Editorials 
this is what a kdrama should look like
okay so i went in a little nervous. a superhero comedy set in 1999 with apocalypse vibes is a lot to balance and kdramas don't always pull off this kind of tonal mashup. but wonderfools mostly nails it and when it wobbles the cast just picks it up and carries it.the premise feels fresh without trying too hard. director yoo insik is so good at making absurd stuff feel grounded and the writing actually gives every misfit a real emotional arc instead of just leaning on the powers as the gimmick. the 1999 setting isn't just for the aesthetic either. the whole millennium dread thing bleeds into the characters in a way i didn't expect. production-wise it looks great too. the action is clean, the comedy lands and when it goes for the emotional beats they actually hit.
the cast is what makes this special. park eunbin is doing what she does best. chaeni is loud and chaotic but also clearly hurting and eunbin makes that switch look effortless. choi daehoon and im seongjae are SO funny and the four of them have that ensemble chemistry where you can tell they actually like each other. supporting cast is stacked too.
cha eunwoo though??? i've watched basically everything he's done since true beauty and this is the most disciplined i've ever seen him. unjeong is a hard role. mysterious, fairy-tale boy, carrying trauma he can barely talk about and instead of playing it big eunwoo plays it SO restrained. it's all in his eyes, his breathing, these tiny shifts. and then when unjeong finally cracks (you'll know the scene) it lands so much harder because he didn't tip his hand earlier. this is lead actor work, full stop. people who only know him for his face are about to eat their words.
i have no negatives but the villain arc wraps up a bit neater than the buildup deserved. nothing dealbreaking but it's just a note.
tl;dr: genuinely one of the best dramas i've watched recently. great ensemble, real heart, actually funny and eunwoo is so good. if this is the last thing we get from him before he's back from enlistment in 2027, what a way to leave us. already planning a rewatch.
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A Masterpiece of 2023
Best Chinese Drama of 2023.I am hooked with the story, the chemistry, and the business cases.
Gong Jun as Xu Si and Zhong Chuxi as Jiang Hu are the best decision ever.
Running against the wind. Beginning with Jiang Hu.
When rising with the wind, Zhaoyang will be there for you.
My final points for this drama why I choose this drama as my #1 drama:
1) The drama is as realistic as it can be in C-drama world
2) All scenes are important, not even single scene is some kind of filler
3) The leads have their strengths and weaknesses and have great character development each other
4) The chemistry of the leads are great. Smart and Powerful Couple ever
5) Learning business cases by watching a drama
6) Xu Si is also NOT usual CEO-Type male lead. The finest grey flag man ever. Xu Si yaaaaaaaaa, you’re my top character male lead drama of all time now🔥💕
7) The OSTs are superb
Full playlist of this drama : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbaz30HW30w
Compilation of Xu Si and Jiang Hu Best Moments (Part 1) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRKwBU-J8_g
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"Even where the evil has been buried, flowers can still bloom" Writer Yoo Jung Hee
One thing I love about this drama is the pace. Up to episode 11, I was so shook all the things I predicted that will happen has already happened, and as I watched more episodes, I realised how they didn't seem to drag a single thing! And I feel like that's really different to other kdramas. After episode 11, all the emotions just began piling up together. The audience felt, nervous, thrilled, angry, shocked, sad and happy. I remember how many times I started to cry at this point and I don't even remember the last time I cred to a drama too!I also keep saying this numerous times but this drama is just phenomenal. It's so unique. So beautiful. A masterpiece. There is so much good content yet they structured everything so neatly! Just perfect! I love every single character, even the guy who played as the villain. I gotta say, they have the most admirable female lead ever - she shows professionalism, care, patience, love, compassion, embracement. And the male lead! Initially, he's so complicating to understand but over time, we realise how special and genuine of a person he is. He doesn't understand feelings but he can still feel them. Feelings play a big role in his character. Together, they make a beautiful and extraordinary couple.
Oh and it gets better.
The actors/actresses portrayed their character soooo well, it's crazy how talent everyone is. I always thought Lee Joon Gi (hyunso/heesung) was amazing but this drama just made me realize that all over again. Also, I never really noticed Moon Chae Won (jiwon) but here, she did exceptionally well. I could feel the motherliness in her.
The most beautiful yet unique love story I've ever encountered out of my 5 years watching kdrama . Even if you don't like romantic or crime stories, I bet you'll get touched by this one.
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Tell, why show?
Unfortunately, Rugal is a drama that demands you turn off your brain and just go with the flow. I only finished this one because of the world pandemic (unable to go out) coupled with the convenience of airing on Netflix. Unless you're looking for a mindless action-fest, you'd be better off moving to better things.PLOT: A Plot Hole Fest Served with Bad Writing
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The drama started with some promise, if not originality, but went downhill fast when it began to rely too much on action, eye candy, and special effects to make up for the writer's lack of experience and painfully simplistic narrative. The story really makes no sense and left no impression. Things happened because "reasons", twists were added because "why not?" and characters acted and reacting according to the "rule of cool" rather than logic.
If you are looking for a well-thought-out, or at the very least decent story, this is certainly not it.
CHARACTERS: Simplistic, Inconsistent and Unrelatable
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Rather than go through each character individually, I'll talk about them in general since none of them really stood out. One of the show's biggest flaw is the writer's inability to create complex characters. Consequently, they all feel borderline cartoony. Think shonen anime where the only focus of the writer is to pile love and adoration onto Gang Gi Bum (ML), who I'm almost certain became Do Hyun's (the writer's) self-insert (aka Gary Sue).
Gang Gi Bum quickly becomes the sole focus of the story, the strongest among all the Rugal members, adored by both allies and enemies... he is a walking plot-line -- or rather, a stumbling one. You can connect every story to him in an egotistical way which not only grew old fast, but allowed no room to develop any other characters.
Perhaps the biggest aggrievance of all was the disservice rendered towards the four female characters who appear on more than one episode of this drama --none of which were unfortunately fleshed out or given agency.
The two female "antagonists", for example, were useless. Argo's chairman's treatment was especially jarring. We were often told by other characters that she was cool, that she shouldn't be underestimated, that "you don't know what she's capable of" only to be shown... absolutely nothing. Again, the writer wanted to claim she's strong/cool/influential without actually giving her agency to show those things. And it's the same thing with Susan, the female scientist of the show. Where we're told by other characters all these things about her personality because she doesn't even have enough air time to develop her...
Of course, the most inconsistent was poor Song Mi Na, the lone female member of Rugal. She went from being the second-best of the team to become the weakest link; complete with a few badass in distress scenes --which were promptly excused by the writer though characters exchanging comments regarding "how strong she is" and how "impressed they were with her". In so doing, the Do Hyun created a laughable cop-out for only showing her distress and having all her badassery apparently happen off-screen...
At the end of the day, the lack of depth the entire cast of characters was riddled with meant I couldn't connect, relate, or even care for any of them. I was never rooting for them to succeed. I was also unconcern whenever they were "in danger". They were wrapped in such a thick layer of plot armor, that it stood to reason they would come out victorious in the end. Heck, even the characters seem keenly aware of their plot armor (especially the ML) because they never displayed an ounce of fear, which marks an author as lacking experience and the confidence of putting his beloved characters through the grinder.
Which leads us to the next point.
WRITING: Amature. Tell, why show?
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I could tell right away the writer didn't have experience because he relied a lot on exposition. Meaning he spoon-fed the audience the story through character dialogues rather than having us reach the conclusion he wanted through scene development.
A good writer will show, rather than tell. If he wants us to feel bad for a character, he'll dedicate time to showing how the character suffers rather than having him say "I'm so sad" in a short conversation. Although the process of showing will be longer, the result will be more powerful.
Simply put, if the audience is not moved to tears when a character cries on the screen... then the emotional buildup wasn't done correctly. In this case, telling us what the characters were feeling through dialogues resulted in a sense of disbelief and disconnect, which made me unable to empathize with any of them.
OVERALL [TL;DR]
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Learn from my painful experience and skip this one if you're looking for a good show. The writing is atrocious, the fights grew old fast, the plot is messy and inconsistent, the characters lack complexity... In fact, the only thing Rugal has going for it was the eye candy, which suffered when they went full emo style with the ML. But even these leather-clad men aren't worth muscling through the diary of a fourteen-year-old who self-inserted into a fantasy where he's the center of the universe; men want to be his sidekicks, women want to bed him, enemies fall in love with him and everything happens based only on the "rule of cool".
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This review may contain spoilers
Despite the odd title (I have no idea what "Dark Blue Kiss" is even supposed to mean, or how it relates to the story), DBK is one of my top two favorite BLs for 2019! (The other: He's Coming To Me.) Here's why:1) A very realistic view of what a young gay couple goes through. Not all shows have to be realistic for me -- I appreciate a good fantasy, as long as that's what it's intended to be. But if I'm being given a plot line that I'm supposed to take seriously, I want to believe it. DBK does this for me, unlike the large majority of BLs (which can still have good entertainment value).
2) Supportive parents and friends. Pete's dad, Kao's mom, and Rain were the heroes of this series.
3) The acting from the leads. Loved Tay (Pete) in this, and especially AJ (Non), who pretty much stole the show with his smarmy unlikeability. New (Kao) got a lot of flack from viewers for being too passive, but I thought he was just fine. As for the second couple, Podd (Sun) was a creditable actor (although I found his character a bit uninteresting) and Fluke (Mork) shows some great skills for a newbie.
4) The music. I loved the music for the opening credits! The OST sung by Fluke shows him to be a really talented singer, and another OST with Tay and New really shows off Tay's singing ability as well.
5) The story. From week to week, I found myself looking forward to what was coming next.
Highly recommended! (I only gave the "Rewatch Value" a lower rating because I rarely rewatch series.)
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1This review may contain spoilers
frustration at its finest
tw// mention of rapethe trailer made me go, "oh! this doesn't look so bad! it looks cute and light! let's go for it!". well... the drama in its entirety is a hot mess. no, it's not the spicy good kind of mess that makes me look forward for more episodes. it's the mess that makes you wonder what went through the heads of the writers.
one thing that made me hooked into wanting to watch this is the actors from past dramas i watched. i honestly kinda feel bad for the the actors because it feels like they were trying their best to make up to portray their characters. sadly, there's literally no depth to the characters despite ton's dad brainwashing his son with such nonsense and misogynistic beliefs. the writers had the chance to give depth to ton's character and show his side of the story but we got absoluTeLy nothing! so, the whole time i couldn't help but detest ton because he was honestly being such an ass and made chon uncomfortable in the early episodes pressuring him about banging a girl to prove his masculinity.
three years with ai and ni.... not once did ton suspect anything going on???? i may be a clown but i haven't reached this level of clownery yet. i also couldn't find myself rooting for ai and ni when they forced chon to come out to them. another character that grinded my butters was nueng... what was the writers thinking making a rape victim attempt to rape someone????? honestly.... in each episode, i felt like i'd end up hating every single character. thankfully, characters like chon's mom, na, the nail lady and miriam exist.
the chemistry between chon and ton is not bad... but it's quite plain. the way their relationship developed itself is questionable. dude legit banged chon after confessing and chon, one who's known to always be the frantic type in such situations didn't flinch one bit. i honestly found ton unlikable and his possessiveness didn't appeal to me at all.
if there's another bl drama that features a revenge driven ex girlfriend after this, i'm officially teleporting to space because i'm so done with it.
overall, this is a drama that isn't anything new that does have a few charming points (comedic scenes and few likable supporting characters) but completely fails to keep my interest to the end.
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Till episode 10 it was quite fine, but then the script plummet...
The positive first: The special effect makeup was on point :) Even the acting was on point, even when we know that Pooh will never be a top actor because he does need a lot of speech training, but his facial expressions where also on point. When I watch a horror/mystical/crime series I expect the characters to act appropiate and we did not get that all the time. It makes no sense whatsoever when King enters the "Fridge" alone - no police officer would do that - also that Thup left the car, when his mom said he should not - there are more of such loopholes. As usual with a change2561 production the culminating finale is rushed and does not make much sense. The fighting in the end was also so off for me. So as usual the scriptwriters could not complete a very good story appropriately.To contrast this type of show with poetic love scenes felt off and it seems they did cut the NC scenes, because the editing is quite rough in that places. I would have prefered when the main couple had lust and desire first and love after the solving of the case which would also have more impact. The side couple was done better, because there was love from Darin all the time, but Sey not recognizing it. King which was not liked by most disappeared and the father-son conflict was unresolved. Was there corruption at work because dad would like to bury the case? We will never know, because the scriptwriters made the choice to give us drama but not resolve it.
I personally don't like stupid acting characters and I don't like drama when it's not resolved. So while I had rated this show very high till episode 10, the end "ruined" it for me. It's not catastrophically bad, but it could have been so much better. And so this series is far from a 9.5 or 10 I see here in so many reviews. I will always be critical when I see bullshit and I really hate it when they do it. Maybe some of you are fangirling or fanboying over the couples, but I do not care about the couples or the actors, only the story and the performance count (and of course production quality - but I can't say anything negative about that). For me it's a disappointment that a very good show got ruined for no benefit at all.
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The characters are quite unusual, but in a refreshing and realistic way. Every one of them has a unique perspective on life and can teach you a few important lessons. Watching them interact and see them conquer their fears, accepted failures and move on to happiness is quite therapeutic.
All the characters have some kind of struggles they are facing, and all of them deal with them in a different way. We can relate to some and learn from others. Each presents a specific approach to life and striving for happiness.
It shows how people deal differently with pain: some pretend to be strong, some crumble, others live in denial and some chase after the lost happiness even when it's impossible to get it back. In a surprisingly heartwarming way, it shows the various sides of depression that does not leave the viewer drained of life, but rather hopeful.
The directing and editing has this dreamlike feel to it, which makes the drama even more appealing. Some might say it was too slow paced, too confusing, but for me it was pure perfection. Usually I dislike dramas that are this slow. I feel like they just try to be artistic for no reason. Somehow, the slower pace added a whole new level of charm that made me love A Piece Of Your Mind even more.
Any flaws? The device itself. While I can accept its existence, how it was made cannot be explained no matter how far-fetched sci-fi approach you take. Did it bother me while watching? No, since the device itself was never the focus point of the plot. It was always about the people and their relationships and how they can affect each other, not the electronics that made the connection happen in the first place.
Overall, it’s a healing story that will make you feel like you have dreamed it.
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1
1This review may contain spoilers
Sad People in Love
From the jump, Pavane feels like it exists in a slightly warped reality where everyone is lonely, underemployed, and quietly disappointed in themselves, which already makes it more honest than most romantic films. The story centres on three people working in the same department store, which is basically a factory for emotional suppression. Gyeong-rok parks cars while chasing dance like it’s a personality trait, Mi-jeong works in the basement like society physically pushed her underground, and Yo-han floats around as the charming, slightly strange friend who seems socially successful but radiates the kind of loneliness that comes from being liked without being known.The romance between Gyeong-rok and Mi-jeong does not arrive with fireworks or dramatic confessions because this film understands that people who feel undesirable don’t flirt like normal humans. Their connection grows through small glances, long pauses, and the shared exhaustion of knowing they do not fit society’s idea of a perfect couple, which somehow makes their relationship feel more intimate than any cinematic grand gesture ever could. It is not fantasy love, it is survival love, the kind that says, “You also feel out of place? Great, let’s be uncomfortable together.”
Mi-jeong sits at the emotional centre of the film, and instead of giving her a makeover or a glow-up montage, the story does something far more radical by letting her remain exactly as she is and demanding that the audience take her seriously anyway. She is repeatedly criticised for her appearance, as if her face itself is a social failure, and the film never pretends this cruelty does not wound her. But it also refuses to turn beauty into her redemption arc. Her worth comes from endurance, from continuing to exist in a world that keeps suggesting she should not. Go Ah-sung plays her with a quiet vulnerability that feels like someone constantly holding their breath, revealing trauma, fear, and the aching desire to be seen without ever turning Mi-jeong into a lesson or a slogan.
Gyeong-rok is gentle in a way that feels painfully realistic because he is clearly in love and yet emotionally illiterate, like a man who downloaded feelings without reading the instructions. He hesitates, misreads situations, and can be frustratingly dense, but that clumsiness makes him feel human rather than engineered. Their relationship never feels manufactured; it feels like something that grew by accident because neither of them expected to be chosen.
Yo-han is the most ambiguous figure, hovering between friend, observer, and emotional disruptor, adding a slightly surreal layer to the story as if he understands the characters better than they understand themselves. Sometimes this perspective deepens the film’s exploration of loneliness, showing how charisma can coexist with isolation, but at other times it pulls attention away from the central romance just as it begins to settle into rhythm, which raises the uncomfortable question of whether this imbalance is intentional or simply a flaw in the writing.
Visually, the film leans into muted colours and a faintly vintage atmosphere, turning the underground parking lot into an obvious but effective metaphor for lives lived outside society’s spotlight. The cinematography is restrained and elegant, and the use of classical music lifts certain scenes into something almost dreamlike. Yet the pacing in the second half weakens the overall impact, as transitions between emotional moments feel awkward and uneven, creating a pattern where the film draws you in deeply and then abruptly lets you go before the feeling can fully land.
Still, despite these structural issues, the film leaves behind genuine emotional weight because its sincerity about love, insecurity, friendship, and longing cuts through its imperfections. It is less about happiness than about the way even brief love can permanently reshape how people see themselves. These are characters who believe they do not deserve affection and slowly realise that being chosen once might be enough to sustain them for years.
Pavane is not a spectacle and does not trade in fantasy or transformation. It offers hushed pain, awkward tenderness, and the quietly devastating idea that someone might love you exactly where you are: in the basement, in the parking lot, in the version of yourself you assumed no one would ever pick. And somehow, that restrained hope feels more radical than any dramatic romance ever could.
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1Shin Hye Sun Running Circles Around Oppas that Can’t Act and a Crappy Plot that Can’t Plot
You know a writer has overestimated themselves when a show with an interesting premise, distorted timelines, flawed characters and major potential turns into pure, convoluted, nonsensical garbage.❌ The writing and execution in this is seriously bad. Like one of the worst I have seen in a long time. While the drama starts out very promising with unreliable protagonists who slowly reveal their intentions, it loses the plot somewhere in the middle and just ends up being vomit on screen that calls itself a script.
❌ Some things are added just for the sake of it - no logic or reasoning required. Random dead bodies in random freezers, random trucks of doom, random cabins in the freaking forest. There is so much randomness is this show, I was half convinced the writer was on shrooms.
❌ The drama tries desperately to be complicated but ends up coming off as confused as a floppy fish out of water. This was what I was afraid of when I saw who the director was. I have watched almost all of his dramas and things with him go either way. Either he nails his execution and gives you masterpieces like 25-21 and Search WWW or he completely fucks things up like in King Eternal Monarch. Unfortunately, this drama has the same floundering headless chicken execution that King Eternal Monarch had and it’s just sad.
❌ Then, there are the crappy love interests. There are literally three of those in this drama. The third ML is there for no reason. He is also basically a brother figure of the FL’s long term ex boyfriend (the ML) and his pursuit and feelings for her are just awkward, messy and add zero substance to the plot. Just one of those random things the show throws in just for the sake of it.
❌ However, ofcourse, the major downfall of this show are the two main oppas. First of all, neither of them are good actors. They are bland, plastic and have zero nuance to them. Also, their screen presence is in the negatives. I swear Kim Nam Gil’s sock has more screen presence than all of these 3 oppas combined.
❌ Second of all, both of the two male leads are severely unlikeable and selfish for the majority of the show.
❌ The first ML, Hyun Oh, who breaks up with the FL after eight years of dating is trash human being number one. He is selfish and thinks that the world revolves around his mommy issues and the fact that he has two dozen grannies to take care of.
❌ Oh, poor him, his sad oppa problems give him a get out of jail free card to be the most toxic, wishy washy faded red flag that you want to 10000% avoid in real life. And, when I say red flag, I don’t mean the sexy bad guy red flag, I just mean dirty mud blood red flag that is just disappointing and annoying.
❌ Their entire relationship is just about him. He constantly makes her feel like he is better than her and she constantly doubts herself. After dragging her along for eight years and breaking her heart, he still doesn’t cut it off clean. He keeps giving her mixed signals and doing things for her she never asked for so she can never fully move on. And the moment he hears that she COULD move on, he is all scandalised about it.
❌ This man’s head is so far up his own ass that he never realises how someone who he has claimed to love for YEARS is in unbearable pain. And while, I did like their past relationship scenes together and was initially rooting for him, with every episode it seemed he just got worse and worse. By the last episode, I wanted to throw him off a cliff and call it a day.
❌ Then, comes the second main oppa, Ju Yeon. I didn’t like his and Hyeri’s (Fl’s second personality) dynamic from the get go because it came off childish, awkward and silly. Which is fine because that was who Hyeri was supposed to be as a character. What is not fine is that when he learns about her disorder, his reaction is the WORST thing imaginable.
❌ Instead of consoling her or feeling for her, he makes her apologise for hurting him, REPEATEDLY. And then, keeps insisting that she bring the other damaged personality around because he is in love with it.
❌ The whole delusion around the fact that he is in love with a fictional personality and wants her to remain sick just so he can fulfil his own kinks is SICKENING.
❌ After that, I really didn’t see the romance in him waiting around for the personality to show up. It was just stupid and even though the drama later tried to convince us that he’d take her as both Hyeri and her original personality, his actions clearly reflected that he is still very much hung up over Hyeri.
❌ Ofcourse, it’s inevitable that the oppas do get some redeeming moments in the last couple of episodes where they finally focus on people other than themselves but I don’t really give a fuck. I make judgements on characters as the way they are throughout the entire drama not their last minute actions and from the way these two were, the only happy ending for the FL would have been was to stay alone and away. Hell, the 3rd ML who was basically irrelevant cannon fodder was the most likeable option.
❌Also, speaking of shitty things in this drama, let’s talk about the whole DID thing. I usually don’t care about the science and logic of these tropes and I don’t care here either but I feel like it’s almost romanticised. This constant question of were you more happy as the other personality? Then this whole grown ass man being in love with and constantly reinforcing the other personality after knowing the woman for one single MONTH.
❌It gave me a bad taste in my mouth because the FL’s second personality is just a defence mechanism and it’s unnatural, born out of trauma and shouldn’t even exist in the first place, much less be reinforced and constantly validated.
❌ But, I shouldn’t have cared about the technicalities because this drama seriously does not give a shit about authenticity. It pulls out the worst “Oppa’s love heals everything even if it’s freaking DID” card I have ever seen in a drama.
Especially when that love is toxic, unwanted, weirdly codependent and downright stupid. They didn’t even try to pretend like they were using the illness as anything other than a plot device.
❌ To top off the nonsense, every single problem in these people’s lives MAGICALLY gets solved in the eleventh episode. DID? Cured by good old Oppa humping. ML’s reason for breaking up with Fl in the first place which led to this 14 episode worth of junk being made? Solved in 2 seconds. Love triangle? Solved with a good old smiley, breakup date.
It is just outlandish how bad the writing is. There is no real healing or character development anywhere. You won’t find it even with a NASA grade microscope.
✅ So, is there anything good about this show? Yeah, it’s Shin Hye Sun. She is one of my favourite actresses and like always she does an excellent job here as well. Her acting range is insane. She is nuanced, charismatic, expressive and delivers both her roles with perfection.
✅ I loved her as the damaged, sassy, broken, insecure, overly dependent and deeply flawed Ju Eun Ho. She made me feel for her struggles and I absolutely rooted for her. (Atleast, I did root for her before she became a manic panic obsessed oppa groupie who was legit like “I missed your toenails” to her shitty ex boyfriend.)
✅ While I wasn’t as much of a fan of her Hyeri personality with how over the top she was with the whole childish get up, and the exaggeratedly slow speech, I still appreciated SHS for it because it did the job of what the show wanted to deliver with her.
✅ Shin Hye Sun grossly overpowered all other actors with her talent in this drama and it showed. She single-handedly carried it on her back and I hope she asked for a freaking full body deep tissue massage along with a hefty paycheque for this.
✅ To be honest, there are some other good aspects of the show as well. For one, the skin ship and the kisses in it are good. Some episodes pack a surprisingly emotional punch. There are some great cinematography and OST moments. Moreover, the ups and lows of a relationship in flashbacks are also nicely shown but overall, it’s not enough.
❌ Because when you don’t have all the plot holes, the unlikeable male leads, the bad acting, the terrible writing and the confused timelines, you have uninteresting side filler characters taking up the screen.
❌ The grannies are boring, the office people are annoying and all other supporting characters are lacklustre. The only one interesting side character is Hye Yeon but she doesn’t have enough agency to make you invested.
❌ Which is why, on the whole, this drama does feel like a lot of wasted potential and has the tendency to turn your brain cells to rot.
Take my free advice; save your time and your IQ and go watch something else.
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The Journey of the Pocket Watch
The StoryThis drama is set during the Republican era—a turbulent time in China when ordinary people were faced with limited choices, uncertainty, and difficult decisions. The director has done an excellent job in creating a realistic portrayal of that period, supported by a well-written script that thoughtfully explores the political climate of the time. The inclusion of romance helps to soften the heaviness of the historical and societal themes.
The life stories of three generations are anchored around the old Lin family home, which evolves over time from a residential house to a hospital and later to a fabric factory that doubles as a residence. The romance of three generations of women in the Lin family, spanning from the 1930s to the 1990s, begins with Lin ShiYun, the granddaughter of the Lin family. After studying abroad and becoming a gynecologist, she returns to China with modern thinking and a bold spirit. She challenges her family’s traditional views and navigates the troubles caused by her irresponsible, gambling brother. Lin ShiYun is a strong-willed, clear-headed, and courageous woman—her personality is very likable. Once she sets her mind on something, she is determined to see it through.
I haven’t watched many dramas featuring Jelly Lin, and her performances usually didn’t captivate me. However, in this role as ShiYun, she truly fits the character and made me believe in her.
She meets Cheng Ao, a gangster lawyer played by Ryan Cheng. Though raised in a family with gangster roots, Cheng Ao was educated abroad and upholds patriotic values passed down by his adoptive father. He is the male lead in the first arc—a righteous, intelligent, and principled man who complements ShiYun’s strong personality perfectly. Ryan Cheng shines in this role, and I believe it’s his best performance to date, especially compared to his other recent leading roles in two major “S” Wuxia/Xuanhuan productions.
The first arc tells the story of Cheng Ao and Lin ShiYun finding love amid political turmoil, staying true to their beliefs, and making difficult life choices. They are among the lucky ones who survive the war and migrate overseas. I thoroughly enjoyed their romance—it felt inspiring and meaningful.
The second arc begins from episode 12 and centers on YiYi, ShiYun’s niece, who is deeply influenced by her aunt’s worldview. YiYi is widowed at a young age and faces discrimination from a conservative society. Her quiet, non-confrontational nature makes her a target of prejudice, but with determination and resilience, she finds her voice and love again. YiYi pursues her passion for clothing design and eventually thrives in the fashion industry. Her romance with a Communist Party minister, Wen Pu (played by Liu YiJun), is touching and layered with social tension. As always, Liu YiJun delivers a solid performance.
YiYi is portrayed by Tong Yao, an up-and-coming actress who feels very natural in this role. Although the second arc takes time to pick up—partly due to YiYi’s withdrawn personality—her quiet strength and artistic soul grow on you. As you begin to understand her grief and emotional depth, you can’t help but empathize with her and even wish that others would leave her alone. The side characters are frustrating at times, but they serve as realistic representations of the extreme ideological views present during early Communist China. The second arc concludes in episode 21, highlighting the hardships faced by YiYi and Wen Pu.
The final romantic arc follows YiYi’s granddaughter, Ye XiNing, whose love story begins with a chance encounter with schoolteacher Xiang BeiChuan. After being falsely accused and losing her job, XiNing’s journey is about rebuilding her career and discovering love. Among the Lin women, she is probably the most unlikable at first—impulsive, dramatic, and outspoken. However, she is also hardworking, resilient, and maintains a positive outlook. From working in a small jean factory to running an international clothing business, her growth is admirable.
XiNing and BeiChuan are complete opposites: she is loud, emotional, and blunt, while he is quiet, cautious, and principled. At times, it’s easy to feel sympathy for BeiChuan as XiNing’s dominating personality overwhelms him. But their romance grows as they work through misunderstandings and eventually commit to each other. Spoiler: this couple is the only one we see getting married on-screen.
A beautiful touch in the story is the symbolic passing of a pocket watch—from Cheng Ao to Lin ShiYun, then to YiYi, and finally to XiNing—representing the passage of time and the enduring values passed down through generations.
My Thoughts on the Couples (CPs):
Many viewers came to this drama for Ryan Cheng, who only appears in the first arc (up to episode 11). I particularly liked his role here, so I wanted to share my thoughts on the romantic arcs:
CP1 – Cheng Ao & Lin ShiYun
Their story is about spontaneity, contrasts yet shared values, courage, and remaining true to one’s roots. It’s a tale of ordinary people becoming heroes in extraordinary times.
CP2 – YiYi & Wen Pu
This is a story of forbidden love and defying social norms. It highlights the limitations imposed by society, and the endurance needed to triumph over adversity.
CP3 – Ye XiNing & Xiang BeiChuan
Their romance shows how love can blossom under unlikely circumstances. It’s about opposites attracting, seizing opportunities, holding onto beliefs, and striving for success while staying grounded.
All three love stories are intricately woven into the fabric of time, each representing a different response to the challenges of their era.
There are many powerful and thought-provoking lines in the drama about relationships, choices, and the consequences of decisions made. I truly enjoyed this drama and hope that more people will come to appreciate its depth, storytelling, and emotional richness.
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A worth watch !!
My first venture to jdramas …..and I can’t explain how happy I am to have given this one a try ….Even after seeing that it got almost all the reviews towards the very positive end of the rating spectrum ...I still was hesitant (maybe bec first dramas are always memorable ...you wish to carefully pick the critically acclaimed ones so as to make sure you aren’t disappointed)...and I am really glad to say that this drama has me looking forward to my journey in dorama land …
This is way more than just a typical rom com ...it’s an ordinary story that gives you hope and courage to fight for what you need ...tells you to cry,stand up and face the mess ….( I feel weird writing this ....cuz actually I am team it’s okay to run away as long as you are willing to come back and fight but yaa ...it’s true that someday or the other ...you gotta deal with all the shit that comes your way)
( I haven’t mentioned the story ...cuz synopsis provided by MDL is way too good ...pls check it )
The positives …
No annoying characters …( I don’t know if this is common for doramas to not have them ...and if it is then ...I am dancing already)
They don’t keep on dragging an issue like anything and just talk it out …(dare not ask for more in a rom drama …!! )
Amazing bonding between the characters ….I love the entire house arrangement ….housemates are so supportive of each other ….and every character individually is so likable ...and the dog’s so adorable ... …(even I wish to live in a share house like that …!!)
Life Lessons ...well some dramas teach you small and important things ….I feel it’s one of those dramas ...it’s a happy happy stuff but yeah it doesn’t deviate from the fact that life got troubles too ...and just because you are good at something doesn’t mean that the path will be easy ...it might be easier than others ...but no bed of roses for anyone here.
Also I like the fact that the ML makes FL feel that not everything needs to be captured and shared over the internet ...ofc she likes doing it ….but addiction is not good you can’t start living just to share your life on internet ...you sometimes need to really snap out of it ...and live somethings just for yourself …(that’s probably the best part)
I enjoyed the side characters too ….as someone who skips scenes without much thought...I really didn’t touch that forward button ...so you know it’s amazing
Negatives …
I don’t know why but I end up watching love triangles all the time (don't yell spoiler spoiler ...it's there from the very first ep) ...I am a bit annoyed by that ...tho this one is like way better than others I have come across ..still
(guess I need to now start checking tags before I watch)
Also the show doesn't start off too well ....like the initial eps do feel weird and difficult to keep up with !
and the main couple don't give couple vibes ....they'd be better as friends.
But all in all I loved the drama ...and am way too happy to have this as my first !!
I hope everyone who’s reading this does give it a try!
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This review may contain spoilers
We love a future without cancer
The actors did a great job! And i don't regret watching. But this ending was lazy.If you just watched the movie and thought:
"This was so smart because after the credits scene you realize that the wicked one woke up faster than the lead's mom, so ended up killing her and kept the lead a prisoner for 20 years, mirroring the start of the movie."
This was exactly what the screenwriter tried to convey, but the timeline doesn't add up.
The movie only presents a new future, when things are set and done (for the time being). immediately after someone survives or dies the future adapts afterwards. Meanwhile on this brand new future before the credits, the lead had enough time to search for her mom at the hospital (idk why... cause this whole going back cured her cancer in every alternative future LMAO), at the police station and also had time to run to the cemetery and meet her mom there. So this new future was somehow set. Going "back" to hear that phone call that was made before the cop and the mom arrived, warning the wicked that she would die doesn't make much sense. Unless for the FIRST time in this movie, the writer suddendly makes it possible for temporary futures to be presented to the viewers. So the wicked didn't die and woke up before the mom and killed her and made the lead a prisoner (mirroring herself when she was younger). ok, that's cool, but that never happened before though. The future was always showed after the past scene was dealt with. The lead had some solid 30/45min in this new future though, since she runs everywhere she goes... doesn't make sense.
So to me this was lazy. They had a 3 star movie if they ended with a happy ending, so they created this poorly written new ending so that they can keep people talking about the possibilities of the ending credits, and end with an 4 star movie. And that's lazy. It works for the majority of people, but the truth it's the timelines don't always match.
Also can't someone just call 911. ffs.
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This review may contain spoilers
Give it a chance
! There Might Be Spoilers !Yes, there are no spice scenes at all, and yes, there is no kissing (the little one while Hem was asleep, doesn't count)
But I think everyone should watch this series at least once.
This is a MAJOR SLOW BURN, so don't go in expecting anything else. With that being said, there is a lot to it, honestly, the underlying message that the series gives overall.
The whole series is stunning, the secenry was enough to make me watch but the tension that Fifa and Hem give off was enough to make me stay, there is no spicy scenes at all or even kissing and I kept yelling "Just kiss already" may times in the last episode but after thinking about it, it doesn't need all of that, the tension between the two was some of the best in any Thai BL's.
It's easy to forget that we don't need heavy spice scenes to make a good series. I think if you're reading this and on the fence about watching it, give it a chance because I believe you will be missing out on a fantastic series.
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