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1China Continues To Dominate Historical BL, a Masterpiece With Romance, Betrayal, & Reincarnation
When it comes to BL + historical drama, once again China proves that no other country does it better. Our first historical BL drama premiere of 2026 absolutely did not disappoint. From the very first scene, the dark snowy night, breathtaking costumes, stunning cinematography, brutal martial arts fights, and emotional atmosphere, this drama pulls you in instantly and never lets go.The opening episodes are heartbreaking. Watching princes destroy their own flesh and blood for the throne is cruel, tragic, and emotionally intense. Every political move feels dangerous, every conversation hides betrayal, and the palace tension keeps getting better with every episode.
But the real heart of this drama is Fifth Prince Yin Qi and Pei Yanzhi. Childhood best friends turned enemies turned lovers is already one of the best tropes ever, but this drama takes it to another level. The pain between them feels so real. What hurts the most is that they only realize how deeply they love each other when death is already standing in front of them. By the time they finally understand their feelings… it’s already too late.
And then fate gives them a second chance.
Imagine waking up three years in the past, discovering your mother is still alive, and realizing you still have one chance to save the person you love most. Sometimes you never truly understand how much someone means to you until they’re gone, whether it’s your mother, your soulmate, or the life you failed to protect. Heaven literally places fate back into Yin Qi’s hands and asks him: what will you change this time?
The reincarnation storyline is SO GOOD. It adds regret, longing, pain, and desperation to every single scene. Watching Prince Yin Qi try to rewrite destiny while uncovering hidden truths connected to Pei Yanzhi completely destroyed me emotionally. Their chemistry is incredible, every glance, every argument, every quiet emotional moment feels meaningful.
This drama truly has everything:
- One of the best NC scenes (watch end of ep 5)
- Stunning cinematography
-Beautiful OST/music
-Emotional storytelling
-Incredible martial arts scenes
-Palace politics and betrayal
-Reincarnation and second chance romance
-Childhood best friends to enemies to lovers
-Tragic love mixed with hope
-One of the best BL chemistries in historical drama
The visuals are gorgeous, the acting is powerful, and the romance hurts in the best possible way. This is not just another BL drama, it’s a full emotional experience.
They didn’t hold back with the kissing and intimate scenes, and the chemistry felt natural, passionate, and intense. I was not expecting that scene at the end of Episode 5 at all; it felt very erotic and emotional, especially for a historical drama from China. You could even hear the moaning, and everything was shot in such an intimate and beautiful way.
I also love the second couple, the crazy and evil Crown Prince and his servant. Their intimate scenes are wild and add a chaotic, exotic energy to the series
If you love historical BL with angst, reincarnation, political intrigue, forbidden love, and soulmates fighting against fate itself, this is a MUST WATCH.
Another Chinese BL masterpiece.
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Story/Emotions: Such a controversial topic was handled delicately and realistically and still represented the positive possibilities which one person should pursue when caught in the harshness of life. It is not just a love story, but a pure and beautiful life changing one at that. You quickly forget the age difference between the main couple when you look at their characters and their process of falling in love with them. At first one might question their beginning of love, but what this drama does make you realize is that you never quite know what exactly makes you fall in love with one particular person and why that one person is the only one who holds that special spot in your life. Other people even though having the same specs or even better ones still don't make the cut in your life. Their love story from start to end remains realistic at best. It is the love that empowers them to discover themselves . Their is a perpetual question of whether you give in to the love or realize your personal dreams; especially when faced with such a difficult love. But this drama beautifully shows how love gives them the motive of achieving other things in life as well. The opposition is all expected , yet you ride this roller coaster begging some understanding and happiness for the couple. Their journey is a long one and this drama will tug at your heart. It is an extremely incredible feat that the director and writer managed to make a love story even more interesting than a thriller. And this is a story you are not bound to forget for a long time.
Characters: Not one character is such that you wouldn't empathize, Even the most difficult of characters are still the one who you will warranty your understanding. Both Akira and Hijiri's characters undergo a growth that is otherwise only superficially shown in other dramas. Full marks to all the characters , even the minor ones. No character in this drama is dull or stupid. The highlight being Akira's character who grows from a boy to a fantastic and extremely capable young man who doesn't give up even in the toughest of times. His is an astoundingly clear-headed character. The depth of the awareness of his own emotions is displayed right from the beginning. Even his childishness which is often the part of your first heady days of love (couple it with his adolescence) is hardly blamable. But the transition that he undergoes post the first half of the story is a real piece of cake. Akira's mother also has a very strong character and is also one of the strongholds of the story. Yoshida Yo's character is a brilliant one and one that will have a lot of impact on the viewer throughout the story. Her depth of character reading of the people around her is a personal goal.
Acting: This a department that elevates the drama to the all time lists in my opinion. This story commanded exceptional acting due to the complexity of each of the characters and the story line anyway. Even the minor characters are made memorable by the respective actors. Akira's mother, the renowned middle aged actress does the mother's part exceptionally well. You would hate her persistent opposition throughout the drama and yet understand her protective heart for Akira. She is fiercely portrayed and has some of the toughest scenes in the series. Yoshida Yo gives another brilliant performance as Haraguchi. You are bound to like her character the best in the series and it is all thanks to this great actress. This also gives you a rare example of a fierce and extremely outspoken Japanese woman that is hard to come by in japanese society. Arimura Kazumi is a little shadowed due to other stellar performances but by no means is her acting lacking. She plays the naive and kind hearted teacher to the best and you empathize with her hardships and even with her initial confusion over Akira and her fiance. It was a pretty tight spot to pull without making her character hateful but she still manages to display the precise emotions. Machida Keita is also decent although his is the only character that you would find less attractive in spite of having the perfect high specs.
The real gem of this Drama is and will always be Okada Kenshi. I can pretty much write another full article on his acting. Enough has been said about no one believing this to be his debut role and having a huge potential and everything is 100% true yet I somewhere think it still doesn't do him enough justice. To begin with he clearly steals the show every single time he is onscreen. You will not get over his smile, the slightest twitch of his lips, the slightest change in his expressions and light in his eyes and the body language which is all so powerful that before even Hijiri falls in love with him , you will find yourself spiraling down that lane unknowingly. It is crazy how many emotions he can make you feel through his character. It seems that the role was written just for him and there is not one scene where I can pinpoint that he needed improvement. His looks already make you wonder if he is the handsomest man out there and to top that those acting chops are sure shot lottery to stardom.
Music: The background music has never been so apt and fitting. It played with my feelings big time. Some of the scenes while already memorably written and acted out , became absolutely ten fold phenomenal because of the background score. This background score will always remain on my playlist and still makes me go through a 100 emotions , all that I cherished while watching the drama. The Prologue by Uru will also remain etched in your memory.
Rewatch: Anytime! And every time it will make me feel sadness and happiness on a new level. For a love story it has amazing rewatch value for you will have new found appreciation for all the symbolism, dialogues, acting and cinematography. You are bound to discover something new every single time.
In gist, this was an extremely impacting and emotional drama that will grow on you with every passing moment until it becomes an obsession for you. It is bound to play with your feelings big time and yet inspire you throughout the journey that you live along with the characters. To each this will be a personal journey. The drama satiated all my drama expectations and made me reevaluate all the other dramas I had watched till date and mentally I deducted at least one star from all of them. In a world where kdramas rule the roast, this will make you hungry for Japanese dramas and leave very big shoes to fill in it's wake.
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Cringey Leads With No Chemistry and Rather Forgettable Plot
STORY:The plot was basic and nothing new or unique. Long-time BL fans have seen this done (and done better) a thousand times before, and I felt like nothing new was added to the genre. The pacing was severely rushed in the first episode, as if the writers wanted to cram in as much from the book as they could (read: quantity over quality) but to its credit, the pacing and scene selection did improve as the series progressed. I understand that the writers only had four episodes to work with, but that makes it all the more important to carefully select which scenes from the novel to adapt, make sure the writing is super tight, and that every single word and interaction has meaning behind it so that not a second is wasted. I also felt like episode four could have been cut completely and we wouldn't have missed anything, since the climax and resolution occurred in episode three. The series overall gave me the impression that the writer (of either the novel, screenplay, or both) cherry-picked their favorite scenes and attributes from other, popular BLs and dumped them all into this story, leaving me feeling as though I watched a low-budget, fan-made homage.
CHARACTERS/ACTING:
This is where I had the biggest issues (and if you've read my comments, apologies for the repetition). Oh, where to start? The main leads had absolutely no chemistry together whatsoever, and that made their "love story" very uncomfortable to watch. Gun was gross, cringey, a creep who had no respect for Bar's boundaries at all. From the very first episode, we see Gun constantly force himself into Bar's life, touch Bar without consent, control who Bar can and can't speak to, and proclaim that this is all in the name of love. Meanwhile, Bar responds with looks of disgust, discomfort, and flat-out refusal, until halfway through and he suddenly does a 180 because how else can they end up together? The problem is that Bar never indicates he enjoyment of this attention from Gun; he doesn't flirt back, and he always looks sour when receiving it. Even when they became a couple, he still looked uncomfortable with Gun's "affection," leaving me confused as to why these two got together in the first place. I think that for a character like Gun to be portrayed successfully, the actor needs a certain charisma that Win unfortunately did not possess. I also needed Folk to deliver something in the emotions department that his character was into this courtship from Gun, but he failed to deliver there as well. The relationship left a very sour, toxic taste in my mouth.
As for the other actors and characters, nothing to write home about. They, like the plot, felt like stock characters that are used in just about every BL, and none really stood out as distinct and memorable.
OVERALL:
Some really enjoyed this. I clearly did not. I can handle worn tropes, low budgets, less than stellar acting, and subpar writing--to an extent. But I need something special to make up for those shortcomings, a spark that just wasn't present in this story. I can't say I'd recommend the series, mainly because I got more disgusted by Gun the more I watched, but it's only four episodes and a rather quick binge, so if you're interested, why not? I'm left hoping that the next two installments of this franchise won't leave me quite as disappointed.
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This review may contain spoilers
If My Gear and Your Gown had come out a couple of years ago, I would have given it a higher rating. But BLs have come a long way since then. Overall, this was a pleasant enough diversion from everyday activity, that's all. Here are my pros and cons:PROS:
LIKEABLE ACTORS. I found some of the actors adorable: Win (Pai) played a loveable, shy nerd, Fiat (Pure) is sassy and cute; Neen (Beau) is so sweet, while AJ (Waan) is so cute you just want to pinch his cheeks. Back to Win: I liked the way he played introverted Pai, and his bitter weeping in the final episode was heartbreaking.
GOOD MESSAGES. The Pure/AIDS storyline seemed a bit sudden and severe, but it's never a bad idea to promote safe sex. The final episode dealt (a little bit) with homophobia and acceptance from parents. I liked Folk's line (paraphrasing): "Parents are usually fine with it unless it affects them personally." Sadly, that's often very true.
CONS:
DULL STORY. For me, it started out well enough, but then just lagged. I felt the story could have been told in half the amount of episodes. And the Pure/playboy thing was maxed out. At the end, when Pure apologized to Folk for cheating on him, he said "but I was thinking of you the whole time." Barf.
WEAK CHEMISTRY. While Itt is a handsome guy, has chemistry with Pai was practically non-existent, and Itt's character was just weak. I wasn't really sold and Pure/Folk, either, but I did like Waan/Beau (would have liked to see them with more screen time as a couple).
FRESHY CONTEST: As much as I liked Pai, there is no freaking way he could have won that contest! Everything he did was a complete failure. I get that Pai wins in the story but, at the very least, the scriptwriters could have given him some sort of believable talent. As it was, Pai's win was incomprehensible, unless every other competitor was in a coma.
Overall, I enjoyed it well enough. Nothing groundbreaking here, I give it a 6.5.
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This review may contain spoilers
WISH I COULD USE THAT ERASER
Yes, yes, Fourth is adorable as Atom. He's super cute, the babiest of the babiest. Give him a sippy cup and a blankie. Clouds, cotton candies, rainbows, poppies, whatever... cute!But listen. For the life of me, I couldn't keep myself from going 'SHAKE YO BOOTY, SHAKE YO 'AS' whenever Gemini came on screen! I am embarrassed. I am ashamed. No really. In that one episode where the poor guy got bitten by a whole arse snake, I went. 'PUT YOUR HANDS UP IN THE AIR 2X.' Though, speaking of snakes, what in sorry arse reaction was that??? His reaction was literally like... oh...yeah....I guess a snake...bit me? CHILD???!
Anyway, this drama is not for people with rational thinking. I think it was made for a waay younger audience. Cuz like, Atom brought his blankie and plushie to a hotel! So yeah, that should tell you the audience this was made for. So if you are looking for something deep, my brother, go look elsewhere.
That being said, thanks to the many ads in this drama, (literally how many times did we have to see Kongthap poke himself in the eye to put in those lenses?) especially that yellow ice tea, which is in basically every drama, I finally went and ordered that yellow ice-tea, now tell me why it tasted like sawdust and cheap cargo shorts? It tasted like Wednesdays, don't hate it, don't like it. I supposed it's on me, should have known to stop ordering stuff in dramas when that seaweed snack tasted like chili and air condition.
Listen, I'm sure many people were frustrated with some of the decisions the characters made in this show. Like the nonsense misunderstandings , overreacting and miscommunications. Me personally, I wanted to reach into the screen and shake Kongthap in the last episode when he agreed with Atom that they should tell their parents about their relationship, but then immediately became a third party during the telling. Cuz how the eff you gonna sit there like a tree, blinking like a goddamn christmas light while Atom go through that alone? Mfer said and did nothing while Atom's self-esteem chipped away at the words his mother said. Arrggg.
As for Kongthap's mother, did she really need to be so vague and take those long arse pauses and make poor Atom cry like that? Damn woman made me yell at her and her son, while trying to wipe Atom's tears through the screen.
And yes, we can argue that Kongthap himself was nervous and scared, but literally he could have at least tried to say something instead of becoming a light pole with a flickering lightbulb. Even when it was Atom's turn to tell his mother, homeboy still went, 'ma'am Atom has something to tell you' This CHILD!!
PLOT:
Going in, I was afraid it wasn't going to live up to the hype and the wholesomeness of the Japanese version, which it sort of didn't. Because this version was much different. However Fourth held his own, orbit some over-the-top-scenes and Gemini had the whole clueless adorable house poppy look working for him, which frankly is his go to in all his characters, still, I think they did their best with what they were given.
As for the source material, they took the name of the Japanese series, a few similar scenes, then sort of threw the rest of the script in the rubbish, then did their own thing. Which gave us a fuller story, about first loves, the anxiety of getting into uni, and how hard it is to come to terms with your feelings and sexuality. It's sad that all those changes was packaged with over-acting, stiff kisses, awkwardness and childish behaviour. It would have been great otherwise. But personally, base on the changes, I think the writers did a good job adding something new so it doesn't just a repeat the original.
CHARACTERS:
First off, I'd like to give credit where it's due. Although the acting in this was nothing to write poems about, the finale showcased how far Fourth has come as an actor, and how far he can go! He did such an amazing job that I felt every bit of his emotions in those heavy scenes. I look forward to seeing him grow more in his acting, and to take on more serious roles, cuz I can tell he'd nail them.
Atom and Kongthap were frustrating at times with all the childish misunderstands and problems. Atom started the series with no dreams and in love with a girl, and ended up working endlessly to be a better version of himself. I liked that we got to see him struggle with what to study, it felt relatable. I cheered on him when he finally achieved his goals and grew as a character who didn't seem to have a care in the world, to a promising change man who had more hold on his future. I also liked how Kongthap opened himself to the idea of returning Atom's feelings and was supportive of Atom. I did like the relationship between Atom and Kongthap, although due to all that nonsenses problems, I came to enjoy the relationship with Half and Mudmee more at times. They felt so mature towards the end. Half knowing he wanted to be a better version of himself for her instead of following Mudmee's dream was great. I applauded that part, I was like yes, finally some grown-up decisions that doesn't come with overreacting and nonsense.
Also those kisses though. Damn. In the finally, I was like... Kongthap honey, at least move your neck, or lips, or head, do something child, you're in high-school. He gave Atom nothing, which makes me think Atom would have been better off making out with those chairs instead. But again, given the audience, I wasn't holding my breath that we'd get more than stiff kisses. They almost had me with the firework kiss though.
Half and Mudmee were such good supporting cast and made it enjoyable to watch them. Half is a whole mood on his own, he seemed so chill with everything most of the time, my kind of vibe. I look forward to more work from both the actors.
Anyway, although this wasn't deep, and came off mostly childish, I think GeminiFourth fans would really enjoy it. I'll recommend this to anyone who likes middle-high-school first love series. Watch it if you have time and looking for something light to watch. I look forward to GeminiFourth's next series.
SHAKE YO BOOTY SHAKE YO AS'... God, why am I like this? Wish I could use that eraser to erase that Gemini performance, cuz every time I come across him, it's the first thing that pops into my mind. ^^
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Four True Gods in Three Realms!
Must-watch for Xianxia lovers!!I always have a soft spot on Chinese Xianxia dramas since Ashes of Love. I always spare my time to watch Xianxia dramas. Since this drama and the cast was announced, I was super excited and highly anticipated. I even read the novel so I could get better understanding in stories and characters.
Trust me, this did not disappoint me at all. This is a masterpiece, kinda different than other Xianxia.
The plot is so original and unique. It set in God Realm which was ruled by The Four True Gods. Our FL is Shang Gu, Leader of Four True Gods. She sacrificed herself in a trial for 60,000 years. Bai Jue, Our ML come up with a master plan to save her and to be sacrificed himself.
The storyline is bittersweet but fruitful and exceptional in every aspects. Don't worry! It has happy ending. You will experience a beautiful and emotional journey until the end.
The directing and writing are all excellent. The cinematography and CGI is hands down the best among Xianxia dramas. The fight scenes and visual movements are top-notch.
THE STORY: It was so excellent and well-executed. The writers knows how to make a perfect Xianxia in 49 episodes, which usually work on more number of episodes. Everything is on point, the story does not drag or rush in every way. It happens just in time when it need to happen.
THE CAST/ACTING:
The casting team choose the ensemble cast with outstanding acting abilities. Everyone in this drama performed so well in their roles. There is no acting hole at all (this is crazy) because their acting seems really natural, nothing was out of place.
Zhou Dong Yu: She is known as the Movie Queen of China, with many deserving awards and records. But, since I haven't watched any Chinese movies before, I only watched dramas, I was not familiar with her. This is my very first time watching her acting performance. Now, I know the reason why she is called as the Acting Queen. Her acting is on next level, way ahead of Chinese famous drama actresses. The way she emotes is not like the other. She can really act. She shows the best acting performance among any female lead in Xianxia dramas. Zhou Dong Yu rocks both as Shang Gu and Houchi.
Xu Kai: I am a huge fan of Xu Kai since the Legends and Arsenal Military Academy. I know his strengths and weaknesses as an actor. He always works hard to improve his acting, now I can say he is upgraded from an idol actor to a quality actor. I'm so proud of how far he comes. He really understand his own characters, to be as Bai Jue/Bo Xuan/Qing Mu, his portrayal is very natural and excellent.
The other supporting actors are all exceptional. The actress who plays as Wu Huan is so amazing.
THE CHEMISTRY:
Zhou Dong Yu and Xu Kai...I wasn't expected much from this coupling at first. But, I was completely on board with them since the first few episodes and was shocked at how well they seemed to be hitting it off together. Their chemistry is on point! Their eyes speak to each other. I'm amazed by their genuine and excellent acting and chemistry.
MUSIC:
The soundtrack was enjoyable and emotional throughout the drama. It works so well with the story. My favorite OSTs are "Chihiro" by A-Lin, "Perseverance" by Ye Xuanqing and "Ju Lian" by Zhou Shen.
CHARACTERS:
All the characters are well-written, even the supporting characters shine here. I'm in love with all the characters:
- Shang Gu/Houchi
- Bai Jue/Bo Xuan/Qing Mu
- Tian Qi
- Hong Ri
- Yuemi
- Feng Ran
- Zhi Yang
- Gu Jun
- Jing Jian
- Zihan
- Yuan Qi.
REWATCH VALUE :
I am sure I will re-watch it many times. It is that great.
OVERALL
This drama is unique, great, captivating, and one of my favorite Chinese Xianxia dramas along with Ashes of Love and Love and Redemption. I am always longing for this kind of drama. Definitely 10/10 for me!
In conclusion, this drama is everything I expect from a xianxia romance. Be prepared to fall in love with the characters, three Realms, their love stories.
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This drama is a total hypocrite. It tells one thing and shows something entirely different. Supposedly, it tells the viewers that it's against patriarchy with the 'girls can be great at computer science too' bullshit. It preaches 'brains over beauty' and all that spirtual crap however, it 'shows' an entirely different story; for this drama, in its core is wholly patriarchal. The main heroine only truly gets acclaimed for her beauty and even though she is supposed to be this smart person with a trillion scholarships, we don't really see proof of her intellect. Sure, she wins a few games against other weak ass females but the moment she goes against a powerful male opponent, she loses which is why her MegaGenius boyfriend has to sit by her and dictate all the moves and only then, she claims victory. Like okay?
The male character is honestly, so overhyped and again, if we really try to find the heroine's contribution to the plot, you'll find none. She is supposed to be this brilliant computer junky and yet, when she does the internship (in a company filled with men) her sole job is to bring food, drinks and matresses to the guys who work day and night. Like??
So even though, on surface it looks like this unique drama with a never before seen plot, in its core, it is still filled to the brim with superficiality.
Now, lets talk about the cast and characters. The main guy is literally a robot. Like, the kid has no emotional depth whatsoever and so clearly the actor didn't have to tire himself by actually acting because all his role requires is to be a pretty but expressionless face. To make matters worse, he's a chauvinistic a-hole. And not in the 'bad boy' way, where you love and hate them, no, in his case you're just annoyed by him. He is literally so perfect and the only flaw he has is the fact that he can't cook. I mean, come on.
To be honest, between his extra hairy armpits, pre-pubescent face and red ears, he isn't really much. Also, what irked me is the fact that he treats his girlfriend like a pet (dog). (No kidding, she actually herself makes the comparison once.) And he's full of himself, sadly, without much basis.
Like the girl is having a fight with her best friend and instead of really consoling her or saying some meaningful shit he says, "She's a very small part of your life, while I'm your everything. From now on, you're not allowed to shed tears for anyone else." Now this is the exact fucking quote, no lie and the braindead heroine actually feels comforted by this. Deceased.
I mean don't get me wrong, I love his type; the cold, uncaring, perfectionist asshole who eventually thaws towards the heroine. We have Simon Bo, Kang Ma Roo and so on but all these characters have different sides to them and they show complex personalities, Nai is the same from beginning to end and I can't believe I'd tolerate a lifeless and boring as hell person like him in real life.
Now, the heroine: Sure, she's cute, quirky and very gorgeous and unfortunately, the only one acting in the show. But soon, you realize that she's recycling her facial expressions, so much that her acting becomes quite monotonous after a while.
Speaking of monotonous, the whole show is dead asf. Here are so irrelevant scenes that you just stare at the screen trying to comprehend why the hell are you being shown this unnecessary shit. The game scenes are depthless. The fighting scenes lack vigor. And I wanted to bang my head against a cactus, everytime the heroine interacted with her friends because all they did was act like juvenile brats and gushed about the main guy. I mean, you guys are supposed to be these tech savvy college students, the least you can do is show an ounce of maturity, but no. Too much to fucking ask.
Furthermore, I think I froze because of all that ice between the couple, tbh. There is no heat or chemistry whatsoever and they remain awkward and detached throughout. The affection seems forced and their union wasn't natural at all. Atleast the guy has one quality; he's an excellent kisser but the girl literally stands like a dead fish in response. No, even a dead fish has some sort of pucker going on, this girl just has her lips in a straight line and proudly shows that kissing her is akin to that of kissing a cardboard box.
For me, romance or basically any sort of relationship can only thrive and grow stronger if two people go through complications and get out of it together. Or if, they do selfless and thoughtful things for each other, no matter how small. Here, everything is rainbow and joy- literally no problems at all- and the best things the characters do for each other is treat each other to meals. That's all. Which is why their relationship is so flat, unrealistic and plagued by stangnancy throughout the show. Tsk, tsk.
The only thing fairly enjoyable was the actions of the hero's friends. Those three made me laugh a bit from their silly antics but that's about it.
Rewatch value? This stuff doesn't even have 'watch it once' value. The drama truly highlights that people will always be attracted to surface beauty no matter how much substance it lacks. This is an absolute fail and I only recommend it for people who want mindless fanservice and zero plot.
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This review may contain spoilers
If you love Ancient Love Poetry, then you have got to watch this!
Yuan Qi being the Son to the Two True Gods: Bai Jue and Shang Gu in Ancient Love Poetry, The Last Immortal is a story which focuses on Yuan Qi journey to Adult-hood, after he was sent to Daze Mountain as the disciple to Donghua.The Last Immortal beginning takes place after Bai Jue sacrificed himself and before he return at the very end of Ancient Love Poetry.
Yuan Qi in the beginning is 200 years old, which is a bit odd in Xianxia standard that he's fully grown into teenager, but that's okay, since I just take it that it is just the world-building in this story. So when Yuan Qi is under a different identity, named Gu Jin (being 200 years old), would be considered a Young Teen at the beginning.
Some people keep asking whether they should watch Ancient Love Poetry first, or not. The Last Immortal is a standalone drama, BUT if you haven't watched Ancient Love Poetry, then you are surely missing out on it's prequel, since whether you like it or not, knowing what happened in the past, will give you a better understanding to the world building & characters and where this story takes place, since Post Time-Skip (1000 years later), Bai Jue(Yuan Qi's father) would have already returned to Shang Gu, in the God Realm. So the story is connected/tied back with each other.
I am into Xianxia genre, so naturally, when a Xianxia genre looks appealing I would give it a go, and me being a fan to Ancient Love Poetry, and know that the story are linked/connected in the world-building, how can I not give The Last Immortal a try? Since Bai Jue and Shang Gu is my OTP in the Ancient Love Poetry, naturally I would want to watch about their son in his own story/spinoff i.e. The Last Immortal. When I first started watching this drama, I was pretty neutral with Gu Jin (ML), but if I have to be honest, I didn't like that side to him where he doesn't want to cultivate to get stronger. At first I didn't understand why but as the story progresses there are hints thrown in to show why he felt that way, and by then, I came to understand his feelings better.
I actually felt that Yuan Qi's character is quite sad when you think about it. If we look at his past from his childhood until now, it is impossible not to feel sorry for him. People also need to know that the Novel Yuanqi (portrayed in Shang Gu) is different to the Drama Yuan Qi (in Ancient Love Poetry) when he was a kid. The change in the Novel Kid Yuan Qi vs Drama Kid Yuan Qi, is that in the Drama: Ancient Love Poetry, it was an added bonus where the screen-writers give us those moments where Yuan Qi's father (Bai Jue) spends time with him in the mortal realm before he go and sacrifice himself. He have those father-son moments that the Novel Kid Yuan Qi never received in the prequel.
So, if you take this into consideration, you will know just how sad his childhood is like. Since the Last Immortal takes the adaptation of it's Novel (Hidden God), based on the events that happened in Shang Gu Novel.
Why is it sad? Well, Yuan Qi was born without a mother and father. When his mother woke up, he had to call her "auntie" for a while. His father acted like he didn't love him. Just when Shang Gu (Yuan Qi's mother) found out that his father was doing all this for them, she completely lost it. His mother could not take care of him as a result, since she didn't have the heart to take care of Yuan Qi, because she knelt before the ancestral god for years (500 years in the Drama, but more in the novel). When looking at this, it really feels like she ignored him. And then he was sent to Daze Mountain for training. It was also shown that Yuan Qi's lost his god powers due to what happened (in the past). Gu Jin was the name he uses as another identity when he was sent to Daze Mountain.
In all those years, he never properly get to have a family moment, nor did he get to celebrate his own birthday with his parents...
So honestly, I don't blame Gu Jin if he doesn't want to return to being True God Yuan Qi, because looking at his past/backstory, there is no example in front of him, when he's a child that godhood is a good thing. For Yuan Qi, being God means self-sacrifice, loneliness, and leaving loved ones behind, and not being able to live the life he want.
He once said that logically speaking; he understands why his father (Bai Jue) did what he did, but he then revealed his true feelings deep down, and I felt that the actor WAY (Wang An Yu) did a really good job in portraying those subtle expressions of hurt and sadness within him. BUT despite this being said, he still loves his parents deeply, for a child that didn't get to grow up in that kind of happy-family environment, his parents is among those few people that is very important to him (Yuan Qi really deserves a hug to be honest!!).
I honestly don't fault him for feeling this way, because as much as I love his parents (Bai Jue and Shang Gu, in their story), but as parents, they weren't able to give a loving childhood and environment for their son Yuan Qi to grow up in. Even Daze Mountain felt more like a loving family atmosphere than the God Realm that he grew up in so I can understand why he loves being in Daze mountain, those were his carefree moments where he gets to do the things he loves to do.
So when we began watching the very first scene, the producers gave us a snippet of 1000 years later at the beginning scene when Yuanqi(ML) was trying to chase after A-Yin(FL), but we didn't know what happened that lead to that scene, and then it got shifted back to 1000 years ago, the past, before that scene occurred, I do think it was cleverly used because it gives the audience a sense that "we know this beginning scene is going to happen eventually", but we don't know why, and what lead to that scene, so as we got transported back 1000 years ago, this is like going through a journey where we learn about their backstory and what lead to that scene at the beginning.
Acting wise, Zhao Lusi doesn't disappoint in her role as A-Yin and Feng Yin, she really bring out the emotions well! This is also the first time I've seen WAY (Wang An Yu) in a drama, but I felt like he really brought out the feelings of his character: Gu Jin and Yuan Qi well (in his own way), at least he did successfully made me feel sorry for him/through the way he played out those subtle sad/hurt emotions.
Both WAY (Wang An Yu) and Zhao Lusi have great chemistry in terms of expressing their love/feelings for each other, that when they're together on-screen you see how naturally comfortable they are together. FL being born to be the Next Pheonix Queen have to go through her Nirvana/Tribulation as A-Yin, the water divine beast and their story begins from there, where they came to meet each other, what started off as bickering to being the "only one" in each other life.
While in the Ancient Love Poetry (it's prequel) shows me that being a True God is cool etc etc, but in The Last Immortal, it really showcase it in a different light that being a True God isn't fun and games but someone with a heavy responsibility, that needs to consider the well-being of the Three Realms, and how to be fair, where personal opinions doesn't matter. I honestly felt so tired for Yuan Qi during those times, because..... Well, won't spoil it for you - you can see for yourself when you watch it.
Please don't hate Yuan Qi, try to see and understand his feelings... This is a story/journey to adulthood. If we have everything perfect with no mistakes, then it will just be bland and boring, and it will not touch on our emotions the way it did... If you didn't like him at the beginning then he's a character that will grow on you by the end.
Yuan Qi is character that have made mistakes, mistakes that leads to regret and regret that leads to character developments, but in my eyes, no matter he is Gu Jin or Yuan Qi, they are the same person, and he has always tried his very best to protect A-Yin on his end. I can never bring myself to hate Yuan Qi, because I understood the situation that was presented to him, and how much he shows me he cares and values A-Yin's life. But the portrayal of Gu Jin and True God Yuan Qi does present different aura's to show a contrast on the development/growth that after Gu Jin returned to being True God Yuan Qi, he is no longer that same carefree him who just lives his life away, not having to shoulder those heavy responsibilities that he will have when he returned to being True God Yuan Qi
But you know, one of the things I love about Yuan Qi's character is that, although he know he doesn't have much time left, he really just simply want to spend those remaining moments with Feng Yin, so they can have those happy memories to look back to.
This is really difference to his father, Bai Jue, because respectively(each to their own) love the FL, in BJ perspectives, he thought that having his family hate him will be their strength to live on and move on without being heartbroken when he's gone. Since he didn't want the whole short time bliss leads to an long term suffering.
But Yuan Qi, in his own story shows us this in another light, where he didn't want to waste any moments away and he just simply want to create those happy memories together for Feng Yin, so that even if he's gone there won't be any regrets.
I think deep down Yuan Qi is subconsciously impacted by his father's decision and wish he didn't have to go that direction to make them(YQ and SG) hate him(BJ), because that left them with regrets when they found out the whole truth but is too late to go back to fix those regrets because they didn't know BJ real intentions and how much BJ loved them
Anyways what I wanted to say is that I honestly love BOTH Bai Jue and Yuanqi here, they both will do anything to protect the woman they love but have taken different paths to achieve it. If I have to choose here, although I understand BJ intentions were good, but I have to agree with Yuanqi decisions and what he's showing me, since I rather see some happy moments which leaves them happy memories without any regrets IF he have to "die".
Yuanqi in my eyes is a great and loving husband and I feel happy that Fengyin can have someone like Yuanqi who loves and protects her like this.
From the audience perspective, my advise is when you watch this drama, try to take a step back and see it from all sides perspectives, not just one, and then you will see why they did what they did. Whether you like it or not, it is entirely up to your preference, but like I said, when we look at his past from his childhood until now, it is impossible not to feel sorry for him. I do think this is the fate of the god of chaos, the direct leader of the true gods. The same was true for his mother, Shang Gu. In my opinion, the greater the power, the greater the difficulties one must overcome.
Some may love ALP better, due to preference, I love ALP too but I also love this drama as well, in its own way because it is a great story which shows a different perspective to being a True God in the three realms and showing how the characters have grown through their respective story. Each one have their own tribulation they must overcome, both Bai Jue and Shang Gu have theirs in ALP, now it's Yuan Qi's turn in TLI. Being in a tribulation, I see it is obstacles they have to overcome whether it's in love(worthy of being with each other at the end, after going through all these obstacles set for them by fate) or the roles of being a True God (Yuan Qi) and Phoenix Queen (Feng Yin).
As far as the other actors goes, there is quite a few familiar faces, like I recognized Qi Pei Xin who plays as Bi Bo and Feng Ming Jing who plays as the Three Headed Dragon, since they were both actors from The Untamed LOL, so that was a nice surprise to see them in this drama. I do think that all the actors did a great job in this drama!
If I have to say something I don't like is that, they didn't feature Tian Qi or Zhi Yang in the God Realm (or any mentioning of them), and I am still bitter at the fact that aside from Yuan Qi, they didn't keep the canon names for some of the other characters, and have to changed it instead. Di Juan and Yi He, seriously?? (-___-)
In terms of ending perspective, my final verdict is I asked for an ending that makes sense and I got that, they did well in explaining how Yuan Qi can come back instead of just leaving it to our imagination... Thats at least not lazy writing imo.
It's a happy ending for all characters and I'm happy for them. Happy that for all 3 pairings I shipped they got their happy ending.
I will have to express my gratitude to the Devil God, Ming Qi, since he really played a big role in bringing back Yuan Qi, and he doesn't seem as evil/selfish as his character portrayal in Ancient Love Poetry. I also like the bromance between him and Xiuyan!
In terms of the ending for Yuan Qi and Feng Yin, yeah, it's a Happy Ending BUT personally it's not a satisfying one, for me at least, since.... I was like why didn't she run up and hug him at the end???
Honestly, I would be content if they shared one last hug before the end. It would be a nice parallel back to Bai Jue and Shang Gu (Yuan Qi's parents) where Shanggu ran up to Baijue and hugged him and them both being content at the end of Ancient Love Poetry (ALP) in each other's arms... But sadly we didn't get that in The Last Immortal. You know the irony here is that back then when I saw that ending for Shang Gu and Bai Jue, I wanted something more for them, not just a hug, but now in The Last Immortal, looking back at the ending, to Ancient Love Poetry, that was at least a more satisfying ending for the Shang Gu and Bai Jue, at least they can have a one final hug, which we didn't get for Yuan Qi and Feng Yin.
This is why I feel conflicted about the ending. I love that they put in the effort to explain how it's possible for Yuan Qi to come back and not left it to our imagination, but at the same time, I didn't feel satisfied with this ending. I honestly would be content if Feng Yin ran up to Yuan Qi and they have one final hug before the end. If that happened I think it will be a nice parallel back to ALP ending IMO.
IF they can't get that, then, can they not at least close the gap and not standing at a distance like that? Yeah, I can see that they both expresses how happy they were that they're back together, even if there's a distance, they're connected through their mutual happiness (for their well deserved happy ending). It is poetic, but it didn't leave me with a satisfying feeling, this is because I do think that after all they've been through they both deserve a more satisfying ending, you know....
Well, I think that is about me and my Xianxia genres in todays standards.... They always go with the typical "last minute happy ending", where the ML sacrifice for the FL, and the FL wait for the ML and then he return, and they got their happy ending... I really miss the good old days where the ending for Xianxia back then have a more fully satisfying ending when compared to nowadays. This is why for me, when I came to love them as a pairing in Xianxia, I want them to film at least another Drama together but this time in a Modern setting since at least the Modern Dramas are more fulfilling with their ending when compared to Xianxia. Xianxia has always been my favourite genre, but sadly, this is how I feel towards Xianxia ending nowadays, there's only a few Xianxia endings that puts a smile in my face when I watch it in 2023.... Back from the Brink, Love you Seven Times and The Journey of Chongzi epilogue to name a few where I was happy/content with their ending..
Anyways, I won't ramble on, so I will conclude my review here, do I recommend this drama? Yes!!! If you're a fan to Ancient Love Poetry, then do give this Drama a go, but watch this without any biasness. We may have our preference on which one we love better: ALP or TLI, but don't hate on one of them just to make your drama the "better" one since everyone have different preferences, and you're not doing your drama any justice because you're giving a bad rep to the one you're supporting/loving.
For me, I love both Ancient Love Poetry and The Last Immortal. They both have their own unique charm that is compelling, and it will be a sad miss if you don't watch either one IMO!
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1
1This review may contain spoilers
Petition to change the title to "Our Sunbae"
*Minor Spoilers Alert*What exactly went wrong with this drama?
Did the writer mix up the ML and SML scripts?
Did the director forget that the SML is not the ML and therefore shouldn’t be having half the romantic & swoonworthy moments with the FL?
Or did the production house get confused and promote the wrong man as the ML?
OHH OH OH WAIT, maybe they just wanted to make a clownery out of the viewers? Because that’s honestly what it looks like to me. But let me tell you some (or maybe more) things for sure so you can save your time.
This show actually follows its script for… what, maybe three episodes max? Yes. Three. After that, it completely forgets what it was supposed to be and turns into AGLTTNOCAFAYIBTEP (a goddamn love triangle that no one gives a fk about, yet somehow it becomes the entire plot). UGH.
Let me tell you the synopsis of THIS drama.
"After a tragic accident leaves their nephew Woo Joo orphaned, Hyun Jin and Tae Hyung are forced to raise him together despite their rocky first impression of each other. Thrown into the unfamiliar role of co-parents, they struggle to navigate childcare and their new responsibilities. Tae Hyeong, a photographer who prefers control and solitude, gradually begins to develop unexpected feelings for Hyun Jin. Meanwhile, Hyun Jin, still grieving her sister, focuses on raising U Ju as a way to honor her. As they spend more time together, their relationship slowly begins to change, though she hesitates to follow her heart"
Now like a teacher point by point I'm gonna correct the errors in this synopsis:
First of all, this show is supposed to be about the baby, right? The child whose parents tragically died in an accident?Because from what I watched, the plot barely revolves 10% around the baby and 90% around the SML and FL.
The term co-parent literally means: “to share the duties of bringing up a child.” Someone please explain where that sharing is happening here, because ONLY Tae Hyung is taking care of the baby.
“Hyun Jin focuses on raising Woo Joo” excuse me, where? Because from what the show actually portrays, she focuses more on the SML. Meanwhile, she signed up to take responsibility for a 1.5 year old child, yet 95% of the time the uncle is the one handling the baby.
I’m not saying she has to sacrifice her career for the kid. But if you’re incapable of handling a literal human being, maybe don’t step up to become his legal guardian in the first place. Handling a child is not a casual side quest.
Now this is like 10-15% of the drama. Do you wanna know what is the other 85-90%? A STUPID AND UNNECESSARY LOVE TRAINGLE.
I was hooked by the baby. I swear, how could anyone not be? He would be the apple of anyone’s eye. His crying scene made me terribly sad; I actually sobbed:( But as the show progressed, his screen time became almost negligible. I know we can’t expect a 1.5-year old to “act,” but at least the plot could have focused on his parenting and the struggles of balancing a career while raising him. Instead, that part is brushed off with minimal story, while most of the focus shifts to the FL’s love life. LAME.
This is peak catfishing!
The marketing? Misleading.
The drama? Pure Ragebait.
If the story had only focused on the Main Leads, I honestly wouldn’t have minded. But the SML feels completely unnecessary to the plot. He’s the one flirting and getting all those romantic scenes with the FL which, by the way, are the scenes the ML should be having with her. He barely has any relevance to the actual plot, yet somehow the entire story keeps revolving around him. I didn’t sign up to watch “Our Sunbae.”
Let’s go through the characters, even though the story mainly revolves around SML;
Tae Hyung, ML (namesake): He honestly has such a green-flag personality. Even though he never wanted to be involved with the baby at first, he slowly grew attached to him more than even the aunt did. What started as responsibility turned into a genuine connection.
I also love how he never forced his feelings onto the FL, yet he was always concerned about her wellbeing.
Hyun Jin, FL: Her being confused between the two isn’t really the issue. The problem is that she could easily turn one down while actively saying yes to go on dates with the other and yes, that’s very problematic. She also stepped up to become Woo Joo’s legal guardian, yet she’s barely taking care of him. It’s understandable that things are difficult, but if you’re not even financially stable or ready to handle a child, why take that responsibility in the first place?
Honestly, at one point I barely even saw any spark between her and the ML anymore. They should probably just co-parent the child, that’s it because he definitely deserves better.
And the actress’s facial expressions are so bland that I feel absolutely nothing watching her whether she’s supposed to be conflicted, upset, or concerned. I just kept wondering that she didn’t understand her character either, because she just looks confused the whole time… which honestly would explain a lot.
SML: Annoying, unnecessary, insufferable. I don’t exactly hate him, but he has zero relevance what the actual plot should have been and still ends up with the majority of the screen time.
Honestly, if you removed him from the show’s 12 hours, you’d probably be left with only about 5 hours of actual story.
After suffering from endless amnesia about what the drama was even about, the writer and director suddenly remembered it was supposed to be about the kid 🤣 so they crammed the entire story into the last two episodes. Rushed doesn’t even begin to cover it.
Don’t watch this for the romance, the love triangle drags on till almost the end and honestly there’s no point.
Because for enterity of this drama FL: sunbae sunbae SUN FKING BAE
out of nowhere: Hey I like you Tae Hyung
(AFTER GOING ON MULTIPLE DATES WITH SML)
But I would totally recommend watching the Woo Joo and Tae Hyeong scenes through reels, they’re adorable and genuinely funny.
The only reason I even started this show was because of the scene where Woo Joo cries after his parents’ death, which was an exceptional moment by the way. But apart from that the plot does absolutely nothing, like FOR REAL.
If you are still in the earlier episodes, just do yourself a favour.
I wouldn't say this was dud it had potential to greater than what was presented to the audience but yk some scripts should be kept hidden forever for the greater good of the audience and this is THE ONE.
Giving 3 stars only for Woo Joo and his Samacheon.
With Regards,
Biggest fan of Woo Joo & criticizer of this show
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Coming from the same director, producer, channel, screenwriter and the one and only genius novelist Ikeido Jun behind Hanzawa Naoki; you’re bound to expect striking similarities such as the general structure, the business related events, the suspenseful tries to get out of financial troubles, the directing techniques and even the acting style. To many viewers, this may seem like TBS’s desperate tries to follow the footsteps of last year’s mega-hit drama and even re-incarnate its successful ratings. However, Roosevelt Game was able to clearly distinguish itself. This is definitely not another Hanzawa Naoki so do not misjudge this as a copycat.
Roosevelt Game is driven by two main threads: Business management and Baseball. At first glance, you would wonder if those two different themes are able coexist. I had my careful doubts about that matter but colour me surprised! They weren’t only in perfect harmony but they were also smartly written to complement each other which gave the drama a strange yet a very solid balance. The fascinating part is that Aoshima Seisakujo followed similar policies in both company management and sports which made things even more connected and delightful to follow.
This drama excels at building the thrills, you will find yourself at the edge of your seat countless of times. Not to mention the “What the… What the heck was that?” moments. It’s no surprise since this comes from the brilliant novelist Ikeido who’s known of his thought-provoking corporate scripts. The reason why I came to favour the business genre is their highly intriguing scriptwriting and witty dialogues, that part wasn’t any different in here, I was completely satisfied with the financial suspense they built even if the outcome was somewhat predictable. The sports’ part was equally exciting; I never get that feeling unless I am watching a real game or a sports anime. To think that they got me rooting for them out loud is beyond belief.
Acting wise, I have nothing but praise. I never thought that a star-studded cast like this one can go wrong in any way. I was already fascinated by Karasawa Toshiaki in another business oriented drama “Fumo Chitai” and ever since then, I have huge respect towards him. Once again, he drew me to his fearsome ability of turning into an intense actor when his character demands him to. His character was smart, firm and penetrating. Egushi Yosuke’s performance was too mystic; the way his character was written didn’t allow him to show his body language like he’s used to. However, he held an important cryptic character that always attracted attention. Another main character was Kudo Asuka, a young talent that held the realms of the baseball team. He had one memorable performance despite his obvious inferiority to his older seniors mentioned above.
The rest of the cast members were quite fitting for the drama which is nothing out of line for a great business production like this one. Tezuka Toru and Kagawa Teryuki were the better supporting actors. The latter amazed me as usual although I really wished that his talent was exploited further than that. I think this drama is unique due to the human relationships the writer inserted between his characters. The heart-warming events don’t imply that this drama was set in the heartless word of economy and business. That’s definitely a plus point that distinguishes Roosevelt Game from its fellow business oriented productions.
The cinematography was dazzling, literally. The bright colours used for this drama added vivid feeling to the usual sombre business atmosphere. The directing was definitely too similar to Hanzawa Naoki with those famed close-ups and captivating angles. One more thing, that OST was definitely a master’s stroke. That instrumental music was such a perfect fit for this drama’s theme.
Watch if:
-You like highly intriguing dramas.
-You like business/corporate.
-You’re looking for something similar to Hanzawa Naoki but beware, this is definitely different.
-You like sports dramas because baseball was a major part.
Do not watch if:
-You dislike the business theme.
Roosevelt Game is by far, the better written and executed drama of 2014. It contains a daring yet a very successful combination of the merciless world of business and the exciting world of sports. It should be enjoyed for its own benefits. Do yourself a favour, don’t misinterpret this as another Hanzawa Naoki.
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I was not initially interested in watching this drama. While I love myself a good noona romance, and I love Gong Hyo Jin as an actress, the plot synopsis didn't sound like my thing, so I decided to give this one a pass. But the more I saw and read about the drama as it aired, the more I wanted to watch it, so maybe a month before the story was going to end, I decided to pick it up.Ooooooh my goodness was that a good decision. I liked every character, I liked the murder mystery, I liked the drama's intentional focus on difficult topics, I loooooved the noona romance, but what I liked the most was Dong Baek.
I may be blaspheming a previously viewed and loved drama of mine, but I genuinely think this may be the closest I have ever come to relating to a drama female lead in every single way. Dong Baek's particular life circumstances, single motherhood, child abandonment, running a bar frequented by all the neighborhood men to the chagrin of their wives, none of that speaks to my life. But the way Dong Baek expressed herself, the way she saw herself, the internal sadness and disappointment and bitterness she felt over her life, that was spot on. She is definitely a kindred spirit.
Overall, this drama is a ten for me, from start to finish. I highly recommend it.
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I watched this because China banned its release. I was curious and the movie proved worthy of that curiosity. It wasn't great, but it was one undeniably beautiful movie. I love the dialogues. Sometimes the lines are rather poetic. The actors could even tell more of the story even with no words at all. The film seemed to glorify the simplicity of its plot with good writing and actors.
Have an open mind upon watching this film, but don't get too attached. It's just a film after all.
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The Beautiful Absurdity of Being a Teenager
Absolute Value of Romance is the kind of drama that quietly sneaks up on you and suddenly has you reminiscing about all the silly, embarrassing, and questionable things you did back in high school. It captures that awkward stage of life where every emotion feels bigger than it actually is, every secret feels life altering, and every crush feels like destiny. Watching it often felt like opening an old yearbook and cringing at your younger self, but with a smile on your face.The story follows Yeo Eui Ju, a high school student by day and a BL web novel writer by night. Despite writing numerous novels, none of them have managed to gain much attention. Everything changes when a group of four handsome men moves into a house on her street. Eui Ju watches them on their balcony and, as any highly imaginative teenager might, immediately starts pairing them up in her head. The twist is that these men turn out to be the new teachers at her school: the aloof math prodigy Ga Woo Su, the gentle Korean literature teacher Yun Dong Ju, the warm but clumsy former athlete Jung Gi Jeon, and the mischievous Japanese teacher No Da Ju. At that point, Eui Ju's imagination practically enters overdrive.
Although she initially feels awkward about using her teachers as inspiration, the temptation proves too strong. Soon, she begins writing again, basing her characters directly on the teachers and even lifting some of their dialogue verbatim. It is honestly impressive how far a teenager's imagination can travel with the smallest amount of material. What makes Eui Ju so endearing is how human she feels. Anyone who has spent too much time daydreaming will probably recognize a bit of themselves in her. I certainly did. The only difference is that I was unfortunately not blessed with my own personal F4 of attractive teachers to inspire my fantasies.
To Eui Ju's surprise, her new novel becomes a huge success. Readers flock to it, downloads increase, and comments pour in. Naturally, she keeps writing. Things become even more complicated when Woo Su discovers what she has been doing. Initially confused and slightly weirded out by a genre that is completely foreign to him, he eventually decides to let her continue. As the story progresses, Eui Ju develops feelings for him after several moments where he ends up looking after her.
What I appreciate most is how carefully the drama handles this dynamic. Despite the premise, the relationship never feels like the type that would have people calling the popo. Instead, it is framed as what it really is: a student's innocent first crush on a teacher. From Woo Su's side, the narrative remains remarkably clear. He treats Eui Ju as a student and nothing more. He never encourages her feelings, never reciprocates, and never crosses any boundaries. There were moments when I found myself wondering whether he genuinely had no clue about her crush or whether he simply chose to redirect everything back into a teacher-student relationship. Either way, the drama never loses sight of where the line should be.
Beyond the romance, the drama shines in how accurately it captures the anxieties of adolescence. There are countless moments of secondhand embarrassment, both from Eui Ju's actions and from how much they reminded me of my own school days. The fear of having a secret exposed, the panic that follows every small mistake, the tendency to overthink every interaction, all of it feels surprisingly authentic. While the story never digs especially deep into its emotional arcs, it gives its characters enough depth to feel relatable. The conflicts remain relatively light, but they still resonate because they stem from experiences many people have lived through themselves.
One of the biggest questions I had while watching was how the drama would handle its ending. Teacher-student romance stories often walk a very delicate line, and I genuinely could not imagine an ending that would feel satisfying. Would they force a romance through with a time skip? Would they leave everything unresolved? Would they take the little sister route? Surprisingly, the ending ended up becoming one of the drama's greatest strengths.
Rather than turning Eui Ju's feelings into some grand, life defining romance, the story treats them as what they are: first love, puppy love, a fleeting crush that eventually becomes a cherished memory. It acknowledges the sincerity of her feelings without pretending they are meant to last forever. Most importantly, the teachers never play into those feelings. They continue treating their students as students, allowing Eui Ju to grow naturally and move forward. The resolution feels realistic, mature, and surprisingly touching. The snow symbolism in the final stretch adds just enough emotional weight to make the ending land beautifully.
In the end, Absolute Value of Romance is a cute, lighthearted coming of age drama filled with high school silliness, wild imaginations, and awkward memories. It delivers plenty of secondhand embarrassment, but it is the affectionate kind that makes you laugh while shaking your head at your younger self. More than anything, it reminds you of those fleeting moments from adolescence that seemed so important at the time. Looking back, they may have been ridiculous, but they were also undeniably precious.
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And the actors....to put it straight, they were not good at acting. Now I'm not talking about the main fox guy (he was very good), I'm talking about everyone else, and literally everyone else, except for the evil characters (crown prince was awesome!). It was so cringe-worthy watching everyone else act that I really couldn't get myself into the drama, especially with the dubbed voices on top of that.
The only reason I ended up completing this drama was that it was so short at 22 episodes and 20min long each and because historical dramas are my favorite dramas. However, I loved the production of this drama; the scenery and cinematography was exceptional, and watching this drama was very pleasing to the eye because of the excellent HD quality! The music wasn't that bad either; I liked the intro and ending songs that played at every episode and occasionally other songs would come out throughout the drama.
Overall, watch this drama because it's so short if you have a lot of free time on your hands, just want to see what it's about, or just don't have anything else to watch since this drama isn't really worth it so don't go into it with expectations like I did!
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