Reviews

A whole lot of nothing ....

I came across a little bit of a trailer before starting this drama, and I was quite eager to watch it; in fact, I waited for it to be over so I could binge-watch it. However, I was quite disappointed. There were so many things about the drama that did not just sit right. I felt very unenthusiastic to the point that it took me about 5 episodes to even get interested in the story. I watched the first episode, and I was not grabbed by the story or the acting, but sometimes you have to watch another episode before you judge it, so I watched another, then another, until I was about 5 or 6 episodes in, and I was still not liking what I was watching. There was something about the story that just did not work, and although there are quite a lot of series with rich CEOs and struggling employees, this felt like it lacked enthusiasm. Although the whole pregnancy could have made this more interesting, there was something about the way the actors executed that felt low energy. I have watched other work with the male lead, and I was pretty disappointed that this drama didn't work the way I expected. I honestly don't know if it was the acting, the story, or the chemistry; it lacked a lot and just was not driving enough. There were lots of scenes that felt connected just because, and there was no proper flow. For example, the fact that the male lead could not touch someone's hand yet he managed to get someone pregnant...like how? And also the revenge was lightely exciting, but once they revealed the reason behind it, it felt not strong enough.

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A Whole Lot Of NOTHING!

God it actually felt like I was watching a 5 filler episodes that included 20 song breaks, 30 cinematography breaks and a whole lot of yapping. This series just isn't it, it shouldn't even be considered a series, it was mainly a lot of talking as kind of like narration, and a lot of cinematography scenes which I will admit were stunning and thats why my rating isn't lower, and a lot of singing and just music being played, there was barely any action or acting going on, it just felt like a 1 hour long music video. Some of the songs were good, I will admit that. But I just don't see what the point of this was... like theres nothing really. And to top it off the ending... I wont spoil but lets be fr... And also the story just made 0 sense, like at all. And maybe it's the subtitles ruining this even more for me, maybe not. But this series is just lacking a lot. Don't recommend.

Overall: 5.5/10

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Great Story, Production, Acting. Thank you to 2ML/2FL for Bringing the Sizzle

I'll be honest: I watch these things primarily for the romance, but good production values do go a long way toward my enjoyment. The military armor in this was stunning and got a workout in the exciting fight scenes. The story was excellent, lots of political intrigue, military battles and encampments, and only a tiny bit of humiliation, but none of the torture that you can find in these shows. That said, I was looking for the romance between the ML and FL to get "spicy" and I waited a very, very, very long time for not much payoff. I guess this was in keeping with the book, but to have so much palpable love with little follow through, with the FL pushing the ML away all the time, well, it made me feel bad for the ML. When we finally had the consummation scene, it was over in about two camera angles. I just feel like the ML was waiting for the FL to mature, but physically, she never really grew out of the Tom Girl stage. This is unfortunate since the story is primarily about her growth. Matching the FL's vibe, I think, kept Zhang Ling He's performance a bit immature as well, since he did not seem as weary and "grizzled" a warrior as someone with 10 years on the battle field would be. He had the harder time, because his role was to figure out the mystery, rather than to have any significant character development. (Therefore, it wasn't a performance on the level of "My Journey to You.") The saving grace was the performance of the 2nd leads, smoking hot Deng Kai and Snow Kong, who really brought the sizzle to the screen. Yet, I experienced mixed feelings here, since the 2FL's character was being forced into the relationship and the 2ML (Deng Kai) was undeniably crazy. Deng Kai often plays this role, but here he committed 1000% and was superb. He even did something good at the end for those who were rooting for him. Lin Mu Ra, who played his equally villainous brother was stellar as well. There were other romances, but nothing to write home about. So, even though Zhang Ling He, who is my most favorite ML (thinking "Story of Kunning Palace" and "The Princess Royal") was the lead, I was feeling as frustrated as his character probably was. Therefore, there are a number of other military/romance shows that I have liked a lot better, such as "Wonderland of Love" with Xu Kai and Jing Tian.

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OK-OK

If you like a high school drama this might be enjoyable.

SPoiler: I dont recommend watching both seasons BECAUSE THE STORY IS INCOMPLETE. DONT WATCH IT.

Since im obviously very infuriated by this series, i will list down the elements of this season below. no pros cons this time.

1. Multi lead. 1 FL. many major side characters.
2. Very loud voices and shoutings.
3. 99% school setting - rich spoilt kids school - the last grade / std
4. lots of foreshadowing no closure (you think the closure will come in S2? ha! dream on!)
5. i know it would be called as triangle romance, but tbh it was just the FL trying to be friendly, and the 2 ML trying to revenge date her. theres no actual romance. All of these children have PTSD. I felt old watching this show. Im not even Old.
6. 'Meddler' FL, tries to help all the classmates with their life problems. TBH this was the only thing that kept this show interesting
7. The strong interpersonal relations between classmates - eventho they are back biting
8. Strong overprotective FL family
9. Every male MC in the show is a player / rake / playboy/ manwhore / douchebag / back stabber. Except the older cousin. hes actually nice but doesnt get much screentime.
10. Fiesty FL. She stupid tho she gets catfished. but ig thats a problem for the next season

DONT WATCH IT. THE OG BOOK ISNT EVEN COMPLETED
WATCHING THIS SERIES HAS INSPIRED ME TO WRITE MY OWN BOOK.

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A Strong and Entertaining Drama That Runs Too Long

This is a very entertaining drama with strong characters and excellent acting. The cast fits their roles well, and that makes the performances feel natural and convincing. One of the show’s biggest strengths is how well the action, logic, and drama work together. Instead of feeling disconnected, these elements support each other and help the story stay engaging.

The beginning is especially strong. It draws the audience in quickly, introduces the characters effectively, and builds momentum in a way that makes the drama easy to enjoy. The early episodes set a high standard and give the series a lot of energy.

However, the drama begins to lose that sharpness in the middle and toward the end. The story starts to feel stretched out, and some scenes last longer than they need to. That hurts the pacing and weakens the overall impact. Ironically, many dramas have the opposite problem and feel too short, but this one feels too long.

It really seems like this should have been a 12-episode drama instead of 16. With fewer episodes, the story would likely have been tighter, more focused, and more effective from start to finish. Even with that pacing issue, it is still a very enjoyable series because the acting, characters, and balance between action and drama are all done so well.

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A Medical Drama That Chooses Realism Over Convention

This is a surprisingly scientific and medically accurate drama, and that is both its greatest strength and the main reason it may not appeal to a wider audience. Unlike many medical series that simplify cases, heighten emotions, or focus mainly on personal relationships, this drama is far more interested in showing what the life of an ER doctor actually feels like. It captures the pressure, unpredictability, and emotional swings of emergency medicine in a way that feels unusually authentic.

That realism, however, also makes the series less accessible for regular viewers. Those expecting clear story arcs, dramatic buildup, and satisfying narrative payoffs may find it distant or difficult to follow. There is not much traditional story building, but that seems intentional rather than a flaw. The show’s goal is not to create a heavily dramatized hospital story, but to immerse the audience in the unstable rhythm of emergency medicine.

Because of that, the drama can feel less guided and less emotionally structured than others in the genre. It does not always stop to explain events or shape them into a neat narrative. Instead, it asks viewers to experience the uncertainty, uneven pace, and emotional highs and lows that ER doctors face. That may not work for everyone, but for those who value realism, it offers something rare and impressively authentic.

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Rating is off. There is no way this is top ranking show.

The opening episodes are outstanding—an easy 10/10. After that, the show declines quickly as logic gives way to melodrama and visual appeal. The female lead is perfectly cast and performs exactly as the role demands. The male lead is one of the weakest parts of the series: his acting is poor, and he never quite feels right for the character. The side characters, by contrast, are very well cast and performed.
The issue is not that all the fight scenes are good and all the drama is bad. It is that the two sides of the show do not work together. The action and the drama feel disconnected, with each one weakening the other instead of building momentum. Characters die instantly when the plot needs emotional shock, or survive impossible situations when the story wants to drag the drama further. That makes the stakes feel artificial and hurts the overall logic of the series. For me, that drops it to a 7/10.

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Pursuit of Jade lives up to its hype

STORY
Pursuit of Jade is divided into three distinct arcs with each taking place in different settings. The first arc is my favorite and is set in the beautiful wintry countryside. It balances heartwarming slice-of-life drama with engaging political intrigue, laying a strong foundation for both the romance and overarching plot. The second and third arcs take on a more serious tone but retain the charm and humor that drew me in.

The leads' slow-burn romance is well done, and the foundation of their relationship feels relatable. Unlike many idol dramas that feel dragged out, this one is well-paced with effective cliffhangers. 40 minutes flew by for me each episode. The political plotlines, however, sometimes felt messy, and there were details that made me question the writing. But let's be honest. Idol dramas don't tend to have tight story writing. Still, I found the story was overall well-executed, supported by strong cinematography, music, and acting. The female lead's growth throughout the story was the most compelling storyline for me.

ACTING/CAST
I've seen Zhang Linghe in other dramas I didn't finish. I don't think his acting is amazing, but it's solid and versatile. He does well enough here, but Tian Xiwei is definitely the standout. She brings emotional depth, charm, and strength to the female lead, making her both lovable and badass. The supporting cast also is worth mentioning for bringing strong performances to the characters around our leads. My favorite thing about the acting in this drama is that it doesn't feel as cheesy as other period idol dramas, and the characters feel organic and relatable.

MUSIC
The soundtrack for this drama was excellent, from the battle music to the ballads. There was a lot of memorable music and songs played throughout the drama.

REWATCH VALUE (SHOUT OUT TO THE PRODUCTION TEAM!)
I rarely rewatch dramas, but I’ve already revisited some favorite scenes thanks to the beautiful visuals and standout moments. I really do have to commend the director and production team for the extraordinary cinematography and styling (really loved the commoners' winter outfits!!!). The director has an excellent command of composition and lighting that really flatters the actors and brings a cinema quality to the scenes. You don't usually see this caliber of cinematography in idol dramas. Now I'm comparing every idol drama I watch to POJ's cinematography and they just don't compare.

OVERALL
I don't think many idol dramas live up to their hype, but Pursuit of Jade certainly deserves its recognition. Despite some questionable writing, it delivers a compelling, well-paced narrative with a standout anchor performance from Tian Xiwei as our charming female lead. With its beautiful cinematography, memorable soundtrack, and emotionally resonant character journeys, Pursuit of Jade is well worth the watch.

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Started for the mystery, stayed for Shen Du

Real rating is 11 for the music & 10 for romance so 8.9/10

I have a crush on Ding YuXi. He’s so *hawt* in this role and I wish the show was faster to get better *hits* of hotness seretonin. That said it takes about 10 episodes for us to get more of that the serious/stoic Shen Du.

I think the plot overall could have been a bit tighter. There’s a lot of moving variables and characters that make sense and connect well, but at the same time don’t really affect the plot. We spend so much time on the prince and princess but they don’t really actually add to the plot and their storylines dragged the overall experience. I know it was to cause intrigue and make us think maybe one of them is evil but that line of thought doesn’t even sustain itself with what we are given so I feel like the show would have been much stronger if it was closer to 35 episodes instead and removed some of the extra noise.

Also did they really have to kill Marshall Xu and Yun Que 😭 I know they were the “least important couple” but they were still so cute and their death was so sad. Always gotta kill a couple or something for the tears and stakes but I feel like coma and they wake up would have sufficed. Whatever. I saw it coming that a secondary couple would end with tragedy and once he had that cute moment about the wedding it was game over.

I would definitely rewatch it but skip the parts that were more espionage than general mystery or romance. The antagonist is just an actual crazy man that needed a better mother and therapy so he was pretty one dimensional and boring in that way. I’m still not sure I understand his mother’s motives for traumatizing her child but sure let’s go with that.

Last but not least THIS OST was amazing. I have been pretty generous to music of shows giving 10 if they fit the overall show, but even when I took a break from this show I was listing to the OST so I had to give it an 11 bc it was THAT good. I wish Ryan Ding had more songs!

### Original Thoughts & Ideas
- Good vs evil is pretty black and white in this show unlike something like The Prisoner of Beauty. We have some “gray” characters but even they are mostly good or mostly bad. The Empress Dowager seemed to have in fact not wanted the consort’s child be the emperor but it’s not clear how much of a role she *actually* played in the consort’s suicide. But the Black Fiend was truly just a man who saw his mom die and made a cult about reincarnation to kinda, not really deal with the trauma. I almost want to label him a victim and in a way he is because his whole life was built off this narrative his mother fed him. But he’s still a “black” character. He isn’t nice to his adoptive sisters, he attacks the woman he claims to love, and throws any blame of his actions on the Empress Dowager for believing what was pretty solid evidence against innocent but framed people. We could label Shen Du as “gray” because he’s a “dark horse” type guy but I would more call him “good” with a wall as protection due to his own childhood trauma.
- It is interesting that both men witnessed extreme wrong doing to their parent(s) but one chose the path of righteousness and the other of sinister obsession.

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had a lot of potential...

as far as kbls go in terms of plot, this was definitely unique and interesting. it reminded me of love for love's sake in some parts, which is one of my favourite bls. the production was pretty good too, some actors were stronger than others but overall everyone did pretty well.

my main issue with this drama is the inconsistencies in the plot. it had a lot of potential to be an incredible story, and i do understand that 8 30-minute episodes is restricting but i still believe it could have been handled a lot better in many ways.

time travel is a really difficult concept to work with and unfortunately the writers were not careful enough with it. there's a lot of vagueness surrounding what happened in the original vs altered timeline, for example, how did hyeseong know taejun and woojin would fight in 3 days when the fight is mostly caused by the fact that hyeseong is being over protective of woojin to prevent his death? or how was hyeseong's sketchbook already torn in the original timeline?

there's also other plot holes such as why hyeseong sees black and white whenever woojin touches him - given how important it is to the first half of the story, you'd think they'd offer some kind of explanation for it...?

[MAJOR SPOILER]
or – and i really don't understand how they thought they could get away with this one – what ACTUALLY happened to woojin in the altered timeline? why did they show the car crash, and then taejun seemingly tells hyeseong that he's died since he goes to the cemetery, all the while he's still alive? how and why? and why did woojin wait so long to find him, when he's been back in korea for at least a few years?

overall, i still rated this drama relatively high because i appreciate its uniqueness compared to most kbls out there. the problem is if you're determined to write a complex story like this, you need to be actually committed to writing it properly.

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a slice of fun and comfort

Real Review with Romance category is 8.9/10

First, let’s talk about what I didn’t like.

1. There’s no way being an aerospace engineer needs to be be THIS TAXING. Why are they so dramatic (I assume in real life too lol)
2. The plot had no plot after about the half way mark (a lil after they get together) and starts jumping all over the place.

That’s about it….these are few but I will say the watch experience is heavily held back by these few concerns. We’re set up to believe that the plot is going to be about her winning the guest gaming competition, but that happens before the halfway mark and we slowly switch out to a different setting and environment entirely which I don’t think is bad, but I do think this show felt like five different shows as opposed to one show.

With that in mind, I still ate up all of it because the chemistry between the main leads was impeccable. I actually quite liked the fact that a lot of of the tension in the second half of the storyline is less about them having issues and more about them living their life as a couple. It’s really nice when the plot deviates from the cliché oh actually we have to break up because of my ex-girlfriend or something like that. I also think they turned a lot of clichés on their head. Like his ex and her role in the plot was a lot simpler than what would normally be the case and that was refreshing. I also really liked how they got married because I think a lot of the times they do backpedal and decide to have an extravagant wedding, especially when the female lead is some kind of celebrity. I also thought her role as an actress was interesting because we were told at the beginning she’s super popular and famous but because again it’s focusing on her winning the competition she’s not leaving the house — No one‘s taking photos of her in that way so you don’t really believe that she’s famous. Then when they switch settings/plot line and she’s finally actually in the spotlight again you see that she is a really popular actress but she’s such a nice actress it’s almost like there’s no way she’s an actress. 😂

I understand that we needed his point of view as an aerospace engineer, but I personally skipped some parts of it just because it was too in the weeds and didn’t feel relevant to me. They did a great job of building suspense around the aerospace engineering department though, I will give them that.

We get to see them fall in love and I am so glad that he has to work and ache a bit for her after rejecting her like a fool.

The paparazzi scene was hilarious and while I hate paparazzi, I did feel bad that three of their days were wasted in terms of their photos being deleted. I do feel like after the paparazzi scene is kind of where we lose the plot because each episode feels so separate from the last one that the show starts to feel like a slice of life as opposed to a series with a continuous plot. We have three time jumps of 2 years, 1 month, and 5 years. This was jarring and aggressive, it takes you out the story especially because we don’t time jump at all until the last 5 episodes or so.

But because the couple has such good chemistry, they really do carry so much of the weight of the show and I was kicking and squealing every time they were together on screen. I would watch so many more episodes of just them gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes as they promise to be together forever because they were perfect. I’m actually really wishing that there was an aerospace + actress duo out there in the world right now that everyone could look up to as a super cute & healthy couple.

***Original Thoughts & Ideas***
- Honestly, the show really does a good job of showing how complex love can be while still being so simple and straightforward. Yu Tu overthinks, overcomplicates and over-stresses about the little things to the point that he almost missed out on a good relationship with a partner that truly understands him. Qiao Jing Jing loves him very wholeheartedly and through the innocence of adolescence. Once they are together, their struggle is distance because of their work but it’s balanced by the fact that they truly adore one another which ig I’m bias bc I was long distance with my husband and I’m also truly obsessed with him too.

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Good Chemistry, Questionable Plot Execution

Real Rating with Romance as a category is 8.9/10

Li Shuang is a kind but fierce general truly hoping for a world with peace. Jin An/Prince Annan, without the weight of his real life, is a golden retriever who just wants to protect Li Shuang with even his life. The two of them really have chemistry on screen and are 100% why I watched the full show.

That said, there were parts of the plot outside the romance that I didn’t like.
- I know she took him in because he was a child, but we never get a legitimate explanation on why he became a child at all especially when it is for only a total of 10 minutes on screen.
- The ending, while it made sense, just didn’t feel satisfying. I know they get to be happy together, but the fact that they are written off as “bad guys” for the fact that they “helped the enemy” while under a very odd circumstances. It was just bittersweet that they were *scapegoats*
- I am not gonna lie. I love Bi Wen Jun’s face and this show was no exception. *However*, Su Mu as a character was frustrating. He has feelings (and history) with Li Shuang – nothing new for a 2nd love interest. And yet, his character was too hot and cold. I hate when the *push over* looses his mind and betrays the very people that help him. Worse than that is we see him loose it but never see him find his sanity again. So when the ending comes up and he’s benevolent towards Jin An/Prince Annan it feels abrupt when the last we saw him he was crazed about having Li Shuang stay by his side.
- The magic made sense, but also really didn’t. I still don’t understand if they were trying to make an army or just one person or just Jin An/Prince Annan
- Why did the stone pick Jin An/Prince Annan in the end? What did that even mean? Might have been a translation issue but I do feel they skim over the magic when they can
- How exactly did Jin Wu Jian find himself so in love with the Empress Dowager Qin?
- We learn they met before he was kicked out of the mountain for dark magic, but not how they really met, why he was so devoted to her, nor why she so disgusted by the only man that actually likes her
- The Empress Dowager Qin is actually crazy and just wants her son to secure the throne as “revenge” to the Emperor, but I wish they made her a little saner since she really was the main antagonist and even had control over Jin Wu Jian who was arguably more sinister than her.
- We miss a lot of the juiciness around Empress Dowager Qin’s drama with her sister over the Emperor. I get there was a time crunch but it would have been nice to see more of that overall

Basically, the plot is decent but there are *holes* and some things I feel weren’t executed the best. And while I loved the ML’s romance, the end rushes everything leaving us with a happy but still unsatisfying ending.

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