Reviews

A Breathtaking and Emotional Journey

Shadow Love is a cinematic masterpiece that fully immerses you in a compelling and beautifully crafted world. From the first episode, the story captivates with its emotional depth and intricate character relationships. The plot is so unique—one man, three identities—and it kept me guessing and completely hooked. I found myself completely invested in the journey of each character as they navigated crazy politics, wars, and a romance that feels truly epic.

The performances by the cast are nothing short of phenomenal. I especially adored Li Shuang's character; her portrayal of a soft, gentle, and utterly cute personality was a highlight. Even as a brave general, she maintains this wonderful, human warmth that makes her so easy to love. And Cheng Lei's ability to play three distinct versions of the male lead is a true testament to his talent. The chemistry between the leads is incredible, conveying a powerful range of emotions that felt authentic and deeply moving. Every actor, down to the supporting roles, brings a high level of dedication and nuance to their part, making the entire ensemble feel incredibly real.

The show's production is stunning. The cinematography is gorgeous, and the costumes and music perfectly fit the mood of every scene. The fight choreography is also top-notch—it's the kind of action that makes you genuinely grip your seat. And the OST? It's beautiful and really adds to the charm of the drama.

This is a series that demands to be rewatched. The complex storytelling and subtle details mean you'll discover something new with every viewing. I highly recommend Shadow Love to anyone who appreciates a well-told story with remarkable acting. It's an unforgettable show that lingers in your mind long after the finale.

Leia Mais

A Positively Mixed Bag

Disclaimer: I read the manhwa
All spoilers mentioned are related to the manhwa. Only broad and generalized comments about the Drama was mentioned.

The GOOD:

As a stand alone romance drama, Positively yours was pretty average. It has everything needed for a romantic plot: a prince charming, a damsel, a wicked witch and a supportive cast. If you have NOT read the manhwa I would rate almost 7.

I enjoyed the evil sister in law's villain arc. It was satisfying to watch in a makjang. was she over the top sometimes, yes but I was there for it. I also loved the personal assistant. He was such a scene stealer with his one liners. I enjoyed the supportiveness of ML's niece and FL's coworkers. Often times they banded around the main couple in solidarity. I also liked the messiness of the ML's father. Most times in dramas, the characters are either from two extremes; either great or terrible. That the ML's father was a muddy mess was a delight to watch. He was definitely the SIL's villain origin story and created a lot of problems with his poor decisions. These decisions affected people negatively around him.

Overall the drama was ok but I'm judging from the source material.


The BAD:

As an adaptation, this drama sucked big time. This was one of the worst I've seen. In my opinion, the writers didn't understand the manhwa at all. The reason why the main couple had issues with marriage and relationships was because of their family values and upbringing. Do Jun comes from a large family and feels smothered at times while Hui won's comes from a broken single family unit that practically abandoned her. Do Jun was terrified of the weight of family and responsibility whereas Hui Won was terrified of the hurt that comes from broken trust.

The drama didn't capture this at all. They just did their own thing.

The love triangle in the plot was horrible because Min Uk was the family she had after her parents neglected her. It was like they stole her support system. He was her nieghbour when they were young and he became her safe haven when things were difficult at home. Min Uk was the first person to show her sincerity and because of that she confused her feelings of gratitude for love. It was why she felt so betrayed when her best friends were dating behind her back.

And as much as I enjoyed the SIL, she was the solution to a problem that never existed. The manhwa was character driven so there weren't any real Heroes or Villains. The characters got in their own way because their hang ups.

And the fact that they erased Hui Won's father was crazy. Hui Won's parents are a core part of her character. Hui Won's father was a man who loved love and at the time of Hui Won's pregnancy, he was getting married for the 4th time (I think). He had numerous relationships throughout Hui Won's life and was the main source of her trust issues.


The UGLY:

My biggest gripe with this drama was how they portrayed Hui Won's mother as a bitter, drunk, single woman. There was no denying she was an awful mother. But her faults lay with her being unable to communicate her feelings to her daughter. The parent's marriage failed because of Hui won's father fun loving nature clashed with her mother's ambition. She wanted to be more than just a wife and mother and wanted a career. She did feel a bit a resentment but it wasn't toward Hui Won holding her back but because of the lack of support she received for trying to pursue her career. She loves her daughter but feels burdened by the mistakes that were made. She had a successful career and was even in a relationship but the drama portrayed her so poorly.

Another peeve was the beer company! I mean why choose that hill to die on? Pregnancy and alcohol! There were so many other controversial topics to exploit. Like career driven mothers, single motherhood, children raised in broken family homes, divorce and remarriage and the impact it has on children. The manhwa had so many topics that I couldn't understand why they had to create such a poor one.

As someone who loves when adaptations come to life, Positively Yours failed to satisfy basic storyline.

TLDR: If you read the manhwa you will hate it. If you didn't it's a normal romance drama

Leia Mais

I've seen lots of dramas and yet this is my first review. The reason I chose to write it for this drama is because of how great it is. I always anticipated the release of a new episode, and would download it on Netflix to watch offline any chance I got. During long commutes to school or work, even for study "breaks".

It's plot and characters are so well developed, that you fall in love with every character, whether they were an officer, citizen, victim, or suspect (trying to keep this review spoiler free). It shows the realities of officers and the daily struggles of both becoming a part of the force and staying in it. It removes the romanticized notion of the job of a cop, as it shows the frustrating and devastating moments as well as the miracles of life. It truly gives you a new perspective of life hence the name of the drama.

This is the only drama I found myself crying right at the beginning of the episodes, and crying nonstop right until the end of every single episode. This drama humbles you in ways you never imagined, and helps the viewer to appreciate the meaning of life. While I gave everything else a score of 10 (5 stars) I gave rematch value a 9.0 because I normally don't rewatch dramas anyways (unless it's little clips of them) but this one I feel I would want to rewatch in the future, but only once I've recovered from seeing it the first time. That being said, I've also never laughed as hard and out loud while watching a drama before.

I want to thank everyone who played a part in the creation of this masterpiece, for I genuinely enjoyed every second of the drama 'Live'.

P.S. While I often find myself watching an action or mystery drama, my preference usually is a good rom com. There is just the right amount of romance in this drama as well to make your heart flutter and your stomach feel butterflies. Of course I had to download the soundtrack because of my babes EXO, but all the songs are really amazing. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Leia Mais

a sweet slice of life

Overall: this was a really enjoyable high school setting BL, but the writers needed to narrow the plot/remove some characters. Watched on Gagaoolala.

Content Warnings: grief, hit, parental abuse/slap

What I Liked
- beginning grabbed my attention, and the umbrella with About Youth written on it was an excellent prop
- nice intro/OST and music
- sweet/caring moments
- cameo in episode 2 from MODC actor, Wilson Liu
- balance of lighter moments with heavier moments, felt like a realistic high school romance
- production value

Room For Improvement
- there was just too much plot and characters for the short run time which led to dropped plot threads (like the election), characters who vanished (uncle, that bully) and led to choppiness where a scene would suddenly jump to another scene at an unknown time later
- too many repetitive scenes, 5 accidental fall and catches, 3 teach him scenes, time could have been better spent elsewhere
- there were quite a few characters introduced and I was confused who the two friends were wondering who they should tell when they saw the boyfriend in episode 1
- end of ep 1, I was confused about where that water came from, apparently some people do throw water onto the street (per the comment on this review)

Leia Mais

Booty Call Appointments

Oh, Mr. Khun Elyes, now talk about a guy you wanna punch under a mistletoe. Yes, this show is not called 'Very Nice Tall Guy My Boss' but damn Susan, did Elyes have to be so good at being a red flag? He got under my skin so much, I'm lowkey having beef with a fictional character. And can someone please slap Pat with a rubber chicken? cuz I'm this close to throwing the holy Bible at his head. Homeboy is so pathetic I can physically see myself losing braincells with every decision he makes.

Reasons why this show gave me headache, and yet, cuz I'm nosy and love drama, I kept coming back for more. This is the whole romance plot sums up in one:
Pat: I love you so much Khun Elyes. Do you love me too?
Elyes: *crickets* y'all hear sumthin?
Pat: Well, then you have to leave. I have my dignity.
ME: Dignity? Where? Child where is it?
*Khun Elyes and his long legs leaves*
*Five seconds later*
Elyes: I bought you bird nest soup. I'm gonna take care of you, although you don't need it.
Pat: bird nest soup? You are the best human in the whole wide world. *In-love noises*
Me: Child, that's not bird nest soup, that's literally water with rock salt and some plantain leaves, ask him about the feelings thing.
Pat: I love my water soup. *opens legs*
ME: Ah, there was your dignity... ON THE EFFING FLOOR.

This show lived up to its title. It promised exactly what it said it was gonna give us, a bad boss. What it didn't though, was how my blood pressure was going to hit the roof because of Pat. Homeboy had me fighting to stay sane with every decision he made. Pat was in love with a boss who had a schedule for his booty calls, treated him and his feelings with no care, and still he kept forgiving him, and coming back for more. Pat, son of Adam, please, quit!! He kept threatening to quit every 2-3 business days, then comes running four seconds later.

Like, tell me why you gonna love a guy who makes you drive him to his booty calls, schedule the appointments for his hoes, and knowingly plays with your feelings, and is somehow also still hung up on his ex who cheated on him? No, but Elyes is an asshole with a capital jerk! He's the kind of character you wanna shove down a long cliff, then throw a bulldozer over just to be sure.

Cuz, literally 2 episodes in, and Elyes have:
1) Double booked a booty call. Homeboy has a schedule where he appoints his booty calls!! Nah ah, it could never be me! Come try that in my backyard, child, see what happens ho! I dare you.
2) Made Patt filled in for a date so he could get with another booty call instead. The angry girl threw water on Pat for his troubles, while Elyes was having a good time against some wall.
3) Made Pat buy a birthday gift for his booty call, just to hurt him. He was like, 'you know what he likes, get to it.'
4) Humiliated Pat by letting him serve him and yet another booty call as their waiter.
5) Forbad him from quitting, or being friendly with people he dislikes.

And after all that, all THAT, Pat still loves him with a capital stupid, and let him kiss and bed him. Child of Adam, why? Why yous so stupid?? Pat deserves no right. Do you enjoy getting hurt?? QUIT, child, QUIT! Listen, I love drama, and stupid arse characters with no self respect makes me love myself more, but this was just sad. And the worse part was, Pat knew he didn't deserves how he was being treated, yet he still stayed. And to that I say once again, ON THE FLOOR. At this point, I don't even blame Elyes for how pathetic Pat was, cuz homeboy should have known better, he was literally the one in charge of Elyes' eff-buddy list. Falling in love with a guy who actively hurts you to teach you a lesson cuz he sorts of cares---miss me with that BS!

I still can't get my head around why Pat didn't just quit and save himself the tears. Pat helped Elyes build an empire in five years only to remain an assistant, a booty call, and the designated driver while Elyes is out effing everyone and their mamas. Elyes even made him a stand in for his dates. And he has to wait in the car while he's out ho-ing. Plus, after all that Pat have genuine feelings for Elyes. Like, why? Literally, why you gonna fell for someone who treats you with less respect than dirt? Sure, there was a scene where Pat said he didn't mind the ho-ing and felt nothing about it, but dude, you have a random else photo of your boss and you, with you in the corner in a frame, on your bed-stand, probably taken off the internet. Come on son, have some shame! Self respect Susan, do you have any? Cuz bish, after 5 years together, working so close with him, many late night dinners, if he doesn't know you're allergic to seafood, you should riot.

And the sad truth is, it's not that Elyes didn't see that what he was doing hurt Pat, he did, and even knew when he was mad at him for it. Plus he seemed to like him back, and didn't want him to quit. Then of course he got all jealous and possessive when that random ex-girlfriend showed up. (Sidenote: Literally, are there girls like her who can't take a hint and just disappear?) So yeah, Elyes still liked Pat while hurting him, which was the worse.

Listen, I felt so embarrassed for the villains in this show. No, really, they were pathetic and flat-out cartoonish. Like, that one guy who went to steal whatever from Elyes's computer. Mfker was like grinning, doing whatever with his eyebrows and trying to look very sly, but came off looking constipated. Like dude, give it a rest. And the two big bad villains. HAHAHAH, like, one of them was like:

Villain #2: We need to kill Run cuz his lover is a mafia. Big bad mafia.
Only for the big bad mafia to show up to a kidnap/blackmail with one hand in his pocket and get totally beat up. Then in the end, he was standing there doing some real hard staring and breathing, while Villain #2 fell down like he did something, and my arse was like, my brother, my brother, go find somewhere to sit, you've embarrassed me and your ancestors enough for today. While they were fighting, I was laughing my arse off, all that guns and both weren't smart enough to keep one on them? And in the end one of them pulled out a knife and got shot in the head.

PLOT:
This had an interesting premise, falling for a bad guy who is also your boss. I went in knowing there would be nonsense drama, and that's what I got, so they nailed that part. The execution of the plot however was all over the place. The bad guys were mid, the secondary characters were uninteresting, and the mains kept going in circle with their relationship. Yes, after a while they made Elyes changed his way, and with some backstory, we came to understand why he's the way he was, so it added to his character. Unfortunately, there wasn't so much meat anywhere else to make this go from interesting premise to a very good show.

I'm still wondering what the reason for that random arse time jump after all the close up shots was about. I went from: how many close up of his effing shoes did we need to see, how is the camera work weird and all over the place to, 'a time jump literally after 1 scene is rubbish'. The director and editors might have thought they ate with that, but my arse was staring like... pack it up and bring it back Sharon, you've done nothing impressive enough to time jump.

CHARACTERS:
Though both leads had my head spinning, I enjoyed the drama they brought to the table. Stupid, braincell losing drama, but still drama. As for the acting, it could have used more work to weed out the awkwardness, and whatever Elyes kept doing with his eyebrows. Most of my attention was on the leads, but Run's character also seemed very interesting, though he was as dumb as Pat, falling in love with an abusive cheater. I wished we'd have gotten more depths from the other characters, but even with Pat, he was a nice guy, stupid and a pushover, and that's basically most of what he was. Once in a while he'd get some bold genes but they deflated pretty quickly. I almost reached into the screen to shake him when he couldn't just be straight with the ex-girlfriend. Though in his defence, homegirl just couldn't take a hint.

As mentioned, the story with the business part was uninteresting, and all that bidding stuff went straight over my head, so it didn't make the secondary characters any interesting than they were made to be. Even in the finally whatever problem arose, all we saw were different montages and Pat putting his pen to his chin. I'm sure they solved it, cuz they had wine, so... yaay for them, I guess.

FINALE.
That finale pissed me the eff off. Literally, after all the work they did with Elyes, only to have him cheat one last time. He could easily have told Kim they should just be friends instead of making out with him. And Pat, after... you know what, why bother, homeboy is officially too stupid to insult, so whatever. I stayed in this show for the drama, but damn, did the writers even know what they were doing with the plot? And was I supposed to cheer that Pat and Elyes ended up together? cuz all I did was roll my eyes and laughed at that corny arse candle love scene. Literally, why?

All in all, a typical bl, nothing special, but watchable like most bls, but you gonna need patience for this one. So if you're looking for some dramatic arse show that's probably gonna make you want to reach into the screen and slap yourself a lead, then this show is for you. Grab some popcorn cuz we've got a red flag and a lead who is colorblind by choice, it doesn't get any dramatic than this. I am looking forward to more series with James and Kad in a different drama. Hopefully, something that will keep our interest from start to finish, and with their acting improved.

Leia Mais

Outstanding! A KDrama that somehow satisfyingly feeds the human heart.

The KDrama "Our Blues" unfolds a distinctive magic that gently stretches its silken net around the hearts of the viewers and thus spreads warmth. Big KDrama!

Re. musical genre: the blues is a kind of lament, sad in nature and born of pain. In "Our Blues" it's not the lamentations of slaves on the plantations, but those of several very average people living where South Koreans prefer to go for vacation: Jeju Island. The protagonists´ lifes are in no way spectacular. They are rather normal for their age and the place. They work hard for their income, live simply and often on what the land (and in this case the sea) offers them. From the buzz of these individual and yet so normal lamentations, a sense of unity grows, that even transcends the screen - because many can sympathize with it and identify with their painful and often humiliating experiences in their own way. That makes it "OUR" blues in several ways. It reaches out from the world of the KDrama into the world of the audience and brings us as people from all over the world a bit closer to each other.

"Our Blues" fondly tells a dozen stories about disappointments and unhealed mental wounds that many people know in one way or another and may have experienced themselves. Most of the protagonists (all wonderful first-class cast!) have known each other more or less since childhood. They form a community of colleagues, friends, family and family of choice. Although Jeju-do is South Korea's largest island, it is relatively small at 73 km x 31 km. At its center, South Korea's highest mountain - the dormant Hallasan Volcano - divides the island into the northern area around the city of Jeju and the southern area around the city of Seogwipo. Seogwipo has an urban center with the harbor and then there is urban sprawl with village structures along the coast. This city characterizes the living environment of the characters. As audience, we accompany some of them in a kind of latent mental process of molting.

Some say there is no such thing as a storyline in "Our Blues". In fact, it is more of a composition, or rather a kaleidoscope of independent lamentations. At the core of each lies an ancient pain. What's magnificent about "Our Blues" is that (and how) these songs are finally being sung and thus make space for light and love. For far too long, the protagonists have kept their pain deeply hidden within. They tried to live with it neatly packed away, instead of 'giving' it some space. Yet, sooner or later, the old pain just 'takes' its space... for 20 episodes...

I would´t call it healing, rather transformation, because the painful experience of the past is and remains what it was. However, the potential of what is possible in the future is changing. When the pain in the heart is finally allowed to find space and show itself, it can be witnessed and receive the recognition it deserves. The spasm dissolves and energy is released. Thus new experiences are now possible in the future.

Wanting to spare oneself or others, or wanting to avoid conflict and confrontation, has ultimately never really worked or done any good. Actually, emotional pain and psychological suffering have something to offer: they are the key to opening a portal to a new dimension of truthfulness. The recipe is quite simple: friction (in a deliberately tangible sense of rubbing) facilitates closeness. The problem that prevents this potential for closeness is very human: fear. Because the prerequisite is that I have to honestly show myself as I am (e.g. with my feelings). In doing so, I make myself vulnerable. But only then someone dear to me can reach out and touch me for real. And only in this way true encounter between me and the world becomes possible. Self-assured. Aware of myself. Straightforward. Straight. Upright.

In this KDrama lamentations are ´sung´ and ´heard´. Deep down they are sad, true enough. Yet, it makes you happy, that they are sung at last. And it is just beautiful the way those stories are told: The variety of stories about friendship dynamics, unrequited love and sensitive family relationships are affectionately interwoven in many layers and gain in radiance. We repeatedly encounter individual protagonists in several contexts. One person after the other ... we can´t help to grow fond of them. Ultimately, besides the very human blues that life inevitably offers as a portal to become who we are, the constants in all time, here, there and everywhere, are the sea around us and the sky above. Jeju-do as location for this KDama just hits the spot!

A KDrama that somehow satisfyingly feeds the human heart.

(By the way: "Our Blues" has become one of the highest-rated series on South Korean cable television. Viewer ratings have doubled from episode 1 to 20. (As I said, you grow fond of it over time...)




----------------- SIDE NOTE: --- Haenyeo = sea women or daughters of the sea ---
Jeju-do is famous not only as a tourist hotspot with boardwalks and hotels for honeymooners (Jeju International Airport is the third largest in the country), but also for its volcanic landscape, which is now a World Heritage Site. Yet, furthermore, characteristic of the island's tradition are the Haenyeos, who have been diving for centuries without oxygen tanks for abalone (or sea snails) and other sea food. Especially abalone is plentiful on the seabed around the island. However, these are not so easy to harvest by conventional fishing industry.

To this day, the archaic way of free diving is the only proven one: hold your breath, dive down with a hook, a weight belt and a small net, and then skilfully scrape the seafood off the rocks at the bottom. Today, wetsuits, diving goggles and fins help. A buoy marks the 'area'. Not everyone can do that. Apparently women are particularly good at it. Often families practice this craft for many generations already. The technique of holding your breath for around 3 minutes at high underwater pressure, even at a water temperature of 8 °C, is usually passed on to the daughter. (Actually, in these circles the birth of a daughter is finally empathically praised and extensively celebrated.)

The income of the sought-after Haenyeo has become quite respectable. They are economically independent by now. These days, however, there is shadow to it, too. Being able to finance university studies for their offspring, the young generation nowadays prefers to move to the mainland for higher education and more comfortable jobs. Accordingly, the Haenyeos could soon become extinct. Nevertheless, once you are a Haenyeo, you stay with the diving until old age.
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Leia Mais

I'll start my review with this: <3<3<3<3<<3<3<3<<3<3<3<3<3!

Ok, let's go now: Healer is the best drama I have watched in my two years of watching dramas. I am absolutely speechless, actually I have so much to say and I don't know where should I begin. I'm not biased or something like that because I started this drama out of pure curiosity, I didn't even know JCW and YJT existed(shame on me, stupid girl) and I wasn't fond of PMY's acting. However, the three of them did such a good job portraying their characters and overwhelmed me completely. JCW became my first favorite actor because his acting is simply brilliant, I've never seen a Korean actor before him who's able to portray emotions so perfectly, switching constantly (He played Healer and geek Park Bong Soo). His eyes are expressing every single one of his feelings, I just focus on his eyes and I can read his mind, just perfect. PMY also surprised me (like I said she didn't make impact on me with her acting before) but she was so amazing here, her character Chae Yong Shin suited her so well that it is unbelievable, her chemistry with JCW is something you can't see every day, they are the best couple I've seen in dramas, maybe even in shows generally. That love in Healer was portrayed so beautifully, so intense, so perfect!! Every their interaction made my heart skip a beat, they don't even have to touch, their looking at each other tells you everything! And when they touch I feel like going insane, I've never felt that way before watching some couple in a drama. but this couple is something else. Also, other actors like Do Ji Won who played CYS's mum Myung Hee, Park Sang Won as Kim Moon Shik etc did an awesome job too! Every single character in this drama was portrayed so good, even the ''bad ones'' like Kim Moon Shik and his secretary were interesting to watch because they are not the usual drama-like bad characters who ruin everything, they had their own characteristics which they are known for like every human being, so they were also intriguing. Everything in this drama was done so perfectly I can't even explain it here properly, even If I used so many words.. Plot done by a perfect writer Song Ji Na, acting, OST.. If you haven't seen this drama believe me and start right now, you won't regret it, you'll actually be thankful to God and me, and other people who recommend it. :)

Leia Mais

I am so sad that this drama is over. Legitimately sad. That's an amazing feat considering how much I thought the first two episodes sucked! I've also managed to give this drama a 10, which may seem illogical based on some of my critiques (and I have many), but I really could not give it even a half point lower... that's how much I loved Lucky Romance. I guess that's fitting since this drama puts feelings over logic as a theme. I feel like Shim Bo Nui, I know it doesn't make sense, but I don't care : p



You should be warned that this is a full on RomCom, so if you're not interested in romance this is definitely the wrong drama for you. If you are a romance fan, even a slight romance fan, then this is a must see! Not because of the story, which follows the standard kdrama romance formula, but what sets this romance apart is the chemistry between the two leads, and that is 100% due to the breakout lead performance of Ryu Joon Yeol as Je Su Ho. He is perfectly cast, and PERFECT is not an exaggeration. I think the first two episodes are boring because they focus on introducing the plot, and on Shim Bo Nui being weird, but as soon as we get to see more of Su Ho the show became instantly addictive.



Hwang Jung Eum has lucked out with many great pairings, but this one is my new favorite. She relies on her usual perky personality, which can be annoying, but it really fit the quirkiness of this character well. I also liked that even though the character was kooky, and irrational, she was also smart, and not just a doormat. Bo Nui is desperate, and self destructive, without losing her charm, which makes her extremely complicated. They both nailed the balance between silly humor and more emotional scenes. They also looked good together, even with her HORRIBLE outfits (I still don't understand the hospital gown couture). My only complaint about the pairing is their kissing scenes... UGH! Joon Yeol gives everything to those moments, including his beautiful lips, and she just presses her lips to his with no effort. It pisses me off too much not to mention it.



The rest of the cast is also amazing. Gary Choi is a great 2nd lead character. I like his dynamic with the leads, and that he's not a villain-type. I've never seen Lee Soo Hyuk in a drama before, so I wasn't initially impressed, but he grew on me quickly. Amy's character was not as likable, but I still think Lee Chung Ah did a great job. The office team is full of great smaller characters, with their own cute little stories (I loved the office bet moments), but the supporting character MVPs are BFFs Dal Nim and Ryang Ha. They really were hilariously cute together, as well as perfect support for the leads. Some of my favorite moments in the show are their banter. They are the perfect comedy relief when the rest of the story gets less humorous too. I really don't think there are any weak acting links in the cast, and it's the cast that drives this show. I am annoyed by the lack of development for Jung In Ki's role, but that has nothing to do with his acting, which I think was spot on, that's the writer's fault.



That leads me to this dramas biggest weakness, and that's the story. Not only is the premise ridiculous, but how it's handled left many questions unanswered. I think that's part of the charm of the story, not having everything defined as 0's and 1's (a major reoccurring theme), but it is also frustrating. Then there are other storylines that are introduced... a missing father... the chicken guy... disgruntled ex employees... but those stories just aren't ever as interesting as the main love story. Even the game development story is only slightly intriguing, and just another brilliant means for them to interact. So I thought the story was pretty average, but I was still a fan of the writing. What I thought the writer did well were actually what the characters said, or how they interacted with each other. Ju Ho has some brilliant moments, and unless he was totally created through improv, the writer deserves credit for making one of my favorite drama characters EVER.



The music got better. I wasn't initially a fan, but I started liking some of the later songs more. What I really love is how they incorporated the song "Sad Fate" into the story. I thought that was very well done.



Now for the real reason behind me giving this drama a 10, and thats the rewatch value. Of course I gave this a 10 for rewatch value, because I am already rewatching, and I'm already up to episode 7 o.O!!! I've never done that with a drama ever!



So overall, this drama may not be perfect, but Ryu Joon Yeol was perfect, and that earns this drama a 10 score from me. I can't believe he's only been in two dramas!!! Obviously I now have to watch Reply 1988! I know that the next drama he's in will probably have me doing a countdown 'till the first episode.



If you're reluctant to watch, just please remember not to judge this drama by it's first couple of episodes. Once this show gets on a roll it is continuously charming until the very end. There are also some great themes about love, life, and "fate" in it that I appreciate. Oh, and I truly appreciate my new ideal kdrama namja chingu... RJY. I have a feeling I'm not alone in feeling that way!

Leia Mais

Decided to write a review for this drama solely for the purpose to provide a contrasting perspective compared to the more positive reviews. From my score, you can tell that I don’t regard this highly.

This drama started off cute and light-hearted with Ariel and Vin bickering. We also saw a lot more of the masked hero doing his thing. However, the plot wasn’t very deep at this point in the story. So, it started to lose its spark around episode 10-15. Around episode 20, we got a new setting and therefore the story picked up a bit but…it slowed down for another 10 episodes until they decided to quicken the pace again. It felt like I was on a rollercoaster for children; small build-up and boring falls that repeats five to six times. The overall tone of the story changed near the middle of the drama; it went from lighthearted to a more dramatic feel. The scriptwriter did try to insert random comedic parts, but they felt forceful and unnatural. Everything did unravel throughout time and many different issues do come up to provide depth and conflict to the plot, but I lost interest as the plot became more complicated. Not because I dislike conflict and details, but mainly because I found the story to be losing its focus. Too much was going on and I didn’t find the conflicts to be a great addition to the overall plot. Especially with Ariel's identity as the Divine Maiden. I think they could've delved more into it and given her more of a role to stop everyone from trying to hunt her. Could she have learned martial arts/self-defense? Yes, but did she? No. She left it all to Vin (and Austin) and was ultimately a damsel in distress at the end. Besides having an" extraordinary sense for business" she did very little to change her fate.

If you’re looking for a drama where the main couple is together often then look elsewhere. After the first 16-18 episodes, we rarely see them together. They meet and get separated frequently. This doesn’t bother me much if they carried the plot well (but they didn’t) and I got frustrated near the end when the reasons for their misunderstandings could’ve been omitted (i.e. unnecessary love triangles). This also could’ve given the director/writer some more time to dedicate giving their audience a more satisfying ending. I’m quite bitter to have spent so much time watching this and get such an awful ending. I actually laughed when I watched the ending because of its mediocrity. In short, it was a cop-out. Either the director/writer did not plan accordingly to provide a substantial and fulfilling ending, they overspent and decided to make the last episode a cop-out, or both. I don't mind tragic/sad/happy endings as long as they're done well, but this ending was none of the above. It was a badly written and executed ending. They took no responsibility for anyone’s story and provided a distasteful ending. For those curious, I’ll provide a comment below to spoil the ending if you wish to read it.

I was excited to watch Vin Zhang as a lead. I believe there’s a lot of talent that hasn’t been shown as he’s (in my opinion) slowly being type-casted. In the beginning, he would bicker and tease Ariel, so it was refreshing compared to his recent angsty roles. However, this changed quickly, and he lost his shine as the plot thickened. Which was a massive shame. Watching Ariel is the same as watching her in her previous dramas. She’s great at acting out a “dumb” and cute role. Due to her experience, she is also one of the best actors in the series. She portrayed her role well and did well with her more serious parts. But I do want to note that I have a really hard time taking her seriously when she’s trying to be tough. This is mainly because I think she has a face suitable for dumb/cute roles. Sorry, Ariel. Vin’s shine seems to be passed to Austin in the latter part of the drama. Austin has turned into someone who would bicker and tease Ariel, but I didn’t find him to be too memorable in this role. Then again, none of the roles are memorable for me but are these a fault to the actors themselves? No. They did well to portray their roles. I just found the roles to be poorly written...or just poorly implemented into a poorly written plot. I do want to note that I found Austin's character to more interesting than the leads near the end...so I guess that's saying something.

All-in-all, I wouldn’t recommend this if you’re looking for a great plot and a satisfying ending. I think there are better historical romances to dedicate your time to but of course, everyone’s taste is different. So, I would recommend this if you’re looking for a semi-lighthearted historical drama. Just be prepared for an extremely poorly written ending because that's one thing we can all agree on whether we enjoyed watching this or not.

Leia Mais

Voice got a lot of mixed reactions, ranging from perfection to utter garbage. Being a crime drama hater as well as a viewer who consciously avoids OCN shows, I’m more than surprised to belong in the former category. Voice was a splendid crime thriller and for me, the best OCN drama I’ve watched by far.

Story
Same old, same old, 2 police officers whose relatives get murdered by the same person, are teaming up to create a new division based on the emergency call police department and their end-game is to catch that bastard.

Been there, done that, so what did Voice do to break the mould of crime dramas?

First of all, the concept of Voice profiling. Not sure if this is a thing, but even if it’s not, we accepted a crime drama about a walkie talkie that could make a 2 guys living in different timelines to communicate, why can’t we accept a woman who can hear extremely well? The voice profiling was original for me, gave a different vibe and an innovative twist to the all-too-usual police procedural recipe.

Furthermore, the impressive cinematography and music. The drama is gritty and dark in all the right ways. Creative directing, haunting dark colors and soulful music just came together perfectly and clicked, making a drama that not only gives off ominous vibes but it is also sinister only by looking at it.

Continuing, the incredible side stories. Every two episodes or so there is a new crime story introduced for the “golden time team” –the aforementioned new division created- to resolve. This is where the writing along with the directing and montage click together doing miracles. All of the side stories were intense, engaging, thought-provoking (although the first two ones were my favourite), well-written and did not drag at all.

Finally, the most important one, the marvelous core story. Cliché done right. The concept of putting a psychopath as the main villain isn’t foreign to dramaland; however the drama’s atmosphere, world-building along with the casting literally did miracles. More specifically, I appreciated that there was not a lot of red herring involved –crime dramas seem to think that we enjoy being led astray every 2 episodes for some reason; while, it felt like there is a whole story going on in the background making this drama look like a part of a whole. Effectively, we were focused on the police side of a bigger narrative - plot twists, havoc and despair ensued.

Furthermore, it’s worth noting how every character, plot device and potential twist are beautifully connected and intrinsically linked to the bigger picture. Good writing - the drama is actually so good even when you see the twist coming, you're still gonna like it anyway cause the whole aura of the drama won't let you a moment's rest.

Lastly, It would be a serious negligence, at this point, to not mention the exquisite Serial Killer. Undeniably, the drama owes how well it worked to its main villain. As far as I’m concerned we’re talking about the best villain I’ve ever witnessed creepy, scary, disgusting and disturbing, the type that crawls up your skin only by seeing his smirking smile. He enhanced the drama while simultaneously we do get the environment in which a serial killer is born that was spectacular to watch.

Honestly, not many drawbacks can be cited by me. If I could address one it would be the somewhat conveniently written side stories. But, come to think of it, isn’t every kdrama ever like this? Rich hot arrogant chaebols falling for poor innocent girls, silly coincidences and other cliches and we accept that but can’t accept a crime drama with stories being a little far-fetched or exaggerated here and there? This is dramaland, if everything was absolutely rational there would be no drama to watch!

Additionally, it was claimed that the drama had gruesome scenes and a lot of blood. Having grown up watching American TV shows this felt like child’s play to me but I do understand if some scenes were too much for some people. Everything is censored (actually, too much censoring going on to be honest), but be aware if you are sensitive to such scenes. Moreover, I read comments saying the side stories were boring and dragged, which contradicts completely what I said. I obviously disagree. Frankly, the side stories might be the best part of it all.

What's more, people argued that the drama takes a hit after a strong beginning. Strong starts bring high expectations too. I think the drama did well in keeping up pace, not dragging and staying strong plot-wise. Yes, middle episodes weren’t as strong as the first 2-3 but still a solid drama overall.

In general, Voice isn’t perfect, but it is time well-spent for sure. It is extremely thrilling; the side stories addressed interesting issues like child abuse, rape ect and were generally on the humanistic side of society, definitely struck a chord with me. The drama deserves a 9 for its flawless story line (side+main) +0.5 for the fact that it was utterly stimulating and increasingly intense with fleeting moments of strong sentiments and despair that just make the whole thing feel that much more real and emotional; I was at the edge of my seat during pretty much every episode either being thrilled or feeling hopeless.

Acting
I admit I was purposely avoiding Lee Ha Na. I only saw her once before Voice, didn’t like her. That being said, thank god I picked this because she redeemed herself completely. I couldn’t even recognize her here and I drew the conclusion that she just doesn’t match cute rom-comy characters, but rather darker ones. Her performance was impeccable here and she had great chemistry (as co-police officers) with Jang Hyuk. I’d love to see her in a similar role, or even in a melodrama in the future.

It is established how good Jang Hyuk is, and here is no exception to his unending talent. Fearless and brave character with a broken and emotional side, he pulled off his role immaculately and he was a perfect fit for it. Such a well-rounded actor, he can do everything. Respect.

Where have Kim Jae Wook been all this time? Flawless and creepy, an absolutely perfect match for his role, I need to keep an eye out for him in the future. I can safely say he made the drama!

Recommend
Concluding, I’d say don’t turn a blind eye to this drama, it’s really good. Crime and thriller drama fans I call out to you, viewers who enjoy intense and provocative dramas/stories that aren’t extremely complicated this is for you. I can’t see how someone wouldn’t be entertained by Voice if you disregard the convenient part and you don’t have a problem with some violence ect.

Leia Mais

A touching drama criticizing society in the most beautiful way

This was an emotional ride with every singel emotion known ... I have probably cried every singel type of tear i know of.... so to say I was touched is an understatement.

This drama combines important issues while celebrating peoples life and showing both respect and nuance to peoples death. Every episode has a message and while some kick you making you want to fight back, some will give you hope and others are just sad and that is okay too.

The main story is touching on its own with, trauma, violence, misunderstandings and a whole lot of regret truly has everything and more that one can expect and wish for from this type of drama. I Love the way this drama shows people of different ability as competent humans with emotions deserving respect but also in need of assistance. I also love how this drama tackels prejudice and controversial issues in today's society in an unapologetic yet beautiful way.

I was not annoyed at any one, never had the urge to pause, the humor in it hit just the right spot and all in all I loved it. Yes I did. This does not mean every second was perfect or that every singel actors acting was flawless it just means I liked the way it woke my emotions and made me feel so many different emotions in only 10 episodes.

What also made this drama great was that different episodes where kind of different generas so there was really not time to get bored. While some episodes where more emotional, other episodes kept me on my toes, some truly caught me of guard and supersized me and some even made me fall in love... but to be clear the romance truly is kept to a minimum.

This drama also taught me that even dead people communicate, we just have to listen and observe the objects they leave behind and that as long as some one is in your memory you will never be alone... kind of creepy but sweet and comforting.

Leia Mais

Dumbed down to the point of fatousness.

Let me keep this short to avoid wasting more time on this mind numbingly boring 39-episode revenge drama that was 40 episodes too many. The original works The Emperor's Book 帝皇书 is a dark and complicated tale of a love, duty, revenge and atonement. The adaptation has been dumbed down to the point of fatuousness in a misguided attempt to make the intricate plot more accessible. The broad plot outline is unmistakably Nirvana in Fire lite with swapped gender roles and a ton of romance.

The bright, over-lit palette sets the wrong tone for this kind of dark story of betrayal from the get go. The action heavy open sees swashbuckling badass pirate Ren Anle proposing to crown prince Han Ye with her dowry of 30,000 elite sea troops. Despite Dilraba's impressive flirting skills, Anle's shameless pursuit of Han Ye went on for too long and seems heavy handed. There isn't much natural spark between her and Gong Jun even though they look fantastic together. Despite her exquisite beauty and charisma Dilraba's acting in this is disappointing. She comes across as someone who never suffered or experienced profound loss. Her best distressed or traumatized expressions smack of someone whose favorite pair of Jimmy Choos got muddied; a far cry from someone whose entire clan down to nine generations got unjustly wiped out. The collaterally damaged characters Luo Mingxi, An Ning, Lin Lang and even the delusional Chengán are more convincing as deeply scarred and haunted by the Di family massacre. To be fair, the titular role of Anle is not well written. She barely gets to do any of the hard stuff. Everyone from Luo Mingxxi to An Ning steals her thunder in terms of the scheming, making ruthless decisions and even fighting.

"My heart was once stirred by a woman called Ren Anle, but all my life I will protect Di Ziyuan/ 我对一个叫任安乐的女子动过心，但我这一世都会护着帝梓元" is the novel's best line that encapsulates what Han Ye is all about. If Gong Jun had to get one line right, it was this one. His expressionless lacklustre delivery of this line epitomizes his vacuous, uninspired acting throughout. The only characters that made me care are Wen Zhou and Lin Lang. Liu Yuning also does a decent job largely because he dubbed himself. Sadly his character has no development and doesn't do much other than to mope and slouche around plotting with a sinister twisted smile on his face.

There is too much standing around and talking in this drama but there are only a few good lines that are repeated ad nauseum. Of course the Di family army lost 80,000 troops; more than the 70,000 strong Chiyan army! The sheer hubris and audacity of these third tier writers to repeatedly allude to a masterpiece and hint their Di family suffered more is pathetic. They neutered an amazing plot and weighed it down with a pedestrian rendition of the Romeo and Juliet trope. The revenge arc climaxes too early and the showdown lacks intensity. The narrative further devolves into a bunch of silly sub-plots that are just juvenile attempts to squeeze some angst out of viewers by unimaginatively throwing a few characters off a cliff and killing a few others gratuitously. This just made me laugh instead of cry. This drama seems to drag on forever to the point that the hair turning white oddly makes sense! Only watch this if you are die hard Dilraba or Gong Jun fans. I rate this 6.5/10.0.

Leia Mais

“Why do you Run?”

This drama is about two adults who met in the oddest way, but at the perfect time - one who is an orphan and has been living only for herself, and one who has been living for others to the point that he's left with nothing for himself. And no, they did not need each other nor did they need saving, but they grew as their own person when their worlds collided. This drama follows their journey of self discovery and self love. This drama does not have your usual tropes, angst, and fluff (at least at the beginning- wait for it!), it doesn't have a major conflict, but it just shows the characters' day-to-day lives. It shows a mature and realistic take on relationships. It shows that we are simply the protagonists of our own lives. Moreover, It shows the importance of finding yourself and loving yourself first before you are able to give yourself to others. The cherry on top? Their chemistry. The main leads' chemistry is THROUGH THE ROOF so be prepared to fall in love with them.

As the title might suggest - this isn't a sports drama, but a slice-of-life romcom. It's funny, endearing, impactful, and heartwarming. It carries so many life lessons and touches on many sensitive issues like sexuality. As the FL is a movie translator, this also includes a lot of classic movie references/ parodies that enthusiasts may like. It may be slow at the beginning but it's because of the many layers and depth that will be unveiled as the drama progresses. This is also full of parallelism and symbolism that might require reflecting before you fully understand because that's how rich and detailed the writing is. This is a dialogue and character driven drama, which might not be for everyone, but it's as good as it gets. This drama's charms are the raw, rich, refreshing, and excruciatingly honest dialogues, the witty jabs (trust me the humor is very, very well written), and how the story circles back to its title - Run On. Run On, move forward - even if it life gets difficult, you can always slow down, just don't give up. Despite your traumas, life must go on.

This drama is so healthy, real, and good for the soul - no toxic relationships or toxic masculinity. The men: the male lead is a character we haven't seen before - he's odd, awkward, but in every way charming. He is always ready to lend a helping hand to others. He has a hard time communicating and expressing himself but eventually the female lead broke his ice (isn't it fitting that the FL just happened to be literally, a translator?) The 2nd male lead is equally charming, a bit emotional and sensitive, but knows what he wants. He's quite the character. The women? Damn. The women are strong and brilliant. The female lead is the epitome of self love without any selfishness. Despite her tough past, she grew up well. The 2nd female lead is a chaebol (not your ordinary one) - a strong, independent woman, but puts up walls and boundaries. It's beautiful to see all of them grow and come together, with a bit of cute bickering on the side. The characters are very unique - roles/jobs that aren't usually shown in dramas (a translator, retired athlete, movie distributor, artist, and so) so this is quite refreshing. I also loved how all the characters have a relationship with each other (not just the leads) - bromance, sismance, even the male lead and 2nd female lead and vice versa. The friendship that developed among the leads and supporting cast is just phenomenal. The writer also managed to let the 2nd couple shine and not just make them a mere filler even until the last episodes. Even the smallest roles were given recognition. Cannot praise the writer enough for this.

If you are looking for a comforting and healing drama, this is for you. If you are at a bad place or if you are feeling lost, this is for you. Honestly it has been a while since i've been this attached to a drama. I assure that you will fall in love with the characters, the insanely beautiful cinematography, the OST, and the impeccable writing. It is in every way sensible and authentic. It is full of so, so many life lessons if you'll just go beyond the surface.

[Edit after completing] Well, it's still as beautiful as when it started. It's great from start to end, cried a lot in the last episode. The ending has to be the best i've seen in kdramas. I love how everyone was given their own happy endings. I also love how the ending shows that life just goes on for everyone - you don't need a big, grand, happy ending to find meaning in our day to day lives. Again as the title suggests, Run On. Amazing, amazing work by the writer!

It's a long review but in conclusion: YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS NOW!!! This is a rare masterpiece!

My favorite quote: “When you run, you don’t think about what’s behind you. The only thing that matters is what’s right in front of you. Normally, it’s the finish line. But today, it was you.”

Leia Mais

Love in Dahuang is cruel, lonely and makes your soul bleed - A deeply emotional analysis.

Season 2 of Lost You Forever drops you straight into the tragic, painful, full of yearning madness that is the brutal world of Dahuang. It brings with it the same excellent cinematography, gorgeous sets, beautiful dialogues and haunting music score that was the signature in its first season.

However, this season is more raw, more bleak and more unkind to your heart as it follows the journey of our broken characters and their futile love. Ultimately, it is a story of what could have been, what never will be and what remains.

✔️What could have been - Xiang Liu - The glorious dragon of all our hearts

At times, watching this season, it felt like this was Xiang Liu’s world and we were all just living in it. The nine headed dragon has to be one of the most complex, deeply layered and nuanced characters on Chinese television. With his life shaped in torture, the shackles of a lifelong oath dragging down his very being and undying loyalty to a doomed army hanging over him like a cloud, Xiang Liu is the most devastating unsung anti-hero I have ever seen.

Even though he started his journey with borderline villainy, he is soon revealed to be sacrificial, noble and selfless in a way that is both self-punishing and painful. His love for Xiao Yao is real, thoughtful, tender and pure even as he tries to bury it under constant denial. He builds her up in a way no other man has ever done. With tough love, unexpected tenderness, hidden affection and needed ruthlessness, he makes her the kind of woman who she has always wanted to be.

Someone who can rely on herself, who belongs and who is strong and unafraid. Ultimately, he is the one who understands her on a soul deep level - he is her teacher, her best friend, her soulmate and also the man she can never have. Always there to pick her up when she needs it most, always there to save her when nobody else can.

To the very end, his goal remains to do what is best for her even if it plunges him into infamy or rips his own heart out. He wears the mask of her worst tormentor when in reality, he is the guardian angel who makes it possible for her to have everything she has ever wanted. His love, unlike others, comes with no conditions. The only condition he has is her happiness.

Tan Jian Ci’s acting was phenomenal here. He was capable of displaying so much emotion in a matter of minutes. His fearless, vicious, demanding, deeply sacrificial, stubbornly duty bound, frustratingly complex, unflinching, vulnerable, SEXY ASS SIN portrayal of a dragon with a golden heart, that is so broken that he knows nothing else, completely wrecks your heart.

At the same time, his duality shines through in the form of Fangfeng Bei - a carefree, playful, witty, flirtatious casanova that is even more painful to watch because it dangles the possibility of how different things could have been in another life for both us and Xiao Yao.

The “what if” here is so strong. What if Xiang Liu was just Fangfeng Bei - a man who could love without restraint, live without burden and could accompany Xiao Yao for the world to see? What if he gave them a chance? What if? What if? What if? It’s enough to drive you insane.

It’s like Xiang Liu had an unspoken connection with my eyes. Every time he came on screen, my eyes cried tears of blood. I felt like a live wire of hurt as I saw him kill all the longing in his heart, stomp on the love he thought himself unworthy of and march towards an end that was as devastating, unstoppable and glorious as the man with all these jagged edges himself.

It’s almost sadistic the way the author of this drama lets us know the depth of his love, the tenderness of his heart and the ultimate compassion behind his sacrifice. It’s an unbearable doomed secret that hangs between us and Xiang Liu. The one we want to scream at the world and the one he wants to bury. And bury, he does.

A serpent with the sweetest sting, a dragon with a fire that burns only himself, a man with a heart that is boundless - Xiang Liu will forever live in my heart as one of the most memorable and formidable characters I have come across in ages.

✔️What will never be - Cang Xuan - The wolf who tore the sheep's clothing

From the very start, Cang Xuan has shown to be a man capable of absolute mercilessness if he is pushed towards it. A strategist who can do away with all personal feelings for the end goal. He has forever been a cornered wolf, clawing and manipulating his way to power so he can protect the one he loves. He has worn the cloak of civility, he has made compromises for the throne, he has hidden his anger under the guise of a smile - all so he could be the man who calls the shots.

Now, he has it all and yet, his head hangs low under the weight of the crown he fought to put there. His love for Xiao Yao has been the oldest and coldest friend he knows - his underlying motivation for everything. What he feels for her has simmered and bubbled under his skin since they were children. After all, she’s the only person in his life who he trusts without question. The only woman who has been with him through thick and thin.

However, Cang Xuan has been suppressed for far too long, been forced to muzzle his fangs for too long and this season, slowly his veneer of politeness has started to chip. His desperation and his need for her has started to congeal into an obsession that is as self-destructive as it is selfish.

Slowly, you see him unravel as his need to keep her next to him, his festered bitterness and his damaged soul that has been deprived of love for way too fucking long threatens to propel him off a cliff where there is no coming back from.

Cang Xuan is a deeply unfortunate, tragic hero and Zhang Wanyi’s delicate portrayal made this flawed, broken and wholly human character always easy to empathize with. On one hand he can be beyond ruthless and decisive for the things he wants and on the other hand he oozes this childlike fear and insecurity when he faces Xiao Yao. He is king to all but at her feet alone and it’s eating away at him that she cannot see it.

He cannot get the love he is starved for, so he feeds himself with more and more power - it keeps him full yet malnourished. Until, he is nothing but a famished wolf, yearning for a love that is always at the tips of his fingertips and yet millions of miles away.

While, I definitely feel like the drama declawed him in the last few episodes, and stuffed his wolf back into the sheep’s clothing, there is also some reprieve in seeing this character come into his own and make peace with his ambitions while ultimately choosing a path that keeps his conscience clean and his hands bloodless.

✔️What remains - Tushan Jing - Weak spineless noodle who is the only option available

One of my biggest gripes with this drama was the way they executed Tushan Jing’s character. He is spineless and cowardly to the point of being intolerable. Always weeping and coughing on the side, always waiting for other people to clean his messes, always the least interesting person in the room - the only thing Jing has going for him is the ten or so episodes of the first season where he endeared himself to viewers as the pure and untainted Shi Qi.

Since then, all his actions are just explained in dialogues. The show wants you to like him just because the script says so. He is good just because the script says so. Deng Wei is the weakest link of the cast and fails to manage to bring forth even a hint of a second layer to his character.

It’s almost like the drama makers hate him because he’s given the least impactful screen time and even when he isn’t he wastes his moments with the same redundant facial expressions we have seen from episode 1. He is never Xiao Yao’s equal and is more of an adopted pet than a partner. All he does is get sick, cries and causes Xiao Yao to mother him.

He is a very useless character overall - bland, uncomplicated and a man who would always be on a lower level than his woman. Which is also why, it’s the most understandable why Xiao Yao would be attracted to him given the rough life she has had and why he is the only real option available to her. So, while I understood his appeal to Xiao Yao, it still didn’t mean I had to like him as a character and I couldn’t help but yawn every time his scenes came on screen because of how much of a snoozefest they were.

✔️Xiao Yao - The Queen of Broken Hearts

Xiao Yao - one of my favorite female leads ever - really took some hits this season. She was at times frustratingly indecisive, forever hung up on a man when that’s never been her character, stupidly self-blaming and had some moments that were downright naive. That said, Yang Zi’s excellent portrayal made her impossible to dislike for me. Her acting is one of the best I have seen by any C-drama heroine in my entire life.

Xiao Yao is a woman who wears her past and troubled childhood like a cloak. It’s always there, lingering at the back of her mind. She is a product of her upbringing and abandonment is a word that rules her deepest phobias. That is why, even when you dislike the decisions she makes, they fall in line with her character. You understand why she does what she does and you can’t begrudge her that.

Her underlying strength never vanishes even at her lowest; she is clever and scheming when she has to be, and she never loses sight of her passion that lies in healing people. While I do believe her life revolved around the men more than I would like, Xiao Yao is still one of my favorite characters.

There's something so nurturing in her that speaks to the broken men she comes across, something so wounded that reaches out to others with similar wounds, that there is never a question as to why she is the one all these men are pining after. That said, as compassionate as she is, Xiao Yao’s wrath is a cold, cold dish and when served, it freezes the other person to near death.

Yang Zi’s phenomenal acting made me feel her loneliness, her pain, her anger and her hopelessness. She has always only ever wanted to have someone that would put her first and it’s impossible to forsake her for it.

Even if it pains me to say it, her ultimate decision is the most realistic and practical one among the very meager options. Cang Xuan’s love is shared by the throne he sits on and tainted by all the women he must marry for the sake of power.

Xiang Liu, who is without a doubt the one she would be with if she could, is imprisoned by a debt that will never be paid. A debt that has become his identity - it’s all he knows, all he has ever known and parting with it, means parting with himself.

So Jing - simple, unimpressive, easy to handle Jing - is the safest option for her heart. She doesn’t need saving because she can save herself. She doesn’t need fame because her lineage gives her enough of that. She doesn’t even need the epic, unforgettable love anymore because all the torture that she has faced over the years has beaten it out of her.

What she needs is just a partner, fully devoted and simply there, right next to her with no other responsibilities other than staying with her. In Jing, she sees the innocence that she herself has lost and preserving it, means preserving a part of herself.

By healing him, she heals herself and so she fights for him with such devotion because despite all the pain, he has brought her happiness that is simple- a simplicity she has forever craved for and I won’t hold that against her.

Because, despite the men you root for, this is ultimately Xiao Yao’s story about the love she lost, the love she never had and the love she gained. It’s a journey of how she met these men who changed the very trajectory of her life - who broke her some, who healed her some - and who left different kinds of impressions on her heart.

❌ Some Flaws this drama had:

I am not going to say this drama was perfect because I did find some flaws in it. For one, the plot did go in circles at times and the action/war scenes were poorly executed. There is a lot of telling rather than showing as well. Other times, there were unintentionally funny scenes that didn’t go with the tone of the drama. (Even if they were few and far between.)

However, the biggest flaw was the last few episodes. Rushed, messy and deviating from the original novel. It baffles me why the drama chose to make some of the choices it did in order to reduce the brutality and tragedy of the original novel. I think it made the story more audience friendly but it really felt like defanging a lion and turning it into a house cat.

The fates of these characters in the novel were there for a reason. They made sense because their personalities and actions led up to those conclusions. So, meddling with that, especially in the case of Cang Xuan, just made a lot of things feel underwhelming for me.

And yet, they decided to keep one of the most cruel fates in this story, just like it was in the novel, even when audiences prayed for some reprieve there. So, I am not sure what the point of those changes really was because I am sure the amount of scenes they modified, they ended up pissing off fans of each of the men.

✅ Final Thoughts:
So yes, while I had problems with this drama, it was still very much a story that pulled at all of my heartstrings. I felt so much empathy and so much grief for these flawed characters and I feel that overall, the writers did an excellent job weaving a narrative that was so compelling and so utterly agonizing.

There are some excellent supporting characters in this drama in the form of the bratty but endearing princess Nian, the wise Xiyan emperor and the lovable Haoling king. They all have moments that steal the show and allow you to look at the main protagonist’s actions with a different perspective.

Lost you forever is an extremely character driven slow burn story which is why I think this is best seen 2 episodes a day. You have to sip and feast on it like a mug of cozy hot cocoa instead of downing it like a tequila shot in one go because if you do that, you’ll be left coughing, sputtering and bored.

Ultimately, this is a story about love but love is not the end goal. These are complicated characters who all have their own motivations to do what they do. And, while they crave for a home, for companionship and for a future - they don’t necessarily base their choices around it. As a result, there are more or less no antagonists in this drama - just these complex people with their own internal struggles, fighting their own demons.

I had already read many excerpts from the novel, so I knew how most things were going to go and yet, when I saw it all come to life on screen, my feelings still got manipulated like I was a puppet on strings. I cried, I laughed, I stressed and I despaired. For that alone, I feel like for me, it was a drama worth watching and I cannot give it a lower score.

So, this is without a doubt one of my favorites and 100% Jeana recommended.

***

To Xiao Yao,

You don’t have to be alone anymore. May you have somewhere to go and have someone to rely on. Wishing you a lifetime of peace and happiness.

Xiang Liu

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BEAUTIFUL MASTERPIECE THAT I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER

This has become my second favorite xianxia ever!! I laughed l, I cried, i was pissed off, I love so many characters here. So many range of emotions in me during these 40 episodes. I wish it would be longer.
I really congratulate all the casting members, writer, director, production and each member that made possible this BEAUTIFUL MASTERPIECE!!! Tian Yao and Yanhui now are my favorite couple! I’m going to miss them so much!! 😭😭😭
Yanhui and Tian Yao met because she mistook him from someone else and from that moment their beautiful journey started. She didn’t have a place to stay because she was expelled from her sect. He took her to live with him and his (fake) grandma. Tian Yao was unable to love anyone because he was betrayed 20 years ago by the woman that he fell in love. Time goes on and Yanhui started to like him because of a supposed love potion but then she realized that she has fallen in love because who he was and for the many things that they’ve lived until that moment. Because of the betrayal, he had decided to close his heart completely and to not love anyone anymore. His anger and desire of revenge for what the biatch SY did to him were his biggest impediment to fall in love but after so many beautiful things and Yanhui’s tender heart and all the great things that she did for him, his heart started to open and fell deeply in love with her as well.
They would do anything and everything from each other which made them my favorite couple ever! Their chemistry is something out of this world!

I’m so thankful for this drama in so many ways and that Liu Feng’s family had it to remember their son.
PS: I’m still waiting for them to consummate their marriage and a proper kiss from them. I would love to see them together in a modern drama ❤️💜❤️💜❤️

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