Reviews

This movie was done so amazingly, it's beyond words. It's a roller coaster ride with many nerve wreaking peaks not knowing if it'll end safely. Cheating as we all know is wrong and comes with consequences and I think it's fair to say that everyone has probably cheated once in their life, whether big or small, but this movie takes cheating to a whole new level. It outsmarts cheating and only a genius could come up with such plan, hence why its called Bad Genius. This movie also exemplifies the definition of buying your friends. Pat and Grace are both wealthy but that doesn't mean their lives are perfect too, they have expectations to live up to which is what leads them to bad decisions. None of them truly cared about Lynn, they were selfish, they bought her with money knowing she's in need of it. Lynn's misfortune was meeting Grace and Pat, she would've had a bigger future without them. However, as the saying goes, cheating is a choice not a mistake. Lynn is a grown woman who knows what's right and what's not, she chose to help her fellow classmates in exchange for money while knowing the consequences if she got caught. On the other hand, Bank was heavily ruined by everyone else due to their selfishness. Bank is a smart righteous person who doesn't tolerate cheating or injustice. But his whole life falls down because of others and soon the Bank we knew was no longer there. He changed because he was used and cheated by them so why not cheat them back for more money. This movie deserves so much more attention and appreciation. It includes the perfect amount of thrill and suspense to keep the audience excited. It did an incredible job portraying the fear, anxiety, and thrill of test taking.

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A review of the drama itself, no novel read, I just stumbled upon it on Netflix.

If you know the meaning of unrequited love, there's no much explanation needed. The whole drama revolves around the title itself. Every character had their fair share of their own unrequited love.

What makes the drama beautiful is the exposition of that abstract feeling because they made you feel it too. Watching it was a roller coaster of emotions. I felt the pain, the heartbreaks, the longing, the sadness, the happiness and of course the love. The drama was capable of portraying feelings not only to themselves but also to the the audience/watchers. Seeing the first few episodes made me bored, there were so many characters and so many side stories, but as I get through I felt one with the story.

After seeing so many dramas, this is by far the most touching drama I've watched. I love the female lead, it was so painful seeing the flashbacks and the efforts. Her character was nicely written, not your usually clingy and annoying leads. Not the one who's world crumbles for the guy. I didn't like the male lead at first but overtime I also fell in love with him, well everyone falls for him. The character and the friendship development grew within me. There were lovely characters and frustrating exes at the same time.

If you're looking for a fluffy romcom, this may or may not be for you. It is a feel good drama. About youth. Love and friendships specifically.

I believe we all encountered unrequited love. As an audience, I also had a fair share of my story. Maybe I was bias because I used to be in the same shoes, but I guarantee you it will give you realizations. Someone is always in an unrequited love, it could be you or to you.

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I Love the Sea & I Love the Show

In a variety show, what are you usually looking for? Your favorite actors/idols as members & their interactions or a good combination between sense of humor & the soul theme? I started this show looking for both of these. I wanted to watch a few of my favorites (Kim go Eun, Lee Dong Wook, Onew) together & along the way I was looking for more about sea & nature. There's no adventure here. The nature, the sea, the vacay vibes & relaxation is all you get from the Show. This show deserves some Cinematography Award or something like that, I know it's the sea & sky that's so beautiful but they were shot from the perfect angle. Although the weather was not with them like rain disturbed their plans but it still went on quite smoothly.


Concept —
I don't feel like writing any much detail here or I will just end up revealing the Show to you. Just Ep 1 and the show straights up to the corner of the sea where they will stay & shoot further. The scenery is like Oooo & Oooh! The soul of the show the SEA rules the camera like an Eternal Queen. The view is so magical & attractive that it made me fell in love with the sea. The perfect combination of blue & white colour, the different shades of them, the greenery around with the perfect music. What else more do we need!

In the beginning, interaction among the members was rather strange & awkward. Jong shin, being the eldest one among them often said that "it's awkward" but he took the responsibility to make them more close & comfortable. Ultimately, they started getting along with each other & that's when there was more laughs and fun. Whole this, felt like character development lol. Towards the end, they are even reluctant to say goodbye. Some people may get bored, as the show is slow in middle and there's lots of cooking and general conversation that may take off the interest and the long duration is there too but nevertheless I enjoyed the show.

One thing I cannot forgot to mention, KIM GO EUN IS SO BEAUTIFUL. YEAH, SHE TRULY IS! I like how she often closes her eyes quickly as if she's winking with 2 eyes with a smile. She looked so cute. She went diving with a team in some episodes to collect garbage from the sea. That's a really good step that deserves appreciation. She carried that 35 kg heavy equipment into the sea everytime. Wow she's so strong.

Cast —
All the members are beautiful in their own way. Su hyun is something I should mention, she's the youngest and cutest one among them but she's taking care of everything. If you notice properly there's always a line at the top whenever she goes to help someone "In conclusion, nothing gets done without Su-hyun 22 (Count of how many times she helped)" lol.


Music —
It's impossible to list all the songs played in the show xD… Su hyun has got a soulful voice. Her voice is so magical & mixes with the vacay vibes of Show. Onew & Yoon Jong-shin are also awesome singers. I think this show focuses a lot on relaxation theme. So, particularly songs are usually smooth & those peaceful kind that just gives more of a connected to nature feeling. A special round of applause to 2 members who played instruments for all those Song performances ·–·•• Zai. Ro & Jeong Dong Hwan. I almost got crazy, listing all songs played over there & then looking for them one by one, then turning to their lyrics & then saving them in a playlist again & again.

Performances that I loved from the Show »»»»
✓Rollin – Su Hyun & Zai. Ru [Og. Brave Girls]
✓Flying Deep in the Night – Su Hyun, Onew [Og. Lee Moon Sae]
✓Departure – Onew, Jong-shin [Og. Hareem]
✓Wind, Where does it blow from? – Onew [Og. Kim Yeon Woo]
✓A Doll's Dream – Su Hyun, Onew [Og. Weather forecast]
✓Lucky – Rosé, Onew [Og. Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat]. This song especially suits Onew. He sang so Perfect!
✓If – Su hyun [Og. Bread] Oooh Her Voice
✓Time walking on memories — Rosé [Og. Nell]
✓Stay Put – Sunwoo Jung-a [Og. Sunwoo]
✓City of Stars – Su hyun, Lee Dong Wook [Og. Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone]… Yesss! LDW finally sang!
✓I'm in love – Onew [Og. Ra. D]

A single line to define Music here — Music is like the 2nd soul of the show.


Rewatch Value —
Well I don't think, variety Ssows hold any much Rewatch Value. They are usually suitable as a single watch. It could be possible for some people to rewatch it years later but for Me, variety shows completely falls in one-time watch category.


Conclusion —
Since there's no format to be followed or no draggy Story, The show is definitely a good choice. it's like a relaxing show where they sing, chat, cook & enjoy by the Sea. My #ScenicSaturdays were all ruled by screenshots from this show only.

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This is the second entry in Qin Empire, following the first King of Qin. The first one was about his dad and political/legal reform that create solid foundation for Qin to gain power. It followed fairly closely to the novel it's based on, it was atmospheric, idealistic but had very perfect protagonists. The second and third were filmed together in 2011, had completely different directors + writer, so tonally and thematically were very different, and they stuck closer to history than their previous entry. The third was about Ying Si's son and continue expansion of Qin, and the fourth that have been filmed but not broadcasted, is about great great grandson Qin Shi Huang, Ying Zheng who conquered various states and united China.

I was actually rather taken back when I started, since this drama was noticeably lighter in lighting, atmosphere and acting compared to the first instalment, it took a little bit getting used to, although I think this made it much more accessible to wider audience. While its main focus is on Qin, there's fair amount of attention paid to other states too, since this was a time of diplomatic relationship, battles, betrayals and chaos. It can get rather difficult to follow for someone unfamiliar with the period, though I believe a quick runover of the various states' names/location should help a lot.

Our main protagonist Ying Si had a playful demeanour that masked his true feelings, cunning when it came to analysing situation and determining what's best for his country, manipulative and ruthless when he must do what's best, but he could also be affectionate towards his cousin, sincere towards his trusted adviser, reluctantly adoring to woman he loves. He also suffered a lot, lost his mother when he was young, grew up mostly with his uncle as his dad was too busy with the country, exiled as a teen, and had to sacrifice much more while on the throne during the span of this drama. Fu Dalong did an amazing job as him, I wasn't huge on his portrayal at first since it's a stark contrast to what I'm used to and expected, but he grew on me, and he played the various layers very very well.

There was very small amount of romance in this, although it's not the focus, they do help built up Ying Si and Zhang Yi's character and show us various women and the ways they could have lived back then. Mi Bazi (Consort Mi? idk) was daughter of an exiled noble, willingly entered a political alliance marriage, despite the fact she already had a child with a man she loved. Ying Si and her started with lust but end up with love and companionship, she lacked manners and could be rather blunt and open, knew what she wanted and rather determined on her goals. It was a pretty unusual relationship and characterisation, but rather true to history. She was the first Empress Dowager, in de facto power for 40 (?) years while her son was on the throne, till she dies, she really should be no less famous than Empress Dowager Cixi. I really disliked her makeup but I guess it's suppose to show she's young and clueless? Ning Jing seems to have pushed a little too hard when she first appeared, but she got better later.

Wei Shu was comparatively much more standard, tied to men around her, well mannered and educated. I did like the helpful inn owner Zi Xuan and smart and brave Ji Hu though, even if I'm not huge on their character trajectory. Overall, the major supporting characters were pretty varied, and fair amount of them were layered, which is very hard to do with such a large cast. The back and forth scheming between Zhang Yi and Gongsun Yan were very engaging, and had been enlightening watch. I think someone more familiar with the period would have a field day with this, I've definitely recognised some names, and was kind of disappointed we haven't got to their spotlight time.

The costumes were comparatively plain compared to today's dramas, but it was filmed 8 years ago and this was set 2000 years ago in a country that was rather poor, constantly battling and preferred more subdue style. Note that other states' clothes were bit fancier than Qin's. Unfortunately, the battle scenes weren't as good as the first entry, though they were pretty okay in general IMO, maybe it's just because I don't care about battles. Most of the drama was recorded live, but there was some VERY NOTICEABLE dubbed lines by super minor supporting character, and it was all by one person and not tuned at all, so it was hilariously jarring. There was also a couple scene (one very major one) that have people noticeably CG'ed in, please adjust the lighting properly!!

I actually think this is the best entry for international audience, since it doesn't just focus on Qin but also other states, the characterisations are't black and white and sometimes even refreshingly different, the story is engaging with enough history sprinkled in that you want to learn more about the period afterwards! Please give it a try!

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A good murder, mystery, romance, friendship drama with a whole lot of pain

This is a drama that raises the oh so important question:

Is it worth finding out who murdered your soulmate , if it means you may have to let go of his presence as a ghost?

It is also a drama that beautifully portrays love and loss, and is defiantly one of those dramas that you start watching while knowing you are in for a whole lot of pain...
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Going in to this you are also probably fully aware of the pretty faces and good acting that will a company that pain, at least if you look at the cast list before you start watching it. Making it just that much more painful, because, if the acting would have been meeh you would probably not feel as much pain, but then again meeh acting and pain are just not really worth it anyway.

This on the other hand is so worth it, as you not only get a painful romance, you also get a bromance, a murder mystery and a ghost seeing male lead without to much second hand embarrassment. Though the ghost seeing male lead had some over acting moments I actually really liked him the rest of the time. As he did bring a whole lot of heart in to this character and was probably a perfect fit.

As for our female lead she was just so human, perfectly imperfect, sweet, and a great at showing whole range of emotions. She embodied the not wanting to let go just so perfectly. She was lovable, relatable and bad ass all at once.

Our ghost male lead was also really well casted, a cold guy with a few hot spots the few shows of emotions became that much more powerful.

So what can I say the pacing is decent, the predictability pretty high yet it still managed to keep me interested. I love the way the story unfolds, with spots of excruciating pain but also a lot of fluff, love, bromance, romance between the painful moments.

As for the OST we do get both the piano, the guitar and some shout out pain rock, the type that I think only J-dramas can offer. And I loved it.

So if you can handle some pain, this is a great place to find it, if not then move a long there is nothing to see here...

Also I did not like the last episode, it did not go well with the rest of the drama, but I am personally act like it never happand... So I did not let it affect the score.

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I completed Mother in three days after starting it on a whim. It easily earned its place as one of my favorite dramas of all time. The story is built masterfully and the acting is outstanding. The structure of the episodes was well done, with each ending bringing a new light to the story, and deeper into the lives of the characters, questioning what might happen next. I would have such a hard time watching one episode a week. The photography was also beautifully done. There is a balance of quiet beauty and at times stirring sense of mystery, that makes you want to keep watching. It's like I have become good friends with these characters, that I'm sad I've reached the final episode.

If you at all feel turned off from the stillness of the show, don't stop watching. You won't regret it!

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Half Baked

I love food. I love OffGun. I love it when people fall in love over shared food. I love it when a lead scams his way into a ton of money because the other lead is adamant that he won't take cooking lessons from anyone.
Unfortunately, I didn't love this.

Seriously though, I love dramas that are in the food/cooking genre. There's something incredibly heartwarming about two people bonding over their love for a particular dish, or learning about each other through food, just sweet core memories. And Cooking Crush had that, plus a lot of stuff I adore in dramas: comedy, a great couple, good side characters and a reasonable plot. With each episode I watched, I liked it more and more. I had no major complaints and I enjoyed the prospect of watching something that was funny, light, and relaxing.

That is until it hit the halfway mark. It's like the writers, actors, director and every single person who worked on this forgot what they did in the first six episodes. Either that, or they changed the screen writers halfway through and said take it in whatever direction you want, there doesn't have to be any continuity, whatsoever. It's baffling how quickly it all changed because before I knew it, the characters were unrecognisable, the writing was so messy and it felt like a chore trying to get through some of the episodes.

Understandable that they needed to shift the focus onto the competition, but the shift was so abrupt and random, with them choosing to spend episodes on unnecessary conflicts, plotlines that saw no progression and the relationship between the leads going up and down like a rollercoaster. And by the time they focused on the actual competition, I felt no connection or investment anymore because of the aforementioned.

Through it all, I just kept hoping it would get better. Kept hoping.. and it didn't. The story after a while made absolutely no sense because they kept introducing characters who's sole purpose was to create conflict that was resolved within seconds without proper explanation. The chemistry between OffGun was suddenly non - existent, the acting felt really off, almost like the cast and crew themselves had given up on the production.

I don't mean to lay into the series like this, but it really does baffle me. How did something with such potential come down to this? The few positives in this were the supporting characters, the relationship between Firefy and Dy, and Ten. Even then, there isn't much to brag about here. Everything about this was simply, okay.

I would recommend watching the uncut version, although not as much as I would have liked, there are explanations to certain actions, the connections between the characters are explored a bit more, it really did make for more of an enjoyable experience.

Honestly, the best thing may have been the opening credits.

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Smarts & Advance Prep Always Win

Started watching for DYX who I had first seen in this year's White Cat Legend and his acting impressed me. Wanted to see him in a different genre and though I try to avoid any and all MGTV dramas (due to the fact that they don't have proper subbers), I decided to give this a go because it was acquired on Viki (though that too became problematic as the subbing was inconsistent at best). I only am familiar with some of the supporting though not all. All I can say is smarts and advance prep always win.

Pros: I'd have to say my favorite characters were our ML or SD and our main antagonist LLZ (whom I had seen in a protagonist role this year only). Them two were as black and white as they come. SD was a man on a mission of both revenge and vindication for his father and family that were framed 16 years prior while he was just a young boy. He only survived because a friend of the family's told him what to do and also pleaded on his family's behalf. He had a lethal exterior earning him the nickname "White Ghost." But what many didn't know or see was that he had a good heart and the exterior was just a front. DYX was able to play both very convincingly. Things changed when he reunited with the FL who had snuck into the detention center he was held in to give him food and they had been friends before his family's disaster. At first they couldn't stand each other (he didn't recognize her and she thought he had really become this ruthless person) and she married him instead of her sister so the marriage didn't start on a strong foundation. That said their chemistry was spot on from the comedic get go to when he started falling for her for real and afterwards realizing who she was and started to put in more effort to actually win her heart. He repeatedly saved her when her reckless actions sent her to death's door but at least she was grateful. I didn't really care too much for the FL other than the fact that she was for the most part really good at solving cases and finding out truths when others couldn't see it. When they teamed up to work together, they really made great teamwork. The chemistry was definitely chemistrying.

Our main antagonist did a fantastic job at playing a very convincing looney. I have to give it up to the actor; he played an obsessed, power hungry, murderous and appropriately nicknamed the "Black Fiend" to the hilt. He was creepy but in a believable, skin crawling way. Ironically he usually wore white which made the fact that he was essentially a cult leader all the more diabolical. His realization that he had been lied to by his mom (he wasn't the son of the late emperor and therefore not in anyway shape or form fit for the throne) and his entire life was a lie at the very end and the way he went out was fitting for his maniacal self.

The other characters I liked were SD's guard, PC, Marshal Xu, XW, JXL; the empress, prince, and princess were all morally grey characters that had a lot of problems with themselves but they were believable. Many died under the Empress's watch like her musician or FL's uncle, Marshal Xu, and YQ while LLZ was rising to power aka falling into SD's trap and the Empress did little to stop that. I'm just glad she finally cleared the Shen family and held everyone responsible for that massive mess. PM Zheng was the other one I'd consider an antagonist as he was responsible along with a few others in the Shen family's mess as well as holding the Yan family "hostage" and trying to use FL as a spy with SD when she married him. I didn't like him at all and that meant the actor did his job. FL's family was ok; I liked her sisters the most. Her mother was a bit too cringey for me.

Otherwise costumes, sets, OSTs were good.

Cons: SFL I had the biggest gripe with. Why was she written that way? Dumb as a brick, sounding like a 12 year old and always being the thorn in SD's side; like mind your own business! Why are you bringing "the divorce" up every two seconds, like it's any of your business? You are getting all cozy with the evil in the graveyard not even understanding what's going to happen. Only time I felt bad for her was when he kidnapped her but she didn't seem to mature after it at all. I legit wanted to slap her, so instead I ffw'd her pretty much the entire show.

The dumbing down of FL who was always on top of things periodically within the show was inconsistent; thankfully these moments were usually short lived. Wish the whole end wedding didn't have to happen the way it did; yes they said words to each other in the palace but she was the one who gave him the ultimatum when it was his choice and she didn't really have a right to demand that; so the whole mini groveling and game playing made the official wedding anticlimactic and uncomfortable. I'm glad though the Empress laughed at it she did tell her that it was important to cherish those around you. I was also glad he pretended to have left so she would stop acting arrogant and understand that if she really lost him, it would be bad. He spent the entire series even when they weren't yet together, essentially saving her life or from pain and getting hurt himself. So the ending deserved to be better and smarter instead of that weird version.

I know DEX is only 19 years old but she has to practice kissing. DYX did all the work during those and it seemed like she legit didn't move or barely. So though we had some kissing scenes and the deed itself done a few times, they would have been much better if the director had the FL practice instead of just go immobile. Or like other actors have done in the past, just don't have kissing scenes if you're inexperienced, uncomfortable. Better than getting them halfway and lopsided, though by the final one, it seemed she kind of got the hang of it.

Also YQ and Marshal Xu's relationship seemed to come out of nowhere and like a total afterthought. There was zero chemistry between them. So when they died together, though very sad about him; her being there at all just took off from the gravitas of the situation. You could tell post production was moving at the speed of sound because there were revealing mistakes like the palace fight, you could tell the people in the background weren't really fighting but moving with their swords in slow motion or in the last episode wedding scene, the blue screen "sky" was visible in multiple takes.

Would I Recommend it? Sure. For the cases and the chemistry between the leads it's a good watch. Now that all of the episodes are out on Viki, you're good to go.

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Magnificent Korean Drama but Problematic Age Gap

This is truly a wondrous, unique show. It hits the right blend of Korean-style mythology and modern Kdrama production. The story is excellent, although the latter half of the drama suffers a little bit from lack of time. For better or worse, this show is "very Kim Eun Sook" (the writer), meaning that it has a unique concept that relies heavily on your emotional feeling over worldbuilding, which definitely works for a romance-focused series. The OST is spectacular, and of note, Ailee's "I Will Come to You Like the First Snow" is still an emotional power ballad compared to other music in 2021.

However, I have to agree with others who have commented that the main couple feels problematic -- their relationship feels like father-daughter a lot of the time, so it has an unfortunate feeling. This story doesn't work without being a romance, but I feel like it might have been better if the main couple relationship was an actual foster father-foster daughter relationship.

But even if you have reservations about the main couple, it is worth it to overlook it and give this Kdrama a watch!

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If you are like me and postponed this Kdrama for 3 years then this Review is for you.

As I said in the title, I postponed Goblin for so long after my friend recommended it to me dozens of times. I just couldn't bring myself to watch it for two reasons:-

1) Is it really as good as everyone is saying or will I be very disappointed?

2)Heard it will make you cry a lot which I wanted to avoid at all costs because I absolutely don't like Tragic or Sad stories. Life is complex enough. Why should we watch dramas which are sad too?

For the above questions the answers I found are:-

1) Yes it really is as good as everyone is saying. I can truly see the magic of this Kdrama and why it so beloved by so many. This is one of those few Kdramas which is truly an experience to be felt and seen by all and I will highly recommend anyone who hasn't watch it yet to watch when it feels right or when you find the time. You will love it for the friendships all the people in this world share, the trials they faced and overcame, the beauty of their love, the tragedy in lives which will make us weep for them, the characters and the actors who played them, the music and even the end. IT IS ALL WORTH IT!

2)This is not just a sad drama for the sake of being sad. It truly is an experience and though I cried, I am also happy I got to experience the beauty of this drama. Also, it's not completely sad. Life is beautiful and it is shown in this drama. Also love the mini stories of the people the Grim Reaper sends to the afterlife. Don't be intimidated by the sad ending like I was when I heard of it.

All in all just give this Kdrama a chance like I did and Trust me you won't regret it. It has the perfect blend of happiness, comedy, heartfelt emotional scenes and sadness just like our lives but in a more fantasy setting.
Goblin truly is One of a Kind

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"Cheese In The Trap" is a drama about Hong Seol, an introverted girl, and Yoo Jung, the most popular guy in college. Unlike everyone else, Seol wasn't fooled by Yoo Jung's fake smile and he noticed that in her. At first, Yoo Jung decided to make her life hell, making everything difficult for her, until Seol decides to drop out of school for a while. When she returns, it's as if Yoo Jung is a different person and he's determined to make her fall in love with him.

Yoo Jung is manipulative, cold and calculating, he has all the characteristics of a psychopath and that was one of the things that caught my attention the most about this drama, seeing a person like that trying to change for someone he fell in love with. It also has to do with the way people treated Yoo Jung, no one was sincere with him, everyone wanted something from him, friendship, closeness, it was never something real and pure, so he reciprocated in the same way.

The whole situation with Young Gon, Seol's stalker, was the worst thing Yoo Jung did during the drama. It was when he didn't like Seol and maybe he didn't imagine that Young Gon was that crazy, but Yoo Jung's white lie was what created all this and then In Ha pretending to be him, since she stole his phone, saying that Seol was playing hard to get, that if he kept insisting, eventually she would give in. I know Yoo Jung didn't care much when he did this, because the rest was all In Ha, but when Seol finds out the truth, that it was all his plan, he finally realized that his actions hurt.

The second lead syndrome was heavy in this drama, In Ho is very charming, how can you not fall in love with him? Only he could make the nickname "dog fur" something cute. HAHAHA'
But at the same time, I couldn't root for him, since Yoo Jung was much more lonely, he had no one by his side, while In Ho had In Ha, even though she was completely crazy.

Speaking of In Ha, she is a very intriguing character, because she is complex. At first you don't think so, she seems like a spoiled rich girl, but she is full of insecurities, traumas and problems that she simply ignored. That's what ended up culminating in the end where she freaked out, threw Seol in front of a car and almost killed her on an impulse.

The only mistake in this drama is the ending. The audience deserved more than that simple email implying that Yoo Jung was still there, after what Seol went through because of him, him leaving seemed like a very cowardly attitude to me and him not showing up until the end made it even more so. I know he went because he was punishing himself, thinking that Seol's accident was like karma for everything he did to other people, but I wanted to see a redemption of the character, him coming back and saying that now it would be different. The ending is quite disappointing and ends up ruining the drama a bit.

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What will you do if you have second chance in life?

I've watched few time travel drama genre, where the main character's soul is trapped in someone else's body, but this is the first time I've come across this genre of drama with a different approach.
This is a drama centered on a woman who goes back 10 years before and still has memories. She returned to the starting point where all the misfortunes that befall her in first life ( I'll use term first life/past life for her original life and second life for her rebirth) had not been occurred. Predictably, she will prevent and avoid all things that can trigger all the suffering and regret in the past. The question is, can she change her destiny? Can she change others?
Strength
The storyline flows smoothly at a good pace. Logical, meaningful and on point dialogues. The acting is at different levels so we will be immersed in life story of each character, especially female lead character, Lu Anran. I'm not a fan of Xing Fei, but I think this is her best performance by far.
The storyline is unpredictable, tense and lots of plot twists. This is a battle of wits between Lu Anran and Muze. The one more observant and adaptable in reading situation and know the opponent's weaknesses will win the battle. Even though Lu Anran has an advantage with her past experienced but in reality there are many secrets and intrigues that she didn't know about in her past life. Moreover, her opponent's is the scheming, calculative and manipulative Mu Ze.
Weakness
Writing inconsistency. It's a bit confusing what message the writer wants to convey, but it must be appreciated that all the bad characters get their punishment.
The male leads (Mu Chuan and Mu Ze) act out of character in later episodes, one of them previously described as having a calculating and careful disposition becoming rush in and committing reckless actions, and even though his character had development but the writer didn't give him a second chance.
my thoughts
I thought the ending was quite logical and I had expected they would ended it that way.
For a drama with low budget and poor cgi, this is quite extraordinary and I enjoy every story that is given in every episode. Rarely do we see a Chinese drama that has a good plot with the same pace from beginning to end and no unnecessary filler but only focuses on the main characters . If only the writer explained the reason why Muze fell in love with Lu Anran and Lu Anran's attitude could soften to him in the end then it would be even more perfect.
Credit to Jing Chao who stole the show with his superb performance.
The way they handled his character in final episode made me wonder if they should change the title to "fall of a Muze" lol. So did Lu Anran success? Did her fate change in second life?
If you like to watch time travel, rebirth drama genre with revenge plot, actors and actressess who can delivered their roles and don't mind with less romance scenes, i suggest you to watch this one.

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Why do people like this show

Ive always heard nothing but positive reviews for this show and so i though I'd give it a watch...why did yall lie lol. First of all, the main couple Ae and Pete are literally so boring which would've been fine if they were a side couple but NO! Then cantaloupe and tin started off ok but can is such a whiny little shit and he annoys me so much. And then there is.......kengkla and techno...."mame you have done it again, constantly lowering the bar for us all". Mame could've given techno the good love story that he deserves but instead she decided kla would just rape him and then hed blame it on techno. Just blatant abuse being passed off as a successful love story, i need mame to pay for my therapy now.

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