This review may contain spoilers
Good and Evil Through the Tragedy of Choice
Waiting for a drama to premiere is an act of faith, and my journey with this one was a test of patience. At first glance, the storytelling felt muddled, a puzzle with pieces that didn't quite seem to fit. It wasn’t until the narrative settled into the familiar rhythm of the academy that it truly found its footing, building a genuinely compelling momentum. If I had to draw a line, the first half of the drama was a solid, engaging watch. The second half, however, wasn’t as satisfying; it stumbled where it should have soared. And yet, even in its imperfection, the final episodes held moments that resonated with a quiet power, leaving a bittersweet taste that lingers longer than a more polished, forgettable finale.
Having seen other adaptations of this author’s work, I was prepared for a certain formula. I tried not to make comparisons, but the echoes were impossible to ignore. The drama leans heavily on familiar, even overused, tropes: the immature and childish female lead who eventually matures, the enemy-to-lovers dynamic, and a collection of obsessed, psychopathic male characters who blur the line between antagonist and outright villain. I had hoped that the second male lead, Ji Tongzhou, would be a complex antagonist rather than a full-blown villain, but the story took a darker, more definitive path—a common tragedy in these sprawling cultivation tales.
What truly anchors this story, however, and what saved it from being a simple trope-fest, is its core theme. Beneath the flashy CGI and frantic pacing lies a poignant exploration of nature versus nurture, of birth versus choice. The drama masterfully deconstructs the very foundation of its world. Everyone speaks in hushed tones of a past catastrophe, a great war between immortals and demons. The elders, draped in the robes of sages, indoctrinate a new generation to hate a faction branded as evil by birth and origin. But the truth they so carefully conceal is far more damning: the sages were never truly sages, and the devils were never born evil.
This hypocrisy is the engine of the drama’s tragedy. The so-called righteous immortals, led by the sanctimonious Cui Xuan, are driven by greed and a hunger for power they mask as divine justice. Cui Xuan’s secret prison, the Xiaoqian World, where he drains the life force of demon spirits to fuel his own cultivation, is a more horrifying evil than any act committed by the demon clan in the show. He didn't just kill Qing Cheng (Wu Gen), the master who chose love and redemption over transcendence; he betrayed the very essence of their brotherhood, exploiting his trust to imprison and eventually murder him. This act of intimate betrayal is the true face of "righteousness" in this world, a far cry from the "evil by birth" he projects onto the demon clan.
At the heart of this conflict stands Lei Xiuyuan, the demon lord Ye Cha. He has every conceivable reason to become the monster the world insists he is. He is born under a curse that forces him to consume the very personification of life, Jianmu (Jiang Lifei), or suffer a soul-shredding death. He is hunted, blackmailed, and manipulated by a scoundrel like Zhen Yunzi, who uses his dying brother Lu Shanhua as a puppet. The world, including the woman he loves, is a constant crucible encouraging him to embrace his inherent darkness. His fight is not just against external enemies, but against his own cursed nature, which drives him to uncontrollably hunger for the very scent of Jiang Lifei’s life force.
And yet, his defining act is defiance. His greatest strength isn't his terrifying demonic power, but his unflinching choice to be good. His iconic line, "Xin zhi suo xiang cai shi xuan ze" (What the heart desires is the true choice), isn't just a slogan; it's his life's thesis. It’s the mantra he clings to when resisting the soul-corrupting magic, when refusing to harm Jiang Lifei even to save himself, and when ultimately sacrificing his life to shatter her chains and set her free. He is a character who embodies the drama’s soul: a person born to be a villain, given every justification for villainy, who instead uses his power to protect the world that despises him. His internal battle is far more compelling than any external sword fight.
Juxtaposed against him is Ji Tongzhou’s downfall, which is a perfect, tragic foil. Unlike Lei Xiuyuan, who resists his cursed bloodline, Ji Tongzhou is consumed by a self-created one: his obsessive love for Jiang Lifei. He starts as a loyal friend but spirals into a demon of his own making, cloaking his possessiveness and ambition in the language of protection. He doesn't need a curse to absorb Jianmu's power; he does it out of a chilling sense of entitlement. His moral decay is so complete that he murders his oldest friends, in a fit of rage after being confronted with his own hypocrisy. In the end, he’s a hollow figure, painting portraits of a woman who will never love him, having destroyed every genuine connection he ever had. His tragedy isn’t his love; it’s his choice to let that love fester into a tyrannical need to possess, turning him into the very monster he claimed to fight.
Jiang Lifei, too, evolves from a source of frustration to a pillar of strength. Her initial childishness is grating, but her journey is one of painful awakening. She learns that the world her master Qing Cheng wanted to protect is full of wolves in sheep’s clothing. Her most powerful moments are when she sheds her naivete, like when she mocks the assembled immortals at her public trial, brilliantly exposing Cui Xuan’s plot to enslave them all with her trap-like chains. Her decision to stand against the sea calamity at the end, not as a sacrifice to a cruel world but as a fulfilment of her master’s dream, completes her arc from a naive girl to a self-possessed woman who understands that true power is not in one's origin but in the sacrifice one is willing to make.
Sadly, this beautiful, thematically rich narrative is trapped in a flawed vessel. The acting is inconsistent, often failing to carry the heavy emotional weight of the plot. But the real villain of the production is the post-production work. The CGI and editing are, to put it bluntly, a hot mess. At times, the garish graphic effects were so blinding that I nearly dropped the drama. The editing gives the show a frantic, breathless pace, butchering scenes that should have been given time to breathe and resonate emotionally, leaving the viewer feeling pummeled rather than moved.
It’s a story that understands that the most profound monsters are not born in the netherworld but in the secret chambers of a hypocrite’s heart, and the truest hero is the one who conquers the monster within himself.
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This review may contain spoilers
Not too scary, political, but more than that, a love story.
Let's start with answering the question, "Can I watch these without watching the movie and playing the game?" - Definitely yes! It can stand on its own because the series had interspersed it with flashbacks (flashbacks that are part of the narrative which for me will not bore you to death).What I don't like:
1. I started watching this one with the idea that I will be scared... I came out unscathed. But scary-ness is definitely based on individual's scaredy-cat (lol) level. So it might be different from your viewing experience.
2. Supporting characters acting is sometimes off.
3. The political theme made me read on Taiwan's White Terror. I did feel the need to know why they (the characters, specially the villains) acts that way.
What I like:
1. The series did not only focuses on the horror and political theme they touched on. It explored the main characters' struggle and showed how they triumph (and their reward/punishment) for the choices they had made. It is not often to see in horror series those elements.
2. I like the very intelligent use of flashback in this one.
3. This series made me buy and play (in chapter 2 right now) the game.
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“I wonder if the people watching will be happy with the drama” I was very miserable actually
Jfc where do I even start. First off I never watched Jane the virgin so you know this is from an unbiased viewer that doesn’t have the bias of having watched the original, with that out of the way:My first problem rose in around the 6th (give or take) episode, the kiss was horrendous holy sh.. do you know how evidently bad a kiss has to be for a person that hasn’t kissed someone to not only know it’s cringey but to legitimately think the show is better off without kissing? The focus on the kisses made it wayyy worse like if your actors are awful kissers then show it from afar or something but nooooo it had to be in plain view, every kiss took down 5 years from my life span.
Second problem: unnecessary plot. They put too much focus on the crime plot like sir I DO NAWT CARE they failed to make it interesting and dragged it for too long
Third: Lack in reasoning behind characters actions. So many characters did things out of character and then on top of that their reasoning was sh-t
Overall By episode 9 I was full on skipping scenes, having it as background noise the last episode I skipped the entire episode and watched the last thing and I audibly cringed like cmon now.
The female lead was awful she cannot act wtf this is my first time actually saying this about someone because I never notice but this one was actually so obvious it gave me physical pain
The baby was the best actor you did great sweetie
Conclusion save yourself don’t bother
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And so viewers join a group of counselors, long dead, as they work with the newly deceased to find their best memory. Each counselor is charged with several individuals, and they interview them one by one in order to root out what will make them most happy. As such, much of the film takes place in documentary-style interviews. We hear various stories from many individuals, diverse in ways from content to age range and era. However, there are a few unable to pin down anything anything at all. One man has never truly had a happy moment in his life, while another refuses to select anything despite ample material. Another young lady realizes times she thought were special were not quite as she remembered. What will happen to unfortunate people like these? There is also a mystery surrounding the counselors themselves… who are they and why were they chosen for this work?
Yet with such intense subject matter, After Life manages to be gentle and slyly humorous. It never reaches into your chest to tear out your heart, but delicately stirs that part of you which values sentimentality and fears death. What makes this film excellent is how carefully it explores these subjects: mortality and memory. It may induce laughter in you, perhaps it will leave a lump behind in your throat; but above all else, After Life will make you think long and hard. What would you choose?
Many familiar and veteran names grace the cast listing, such as Iura Arata, Terajima Susumu, and Iseya Yusuke. They stand out here as well, particularly the two counselors. However, the real stars are the memories and the people who share them. Many of the “interviews” were completely impromptu, and the people depicted are not actors, but real people reminiscing on film. Though it isn't clear which are scripted and which are authentic, they all leave great impact.
I always claim music is of paramount importance in both film and television. Despite this preference, it seems I've found an exception in After Life. This is a movie that does just fine without much of a soundtrack to recommend it. In fact, the silence lends realism, a solemn kind of respect and authenticity. There are no emotional cues for the audience, either…which is surprisingly nice for a change.
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My biggest turn off was how they dressed/styled Park Shin Hye. Since watching You’re Beautiful I have watched Coffee Prince and Yoon Eun Hye was such a more convincing boy. Even back when I had watched this drama, before having seen Coffee Prince, I was disappointed with the effort they put into Park Shin Hye as a boy. Shin Hye is definitely feminine and beautiful even with neutral makeup and the short hair, it wasn't enough to disguise her. I wanted more effort in the styles they dressed her in, though I couldn't honestly pinpoint any specific ideas. It just fell flat for me. Also, her actions and mannerisms weren't masculine. I know it is a TV show and I should suspend my disbelief and just accept that the members of the band would look at her with her short hair and accept that she was a boy. But I can’t, she was still just too pretty for me. Anyway, even though I can’t really give meaningful ideas on how this could be improved, it was what made me not emotionally invest in the show as much as I could have.
The thing I liked the most was the Bromance between the band members. I thought they cast the band perfectly. Each one represented a different quality/personality. Their interactions with one another were very enjoyable. They were like brothers and best friends throughout the whole of the show. Jeremy was so adorable and innocent. His fun loving attitude made him my favorite of the band members themselves. Though I think my most favorite thing about him was the fact that he read the fan-fiction about him and the other band members, that was just an absolute hoot. I like that Kim Shin Woo was the calm one, the voice of reason. He balanced out Jeremy's eccentricities and Hwang Tae Kyung's diva/narcissistic personality. Then Hwang Tae Kyung was the perfect leader role, he was pushy and needy but also really did have a desire for the band to succeed. The writers did a great job with the band as a whole.
Kim Shin Woo also gave me yet another seriously heartbreakingly painful case of second male lead syndrome. I wanted him to get the girl so badly. However, it frustrated me how he went about getting the girl. His plan of attack had so much to do with why he didn't end up with Go Mi Nyu. I wanted him to get the courage to talk to her long before he confronted her in the chapel. If he had been more open with her and let her know that he was in on the secret, well it could have been a totally different story. So I both loved his character’s story and disliked it.
I also appreciated Uee in this drama. She did a fantastic job with portraying her role. I totally believed that she was a spoiled brat who had the whole nation fooled. Additionally, I think she did a great job as her part as a villain. Though I think the best part was her redemption wasn't completely out of left field, she grew as a character but didn't escape the natural boundaries they’d set up in the beginning.
However, out of everything I think I loved the music the most. This is only one of four OST’s that I’ve actually purchased. It helped that the songs were actually performed by the actors, it gave it a very real feel throughout the show itself. If A.N. Jell was an actual band I would buy their music in a heartbeat.
Though I do really like this drama, it just never really reeled me in through the feels. I think it had the most to do with it being a gender-bender story. I just couldn't completely invest myself in the story as it unfolded because I found it so very unbelievable. But that doesn't stop me from giving it a high rating, in the end it was an enjoyable ride and I’m glad I watched it.
Noona's Rating
Overall: 7.8 (I rated this 4 stars on DramaFever.com)
Story/Writing: 8
Cast/Actors: 8
OST: 9
Sets/Costumes: 7
Feels: 7
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This review may contain spoilers
Good intention
Before I start nagging about the many flaws of this series, let me say I liked it, for more than one reason. I'll keep this short, because I think everybody have to make up their mind about the show themselves. I only want to give you some clues.The message
This series, unlike most other Thai BL-series, addresses the social and political situation in the country, like corruption, killings of non-corrupt politicians, or the threat of gang crime. The message behind it is to encourage people to not accept these circumstances, to stand together and fight against crime and injustice. In this sense, the series can be called patriotic, especially in the last episodes. Given the overall situation in Thailand, it seems brave to produce a show like this. So the intention is good.
The plot
I won't spoil any details here. A young man returns to his home village in the North of Thailand where a local gang blackmails and kills residents. He teams up with some other young men to fight the gangsters.
The script
Here's the first big problem. Many scenes are unintentionally comic with a high level of ridiculousness. You get a rough idea what the writer intended, but the execution is often unrealistic if not illogical. One example among many others is the acceptance of boys' love by the villagers, with parents encouraging their son to have sex with his boyfriend. And in real life it would be nothing short of suicide, if a bunch of inexperienced, if not naive young men stand up against gangsters who have killed average citizens as well as politicians. Fortunately, the gangsters are mere caricatures who don't recognize their enemies although they have seen them several times before. They even don't wonder why a guy they think they have killed is suddenly alive again.
The cast / acting
This is the second problem. I have given 8 stars, but this is a compromise: a 10 for the cast, but a 6 for acting at best. There are some very attractive young men, like Kawaii (Din) or Andew (the teacher). But: after some of the boys showed their amazing physique in bathing scenes in the first few episodes, this promise is not fulfilled, as they stay completely dressed in the later episodes which is a pity. More importantly, and unfortunately, most of them have no acting skills at all, making dramatic scenes unintentionally comic.
The setting / cinematography / soundtrack
The story is set in a rural surrounding in Northern Thailand. Cinematography and production are surprisingly good, and the ost is beautiful.
Product placement
I understand you need a lot of money to produce a series like this, and most Thai BLs have more or less product placement. It's nice to have the boys praise a brand of soap while they are taking a shower, but I wonder if it has to be a bleaching soap. When it's about painkillers or sauce, just regard it as a comic intermezzo, and it doesn't hurt too much.
Rewatch value
Whether you will want to rewatch the series or not obviously depends on how much you liked (or hated) it. As I liked it, and as the title song keeps hanging in my ear all the time, I may rewatch it some day, when there's no other BL series to watch. I also guess one may discover some hidden messages at a second glance only.
There have been better series than this, but it's definitely not the worst. All in all, despite the flaws mentioned before, in my opinion watching this series is no waste of time.
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I do have smaller minor issues in terms of Yeon Woo's character and how he tends to flip flop rather than stay somewhere on a constant path, and the story to me dragged along towards the middle, but picked up closer to the end. The last few episodes were a little fast paced and could have been done earlier, but they still worked out pretty well.
In terms of romance or bromance, Kang Seok and Yeonwoo's friendship as well as Kang Seok and Chae Geun Sik's rivalry, and the relationship between Kang Seok and Partner Kang were all wonderful to watch. I felt so so on Yeonwoo and Jinah, but they were a minor cute edition that I didn't mind all too much, though I wish we could have seen a little more of Jinah's backstory.
Overall, I could watch this again from certain parts. It was a really chill watch (til the second half when I was screaming) that I could rebinge anytime. The ending was open ended so while the chances are sim to none for a second season, it could totally be done (and with the great ratings, who knows).
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This review may contain spoilers
Absolutely an Embarrassing Ending!
How could you end up destroying this show?I love IU, I love Lee joon gi, they were great together, I was totally over the moon watching Hae soo and So together, The OSTs are masterpieces, but seriously, they messed up last two episodes. everything happend too fast and completely unreasonable. There were simply no excuses or answers for what soo was doing. She looked like a whiny little girl who couldn't understand logic. The way she left the palace was hilarious. She said She won't leave So and then in less than an Episode, she was begging to leave and Absolutely with no reasonable excuse. They didn't even give us a final Conversation and Farewell between our loving birds! Did anyone finally understand why Jung kept changing the covers of the letters???!
Absolutely Embarrassing Ending!
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This review may contain spoilers
The plot is kinda confusing, idk if I'm over thinking or if I've missed something. Of course since it's a movie the story and characters won't be as well developed as a drama. The climax wasn't that intense. Over all a light hearted romance movie. Story of lovers accepting each other despite a broken past. I've noticed some floppy camera work here and there. For example there was a scene where Hyun Woo was talking to Jong Woo who was inside his car, when the camera was on Jong Woo it showed that the window was up, but then when the camera was on Hyun Woo the window was down, if that made sense. I thought movies would be seamless and have meaningful camera work, it's disappointing to see mistakes like this.
Acting is great. Both the main actors acted in top dramas.
Music is superb, it played a big part in the movie.
Re watch? Personally no, I'm not a fan of these kind of romance...¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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The plot is one of the darkest, twisted yet fascinating as you would find psychological elements that would impact you as viewer. I say psychological because if you try to look into the mind of the characters, their action would just makes sense. I'm not trying to justify their actions because it's obvious these are your typical twisted characters in a movie. I also would like to point out there is no Forbidden love, younger man/older woman, student/teacher relationship and especially ROMANCE in this movie. Obsession & Lust is very different from love, just watch the scene on the beach where he tried to cut off his D**k, that was such a powerful scene. I see these tags are the reason why there are a lot of negative comments here. These are very misleading tags.The movie shows the dark reality, the cycle of abuse which is very scary. I believe the girl was also abused by her dad, and it's also the reason for her sexual orientation. It's her dominating personality that later on lead to her abusing the child. One of the most realistic portrayal of rape and abuse in a movie, it shows how it will affect the victim later in life. I also refuse to believe being a pedophile is hereditary, nope, genes has nothing to do with it. Everyone's psychology/mindset is a result of the environment they grew up in.
The Acting here is very strong, which is very important in a movie that has bold storyline. You could tell the actress, Sugino Kiki is a very passionate one as she's also one of the producers of this movie, and it shows in her performance. It doesn't seem nudity bother her either. Imagine producing a movie, casting yourself in a movie which you'll do a nude scene later. At first I thought the casting of Taiga is terrible because it seems he's portraying a character much younger than his age, they even put a kid's voice on him, which is understandable because there is no way they could cast real kid without going jail. But eventually thanks to Taiga's acting I forgot to notice those things. There is one important scene in this movie where he was really impressive, that was when his character was being raped by the female lead, that look on his face shows agony in a very realistic manner, that alone deserves an acting award for him. Hard to believe this is Imai in Kyou Kara Ore Wa!!. Goes to show how versatile as hell and criminally underrated he is. Most of the Music is composed of music from Mozart. It's very important to note that it conveys the psyche of the character once you hear it in the background.
People ask why we need movies such as these that it doesn't make sense at all, and some even said they want to unsee it. I understand people have different taste when it comes to movies but saying it doesn't make sense makes no sense to me. Maybe they didn't try to look for meaning because even weed type art-house films have meanings. Now if you ask why these dark twisted types of movies exist? SIMPLE because it's CINEMA. The prime purpose of cinema is not to entertain but to tell a story, humanity is always fascinated by different stories, which is why cinema is considered as the 7th form of ART.
Check my Blog for other reviews & other JDramas stuffs. (｡◕‿‿◕｡)
https://thatjapanesedramaguy.blogspot.com/
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it's not a BL, yet it still stars Dunk and Phuwin
What I loved most about this series is that it's not a BL, yet it still stars Dunk and Phuwin. I'm very satisfied with the actors' performances. As the plot develops, Lune (Phuwin) becomes more profound, and White (Dunk) feels like some kind of behind-the-scenes wizard. Throughout the series, he delivers such deep thoughts and advice that sometimes I feel like the screenwriter is speaking through him. The only character I was disappointed with in this story is Star. In my opinion, she felt a bit underdeveloped and lacked charisma. Because the whole plot, at least formally, revolves around her. But I have the feeling that everything is spinning around an empty axis, as if there's a void instead of a center. My favorite in this series is Dunk.Was this review helpful to you?
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A nice fairy tale with a silly end...
With KBLs we never know if it will be any good, it's mostly a flip of a coin. This series managed to say on the "good" side. While the premise is not unheard of, they did it in a mostly funny way. The most impressive are the MLs switching between their personalities and doing so believable.The only questionable thing was the romantic part... it was not that convincing and of course the silly end which may disappoint some of you. Also there is the open end of the mother/son relationsship. Production quality was good considering this is a low budget effort, but we also get to enjoy the scenery.
I have not much more to say, I did enjoy this little series, with every episode running between 9 and 12 minutes the commitment is also not very time-consuming. If you need a palete cleanser or variety from all the toxic stuff now airing, this series will do it.
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Crazy, Funny & Sexy
Subjective Enjoyable Entertainment Rating: 8.25With a drama title of “Do Me When You Come Home” aka “Kaette Kitara Ippai Shite.”, it probably gives you an idea that this is a somewhat sexy drama. Indeed, it’s sexy, crazy, and funny. It reminded me a little bit of “Ase to Sekken/Sweet and Soap” for its over-the-top adaptation of a manga.
Please note that;
1. It has overdramatic, over-the-top acting - Japanese style.
2. It has some sexy scenes, but no nudity.
3. The topic can be quite mature - about Teen Love (TL) manga with erotica.
If you are fine with all of the above, then this is a really fun drama, perfect for stress relief. I needed a drama like this and had a fabulous time watching it. The story is quite simple and the drama is pretty short (10 episodes at about 25 mins each). An inexperienced newbie TL (Teen Love) erotic manga artist seeks the assistance of the playboy ML as inspiration and reference for her manga. Of course, they eventually fell in love, but the romance wasn’t as smooth sailing as FL wanted because of ML’s family backstory. The manga characters are a direct reflection of the drama characters.
There are some really funny scenes, e.g. when the characters are posing for the FL to draw them (as reference materials). There are a few very sexy and sensual scenes between the ML and FL. The kisses are a lot better than I would have expected. They are not fish kisses, and the FL eventually warmed up and is a willing and passionate participant. ML doesn’t hesitate to go all in with the seduction and kissing. I personally don’t think ML is that handsome and he’s too skinny. But I warmed up to him and enjoy his acting and his role. I also appreciate that FL is not super innocent/naive/passive. She does speak up for herself. I like the progression of FL/ML relationship and how ML is the one who likes and accepts FL for who she is, and respects her dreams.
Overall, I had a really fun time watching it and there are some morals to the story. But if you are not used to this style of drama or acting, it might seem too crazy. There are no plot twists or anything that hasn't been done before. But it's definitely very entertaining.
Completed: 1/8/2024 - Review #392
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青出于蓝 (Qīngchūyúlán) – Gaming The Teacher
I have mixed feelings about this drama. I enjoy the scheming parts, where everything is “shi, ye bu shi”(是,也不是), a phrase constantly used by the ingenious one. Anything can be true or not true, leaving an ambiguous connotation where the line is not clear cut. However, at times, I find his schemes not so brilliant but rather frustrating as they defy logic. I also find the romance taking up too much screen time, rushing the unfolding of the supposedly epic events that led up to the finale; many of those scenes are just by-passing in conversations.For me, The Ingenious One is probably more appropriately called the King of Deception. Unlike the Mei Changsu character in “Nirvana in Fire” who is genuinely the ingenious one, Yun Xiang (Chen Xiao) schemes and deceives with no bottom line; he is more like an antagonist. Like Mei Changsu, Yun Xiang cannot fight but is brilliant in escaping, which is really funny to watch especially when he manages to run away from those great martial arts antagonists, causing them to scratch their heads. Both (Yun Xiang and Mei Changsu) have talented martial art friends/followers to hang around and protect them.
Similar sequence structure as most wuxia stories, Yun Xiang leaves his mountain where he has lived for 15 years and learned his craft, and then goes for a mission set down by his master. He takes the opportunity for an adventure in search of the ones responsible for the massacre of his entire village. He meets interesting people and makes friends that could be trusted and help him in his plots. He even falls quickly in love with a girl who is a brilliant martial art fighter but with a background he cannot find. While his newfound friends treat him sincerely, he uses them to achieve his own goals, usually causing huge damages to his friends only to be mitigated later through the completion of his schemes. He is the one who digs the hole, leads the plot and fills the hole later. He can stoop as low as he needs to achieve his goals.
The whole cast is well selected. Every character is being performed optimally and convincingly. Chen Xiao’s performance is great but he looks tired, and at times, his expressions confuse me. This is probably due to the Yun Xiang character being a complex one who is ambiguous, as he says, “shi, ye bu shi” (yes, or no).
Many viewers criticize Mao Xiaotong (plays Shu Yanan) mainly on how her face looks, puffy, bread face etc, which I feel totally irrelevant. She exudes a sharp charisma with good acting, and her chemistry with Chen Xiao appropriate. As a talented martial art fighter, she is believable with beautiful fight choreography, and her emotional turmoil shows clearly on her body language when she finds herself falling for a man she can’t love.
The other side characters and side couples are lovely. I regret the deaths of a couple of my favorite characters and wish they have not been written off just like that as their deaths are unnecessary. I have also enjoyed the official soundtracks. The ballads are melodious and memorable.
My Verdict
I love the subtle color palette of the drama with toned down garments and accessories. Though started as a wuxia in Jianghu story, it eventually leads to palace politics and power struggle. From the beginning until towards the end when such politics become apparent, viewers are only shown Yun Xiang’s mysterious master as an invisible character which is almost like that of the Wizard of Oz. The prolonged lovelorn suffered by Yun Xiang is rather boring because romance should not have been the focus in the first place. I also find the missed opportunity in the development of a potentially great character, Qian Rong (Huang Haibing), the housekeeper of the Su Family. The second half of the drama is less compelling and lacks luster compared to the first half as the logic becomes uncalled for. Imagine the mastermind spends 30 years scheming and controlling two powerful century-old organizations, 15 years cultivating his best disciple, only to have all these crumble within the last 30 minutes of the story. I am speechless. And by the way, where is the antagonist Nan Gong Fang (Ran Xu)?
Nonetheless, a rather fun watch for wuxia lovers! Recommended!
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This review may contain spoilers
This drama is good, you should watch it ;)
This drama is about revenge and romance.Shin Bom and Choi Sihoon are dating, but their relationship is hidden. Shin Bom suspects that her boyfriend is cheating on her. With the help of Jung Maro, she finds out that she was correct. Her boyfriend is cheating on her with his ex-girlfriend named Yang Bora. She tried her best to get back her boyfriend by making him figure out who he likes more, but she always got disappointed. She decides to get revenge. Jung Maro helps Shim Bom to get revenge on Sihoon.
I think the story has a very good plot. I would rate the plot a 9.5/10 but I took a few points away because the music was louder than the dialogue. I couldn’t hear most things that were said by the actors and actresses because of the music.
The female lead has character development and becomes strong. She uses a very good strategy to get revenge and she is very straightforward. I like it best when the people communicate with each other to help. I think I agreed with every step she took to get revenge. The actors and actresses acted very well. You can feel the love-hate between the characters. I hope that Shin Bom would end up with Jung Maro. Hope you like the drama too :)
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