Reviews

Life, all about choices.

Three cities, Yunpei, Tiandu, and Masui reign over the vast desert. Among the listed cities, Yunpei and Tiandu are the ones with strong armies and massive landscapes. Masui is weaker when compared to the other two cities (Tiandu and Yunpei). Princess Huang Bei Shuang of a fallen clan, beautiful, elegant, yet tactical, and skillful gets entangled with three influential men and in the struggle for power. Huang Bei Shuang decides to go against it all, and set a new record if possible.
In this journey, Huang Bei Shuang meets Huo Qing Yu, they hit it off, and eventually fall in love.

I've got a lot to say about this drama, both the positive sides and the negative sides, but I'll analyze the positive ones first.


POSITIVE
The first episode of Love in the Desert captivated me. Why? There I saw a strong, brave, determined, intelligent, and one of a kind FL. A woman who seeks survival in a cruel world. A woman who wants to make a name for herself in the merciless desert ruled by men. The FL impressed me right from the first episode. After that Huo Qing Yu came into the picture. I saw a kind ML. A man who's willing to feed his horse the water he has left. A man who care for his horse more than he does himself. I said to myself, "a smart and strong FL and a strong and kind ML. Yes, this is the type of the leads I always want to see when watching a drama." These two captivated right from the first two episodes.

A woman can't, shouldn't, and mustn't have aspirations, says who? If a man can do it, why can't a woman? This drama showcase the strong will of Huang Bei Shuang. A woman who wants revenge for the murder of her parents.

"In the desert and under the sky, people live. What if life is a pain? What if life is vigorous? I pick my own path. Since I choose to be this lady. I have to fulfill my responsibility." (Huang Bei Shuang's words). There and then, I knew this drama is about humans choices, sticking with them and staying true to your choice.

If there's one lesson I learnt from this drama, that'll be, "life is all about choices." Some choose power over love. Some choose love over power. Some decides to stick by their principles even if it means they have to die to stick by them, they do it anyway. While some betray their principles for survival. Some decide to die to save their loved ones, while some would rather sacrificed their loved ones to survive. Different stands, different decisions, and different choices.

In Bei Shuang's case, she chose a new identity, a perilous journey to fulfill her dreams, her aspiration, and to get revenge on the killers of her parents. She could have chosen to be on the run, or a much easier life, but she decided to choose a roughy path, a path where survival is uncertain. A path where most women fails. Yes, that's who our FL is, a woman of aspirations and determinations. I love her strong and resilient character.

Bei Shuang and Qing Yu with the wind, moon, and the universe as their witnesses got married. That's another choice yet again.

Hankiz Omar really did her character justice. I've only watched few of her dramas, but I've never really been so captivated by her acting, until now. Her facial expressions, the way she carries herself, I just love her acting. She's elegant, graceful, talented, and beautiful. She portrayed her role as the decisive, tactical, strong, intelligent, brave, yet kind Huang Bei Shuang excellently. And I'm not exaggerating about how good her acting is, she's really good. She deserves each and every praises I'm giving her. She's indeed a rare talent. A diamond among stones.

Allen Fang. What can I say? I've always been impressed by him since I saw him onscreen. He impressed me in so many dramas. I loved his role in The Long Ballad, and A Journey To Love, but that's just to mention a few. I loved him so many more dramas. I was impressed yet again with his role as Huo Qing Yu in Love in the Desert. One of the main reasons I watched this one in the first place is because of Allen Fang cuz he's one of my favorites. Indeed, I made the right choice of picking this drama up. He slayed his role yet again in this one. He added to the list of his dramas that left an impression on me.

Needless I say, I love the chemistry of our first couple💞. Their chemistry is natural, unique, and amazing. Their interaction and lovely moments are the true description of love. Yes,their path is not all rosy, neither was it smooth either, but they overcomed it together, hand in hand, in harmony. They overcomed many adversities together. They went through life and death together. Such devoted and strong love mustn't go unmentioned. A pure love.

Not to mention, Love in the Desert's beautiful OSTs. I love the OSTs. Here's the lists
1) Desert wind Chant/ Give me God's wings to conquer the distance by Jess Lee
2) Kiss by Zhang Wei
3) Ask by Jess Lee
4) Recall by Zhang Yu
5) Shadow by Allen Fang
Among all the listed OSTs, the one which I loved the most is "Give me God's Wings to Conquer the Distance." Why? Because I also need God's wings to conquer that distance.
I also loved Shadow by Allen Fang. All the OSTs are emotional and beautiful. I loved them!

NEGATIVE

Allen Fang has multiple identities, but his story wasn't explored enough. Where's the backstory? Where's our ML's screentime? His screentime is too little for a ML with multiple identities. How he became Huo Qing Yu from Na Yan Xing, how he became a powerful northern lord, all these weren't explored well enough.

Also, I hate to say this, but the SML got too much screentime than he's supposed to get. EP 21, 23, and 25 were like the SML episodes. In some of the listed episodes I hardly saw the ML appear. That really got on my nerves.

There's also the messy plot. The plot was all over the place in this one. Little backstory, little clarifications. It became frustrating at some points.

Ending explained
Towards the end, Huang Bei Shuang finally got her revenge on her father's killer "Ge'er Jiqin." Two stabs, then finally, a slit to the throat. Wow, how ruthless. Ruo Wen died 💔 Huang Bei and Ge Xin Wei stabbed Na Zhan decisively and brilliantly. Really, I love that scene, he thought he's facing two weak ladies, little did he know he's facing intelligent women. They cut him off guard. Huang Bei Shuang broke her flute into two and stabbed Na Zhan with it, while Ge Xin Wei used Ruo Wen's sword. I really love that scene, Huang Bei Shuang always doing the unthinkable. A woman who accomplished the task of a man. I just can't help but be impressed by her. And for once, I admired Ge Xin Wei. Finally, the desert is at peace with Huo Qing Yu as its ruler. A benevolent and righteous ruler is what a nation needs to prosper, don't you agree? Our main couple lived happily ever after, realizing their dreams, and helping out the weak tribes of the desert. That's a fulfilling life, isn't it? I loved how they accomplished all these hand in hand, it's really great to see.

In conclusion, I enjoyed Love in the Desert thoroughly despite the negatives, I loved it still. I didn't fast forward any part, even though I found the second couple annoying most times, I watch every minute of it and enjoyed it. This drama has its flaws, but it's definitely worthwhile. It's a drama I'd recommend. This is a solid 9/10 for me.
Also, don't let the negative comments sway you from watching this, it's actually a great drama. Love in the Desert delivered in so many aspects. So don't be deceived, this is a worthwhile drama. Hankiz Omar and Allen Fang slayed their roles. Same goes for the second leads, too.

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another drama that felt short in the last part for me

so let’s talk with the good :
1) Acting, I think the leads were great and side characters too
2) costumes and makeup were pretty
3) I didn’t wanna start because I thought: « oh a story about brocade, it will be boring », well not gonna lie, like almost every drama, there are some more boring parts, but I actually like the brocade plot. it was different from the usual shop we see in some Cdramas and interesting to learn about brocade history. So the premise was interesting and well written in general, I think it was flowing good, FL working, growing their business, the obstacles, etc..
4) I liked the friendship and how they all worked together
5) OST was very good
6) cinematography was also good
7) I like seeing the development between ML and his father, family. Made me smile their interactions in the last ep (always bickering with father ahah) and he even called her « mother ». I enjoy it when I think they deserved forgiveness and a second chance. And he actually made some efforts. I think his father and family deserved it (not like some characters in other drama, like cough cough The rise of Ning). even FL with his stepmom.
8) FL brother: he grow on me. At first I was like, what a weakling. But he stepped up, stood his ground and he surprised me. Like when the mom was in prison, bro wasn’t giving up, I liked that. A supportive and kind guy too
9) ML : I liked him a lot. Like many, I love red flag ML, but I also like green flag ML😂 well if he is the ML (and not a useless stupid weakling) I will love him. Always team ML and SML hater. He was kind, supportive, respectful. Always there for FL, but never overstepping. Pretty intelligent and resourceful. He was a great ML. Also, such a great fighter, always finds this attractive ahaha it was awesome eps 23-24 when he was running back and fighting to get to FL. Zheng Ye Cheng is great with fighting scenes, he should do more dramas as a martial artist and actions. also in ep 36, the fighting in that like arena or in the last ep, last fight.
10) FL : intelligent, kind and hardworking woman. I liked how she was working so hard to continu her father’s work and the brocade business. It was good when she was turning the plans of the uncle against him, it was always satisfying. Used her intelligence for example to changed the family rules and can we say the deal in the last few eps ? Or went she wasn’t trusting Bai at first and keeping some distance, didn’t accepted (before the wedding in ep 24) the help of Bai or the ex. Some choices were a bit questionable or stupid, but anyway I think it fits her character…
11) the romance in the first 3/4 : I think the development was really good. Mature romance ?them slowly working together, trusting each other and falling in love. We could feel their love for each other with the little moments. Then came ep 24, I think the scene of him crashing the wedding was really good and I liked the dialogue. Even before that, when the ex captured her, he came to save her and I think that scene was also very good. We didn’t get much, but their married life was cute. We got 1 kiss only, but it wasn’t bad. The cliff scenes and some others after the divorce, some good emotional moments and we could still feel their love. They loved each other a lot and were both ready to die for each other.
12) villains : we’ll get back to it, but it was somehow interesting to have strong villains who were winning sometimes before their loss of course ahah
13) happy ending. we’ll get back to it also

so what went wrong for me :
1) the 2 side guys with unrequited love and possessiveness became so annoying and never ending
2) the last part when FL went into Bai country: didn’t like it and why did it last for so long ? We already didn’t get a lot of FL and ML dating, but their screentime together was so reduced in the last 8 eps? we got more of FL and SML together, it’s like they were almost trying to romanticize that? because what was the point of all that screentime together. I didn’t give a damn. If only they didn’t went for the same old cliche plot, the bad guy falling in love with FL and wanting to possess her… Truly uninspiring and uninteresting. What could have been an interesting villain (and he was actually pretty powerful too), felt flat.
3) There was some sloppy weird editing
4) Some characters died to easily.
5) Ning girl wasn’t really interesting to get that screentime, just like the ex, who could have had way less screentime (at last got some character development)
6) stupid unnecessary death. why did they killed off the female friend? such waste, they had the brother confess and being rejected for a while. they got together really late, we got almost nothing and then they kills her off for no reason ? even ML’s friend… WHY DO THEY ALWAYS KILLS OFF ML FRIEND OR RIGHT HAND MAN???? in so many dramas
7) FL crying and mourning for Prince Bai (the guy who literally, kidnapped her and her friends, threatened them, hurt and tried to kill the man she loves, tried to literally assault her….), was just completely stupid and weird to me (I got a bit the ick). I don’t care if she sympathizes or something, just no. And they wasted screentime on this, we could have gotten more minutes for sweet moments between the leads. I don’t get it, what was the point, I read not of this was in the novel and he didn’t even died. Why did they make him die protecting FL and her crying for him? writers trying to glorify second leads or something sometimes (like the princess Royal or even the rise of Ning, in there too they made him die by « saving » FL)
8) happy ending, but I didn’t really feel anything. Also, after all that, months of separation, we got a smile ? not a hug or anything. That was disappointing, even the « wedding » (because we didn’t saw the wedding again), gave me nothing. FL title was something I guess. And the villain died, deserved death.


Anyway, it was still a good watch for the positive points

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It is bad, not the worst, but it is bad

If you're looking for a show that will change your life, this isn't it. If you're looking for a good story that will give you a message, this isn't it. But if you have free time, want to watch something with your meal, and are looking for something that won't strain your mind too much, this is it. In the story, all characters are in the gray zone except 3 of them.(two of them are black, one of them white, white is the only girl btw:) Some of them are very light gray, some are close to black. This may be the most admirable aspect of the story. You can empathize with almost all the characters or get angry and hate them at the end of the story. This choice is completely It is left to you.

The first episodes of the series are very fluent and different. But the cliché of bringing an ex-lover to open a new path has turned everything upside down. With such a clumsy move and the continuation of the lazy writing technique, the story jumped out of the window. Even though you understand the motivations of many characters until that hour, everything becomes a confusion after that hour. Characters exhibit self-contradictory behavior. Which is the failure of the scenario. The scenario also has inconsistencies within itself. While the kissing scene of one of the characters who has a boyfriend with someone else may cause major events, another character's not taken into consideration at all and is even applauded. In the series, everyone cheats on each other or everyone kisses everyone else, but these do not serve anything. The characters act as if nothing happened. They made everyone kiss to eache other for just get more interaction on social media and these scenes serve nothing. In short, it is another series where the weak and bad scenario is tried to be saved with popular actors and Nc scenes. It is bad but not the worst, but it is still bad.

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I originally had no interest in this drama.. But after watching a few scenes I kind of went into it because it gave me a vibe similar to Love Me If You Dare.. Well this was nowhere close to LMIYD.. It felt pretty generic and a bit too overdramatic at times but still a well written psychological thriller.. And the ML’s obsessive, possessive love was another reason to watch this.. The main leads had good chemistry and intense dynamic right from the beginning..

Obsession, guilt and regret are what make a psychological thriller like this thrive and this drama does that well.. The pacing can feel a bit slow at times with how much it leans into backstory and buildup but it’s clear every detail is carefully placed to connect the pieces and lead you to the finale..

I think we have to talk about the FL first.. She was at the center of a lot of criticism.. Personally, I don’t think she is completely blameless in the way she treated her husband but that just makes her human.. Her connection with her ex runs deeper than most people would imagine.. They were childhood friends.. He was part of her life for as long as she could remember and she loved him for years.. It’s not easy to just move on from something like that, right?? But she still did.. Even after he came back, even after it became clear he wasn’t the bad guy, she chose her husband.. She faltered at times and did hurt the ML, but she never crossed the line.. She made it clear that what she felt for him was in the past and now, she loves someone else.. She realised the ML was her safe place, her home, her future and she didn’t back down from that.. As for the rest of her character.. She didn't feel like a badass character no matter how hard they tried.. But the ending, she flipped the script..

“ I think you have been wrong about one thing from the start..
I didn’t come here to be your hostage..
I came here to avenge my brother..”

Yup that's when she was a badass..

And I have to say this, I keep seeing people call her character complex.. Seriously?? There was nothing complex about her.. She was just someone carrying deep regret, sadness and guilt.. Not every female character needs to be labelled complex just for the sake of it.. And let’s be honest, if the roles were reversed and the ML treated his ex like that, he would be called a creep, a red flag and worse..

The ML, well he was desperately, painfully, completely and maybe even a little foolishly in love with the FL.. I think Jing Boran did a really good job playing Jiang Hansheng.. A lot of people might not like how rigid and stiff he was.. But it fits someone who is so controlled on the surface but a mess underneath when it comes to her.. And his cat and mouse chase with the antagonist was genuinely exciting to watch..

The SML, I really didn’t find him pitiful.. Yeah, he lost a lot but that was the price of the choices he made.. He probably sacrificed the most in the entire drama.. Sure but that doesn’t mean he is entitled to a ' Welcome back, everything is just as you left it ' with a pat on the back.. His decisions affected a lot of people’s lives, especially the FL’s and not in a small way..

The twists in the middle phase weren’t all that surprising.. I had my doubts about Zhan Wei from the moment he appeared on screen but the identity of the mole, I didn't expect that..

Anyway the last two episodes really lived up to the psychological thriller tag.. The ML’s confrontation with Qi Yan, the antagonist was well done.. He stays calm and doesn’t lose his temper even with the FL’s life in danger, because he knows he has to target Qi Yan’s weakness.. The whole buildup was leading to that moment and it worked really well..

Overall this was a good watch.. The story development is neat and well written.. It builds slowly and with attention to detail which works well for a story like this.. I do think it needed a bit more psychological tension but that’s just my opinion.. I really liked how clingy the main leads were.. Even more so after they made up following the whole divorce situation.. I would have enjoyed it more if the SML wasn’t a focus in the final episode.. It felt like too much time was spent on him.. I wish we got more domestic moments with the main leads instead.. Now that they had worked through their issues and moved past all the revenge and chaos.. We deserved more of them just being at peace..

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What a Masterpiece!

This movie is a hidden gem, but if you were waiting your typical happy, cute, melodramatic drama well... this is clearly not for you.

This movie tells the story of Se-Jin, a 17 years old teen, that gets pregnant and with the help of her new companion (Joo Young, a runaway 17 years old) they do everything possible (and also the impossible compared to other K-Movies) to get her an abortion. But, in the process, this movies shows the society's underworld, rarely shown in this kind of movies. Taboo symbols are common, although the two main leads are minors, this includes: alcohol intake, cigarette smoking, hallucinogens or sedatives, sex, abortion, theft, minors working, bullying, and the list goes on! All this is used to make a critic to society about the hardships faced by teens without somebody to guide them but, clearly, in a very particular way.

The plot is really good and the storyline is easy to follow, though there may be some plot holes. It's is not a particularly fast movie, but it's pace would clearly not get you bored. Nevertheless, in the last 25 minutes the plot line changes a bit, it gets a bit slower and maybe, if we were too excited because of previous events it may get a bit boring, but nothing too serious.

The acting of the two main leads is spectacular. It's amazing how they could portray such personalities in such a natural way. The rest of the cast's acting is good but nothing too remarkable.

Overall, this is a really particular movie, clearly +18. One should start watching the movie knowing this things so to not get disappointed. My personal recommendation is to give it a chance because, almost certainly, you will end enjoying it.

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A Fast-paced Mix of Politics, Humour, Love, Friendship, Doubt and Growth

Just finished watching and honestly it was beautiful. Maybe because it’s an original script, Key to the Phoenix Heart has a sense of completeness to it rarely found in C-dramas. While the drama wasn’t flawless as the flow and pacing did have its ups and downs, considering it had only 28 episodes, the story was still executed and wrapped up rather remarkably in my opinion.

I really liked how all the characters are written with so many layers and depth despite its short length and the entire cast did a really fine job executing them.

Xiao Wuyi is such a conventionally unconventional character – not quite original but somehow refreshing and is undoubtedly one of Hou Minghao’s best portrayals. Wuyi seems single-mindedly focused on his goals at the cost of anything but is also endlessly selfless. Usually, I’m rather miffed when a supposed ‘wicked and ruthless’ male lead is toned down for the sake of the story but with Wuyi, it just seems natural. His anger, his determination, his love, his friendship and kindness, everything felt like it was justified. Xiao Wuyi is someone with the world on his shoulders, burdened with inherited responsibilities and his own enormous dreams – and you can see the tiredness in his eyes; being in love with his best friend’s girl, you can feel that restraint inside him, you can see his pain, just like you can see his joy when he finds that love reciprocated. Minghao captured Xiao Wuyi's kind heart, strategic mind, incredible strength and the formidable aura of a seasoned military general so well that every aspect of him felt convincing and earned.

Xie Jiayu is a remarkable start to Aimi’s female lead career. I wouldn’t call myself her fan per se, but when I first heard about this, I was honestly so proud of her despite the controversy because she absolutely deserved this role and now, I can say that she totally owned it too. Jiayu is a sixteen-year-old who acts like a sixteen-year-old. She is inexperienced, naïve, playful yet strong and resolute. There is an untainted sincerity in everything she does – in her crush, love, friendship, trust and hatred which makes it very difficult to fault her or be annoyed at her antics and personally, I think Aimi’s age played a significant role to make Jiayu feel so real. Jiayu's growth throughout the drama is gradual but deliberate as she chooses her purpose and creates her own path, growing into a confident woman who knows what she wants and what she stands for.

Their slow-burn romance was just perfect. Considering everything, I think it was executed impeccably. I was a little worried at first but the handling of Wuyi’s feelings as well as Jiayu’s emotional transition from Li Mao to Xiao Wuyi was done so well that it felt incredibly natural. The romance was clean and age-appropriate but never felt incomplete. Their natural chemistry, the dialogues, their acts of service, their body language and the hugs never made me doubt for one second that these people loved each other.

The supporting cast were also written well and weren’t just divided into black and white. They had depth with personal motives, distinct personalities and character development and honestly, there wasn’t any character that I hated. I liked how the writer didn’t sacrifice secondary characters to uplift the main leads and let them make their own mistakes and redemptions. Personally, I really liked Li Mao and Lejun. The casting helped as I do like Wang Yilun quite a lot, but I could mostly get behind their reasoning and loved how dynamic they were. Their mistakes and flaws were real but so were their motives and reparations and despite all the back and forth, I think Li Mao needed to experience all that to reach his own fulfillment.

The plot was intricate and rather ambitious with many elements packed in just twenty-eight episodes but was surprisingly solid without any glaring plot holes and had some genuinely interesting plot twists even if the story felt a little too dramatic, a bit rushed and unnecessarily complicated at times. But my frustrations were generally overpowered by my interest, and I really did enjoy this drama from start to finish. The blend of politics, romance and humour was also done exceptionally well, and I found it really engaging to watch. The cinematography was beautiful, the visuals and the styling were stunning, the action scenes were well-choregraphed and the soundtrack really elevated the story without overpowering it.

Overall, I genuinely loved this drama. The combination of intriguing plot, well written and brilliantly executed characters, heartfelt relationships, impeccable comedy, beautiful visuals and osts packed in a fast-paced story makes Key to the Pheonix Heart a drama totally worth watching and is absolutely recommended.

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My alarm would not ring for this show

I withheld my opinions for this series until the second season came out, hoping they would tweak the things that were wrong with the first season. First off, I am all for realistic storylines with flawed characters. But what I do not stand for are characters that do not have a character growth at all. From the onset, there seemed to be a lot of potential because of the premise. An application that reveals the feelings of the other person? Interesting. Does that mean transparency from the get go? Yes (which was later on conveniently wiped out, but who cares, JoJo can do whatever she wants. But more about that later)! Refreshing? Sure. A distorted way of communicating? ABSOLUTELY.

Let me breakdown what and where this went wrong for me -
1. A sudden cliched "two worlds apart" situation between the 1ML and FL. I was suspicious they might add that trope of "leaving for the benefit of the other", but I hoped, really hoped they wouldn't do that. Proved me wrong.
2. The way FL's story arc progressed flatly until the last episode where she suddenly decided to right the wrongs. It took someone to murder people for her to finally realize she wasn't really being a nice person. If I had to describe her story graph it would be _________/ At least that's what it was made to look like, for me it never picked up. There are far, far better characters arcs that overcome childhood traumas, without playing with other people's feelings and messing up their heads.
3. The writers probably wanted to show that the two MLs were unconditionally in love with JoJo, but all it looked like to me what she could do whatever she wants, and they'd still be at her beck and call. There were multiple instances she stepped on their hearts and didn't care to explain why. They still followed her like lost puppies. They both deserved so much better. Sun-oh definitely did. That man was made to cry for years - YEARS - over the FL who TILL the end never made up for her actions.
4. I would have been very happy if the bromance of the two MLs had more substance. It felt empty. I was supposed to feel it, but couldn't.
5. The second season felt so forced it made me cringe. Like a 16-episode melo was attempted to be cramped in a 6-episode mini-series. The story felt off, the wrap up was messed up, there were no emotions attached.
6. I feel I need to emphasize a little more about the FL's character. It is going down as one of the most frustrating leads I have ever seen. I see zero reason for her being the lead at all, she showed zero maturity, zero sensibility, zero empathy, zero growth in any sense whatsoever and still looked like a victim in every situation till the last episode.

There were several things I liked as well though, I should mention them nevertheless -
1. The first season was shot beautifully. I loved the setting, it was really refreshing. One word to describe it would be - promising.
2. The way the relationship between Jojo, her aunt and her cousin evolved (however limitedly).
3. The acting was good, I loved the work of the whole cast! I could see them trying their best with what they were given.
4. The overall concept of the show and what we could learn from it. It's thought provoking.

Comparing the things I liked, and the things I did not, it is safe to say it was the writing that ruined it for me. The storyline + characters. The way the flaws of the FL were glorified and excused because of her past basically undermines the growth people actually undergo when they overcome traumas. I wish the actors chose a better project. I'd love to see other works of theirs, because this show is a bad memory now. What's worse is that along with the FL, the audience is made to play ping pong with their feelings regarding the MLs. I hate when shows do that. Now the 1ML is being inconsiderate and heartless, now the 2nd one is doing the same, oh god the 1ML is hurt, oh no no the 2ML is hurt now. What exactly are you trying to do writers? Do you have no other content to keep the viewers watch your show until the end? It's a rhetoric question. They do not, in fact, have any other content.

Never re-watching this, and never recommending this to anyone.

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When Oranges Fall Is The Softest and Most Comforting BL of the Year, A Sweet Little Gem From GMMTV

I did not expect to fall in love with When Oranges Fall this quickly. I was completely hooked by how cute, soft, and fluffy everything felt. I have been watching so many toxic, crime filled, and murder mystery BLs lately, so this series honestly feels like such a refreshing change. It is warm, comforting, and full of youthful charm in the best way possible.

This is my first time seeing Progress and Almond acting, and wow, GMMTV really knows how to cast their high school BLs perfectly. Both of them feel so natural in their roles, and the fact that they are close to the age of the characters makes everything feel more believable and genuine. They are both so young and talented already.

What surprised me the most is how different this series feels from a typical GMMTV production. The cinematography and scenery capturing the late 1990s to early 2000s atmosphere are done beautifully. I love the rural setting, the old style high school, and seeing teenage boys riding bikes around town instead of being glued to phones and computers. Watching them sit outside reading comic books and spending time in nature gives the show such a nostalgic and peaceful feeling.

The friendship group is also adorable and so fun to watch. Every interaction feels natural and heartwarming. The story between Ko One and Ko Two already has me invested. I love the whole neighbour dynamic and how their personalities completely clash at first. You can already feel the slow burn romance building underneath all the teasing and awkward moments. I just know watching them slowly fall for each other is going to be the cutest journey ever.

I also love how they communicate using cans and strings instead of being constantly glued to their phones. This series reminds me so much of Bad Buddy. It’s like they’re Pat and Pran’s babies. ❤️

So far, this series feels almost perfect to me. It is sweet, comforting, nostalgic, and genuinely refreshing. This has been my comfort shows for the last few months .

Honestly, I have watched every single GMMTV series released this year, and this is easily my favorite one so far.

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Missed opportunity

*****This does contain spoilers *****

This is the go-to show that got me hooked on the Asian market. I can’t tell you how many times I have watched it. I like the English version for falling asleep to -Daniel Kim’s voiceover work for Ahn Hyo-Seop is smooth. 🫠

One thing I don’t understand is how at least 10 years later (after college) Yeon-Jun and Jun-hee are not married. As in love as he is with her, why wait so long to propose? We know Si-Heon takes the entrance exam in 2008 and JunHee goes to New York in 2023 so that’s a HUGE chunk on SiHeon’s part.

Now, for the missed part. Uncle is explaining to YeonJun the meaning of his stores “27” names. It would tie in better with the story line if Koo Yeon Jun were to “fly to New York” when he was 27 years old. It would make more sense to wait those few extra years after school to get finances in order and propose. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Gather My Tears still hits, especially knowing the tragic background of the artist.
This drama still makes me cry. Every time. ♥️💔

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So Far Epic - Updated 12/12/22

Have been awaiting for this drama to finally be released and boy has it not disappointed so far.

Story: so far very intriguing, love the throw backs into how the main characters came to be and I believe they have picked a very unique FL/ML for this drama. The story in itself is modern refreshing and fits the mood I believe for most working class people with Asian parents. So as far as I am concerned thumbs up and I hope they can keep having each episode as exciting as the last. I’ve re-watched latest eps like 2-3 times already. (Completed - as of 12/12), not going to fluff here, the mid section of this series I feel after finishing this does drag a bit. I think this series could of been concluded a little earlier and the extra little romance twists in this mid to end parts of the series felt a little dragged but I understand why this was done to get the audience to feel / cherish what a good relationship can become and after missed opportunities you may not get back what you once had.

Acting: great acting so far from FL/ML, the ML parents are also amazing very fun dialogues and great chemistry so far. ML best friend is crackers fun, hope to see more of him too. (Updated - 12/12), acting throughout series has been constant. The dialogue between all characters has been good, the mid part of series approx from ep 28 - 40 does seem to drag a bit and the acting near the end does become repetitive however it plays well with the characters.

Music: nothing fancy, just dandy....however the main theme is starting to grow on me now after watching the past 10 episodes and some episodes again hehe

Overall: completed this series finally, the main theme of this story is really good, working class people who try to balance career advancement in a competitive world whilst also try to have a sustainable and morally justified relationship. What started to be a simple relationship transaction became something much more. Is it realistic in a sense yes but in a sense no, however as being someone that loves the drama series with also what if possibility in romance this one is really good. Is it worth rewatching for someone who’s has followed this series from the start, yes there is aspects and certain areas that can be like every series. Is this the best romance drama in 2022 in modern setting, no it is not. If you like the ML/FL specifically awesome as they do have great chemistry but for people who are new to the series or cdramas you may find this series starts off with good pace and story and will ? Think about a little drag near the end. The ending is at least a positive one, like many other people that love watching this type of genre it’s very important to know if it’s a Sad/Happy ending. (Hope that’s not a spoiler) lol

Update: 12/12/22 - I am aware some people have explained or have mentioned their thoughts about the series and how negative this series is. This is very subject to opinion however this is my take on it on a subjective level. Like many other series that’s similar to this one or similar in genre, you either like it or you don’t. It’s not for everyone, however I believe if you are a fan of watching (Romance/Comedy/Drama) series's this is one not to be missed. Yes the main actor/actress may have been the ones you originally wanted to see hence you watched this series but I would dare say or can challenge anyone that this has always been a reason to watch any TV series. We are fans of who we like of course we watch what they produce or involved in……..I’m not stating other peoples opinions are wrong I’m just saying for the new/veterans that are watching any cdramas, please watch for yourself and have your own subjective opinion. Don’t just rely on any reviews whether it’s positive or negative.

Thanks to everyone that has liked my review so far, I appreciate the support. Hope to watch more series in the future and update more reviews.

Cheers, ^_^

Shing

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The story was just terrible. Most of the drama was just Lee Min Ho and Park Shin Hye running from each other then running right back together. It made the character development and story line just implode upon itself. When I first started the drama, I was excited to see Lee Min Ho after watching Boys Over Flowers but I started to hate his character and his acting in The Heirs.

First off, the writer makes Kim Tan seem like a selfish guy who is obsessed with Cha Eun Sang. He keeps swearing to protect her but everyone knows all it does is just make matters worse. His vow to protect her seems to be just a sort of obsessive control he wants to have over her. His acting of being cute at some parts made me cringe even though I wanted to enjoy it because it was just so disgusting for his character. I think his character and acting in Boys Over Flowers was much more pleasant. His character there was written cutely and maturely: Gu Jun Pyo knew when to let go and didn't try to get back with Jan Di within 20 minutes of the same episode.

Secondly, my attention was definitely caught by Kim Woo Bin. I ended up watching the drama for him. He portrays his character pretty well even though his character is very cruel. Many people say his actions can't be justified but if you think about it, he really doesn't know how to express his feelings properly. He's just like a little kid that wants someone's (Cha Eun Sang's) attention so he'll do even mean things to get it. I feel that his means actions toward Eun Sang arise from Eun Sang misunderstanding him. People don't consider the bully being a victim him/herself.

I feel like most of the characters were just thrown in as accessories and suddenly had huge developments within one or two episodes whereas the rest of the screen time is given to Park Shin Hye and Lee Min Ho to stare at each other. Krystal Jung overacted but I got used to it and later found her and some of the other character parts to be good comedic reliefs from the overly dramatic and boring main couple.

Also, I liked Kim Ji Won's portrayal of the character Rachael. I think she did a really good job and it showed because I thought the character Rachael was very cold and mean.

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Hard to Express my Disappointment with This Cringe Fest.

Since discovering Kdramas I had loved Shin Min ah, her beauty is so natural and gorgeous and her comedic touch in kdramas has been well established from my Girlfriend is Gumiho to Hometwon Cha Cha. Here paired up with a younger and extremely handsome ML the anticipation was high.

Unfortunately what we got was a mish mash of a drama with totally uneven characters, development, character arcs and a script writer who seemed to think that focusing on sexual themes, lifestyles, and engaging in the odd time subtle but mainly the most stupid and crass sexual innuendo was the height of literary achievement.

The flashback scenes of the FL buying a gazillion condoms while shouting around the supermarket that her sex partner better do it more than twice tonight or admonishing some guy for his weak performance in bed were so cringe inducing and pathetic I was actually flabbergasted. I couldn't decide if this was aimed at 14yr olds or idiots or 14yr old idiots or people who hadn't had sex in 14yrs or people who never had sex.

And then the dildos ooh look our sexually liberated FL (okay we get it jesus we get it she has sex) has sex toys and masturbates, a univeral and generally private human activity but here glorified and held up as if ownership of them elevated her to a place of enlightenment and Liberation that sets her apart from the rest of us mere mortals. It reminded me of the innuendo filled British comedy of the 70s and 80s where anything sex related drew gasps and guffaws from the scandalised but knowing audience. The amount of cringey "oh my God I laughed so hard when I saw those dildos" comments I've read is oh whatever 🙄.

Then the more "serious" themes of views on marraige, family infidelity, polyamorous relationships and pregnancy. Again it was like the makers, in their desperate attempt to be edgy modern and join the dreaded race to the bottom of shittiness epitomised by shallow, amoral, sexualised characters in western TV, they just threw in a whole lot of ideas and developed none of them in any meaningful way. The supportive relationship between the three foster siblings was heartwarming but it was overshadowed by the unresolved and unfinished exploration of the nature of the FLs relationship with her mother vs everyone else's. The inherent unfairness of this seemed to be left to the FL right to the end.

The older foster sister having unprotected sex with multiple partners and not knowing or bothering to find out definitively who the real father of her child was, inadvertently highlighted some of the potential pitfalls of polygamy though the writer just seemed to be inserting it for "look at how edgy my script is". It really did not portray a meaningful rmessage apart from her BF being a selfish so and so. Like at least practise safe sex FFS. Again it seemed having the concept in the drama was more important than how it was actually dealt with.

The cheating ex faciltted by the FL the whole way through and the cheating dad of the CEO were just shittiness personified. The fact we are repeatedly shown and reminded that the FL is a morally fair and kind at heart person makes this worse as she loses all credibility here by blatantly betraying her exes wife who was generally kind to and supportive of her. And of course asshole ex gets a pass, ah well we might have that female character, along with the cheated on 2ML wife, portrayed as regressively as an early noughties Kdrama melo but we did have condoms and dildos and a polyamorous couple so it's okay we're edgy.

The infamous second couple were more typical of your Kdrama rom com cute couple but totally distracted from the main couple especialky toward the end, and his initial online attacks were pretty awful along with his weird mamas boy life but at least that plot line didn't seem to take itself too seriously.

Finally the .most irritating take I've repeatedly seen is how the FL is so cool unapologetic and iconic. I just can't get over how crass immature and painfully obviously trying to be cool this script is. It's like the member of your social group who because they're never actually getting any they never stop going on about sex in OTT ways to over compensate. it was pretty cringe tbh.

I don't want to get into the whole westernisation of Kdramas by the Streaming services but if this is anything to go by get ready for a serious decline.

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How do I put this?

You know the feeling when you buy a new toothbrush?

It's the perfect color, has the right amount of bristle strength, fits comfortably in your hand.

You use this tooth brush all week with the small joy that it brings and makes you chuckle over being happy with such a small thing.

And then, your roommate asks if you've been using that perfect toothbrush.

Because another person has been using it all week too.

That's the feeling.

Don't be seduced by the first episodes. Don't fall for it's charm. Don't do it.

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