Plot: The biggest issue in the plot is probably the pacing. In the first half of the drama, the pacing is fast. Things happen every episode and the plot moves quickly. And then around the halfway point.. the writing loses steam. I think it’s a shame. When basing your drama off a comic, you already have the source material available. You know beforehand where the story is going. I think they could’ve planned this a bit better and divided the revelations a bit more equally over the episodes. In that way, the drama would’ve been a lot more consistent in its pacing. As it is, it’s mostly the first half of the drama that was gripping, pacing-wise. Sadly it also leaves a whole lot of loose ends, despite having enough time to wrap it all up.
Another thing that was a bit of an issue is that the drama is a mix of fantasy, crime-solving, and romance. It was a blend of many different genres, and maybe because of that not all aspects of the plot were as well developed. Definitely the most time was given to solving crimes and the romance, which is kind of a shame, when you’re naming the drama “The Girl Who Can See Scents”… true, the plot of a girl who can see smells was always going to be slightly farfetched. What surprised me then, was how.. mundane the plot actually was. The ability to see smells was not often utilized, except when Oh Cho Rim did the police’s work for them. Just like Choi Moo Gak’s inability to feel, it was used inconsistently during the drama. Yet the way they presented the scents was kind of cute, a little childish in the animation maybe, but still, I think it added to Oh Cho Rim’s personality. It was bright and felt young, just like the character.
The second genre I mentioned was crime-solving. While the killer-plot was interesting (and surprisingly well acted), the role of the police in trying to solve the case was seriously sub-par. I wonder if this is the result of translating the manhwa’s humour to the drama. If it isn’t, it still feels like the police’s role in this was mostly supposed to be funny, and I’m just wondering if there’s something I’m missing. The thing I did like a lot about this part of the drama was seeing all the police officers get together and create their own tiny family. I loved their outings together, though I’m seriously wondering how they went about their job before meeting Oh Cho Rim.
The romance part was, for me, clearly the best thing about the drama. The romance might not have been overly romantic, and the chemistry might not have been sizzling.. but it felt natural. It felt cute. Oh Cho Rim and Choi Moo Gak respected each other, and gradually became closer. They made a good couple. Both outcasts in their own way, who complemented each other and made each other better. The drama was full of fluffy scenes and no unnecessary romantic drama. For me, this was definitely the heart of the drama. A good, natural, healthy relationship. It’s not often I watch a K-drama and think “I’d really like a relationship like this”. But I wouldn’t mind having a relationship like this. I’m going to miss these sweethearts so much.
And even if it was often nonsensical, I did like the humour in this drama. Maybe it was a bit on the silly side, but I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been laughing by myself while commuting. This drama always was a good start to the morning, and a reason to help me get up on Thursdays and Fridays.
Acting: As the role was written with Yoochun in mind, it’s not a surprise he’s a good match. It’s a character with a hard outer shell who is actually a warm and sweet person underneath. It’s a return to similar characters he played and received good reviews for before (see Sungkyunkwan Scandal, Rooftop Prince). The drama also brought out his funny side.. and for Yoochun lovers, the Chunface made a regular appearance! So nothing groundbreaking for Yoochun, but I’m still glad to have seen him in such a role again before he enlists.
Shin Se Kyung for me was also a good match for this role. I’ve never seen her in a full drama before, but I think she fit her character really well. She brought life, charm, and cuteness to Oh Cho Rim. Though her character was no good at comedy, Shin Se Kyung did well in this lighter comedic drama. Her laughter makes you want to smile too, at least that’s what it did for me. I’m not sure she has what it takes to act heavier roles, but she fit this role wonderfully. Plus, she worked really well with Yoochun. I’d go so far as to say that the romantic part of this drama would not have worked as well if they’d picked someone else for Oh Cho Rim. Like said, it wasn’t a sizzling chemistry, but it wasn’t a sizzling romance in that sense either. They complemented each other, like Choi Moo Gak and Oh Cho Rim in the drama.
The real stand-out of this drama actingwise is Nam Goong Min, who took on a role completely unlike the ones I’ve seen him in before. I never liked him before, but in this he gives in a subtle but very convincing performance. I’ll be giving him more chances in the future.
Music: I really enjoyed the songs for the drama, I thought they fit very well. They were upbeat, and happy, and fit the atmosphere very well. They really helped to set the tone. Though there’s no real stand-out song, I still love turning on the songs in the background. The OST is a little thing of happiness.
Rewatch value: I’m not one to rewatch dramas often, so this is a low score. I will probably rewatch the cute couple scenes a lot, though.
Conclusion: I know I may not have sounded very convincing, but I really did enjoy this drama a lot. I can’t quite pinpoint why, but for me the drama simply worked. I know it didn’t for everyone, so, I’d say, only watch this if you like natural romances, cute and fluffy dramas, Yoochun (or the infamous Chunface), or Nam Goong Min, and can suspend quite a bit of disbelief. The strength of the plot mostly relies on the heart in the characters and the friendships. If you like that sort of drama, you might enjoy this a lot. If not, it might be best to pass on this.
Was this review helpful to you?
Where did this rate come from!
I literally can't understand the reason why this show is so high rated and why ppl put it on their "best till now 2025 bls" lists. It's below mid levels. And not bc of acting skills (I'm not gonna shame the actors. They had a great chemistry), but bc of the scenario. There's zero plot. Every ep was boring with no suspense for what comes next. We got a series on a series? Why should we get long dialogs from what they were shooting? At some point I double checked if I'm watching a Chinese or a Thai show. I waited more after all this noise about it. But unfortunately I got really disappointed.Also the music choice wasn't ideal many times. Its the first time in my life I listen to someone play a monotonous piano melody while im watching a spicy scene. It was so blund. Didn't give any extra feeling to the scene. And what happened to their hairstylist? Both of them, especially Jin, couldn't see with their hair on their eyes the whole time!
And if the rating is a result of the spicy scenes only, be so for real yall! It's not worth it THAT much.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Started quite good. Ended quite bad.
So... This series was never a favourite of mine but I enjoyed watching it when an episode came out.I'm going to start by the things (or rather, thing) that I liked: the cast. This is - personally - the only good thing in this series. Khao and First are, as usual, very good in their roles, but I particularly want to put Neo's and Louis's acting in the spotlight because they are the ones that impressed me the most. Especially Neo whom I'm used to see acting as the funny character only here to make jokes. In The Eclipse, he shows that he is more than just the funny guy in a series and I'm happy for him. I hope that he will be cast in other serious roles. As for Louis, even though I expected a bit more from his role (like an antagonist, or something) - but it's not his fault -, I really liked his acting in this series.
Now, the thing that I didn't like - or not so much... the plot. Well, it started out with an ok plot - not great, but interesting: a curse and the mystery behind it. But then, it rapidly went down the drain. First, I expected something bigger than just Akk doing all those things by himself. Also, the things in question were not exceptionally frightening. I kind of hoped for Thua being the mastermind behind this curse, it would have been more interesting plot-wise and character-wise. Second, the three guys who protest all the time are annoying and they should have been suspended from the school a long time ago already! I mean, I live in France and our education system is probably different from the Thai's one but... wearing a uniform is not something the school is responsible of, right?... So why demonstrating in front of the school instead of the Ministry of Education? Also, even though they have the right to demonstrate to show their displeasure, if they don't agree with the rules of their school and don't abide by them, I think they have the freedom to change school! I'm a teacher, we have rules, and if a student don't abide by the rules, they are punished and that's how schools work in most countries. So even though, the Suppalo's rules are old-fashioned, the students have to respect them or they have the right to go to another school of their choice.
To finish, I'll talk about the editing that was horrendous, especially episodes 11 and 12. In episode 11, we have a scene in which Thua exposes the truth in front of everyone and Akk and his friends were quite unhappy with this "change of personality" - even though, he was always a bit dodgy in my opinion -, and the next part of the episode, they all are reunited around a table talking about Wat's short film as if nothing happened a few minutes before. That was SO WEIRD. Especially from Kan's perspective because I would have expected him to talk about what happened with Thua (as they were already a thing) but nothing. It was so weird... Also, in episode 12, not only was the whole coming out thing a bit too rushed (Aye could've waited a bit before telling Akk's parents that they were together), the teacher joining the boys on their little trip to Akk's house was also very akward. I sometimes even felt like there was supposed to be a thing between her and Wat and that weird me out.
Anyway, I enjoyed watching the series even though I would definitely not rewatch it as once was more than enough.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
As a big fan of Mean/Plan (and Tin/Can), it pains me to say that this is the lowest rating I've ever given to a BL series.Why? The story is about as boring as I've ever seen, the Wish character is really unlikable and the Two character is just really dull. I thought they were pretty bad in ReminderS, but this series took them to a new low. I know that the actors are good, so this failure has to be a result of the poor material they were given. Yacht is a welcome addition but, again, just another uninteresting character. Perth and Gun make cameo appearances.
The only good thing I can say is that, at least, it was only two episodes. I'll wait for Tin/Can to come back strong in LBC2.
Was this review helpful to you?
Well, "The Ghost Detective" is that kind of drama!
This drama has one strong message for all of us. You will do everything to protect the people that you love the most!!! And that is true. When we think that we are alone, that's not true! There are always someone who loves us and cares for us! Sooo we are not alone...!
I wasn't disappointed with storyline... It was just fine for me. And if there is going to be a second season, I will be watching it. This drama was a rollercoaster for my emotions.
All OSTs are beautiful.
Actors were awesome, all of them!
Choi Daniel was the best in this drama. He is going to my Top 10
He is excellent actor. When he was sad, I was sad too. His expression were brilliant. You could feel his sadness, his happiness, his emotions, everything...
Park Eun Bin was very good too. She followed Choi Daniel very well. The both of them, Da Il and Yeo Wool, had one of the most beautiful relationship in drama land. You could see and feel their understanding, affection, friendship, sympathies and love for each other. That was the best part of this drama. I cried with them.... Can’t wait to see them together again.
And Lee Ji Ah aka Seon Woo Hye... She was awesome antagonist. She was really badass and scary woman in this drama. Her acting was on top. I really hated her. Bravo!
Supporting actors were very good too and they all had a good connotation and friendship.
I'm happy and satisfied with this cind of ending, but at the same time I'm very sad... But the tittle of this drama is "The Ghost Detective", so it is ok...
This is definitely one of my favorite dramas this year! I know that is not perfect, but like I sad before...
Their chemistry was awesome!
Bravo The Ghost Detective team! Love you all!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
This drama caught my attention from the get go. A team of grim reapers who're on a mission to save people who wanted to kill themselves. It was such an interesting premise that I can't help to go look for the original webtoon ahead of the drama airing to familiarise myself with the story.And I have to say that the webtoon was also very well written. I like how so far the drama's writing stayed pretty close to how the webtoon was written. While I do notice that there are some details from the webtoon that ended up portrayed differently in drama, it doesn't really affect the main story much. And I love how the drama still retain the qualities that made the webtoon well loved.
I also really loved the casting, especially with regards to Kim Heesun and Lee Soohyuk. It really felt like Gu Ryeon and Park Joonggil had literally come out of the webtoon to real life!
Was this review helpful to you?
100% Recommend
Josee, I can say, is a really calm movie. The movie is focusing on how Josee who 'trapped' in her house finally met Young-Seok and then experiencing something new in her life. I can feel how the two characters who came from totally different backgrounds finally in love with each other.The movie cinematography was also amazing. My favorite one is when they were in Scotland, it was so pleasing to the eye.
The main characters in this movie, Josee and Young-Seok are played by two talented actors, Han Ji-Min and Nam Joo-Hyuk. They portrayed Josee and Young-Seok really well. No doubt for their acting skills. I loooove how they can bring the characters alive. Especially Young-Seok, he didn't cry much in this movie but I can already feel what he's going through. Well done, Nam Joo-Hyuk.
Must watch. You really don't wanna missed it.
Was this review helpful to you?
A plot is very simple: the vampire girl Ran (played by Jung Yeon Joo) met the boy (played by Song Kang), the boy’s scent wakes up Ran's thirst for blood, which she has suppressed for 500 years. Will she be able to love him? Will he fill her loneliness?
The movie is very minimalistic, only a few characters appear on the screen, nevertheless in this simple framework the director managed to present the subtlety of the emotional life of Ran, ridiculous greed of landlord, sweet romance and kiss, old friendship of vampire and butcher, and sophisticated humor which makes me laugh.
Cinematography is excellent! Colours, lights and music are so beautiful!
It’s unique, sensitive, easy and naive. I loved it! I give 10/10 although someone may find the movie odd. I think I didn’t watch anything like that, and there’s a satisfying and amusing point to this story: the vampire lived for 500 years but still she doesn’t know everything.
Was this review helpful to you?
the story was very cute and warm <3
I want man like Itsuki to appear suddenly in front of me too ~ but I bet it will be creepy.
he's very cute when saying " miss , can you adopt me ? I won't bite "
so , this movie is worth watching ! you'll also learn about plants too !
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A love that connects through 7 life times and an honest ML, I love!!
After Back from the Brink, it has been a while since I got hooked into another Xianxia genre (drama). LY7T doesn't disappoint with their love story.One of the many aspects I love about this drama, is that everything is connected back into a full circle and I love those parallels that was cleverly used throughout the drama and none of them felt disconnected; so that was cleverly done by the writers in this drama.
To be honest, I am not into Mortal Tribulations in Xianxia genre, since I always find them draggy, and every time it happens in the story (of other Xianxia dramas), I always want it to end quicker so we can return back to the Immortal life, and focus on that instead, but LY7T has done it in a way that I don't dislike it, because each (well, maybe aside from the beginning arc of the 2nd tribulation, with the whole political stuff), I actually enjoyed it on my end.
To introduce the ML of this story, acted by Ding Yuxi (DYX), which this is my first time seeing him act in a drama, so I have no previous drama to compare him with, but he has played his role well in bringing out the character to life, whether, it's the Chu Kong from the present time, the Chu Kong of the past, and his each/every Mortal Tribulation identities, I did enjoyed all of them. I have to make a note and mention that DYX at times does kinda remind me to this Hong Kong actor Roger Kwok. Not saying that as a negative, just want to make a point about this on my end; because they look similar to me. DYX does look handsome to me though! I am glad to know he dubbed his own voice in this drama! Anyways, back to the Male Lead he portrayed: Chu Kong, being the God of War, who did not have the memories of what happened 30,000 years ago, was due to a reason, I will not spoil in my review, but you will find out when his past is uncovered; and it all makes sense in the end, of what happened 30,000 years ago. I really do love his character, whether it is the him as the God of War in the present time, or the him 30,000 years ago (before he became the God of War) he's a loveable character in my eyes, and I actually love his honesty, when it comes to the FL, it is always a positive/plus point in my eyes!
Moving onto the FL, Xiang Yun/Cang Hai played by Yang Chao Yue (YCY). This isn't my first time seeing her, since I've seen her in the Journey of Congzi in the past. Comparing to her portrayal between the two drama's, to me, she definitely has improved in this drama LY7T. So I really don't understand the hate some Cnetz / or International viewers have on her, aside from the fact of spreading hate/nonsense that doesn't make sense to me. My favourite portrayal of her character is Cang Hai. I love how bold and direct she is when it comes to what she wants, and she can be a little bit shameless too haha, but I don't mind, since it just makes her character even more refreshing to see this side to her.
This pairing is definitely among my top favourite for sure, because I really love their chemistry whether its onscreen or off-screen. I love how Chu Kong(ML) is honest with XiangYun (FL) during those times, is a bit different to other xianxia ML, because in LY7T, I really love how Chu Kong(ML) is honest with Xiang Yun(FL), whereas in other Xianxia dramas the ML might hid the truth from the FL to protect her of the danger, which may lead to unnecessary misunderstanding afterwards, so that was really loveable to see a different type of ML where he's honest with the FL like that in the Xianxia verse.
I love how in each life-time, throughout the drama, you can pick out these parallels and compare it which lead to a beautiful result. I love how Chu Kong (ML) opened up to her and became attached to her as the story progresses, because I really see that as a development in his character! I especially love the backstory depicted in the drama, when their past is revealed. Their past is among my favorite focus, although it didn't end up well :( I do also love the Master and Disciple Relationship during the SL sect times, because I love the trio JL and ZH(in their mortal life), they were some nice times/memories with some funny moments as well!
I hope DYX and YCY will have another Modern Day drama in the future like DYX want; because they really do have chemistry, and I enjoy watching them on my end!
For drama side of things, it is really compelling, and fun to watch, because it is like you are going through a journey with the characters, where there are hints that lead to a piece of puzzle that you can put together to form the answer to the story, and it is intriguing enough for us to want to guess what's going to happen next. It may start off a bit slow for some people at the beginning, especially during the 2nd mortal tribulation, but take it from someone (me) who is not into Mortal Tribulation in Xianxia dramas, for me LY7T did it in a way that is not boring, and I enjoyed it on my end! At times it really doesn't feel like they are doing a Mortal Tribulation, but it feels like they are just taking a trip to the Mortal realm.
For ending side of things, it's a Happy Ending. Sure it is not the satisfying kind of happy ending, but it is without a doubt that CK came back, and the fact that he was emotional in that scene hint(revealed) that he does remember her. I love the way he wiped her tears on his end!!!
I somehow like that they take this as a form of Mortal Tribulation where XY enter into the mortal gate (like how they normally do the mortal tribulation, because this way I can actually take it that after that 7th "Mortal tribulation" is done, CK can regain his immortality and they both can return to heavens and I like that the other characters were revealing that it is possible for CK to return to heavens one day.
The first hint was CK celestial star that XY saw that flew by the sky showing CK has returned and she went to find him again, although that took a lot of detour with the other side character scenes... I actually fast forward some of them especially the red thread master, immortal sun and XM Scenes...
Overall I was happy with the ending, since it did put a smile to my face when I saw CK again. Do I want more than what I was given? Yes!!! but it is without a doubt CK has returned and he have his memories on his end, I just wish he would have said something to her like what I heard him said in the trailer: "Regardless of now, or 30,000 years ago. I'm destined to find you" (so I hate IQIYI for deleting that) but with the way they look at each other, it really said it all. I strongly believe that after that scene CK will be able to regain his immortal status and be the God of War again. Who knows maybe he will takeover and the heavenly emperor since XM did said that he is temporarily taking that role as Heavenly emperor on his end and he's looking forward to one day XY can return with CK on his end.
It was a nice open ending for Jin Luo and ZH(reincarnated) though.
But overall, I just want to say, that this drama is definitely recommended, because it is really good! If you don't watch it, you will surely miss out on this drama! I have read a little bit of the novel on my end, but in terms of characterization and the deep complexities of the story/plot, I prefer the drama better.
Music in this drama is excellent!! I love a few actually!! My favourite, I will have to say is the Opening theme: 唯爱 (Only Love) - Faye詹雯婷, but I also really love the other OST's in this drama as well, such as: 哀情记 (Grief Record) - A Lin and 破空 (Break Through) - 李常超 (Li Changchao). I also love the bgm(midi) that was played in the drama during those specific times (but don't know the name of that song, if I know I will definitely download it and listen to it on my end).
P.S: thank you LY7T, you officially made my journey enjoyable and I therefore have put you on my top 5 rankings:
Top 5 favourite Xianxia Chinese Drama
1. Back from the Brink (Hu Xin)
2. Love you Seven times
3. Ancient Love Poetry
4. Love and Redemption
5. Ten Miles Peach Blossom (3L3W)
Was this review helpful to you?
Er Miao ❤❤
I am not sure how I feel about the drama ….there were times when I felt things could be done logically but the writers chose not to and at times I felt like I was enjoying too much to the point that everything could be ignored ….military medical combo has always been something I really look forward to and this drama kept me invested ….Do I recommend you to watch it ….if you are looking for a military medical setup or if you have a soft spot for the leads you can give it a try ….but then for a 40 ep thing I really won’t say much cuz it’s a huge number …!!
Now moving to things I liked and disliked …..
Could have been shorter ….I always feel like long dramas have too much of not so necessary stuff …..
The show lacks logic at times, sometimes the FL outshines experienced doctors (I don’t mean to say that it isn’t possible but you know….. ) and at times she behaves too irrationally ….like I seriously wanted to tell her- go find the brain you were using a min ago ….
ML was most of the time likeable ….and no major issues with his character
Mi gu the most stupid character I have ever come across recently…. She was so damn annoying that I had to kick her out of my screen in order to keep my sanity ...( I entirely ignored her existence even then she managed to annoy me ....)
The cat Er Miao, officially my fav pet ......until I find someone I love more than her …. Too bad she did not get much screen time in the later half ….
The side stories of FL’s teacher ( sorry I am bad at remembering names ) and ML’s cousin were some of the things done right ….!! I enjoyed both the stories
The show started off well for me, the first few eps were really engaging….I liked the cohabitation part and some pinch of hate to love along with it, was really enjoyable ....
The ending, quite predictable ….no surprise element as such ….in fact I felt like some things were forced to fit and did not make too much sense ….(talking about zhao ran thing…..)
To sum up ….first half was really enjoyable and the second half could have been way better …..I would say that you should try it if you enjoy the genre …it might feel a bit draggy in the middle but I think if you can bear till the end ...it’s a decent watch !!
Was this review helpful to you?
1Exquisite Costumes, Mouth-Watering Culinary, Cat Fights from Royal Harem to Royal Kitchen
Royal Feast is a story of Zhu Zhanji (Xu Kai), the Ming Dynasty Emperor Xuande (reigned 1425 to 1435) and his fictionalized romance with the woman he loves, who later becomes his empress, Empress Xiaogongzhang (Wu Jinyan) of the Sun clan, and (not shown in this drama) bares him his successor, Zhu Qizhen (Emperor Yingzong). Apart from the very authentic looking exquisite costumes of Ming Dynasty and mouth-watering culinary, the whole script is poor with very little substance and it is frustrating to watch. In fact while watching the emperors and their harem enjoy laboriously prepared culinary to fill their stomachs, I'm filled with a stomach full of “qi” (anger).More than 50% of the time is spent on food - cuisine preparation and presentation, food tasting, picky mouths, food wasting etc. Granted. The title of the drama is also named Royal Feast, so food is to be expected. But I've never expected to watch a drama that focuses so much on deliciously looking cuisines with tons of boring cat fights from the royal harem to the kitchen. Each episode, especially for the first 30 episodes, gives me a full stomach of fire. (I know I keep referring to my own stomach, well, you get what I mean.)
Here we have a prince who is groomed to be an emperor (Xu Kai) since he was born because his grandfather, the Emperor, favors him. He is powerful, and yet what he says doesn’t match with what he wants, especially when dealing with his relationship, be it with the woman he loves or with his friend and subordinates, and this has created a lot of misunderstandings that make him brood. Then we have a palace chef that turns empress who plays hard-to-catch with the broody prince all the time.
The plot is a mix of real and fictional events with real and fictional historical figures. Many of the fictional events are illogical with overdone plot twists. None of the characters are impressive and likable except only, perhaps for me, the eunuch, Chen Wu (Zhu Zhi Ling) who is a very small side character (you can see how poor the overall character development is for everyone).
By episode 29, the plot thickens slightly when Zhu Zhanji becomes the Emperor, and the romance improves after episode 33 when the main couple comes closer together, and there are fewer kitchen and food preparation scenes though many bad logics still remain. The whole drama doesn't show much what Zhu Zhanji has done politically and in running the country or defending his throne from his uncles, though briefly shown he does visit the farmers in plain clothes and puts down a revolt by one of his uncles.
Xu Kai’s acting is decent here. We know he broods because he shows it on his face and in his body language. But the female lead character is quite another thing. I really don’t like Wu Jinyan’s acting here. She looks pretentious and her acting is confusing. Maybe that's how her character is being written. There are so many ironies and inconsistencies with this character. She is initially the chosen one for Zhu Zhanji as his Empress. After years of grooming, she is being replaced by another girl who is said to be very auspicious. She is bitter, so she changes her name to Yao Zijin (Wu Jinyan) and enters the palace as a royal cook (what the heck for?). As a kitchen chef, Yao Zijin is kind and cheery, and yet at the same time, secretly schemy. How can a person be still cheery when a friend she trusts attempts to kill her? Seemingly innocent, she also schemes to plot against her main competitor in the kitchen. She says she doesn’t want to be married to Zhu Zhanji and wants to stay in the kitchen to do what she loves. Then, immediately, to attract the prince’s attention, she purposely falls in front of him (roll eyes). Time and time again, those who try to murder her escape with impunity and continue to live normal lives. And in the kitchen, when the emperors hate everyone’s cooking, she’s the one who always saves the day. There are always incidence happening at the elaborate royal feasts -- assassinations, poisoning, allergies, deaths etc. Yes, you get the gist, an utterly ridiculous script and terrible plotline. Oh, have I mentioned Wang Yizhe’s acting as You Yifan, head of the Imperial Guard? His portrayal is really poor – stiff and awkward, and constantly showing a sulky face doesn’t pass as a cold and bitter man as the character is supposed to possess.
My Verdict
At the beginning, many viewers claim Royal Feast is similar to the Korean drama, Jewel In the Palace (Dae Janggeum, 2003). Far from it. A bad script and shitty plot can hardly save a drama despite its exquisite costumes, culinary arts and big-name actors. In fact I continue watching because of Xu Kai and I like the concept of “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” which is quite elaborately displayed here, explaining how each cuisine is being made and its medicinal benefits for the body. Apart from these, there is very little meat, and I’m sorry for spoiling the soup.
The drama stops short before the Empress bares Zhu Zhanji his first son, and the Emperor’s untimely death at 38, so this may have saved a lot of broken hearts. Historically, Emperor Xuande (Zhu Zhanji) had many consorts and at least 10 died with him under the Ming’s royal house tradition when he died. He also didn’t dispose of his first Empress the way it is shown in the drama, and the revolt from his uncle is a joke here.
Overall, I am neutral on this drama. My score here is all awarded to the costumes, food and official sound tracks only, and zero to the story and the script.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Only the Main couple doesn't get together? Are you serious?
Ep 16:46 minutes - July 1998.
FL: 18 at 1998. 21 at 2001.
ML: 22 at 1998. 25 at 2001.
EP 4
45:53 – FL’s mum said, ‘I met him last month.’ 2022.
EP 7
1:07 – ‘It’s from Dad.’ He is most likely in the US. The only one who travels in this drama is ML.
EP 8
2:18 – ‘Your mum couldn’t get what a 15-year-old you can understand.’
EP 14
1:59 – 10/07/2009. ML & FL talked on the news after the San Francisco match.
1:16:32 – congratulation on your wedding. Congratulating himself?
EP 16
41:21 – Got Package from Kim Eun-Su. So, ML got an idea & changed the name to Kim?
52:33 - 7 years later. 2001-2008. The year ML became a new anchor.
53:24 – Ten years? 1998-2008? Doesn’t matter.
57:01 – FL thinking of retiring after coming back from San Francisco which will be held in 2009.
At 2009, FL 29; ML 33; his bro at 26.
01:01:21 - Breaking an engagement is less complicated than getting a divorce.
1:01:31 – since it’s coming from a married person? They don’t ask about her husband at all which means only FL and ML knew that they are married.
1:09:56 – ML said, ‘she doesn’t like to ask about her personal life.’ To keep his identity.
1:28:37 - 2022-15 = 2007. (Their daughter's age is 15 too.) He was in Korea cos his senior was there. That’s why she only got 3 gold medals cos she got pregnant. They probably got married in 2006.
FL & ML are both celebrities so they gave Kim as a family name to let their daughter live a normal life.
---
Okay; there is no valid reason why Kim Min Chae doesn’t know who Baek Yi Jin so I will change that she knows Baek Yi Jin as her Dad and FL’s friends know who her husband is. Done. End of the story. (This crazy theory is for me.)
Another theory would be, that FL got divorced long ago and waiting for ML to retire as an anchor. At 2022, FL would be 42 & ML 46. They still support each other from a distance to be reunited one day. (This seems more realistic for pessimists but not for me.)
=================================================
FL & ML loved each other the most in this drama and didn’t get together while their friends did?
Doesn’t make sense to me. Go Yu Rim’s nationality is Russia but she could come back and live in South Korea and get back together with her first love! Okay.
FL & ML, they are first love to each other too but not possible for them?
Ji Seung Wan and Baek Yi Hyun even get together after 9 years with no contact! Okay, writer, you must have hated reporters cos you separate FL & ML just because of their careers. I thought a doctor's job is already terrible but you just showed me that a reporter's job is worse. He could have retired and taken other jobs. He could become MC at anything.
(FL's diary keeping a diary just cos they ended their relationship on good terms? This doesn't make sense to me.)
Why do they still love each other if they decided to let go? This will only make them suffer. Think about how their partners would feel. They got married but their partner is longing for their ex. This will only make all four of them to suffer.
Thanks for the beginning. For the mid part, I love how brave FL confessed her love but ML is just enjoying and laughing at it. Stop being pathetic ML. It's not like you can let her go wholeheartedly just for her better life. Stop pretending! For the ending, I will just end it as I like. I am out.
Realistic? My ass.
They could have achieved their goal first and met up again. FL retired after 8 years anyway.
This is my opinion. I am not trying to persuade anyone. You believe what you want. Don’t say you don’t understand enough to know that this is “realistic”. Blahblahblah.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
It's raw, it's dark, it's light, it's depressive, it's happy, it's sad - it's the full spectrum.
As usual I went into this "blind" - I did not watch trailers or read about it, I just knew it's playing in a tumult time for Thailand. Of course this is a drama and it does not represent historical accuracy, but it depicted quite accurate what the gist was. There were protests, there was political killings and there was a revolution (a bit later). Thailands military still has more power over it's goverment than any democracy should have.This series is partly hard to watch. Not because it's bad, because it's so acurate, because the acting is so good and of course because it's so sad - in a good way. The company said this is not a BL, it's a gay story - and it mostly is. They did not disappoint in their description. There is only some fluff but mostly it felt really realistic.
Tanwa (played by Mile) is a typical end of 1960ties free spirit (they would have said hippie at the time), but without a direction. Trin (played by Apo) is more or less the opposite, he knows what he wants and he knows what he stands for. This two worlds clashes and after the traumatic events where Victor (played by Peter Deriy) died, Tanwa find the courage to move on by his mothers unreleased book (given by his father he was at odds). Then we have a second couple, the colonel and the journalist - a poetic love which could not be fullfilled, because the colonel decided to protect his love and sacrifices himself for it. I have read comments that say Dhevi is the villain, but of course she is not. The colonel used her (and her family) to advance his career and he had to pay the price for his decision. This also saved the live of his love the journalist. Is it nice? Of course not, but such were and are (sometimes) the realities we live in. It was quid quo pro - he gained social status which made him go through the ranks of the military into a powerful position and she gained just the man she loved even knowing he has no feelings for her. And in contrast to most BLs: She got not furious and made no scene. It's just realistic.
All the cast were really amazing. When you know that Tencent in the form of WeTV financed this project it's absolutly stunning that they did all that what they can't do in China with such a controversial story. Of course this is a hurtful story, this is not the typical BL fluff you may expect. This is raw, brutal, repulsive, sad but also poetic, happy and beautiful.
For me this is a 10, because besides the realistic approach, a good story and the production quality, it's the right step for Thai's entertainment industry to not just cater to the fangirls. The story is the star of this show and not just some fan-favorite actors. So, if you have not seen it, it's a must watch for me!
Was this review helpful to you?
Witty, Humorous, Philosophical, Fluffy Romance
For me, dining together with loved ones at home is my most enjoyable time of the day. This drama, Dine with Love, conveys the message that I most value. Home cooked meals need not be elaborate; a simple dish such as a tomato omelet, is suffice to whet appetite and satiate hungry stomachs. This drama emphasizes on the importance of sharing time as a family. What is better than sharing a meal?Chinese people like to ask each other casually when they meet, “Have you eaten?” That’s because meals are so important, particularly in the Chinese culture. Sharing a meal, one can discover the background of new friends, and have better understanding of the people around us. Like music and visual arts, culinary art is a means of communication of love and happiness.
With only 16 episodes, this drama is easy to watch. The plot is straight forward: girl meets nasty boss and falls in love with him. Nasty boss gets attracted to girl because of her talents and wisdom. Both characters have flaws and they grow together to become better persons.
Yu Hao (Gao Hanyu) is an entrepreneur and a slave driver. He is a workaholic and to him, every minute is precious, and he would not waste time doing unproductive things including cooking a meal, so he thinks. He is aloof, unfriendly and fires anyone outright who doesn’t meet up to his standard. Everyone is frightened of him and calls him a demon head. Comes Su Kelan (Jade Cheng) who is one of the workers in public relation. She uses her wit and plays along with Yu Hao’s logic and feeds him his own poison. After spending some time with him, Su Kelan realizes Yu Hao is actually a very sweet and kind person; just that he doesn’t know how to communicate without hurting people. She falls in love with him. And with Su Kelan, Yu Hao is amazed by her wisdom and talents and soon falls for her too.
This is a great story writing. The author explains how one can convey a different concept to someone who normally doesn’t see or accept the view because no one has ever convinced him/her. Time and time again, the author uses the analogy of a bitter gourd, which can be so bitter that not many people appreciate its value. However, with imagination, a good cook can turn the bitter gourds into various delicious and nutritious dishes. I love how Su Kelan gently nudges Yu Hao along and uses his logic in a different scenario to help him see the picture. The interaction is hilarious and adorable, and Yu Hao is sold every time; the bitter gourd in him slowly becomes less bitter and more tasty.
The first time I watched Gao Hanyu was in Love is Sweet. I found him more charismatic than the main lead, Luo Yunxi (sorry fans), in that drama. Gao Hanyu has a face that makes him look cold, serious and mean, fitting the Yu Hao character perfectly. Therefore, having such a face, it is difficult for viewers to associate him with blunders, and when it (blunder) happens, it makes him so adorable as he stumbles time and time again. Gao Hanyu’s acting is amazing and very believable. I cannot have enough of him on screen. Jade Cheng is soft and beautiful, and her acting is convincing as the gentle Su Kelan. She has incredible CP chemistry with Gao Hanyu.
There are two gorgeous side couples. One pair tries to get Su Kelan and Yu Hao together, and the other pair tries to split them up as they each has love interest with our main couple. The outcome is hilarious.
My Verdict
Watching this drama is like seeping a cup of hot afternoon tea, soothing and enjoyable. The story hits a note with me because it shares a very simple principle - life philosophy through food. What seemingly a very simple dish such as the tomato omelet, is also a dish that can help the dinners bring back memories of home and warmth. There is no one right way in making the omelet, but each recipe brings back the memories of belonging as taste is the unforgettable memory. Mealtime can help reconcile relationships, putting down the past and bringing forth the future. It is the most important time of the day when family members and friends get together after a whole day of work and school, and enjoy their food.
Apart from the food philosophy, this drama also tries to convey the message of different point of views. When a value seems insignificant to one person, it can be of utmost important to another, and vice versa. Yu Hao feels it is important for him to be successful in his business so that he can take care of his family. He finds it hard to understand why Su Kelan thinks differently. He finally realizes why his father had worked so hard and neglected him and his mother when he was little, and the tragedy. He doesn’t want to make the same mistake as his father did. Su Kelan thinks she has to be perfect and to shoulder all the burdens. She learns that shouldering all the burdens herself is not what people want of her; people want to share her burden and it’s fine if she’s not perfect.
Rewatch? Absolutely! There's a lot of simple recipes for ordinary home cooked meals. This time round (rewatching), I would note down all the recipes and their simple steps, together with the philosophy behind each dish. I want to be able to use the author’s words to explain to my family so that they would appreciate the food on the table.
A reword of Hippocrates’s words: "Let food be thy happy memories and happy memories be thy food"
A great watch! Don’t miss it!
Spoiler: For romance buff, the main couple does separate for about 2 years before they come back together again.
Was this review helpful to you?
