Reviews

What was the finale?

While I watched the show, it was the typical stuff I expected from such a show. We had the evil dad, who turns out to be gay in the finale, we have misunderstandings and we have even two gay and one lesbian couple... And because any show needs drama, we have the bullying. So far, so good.

But the finale... WTF? The both stand of the rocks and watch the broken up comet which were toooooo far away to have any impact directly, but of course could have made a tsunami is they would have hit water. Normally they should have the comet up their faces and then ok, they both die - for what is the question? Xu giving in so willingly did also not make much sense. When you are already out, you should not care about others anymore. Period.

So for me, the finale did ruin the whole series, because for me it makes no sense whatsoever. Dad being outed as being gay came too late, that would have had more impact if we had seen his past also. That he then turned 180 degrees also makes no sense. When you are in denial for DECADES, you do not change over night, It would have made more sense, when Wang had beaten him up about it, but no. But I guess they did not think about that or they run out of time (and budget) becauase they wasted it through the whole story. The series did have it's lengths, they could have compacted the story and put in some other focus like the dad to have much more impact.

And because the finale ruins everything I don't get the high praise from some reviews... what is wrong with you people? While the acting of the MLs was fine, the acting of the side couple was weak. They did not feel natural in the series, but when you see them in private they have the chemistry which is missing in this series. Production quality was also fine, but that can't save any series. Because of all the factors I deducted my rating heavily... it could have been a 7.5 with a proper finale, but this felt rushed and imprudent. And I don't like it.

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was mostly a 10/10, but sigh….

was mostly a 10/10, but sigh the plot went downhill after ep 30. I’ll separate my reviews in parts I think

1) first off, in general
- I think the coloring, scenery and cinematography was good and beautiful
- I loved the costume and I really like the hairstyle on FL
- I loved the music
- everyone’s acting was good
- CGi was good to me and fighting scenes too

2) eps 1-29 :

I was hooked at their first encounter. I liked their fighting scene too
Cold ML, that will fall hard and soften, more bubbly flirty FL. Totally my type.
The development and the interactions between the leads was very good to me. How she was following him, flirting with him, him wanting to go way. Them slowly falling for each other. I think their chemistry was very good, their dynamic was also perfect

When ML fell, he fell hard. He would do anything for her.
- After she was imprisoned in that cold prison and they wanted to kill her, hated her. He defended her, went against the other, claiming she was one of Snow city people (one of his people). She was ready to die for him, but no he was gonna save her at all cost. And he did, he took out the demoniac power in her and make her gain spiritual power back. Even the people in snow city, accepted her back
- I have to say, I really loved ML smile and how he looked at her❤️
- She hurt him many times (even if it was intentional or she wasn’t herself). He was never mad at her, he never gave up on her, he knew she wasn’t like that. After she forgot all emotions, he did everything to get her emotions back. It was a bit reversed here it was funny, now it was her who wanted to go away and him not letting her go. Even without her emotions, her heart didn’t forget him, that was good how she had some heartache because of him.
- when she died, that made me so emotional. When he was climbing the stairs, I honestly started crying. He loved her so bad, was ready to do everything to get her back. And then, he sacrificed himself for her, I also cried here. Even the divine dude cry, that was something
FL too, she was ready to die for him and how she literally died for him, giving him the talisman from SMl because she wanted him to live… another heartbreaking moment

In general, their love story really touched me. How much they loved each other, how much they wanted to protect and do anything for each other, even sacrificing their life for each other. I was really feeling their love for each other. They also understood each other. She understood his duty and how important it was for him to protect the world. She wanted to continu protecting the world for him after he died. That episode when Sang Qi when to get her in snow city, he went back to save the village instead of saving FL right away. She understood. Like him, knew what she wanted

At the beginning I liked the friendship with SML even if later on I hated this guy… No one can make me like him

Bao was so cute, I loved every interaction with FL

Never really dislike the SFL and I liked the development and how they formed a friendship. We didn’t get much, but I like the little love story with Fu Lang

I think the story was flowing nicely and well writing, I think the plot was engaging for the most part, maybe a bit more slow in snow city, but still enjoyed it.
There was really good other parts to me, like :
- How they went with FL being the caos pearl, that episode where they revealed this and the flashbacks, I really loved that episode, think it was well written
- the time travel was well done
- how it was ML all along, when we saw it was him that went back in the past to meet FL when she was a kid and he was her ge ge all along. How it was actually her who saved his life too in the past
- Sang Qi : I liked his story later on, I truly felt bad for him when we learned what happened. the betrayal and the misunderstanding… a tragic love story. She ended her life because she thought he was dead and didn’t wanna be forced to marry someone else. When he learned she never betrayed him… Then he sacrificed himself for FL, he was like a father to her even if he did hurt her more than once, can’t deny that. I liked this ending for him
- Fu Lang parents : I liked how they showed a bit their story and spend some screentime on them. They were bickering and all that, but in the end, truly loved each other. Their last few moments make me emotional and cry a bit, another tragic love story…
- the other couple in the forest : that was seriously such a depressing story. Her, reliving the same day forever ? him, her shadow accompanying her all the time, but never being able to see each other. How she never knew he actually loved her. A misunderstanding from the past that will not be solve… how they introduced the the dude and how you can go there and make a wish, how it all link to later on when he went there to save FL.

3) ZM and pearl (past life)

That was definitely too long…

There was some cute moments between the leads, but don’t think it was well written to really feel their story. Screentime wasted on more useless things too

Interesting how ZM personality was

I like the little time on second couple, tragic end. How they were also like fated and meet again/fell in love in their second life. How what they wished for the other came true.

Probably exaggerating😅😅 but too much importance on FL and SML story that I honestly didn’t give a damn about, could have cut some moments of that. I’m the last 10 eps, felt more like FL and SML story than FL and ML

Only thing that I think was somehow interesting in this was how everything was fake, the fake memories regarding ZM actions in the book of fate and in ZM + everyone memories. Also FL going over there and crashing out killing all of them after ZM imprisonment was cool😎 and then giving like f**k you to SML was satisfying

Will finish the last arc another day, the most disappointing part of the drama…

4) last arc in the present + ending :
Weeks later ahaha should I finally finish this review 😂 what did I even wanted to say, gonna go in general, it’s far in my mind

They changed the sypnosis, wish it was this one since the beginning, it was misleading… it was something like « she uses the power of love to blah blah blah… after ML comes back as the demon Lord » this is not what happened. This was something that really disappointed me : they really separated past and present. Mu Xuan Ling and Pearl never became one, just like both version of ML (even if maybe they did at the very end…). I thought this would be about both of them like merge, being both and loving both of the other lead version. But no, after XXC died and his soul got back to ZM, she was like he his dead, etc… I thought she would go to the demon world to help him, fight for him because in the end he is still XXC and both of the version her 2 self loved, but that never happened. Don’t know if I am being clear😂😂 I was excited about demon ML, but that was disappointing in the end. Didn’t like how they went with the plot in the last few episodes and the sparks and love for the romance between the leads I was loving was mostly gone

SML was still annoying as hell. When she saved him by giving him half her power🙄🙄 I know why she did it, but just no girl. He’s still the one who did all that in the past and literally caused your death and the death of the person you love. it’s also like she could somehow recognized/accept him as NXY and TMS, but not XXC and ZM? Why again making the SML have some kind of hero dead, rolling my eyes… Cdramas writers have been doing this lately when the SML doesn’t deserve it.

Classic annoying 5 min happy ending that gives nothing. Honestly when she said « who are you » (I think that’s what she said, it’s been a while), I rolled my eyes again, it shouldn’t matter, but showing again how they really separate the characters. This could have been at the middle of the episode, I can agree it was still a beautiful scene under the tree and the come back to the tree blossoming and then could have giving us an aftermath… like them living happily, a wedding, I don’t know anything!!!!! Most writers have 0 imagination and don’t wanna give what watchers actually want

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I don't know. It's cute yes but hmmn, the feeling was just not there. Not a movie to remember. The first part was fun but it just flowed forward into boring scenes.

I'm totally not convinced by the main roles Yamashita Tomohisa and Komatsu Nana in this movie. The acting was just soso. It could have had lot's of more feeling. If you're watching this movie for Yamashita Tomohisa's appearance then you should watch this, handsome in every scene. Yamamoto Mizuki did a great job as a supporting character! I want to see more of her.

Also a very very cliché story..Don't expect something unique. A typical manga love story.

I liked the music!

Watch this if you're bored and don't expect much, then maybe it's good for you!

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Missunderstood and underrated Masterpiece

I normaly do not bother to write reviews after watching beautifull but "brain dead" dramas. But now after finding a hidden gem with a very deep meaning and message beeing utterly missunderstoood and underrated, I had to write one.

First off, watch the drama and continue to read this review after watching it! You will not be dissapointed. Even without understanding it completely, it is a fun and crazy ride with good acting and a good cast. But only by understanding the story and message it will be really good.

If you have thought this drama is all about aliens, friendship and cults you are wrong and most likely one of those persons depicted in the drama itself as, blindly trusting belivers and following their leaders "cult leaders/papas" all the way to the end, untill you are told into dying for your believes.
Are you a leader? Are you a believer?
Or are you one of those beautifull but unique " Bo Ra" beings that knew there was something hidden and at least searched for the real meaning by thinking against the "norm". Or maybe are you the one who was shure to know the story untill waking up at some point by understanding the real meaning, like the FL did wake up from her "boring" predestined life?

"It is not about aliens, friendship or cults but about what people believe and how societies work. By whom and how the meaning of craziness or norm is defined and what characters people choose to be. A believer, a leader, a beautifull and unique person, or the messiah."

I choose to be crazy...

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How to suffer successfully.

This is a truly epic fantasy xianxia romance spanning three realms that is heavily imbued with characters, cosmic rules and hierarchies, black and white magic and other elements from Chinese mythology and legend. Even though many of the themes are familiar, they are brilliantly woven into a riveting and memorable fantasy fairy-tale of how all beings - deities, demons and humans are capable of good and evil; no one is immune from love and hate and all the emotions in between. We are all different and yet still the same.

After an devastating war, both the demon lord and god of war disappear and peace returns to the realms. A thousand years later, Chu Xuanji is born into the Chaoyang Sect; one of the righteous cultivating sects. At an elite martial arts tournament, she meets Yu Sifeng, the rising star and heir apparent of the mysterious Lize Palace. A strong bond of friendship is formed between the younger generation that leads them on many adventures as they pledge to help Xuanji recover shards of a magical artifact that can restore her six senses. In doing so, they set in motion a chain of events that can lead to the return of both the god of war and the demon lord and once again bring chaos to the realms. They also uncover secrets of their past incarnations and conspiracies that follow them to the present.

Where this xianxia stands out from the other huge xianxia hits of past years is that there is a very well written external plot that is not just there to facilitate the love story. Both the internal and external plot are very well woven together and are mostly evenly paced so that both plot lines converge into a very satisfying and climatic ending. In fact, the external plot is much more intriguing and balanced than the love story so I urge you to resist spoilers and just enjoy the gradual reveal of the backstory and the way it impacts many of the main characters. Although this director still cannot seem to restrain his excessive love of angst, at least in this drama the internal plot did not manage to destroy the external plot as it did in Under the Power. Indeed I personally enjoyed the external plot and colorful surrounding characters much more than the love story notwithstanding the sparkle between the leads.

As for the love story, well it has all the hallmarks of a xianxia hit - it is an extreme and obsessive love story that transcends many lifetimes and thousands of years and is undaunted in the face of challenges by more powerful beings from the three realms. Phew! Exhausting! The chemistry between the OTP is undeniably both sizzling and moving. It does not hurt at all that both actors smooch with an enthusiasm rarely seen in these kinds of shows. But the way the relationship is written is too unbalanced with Sifeng taking way too many hits for Xuanji. Most of the angst takes place in episodes ~40s+ which is late in the game and after the couple already goes through many experiences that should cement their mutual trust. So for Xuanji to be so easily swayed and manipulated makes her character regress and seem just not smart (as opposed to heartless). To deal with her so shabbily just so that Sifeng (who had already gone through so much), can spit blood a few more times is unnecessary and excessive. Within the most angsty arc, the drama indulges in flashbacks and digresses into boring one dimensional characters (e.g. Yanran) with little plot advancement. Everything comes together again in the final 6 episodes that culminates in one of the most engaging and strongest finishes I have seen in a long time. It would have been much better had they explored some of the threads in the last 6 episodes earlier and in greater depth.

As the backstory is revealed, it is evident that Xuanji is an old soul that experienced a lot of trauma that still echoes from her past incarnations and restrains her emotional development. This doesn't really come out until the end because while the main cast is really quite exceptional, Yuan Bingyan is the weak link. She did an amazing job as the young and artless Xuanji and as Xuanji in love with Sifeng but was not able to mature the character or convey some of the rage, torment from her past incarnations that haunts her character nor can she fully convey the inner conflict Xuanji experiences when forced into heart wrenching choices. This becomes most apparent at the end when stacked up against the more nuanced and compelling portrayals by Cheng Yi, Li Xinze and of course Liu Xueyi as the drama draws to an emotionally epic climax at the end.

I know Cheng Yi is by far the fan favorite and is in a completely different league in terms of his acting skills and his unforgettable portrayal of Sifeng's indomitable love and the unthinkable suffering he goes through for Xuanji. This character and this actor is a true example of how to suffer successfully, spitting blood so painfully beautifully time after time that it never fails to fan the flames of rabid fandom to new heights. While he is a truly amazing actor, I think it is actually Liu Xueyi's Haochen that is the anchor of the entire production. I know this is an unpopular and uncommon view but the truth is this drama begins and ends with this character. He must be one of the most manipulative, duplicitous, hypocritical and universally hated villains out there that I still can't help feeling pity for. Liu Xueyi's acting is truly phenomenal from his portrayal of an arrogant high deity who can't even see that he has fallen in love to his conscious acknowledgement that he has strayed from the right path but keeps on going nonetheless. The complexity of his emotions, the suppressed fury when he is thwarted and the inner conflicts he experiences is effortlessly and subtly conveyed with the twitch of a facial muscle, a flicker of an eyelid or a tiny tightening of the lips. In his own way, he suffers as much as Sifeng but obviously not as successfully - probably because he swallows and bottles up all that venom and suffering instead of spitting it right out like our Sifeng. I will leave you with one final thought - love him or hate him, we must thank Haochen. Because if he did the right thing to begin with, there would be no love story.

While for me this falls short of a masterpiece, there is so much more to it than a smoking hot love story and it is so rare to get such a good villain that is complemented by such an outstanding cast. The production value is very high and they did a fabulous job with the CGI. When I finished watching it, I felt like it was a 9.0 but unfortunately a year later, I was never even tempted to re-watch any part of it so I downgraded this to an 8.5/10.0.

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Most important this was not extended, we bow to the overlords for not killing us. The drama overlords got wind OR just not enough snack or juice companies to advertise.
Story: what was the story? What were we to gather from all these stories moving parts. Too many moving parts, no value characters, and stuff that still has me perplexed. Key point: No character development at all for 90% of characters!
Acting: not infuriate reviewers. FL has minor acting improvement from previous roles however she was perfect for this airhead role - no acting stretch required or needed. ML has a swagger, smexiness, and carried the FL. Admittedly, the combo was sizzling chemistry. The rest of cast were flat and uninteresting.
Music: ML song was decent
RW: please don’t ask me to do this!
Beware don’t get sucked in by the leads chemistry, it sizzles! It keeps you coming back. This could have been a 18eps of sizzling chemistry and solid story rather than 45eps of musical chairs and delving into the rabbit hole only to find slime.

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The Great Idol Drama Detox

Post-2022 idol costume dramas have gradually convinced me that ancient China was inhabited almost exclusively by three types of people:

Perfect porcelain-faced aristocrats.
Individuals who fall deeply in love after approximately two meaningful glances and one accidental rescue.
Political masterminds whose greatest strategic weapon is refusing to explain anything until Episode 36.

The First Jasmine is still very much an idol drama. It simply declines all three invitations.

First of all...

The pores.

Ladies and gentlemen, the pores have returned.

I cannot believe one of my biggest compliments of 2026 is simply this:

The actors look like people.

Skin texture. Tiny imperfections. Faces that have apparently encountered weather instead of being digitally moisturized into another dimension. After years of idol dramas resembling luxury skincare campaigns with occasional palace conspiracies, this felt absurdly refreshing.

Even the muted colour grading deserves applause. The world finally feels lived in instead of permanently illuminated. Oddly enough, realism became the most luxurious production value of all.

That same philosophy extends to the writing.

Recent idol dramas sometimes confuse complicated plotting with complicated people. The First Jasmine remembers that the second one matters more. Characters make decisions shaped by trauma, loyalty, responsibility, and political reality rather than conveniently forgetting their intelligence whenever the plot needs another misunderstanding. Ye Li's psychological trauma and Mo Xiuyao's condition aren't decorative tragedies waiting to be healed by love. They fundamentally shape who these people are.

On paper, Ye Li should have triggered my internal "this is getting ridiculous" alarm. She never did. The difference is that The First Jasmine never mistakes competence for character. It doesn't ask us to admire an impossibly capable woman. It asks us to understand the cost of becoming one.

Did I believe everything the plot asked Ye Li to survive and accomplish? No. But I believed enough of the emotional logic behind her choices that she never felt artificial to me.

The drama never seemed particularly interested in impressing me with Ye Li's competence. Instead, it kept asking a much more uncomfortable question:

What kind of life produces a woman who needs this much self-control just to survive?

That question follows Ye Li through almost every scene, which is precisely why her restraint never felt like emotional emptiness to me. It felt learned.

Which brings me to the most divisive part of the drama: The romance.

If you're expecting explosive chemistry, endless longing stares, enough slow motion to qualify as a weather event, and romantic tension capable of overheating your screen...

...this probably isn't your drama.

Because this isn't really about falling in love. It's about learning to trust. Those are not the same thing.

Their relationship grows through reliability, mutual respect, shared burdens, and slowly earned trust. Watching two emotionally exhausted people become each other's safest place may not produce fireworks every episode. It does produce something rarer. A marriage that actually feels earned.

Personally, I never found the chemistry lacking. Its idea of intimacy feels quietly old-fashioned in the best possible way. Trust matters more than butterflies. Reliability matters more than grand declarations.

Rather than constantly explaining every emotion or spelling out every revelation the moment it happens, it trusts subtext, quiet observations, and conversations that often reveal more than they explicitly say. The writing quietly trusts the audience to connect the dots instead of drawing the entire picture for them.

This is one of the rare dramas where conversations build relationships more often than kisses do.

Ironically, the very restraint that makes those relationships so believable also becomes the drama's biggest weakness.

The First Jasmine consistently chooses psychological continuity over immediate emotional gratification. Most of the time, I appreciated that decision. Occasionally, I wished it trusted emotion just a little more. Not because it takes its time, but because a few scenes remain longer than they need to after they've already said what they came to say.

More than once, I found myself admiring what a scene was trying to do rather than being swept away by it. I understood exactly what a character was feeling. I just didn't always feel it alongside them. That distinction ultimately keeps this from becoming truly exceptional.

The political storyline follows the same philosophy.
It rewards attention more than adrenaline.

Names matter.
Family histories matter.
Your attention span matters too.

I appreciated that.

Still, patience alone doesn't automatically create momentum. More than once I admired the architecture of the story while wishing the rooms felt a little more lived in.

Performance-wise Bai Lu won me over.

She understood that Ye Li's silence isn't the absence of emotion. It's how she has learned to survive. Trauma doesn't always announce itself through dramatic breakdowns. Sometimes it simply becomes the way a person speaks, hesitates and carries themselves.

Bai Lu never overplays that.

Neither does Cheng Lei.

The First Jasmine won't work for everyone.

It whispers where many dramas shout. It values emotional accumulation over emotional spectacle. Some viewers will call that boring. Others will call it refreshing.

I somehow landed comfortably between those two camps.

I never completely fell in love with this drama.
But I found myself appreciating almost every creative decision it made. In an era increasingly convinced that louder automatically means better, The First Jasmine quietly argues the opposite.

Real faces.
Believable motivations.
A marriage built on trust instead of spectacle.

It doesn't always reach the emotional heights it aims for. But it reminded me that the most refreshing thing this drama brought back wasn't the pores. It was people who behaved like people.

Best suited for viewers who enjoy psychologically grounded characters, mature relationships, restrained cinematography, and dramas that reward patience more than adrenaline.
Less suited for viewers looking for fast pacing, explosive chemistry, constant twists, or highly melodramatic romance.

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This drama is bonkers on so many levels, and I love it so damn much for it.

I don't write reviews but I wanted to at least for my favorite drama, and Vincenzo has a special place in my heart <3

FYI: Long one (like REALLY long)—Just dumping my love letter for the show here to show some more appreciation amidst all the negative reviews & misjudgment. Rarely do I love a show so much I wish for amnesia to experience it all over again.

Vincenzo is an eventful, fast-paced dark comedy that had me at the edge of my seat anticipating or dreading what's to come, crying of either laughter or sadness, or simply wanting to applaud at the sheer audacity of its plot (happened a lot). While there's an abundance of corruption, broken bones and back and forth between protagonists and antagonists, there's also a large chunk of comedy and lightheartedness. Add in some romance & just the right amount of emotional depth and you have a perfect mix.
I myself didn't find the start slow at all; it's true that in ep. 4 things truly pick up (thanks to one of the best reveals I've ever seen in a show), but the beginning is just as fun and crucial in setting up the story—Hong Yu-chan is a central character that lays the foundation for Vincenzo and Cha-young's motivation to take on the fight against Babel. From then on it's a rollercoaster of a K-Drama; the story constantly keeping you busy with barely a dull moment as lots of twists & turns keep it interesting. The ending is the definition of cathartic and shows again that this drama, despite the funny exterior, has no problem becoming unflinchingly dark with its approach on retribution and justice.

You just can't wait to find out what shenanigans the characters will be up to next, and when you do find out, it's a joy to watch. Many of the schemes that Vincenzo, Cha-young and the tenants pull against Babel range from absolute tomfoolery to well-thought-out, meticulous plans. The scenarios are yes, over the top, but at the same time ironically believable and more importantly, fun! You can tell how much fun the writer, actors and production team had with this project; tons of creative choices feel like they were handled with some sense of wild abandon, which might as well be the secret as to why the show is such a blast.
Considering all the improv, this rings quite true. Many of the characters' mannerisms/quirks and some entire scenes were completely adlibbed (after consuming copious amounts of BTS content, I can genuinely confirm this). It's something I really loved about the show and which tells you just how well the cast and director collaborated.

I feel like many people don't understand it for what it essentially is and thus kind of miss the whole point of it. They claim it's bad for example, due to its absurdist comedy which of course isn't everyone's cup of tea, but that doesn't make it a bad drama, just a matter of preference. Without the jarring contrast of silliness and seriousness, Vincenzo wouldn't be what it's supposed to be. The show works so well precisely *because* it's not a single bit afraid to take the piss out of anything or anyone, be it villains or protagonists—no one gets spared. It's about relishing in the ridiculousness of it all and one has to be willing to do that in order to really enjoy it.
So yes, this show is very contradictory and lots of people did not like or even hated that, but I loved it all the more. It's both parody and homage in the way it blends the tropes of anti-corruption K-Drama, ensemble comedies and gangster movies alike. It can be funny and satirical but also knows when to be badass or tense. And while it's true that it's a blatant combination of so many things, it proves through the way it navigates its script & characters that it's really not that derivative after all, but something much more engaging, original and worthy of paying attention to than the sum of its parts would lead you to believe.

In the end, this drama does have its own style and you do need to vibe with the writer's humor or intentions, so it's natural that it might be too much for those with different tastes or who don't see eye to eye with his execution etc. But this show is unrealistic on purpose! The protagonist comes out on top all the time on purpose! I've read some say they liked the show but drew the line at a certain scene in episode 15 for being too unrealistic, which is funny, considering it's a drama about a mafia lawyer who accidentally fights for justice while trying to get some gold bars out of a basement. It's bizarre, ridiculous and in-your-face on purpose! It is The Whole Point Of It All™. When we get tired of the whole corrupt, capitalist hellhole that we live in, this show wants to offer some escapism and makes it fun while it's at it.

This quirky setting of a K-Drama is pretty damn important, and it's why Vincenzo as a character feels so fresh. At first, he expectedly does his business in-between lavish Italian manors and cobblestone alleyways, but writer Park Jae Bum has other ideas, and decides to kick him out of his grand mafia epic and straight into a Korean drama. A different world, one where no one takes him seriously at first but where he quickly realizes that it too, is capable of being as sinister as the "faded newspaper" he may have escaped out of. That's the point PJB wants to prove—he didn't just pick a guy like Vincenzo for no reason. Because to realize his furious what-if-scenario, what better than to take a notorious movie-like supercriminal, a representative of classic evil, pit him against the modern evils of our own society, and let them step on each other's toes?
The result of this is one hell of an entertaining show, and one of the most unique takes on a mobster character I've ever seen. Here, Vincenzo is allowed to subvert his own archetype. Unlike others who often face doom or damn themselves to some catholic hell, he not only gets to live, but gets to continue on his work through buddhist words of wisdom. He gets peace and identity and community. You'd be hard pressed to find something like this anywhere else, no matter how much you tried.

Regarding the what-if-scenario, Vincenzo himself represents what the drama wants to convey to the audience. It's an answer to the kind of feeling when keeping up with the news and being angry at whatever unscrupulous business is being conducted, yet again. and you sit there, not being able to do anything about it. not that it's impossible in general—the collective societal power of the little guy is something this drama tries to highlight in particular—but in such moments we just want to see the worst of society be punished for their actions, "whether it is legal or not", as Hong Yu-chan said.
An activist through and through, his character is proof that even the most righteous people can't do much more than just try their best, yet they too may harbor a desire to go beyond their own means to win. In a perfect world, it would have been him to fight tirelessly and successfully against the antagonists, achieving justice by the book. But that sadly isn't the world we, or the characters, live in. Sometimes just "fighting the good fight" isn't enough, the efforts of the virtuous and pure are trampled on without remorse, and the corrupt system resembles an indestructible wall.
And so we wish to see it collapse fully and we want to feel good about seeing that, want to feel vindicated in our desire to rid the world of The Powers That Be. Like many other protagonists of this K-Drama category locals like to call 사이다 (="Cider", as in slang for "refreshing pay-off"), Vincenzo wants to scratch exactly that itch, through an anti-hero without qualms or strict moral compass that hold him back in anything. He's the personification of what none of us can ever allow ourselves to be because in reality we've got laws and morals and couldn't ever justify what he does to be of actual reasoning. Thankfully this isn't reality! He allows us to live vicariously through his persona, who stops at nothing to deliver retribution—whether or not it's a viable solution to corruption & crime—and maybe leaves us a bit of romantic hope for a better future, albeit in his own darkly twisted way.

An interesting point that Song Joong-ki once made is how he found the audience's unwavering support of Vincenzo to be quite sad. So while this show isn't supposed to offer any solution, I think it offers an interesting observation; how easily, and maybe even desperately, we want to cling to outlandish and fictional escapism like this. How bad is our own reality, that we're able to cheer on even a character like Vincenzo with all his brazen, reckless vigilantism, and not even bat an eye—what does that say about us? The show makes us root for him all the way up until the end, then turns the mirror at us and literally and figuratively looks us in the eye. Yes, evil in its many forms is prevalent and vehement and will always be, but what we choose to do with it is ultimately our choice.
You might somewhat agree with the show's ideology—that when all else is lost, the only way to fight a monster is another monster—or strongly oppose it. Either way, by the end, you’ve likely understood the societal lamentations echoing through the narrative, and maybe even have felt a tiny bit of satisfaction and relief in watching Vincenzo be unapologetically himself. I know I did.

Besides him, there's lots to be said about Hong Cha-young because people just don't seem to get her. It was intended for her to be "annoying" at the start and Jeon Yeo-been knew she'd get judged for that, yet she took on the role and made it her own. She nailed all her traits, from her weirdness, ambition and anger up to her loneliness and kind heart. Cha-young, like Vincenzo himself, hides her utmost vulnerabilities behind a razor-sharp gaze and only opens up to those she's truly comfortable with. Yet her soft side isn't a contradiction to her loud one at all; both are two sides of the same coin. She too doesn't compromise and is always the most unapologetic version of herself—a rarity in a world that deems types like her "too out there" or "too much", and she looks past such criticisms with but a glance and blows you a kiss while donning expensive sunglasses. If you paid attention, you'd know her character isn't one-dimensional. She's an amazing female lead and one of the most unique out there, fight me at 3 AM in a parking lot about this. Technically, you'd have to fight Vincenzo first.

Both are morally complex protagonists that don't fall into clichés and instead boast a healthy, respectful relationship. It's riveting to watch them go from strangers to partners in crime to genuine friends and self-proclaimed soulmates by the end. The moment they meet they complement each other, in their joint revenge (it helps they're both relentless opportunists) as in all other things. Their connection ran so deep; excessive skinship or dramatic confessions weren't needed.
I'm biased, but they're the best example of "soulmates" I know. Despite what some dramas tell you, soulmates are born of choice, not fate, and they made that choice for themselves. And above all, they're just fun to watch! They have some of the best chemistry between two leads I've ever seen and I've yet to find a pair I love just as much as them.

They and the rest of the cast know how to act believably in even the most preposterous situations, another reason why I love this show so much: While it's very farcical, it stays grounded in the way characters react emotionally and accordingly to their goals or motivations. And so you can't help but cheer along with—or against—them as they go through all of these ridiculous, unbelievable things. By the end, I got so attached that I just sat in disbelief as the end-credits ran and didn't want to believe it was really over. With any good story ending, you don't want to let go, want to spend more time in its world, but are instead left with a giant, bloody hole in your heart. Then again that should be par for the course.

Everyone has a drama that left a big impression on them and for me it was this crime-comedy about a Korean-Italian Mafia lawyer who has arson and murder on his daily schedule, yet is at his wit's end because of a pigeon on his windowsill. I sure didn't expect that when watching ep. 1 with the hope of trying to stay awake during nightshift (needless to say it woke me the fuck up), but the best shows come to you when you least expect it.

TLDR; Vincenzo has much to offer for those who want to be fully engrossed by a show, without sacrificing one genre for the other. But in no way does it play it safe, it 100% goes all in. And if you like to have fun with TV, then it's definitely something you shouldn't miss!

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START-UP IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE "SHIPS", DON'T MISS THE WHOLE POINT.

The story was really inspiring. The viewers can see how much a start-up can really grow as a big company. Seeing the hardships of Dosan and DalMi to reach their dreams welcomed me to "follow my dreams".

Only JiDal shippers say it's disappointing. I get it that you want your bias to win over DalMi, but it's your fault for getting your hopes up too high when you know that the drama is made for NJH and Suzy in the very first place. Also, the poster says it all. Anyway, people who just see and measure start-up based on "ship" missed the whole point of the K-drama. Start-up is a series more than the love story. It is about family, dreams, and friendship.

Set aside what others are saying that it's not good. You'll see, Dosan and DalMi is a perfect match, too! ❤️

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Only if you're a Liu Yu Ning fan

After watching The Prisoner of Beauty I really wanted to love this but it wasn't meant to be. Don't get me wrong Liu Yu Ning was terrific as the male lead Nan Heng / Li Shi Liu unfortunately he couldn't save this drama.

I have never been so angry watching a drama before. But this one managed to piss me off to no end. How could one character (the male lead at that) be so hated. Everyone (aside from his people) were mean, downright cruel to him. And then along comes the female lead and dang if she isn't the worse of the lot (and that includes the emperor and that's saying something)

His own father hated him for something he didn't do. Honestly how could a child be responsible for a grown up's death? And it just went downhill from there.

Every episode seemed to get worse starting from the very first episode. In just a couple of episodes I was actually rooting for Nan Heng to ride off into the sunset and leave the rest to their own fate.

Then around episode 30 the writer decides to change it up and have the emperor realize he'd wronged Nan Heng. And of course the female lead finally comes in with the "White head, same heart" but personally, I felt it was too little too late.

Great happy ending.

Would I recommend it? No. But if you are a Liu Yu Ning fan and you've seen everything else of his then give it a shot, he's the only reason to watch it. However, I'd recommend a rewatch of The Prisoner of Beauty instead.

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I feel like I have been BL cdrama punched. A franchise who were carried by fans for years . Known as the ONLY asian safe haven for lgbt and their supporters has gone off the rails. The ultimate bait and switch. In no way did the lgbt community need a tragic life lesson. They have real history and real life plenty for that. I feel this production was sold out and forced to do this ending. It’s the end of a franchise. In a year where lgbt marriage is legal there they could have celebrated young love. Instead we get this. No. I’ll give my time to another writer, another show.

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Find Your Happy Place

Contrary to the title, this isn’t a fluffy dramedy/rom-com that’s filled with rainbows, sunshine and lots of happy folks with warm smiles and joyous laughter. Well, not exactly. Happiness is about the onset of a zombie outbreak. At first glance, the story appears to be the antithesis of happiness but there’s more than meets the eye. Different viewers would have their own takeaways from this drama but personally for me, my interpretation of “happiness” in this context lies in cherishing what you have amidst the chaos that threatens to take away that which you hold dear, and those whom you so love. For this very reason, this surprising gem became a sort of happy place for me as I began to develop a fondness for the drama and the characters in it, despite the macabre premise.

The director of Stranger, one of my all time favourite dramas, Ahn Gil Ho helms this production. The plot is based on the original screenplay by Han Sang Woon. Of his previous works, I’ve only seen The Good Wife which is a decent adaptation of the original US series. The drama is set in the near future that makes references to the post-Covid pandemic. Principal photography took place primarily at the extensive e Pyunhansang apartment complex in Gyeonggi province’s Okjeong city, which is used as the fictional Seyang Forest Le Ciel apartments in the drama.

Happiness focuses on a couple who find themselves under lockdown in their brand new apartment complex during the zombie outbreak, termed “Madness Epidemic” by the authorities. The ML is a Violent Crimes detective of the Seyang Police Station while the FL is a Special Operation Unit (SOU) police squad and counter-terrorism operative. Central to the plot is how these two individuals work with a shadowy governmental agency, Disaster and Crisis Response Center, led by a very mysterious SML, who coordinates the military in the zombie crisis containment and medical researchers’ efforts in finding a cure for the epidemic.

In addition to the character study into the best and (mostly) worst of human nature in the face of impending doom, the narrative contains elements of social commentary and presents a somewhat satirical depiction of a deeply hierarchical society, particularly through the class distinctions between the affluent owners living in the upper levels and the general public in rental housing of the lower levels of the apartments. Themes of apocalyptic dystopia and high-level corruption while tropes concerning childhood connection, contract marriage, and friends to lovers are all present in this drama, among others which I won’t mention further to avoid spoiling. Additionally, jump scares feature quite a fair bit in a number of scenes.

For what appears to be a moderately budgeted drama, I have no major complaints in terms of the production values, design and quality. The fight choreography is quite impressive and so too the presence of the military elements and use of firearms in the action sequences. The makeup for the zombies, including blood and gore, appear well rendered. As most of the story takes place at the apartment complex, there isn’t a sense of the scale of the outbreak, which purportedly occurs nationwide and also across the world. This means there are no massive numbers of extras posing as zombies and running riot all over the place, like scenes in Train to Busan or the sageuk-zombie fusion, Kingdom.

Generally I’m quite pleased with how the story is presented, in terms of the plot development and pacing, sequencing of events in a linear fashion and with minimal disruptions to the timeline i.e. lack of excessive flashbacks of backstories and jumping between different time periods. While there are some similarities with another apocalyptic drama, Sweet Home, the notable differences being the apartment building here is much bigger and the action also takes place outside the building but within the expansive complex that houses several apartment towers. The sheer number of people involved as far as the inhabitants are concerned as well as the external forces outside the complex are much higher. I would say the atmosphere in the drama isn’t as bleak or toxic but instead rather pleasant, were it not for the pesky zombies.

A majority of the characters are quirky and out-of-the-box, which is part of the drama’s charms. I have come to love all three leads and certain supporting characters, in particular a certain little girl. Other characters are those that I either despise or feel perturbed by, but that is testament to the characterization. Most of the supporting characters get their fair share of screen time and story arc. Some characters, however, such as the female soldier who assists the SML in his endeavours and the FL’s colleague in the SOU, unfortunately do not get fleshed out for our benefit. The bureaucrats and chaebols connected to the zombie outbreak also do not make their presence significantly felt until the tail end of the drama, which appears more as an afterthought rather than any crucial aspect of the storytelling.

As far as the acting is concerned, this is where Happiness shines through. The ML Jung Yi Hyun is played by Park Hyung Sik who returns in his first drama appearance since being discharged from military service. Since I last saw him in Suits, he retains that exact same boyish charm and projects the level-headed calm and sensible persona that we have come to expect of his characters. Along with a strapping physique, he certainly looks the part of a violent crimes detective. Han Hyo Joo, who plays the FL Yoon Sae Bom, also makes a return to the small screen this year after last appearing in W in 2016. Among all the lead characters, the FL is quite possibly the most offbeat of them all. Fearless, daring, streetwise and without a care about authoritative structures or social constructs, this is an independent woman who knows what she wants and how to achieve it. She might appear nonchalant and apathetic at times but deep down she has a clear distinction between right and wrong, and has a strong sense of protectiveness over those whom she deeply cares for. All these qualities are magnificently portrayed by Han Hyo Joo.

These two characters are the best part of this drama for me. They’re not perfect, far from it in fact. Their occasional catastrophic decision making counts among other seemingly ridiculous flaws which manifest over time but still I couldn’t help but root for them to overcome all the challenges and dangers that come their way. Their dynamics are top quality where every interaction, even inaction at times, between them truly is a joy to behold.

The SML is played by Jo Woo Jin, no stranger to the industry who has appeared in many renowned drama and film productions over the years. It is a blessing indeed for us viewers that he graces this drama with his presence. The role of the extremely grey and layered Han Tae Seok suits this man to a T, where his understatedly nuanced performance breathes life into the character to further elevate the drama.

Among the supporting cast, special mention has to go to Baek Hyun Jin. This is the third time I’ve seen him this year, after Taxi Driver and The Devil Judge. Known affectionately as the “U-data guy” for his OTT portrayal of a psychotic CEO in Taxi Driver, this actor simply excels in portraying antagonistic roles. In this drama, his character of Oh Joo Hyung is much more subdued in comparison with his previous roles but still does not detract from the lowkey villainous vibes that he consistently imbues into his acting. Bae Hae Seon is another one who has had a prolific year after appearances in Inspector Koo, Hometown CCC, and Great Shaman GDS, of those I’ve seen. She plays the hubristic and self-important “Queen Bee” of the apartment complex, Oh Yeon Ok. Her portrayal here is angsty yet amusing at the same time. Prolific child actress, 9-year old Song Ji Woo who plays Park Seo Yoon, the sickly little girl living on the 5th floor certainly deserves mention for her efforts in the drama.

Happiness introduced me to a number of new musicians who enhanced the production with their evocative music. Joe Layne with the very fitting opening theme and an emotional English-language track, while SAAY, Isaac Hong and Jemma contributed a song each. The original score is composed by multiple award-winning Kim Tae Seong who has form with this genre, having worked on numerous suspense-thriller productions over the past decade.
Eureka (Opening theme) and What Lies Ahead - Joe Layne (조레인)
Pain - Isaac Hong (홍이삭)
Nobody Knows - SAAY (쎄이)
ENIGMA - Jemma (젬마)

IMHO, Happiness is definitely one of the biggest surprises of the year, as far as K-dramas are concerned. It’s not as big budgeted and extensively promoted as some of the more well-known productions and the horror theme involving zombies may have turned off some viewers from trying this one out. But I’m glad I gave this a go and what a fulfilling, entertaining and worthwhile viewing experience it has been. If you can overcome your fear of zombies, do give this drama a chance and, who knows, you might end up being pleasantly surprised as well.

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Conflicted Literature

Prologue

My mind never fails to go completely blank right before writing these.It feels somewhat like a line of astounding talents gone ahead before me, and my absent minded ass is up next. No idea what to write, how to portray these thoughts that future me can look back on and feel every word of it as if I’m in front of the television again pressing play for the first time. What do they want to see from this review? How do they feel of this drama? Man, wouldn’t it be so much easier to just be like the rest? Well my dear silent minority, we aren’t like the rest. Our thoughts differ, lights dim out, voices hollow, presence uncertain.

But, every now and then some of us gather the strength to shout our unpopular opinions loud enough for everyone willing to hear. Lights begin to flicker back on as we approach our biggest momentary fear, the stage is ours. Make no mistake, no matter how nor if the audience responds back to you, you’ve done something for us that will always inspire those after. There’s no telling when you’ll feel like this again, nor get the chance to express it.

You then realize those lights that were so intimidating before were never dimmed. At last , a star is born.


Man vs Everything

I’ll get my biggest frustration with this drama out of the way first to make up for the rambling. Jeongnyeon is not a complete drama. In fact, you’ll feel there’s something missing at the very beginning, but it only becomes apparent towards the end. There’s several components to a story, and that one thing you’re having that gut feeling is missing in this one, is conflict.

How so? We’ve seen many antagonists introduced, as well as internal and external struggles made out as obstacles in our leads’ way. Poor upbringings, jealousy, underdogs, loss, scandals, defamation, the list goes on. Well, could you really make these things out to be conflicts when even the characters absolutely refuse to?

First we have our favorite little star Yun Jeong. Dimwitted, until she’s not. Inexperienced, until she’s not. Star of the show, until she’s not. Daring, until she’s not. Determined, until she’s not. Damn near mute with multiple medical professionals’ ruling it as so… until, well.

My surprising favorite that deserved closure and proper writing all around, Yeong Seo. I haven’t seen a single thing from the actress until now with this drama, and i can still tell this is easily the best performance she’s put on without needing to see any other. In fact, i won’t even butcher her character here any more than the writing already had. Just know, she deserved much, MUCH better..

Speaking of deserving better, let’s reel in the last few who deserved worse. Despite my unpopular perspective with the Prince of the stage herself, I’ll admit, Moon Ok Gyeong is hands down the most fascinating character that’s completely open to interpretation. She’s a fan favorite to many, both in and outside the drama. To me? She’s the epitome of toxicity and the most subtle portrayal of an antagonist I’ve seen this year. I know that opens alot of doors for discussion, and to be fair, they’re probably not even opened at all had the webtoon been adapted faithfully enough. But we’re going from the abomination they chose to throw out for us to mindlessly consume, and that being my conclusion.

Now here’s someone i feel for certain couldn’t have been redeemed well enough in the original work to make sense of, Ju Ran. Another popular favorite, but i see no logical reason why outside of some piss poor GL teasing. Her storyline was the sole confirmation that cuts that shouldn’t have even been considered , were made. The heavy censorship behind her relations with everyone was adding gasoline to a forest fire. I see no potential redemption of this character in even the webtoon whenever i decide to pick it up. But hopefully I’m wrong.


To make something clear, this drama is by far Kim Tae Ri’s most innovative and expressive role yet. And it’s clear to me now what she’s been going for all along aren’t good scripts, but challenging roles to take her own acting range another step further. Even her weakest work steps all over 95% of the industry, and that’s no exaggeration. She has been my favorite actress in this drama land since I’ve first came across her, and she’s only reaffirmed my obsession with her work and talented eye for scripts here. If you feel even remotely similar about her, you will enjoy every last bit of this drama as i have, minus the rant after, likely.



Jeongnyeon is a successful, aspiring drama that failed as an adaption. Have i read the original webtoon yet? Not a single word. But i know a cut and rushed mess when i see it, as I’ve seen too many at this point. Want to know what else I’m aware of ? My opinion being the minority , as well as my genuine enjoyment throughout watching this series. I can go longer than this run on sentence about this embarrassment of an adaption as much as i can rave about how even Kim’s worst work is better than your fave’s best and you’d be doing yourself the disservice by not trying this title out as any fan of Kim Tae Ri or even Shin Ye Eun.


I applaud the effort of the impressive cast and remarkable production. Our star has yet to dim, it’s just another was born.

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An objectively bad guilty pleasure drama that’s perfect for a cosy weekend watch

I'm perfectly well aware of the fact that I've given this show a much higher rating than it deserves. However, as it happens sometimes, this is one of those reviews that are based solely on personal enjoyment rather than merit.

You see, K2 is like this beautiful vase; it has intricately exotic designs on the outside but its inside is completely hollow and littered with cobwebs. Now, it's up to you whether you want to put it on a shelf and admire its surface beauty or you want to break it into a billion pieces and consequently end up being utterly disappointed by its stark reality. If you're a person who can momentarily cast aside rationale in the face of glitz and glamour, K2 and you would get along just fine but the moment you stop, tilt your head to the side and think; "wait a minute" all possibilities of friendship are out the door.

K2 is almost reckless in its execution, as if it reached a point where logic just didn't matter anymore. It took blatantly unrealistic happenings, a gigantic cluster of plotholes and downright ridiculous notions and attempted to create a story out of them. It's almost like the creators are poking fun at the audience as if they were idiots blanketed in foolish naivete. Events transpire without any build up, there is little to no attention to detail and honestly, it's a huge fast-paced mess.

This drama is like an arrogant brat who does whatever the fuck it wants, confident that it would be successful, still.
A woman in Iraq who's completely covered in a gown and headscarf at all times, without any second thought decides to cast aside her veil and liplock with her hero just because he suggested they should marry. The same woman is somehow extremely fluent in Korean language (even though she has lived all her life in Iraq) and Korean pop culture (even though she's in the middle of nowhere) and conveniently is killed to produce a motive for our male lead to enter the action.
A girl who's had extreme Sociophobia all her life, is suddenly very confidently striking poses with groups of people in the next second. A man who essentially hates power hungry murderers is shown to sympathize with a woman who is exactly that, if not more. There are so many handy plot devices just waiting to pop out from all sides at the very last moment in order to somehow save and prolong the show and it's all quite satirical.

But ofcourse, the smartarse that K2 is; it's completely in the know of all of its flaws and has the audacity to give justifications. The woman could speak Korean so well because she had been taught to be a translator. The girl never had Sociophobia, she just pretended because she didn't want to interact with people. The man didn't feel anything for the murderer, nope, that was just means to an end. And so, K2 commits many crimes and yet, makes sure to cover all the evidence.

The flow of the story, with all of its nonsensical and out of the blue events, is stroppy at best. Many things are left unanswered and this is the kind of production that will have you shake your head with amused exasperation at every second of its antics.
However, despite all this, for me this was a classic case of "it's so bad that it's good" and I somehow ended up thoroughly enjoying myself.

Jee Chang Wook has proved his excellent acting skills numerous of times and here too, he delivered impeccably. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't given much substance to deliver in the first place. His character is unbelievably overpowered, able to survive situations where even a super human ninja would've been obliterated. He has a butter heart, a hero complex and is very motivated to save the world one distressed damsel at a time. Combine that with JCW's natural mixture of masculinity and boyish arrogance and you get a specimen that is too good to be true. And when things are too good to be true, they mostly take a turn for the worse.
It's painfully obvious that the show is highly monetizing on his looks and name; for most of the show is him being either shirtless, flaunting his abs or doing something similarly badass to establish his "coolness". So if you're here to judge JCW's acting this is the last drama you should go to.

As far as I am concerned though, I really didn't care either way. For me, simply watching him is a pleasure, he's my ultimate bias killer and hey, if the producers want to shove mindless fanservice (involving him) down my throat, I ain't complaining.

Yoona turned out to be a pleasant surprise. She's built to play the helpless heroine who always needs saving, who trusts way too easily, cries even easier and basically creates hindrances for everyone around her. The show really tried to suppress her in every possibly way, they didn't give her character a single moment to shine and did everything they could to make her appear helpless and pathetic. However, somehow Yoona managed to turn the tables. Instead of pity, Anna garners sympathy and I would be lying if I said I wasn't rooting for her. There's an intelligence in her eyes that no matter how much of a putz she was portrayed to be, she still succeeded in speaking with the viewers and maintaining a likable character throughout.

And now comes Song Yoon ah- the heart and soul of the show. What an absolutely brilliant actress. She's one of the best k-drama antagonists; utterly ruthless and cruel and yet harboring deep vulnerabilities. She's a viciously dangerous woman and yet, pitiful at times. She's the most layered character of the show and even though she insists upon it, it's almost impossible to truly hate her.

As far as the romance is concerned, even though it's rushed and underdeveloped, there's no denying that Ji- Chang Wook can create chemistry with a garbage bag, if you let him. And if I'm being completely honest, I enjoyed the lovey dovey bits to the fullest. (Aww-ing and Ooh-ing was involved.)

So finally the question arises: If K2 on the whole, has so many shortcomings, why give it an 8.5 rating? Well, in answer to that I'll say, that I just had too much fun watching it. Plain and simple. For me, it was unadulterated amusement- sometimes at its ridiculousness and sometimes at its unabashed negligence. I anticipated every episode and was fully immersed from start to finish.

The K2 is like greasy junk food, you know it can't possibly amount to anything good but you still can't help devouring. With brilliant action scenes, beautiful visuals, entrancing music and a gorgeous cast that actually knows how to act, it is the perfect cheat meal.

Hate it or love it, you'd still end up watching it to the last episode and as far as the drama is concerned- that's a mission well accomplished.

A delectable guilty pleasure, so why not indulge?

Enjoy!

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Typical Contemporary Romance Cdrama

Modern romance drama that revolves around the love story between Chu Li, an aspiring editor, and Zhou Chuan, a highly successful debut author. This was a drama that I had looked forward to ever since they announced the lead pair. I had enjoyed watching Ding Yuxi's "Romance of Tiger and Rose" and really liked Esther Yu in "Find Yourself".

However, what started as a solid 9/10 drama, slowly devolved to 6/10 for me. Mainly because of how absurd the ML's behaviour was. I tolerated his antics in the beginning because I thought he would change for the better as the drama progressed. But, 30 episodes in, he still behaves like a child instead of the 27-year-old adult he's supposed to be. At the beginning of the drama, he treats the FL as his own personal assistant, even his housemaid at times, and no one seems to even point out how wrong this is to the person himself although certain characters do remark upon it. Later, after the leads get together, he continues to demand the FL's attention knowing fully well that she's busy at her job and not ignoring him on purpose. I get that in dramaland this behaviour can pass off as cute but imagine if this happened in real life?

Other than that, my only complaint is that nothing really happens in the drama. This would have been a much better-paced drama if it had been 24 episodes. Instead, we have to wait for more than half the drama, around 18 episodes just for the leads to get together. The drama had nothing new to offer, except for maybe the glimpse into behind the scenes workings of the publishing industry.

Nevertheless, I liked our FL and almost all of the female characters. Their story arcs were much better written, believable and relatable. Chu Li was determined and stood her ground despite how harsh her workplace was to her. Even though I wish we could see Esther Yu in a more serious and not-so-typical role, she played the bubbly and unintentionally funny FL to a tee.

I may be overreacting here, but I'm just really tired of the unreasonable MLs. If you like slow-paced, slice-of-life-ish romances or if you are relatively new to modern cdrama rom-coms then this drama might be for you.

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