Reviews

A beautifully executed story on what it means to love others, and yourself

Love Game in Eastern Fantasy was a wild ride as we followed the female lead, Ling Miaomiao, on her quest to “capture” the male lead’s heart. Although it does have elements of a typical Xuanhuan, its character development, the caliber of acting, and attention to small details help it stand out from others in its genre. Objectively speaking, the drama did fall short as it neared the end. But this really depends on how you decide to interpret the ending. After spending some time watching close analyses of the ending and parts of the drama on Chinese social media, I have a much greater appreciation for why the drama ended the way it did. Subjectively speaking, this was a cute and emotional drama that filled my heart to the brim with warmth. You're in luck if you watched Moonlight and enjoyed Ding Yuxi and Yu Shuxin’s chemistry there.

Adapted from the extremely popular novel “The Guide to Capturing a Black Lotus”, the female lead is whisked into the book of her favorite author after expressing her disappointment in it. The world is one home to both humans and demons, but demon hunters diminish the possibility of coexistence between these two species. Aside from her initial side quests, Ling Miaomiao’s main goal is to reach 100% affinity/love of the ML, Mu Ziqi’s heart. Ling Miaomiao’s personality is the polar opposite of Lin Yu, the character she becomes in the book. Lin Yu is the third female lead, cunning and in love with the book’s male lead, Liu Fuyi. Ling Miaomiao’s bubbly personality is what has drawn so many people into this drama, as with her cute and loving dynamics with Mu Ziqi. Originally only caring about his “A’jie” (older sister Mu Yao), Mu Ziqi develops a strong connection with Miaomiao, who changes his worldview that there are other people out in the world who care about him.

The romance between the leads is not an “in your face” love story, but shows such depth that allows their bond to develop organically over time. As Miaomiao and Ziqi face numerous challenges together, their connection strengthens with mutual respect, trust and compassion. I will warn you that there are no outright kiss scenes, and have noticed this to be a complaint of many viewers. While an additional kiss scene may have been favorable, I do understand this approach to romance. By not relying on overt physical expressions of love, LGIEF is able to focus more on emotional intimacy and the growth of the leads’ affection for one another. (If you do want to kiss scenes, though, go watch Moonlight!)

The casting for this drama could not have been better. In fact, I think it was perfect. When the casting for this drama was first announced, so many OG novel fans expressed their disappointment on Chinese social media, demanding a “better” casting. Many of these fans have taken back their words, and understandably so. Having read around 20 chapters of the novel, the drama surprisingly sticks to many elements of the original book, down to the costumes. As noted before, the attention to detail in this drama is remarkable (and I will create a list near the end of the review). Each character has their own distinct style that complements their personality. Ling Miaomiao’s hair is filled with cute little flowers and tassels, while Mu Yao’s simpler yet elegant hair supports her role as an older sister figure. The costumes are designed by Yi Xiaoya, who also worked on Love You Seven Times and LFBAD.

Yu Shuxin and Ding Yuxi really brought Ling Miaomiao and Mu Ziqi to life. Esther’s naturally bubbly personality shines through in Miaomiao’s character. The naturalness in Miaomiao’s cuteness showcases Yu Shuxin’s talent in bringing the character to life with authenticity and charm. Her portrayal of Miaomiao makes the FL very loveable and captures the essence of someone who radiates positivity without forcing it in her acting. On the other hand, there is absolutely no better actor than Ding Yuxi for Mu Sheng, who displayed a perfect balance between his aloofness and growing warmth. His embodiment of Ziqi (especially through his eyes, the emotions in his eyes!) really showcases the internal struggle of a character who begins as emotionally distant but slowly opens up to love and connecting with others. His overprotectiveness of his sister is a result of him being constantly suspicious of others’ intentions, and it’s so fun watching the relationship strengthen between him and Liu Fuyi. The chemistry between the leads is one of the strongest I have seen, and both leads exhibit so many emotions through their eyes alone. (And not to mention the eye candy) – There was a scene of Ziqi where it looked like he came straight out of a manga. As usual, Yu Shuxin dubbed her own character. I personally don’t have an issue with her voice, but as some do, I will put that caution out there. For me, Yu Shuxin’s voice perfectly embodies that of a bubbly girl. Ding Yuxi’s voice is dubbed by someone else, but there's an Easter egg at the very end. While the drama could have used DYX's original voice, they chose to use a voice actor whose voice was deeper and more mysterious, capturing the "Black Lotus" personality.

I couldn’t feel the same level of chemistry with the second leads. Their relationship was cute but felt flat throughout a lot of the story. It would have been more preferable for a lot of viewers if more portions of the later episodes were allocated to the main leads instead of the second leads. However, I do appreciate the quality of Zhu Xudan’s acting. She’s been an amazing actress for years and is finally getting the recognition she deserves for her role as Mu Yao. Yang Shize did a great job portraying Liu Fuyi, a mysterious man who later proved to have a complicated backstory. As for the other supporting characters, their additions to the drama added much more nuance and excitement to the story. Cui Cui (bamboo demon) is the cutest kid ever, and displays both courage and loyalty as a young demon. Everyone’s acceptance of him into the “friend group” also helped Ziqi to eventually embrace his true identity. The backstory of Ziqi’s parents, a love story mixed with tragedy and devotion, also added depth to the person he became. We are given an “ending” to most of the characters, depending on how you define closure.

Additionally, the production of the drama was phenomenal and was one of the many reasons for its huge success. The CGI effects elevated the Xuanxuan experience, immersing the viewer into the otherworldly setting. The visual effects were seamlessly integrated into the many battle scenes, magical moments, and beautiful scenery. Even the little dust demons who made up each percentage of Ziqi’s affection towards Miaomiao were cute and visually appealing. The novel use of the pixelated background for the ending of each episode also led to the new Chinese trend of making Miaomiao and Ziqi out of “perler beads”. The drama team took viewers’ wishes into account during production, eventually buying the rights to the song “Moonlight Thoughts”, a song popularly used for historical reels on Chinese social media (and, to fans’ delight, created an MV with the leads and a few supporting cast!) And can we talk about the demons’ nails? They were breathtaking! Cheng Duling (Mirror Demon) had less than 20 minutes of screen time and only appeared in the first episode, but her outfit was stunning. She was actually the third most popular drama character according to Chinese polls, beating main leads of other airing dramas.

And then…we come to the ending. I echo the sentiments of many other viewers who expressed their disappointment in the abrupt ending, where we weren’t shown the physical reunion of the main leads. The message of the story is certainly out there, but could have been executed in a more straightforward manner. However, besides the very last two minutes of the drama, I believe that the last episode was executed beautifully. Here, the leads don’t solely demonstrate the beauty of loving one another, but the beauty of loving oneself first before loving others. This theme plays a pivotal role throughout the drama, as we witness the dramatic change in Mu Sheng’s attitude towards others and life in general. This is something that sets LGIEF apart from other Xuanhuan dramas. We follow the leads on their love journey, but this journey is also one where they discover and accept their own selves. The way this idea stretched throughout the drama was done beautifully, and it felt like a full circle in the end. (And it was like a giant revelation.) I won’t elaborate too much as to not give away any spoilers, but I’ll include some other thoughts and observations in a comment below this review.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the past few weeks of following this drama (the wait was painful, but you don’t need to wait for the episodes to air!). The character dynamics were fun to watch, the story was gripping, and we got to see Ziqi’s affection for Miaomiao increase from -200% (yes, negative) to 100%. It was also such a treat to watch Ding Yuxi and Yu Shuxin together as main leads again after Moonlight, and they both exhibited their exceptional acting skills, once again. Although an extra minute of the leads together at the very end would have perfectly sealed the story together, the last episode ties the entire drama together very well.

Leia Mais

Very good, could have been perfect if shorter.

The greatness of this drama is in its main characters. They are mature, thinking people with none of the usual simpering of the ganre. They are all complex and rounded and aren't so easily put into the usual boxes of good or bad.
The music and costumes were good, but as usual the white skin filtering was too much. Wish the Chinese industry would stop with this nonsense, since they already have such good looking actors without the filters.
The downside of the drama was the number of episodes. Forty episodes were too much for the story and the last five episodes I was mostly skipping and skimming. It was a good drama but it could have been excellent if it was shorter.

Leia Mais

Charmingly funny show with two endings

Delicacies Destiny was not a big-budget production, with nondescript sets and unmemorable costumes and props. Still, those factors did not detract from the show's charm, and one can tell that quite a bit of the budget was invested in the cooking scenes and the resulting dishes.

This light-hearted story was primarily about the relationship between a Crown Prince and his Imperial Chef, with a side focus on the female lead's ambition to be the best Imperial Chef in the palace regardless of her gender. It was not a typical historical rom-com with strict palace rules and protocols. The royals in this show interacted casually with their servants and the Queen was not the usual domineering character who controlled her son's harem and marriage. She was unexpectedly very supportive of her son and prioritized his happiness. It was refreshing to see some emphasis on on positive body image.

I was thoroughly entertained with the food porn, cute romance, on-point comedy, and catchy OSTs...until the last episode.

From episodes 1 to 15, I found this drama hilarious and quirky. Still, the ending left me so dissatisfied that it took me time to calm down before I could write a reasonably objective review. Without spoilers, I can say that it was an open ending that irritated me so much that it dimmed my anticipation for a potential season 2 and, like the male lead, left me angry at the female lead.

EDIT: I increased my rating after watching the alternate ending. While it was not the best ending, it provided a proper happy closure that was much better than a clumsily executed open ending.

Our main couple was lovable and dorky. The slow-burn, sincere, and simple romance between them was endearing and fun to watch. Both lead characters were emotionally immature in their own ways which created plenty of opportunities for funny scenes. I smiled and laughed so much throughout the show.

The male lead, Zhu Shou Kui, the Crown Prince, started off being spoiled and entitled and was used to throwing tantrums. Yet, at the same time, he was compassionate and often protected the people he cared about at his own expense. It was great to see his character develop and mature. With the female lead's help, he realized that it was not always about him, and it was all right to let other people share his burdens. As for the female lead, Ling Xiao Xiao, who ended up as the Imperial Chef of the prince's kitchen, she was initially clueless about love. It took more than halfway through the drama for her to finally "kāi qiào" or realize her feelings for the prince.

He Rui Xian as Xiao Xiao is lovely, but she does not quite have the aura of a female lead yet. Her acting was pretty decent, though, and with a few more dramas under her belt, I think that she will get to the next level. I first watched her in the Royal Feast and liked her character there. Her acting range was wider in that drama compared to this show. In Delicacies Destiny, as Xiao-Xiao, she has too much of the wide-eyed, huh? look or a deadpan look, and it was towards the last couple of episodes when I saw more emotional acting from her.

It is my first time watching Wang Xing Yue, and like He Rui Xian, there is room for improvement, especially when it comes to his micro-expressions. I find it hard to believe that he is only 20 years old since he exudes a level of maturity beyond his age. He definitely has potential with his good looks for more male lead roles.

The supporting cast was fine, doing what they needed to do. There was some over-acting but nothing much to complain about and nothing much to praise. A secondary couple provided extra entertainment but did not distract from the main couple's journey.

Music-wise, the tracks were great, and a couple of them were not what you would expect from a historical drama. Still, they were fitting for this drama. For posterity, I have recorded the main tracks after my review.

Overall, I would recommend this show. If you don't like a ridiculous open ending, I would advise to stop watching before the last 4 minutes of the final episode. Or you could watch the alternate ending if you prefer to have closure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XdcFM5zhQo
00:00 陆虎 - 珍馐记 (Lu Hu - Delicacies Destiny)
03:03 锤娜丽莎 - 吃货一枚 (Jiahe Ji - A Foodie)
06:35 徐均朔 - 落尘 (Xu Junshuo - Falling Dust)
10:15 银临 - 七夕 (Yin Lin - Tanabata)

Leia Mais

Human, Flawed, and Hauntingly Beautiful

Okay, I just finished Walking on Thin Ice… and wow. What. A. Ride. 😭
It’s not your usual “hero vs villein” drama — nope, this one dives straight into the grey zone. It shows how complicated people can be — how we’re all just trying to survive, even if we make mistakes along the way. What makes it so special is the realness.

No unnecessary clickbait, no fake hype — just pure, old-school Korean thriller magic that hits like those 2016–2017 classics!

And can we talk about the cast for a second? Every single actor — drop-dead gorgeous. 😭
Especially Kim Young-kwang — my man switches from sweet to psycho so smoothly it’s actually scary. He owns every scene. And Lee Young-ae? Absolute queen. Her acting made me feel everything — fear, guilt, strength, heartbreak — all of it.
The main leads didn’t just act — they lived those roles. You can literally feel every bit of pain, regret, and emotion in their eyes. 🥺

The plot is gripping from start to finish- Intense. Twisted. Emotional. Every episode keeps you guessing, and every decision has weight. And the best part? They actually wrapped it up perfectly. No lazy ending, no loopholes — just a clean, powerful finish that gives every character the justice they deserved.

Honestly, Walking on Thin Ice is a must-watch. Deep, emotional, and beautifully written. Just… maybe don’t start it at 2 a.m. unless you’re ready to binge the whole thing. 😭💀

⭐ Final Thoughts: A must-watch drama of 2025. Real, haunting, and beautifully human.

Leia Mais

An easy-going romance

Don't expect anything too serious or complicated, this is just something to watch if you want to keep smiling at two dorks that fell for each other. The main characters are lovable and the actors portray them well.

There's no cringy humor, nor anything too corny. There're cliches but they are mostly done in a self-aware way, which is refreshing, and if there's angst (concerning the leads), it lasts almost nothing, they don't dwell on that. I honestly just focused on the leads though, so I skimmed through all the drama the other couples went through.

Big plus, which made the drama so enjoyable, the heroine is smart and resourceful and hilarious in a really good way. The leads respect, trust and protect each other throughout the story consistently too, which doesn't happen often, so it's really good to see.

So it's nothing outstanding, but I often need this kind of drama, where everything bad breezes past and the focus is in the good times, so that's why I put a high score. Totally watchable too, in fact, perfect if you're seeing a melodrama and want a little dosis of silliness and happiness.

Leia Mais

A Fresh and Unique Story for a C-drama

The story might seem a bit common but the portrayal of the story, the acting and the drama setting took it to a different level. This story might not be for everyone and it kind of seems mature(not 18+ though..LOL) not like a typical c-drama we always watch.

The first episode itself got me hooked and of course there are few aspects in the drama that are cliche and Female Lead's mother character kind of lacked reality, to me it felt like an irritating or baseless(logic less) character. Also, kudos to the FL who I think gave it her all for the character and I kind of felt like all the actors fit their characters really well except for the Female Lead's mother character.

I never expected a C-drama to be this open and mature or I might not have come across other dramas like this one...But yeah, if you prefer a strong emotion with great acting that gives you fresh vibes for a rom-com....Well, this is it.

Go watch it!!! You will not regret it :)

Leia Mais

This is a very endearing and cute drama. It's funny and not too dramatic - there are no massive and overwhelming problems/obstacles, but enough plot twists to keep you interested. The main characters are portrayed very convincingly by Kato Koyuki (Sumire) and Matsumoto Jun (Momo). Supporting characters are good as well. The plot flows nicely and I found the ending was satisfying enough, although not perfect. The instrumental soundtrack suits the drama very well, and the theme song, V6's "Darling", is sure to stick in your head for a long time.



Despite the weirdish pet/owner relationship between the main characters, this drama is somehow very realistic. In the end, it is about people searching for someone with whom they can be themselves and that is a something everyone can relate to. Even if you don't like Matsumoto Jun - who, by the way, does a superb job in this drama, very adorable - you should give this drama a try. It might well be that at the end of this drama you too hope to have an adorable Momo as your pet! ;)



If you have read the manga, I think that this drama adaptation isn't a bad one at all. It's different, of course, and it doesn't follow the manga faithfully: there are quite a few changes and some characters omitted, some added/having bigger roles. However, I do think that the drama has the same spirit as the manga, and the main characters are quite the same. Anyways, I read the manga after watching this, so my opinion might be a bit biased since I was charmed by Matsumoto Jun's Momo first. :)

Leia Mais

worst season / wat happened

taynew firstkhao and sing - the only ppl that actually didnt disappoint anyone

this was a boring season the games were boring and the king of the day was the same person 5 days in a row, not only that but homophobic jokes were made by foei and white towards tay and first while others like chimon laughed at the table. not only that but first expressed that he found khao cute "the voices in my head keep saying khao is cute" they kept teasing later on about it and it was starting to become uncomfortable it was a harmless comment it felt like it was rooted from homophobia. not only did they make that joke but also a rape joke towards first and tay and later apologised and made first sit there w them but u can clearly see that he was still down the atmosphere in the house was bad and ppl wanted it to be over u can tell that 2 ppl wanted to leave the house.


so by now taynew and sing left to do work i assume leaving firstkhao, there was a game tht they had to disguise themselves and guess who it is. black paint and afro wigs were used and many ppl did blackface and laughed at the others who did it even if they didnt have ill intentions (mond knew what he was doing) they still should have known the only ppl who didnt take part in any of this was firstkhao by the end of challenge u can see khao being moody the atmosphere was gone again this was on the 6th day. https://twitter.com/ickyfeeI/status/1568519437770436608?s=20&t=YSzapkOrXH2WA1SJT6lFQg (<<<< what happened) pics are still up after 7hrs no apology

gmmtv ignored ppl calling them out and continued to post more pics of the group dressed like that. one more thing do not go after firstkhao for not saying anything we have to remember that in thai culture respecting ur seniors is a big thing there everyone is responsible for their own actions and consequences that come after dont blame others for the actions they did not do.

Leia Mais

This review is based totally on this adaptation. I have never seen any of the others or read the manga. What I like about this drama is that it is easy to watch. There are no villains and the adversity that the characters face is resolved quickly. The story isn't new or special. However, I enjoyed the over all good feeling that I felt while watching the characters grow as they faced trials and over came obstacles both personal and as a group. I don't usually enjoy lot of characters and side stories, but in this case it seemed appropriate. I'm so glad the writer didn't make Cha Yoo Jin too much of a jerk or Seol Na Il stupid. Also, I like that Yoo Jin pretty much takes care of Na Il from the start even if it subconsciously. I don't know how much this varies from the original, but I like this version.

I have never seen Shim Eun Kyeong in anything else, but I couldn't picture anyone better for this role. She was totally adorable as quirky, naive and genious Na Il. I know not everyone is a Joo won fan, but I love him. He has played a variety of roles and doesn't disappoint as Yoo Jin. It seemed real as he fumbled around learning to have friends and care for people. The other actors are good also. Go Gyeong Pyo is good as Il Rak.

The music is outstanding. It is worth watching this drama for that alone.

I will probably rewatch this at some point.

No matter what genre you enjoy, I recommend this drama. It is a comfortable and easy watch.

Leia Mais

What a roller coaster of a ride!

I’ve been waiting for this movie since I saw the trailer when it came out and I had high expectations for it. The movie didn’t disappoint AT ALL. Just a warning though, this movie is NOT for the faint hearted and may trigger viewers.

Acting:
I want to seriously give a big salute to the actors in this movie. All of them did an amazing job. Their acting was so breathtaking and they captured all the emotions of their respective characters beautifully. Uhm Tae Goo deep voice really suites this movie so much.

Production:
The cinematography was mind-blowing. They really showed Jeju Island nature very nicely. Moreover, the director really knows how to capture their viewers. They have us sitting on the edge of our seats just waiting to see what happens.

Rewatch value 10/10!

Leia Mais

It’s literally 5am and I have a 8am class sOON BUT I FINISHED ALL 24 EPS :0 tbh I was confused at first because the drama made it seem like Ye Lin was the ML but LMAO JOKES ON ME ITS YE MIAO not complaining tho;)
For an honest review, I really enjoyed the plot it wasn’t cliché but tbh it was like the typical Chinese youth drama. Everything goes well and is light and fluffy up until the last few eps so don’t get shocked when you start crying and cursing at a fEW MFS for making you this emotional *trust me I did it* What makes this drama really special are the scenes of the main leads exploring the art of ancient painting and how because of this, formed unexpected friendships (& love interests HEHEHE) In the end I really wished that this drama was a few eps longer because the ending felt very rushed and all over the place idk I’m not a Calculus ho but shit didn’t add up and kinda left me hanging:// If this drama gets a season 2 then I hope they focus solely on Ye Miao And Ruining’s relationship! LOLL anyways I really enjoyed this drama and since I sacrificed my college studying time for this yOU SHOULD TOO jk but it was good guys!

Leia Mais

It’s good but something is missing

I liked this drama. I really did. But something was missing for me. Usually horror stories bring a sort of dopamine rush which was not there for this drama. The story was interesting and several plot lines were only revealed at the end. The pacing of the drama was good too and none of the episodes felt draggy or boring.
The acting of the characters whilst great, I could not be completely engaged. I think this was a stylistic choice by the author who decided to write a plot driven story not a a character driven story. This is why many characters save for the female lead felt very one note for example the mom was supper annoying that’s it, the grandmother was super evil that’s it. The back story of the ghost was tragic but somehow when it was being played out the scene did not land.
Having said that there was a fairy talesque vibe to the story. The folk practices were sometimes fun to watch and the cinematography was awesome. We usually don’t talk enough about the technical aspects of drama making, but to me the most fabulous job was done by the camera/ cinematography crew. There was a very solid technical team behind it. And I wish more people realised how great the people behind the camera could be.

Leia Mais

This is the most chaotic series I’ve ever seen! What I thought was going to be a good way to pass time, turned out to be a beautiful story about friendship, love and the bond you create with the people around you.

THE STORY:
The series follows the story of an apartment complex where only men are allowed to be tenants. The story also has several callbacks to Why R U the series and you will see why soon. From here on out, the story follows several couples, the most prominent being Nott and Pun, and their journey towards love.

THE ACTING:
The acting is seriously impressive! All the characters seem to be crazy and the actors channel the essence of their characters very well. A special shoutout has to be given to Poppy as Porpla, whom I just found out played Junior in Why R U the series! For actors who seem to be doing their first or second roles, they were amazing. I have to say that it’s been amazingly cast.

THE PRODUCTION:
This is the first time I’ve seen a sitcom format for a BL and I have to say I’m sold on this idea. The production team has done an excellent job with this series and I believe it’s going to get even better as it goes on. The series also breaks the fourth wall often to either give advice on love, or sometimes it’s just cause!

THE OST:
What a fun OST! The OST of this series is the same as Why R U’s OST and I love it. Most of the tracks of Why R U’s OST are reused for this series and I couldn’t love it more!

THE NEGATIVE:
Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I cannot think of one negative thing about this series.

THE ENDING:
WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT ENDING! Seriously what was that ending? They rode off on a Spaceship and THE END!! Then that one year time jump? I really hope that was a season 2 announcement.
All kidding aside though,
What I thought was a series that depended solely on it’s hilarity, delivered a surprisingly poignant and heart touching finale. That conversation between Porpla and Pun about unfulfilled first love was something else. Poppy was just ‘Chef’s Kiss’. I never would have thought that my favourite character at the end would be Porpla and the relationship I would be most invested in would be that of Pun and Porpla. That Spaceship though! I guess they got together, but that ending has got to be an announcement for season 2!

This series does not have as high as a rating as other series’ do, but trust me, it’s worth your time. If you’re having a bad day and just want to laugh , this series is perfect for you. Its a surprisingly insightful series about life, if you just look past those quirks. I hope this review helped you with your decision to watch this series. Thank You!

Leia Mais