Completed
Legend of Hua Mulan
17 people found this review helpful
Oct 24, 2016
48 of 48 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 2.5
This review may contain spoilers
woahh! i'am seriously smitten with mulan, such a powerful and inspiring character, this drama was such a great great drama, it's soo good and addictive, i have NO IDEA WHY ON EARTH IS THIS SOO UNDERATED!!

the cast was perfect although i didn't like the heroine at first, she looked and had the air of a weak little girl while in fact she proved me wrong as her character develops, there is major character developement in this drama, the cast proves to us THEY CAN ACT!

the first part of the story is about this girl named hua mulan who is a great embroider, coincindentally, i have started an interest in embroidery just a week before, this was perfect for me, as a series of killing happens, you'll find yourself trying to solve the death myseries, which is THRILLING!! it'll give you such a thrill and a pleasure trying to solve the crimes, then the story develops to the upcoming of war, where mulan takes us to the battle field, and teaches us the value of comradeship, home and family as well as love, the most exciting part is that she will be leading an army of wei against her lover who will be the general of rouran, okay, no more spoilers....

you want to watch this:

because you're reading reviews about it :b
because mulan is not just fiction, but a real chinese heroine.
because you love thrill and this drama is soo good and so perfect for you.

the rewatch value is low because i don't rewatch dramas.

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Completed
Midnight
17 people found this review helpful
Dec 6, 2021
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 3.0
This movie's first half excited and fascinated me with it's chase scenes, the serial killer manipulating everyone and the abduction of Kim hye yoon's character. I loved the family part of this movie, especially the mother-daughter relationship. But the last half was extremely disappointing to me. The serial killer's actions were impulsive, but the police were oblivious to them. The police's potrayal, to the very end, was very badly done. For most of the parts in the last half, they showed some chase scenes and some action scenes between the serial killer and the female lead.

The casting was perfect and everyone in their character did an awesome job, especially, Jin ki joo and Wi ha joon. Even though Wi ha joon's character's only job was to swear, hit people, manipulate everyone and getting away after doing some very impulsive actions that explicts shows that he is the serial killer. Honestly, I feel that the latter half could have been better if they didn't try to stretch the movie by showing a lot of unnecessary chase scenes and very predictable plots.

I didn't even notice that the movie had any music because I was just staring at the movie for the sake of finishing it. I really expected something better after watching the trailer and the teasers. I thought it was going to be an intense mystery and a psychological battle between the female lead and a serial killer as there aren't many K-movies that shows something like a mental fight with a female lead. But what happened was that they revealed the serial killer to everyone too soon. They should have gone for some more manipulation from Wi ha joon's character, instead of those impulsive actions. It would have created a fear in the viewer's heart(?).

I am not someone who like action scenes in thriller or mystery movies. So, it might not be for me. But if you are someone who likes action scenes and mystery, then it might be a good movie for you. I would recommend it. But the story didn't seem that interesting to me.

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Completed
Love Yunge From the Desert
17 people found this review helpful
Nov 24, 2015
45 of 45 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 4.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 4.0
The reason why the story part gets an 7/10 has more to do with the original novel written by Tong Hua. I would've given Tong Hua's story a 10/10 but the drama version has changed parts of the plot and development of characters to suit the likes of the production, and while not all that bad (some I liked and others not so much) it isn't commanding nor does it leave an emotional impact - an emotional legacy if you will, on the readers like the original does. Tong Hua's story makes you feel for the characters and did what they did, and as depressing as it makes the story - one will be left with a deep impression of each by the end of the book. The drama does rather the exact opposite, manages to make the characters and story more simple but less memorable. Gray areas turned black and white. For those who have read the book and are interested in starting the series, if you don't mind the book being 'watered down' and some of its central elements of subtlety, complexity and pragmatism being exchanged for more romance then this may be what you're looking for.



I understand that most good books out there adapted into television will never quite be what its original created. Nor do I expect it to be as good, that's not a fair standard to judge any adaptations by. However it seems out of touch with the mood and style of the original, which is what sets and moves the story along all the developments and contrasting relationships between characters.



Moving on, I think the drama is inconsistent. It either gets UNNECESSARILY draggy (had no business being such for those parts) or it moves too fast on things that could use more development or elaboration to say the least. The only thing that remains constant throughout is that the series eventually gets better - the best parts of the series are near the end.



By far the weakest link is the chemistry. There is none between the leads, and that is the make or break factor for a story that bases heavily off that. You will find yourself much more impressed by the secondary characters and their relationships than the leads.This is Angelababy's first TV series and I actually think she does a fairly decent job although her acting leaves much to be desired. Unfortunately the chemistry with her two male leads is also affected because of it. There is no standout performance in this, but a few decent performances in particular among the supporting leads and other secondary characters.



It is a very visually stunning series, with gorgeous costumes, sets and people. However I will probably selectively rewatch this for the good parts near the end.

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Completed
Pretty Crazy
17 people found this review helpful
Nov 1, 2025
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 7.5
This review may contain spoilers

What a Great Comedy!

What a hilarious show! The number of comedy is extremely generous. This you can make you laugh, cry, then laugh again. The storyline doesn't need anything complicated.

Unfortunately this show is far from flawless. The big names in this movie are somewhat a waste. With Jung Seon Ji having two personalities, I thought Yoona will have to play two characters. However, the day version of Seon Ji doesn't seem well developed. Character Jung A Ra and Hui Beom are both just cosmetics, their involvement is far too minimal. Also the story itself has a big letdown at the end. Actually, nothing wrong with the jar plotline. But why the jar has to be buried and placed under the boulder when it's just kimchi inside???

Still back to the first point, it's a show with generous number of comedy!

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Completed
Honey
17 people found this review helpful
Oct 8, 2018
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 10
This might be my favorite Japanese Movie thus far. Definitely in my top 3. The acting is very well done, but the thing I liked best was the "realness" of the story. That's not to say that I would expect to see all the situations happening in real life, but that within the confines of the drama, nothing seemed forced or out of place.

The story is sweet, but not so much that you feel like you've gotten a cavity. The "bad guy" is horrible, but he's not so prominent in the story that you hate seeing him on screen. It's really one of the few shows (dramas or movies) where I wasn't tempted to fast forward through every part with the villain. The reason for that I think was that his time was limited, but important, so you felt like you needed to see that part of the show. Most of the conflicts are just "life" type things that people generally have to figure out and I LOVED that aspect of the movie.

It's a school movie and they do a good job of making it seem like the characters are students instead of some story lines where it feels like "adult" situations but the "adults" are actually students (like a teen who is supporting their family, or the teenager is basically fending for themselves). The main characters both had adult family members who were parenting well, so the teens got to be just that...teens.

I loved this show and I'm sure I will be watching it again in the future.

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Completed
What She Likes
17 people found this review helpful
Jun 5, 2022
Completed 5
Overall 7.5
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 6.5

Emotional LGBTQ+ Coming-of-Age Story

"I felt like a guest at a cult meeting"

Based on a web novel which was already adapted into a drama, "What She Likes..." is an emotional LGBTQ+ coming-of-age story about Jun, a closeted high school student struggling with his homosexuality, and Sae a BL manga obsessed classmate that develops feelings for him.

I'm a bit torn about this one. Overall, I did enjoy it and thought it was a touching story with beautiful cinematography and some heart-wrenching moments. My main issues were how unrealistically they resolved some of the conflicts they were dealing with. The way they brushed over some characters and themes lessened the impact for me. Moreover, they should have focused more on Jun as the main lead. One could argue this was about Jun and Sae which is true to a certain extent and there were aspects I really liked about these two. However, considering that this, at its core, is a queer story, I would have preferred a louder voice from the queer character instead of the BL loving classmate.

In conclusion, this was an intriguing movie that while it does have its flaws still managed to move me. I quickly have to mention Kamio Fuju's performance as Jun. I genuinely feel he's a talented guy, who's nuanced portrayal of Jun stood out to me the most.

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Completed
High Cookie
17 people found this review helpful
Nov 27, 2023
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.0

─ the twist of adult child.

Started this drama without any prior knowledge about the plot or the full cast. So, there weren't any expectations but I was glad to find this twisted and psychological approach to this kind theme. The conflict between desperation and greed was nicely written.

From the beginning, the sisters and chef reminded me of children that are forced to become adults. Neither managed to grasp freedom and instead followed a way that offered them dream like escape. At some point, you find yourself feeling bad for them, another time you question their morals and greed. Even at the ending scene, you still witness the twist in their ordinary looking lives, which I think was quite unique to see.

While the story had its ups and downs, sometimes left you looking for more and sometimes felt draggy, the cast did awesome job at their characters. Especially Nam Jihyun and Choi Hyunwook rightfully owned the spotlight as they portrayed desperate people that did not hesitate to turn bad when it comes to "being able to live."

Overall, it was a nice watch that delivered specific messages successfully.

link to edits : https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLI-LyvxxdMxBiq-NfStjWeJ-HBXaMzBcV&si=06NZ4vCYhhrRcZgj

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Completed
Goodbye, Solo
16 people found this review helpful
May 30, 2012
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
Goodbye Solo isn’t your average Kdrama. Its more like an indie movie that lasts 16 episodes. The way its shot makes you feel like your watching a documentary featuring characters that give you a sneak peak into their world.

The story actually isn’t anything new or special and there’s no exciting moments or surprises/twists. You won’t laugh or experience gut wrenching emotions. The romance also isn't anything special. However, one thing that this drama does have is fascinating characters.

There are many main characters so a lot of the scenes are just them interacting. What makes that so fascinating is that all the characters come with a past their not proud of but together they overcome these pasts and loneliness to find their own happiness. To me that’s what the title means is trying to convey. As each episode passes by you want to know more about these characters. What brings these characters to life are the amazing actors portraying them. All 6 main actors did a very believable portrayal. I think the stand out though was Kim Min Hee. Her character kind of seems bi polar but she has this way of making Mi Ri make sense. Na Moon Hee plays Jalmoni that grounds the main characters. She plays a deaf/mute character and although she has no spoken lines her amazing acting shows through her facial expressions. She gives a very moving performance.

To some, this drama might not be their cup of tea but for people who want a more realistic drama with fascinating characters I dare you to give this a try. I usually don’t like realistic dramas like this one but I was pleasantly surprised and took away life lessons.

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Completed
With Love
17 people found this review helpful
Apr 10, 2020
15 of 15 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.0

Good to watch if you're bored

STORY: Way too rushed. It could've been more interesting if they handled it properly, and focus more on some points. The story had potential, but sadly they tried too much for the screen-time that some couples/actors had. There are 4 main couples (or maybe 3 main couples and one side couple, but I'm not sure since the cast says that all of them were main roles), which is too much even for the typical thai bl dramas, that usually consist of 13-15 1-hour episodes. This one, though, had 15 episodes of 25 minutes each. You see what I mean? Too little time for that, but they still tried to do it. Still, the drama was pretty cute and funny. If you look for something deep or with an unique storyline, this is definitely not the one, but if you just want some entertainment and fun, this should do it.
I'm pretty sad that they didn't clarify the relationship beetwen Plod and Kaowkla at the end, they were my favourites (Plod is so cute I'm literally in love lol).

ACTING/CAST: For actors that are new to the industry, they did a pretty good job. They weren't the best, but since only Mark and Run (Kun and Thann in the series) had some experience, that was understandable. However, for the ones that hadn't any experience, I think Ohm (Plod) and the one that played Kavin (I don't know his name sorry) were the most outsanding. Mark and Run did a good job as well.

MUSIC: Nothing special, it was ok. It went well with the scenes, in my opinion.

REWATCH VALUE: Maybe I'll watch it again one year or two years later if I'm really bored lol.

OVERALL: It was ok, too rushed but fun if you've got nothing to do, even more with this whole corona situation if you are stuck at home like me. It is funny, and I liked the effects that they put sometimes on actors, they were funny as well. More comedy than romance honestly, but that was ok too.

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Completed
Sparrow
17 people found this review helpful
Aug 1, 2021
61 of 61 episodes seen
Completed 7
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 9.0

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

This is the spy thriller that I will compare all other Republican period spy thrillers to going forward. It is that good. Each of the engrossing 61 episodes just flew by and I haven't been able to watch anything else since. I put this off for a long time due to poor reviews of the female lead's performance, which unfortunately is beyond dreadful. The rest of the cast however, is so phenomenal that they more than make up for it, to the point that the rating simply does not do justice to this drama.

Set in 1940s Shanghai during the Wang Regime (Japanese puppet government), Chen Shen works for his best friend Bi Zhongliang who heads up the Special Operations Division. At surface, he is an indolent playboy, an aspiring barber until he was propelled into a position of favor and authority for saving Bi Zhongliang's life. In reality, he is a double agent loyal to the CPC. Things get complicated when his former student and true love Xu Bicheng and her husband Tang Shanhai are assigned to the Special Operations Division. The paranoid Bi Zhongliang eyes them with suspicion because Bicheng is his superior and rival Li Moqun's niece. He is already under growing pressure from both Li Moqun and their ultimate superiors, the Japanese for failing to capture the notorious communist spy Sparrow.

The overarching plot of this drama is rather simple and clean. The main communist and nationalist protagonists have just one mission; to steal the Return to Zero plan hidden within the Special Operations Division. The antagonists are aware of this and use this knowledge to try to trap them into revealing themselves and to capture Sparrow.  The subplots and unpredictable way the storyline unravels with many twists along the way are largely driven by the characters as they react to stressful life and death situations that force perilous split second decisions. One of the weaknesses in storytelling is that the writers resort to coincidences and sheer luck a little bit too often to facilitate twists or bail the main protagonists out of tricky situations. Nonetheless it all comes together to deliver an intense aura of suspense that builds towards the thrill of unexpected victories, shocking betrayals, blindsiding plot twists and sudden death.

Chen Shen is the perfect spook - he is on the one hand an innocuous ladies man; a charming, stylish teetotaler who can't even bring himself to fire a gun. Yet he manipulates Bi Zhongliang masterfully; ruthlessly stoking and soothing his insecurities at the same time. This is by far the most fascinating relationship in the drama. Although he mistrusts Chen Shen, Bi Zhongliang is also touchingly sincere and protective of him. Chen Shen's feelings towards him are complex; they have an unusual bromance that pulls them together regardless of the fact they are on opposite sides. Chen Shen is not only the most intriguing character in the drama, he is also considerably more ruthless and manipulative than the main antagonists. This is by far Li Yifeng's most memorable role to date, well complemented by Zhang Luyi's disarming portrayal of Bi Zhongliang. The dialogue is sophisticated, pointed, witty and laced with sarcasm and dark humor that often relieves suspenseful tension with laugh out loud moments and encapsulates the complex character dynamics.

Even though I am a huge sucker for morally ambiguous characters like Chen Shen, there are almost too many moments where Zhang Ruoyan's Tang Shanhai eclipses him. And it is not just because he looks so incredibly scrumptious in a suit. Too often the second male lead is dumbed down to elevate the male lead. While it is true that Tang Shanhai is not quite the consummate spy that Chen Shen is, Zhang Ruoyun pulls this off without portraying Tang Shanhai as less intelligent; just a tad less ruthless, a tad less composed and a lot more heart. He is thrust into many parallel situations with Chen Shen but the way he processes and reacts to the situation, how he is clumsier at manipulation, how his remorse is more visible; makes it clear that he is a less hardened spy. His relationship with Chen Shen evolves from rivalry and distrust into mutual respect and a grudging friendship that compels the two to work together when their interests align. The enemy of my enemy is my friend is a recurring motivator in this drama that pits multiple characters alternately with and against each other.

The female lead, Xu Bicheng is by far the drama's weakest link. Unlike many, I don't think the writing is the problem; on the contrary I find the character to be one of the best written, most complex female roles out there. Bicheng is a flawed character; stubborn to the point of recklessness with a bleeding heart for lost causes who wears her heart on her sleeve. She is also often underestimated, can be very cunning, is a fantastic liar when cornered and is able to manipulate both Chen Shen, Tang Shanhai and Tao Dachun into doing what she wants and her character undergoes tremendous growth. None of these positive aspects are conveyed by the acting because Zhou Dongyu is a very limited actress who just lazily recycles the same four boring, mopey, terrified and pitiful expressions throughout the drama. The only things she does well is child ugly cry and child uninhibited smile from the heart. Which is wonderful... if she were playing a child. In this role, it is at odds with the role of a woman in her mid twenties, a spy and a married woman for crying out loud. It is also obvious no one ever told her it does not suit her naturally rather mature facial features and incredibly grown up styling in this drama. She fails so badly at projecting that je ne said quoi that has every man fall in love with her that its not even fitting to call her a Mary Sue even though she does need constant rescuing. I could not empathize with her at all and couldn't care less what happens to her.

Kan Qingzi was robbed - her Li Xiaonan stole the show and she really deserves top billing as female lead in this show. Her performance puts Zhou Dongyu's to shame even though the character is at surface, less complex and interesting. I normally loathe ditzy, lame characters like Li Xiaonan who are capable of loving wholeheartedly even when it is not reciprocated. But wow, she made me laugh, she made me cry, she made me respect her single-mindedness, I was 100 percent behind her. And that is what a good actor does, it is what every actor in this exceptional cast other than Zhou Dongyu managed to do - impress me with their acting and make me empathize with them even when they play dark or weak characters. Geez even Yin Zheng or especially Yin Zheng managed to make me empathize with his portrayal of the rabid, vicious, cruel and dangerous Su Sanxing.

A criticism of this drama is that love seems to have overshadowed the spy story; that the unrequited love trope is perhaps overused in this drama. While there is some truth to that, this is still very much a spy thriller that is chock full of excellent twists and turns. And the bigger point is that the unrequited love trope is used brilliantly to explore how each of the main characters bestows and responds to unrequited love in completely different ways. I normally approach Republican dramas with a stone cold heart - I go in pretty much expecting everyone to die it is just par for the course. In this one, too many characters still managed to steal my heart and made me bawl my eyes out. That said, the drama ends very fittingly after the final showdown.

My favorite line in the drama is Chen Shen's heartfelt "Please... don't tell anyone you were my student." This is by far the best Chinese spy thriller I have seen to date (August 2021). This is a 9.0 for me but I could easily rate it 9.5 were it not for the appalling execution of the female lead role.

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Completed
Exclusive Fairytale
17 people found this review helpful
Jul 28, 2023
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

If you are looking for a drama that makes you feel butterflies, THIS IS THE ONE!

I truly recommend watching this cdrama!! A slow burn that will make you feel butterflies!

The story is amazing, it is mainly a love story, however, it also has so many scenes where I laughed out loud. A classic romcom. It is also very is to empathise with the main roles, their acting is amazing, all of them. What I also like about this story is that you can feel the ML starting to fall in love slowly, however he is not mean, more like patient with the FL, since she is so playful (love both of them hehe).

If you are thinking of watching a cdrama and you don't know which one, THIS ONE'S FOR YOU! :D

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Completed
Love of Nirvana
17 people found this review helpful
Oct 8, 2024
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 8.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 7.5
This review may contain spoilers

Shattered Dreams, Forged Alliances, Unyielding Love.

🍁OVERVIEW OF PLOT:-

"Love of Nirvana" tells the story of Xiao Wu Xia, the young lord of Yueluo City, who spends years in hiding in Liang Kingdom, bearing humiliation and disguising himself as Wei Zhao. Driven by a quest for truth and justice, Wei Zhao seeks to capture the sole survivor of his family's downfall. However, his plan is foiled by Jiang Ci's unexpected arrival, throwing a wrench into his carefully laid plans. Pei Yan seizes the opportunity to shelter the injured Jiang Ci, aiming to uncover the hidden saboteur. As Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci interact, their shared experiences and values spark mutual affection. Ultimately, the trio - Wei Zhao, Jiang Ci, and Pei Yan - put aside personal vendettas and unite against Emperor Liang, fighting to protect Yueluo and establish a just dynasty.

🍁INTRODUCTION TO KEY CHARACTERS:-

🌿Wei Zhao/Xiao Wu Xia (Ren Jia Lun) :- The former young lord of Yueluo City, now the infamous Commander of the Dawn Guards of Liang State, is a cunning and ruthless man seeking revenge for his family's unjust downfall and striving to uncover the truth behind their wrongful label as 'traitors.' He walks a thin line between loyalty and betrayal, eliminating anyone who stands in his way. The weight of countless broken families in Yueluo City, forced to send their loved ones into slavery in Liang State as penalty for Prince Ci's death, rests heavily on his shoulders.

🌿Jiang Ci (Li Landy) :- Jiang Ci is a free-spirited, kind, and intelligent girl. Raised by her master in a remote mountain village far from the capital city, she grew up in peaceful solitude as an orphan. Her master, living with her identity hidden, is the most wanted assassin and suspected mastermind of Prince Ci's demise, relentlessly pursued by the Emperor of Liang State, Wei Zhao, and the powerful Pei Clan. Jiang Ci wears her heart on her sleeve, often to her own detriment. With expertise in herbs and medicine, she dreams of traveling the world unrestricted.

🌿Pei Yan (Jeremy Tsui) :- Leading the Pei Clan in the royal court, Lord of Jingding, a title passed down from his father, he wields significant influence. Equally cunning as Wei Zhao, he was groomed from a young age to put the interests of the Pei Clan first in all his decisions. He is renowned for his benevolence and military prowess among the public, but beneath the surface lies a complex web of motivations.

🍁MY VIEWS:-

The drama kicks off with an engaging plot, featuring a cunning and ruthless male lead and his equally formidable rival, the second male lead. Both are adept in manipulation and combat skills, holding influential positions in court. One is feared by the people, while the other is renowned for his benevolence. The drama was engaging, with their schemes against each other captivating until around episodes 10-12, but then it started to drag and get back on track in the last 10 episodes.

In their games of cat and mouse, it's always one winner and one loser, but it doesn't necessarily mean that only the male lead wins every time. Whoever loses pays a hefty price for their loss, and sometimes the price is the people they care for which actually made it more realistic and relatable.

In terms of romance tropes, it's an enemy-to-lovers storyline and a slow-burn, which is expected from Ren Jia Lun's dramas. Jiang Ci is introduced as a carefree and intelligent girl who has an unpleasant first meeting with the male lead Wei Zhao, one that nearly costs her her life. However, it's just the beginning. Saved by Pei Yan to serve his purposes, the danger to her life doesn't end; it's just started. She became the only witness to an assassination attempt, and her life is entangled between the two leads. She wants to leave and fly away from both of them, but she wasn't able.

Though intelligent, Jiang Ci is too trusting of Pei Yan and allows him to manipulate her. The interactions between Jiang Ci and Wei Zhao in the initial episodes are authentic enemies. However, their feelings shift abruptly. The ruthless Wei Zhao suddenly softens for her while she keeps messing with his plans, and Jiang Ci suddenly starts to understand and develops a soft spot for Wei Zhao, whom she even tried to kill a few episodes back. This abrupt change between them feels off initially, but as time passes and they interact more, I grew accustomed to it and started rooting for them.

I didn't like the writer's turn on Pei Yan, transforming him from a cunning and meticulous individual into a typical obsessive second male lead. However, the writers redeemed this by having him recognize and overcome his obsession.

The drama fearlessly tackles dark themes, including slavery and the ruthless pursuit of power. The lives of commoners become mere pawns in the games of the ambitious, who disregard the well-being of others. This thought-provoking exploration of politics and social injustice kept me utterly engrossed. A few scenes border on melodrama, but the overall tone remains balanced, walking a fine line between tension and emotional depth.

The cast delivers outstanding performances, masterfully conveying intense emotions that drew me deeply into the story. Their portrayals bring characters to life and evoked strong feelings, from tears to outrage, as I witnessed the characters' struggles against injustice. Ren Jia Lun shines as Wei Zhao/Xiao Wu Xia, masterfully conveying the complexity of his character's emotions. His portrayal effortlessly switches between ruthless determination and vulnerable introspection. Though it's my first time seeing her, Li Landy's portrayal of Jiang Ci is equally impressive, capturing her free-spirited nature and inner strength. Her chemistry with Ren Jia Lun is quite good.

The soundtracks are a highlight, with beautifully poignant scores that resonated deeply with me. The beautifully crafted scores perfectly complement each scene, elevating the tension, joy, and heartbreak. From haunting melodies to rousing battle themes, the OSTs masterfully amplify the emotional resonance. They've earned a permanent spot on my favorite playlist, serving as a reminder of the drama's unforgettable moments. My favourites are:
1. Far Away (by He Jie and Wang Yuexin)
2. Do Not (by Wang Heye)
3. Oath (by Curley Gao)

The costumes are stunning, clearly benefiting from a generous budget. The tribal outfits of Yueluo are particularly striking, complemented by exquisite hairstyling.

The action scenes in are meticulously choreographed, showcasing a perfect blend of elegance and intensity. The fight sequences are visually stunning, with each move precisely executed to convey the characters' skills and emotions. The action scenes are not just visually impressive but also emotionally charged, reflecting the characters' motivations and conflicts.

Tissue Alert! The ending is a tearjerker.

🍁CONCLUSION:-

In conclusion, "Love of Nirvana" is a solid historical drama that explores complex themes and features standout performances. It stumbles mid-series and the finale's emotional payoff left me wanting more. The stunning costumes, memorable soundtracks, and well-choreographed action scenes make it a worthwhile watch. Those interested in stories of power, loyalty, and redemption will find "Love of Nirvana" an enjoyable, if imperfect, viewing experience.

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The Red Sleeve
17 people found this review helpful
by Sady
Jan 2, 2022
17 of 17 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

When a king falls in love...

This drama explores the life of Crown Prince Sado's son King Jeongjo from his time as a Crown Prince to his becoming the King of Joseon. With a focus on a romanticize version of his love story with Noble Royal Consort Ui.

Through the drama, we witness his numerous relationships: firstly with his abusive grand-father whom he loves and respects (but also fears), his childish and vindictive aunt, his neutral and shrewd step grand-mother, his loyalist yet ambitious and cunning loyal servant, and also the mischievous, straightforward and cute maidservant who'll become the love of his life.

We also witness the hurdles he has to face to keep his position as the Crown Prince. Those hurdles aren't redundant and are dealt with quickly enough as to not become repetitive and boring.

It could seem to be yet another Sageuk but to me, The Red Sleeve is easily one of the dramas of the year because it explores the depth of some relationships (e.g. the abusive relationship the Crown Prince shares with his grandfather) ; but also the scorn of the women who are locked in the Palace -a Palace that is no better than a gilded cage.

The acting was top-notch. Lee Jun Ho is just perfect in his role. I already liked his acting but with this drama he became one of my favorite actors. He's really excellent and I already can't wait for his next project (greedy I know).
The actor who played the grand-father was great too. He had great scenes which really pulled me in.
All the cast was great and everyone got the opportunity to shine.

The storytelling was really well-done. I usually get bored with other sageuks towards their ending because it feels too convoluted or draggy, but here the author managed to wrap up the subplots quite early so the story could move forward with new intrigues.
It wasn't heavy either as the romance, the comedy, the thriller elements and the sad moments were well-woven.


Regarding the characters, I absolutely LOVED how they portrayed the main lead as the Crown Prince and the King. He could seem cruel because he aimed to be fair. Some might end up disliking him because of these moments where he chose to be a king who shouldered the weight of his nation instead of a man who could make his woman his top priority but he couldn't do this as the King.
This was the burden he had to bear as the King of a nation.

I loved that he was aware that his privileged life came with a price but also that as the son of Crown Prince Sado, he had to be perfect (neither lecherous nor domineering ; neither indulging nor frivolous).
The only thing he let himself indulge in was his love for the female lead -which translated in some intense scenes.

As for the female lead, she was smart and astute. Though she could be frustrating, one could understand where she was coming from.
It interesting to see her character's evolution from a carefree girl to a more composed and rule-abiding one.

The Red Sleeve is really worth the watch because the staff members (behind and in front of the camera) did a good job in delivering the story. It was a beautifully filmed drama too.

For me The Ref Sleeve is easily one of the best dramas of 2021.

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Completed
The Flame's Daughter
17 people found this review helpful
Jul 23, 2018
52 of 52 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 4.0
I loved to see most of the faces from 10MPB. The storyline however lost me a couple of times. There was absolutely NO chemistry between Ru Ge and Yin Xue. It made me cringe how the old grandpa was acting like that towards a young girl as per the story line. Just found YX so annoying from the very beginning. Zhan feng is a better actor than this script laid out for him,.The prince was just a bit too much, no one is that nice/yielding. It also didn't make sense that 3rd Madam didn't recognize Ru ge or see resemblance until she changed h er hairstyle. . If anything the one who gave it the most was An Ye Luo. It was a poor mix of real and sci/fi fantasy, should have just made it full blown either. I absolutely did not like The Flame's Daughter. The actors were awesome though, just a bad script/storyline.

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Completed
The Sleepless Princess Special
17 people found this review helpful
Sep 14, 2020
1 of 1 episodes seen
Completed 6
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Happily Ever After

This is an epilogue released some time after the final episode of The Sleepless Princess and I almost missed it. The epilogue in effect is an alternative ending to what was released in episode 35. Here, Xue Yao doesn't jump off the cliff holding a sleeping Xu Chu Yue in his arms. She wakes up in the nick of time and they make up all their lost time together, traveling the world.

To make it even sweeter for the distraught viewers, the production team also added life after they get together. They have a child who Xu Xing Chen is babysitting while the lover birds are honeymooning. Xu Xing Chen by now is the Emperor. Accordingly, the couple is like being glued together and has been living away from everyone for the last 4 years. Between them, they have a private wedding vow with no elaborate feast. Their married life is an ideal life for any couples - traveling the world just by themselves, without the kids. However, at times, they're also like normal parents, worried about and protective over their kid.

The epilogue also includes all the things that are not concluded properly previously and gives everything proper closures. All the other second couples finally have their happy endings. I believe this happy ending makes many viewers very happy too.

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