Completed
Love Story in the 1970s
12 people found this review helpful
Mar 28, 2026
29 of 29 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 6.5
Did not enjoy the use of AI for some of their B roll nature shots (sun rise/sun set, bird in tree, etc), and overall this story is more of a family drama than a romance between the two leads, but it was entertaining nonetheless.

definitely could've been fewer episodes.

and I think the chemistry between the main couple could've been better and was sadly outshone a bit by the second-lead romance between the sister and the doctor.

Still, overall, the first 8 eps of this series are well done, and while I think there were missed opportunities with certain plot points (like Fang MuYang's hero plot, or the brief fashion sub-plot for Fei Ni).

I think the story's still one of the better cdramas we've gotten in the past 6 months (maybe 2nd after Love Between Lines).

8/10 stars

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Completed
Love Me, Love My Voice
1 people found this review helpful
Mar 28, 2026
33 of 33 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

Love Me, Love My Voice (很想很想你) — my comfort drama fr ?

In a world where dramas are filled with messy love triangles, toxic misunderstandings, and unnecessary chaos… this one felt like a soft exhale.

Love Me, Love My Voice tells the story of Mo Qingcheng and Gu Sheng—two people who meet through their voices and slowly, gently fall in love. And honestly? That’s the whole point. There’s no complicated plot twist or dramatic villain. Just two people, their passions, and the quiet, beautiful way their lives intertwine.

And somehow… that simplicity becomes its biggest strength.

This drama doesn’t try to overwhelm you. Instead, it focuses on something rare—a healthy, steady, and emotionally safe relationship. You literally watch their bond grow step by step: from strangers → comfort → trust → love. No rushing, no forced drama… just pure connection.

What I loved the most is how real everything felt (even if it’s a bit idealistic 👀).
There’s no antagonist here—just people living their lives, chasing their dreams, supporting each other, and existing in a space filled with warmth and respect.

And can we talk about the VIBES—

✔️ soft romance that actually makes your heart feel calm
✔️ supportive friends & family (no stress, just love)
✔️ side characters that actually matter and feel alive
✔️ FOOD. SO MUCH FOOD 😭 (don’t watch this hungry I’m warning you)
✔️ music + voice acting that pulls you in completely

The cooking scenes?? the music?? the quiet moments between them??
It’s not just a drama, it’s literally an experience.

Now the leads—

Tan Jianci and Zhou Ye?? PERFECT casting.
Their chemistry isn’t loud or dramatic, it’s subtle… in their eyes, their pauses, the way they look at each other. It feels intimate and genuine.

Some people might say the romance is “too slow” or “nothing happens”
but honestly? that’s exactly why I loved it.

Not every story needs chaos to be meaningful.

Visually, the drama is just as comforting.
The cinematography is soft and aesthetic, balancing city life with peaceful, intimate moments. And Gu Sheng’s outfits?? that modern traditional Chinese style?? SO pretty and unique, it adds another layer to her character.

And the OSTs… don’t even get me started 😭
Every song fits perfectly, especially with Tan Jianci’s voice—it just hits different. The music doesn’t just play in the background, it feels like part of the story.


But let’s be real for a second—this drama isn’t for everyone.

If you need intense plot, conflict, or fast pacing… you might find it “boring” or “too perfect.”
Some people see it as “no plot, just eating and singing” 💀

And yeah… they’re not entirely wrong.

But for me?

That’s exactly what made it special.


Final thoughts:

This drama is like comfort food.
Soft, warm, simple… but it stays with you.

It’s not about drama—it’s about feeling.

If you want something peaceful after a stressful day, something that makes you smile for no reason and feel butterflies for the smallest moments…

this is THAT drama. 💘



they gave each other butterflies 🦋
and somehow gave me a whole zoo 😭💗

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Completed
Pursuit of Jade
20 people found this review helpful
Mar 28, 2026
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

Long rant about the last 10 eps but still the most solid, addicting drama I've seen in a while!

The ONLY reason I didn't give this a solid 10/10 was because of the last 10ish eps. Although we got some of the best passionate scenes between our main CP in those eps, the flow of the story just derailed for me. Starting with the female protagonist's halo... I started to get frustrated with Chang Yu once she arrived at Xie Zheng's military camp. She made a lot of reckless decisions and got away with it because this silly military is led by the biggest lovesick marquis. Her fight scenes were amazing and she took down two big bad guys but I still felt like it all went too easy for her from there. Even when she decided to knock Commander Li out and remove him from the battlefield, I was disappointed in her. He was mad she took his choice away from him but he turns around and forgives her so easily. And then he becomes nothing but a background guy for the rest of the show.

It also felt like they rushed a lot of important information in the last 2 eps. We never met the last emperor so bringing him in right at the end just made him into more of a fall guy than a true villain. Him being the catalyst for everyone's ill fates just seemed too deus ex machina. It felt like the only purpose for this plot twist was to absolve Wei Yan.

The ending was enjoyable until the alternate/next life scene came. Qian Qian's and Qi Min's toxic relationship was romanticized a little too much for me in this drama .I was satisfied with him falling off the wall and his story just ending there. But the way they rushed his takeover scene and then brought him back for two more scenes just to highlight his relationship with QQ didn't do anything for me. It would've been way more interesting if they had given a whole ep with him after he took the throne because his succession storyline was more interesting than his toxic romance for me.

The alternate ending seemed to center around him and QQ as well so I wish I would've stopped watching before seeing that. That whole scene just pulled the carpet out from under the intense journey we all just experienced. They had 40eps to work with. I can forgive the dumping of all this crucial information in the last ep if they had used the rest of the last ep to show us something better. I would've liked to see more time in Lin'an with our CP settled, Ning Niang, The Zhaos, Pig Squad and townspeople. It would've been nice to see QQ and Bao'er back in Lin'an before he was pushed into the palace as well. The reunion scene was beautiful but I would've liked to see more of our CP's married life and children. It would've been nice to see Gongsun Yin and Qi Shu settling into married life too with them reading, playing chess etc...

Those ending gripes aside...I still adored this drama and most of the characters. Everyone was so well written and the chemistry between the leads was intoxicating! The beginning of the story in Lin'an was my favorite part of the show. Watching the mighty Marquis of Wu An slowly become completely consumed by his love for this cheerful, wholesome, and beautiful butcher girl was enchanting. Resisting was a hopeless cause for him and this love actually saved his life both physically and psychologically. She didn't just bring him back from the brink of death. She gave him a new purpose outside of war and revenge. She showed him the joys of love and family which gave him a reason to appreciate living. Although it seems like he helps her a lot more throughout the drama, he needed her more than she needed him from the start. And what a beautiful start is was! When he first lifts his eyes and looks at her for the first time you can see he is instantly attracted to her striking beauty. You could cut the tension with a knife between them! I was hooked on them from that moment on. But he was still cold on the outside and hollow on the inside at first. She slowly breathed warmth into him which made him gradually more affectionate. It wasn't until he got to know her that he completely fell for her because he saw how big her heart was and how unique she was.

LEADS: Putting my frustrations with her towards the end aside, Chang Yu is the perfect heroine in this story. She is humble, strong and emotionally grounded. She is completely transparent and generous with her love and has a naturally forgiving nature. But when Yan Zheng crosses the line or upsets her, she doesn't let him get away with it just because he's handsome and she loves him. She puts him in his place both times he hurt her. I love that about her the most. And Yan Zheng is impossible not to like, even with his flaws. It's understandable that he faulters with his words and actions in the beginning of their relationship. This man didn't have a tender bone in his body before meeting her. He was in love for the first time and all these new and intense emotions were clearly driving him crazy. But once he learned to look at things from her perspective he stopped coming on too strong and became the perfect husband. And he reserves his soft side only for her for the whole drama (well and Ning Niang and Bao'er lol ).

Supporting characters: I found the Sui brothers were both very interesting and intriguing in different ways. But I'd say the most fascinating villain was Wei Yan because my feelings kept shifting back and forth about him from the beginning to the end. I loved the pig squad (still not over Man Di's death!), the Zhaos, Old Tutor Tao, Gongsun Yin, Princess Qi Shu, Ning Niang and Bao'er the most. QianQian I liked independently, but again, I didn't care her scary romance with Qi Min to be so front and center. The two had chemistry for sure but it just felt like they tried to get us to root for them as a CP and I didn't like that.

Overall everything was close to perfect in this show. The cinematography, casting, acting, writing, and OST were all *chef's kiss*!

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Completed
Pursuit of Jade
8 people found this review helpful
Mar 28, 2026
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
Amazing! I would’ve loved that the adaptation was a little closer to the novel, especially on very specific events, but I understand that the drama it’s only 40 episodes, regardless of this changes I love it❤️❤️I love the chemistry between the leads, and the cinematography was breathtaking, the OST amazing !
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Completed
Pursuit of Jade
30 people found this review helpful
by rrrrrr
Mar 28, 2026
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 10
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

Be a pig in this life, and a good person in the next.

My favorite scene was several, but the one that stuck with me was the bathtub scene. I'd never seen anything like it before, and since 2011 I've been watching dramas, I found it sensual, warm, and romantic.

It became my favorite drama. The main actors and the villains were incredible in their roles. The fight scenes and the hate speeches from the "brothers" were great. The romance was beautiful; I can't imagine a better way to portray it. The color palette, the production, and the camera work were excellent. I loved this actress; I intend to watch more dramas with her. Zhang Li is a great fit for historical dramas.

The only thing that fell short was the ending. I wanted it to show them with children and getting married again, not the post-credits scene if the battle hadn't happened 17 years ago.

I'm going to miss the feeling of anticipation and happiness with each episode release. Seriously, it changed my days in March; they became better!

The songs are beautiful, they've been added to my playlist. When I listen to them, I get emotional remembering the scenes.

After it's over, I feel so empty! I loved it, I'll feel so healthy :(

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Completed
Once We Were Us
0 people found this review helpful
Mar 28, 2026
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 5.0

Hubungan harus saling berkembang

Ngeliat ini ada nyesek yg gabisa dijelasin. Beberapa spoiler ada yg bilang kalo film ini ngajarin kita kalo beneran ada yg namanya cinta di waktu yg salah, tapi.. pas liat film ini langsung, pandanganku malah engga ke arah itu, engga sependapat. Ini bukan cinta di waktu yg salah, tapi emang orangnya aja yg salah/blm tepat. Bayanginn ajaa, si Jeongwon mati2an hidup apa adanya, usaha iya, pekerja keras iya. Tapi pasangannya? nihil. Iya, tau, cowonya juga usaha, tapi menurutku engga berkembang, hanya berfokus pada satu hal. Sedangkan arah hidup dan perjalanan hidup itu panjang dan berliku banget, engga selalu yg di gebu2kan harus bgt tercapai, namun bisa dg hal lai atau dg jalan yg lain utk sampai di tujuan tsb. Toh, utk mencapai 10 engga harus dengan 5+5, namu bisa dg 7+3. Khalayaknya rezeki, mau diusahain kek manapunn, kalo udah rezeki pasti dateng juga, yg nentunya juga dg ada usaha ikhtiarnya, ya!

Oiya, disini btw Eunho menurutku terlalu egois sih, krn terlalu fokus pada diri sendiri dan berputar problematikanya sendiri. Sedangkan hidup terus berjalan, orang akan tinggal dan pergi, musim akan silih berganti. Namun Eunho tetep berdiam sendiri, padahal saat itu udah didepan mata ada Jeongwon. huft, sayang sekali. Tapi namanya juga penyesalan sih yaa. Pas udah nyesel, baru deh ada pergerakannya.

Dan teruntuk Jeongwon, menurutku dia wanita yg gigih sih, bahkan sampe sebesar dan sesukses ini dia keren udah mau bertahan sejauh ini. Padahal dia tumbuh mandiri (tanpa orang tua dari kecil).

Kalo sama2 ngeliat flashback sih gaada akhirnya, tp kan semua orang udah punya cerita dan perjalanan masing2. Jadi cukup jadi pengalaman pernah jadi 'rumah' yg menyenangkan, yg engga selalu berporos utk waktu yg lama aja~ Diluar sana kayaknya ada yg relate gini, siapapun itu semoga mereka let it flow dan terus melanjutkan perjalanan mereka masing2, menemukan kebahagiaannya masing2.

Intinya, mau dipaksain bagaimanapun memang orangnya aja yg blm tepat, mau mengubah alurpun.. emang blm jodoh aja.. mau dipaksain kayak gimanapun juga susah dan gabisa, khalayak sifatnya manusia aja sih.. nanti bisa balik lagi ke stelan awal. jadii mending masing2 aja~

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Completed
Connection
0 people found this review helpful
Mar 28, 2026
14 of 14 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Addicting!

I will always love a crime kdrama, and this is no exception. I was especially looking forward to this one since I loved Ji Sung's performance in the Devil Judge, and he did not disappoint! Connection told such a compelling story of interwoven unsolved cases, and I was HOOKED! If you like crime dramas at all, you have to give this one a shot.

Jang Jaegyeong works in the (very successful) narcotics unit. Him, along with reporter Oh Yoonjin, begin investigating a new drug that has been spreading called lemon mulberry, which gives the user great focus and concentration at the cost of live-threatening withdrawals and quick-building tolerance. Basically, it's the perfect recipe for maximum addiction. At the same time, an old friend of Jaegyong's named Junseo tries to reconcile with him over events from high school that ruined their friendship. After another pleading attempt, Junseo continues to get nowhere with Jaegyeong. One night, Jaegyeong is kidnapped and drugged with lemon mulberry with no memory of what happened; around the same time, Junseo's body is found at a construction site and is tentatively considered suicide. Jaegyeong begins simultaneously investigating the potential murder of Junseo and the rise and spread of lemon mulberry, and starts connecting the cases together.

This show was genuinely so much fun to watch, especially if you pay close attention. While there are a lot of characters you need to know, all of them play such interesting roles in these murder and drug cases. Plus, as a viewer, you can try to start piecing together everything yourself alongside the detectives, which I always love. I find I have a hard time getting into shows when the viewer knows a lot more than the characters, but this was the perfect balance of trying to lead the viewer to make conclusions with small pieces of evidence while also making sure the detectives are competent and are putting things together. I also felt like the twists in the plot were built in perfectly - no twists that didn't make any sense just for shock value, but the way things came together was still unexpected. Truly, this was a really well thought out crime drama that keeps you wanting more episodes!

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Completed
More than Blue: The Series
0 people found this review helpful
Mar 28, 2026
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

IT WAS PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!!

First of all, I have note watched the movie and directly watched this version so I won't compare the two and now to actual review
BECAUSE MY GOD HOW MUCH DID I CRY??????
It was soo emotional and caring in it's approach to the subject of love and how I wished that I can watched with fresh mind again.....Because everything was perfect from music to cinematography and especially CAST!!!!!
And now to the ending....From my POV it was PERFECT and I don't want it change in any way ( Aside from one little thing which you know what I am talking about but we can't get everything right????)
Overall it was perfect from the start to finish!!!!!!!

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Completed
Only for Love
0 people found this review helpful
Mar 28, 2026
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 3.5
Story 3.5
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 1.5

Waste of time

I dont know why its so highly praised. It took 20 something episodes for the miscommunication to be cleared! 20 episodes! I hated bailus character to be frank! And before you all come at me i love her but i dont know why in the world she took on this role! Probably one if not the worst role she has played!
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Completed
Peach Lover
0 people found this review helpful
by Yukii
Mar 28, 2026
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 5.0

.


This was a slightly different kind of BL, but I really liked it.
It had a unique feeling compared to what I usually watch, and that made it stand out in a good way. Sometimes it’s nice to watch something a bit different — and this one worked for me. 😊

.. ... ... .... .... .... .... .. .. ... ... .... .... .... .... .. .. ... ..

🌸✨🌈 Hiii~ Welcome to my kawaii corner~ ♡(≧▽≦)ノ✨🌸

You can find more of my reviews on Instagram~ 🌟💖

Check my homepage for my account~ (。♥‿♥。) 🌷

Some reviews are under 500 words, so I can’t post them here~ (≧ω≦)ノ💫

Thank you sooo much~ ☆:.。.o(≧▽≦)o.。.:☆ 💕🌸

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Completed
Still Shining
1 people found this review helpful
by sol
Mar 28, 2026
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 6.0
This review may contain spoilers

a química ta salvando o dorama

isso aqui ta acabando com a minha sanidade mental, eles ficam 2 eps felizes e 2 brigados, nunca se resolvem direito e são sempre brigas bobas. os dois primeiros eps foi tudo, tão fofo, mas era óbvio que iam estragar tudo ne, beleza o plot ser eles se encontarem dps de 10 anos, mas o drama p eles ficarem juntos e terminarem dps mds
pelo menos o jinyoung é gostoso e sabe atuar, alem da química entre eles dois serem incrivel, pq mds que desgraça de dorama e história
































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Ongoing 38/40
Pursuit of Jade
6 people found this review helpful
Mar 28, 2026
38 of 40 episodes seen
Ongoing 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 7.5
This review may contain spoilers

Super Strong First Half but Disappointing Second half

I don't know how to write a very serious review analyzing plot and pacing and I'm probably just gonna say a lot of what everyone else has been saying but I still wanted to write one. I didn't quite finish this drama because Netflix is a bit slow but I'm already disappointed and I feel like the last half of the drama has really fallen off compared to the first.
Initially, I thought this was gonna be the greatest drama I have ever watched. I went in with high expectations and I wasn't disappointed. The beginning half in the village was the most magical experience I've ever had with a C-drama. Just by watching short clips of the wedding scene and the scene where Changyu thought Xie Zheng had left, I knew this drama was worth getting a Netflix subscription for.

The visuals were stunning. In historical dramas, we mostly get the palace life because that life is supposedly more interesting and more pleasing to the eye. However, this drama did a great job at making the village life super interesting and visually appealing. The production crew? truly demonstrates that you don't need fancy clothes and jewelry in order to live a happy, meaningful life. The camera work in the village was excellent and truly gorgeous. I wouldn't say the excellent visuals disappeared after the war began, but the visuals in the later episodes aren't as appealing as they were in the village.
The chemistry between the main leads was so incredibly strong in the village arc I was literally screaming whenever they had cute moments. I've never done this ever for any couple and when I see other people discuss how they do this for other couples, I just never understood how anyone could have such a strong reaction to good chemistry until this drama. The tangerine candy kiss is one of the most romantic first kiss scenes I have ever seen in a drama and was the scene that got me to start watching the drama. However after the whole thing where they separated, their chemistry was no longer the same. For me, they took a bit too long to truly get back together with Xie Zheng revealing his identity to Changyu and Changyu finally getting used to the fact that she's dating the Marquis of Wu'an. After they got back together, there just wasn't that spark anymore. They were still cute though.
But one of the things that this drama did well in was that I was never bored watching it. Usually when watching dramas, I feel a strong urge to skip certain scenes or have to force myself to sit through them. But it wasn't the case for this one, I was thoroughly entertained even in the village life where not that much was happening. In fact, the village life was more interesting than when they went to war. They also had a lot of interesting characters that I actually grew to care about such as Yu Qianqian and her son Bao'er, Sui Yuanqing, the gossiping grandma, and her gang of men. But at around episode 27, this drama took a bit of a toll on my mental health because I was realizing how badly this drama was going to mess everything up. It was so bad that I became angry every time I thought about it, but eventually I got over it. I think I became too attached to the drama. First they had Changyu kill that one general with 2 blows and received an internal injury. I was questioning how because she has no battle experience but I just reasoned that she had trained with her father in martial arts her whole life and she has been doing missions in freeing kids for months which probably allowed her to improve her skills. However, it would've been more believable if Changyu came out of it with a lot more serious injuries. But this drama affected my mental health when she killed Prince Changxin and only received some deep scratches. That's when I realized that the quality of this drama has truly decreased because they set up Prince Changxin to be this main villain in the show but he ended up looking like a minor problem. It also would've made more sense for Marquis Wu'an kill him instead because he was literally there and is canonically a better fighter than Changyu with more battle experience. Instead the drama had him going after Sui Yuanqing once again which is lame because we have already seen them fight before and Xie Zheng easily beat him. Sui Yuanqing should've been dead or at least a hostage there if Marquis Wu'an wasn't just sitting there and mocking him, giving an enemy troop enough time to come and grab him. Last time they were super quick to put spears around him but I wonder what happened this time. I also wish we got to see more of the full fighting potential of Marquis Wu'an instead of a ton of screentime for an abusive relationship. The only real fight scenes we got of him were when he was injured and when he won super easily against Sui Yuanqing. But after this, there's something wrong that I can't quite put my finger on. I genuinely don't know why I care less about the story now. It's probably because they tried to fit too much into such a small number of episodes but I can't find a way to directly link it to my growing apathy for the show.
As for the politics? I don't know. Honestly I never pay attention the political aspect of dramas but I did this time and I still don't understand the whole picture. I saw a lot of people saying that the politics of this drama are confusing so it might not just be a me problem.
The acting? I genuinely can't tell good acting from bad acting but I believe that Tian XiWei is a good actress. As for Zhang Linghe, his acting did the job. In the last few episodes I watched, I wasn't as moved by the acting as I was before.
I loved the music paired with the village scenes because it brought the village to life and it made the scenes between Changyu and Xie Zheng incredibly romantic and moving. The music is so good that sometimes it started playing in my head whenever I was outside experiencing life. My favorite music that played is probably the time where Changyu though Xie Zheng left her but came back and when they were talking beside the fireplace with fish.
I haven't finished this drama and I don't think I'm going to drop it entirely yet but I may just end up skipping through parts in order to get to the ones I care about because unfortunately I don't care anymore.
If I were to ever rewatch this drama, I would only rewatch the village arc.

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Completed
Blossom Campus
0 people found this review helpful
by sIRLii
Mar 28, 2026
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 10

Nice

Kudos cast and crew, Very surprised to see matched pairing ( 2024) good acting all around Nice and simple problem solving between Min Jae and Yoon Chan in a friendship at first and up in a sweet romantic relationship later, even though, there were a third wheel who likes Min Jae almost endanger their relationship for becoming closer
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Completed
Pursuit of Jade
7 people found this review helpful
by al2000
Mar 28, 2026
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

Fun watch, looks excellent, may have Girl-bossed a little too close to the sun?

I have watched a lot of historical romantic dramas that I dropped, skipped through or just found generally unsatisfying. So even though I don’t think this is a masterpiece, the fact that I was mostly satisfied throughout, enjoyed myself, and think I will probably rewatch it speaks to its overall quality. Despite the areas where I think the writing (and at times, acting) is lacking, I think that this is overall a worthwhile watch.

I think that the single greatest strength of the drama is the warmth and beauty of the world that they have created through sets, cinematography, costuming and styling. It is aesthetically so pleasing to look at and has a richness that I think is sorely lacking in many Chinese dramas with cardboard sets and flat lighting. The leads look absolutely beautiful, and I found myself just absorbed in the splendour of the drama (even if the budget wasn’t huge, it feels like it is).

Saying that the best thing about the drama is the aesthetics doesn’t explain my high rating. I think that the main leads have good chemistry and an endearing dynamic, with genuine moments of emotion. Although there are times when the acting and character-writing is lacking, I think that they make up for it with earnestness. I also am a sucker for the general premise (commoner girl who is tough and kind, skilled warrior guy who no one thought would ever fall in love, fake marriage, etc.) which I think the show pulls off very successfully.

For me, when it comes to historical romances, if the setting feels good and the leads are enjoyable to watch with decent writing, I’m going to have a pretty good time. Hence my rating. However, I do think there are a few areas where the drama is weaker and which keeps me from crowning this as a masterpiece as some other reviewers have done:

(1) I think that as the show progresses the pacing and plotting gets more and more rushed and shallow. I felt like the female lead’s rise to being a general and defeating major bad guys in combat was not earned. Granted, I never felt like this show was trying to be a realistic and gritty historical drama, but I felt like this cheapened her arc and made me less invested in her as a character. The seeds of this issue were planted early, when she is very proficient in martial arts to a degree that I didn’t feel was warranted (yes, I know she was trained by her dad who was very skilled, but it never showed her practicing or training or really talking about those skills, which made them feel tacked on and random).

(2) Character motivations became less and less clear as the show went on, and characters felt more like they were just being moved around for plot purposes, rather than being driven by actual character development

(3) I found the gray-haired villain pretty repetitive and annoying. It was a slog to get through his plot, which was a shame because that is a lot of the drama. Because of that, It made the drama’s second half feel like it was dragging.

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Ongoing 1/12
Love upon a Time
7 people found this review helpful
by Koko_Z
Mar 28, 2026
1 of 12 episodes seen
Ongoing 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.5

Absolute MUST watch

This is the first time I've left a review on any shows since I began using mdl a few years back, and thats because this show is seriously good. Khun quirkiness is the best part and even the side characters are funny it really is a good show. I might me glazing it a bit but its honestly good and a bit of a promo, This show is quite literally holding someone's career if the show doesn't do well we might never see lattekim on the screen again please promote this to anyone and everyone to engage with the show.
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