Reviews

The Difficulty of Recognizing Yourself as Gay and Coming Out (IRL)

PLOT: During the holidays before starting university, Karl follows the family tradition of living alone and supporting himself. But because it's difficult to find a job, he ends up agreeing to live with Vlad, a gay film student who has just broken up with his boyfriend. Living together is complicated at first, but Vlad and Karl discover more and more attraction and common ground. However, Karl is in denial...

+++ Two outstanding actors who take us through a multitude of emotions.
+++ Intelligent direction, with good pacing, perfect technique, well-placed flashbacks, and the courage to tackle a sensitive subject: the difficulty of recognizing and being accepted as gay in a homophobic world [which, generally speaking, hates people who deviate from the norm].
+++ The soundtracks are fantastic.

### The (happy) ending remains rushed, open, and optimistic, but... I would have liked a more developed, longer ending.

=> A short but remarkable series thanks to the subtlety of its storytelling and the talent of its actors.
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Tte la difficulté de se reconnaitre gay et de faire son coming-out (IRL)

PLOT: Pdt les vacances, Karl suit la tradition familiale de vivre seul et de subvenir à ses besoins avant d'attaquer la fac. Mais parce qu'il est difficile d'avoir 1 emploi, il finit par accepter de cohabiter avec Vlad, étudiant en cinéma, gay qui vient de rompre avec son BF. La cohabitat° est compliquée au début, mais Vlad et Karl se découvrent de + en + d'attirance et de points communs. Cpdt, Karl est dans le déni ...

+++ Deux très grands acteurs, qui nous font passer par une multitude d'émotions.
+++ Réalisation intelligente, avec du rythme, une technique parfaite, des flash-back bien placés et le courage d'aborder un thème sensible : la difficulté de se reconnaitre et de se faire accepter comme gay, dans un monde homophobe [et qui, d'une façon générale, déteste les personnes qui sortent du cadre imposé].
+++ Les OSTs sont fantastiques.

### La fin (happy) reste rushed, ouverte, optimiste, mais ... J'aurai bien aimé une ending plus dvlpée, plus longue.

=> Série courte mais remarquable par la finesse de sa narration et le talent de ses acteurs.

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The Ableism

The series had some good moments and thoughtful discussion on the issue, but the second to last episode was just astonishingly ableist in a way that made me sick to my stomach. Kan euthanizes Boss, now paralyzed, at Boss's request and to prevent him from talking. Boss is not terminal like the other patients Kan euthanized, and he had someone to care for him in this state as Onanong offered him just that. Kan, a doctor, gave into Boss's horrifically ableist idea that a disabled life is not worth living for his own benefit. This is an issue that affects real disabled people all the time. Their lives are seen as not worth living, even by the doctors that treat them. They are also seen as burdens on the medical care system, wastes of resources. These societal attitudes unjustly push disabled people towards euthanasia because they are not seen as useful. And to see those attitudes reflected in the show without criticism or care for the disabled people who want to live deeply hurt me as a disbaled person.

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cute

I’m still sad to see them go. i loved both families so much. no weird drama coming from them. just love and support on both sides. i loved that the storyline showed him being patient and guiding her despite being younger. he knew exactly what he wanted and he was not about to lose out on it. ml was a bit boring at times and i skipped some scenes because he just couldn’t keep my attention.
i loved the fl. i really thought her characted was the best one I had seen in a while. she was incredibly cute and funny. she was down to earth and not one of the ones that just can’t defend themselves. she had her head right and wasn’t about to take any crap from anyone. but still was cute and empathetic. she was straight forward with everyone about who she liked. no weird complications at all.
the entire drama was refreshing and I just hate to see them go.
the reason why i gave a 9.5 and not a 10 was because the ml was a bit boring and in one scene she was accused of cheating. she never cheated. she was clear from the beginning who her boyfriend is.
i will definitely watch it again. made me a bit nostalgic lol. i wish it would be longer and we could see more of their life now that they a family. also more of the parents. i really loved them. but not going to happen.
honestly, it feels like letting go of a family member. very sad

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Shoddy case-solving with a thoughtful tone

I was ready to skip this show because I heard it’s dark and stressful, but then I read the reviews that it’s a very female-centric drama and I just couldn’t resist.

So, it is both of those things. The cases are pretty heavy. But more than that, I’d say they’re nuanced. Rather than murders out of selfishness or greed, for example, we have more murders for love or justified resentment, blurring the line between victim and perpetrator. And the cases do focus a lot on women, who are often portrayed in a sympathetic light.

This show also has a theme that the case is solved but justice is not achieved (eg everything gets covered up). Sometimes I was glad for this, because justice would have punished characters I sympathized with. But in general, this show has a lot of things to feel upset or depressed about.

The saving grace to it all is that the princess (FL) is right there with you, frustrated and dissatisfied. So coping with these issues become part of what the show is about, adding a thoughtful and philosophical tone which I really like. After each case, she talks it out with her partner, and we get some closure that way too.

And I do really like this FL. She’s on the cold side, but it’s not too exaggerated or overdone, so I found her very believable. Straightforward and unpretentious, kind of socially awkward but not completely maladjusted- I actually found her really relatable. I felt her emotions with her. Her level of authority is something of a plot hole, but at least she recognizes her privilege and wants to use it to help others.

The ML, on the other hand, is more the quietly thoughtful type. The FL has such a strong personality, he makes a good match. Their relationship grows throughout the show, via supportive conversations and quiet acts of care. Occasional misunderstandings arise between them, just enough to add a little tension and interest before being snuffed out by fearless communication. I actually really like their relationship and how it builds in a sweet, not-sappy way.

There are some side characters that are very likeable, though I wouldn’t have minded more development for them. I found the emperor particularly interesting. In some ways he’s a benevolent ruler and he treats the protagonists well, but also in doing what emperors do- playing politics, romping around his rear palace, etc- he can casually ruin lives with no accountability. Personally I think his role contributes to the thoughtfulness of the show, as I both blamed him and didn’t, and of course nobody in the show can.

Plot-wise, the show covers 7 cases, with the princess’s overarching case about her family developed throughout. Most of the show is about how the leads solve the cases, so until closer to the end, the developments of their characters and relationship are secondary. The cases are heavy but there are still moments of lightness, and the overall mood is not as dark as you might expect.

That said, the casework in this show is really loosey-goosey. It relies heavily on things like “deductions” out of nowhere, casual superskills (eg the FL’s super-nose, or the ML’s genius mental calculations), perfect coincidences, and so on. And if you take a step back, you might also realize that the cases themselves are riddled with logic holes and nonsense, overuse the same plot devices (suicide, anyone?), and seem contrived to make you cry as much as possible. At some point things got so tragic that I popped right out of immersion, and it got harder and harder to take things seriously again afterwards.

Plus the editing seems choppy, like they cut too many things. I was left confused about some events, reasonings, and significances. Also, important-seeming characters show up and then disappear willy nilly, like their character arcs were cut.

I don’t know if the show gets worse towards the end or my patience just expired, but I thought it was extra bad in the last few episodes. I was also not satisfied by the answer to the overarching mystery, which was not as interesting as it was built up to be.

Acting-wise, I thought Bai Lu does an excellent job here. I love her portrayal of the princess, my favorite is her look where you’re not sure if she’s about to cry. Wang Xingyue does a decent job, but some of the side characters seemed a bit stiff or overacted.

The fight choreography is not the best I’ve seen, but decent. Nobody’s technique is that impressive (except maybe old man with spear?), some hyperextension and stiffness, but I can definitely see it was physically exerting, as Bai Lu told her fans. The costumes and settings are pretty good. I like the princess’s work outfits and high ponytail style. Background music set the mood well, and I also really like the songs. But I think the songs are underused; I would not have minded more.

Overall, this show does have a lot of problems. The relationship and characters are good but secondary to the cases, yet the case-solving is shoddy and the cases themselves have problems. Bad editing makes it all make even less sense. ...this isn't making it sound like a good show, but I actually still really liked most of it. Although I sometimes had to exert active effort to suspend disbelief, I generally followed the cases with great interest, and I found them moving. Yet nothing is too sappy, for which I was extremely thankful. And I especially like the FL’s mix of straightforward business and unpretentious compassion as she solves cases, and the thoughtful, reflective tone that follows as she copes with reality.

ENDING – READ AHEAD ONLY IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, CONTAINS SPOILERS





This show has a happy ending. The princess gets both her revenge and her relationship, and satisfyingly, straight up accuses the emperor of all the things nobody dares to say. There are no last-minute deaths of likable characters.

There is about half an episode of wrap up, including- a pleasant surprise- flashes of side characters as well as some characters from the cases. What actually happens to everyone is unclear. The FL and ML ride off into scenery, but a poorly conceived post-credit scene hints at a sequel.

That said, I was actually quite dissatisfied by the ending. I felt the show lost its thoughtfulness a bit. Maybe the final villain and his motivation were too weak, or maybe it was the way it all played out, but I just didn’t feel many emotions about her finally achieving revenge.

Also, the two leads have a huge falling out before the final case, only to kind of implicitly get back together in the last episode without much fanfare. Their fight was one of the better in Cdramaland; I felt it was justified on both sides with intense and valid emotions, and it had angsty repercussions. That much angst deserves proper reconciliation. I would have preferred they address the issues directly and apologize.

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Beautiful and captivating. Chemistry was chemistrying lol!

I couldnt wait to finish this one! Chemistry was chemistrying lol! And you also expect that from Zhang Ling He with his lead co stars. Though Xie Zheng was secretive about who he was, you can see he literally fell for Fan Chang Yu and her lifestyle didnt matter much to him after a while because he started to trust her more.
I enjoyed how their relationship blossomed into love. It was beautiful.
What I love most is that they are A STRONG COUPLE, both bad a$$.
They protect each other and their family,
Gongsun Yin being clumsy unintentionally was a nice touch to the drama.
There are so many other characters to talk about but I wont. Just watch it yourself! YOU WONT REGRET IT!!!!
The only thing that made me not give it a 10/10 was the ending.....to me, thought I understand it, I just though it could have been and maybe show their own family instead.

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Like watching thumbscrews turn in real time

If you’re expecting a typical medical drama, you’ll be disappointed. If you’re expecting a typical romance drama, you’ll be disappointed. The Imperial Doctress is a tragedy. Through and through.

This is my second time watching this drama. I don’t remember it being this dark the first time round. But that’s likely because I was a teenager when I watched this ten years ago. I didn’t even know the term ‘coercive control’ – let alone recognise its signs – which may explain why my experience watching Imperial Doctress this time round felt a lot different.

**The selling point of Imperial Doctress***

What I think Imperial Doctress executes beautifully – excruciatingly – is the No Win condition of misogyny. The FL, Yunxian, is perpetually surrounded by men who, in one way or another, want to control her and own her.

When I first watched the drama as a naive teen, I remember being super frustrated whenever Yunxian would seemingly freeze up instead of speaking up for herself or trying to explain her actions. Now, as an old and wise 20-something year old, I see this response in an entirely different light. It depicts how she is constantly between a rock and a hard place. No matter what she says or does, a man will condemn her for it. Find it a way to make it her fault. Blame her for all woes. She seizes up because she never knows what to do without digging an even deeper grave.

I went from seeing this drama as a messed up, confused romance during my first watch, to seeing this as a tragedy that follows the spiral downwards of a woman who simply wants to pursue her medical passions but is torn down every step of the way.

**Qiyu as the embodiment of coercive control**

Look, I would love to know what the intentions of the writers and creators were. What Qiyu – Yunxian’s love interest – demonstrates from start to finish is coercive control. As a teen, I didn’t clock onto how much of a dickhead he was until he become emperor. But with this second watch, it’s evident practically from the get-go that this mf is an absolute menace to Yunxian.

He promises the world. But as soon as he has Yunxian in his palm, he goes back on his word. Not only this, but every-single-time, finds a way to victim blame Yunxian and gaslight her (and I’m talking about BEFORE he becomes emperor). Unlike Qizhen who at least starts to mature and learn the error of his ways, Qiyu is Yunxian’s thumbscrew until the very end.

Qiyu’s character is clearly put into Bad Guy territory, but it’s not clear *to what extent* the writers actually want the audience to condemn his actions. There are multiple scenes (and this applies to scenes between Yunxian and Ye Xian as well) that are NOT AT ALL romantic – and more often than not depict elements of abuse (including coercive control) – but have romantic music playing in the background. Would LOVE the creators to come forward and explain their thinking.

**Ye Xian as the Northern stereotype**

The character of Ye Xian is a tricky one to analyse. Yes, he too goes to immense lengths to try and control Yunxian and make her his possession. He attempts rape. However, I think he needs to be viewed through a different lens than Qizhen and Qiyu because he’s treated through the Cdrama as the ‘northern foreigner’.

On the one hand, Ye Xian is yet another facet of patriarchal control in the plot. On the other hand, the writers have trapped him into a cardboard trope where, I’m tempted to argue, raping the Han FL is part of the convention. To me, it felt like there was a trend in 2010s historical costume Cdramas of this ‘northern foreigner’ character appearing as the uncouth northern barbarian, sprinkled with a bit of ‘noble savage’ characterisation. The Rise of Phoenixes, Rebel Princess, and Legend of Huolan featured such characters. Their mistreatment of women was portrayed as a cultural inevitability.*

This is not to dismiss the misogyny of his character, but rather recognise that his characterisation is complicated due to this othering.

It’s also interesting that his character seems to be more attuned to gender oppression than the Han MLs. He explicitly states the sexist double whammy Yunxian is caught in: either accept his marriage proposal or go back to Da Ming to face the scorn and derision of having her reputation sullied. But at the same time that he recognises the reality of her impossible situation, he also doesn’t seem to understand why there are practical reasons for her to reject his proposal. She knows (subtextually) that while he can proclaim to love and protect her, that this is entirely subjective to changing feelings and is no long-term guarantee of safety. This is deja vu of what she has already experienced with Qiyu’s own unreliability.

On a tangential note, this is why I actually have a lot of time for Princess Wanning in The Double. She is married off to [insert cardboard northern character] royalty. Eventually, she is able to return home after this marriage, only to face a royal court that sees her as used goods, but feels so uncomfortable about it, that they don’t even dare say it aloud.

**The tragedy form**

I think the main reason behind why a lot of other reviewers are unhappy with Imperial Doctress is because they tried to watch the drama as a romance or medical drama rather than a tragedy, and hence are disappointed with the second half.

Personally, I find the second half is when the tragedy really hits home. It follows the acceleration of Yunxian’s downward spiral as Qiyu intensifies his efforts of coercive control (and this becomes physical abuse too).

This drama has a lot more in common with a series like Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace, than dramas like Rebel Princess or Princess Weiyoung.

So, unlike others, I thought the ending was perfect. Obviously it wasn’t rainbow-and-uniorns happy, but nor was it morbid (like in Rise of the Phoenixes or The King’s Woman). For me, it was a well-balanced bittersweet ending that suits the tragedy form.

—

*Although Rise of Phoenixes’ Helian Zheng doesn’t fulfil this particular convention, he is indeed depicted as unsuitable for the FL. I’d argue that he suffers at the hands of the Han superiority complex, but that’s a can of worms for another day.

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An Intemporal Take on Compensated Dating

Love & Pop is a shocking and brutal watch, tackling a taboo subject with an approach that is both deeply engaging and deliberately unsettling. At times, it can feel visually and narratively disorienting.

What the film exposes was already present in the 1990s, yet it has only intensified over time, especially with teenagers gaining easier access to the internet. It sheds light on a reality that feels uncomfortably modern, one that many prefer to ignore or simply avoid confronting.

More importantly, this isn’t just a localized issue tied to one country or culture. The film points to something far more universal ~ a societal problem that transcends borders, making its message as relevant today as it was when it first emerged.

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SADISTIC ASSHOLE & DELULU MASOSCHIST.

Basic plot:🗯️🗯️
a guy comes out of jail and is about to restart his live. He's on a mission to take revenge against those who wronged hum. We immediately go back to the past and start to see how the events that brought him to jail unfold..

Let's talk about this drama shall we?
I fricking devoured the first 18 episodes.

Initial observations 🗯️🗯️
The start is really strong and intriguing but at episode 19 I had to stop because i was so mad. It took me an entire month to come back and finally finish this thing.

Reason? The 2 main leads were really pissing me off. At the start of the story we obviously meet our ml and fl and they are fine , but in the middle point they become such toxic people I had to pause and take a break.

Main characters 🗯️🗯️
Unfortunately this will be their role during the entire drama. These two are ,frankly speaking ,toxic to each other and other people.

Where they are together the world ceases to exist and they treat everyone like shit. Lao gan, their so called "best friend" is a perfect example.

I know that lu xun is Designed to be a cocky asshole with a "supposed" high moral compass but I couldn't stand him and the "princess" wasn't any better.

She only cares about how the ml feels or if he can help her out. She disregards everyone who ever says anything bad about him.
She is unable of criticisms when it comes to liu xu.

Lu xun knows he is better than anyone around him but keeps humiliating his peers for frankly no good reason.

Lao gao ark gets out of hand at the end but he was kind of justified in his hatred towards Lu xun.

When the main couple is split it doesn't get any better. They are assholes to everyone around them and when they are together they are absolutely toxic to each other.

In the later episodes Lu xun and Zhu Yun are obviously flirting with each other but lu xun, after making a fool of Zhu Yun, gives her the most humiliating speech ever. He says such heinous things about their past love story I personally would have slapped him and left forever.

I know that he supposedly pushing her again to "protect her" ( in a very twisted way) but nothing justifies the amount of mean stuff he says to her in this drama.

Zhun yu is saving his ass left and right and he mistreats her just to avoid giving her any "hope" Romance wise.

At the end of the drama I think he is a narcissist asshole and she is a delusional masochist.

In the 27th episode specifically he lashes on her because of his jeoulosy I was frankly disgusted by what he said.

Is it frustrating to witness all these interactions especially when it comes to Zhu Yu. This guy treats her like shit all the time and she is willing to sacrifice anything and anyone for him.

Later in the drama she is even sorry for "abandoning" Lu xun. What?? You didn't abandon him he literally cut you off of his life. Stop justifying this psycho.

She also has a guy running after her for years and she strings him along never actually putting a stop to his feelings towards her. He is the one to give up.

I think she was just addicted to being the "elected" person of a so called "genius".

Some ridiculous moments🗯️🗯️
Talking about genius, in the drama we see that Lu xun is trying to build his life again and fight against his ex corporation. It was hilarious to see a big tech company fricking out for a 4 member team of a small company. Are u serious? The script really want us to believe the Lu xun is an invincible force. C'mon guys at a certain point it becomes laughable.
A huge corporation with dozen of employees against a single programmer...

Positive:🗯️🗯️
I know I sound crazy but I liked the drama overall. How ? I don't know. It was engaging and the boring parts were mainly b roles which I skipped like crazy. You might hate the characters but still find the drama enjoyable.
The whole battling against one another was decent.

the chemistry between the actors is undeniable. they have a magnetic aura around them.


Music:🗯️🗯️
Pretty good. I even saved same songs.

Would I recommend it? Yes.
Would I re-watch it? Hell no.

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The Ghost Queen And Her Fated General!!!

BASIC PLOT-
Love beyond grave follows the all too powerful and immortal Ghost Queen, He Si Mu, and Duan Xu, a young yet mysterious mortal general. What starts as a by chance encounter leads to such entwine fate and destiny that binds their paths together forever.
He Simu is born a spirit and thus lacks all her 5 senses since birth, she rules the spirit void as the Ghost Queen for the past 400 years.
Duan Xu is a young and reputed scholar turned general. He seems all too normal in the front but is hiding secrets far too complicated and dangerous. He may also not be who he claims he is.
Thier fated entwine when duan xu becomes He simu's bonded spell bearer (a person who can share their senses with other) .

CHARACTERS-
Both the characters are extremely intelligent and out of ordinary figures. They both have suffered in very different way but at the end of the day, they understand each other. Their understanding of each other without even saying anything, just through their actions is what makes them such complex yet amazing characters.
There’s a lingering sense of longing and understanding in almost every interaction they have together. Their smiles and eyes speak a thousand worlds without even trying.
At the end of the day they just want the other to be happy and safe. I loved how duan xu was so protective of he simu even if she is literally the immortal sovereign. And he simu totally gave off the vibes of 'touch-him-and-die' when it came to him.
And at the end of the day, even with a hundred problems, they both came back for each other. They never stopped loving and yearning.

ACTORS-
Dilraba and Arthur have portrayed the characters on point. Had seen so many people complaining about the acting and age gap between them but tbh it's perfect, the acting and age gap is on point with the situation and the overall plot of the drama.
The chemistry between the leads is a major highlight, their connection feels intense yet so natural.
The side characters do their work brilliantly. They leave their impact on the story hard and clear. Specially the bad guys, miles did such a good job with yanke, like I wanted to punch the shit out of him so many times but he made such a complex bad guy.
The side characters actually make you both love and hate their characters.

CINEMATOGRAPHY AND MUSIC-
The cinematography is breathtaking, each scene better that the last. Specially during the ghost relm arc. The whole fantasy element is justified and enhanced by the amazing colour grading and use of VFX.
The use of music and the main OST increases the impact of the scene making the drama a whole new experience.

PACING AND VIBES-
The pacing of the drama is excellent, it doesn't drag on things and with each episode ending on somewhat of a cliff hanger, it keeps you hooked to your screens. The whole ghostly aura and the themes of death in the drama gives it an out of ordinary vibes. This drama makes you fascinated with ghosts, spirits and death.

The drama balances an eerie, almost haunting tone with deeply emotional storytelling. The whole vibe of the drama carries a tone of melancholy, subtle longing and desire. It delivers the story with the perfect mix of love, hate, desire, longing, fantasy and suffering.

Overall, the drama is a must watch. It does what it promises to do really well and that too without trying too hard.

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