Reviews

"Plot whiplash" is the absolute perfect way to describe it. Can there be a part two?

It's like the production team was handed a pair of safety scissors and told to trim a sprawling epic into a neat little box with five minutes left on the clock. There is nothing more frustrating than falling head over heels for a drama's pacing, cinematography, and characters in the first half, only to feel like you're riding a runaway train by the finale.

Because that "chopped down" feeling is incredibly common in C-dramas right now. Due to recent broadcasting regulations limiting episode counts, so many sweeping historical dramas are forced to violently edit down their back halves. It leaves us viewers with massive plot whiplash, wondering how we got from point A to point Z in the blink of an eye.

If I had the magical power to override those broadcasting regulations and restore the deleted footage, the very first thing I would flesh out is the political downfall of the rival faction and Marquis Wu'an's subsequent tactical retaliation.

In the actual finale, the grand, high-stakes chess match we spent 30 episodes building up to was suddenly resolved in what felt like a two-minute montage. Blink and you missed the mastermind getting outsmarted.

Here is how that extra breathing room should have looked:

1. The Tactical Chess Match

Instead of a rushed betrayal, we needed at least two full episodes dedicated to the intellectual warfare. I wanted to see Zhang Linghe’s character actually laying the traps, outmaneuvering the court corruptists step-by-step, and using that brilliant, calculating mind of his. Let us see the genius behind the Marquis, not just the aftermath of it.

2. Emotional Fallout & Healing

With the plot rushing to the finish line, we completely lost the quiet, lingering moments between our leads. After a mountain of unspoken trauma, you can't just fix everything with a quick smile before the credits roll!

The Aftermath: We deserved a slow-burn resolution where Tian Xi wei’s character helps him dismantle that emotional armor.

The Contrast: Her vibrant, grounded energy balancing out his heavy, stoic grief—giving them a few peaceful scenes in a place that looked like Xigu Alley would have been the ultimate catharsis for the audience.

3. A Properly Paced Farewell

A historical epic deserves an ending that breathes. By restoring those episodes, the final sequence wouldn't feel like a sprint; it would feel like a sunset. We’d get to see the empire stabilize, the side characters get their proper closures, and Marquis Wu'an finally shedding the weight of the world from his shoulders.

That said, I have appreciation for the aesthetics and the cast is spot on:

The Visuals: The production team really created magic. Even if we can't book a flight to the real Xigu Alley, the way they captured the rivers and mountains gave the whole show a breathtaking, poetic atmosphere. It felt like a living painting.

Tian Xi wei: She is an absolute treasure. Her natural comedic timing is so refreshing—she has this effortless ability to keep a heavy historical plot from feeling too bogged down.

Zhang Linghe: He absolutely commanded the screen as Marquis Wu'an. His micro-expressions do so much heavy lifting, especially when the script is rushed and he has to convey a mountain of unspoken trauma with just a shift in his eyes.

And honestly, my take on his weight is a pretty popular sentiment among fans! He is incredibly tall, and while that lean, sharp look definitely gives him that ethereal, tortured-statesman vibe, a little more weight would give him a broader, more imposing presence for those heavy armor scenes.

It really is bittersweet because the raw ingredients—the breathtaking cinematography, the effortless chemistry, and the sheer talent of the cast—were all right there.

Since we are rewriting history here, how did you feel about the secondary characters' endings? Was there a specific side-plot or dynamic that you felt got unfairly chopped completely out of the script?

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I wanted to like it, but it ended up being a non-immersive experience..

I want to propose a question to the producers of this drama: why should I care about this story?

This isn't a bad drama/movie, however it feels like eps 10 and 11 of a 12 episode drama.

From ep 1, you are thrown into the story, there is limited world-building, which results in me not caring about the characters, story or how it ends. Something went wrong somewhere.

I felt like an onlooker, rather than being immersed into the story.

The music was nice and gave it a nostalgic vibe.

The romance was very short-lived while she was alive.

In the end, I was left hoping for more..

The cast and acting is good.

But like I said, I didn't even know what was happening with the gangster plot. I wouldn't have known the ML was a gangster if I hadn't read the plot beforehand.

Many people seem to really like this drama, so don't let me stop you from watching it.

I will leave you with some random thoughts I had while watching:

- you're thrown right into the story, if I didn't read the premise I wouldn't have known the male lead to be a gangster from the start of things, it didn't really introduce you to characters like what usually happens in an ep 1.. ep 1 to me felt like a later episode, but it is only 2 eps long so maybe for the best that they didn't spend time world building?
- mr. yellow shoes is in this
- why should I care about this story?
- it has nice music (classical and 'a love so beautiful')
- things were happening in ep 1 and I just didn't care about it.. I wanted to, but they didn't set up the story in any way that you would end up caring about the characters, I feel like an onlooker
- at the end of ep 2 I started getting more interested, but then it ended
- the story in itself is not bad, but just felt incomplete and I couldn't immerse myself in it..
- it has an early 2000s vibe

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아깝다

Honestly, I don’t even know what the exact problem is. I’ve watched seven episodes, but I haven't felt happy, romantic, or sad once. Watching it feels like a chore. In the beginning, I only tuned in because of Ahn Hyo-seop and Kim Bum, hoping that things would turn around and it would become enjoyable. But nothing changed. I just realized I’ve been constantly forcing myself, saying, 'Keep watching, it’ll get better, it has to be good...' But nope.
I’ve honestly started questioning why these actors accepted this script in the first place—especially Kim Bum. Bro, you are the Kim Bum. You are a cornerstone of the K-drama industry. You basically helped start the global K-drama wave, and an entire generation grew up watching you. How could you choose this role? What was the goal here?
Also, why is your character so head-over-heels for the female lead? She drew boundaries so quickly, and we barely see enough of their backstory to justify him liking her that much.
As for the female lead, it feels like she’s just reading lines off a page—zero emotion, zero feeling. I can’t feel any chemistry or love. Her character arc feels like: she burns out, leaves her broadcasting channel, and goes, 'Oh, look, a guy. Let me just fall for him since I have some free time now.' The actress has potential, so I really hope she improves.
The logistics don't make sense either. Mathieu lives in a village while she lives in the city, which is a two-hour drive away. She is portrayed as an incredibly busy workaholic who lives for her job, so there's no way her character would casually make that two-hour commute all the time.
At this point, I have zero interest. I don't even care what happens to the young girl in the mask—honestly, it's so predictable that I already know. It's the most cliché K-drama trope: they’ll fight, they'll feel responsible for the girl, she'll sleepwalk, and he'll find her. Cue the cliché couple moments. Nothing interesting. Even the shopping scenes are a total bore.
I give 1 point for music because of the one … I can’t describe this thing, I don’t want to use bad words.

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Sweet Start, Romance Built on Lies

This drama started off heartfelt, funny, and cute, which made the twist even more frustrating. At first, Xia Lin and Ling Yi Zhou’s relationship seemed charming and emotional, especially with how supportive and caring he appeared toward her. But then we find out that everything, even the moment Xia Lin approached Ling Yi Zhou, was orchestrated by him from the very beginning. After that reveal, I honestly could not look at the romance the same way again.

What made it worse was the fact that Xia Lin was not even sick to begin with. Ling Yi Zhou had doctors, hospital staff, and basically everyone around her lying straight to her face just to manipulate her into depending on him. That is not romantic, it is controlling and disturbing. The drama tries to frame his actions as acceptable because he loved her deeply and spoiled her constantly, but love does not excuse deception on that level. He violated her trust, took away her ability to make informed choices about her own life, and emotionally manipulated her into a relationship built on a lie.

What annoyed me most was how little accountability Ling Yi Zhou actually faced. The show brushed past the seriousness of what he did as if grand gestures and affection could erase the damage. Xia Lin was understandably hurt for a while, but the drama rushed through the consequences and expected viewers to move on quickly because he is attractive, rich, and devoted. It really felt like the writers wanted the audience to excuse obsession and control as if it were romance, instead of showing how unhealthy it actually was.

Their entire relationship was built on lies, manipulation, and a fake medical crisis. The foundation they supposedly built together was nothing more than a facade created by Ling Yi Zhou’s schemes. Trust is one of the most important parts of any relationship, and once that is broken to this extent, it is hard to understand how the relationship could continue as if nothing happened.

Honestly, I do think Xu Kai Cheng and Simona Wang had strong chemistry, and that is probably what kept me watching until the end. Their scenes together in the earlier part of the drama especially had a lot of warmth and softness that made the romance feel very engaging. I would still recommend the drama, but only with the understanding that the early fluffy romance takes a very different turn once the truth is revealed. If you don't want to be disappointed with their relationship, I would honestly suggest dropping it after episode nine because everything after that shifts the tone completely and the later half of the show felt pretty corny compared to the beginning.

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The Greenest Flag Drama I’ve Ever Watched

Love Me, Love My Voice honestly became one of my biggest surprises. I went into it with almost no expectations. I had heard people talk about it for long, but I never expected to love it as much as I did. I’m genuinely shocked by how attached I became to this drama.

I will admit, the beginning was a little hard to get into. The first few episodes felt very slow and awkward, especially the romance. But honestly? The awkwardness felt realistic. He’s introverted, she’s shy, and their relationship starts in a very natural way. It wasn’t some dramatic, instant-love kind of romance — it was just two people quietly falling in love, and I ended up loving that simplicity so much.

Sometimes life gets overwhelming and busy, and you just need a drama like this: something calm, soft, comforting, and completely non-problematic. Watching this felt like a reset button. I was smiling from ear to ear the entire time.

At first, I genuinely thought the sweetness was TOO much. And I mean too much. I’ve watched countless dramas, and this is probably the first time I’ve ever had to pause because something was overwhelmingly sweet. It was beyond sweet — almost unreal. But after a while, you settle into their quiet everyday life and start craving more of it. By the end, I honestly felt like 33 episodes weren’t enough. I could have watched another 10 episodes of them just living life together.

This drama completely depends on whether you feel the chemistry between the leads. Because the plot itself is extremely simple — it’s basically just two people falling in love. If the chemistry works for you, the show works. And for me, it worked perfectly.

The chemistry was amazing. Their relationship felt warm, comforting, mature, and incredibly healthy. No unnecessary misunderstandings, no dramatic breakups, no toxic behavior, no random tragedy — not even a tiny “car accident for angst” moment. I’ve genuinely never watched something this non-problematic before, and somehow it still kept me completely invested.

It reminded me a lot of Amidst a Snowstorm of Love, which makes sense because they’re from the same writer. You can definitely see the similarities. But honestly, Love Me, Love My Voice has even less plot — and somehow I still loved every second of it.

I also think Tan Jianci was absolutely perfect for this role. The character felt so natural for him. His passion, perfectionism, calmness, teasing side — everything fit him perfectly. And Zhou Ye matched him so well too. She had exactly the right amount of softness and shyness for the role, and together they created such a comforting dynamic.

One thing I really loved was how culturally Chinese the drama felt. The outfits, music, food, scenery, cinematography — everything had such a strong Chinese identity and atmosphere. It felt very intentional and immersive, and visually the drama was so pleasant to watch.

The voice acting/dubbing industry aspect was also really interesting. Since voice actors are such a huge thing in China, it was nice getting a glimpse into that world and seeing these characters balancing ordinary lives alongside their careers.

And honestly, the friendships were just as important as the romance. I loved the group dynamic so much. Everyone had chemistry with everyone. The trips, dinners, performances, casual hangouts — all of those scenes added so much warmth to the show. It wasn’t just a romance drama; it was also about friendship, comfort, passion, and found family.

I absolutely loved the side characters and the secondary couples too, which is why my biggest complaint is that most of the side couples only officially got together near the end. I really wish we had more time actually seeing them as couples instead of waiting until the last episode for confessions.

Overall, I absolutely loved this drama and genuinely cannot recommend it enough — but only if you enjoy slow, slice-of-life romances with almost no conflict. This is not a drama for people who need constant tension or dramatic twists. The entire show is carried by chemistry, comfort, healthy communication, friendship, and pure softness.

This might honestly be the greenest-flag drama I’ve ever watched.

And finally, the OST was AMAZING. Tan Jianci’s voice was absolutely beautiful, the performances were wonderful, and every musical moment felt heartfelt and immersive.

This drama honestly felt less like watching a story and more like spending time with people you grow to love.

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My royal hope turned a bit cold!

What I like about this show is even though romance is a big part of it, I feel like the main plot is all about self growth, acceptance and dealing with past traumas that have a direct impact in the current life & i fuck with it so much.
It is funny, interesting and the acting is great. The chemistry is believable and essentially just full of good stuff.

Now, I hope the show doesn't merely focus on the romance aspect because I feel like it can be so much more. I hope the MLS, thanks to e/o, will be able to thrive and finally heal and be happy because they both deserve it and turns out they did!!!!

HOWEVER, past ep 7, the writing started to become a bit wobbly and it became a bit caricatural and way too dramatic...the number of car accidents was quite ridiculous, the weird past/present life, the villain story etc....it was a bit meh but the drama is still fun and easy to watch!

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Old story and yet!

I will try to keep it short because I do not think too much words are needed for this one.

- There is great writing
It's an old story, one i am very familiar with and yet the writers managed to surprise me and catch my attention from the first episode and that until the end. The ending felt extremely realistic and actually matches quite well the real life events and yet it carries a certain optimism & emphasises that there still are ppl fighting for the truth, ppl ready to take accountability.

- There is great acting.
A very competent ensemble of actors that make you believe every single lines and breathes. The chemistry is alive, the talent and line delivery is impeccable.

- There is a story.
A heartwrenching and quite dumbfouding case of serial killer that will make you think how could this have happenned? It shows you all the human's mistakes, it enlights the darkest creases of humanity.

It is a very well creafted drama in his globality, one that seriously stood out by how complete it felt. Highly recommend.

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A delightful and moving healing drama about the power of grace and of being present

There were so many times throughout this drama that I laughed out loud, sighed, clapped, and even teared up. It explores the cost of holding onto unnecessary guilt and blame and the power of forgiveness, all the while maintaining an uplifting and fun vibe using the contrast between the busy home shopping network world of the city, and the quiet, small town serenity of a mushroom farm.

If you like a slow burn super romantic drama with great chemistry, absurd but hilarious humor, and that thoughtfully tackles real issues in a genuine way, you will enjoy this drama.

--THE STRENGTHS
Why I recommend this drama:
--- Hilarious.
There was not one episode I didn't laugh out loud, like cackle level laugh. Usually more than once. The comedy is absurdist, breaks the fourth wall often, isn't afraid to go all in, and never takes itself too seriously. The cast seemed to be having a BLAST.
--- Aces main couple, like truly a wonderful pair.
The main couple had great chemistry. You could feel how drawn they were to each other from the start. Their romance felt organic and subtle yet at the same time passionate and loud. I rooted for them from the start, and they are one of the few romcom couples lately that I feel are actually perfect for each other on a soul level, and who will be really happy together for a long time. I enjoyed every single scene between them.
--- Meaningful character arcs for the main leads.
As the show goes on more and more is revealed about what the two leads have been through in their lives, and all their actions, even the ones that are frustrating, truly felt rooted in genuine past experiences that shaped who they are. Even the short period of angst in the drama felt necessary when you consider what they've been through and the depth of the pain they were trying to learn how to face. I connected with their struggles and enjoyed the layers underneath each character.
- Well connected plotline and emotional arcs.
Too many dramas have a plot that seems to unfold separate from the emotional arcs of the characters, so that the drama ends up feeling disjointed or superficial. Not the case here. The plotlines of the contamination backstory, the current day cosmetic acquisition, Yejin and her mother, Mechoori and his lost dream, all weave together and ebb and flow along with the emotional arcs ebb and flow, resolving in a way that felt perfectly aligned. It's really satisfying and makes all the emotional notes hit quite strong. To the point I actually shed tears more than once.
-- A more complex view of relationships and forgiveness
This show focuses a lot on the cost of not forgiving ourselves and others, and the power of showing grace and letting go of revenge or making others suffer like we had suffered. All of the resolutions felt earned and I really connected to the uplifting and positive message as someone who has had a lot of experience with this in my own relationships in life.

--THE WEAKNESSES
That said, the drama wasn't perfect. And I have to point out its flaws as well:
--- The 2ML is one dimensional, bland and unfortunately not played very well by the usually more compelling Kim Bum.
Useful only for adding superficial angst and comedy to the main leads story. Luckily he doesn't have a ton of scenes, and he does start to feel a little more two dimensional in the second half. There was a lot more that could have been done with him, so he feels utterly wasted as a character.
---Uneven execution at times, especially for anything other than the main leads story.
The bones of the story were really well sketched, and when things came together well it hit SO well, as detailed above. And there were times when the side characters were SO funny and well done. But there were times where the side plots with the villagers felt a little thin, where some of the side character's acting felt weak and distracting, where the pacing felt a bit off, or where certain side characters or side plots got more attention than they merited even though they lacked depth.

The above reasons are why I gave it an 8.5. If we're talking just about the main leads story it would be a 10/10.

This was one of those dramas where the weaknesses were never more than mildly annoying for me but the strengths hit SO well, so overall I thought it was a a good drama well worth the watch.

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Que dorama LINDO

No começo nos induz a pensar que ela é uma péssima mãe, muito exigente e pouco carinhosa, talvez ela até fosse mesmo, mas a real intenção é fazer o telespectador refletir que esta mulher está dando o melhor dela, dando todos os seus esforços para acriar o filho sozinha e fazer com que ele tenha uma vida melhor, foi a melhor estratégia de criação? Nem um pouco! Mas era o melhor que ela pôde dar no contexto da época após a morte do marido.

Esse dorama é sobre cura e reconstrução de relacionamento mãe e filho, tem uma potada de romance e o casal tem muita quimica, mas não é o foco, apesar de muito bem vindo.

E os gêmeos? Apaixonantes, quero esses piticos pra mim

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A battle of wits and stunning proses!

What an interesting movie that was!

A battle of wits, a dialogue-heavy two hours feature and not one second of boredome. The exchanges kept me on the edge of my seat and sure, some of the wittiness and stunning proses gets lost in translation but the delivery is so magnificent that you can, imho, easily move past that. The writing is quite unbelievable, the dialogues are so enticing and grip your attention and some of the proses are actually explained furthermore, which is nice. It truly felt like watching a battle of wit, a battle of words and I was genuinely fully into it. It rought certain subject up and will make you think after your watch, about ideas and opnions shared throughout their verbal tiki-taka.

The acting was very VERY good, the chemistry quite palpable, I mean what an incredible duo! Yuki Yamada surprised me by how great he was and how well he faced Sato Jiro! Bakudan is not for everyone but if you enjoy proses, study of characters; feature that leave you with thoughts and heavy dialogues, you will absolutely love this and I genuinely recommend it!

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A fun watch for horror fans, but content warnings for suicide and self-harm intrinsic to the story

I'm a huge fan of any death game-esque type of horror, and while this isn't really that it is close enough that I decided to give it a watch. I'm happy that I did. I found the writing to be pretty solid; the characters were consistent (and clever!), the balance of humour and horror was good, the pacing didn't drag, and the worldbuilding/explanation for the horror felt pretty well thought out. The soundtrack was simple and beautiful, doing a great job of creating an atmosphere without being too distracting. The acting was 10/10 (to me), and the visual effects were excellent. The story overall felt more character-driven than "get us to the next scare/gross out" driven.

It occasionally verged a bit too close to feeling like it might go into fantasy-adventure territory for my taste, but that's more of a matter of preference and really wasn't so bad until after the plot had been essentially wrapped up. There might be some confusion around the fate of one character, but I think that may be intentional as it seems like they may have been trying to set up a second season without leaving the show on a cliffhanger. I'm not giving a perfect score mostly because I feel like for a horror show, it wasn't especially creepy or scary. It was suspenseful, and got intense at times, but to me it is missing a bit of that sense of fear and consistent heightened emotions that I usually go to horror for. However I did enjoy the relationships between characters being such a big focus.

Overall I enjoyed it, I would say that this is more of an easy/light watch for a horror fan who's okay with a bit of gore (so long as scenes of suicide and self-harm are not a trigger for you, if they are then I would say you should avoid this show). It's not too intense, but it also isn't boring. If you don't like horror, you won't like this (because it's horror). But if you're horror-neutral you should be fine.

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Could be better

I’d been waiting for the series Soulmate ever since it was announced, especially because of Taecyeon’s involvement. I was really curious how they would approach the relationship between two men in this case — considering it’s a Japan + Korea and streaming on mainstream Netflix. And honestly, I’m not surprised by the way this story was presented.

The fact that there are no romantic scenes in the series isn’t the issue for me. Feelings can be expressed in a hundred different ways. But I’m not sure I’m convinced by the idea that they wanted to portray a “pure” kind of love between the two characters. I know BL relationships are often overly sexualized and that romantic scenes sometimes add nothing to the plot, but here, honestly, one lingering look and one brief touch of hands would’ve been enough.

I don’t really buy the argument that they simply wanted to show the purity of this relationship. In my opinion, in mainstream Asian cinema the real reason is still fear of how this kind of relationship will be received, so it gets reduced to bromance instead. I’d genuinely like to read opinions from people who see it differently and why, because maybe I’m missing another perspective.

Personally, I think we should find some kind of middle ground between excessive sexualization and completely avoiding the subject of intimacy. Are we really supposed to believe that two young people wouldn’t want any deeper physical closeness over the course of years? That’s hard for me to believe.

The story also has a few plot holes, but I’m not that bothered by them since I understand this is just a fragment of several years of the characters’ lives. The ending, in my opinion, could’ve been better.

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Ye Xian is the main hero of the story and he completely deserves it❤️‍??

Why the heck the ending is so abrupt?...looking at Ye Xian's death scene literally made me cry ....the story went so abrupt ...I myself was completely devastated....sometimes the scenes were too much dragged ...it was a very good start but at the end ..it was kinda disappointing . I'm speechless ...I want to see WiNWin performing well as main lead in another drama....everyone acted very well , I love the child emperor...he too has performed very well but yes one more thing the FL sister who is also the second female lead ..got very less screen time .. couldn't see more of her ..like how her love life went with Mu Zidi ...I thought of seeing something more .. perhaps with so many characters dying ..its kinda C Trauma...not a real happy or satisfactory ending .

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When the Wrong People Escape Accountability

After a painful breakup during university, former sweethearts Shen Xingruo and Lu Xingyan unexpectedly reunite years later on a reality dating show designed to reconnect exes.

To generate angst, the writers keep the female lead on friendly terms with the love rival long past the point of credibility. The rival displays the same possessive, suffocating behavior that once drove her away from the male lead, while abusing his professional position to pursue a personal vendetta against ML. As someone shaped by childhood trauma from her parents' abusive marriage, she should recognize these warning signs. Instead, she repeatedly allows the rival to undermine a man she still clearly has feelings for, while tolerating his constant intrusion into her romantic life.

Rather than earning complexity through consistent characterization, the rival is artificially softened through moments of uncanny emotional insight into couples he barely knows and a redemption arc that clashes with his systematic efforts to sabotage the central couple. Most revealingly, he confesses his feelings to the male lead as a calculated provocation before ever telling the female lead herself, weaponizing his feelings rather than honestly expressing them.

The drama's contrivances occasionally tip into comedy. A scene in which the male lead delivers what he believes is news of the female lead's father's death begins with an awkward resort announcement, as though a death notification requires a warm-up act. Later, the plot collapses under escalating misunderstandings and manufactured trauma designed to destabilize the female lead just enough for the rival to make his move.

What makes this especially frustrating is how the drama handles the rival's exit. Instead of giving him a genuine reckoning, it reframes his retreat as noble self-sacrifice. In reality, he remains a manipulative and hypocritical figure whose obsession is mistaken for romance and whose possessiveness is mistaken for protectiveness. The hypocrisy peaks when he warns off the female rival for mere suspicion of behavior he just openly admits to himself. Even more implausibly, the female lead entrusts a comatose male lead to his sole care the day after hearing him declare how much he hates him.

Ultimately, the drama bends character logic and accountability around a wish-fulfillment fantasy in which multiple desirable men remain devoted to the female lead. The rival is redeemed through the intensity of his feelings regardless of the damage they cause, leaving obsession, manipulation, and willful blindness largely unexamined. The result is a central romance weakened by interference the drama works far too hard to excuse.

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A Splendid Story; Fire the Editors

Overview:
Compared to how much I have ranted and raved about this drama, my rating is harsh; it aligns with my brain not my heart – let me explain. From the start, the audience can immediately tell that this drama is of a different standard, whether it is the cast, the story, or the camerawork. The first few episodes are entirely to build up the plot, making it relatively easier to understand. After that, the romance progresses slowly but steadily, leaving you on the edge of your seat, wondering what's next. But by around episode 30, it feels like the editors gave up and just started doing whatever. A mess, honestly. Now, the plot is still understandable, but it becomes slow, boring, and almost redundant. The scenes are sloppily placed around as if the editor threw a die to determine what they would edit next. If not for the outstanding acting of ALL of the cast, it could have gone much worse. 'A Splendid Match' is most definitely not a bad watch, but it will not meet the same expectations it created from episode one. If you don't want to end up disappointed or unfulfilled, you can stop watching at around episode 30 or just a bit after GJZ and CYY's wedding.

Context:
Originally, this drama had 36 episodes, but the editors got bored and let their imagination fly to the Vegas casinos. They really gambled and did anything yet also everything. So happy to be a mess. By editing the drama to become 40 episodes, they cut a lot of CYY's scenes, especially the ones with GJZ. In particular, there is a line where he says 'I don't care about anything except for my wife.' They had the NERVE to cut that out.

Some people have mentioned that this was done in favour of Winwin, as he has strong backing in the industry. Before anyone throws a fit, this isn't hate towards him; the industry is fraudulent and we need to admit it. It would make sense considering the amount of 'highlighted' scenes YX has, but to replace CYY's scenes with his is ridiculous.

Story:
The story in itself is wonderful, mostly. From the start, there is a clear understanding of what each character wants, but it doesn't categorise them into the good v. the bad. These characters are genuinely three-dimensional; they have fears, joys, angers, motives, plots, etc. You really want to see what happens next because this drama feels real. The characters have become alive, and don't act for the sake of the plot, but 'for themselves'. The politics is well-written, and it's noteworthy to mention FHL who embodied nuance. He really represents the fact that if you do something to such an extreme, you often end up on the other end of the scale. Even if he gambled on innocent lives, he believed that he did this for the good of Yan and its people. For once, the politic-centric plot is watchable and not the same 'good' v. 'evil' debate repackaged (though barely) with overly-confident leads.

It's a shame that the editors started playing Russian roulette 3/4s in. The final arch wasn't difficult to understand, but confusing in terms of progression and motive. It felt like the characters were just wandering with no sense of direction. Again, as I have barely mentioned, this is due to the editors cutting and adding scenes randomly. It's amazing how much editing affects the entire plot, because after losing a sense of direction, the audience then loses a will to watch it. Not to mention the ending is beyond underwhelming. It cuts with CYY carrying GJZ out of a burning mansion to the voiceover of a eunuch reading the Emperor's edict. You expect that there's another scene, literally anything, to give you some closure about what happens next, but no, that's the end. 'The end!' the editors happily say, probably.

While the editing may have been ridiculous, it must be mentioned that the filmmaking did not disappoint. In particular, the battle scenes in the last three episodes were amazing. They encapsulate the terror of war, and for once, the leads in a C-Drama are visibly, actively fighting their enemies. In particular, I liked how CYY made sure his enemies were completely dead but slicing their throats, even if they had already been stabbed. The need for detail was perfect.

(Take this with a grain of salt.)
Many readers of the original novel have also mentioned that the setting has greatly changed. For example, in the novel CYY had two children with his first wife: a son and a daughter. The son is CXQ and falls for GJZ, but she ended up becoming his step-mother.

Characters:
CYY – I think San Ye might be one of my favourite characters ever written. Granted, it may be thanks to Ci Sha's immaculate acting, but wow, he is just so likeable. Whether it's his intellect or his mannerisms, everything is just likeable. He proves to the audience that he IS a splendid match with GJZ, because he genuinely respects her. Instead of wanting to control her in the name of 'love,' he fulfils his promise of letting her remain free, even after marriage. A lot of MLs in dramas say that on the surface, but at the end of the day, they all end up controlling the FL, one way or another. But CYY isn't like the others. CYY thinks through all matters seriously and rationally, yet remaining enough emotion to balance out his rationality so that his decisions represent the best answer possible. He is a wise man, and that alone makes his likeable.

GJZ – For one, Zhao Jie's character development is perfect. While she may act irrationally and stubbornly at the beginning, you literally cannot blame her, considering she is still a child. But after the death of her mother, she is forced to become more mature, no longer letting her emotions get the best of her. She learns to take care of things in a more sophisticated and well-rounded manner, and her tasks have far extended business and family matters. The change between these two time periods is evident (must mention that Ren Min portrayed it very well). At the end of the drama, her growth is immeasurable and GJZ shows that she is indeed a splendid match with CYY. They quite literally complement each other.

YX – There is a lot of debate of this character, and I can see why. Similar to GJZ, he also goes through a strong character development arc, but he is forced through it slightly later than her. At the start, his irrationality really gets under your skin. Especially in the scene where he whipped GJZ, I didn't think that anything the writers did could ever make his character redeemable. Yet somehow, he IS likeable by the end of the story. Personally, I believe it has to do with the contrast between an emotionally unstable YX v.s. a YX who is forced to shoulder responsibilities as the head of his family after his father's death. Once he starts realising that his actions have consequences, he acts more clear-headedly. Some people may criticise his hot-headed behaviour in comparison with CYY, but it must be mentioned that YX is around 10 years younger than him.

CYY & FHL – Personally, CYY and FHL reminded me of two different ends of the trolley problem. CYY would rather sacrifice one person he knows to save the trolley full of people, while FHL would sacrifice the 5 innocent people he doesn't know. Technically speaking, CYY would want no one to be sacrificed, but he is still not written to be a character of 'goodness,' making him so much more likeable. FHL in general is just a character of nuance. He has humane sides to him (e.g., his love for his wife, the reforms for the country, etc.), but they're convoluted by his ever-increasing need for control. Simply put, you can't deem him as entirely 'good,' nor entirely 'evil.'

CXQ & GL – Their roles seriously reversed. At the start of the drama, I thought it wouldn't be bad if GJZ ended up with CXQ, because their love really was just puppy love. It was cute, it was simple. With GL, everything she did was infuriating. The schemes she would get into along with her mother to argue with GJZ's mother were beyond redundant. But somewhere along the line, CXQ revealed his true colours as a narcissistic, self-obsessed, maniac. I couldn't help but roll my eyes whenever I saw him preach about his so-called 'love' for GJZ. On the other hand, GL really matured after her mother was sent away to the monastery, and she was forced to recognise her situation in the Gu family. It's nice to see how she moved on from believing that marriage is the only way out for her, to rejecting the proposal of a respected family because she wanted to live for herself.

Cast:
Can you believe that not a single person in this cast let me down? I can't, and I'm overjoyed.

Ci Sha as CYY – Ci Sha's acting has never failed me. No matter what scene it is, he is always able to perfect it. Especially in scenes which require great detail, this man always delivers. He really makes you believe that CYY walked straight out of the novel. Acting involving his eyes seem to be a strong point for this man. After the first battle when they carry YX's body back to the military base, Ci Sha acts out CYY's multiple layers of emotions SO WELL. Words cannot describe what CYY was feeling, yet Ci Sha's acting can. I know I'm really putting him on a pedestal here, but I am beyond impressed.

Ren Min as GJZ – Again, Ren Min did spectacularly. At first, I wasn't sure about this drama because I have not watched her dramas before, and I didn't think her demeanour suited it so strongly. But I was proved to be terribly mistaken by how well she portrayed GJZ.

Dong Sichen (Winwin) as YX – Winwin really outdid himself here. I have watched a bit of his acting in 'Perfect Match,' but never properly finished as I didn't like the storyline, so I wasn't sure about what to expect from him. Often, when an idol starts pursuing acting, they are rightfully criticised; the industry provides them with so many resources, yet these rookies can barely act. However, this is most definitely NOT the case for Winwin. While I have mentioned that the industry may be biased towards him, he lives up to his name of acting well. YX's character cannot be an easy character to portray considering how many different emotions he must show. Whether it's the innate frustration he has for his weak body, his anger and helplessness towards the world, his love for GJZ, etc., Winwin grasped the situation well. Compared to the impression I have of him based on previous memories (NCT, variety shows, etc.), he completely changed in his portrayal of YX – which is a good thing because it shows he can act! I am genuinely and pleasantly surprised by him, and I look forward to his future projects.

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