control and nuance in his micro expressions that tugs at the viewer’s heartstrings. His unmatched presence and charisma is exuded whenever he was on screen which brought to life a dynamic and tortured male lead. My heart ached for Sooho as I watched him through Jung Haein's eyes. He had too much that he wanted to protect. He carries so much pressure and guilt to not only save his comrades, but also to protect Youngro and his beloved sister. Haein left no room for criticism as he executed his role flawlessly. I am not kidding when I say that this is his best performance to date, and I will be disappointed if he doesn't win a Baeksang for this role.

The essence of Snowdrop's title is in the character of Eun Youngro herself, a flower that bloomed through hardship. Eun Youngro starts off as a character with great potential, equipped with an interesting back story that unfortunately was left undeveloped as her character is shifted towards the background in the later episodes in order to make room for the development of Sooho’s character and his redemption arc. Contrary to many people’s thoughts on Youngro’s one dimensional character, I thought that her character did have depth and multidimensional aspects that just weren’t explored enough to fully capture the audience’s attention. However, thanks to Jisoo’s acting, I personally was able to feel connected with Youngro’s character and was able to emphasize with her actions and thoughts. For a rookie, Jisoo had indeed proven herself in this drama with what she was given and showed great promise for a more successful acting career somewhere down the line. She definitely needs improvement, but for a rookie, I think that she has definitely set the standard for rookie idols actresses/actors. As her fan, I had been completely in awe and proud of her performance as well as grateful that she had the chance to work together with such a talented team for her first drama.

Lee Kang Moo originally was a character that I had despised for his self-righteousness and arrogance. However, as the drama moved forward, I began to like him more and more as his character came to accept the corruption of the ANSP and was no longer blinded by his obsession to capture Sooho. One of the reasons that Kang Moo was able to become one of my favorite characters by the end of this drama was because of the incredible performance of Jang Seungjo. The actor had great chemistry with literally every person he interacted with. He was able to portray the frustrations and resentment the character had for his higher ups as he eventually swallowed his own pride to work with the person he had dedicated his entire career to capture in order to do what he believed was right in the end. Kang Moo and Sooho’s bromance dynamic was definitely one of my favorite things to come from this drama.

Jang Hanna initially portrayed as a reckless, hot-tempered, and confident agent was what drew me to her character from the beginning. However, after the first few episodes, I grew disappointed by her character who lost her cool and rationality whenever Kang Moo’s safety was involved. I blame this on the writing which could’ve given us more background on their love story which would help explain her strong feelings for him and help us emphasize with her. It was such relief to see the shift in her character towards the end when she finally put her sense of duty over her love for Kang Moo. Jung Eugene did the best with her role, and it was unfortunate that her character was yet another character that suffered from being underdeveloped.

Pi Seunghee, better know as Ms. Pi and Kang Chungya are my two favorite characters by the end of this drama. Ms. Pi’s character is one tortured with guilt and self-resentment due to the tragedy of her past that had turned her into the person that she was now. Despite not knowing where her loyalties lie for the first half of the drama, it was clear that she had a strong sense of protectiveness over the students in the dorm and never hesitates to protect them in her own way. Her dynamic with Boon Ok’s character was intriguing to watch unfold as you try to guess the underlying relationship they had with each other. Yoon Se Ah portrayed this character with class and elegance, but never failing to influence the audience to feel for her character. Yoo In Ah also did not disappoint in her role, portraying multiple layers of a character who was first only seen as a mistress to the main antagonist of the drama. Chungya was a character you would hate but also feel for as you see her emotional side peak through when she is in the presence of the man she loves. Her character's ending was one of the very few had left me satisfied.

Gye Boon Ok is the antiheroine of the story and starts off with great promise to be one of the best and most complex characters on the show. Unfortunately, her character’s arc later on suffers as the writer turned her character down a path that I personally thought made her iredeemable. Boon Ok was initially portrayed as a selfish opportunist who is willing to do anything to ensure her survival. I emphasized with her character knowing that she was only doing what she could in order to survive given the unfortunate cards she was dealt with in life. However, there was a point where her character took a drastic turn and lost all sense of morality and rationality which made her impossible to root for. Kim Hye Yoon’s performance of Boon Ok though, was phenomenal and proves that she is one of the best new actresses of her generation.

Soundtrack:

If there was one thing the drama did right, it would be the soundtrack and scoring. Every episode ended with a cliffhanger that was accompanied by powerful and moving OSTs that had me at the edge of my seat. There were also heartfelt OSTs that convey Sooho and Youngro’s doomed romance and that pulled at my heartstrings. Every single OST and bgm was beautifully weaved into the scenes that made the drama much more enjoyable.

Overall/Rewatch Value:

What I wish could've been explored more:
- Dorm/college life set during the 80's
- Jang Hanna's back story
- Eun Youngro's back story
- Kang Moo's backstory
- Room 207's friendship dynamics
- Sooho and Youngro's love story (I was quite satisfied with what was shown, but since they marketed it as a romance, I was hoping for a much more epic tale)
- Hanna and Kang Moo's love story
- Kang Chungya's back story

Snowdrop is far from being a masterpiece, but it is not the worst drama out there. The ending although left me emotionally scarred, also left me incredibly unsatisfied. There was no closure and many characters' endings didn't feel right. There were questions left unanswered and so much wasted potential. However, If one were to ignore the flaws and plot holes, it is an enjoyable watch with interesting characters that help push the story through. The symbolism, cinematography, and plot twists within the drama were enough to pull me in and keep me engaged with the drama. Snowdrop could’ve been great if there wasn’t such an offset of balance in the number of characters and plot lines. The writer was too ambitious and tried to fit too many themes into one drama that didn’t didn’t quite convey what kind of tone the drama had. I came into this drama expecting far too much. My expectations were too high knowing that the drama was helmed by Sky Castle's writer and director. I had ended the drama with disappointment. Had I walked into this drama with no expectations in place, I would've had a less underwhelming experience. Overall though, I had enjoyed it and would watch it again.

Revised:

After having thought about the drama for a bit longer now, as well as engaging in some thoughtful discussions with other viewers, I’ve decided to come back and sort of take back my harsh criticisms for the drama and writer. Although my criticisms still hold true, I also understand that this was the best that the team could do amidst the controversy. Although the plot and characters were underdeveloped, one cannot deny that there was some clever dialogue and symbolism throughout the drama that I now feel like could’ve been very prominent had it not been for the controversy. The writer and director probably had to revise the script several times in order to be able to put the drama in air. They made sacrifices in order to make sure that everyone’s hard work did not go to waste.

It just didn’t make sense how the characters all started off with such great promise but ended up being underdeveloped despite the depth that each character had. One of my complaints for the drama was Youngro’s relationship with her grandma not being explored. But someone had pointed out that the sponsors of the rice cakes seen from Youngro’s grandma in episode 2 had pulled out of the drama which is probably why we got no substance from Youngro’s grandma and she hence why she was never shown throughout the drama.

With these thoughts in mind, all that I feel for the Snowdrop and its team now is gratitude. Despite the hardships and unfair criticism they received, they were able to stay strong until the end and blessed us with such a great drama considering the multiple rewrites. Like I had stated previously, this is not a masterpiece but it is not a bad drama. The fact that Snowdrop is still a much better drama than so many others out there despite the multiple revisions of the script really says how truly amazing and dedicated the Snowdrop team is. Like the flower and Youngro’s character, Snowdrop and its team was able to bloom through the hardships and tribulations. Here’s to the hope that they will one day get the recognition and good karma they deserve. Thank you to the Snowdrop team for not giving up on this beautiful story.

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Predictable But Entertaining for 4 Hours and 20 Minutes or Less

With 4 hours and 20 minutes or less, you can enjoy this short-length series between two long dramas or when you're spare time is limited. One of the better short-length series of many China has produced nowadays. I will review not with the usual format to highlight the positive and negative aspects in a bullet point.

• Predictable but still entertaining
This is just my opinion since I am also a mystery-genre fan, so I watched too many similar setups. I could guess the plot just by watching Episode 1 only. But the drama is highly entertaining nonetheless because of the suspense and the chemistry between the main couple Yan Zhen and Chu Ze Jia/Chu Ze An.

• Great chemistry but not many smoochies and skinship
In short-length dramas, which usually are not censored heavily, we can expect real kisses and/or skinship. Especially for the husband-and-wife scenes, aren't they married? Not in this drama. We can feel the sexual tension between the two, but because of the in-law circumstance in the current plot, we don't see the intensity of the romance. Regardless he is her husband Chu Ze Jia or her brother-in-law Chu Ze An, in the current situation (not flashbacks), he is a family member, not a romantic partner.

• Good acting but underutilized the twin roles
Overall good acting by the leading actress Meng Xi, whom I've never seen before, and Li Zhuo Yang, seen in the mini-drama "Mutual Redemption Love". However, I think the production team underutilized the twin brothers Chu Ze Jia and Chu Ze An roles. They have strikingly different personalities with the older Chu Ze Jia being more reserved and mannered because he is a company CEO, in comparison to the younger Chu Ze An, who is more outgoing and free-spirited being a globe adventurer and photographer. But I'm not sure if the actor was not directed to act differently, or if he couldn't act differently, sometimes I couldn't really tell the difference between the two. I got it that the actor is somewhat new, so he probably did not have much acting experience. But a good director can make the best of a rookie.

• Nice mother-in-law but annoying sister-in-law
In short-length dramas, it's common for them to follow a soap opera-ish trope with mean MILs. Luckily, in this drama, Mrs Chu is a very nice MIL. Not the sister-in-law Chu Ze Xin. Although she doesn't oppose Yan Zhen, her character is the same ol' trope of SILs in rich families: annoying, immature, and bratty. You can skip the scenes with Chu Ze Xin because it's a filler, IMO.

Before the last bullet point regarding the ending, here are the two nice OSTs of this drama:
1. Ending theme "Rose Graffiti" by Fei Zhen Hua
2. Insert song "Waiting for Love to Return" by Guo Gai Ya

Scroll down to find out about the ending spoiler.














• Happy ending but with disappointing trope
A lot of viewers are disappointed with this typical Chinese drama ending style, including that I docked 0.5 points of my final rating. After the showdown with the villain, the drama ends with Yan Zhen leaving Chu Ze Jia and he couldn't find her. Viewers might think this is a retaliation against him leaving her in the past. However, I think that this is normal since Yan Zhen is pretty much exhausted mentally from all the hard work she did, investigating the mystery (the initial mystery and the mystery of her husband) and managing the company for years. Including the mourning and heartbreak because of the deaths. That girl needs a break. So she went vacationing by herself.

The drama ends with Chu Ze Jia visiting the place where they first met and a woman comes to take a Polaroid picture of him. We can't see the woman's face, but it's Yan Zhen for sure. because the scene is similar to when they met for the first time. So it's not an open ending. But I'm disappointed nonetheless since Chinese dramas like using this kind of ending, a mysterious reunion in which we can't see the other person's face, a similar voice calls the protagonist, or the protagonist looking up to the other person with a surprising look.

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Peak Slice of Life drama!

When it's good, it's good, BUT sadly, there were some problems with the show, as usual with most Kdrama.

The overall message of the story, the characters, even the side characters are great, especially The Dolphin trio with Mina, Doein and Minchul. I love their mother-daughter dynamic, and this little 8 year old kid stole the show, to be honest. I would watch a drama with them.

The oldest sister's story was interesting too, but I'm a bit disappointed they didn't do much with their story. I mean, it's not like there weren't enough time, because they stretched the main story too long anyway.

So, now let's talk about the main couple. The whole drama between the two family was well done, even tho I can't understand why did it take like a decade or even more to finally talk about their issues. To be fair, it's a fair representation of people. What I can't understand is why Samdal and Yongpil just accepted everything broke up. It's not like it's the Joseon era where parents can control their kids, and they were teens. They were adults! And when they finally resolved every problem, and started dating again, Yongpil decides to leave for 2 years? I mean, sure, let's say he has to fulfill his dreams as well, but for me, it doesn't make sense at all. They suffered for 8 years, and now they're basically in a long-distance relationship? At least give us some info about how they managed their relationship.

Anyway, my biggest problem with the show is that I HATE what they did with the bullying scandal. I mean, it represents well how toxic the Korean society, but the whole was about how strong woman Samdal is, yet, she never did a single thing to defend herself. She should've told everyone that her boyfriend cheated on her with her employee. It's not like she didn't have proof, it was on her on phone! Also, later she traveled back to Seoul, and I thought, FINALLY, she's gonna do something, but no. All she did is asking that crazy woman if she wanted to commit suicide because of her. What the heck?

Without her friends, this problem NEVER would've been solved, and that's ridiculous! How on Earth she can be a boss if she doesn't realize that her employee promoting products from fashion brands for money? How can someone be a real photographer is she can't see what her employee does? The whole scandal plot was a MESS!

Lastly: the story with their mothers was messed up in the finale, too. She has heart problems, yet they let her work again? Makes zero sense, again!

Thankfully, I could forget it, because the rest of the show was really good. It's a feelgood drama with a good and important message, but Welcome to Samdalri could've been perfect with better writing.

The soundtrack, the directing and the acting were all great, even tho, sometimes the acting was a bit over the top. The REAL drama was top-notch!

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missing romantic connection from female lead

A nice story with a historical basis, which went into the future and again into the theme of past/future lives. The theme of being cursed and turning into a dog after a kiss was funny and there were a lot of funny moments related to it. I take it as a minus that after 200 or so years, the God of the mountain did not overcome the loss of a loved one and started playing his ugly game there... I would have expected a slightly more mature character. The reincarnated young woman was more intelligent than him. Besides that, the chemistry between the main actors somehow did not suit me. Cha Eun Woo was cool... I trusted him with everything. Maybe it was the script ... The writers really shouldn't be afraid to go into little bolder scenes. Or not to play it on lovers like they were 15, but they are adults.

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