Reviews

So, I actually never watched a drama with Victoria as a lead before and from reviews I read, I went into this ready to drop it. However, I was pleasantly surprised. I wouldn't say she's an amazing actress, but I also wouldn't say that she made the show unwatchable. I enjoyed what she had to show and that's that. Also, to those who care, I'm not the type that cares for age-gaps in relationship and find shows that tackle these issues all the more interesting.

***SPOILERS***

The show itself brings us into the world of family and community in an Asian culture where social perception is held highly by families. One thing I AM glad they showed was the objection of the brother's age-gap relationship too. Not that I approve of EITHER relationships being shamed, but at least they weren't gender-biased about it.

The beginning of the show highlights the brief relationship between YS and HFX where we can CLEARLY see the conflicts that arise from her lack of dating expertise or lack of perspective from the other side (the man's) and his aggressive and youthful passionate approach to love. While she tries to hide their relationship and fears from the social implications of such a wide age-gap, he trudges onwards and tries his best to go about this 'hidden' relationship.

Let's be real, I totally understand why HFX is conflicted. If I were to bring home a man 10 years younger than me, I'm sure my family would also question me about it. It isn't in the realm of 'normal' and I think that's something that the show is hinting at. Normal for HFX would be to end up YLM, but there was no love - it was just compatibility in the sense of age, career, family, and such, but there were no feelings of love involved which made it hard for their relationship to bloom. We all wish we could make love blossom from nothing, but that's not how it works. With that said though, her character still really annoyed me, especially returning of the necklace. That just isn't something you do....to ANYONE. If someone bought you a gift that you believe was well above their means, talk about it. Don't just return it. I'm just glad she realized and bought it back (and owed YLM another favor *eye roll*)

YLM isn't all bad, but he is a bit creepy. He's TOO into this plan and stalking his love interest to the point that it's freaky. Also, the writers needed to lay off the 'coincidences' of him seeing HFX and YS together when he's out on his own. I understand that he just wants to find love and that's great, but it's also interesting that he went from the guy that was all about 'his destiny' or something to trying to plan out how to get the girl.

YS was immature, but I felt rightly so. As an almost new college graduate, he's a passionate young man that wanted to pursue his love interest and taken seriously. He may have come on stronger than necessary or made decisions impulsively, but like I said, he hasn't even graduated from college yet.

I actually enjoyed the main couples interactions MUCH more after they broke up, and they were 'friends'. Not because they were broken up, but because I felt like it was less restrained. Since there was no longer the labels of girlfriend and boyfriend involved, they bickered more, had less tense-filled conversations and all of that to me felt more organic. When they were dating it felt too much like they were trying to please each other and don't get me wrong, that's great, but they also needed to know each other more and be open about who they are.

Enjoyed the side characters! Sad about her father :( He's so loving towards his children and it broke my heart when he went missing, and He Canyang cried coming home.

Also, HCY and Minmin's relationship is adorable. I found that their relationship is very balanced where they both learn from each other. Minmin is a VERY open, forward, and sensible woman and HCY though immature, has the years of experience and can see her bright and wonderful personality. The scene where he tells her that a relationship isn't where one holds the power over the other is great to see, especially in a relationship where they have a 12-year age gap. He yields to her and learns from her while also teaches her and corrects her mindset. Honestly, even if they don't stay together, I feel like they would both have a lot to gain from the other in their loving relationship.

Love the female trio storyline as well. Honestly, this drama is so PACKED with storylines and such that my review is also all over the place. But overall, I enjoyed it for what it was and would recommend giving it a try!

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A complete mess

I rarely dislike a drama, but Dear X somehow managed to push every wrong button from beginning to end. I hated it with everything I have.

I see people calling the criticism of Ah-Jin “misogyny” because male characters in other dramas often get away with worse.

Honestly? I have no problem with a psychopath protagonist. If a character is written as evil, chaotic, and destructive, and the show clearly knows they are “bad people,” I can watch that. I can even enjoy that.

But that is not how Baek Ah-Jin is presented. She is framed as this empowered, victim turned queen going after what she wants, when in reality she is just causing destruction because she refuses to break out of her self-pity. My issue isn’t her gender, it’s the way the show wanted me to root for her despite that.

I felt bad for her for maybe two episodes. But the moment she made her boss take the fall for her dad’s murder, I was done. She hurts people who genuinely cared for her. She wants the world to suffer simply because her parents were awful. Escaping the victim mentality could have saved her life, but she chose to drag everyone down with her.

Baek Ah-Jin left a trail of victims wherever she went, but for me, Jae-Oh was the most tragic casualty. She manipulated him relentlessly, emotionally chaining him, molding him into whatever she needed, and keeping him under her control for years. In the end, he even died for her. Jae-Oh was completely shackled, and considering how difficult his life already was, her influence only dragged him further into misery.

Kim Yoo-jung is stunning and undeniably charismatic. She has that celebrity aura, and honestly this might be her best performance to date. She shines in her evil scenes but falls flat in almost everything else.

Kim Young-dae might have finally found his genre. He is too pretty to be that expressionless, but here the blankness works perfectly for his character. I think he gets too much criticism for his acting because he was paired with experienced actors like Shin Min-ah and Lee Sang-yi too early in his career. No Gain No Love was simply a mismatch. But here, surrounded by actors closer in age and experience, he manages to hold his own.

The show constantly suffers from a lack of logic. Every single character behaves exactly the way Ah-Jin predicts, as if they are puppets dancing on strings only she can pull.

The writing is another rollercoaster. Where is the consistency? Where is the character development or growth? Why does it feel like not a single writer is doing what they are supposed to do?

The saddest part is that the first two episodes were so damn interesting. Then everything went downhill so fast I got whiplash.

And don’t even get me started on the ending. Every genuinely good character met a tragic fate; even Jun-Seo, who sacrificed everything, died. Meanwhile, Ah-Jin’s character walked away without facing any real consequences for her actions, which made the ending feel narratively hollow.

Honestly, the most fitting conclusion would have been Jun-Seo and Jae-Oh choosing each other and leaving Ah-Jin behind, but of course the show denied us even that.

But I’ve got to give credit where it’s due. The penultimate episode was incredibly satisfying. Ah-Jin finally had to endure the same pain she spent the whole show inflicting on others. Watching everything she built crumble, and seeing her struggle now that she’s the one on the receiving end? She absolutely hates it, and I loved every second.

Dear X had potential, good-looking actors, and a promising setup. After episode 2, the show became a chaotic, illogical disaster held together only by an even more disastrous character. I regret watching this stupid show, but at least it gave me something to rant about.

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Playbook vs Playlist

I watched Resident Playbook first. For me its all about the acting. The main cast was a pleasant surprise for their chemistry and antics and character development. I learned a lot about the OBGYN challenges faced by expectant mothers and how they were dealt with medically.

The last episode where Dr. Chu and Yang exploded onto the set as pure enjoyment. It has set the stage for a sequel that I encourage to happen quickly. Ahn Eun Jin is one of my favorite actresses. May she get the female lead role.

I then circled back to watch Hospital Playlist. I found it dragged a lot. I knew Eun Jin did not have a large part. I was disappointed with her onscreen time. Now I understand the evolution of Dr. Chu that ties into the RP episode 12 appearance.

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Rebel Without a Cause.

This is one of those magnificent, high budget productions that starts so strongly that I kept shushing that  inner voice that whispered "masterpiece" for fear of jinxing it too early. Sixty-eight episodes later, I am sad to say that despite some excellent arcs and moments, this drama falls far short of its breathtaking early promise.

*** Be warned that there are mild spoilers in my review - I will avoid major spoilers. ***

Wang Xuan or A'wu, the titular character is a fictional only daughter of Prime Minister Wang Lin, head of the Langya Wang clan whose formidable political influence straddled several early dynasties since Eastern Jin. Their hold onto power is secured via an incestuous (and icky) pact with the imperial Ma family whereby for twelve successive generations, the Wang clan heiress is chosen as empress. Wang Xuan's legacy 王氏之女 母仪天下 literally means the Wang clan daughter is the "mother of the world" or the empress. Thus he who attains Wang Xuan, attains the world. This is not just a prophecy; she comes with the power and influence of the Wang clan who are kingmakers. The drama dumbs this down to be just about lovesick men after her ravishing and incomparable beauty. That is just icing on the cake and not the only aspect of her appeal to ambitious men who cannot otherwise legitimately claim the throne. This is with the exception of the the weak and foolish Zidan, a character who exist only to love A'wu. In this context, A'wu's expectation of a love match is unrealistic and not possible for any of the noble elite; marriages are political alliances where the best one can hope for is some affection that may or may not quite be love.

A'wu's first and most significant act of rebellion is against her destiny as empress and in doing so, she goes against her father and by extension her clan. This upsets the balance of power between the imperial Ma family and the Wang and Xie clans and sets an intense power struggle in motion. While her motives are naive, this is the first of many decisions she makes that undermines her clan's extraordinary grip on power. In fact, she protects the imperial family's birthright without questioning their worthiness. In this matter, she is indeed a rebel but one that lacks a just cause because excessive in-breeding has made each of the Ma heirs some combination of stupid, unfit and unworthy. That said, I saw character growth and could understand and largely empathize with her decisions until the arc that sees her return to the capital with Xiao Qi just past mid-way through the drama. Until then, the plot was well paced, suspenseful and the motives of the main antagonists layered and interesting enough to make this worthy of a 9.5/10.0. Unfortunately the drama peaks there and after that, the plot falls flat and becomes overwhelmed by tropey two dimensional villains with repetitive and boring motives.  Wang Xuan's character regresses and she makes very questionable decisions, the worst of which culminates in a very shady mating dance that I cannot un-see no matter how many times I rinse out my eyeballs.

Xiao Qi and Wang Xuan's relationship is the best thing about this drama. Even though he didn't get enough screen time to do his character justice, Zhou Yi Wei 's Xiao Qi stole the show. It is so nice to see an actor looks and fits the part of a battle scarred, undefeated general in the role rather than some scrawny idol actor with baby smooth skin. Much more so than Wang Xuan, Xiao Qi is thecharacter that I really root for in this drama. He has riveting chemistry with Zhang Ziyi that compels me to keep re-watching the way their romance unfolds and progresses. It is freshly written and their natural and intimate interactions manage to avoid common drama relationship cliches. Both actors communicate deep and complex emotions with few words and tiny, nuanced changes in expression. Their relationship is not perfect - they have their share of challenges and conflicts. It is disappointing we don't get to see how they navigate their greatest relationship challenge as Wang Xuan is caught between protecting her first love and Xiao Qi's quest for justice.

What is super annoying is that Zidan could have been written to be a much more interesting character rather than one that is frankly a complete waste of screen time. He got such an absurd amount of time he was constantly popping up like a bad tart when all I wanted to see was Xiao Qi. It is understandable for Wang Xuan to have some lingering regret and affection for him but that is not well flushed out. The fact is she married Xiao Qi to save Zidan and at the end, she still rescues him while turning a blind eye to his crimes. It makes me wonder if he was indeed her one true love after all.

The crux of the problem is that Zhang Ziyi's portrayal of Wang Xuan lacks complexity. Her A'wu stopped becoming interesting the moment she grew up to be the more politically astute Wang Xuan. She becomes a suffocating paragon of virtue and forgiveness 母仪天下; the mother of her country and and inexplicably staunch defender of the (worthless) imperial family's absolute right to rule. She wears a perpetually aloof and haughty expression and does not let anyone forget that she belongs to nobility; that she has familial obligations and ties that a commoner and an orphan such as Xiao Qi could not possibly understand or relate to. While she is entitled to forgive her enemies for wrongs they committed against her personally, it is absolutely not her place to broadly dispense justice as she sees fit. She casually makes decisions of great weight and consequence as without any appearance of inner conflict or overarching ideology or sense of justice. If this makes her a rebel, she is one without a cause. I like Zhang Ziyi but this is not a role that she shines in. Despite not looking the part, I had no issue with her portrayal of the young A'wu. It is her Wang Xuan that ultimately fails me. I abandoned the novel because I disliked how narcissistic the character was written to be there. But in the novel ,at least she is very conscious of her beauty and charisma and wields it ruthlessly to accomplish her goals. I never imagined disliking her hypocrisy and sense of entitlement even more in the drama. It does not help that Zhang Ziyi's portrayal is so humorless she even takes the joy out of getting drunk off her ass. At least Wang Su is a fun and uninhibited lush, the kind of drunkard anyone can relate to.

My favorite character and the one that shores up the drama is Yu He Wei's Wang Lin. He is the only truly complex character that is smart without being infallible, unabashedly ambitious, cynical and unrepentant. I love how he gleefully, insightfully analyses situations and peels away the layers of righteousness and hypocrisy around him. There were many times I could empathize with and even support his cause.His plotting against emperor Ma is the drama's best arc. Wang Xuan is actually remarkably like him in terms of her innate arrogance and sense of entitlement as well as her ability to make bold decisions on important affairs of state. As he exits, she steps into his role as the silent force behind the throne with Xiao Qi as the military power that anchors her influence. She is truly her father's daughter in more ways than would make her comfortable if she could see herself. This does not come across clearly because Zhang Ziyi whitewashes Wang Xuan's character and does not dare to embrace her dark side. Everything comes to a full circle when father and daughter discuss love and marriage and she more or less admits that her relationship with Xiao Qi is not too dissimilar to that of Wang Lin's with her mother. It is convenient that she loves him but their marriage serves a purpose that is far grander and more encompassing than love.

While the ending is acceptable, it is in too many important aspects disappointing. Given that regime change is not a viable way to end this kind of drama, it should not have been written to make such a compelling case for it. ZIdan did not have to have been written to be such a jidan (鸡蛋) or a zero. It is obvious many important parts of the ending episodes were edited out which is such a sloppy thing to do when they could have substantially edited down the most insipid Wang Qian/Helan Zhen arc instead. As a result, there is no justice for the Neem Yu Shan massacre and we don't even get to see how this atrocious outcome was negotiated between Xiao Qi and Wang Xuan. Both characters but especially Xiao Qi, disappoint me greatly in this. Thus at the end of the day it does not look like anything substantive has changed or that the kingdom is in a better place or in the hands of more competent rulers. I really want to give this a 9.0 but with that ending, it is at best an 8.0. That said, it is still a very entertaining drama with a distinctly memorable OTP that you should watch. Just don't get fooled by the strong start into expecting a masterpiece.

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Affection level for this Series, Plus Plus Infinity

I just dived into the show without giving it much thought and I was utterly surprised from the very first minute. First and foremost, I love the transmigrating into the game premises and all those game inbox styled notification just add even more to the whole premises. It's a unique concept in the BL world and it's executed pretty well. Sure, the later half of the series felt a bit rushed with abrupt cuts but hear me out the plot didn't feel one bit incomplete and I enjoyed it anyway.

Talking about the cast, I love each one of the leads. They all have portrayed their character so well. My favorite is, no doubt, Tae Myung Ha. He is such a sweetheart, a cool one at that. He transmigrates into the game like world and his mission is to make Cha Yeo Woon, his favorite character, happy. His affection level with Cha Yeo Woon starts from minus and with the minus affection level brings a bunch of debuffs that just makes the whole concept even more interesting. It's so heart touching to see him care for Yeo Woon. Yeo Woon, he seriously turns on my protective mode. He is so so so freaking cute and his smile is everything. He really deserves the world.

Myung Ha and Yeo Woon, they are absolutely adorable. They would be the one flirting, smiling, looking at each other, interacting and going on dates but you would be the one blushing, smiling and banging your hands somewhere. I guarantee it. Their cuteness is really blinding.

Also, the other lead, Ahn Kyung Hun, he looks so adorable with those thick glasses, curly hair and he is a real sweety and a really really good friend. Cheon Sang Won, him trying to get Myung Ha's attention is kind of funny and annoying. But I liked him too. He is just as adorable as the others.

And I so badly wanted Yeo Woon to call Myung Ha Hyung instead of Sunbae even just once, not that I had any problem with Sunbae, but you know just the urge. And I know I already mentioned this but they are absolutely absolutely adorable and I have binged watched it for the nth time now. And I am still stuck on them.

I really enjoyed watching this. Definitely highly highly recommended!!

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An Emotionally Moving Journey, That Is More Than Just Skin Deep

"Fangs of Fortune" or also known by its native title as "Da Meng Gui Li" which translates to "The Big Dream Returns" is a fantasy drama which incorporates Chinese mythology from the 'Classics of Mountains and Seas'. It's an adventure that revolves around mythological creatures ; demons versus mortals. Leading to action packed scenes with visually pleasing CGIs, eye-candy visuals and delicately detailed costumes. Not to forget the banger ost titled 'Unintentional Big Dream' which adds to the excitement as it rings for an eventful scene. This is the first initial impression, but as we dive more into the storyline and if you ask me how I perceive it on a deeper level, here is what I would tell you...

Fangs of Fortune is a tale that is more than just skin deep. It's an emotionally evoking journey that touches meaningful themes about life, death, love, hate, friendship, family, growth and dreams. This is definitely not just a mere demon versus mortals story, but it's an intricately woven story about self discovery and what makes one's life worthwhile. The underlying meaning of the title is about the acceptance of fate and the defiance of fate, that concludes to one word: willingness. It tells you how powerful that one word is when faced with life choices or when devoid from having a choice.

STORYLINE₊ ⊹❀
The first half of the story began on a light hearted tone with comedic scenes inserted. Although, this might come as an unexpected surprise for those who thought this drama to be heavily dark theme and gloomy. I thought otherwise, the addition of the comedic aspect didn't add as a mere filler or entertainment, I saw it as another layer that adds to the complexity of the characters. The first half tells more about the coming together of the demon hunting team as they venture out solving one case after another, however, their relationship among each other is still at the state of testing the waters due to the fact that the well-renowned vicious great demon Zhao Yuan Zhou who everyone fears or hates the most ; except for Wen Xiao, turned up to be part of their team.

As the story progresses more, the characters who seemed to be one-dimensional in the beginning have started to have complex layers upon the small revelations that were revealed about them through the use of flashbacks. Slowly, the story had started to touch grey areas that is more than just black and white, or in other words good and bad. The flashbacks weren't thrown in one full blow but instilled into the storyline parts by parts, therefore incorporating a mysterious effect which I found intriguing. The inclusion of backstories for the side characters - demons who were the prime suspects in the cases they were solving, added depth to the storyline. Furthermore, these flashbacks and backstories serves essential as they contain the key details that would play a role in the latter part of the story.

The second half of the story is where a complete tonal shift from the previous part takes a turn, despite the consistency in insertion of a few comedic scenes, the emotional heaviness and angst played a pivotal role here. After the long journey of the demon hunting team, the revelation of the truth took a toll on everyone, but this toll became the fuel that served for the fruition of their newly formed bond. What I like about how their bond was formed is that it wasn't handled in an abrupt way, but rather the complex characters were given time to sit with their own feelings, it allowed them to self-reflect and process acceptance of the truth in their hearts, as a result, it led to a more genuine formation of their bond ; it's realistic and well-thought of.

The romance aspect between Zhao Yuan Zhou and Wen Xiao isn't heavily the focus of this drama, it was rather balanced with the friendship aspect and other themes. Despite this fact, it didn't hinder me from actually feeling the romantic chemistry between the two leads, their romantic story is convincing enough. I truly loved their scenes together and found every moment of theirs heartwarming. The playful banters, the bold flirty remarks, to the heartfelt conversations. The slow burn trope. It was all conveyed well.

The ending of the story (including the special episode) is absolutely phenomenal. While it was all painfully heartbreaking and tragically sad, it was a very meaningful and touching end that does justice for the underlying message of this drama ; the willingness to accept their fate, and the willingness to defy their fate.

The cinematography for this drama is aesthetically pleasing, it is definitely one of the things I love about it. Apart from this, I find the slow-motion effects on the action scenes as a great way to highlight its stunning details and movements, hence making it more impactful. While I didn't really have much problems with these areas, I did notice at least two scenes that were abruptly cut but I found them minor so they didn't really affect me to the extent that made me dislike it.

CHARACTERS & ACTING₊ ⊹❀
Neo Hou as Zhu Yan | Zhao Yuan Zhou
Zhao Yuan Zhou is a heavily misunderstood character in the drama. He had spent his life in seclusion, surrounded with constant loneliness and tormented by guilt. He lived life awaiting his deathbed. Upon seeking for death, he unexpectedly found friendship, love and felt happiness for a while. He's an extremely selfless character that lived up to his name as a great demon, not because he is powerful, but because he has the biggest heart. He is the epitome of willingness, which is why I found the drama centering about him to be touching.

Neo Hou gave a stellar performance in his portrayal of the great demon Zhao Yuanzhou, he brought complete justice to his role. He didn't shine in this drama because of his action scenes alone, his emotionally impactful expressions of all the complex emotions of Zhao Yuanzhou in different intensities, from the light-hearted to heavy scenes made him really stood out. In addition, he nailed the comedic side of his character. I must say that this is his best role to date, this is the first time in a long while that I actually liked a character he played. He truly carried his role here.

Chen Duling as Wen Xiao
Wen Xiao is a mortal who possesses the power of the Baize Goddess but even with such powers, she has been presented to be a physically weak character. Despite her physical weakness, her strength lies in her cleverness, her ability to strategize, her strong determination, and resilience. She's a character that served as a pillar who brings the team of misfits together. In the storyline, she is utilized in a way that adds balance to the demon hunting team, at the same time she served as both a moral compass and a light of hope for those who lived in complete darkness ; ZYZ & ZYC. She might not be an over powering character, but she's an essential character.

Chen Duling proved her versatility as an actress in this drama. Her portrayal of Wen Xiao and the Evil Wen Xiao deserves praise. She's definitely talented and can pull both roles very well. Her crying scenes is heart wrenching, I cried so much whenever she cried. Her character was well-written, and she had her shining moments. I did think she deserved more screen time and wished her character was given a bit more focus in the storyline. However, I still did appreciate Chen Duling's portrayal of Wen Xiao.

Tian Jia Rui as Zhuo Yichen
Zhuo Yichen is a righteous character who lived his life awaiting for the day he could avenge his family. He seemed like an aloof character who is bad at expressing himself at first, but he is actually a very soft hearted character. His character development throughout the drama proved how he is truly the roof of the demon hunting team.

Tian Jia Rui had pulled off his role as Zhuo Yichen really well. He was able to show more of his skills as an actor through this character he played. As much as I loved his Gong Yuanzhi in MJTY, I think it has now been officially replaced by his character here as Zhuo Yichen.

Others
At first, Zhen Xuan's Ying Lei and Lester Lin's Bai Jiu portrayal threw me a bit because of how anime-like they both were, eventually though I did manage to get used them. As for Cheng Xiao's portrayal of Pei Si Jing, I had a bit of a similar experience but in a different aspect, I knew she was written to be a cold and strong character, but I found the first crying scenes of Cheng Xiao lacking, thankfully she did improved in the latter episodes in this aspect. Meanwhile, Yanan's villain role as Li Lun is commendable.

OSTs₊ ⊹❀
The songs that were mixed into this drama were meaningful, as they not only made the whole watching experience better, but each of these songs were perfectly tailored to match each of the characters stories and the casts personally singing them adds as a cherry on top. My favorites are definitely 'Yuanzhou's youth', 'Heaven and Earth Are Unrivaled' and 'Spring Breeze Does Not Ask'.

OVERALL IMPRESSION₊ ⊹❀
This drama has left a lasting impression for me. The overall experience has been an enjoyable little adventure which I will definitely remember. The compelling storyline and well-rounded characters which crafts the underlying message of this drama is certainly what adds color to the dark and gloomy cinematography style. As someone who doesn't mind angst and sad endings, I can say that the whole journey from beginning to end has been of value, all emotions spent regardless whether they were laughters or tears shed definitely didn't go to waste.

The actors hard work and effort put into this drama has certainly paid off. The chemistry between Chen Duling and Neo Hou. The brotherhood between Neo Hou, Tian Jia Rui and Yan An. The formed little family of misfits in the demon hunting bureau. I am surely going to miss all these.

FAVE SCENES₊ ⊹❀
- Zhao Yuan Zhou's big dream revelation at the peach blossom house
- Wen Xiao's 300 years in the sundial
- Wen Xiao and Zhao Yuan Zhou's "one day"
- Wen Xiao and Li Lun's game of questions
- Tian Xiang Pavillion scene
- Lord Bingyi and Yinglong backstory
- Bai Jiu and Ying Lei's almond cheese
- Li Lun, Zhao Yuan Zhou and Zhuo Yichen's collaboration
- Zhao Yuan Zhou's last moment of hesitation

˖ . ݁❀𝜗𝜚❀. ݁₊

"There are thousands of laws in the world but none of them can defeat a single word of willingness" — Qing Geng

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CREEPY CREEPY ENDING

I couldn't emphasize enough how that ending is giving creepy sexual predator vibe.

This fantasy-scify has a very unique main story. A guy from the 90s is transported to the present after offending a local deity (or priest). The story revolves around his adjustment to the present time and his quest to get back to his own time, all while meeting his old and making new friends, and of course it wouldnt be a BL if theres no romance so finding the unexpected love of his life is a given.

The end. Or actually that should have ended it.

First of all, whoever thought that title Past-senger should be given a raise, because thats the only witty thing in this series. Title alone summarizes what Kiew is - a traveler from the past and the first few episodes has also successfully explored the concept of a time traveler adjusting to his life in the present. However things got boring so fast and the slow and repetitive pacing bored me with almost nothing significant happening in the middle episodes.

The whole series screams low-budget. The cinematography is giving an old tv soap opera vibes and combine that with poor makeup is a total disservice to the artists. Here we are bombarded with a lot of close up shots that exposed the actors in a bad way.

I also dont know if anyone noticed how grating the background sound is - that monotonous guitar strum will sometimes be exchanged with an equally annoying piano or musicbox melody that only highlights how much they spend on music. These background music were utilized so unfittingly that it gives me headache and muting the show became a necessity.

Seriously, can anyone raise theiir hand if you think literally tripping or falling over someone is romantic? I have never known any couple in real life with that experience and to see that happen in almost every other series out there is so infuriating.

I can forgive the script (i will blame it on the poor translation) and i think the actors did what they could with what they were given. There was a few story arc (and quite a few tropes) that i wished they didnt do and the young stars is in need of major acting workshop.

I, however, liked the fact that they almost respected the concept of the time travel paradoxes (as they did it much better than a certain series with 609 in it). There were a few lapses but they are bearable.

The biggest issue is when they added that ending scene, where the present day Kiew meets Bamee again. There is an air of almost predatory creepiness in it and i think they could have handled that a little better.

Finally, I should also call out producers in Thailand to please please give Cooper a good project. This guy deserves a big break and maybe a partner who will elevate him into a bonafide star.

This series, although not exactly A-class is admittedly a guilty pleasure watch every Wednesday night. Would i re-watch? Oh hell no! Unfortunately, no matter how much fun, well intended and lighthearted the series is, it is still hard to recommend.

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Idiocy in its glory.

This drama was the literal meaning of frustration. I have so much boiled up in me after watching it and i don't know how to get it all out.

I JUST WANNA SCREAM IT ALL OUT.

Each time you find yourself forgetting a character's idiocy, comes another foolish shit.

I don't know how i finished this series because each time someone open their mouth i just wanted them to shut up. They never talk like normal people, rather like babies screeching, the sound is haunting. SHUT UP FOR GOD SAKE AND FREAKING THINK FOR A SECOND. Funny to say nobody in the drama listened to me ^^.

This plot would have been intriguing in the hands of a genuis writer. All we got in this drama was nonsense to fill up the pages. Full of plot twists that just don't make sense, just to try to get that wow effect. It is only right to say that it was a shit effect.

I'm rather a fan of shitty endings, but the problem with this drama was not the ending, it was rather the drama all in itself, poorly written, thinking that a bunch of unexpected deaths here and there is what makes people emotional and connected to the drama. I for myself couldn't care less about what happens to those bunch of screeching kids, they were all but stupid, frustrating, with poorly written personalities and perspectives, making me not feel an ounce of connection to them. All i want is for me to forget this drama as soon as possible.

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I had extremely high expectations for General and I. I'm a long-time fan of Wallace Chung; I've liked him since his role as Nalan Xingde in The Secret History of Kangxi. After I heard that he was going to take up the role of Chu Beijie in General and I, I promptly went to read the entire novel. The novel itself certainly impressed, but I can't say the same for the drama adaptation.

The reason why the novel stood out is because of the balance of power between the male and female leads. They are intellectual equals, quite unlike Kdramas where the male leads tend to be more dominant, and unlike the trend of female-centric Cdramas where the female leads tend to be smarter while the male leads are really just supporting characters who wield huge power to lend a hand in times of emergency (Princess Weiyoung). I think they tried to maintain the same balance in the drama as well, and I'll give them a little bit of credit for that.

From now on, I'll talk about the divergences between the novel and the drama, and my thoughts on whether these are sound/positive modifications:

1. First up, the character conceptualisation. In the book, the Jing An - He family was executed by the Yan king because their achievements are so great that the Yan king finds it unsettling. Chu Beijie did not play a part in inciting the Yan king. He merely pushed the decision by deliberating losing the battle which made the Yan king even more uneasy. There's no talk in the novel too about Chu Beijie wanting to cease battle to protect the civilians. In fact, I remember distinctly that Chu Beijie wanted to expand the territories of Jin; he was battle-hungry. There is clearly a huge difference in the personalities of the character for the drama and the book. I can see why it was changed. It's to make Chu Beijie a more likable character who regards the welfare of the civilians above everything. Personally, I prefer a male lead who isn't this "perfect" and one-dimensional really. I don't like this, but I can see people preferring it. The biggest change in Chu Beijie is how weak he's become in the drama. He was captured and tortured three times! For his love, of course, very "romantic", but I do prefer the book where he was a lot smarter and didn't have to rely on the damsel to save him in times of distress at all. Bai Pingting also didn't need any rescuing in the novel as well. On the other hand, the drama just turned into this cycle of Chu Beijie saving Bai Pingting, then vice-versa, and rinse and repeat again.

2. Next, we have the process of falling in love. Oh god. This is probably the most annoying aspect of the drama. In the book, Bai Pingting was captured by slave traders during her escape (when the Yan king was trying to kill the He family). She was then sold to the Hua family in Jin and became attendant to the young mistress. She caught the attention of Chu Beijie while playing the zither. Chu Beijie thinks that she is Miss Hua, they fall in love, and Miss Hua makes use of Chu Beijie's affection towards "her" to cancel her previous engagement so that she can marry her beloved. Bai Pingting's servant identity was revealed, and she eventually stayed in Chu Beijie's manor. Even though the two of them are in love, they are wary of each other. Bai Pingting wants to know her young master He Xia's whereabouts whereas Chu Beijie knows that Bai Pingting isn't who she claims to be (Yang Feng). After some mutual scheming and whatnot, they separate. Isn't this a refreshing storyline? But in the drama, they chose to make the leads childhood sweethearts. If I wanted to watch childhood sweethearts, any bloody Kdrama will do. Why add in such a cliched plot device? Damn. Furthermore, Chu Beijie recognised Bai Pingting as the little girl he met, and decided that he must FORCE her to marry him. And somehow she gradually loves him back, for no rhyme or reason at all. What the hell?

3. The addition of a lot of vertices to the love polygon. Jealous, unscrupulous female character who loves the male lead, check. Another female character who falls for the male lead while the leads are separated, check. In the novel, it was just a love square and it was complicated enough already.

These are just some of the more obvious changes. And all adverse ones in my opinion. The drama honestly would've been much better if it was more streamlined and stuck to the novel like gum to the underside of the table. 62 episodes is way too many. I guess they had no choice but to extend the story with such stupid tropes to keep it going. It's obvious that the production is trying to stretch out the story to get more profit, and I'm worried that more C-dramas will turn to this trend as well.

To add on, here are some of the flaws in production:

1. A glaring one is the green screens that they used. The first episode had really well cheoreographed fight scenes with pretty natural looking scenery. From then on, it just seemed like a lot of the characters were cut and pasted onto the background. There are even scenes where the main characters are keyed onto a background with the calefares on it. That's just ridiculous! It's so awkward to watch. So much money pumped into the production and this is the result? I can understand that Angelababy was pregnant and perhaps they had to speed up filming, thus leading to this. But I can't help but feel cheated. Looking at the trailers alone, I expected a gorgeous-looking drama on or exceeding Princess Weiyoung's level. Nevertheless, the end-product was far from that. Imo, if you aren't going to tell a decent story, at least make the drama decently pretty. G&I was neither interesting nor beautiful.

2. Also, the dubbing. Wallace's dubber is just horrible. He has this slightly unorthodox pronunciation, kind of Cantonese-like, which makes him (actually, his voice) sticks out like a sore thumb. Plus, the voice totally doesn't suit the character. You can definitely get used to it, but it took me more than 10 episodes (still don't like it).

3. Styling. I'm pretty sure Princess Yaotian looks great in real life, but her styling in the drama does nothing for her. It looks horrible! The guys' long hairstyles looked like crap on all of them except Ze Yi and Fan Lu as well. I mean, Wallace Chung and Sun Yizhou looked fantastic with the man bun I have no idea why they had to give them the long hair/dreadlocks. I know it's to differentiate between the different territories but really it's so inconsistent that it's useless.

4. Chu Beijie's deliberate act-cool moves *cringe* (dramas need to stop doing this to their male leads). Forcibly trying to make your male leads "cool" tends to achieve the exact opposite effect. Also, why does he need a mask?

Now here comes the positives. Well, the non-negatives. Some of these are not even well done but just good enough:

1. The cute loveline between Fan Lu and Zui Ju. I didn't pay much attention to this subplot in the novel itself. However, the actors portraying the two characters actually brought more appeal to this storyline in the drama compared to the novel. Zui Ju is probably the most likable character in this entire drama, despite the bad acting (so, so bad). I was worried that they were going to alter this storyline when they gave Chu Moran and Zui Ju a lot of interactions during the time Chu Beijie broke away from the Jin court. Thankfully, they didn't change it that much.

2. The acting. Angelababy gets a lot of flak for being inexpressive. I don't actually think that she is thaaat bad (that being said, she's quite bad). I'm just slightly bothered by her constant smile, which just distracts me a little when the occasion clearly does not call for it. It may also be an after effect of plastic surgery though. Imo, she improved towards the end of the drama. I also have to give her some leeway for getting an acting coach. Hey, at least she knows how awful her acting is and is trying to do something about it (alright, I'm just being sympathetic). Everyone else were just on par. I also disagree that Wallace was great in the drama like what many say. With such a bad story, you really can't judge. The duo above (Zui Ju and Fan Lu) were cute but they are obviously very green. Zui Ju, in particular, was terrible. I'm generally not picky about the acting as long as it doesn't come across as unnatural, so in this aspect the drama gets a passing mark (barely) in my book.

3. Yaotian's ending. I liked He Xia and Princess Yaotian's romance more in the novel, even though the author didn't really touch on it much. In the drama, the two had very little chemistry (actually, chemistry was virtually non-existent for both pairings). Yaotian's ending is the same, but the way it ended was slightly different. I think they didn't want to make He Xia look too bad. But I actually like how "evil" he is in the book, and how tragic this pairing became. I thought it added more flavour to the story.

4. The OST. I must say, they have some really nice songs. My favourite is the duet by William Wei and Claire Kuo, followed by Tan Jing's song. The opening and ending themes don't appeal to me though.

In summary, I think the drama definitely falls short of expectations. It had good source material, but did not make good use of it. It had a huge budget, but didn't spend enough effort trying to refine the drama. If anything, the production itself just screams unprofessional to me. I do wish that they won't rush the filming so much, and gave more time to post-production as well. It could have been at least a pretty drama to look at, but now it's just... a huge disappointment. I usually write reviews only when I really like a drama, or when I hate it (don't ask me why I watch it all even though I dislike it, it's a childish question). General and I belongs to the latter. I'll give it a 3 and that's already understating how bad it was [1].

-- Footnotes --

[1] The drama has a rating of 3.6 on Douban as of the time this review is written which is far closer to my personal grade but MDL just has biased ratings. You can see it. Candle in the Tomb, a fantastic drama, is rated 8.3 on MDL and 8.2 on Douban. G&I, an awful drama in comparison, is still rated 8.0 on MDL but only 3.6 on Douban. Therefore, if you are a longtime Cdrama watcher, 3.6 is probably fair and what you should take into account when deciding whether to watch or not.

EDIT: MDL update screwed up formatting.

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OVERALL : Nice summer drama, fresh and entertaining with very little thinking involved.

PART ONE Positive points(Spoiler Free):

1- The Plot was enjoyable with an original start that makes me curious.
2- The comedy worked, it made the drama entertaining.
3- The romance was light and fresh, and made me want to keep watching even though I knew this was not going to be a serious drama.
4- The last episode even made me cry, mostly because I grew attached to the characters and didn't want to leave them.


PART TWO : Negative points (Minor Spoilers to explain my points)

1 - They chose to play the good twin/evil twin card to avoid really going into the subject of :
a- Robot /human romance (like: is sex even happening? Do we just assume she's asexual? Does she really want to be with someone that will never physically desire her?)
b- the change society would undergo if an AI truly tried to obtain human rights or manage a human workteam (let alone a company).

2 - They Resolved every possible crisis by way of Deus Ex Machina (solutions that come from nowhere and seem a little bit like cheating), but it's a sci-fi Kdrama so that's a given.
3- The robotics genius was reduced to simply being a sad and controlling mother after 2 episodes. Her brilland brain left the boat once the plot was introduced. Then she became unsufferable (to me at least)

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Best 2023 feel good drama. Sweet & innocent romance with singing, travel, food and friendship.

It’s rare to find a drama like this. This drama is perfect if you are struggling with stress and difficulties in life and need something to warm your heart and put a big smile on your face at the end of your day. Every single episode contains an overflow of sugary romance with zero toxicity, no conflicts, no misunderstandings, no stupid love triangles, no angst, no break ups. The romance is so good you will definitely feel like a third wheel while watching.

The drama is about the daily lives of the main leads and their friends and work colleagues. There is no unnecessary drama or side stories that you don’t care about. Male lead is a doctor (but we don’t see much of his job), and a voice actor (which is the main focus of his character), he is also an amazing cook (which he shows us often with amazing recipes) and total green flag boyfriend. Female lead is a university student who composes music in her spare time. They fall in love with each other's voices and personality first instead of their physical looks.

POSITIVE:
- Every episode makes you smile like a teenager in love for the first time.
- Sizzling chemistry between the leads. Their eye contact is enough to ship them instantly.
- Stage performances with singing and acting that are absolutely phenomenal and feel like you are watching a live concert.
- Fantastic travel episodes that feel like an awesome variety show/video blog.
- Many cooking scenes with delicious food.
- Every episode you are immersed in the story, like you are living with the characters and are part of their fun daily lives.
- Teasing, hilarious and supportive group of friends with very natural and organic interactions.
- Unique pairing: introverted male lead with a shy female lead.
- Fluffy romance that is all about innocence and first love.
- Story is about the main leads. There are no unnecessary side plots about side characters that ain’t nobody cares about.
- No stupid drama, no misunderstandings, no breakups, no annoying characters that try to break apart the main leads.
- Second couple is just as adorable and the second male lead and brings in all the comedy.
- Main leads fall in love with each other’s voices first rather than physical appearance.
- 100% green flag male and female lead.

NEGATIVE:
- Diabetes alert. The drama is so sweet you might get a sugar overload.
- Hungry alert. The characters are always cooking or eating food so you must bring snacks in order to survive watching.
P.S. The two points above are obviously jokes. I couldn’t find a single negative thing about this drama!

OST:
The music in this drama deserves special attention as it’s one of the most heartwarming and beautiful I’ve ever heard.

OVERALL:
If you want to see an innocent, fluffy romance and healthy relationships with travel, music, food and adorable friendship groups AND If you need a drama to make you smile and warm your heart after a stressful day, WATCH THIS DRAMA.

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DON'T STOP

Eun Seom, Sa Ya, Ta Gon, Tanya, Taelha, You'll get blown away, with a set of more ruthless and ambitious characters, much deeper and intimate actors, there is no way you'd want to stop watching the show that might be the ultimate fantasy kdrama we have been waiting for all year and I'll give my reasons why.

After learning earlier this year that I had to say goodbye to Song and hello to Joon Gi, I can't say that I was disappointed so I spent much of my time stalking Joon Gi's Instagram where I couldn't get enough of the teasers, first looks and small scenes, lemme cut the long story short.

The execution of this drama this time round is something that I found very interesting and I have loved every bit of it, as our characters have become more mature, they have become complicated as well but don't get me wrong the story won't be confusing because I love complicated characters.

There's much more to tell.

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After seeing this movie so many times, I can say that I fall in love with it!
The story was quite simple but very enjoyable, the three main characters have a great chemistry which is one of the reasons you’ll probably not get bored during those 2 hours!
Yoo Seung Ho (Kim Seon Dal) suit so well historical character and this time wasn't an exception, he did an amazing job portraying this character. Go Chang Seok (Bo Won) on the other hand was hilarious: a good buddy that only goes with funny as his surname. Ra Miran character and "Gyon" were what I would call the "peaceful ones”, they brought this vibe that make you feel just fine. I really appreciated those two characters for their simplicity.

To sum up, if you want something to watch not too complicated that doesn’t require to be fully focused, this is for you! This movie has funny, serious, sad moment and bring its share of emotion.

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Subarashii!

That's the feeling I got when I binged this little drama. At a single glance, there really is nothing overtly fabulous or amazing about it. But, it had a strange captivating magic that weirdly reminded me of Harry Potter. Or maybe it's because of the soundtrack and Fukamachi Naoya-kun.

☆ The plot doesn't exist on the surface. Each episode consists of basic mysteries and legends that many of us might have heard in high schools. The two leading heroes and Reiko-senpai set out to mentally solve the troubles that arose and dispel the rumours. What did continue was Takatsuki-sensei's unsatiated search for an actual mystery.

☆ I really loved the leading character, but he might be one of the most boring male leads I've ever seen. But, there was something really realistic about the way he was portrayed. Fukamachi Naoya had accidentally stumbled across an event that was forbidden to be witnessed by the living when he was ten years old. What follows his later years is a punishment: to be a human lie detector. This causes him to isolate himself from literally everyone. By coincidence, he chooses to study Japanese Folklore, leading him directly into the arms of Takatsuki Akira, his young and vigilant professor. Taking an instant connection to him, his new sensei hires him as his assistant and they together unveil legends and solve mysteries. But, Naoya-san never really is able to let go of the negatives that his little "gift" brought along. I connected to him in several ways. There were moments I wished that he would become normal, then I'd wish that he was once again back to being a lie detector. I liked seeing his growth and loved his smile. The dude rarely smiled, but when he did, I would become happy too.

☆ J Doramas rarely disappoint in the acting department. This one doesn't either. (I'm surprised that both the lead actors are Jpop idols.) There were numerous interesting individuals that we got to meet and I looked forward to every new mystery or legend. Most of their performances were really convincing. When it came to Sewai University, there were only a few characters in the spotlight; thanks to his little gift, Naoya-san doesn't have a pack of friends following him. But, those whom he finds solace in are his Sensei and his perky assistant Reiko-chan and later, a lively Nambu-san. I loved their mystery solving though nothing about it was far from normal. EP6 and 7 in particular captured my heart.
The cottage core atmosphere of the drama helped quite a lot. It was calming and simultaneously thrilling to watch.

☆ The opening BGM was very Harry-Potteresque and the drama as a whole felt really magical. Though there was rarely any magic in it. The ending OST Gunjo Runaway by Hey!Say!Jump! grew on me eventually due to many reasons. It's a shame that Japanese songs do not have english lyrics coming along with them.

☆ Last, but not the least is Takatsuki Akira Sensei, the eponymous character of this show. Though we see the events through the eyes of Naoya-san, it is Sensei who is the scene stealer. I didn't know what to think about him. His actions left me ---and Naoya-san-- in a whirl of confusion and his over enthusiastic response to the woes of people made me suspect if he was possessed. Half of the time, I didn't know whether to trust him or pray that Naoya-san runs away from him. He was enigmatic, charismatic and eccentric all rolled into one and I was beyond curious to know about his intentions and plans. His friendship with Ken-Chan piqued my interest.
Not to mention his hyperthesemia, a condition that makes him remember each and everything he has ever come across.

☆And the Bromance! It was a delight seeing the closed off Naoya-san struggle with the very extraverted Sensei. Their interactions were one of my favorite parts of the show. What's more, their rapport was slowly built through trust, something that Naoya-san grappled with. Also, watching the friendship grow between him and Nambu-san was amusing.

☆ I appreciated how they dealt with the topic of the supernatural and the real world in a very neutral manner. It didn't cross the border, but neither did it completely deny its existence. I hope it stays the same way.

☆ The down side about it might be the format of the episodes. We don't focus much on the main characters, but learn some part about them through the experiences of others. This can come off as boring if we aren't interested in the mystery or just don't like episode after episode of a new mystery each. The cases/unsolved events themselves were nothing new; they involve folklore and urban legends that we might find similar to the stories we hear or had heard at school. (Dead ghost/haunted rooms, objects similar to ouja boards, etc.)
Also, if we don't find ourselves comfortable with the characters and their antics, then there is a high chance that the watching experience will be quite bitter.

Many thanks to the fansubbers who spent their time to make it available and understandable for us International viewers. This drama was completely satisfying. (I pleasantly surprised by the montage at the end of the final episode!) Definitely a binge-worthy gem.
I'm still uncertain about whether to watch the second season. As a saying goes, there are some mysteries that are better left unsolved.

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I thought I've seen all the clever twist in any movie or drama, but boy I was wrong, this drama has one of the most original and well executed twists in any drama. The last time I had this goosebumps was in the movie Pink and Gray, that one also has one hell of a twist. This drama is based on a manga of the same name so I guess I shouldn't be surprised because seriously these mangakas are geniuses coming up with original and crazy plot.

Isao komori is a college dropout who spends his days playing video games and watching porn. He is living a carefree life. Every day he go to this convenience store just to see Mari, she has this angel like feature that made Komori decide to make Mari his idol. He became obsessed and his sole pleasure in life is to stalk Mari. One morning Komori wake up in Mari's body. Another Komori inhabit his old body, but it is not Mari. Mari has disappeared. Komori struggles to maintain Mari's ordinary life and starts to investigate Mari's disappearance.

If you think this different take on body swap genre is what I mean when I said original, then you are wrong. The essence of the story remains though like trying to find where Mari went, and that's why this story is genius. A combination of mystery and character study, mystery is very gripping while the character study is what draws you in. If you are into psychology you would really love this drama, it conveys all the pains and struggle of every teenagers. Everybody could relate because in the first place identity crisis is classically adolescent.

Technical-wise the acting is surprisingly strong. These three young actors did their part well, but what I'm more surprised about is Ikeda's portrayal of Mari. She manages to give this character authenticity by giving the character intensity if needed but by not making the character looks exaggerated. Very complex character that I imagine most young actress would fail to portray. Both songs are catchy too, nice touch to give the drama fun vibe.

Overall a different take to a trope (body swap) that you would think it is so clever but then you would realize there is more clever twist than that and you won't see it coming at all. Twist after twist is basically in this drama, so I wouldn't be surprised if most will find it complicated and may end up confusing to them, even at the very end.

Check my Blog for other reviews & other JDramas stuffs. (｡◕‿‿◕｡)
https://thatjapanesedramaguy.blogspot.com/

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