This is not a Romance
It's definitely not a BL and not really a highschool drama even though most of the action takes place inside a highschool.It is coming of age drama that conveys the teenage angst and thoughtless cruelty born from it perfectly and as such has a realistic feel.
In the end I thoroughly enjoyed it as an assessment of the teenage experience .
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Excellent development of the Brotherhood and Interesting Mysterious Cases. Love Cheng Yi!
Amidst a sea of not-so-good romantic xianxias and period dramas, “Mysterious Lotus Casebook '' is a breath of fresh air. Despite being a romance junkie, the brotherhood between our three main characters reminded me that I don’t always need romance in a drama. This drama has excellent casting, acting, pacing, storytelling with interesting mysterious cases and some pretty good action scenes.Casting/Acting
Isn’t it nice to cast actors who play characters their age and act their age? In the drama, Li Lian Hua and Di Fei Sheng are both in their early 30s, and they are played by Cheng Yi (33) and Xiao Shu Yao (35). Joseph Zeng (25) plays a younger Fan Duo Bing who is in his 20s. Just because of this, the drama gets a big thumbs up from me. The three male leads act their age and exudes the necessary aura of either someone wise or inexperienced. They are really well-casted and I can’t imagine other actors playing these roles. I have to say I am very impressed with Chen Yi. We have all seen him spitting blood (he does that in this drama as well) and playing the angsty romantic male lead. Who knew he could play a sly and sarcastic fallen hero so well! Xiao Shun Yao’s tall frame and broad shoulders exude that cold brutalness and reminded me a little of his gray character in “The Blue Whispers”. Joseph Zeng’s big eyes brought out the youthfulness and inexperience of Fang Duo Bing. “Mysterious Lotus Casebook” has a large supporting cast of veterans and younger actors. No one stands out like a sore thumb and no character irritates or annoys me. I quite like the female villain and found her beautiful and manic!
Mysterious Cases
There are several mysterious cases and they all contribute to the bigger plot/mystery of the drama. I like that they are not episodic and are allowed enough time to develop and to be solved. The cases are interesting to me, more so than those in “Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty”. Although I was never anxious enough to be at the edge of my seat, they generally keep me engaged. There are so many details that I can’t really not pay attention. I was dozing off (not the drama’s fault, I was just tired) and had to rewind the scenes as I realized I was missing pieces of information to follow along. I also enjoy the mid-episode graphics and follow along the Lotus Tower to different locations. I realized I didn’t even take that many notes for my reviews while watching, because I was following along.
The Brotherhood
Excellent! It was so much fun seeing how the friendship develops between the three male characters. Their scenes are sprinkled with humor (and not second-hand embarrassment humor), thoughtful/caring conversations and understanding of each other’s words and actions. It is quite beautiful to see how each relationship continues to build throughout the drama - from strangers, idol, enemies to friends, frenemies, and soulmates.
Romance
Don’t watch this drama for romance because you will be sorely disappointed. I am actually fine with the small romantic plot of Li Xiang Yi and his ex-girlfriend, Di Fei Sheng and the obsessed villain, and even the very small one of Fan Duo Bing and the princess. But having Su Xiao Yong’s affection for Li Lian Hua is unnecessary. She has such a small role that it seems like her sole existence is to do household chores, be an interpreter and grandfather’s messenger, and act as a medical assistant to get help from a doctor. There are no lovey-dovey cute scenes and no skinship at all. But you know what, you really don’t need any big romance plot because there’s enough to keep you engaged.
Action Scenes
There are enough action scenes scattered throughout the drama to keep us wuxia fans satiated. I am glad the drama does not skim out on the big fight with the villains in the end. The action scenes are pretty good, but not to the traditional wuxia standards like in “Side Story of Fox Volant”. I wanted more close combat sword fighting scenes, instead of people getting thrown across the room, with a palm push or a sword swing. I want to especially commend Chen Yi. I never realized what a beautiful fighter he is. There are actors who fight hard and have the physique to do so. There are others who fight like they are dancing or not know what to do with a sword. But Chen Yi’s fight scenes are beautiful to watch. He has a skinnier frame and fights like he’s floating in the air (great wire work from him!) yet he doesn’t fight weakly. It’s a very nice combination of elegance and quiet strength.
Production Quality
It’s so great that the three main male leads are dubbing themselves. Though not often, I do think there are some live recordings from Chen Yi. But the supporting cast seems to all be dubbed by voice actors. The production quality is pretty decent. The costumes, sets, props and ornaments all look decent (not exquisite). CGI and music/songs are minimal. I don’t actually remember any songs played. There’s a dance performed by a male dancer/actor during one of the cases, and that performance is unique and beautifully danced.
Overall, I strongly recommend this drama, especially if you enjoy mysterious cases and are fans of the three male leads. I really don’t have any major criticism of the drama. I liked Chen Yi when he was in “Love and Redemption” but I think I became a fan after his role here in “Mysterious Lotus Casebook”.
Completed: 8/13/2023 - Review #339
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The ending ruined the rest for me
First, they should have used the title Let Me Be Your Night, as it was referenced in the drama. Knight does not make sense in any way!As I was watching this show, I found it to be a fun watch, fluffy and light. There were quite a few amusing moments, and I didn't feel the need to fast forward through scenes (the advantage of fewer episodes). It addressed numerous issues that idols must endure, and I found that interesting as well. It was a very cute concept for a show, and if you just want an easy watch and don't expect too much you won't be disappointed.
What I liked: Jang Dong Joo as 2ML Seo Woo Yeon. He's got a lovely, deep voice and I really liked the way his character was written. Admittedly, I had some SLS going on here, especially since the ML was not a nice person. The music was catchy. The LUNA actors all did an okay job, and I liked how each of them had their own style sense. The story didn't focus on just one or two main characters. That said, there were things that missed the mark...
What I didn't like: Though I love Jung in Sun as an actress and she did an okay job here, I felt that she was entirely too old for this part. I didn't feel any chemistry between the leads in the romantic sense. They were fun to watch when they were antagonistic toward one another, but the romance fell flat. There was an absolutely terrible, cringe-worthy kiss that looked like their lips were barely in contact with one another and her eyes were open the whole time. Though I liked the fact that there were multiple story lines, I felt there were so many missed opportunities to delve deeper into the characters, especially the LUNA members. I would have liked to have seen more of their interactions with one another. The interactions they did have made me think that they didn't care much for one another. The ML character was stoic and cold throughout and I never did become truly attached to him. With the FL being the "live-in doctor", I would have loved to have seen more of her helping the other members of LUNA, not just the ML. A secondary romance took up a lot of screen time and ultimately went nowhere.
WHAT I HATED: Misunderstandings are resolved, someone saves the other, feelings are verbalized, and then one of them leaves the country for an indeterminate period of time after saying "have a good life". WHAT THE HECK!!?!?! That made me mad enough, but the ending was just horrible - short, abrupt, no physical contact (almost like they were just meeting again!), and then just OVER! The last half hour of this show made me so angry I had to drop points. All that time wasted just to be disappointed. Why is it so hard to have a decent ending in so many K-dramas!?!
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If I had to describe the drama in a single word, it would be 'sincere'. Its sincerity is more apparent than any other Korean drama I have seen so far, and this is what makes it unique in my opinion. There is nothing forced, nothing fake, nothing that makes you want to punch the wall because there is no point or reason for it. You watch 'Good Doctor', and you don't feel like you're sitting behind a screen, but you are there with all the characters, in the hospital ward or the operating room, breathing the same air as them. It is hard to express the emotions that this drama brought out in me, but there was laughter and tears, a lot of pain and even more happiness.
I was aware that Joo Won is a fantastic actor by all the works I have seen, but this time he simply left me speechless. I had the pleasure to get to know some autistic people in my life, and the way he acts is simply phenomenal. His posture, his gestures, mimics, speech, even his GLANCE, Joo Won brought Park Shi On to life in a way that I hadn't thought possible. Even just for experiencing that, it would be worth a watch.
But if you don't, you'd me missing out on so much more: The medical aspect is really important in this drama, and they did a fantastic job. Now, I have never studied medicine, but all the surgeries looked SO real, that I was seriously wondering sometimes if they were just operating on props (I know they did, but... man!). However, what makes this different from other medical dramas, is the fact that Shi On has to deal with a lot of obstacles and prejudice, and he approaches things differently because of his (dis)ability. Secondly, it is a pediatrician ward, so we get to see a lot of heartwearming and heartbreaking scenes with kids. I was skeptical, thinking actors that young would surely ruin the drama. Boy, was I proven wrong. The kids had some of the most authentic and touching acting I have ever seen. Some of the veteran actors in this industry could learn a thing or two of them. However, the adult main and supporting actors in this drama equally brought out the worth of this drama. Cha Yoon Suh and Kim Do Han are clearly needed for Shi On to become the person and doctor he dreams of.
I see, this review is getting quite long, so I'll just get to the point: This drama is one of a kind and it should definitely not be missed. It is funny, touching, sincere and teaches valuable life lessons. There are no all-evil villains, but the reasoning of each of them becomes apparent. It teaches lessons about friendship, family and love. The only reason why I give this a 9 out of 10, is because near the end of the drama, I was lacking the little spark that was there during the beginning. I am not sure what it is, but there was a tiny little something missing, maybe about the romance, maybe about something else. But even so, it is one of the best I have seen and I hope it will get more recognition. 9/10
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Counterpoint: an enjoyable, but somewhat overrated drama
I wasn’t planning on writing anything about Falling Into Your Smile, but the particularly high rating it’s gotten here (8.7 at the time of writing) compelled me to offer a counterpoint.First, to be clear, I liked this drama. It was perfectly fine. By my own ratings “scale”, it is respectably ranked. It was a fun and cute “happy” drama, with very little that was annoying or frustrating (a feat in itself!). I loved the team dynamics and friendships. The teammates were funny and immensely likable, and I even enjoyed the side characters on other teams. Tong Yao’s (played by Cheng Xiao) parents are great. Except for Kevin Xiao and Rachel Wang, this was my first drama for the rest of the cast, including Xu Kai (a sometimes-distracting reminder of a young Leonardo DiCaprio).
I also appreciated that the show tackled and highlighted the absolutely batsh*t extremes fans and haters go to attack people through social media. It captured the viciousness and influence of toxic fans — something we’ve seen play out in real life. The online “drama” playing out among Chinese netizens and esports fans absolutely trashing Falling Into Your Smile has been rather ironic. And like her character in the drama, lead actress Cheng Xiao has unfortunately been on the receiving end of a lot of online hate and harassment. (On Douban, it has an unreasonably harsh 3/10 rating.)
As a side note, given how conservative C-dramas have historically been when it comes to vocalizing the topic of sex, I was surprised by how frank it was in approaching the subject, relatively speaking.
I was also pleasantly amazed there were no undeserving and unrealistic “redemption arcs” for bad parents (two sets of them!) or for the villains. And the storylines involving antagonists wrapped up before they dragged.
As someone who loved The Untamed, the passing references, background set decor, and nods to the drama sprinkled here and there were also fun to catch. (The two shows share the same production company and producer.)
So where’s the counterpoint then?
This is a perfectly enjoyable esports romance that is nonetheless way over-rated in my view:
I wasn’t overly invested in the central relationship and on the whole, there wasn’t much team or character growth.
The overarching story about the team’s journey through Nationals was underwhelming and somewhat flat, so there was even less emotional investment. In some ways, it felt a bit repetitive. In otherwords, it didn’t pass the binge-worthiness test.
Crossfire is a much more compelling drama about the gaming and esport evolution aspect of the genre.
Gank Your Heart, while flawed on several fronts including the romance aspect, had a much more interesting story in my view when it came to depicting how a team falls apart and the journey towards building a new one. It was pretty low-budget by comparison though, especially when it came to the actual gaming scenes (I believe they were also playing Onmyoji Arena), so I get why it might be considered more inferior.
Most of the acting in Falling Into Your Smile was fine, but I wasn’t exactly wowed either, even with Xu Kai’s. I see potential though and do look forward to watching them again, including Zhai Xiaowen in Heaven Official’s Blessing, Xu Kai (he’s been extremely busy!) and Gao Han in Ancient Love Poetry, and Yao Chi in Immortality.
To be fair, I was coming off a couple of dramas that had left me in a bit of a show-hole, so I was perhaps more sensitive to the emotional component (or lack thereof). It’s great so many people enjoyed it — I did too — but an 8.7 from me would require a more complex story arc that evokes much stronger emotions, and in my view, there are more deserving, but lower-rated dramas, esports and otherwise, who fit the bill better.
(This is a slightly condensed version of a review I first posted on my drama blog: https://www.solarina.ca/dramaddicts/dramaddicts-blog/2021/7/26/counterpoint-im-not-quite-falling-into-your-smile)
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At first, I thought I won't finish it. Because the real zhen-zhen likes to seduce ouyang chen. I really can't stand watching the "seducing" scene. But when she switch into the amnesia zhen-zhen, she makes me in love with her character. I love the chemistry between Lu Li and amnesiac zhen-zhen. I love how he doesn't care about anything else except zhen-zhen. The funniest part is when zhen-zhen tries to avoid ouyang zhen by dragging Lu Li. His expression is so cutee. I recommend this drama ;) hope you guys like it too.
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unexpected but too short
this story was totally unexpected, straightforward, original, no plot holes (guess thanks to short duration). also how the main char went straight to business was little bit shocking but soooooo soooooo refreshing!it was also cute an funny how the main char acted cutie with the twin.
I really enjoyed it, thanks :). now I want to try with twins too 😁
the one big fat downside....too short!
p.s.: I don't know if the creators will add up to the story regarding the ending but I didn't my it and liked it.
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A gem worth every minute
Overall:The show turned out to be so good that I had to write a review. Every minute I spend it was worth it. It's the very common enemies to lovers category but the story kept the journey of trust and romance realistic. I may sound very common but it is not very common to find something this enjoyable.
Story:
The story was kept true and real. There was no unrealistic expectations for ml or fl. The history of hate was reasonable so was the search for peace. The story hooks you up from the very first episode. Once you understand the characters you can't stop watching.
The ml was not shown as the usual love only for fl type. He loves his people family and stays true to those while loving the fl. Same goes for the fl she is not the usual oh my husband only type, she cares for the people and her family while keeping the balance between her family and her love.
The story gave us explanation for every single event, feeling and object shown throughout the story. There was no confusion in the end.
The bond between every character is explained very well. And every villian gets their required ending.
Acting:
The actors did a very good job in giving life to the characters. The bond was visible in their eyes. The pain of lose and the love was shown perfectly. Fl is indeed clever and stayed clever even after falling in love. Same goes for ml. No misunderstanding was there. It's my first show of both ml and fl so I had no judgement. The ml being a young but powerful ruler was so well depicted. His expressions were real. The fl while being young was strong and thoughtful.
Hope to see more dramas of them.
Ending:
I am satisfied with the ending even though not every side character got same ending . I do think that some deserved more but that was real because it made sense. Peace for the world was the overall aim and the ending was satisfying.
Final comment:
Definitely give it a try if you want romantic political historical drama. Definitely worth your time.
I didn't give it full re-watch value because I personally don't re-watch dramas. Still I could watch this one .
Overall a well written masterpiece. Definitely going to my top 10 list
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A "Healing" Slice-of-life That's Worth Watching
This is a slice-of-life drama that doesn’t necessarily heal you, but it makes you wish for everyone to heal, physically and emotionally.I went into it with low expectations even though I’d been waiting for it, but surprisingly, it turned out to be a wonderful watch.
When Lee Hyori finds out she’s seriously ill, she drops out of med school and runs away to the countryside to rest. Her mom follows her there, determined to take her back… and that’s where the mother–daughter story begins. Their relationship isn’t the best at first, but over time, watching them slowly mend and grow closer is truly heartwarming.
There’s also romance woven in: Ryu Jeong seok, Lee Jian’s first love, and Ryu Bo hyeon both live there, and each develops a love line, one with Jian, the other with Hyori. It might sound complicated, but it never feels awkward or forced. This isn’t a rom-com, though; it’s more about found family, quiet healing, and the kind of emotions that sneak up on you until you suddenly find yourself in tears.
I especially loved Kim Sun young’s character, she was funny when needed, but also a deeply supportive friend to both Jian and Hyori. She brought so much warmth and chaos to the story.
The romances were also beautiful: Bo hyeon and Hyori were absolutely adorable together, and Jian and Jeong seok had their own lovely journey. But more than anything, I loved watching all the characters grow, little by little.
This is the kind of drama you sit back and relax with, only to realize you’ve been moved to tears. Even though they squished in some annoying drama, It is ruly worth giving a chance.
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I binge watched the first 10 episodes and finished the entire thing in 3 days. So yeah, amazing remake LOL
The two main leads just nailed it. Totally believed in their characters. I prefer the second lead and the lead girl here over the ones in the KDrama, in fact! Although Choi Jin Hyuk is irreplaceable LOL
The storyline remains enthralling and compelling, as do the emotional tugs on the heart. The villain might be even more chilling in this one, at least more actively menacing. The entire atmosphere of this remake just fit the story excellently.
I solidly support this drama and highly recommend it :D
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More than meets the eye. Success can come from small places.
Overall this show is good and a step up above most C-Drama's I've seen. I really like how easy the story is to pick up on because it isn't too intense. This show so far is handling it's comedy/relationships very well. I've seen only a handful of episodes but I didn't see a review and figured that I'll share the main points that could help recommend this to others.The main female lead is very likable as she's ambitious and a hard worker. She also has this adorable quirk of pushing her glasses up on her nose. The main male lead is played by Kenny Lin and he does an amazing job at balancing arrogance with charm peaking through. He is perfect for the personality he is portraying and looks very good in a suit. I can't wait to see the dynamic between the two leads be more fleshed out. This show is perfect for an easy lighthearted watch without forced fluff and romance.
Now finishing up the show I am truly impressed. The writing of the female lead was done so well, Ning Meng is very strong and never once had been swayed by her feelings. She is loyal to her family and has really good morals, watching episode 29 hearing Ji Ming compliment her personality really made me happy. She is recognized by him and always was, and although there isn’t too much romance, I really find it fresh. A lot of C Dramas have coincidences for characters to be together, they get together early on and a lot of unrealistical and annoying antics occur between them. In Master of My Own it focuses on Ning Meng’s work and her growth in her career. Ji Meng is cold, but he warms up with Ning Meng by the familiarity they have with each other. I really like this story when comparing to other C Dramas, the females are much more powerful and aren’t just objects to be married too. A lot of dramas don’t blatantly say that, but there is a lot of focus on a women to get married and then her husband leading her. Ning Meng is mature and is never openly pursuing a relationship, she really is a great role model. She’s not too serious and isn’t one dimensional.
I really thought this drama was going to have her lose the glasses and put her hair down and then turn into a romantic comedy. But it didn’t, instead she made the move for herself and wasn’t seen any better than she was before or “prettier”. She just looked different but was never once perceived as ugly just for having glasses. Also as rude as Ji Meng could be, he put up a front as the bead of what once was his dads company. But he always wishes Ning Meng the best and realizes his faults while helping her out in small ways. I love his character the most if it wasn’t for how amazing Ning Meng’s is. And together they are even better.
The thing that I have criticisms over are the other side characters being forgettable, luckily they weren’t focused on too much so it wasn’t an issue. Ms. Shi is the expedition, she is a CEO of her own company and gives Ning Meng a chance. There’s a lot to say for this drama, I am just so glad how they handled its story. It was never hatred from Ning Meng for her to become successful, and she never looked down on from where she started. Ji Meng developed nicely as a character as well and also a person. Another criticism is writing off the second male lead the way they did, where he would just become creepy or unlikeable for the sake of him not being a contender. They didn’t have to make him be a jerk like that because he really never was a contender in my eyes to begin with.
To sum it up: the whole success story is done really well. There isn’t any cliches to put the female lead into, and she is by far the best written female lead in a story like this that I’ve seen. A smart and capable women who truly doesn’t depend on a man, although even so she’s not 100% cold and one sided towards them. The male lead compliments her and they naturally develops a relationship from what they have. This drama is just really soothing to watch, and I recommend it over Love is Sweet any day. This story does office romance so much better and is natural and not too cringe to watch. It’s a perfect balance of everything.
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Its very heart warming
I watched the whole show in like two days, it gets you attached, and you just can't seem to stop watching, I love the acting it's just so good and the relationship are amazing. You will definitely cry over the show and laugh with it as well. You will go through alot of emotions, but you won't regret it. I'm so glad that I watched it. If I could I would forget the show just so I could experience rewatching it again. I love this show it is by far one of my favorites. I would definitely recommend watching it you will love it,Was this review helpful to you?
