Reviews

What does it feel to fall in love? Cuddle up and savor the moments of AASOL!

I am trying to get my thoughts together to express how much this drama took over my heart. I did not want it to end. I even went for a walk before I watched the last two episodes. And now that it is done, I am so sad because I will miss seeing Lin Yi Yang and Yin Guo. I also loved Meng Xiao Dong, the FL's big brother (cousin actually). Then there are the other characters with their own unique personalities and all adorable in their own way. This cast was amazingly put together. Before I write a review, I will list all the things I loved about this drama because my head will not get it together to write anything coherent. I blame Wu Lei in his role as Lin Yi Yang. He is sexy and seductive, I literally swooned through each episode. Well let me start the list:

1. Lin Yi Yang played by Leo Wu(Wu Lei) His eyes are expressive and seductive and will melt you when you see him gaze at Yin Guo. But not only his looks will make you swoon. He is the best in his field of sport and will knock your socks off the way he plays a perfect game of snooker. He is also intelligent and scholarly. And he is a businessman.

2. Yin Guo, the FL , seems shy when she is with the ML, but she is a fearless 9 ball competitor/sportswoman. Zhoa Yin Mai plays her part with natural ease. She makes the romance believable in a way that reminds me of one of my favorite actresses, Zhang Jing Yi from Lighter and Princess in that she is also a natural actress who makes the romance scenes believable because of her connection with the ML. You will feel her love for him. She delivers her lines perfectly and knows just how to use her voice and tone to portray the scenes in a way you will feel connected.

3. Love at first sight is one I find relatable. The way the ML fell in love and pursued the FL might not be for everyone but for me, it totally captivated me to the point I watched the scenes over and over again while I waited for the next episodes.

This is a simple romance of love at first sight done right. Wu Lei and Jin Mai's chemistry makes it perfect! It is well worth the watch!

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Shallow angst masquerading as, well, something.

Drama and people crying seem to be often taken for quality of storytelling and acting. It can be, for sure. But not here.

This is also a story that could have been told and been successful. Also not here.

The problem is that this is a sequel, with established characters, and the behavior of one of them is so at odds with who he was in the original that it doesn't make any emotional or narrative sense.

So we have a grumpy chef who's a bit of a old man trapped in a young man's body. He has no patience for celebrity, but ironically has to live with the biggest and most narcissistic celebrity in Korea. Naturally they fall in love, opposites attract and all that - both of them have big hearts and are beautiful people underneath the pride and narcissm, and they live happily ever after.

Then comes S2, and we discover that rather than being happy, Ji Woo was seething with resentment, crippling low self-esteem, and crushing loneliness. Forget that this is the opposite of who he appears to be and that we got not the slightest hint that any of this was going on inside him, or that this is incompatible with the character as already drawn.

So suddenly, one day, Seo Joon comes home to find Ji Woo has left, dumping him with a post-it note, and has disappeared completely. A year later So Joon finds him in the greyest and most depressing seaside village imaginable - in the depth of winter, of course, because winter is grey and the previous series was during summer. Clever subtle contrast, right? And then Ji Woo proceeds to treat So Jeon like absolute shit, with the typical "I never loved you" and even "you never loved me either, it was an illusion."

Bleak and grey covers the first 8 episodes - a campaign of sledgehammer lack of subtlety and depth of any kind in favor of shallow drama and shallow and inauthentic "exploration" of... something, I guess. I'd say inner emotional life and the tensions in a relationship, but there are no tensions - it just snaps in half and is replaced by cruelty and hatefulness.

Then it just... resolves, and they go back to Happily(er) Ever After, with no real discussion or processing - a light switch is flipped, and we resume the story of S1 just where it left off. A man leaves his bf with a short note, disappears for an entire year with no communication whatsover, then treats him like shit when he finally tracks him down. Here's the reconcilliation.

"I'm sorry. I won't do it again. Give me a hug."

"Ok."

I'm not joking, that's it. The director thought everyone would forget the first 8 miserable episodes if she dumped a pile of fluff on us for the ending.

She was right, judging by the glowing reviews.

I would skip this, so it doesn't ruin your happy memories of S1. Or just start with Ep 9, and pretend they had a minor fight (which you'll easily be able to do), and then enjoy the cute frolicking, and Ji Woo's really lovely white overshirt, which I want.

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It Was Just Ok... Nothing Special!

**Disclaimer: This is just my opinion, please don't take anything I say personally. We don't have to agree and I'm not here to argue with anyone.***

(I'm so picky so please take this review with a grain of salt.)

Tropes: Workplace Romance, Rich Guy / Poor Girl, guy falls first and harder, grumpy/sunshine, enemies (ish) to lovers, forced proximity.

Idk usually I love rom-com's like this but they had me in the first half and lost me in the second half. It really seemed like Gu Won's character was built around his love for Sa Rang and he didn't have much development outside of that. I feel like they did more telling than actually showing us how hard he fought for the hotel and why he deserved to be president. Idk there could've been more obstacles at work and between the two leads imo. I think I would've loved to see them develop the tourist hotel together and be happy outside of the city. Or imo they could've actually have Sa Rang and Gu Won Break up bc she feels stifled by him his dreams and wants to chase her own dream of managing her own hotel / the tourist one. I also think the arc between his mom and his sisters hatred for him could've been expanded more and their resolution could have been more developed. I feel like the last 8 episodes lacked a lot of depth / actual plot. The last 2 episodes especially seemed rushed and episode 16 specifically seemed unnecessary. I felt her entire desire of owning her own hotel was quite lame... even the name of her hotel, "Amore" (Love in Italian) What were they thinking? As in she could've used her own name (Sarang) LMAO. And the fact that she wasn't able to find any personnel to assist her, and they wanted me to think that the president of King Hotel, Gu Won, had time to assist her (whilst managing King Hotel + all those international branches and trying to expand the franchise to Europe?) – that part was so unbelievable I had to laugh.

It was honestly a struggle for me to finish this drama. The leads chemistry was just "okay" but at times I wasn't feeing it as much. I think I prefer their BTS footage as they seem less in character and more silly and free. I fell in love with the airport couple (Pyeong Hwa and Ro Woon) I thought they were cute and I'm glad they got together. It took forever but they actually made it. I thought her other friend's storyline (Da Eul) with her dirty husband was completely sidelined and her giving her husband a taste of his own medicine was questionable. It's obvious their relationship is toxic and they should get divorced. I can only see the husband not learning anything and then trying to find ways to hurt her back – like cheating on her or something. I feel like the writers didn't have a clue how to wrap up the story or create more obstacles for dramatic effect. They almost got me invested when I thought Gu Won and Sa Rang were gonna break up but they failed and immediately lost me, again.

Overall, the ending of the entire drama was what you would expect, a pathetic male lead who's whole character arc is about him being in love with a woman who does not like him at first. ML falls first and harder. FL starts catching feelings then there's the slight forbidden relationship where people don't want them to be together. Them deciding to be together anyways, dating period, proposal (but not? because the FL wants to achieve her dreams first). ML still supporting her through everything a year later, her finally accepting the proposal. Then finally marriage and them living happily ever after.

This drama was boring and severely overhyped. I don't think I would rewatch. It definitely could have been wayyyy better especially when you compare this to other workplace romances like Business Proposal, Touch Your Heart, Suspicious Partner, Her Private Life, My Secret Romance, What's Wrong With Secretary Kim etc. Like they had so many blueprints and yet... it did not live up to the expectation. It's disappointing because I feel like I wasted my time and then felt like I HAD to finish it for completion sake.

Anyways, what you see is what you get so if you're looking for a lot of romance with barely any plot then this drama is right for you.

After careful consideration, I gave it a 6.25/10 (my real and objective rating) however, I decided to round it up to a 6.5/10 (purely because of how much of an independent girl boss Sa Rang was)


THANKS FOR READING AND HAPPY WATCHING!

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

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TWISTED PRINCE TRYING TO USE THE FEMALE LEAD..

THIS DRAMA HAD SO MUCH POTENTIAL AND FELL SHORT SO BADLY! Romance I give it a 10/10 , but the storyline and development is like a 5/10. The first half is pretty good but then it starts too get repetitive and the last few episodes got me super confused and puzzles. They try to fit too much stuff into the last three ep, not sure if it was an editing mistake but I couldnt follow with the flow of the drama.

Female lead is the evil prince's subordinate and does things for him. The male lead is the subordinate of the King and his parents were frame for something they didnt do resulting in them being killed. The evil prince hates the male lead and wants to do everything in this power to weaken his forces and at the same time try to prove himself to his emperor daddy.

The evil prince is just to0 abusive and let him have too much of the limelight, to a point where it didnt really make sense.

The female has this sickness that only the evil prince can provide the medicine for.

To be honest only watched it for the steamy kissing scenes but beside those this drama is skip worthy, really thought it was going to be good... so sad it turned out like this.

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The Hand that Sunk a Thousand Ships

First off, I would like to thank the community that formed over the weeks of the live airing. The resiliency and maturity that these men and women showed in the face of such great adversity is enough to make one ignore the stifling heat of burning ships, the blaring horns of hypocrisy, and the sharp needles of mediocrity.

Sorry in advance this is a long read...

When a show leaves itself vulnerable to multiple strong fan made theories and analysis. This means only one of two things: Either the show was written really smartly, and the writer in effect, created a world filled with multiple exciting possibilities. OR, lazy, lukewarm, and predictable writing has left so many large plot holes filled with nonsensical plot points, and poor characterization, that fans are forced to shore up the shows many weakness with well constructed fan theories and analysis to plug up the holes. After episode 6, it is clear that the latter happened.

The show does a great job of producing and writing the first few episodes, to the point where a majority of the audience set their emotional expectation high for what is to come. Unfortunately, all these first few episodes manages to accomplish is to set the bar so high, that the remaining episodes look so poor in comparison, and make the fall much farther and more painful for the audience. As viewers continue to watch the show, they journey through a harsh and arid desert, where they will continuously see mirages of depth and complexity that never materializes as anything more than repetitive clichés and negative stereotypes devoid of any creativity.

Prior to watching this show, I have never heard of these actors or actresses, nor have I seen any shows made by this particular writer. At the beginning, a lot of hype followed the drama, with two A-Listers, an apparently popular writer, and an interesting synopsis. With these things in mind, I sailed my tiny vessel past the gilded French doors into what I hope would be a smooth maiden voyage for my first foray into watching a Park Hye Run drama. Little did I know that what awaited me past these gilded doors, would be a tiring journey full of infinite frustrations. As my boat continually capsized in the weak waters of Park Hye Run's writing, what kept me going was the shining light of Han Ji Pyeong's character, which the writer gifted to us in the first episode.

What kept me going was HJP's shining white light, illuminating a drab, boring, and colorless plot. Wherever he shone his light, the plot sparkled, whichever character he shared the light with gained color and depth. But the minute his light left, we are reminded of how dull and boring the world Park Hye Run created really was. Under HJP's warm light, metaphors started to grow, towers of theories began to rise, and the flowers of hope started to bloom. The writer may have known this, and used HJP's light selfishly to extend a love triangle way past its expiry date, in hopes of reeling in hopeless romantics who believe being a "Good Boy" deserves a happy ending. With each passing episode though, the metaphors started to lose meaning, the towers of theories began to crumble, and the flowers of hope began to wither.

In Kdrama, the characterization of second leads tends to be selfless, self sacrificing, and overall a good guy. So to prevent strong SLS in the Kdrama, they normally present a slightly weaker ML (or sometimes someone equally strong) who may start at a lower position initially compared to the second lead, but through PROPER character growth, is able to eventually take residence in the FL's heart. PHR did not get this memo. What we get instead is a severely weak characterization of the ML who takes almost the entire 16 episodes run to exhibit any character growth, that by the time the audience realizes he has grown, it is already too late, and no amount of force feeding by the plot is enough for the audience to accept the ML for anything more than a privileged and spoiled person.

The writer falls into the trap of making the ML too powerful, too quick, robbing audience of the satisfaction of the journey. When the ML first encounters an issue, we feel the suspense and nervousness of what may lie ahead. But after he effortlessly navigates each and every one of these hurdles, the excited and nervous emotions start fading away. So when the next hurdle comes, and we see the SST boys panic like headless chickens, all the audience can do is roll their eyes as the ML comes to save the day, and effortlessly surpass another hurdle. I feel disappointed that Kdrama writers continually makes their ML's too perfect. The flaws that the ML is suppose to have, is noticed by none of the cast, as his flaws are either ignored, or only show up when no one is around.

The FL, who is initially shown to have such depth and complexity through the letters that she writes, eventually succumbs to the "Damsel in Distress" disease of which has plagued Kdrama for years. The cure for weak FL's (Independence) have been available to Kdrama writers for years now, and yet some archaic writers refuses to give their FL this medicine. So it's no surprise, after such a strong start for the FL, she eventually succumbs to this disease. Her new persona, which is as shallow as a puddle, fastidiously focuses on "Big Hands" as the source of her emotional growth. Although "Big Hands" is meant to have some deeper meaning (which the show does a poor job showing!), the ridiculousness of how something intangible like love and emotions, can be measured so easily by comparing hand sizes, makes one laugh out of pity.

The other female characters which started out as interesting, complex, and powerful in the beginning never reach their potential. Instead they are treated as fashion accessories to make the dull Male lead's lackluster characterization pop out more. In fact the whole show felt much like the Male leads personal cheering squad. And yet, with the tsunami of support from both the other characters and the writer, the Male lead fails to take advantage of any of it, instead wallowing in the insecurities that has seeped from the writer's pen.

It was hard to feel the chemistry from both FL and ML, as the FL shared the same doe-eyed Bambi look whenever she saw the ML or the SL. The ML on the other hand felt like he was trying too hard to nail the look of an angsty, cool, and tough teenage who can cry at the drop of the hat. In most Kdrama I always place an emphasis on micro-expressions as the high production values, and numerous close up shots gives the actors/actresses the perfect platform to convey so much emotions with simple subtle twitches of their faces. Thus I was quite disappointed to see the main couple not take advantage of this, and instead produce misplaced or invisible micro-expressions that failed to convey the gravity of the situation, and missed the harmonic emotions the amazing OST produced.

The gap of acting between the "adults" in the show versus the "kids" was huge, to the point where the reduced screen time of the better actors and actress are felt strongly and visibly dropped the quality of certain episodes. And in the acting, the insecurity of the writing once again rears its ugly head, as the show tried it's best to throw in every single Kdrama romantic trope in the book to justify the non-existent chemistry of Suzy and NJH. The show was so insecure of the growing SLS among viewers, that they limited HJP any happiness, as if they felt that any ounce of happiness on HJP's side would overshadow the weak main couple. As if every HJP smile, would make an already lackluster main couple, even more dull in comparison. Such was the insecurity of the showrunners.

The writer ATTEMPTS to craft a story about a young group of underdogs who start from the bottom and work their way to the top thru hard work and determination. What we get instead are people, who have the deck stacked FOR them, who bemoan how tough life is. Not only does this not illicit the intended reaction from the mature and smart audiences, but the preposterousness of seeing people who have it all, complain about not having it all, induced many doctors visit among audiences who could not stop rolling their eyes. Nay, instead of getting a story about loveable underdogs like "Dodgeball", what we get instead is the Korean version of the Breakfast Club, where YOU WANT the kids to stay in detention for the rest of the show. These characters, once they achieve their success never exhibit the humility that comes from self-directed success, but rather the arrogance and superiority complex that come from people who did not properly earn their prestige.

The show missed the great opportunity to show a true or semi-true depiction of startups in the tech world. In fact, what could have potentially been a great medium to showcase Korea's burgeoning position in the tech world, instead decided to focus 70% of the plot on a love triangle that went longer than it needed to. And the foundation of the love triangle is a dangerous moral lesson. The lesson being that dreaming without a plan is the way to achieve success, and only when you throw caution to the wind, and don't bother with the technicalities of reaching your dream will you achieve success. It's a very naïve and narrow view of a world where the sharks outweigh the sheep. The little bit of business aspect that the show provides, can be replicated by reading the first paragraph of what a start up is on Wikipedia. The shows attempt to sound smart about it's poorly researched show, just gets a incredulous reactions from people who are actually in the industry.

If you start watching the show expecting a mature story showing realistic situations, this is not that show. Instead we are "treated" to a show about kids vs adults, and the cool kids versus the squares. Where we, mature audiences, are expected to root for the clueless kids who are basically attacking principles that we adults hold dear. In fact the central theme of the show is about how experience and wisdom is no match for the power of hopes and dreams. How being a dreamer is always better than being a pragmatist. How being safe, having a back plan, and being patient are for failures. All dangerous imagery for anyone knowledgeable about business. In fact the show is so in love with their own hubris, that they make this message a one sided one, where the adults are not only humbled by the children, but humiliated. There is too much romanticization for an industry and process that at times cause people to hurt themselves.

Some of the characters who started as adults in the show, quickly lose their maturity card, as they begin to exhibit symptoms of early childhood. The short attention span, the incessant crying, and terrible tantrums. In fact a good portion of the episodes felt like adults babysitting the children until they can learn to walk. And once the children learn to walk, they ignore the adults who helped them.

Since most of the people watching this show are over the age of 20, seeing a group of "struggling" characters succeed beyond a doubt without any regards for both an exit plan or a plan B, and throw tantrums and cry when they reach artificial, invisible impasses, felt very contrived and laughable. In fact, just like children, they expect the adults to take care of the invisible impasses for them, and to make the scary monsters go away. Because of all these immature themes within the main group of characters in SST it becomes hard to relate to any of these character who are not experiencing any real difficulties. And it becomes increasingly frustrating that none of these mistakes are properly punished but instead weirdly rewarded. As mature audience, we find it difficult to mirror anything happening in the show. What is supposed to be thematically realistic, often comes out as fantasy instead. Although Kdrama is meant as escapism, there is a limit to how much fantasy the audience can tolerate; Start Up's motto of "Sailing Without A Map", went so far pass the audiences' limit of fantasy, that it became hard for audience to relate, revel, and enjoy SST's many successes.

The writer, in her hubris, has taken the audience for granted. She continually mocks and ridicules the tenets that a mature audience holds dear. In her imaginations, the audience are but sheep who will accept whatever swill she decides to feed us. But due to the many negative feedback, I am happy to see that the Kdrama audience have matured pass the cages that these arrogant writers choose to impose on us. And as the criticism mount, so does the insecurity of the show.

There is a disconnect between the show and the audiences. Because just like the audience in a theatrical play, only we are privy to the actual good and bad acts the various characters do. And just like in a play the other character are oblivious to the manipulations and ulterior motives of the supposedly pure white characters. The frustrations mount when the showboating, privileged main characters expect a parade for every good deed he does, while the silently helpful supporting characters are unsung heroes. If fact the endless praise seeking of the main characters can be distilled into the narcissistic line "What do you like about me?".

During the latter half of the show, you might as well have started a new Kdrama, as the characterizations of the different characters are destroyed, then reconstructed without proper instructions; and the show basically erases all the plot points of the previous episodes. As the show trudges along a predictable and boring road, the audience keeps hoping that somehow the writing will get smarter, but instead the audience are indurated by stupidity after stupidity. And in the world of Start Up, stupidity is equated to intelligence.

Lastly, one of my biggest gripe with the show, has been it's portrayal of parents as ATM machines, and as disposable diapers. The unhealthy relationship of the ML and his parents is very conflicting towards Asian societies and the parenting that comes from it. In fact, what is normally seen as normal in current society is vilified in the show. But instead of addressing any of the inconsistencies in the family dynamic, the show instead decides to sweep all the issues under the rug, almost like slapping a tiny band-aid on a festering wound. The show chooses to focus on what mistake the parents to do the children, but never on the mistakes the children did to their parents. As someone who values family, I was a little disappointed that Start Up chose to romanticize and normalize this type of family relationship. The closest thing to a healthy family relationship on the show actually comes from the two people who are not related by blood, HJP and Halmoni. A lovely relationship that took it's bruises and scars from the writers incessant insecurities over her ML cloying need to be loved by everyone.

I would say, one of the best thing to come out from this show has been the amazing OST. I absolutely loved the music of the show, and already have them on repeat on my playlist. Also, the saving glory of this has been the presence of KSH. I won't talk too much about this, as others have written a lot about him already :)

All in all, a below average Kdrama that isn't worth watching. But I implore you to find a supercut or montage of all of HJP and Grandma's scene if you want to experience a good cry!

Hopefully everyone enjoyed reading this as I did writing it! >.<

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First tkme writing a review but this drama is definitely worth a watch.

I admit it might but slightly slow at the start especially the first episode when introducing JinMi, but the story is full of creativity and new ideas each episode onwards.

I find it very interesting especially at the beginning of the episode (at start of OP), they used different colours to represent each main leads’ nature, (spoilers!) for example, JinMi is pink; XuFeng became the Demon God in the end, he is black; LiuYing is the princess of the Demon World, she has purple; RunYu is Night God from Heaven World, theres bit of black mixed with his white colour; SuiHe is the princess of the Bird Kingdom, he colour is red with bit of yellow.

I’ve also watched a few videos about their production, I respect this dramas a lot because they literally built the scenes out in the tents, also mention that it was summer when they filmed this, and the temperature inside the tents could be up to 60 degrees, it is definitely hard work!

A word from the director: he wanted to present the same feeling and emotions from the original novel, to have that “torturing romance” as the main element. He aims to let the audience sense the feel of getting their hearts broken and twisted.

The animation is also top rated, especially the pet deer, they captured the very detail of its facial expressions, giving it life in the screen.

I understand that most people don’t like watching dramas with so many episodes, same with me tbh, but I reckon this one is a dramas that brings Historical Fantasy Romance dramas into another era, hard to say any of the dramas I’ve watched could top this in terms of story, cast, animation, and music.

Lastly, if anyone wants to talk about the drama with me, don’t hesitate! ^_^

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A show nobody needed....

With WeTV nowadays you have a chance to get a gem or in this case step into a big pile of crap.

I have no idea what the writers/director/producer smoked to put a) so many clichés b) so many couples c) rape into such a short story. Especially c) is repulsive because it does not have any consequences and the character who got raped acts like as nothing ever happend. WTF?

It's a waste to write anything more about this pile of crap. I'm really sorry for the actors who had to act out this shit. But at least it did not drag for twelve episodes 🤣. The money could have been used for other things!

Verdict: Avoid it like the pest, it matched the absolute low like "Flirt Milk", both shows are equally terrible.

Edit; Meanwhile the actors are suing the production company for not paying them the agreed sum which is paltry in comparision to other productions. So now we know where the money went... not into this productions, not to the actors.

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Beware of false prophets.

Ever Night is an epic fantasy adventure hit set in a mystical, ancient world where the balance of power between rival kingdoms is maintained with the aid of powerful warlords and cultivator sects. The vivid stunning palette is infused with an ominous sense of dark prophecy. The soothsayers warn that the child of darkness will bring an ice age or ever night and chaos to the world.

The main protagonist Ning Que makes an thrilling debut as a lethal, almost ferally vicious warrior in a ferocious, spectacular desert ambush. This opening sets the tone for some of the most exhilarating and well choreographed fight scenes that Chinese drama has to offer. The drama is visually spectacular and delivers on the hype on many fronts, especially in terms of its movie quality production values. The sweeping breadth of the story can be overwhelming in the sheer number of characters representing different kingdoms and sects that makes the story appear more complicated than it really is. This is really the story of Ning Que (and by extension Sang Sang's) quest for revenge that sets him on an epic journey to become one of the strongest cultivators in Haotian.

Ning Que is an anti-hero. He is ruthless, cunning, manipulative and can be quite dishonourable. While at at times Chen Feiyu's acting could do with some polishing, he is superbly cast as Ning Que. He emanates that simmering resentment and burning thirst for vengeance that propels Ning Que to prevail against overwhelming odds and superior foes. With his lithe powerful build, his combat scenes are bloodthirsty and violent and his facial expressions are vicious, almost feral. Ning Que's arch-rival the glorious Prince Longqing is an interesting mirror character on a parallel path that makes different choices at important milestones along the way. What is quite remarkable about this story is there are no outright villains. The world they exist in is cruel and fraught with peril and conflict among competing interests. Thus both the antagonists and protagonists have to do ruthless, even terrible things to survive.

Unlike others, I am not troubled by the relationship between Sang Sang and Ning Que. They have no blood ties, they are simply found family and have a complex and multi-layered relationship that is likely predestined. In fact, I think it is inevitable where the relationship must go. As much as I enjoy their undeniable chemistry and clear bond immensely, to me the real issue is that Chen Feiyu and Song Yiren should never be cast together in a romantic capacity. Chen Feiyu is exceptionally tall and Song Yiren is exceptionally petite. Her youthful features and small size makes her look like a child next to him. This visual imprint is so strong it is practically impossible to imagine them as a couple. Their relationship in Season 1 remains platonic and is not troubling but it is a good thing that Wang Hedi replaces Chen Feiyu as Ning Que for Season 2.

In terms of storytelling, there are issues with pacing and the breadth and depth of the character and world building is perhaps overly ambitious in scale. Even though I love how there are different schools of cultivation and cultivators are able to gain immense power via different theologies and practices, I find the excessive pontification and philosophical discourses mind numbingly boring. That said, I appreciate the ultimate irony of how many powerful cultivators are ruled by superstition and fear of ever night or the child of darkness. While the worthy ruler and the true wise men know to beware of false prophets. The political arcs are not that interesting and Princess Li Yu and her brother don't add to the plot. They just take up space and despite all the screen time, this and several other sub plots like the inner politics of the West Shrine and Yan State go absolutely nowhere. Obviously this lays the back story for multiple (?) seasons but unfortunately none of these sub plots and characters are interesting enough to make me want know what happens to them.

Despite the digressions and morass in the middle, the drama builds towards a very strong ending. I was truly moved by Ning Que's speech when he finally confronts his family's killer and I was really impressed by Chen Yufei's acting in that moment. "Why does it always have to be a prince?" is one of the best, most memorable lines from this show. The build up in tension, that sense of dread and hope into the ending confrontation is superb. The final fight scene is epic, full of surprises, utterly savage, desperate, exhilarating. It was everything I didn't even know I was craving for. Even the CGI is amazing.

I thoroughly enjoyed many aspects of this heroic saga and I am happy to recommend this as a not to be missed drama for action and adventure buffs. But unfortunately there are many parts of it that I did not enjoy and I feel strongly that the production over indulged in laying the backstory for many subplots that only play out in subsequent seasons. I am going to go with an 8.5 because the production values and fight scenes are exceptional. Going purely on storytelling alone however, this is at best an 8.0.

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this show is ass (must read review)

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE WATCHING
i never wrote a review before but i needed to for this show because this show was steaming hot garbage !!!

1. the fl chases after the ml's best friend for over half of the show, it's unbearable this was the number one thing that ruined the show. like please don't watch it i'm so convinced this show was a experiment it makes me so mad just remembering how i wasted my time with this show.

2. THE SIDE COUPLES DONT END UP TOGETHER, the fl's best friend had a boyfriend and they were cute together and were together for most the show but they broke up and she went onto marry a RANDOM MANNN?? THEY DIDNT END UP TOGETHEr at the end and the ml's best friend had a girll, i forgot what happened but they weren't end game either.

3. there are no cute scenes of them as a couple the only cute scenes between them is just one sided love where the ml likes fl lead but she thinks of him as a brother. they literally get together on the LAST EPISODE (episode 36) at the last 5 IMINUTES, WALLAHI AND THEY NEVER DATE THEY GO STRAIGHT INTO MARRIAGE AND WE NEVER SEE ANYTHING AFTER THAT THEY JUST GET ENGAGED AND THAT WAS THE END this was so rushed, the show was so bad like i want to cry its so bad, it was so stupid, it was so bad im crying like its so bad i get angry whenever i think of this show

also one of the people from their friend group left permanently??? like he just got a train and we never saw him again after the like second episode or something & the show kept going downhill from there

people will eat anything uppp how did this show even get a 8.4,, SAV YOURSELF!!!! and do not waste 36 hours on this drama that they gave no effort on, this isnt even like those funny bad ones this is just a painful watch whole way through. this whole show felt like they were just pushing to get it over with!!!

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Hi
I have been watching k Drama's for long time, mostly in the genre's of action and romance, but I have to tell you this is a must watch drama. honestly I don;t know why people have been saying so bad about it or why it is rated so low but i felt so excited through the drama. Out of the many drama's i watched so far whether it was Korean Japanese or Taiwanese, this was the 14th drama that got me so excited. It might be true that the plot could have been better but where do you see a good plot, compared to the other drama's the plot in this one was very good. I think the actor's were born to act in this drama, they brought out a perfect acting, weather it was in the romance or the action. The music was so well made the music was a main part of the drama, it totally brought out the image it needed to bring out to create the mood the drama it needed out of the audience. I hope people will see this drama, cause they will regret it if they didn't.

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Reply 1997 felt like 4 episodes to me because I only appreciate and start to like the story from 13-16 episodes. I expect a lot from this drama because from the reviews that I read, but too bad it's not that good it doesn't give me the feeling of excitement like omooo I need to watch the nxt episode!!T^T. There are scenes where I become too bored so I decided to fast forward some( I skip 2mins scene I guess).
Though 16 episode is daebak I still don't get how it ranked #1 for me it's just a typical and ordinary dramas that I've watched. ( but I still respect the guys who love this drama soooo much)

So let me give you a background.....
The story is about friendship, extreme fan culture and love. Best story of friendship that I've watched and one of the cutest love story.
Rewatch value: not the whole episodes but some of the scenes only ( 13-16, last episode is my most favorite) :)
OST: it was an ok for me
The cast are great actors and actress I like them, there is a presence of chemistry:>.

Though I'm not that hooked, it's not tottaly a bad drama I find the "story cute, nice and refreshing" but not an amazing drama.
I recommend it to those people who are into "fan girl thing" I think they would love this drama and relate themselves with the story.

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A rare instance when the word “legend” in the name of a drama is not just a word

First and foremost, I must praise the cinematography and lighting in this drama. It is the most aesthetically stunning series I’ve seen in recent years, and unquestionably the most visually beautiful Chinese drama I’ve ever encountered. The breathtaking sets, the richly detailed costumes — it all feels so tangible, as though you could reach through the screen and touch it. The use of candles and Rembrandt-style lighting not only creates a painterly visual experience but also deepens the atmosphere and emotional resonance of the story.

As for the plot, what fascinated me most about The Legend of Zang Hai is its masterful blending of genres: mystery, revenge thriller, political intrigue, family saga, and even romance. It’s rare for a revenge drama to so deeply explore the psychological toll of vengeance. As a viewer, you’re taken on a visceral emotional journey with the protagonist — moments of burning hatred give way to weariness, as you begin to question whether revenge is worth the weight it demands. The emotional core of the first two-thirds of the drama is Zang Hai’s all-consuming desire for revenge; in the final act, the narrative shifts and poses a profound question: What comes after? What remains of a person once vengeance is fulfilled? What lines have been crossed? What goodness has been lost?

The writing is exceptional. The audience is never condescended to . The story trusts the viewer to piece things together, gradually revealing its secrets until, by the end, you almost see the full picture. Many elements remain open to interpretation, and the drama doesn’t shy away from societal critique. But what resonated most with me personally was a single, piercing truth: the most important thing is to survive. To survive those who harmed you — that, in itself, is a form of victory.

I won’t spoil the ending, but I will say this: given how thoroughly the villain saturated Zang Hai’s life with illusion, it seemed nearly impossible for him to prevail. The truth had been so deeply buried under layers of deception that it felt like the odds were stacked against him. And yet, the way he ultimately triumphs is not only fitting — it’s poetic justice.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without the extraordinary cast. Zang Hai, portrayed by Xiao Zhan, is the emotional heart of the story, and we experience most of the narrative through his perspective. It’s been a long time since I was so utterly spellbound by a performance. Every conflicting emotion — the love, the hatred, the grief, the restraint — is rendered so vividly that certain scenes continue to replay in my mind. Every cast member gave their all, including the villains. You may not like them, but you understand them.

A special mention must go to the actor who portrayed Gao Ming, Zang Hai’s master. Their bond becomes a central source of dramatic tension in the final episodes, embodying the contrast between darkness and light in Zang Hai’s life. And while romance isn’t a dominant theme in the story, I found the unconventional relationship between Zang Hai and Antu deeply compelling. Their characters feel like two halves of a whole. She and Gao Ming symbolize all that is still worth living for in Zang Hai’s world. One of my favorite moments is when she drops her sword and embraces him — a gesture of rare emotional clarity and tenderness.

If there’s one thing I would have loved to see more of, it’s the dynamic between Zang Hai and Prince Yong Rong. Their relationship had so much intriguing potential, and I sincerely hope we get to see more of it — perhaps in Season 2? 👀

I also must mention the musical score — especially the haunting ending song and the atmospheric background tracks. I’ll be adding them to my playlist as soon as they become available on streaming platforms. And the scene with the Kunqu Opera? Honestly, one of the most epic moments I’ve ever seen on screen.

The Legend of Zang Hai is my favorite drama in a long time, and without a doubt the Chinese drama for me. I feel as though I’ve witnessed the birth of a modern classic.

To every actor, every crew member who brought this masterpiece to life — thank you.
Hoping for a second season. 🙏

I was wondering what to rate it and ultimately decided that some aspects of the drama are worth more than a 10. So 10 it is.

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An overrated overhyped drama

This is fully waste of time, not even 30% worthy. Before starting to watch this drama I was little hesitant to start to watch this drama because of the ML, I have watched his few dramas, in most of the drama his character is same that is he is fully obsessed with the FL without self pride without bottom line and he won’t feel ashamed at all whatever may be the extent that the FL may hurt or embarrassed him but he couldn’t feel bad, ashamed or hurt at all. I think this is not love this is just a obsession.
The whole drama is total a waste drama, with so many loop holes because the main plot itself is a big blunder.
1. How can a best friend forces him(to ML) to cooperate for video broadcasting or interview with his ex-girlfriend even though he knew how much he suffered and wasted his life after she dumped him in a brutal way without any reason.
2. How can a person still have lingering feelings about someone even after getting dumped four to five times brutally and even after she treated him like a trash. That’s why I mentioned it as obsession not love, because when she was leading her life like nothing happened but the ML keeps on thinking about her.
3. Till 12th or 13th episode he keeps on showing his feelings yet she keeps on pushing him away badly. Literally she didn’t slapped him(you can think of to that extent). In the overall drama I think only once or twice she apologized him for her mistake but not first to say only after he apologized her for nothing (I felt like she did apologized out of pity). Of course it is portrayed in this drama like she is soo selfish, self centered and egoistic but according to me for everything there is a limit who on earth can compromise that much without a bottom line only because he likes her.
4. I felt like she is doing some charity by accepting his feelings each time after he begs her to reconcile. I really didn’t understand on what gut feeling can someone expect a stable relationship even after dumped four times by same person.
5. When ML parents saw FL again got acquainted with ML, they tell her that he was totally devastated when he was dumped and yet they offer to come home to have meals with them. As a normal human beings or parents they will definitely suggest to FL to not to disturb his life again when he had go through and overcome such devastating life.
6. In some scenes they have tried to portray the childishness in ML but I felt like he is mentally retard or having multiple personality disorder because all the time (till the middle of the drama) it is portrayed like he is not at all interested about her but in the same time he is very curious about her and sometimes jealous also.
7. Last but not least, after watching drama what I realized is the director has no idea what to do and what has done in the previous episodes he just directed according to what comes to his mind at that moment of time. You can say it is totally unplanned and unprofessional direction.

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So, what’s this drama about again?

When you look at the drama pedigree of a writer you get an insight into what to expect. Yoo Young Ah likes to lay on the pressure from the outside and watch her characters squirm. She went from one sparse, filmic idea in “Encounter” to an overabundance of heavy melo themes in “Thirty Nine”, so where is this one going to land?

Well, “Attorney Shin” falls somewhere between “Encounter” and “Thirty Nine” which is sort of unfortunate because it fails to find a distinct voice for itself. The heavy melo is pulled right back as it progresses but returns to wallow a little at the end. It all feels too weighty for the context that carries it. Is that just me and my Western preferences? The real problem however, is that there is no obvious driving force for the plot, no real central core idea or theme. The result is that it ambles along with the pacing of at least a 16 part drama if not a 50 part one and I suspect that this is what Yoo Young Ah finds difficult to master in her transition from film to drama.

You have to wait until the end of Episode 6 for any substantial theme to really get going. But what is it? Is it revenge? Is it guilt? Well sort of maybe… Then towards the end it finally emerges from the peep show that it’s been playing with you, but far too late in the piece to compensate you for the wait. If Yoo Young Ah is aiming for the type of territory that Park Hae Young likes to inhabit (My Mister, My Liberation Notes) which is incisive, insightful, slice of life with limited plot, then it’s not quite got the daring that her sunbae so ably plays with. The characters are too close to conformity to really strike the depth and thoughtfulness required and the melo is forced.

In a drama that homes in on believability the antagonist was the least convincing character and needed way more airtime early on to make her motivations and underlying emotions more credible. Because she was the weakest character the quasi revenge plot had no real anchor-point and instead became an untethered buoy tossed about by the waves.

Sorry guys, but I do just have to get something off my chest at this point about the melo. The first episode plunges you right into it and winds on up getting more hysterically tear-fuelled in Episode 2. Then we sail merrily on to the obligatory wringing of hands and instant about-face of a truly obnoxious, self-serving asshole who suddenly sees The-Light-on-the-Road-to-Damascus and falls to their knees as a penitent sinner aspiring to sainthood. Hallelujah! It’s a miracle!! Praise the Lord!!! Such false and hypocritical sentimentality is unfortunately the bain of these dramas and it really hacks me off. Listen up guys, obnoxious, self-serving assholes don’t change overnight if they ever change at all. And yes, I too wish that they did, but really, truly, they don’t.

Okay rant over, let’s find out what I liked.

There’s a beautifully realised vein of humour running throughout that centres around the camaraderie of three middle-aged men. Both the script and the actors bring it to life delightfully and it is the beating heart of the story.

Cho Seung Woo makes a wonderful job of the sincere but bordering-on-dorky lawyer with an execrable taste in trot music that his 100% slather-over-desirable stereo system is (surely) mortified and embarrassed to play. (I think my musical taste would honour you far more sincerely and I am quite happy to pay for shipping costs if you should ever have the desire to re-home yourself.)

Second up is the character actor, Jung Moon Sung, whom I have a soft spot for. He can play anything well, from a gangster to this current incarnation as a clueless but fiercely loyal real-estate agent with a reprehensible taste in shirts.

Finally there is Kim Sun Kyun who warms your cockles by playing the bumbling, oblivious heartthrob in desperate need of a razor.

Unfortunately, Han Hye Jin fails to convince as the embarrassed radio host. She plays the part as though she’s trying to imitate how she imagines someone might act, rather than grabbing the internal reality of it. As a result she looks awkward in all the wrong ways.

It was a pretty nondescript OST. And to whoever did that bloody awful rendition of the Moonlight Sonata (obviously not Lim Yun Chan…) the accent in the first movement, if anywhere, should be on the first note of the triplet not banging away on the last one causing all sorts of rhythmic chaos.

Overall there was enough in this drama to make it watchable and immersive for the viewer. But it was like having a few tasty components in a meal that doesn’t leave you feeling satisfied afterwards.

(For those in the know) Beware! Classic Trebuchet Incident Alert…

What my rating means: 7+ A watchable drama, but nothing exceptional. Good enough to qualify for the race, but finished with the pack. The sort of thing that promises more than it delivers.

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