Contemporary Love Poetry
More than a thousand years and two lifetimes later, our star crossed lovers finally reunite, this time under happier circumstances in modern day China. Or is it really? Without spoiling the fun and suspense, here’s a spoiler-free look at what all the hype is about and whether it’s worth your time to check out…The Narrative
Forever and Ever is the official sequel to One and Only, having premiered two weeks after the latter had ended its airing in late August. The lead actors and characters remain the same, namely Ren Jia Lun and Bai Lu reprising their roles of Zhousheng Chen and Shi Yi respectively. Since their epic love story concluded during the Northern and Southern Dynasty era, their second incarnation sees them assuming completely different personas. Zhousheng Chen has become a renowned chemistry professor and scion of a prominent industrialist family while Shi Yi (minus the surname) is now a celebrated voice actress.
This drama primarily features their love story, in a contemporary setting, as well as the trials and tribulations that they both have to overcome before finally achieving their happily ever after ending. The challenges that they face come in the form of Zhousheng Chen’s own family.
The Production Details
Although it is the sequel, Forever and Ever actually completed filming before One and Only. Based on the second (and main) part of the novel, One Life, One Incarnation – Beautiful Bones" (一生一世美人骨) by novelist and screenwriter Mo Bao Fei Bao (墨宝非宝), who additionally served as the screenwriter. The young director Shen Yang, who was not involved in the prequel, helmed the production. Tan Xuan remains as the music director for both dramas.
Principal photography this time took place in Shanghai, Zhenjiang, the county of Wuzhen and the historic city of Xi’an. This drama is notable for being the 7th and final entry to iQiyi’s Sweet On theatre for 2021 that focuses on premium short format series and romance-centric content. Unlike One and Only, Forever and Ever’s main characters are dubbed by the actors themselves.
What I Loved
This drama shares the same excellent production quality and technical execution as O&O. Aside from the slightly warmer colour palette and softer filters applied, all other aspects remain top-tier. The editing is one of the best you’ll ever see in a C-drama production. Likewise the original score composed by Tan Xuan that complements the various atmospherics of the scenes as well as the exquisite cinematography. Needless to say, the production designs appear as immaculate as the classical structures of the filming locales selected. This is very much apparent at the Zhou family estate in Zhenjiang, the couple’s traditional mansion and the surroundings of the Wuzhen canals.
The performance of the cast is compelling. I’ve already waxed lyrical about Ren Jia Lun and Bai Lu in my review of O&O so without replicating similar superlatives, I’m pleased that their delivery meets my expectations. There are a number of new characters in the story that caught the eye. Ci Sha as the charismatic Mei Xing in his first ever production. Similar to the monk in O&O, he represents the swoon-worthy wingman in the modern setting with his suave and charming characterization. My personal favourite supporting character this time around is Zhou Wen Xing, played by Wang Rui Xin who is another relative newcomer to the industry. She has one of the more significant and emotional character arcs in the story which she portrays with absolute purity and believability.
I love the music for the production, perhaps even more so than O&O due to the outstanding accompaniment of the BGM score in scene transitions as well as the poignant ending and couple theme, Continue Writing by Shan Yichun. Bai Lu provides a rendition of Heartbeat, her character theme while the same opening theme of O&O is used for the title sequence, the hauntingly enthralling instrumental version of Unworried (Wuyu).
Continue Writing 续写 by Shan Yichun 单依纯
Give to You 给你给我 by Buyi Mao 毛不易
Heartbeat 心动 by Bai Lu 白鹿
Freeze Frame 定格 by Yan Renzhong 颜人中
Unworried 无虞 by Mimi Lee 李紫婷, Jing Long 井胧
What I Thought Was Lacking
First, a disclaimer - I haven’t read the literary source so this is purely my thoughts on the drama production and not on the novel itself.
The plot lacked depth or perhaps its essence was not fleshed out by the adaptation. At around the halfway point of the drama, I began to accept that although supposedly based on the main portion of the source content, this sequel actually plays out like a tribute to O&O by virtue of the extended storyline of the main couple. In other words, F&E feels more like a combination of overlong MV scenes, aesthetic travelogue and live-action vignettes that are interwoven into a cinematic and surreal tapestry of vivid dreamy moments. Each frame is gorgeous to look at but you don’t really comprehend the significance of what is happening.
The storytelling leaves much to be desired. Just as it was in O&O, F&E is character driven by the powerful performances of Ren Jia Lun and Bai Lu. However, the premise and plot of O&O were clearly defined to tell viewers what are at stake and for whom. In F&E, aside from a few major characters, there seem to be many other characters just passing through without adding any seemingly tangible value to the plot. The Zhousheng family tree itself is confusing enough with its cousins and second cousins, marriage and remarriage, half-siblings, servants who share the same surname, the so-called elders who appear intermittently to discuss “family affairs” (I’m still not exactly sure what they’re manufacturing or trading, to be perfectly honest). The rather underdeveloped and, at times, perplexing toxic sibling-rivalry that culminates in a bitter contest for control over the family’s business. All these events transpire amidst Peking opera performances in the background and the daily family breakfast at the Zhenjiang family estate that resembles a tour group buffet meal for tourists at a zen retreat.
Controversy in the Adaptation
Debates were raging in the drama page revolving around criticisms of the adaptation and also Ren Jia Lun’s “no-kiss/ intimacy” policy that purportedly resulted in the screenplay being changed to accommodate this policy thus adversely altering the core characterization of the ML, Zhousheng Chen.
Personally I’m perfectly fine with the leads not having enough or any explicit intimate scenes. The romance has to feel right and realistically sync with the conviction of the chemistry, regardless of how often they share deep kisses between them in bed and in public, or not at all. Ren Jia Lun and Bai Lu are adept at selling their romance at an emotional and spiritual level that transcends physical boundaries, which they both did so well in O&O.
Regarding the novel’s iteration of Zhousheng Chen, who is supposedly different in terms of personality and his interactions with Shi Yi, I can’t comment on which one is better since I’m only aware of the drama version. But, I have enjoyed Ren Jia Lun’s interpretation of the role. It’s eccentric and a little quirky, for sure. But I thought it fits his persona of an inexperienced and erudite researcher who eventually undergoes a tremendous growth in his evolution as a man and his affectionate love and respect for Shi Yi.
Final Thoughts
Should one watch O&O before watching this? Not necessarily and even the references from the prequel are extremely vague. However, you would most definitely appreciate F&E much more if you start the journey from O&O, which I did. Forever and Ever is a kind of homage and fan service to One and Only that alleviates the tragic suffering and fulfills its promise of giving viewers the happily-ever-after closure that Zhousheng Chen and Shi Yi truly deserves. Enjoying the sweet romantic moments and not losing brain cells over the overarching plot that develops in the background would be my advice going into this one.
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Eww! What is this?
This will be a short one.You don't have to watch this drama, I mean it's always wise not to waste time. Not bcs it's not even slightly average, it's one of the worst that's ever been produced. I am describing the reasons throughout (without spoilers ofc), though only those who have watched will be able relate. But for several reasons, if you haven't started, drop this off, for it's not even worth.
Produced by IWill Media and created by Studio Dragon, "A Superior Day (우월한 하루) [2022]" is an OCN original drama (though it didn't feel like one at all). Written by Lee Ji Hyun and directed by Jo Nam Hyung, the show is a live-action adaptation of the popular webtoon of the same title, authored by Team Getname that include Kim Carnby (Sweet Home) and Aurani (Meloholic).
The story follows Lee Ho Chul (Jin Goo), a responsible fire fighter, who lives with his small family of wife and a daughter. One day his daughter gets kidnapped and soon follows the order from a stranger who wants Ho Chul to investigate and find out out the culprit of a serial killer. The chase leads him to unforeseen situations where he finds himself and his family entangled between the stranger and the culprit.
Detective Choi Jung Hye (Im Hwa Young) plays Ho Chul's wife while Lee Soo A (Cho Yu Ha) is their daughter. Ha Do Kwon plays Bae Tae Jin, an ex-convict whereas Kwon Shi Woo (Lee Wo Keun) is the family's next door neighbour. Some other familiar faces in the show are: Park Min Jung, Song Young Kyu, Na Chul and Lee Seo Joon.
I don't wanna talk about the plot development, for its of no use, but let me bcs everybody needs to know. This could have been a decent chase thriller but the plotline given, however, the screenplay writing was choppy and not up to scratch. It's so bad I can't even cite it as an average show. The introduction didn't create any firm impression but by the end of the 2nd episode, I was looking forward, but then, came the 3rd episode. It suddenly became off, which I took, as momentary inconsistency. However, it never improved further. The kidnapping and taking hostage stuff was so funny lmao, it felt like two table tennis players were tossing the ball against their opponents (I will start crying). It gets extremely frustrating by the 5th episode and then everything just feels duh. I finished it just for the sake of having a closure, ngl, I can't leave anything unfinished, even so I have to watch them at 3x. For this, I watched the 2nd half (5th-8th) at 2x and finished them in one go.
I have always emphasized that it's not always an easy task to turn a book/webtoon into live-action adaptation and it's been many debutants doing an amazing job has been evidenced. However, Kim Ji Hyun jakkanim failed to do so, quite miserably. There are more than dozen of flaws which are unarguably too many for a 8 episode show. The responses to the drama should be a lesson to them for bettering themselves.
Director Jo Nam Hyung PDnim, as well, needs to work more on his skills. The direction was shoddy and substandard for most of the parts. There seemed no space for improvement, nor the efforts to fix what was already been ruined in the initial demo.
What I liked...
There is not a single that that's likeable, so this is it.
What I didn't like...
# The biggest turn off about the show is it's plot development. What didn't feel any impressive in the pilot episode, does pick up interest in the next, but again, it immediately goes downhill midway through the ep 3, and there is no going back; it keeps getting worse worse with each further episode.
# A firefighter, a serial killer, a contract killer, police investigation, full-time chase: all these that might excite you, are elements often seen Kdramas, nevertheless, proper utilisation is what matters, which the show could not do at all.
# The reasoning and the deals made on it were laughable and stupid. The number of times people change their sides makes it nothing less than a dumpping bin.
# There is very little context to the story, telling which, the show should have been a decent 2 hours movie, provided how it turned crap just after 2 episodes. All that they do for the rest of the show is unasked exaggeration and uncontrollable dragging of the tiny plotline.
# The latter half is miserable as a story; the number of times they repeat 2 or 3 events indeed frustrates the viewers and the show ultimately feels useless.
# The acting was bad per se. Obviously, there are actors who are hugely talented, but what nourishes and shapes the acting they do for a particular character, is the direction and the understanding for the roled they are gonna play. I feel it's hugely the direction and editing that reflects in the under-standard acting of the actors. Jingoo has disappointed, and so has Lee Woo Keun (he couldn't play a proper...... not spoiling).
# The police investigation was as useless as a ruptured protection. I mean why make it a part of the show when there was zero significance. I admit, not all show has to have extensive investigation and stuffs but the cops over here were committing absurd deeds and have been portrayed as completely incapable. The team leader, the chief detective & the partner and the new detective aka Jung Hye who was expected to play a major role as thd ML's wife, all of them had zero contribution to the show.
# Why would they indicate another season at the end of the finale? I guess the webtoon has more but provided that this one is awful, another season should be avoided at any cost.
# Lastly, this doesn't even qualify as a chase thriller. I would rather sit at one place than running around idly, like the ML does here.
Final Remarks... Overally, A Superior Day is one of the worst Korean shows ever made with not a single factor to look forward to. So don't watch. Okay bye.
P. S. Was so frustrated after finishing, ended up writing it in 10 mins -_-
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This review may contain spoilers
Love, Betrayal, and Kingdoms. A Historical BL That Will Leave You Breathless
I’m absolutely hooked! 😍 The chemistry between the two male leads is electrifying........seriously, the way they look at each other, the way they hold hands in such a sexual manner? The tension in every single glance? It’s pure chef’s kiss 😘🔥 And those kisses… wow. There were so many, especially for a C-BL. Honestly, I was not expecting that, but it was great!=====PLOT/CHARACTERS/SHU HE AND DU ZI ANG======
The series centers on the battle between two kingdoms, the South and the North, as both plot and scheme to gain the upper hand in an increasingly tangled conflict.
We have Xiao Shu He, the 6th prince. He’s clever, considerate, kind, and charming. He reconnects with a childhood friend, Duan Ziang, who saved his life not once but twice (the second time was intentional to get close to him so he could find a way to assassinate the crown prince, since the first attempt had failed). They’re both ''somewhat'' scheming, but in completely different ways. One is sharp, intelligent, and perceptive—always staying one step ahead—while the other is driven by a thirst for revenge and hatred. The tension between their motives makes their dynamic all the more compelling. But fate is cruel. Despite their growing connection, neither can truly be happy—duty to their respective kingdoms always stands in the way. Yet in a shocking turn at the end of episode 8, Duan Ziang kills the South’s Crown Prince… to protect Shu He, fracturing their relationship.
You know, I kind of feel bad for Xiao Shu He. He just wanted to be a wanderer, free to do whatever he wanted: play music, write poetry, and create art. Meanwhile, Duan Ziang wanted nothing more than to be by his side through it all, even if it meant defying orders and refusing to kill.
Five years have passed, Du Ziang is now the emperor, having waged war across all the kingdoms, securing power, only to be with Xiao Shu He. This is truly a "kill to love" story. Du Ziang, in his relentless pursuit of love, has done whatever it takes: killing enemies, betraying his own blood, and destroying anyone or anything that could threaten the memories and moments he cherishes with Shu He. Du Ziang is ruthless and consumed by his desire to have Shu He; driven by love, he rules with an iron fist, while Shu He governs with a gentler hand. It’s no surprise that the South’s kingdom crumbled under the weight of the North’s invasion, and Du Zi Ang captured Shuhe as his war prisoner/male pet.
Du Ziang remembers every intricate detail of the 6th manor, every corner that once held fleeting moments of peace and love between them- so much so that he rebuilt it. His devotion to Shu He is absolute. What began as a close friendship blossomed into love, but eventually, it all fell apart, which led to a painful emotional fallout. While Du Ziang’s love for Shu He remains unwavering, Shu He cannot forgive the betrayal of trust and the murder of his brother, the Crown Prince. Now, as rulers of opposing kingdoms, their relationship is torn apart by loyalty, duty, and the deep scars of their past actions.
Both men, trapped by their kingdoms, haunted by the choices they’ve made, and still deeply in love ❤️, must confront whether they can ever find happiness together—or if their destinies are too far gone to change. Like the red thread, a bloodied knife that cuts both their hairs, ties their souls, only to be reunited in another life. LOVED the ending.
=====OTHER CHARACTERS====
Of course, this was in the first few episodes: I’m also loving the tension and dynamics between the doctor, the crown prince, and his servant. The crown prince is envious of his brother, Xiao Shu He, and wants to kill him. I blame their father, honestly—classic favoritism. Anyway, the crown prince assigns his servant, Huo Ying, to spy on his brother. While doing so, Huo Ying meets the doctor, who genuinely cares for him. The crown prince’s thirst for power and need to prove himself backfired, leading to his downfall—ultimately resulting in his death at the hands of Duan Ziang. Not going to lie, I was deeply annoyed that he died so early. I really wanted to see the love story between Huo Ying and the crown prince develop further. But that death scene? It was so emotionally moving. The way it was handled, with all the tension and unspoken feelings, really hit hard. Even though it left me wanting more. Also, I liked that the brother of Du Ziang was always by his side when they found each other again.
=====ACTING=====
The acting starts off as average but gradually becomes more compelling. By the middle of the series, you can truly feel the hate, longing, love, tears, and heartbreak in the performances. The actors really bring these emotions to life, making you root for the characters, even when they're making morally questionable choices. Episodes 8, 9, and 10, in particular, stand out for their emotional depth.
=====PRODUCTION=====
The editing is somewhat sloppy, especially in the fight and intimate scenes, which often lack coherence/weren't done properly. One episode felt off from the start, with jarring transitions and unclear timelines; it took me a minute to even tell what was happening. That said, Episode 9 was an absolute standout. It was easily my favorite part of the series. The storytelling was on another level; everything from pacing to emotional depth felt well-executed.
The wuxia-style costumes are stunning, and the beautiful landscapes combined with impressive cinematography create a visually captivating experience.
=====FINAL THOUGHTS=====
There is so much going on in the series that this review doesn’t even begin to cover it. I was hooked the whole time—no skipping or fast-forwarding, which is rare for me! Barely any filler, which feels like a miracle in my book 📖. The pace is a bit fast (maybe because there are only 12 episodes), but I’m loving every minute. If you’re into historical BL, love kingdom battles, and crave characters who are deep, driven, and full of drama, then trust me, this one’s a must-watch.
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This review may contain spoilers
A very enjoyable drama
First of all, I have to say that i didn't watch JoL before so I'm less biased compared to some of you.This is the first time that i'm giving a review for a drama. It hooked me directly with the first episode. Many of you may not like the ML since he is not the typical beautiful chinese man. He is relatively normal compared to other actors but i think it is what makes this shows original. The ML is really talented and is doing a great job. I have laughted so much with every episode. I have been checking if they was a new episode every single day. Some may say that the ML and FL doesn't have a good chemistry but I disagree with them. I found them very cute and fun, every time their are together, I can't help myself but to have a smile on my face. For me, the first half(18 episode) is a solid 10, very funny, and a good rythm. I have watch those episode a minimum of 3 times already.
But when the the bandit arc start for real, it was still enjoyable but less than the start. It was quite long, and the absence of romantic moment between the FL and ML was a little disapointing for me. Of course, it was not entirely bad, they was some good moment such as the relationship that the ML developed with some people of the sect, the feeling that Liu Shi Gua developed for ML,... Even the death of the bodyguard was interesting for me because since the beginning, the ML can almost resolve everything perfectly but finally, a person can't control everything and sometimes ur friend will die. Some difficult choice have to be made, like the trahison the ML had to do to Liu Shi Gua...
Waiting impatiently for the 2nd season, the cliffhanger is very intriguing. Really want to know if the prince is also a memory keeper.
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This review may contain spoilers
Watched on recommendation from a friend and I noticed this had great reviews. I immediately recognised the main lead from Zhang Yimou's movie and she is a popular choice for many serious movies. She playes the "good student." Jackson Yee is someone I am unfamiliar with - although he is a new-ish actor and an idol, he has that mature aura that does not feel out of place. This is a serious movie that has been explored many times - about the gravity of bullying has on a young person's life in China, while facing these school bullies, it explores the wider society issues, of education, relentless competition between students and exams, this all or nothing state of pressure students live through. And this movie is dramatised as the young pair try to fight for themselves in a world where the adults seem to promise to help but never seem to have much power or follow through with their promises.
As tragic events worsen, they find a will to take matters into their own hands, leading the second half of the events to escalate into uncontrollable circumstances. This movie is a rollercoaster - Zhong Dong Yu plays a similar character from "Under the Hawthorn Tree" as a weak, shy, pitiful, pure character which is not a personal liking from watching Western dramas full of bad-ass strong women which we are used to seeing nowadays, however I've learnt to appreciate the quiet strength from the two leads. A plus from these two having good chemistry, and the casting was good - you really learn to hate the bullies and champion our leads. However for the negatives, I felt it was tad too heavy handed. I wished they explored more about the bullies esp the main girl, we only get a glimpse of her back story however I felt that was the most interesting part. It left it a bit too Good vs Evil.
What I also loved was the conviction these two shared and their hopefulness and naviety of teenagers making their own decisions was portrayed here - when they both made the decision to tell the same story to the police - only showed to prove how much these two have gone through and their bond that is unshattering that was physically represented by that couple Les Mis scene. These people become closer and closer until they share the same fighting spirit that unfortunately, as adults, ultimately will lose. This movie is good as it forces them to face the reality of their situation while downplaying their romantic decisions (as if actions do not have consequences), which is fitting as they transition as teens to adults.
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If you come for the romance, just be patient
The reason why I love this drama is because at the beginning, I didn't come for the romance but end up enjoying it altogether. XDI can see they put so much effort to create every scenes, although I can't justify the technical accuracy because I am not a person from airforce. Yeah.. there are still some scenes that make me question "do people really do it like that in the aircraft?"
After 15 episodes, it actually starts to change the direction into romance and drama.
But I admire the performance of natural reaction and acting from the cast. We don't see much slow mo or those type of kissing by accidents that's usually happening in drama XD. I love how they make the loveline slow burned. Those two make it quite convincing although they dont do much skinship. They just don't choose the easiest way possible to show it and that's what make us always 'wanting more'.
I like the way the main characters keep trying to solve their problems. It's not just done by miracle. Although she was a mess at the beginning and might not always has the perfect solution, CX doesnt give up easily but at the same time, let thing go quickly. I love the fact that the story doesnt push CX much to be the cure for Nan Ting's trauma, like most of other drama would do to create an unspoken fate between them. Nan Ting has figured it out and worked on the problem by himself and he likes her not because she is a replacement. They just unconditionally care for each other.
Not only the main leads, the supporting characters also show quite few development. What I like the most is everyone is always trying. It's not always about coincidence or luck or fate like any other drama would usually do. For example, the character of Yuheng who has a crush on Gu Nan Ting (male lead). This type of second lead really could make me worry that she could snatch him but at the same time admire her effort of not-giving-up-on-him. And that actually quite makes senses because the man is frrrreaking single and she knows him for a long time and also befriend with his family! Of course she would fight until the end.
I also appreciate the amount of focus on the negative attribute in every character. Well, we might see these many male leads that are stoic, handsome, cold and charismatic, but most of the time, it feels like they just exist in drama because the way they react. This time, I don't have that feeling. Gu Nan Ting's character makes me think that someone like him might exist in real life and yeah...he can be boring sometimes? But that's just him being himself.
Overall,you can see how much I end up enjoyin the slow romance part . Lol.
I love this show!
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This review may contain spoilers
Lucifier? Batman? Whatever, Ahn Bo Hyun is a star of his own.
Not every show needs to be a masterpiece. Every now and then, there are dramas like this that don’t try to be groundbreaking. They just focus on doing what they’re meant to do–entertain. Do you remember those cartoons you used to enjoy as a kid? The kind where each episode had its own little adventure, wrapped up neatly by the end? Flex X Cop feels exactly like that– simple, straightforward, but oddly satisfying. It’s the kind of show that keeps you coming back, episode after episode, just because it’s fun to watch. It was a genuinely enjoyable journey following this chaebol-turned-cop as he searched for his purpose in life, and from episode one, it had my full attention.I’ve got to start with the dynamic between the two leads, because that’s really what carries the show for me. The relationship between Jin Yi Soo (Flex Cop) and Lee Kang Hyun (Lady Cop) was surprisingly well-written and genuinely well-crafted. It just felt... natural. Nothing about their interactions came off as forced or overly scripted, which is impressive considering how cliche the overall drama can be at times. Watching them slowly get to know each other, episode by episode, felt like watching two real people grow closer, organically and without any unnecessary drama. I’m a huge fan of that slow, subtle development that blossoms over time. There’s something undeniably addictive about their back-and-forth dynamic; it’s got a kind of Tom and Jerry charm that keeps me coming back. Huge kudos to the writers for not shoving a romance subplot down our throats. Honestly, I think they work better as frenemies than lovers. Camaraderie over romance, any day.
I know this is a detective-mystery-crime-themed show, but I’d urge you not to go into it with that as your main focus. It plays out more like a series of mini-cases that gradually build toward the overarching mysteries surrounding both leads' parents. As for the crime-solving and case-related mysteries, they’re pretty basic, nothing groundbreaking, but still engaging enough to keep you watching. I wouldn’t call the cases boring, but they definitely don’t feel like the main course. The villains aren’t genius masterminds, the cases lack depth or complexity, and the twists aren’t particularly hard to predict. Honestly, it felt more like an extended version of the Mafia Game—nothing too intricate, but fun in a “just play along” kind of way. The murderer is usually right there in plain sight, so don’t overthink it and just enjoy the ride. Most of the cases will seem tailored to make JYS shine, thanks to his inherent advantages as a rich, influential online celebrity and chaebol heir as his unfair advantage. While that does feel a bit like cheating, I actually didn’t mind it. It was genuinely entertaining watching him pull it off, and more than anything, I found myself rooting for him.
I also appreciate how the show doesn’t waste time with unnecessary fluff or try too hard to be overly emotional or complex. Instead, it trusts the story to unfold naturally, revealing answers at just the right moments. The pacing and development here are honestly some of the better ones I’ve seen. It’s consistent, steady, and never drags. It’s the simple, fundamental things like this that the show really gets right. Flex X Cop maintains its momentum in a straightforward, unpretentious way, and to its credit, it actually gets better as it goes.
That said, like I mentioned from the start, this is far from a masterpiece and the flaws are pretty glaring. Even though I didn’t go into it expecting much, there were still moments so absurd they felt like outright lazy writing, making them hard to overlook. I mean, I was supposed to believe JYS could hypnotise a doctor who specialises in hypnosis? Or that he could crash a helicopter into the back of a car without injuring a single person? And then there’s the invisible drone. Seriously? Some of the events that helped solve cases left a bitter aftertaste because of how ridiculous they were. He also somehow becomes the only person capable of magically pulling clues out of thin air, despite being the rookie play-cop on the team. On top of that, any scene without the two leads together took a noticeable dip in quality for me; those parts just felt flat and uneventful. By the later episodes, even the chemistry that initially hooked me started to lose its spark, and I found myself less invested. The hype definitely fizzles out toward the end, probably because there’s just not enough substance at the core of the drama. I’m no longer rushing to watch new episodes as soon as they drop—but it’s also not bad enough for me to completely drop it either.
Amidst the influx of shows with amazing casts in recent weeks, Flex x Cop was a really pleasant surprise. It was something light that I do not feel compelled to follow tightly weekly but good enough for me to pick it back up sometime in the week for a decent time. It does have a little bit of everything you want in a drama. Would I recommend it? Not really. Will you enjoy it if you still decide to watch it? I think very likely so.
**My favourite scene in the show that lives rent-free in my head till today: Jin Yi Soo whipping out a gold crafted handcuffs because he was not allowed to carry a gun…and Kyunjin playing along with him by getting arrested…also that slap might be one of the most satisfying slaps in I have seen in K-drama...I replayed that whiplash of a slap many many times...
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The Legend of Shen Li
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1The Legend of Shen Li - a sugar hit that doesn't quite fill you up
In a Nutshell:Zhao Li Ying (ZLY) plays the titular character Shen Li, a formidable and fearless General of the Immortal realm army. Her military prowess earned her the title of Lord Bi Cang and she is revered by everyone in the immortal realm. But being still female, she is forced into a political marriage with a playboy from the Heavenly realm. She gets injured while trying to escape and falls to the mortal world as a phoenix, her spirit animal form. She ends up in a marketplace for hungry peasants and is mistakenly sold as a chicken. She is bought by a seemingly carefree and aloof man, Xing Yun, played by Li Geng Xin (LGX), who surprisingly doesn’t turn her into a tasty meal, but instead nurses her back to health. As the most powerful warrior in the immortal realm, she finds her predicament and the doting care by this mere mortal humiliating and embarrassing. However, as Shen Li starts to appreciate his kindness and the simple pleasures of earthly life, she begins to develop feelings for her mortal saviour.
The Highlights:
• I will save you time: Episodes 22 – 29 are the best, followed by episode 1 – 3. Watch the other episodes if you have nothing else productive to do.
• The best executed episodes (see above) involve the mortal realm where Shen Li and Xing Zhi have the freedom to be themselves and just enjoy each other’s company. The cinematography, lighting, costumes, use of natural landscapes, and poignant soundtrack all make their mundane tasks so beautiful and give purpose to the simple surroundings. ZLY and LGX have less dialogue but this is where their acting skills shine, as they are able to sum up Shen Li and Xing Zhi’s raw and organic relationship with each other through simple interactions and subtle facial expressions.
• Beautiful costumes and loved all the outfits Shen Li wears!
• Loved the soundtrack and songs which perfectly captured the grandeur, passion and intensity of Shen Li as the warrior phoenix (the phoenix is the King of all birds in Chinese culture). The “Battle hymn of Bi Cang” will get you fired up to do anything!
• When used judiciously, the special effects/CGI were actually pretty good. Will definitely try and rewatch some of the episodes (especially ep 23 was epic!!) on a big good quality TV screen.
• The script stays faithful to its original novel “Accompanying the Phoenix".
The Lowlights:
• 39 episodes is too long for a drama that is based on a simple and predictable Xianxia story. The result is inconsistent quality where some episodes were well done (see above), some were mediocre, and others just so boring/nonsensical that I tuned out completely.
• We all know that ZLY and LGX can act! But unfortunately, the blinding bright colour palates and ridiculous smoothing filters meant ZLY was stuck in a dead-pan expression and LGX with a permanent look of constipation for most of the immortal / heavenly realm scenes, with only a few sprinkles of brilliance when the script demanded it.
• Some episodes were purely a bombardment of CGI and special effects with not much going on in the plot or character development to warrant such sensory overload. Special effects are meant to support and create the right atmosphere for the story, not serve as a tool to mask the lack of good writing or interesting characters.
• Some of the kissing scenes were really awkward and cringey to watch. I am not sure if it was the ill-placed camera angles or terrible lighting, but one particular "hot and daring" scene (pretty sure you know which one ...) looked like an amateur video cobbled together by a horny teenager in their bedroom.
• I felt like I needed a PhD in Chinese Mythology to understand how all the 3 realms interacted and the concept of rebirth/reincarnation and all the associated mythical animals and spirits. Reading the novel helps a bit. But the lack of world building means some pre-requisite knowledge of the Xianxia genre would help to understand some plotlines. Of course, one can always choose to turn brain off and just watch the show.
• Too much use of internal monologuing. Urgh … might as well read the novel instead!
The verdict:
This drama is like eating nothing but sweets all day - you get a nice big sugar hit, but at the end of the day still feel dissatisfied and rather empty inside. 6.5/10 – watchable but nothing groundbreaking.
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Have You Ever Thought of Going Against The Flow? Have you Ever Thought of Making The World Better?
"Joy of Life" Season 2 picked up from where season 1 left off. It continued with the life of Fan Xian, and how he climbs higher as an official and gained a strong foothold in court. Fairness, Justice, Principles, those are the things I like about Fan Xian. While Fan Xian is an official with high ambitions, he's different. Why? Other officials are willing. No, Many Officials will willingly step on hundreds, even thousands of innocent lives and common people so they could climb higher, to wield more power. Fan Xian on the other hand, wants power so he can protect his family, loved ones, and innocent lives. I love his character because he's both righteous and humane. He's someone who wants to put an end to evil and corruption, and right the wrongs that has become the norms in the imperial court.Can Fan Xian achieve fairness without offending many powerful officials, and even the power hungry Imperial Princes? Or can he go against the flow, set a change, making the world a better place, with less evil without facing dangers? Of course not. But that's what makes the story more interesting. In this path Fan Xian has chosen, it's a path full of perils and dangers. A path where his enemies outweigh his allies. Many people will plot and scheme against him, some will even try to kill him, that's certain. However, Fan Xian is someone who's tactical, intelligent, and scheming, so even though his path is full of adversities, he's bound to overcome them with his intelligence. After all, though his enemies outweigh his allies, he's not without support.
To be honest, I don't know how Fan Xian was portrayed in the novel, but I would say I loved his character in the drama more. He does not only care for all human lives, he's also a faithful man. He's faithful to his feelings for Lin Wan'er. What do I love about "Joy of Life"? What I love about this "masterpiece" is not just because the ML is strong and intelligent, it's far from that. I love this drama because aside from the excellent portrayal of scheming in the imperial court (politics), all the characters acting were top notch. It also has strong character development, plus, the stunning cinematography that mustn't go unmentioned. It's wuxia genre is also a great bonus to the show.
Is this a drama that's to everyone's liking? Most definitely! Is this a drama worth the try for potential watchers who are not familiar with the plot? Of course, trying a new genre through Joy of Life will definitely make you love the genre, even if you're unfamiliar with it.
In short, "Joy of Life" Season 2 is a must watch for everyone and anyone who wants a drama with substance! As 'Joy of Life" season 2 has concluded with another cliffhanger, I hope Season 3, which will also be it's last season, the final conclusion of this wonderful drama, a drama that explores both good and evil, will be as tentative as the second and first season.
Can't wait to see how Fan Xian cleanse the imperial court in the last season, season 3, which their aren't much information about. But I'm hopeful it won't keep us waiting for too long.
Note; I have edited my review upon rewatching this drama, so for people who have read my review before, this is a new review that I wrote after rewatching this drama. After much thinking, I think this one suits this drama better.
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This review may contain spoilers
It was good? but mostly just annoying.
Just gonna do pros and cons so that I don't ramble TOO much.PROS:
+Yo Han
+Yo Han's mansion
+Yo Han's right hand man ("K")
+acting was top tier from the whole cast
+40% of Sun Ah's outfits
+Sun Ah shooting Heo Jung Se ( a.k.a K-Trump)
+the chemistry between Yo Han and Ga On
+the actress for Sun Ah played tf out her role
+the plot twist about the fire
+the shows general concept and the way they showed how interwoven the corruption was
CONS:
+ Ga On's naivety
+ Ga On being a self-righteous idiot until the very end
+ Soo Hyun being the WORST detective I've seen in a K-drama (not aware of her surroundings AT ALL, never calls for back up EVEN WHEN SHE BROUGHT A CHILD INTO A SITUATION WHERE A WHOLE GANG WAS BEATING PEOPLE UP......WITH PIPES, very biased towards one suspect even when given clues about others, indifferent to all the corrupt people in power because all her focus is on Yo Han)
+ SUN AH (every time I saw her face, it irked me; like, physical repulsion)
+ writers trying to give Sun Ah an incomplete redemption arc (it wasn't set up well)
+ people not having a brain of their own unless it's to blame Yo Han
+ GA OOOOOOON
+ the Ga On x Soo Hyun romance(very cliché and like ZERO chemistry)
+ again Soo Hyun being an idiot( how she gon' blame her tampering with a crime scene on Ga On? it was unnecessary for her to do it anyways??? they told you it was a suicide? you are also in control of your own actions?)
+how writers portray main female leads in a way that makes them extremely disliked by a lot of the audience; in this case, it would be Soo Hyun.
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Cotton Candy Sweet Without Any Substance or Intrigue
There was zero drama or conflict in this fluff fluff drama which inadvertently made it tremendous boring. The characters were not complex or interesting at all. They were all two dimensional. The ML was a goody with all the skills in the world and no sense of tiredness. The FL was the same type we all always get but without any tragic background. All the other side characters weren't interesting to pay attention too. The chemistry between the leads was very flat. Jian Ci was giving his all to be a green flag boyfriend but even then, it was just boring.It was also incredibly stupid to give so much attributes to one character (the ML) such as Doctor, Chef, Voice Actor, Singer. IDK what else. He is probably a magician or magical beings as well considering he never gets tired. Meanwhile the FL has only two things going for her composing singer and plays instruments. Most of the time, she is just awestruck by him. There weren't any real relationship conversations or discussions. It was all blank stares and pretending to have chemistry.
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From the first minute of this drama, I was hooked. Phenomenal cinematography alongside amazing actors -- I cannot recommend this drama enough.
STORY;
When it comes to crime and political dramas, I have seriously high expectations, but this drama met them instantly. Hell, it even surpassed them,
It is very different from the usual cliche dramas and does not sugar coat anything. If you want a plot line that will question your morals and have you seriously perplexed with what to think and lookout for (no pun intended); watch this.
Because it is crime and politics, you would think there would be cliche twists and over-used action *cough* The K2 *cough* BUT it is all seamless, well shot and written, with a highly intense story line with really well developed characters who have depth.
I also do not like dramas that shove the romance between the leads down our throats, basically, almost all kdramas, and hence, do not like general romance between characters. BUT because of the characters' well written backgrounds and development, I AM BEGGING FOR SOME ROMANCE TO OCCUR BETWEEN THE LEADS.
But due to the mind blowing twists, you have to inevitably accept the tension and lack of romance between the leads (but still hope for some romance)
This drama has changed my views and thus heightened my expectations for kdramas even more.
CAST;
I honestly was hesitant to watch this when I saw that Key from SHINee was in this, but oh man, he is good.
I am damn impressed with Kim Young Kwang, not to mention his height and demeanor is attractive as fuck. I always look for main leads that are psychologically complex and use their mind to play tricks, and Kim Young Kwang's character is emotionally complex, well executed and hot as fuck. He certainly plays the character well, as well as the character himself (Jang Do Han) is written for him perfectly. He has oozing charisma and makes you think why the hell is he being slept on.
I have a strong dislike for weak female leads which is no wonder that I do not like 90% of kdrama female leads, but the one in this drama is strong willed, determinate, independent and can sure as hell beat up someone. Lee Si Young is the perfect actress for this role.
MUSIC;
The first two are R&B and have a very unique vibe to them, very different from the typical ballads in other dramas that are overplayed at the wrong scenes.
OVERALL;
Watch this drama. Watch it.
I guarantee you that you will be hooked.
From complex characters, intricate questions regarding morale, intense and not over-used action to amazing acting and suitable OSTs and background music; this drama is the whole package.
UPDATE; after completing this drama, my heart's been broken.
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Another electrifying on-screen chemistry is heating up.
This drama has quickly grown in popularity since its release, surprisingly a nodding pair to validate that even an Ahjumma and an Ahjussi can sweep viewers off their feet in their heartwarming workplace love story. At this rate, I respect the person behind the casting for being able to find suitable actors that would capture all the yearning and longing in an unconventional romance genre like this.The story breaks the traditional norms in the office romance where a male boss and female secretary are forming a love adventure. This time it’s an intriguing story about a highly competent male secretary and an alpha female boss in the world of headhunting. They had an ill first meeting experience of each other when entangled in a competition to retain and recruit the same candidate and they both lose at the end. The aftermath of the situation backfired on the position of Lee Jun-hyuk, getting him unfairly dismissed by his company. Through a common friend, he is then recommended to be the Assistant of Han Ji-min who is known for being difficult to work with as someone with strong leadership but is faulty and uncoordinated with things around her. She’s been giving him unwelcoming attitudes but LJH is slowly warming her up.
I am a longtime fan of HJM’s career and can’t complain about her performances as she was acknowledged a few times in the award-giving bodies. Meanwhile, LJH wasn’t spared from the eyes as well of the performing arts experts with his collection of awards and could have a potential follow-up recognition through this drama. This is his first ever starring ML role in a romantic kind and it is such a delight to see it happening and seeing him on screen with outpouring charms. He is the perfect gentleman here and is well-molded in his characterization and incredible styling. I cannot stop thinking about how these two will continue to navigate each other’s lives and make us all feel that irregular love heartbeat with them.
I could tell this drama will be on the list of iconic romantic dramas that have won the hearts of many. While this genre easily resonates with global audiences, television productions are always being challenged to create a unique story that would set it apart from other romances like this one. It has relatable conflicts, a satisfying arc development of characters giving us a perfect romantic tension, and the praise-worthy visual executions that deepens our connection to the pair's emotional play of love. So jump on the bandwagon and have a good time watching.
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Legends of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants
31 people found this review helpful
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