Reviews

Love In The Air (aka a bodice ripper set in current times)

Overall/Note: This series is based on a novel by MAME (TharnType author) who writes "bodice rippers", i.e. a wealthy, handsome and aggressive pursuer goes after a naive and/or reluctant pursuee where non/dub con is involved and they end up happily ever after. This series has the very FICTIONAL 'mouth says no, but body says yes' idea. In real life, even if a person's body reacts to touch, it doesn't mean that they want it. Just one verbal or non verbal 'no' means to stop immediately in real life. In real life buying multiple burner phones/sim cards to contact someone who has blocked you isn't romantic it's stalking and creepy. In real life spanking someone when you haven't established a role play/boundaries/safe word is physical assault. I think/hope most people can tell the difference between fiction and real life. There are valid reasons for creating and enjoying non/dub con that I won't get into, however steer clear if this is not your thing. On iQIYI and YouTube (varies by country).

Content Warnings: manipulation, dub con touching and kissing, non con touching and kissing, manhandling, homophobic comment, kidnapping, violence, stalking, harassment, past sexual assault references/brief scenes, PTSD/trauma, gang rape

What I Liked
- really was hooked in the first few minutes
- clear time jump
- Ple said that being gay is not a bad thing*
- bisexual representation
- liked the street racing aspect
- the NSFW scenes were well done, most like Rain/Phayu's
- the sweet/caring moments
- that university students were actually busy with school assignments
- how Sky was sassy in the beginning

Room For Improvement
- separating out the two couples didn't work for me, I was bored in the second half, felt like it went in circles
- not a fan of Phayu's "plan" or Rain's "plan"
- how Rain has a crush on a woman and says that he's not gay he just thinks one guy is hot seems to be setting up or is the gay for you trope, related to this
-* the whole conversation around 17 minutes in episode 1 was bad/odd, Rain said Ple's brother must be gay because he said something about another guy, it was good that Ple did call Rain out on it but the whole conversation was not needed
- scenes kind of jumped a bit a few times
- the second episode had too much recap from episode 1, this happened again in later episodes where they showed a lot of footage that we had already seen
- audio issues
- I disliked Pai at the beginning for the initial coercion and then the harassment/stalking but ended up being annoyed with Sky and his lack of communication with Pai and also making Pai do a bunch of chores to prove his love, then I went back to not liking Pai with the yelling in the final episode
- last episode felt rushed
- consequences not shown for those scum of the earth, only referenced verbally

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Another one of the manga adaptions movie, this one I didn't know what to expect when I deiced to watch it, although I did expect something seeing the strong casts they have assembled for this.

I have not expect to be able to see this soon, so I was quite surprised when I found this movie among the flight entertainment during my journey back from Tokyo. There was where I watched it, on the flight, and seriously, in public is possible the worst time for one to watch this movie. I was so close to tears, I actually have some leaking out the corner of my eyes and I tried so hard to hide it, OMG.

STORY 10/10
Let's move into break down before I went on rambling, seeing how I was saying that I was close to tears above, it is hard not to rate this story 10/10. I have not read the manga, so I do not know how close is it to the original storyline. But if a lot are cut out from the original itself, well you should know this movie only last an hour and 45 mins (about there), and you really have to give credit to the screen writer to still manage to create an impact within this short time.

I do not want to touch too much on the story, I am just very glad to see there are gems like these among the shoujo manga too, something that isn't just all bright and bubbly love story where the dump girl going after the guy and getting the guy at the end, if you think Orange would be light and easy to watch, I think you need to read the synopsis again.

CASTS 10/10
As I said I have high expectations from the cast, I've seen Tsuchiya Tao and Yamazaki Kento acts in other shows before, I certainly know they can act if given the right role, and I was not disappointed. Kento stolen the show with his acting there, those time when you look at his character and you just feel like wrapping an arm around Kakeru, to tell him everything are alright, that he has friends now and things don't have to be as hard as he thinks it should be. I am glad the other character did those in my place.

The emotions these actors and actresses managed to deliver on screen, making it an amazing movie. You can tell the struggles they going through are very real, and every bit of tears shed makes you wants to cry along. T_T

MUSIC 9.5/10
Good, the songs are good, the theme song is very fitting to the storyline, the tune and everything. I think I do need to rewatch this to judge the rest of the songs. I do not really remembering them throughout the movie, so I will be updating about this.

The theme song though, is very very beautiful.

REWATCH VALUE 9.5/10
I will definitely rewatch this again, with a box of tissue readied at my side. XD This beautiful movie, even though it hurts you on the inside. It is not entirely sad, more like a bittersweet, and with that slice of harsh reality making me wants to go back to it.

OVERALL 9.5/10
Perhaps it is just me who like those storyline that packed with a bunch of feels, I have to be honest and say this, I love any movie that makes me cry (though nothing too dark and too heavy, something like Orange packed with just the right amount of sadness and seriousness) so I am most possibly bias with my rating. This is not an easy movie to spend your afternoon, so be warned. Get readied with a pack of tissue when you start this. :)

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Good Visuals , Somewhat Entertaining but.....

i have never written a review on mdl but for this I had to write one because of the wasted potential. The first half of this show was fine and and not that great on which they could have build something. But soemthing was wrong from the beginning. This series is heavily plagued from bad writing which made the show from great to okayish.
Now I will break it down into what was good and what was bad.

The Good :-
1) The cast - The cast is of superior quality and they all have done a fabulous job of what they were given.
2) The basic premise - The premise from the beginning was interesting and worth exploring . It was rich and it really fascinated me what could be done from it.
3) The characters chemistry - The characters were setup great and their interactions were enjoyable and their dynamic was great.
4) The location and Visuals - The place it is set in is really breathtakingly beautiful and the level of CGI they were able to do is unseen in kdrama. Some set pieces were really too good to be true.

So All in all it had the right ingredients for it to be a great kdrama so where did it fail.

The Bad :-
1)The pacing - The pacing was all over the place and I don't know what was happening sometimes . Some moments the story was moving too fast and other times it crawled to move.
2) The action - I don't know whose idea it was to do action in this way but everything was filmed in jump cuts and we could barely see characters fight. Somebody would make a move and the opposing thing would have a reaction and thus it continued . It was so jarring and was really laugh worthy.
4) The Characters Motivation was barely explored on what made them tick. Why they continued to fight and what kept them going.
3) The execution - This really takes the cake on what made it "not great" . They could have done so much with the interesting premise but they squandered it . The scriptwriter had no idea how to write such a epic and often times scenes that played were predictable or illogical. You knew while watching it that it could have been much more grand and of the potential it had. It shows that how difficult it is to write a epic story.
for e.g.. They did not explore the lore in enough detail to make us understand the details behind the power of characters such as Yohan and how he gained sudden powers unexplained before.

So all in all a great story squandered. And honestly after the scriptwriters last drama (Jinxed at First) I was sceptical for Island but I held on to hope. I really wish it could have become the grand story I anted it to be.

Disclaimer :- They review is based on the knowledge of the author and what he felt while watching the drama. He does not claim of being a expert on anything.

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A basic romance movie done well

It was surprisingly really fun?
I was excepting the basic high school romance movie, with its cute moments, way too dramatic third part, rushed storyline, and nonexistent secondary characters, while still being entertaining enough, but it was not.

It doesn't reinvent the genre or anything, it was just a really good-quality high-school romance. And it's an original story, so it does not feel rushed, and everything/everybody that gets introduced actually gets a spotlight and a conclusion.

The goods :

- Good pacing where everything is wrapped up nicely.
- The characters were nice, and everybody got a lot of spotlights.
- No melodramatic part where the heroine cries for 15 minutes.
- No "villains" or misunderstandings that come from nowhere.
- Lots of cute scenes
- Nice twist
- Not a perfect hero and is portrayed as such. He is too honest and has no tact, which can be good and bad. He has to apologize for it and does.
- Not the usual "shy" heroine. She is portrayed as such at the beginning, but we see her layers during the movie.

The bads :

- The beginning is a little hard to get into. There's a lot of music, that cuts the flow of the movie, and it's doing "too much". But it calm downs after something like 15 minutes? In the same way, the acting is a little weird at the beginning, then it's better.
- There's a character that I couldn't really understand during the movie, and even if their actions are explained thanks to the ending, it doesn't change the fact I didn't understand them during a good part of the movie. Still cute though.
- Not necessarily a bad thing, but it is still a very basic romance movie. It doesn't change the world or anything.

A really nice movie. I didn't get bored even though it was almost 2 hours.

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It's certainly the best drama I've watched this month. I'm a little sad to bid it adieu--it had everything you could want from a drama: amazing actors, heartwarming moments, an adorable little kid, and a BEAUTIFUL love story that immersed you completely in the lives of these characters. Everything they felt, you felt. This drama grasped onto my heart and refused to let go. These actors really did a phenomenal job; I definitely want to check out some of their other dramas.

I think whether you are a fan of melodramas or not, this is definitely worth your time. While the subject matter of having a terminal illness is sad, rather than being this forlorn, sappy pit of one depressing scene after the other, it instead had a nostalgic, hopeful, and just plain beautiful feel to it. <33

It was about family and friendships--the important people in our lives and what we're willing to do for them. Appreciating them full-heartily and embracing our present happy moments. The OST is stunning, SO SO beautiful. It really added to all the moments in this drama.

If you're on the fence about whether to start this drama, I say barrel through that fence and just take a chance. It really doesn't disappoint: it's about life, family, love, and happiness. It's just so dang beautiful. I applaud everyone involved in it making it. <333

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Untypical Korean drama with strong FL

This is the most unusual Korean dramas out there. The FL is so non typical there is nothing you can predict. She is cut throat, ruthless and strong. Our ML is a goodness filled sunshine boy. So their personalities clash for hilarious moments.
There is a major spoiler at episode 4-5. So if you thinking of dropping wait till 5 episodes I promise that twist is worth it! This story requires amazing acting which they pulled off with such ease that I am surprised really. Chemistry is bomb. I already know from All of us are dead drama that ML acts well, but FL is totally at par if not better!
Lastly this drama has a great rewatch value too. The pace is fast and there is a lot of punch packed. I recommends !!

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This drama is one of my favs. I came to watch it because of some gifs I saw on Tumblr. I recommend this to everyone. However, this drama is pretty heavy. I cried several times. It was a mystery thriller romance done right. It's nothing comedic and the romantic moments are true / realistic. The drama feels real because it could happen to anyone. At the same time, you'd hate to think that this could be happening to anyone around you.

The scenery was beautiful. Long shots of the entire setting allows us to feel like we're watching things happen from a far. Although the shots seem 3rd person point of view, you are still connected to each character. They are all encouraging characters with clear motives. Each one is given a good amount of time in every episode to tell their side of the story. You may grow to hate a character but also understand why a character would do such a thing. It makes you really think not just of the mystery, but what it's like to be human. You grow as the characters grow.

The story / events aren't shown in chronological order. It jumps from time to time - but it was a perfect way to transition into things. The soundtrack is just beautiful! When you listen to certain songs you can definitely link it to a precise moment in the drama. They are also played at the perfect moments.

When you complete the drama you'll feel like you've witnessed someone's entire life and that kind of made me feel complete. What made me love the drama even more was how it presented hints to the mystery all along but I didn't find them until my second time watching. On my second watching, it felt familiar but also shocking. I was baffled by how subjective I was. It amused me to see how arrogant I could be just like some of the characters.

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Wonderful characters/relationships, no stupid misunderstandings, satisfying ending, best of 2023

I’m super stingy with giving 9s, but after more than 250 dramas, I’m handing out my first 10. For me, this is definitely the best drama of 2023, and possibly my all-time favourite.

Destined was wonderful, entertaining and had everything I love -- swoony romance, a perfect amount of angst and humour, slice of life, palace intrigue, bromance, great secondary couples, heartwarming family/in-law dynamics, excellent pacing, multi-genre, no annoying characters (except for maybe one...) and green flags everywhere.

The relationships in this drama -- between couples, friends, parent and child (Edit: OK, maybe just the moms, lol), employer and employee, sworn brothers, sworn sisters -- were all beautiful portrayed and ridiculously healthy: open, trusting, communicative, respectful, warm, and loyal.

I almost hesitate to review this for fear my enthusiasm will fuel unrealistic expectations, leading to inevitable disappointment, but this drama was about as close to perfection as I’ve ever seen. Elements that are hit and miss in other shows were done consistently well here, with none of the annoying and frustrating trope-y plot devices or foolish misunderstandings. Our primary villain is complex and multi-dimensional; war/battles scenes were exciting, filled with dramatic tension, conveying the enormous stakes involved and the David vs Goliath nature of the fight (I ordinarily find a lot of battle scenes a bit boring); the emperors were among the most sympathetic and heartbreaking I’ve ever seen portrayed.

THE PACING

The pacing is well-done in this drama, which is divided into several major arcs. There were times I found myself smiling, laughing, crying, and stressed — all within the span of a tight, 40 minutes. Even the episodes that clearly served as "breathers" before the next major plotline were still interesting. It never felt draggy and flashbacks were effective and kept to a minimum. Those who don't like "slice of life" moments, however, might find those episodes spoil the momentum, especially given the excitement that came before.

THE ENDING

Asian dramas can be notorious for slaughtering their endings, but Director Yin Tao (who also helmed The Blood of Youth among many other notable dramas), and screenwriter Bai Jinjin (who helped pen Love Between Fairy and Devil) exceeded even my hopeful expectations. (For those who have watched Yin Tao’s previous works, you will also recognize many beloved and familiar faces.)

OUR MAIN HERO AND HEROINE

The drama does an excellent job showing the selflessness, support, open communication, trust, and utter devotion Liu Yuru and Gu Juisi have toward one another. The evolution of their relationship from mutual dislike to mutual respect is organic and natural, but moves along swiftly. Yuru’s opinion toward her husband shifts as she discovers the real Gu Jiusi, while Juisi — inspired and moved by his wife's kindness, loyalty, and a desire to make up for the “joke” that led to their unwanted marriage — becomes a doting and devoted husband, working hard to become worthy of his formidable new wife.

Their relationship was also a perfect example of how a drama can have fantastic character and plot development without resorting to the overused and cliche-ridden tropes of frustrating miscommunications, unnecessary secrets, and idiotic misunderstandings. You can have swoony romance, healthy supportive relationships, and excellent communication and *still* tell complex and compelling stories.

Prior to Destined, I was generally unfamiliar with Song Yi’s work, but I thought she did a wonderful job as Yuru. Some viewers complained early on about her portrayal, but I thought she did a great job acting simultaneously demure yet strong, capturing the character's quiet strength and poise. Conveying and embodying that complicated dichotomy convincingly is no easy feat.

Yuru spent her entire life trying to be the “perfect lady”, living her life with enormous restraint in order to ensure her and her mother's security by marrying well. The way she carried herself, the repressed and “delicate” way she shed tears, were all part of her exhausting efforts to carve a better future. She had to consistently maintain a prim, proper, and reticent demeanor, suppress her emotions and reign in her opinions, because that was how “well-bred” ladies were supposed to comport themselves. This perhaps made it difficult for some viewers to connect with her emotionally. But Yuru demonstrated her ability to withstand enormous obstacles and upheaval, that she would not be easily defeated. As her character evolved and was accepted into a family that allowed her to be her true self, her behaviour relaxed. The delicate sniffles disappeared, the emotions became more heartfelt, her actions and opinions more fearless and decisive.

Yuru also makes for a striking contrast with Jiusi who is more straightforward: he was a dandy with a heart of gold — a big softy. He was rather childish and playful initially, but matured into a commanding and wise strategist and advisor. Unlike Yuru’s character, he had an easy life (and is male!), so he is naturally more relaxed, open, opinionated and unreserved in his actions and speech.

Both leads were genuinely excellent in their respective roles, but I think it's easy to mistake Song Yi’s restrained and carefully balanced portrayal as somehow lacking, when in fact, it is the opposite.

Bai Jingting’s last several dramas have been consistently excellent, though I was relatively neutral about the actor himself prior to Destined. This drama really showcased his emotional range and comedic timing.

THE VILLAIN

I don't recall ever shedding a tear for a villain, let alone one this despicable, ruthless, and irredeemable. And yet.

The screenwriter and actor did a great job bringing Luo Zishang’s character and tragic story to life. Oftentimes, the Big Bad Villain in a drama is just evil for the sake of being evil, or loathsome because of the clichéd hunger for power and greed. In Destined, our villain, played by Liu Xueyi, is enigmatic, multifaceted — even sympathetic — despite being unequivocally unforgivable. Yes, his hatred toward Gu Jiusi and his family was absolutely disproportionate, the atrocities he committed in the name of vengeance were utterly irrational and indefensible, and the underlying reason its own well-worn cliché, but it was somehow still difficult to not feel sorrow in the end for the tragedy of his entire, wasted life. In the hands of another actor, it is quite possible that the weak premise behind what motivated his hatred would have derailed the entire plot. Luo Zishang’s feelings towards Yuru conveyed all the "what ifs" of his character, and the show beautifully captured those “what ifs” in the final two episodes.

Liu Xueyi is great when he plays the hero, but he is also excellent at portraying villains and morally ambiguous characters. I hope he will continue to balance his roles between being a lead and taking on interesting supporting roles like he has here and in other previous dramas.

I really appreciated how the show also made time to tell a bit of Ming Yi’s story. Throughout the drama, he seemed like your typical disposable background character, the almost-invisible right-hand man who unquestioningly did his master’s bidding, no matter how heinous. But the writer and director even granted *him!* satisfying closure, making time at the end to give him a voice so he could tell his own story and voice his own hopes.

There was some viewer frustration that a pivotal character did nothing to stop the chaos created by the Luo Zishang earlier. While his intervention could have made an enormous difference for the fate of countless lives, in my view, he was always morally ambiguous — his shrewd ability to navigate the treacherous schemes of the previous royal court speaks to this aspect of his character.

BUT…?

I don’t have many buts, to be honest. I think we could all quibble about a few details here and there, small plot holes (some of which were eventually answered), but given the complexity of the source material, I thought they did an incredible job packing what they could into the new 40-episode limitation and telling a tight, well-paced story.

There was one notable death near the end that I wished didn’t happen, but at the same time, given the character’s personality, it was perhaps a fitting and honourable end for them. Their future, had they survived, would have been bittersweet in other ways because it would not have been the life they wanted. Their death also served another purpose: it bolsters the underlying theme that it is lonely at the top, even in the best of circumstances.

Arguably, there were no genuinely annoying characters, except for maybe one, but I have yet to decide if the character was annoying in a way that was organic to the story, or in a way that faulted the writing and/or acting.

For some of those who read the original web novel by Mo Shubai , this adaptation was apparently disappointing, particularly in the later arcs as key details were changed or left out. Others were frustrated by the fates of two notable characters — one beloved and another much hated; both did not get the ending they deserved (I sympathize with the criticism, but also understood why the less palatable ending was chosen).

For me, the overall strengths of this drama far outweighed any of the issues. As another viewer commented, “This is not perfect, but it’s perfect for me.”

NERDY OBSERVATIONS

-- Hurray for live audio! Undubbed costume dramas still feel like a rarity and adds another layer of pleasure

-- I love the brief scenes early on with the accountants -- I found the clacking of the abacuses/abaci very soothing and meditative

-- Liu Yuru’s first cosmetics store was absolutely gorgeous

-- I saw a behind-the-scenes clip of the construction of the beautiful mansion the Gu family moved into when they first arrived in Youzhou, so I couldn’t get over how little actual screentime such an elaborately-made set received

-- What happened to Yuru's half brother? I'm sure he was still around, but it would've been a nice touch to see him interacting with his little nephew at the end.

-- Last but not least, a shout-out to the cinematography, especially during the dramatic battle scene with Yuru standing high on the ramparts, passionately striking the war drum to rally her husband and the soldiers, her bright red gown a beacon against the sandy desert battleground

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*Inserts the reversed horse drawing meme*

It started as a cringe is the best way possible. I cannot believe I enjoyed something that brought me so much 2nd hand embarrassment. And yet, I liked every second of it. All the awkward situations that have no place in reality, but that put a smile on my face. All the moments that made Seon Ho question his sexuality, and me question my sanity. If only the show stayed on the path of silly comedy and did not venture into the miscommunication and misunderstanding hell, burning both the souls and brains of all the viewers.

It’s not like the plot did not have a potential to be a really fun and light BL. We had all the elements needed to deliver a perfect mutual pining romance with some over the top, but enjoyable comedy. So why, oh why was most of the show based on the most ridiculously easy to explain misunderstanding? Mental gymnastics the writer had to go through to come up with the ways for the characters NOT TO find out the truth deserve a golden medal in the Olympics.

Still, there were things I enjoyed.

First of all, Seon Ho was a great character. Sweet, caring, hardworking, honest and open minded. He had a cute puppy-like demeanor and it was impossible not to like him.

The few scenes between Seon Ho and Gu Mu Yeong that were not focused on the misunderstanding were also truly fun. The way Mu Yeong gave a few soft smiles because of Seon Ho was just cotton candy warm marshmallow sweet. I even enjoyed Han Joon Seok and thought he would serve as a better reason for the conflict than what we actually got.

The acting was also nice. I was not thrilled with Ko Chan Bin’s performance, but overall the character was such a mess… How does one even deliver anything decent based on that writing? Song Seung Hyun, Lee Do Ha and Seo Min Seo honestly did well in their respective roles.

One thing though - even Park Shin Hye had more realistic kisses in the beginnings of her career...

Production value had its ups and downs. Overall, the quality was good. A bit over the average for the short k-bls. One scene in episode 7 thought… If you watched the show you know which one I am talking about. Who thought that was good enough quality to be included in the final product?

Overall… It just left me feeling disappointed. I went from hyped excitement after the first 2 episodes, to complete resignation after the last two. It got progressively worse with each episode and if it was a full length drama, I would definitely drop it half way through…

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Reviewing a drama like Before We Get Married is difficult since - like a lot of Taiwanese dramas - there is the drama it's trying to be and the drama it's being forced to be.

Unfortunately, Taiwanese dramas have a mould. Sometimes what comes out of that mould can be flavoured differently. But it is, unfortunately, a somewhat superficial change.

So let's talk first about what this drama is trying to be. It's trying to be an intelligent and nuanced conversation about two unhappy people maintaining relationships out of habit and obligation whose mutual attraction shocks them into re-evaluating their lives. And in many aspects, Before We Get Married succeeds admirably. The core story underpinning it is good with strong characterisation, excellent performances and fine writing. Taiwanese dramas are known for having real people having real conversations in realistic ways and this drama is no exception. How it begins and how it ends are good and the ways in which the characters move around each other within the text is generally good too. Some of the emotional beats between Weiwei and her fiancé, for example, are utterly perfect. Painful and frustrating but perfect. Puff Gao and Jasper Liu have extraordinary chemistry and it's not hard to believe they want to tear each other's clothes off throughout.

So, then, it's the execution that becomes a problem. And this is where that Taiwanese drama mould comes in. The show is marketed as a sexy infidelity drama but ultimately the cheating is meant to be a mere impetus to the character's development. As such, the show struggled with how to deal with incorporating cheating while not alienating an audience that was likely to respond negatively to it. Like a lot of infidelity dramas it tried to have its cake and eat it too, metaphorically speaking. Weiwei had to have an affair while not actually having an affair. Weiwei and Kehuan's respective others had to be progressively terrible so we'd feel the infidelity was justified. Both partners were obsessive and controlling but it seems as though this was deemed insufficient to justify the emotional affair to the audience and so greater sins were thrown into the pot, often in random and frustrating ways.

The show's first episode and THAT scene was the perfect example. The conversations between Weiwei and Kehuan in episode 2 show that this incident was supposed to be consensual; the first volley in an affair. Instead it was a disturbing non-consensual incident that framed Kehuan as a potential abuser and possible rapist. I have no idea what it's doing in this show or what we were supposed to think about it. That also goes for the camping incident, which did neither lead any favours.

As the show progressed it began to opt for cliched Taiwanese romcom scenarios to portray our couple as being destined for each other. At the same time it tied itself up in knots to make sure that Weiwei could deny a sexual relationship when the time came. And it's true - Weiwei wasn't leaving her boyfriend for another man, she was leaving him for reasons that were entirely her own. Trying to do this plotline within the context of an active affair probably seemed too complex and too difficult for writers of a 13-episode Taiwanese show. Especially when they were no doubt pressured to imply that this new relationship was in fact Twu Wuv when instead it was about two people who just really wanted to bone each other.

Whether this show falls down by not delivering on the sexy it teased or whether it falls down because it made the leads unlikeable due to their infidelity is a matter of personal preference for the average viewer. Either way, it was a frustrating and sometimes tedious watch as Weiwei prevaricates and dithers and recommits to the wrong man and Kehuan turns from a complicated win-at-all-costs manipulator into the Perfect Male Lead and everyone starts working together for reasons that make no sense except that Taiwanese writers need new scenarios, stat. The last thing this needed to be was a workplace drama.

Overall, what this drama was trying to do was very good, original and interesting. A new flavour if you will. But what it actually needed was a whole new mould.

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It's all mess here

So it was all mess. Nothing particularly good I would say kind of a waste of time. Thank god it was short series or it would have been the worst outcome. Though genres are romance, comedy in the end it turned out to be a real headache. The FLs character isn't likable or I'll say I didn't like her decisions. The main love story between leads is the failure of the show and wait what? twisting rom-com like a thriller, action isn't a good thing at all. I mean the last twist damn I was frustrated because of it.

The things I liked were the second couple (I would have loved if they were leads) well they definitely were show-stealer, the friendship of the trio was admirable. Liked the character development of some characters. So there wasn't anything better than this for me. Well yeah, it does have visuals so you can watch it for it.

So overall it wasn't that good though it's a short drama, I won't recommend it for sure!

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Awesome ?

Okay so i bet everyone has noticed in ep1 that this isnt a continuation of S1 HOWEVER,

Yes its a different plot for the villains but the main 3 couples (Ling boss, wen li and chuyan) still have the small little details from season 1. Like the drunk driving, contract marriage, pi dan (doggo), the swimming pool thing and all the other small little things.
From this drama, it is super obvious that their chemistry is way better than season 1 and that this season is as funny or even slightly funnier than season 1. the ONLY thing that is lacking is the plot for the bad guys. Jiang jie did almost nothing but childish acts to destroy ling yi zhou via xialin and soon enough shes out of the game. then fu weining... all he does is says that the weather is hot 24/7 and ends up locking them in a cooler warehouse.. and end of story for the bad guys. Unlike season 1 where the little girl and the half brother of ling yi zhou scheming with xialin's new assistant, season 2 is just 2 people tryna destroy them and almost passing the 'bad guy' plot..
Anyways, the theme song is the same. Only 1 or 2 songs are introduced in season 2 and the ending is short but satisfying.
Worth the watch, most likely gonna watch again!

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A Dark Painful Story Told in a Comedic Way

“Back From the Brink” is a dark painful story but told in a playful, comedic way. A spirit dragon, Tian Yao (Hou Minghao aka Neo Hou), was conned into a marriage where he was dismembered. Since then, he became an ordinary man, wandering the world trying to find his body parts. In his painful journey, he meets a girl, Yan Hui (Zhou Ye) who falls deeply in love with him and promises to help him in his search to return to his former form again.

The tone of the drama is playful with modern vibes. Yet at the same time, dead serious when the antagonists appear. This series has perhaps produced two of the most egregious antagonists in the cultivator sisters. Their obsessions and atrocities make the viewers clenched their teeth and seethed, wishing them die a horrible death.

Tian Yao the spirit dragon, is a pure man void of evil thoughts. He is kind and upstanding with a mission to protect the world. His journey and determination to find his body parts are painful and touching. As he eventually returns to his dragon form, he becomes the strongest creature there is. I love Hou Minghao’s portrayal of the Tian Yao character here, though the CGI of the dragon is rather poorly done. Hou Minghao is very good looking and cute with an innocent youthful look. Some viewers commented that his acting skills are still somewhat lacking, I find him to have improved greatly since “A Girl Like Me” when I fell in love with this young actor. Here, his portrayal is believable, and his character is very lovable. As Tian Yao, his lack of words hits the viewers hard as he endures his pains silently.

Yan Hui, a disciple of the cultivator sect, is a happy-go-lucky girl who never holds any grudges. Her good nature wins her many friends and helps her become very strong in the end despite having a weak heart at birth. Zhou Ye is beautiful and has great acting skills. Her crying scenes are heart felt and convincing. Most important of all, she has amazing chemistry with Hou Minghao as they make a great matching pair.

Many viewers curse Bai Xiaosheng (Wang Yilun aka Riley Wang), a shadow demon, because he comes in between Tian Yao and Yan Hui in a love triangle. I love the Bai Xiaosheng character and Wang Yilun has given a great performance. The two side couples are entertaining and sweet, forming a great alliance for Yan Hui and Tian Yao. The OSTs are beautiful and soothing. Do listen to them for music lovers.

My Verdict

This is a lovely story with love and hate, happiness and sadness, kindness and atrocities, light and darkness. When one harbors negativities, one is consumed by darkness, as with Fu Yin (Pema Jyad), the Master of dark air. This is a very enjoyable drama for the whole family.

Recommended. Great watch. Don’t miss it.

BRAVO!

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