She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat Season 2
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Match Made in Heaven, Thanks to Food!
If you liked the first season, then you will LOVE this season. In the first season, we saw the beginning of their friendship and the beginning of Nomoto San’s sexuality.This season focused a lot towards building their relationship along with introducing new characters. They have such a nice, fluffy, and healthy relationship that I was so eager for each episode. It’s really refreshing compared to some of the Asian GL’s that are out there. Nomoto and Kasuga have a wonderful and open relationship with one another. They do face many issues regarding their families, sexuality, and figuring out their own feelings, but they’re able to overcome them all. There is not a lot of toxic characters or moments, or any miscommunication (that doesn’t get solved asap).
While this drama does focus on Nomoto/Kasuga and their relationship with food. We are introduced to a new character who has their own struggle with food. I think this drama did an amazing job introducing new themes. We have those who enjoy cooking and eating, but there are some people who struggle eating especially around others. There’s a lot of pressure from society. We’ve gotten some Ace representation as well!
Even though the main leads do an amazing job with having good communication and being warm/kind to everyone in their lives, we do see the (sad) reality of being a same-sex couple in an Asian/conservative country. But it doesn’t stop them from moving forward in life.
Oh, if you’re looking for a drama with a lot of skinship, unfortunately we don’t get that in this season. Since this relationship is very new to them, they start out slow but I’m hoping to see more moments (if we get another season)! We did get a hug and kiss though!
I could go on and on about this drama and I wish I could watch it again for the first time again! I really hope we can get a third season! I wanna see their life of living together!!
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Intense show
I didn't watch this when it originally aired because I didn't think I would enjoy it. It's not my usual genre, and the plot didn't interest me that much. I've branched out quite a bit since it's release and then I enjoyed Seo Ye Ji so much in It's Okay to Not Be Okay that I decided to try this on a whim. And then I accidentally got my husband sucked into it as well.This show is intense. We were both riding an anxiety rollercoaster while watching this show and practically biting our nails wanting to rescue Sang Mi ourselves. LOL!
The acting from most of the main cast was really good. Seo Ye Ji is a master at acting. Her micro-expressions are on point, and she carries this fierceness about her that is just intoxicating. Ok Taecyeon was decent, but as the main lead (Han Sang Hwan), I though he could have done better. Woo Do Hwan is another star on the rise. He's been amazing in everything I've watched him in so far, including this. Jo Jae Yoon was terrifying as Jo Wan Tae and Jo Sung Ha as the 'pastor' was not only terrifying but did crazed zealot very well also.
I think the most terrifying thing about this show was that this sort of thing can and does happen to people. To watch the cult leaders twist the Bible and use it to control, abuse, and extort from their congregants twisted my insides. To see that Sang Mi had no escape and no voice - that even her own parents who loved her were brainwashed and useless to her worked me up.
I'm glad I watched it in the end. It was very well-done and a much better drama than I was expecting. The ending was mostly satisfying, but will still give you a chill. I don't think I'd watch it again, but just because that sort of genre doesn't watch the same way after knowing the outcome. If you have trauma triggers, I'd probably avoid it, but if you enjoy dark and intense shows, this should be on your list!
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My primary problem with the story is that, while highly informative and enlightening, some portions feel like a PSA. Marriage occasionally felt like it was all anyone cared about. On the other hand, a favorite aspect was the charming use of flower language to sum up the theme of each episode. It gave the drama something beautiful and unique.
Strong veteran actors make up the principle cast. Kanno Miho delights as Chiharu, portraying her with likability to spare. She seemed true to life, making human mistakes, suffering little moments of awkwardness, experiencing joys and hurts reasonably. And Kanno-san's smile! It's contagious. Ex-Takarasienne Amami Yuki can already do no wrong in my eyes, but she shone in Kekkon Shinai. As Haruko, she embodies every bit of strength, resolution, experience, and loneliness the character represents. Her work with Kanno-san basically defines chemistry. Last (but not least) we have wonderful Tamaki Hiroshi, the perfect male lead for a drama like this. His performance as the warm-hearted florist Junpei is understated but memorable.
The chosen music generally suits the drama well. Most themes were light and fun, but there were cloying melancholy pieces too. Scenes were well orchestrated, with marked silences for dramatic effect. One vocal stands out, the fitting and catchy Kami Hikouki by Kobukuro.
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Even though Yoonhee was the focus of the movie, her daughter, Saebom, was a scene stealer. I found her interest for film photography is a nice element to this film! I love her attention to detail. Her mom knows everything she doesn't tell, and I think that Saebom is alike. The trip that she prepared for her mom was probably the best gift! It's a heart-warming movie. I personally love the ending, character development and the cinematography.
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This miniseries is good for fans to enjoy their favorite actors
What can I say? This drama is very short and there are some misunderstandings, which they talk about and resolve at the end. But, it is very nice to see the main cast again after watching LBC. I liked how they changed the characteristics of the characters. Only Mean, who in my opinion, stands out better playing characters like Tin who are more serious and cold, or Alex (UWMA), but he also did very well, I just don't get used to seeing him play characters who are fragile and sentimental. Now, Perth gets into any character with ease, it's very natural, I'm more and more impressed with his acting ability. I liked Saint's acting, in particular, between his characters, I liked him best as Son, who is more confident compared to Pete.Overall, it was good to see these characters acting together again here, after LBC. What I liked the most was seeing the characters of Perth (Pin) and Mean (Two) interacting together as friends, this detail was everything for me!
Let's get to the misunderstandings:
PinSon: They have a routine of eating and spending time together, even with the individual responsibilities of studying and training. Son wants to learn to play the guitar and surprise Pin by playing a song on his birthday and asks Noh to teach him. So far so good, but Son begins to be absent and no longer has time to be with Pin and rarely answers him, and makes excuses to keep him away so he doesn't find out about the surprise, but of course Pin will confront him and he will keep lying. Son cannot be honest and tell his boyfriend the truth, until Pin goes to his boyfriend's apartment and sees a note from his "teacher", and of course, taking into consideration the lies, he will get it wrong.
TwoWish: They like each other and even go out together. Wish knows that Two likes him, but he himself has a hard time being honest with his own feelings.
PhumNoh: They are already adults and have been in a relationship for a long time. They trust each other, but due to the rush and many responsibilities, Phum has no time to spend with her boyfriend, and only Noh when they have time goes to see him. Of course, seeing his boyfriend being approached and talking to "new friends", he will be upset, as he feels that he does not treat him as a priority, as he does.
Of course, these misunderstandings, can be solved with just a sincere conversation, we can also take something good out of it. So, that's the positive point of being a short Drama with only 3 episodes, these also being of short duration. It was not a story dragged out for many episodes, which is good!
Overall, this miniseries is good for fans to enjoy their favorite actors.
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Beautiful Story, Frustrating Execution — A Slow Burn That Waits Too Long
You Are My Faithful Love tells a genuinely beautiful story about fate, and at its core, it really does feel like a classic romcom. The premise is strong, the storyline is interesting, and there’s something very warm and enjoyable about the overall vibe of the show. It’s the kind of drama that should work perfectly—and in many ways, it almost does.The cast is honestly one of its biggest strengths. The characters are lovable, the actors do a great job, and the chemistry is definitely there. I enjoyed all the dynamics, not just the main couple. The second leads were actually one of my favorite parts—they got together early, their relationship felt natural and electric, and they brought a fun energy that the main storyline sometimes lacked. The sister storyline and the best friend dynamics were also really enjoyable and added a lot of heart to the show.
But the biggest issue—and really the only major issue—is the writing.
This drama had so much potential to be amazing, but the writing just drags it down. The pacing is messy and frustrating. It starts off well, but then you hit the middle stretch and it just… stalls. By episode 15, barely anything has happened. By episode 20, you’re still waiting. For a 30-episode romantic drama, that’s a huge problem.
What makes it more frustrating is that the main conflict feels unnecessary. Both leads clearly like each other—they know they like each other—so why drag it out for over 20 episodes? It doesn’t feel like tension, it just feels repetitive. There was no real reason for the male lead to wait that long to confess, and when he finally gains the confidence, it almost feels random rather than earned.
And by the time they do get together… you’re kind of over it.
That’s honestly the biggest disappointment. After waiting for so long, you barely get to enjoy them as a couple. Instead of giving us proper romantic development, the show suddenly shifts tone—introducing more of a crime-solving/lawyer angle right when we should’ve been getting relationship payoff. It feels like a missed opportunity. I kept thinking how much better it would’ve been if they had gotten together earlier and faced everything together instead of separately. Watching them grow as a couple would’ve been far more satisfying than watching endless almost-confessions.
There are even moments that feel unnecessarily frustrating—like when you think they’re finally about to get together early on, only for a new female lead dynamic to interrupt things out of nowhere. It just adds to that “why are we still dragging this?” feeling.
That said, it’s not a bad drama—it just requires a lot of patience. It’s a very slow-burn romance, maybe too slow for its own good. But it still has charm. It’s heartwarming, it’s fun in parts, and it’s easy to like because of the characters.
Also, I really enjoyed seeing Miles Wei in this kind of role. He always does well as a CEO, but here it felt lighter and less heavy than usual, which was refreshing. He still shines, just in a more relaxed way.
For me, the show was sitting at around an 8/10 for most of its run—but the final episode, especially the wedding, bumped it up to an 8.5. It gave just enough emotional payoff to remind you why you stuck with it.
Overall, You Are My Faithful Love is a drama with great characters, strong chemistry, and a beautiful concept—but held back by frustrating pacing and writing choices. It’s comforting and heartwarming, but you’ll probably spend a good part of it wishing things had happened sooner.
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vast in scope and audacious in ambition
set in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, this drama is a rare epic and gives many of us, particularly international viewers, some fairly deep insight into an era that we may be unfamiliar with. if you can survive the first few episodes, much like the people of that time, you may find your endurance adequately rewarded by the end – the citizens with a unified, relatively peaceful state; the viewers with a wealth of historical factoids and a solid cinematic journey.the first three episodes are a dizzying introduction to hundreds of characters, most of whom are narrative cannon fodder, and a nauseating introduction to the horrors of the never-ending wars. by the sixth episode, it has fully settled as characters are fleshed out and from then on, it develops into a layered and engrossing story as history is made human. the final arc demands that we accept something that is antithetical to many people’s worldview: that surrender is not necessarily failure. to this day, the economic legacy of this era where the leadership was focused on trade and uplifting the state, and a series of conscious choices to submit to more powerful allies rather than suffer damages from war, is reflected in the continued success of that little southeast corner of the nation.
one thing that is both appealing and intimidating about our main lead Qian Hongchu is the speed at which he makes massive decisions from a young age. he is a rare species, reactive but with impeccable moral logic, and he is fearless in delivering rapid-fire consequences when warranted. as he ages, you can actually see the tension increasing, with each decision weighing heavier, even though he knows it is the correct course of action. this progression culminates in his final decision, painstakingly made, and the heaviness of his steps as he makes his final journey out of Wuyue, tragically alone despite being surrounded by his clan.
Bai Yu’s portrayal of the middle-aged Qian Hongchu is where I found him most striking. he creates a strange tension which at first I questioned. compared with his usual more natural-feeling characterisations, he seemed to be visibly working hard, which is not a style that I favour personally. but with time, I came to realise that this was actually impressive work. that tension is within Qian Hongchu, himself playing a character playing a character. he is visibly suppressing his more natural fisherman prince persona in favour of the king he’s now required to be. his entire life has become a high-stakes bit.
in terms of some other members of the cast, Zhu Yawen is, as always, a study in charisma. his Zhao Kuangyin is magnetic, and not once did I question how he managed to garner support in any of his endeavours, even that most defining one. Zhou Yutong as Sun Taizhen is a light and somewhat odd-feeling presence early in the drama but comes into her own in her unfailing, mature, supportive role through the years despite her lean screen time.
the supporting characters were no less solid. a flawless performance by the evergreen Ni Dahong as Hu Jinsi, a man who does not shut up about how he is 90 years old and whose tenuous hold on patience is eventually broken. and Edward Zhang was a surprising winner for me, particularly in the later years where he thoroughly embodied the older version of Li Yuanqing, a grifting black hole of morality. criticism of the ageing makeup is justified. there are distracting discrepancies at both ends of the timeline. this performance, however, is not one of them.
there was one particular incident that I found jarring in how it was handled: the infamous 燭影斧聲 (candle and axe) scene. it reminded me of watching Empire of the Sun as a young teen after reading the book in literature class – astounded that the screen could bear so little resemblance to the vision I had created in my head. I feel like I would have preferred it to be a little more oblique instead of giving us a fictionalised version of what transpired inside the room.
there was a consistent and obvious attempt to humanise the characters which deserves praise. any habitual watcher of Chinese dramas likely knows to distrust joy, but space was made for people to be fully human and capable of joyful interaction, particularly within their families, which of course provided both occasional light relief as well as heightened emotional response to their fates.
the last few episodes could have done with a little more breathing space. the narrative was forced to coalesce very rapidly at this point and it felt like we lost touch with Qian Chu's world, both his internal world in terms of his decision-making but also externally, in terms of his relationship with his children particularly. in some ways though, it was entirely appropriate. his decisions had become slower, heavier, more loaded, and he found himself more isolated. it is unsurprising that we as viewers begin to lose our grip on his character at the same time but the sense of emptiness is hard to shake.
the occasional voiceovers were probably necessary but felt like a basic history lecture inserted because no one had any bandwidth left to show and not tell. working on this type of production must have been exhausting and even viewers might find themselves mentally overextended at times; nevertheless, it still feels like a suboptimal choice for storytelling.
the score is award-worthy. for me, this is Chen Xueran's master work. everything is well-calibrated, and it's rare to watch something with this level of care in the variations, which are then deployed with such meticulousness. throughout, the music was additive rather than intrusive.
with all that said, I am torn on how to rate this series. in pure enjoyment terms, I would probably give it 8.5/10. it is a monster of a drama, a multigenerational historical epic, and does occasionally falter of course. the core things that one would normally use to make a judgment – narrative, acting, pacing, special effects, direction – are solid. but it also deserves extra credit for sheer ambition. indeed, it is a breathtakingly ambitious production.
I eventually settled on a very creditable 9/10. strongly recommended for fans of this type of series but probably a hard avoid for anyone who watches dramas purely for light entertainment and would balk at reading the Wikipedia entries of twenty different emperors.
[TW: graphic scenes of war and other violence, executions, sexual violence, cannibalism. don’t eat while watching if you are squeamish or unaccustomed to this type of historical drama.]
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Rewriting fate with whips and chains
When I saw the chains and whip, I knew I had to watch it.But seriously, the tension between the leads is *chef's kiss*. The lines were so hot for my liking, and it got my toes curling most of the time like HMMM too spicy~ While the whole reason why they had a BDSM relationship is kinda... questionable... the storyline is actually nice! The whole 'FML is reborn and changes her fate' is already predictable, but it was the complexities of her relationship with the MML that made it exciting to watch. Both of them had their vulnerable moments, but I love how they are each other's damsel in distress. FML is brave and wise just to protect her loved ones, and I love her for that. I also found it interesting that even the MML had to 'rewrite' their fate despite not being reborn. And of course, the real villain and their motivations were a surprise; however, I found their quest to defeat the villain lacking. I just hoped their supposed fate of not being together was highlighted more, so the fruits of their labor would be sweeter hehe.
It's also a jiejie romance—which I super, duper enjoy—but it is not highlighted as much. Still, the dynamics of the leads were really good. I just love to see a submissive, coquettish MML who has his own dark tendencies as well, and a dominant, strong FML ready to risk it all just so her unfortunate fate won't happen again.
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Second, I absolutely loved the actors in this. They were all so amazing and into their parts, that you will feel the love for the good characters, and hate the bad ones.
However, I did have some problems with this drama. Although i gave it a rating of 9, I thought some parts in this drama were a little boring. Honestly, I think they could've made this a 16 episode drama. If you feel the same way though, I advise you to not skip over parts anyway because they could explain whats going on.
You wont regret watching this! :)
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ACTING/CAST: The cast are all very good looking. Also, they do a great job. I was quite impressed with their acting. It seemed to be the one thing this show had going for it.
MUSIC: I liked the intro/outro music. The budget probably didn't allow for much else so they used a lot of royalty free classical music. There was a real nice song that was obviously Pachelbel's Cannon in C but modernized which I really liked.
REWATCH VALUE: Nah. I was really hoping for something to happen between the leads, because there is great chemistry there, but since it didn't, I won't rewatch it.
OVERALL: I was bored before watching this, during, and after.
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Realistic Glimpse of Teenagers' sexuality!
As much as unrealistic and taboo, the theme of the drama (and their literature club) is, the drama remains realistic and true both to the character portrayal of the manga and thought workings of the budding teenagers.Panning out on vast oceanic view, the drama begins with thoughts of both the girls and their teengirls-hating teacher. Though having an aversion of "ees-eee-eks", the club members enjoy reading the literature perspective of racy, erotic books aloud in the confines of their school club room. With the utterance of the bucket-list wish by a member, the lives and ideologies of the club members gets shattered leading to a sequence of new desires, self-discovery and personal growth. An eclectic ride for the open-minded souls which can be reminiscent of one's own youthful mistakes and fears and their vanquishments.
The visual imagery from start to end, ranging from trains and tunnels to colour theory is applaud worthy. The narration is fast-paced. The titular dancing number was cute. Music was nice but forgetful. The acting felt realistic.
The upsetting aspects were the scenes were the minors throwing themselves upon the adults for sexual gratification and the ambiguous sexual nature of the Saegusa Hisashi's character (Caution!). Fear not, for nothing was shown explicitly but may be implied.
Final note, this drama is only for those who are progressive and acknowledging the mishaps of the youth and definitely not morally agreeing to them.
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Story: The story is pretty good and interesting and kept being fun to watch untill the end of the show.The maincharacters where acting good and funny at times.
If there is a negative in this show is that the story could have been more sepperated with mini storys inside with Oh Cho Rim solving some other cases with her special eye to see scents so they could save the Climax for more towards the end.It started way to soon from episode 6-7 till the end of the show which some people maybe hate,however it was still really fun to watch and i didnt really bother with it.
To sum it up it was a great ride of story and emotions.
The ending of the show is ammazing in my eyes! Since its very long and makes you feel completed when its over thats why i have to attack the negative feedback on this show and i feel that there are allot of trolls ammong them or just haters that wanna bash everything thats only a bit bad!.
Romance:This part was one of my favorites of the show since i think the couple was really cute together and made me laugh and love them at many times.
Music:The music is nice,especially the opening them of the show i loved.Also in the love monents and in the moments of action it gave a nice feeling.
Conclusion: Dont read the negativee feedback people give and watch this show! Its worth your time and its really fun!.Drama should be watched with a relaxed view and not only to try to find the minus points just becuz it became a bit draggy.The ending of the show made up for that and thats why its a great watch in overal!.If i had to give a comparrison to an other show it would be to You're all surrounded and that was a great show as well.
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Profoundly brilliant - what manner of man is this ɿ(･ه･)ɾ
WOW ... . this was a deep and mind blowingly good movie!! It reminded me a little of Blank 13. I thought I was going to watch a bit of a mystery but it turned out to be so much more than the mystery of a dead man's back story. It literally was an existential 'man hunt' ... a hunt for what it is that defines a man ... a person ... a hunt for identity.This was not apparent to me at first. The movie moved slowly and I wondered why are they going so slow ... hurry up and get to the juicy mystery bits. Then it jumped some years ... and then there were flashbacks ... and I was wondering what the point of it all was ... and then it hit me ... this was not just about "a" man hunt ... but a multiple man hunt and not just for the men but for their identities, both from an external point of view and an internal point of view. The movie then became entirely fascinating for me ... nothing was irrelevant ... the script was so good it allowed a gloriously deep dive into the existential ﾟ:･*･:◝(ᵔ‿ᵔ)◜:*:･ﾟ.
"Identity' ... in one sense it is such a concrete thing and yet in another sense, it is elusive and ever evolving ... before we are even born we are automatically assigned an identity:
▪ identity from genetics of your biological parents
▪ identify from the time of your birth e.g. before/after marriage; the year / month / day
▪ identity from the order of your birth compared to your siblings ... even the order of birth of your parents in the broader family context
▪ identity from the geographical place of birth ... even the place of birth of your ancestors e.g. born in Japan but your great grandparents were Korean ...
▪ identity from race
▪ identify from culture
▪ identity from your gender
▪ identity from social institutions e.g. the school you went to, the religion you have, the occupation you have; the clubs you belong to; the music you listen to; the hobbies you have
▪ identity from your physical body - the 'perfectness' of it or the 'imperfectness' of it; who/what you look like ... I am the splitting image of my father ... you look like a Korean etc
▪ identity from your state of mind - sane / not sane; smart; stupid;
▪ identity from what your parents do/are - son of a murderer, daughter of a prostitute, son of a doctor etc
▪ identity from where you live, what you wear, the food you eat
▪ identity from your experiences - parenthood; singleness; military service etc
▪ the identity that others assign to you - "hurry up and go back to your 'old self'"
▪ the identity that you think you are ... or should be ... or want to be ...
"Identity" ... so abstract and yet it is such a very heavy thing ... a blessing in its inclusiveness and yet also a weapon of separation and destruction ... something innate and yet something thrust upon you without consent ... what choice do you have with it ... how much of it can you mold and how much of it do you just have to accept as is ... can you escape from it and thereby escape to a different way of life, a different way of being ... how many times have we modified our personality throughout our lives without even knowing ... how did we do that ... is it necessarily a bad thing (˙_˙)ゞ.
I loved the scripting ... as well as the symbolic imagery used throughout ... and the clues that were set up right from the beginning. I liked the different perspectives of a person's identity given from the children to the adults, to friends and family of the main characters ... even to that of strangers. It was very nicely done and the actors did it credit. The scripting was so loaded ... so mind blowingly good. For me this movie is definitely rewatchable. As for the score ... I got so consumed with the story line and all the thoughts that that generated in my mind, I don't even remember the score of the movie ... but I gave it a 10 anyway because whatever it was, it did not detract from the story line at all.
The final scene showing Kido's back as he looked at that painting ... profound. A brilliant movie ... I loved it.
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"I want to light a small light in the dark path that is death"
If you are here for a fluffly rom-com, you are dead wrong - no pun intended.This story is about the lives and work of those in service of a funeral home. It will make you cry, smile, and develop a deeper understanding for the inevitable tragedy of death and the value of life. -Similar to the protagonist of the story.
Sanyue starts as a bratty girl who has given up on life because she feels like life has given up on her. While contemplating suicide her aunt appears and convices her otherwise. She helps her get a job at a funeral home as a make-up and restoration artist. With time, Sanyue not only learns the skills required for this demanding job, but also gains a deeper respect for the deceased and the people they leave behind.
This show is not perfect. Some of the younger actors only deliver passable performances, but it's not so bad that it takes you out of the story. The story itself can appear a bit overly dramatic at times, almost making the protagonist appear like Detective Conan with people dying left and right arond her. However, considering that this is a story about a funeral home, it is not too unrealistic.
Here are my top 3 reasons why you should watch this show:
3. The show depics relationships between humans very realisticly. Whether it be Sanyue's messy relationship with her mother (and later also father), her ups and downs in pursuit of love, or the relationship between family members and the deceased.
2. It offers a glimpse into the work and lives of people working at funeral homes. Including the demanding things they have to do, and the hardships and prejudice they have to endure from the outside world on a daily basis. After watching this, you will gain a deeper respect for the profession and the people who dedicated themselves to this service.
1. The deceased are pitiful, but the living need even more compassion. With each of her jobs Sanyue meets and learns more about life and death, and so do the viewers.
Overall this is a very meaningful show. Yes, it has its flaws, but so does life itself. And maybe that's what makes it so beautiful.
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An Underrated Gem
I love this drama. It is a gem under the radar. It has a great plot with unusual and interesting criminal cases filled with man-made supernatural phenomena, magic and mysteries. Each case is different with unpredictable outcomes. The main characters are intelligent and lovable. The pace is good, the story telling is excellent and logical. All these are built upon a real historical background which is authentic and fascinating, albeit violent and stormy. Most of all, it’s a page turner and very addictive.Set in the Tang Dynasty during the tumultuous second reign of Emperor Ruizong (r. 684-690, 710-712) (not explicitly stated) who was one of the sons of the infamous female Emperor Wu Zetian, the era saw the Dynasty as the center of the world with exquisite material life and fusion of diverse cultures. Consistently behind the scene is the power struggle, which is historically recorded, between the Emperor’s younger sister, Princess Taiping (youngest daughter of Wu Zetian) and the Crown Prince, Li Longji. It was said the Princess was the real power behind the throne. Many court officials and military personnel flattered to join her camp, and her power exceeded even that of the emperor’s. In this drama, we see deadly political conflicts and manifestation of conspiracy between the Crown Prince and the Elder Princess. And both of our main leads are embroiled in the conflicts which are linked to the cases they have to solve.
Yang Xuwen as Lu Lingfeng is convincing as the proud general who is not too flexible but very good in martial art fighting especially with his long spear. He is upstanding and will do anything to uphold justice. He is loyal to the Crown Prince but is warned to hands off from his investigation of the Chang'an Tea mystery which he's deeply involved and couldn't withdraw himself. So after the mystery is being solved, Lu Lingfeng is stripped of his title and ordered to leave the capital. Behind his background, he has a secret which he doesn’t know himself. Yang Xuwen has a rather rigid look and his portrayal of Lu Lingfeng is very believable.
Su Wuming (Yang Zhigang) is a student of the genius investigative judge Di Renjie. He is humble and resourceful, and is appreciated by the Princess. Su Wuming doesn’t want to be involved in the royal court disputes and is sent away from the capital to the regional office. He is meticulous and observant of the tiniest details, and he is wise but often underestimated by his enemies. Yang Zhigang’s portrayal is very authentic with his suave demeanor, bringing the character alive and loved by viewers.
On their way out of Chang'an, Lu Lingfeng and Su Wuming meet again. Lu Lingfeng initially has a grudge against Su Wuming over some personal issues. After solving their first case together, they become rather fond of each other and the two become good partners, and from thereon, jointly solving cases after cases. Both characters have opposite personalities and strengths, complimenting each other in their investigative work. The bromance between the two is funny and lovable. Their formidable team later includes a talented artist who is in love with Lu Lingfeng, a brilliant doctor disguised as a beggar who loves to eat chicken, and a boy who is talented in martial arts and later becomes Lu Lingfeng’s disciple. I really enjoy watching all of them working together, fending off enemies and solving cases.
My Verdict
If you love The Imperial Coroner, The Detective, Ancient Detective, or Miss Truth, you may love this drama as well. Though with less romance than the other aforementioned, this drama has, among others, few plot holes, good storytelling, and high quality plops. The cases are intriguing and complicated, and the characters are equally lovable and intelligent.
The drama showcases phantoms, illusions, legendary beasts with the ample use of CGIs, some very good as (such as those with the giant crocodiles, phantoms), some less so (such as those with the giant bear). Every seemingly unimportant detail is a clue. Each case is different like an adventure. The case solving techniques involve new way of thinking, understanding of human psychology and most of all, common sense. The culprit in each case has compelling human reasons for committing crimes. A lot of the plots and dialogs are oxymoronic and comical without brazenly admitting so.
Romance is not the focus here as both men are tsunderes and practically run away from romantic relationships despite both men so have love interest with two women. For me, no romance is better than bad romance.
A great watch for thriller buffs.
TWO THUMBS UP! BRAVO!
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