Reviews

Wow, I'm a new member here and cannot believe that I am the first to write a review of the Legend of the Condor Heroes 1994. It's a most underrated series that I must have watched over 50 times. If you've read the novel by Jin Yong then you should like this series as its the most accurate adaptation of all the ones I've seen. There's no fluff and draggy scenes. 35 episodes worth of storyline pretty straight out of the novel. Some of the dialogue between the characters were from the novel too. Looking back, Athena Chu did a pretty good job in the lead role as Wong Yung. For me Athena has played the role better than other actresses that I have seen other than Barbara Yung in the 1983 series. Young, pretty, smart and devious. Julian Cheung as Kwok Jing and Gallen Lo as Yeung Hong were respectable male leads. Julian looks heroic and handsome. Gallen looks sly. Suitable for the roles. The costumes I didn't mind. Although putting Kwok Jing in a pink costume at the start was weird... It is what it is for a 90's drama I guess. The ending song by Julian Cheung really ranks up there with some of the best songs in wuxia drama series. Overall it was a well made series. Jin Yong adaptations these days may have breath taking views, slow mo/stop freeze computer generated special effects fighting etc but the storylines just don't cut it. Sometimes simple is best. Also they seem to select weak (sissy) looking male leads that don't look heroic at all... I give this series 9.5 out of 10 and I've consistently watched it again and again in stints. It's 35 episodes so easy to re-watch.

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Oh, My Goodness, Liu Yuning!

I had to give this drama high marks, but not a perfect score because I felt cheated out of happy endings that some of the characters deserved. I know, I know, life isn't all happy endings, but this one should have and could have been all around (except for the bad guys, of course!)

That being said, Liu Yuning! His expressions! His fierce persona, his gentle persona. The battle to let his feelings grow and come to fruition. His performance in this one was masterful! And it helped that he had such great chemistry with his FL. I don't know why some haters get on him so much. He is drop dead gorgeous and looks smoking hot in historical army gear, and he is a good actor!

This one definitely deserves rewatch, for me, if only to stare at Liu Yuning and watch him fall in love with his leading lady.

I think Prisoner of Beauty merits all the high ratings and accolades it has gotten. The story was well written; the characters were well-casted and very well played. I loved the 4 Wei generals. Loved Bai Zhi. Loved Qiao Ci and Qiao Ping. Absolutely loved Wei Shao's military advisor Gongsun Yang - his expressions were delightful! Even the villains deserved to be despised. Great acting from the entire ensemble!

(Did I mention how sizzling hot and gorgeous Liu Yuning is in this one?) 😉

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This movie is confusing! However, that is exactly what it's supposed to be. Real is a movie that will have you wondering just what the heck is going on, while at the same time have you thoroughly enjoying trying to figure out what it is, then just when you think you're a genius and solved it in your mind, the plot punches you in the face, laughs at you and tells you that you were wrong all along. :p The whole premise of the story is about reality vs. unreality. The real world on one side, dreamworld on the other. Just what lies inside a person's subconscious, hidden from our awake mind, perhaps only appearing in our dreams? This movie explores such notions and I, for one, couldn't tear myself away from the screen.

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Would you choose love or your career? The cinderella story or who you really want/who actually knows you? That's basically what this movie revolves around- a woman in her 30's currently rising up in her career, the problems surrounding it, losing herself on the way, and finally finding herself in the end.

I must say- I had high expectations for this movie since it included three of my favorite Taiwanese actors, and two were the leads of one of my favorite dramas, In Time With You. While watching this movie, I kept thinking of other dramas/movie scenes that were just so similar to the scenes in this movie. Similarity isn't always a bad thing, as long as it is well executed- which in this case, wasn't. I was severely disappointed because I really wanted to love this movie. The story was lacking, with choppy execution and just didn't flow. It's basically a modern twist on Cinderella, but has nothing new. I must say that there were some cute OTP scenes between the leads definitely worth watching, which were the pros of this movie.

The character development was mediocre. There was no substance to Chen Bo Lin's character, a huge let down for me. Ariel's character had the most character growth from being insecure to a confident woman, the transformation was fun to see but nothing new. Vic's character was endearing but again, not much development either. The supporting characters just sprung out of nowhere, and felt disjointed as well. The acting itself was superb. Ariel Lin always does a fantastic job in portraying her emotions, along with Vic and Chen Bo Lin. NaNa was both cute and annoying, which was the point of her role so she was pretty good too. On a superficial note, Ariel looked gorgeous in this movie. The main problem with this movie was the story. So much star power in this movie, and yet it still couldn't shine.

Music was alright, nothing out of the ordinary.

So do I recommend it? If you're a big Ariel Lin, Vic Chou, and Chen Bo Lin fan like me, then yes go for it! I mean, when will we ever get to see the three of them together in a drama/movie again? Re-watch? I'm good, thanks. Overall, it was worth watching one time just to see the three of them together. (7/8)

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This Drama Is Overhated, Honestly

No, it’s not anything groundbreaking or super original, and yeah, it leans into clichés and familiar conflicts here and there, but that doesn’t make it bad. It’s actually a decent romcom with sweet moments and genuinely likable characters. Not a masterpiece, and I might not remember every detail a few months from now, but I liked it. It’s good enough, tbh.

The story follows Zo, a university student who has a crush on Nita. With some encouragement from his friends, he decides to ask Joke (Nita’s ex) for help getting closer to her. Of course, we as the audience already see what’s going on: Joke is clearly using this as an excuse to get closer to Zo, and it works. The two of them end up getting together, and it’s full of sweet energy that I enjoyed.

There were so many genuinely soft moments throughout, and they made the whole thing feel warm and worth watching.

I also really liked Jeng and Pok as the side couple. Their dynamic had a little more emotional tension. Jeng didn’t want to go public about their relationship, and Pok was dealing with some insecurity. That “Sorry that I’m a man” line? Yeah. That hit.

Pat and Kot, Zo’s friends, were fun and added some lightness to balance things out. Great side characters.

And Nita! She was honestly great, pretty, smart, kind, and just good at everything she did. Totally understandable why Zo admired and liked her so much. I really appreciated that the story let Zo acknowledge his feelings for Nita and have that clarity before he moved on to Joke. That part felt really thoughtful and well done.

Also, I liked the cousin/friendship between Jeng and Joke. A small touch, but it added some warmth and extra layers to their characters.

Not gonna lie, Zo and Joke are both so pretty. I couldn’t stop looking. They were just serving all the time. Especially Zo that hairstyle is his!

Oh, and just a random thought, but I honestly feel like Zo, Joke, and Nita had throuple potential. Not even kidding, the chemistry was there. Not taking anything away from Zo and Joke’s relationship (because that worked well on its own), but that trio had a vibe.

So yeah. It’s not a flawless show, but it’s not trying to be. It’s sweet, it’s fun, and it had more emotional depth than I expected. Overhated for sure.

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I love movies that inform

What is the true power of the internet, even in the hands of youth? An action a youth started years ago in Korea employing the Internet got 16 million people to respond and take to the streets. Based on true events and witness accounts, Troll Factory explores how the media and social media outlets manipulate and drive public opinion, even if it is fake news. The movie has smoking music and a great point of view. The acting dream team delivers big time. Viewing is worth your time manipulation. You can rent this movie on ViKi.

Quote: “There is no truth in the perfect lie, but if the truth is mixed with the lie, a lie is mixed with the truth, and if it is not a perfect lie, it is not all lies. Truth mixed with lies feels more real than the real truth”, Journalist.

If one is not familiar with Trolling Factories and public opinion manipulation using the Internet, or one does not know all the street terms, Trolls Factory may be a learning experience or one may get lost in the fray. For me, it was a learning experience and I totally loved this movie. While the movie is rated PG 13, the movie had more cursing then I would have expected.

Sun Suk-ku (My Liberation Botes, Killer Paradox)

Kim Sung-cheol (Do You Like Brahms?, Our Beloved Summer)

Hong Kyung (Weak Hero Class 1, DP)

Kim Dong-hwi (The Deal, In Our Prime)

A Troll Farm or troll factory is an institutionalized group of internet trolls that seeks to interfere in political opinions and decision-making. Wikipedia

Products of troll factories include, among others: • fake social media profiles; harassment and bullying• entire websites created to support trolling operations.

Dictionary Definitions

Trolling—posting or commenting online to 'bait' people, which means deliberately provoking an argument or emotional reaction.

Doxing—search for and publish private or identifying information about (a particular individual) on the internet, typically with malicious intent.

Phubbing— the practice of ignoring one's companion or companions in order to pay attention to one's phone or other mobile device.

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"Happiness is not a story, misfortune is"

Young love is a heady experience that eventually has to give way to maturity and communication or else the relationship is doomed to failure. Us and Them showed how love blossomed and faded, but never scattered away.

Jian Qing and Fang Xiao Xiao meet on a train headed to their hometown for Lunar New Year celebrations. The two hit it off and become friends. Both are struggling to make their dreams come true in Beijing. Xiao Xiao dates men older than her who are established because she wants to live in a nice house. After Jian Qing graduates from college, he works odd jobs selling games and porn. His dream is to create a video game but struggles with a lack of time and resources. After a second broken heart, Xiao Xiao moves into Qing’s cramped accommodations and the two eventually become lovers. Financial struggles begin to take a toll on the two as they attempt to make a living in Beijing.

By presenting the couple in the present (in black and white) and the past (in color) we learn how their expectations changed over time. Xiao Xiao went from wanting to live in a nice house to being content to live in a veritable dungeon with Qing. Qing doesn’t get that message and the pressure in his mind to measure up begins to build. Even as their fortunes change, Qing doesn’t comprehend what Xiao Xiao truly wanted. The older versions are able to look back on their younger selves and see the missteps and inevitabilities along the way.

The most heartbreaking element of the film for me, was Qing’s relationship with his father. His black and white problem-solving brain missed what his father tried to tell him. He diminished the sacrifices his father made for him, only realizing how his words cut when it was too late. Sometimes it is too late to say, “I’m sorry.”

Rene Liu created a gorgeous film with stunning snowy vistas, beautiful autumn walks, and claustrophobic living spaces. Jing Bo Ran and Zhou Dong Yu had a believable chemistry as young lovers and older, maybe wiser adults. Tian Zhuang Zhuang gave a touching performance as Qing’s dedicated father.

Us and Them conveyed through the obstacles Qing and Xiao Xiao faced that love isn’t always enough. Communication, trust, perseverance, and understanding are required to hang in for the long haul. All of these things are made even more difficult in poverty and when always on the move for shelter. The dumbest movie advice ever came from 1970’s Love Story, “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” It’s just the opposite, love whether romantic or familial means saying you’re sorry and always working to do better. Or I suppose as this film declared, “If you see Kelly, tell her I’m sorry.” Us and Them was a bittersweet tale of love, heartache, and healing well worth giving a try.

17 September 2025

Patti Smyth may have said it best:


There’s a danger in loving somebody too much
And it’s sad when you know it’s your heart you can’t trust
There’s a reason why people don’t stay where they are
Baby, sometimes love just ain’t enough


Final note:
Don't skip the credits with real people giving ex-lovers messages. My fave..."Don't come back!" lol It also had a short epilogue.

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My heart is for Li Yi Tong and Wang Yan Lin in this!

To be honest, I’ve watched this show because of Li Yi Tong in it. And I was really glad that she was paired with Wang Yan Lin in which both actually are compliment to each other in a good way. Love watching them here!

I first watched Li Yi Tong’s 4 dramas in Amazon Prime Video UK (Royal Nirvana, Bloody Romance, Blossom in Heart or Begonia Rouge; and Just to See you or Fate). Since then, I have been following her works from England and trying to look for dramas starred by Li Yi Tong via any channels. No doubt, she is adorably beautiful and remarkably talented, especially when you see her shifting character from Huang Rong in Legend of the Condor Heroes, Appledog in Go Go Squid 2 and Hai Tang in Begonia Rouge to Wan Mei in Bloody Romance and all out acting as Lu Wenxi in Royal Nirvana. She’s just brilliant!

I never really understand how come many people in China have criticised Li Yi Tong look which may be forgettable on screen. But you can see here in this show that she is simply beautiful inside and outside, smart and naturally brilliant in acting for actress who never went to acting school. Her acting is definitely much better than many of Chinese actresses who are published to be more beautiful or popular than her. And plus, she has been the leading role in all her dramas and most of her dramas have steady good rating. You basically can throw any characters on her really and she would just execute them professionally beautiful. Her best qualities are indeed shown in “When We Write Love Story”. You would see how good she (partnered with Wang Yan Lin) actually was in doing impromptu acts and developing exciting real-life storyline about love (compared with the other actresses in the show).

This show truly highlights how lovely Li Yi Tong is as a person. She and Wang Yan Lin are definitely more fun to watch. They are adorable hilarious but sweet and cleverly romantic. Their love story here is more down to earth but yet make us laugh and cry with them. It’s a good balance of romance that was not cheesy and not over the top like the others. I do think more and more people outside the Chinese mainland including me have recognised Li Yi Tong as a great actress. It’s just ashamed that we sometimes find mixed-up profiles, photos and publications of her wherein often were mistakenly portrayed as complete different person which is Li Yi Tong, the ex singer of SNH48 who is apparently a mediocre actress. So, no wonder there has been biased recognition about her popularity. But so what popularity! It goes without saying that Li Yi Tong who is newly starred as the Fu Rou in Court Lady, is one of the best Chinese actress in China nowadays. Most of her dramas, movies and TV shows are worth to watch! So, must watch this one too :-)

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Ow

The plot was really the best, I loved it a lot, this has been the content I was looking for but never found until today. I highly recommend it. The acting was amazing and just drew me in unbelievably quick. The scenes were chefs kiss. The music played nicely with the movie but wasn't really there for me. I really liked every detail about it.

I didn't really dislike anything, it could have been longer and could have touched up on a lot of things yet it just skimmed through it. Either way I think it was for the best, because it just makes you want more. I'm really searching through and seeing if there's anymore of this and I've seen there is. If you like fighting, visuals, bright characters, excitement, then this is for you. The build up of the characters weren't there but it truly did show funny aspects. I wish there was just character growth actually, it really just throughs you in there to understand. Maybe its because you or I was supposed to watch the earlier ones, I don't know but It was pretty great. If you've seen K.O its like that but different. There is also awh moments in it which I enjoyed.

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I also shared my thoughts about this series on twitter; that's my first thoughts after watching the last episode, I cried so much that until now my heart aches knowing these fictional characters deserves better; it aches me how they broke me; this might contain spoilers too

I watched the last episode earlier & knowing the words they say hits differently, I cried with all of their flashbacks together, I cried when XHT felt all his yearning for YXG; I cried as I thought about YXG deserves better;
I don't know if I can accept this conclusion without feeling upset.

Since the first half of the series, we are aware of YXG's story and it was sad; We all knew he grew up without parents, strived hard to achieve a better future, worked hard to make himself stand despite his living condition and when he finally found XHT who made him realized that one can love him & felt truly cared when YXG finally accepted himself it went to tragedy.

I rooted for their happiness, I rooted for their bright future together; I get the gist of the series of making the days count with the people you care & love but I don't get it why YXG didn’t deserve a good end, he deserves a good conclusion, after all, he's been through a lot of hardships in his life yet they took that happiness away from him, they took that development away from us

What I also cried about was, the one who’s fulfilling YXG’s dreams of going to the national university & achieving a good status in life is XHT; it saddens me to see him striving hard knowing his purpose is not with him anymore; making himself busy, meeting other people just to forget YXG; and all those years, XHT always carry YXG memories with him, it broke me into pieces because YXG is the first and last love of XHT.
Just like those stars at YXG’s rooftop, where he always looked at whenever he's sad or happy;
YXG also became a star that shines brightly there, shining upon XHT, twinkling at the night.

Maybe in another universe, YXG & XHT have a better ending; still living together, working things out as a couple, as a family; being kind & in love to each other; maybe in another universe, they still hold each other’s hand & smile as they both face the future positively. Maybe in another universe...

The last episode was supposed to XHT's reflection with all those memories he shared with YXG, maybe it was supposed to be an episode where XHT is coming to the conclusion of accepting what happened to YXG, accepting his weakness, accepting after all these years, XHT still carried YXG in him.

Tho the whole series left me with a bittersweet feeling; I would say that this series was done in high quality, with the way they directed, the soundtrack, the dialogues but yes, that conclusion still upsets me because both main characters didn't deserve to suffer, now whenever I listen to the OST, I will always felt that cry; this series introduced me to the wonderful cast who worked hard to bring us the best chemistry. I’m wishing Wayne, Chunchih, Wilson & Thomas the best in their careers.
I won't forget them, I won't forget the love between YXG & XHT, I will remember this series.


Somewhere in a parallel universe, there's a Yu Xi Gu and a Xiang Hao Ting smiling and holding each other's hand, facing the future together.

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heartbreaking, yet beautiful

This has to be one of the most underrated films of 2022.

The director, Tanada Yuki, did a fantastic job portraying the ups and downs of life through gorgeous scenery and profound dialogue. At times, the pacing felt a bit slow, and some of the scenes seemed to drag slightly, but it did an effective job of creating an emotional experience for the viewer. This film touches on issues of mental illness, various forms of familial and relationship abuse, and toxic work culture. Certain scenes contained heart-wrenching and quite graphic depictions of self-harm and abuse, so be forewarned. The slower paced scenes ultimately allowed the viewer to reflect on the serious issues presented in this film. This movie is relatively short, and the plot isn't that complicated, but everything about it is impactful.

What makes this film amazing is the acting. Nagano Mei truly become the character of Shiino Tomoyo. I could feel her anguish, frustration, and helplessness through the screen. Her character felt like an anchor for the viewer to hold onto. Her reactions felt very real, in the face of tremendous heartbreak and anger. All the characters had fantastic line delivery, but Nagano definitely owned this movie.

Even though this film is incredibly sad, there are elements of humor sprinkled throughout. It felt very real, as life is filled with beauty, tragedy, and comedy. I can't emphasize enough how gorgeous this film is. It's definitely an emotional roller coaster, so prepare tissues!

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I appreciate this movie

The film is very similar in theme to another Korean film, Suddenly Last Summer, which is repulsion and attraction. But here, the director of such excellent and award-winning films as Night Flight and No Regret, this theme is upgraded almost to the maximum. Two young men have an intimate relationship during their military service and release their sexual energy. Youn Young has now left the army and is not so sure of his orientation and no longer wants to be in the presence of Gi Tae-ho, who has to stay in the army and is very uneasy about losing Young-a. A psychological drama ensues, the plot of which I will not describe, but I want to highlight above all the good work of both actors, they reached almost to the bottom, not only by being naked, but also by rolling in disgusting mud. Life is often cruel and when we lose someone, how often does it make us act desperate, and for that I appreciate the film.

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Refreshing tale of revenge & childhood connection with lotsa sexual tension

I was ecstatic on Thursday when I found out that Zhao Ting Yi has 2 dramas released on Friday 25 July. I liked him so much in Nanny, Don't Flee that I created his MDL profile which got approved today. I had some expectations on this drama since I also enjoyed Song Yu Jia's acting. My expectations were met and I am writing this review at 1 am immediately after completing the drama.

What I liked:
1. ML characterisation - He was mysterious, brooding boss in the opening scene. However that was just a façade he put on to catch a suspected baddie. Fu Li Shan was Mr Nice Guy! He was genuine about his feelings for FL - he was happy to be used.
2. Romance - Now the video that I watched was 2 hours 34 minutes 32 seconds. The moment at 1 hour 39 minute mark seemed off so I am not sure if there was a heavy makeout session. Putting that aside, there were several good kisses - I didn't feel they were steamy because of FL. I'd say ML was openly affectionate with FL and I liked it a lot. There was good balance of push and pull dynamics.
3. FL characterisation - Wow, the last 30 minutes I was swearing heavily at FL. What a twist!
4. Acting - Great acting by Song Yu Jia & Zhao Ting Yi. I liked their emotional scenes because they looked realistic. The supporting cast gave a wonderful performance too.
5. Styling - Impeccable styling for FL & ML. I was giddy when they wore white twice. FL's styling seemed very Song Yu Jia (I have seen her in that style) and gosh Zhao Ting Yi looked damn handsome.
6. Framing - Now I noticed there were 3 frames that transitioned from horizontal / landscape to vertical / portrait. The first and the third frames seemed to play around being on the opposite sides. I wasn't sure about the second transition frame. Nevertheless the drama was beautifully shot.
7. Supporting characters - ML's assistant Feng was the bomb. The actor who played him was handsome.

What I disliked:
1. Antagonists - FL's ex didn't feel like an ex. I didn't understand why he was gung ho about catching ML because the victim was FL not him. So annoying! Brother Zheng was a typical villain that I knew where he was heading.
2. FL's actions - I was irritated by FL's closeness towards her ex.

Favourite scene
The opening scene

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A special which was not special at all...

Oh, MDL woke up and put this page on... But when you have already seen all the episodes, this episode does nothing except killing Ken off... Of course he must be killed off, because the thai police is so incompetent they can't catch him... And they are good in delivering cheesy lines. And having a ten minute discussion if the toilets should be painted green or not. Of course there must be a NC scene in said toilets, because a special without fanservice is not a special.

The only thing I can say is, watching this is a waste of time, it feels not special, it does nothing special, it's just watchable and boring and that's it. In this case I have not more to say because I already forgot everything else besides what I have already mentioned :)))

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