Reviews

Still a Favorite Two Years Later

I already watched this in 2024 when it first released, and it was my top-tier favorite then. After being disappointed by several newer watches and dropping or passing on them, I decided to revisit this one, and I have no regrets. It was a favorite in 2024, and it’s still a favorite two years later. There are so many layers to the story that it barely feels like a rewatch. I’m noticing and feeling things now that I completely missed the first time, so this entire experience has been incredibly welcoming.

While GJM isn’t for everyone, he definitely is for me. And although this drama seems to divide audiences, even among people who enjoyed his other dramas or films, I hold this one in just as high regard as the rest of his work. Some people describe it as slow or depressing, but that’s not something I personally connect with. I find the drama very well-paced, consistently engaging, and I’m practically hanging onto every scene. Plus, I find it incredibly funny.

And while the mood can be heavy at times, it genuinely moves me and I connect deeply with it. I see this story as a pendulum swinging between highs and lows, where moments of joy exist alongside hardship. Is this a bright, carefree drama where no one struggles and every day is perfect? No, but that isn’t realistic, nor is it the point of the story. These characters are on a journey to confront and resolve hardships, so naturally they encounter pain and obstacles along the way.

What makes it meaningful for me is the promise that it will all matter in the end, and that they find love, comfort, and support through the friendships and bonds they build with one another. This is only one chapter of their lives; another story will begin once this one ends.

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Better Than the Sequel, But Not a Win

Between the two movies, I enjoyed this one more. I thought it was funnier, the character development was more engaging, the story took time evolving and it didn't feel like we were thrown into a never ending fight between two camps, which is how I felt about the sequel. However, overall, the narrative is still confusing and doesn't have a firm foundation. It seemed like the story started well before the movie did. I had to consult outside sources to understand the stage setup and the conflicts, as this is based on Guo Jingming's novel under the same name, Línjiè Juéjì (临界爵迹). Only then did I appreciate the events as they unfolded. So, I suspect to appreciate this movie would require reading it first.

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A Darker, More Atmospheric Sequel

This has a different feel and storyline than the original movie. However, it still follows the main Yin-Yang Master, Qingming, an officer of the Yingyang Bureau, and Yuan Boya, his close friend. It's an interesting rendition in that it independently continues a storyline that seemingly ended irreversibly. So it's as if you are getting two alternate stories with the same characters. I enjoyed both versions immensely, and I love that the tones contrast. The settings and color palette of the sequel add a dark theme that expands on the script. And the cast transform their roles to fit the scenes and plots beautifully.

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A complete waste of time

This show had very high potential in the first two episodes, and once the cafe boss appears it all goes downhill. From the way that she used him for her gain to all the events after are a complete inconsistent mess.

The show has plot points that it uses and then forgets about an episode later, it honestly feels like I'm watching an AI bot forgetting previous conversations in real time as the episodes went on. Alongside the forgotten plot points, there is also times where characters do a complete 180 to how they were and episode before, and it just made me more confused than anything as I watched.

The ending is also maybe one of the worst endings in all the k-dramas I have watched and liked (not including the less serious dramas), because not only does it make no sense, it additionally just feels like the writers had no idea what to do in the story so they just throw in the most bs plot ending.

I honestly wish I had just stopped watching around the middle of the show, because honestly this show is just such a waste of time and potential.

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wayyy too much politics. if you're looking for more romance this is prob not for u

ugh i wanna like this SO BAD cuz i love chen du ling and zhou yi ran and this pairing is like exactly what i wanted 😭 but there's just SO MUCH POLITICS. like yea its listed as one of the genres but its just too much i can't. its just really not my cup of tea tbh. the dubbing is also erm a bit intense for my liking...

like idm the plot. its interesting yea but im just a romance girly through and through so this is just not for me

maybe i'll pick this up again and try sit through it all since it's only gonna be 24 eps... but idk... the politics is too big of a theme so we'll see ig

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A Hit For Very New Fans, A Miss for Me

This wasn’t a major hit for me, though it seemed to be the drama that put Li Fei on the map for many viewers. Patrick Quan delivers an excellent performance as a quietly lethal and unsettling antagonist—you could feel the tension every time he appeared onscreen. And the chemistry between Ming Jiajia and Li Fei was electric, but I was disappointed in how their characters were written. They leaned too heavily into familiar dramatic tropes for me to fully appreciate—she played the naive girl, and he was the emotionally distant lead. The subplots were equally frustrating, often feeling overcomplicated and weighed down by hidden motives and misunderstandings that lasted until the very end. The overall tone felt whimsical and veered far from the source novel, which could be felt onscreen. That said, there were several poignant scenes, and the backstory was genuinely intriguing. If you're looking for steam, it's definitely there—but this one might be best suited for devoted Li Fei fans. So for me and others, it was a must watch.

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Great start, okay end

I wanted to watch this because I'm trying to watch all of Dew's works otherwise, I never would've checked it as I've never heard of it before. I thoroughly enjoyed this show a lot. I thought the concept was pretty cool, the characters were all really interesting, and the acting was pretty good as well. I did recognize quite a few actors from this which is always fun.

I will say the last few episodes or so, I didn't like as much as I liked the rest of the season. Once half the students were missing, I think it lost a bit of what made the show good which was the students' interactions. It wasn't bad or anything, I just didn't love it like I did before that happened. I also thought having Zero show up at the end was kind of stupid, maybe they thought they were getting another season though.

I thought the lessons they were being taught to help them prepare for the real world was really cool. Some were better than others, some were just cruel, but still I liked that aspect a lot. Obviously, I didn't like them being punished, but it added something interesting to the show. I really liked the show a lot and would recommend it a lot, especially if you like any of the actors.

Characters: (Spelling I'm going off of what they have on here lol)

Maki: I really liked Maki as the main character. She was so smart, kind, and determined. She wasn't afraid to stand up against the master's for what she thought was right either which I loved. I liked her relationship with our core four group a lot (plus Pheng and Penneung) and her relationship with her brother was really sweet too. Her and Tibet were quite cute together too even though we never got anything of them being a couple.

Tibet: I loved him! I love how caring he was towards everyone. He's also pretty smart and I liked how he was more of a realistic thinker. I think the group really needed that sometimes. I loved our core four as well as his relationship with Pheng and Penneung. He literally saved Pheng's life. I feel bad about his mother dying while he was gone. I'm glad he got to know a bit about his dad too during the show. His crush on Maki was so cute!! I enjoyed his relationship with Nai the most I can't lie. They were always together and it was so adorable.

Nai: The whole reason I watched the show to begin with and I'm glad I really liked his character. Nai was definitely not the smartest, especially out of our core group, but I loved how caring he was as well as him being ready to fight for his friends even if it meant him getting in trouble. Got to give him major props for lasting as long as he did in the fight against Master Champ, he really stuck it out. Again, loved his relationship with the core group and especially Tibet (They would be cute together too but maybe that's just me). His crush on White was so cute, and I love that you can tell he fell quite hard for her. The confession of the two of them on the stairs at the end was really fun.

White: I loved her so much! Her random English was really funny, she was such a baddie and so caring too. She really was ready to do anything for the people she cared about and I loved that. I haven't mentioned it yet, but I loved her friendship with Maki. They had such a good bestie relationship, and I feel like you don't always see that with girls, I feel like it's always just focused on romantic relationships. I love the core group as well as her relationship with Nai, like I mentioned before. Other than Pheng, I think she had the closest relationship with Penneung and liked their interactions a lot.

Penneung: My baby!! He might be my favorite I'm not going to lie. He is so intelligent and so caring. His love for croissants was so adorable! His actor did a great job with his character; I have to give major props there. I think it's really cute that he had a crush on Pheng at the end (I think she felt the same too). I was really happy when he joined our main group because I loved his character a lot. I hated seeing him get picked on some of the people in the beginning and I'm glad by the end they all were friendly towards him. We saw the most growth in relationships with him I feel.

Pheng: I'm not going to lie I didn't care for Pheng too much. She did get a bit better at the end, but she was just too whiny for me. Most of the time she was on screen she was whining about something, it was so annoying. Her whole episode where it revealed she does a lot of stuff for attention didn't surprise me at all; she just gave that vibe anyway. After she almost committed, she did get better a little bit. I liked her relationship with Biu and especially with Penneung.

Hugo: He was quite the asshole throughout a lot of the show, but I will say his love for Jingjai was really sweet. I love that he always called her beauty, that was so cute. The scene of the two of them by the water towards the end of the show really showed a different side of them both that I really liked.

Jingjai: Similar to Hugo, I didn't like her throughout most of the show and then after the lake scene, I'd say I found them tolerable. I loved everything she said during her classes with just a couple of the girls and Headmaster. I loved that.

Fuji: There were times I liked Fuji and times I didn't. I liked how badass and strong she was, but there were times I really questioned what she was thinking. For the most part I did like her though. I thought she would be more important, but she really got hardly any screentime in the second half of the show (and I don't just mean when she was taken).

Mek: & Mok: Putting them in the same one because I have the hardest time these twins apart. I've seen them individually in a bunch of things and could never tell which was which until I'd look it up and having them both in the same series made it impossible for me. Once I noticed how they were dressing differently, I could tell who who was. I liked how similar but different they were. They were quite unimportant to the show to be honest. They could've not existed and I think the show would've been pretty much the same in my opinion. I did like them both though. I was glad they were starting to fix their relationship by the end because the physical fight between them was so rough. They added some humor to the show too which I liked.

Biu: I really liked her! She was really fun and caring. I thought her crush on Jean at the end was sweet. Her friendship with Pheng was really cute too. I get why she was mad at Pheng for a bit, I would be too, but I was happy they made up.

Jean: Man was actually the least important character. I liked him with Biu, he did have a good friendship with Jingjai and Hugo, but once they dated, he wasn't with them a lot anymore. The second half of the show I didn't have a problem with him, he just didn't add anything at all. He was definitely more likable though towards the end since he was a bully in the beginning.

Run: I loved seeing Gun. His character Run was pretty cool. I have mixed feelings on him saying Amin felt like a father and him taking over Home School. I feel like they should've shown us more flashbacks of the two of them bonding in the past to show how hurt Run was by Amin locking him up. I would've loved to see more of him and Maki together as well since it was the whole reason Maki went to Home School to begin with.

Amin: I knew there had to be something going on with him because a lot of times what he was doing, even if it was a bit messed up, it never to me felt like he had really bad intensions so I was glad to see that he was a lot better and was actually just being controlled.

Yani/Headmaster: Kind of like Amin, I from the start just thought she had good intensions and truly cared for the kids. We even saw that with how she would question Amin a bit with the treatment of Run. I really loved her classes with just the couple girls, it made me like her a lot more than I already did.

Prasat: I hated this guy from the second he showed up and wasn't shocked at all that he was doing shady stuff. Him and Champ just seemed to not care at all about the kids in anyway, especially compared to the other masters. Bad vibes all around and am very happy he ended up in jail.

Phraephon: I think she was my favorite out of the masters. You could always tell she truly cared for the kids and for Run. I loved finding out she was helping Run plan his escape the entire time. I liked that she was trying to help Deluxe as well. I was pretty sad she died, she didn't deserve that.

Phoban: I liked him a lot. He always seemed to be looking out for the kids and seemed like a genuinely good guy. He was just adorable to me for some reason.

Champ: I hated him from start to finish. Like I mentioned before, you can tell he just didn't care about the kids at all. I wasn't shocked by him siding with Prasat either.

Deluxe: She was so cute!! I loved her just singing her little songs all the time (even if it wasn't the right time for it lol). She was really caring too and I loved how her class with Phen and Pennueng was just playing guitar and singing.

Every parent was a piece of shit lol except Tibet's mom and Biu's dad was eh.

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One of Li Fei’s Best

This is my second favorite Li Fei drama (with my top pick being Zhao Ge Fu, also known as Song of the Dynasty). It features a rebirth storyline that starts off with a light comedic tone and becomes more poignant as the plot unfolds. The layers are complex, and it’s engaging to watch everything come together. The character development is strong, and the chemistry between the leads feels natural and satisfying. It’s easy to connect with the characters as they face and resolve various conflicts.

My only critique is the ending—it didn’t make much sense to me, and I had to chalk it up as a plot hole in order to move on. You might enjoy this drama if you’re into second-chance storylines, palace intrigue, beautiful costumes, and a mix of humor and drama.

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¡What a wonderful world to live in!

PROGRESS: 10/14

My Royal Nemesis is set during the Joseon Dynasty. Kang Dan-sim became famous at court for her cunning and ambition. Through manipulation and intelligence, she rose to the rank of royal concubine. In the sixth year of King Anjong's reign, Dan-shim died after being forced to drink poison. Her death triggered a shaman's spell, causing supernatural events such as a midsummer frost and a total lunar eclipse.

However, her fate does not end with her death. Her soul awakens in 21st-century South Korea, inhabiting the body of Shin Seo-ri, an unknown actress who plays supporting roles in historical dramas. In this unfamiliar era, Dan-shim gradually takes control of Seo-ri's life and, due to her unpredictable nature, quickly adapts to the modern world. She crosses paths with Cha Se-gye, the ruthless heir to a business conglomerate. A tense and conflicted relationship develops between them, complicated by a love-hate dynamic.

As he ventures into this unfamiliar world, Kang Dan-shim realizes that this twist of fate offers him the opportunity to escape his predetermined destiny and transform his life.

The drama presents a unique premise, one that isn't often seen: a Joseon-era villain in modern-day Korea trying to adapt to this new, unfamiliar world. She meets a villain from that era, and through misunderstandings and funny situations, they end up falling in love. I must say, the first episode was incredibly funny and captivated me. It was hilarious seeing Dan-sim's spirit in Seo-ri's body; I connected with their story. Unfortunately, not much happened in the subsequent episodes, but I still enjoyed it. The series makes good use of comedy and humorous situations, which make it incredibly enjoyable. My only issue was with Dan-sim's adaptation—how she learned to use a cell phone and how she navigated the city. I feel like these details were forgotten or overlooked. Another thing I must mention is the set design; it's spectacular, and they make use of very striking locations. Overall, I give the story a... 9/10

The series doesn't have a huge cast of characters, but it does have quite a few, and they're diverse. Our main couple has great chemistry, that's something I have to say. I connected with Seo-ri's grandmother; her scenes brought tears to my eyes because they reminded me of spending time with my grandparents and taking care of them.

Here's my analysis of the main characters:

Shin Seo Ri / Kang Dan Shim (Lim Ji-yeon):

Shin Seo-ri: An aspiring actress, she was known for her starring role as a child in the drama Sonagi, but as an adult, she became an unknown actress. Later, she is possessed by the spirit of Kang Dan-shim, a villain from the Joseon era, and develops a cruel personality.

Kang Dan-shim: Dan-shim is a ruthless and cunning concubine of the Joseon Dynasty, known as the most hated villain of the court. She rose from humble origins to the position of first-rank concubine without strong support, relying on her sharp wit and manipulative tactics. She possesses an incredibly developed sixth sense. After dying by poisoning, she awakens 300 years later, in 2026, and inhabits the body of Shin Seo-ri, who is filming a poisoning scene for a historical drama. In this new world, she crosses paths with Cha Se-gye, who could be her last chance to change her fate. She also decides to continue pursuing Seo-ri's dream of becoming a famous actress.


I must say that Lim Ji-yeon's acting is very good, how she manages to make Dan-sim feel like she's in an unfamiliar world, and her performance is very funny, how she doesn't back down from anyone and calls the other actress a whore, and the slapping scene was very good to watch.

Cha Se-gye / Grand Prince Cheongheon (Yi Hyeon): (Heo Nam-jun)

Cha Se-gye: The infamous third-generation heir of the Chail Group and CEO of Biojei, he is known as a "monster of capitalism." When he crosses paths with Seo-ri, who is possessed, he confronts her.

Yi-hyeon: A solitary figure marked by past trauma, he wore a half-mask to hide the facial scars from a mysterious fire from which he alone survived. In contrast to Ajong, who represents "light," he is described as "shadow." In his previous life, he was the youngest son of King Mukjong and the younger brother of King Anjong, and a scholar who saved Dan-shim from being confined in a chest of rice.

This is the first time I've seen Heo Nam-jun in a leading role; the first time I saw him was in "When the Phone Rings," and I must say he manages to capture that essence of an arrogant chaebol who just needs to be loved. His acting is cold, but at the same time, he manages to convey the love he has for Seo-ri.

Choi Mun-do (Jang Seung Jo): President of Chail Construction and Se-gye's cousin. He repeatedly tried to gain the attention of his uncle, Dal-su. He even offered to be a liver donor for his uncle, who was suffering from acute liver failure. After becoming president of Chail Construction, he considered the position insufficient and continued to aspire to his uncle's position, while perceiving Cha Se-gye as his superior.

I'd never seen this actor before, and I have to say his character is so detestable. Even as a child, he's always wanted attention, and even having a son doesn't change his mindset. I just hope he gets what he deserves.

Overall, I give the acting a 9.5/10.

The OST isn't particularly noteworthy; the only song I like is "Anyway," though who knows if I'll like the others. THAT'S WHY I GIVE IT A 7/10.

Would I watch it again? Probably. I think it's an excellent drama for when you need a touch of comedy and romance, so I'm giving it an 8.5/10.

In short, My Royal Nemesis is an excellent drama if you're looking for one that blends romantic comedy with touches of fantasy, perfect for a boring weekend. It's a story with endearing and diverse characters, and funny situations that will make you laugh. Overall, I'm giving it an 8.5/10 so far (although this could change depending on the four episodes I have left).

THANKS FOR READING

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