Reviews

What a waste of time

I started watching this drama thinking it was going to be great. The actors were amazing, the music was good, the female lead, even though a bit over the top, was okay. And then, at episode 31, it feels like they ran out of money to pay the screenwriters, so they decided that the intern should write the ending. The ending was so bad, I have rarely seen something like this. It made no sense, it came out of nowhere. It was so disappointing. I feel like I wasted so many weeks watching this drama just for that in the end. I was so pissed.

It feels like they tried to finish the story by rushing everything. When the male lead decided to die for whatever reason, they decided to bring him back to life right after, at the end. He just appeared like, oh, by the way, everybody was aware. What? Also, he left the female lead to deal with everything on her own while pregnant, which feels kind of wrong, considering the character that he was playing all along. Also, some villains that were actually very calculative and smart, all of a sudden decided to fight the female lead head-on and completely change behaviors, which was completely stupid.

No, really, I am very disappointed. I thought it started great, and I really thought it could be a very good drama, and now I feel like I just wasted so many weeks.

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Despite its many, many faults, I liked this and have watched it many times ...

Copied this from #1 because it's about the same, other than a tiny bit about the ending.
Actors ... I liked most actors, and they suited their characters especially Yang Zi and Cheng Yi, I have watched and loved both in other shows.
Characters ... The ML and FL were good, but some side characters were unnecessary.
OST ... Beautiful and well used within the show
Story line/plot ... Hmmm, the story line, at its core was very good, but it was flooded with forced confusion and angst which made it frustrating to watch.

This was a typical Xianxia .There is a lot to cover but I decided to keep it short. 1 of the most forced, problematic shows that I have seen, and I have seen a lot.
The FLs character was likable but was too obsessive/self-sacrificing. Her focus on love was too profound; it made her character seem weak and far too forgiving. She sacrificed so much but was given pain in return.
The ML started off likeable, but his ‘love’ lacked depth and was self-righteously pious. The show wanted us to see his heartbreak and feel his tears, but I wanted to see him fight for his love, not give her up so easily.
The ‘evil fairy’ ... her voice made me want to throw my PC out the window, but the actress was fantastic.
The sister made me want to throw my computer off the roof, but I liked the actress,
A lot of the problems could have easily been avoided and that drove me crazy.
Main plot. It's all very same old, same old but the Main leads made it enjoyable. There were a lot of side stories which made the show a little boring at times and far too many characters. I am OK with sad/tragic endings; I would rather that than a strange happily ever after endings. If you cut out the unnecessary parts, it could have been a lot shorter and more profound. For all the things I disliked I still enjoy watching this; I do skip all the boring bits.

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Indeed a Chinese Drama with it's own Uniqueness

Note, this will be a short review.

Though the drama has the touch of religious and philosophical content, it is an extraordinary one among fantasy dramas that I've watched. Though lacking romance (a drama which I really want to watch), the story is really good and interesting right from the very first episode. The story focuses on self-realization and enlightenment of Tang Lici about his origin and his adventures with his companions as they unfold the mystery behind the ghost pill, a mind-controlling drug that enhances martial arts. The plot that really hooked me is the story behind the strong hatred of Liu Yan for Tang Lici, as they are brothers under their dearest master. And as the story progresses, all I want to watch is for them to reconcile, forgive each other, and fight for justice against the mastermind who plotted the whole mess, but I find this part a bit lacking; it didn't give them a chance to bond happily together after the revelation of the truth. And as it ends, it still left me with so many questions, and the memorable one I spoke out loud that time was, "Huh? So, it's like everything will be normal if no Tang Lici exists?" But overall, this drama is a recommendable one.

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This series was gking so well and great. Acting is so good, the ediing and screenplay was great. I was laughing and enjoying all way.

In ep one leng Acting was so great that i was angry on his bratty behavior.

In ep two after Great travel back to the past, i like the details of how he try to figures out what happens.

In ep three, i loved how it turn without flaws to comdey. I especially liked the scenes durian chips. The editing was good and funny. The chemistry between August And Leng was great at the end. I want to their character and relate developer.


Overall i looking forward.

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Good show, AMAZING PLOT, but the ending? director can go all the way to hell.

BITCH this was a good plot so so so so good, but this ending i hate it so bad like the fuck are we supposed to assume the ending. this makes me so angry, like what the fuck what happened, does he die, do they die together, what happed to everybody else, do they leave them, do they stay ive never had a bl make me feel so angry THIS cant be the ending like did they run out of money im a little confused the director is playing fucking games and usually gagaoolala snaps with their bls but this one got me heated asf idk if yall know but im mad like EUGHHHHHH. WHERE IS THE REST.

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Despite its many, many faults, I liked this and have watched it many times ...

Actors ... I liked most actors, and they suited their characters especially Yang Zi and Cheng Yi, I have watched and loved both in other shows.
Characters ... The ML and FL were good, but some side characters were unnecessary.
OST ... Beautiful and well used within the show
Story line/plot ... Hmmm, the story line, at its core was very good, but it was flooded with forced confusion and angst which made it frustrating to watch.

This was a typical Xianxia .There is a lot to cover but I decided to keep it short. 1 of the most forced, problematic shows that I have seen, and I have seen a lot.
The FLs character was likable but was too obsessive/self-sacrificing. Her focus on love was too profound; it made her character seem weak and far too forgiving. She sacrificed so much but was given pain in return.
The ML started off likeable, but his ‘love’ lacked depth and was self-righteously pious. The show wanted us to see his heartbreak and feel his tears, but I wanted to see him fight for his love, not give her up so easily.
The ‘evil fairy’ ... her voice made me want to throw my PC out the window, but the actress was fantastic.
The sister made me want to throw my computer off the roof, but I liked the actress,
A lot of the problems could have easily been avoided and that drove me crazy.
Main plot. It's all very same old, same old but the Main leads made it enjoyable. There were a lot of side stories which made the show a little boring at times and far too many characters. If you cut out the unnecessary parts, it could have been a lot shorter and more profound. For all the things I disliked I still enjoy watching this; I do skip all the boring bits.

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O luto não trabalhado e a evolução do protagonista

Uma das grandes surpresas do ano para mim no mundinho da dramaland. Sendo honesto, o primeiro episódio quase me fez dropar esse dorama, porém fico feliz por ter continuado assistindo a essa obra extremamente surpreendente.

Desde o início eu entendi (ao meu ver) a mensagem que o drama queria transmitir: falar sobre luto, amadurecimento, depressão silenciosa e fazer críticas ao exército coreano de forma bastante explícita. Mas o que mais me surpreendeu foi como a comédia foi inserida na história sem jamais perder a essência principal da obra, que é, na minha opinião, a evolução do protagonista e sua jornada de cura interior e exterior após a perda de alguém muito próximo.

Durante a história, o protagonista recebe a difícil missão de provar seu valor não apenas para todo o batalhão, que desde o começo duvidava de sua capacidade, mas também de encarar de frente um luto que nunca havia sido devidamente trabalhado. Em meio ao caos psicológico em que se encontra, ele precisa encontrar um novo caminho para seguir, e isso acontece através da culinária, que desempenha um papel fundamental em toda a narrativa.

É por meio da comida que ele consegue se reconectar consigo mesmo e, conforme os desafios surgem ao longo dos episódios, passa a elaborar sua dor. Ele se apoia nas lembranças e nos ensinamentos deixados por seu pai, recordações que talvez nunca tivesse valorizado antes justamente por nunca ter enfrentado uma perda tão significativa. Aos poucos, ele trilha um caminho que jamais imaginou seguir em sua vida.

A culinária representa justamente essa ligação com o pai. É ela que mantém viva essa conexão e permite que o protagonista finalmente vivencie seu processo de luto. Ele passa a se permitir sentir, mesmo estando inserido em um ambiente que, teoricamente, não oferece espaço para tristeza, fragilidade ou dor. Essa é uma das grandes ironias da série: um ambiente criado para disciplina, obrigação e serviço acaba sendo justamente o lugar onde o protagonista consegue reencontrar a si mesmo e criar laços com as pessoas ao seu redor, que se tornam pilares fundamentais para seu amadurecimento.

Outro detalhe que considero muito interessante é o pássaro que acompanha o protagonista durante praticamente toda a história. Na minha interpretação, ele simboliza o espírito de seu pai, permanecendo ao lado do filho de forma silenciosa e indireta, guiando-o pelos desafios que enfrentará dentro do exército.

Também vale destacar como a crítica ao sistema de poder dentro do ambiente militar é muito bem construída. A série questiona um sistema que obriga os homens a se alistarem enquanto romantiza um espaço que, na prática, é marcado por disputas de poder, abuso de autoridade, falta de empatia e descaso com aqueles que literalmente estão servindo ao país. Existe uma falsa promessa de honra, acolhimento e reconhecimento, quando, na realidade, muitos soldados acabam tendo sua saúde mental deteriorada em nome dessa estrutura hierárquica que insiste em vender a imagem de um exército moderno e acolhedor.

Outro aspecto interessante é a forma como a comida também é utilizada como instrumento de crítica social. Enquanto os oficiais de alta patente desfrutam de refeições de excelente qualidade, os soldados das camadas mais baixas enfrentam uma negligência alimentar tão grande que, antes da chegada do protagonista, consumiam alimentos que sequer eram considerados dignos para pessoas, sendo comparados à comida destinada aos porcos no fim do dia. Essa representação da alimentação possui um forte simbolismo, evidenciando como o abuso de poder e a desigualdade permanecem presentes, permitindo que aqueles em posições superiores negligenciem os mais vulneráveis em benefício próprio.

Enfim, eu amei essa história. Foi uma excelente surpresa e um dos doramas que mais me marcaram neste ano. Durante toda a série eu me lembrava de "Silver Spoon", do BTS, pois acredito que a música representa muito bem a principal crítica social presente na obra, ao abordar temas como desigualdade, hierarquia, privilégios e abuso de poder, elementos que estão constantemente presentes dentro da estrutura militar retratada pelo dorama. Já "Dog Days Are Over", da Florence + the Machine, me remetia à jornada do protagonista, simbolizando sua evolução emocional e o processo de superação do luto. Assim como na música, o personagem passa por um longo período de sofrimento até finalmente encontrar forças para seguir em frente e enxergar um novo significado para sua vida.

Por fim, também vale ressaltar a incrível atuação de todo o elenco, a excelente direção das cenas de comédia, que conseguem equilibrar leveza e emoção sem comprometer o tom da obra e, principalmente, a atuação de Park Ji-hoon, que mais uma vez entrega uma performance excepcional.

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Finally watching this was like a weight being lifted off me

It took me so long to finally watch this one. I've had this show in plan-to-watch, undecided, back to plan-to-watch, to currently watch, then back to plan-to-watch over the last 10 months & I finally decided enough was enough and forced myself to sit down and start it. After the first episode, I started watching it at X1.5 & X2 speed, mostly X2, because everything just felt slow. Not the pacing per se, but the line delivery felt so slow that even at X2 speed I had to check a couple of times to make sure I wasn't watching at normal speed. I also knew that I was going to have to push myself to finish it in one sitting, or I was going to have a hard time making myself pick it back up.

That's not to say the series is bad; it's just that nothing really happens. It's definitely a coming-of-age story that focuses more on the friendship and romance of our main characters than actual problems. Except for episode 8, we actually got some drama there.

Before I really get into spoilers, let's talk about the things I liked
* The OP was sung by Phuwin
* Dunk and Lookjun's chemistry
* Dunk & Phuwin's kiss; it gave me a good laugh. The music room scene right after was also funny.
* The acting was all around great. Dunk's was especially good. White was my favorite character. I need more series with Dunk and Phuwin together.
* The sleepover was probably one of my favorite scenes because of how White and Lune were getting dragged into things.

Now into the spoilerly complaints!

Starting from the very moment Lune is introduced. It is utter bullshit that Lune isn't noticed by anyone. Were they going for a Kuroko's Basketball angle where he has such little presence that no one noticed him? I'm not buying it.

Another thing that bothered me just a bit is that Zen (AJ's character) comes back in episode 4 for what reason? Why was he there? Why did he get kicked out of school? What does that have to do with Lune? I was actually interested in knowing these things, but I will also acknowledge that they aren't important.

Ivy annoyed me a lot in the beginning because of how possessive and outright aggressive she was. It wasn't until she found out about Star and Lune dating that I actually started to like her at all.

Most of Star's friend group is in love with her. *Eyeroll* I hate this mainly because it's so overdone. Ivy and White going back to being her friends like nothing happened also felt unrealistic. It's almost like they didn't need any space from her at all before they were back to being her friend and watching her love someone else. That would hurt way too much to continue being around them like nothing happened. She didn't really treat them the best either; in my opinion, her lying to them felt more like avoiding the problem than sparing their actual feelings.

I don't think Lune agreeing to keep their dating a secret was right either, but he at least had a good reason. Trauma. Honestly, I'm more upset that he started the relationship in the first place. He knew White liked her, and even if she didn't like him back, that is still your current best friend. Someone who helped make you not invisible to everyone, who included you in things, who made sure that you knew you were welcome. At least do the boy the courtesy of telling him that you like the same girl. I know that Lune is introverted and is afraid of stepping on toes, but he's already doing that by sneaking around and lying.

When Star was being threatened by Sunny/Nana, it led to even more sneaking around and lying, & they ended up hurting White more than if they had just told him the truth from the start. The thing White fears the most is being alone, and while they were dating & Jewel was finding out what love is, that is all they did to the poor boy. It only got worse after the threats, and to be honest, he forgave them way too easily. I don't think it would have gone as smoothly if everything with Nana hadn't happened & Lune hadn't tried to find any way possible to help. Also, I don't think Lune should have taken most of the blame. You've known the boy for a few months (maybe a year), & Star is one of your best friends from middle school. She should have been the one telling White that she liked Lune.

Star was easily my least favorite of the main characters. She was too much of a damsel in distress. One that apparently can't do anything wrong. Not only were she and Sera literally the same character, but also she explains to the 2 people that love her about her problems with Lune instead of the boy himself. SHE was the one who said they should include Sera in things to make great memories of her remaining time with them. The moment she became insecure or felt like he was spending more time with Sera than she should have spoken up. Not talk to other people. Not wait until she became irritated and angry. But talk to Lune and change how things were going. Did she have a right to be mad? Oh, 100%. Sera is Lune's ex who still has feelings for him, and Lune is still attached to her even if it's mainly guilt. Doesn't change the fact that she started it and then was too afraid to speak up and then played the victim like she was the only one in the relationship trying to make things work when she never spoke up. So yeah, she had the right to be mad, but I don't feel sorry for her. The only thing Lune did wrong here was be blinded by the guilt he was feeling and failing to compartmentalize. He deserved an apology from her, but never got it.

The only other thing that I didn't like was that Jewel & Tan didn't get enough screen time to make it believable that a playboy like Jewel just stopped being a playboy for him and got serious. I also wanted to see White and Ivy find love at the end. It didn't have to be with each other, even though I would have liked that, but even a hint would have been nice. They are the characters that get emotionally hurt the most in the series, and they got no love at the end.

So yeah, this is a series that I will never rewatch unless you pay me.

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handsome deadpan male lead But Female centric stories

If you are here for the male lead, he gets alot of screen time, but this is about mutual respect & problem solving with the leads giving each other meaningful looks & preference rather than anything overtly romantic.
By episode 16 it's starting to feel draggy , and by Episode 20 it's clear what's weighing this series down :WAY too many "mysteries' revolving around injustices to women. Since the start they have driven home the fact that women in this era are unequal & down trodden. {yeah, we Know, it's kinda "built" into the genre!} But, the drama is bloated with the issue & it's become tiresome. This is yet another strong female centric drama where she's the champion with special privileges & the male lead is basically in awe of her audacity. (& of course her looks.) he's the romantic, she's pragmatic. The trait that endears him to the female lead is his ; "what ever you want I defer to you" attitude. Afterall, he does not fight. He uses his mind. That said, his cleverness IS part of his charm AND the female lead IS a champion for ALL underprivileged ,(not just the female ones). Still, with so many episodes left and it NOT being a romance (in the traditional sense), I'm wondering just how they are going to fill the episodes since I feel like it should be able to tie up loose ends within an episode or two. So far the mysteries have been diverting, but not enough to keep you awake if you are sleepy & 1/2 through an episode .The leads are attractive but both are stuck in a character that aren't given much variety in what they do. Hoping the remaining episodes surprise me with fresh plots & character mold breaking.

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Could've benefited from being longer

I really enjoyed this show a lot! The main two characters had great chemistry together as well as were just interesting individuals as well. The plot was great too and I enjoyed it through the end. I've never seen these actors before, and I think they did a great job. Song Ha Neul being the bad guy wasn't shocking to me at all, I predicted that pretty early on, but me predicting that didn't ruin the show for me by any means. I wish the show had more episodes honestly because I would've loved to see the characters background and even their relationship more fleshed out. The finale did feel a bit rushed to me honestly and that is my one complaint. I just wish it was longer! I think it could've really benefited from having at least one more episode.

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Just finished.. and clocking in to review

This was a pleasant watch, all the cast did a great job and there is really nothing 'wrong' with the series. It's a typical office romance and everyone acts their part well. There are few side story lines and the series focus on the romance & office politics with the ML & FL.

I enjoyed the FL friend (super cute) and I wish they did more about her sister other an cameos and it felt like there was a bigger story there. I was glad to see her budding relationship with the 'younger' guy able to keep going. They were a cute couple.

The Ahole Boss was a little over the top, he did everything but sexual harrass his staff. No major company would allow someone at that level to behave in that manner. He clearly was never competent so outside of playing politics unsure how he even was promoted. There was hint at larger executive shakeup due to accepts bribes but it is never played out.

This show was good to just unwind with, it doesn't make you think to much. It's fun, lite weight and once its over you'll feel you watched something decent.

clocking out!

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