Reviews

It's not just time travel. It's time travel with flair.

Being transported back in time isn't an unfamiliar fantasy trope, but no one told the past it would have to deal with this much charisma, sass, and scandal quite like this. This isn’t just time travel. It’s time travel with flair. I have read the webtoon and it's bittersweet yet a very beautiful story. There have been quite some drastic changes in the adaptation from the webtoon but despite the changes, I like both the series as well as the webtoon. It's hilariously beautiful.

Warning: Major Spoilers ahead!!

I'm completely smitten by Nut's performance as Prince and later Woradet. The series opens with Prince strutting in heels, wrapped in glamour and blinding charm, belting out "This is Me" with unapologetic pride. It's the perfect introduction to a character who knows exactly who she is and refuses to tone it down for anyone. And I absolutely love it. Then time shifts, Prince becomes Woradet, a name echoing through a world that isn't ready for the sparkle. Prince enters history with her full diva mode saying, "1,2,3... Action". Prince isn't just a character. She's a whole spectacle, and every dramatic entrance, every unapologetic moment, every over the top flourish, and every scandal Prince leaves in her fabulous wake just makes this series even more worth it. The queen served and slayed.

Talking about Ping as Lord Kosol, he is introduced as the rumored lover of Woradet, who allegedly broke Woradet's heart and drove him to the edge, teetering on the brink of despair and poison. But Kosol, ever composed, denies the scandal with the same sharp edge he wields his sword. He's the picture of restrained power: broad shouldered, stoic, devastatingly handsome, and trained to kill with both blade and stare. He walks with the poise of nobility but the intensity of a man who knows secrets that could topple a kingdom. Also, suiting his personality, he's got a tiger named Moo Moo for a pet. Cute, isn't it? XD And let's be honest- if heartbreak looked like him, we might all be tempted to risk it. But beneath all that lethal charm, this man is whipped. Absolutely, helplessly, can't-breathe-without-him level whipped for Woradet and I love them. Case closed.

But the intrigue doesn't stop there.

There's Banjong in his glasses, who grew up together with Woradet and is harboring feelings for him but he has his own secrets. While helping Woradet escape, under the cover of night, in a boat gliding across moonlit waters, he begins to recite a poem, words drenched in longing, spoken so gently they might as well be a confession. That's not all, the boat rocks slightly and so do they. Lips meet just for a moment. Accidental but no doubt a Scandal.

The triangle between Kosol, Woradet, and Bajong is pure comedy gold. I never thought I'd enjoy a love triangle this much, but here I am, laughing till my cheeks hurt. These three are serving chaos, laughs, and tension in equal measure. Their jail scene with Jade thrown in the mix had me in stitches; I was wiping away tears from the nonstop laughter. Also, the moment where the three of them sleep together- well, more like Bajong showering Woradet with heartfelt poetry while Kosol burning behind his back-absolutely hilarious.

And oh, Bajong. Those lines. Those lines. You're a poetic soul through and through. But darling, let's be honest some things you've done are unforgivable. And even without that, Kosol still takes the win.

Then there's Chaiyachet, the little king who has the softest spot for his brother Kosol and he is so cute. He wants his brother by his side but his brother seems to have other plans. Drama, more drama. Yet beneath it all, I really love the bond between the brothers. They are protecting each other in their own way and it's beautiful, even though sometimes it's tension filled and sometimes hilarious to watch. I especially loved the dramatic apology scene of Kosol to his little brother where he drops on his knees and goes all "Oii....." while Prince, Jade and Bajong feed him the corniest lines and he actually says them. Absolutely hilarious.

And let's not forget Jade, the fiercely loyal servant to Woradet- steadfast, utterly devoted and I absolutely adore him. I swear, I can see a tiny, twinkling spark between him and the little king, and I find them absolutely adorable together. Every time Chaiyachet teases Jade, I melt a little. Honestly, I just want them to be happy.

Also, there's Bajong's younger sister, Pandao. If Bajong is all poetry and longing, Pandao is the exact opposite- sharp eyed, suspicious, and absolutely intolerant of Woradet. She doesn't just dislike him; she detests him, her every glance brimming with distrust. Her hostility adds another layer of tension to the story.

Honestly, the entire cast is phenomenal; every single one of them has nailed their roles perfectly.

Here, we have royal drama, emotional devastation, palace politics, heartfelt poems, brotherly bonds, betrayals, time travel and scandals- some intentional, some accidental -each guaranteed to spark chaos. This isn't just a story, it's a glittering storm of emotion, comedy, and fabulous disruption. The finale episode did feel a bit rushed but I would say it wrapped up fairly okay. I wasn't really fan of how Somdet got released and there are a lot of unanswered questions. But that aside, I am for once happy that the leads got their happy ending in the setting I got to know them in. Honestly, I would take this ending any day over the Webtoon's Season 2 ending.

P.S.: The webtoon's Season 3 actually starts with them in the modern world.

If elegance were a weapon, the count would be armed to the teeth.
If drama were a currency, the count would be the richest alive.
And if you're not watching, you're seriously missing the most extra and hilarious history lesson of your life.
Highly Recommended!!

Leia Mais

oooh this pissed me off

I normally try to find the good in most dramas and movies that I watch as I give ratings, because I know the actors and crew worked incredibly hard to create the story but this one was difficult.

What was the point of it all?

This movie takes you through the insufferable journey of two self-absorbed psychopaths-one who is filled with greed and a need for power to validate his past wrongdoings and the other who utilizes an innocent person to punish herself and the aforementioned greedy man. Lastly, the poor tool in their narcissism, masochism and self-hate: Hong Yi. A child brought into this world and manipulated her entire life to commit what can only be described as the worst sin.

This movie will keep you asking “why” and when you’re done watching it, you’re left with the same question, along with feelings of anger and pity for the girl.

When I first read the synopsis, I thought this was going to be an interesting albeit predictable revenge plot, where a child is raised by her master to avenge her parent’s death only to discover that her master was her target all along, but it turned into a perverted story of two ex-lovers trying to see who can cause the other the most pain using said child.

The mother is a psychopath. If she truly wanted to serve penance for her wrongdoings and she felt the only way to do so is through her life, she could have killed herself or asked anybody else in the world to do so. She could have killed her ex when she had a literal knife to his throat or before he grew in power. She could have served her penance by living a life devoid of “worldly pleasures” and becoming a nun or a devout teacher. I don’t know but she could have done anything other than what she did, and it would have made more sense. Her actions did not absolve her of past sins, it only created another and left a bigger sin on her child.

The ex should have died the day of the betrayal by those he betrayed his people for-it would have been the most fitting as it would have shown him that they would never see a low-born as one of their own and he would have suffered immediate justice for what he had done. What came after that day made absolutely no sense for a movie set in an era that values social standing above all else-especially considering he was a part of a nearly successful commoner rebellion.

I was not a fan of the ending (and not only because of how they died) but because they got to die in each other’s arms while leaving Hong Yi to face a life with the knowledge of what she had done. It was like Cersei and Jamie’s death scene in GOT-wholly unsatisfactory.

Do not watch this if you like dramas with likeable characters as there are only 2.5 likeable characters in the entire movie.

Don’t watch this if you like happy endings because although the girl is alive in the end, it is not a happy ending.

Don’t watch this if you like rational characters as the mother is definitely not.

Don’t watch this if you like good plots.

Watch this if you enjoy beautiful cinematography.

Watch this if you enjoy beautifully shot fight scenes as the final fight is wonderful to watch.

Watch this if you enjoy Kim Go Eun’s acting and works.

Watch this if you enjoy well done acting.

Leia Mais

Admittedly, I only stated watching this drama because of Yoon Eun Hye's main role. For those who are her fan, this drama displays a "fresh" new role for her as a princess-type-brat; worthy of seeing as she plays it very well. As for the chemistry between the main couple- I'll confess it was lacking, however, the storyline made up for it as it was a surprisingly easy drama to get through. The comedy in the drama left no room for any dry bits and the overall story came across as very touching. Ironically summarized, the drama is about growing up and gaining independence through unexpected love. What I really enjoyed about this drama was the selfless love it seemed to portray from many angles, I recommend you give it a shot.

Leia Mais

1-The reason i watched this : yes, I watched it because of Matsumoto Jun, I wouldn't even gave it a try if it was another lead male.

2-Storyline/Cast : The main story here was about the love relationship between a single old mother and a second generation young actor; there were age problems, his failing career, family, friends.
I would've liked it better if they focused more on his acting career as much as they focused on family problems.
In general, the story was acceptable (considering the fact that I dislike old woman-young man relationships).

3-Acting/Cast : Like I said earlier it's Matsumoto Jun is the main reason that made this drama watchable. On the other hand, I really respect Takeuchi Yuko as an actress (I believe she's one of the greatest Japanese actors) but here there wasn't much chemistry between her and Jun here although I liked her character portrayal.
The believable acting is a strength point that counts for this drama.

4-Music : I still remember it and sing it sometimes. I rarely remember any drama's music but "Please Stay whith me" was extremly great.

5-Rewatch value : No it's not rewatchable. If you liked it from the first time you will ruin the story for yourself if you rewatch it.

6-The ending : It was an acceptable ending but it wasn't any special.

7-Overall : Anything Matsumoto Jun touches turns to gold that's what i've been thinking while watching this drama nothing more.

P.S : if you are not Matsumoto Jun's fan then I would really advice you to stay away from this drama.

Leia Mais

It was great, but it's not without faults

👻What I Enjoyed/Liked👻
1. A1 cinematography & production - So incredibly well done that I can confidently say that it's among the best that I've seen this year. Also, the village setting was so well done.

2. The inclusion of Thai culture, outfits, shamanic practices, etc. They were all so grand and beautiful. I haven't seen another Thai show that includes this (granted, all I watch from Thailand is BLs), so this was super interesting to see

3. The overall story - This doesn't get a 10/10, but for the most part, the story was well done. Throughout the 12 episodes, they gave us a lot of background info on the characters and how they all connected to each other, making everything feel cohesive. By the end of the story, there aren't many loose ends

4. The acting - I think the cast, the main 4, are largely rookies, and they did a really good job. I have seen cringeworthy acting in the BL scene. These four, they deserve their flowers. I hope to see them get even better in the future

5. The NC scenes in eps 7 & 8 - Aside from the fact that they were so very hot, I feel like they suited the couples perfectly. Chan & Jet are more playful, and so was their scene. Peem & Khem are more angsty and slowburn, and their scene reflected that beautifully.
Edit: After rewatching the show (now that it's on Netflix), I have an appreciation for the NC scene in ep 12. It didn't hit for me when I 1st watched the show. I found it a little boring. But now... yeah. I was wrong. Kudos to the actors and the director. It's such a beautiful and well-made scene

👻What I Didn't Like/Areas That Could've Been Worked On👻
1. Ramphueng should've received an apology. From her backstory, we see that they wronged her 1st. Her revenge - crazy as it was-, was justified. What that family did to her was horrible. In episode 12, they make her apologize, but why didn't they apologize to her, too? For over 200 years, no one ever said 'sorry' for playing a part in the unjust death of her and her son. Khem and his mother should've apologized to her for the parts that their past selves played in that

2. Does anyone know if Ramphueng went after all the people in that family (including the 1st wife and polygamous husband), or was it just Khem and his mother? I mean, Khem's testament (as Krongkhwan) was what put the nail in the proverbial coffin of her death, but... what happened to the other people throughout the years? Did she go after everyone? Coz if so, miss ma'am was one hell of a busy ghostly bee

3. Khem/Namping's crying scenes - When he has to sit and cry silently, it works. It's great. But when more emotions are needed, like he needs to be on the floor sobbing, it doesn't work. IDK if this makes sense, but during these intense crying/emotional scenes, as a viewer, I can tell that he's acting (and that it's not going well)

3. Khem & Peem don't have much in the way of facial expressions - Peem is stoic, and Khem is either sad, faking a smile or on the verge of crying. I don't want to judge too harshly since perhaps this worked because that is who the characters were. However, in the future, I'd love to see Keng and Namping use their facial muscles more in whatever show they'll be on. As per the latter half of the last episode, we see that they are clearly capable of it, so let them use them.

4. Khem was always the damsel in distress, and surprisingly, doesn't have much vigor to stay alive - This might be the thing that pissed me off the most. We started the show with Khem wanting to find a way to survive past the age of 21, then his friends suggested that Peem might like him, and suddenly, all he could care about was whether Peem liked him back?! Sir?!?!?!?! WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PLOT??? Listen, I understand that this is a BL. That they are meant to fall in love but... Priorities man. Vengeful ghosts 1st, romance later. Also, him up and leaving after Grandma Si died.... Come on now

5. The timeline - I might be horrendously bad at math, but I believe that the mid-1700s were at most 275 years ago. Where did the 400 years that they kept talking about come from?

6. Peem should have had a longer chasing arc - He was so mean for so long. He should've had to struggle and prove himself for longer to win Khem's affection and trust

👻Random Thoughts👻
a. Those villagers were so cool with all the ghosts. If it were me, I'd have left and never gone back😂

b. We largely saw Khem interact with ghosts that wanted him ☠️. I wish we saw his interactions with nice or at least neutral ghosts. Like the ghost mama in ep 1, who simply wanted to save her son

Leia Mais

Breathtaking!! Truly amazing.. each episode leaves you speechless!
When you think you've figured out how it works, the cards are mixed again, the allies stab you from behind and in the true sense of the word!

The drama has an intricate plot with equally complex characters, each one of them divided between good and evil..
It's full of action, corruption, betrayal and suspense but this is not all.. even in an environment where you can't trust anyone, there's someone who is still willing to risk or even sacrifice his life for another person..

The romance isn't the focal point, but it was of great importance to complete the plot.. Shi Hyun and Soo Min had an incredible chemistry.. they had an impossible but really passionate and breathtaking relationship!!

About the cast.. Jung Kyung Ho has shone with an intense and utterly believable acting.. he has made a complete change from the past projects.. after light characters which were closer to his personality, I would have not expected this dense and intense acting with excellent action scenes!! Thanks to him, Jung Shi Hyun's character has been totally captivating!

I loved the OST, especially "Hurt" by Kim Yong Jin

Ps: Gun wounds that heal over night? it's possible if you use Pororo's plasters!! XD

Pps: sorry for my English

Leia Mais

It's been a while

SPOILER FREE
Everyone can appreciate some aspects of this drama, like the acting or the OST, but plot-wise this is not a drama for everyone. Beyond Evil is a character-driven drama, that some may find slow paced. Anyone who likes multilayered and morally gray characters will appreciate it. The acting (especially from the two main leads) is probably one of the best I have seen.

SPOILERS
It's been a while since I saw such an intriguing series. Was it perfect without even a single flaw? No. However the flaws were minor, so I didn't really care about them.

Beyond Evil is a gripping drama from the beginning. There are not enough words to express how much I loved watching this series. The plot is very well written and the characters are so interesting and complex. The acting is outstanding. Shin Ha Kyun delivered one of the best performances I have ever seen. He is an amazing actor, and Yeo Jin Goo was such a great choice to play Han Joo Won. I don't know who thought of putting Shin Ha Kyun and Yeo Jin Goo together in a series, but whoever did, thank you very much! This series would definitely not be the same without this great cast and the phenomenal chemistry of the two main leads.

Generally, I don't pay too much attention to the directing, since most of the times it is good or at least decent. Nonetheless, it was impossible not to notice the great directing of this series. I loved how it was like seeing the POV of another character and it led the viewers to certain assumptions to distract them from the truth. The color tones were all so dark yet not too dark, which made the series even more appealing and disturbing (especially in the first episodes). The OST fits the series in an unimaginably good way.

Did this get draggy, tiring or just not as good comparing to the first half? Kind of, but it was inevitable. This isn't a series that reveals everything on the last episode, so of course every single clue added a piece to the puzzle and when things started getting clearer it was natural for the series to not be as mysterious as it was in the first episodes.

What I really loved, is the fact that everything was revealed slowly but surely and we didn't wait till the last episode to find out who the killer is.

I loved how Beyond Evil tackled many issues like the stigma that follows a falsely accused person or the pain that people who are left behind are going through.

Am I being objective giving this series a prefect 10? Probably not, but reviews are not objective anyways and this is a series that I will remember for quite a long time, so why not?

Leia Mais

Romance I didn't know I was looking for but cupid's arrow hits the mark! Love finally scouted!

Love Scout offered a refreshing take on the typical and traditional office romance tropes by flipping the power dynamics. In a clever role reversal, the FL Kang Ji Yun is a strong and authoritative CEO while the ML takes the role of a compassionate and attentive secretary who can almost do everything, efficiently and in the best-organised manner.
This power shift brought a fresh vibe, letting both the characters grow and be seen uniquely.

Kang JiYun plays the role of CEO of Career Way who has a tough exterior but she isn't mannerless or an airhead. She is a confident and assertive woman, who always backs her decisions with logic. While she approaches most situations with a rational mindset, she knows when to incorporate emotions, using them thoughtfully when the moment calls for it.

Yoo Eun Ho in my eyes was the definition of a perfect male lead - organised, reliable and just an absolute green flag.
His organization skills honestly blew me away like, I need to take notes from him in real life.

Beyond his impressive work ethic, Eun Ho was also an incredibly supportive and loving father. His relationship with his daughter, Byeol was nothing short of heartwarming and adorable, making their moments together so touching to watch. He is also that guy who is always there for everyone, literally in the right place at the right time, ready to help whenever, a true people's man indeed.

They were the kind of couple that got each other, with a level of maturity that made handling disagreements look easy. They knew how to communicate and work through things without drama and navigated conflicts with effortless grace.
But when it came to their love story, they were completely unguarded, like teenagers discovering it for the first time. They’d send each other cute texts and pull all-nighters on the phone talking to each other, sneak quiet smiles across the hall and laugh over the smallest things that only they found funny. Their relationship looked effortless and natural, comfortable yet full of that youthful energy, where even the simplest moment felt special.

I really appreciated how they handled the family dynamics, highlighting how family comes first. It was nice to see ML taking into account his daughter's health showing his care and support. However, I do wish we had more of the father-daughter bonding moments. While I understand this was a rom-com with romance being the main focus and we needed the plot to move forward, a little more screen time for their relationship could have added extra depth to his almost perfect ML character and to the overall story.
The drama also subtly touches on the topic of work-life balance. While it doesn't really dive deep into this aspect, I was glad it was at least brought up in a career-driven narrative. Also, I don't think we needed a childhood connection because the drama had such a strong plot! But at least it wasn't overdone.

The second couple were kind and good-hearted individuals, but their connection appeared more like a friendship built on shared experiences rather than a romantic relationship. Their screen time was limited, which made their bond less convincing.
Also, I felt antagonists were pretty weak but the romance was enough for me to excuse the flaws.

Since the final episode aired today, here are a few romantic ideas for Valentine's Day (For those who need it! Approved by Oppa with a 100% success rate) :
✨ Help them organize their desk or home office, so they can finally find some peace and you can get some peace too. Remember organizing is basically the ultimate life hack, it heals souls plus makes you look like a total hero. Also, who wouldn’t be impressed by someone who can fold a shirt, put labels on folders AND get their life together?
✨ Take a drive around the city if you catch the other person peacefully sleeping because we wouldn't dare interrupt their beauty sleep!
✨ Go to your local convenience store and grab some ready-to-eat spicy noodles while it’s raining outside.
Cozy, spicy, and a little dramatic - perfect combo !!
✨ Plan a basketball date if the other is feeling down but don't forget to go easy for the rest of the games you play together ever!
Remember the goal is not to win but to eat ice cream together at the end, laughing!
✨ On Friday night (or accidental date night) Chef it up in your kitchen and whip up a gourmet feast for your special someone. And just to flex your generosity and love, let them have the last bite!
✨ If they fall asleep and start having nightmares, don’t freak out—just hold their hand like the ultimate sleep protector and let them dream it out. (Lmao buy yourself a back massager because you will need it the next day xD)
✨ If they can’t remember which car is theirs, be the hero and suggest adding some fun stickers to help them spot it easily. Get bonus points for being a problem solver!

The OSTs were beautiful and I would definitely listen and revisit them later. "Test Me" by Paul Blanco was my favourite!

Overall, it was such a breezy romance, with the leads showing a certain level of maturity. Their chemistry was subtle yet genuine and the lack of unnecessary drama made it a very enjoyable watch. I would definitely recommend it if you are looking for a heartwarming, uncomplicated love story.

Thank you for reading my review! And very happy valenties's day! ♡

Leia Mais

I must admit that I may not be part of the target audience for this drama, but I'll explain why I gave "Love Alarm" this rating.

I freaking love Kim So Hyun (Jojo), so a new drama staring her as the main role again = I was super hyped. The only reason the "Acting/Cast section of the rating is not a 10 is because I really did not like the main Guy ( Song Kang ).
I dont know for real, how he approached Kim Jojo was really creepy in my opinion and not romantic what so ever.
The moral values are very superficial. The app can detect how in love people are, but every time they explain why the alarm rings, the reason is always the same, It's either "she/he is so pretty" or "idk man I cant control it whatever bruh it wont change"
The first episode is a bit silly, and it's okay but the only thing that motivated me to watch episode 2 is my completionnist instinct. The concept could've been even more interesting. I had hopes when the main couple broke up and Hye young was like "I want to try to do things the old fashion way" when him an Jojo were talking at the Library.
Sike ! One episode later he downloads the app again and they all depend on it . ( even if the momment when he turns arround her on his bike to ring the alarm over and over again was cute, I admit.)

The music is okay, not wow, but if you wacth 8 episodes of a drama and dont know the songs by hearth at the end, for me, it's a good thing.

But the main reason I did not like it that much is because it was presented as a "love triangle story", but it was really disapointing. Jojo and Hwang Sun Oh love each other pretty much for the whole time (except for the shield incident at the end) and Lee Hye Young, as much as I like him, did not have a big impact. Nothing happens in this "triangle" except for the end when they hang out as friends. So if you like dramas where the main couple live happily then break up out of the blue for plot purpose, good news.

To end on a good note it's still cool seing Kim So Hyun acting and here are some personnal suggestions, enjoy :

- A nice "love triangle" drama: Dream High
- A nice "cute couple" drama: Fight for my way

Leia Mais

Pro's and Con's (because many reviews take mostly one side)

The concept of I-Land can be understood without having seen all the episodes. In this review I would like to describe both 'good' and 'bad' aspects of the show, so that I don't tell anyone directly that they should or shouldn't watch the show. There are no major spoilers in this review, just small facts.

Pro's:
- their experience definitely helps the trainees of Bighit (the 23 participants)
- once a trainee has been selected to leave the show, he knows what his goal must be to have his debut later on
- they make close friends with different age groups (1998-2006)
- they improve their ability to work in a team
- they broaden their horizons with the help of their team members
- they learn that compatibility is very important ➡️ a dispute MUST be solved with talking to each other, you can't just hope that it will be over sometime without doing anything➡️ they get to know each other better, understand others more, become more selfless / cooperative / supportive to each other
- they learn how much responsibility a leader and the person with the most singing/dancing parts have ("the team is as strong as the weakest member")
- they learn that it can be either harder or easier to reach the goal as a team
- all participants are from different countries (South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Australia etc.)
- the songs are sooooo good!!
- the participants are absolutely good looking... Stunning! !! (just to mention that too)

Con's:
- the show did some of them dirty
- 'uninteresting' members are rarely or not at all shown, which can lead to them getting fewer votes in global voting
- the drama is always shown (there are mainly good moments to be seen, but of course in the middle of it scenes are shown where a participant behaves stupidly and then no good moment is shown by him ➡️ which can lead to less votes)
- it focuses mainly on dancing (they have to sing and rap well when performing, but it doesn't seem as important as dancing and facial expressions
- They have to choose each other out and into the team
- they have to distribute their parts in songs with each other ➡️ they went through all the parts of the song and one of them wanted every part (because he didn't get the last part) every time but never got the part (he probably got the feeling that he is not good enough)
- because of the scoring points (0-100) they get the feeling that they have never given a perfect performance
- they all make friends with each other, but they don't all make their debut together at the end (only 7/23)
- you automatically have a favourite, but you have to hope every episode that he gets further
- they have to solve tasks as a team, but are valued against each other in the evaluation

I think bighit should have done the kind of survival show that Straykids did (a fixed group being tested to see if they have the potential to make their debut). Still, the show contains many beautiful moments that make the audience love the participants.
I hope my review is helpful and my english isn't too bad :)

Leia Mais

Entertaining c-drama with plenty of light-hearted moments

I bumped into this fantasy/wuxia c-drama by accident. Not a fan of Xiao Zhan and hence, have not been anticipating this drama despite all the publicities and hoopla. But the first 2 episodes got me hooked on, and I have been following the series daily. What is so great about this drama that I spent slightly over an hour every day watching 2 newly released episodes? If you go by Douban’s rating score of 6.2 from 700K viewers, then this series is nothing but an average fantasy costume drama production. However, there is a significance of over 700 reviews. It means that this is a popular series with a serious and loyal fanbase from the novel, manga, computer game and anime. Considering Xiao Zhan’s ever growing hardcore fans, you have plenty of interests that kept this c-drama on top of the chart throughout its airing during Chinese Lunar New Year.

The first thing that I checked on any costume c-drama is the storyline. Most of the time, the storyline is so crappy that you would think the screenwriters are some of the stupidest people within the television industry. The storyline here is your typical fantasy wuxia where the main protagonist started as a lame duck and transformed himself into an expert fighter/soul master through cultivation/levelling up throughout his adventure. The positive news here is that there is no overemphasis or overdependence on Xiao Zhan and Wu Xuanyi, as the other 5 members of the Shrek Team and the 2/3 teachers get their share of airtime too. This is a plus point because what makes some storylines unbearable is when you see the ML and FL dominates the scenes. Another great news is that romance is not given much emphasis in this series. You don’t have storyline where ML and FL would fall in love, got into some disagreement and separated, fall in love again, separated again, etc.

Another good thing is that there is not much fake studio setting. Where possible, the production team finds real bushes or secondary forests especially for scenes involving hunting of soul beasts. Okay, there were occasionally fake studio setting like in Ep 23 and 24 when the Seven Devils were fighting Fiend battle team in Xi Si City. I can’t understand the need for those mushroom-like structures in the fighting scenes, but they were not particularly hideous.

Tang San/Xiao Zhan is adorable but his character is very much Mary-Sue like. Brave, charming, handsome, righteous, honest, etc with tragic past and revenge mission. The female lead however tries too hard to be cute. Wu Xuanyi/Xiao Wu introduction in Ep 2 as she entered Nuoding Acadamy was so bad, it reeks of overacting. Granted her performances improves as the series progresses but she tries too hard to be cute in some of the scenes. When she acts normally, it looks more natural. Her acting will improve as gets into more drama, and she could be as popular as her “Rocket Girls 101” co-member, Yang Chaoyue, who is now ranked as a Forbes Top-100 Celebrity in China given the right dramas and movies. I don’t like Ou Si Ke’s character – too talkative and his penchant for writing during inopportune time like when they are about to fight left me baffled and confused.

There were numerous light-hearted moments that make this series enjoyable. I love watching Xiao Wu trying repeatedly to kiss Tang San but failed to do so; or DuGu Yan playfulness in claiming Tang San as her husband; or DuGu Bo eccentric humor and quirky common-sense; or Xiao Wu lack of understanding of male/female relationship, or Ms Liu obsession with Tang San’s sifu, etc. Too many instances to list them out but they make this series worth re-watching, albeit on selected episodes. The chemistry between Tang San and Xiao Wu is evident for all to see, because I believe, Xiao Wu’s happy go-lucky character fits Wu Xianyi natural disposition. This couple reeks of cuteness overload. The other couples don’t give me the same excitement as Tang San/Xiao Wu. And how did Calvin Chen as Tang San’s master be that good looking at 40!!

This is a CGI and VFX heavy production. Every time a character uses his/her inner power, CGI and/or VFX is required. I thought the CGI and visual effect were beautifully done and nothing was particularly amiss or looking out of place. The soul beasts are all computer generated too, and their incorporation into the fighting scenes are not bad either. Of course, there are times when the characters’ flying or qingqong seem to challenge the law of physics, but that is to be expected in this heavy-laden CGI/VFX that must have kept the CGI/VFX working overtime during the post production processes. On a related note, Visual Impact Digital Production, the company engaged to provide the CGI/VFX for the series admitted of plagiarism in the drama’s opening title sequene through the use of His Dark Materials and the character Jhin in League of Legends. Luckily this controversy was nip in the bud, and the c-drama was not affected by it.

Now the ending – typical expected ending with a prelude to Season 2 clearly in the minds of the Directors/Producers. There is a cliff-hanger that is designed to whet the viewers appetite for Season 2. Just hope that “Douluo Continent 2” will not suffer the same fate as “Evernight 2” – the sequel could not match the series original success; or “Princess Agents” where the sequel never takes off.

My overall verdict of this series is 8.0/10. A must watch for Xiao Zhan’s fans and those who like video-game type of levelling up. Plenty of funny and enjoyable moments.

Story - 9.0/10
Acting - 7.5/10
Music - 7.5/10
Rewatch value - 8.0/10
Overall - 8.0/10

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