Reviews

A Healing Drama Done Right

This drama is all about growth, not just for the main leads, but for every single character, from the boys to the supporting cast. Everyone carries emotional baggage. They've been hurt, they run away, they try to hide from their pain, but eventually they find the courage to face it. At its core, this is a healing drama, and I loved almost every second of it (except for a tiny minor thing, of course).

This is my first time watching Chen Jingke, and wow... I get the hype now. The man can ACT. He doesn't rely on exaggerated emotions or dramatic crying scenes. Instead, he delivers so much through subtle expressions and body language. Wang Fa is the type of character who always wears a calm, composed mask, but Chen Jingke lets us see every emotion underneath it. He absolutely nailed the role. Plus... can we talk about Chen Jingke's visuals? 😭 He's SO manly in such a natural way, and he fits the role of Coach Wang Fa perfectly. I honestly can't imagine anyone else playing him.

And Wang Fa himself? Such a beautifully written character. He's incredibly human. He makes mistakes, owns up to them, fixes them, and keeps moving forward. He never forgets his past, but he also doesn't let it define him. He works hard to put everything back in its proper place, one step at a time.

As for Yu Shuxin, not gonna lie... I couldn't even finish SAL because I just couldn't connect with her character (and... her voice, I'm sorry 😭). But this role suits her SO much better. Lin Wanxing feels like a real young adult who's trying to survive life, deal with responsibilities, and literally drag herself out of bed to work out. She feels relatable instead of overly quirky.
And their chemistry? INSANE. They're complete opposites, yet somehow they complement each other perfectly. Their interactions feel effortless and mature instead of overly scripted or cheesy.

One thing I really appreciated was how the conflicts were written. They didn't throw unnecessary drama at us just for the sake of creating tension. The story builds naturally, starting with the boys' struggles, then Wang Fa's emotional journey, and finally Wanxing's. Every conflict serves a purpose and contributes to the characters' growth.

Speaking of the boys... THEY ARE SO PRECIOUS. They're standing at that awkward stage between being teenagers and becoming adults. They're expected to grow up, yet they still need guidance and protection. I'm so glad they had Wang Fa and Wanxing by their side throughout that journey.

The young actors also did an amazing job. They all have so much potential, and I'd love to see them in more dramas. Liu Jun especially caught my attention, he's incredibly promising. And Yan Yuchen? OMG he annoyed me SO MUCH in certain scenes... which honestly just proves how well the actor portrayed his character. 😂

Now let's talk about the romance. THIS is how you write an adult relationship. I absolutely loved how naturally Wang Fa and Wanxing interacted. Wang Fa teasing her with the QR codes never got old, and Wanxing actually continuing to send him money was hilarious 😂 Even though their relationship started under questionable circumstances, I love how they handled every obstacle that came after. Whenever they had a problem... they TALKED. No ridiculous misunderstandings dragged on for five episodes. No noble idiocy. They got enough push and pull, which is still good. Just two adults communicating, listening, and finding solutions together. More dramas need to learn from this.

The supporting characters deserve some love too. Yu Bo brought so much comedy at the right moments, and Wang Fa's dad? Sir... you are the DREAM father-in-law. 😂

Another thing that makes this drama stand out is that it's not your typical fluffy modern romance. It dives into mental health, psychological struggles, trauma, and healing in a surprisingly grounded way. The problems feel real, and so do the coping mechanisms. Sometimes running away from your problems feels easier simply because you don't know how to face them, and this drama beautifully shows that healing isn't about magically forgetting the pain. It's about learning how to live with it and move forward.

And can we appreciate that ending? I LOVE LOVE LOVE how they wrapped everything up. I didn't need a huge wedding. I didn't need some extravagant happily-ever-after.

I was completely satisfied watching Wanxing finally settle into the life she's always wanted and confidently step into a new chapter. As for Wang Fa... yes, I know you're basically a chaebol rich kid 😂, but I genuinely respect that you chose to keep working and earn your own money even though you never really had to. That says so much about who he is as a person.

Overall, this is easily one of my favorite modern C-dramas released this year. Great story. Fantastic character development. Beautiful chemistry. Excellent pacing. Wonderful execution. If you're looking for a romance that doesn't just focus on falling in love but also on healing, growth, and becoming a better version of yourself, this drama is absolutely worth your time.

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Best made drama of 2026??

It’s very rare that I give full 10/10 for a kdrama, but this time I have to!!

I figured this drama would be good, but I didn’t expect it to be as good as it actually was!
I was thoroughly impressed with every single episode!

I loved the idea that every episode had its own issues at different schools. That alone made me want to keep watching to see what happened next! At one point I made it a little game to see if I could guess what the issue was gonna be and I was only right like one time because there was a plot twist in every episode!

The acting was EXTREMELY well done and they chose the PERFECT acting ors for it! My favorite being Ms.Ha Rim! I already loved her as an actress, but her role in this show made me love her even more! (I wish she was less emotional tho, but it adds to her character!)

Also our leading main man. Omg. I’m obsessed with that man! He did such a phenomenal job! I was starstruck the entire kdrama! (Talk about a silver fox without the silver!! 😩)

The last episode was VERY well done as well! It felt like an end game final boss battle in a video game! They even brought back characters from the earlier episodes for help, which I LOVED!!

This kdrama (at least for me) is my top drama in 2026!

I usually watch romance dramas, so for me to love this drama as much as I do says a whole lot!!

I 1000/10 recommend watching this kdrama!!



(I really hope P.O aka Geun Dae’s actor is doing better! I just saw he was recently in an accident and hospitalized!! Wishing for a speedy recovery!! ❤️‍🩹)

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One of the best Historical dramas 2026!!

I have been eagerly anticipating this most magnificent gem of a drama for a long time, from the moment I started watching this drama I was absolutely hooked. It met my expectations exeptionally well and went above and beyond to become one of the most unforgettable masterpiece in my book. It unquestionably engages, enthrals and capitivates the audiences with phenomenally stellar and top-notch story embedded with jaw dropping, mind blowing, intense, sensational and awesome plot twists and political intrigue. The unpredictability of this marvellous story keeps the audience glued to the edge of their seats. 👌✨️🔥

💫The cast chosen for this drama left me speechless that how brilliantly well suited they are to their roles! From the main leads, to the villians and to the support roles everyone perfectly, flawlessly and magnificently portrayed their respective complex and layered characters to the highest of standards and serving incredibly well employing their brilliant skills and superb talents.💘💯

💫HMH has always been my most favourite actor because he never fails to captivate, mesmirise and enchant his audiences with his flawless and impeccable versatile acting skills to portray a new incredibly complex, challeging and master class role everytime❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥. As XWY he has expertly incorporated his signature versatile and internal acting style, favoring restraint, well controlled emotions, employing subtle micro-expressions, 'eyes first' or 'contrasting eyes' techniques, measured delivery to convey complex feelings/trauma, in combination with imcoperating his action skills into this role to bring this multi-layered undefeated and most feared God of War to life. Using his strong core strength, agility and Kung fu skills he has performed his own stunts brilliantly well to showcase his high level physicality. Thus, employing action as an extention of his Kinesthetic Acting. As always, he was also heavily involved in his own wirework and fight choreography, seamlessly and brilliantly blending extremely physically demanding action with compelling emotional storytelling. I am also thoroughly impressed with AiMi who is well known for her expressive emotional delivery and adaptability. As XJY, she has successfuly transitioned to main lead role by showcasing her excellent ability, extensive experience and skills to create convincing, grounded chemistry with co-stars while bringing a youthful, witty, bold and cute charm to her character. She has expertly employed emotional authenticity, her extensive genre versatility and strong dynamic with co actors to bring this very refreshing and unforgettable character to life. Both main leads executed their highly complex and layered roles to the highest standards and captivated the hearts of the audiences by bringing this gem to life working very dynamically, perfectly in sync and smoothly with other characters.

💫HMH has absolutely devoured the deeply layered complex and chellenging character of XWY💥. XWY is a ruthless, fierce, highly intelligent, calculating, stoic, patriotic, majestic and charismatic feared and undefeated God of War, whose priority is to achieve numerous core strategic/political goals and avenging his army who died due to treasonous plotting of cunning villians. While he is hiding and suppressing his real identity as a crown prince WX, he works painstakingly hard to fight the political chaos and inevitable and undesirable wars to bring peace, happiness and prosperity back to their country on all levels. Establishing robustness, efficiency, fairness and justice in the ruling, official and army system. Also devising a hidden strategy with unexpected confidrates to finally defeat the enemies for good. He doesn't mind being misunderstood and playing fake villian to achieve his goals while in reality, he is a selfless heroic guardian who sacrifices everything for the sake of others. He quietly carries the weight of scars of painful past and suffers from life threatening condition. He desprately tries to achieve all his goals within the limited time he has left ignoring his health, safety and his own happiness. Fortunately, he meets good people in his life who sees through his rough and tough persona, sees and understand his hidden pains and trauma and attempts to heal him, support him, care about his happiness, protect and save him for a change.

💫AiMi playing her very first fl role in this drama also nailed her very multi-layered and intricate character immaculately well🥰💖. XJY is very cute, well educated, smart, bold, naughty, strong willed, witty, chaotic, adventurous and free spirited young lady from rich and prestigious household. She is very intelligent, talented and gifted in making mechanical inventions. However, as she has grown up in sheltered and protected environment she is naive, innocent and not world savvy. Her original plan was to travel the world with her beloved. But her dreams gets shattered due to her selling her special invention to wrong people unintentionally and which lands her into serious predicament of getting embroiled and trapped in multiple villians' treasonous and murderous plans. That's how her fate crosses the path with XWY's during his investigation into faulty weapons provided to his army which resulted in 30,000 soldiers butchered. Through arduous journey together with XWY, the audience sees her character developing very brilliantly and surely, she becomes very sharper, wiser, maturer, stronger by learning lightness skills, more resourceful and independent and confident as the political and domestic situations and events unfold in her life giving her opportunities to show her skills and learn life changing lessons. She certainly was never a damsel in distress, but now she also learns to plot and plan to achieve certain outcomes and learns how to see through others scheming to counter it in best way possible. She also employed her formidable engineering, mechanical, alchemi and forging knowledge to make lethal weapons to achieve glorious and decicive victory against enemies.

💫The chemistry of our main leads is phenomenally good! 🔥💞Their interactions are extremely cute, hilarious, chaotic and sweet! And I abosolutey lived for their bickering and bantering which created many memorable comedic moments. The drama shows clearly the journey of their love development: from being bound together with political marriage of convenience, to enemies both suspecting the other to be evil villian, to becoming comrades in arms, to becoming friend zoned, to both realising their deep genuine feelings and then each mustering up courage to confess their feelings to the other and developing into very mutual, deeply in love, sweet, caring, and trusting pair. Their slow burn romance is very uniquely captivating, which highlights, showing love through small beautiful actions of caring, protecting, wishing well, sacrificing, helping others achieve their dreams and happiness, clearing their names when misunderstood, showing deep understanding of other's real character /personality/ motives/ plans, help fixing their complex family relationship problems etc. Due to the unique age-appropriate focus and creative framing of the show, the romantic tension is built through intense micro-expressions, warm lingering eye contact, reassuring hand holding and comforting hugs during high-stakes political schemes. This brilliantly shifts the romantic focus entirely onto emotional vulnerability and mutual respect rather than quick passion. It's very sweet and heart warming how XWY is readily willing to buy XJY a shop so she can realise her dream of helping people with new mechanical and engineered crafts, sells his most cherished horse to provide her with needed money, gives away the precious pheonix heart tokens to help her catch the murderer of her mother, renovates the forging house and encourages her to go traveling for 2 years just to make her happy etc. While it's equally very touching to see XJY trying to become XWY's strongest support to help reduce his burdens, and sincerely encouraged him to clear his name, live as a hero not as misunderstood villian and be good to himself too. It's very satisfying to see them evolve into power couple who have unwavering and unconditional trust in each other and they unite to shatter deadly chaos, protect innocent lives, and safeguard the nation.

The story of couple Prince Ying and LLJ is also very engaging yet very unpredictable and unstable due to political reasons, their personal motives and their mortal enemies backgrounds. And the love relationship between LM and XJY was doomed from the moment LM started to make seemingly questionable choices for various reasons. I also admire the respectful relationship between XY and HYJ, I liked the fact that he conceeded to and respected her choices and happiness very selflessly. The YY x QL guard couple was also very cute, sweet and very firecely loyal.

💫Most important reason I was highly anticipating this drama is because of it's extra ordinary, unique, specular and stunning execution of action scenes. In this role, HMH has transitioned away from the lighter, fluid wuxia movements of his past roles and with great devotion and commitment adapted his athletic background to fit a battle-hardened military General. There is fearsome lethal precision in his standout action sequences which are massive highlight of this drama and His swordplay and battle stances feel heavy, deliberate, and final—reflecting a mighty general who fights out of survival and duty! He has very awe aspiringly handled long sword with real fire on masterfully and rode a tall war hourse with blind fold on expertly and phenomenally well. The combat scenes are incredibly fluid, hard-hitting, and filmed with dynamic, cinematic camera angles. His exceptional core strength enabled him to pull off complex mid-air choreography—such as 360-degree Thomas spins on wires—without losing his facial composure. This meant the director could keep the camera tight on his face during high-stakes battles, maintaining the emotional stakes of the scene perfectly well.

💫This drama stands out as a triumph in the historical drama landscape, delivering a tightly written and visually stunning story that breaks away from generic tropes. The story itself is Grand and unique and very unforgettable because It encompasses very complex and Intricate Intrigue. The narrative weaves a complex web involving fallen clans, fake identities, and a battle for the throne tied to the mysterious Phoenix Heart tokens. In addition, the political intrigue is genuinely clever. The characters operate with sharp tactical logic, making the high-stakes power struggle for the throne feel earned and intensely engaging. The story moves with exceptional Pacing and demonstrates Smart Writing. It effortlessly encompassed the emotional, and social struggles, highlighting timeless issues like class, women's rights/empowerment and social change, making them feel relevant today. It brilliantly kept multiple romantic stories with various dynamics engaging, suspenseful, exciting and captivating while immersing the viewers in the world of warfare and political intrigues. Viewers get to have taste of how the art of war is employed: the wisdom, the reasons, the psychology, the capabilities, the decisions, the restrictions, the decipline, the miltary rules and ranks, the effects of wrong decisions made on the royals, ministers, citizens' and army's lives

The 28-episode format keeps the story incredibly focused, eliminating the dragged-out misunderstandings and useless side-plots that plague typical historical series. The supporting characters and antagonists were also given distinct motivations, which ensured the political web feels alive and dangerous rather than flat and just existing. What's more interesting is that the villians grow more cunning, and unpredictable as the story progresses because their intentions, motivation, plans morph and change as the story progresses, the plots takes unexpected twists and turns, providing viewers with most wild and exciting experiences.

💫The cenimatrograpghy of the drama is absolutely fire!! The set designs are magnificent and costume choices are gorgeous, capturing a refined historical atmosphere.The soundtrack perfectly complements the show, amplifying the tension during strategic standoffs and adding weight to the emotional payoffs. The directing of this drama is unquestionably ingenious. Rich attention to details in set designs, luxurious and status related costumes, resonating BGMs and OSTs, immersive atmosphere, mesmirising sceneries, very elaborate and engaging camera angles all blended in gloriously and splendidly well to bring this majestic work to life. This historical drama has high production quality, strong acting and a delicate balance between historical accuracy and compelling storytelling.

💫ENDING:

Holy wow!!! XWY managed to rebuild the country from the ground and completely annihilate the enemies with the help of unexpected LM, LLJ siblings, his family and his wife XJY's invented lethal weapons and his reformed Beifu army who was loyal to the people.

I was so happy HYJ became a renowned teacher, RS continued her medical practice, her son being inspired by XJY, is following in her steps. XY is busy performing his duties well. While our martial artist Guards pair has been promoted to being commanders. NX is still carrying out her duty of being top class manager and accountant of all Miraculous Crafts Shops. 💕

Most importantly, we are gifted with most marvelous and beautiful ending for our main couple. He kept his promise to cling to life for her sake and she kept her promise to look after herself for his sake. I totally forgive LM for everything because he turned out to be very a good and wise Emperor and a good man after all. No matter what, he has snatched XWY back from the deathly grip of the grim reaper. Although, XWY lost his memory, it was so beautiful that XJY's pheonix red hair ribbon and the black iron sword she especially forged for him, brought back his memories. Then OMG! they reunited in the most heartwarming, iconic and exciting way, I was completely blown away with the perfect execution of that scene. And yes XJY made sure to pinch XWY for us to make sure it was not a dream!!! 🎊🎉💯

Overall, I enjoyed this extraordinary and fabolous work a lot. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical, romance and war dramas. This drama was so good I wanted it to never end, I fell in love with the insanely good cast, I hope main leads collab in the future too. It is 10/10 in every aspect for me!! ☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆

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All the world may be a stage, but not everyone is a great playwright

Set in Shanghai during the days just prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, Saturday Fiction attempted to be a noirish spy thriller. My experience with the film was trying to follow a muddled mess of a story with little character development. Even the glorious Gong Li could not overcome the film’s problems.

Famous actress Jean Yu returns to Shanghai after spending time away in Hong Kong and globe-trotting. Her ex-lover, Tan Na, is directing a play based on their romance and has asked her to star in it with him. Jean stays in the Cathay Hotel situated in the French Concession. The hotel is filled with spies and soldiers, all skulking about, seeking intell on their enemy. Jean’s ex-husband is being held captive and is loathed by Chinese and Japanese alike. She’s there to help him escape and gather information for her foster father, the enigmatic bookseller, Frederic Hubert. A Japanese officer brings a new code book to town which garners a great deal of interest. Coincidentally enough, Jean is the spitting image of his late wife. Hmmmm…..

Gong Li made the most of her role as the “box of secrets”. She truly is mesmerizing to watch, even with this lame plot. Mark Chao was largely extraneous to the film though the age gap didn’t bother me. I could easily see how they would be attracted to each other. The stage play snippets only served to interrupt the flow and pace of the story which became very frustrating. Also, that was a crazy extravagant set. During the scene they showed repeatedly, the two actors whispered their lines to each other with music blaring in the background. Microphones weren’t used during plays in 1940 so no one in the audience would have heard a word spoken.

I didn’t like Lou Ye’s style in this film…at all. He overutilized extreme close-ups, blurred images, and a shaky camera following each tiny movement. Let Gong Li’s expressive face tell her story! Characters were given no backstory, development, and/or motivation. I honestly didn’t care who lived or died. For older viewers the Cathay Hotel was reminiscent of Casablanca with spies lurking about everywhere. Or for younger viewers, John Wick’s Continental if Winston and Charon listened in on all the phone calls. When the final 30 minutes were approaching, I begged the film to give me satisfactory answers. It did present a long shootout that at least helped determine which side people were on depending who they were shooting at. Even that didn’t provide definitive resolutions and revelations.

Saturday Fiction starred a great cast, was set during a tumultuous time in the glamorous “Solitary Island”, and had enough intrigue to make a dozen films. Yet due to problematic pacing and narrative issues, the film was strangely disappointing. Having said that, if you are a fan of Lou Ye’s shaky style and penchant for blending fantasy with reality, this might be one to check out. I can see where there is an audience for it, it just wasn’t for me.

22 July 2026

Trigger warnings: Sexual assault. Smoking.

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Key to the Phoenix Heart proves that genuine chemistry comes from great acting.

I still can't believe how they managed to create so much *kilig* without relying on overly intimate scenes, especially considering Aimee's age. The chemistry between Neo and Aimee felt natural, sweet, and believable because it was built through their expressions, quiet moments, and emotional connection rather than physical romance.

Neo delivered a strong performance, balancing charisma and restraint, while Aimee held her own with subtle but expressive acting. Their interactions never felt forced, making every shared glance and small gesture meaningful.

*Key to the Phoenix Heart* proves that genuine chemistry comes from great acting, thoughtful writing, and careful direction—not just romantic scenes. It's refreshing to see a drama that lets the emotions speak for themselves.

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LOVE CAN CHANGE AND HEAL ANYONE

If there is anyone who does not believe in love, i guess, this drama is the one that can change your perception. The story portrays an "emotionless princess" meeting a prince who has been taking care of his autistic brother and gradually falling in love with each other and together become a family whoes warmth and care change them and also change their perception of life and love. Anybody not crying in it may be too strong hearted or like heartless. The story was never boring for a moment to me but also one of the drama where i crave to watch the next episode.
Oh Jung Se playing the role of Moon Sang tae really touched my heart. It provess the struggle went through by these type of people and their families and has also beautifully portrayed their feelings , how they want to loved also, how they want to be independent too and how much they desire to live like everyone else. As an actor and actress, I really liked Kim Soo Hyun and Seo Yea Ji. As a drama-watcher, I will prevent meddling in their respective controversies but would condemn anytype of wrong doings they have done if proven but till then will also look forward to their works as they impressed me.

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IMPRESSIVE

This is a heartwarminh drama, rated 13+, and perfect for watching with friends and family. I loved the clear and straightforward storyline.

I loved all the actors they all performed brilliant. The veteran actors and actresses who worked on this drama also delivered outstanding performances. I really admire HMH personality, a true gentleman who warmly welcomed Aimi as partner job and also treat her like his own little sister.

I've seen some videos of HMH praising Aimi and encouraging her not to doubt her abilities. HMH provided a lot of inspiration during filming, and Aimi learned a lot. HMH's greatest confidence in Aimi was when he repeatedly expressed his desire for her to be the female lead when he became a director. I look forward to HMH and Aimi's next drama/film collaboration.

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Intellectually written and a refreshingly different themed series.

This series brought me back to my youth when my math teacher used to tell us, “Math does not lie.” Words can be manipulated, but arithmetic cannot, it is either right or wrong.

Loosely based on a true story, Under the Microscope tells the fascinating story of how a mathematician exposed the injustice committed by powerful, land-owning nobles through the undeniable logic of mathematics. It is an enlightening reminder that facts can prevail over influence.

What I appreciated most was how refreshingly free the series was from the usual C-drama clichés: no excessive CGI, no endless 15-minute conversations, and no unnecessary filler storylines. Told in just 14 episodes, it proves that great storytellers don’t need superfluous writing. Even J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy was adapted into films totaling under 10 hours. Sometimes, less truly is more.

The acting was close to perfection. It reminded me of the classic Chinese films I grew up watching, where performances felt natural rather than theatrical. Zhang Ruoyun delivers an outstanding lead performance, but what impressed me just as much was the strength of the entire supporting cast. Every actor felt authentic, a testament not only to their talent but also to the director’s ability to guide each performance with realism and restraint.

Does the story drag at times? Occasionally. But because the series is so concise, the few slower moments are easily tolerated. I especially enjoyed the constant back-and-forth between the protagonists and antagonists, where neither side gained an easy advantage. The understated ending was exactly what a grounded, intelligent drama like this deserved. It didn’t need grand spectacles or explosive finales to leave a lasting impression.

Under the Microscope is proof that intelligence, compelling performances, and disciplined storytelling can be far more captivating than flashy production values

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Doctors don't only belong to hospital, they belong with people!

GREAT DRAMA! Enjoyed every episode and all the characters on the island. The story building and the moments between all the characters are well-written. It's neither too heavy nor too light. I liked the village chief, FL's grandma, and other people of the island, through each character there's something to learn that the director wants to portray.

Both the ML and FL have their own insecurities and past traumas, how they navigate through it together and overcome them, is an interesting journey to watch. That plot of public health doctors vs. nurses is always funny to watch. Towards the end, they all appear like a family, bonds formed over a course of time.

The public health centre at the island goes through many challenges, especially after the arrival of ML, but with each challenge their identities are more refined. The drama is not limited to island only, but connects to the mainland also. How patients are transferred to mainland for treatment, that governor whose political agenda runs on rural medical care accessibility and many other elements.

The drama never makes you feel bored or overstimulated. There is always a peaceful lingering in the background maybe because of the character of FL. I loved those dialogues that came on the screen at the end of every episode. Also, how the drama ends on the note of the hope of SEASON 2.

I personally loved this drama. No overacting or over-complicated plots. Most of the scenes are engaging, and the drama teaches valuable life and personal lessons throughout. A wholesome, lighthearted drama for sure!

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