Reviews

A Dark and Passionate Tale of Forbidden Love

*I have invested 5 years of my life to read this manhwa while it was airing, from start to finish. So my review will be comparative in nature without spoiling the important bits*

This was one of those manhwas that made me go from "what the hell did I get myself into?!" to "Well, that was HELL of an infuriating ride... but DAMN, that was a satisfying ending! I kinda like it :p". By the record, this was my first ever red flag manhwa that shaped me into this 'toxic love" addicted creature. It was an anxious read, problematic and dubious af, which was obviously not at all comforting to read but, oh, I live for those angsty crumbs. 

Now about the drama; honestly and first of all, I was quite doubtful about this adaptation because of its problematic nature, and how they're supposed to showcase such things in the media. But after watching I can say they toned it down A LOT! And I think it's for the better to make it watchable on screen. Omitting the gruesome portrayal of abuse and sufferings was needed because it's not for this type of format. Some things are better if they stay hidden in the closed folds of paper. The content is HUGE and so summing them up within 2 hrs is pretty much commendable. There are no boring moments. So you're are presented a angsty romance with lots of twists and turns!

My only problem is the vertical format. This format doesn't really allow the storylines to delve deeper. But I'm quite happy and satisfied with this adaptation and I must admit that. 
Character wise, in the manhwa and drama, Nakyum is still lovely, lively and full of warmth, but it's Seungho who had a great character change in terms of its source material. Here Seung Ho is more humane than he is shown in the manhwa. Those sharp brush strokes, cold, cynical blazing gaze says that his character is basically emotionless, crazy and tyrant. But in the live adaptation, just because it's a real person acting, his character felt way more humane, soft and loveable than he was there, which I quite liked. 

The actors did a wonderful job! Each and every character was promising, and they gave their best. The direction was also well done, as it literally made me see those still panels coming back to life as if I was reliving the manhwa in front of my eyes. It's one of those manhwas that I'd be uncomfortable/ embarassed to read in public and honestly, I didn't and don't expect to see those level of smutty illustrations in this short vertical format. Kisses were so-so, could have been better, intimate scenes were quite bland, but in this short time not everything could be done as per our taste. Also, there were quite a few changes in this, but not that evident enough to see if one doesn't know what's in the manhwa. 

Overall, I liked it inspite of my initial concerns as the adaptation followed the manhwa very, very well!

P.S: Here linking my feeds post in the comments for those who wants to see the pictorial similarities in the manhwa and the drama.

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Fun but anti-climatic

I’ve watched a lot of dramas that I otherwise wouldn’t based on the reviews of others, when the poster/synopsis/cast itself doesn’t necessarily captivate me, this was one of those times, and good that I did.

To start with the conclusion. Am I glad I watched this drama? Absolutely, it’s fun and the characters are incredible. Will I rewatch this sometime in the future? Probably not.

You should definitely watch this if:
1) You enjoy legal dramas,
2) You enjoy slightly over the top comedy,
3) Enjoy bantering as a plot point not a tool

You should not watch this if:
1) You’re expecting any romance, I feel like it was mis-tagged,
2) You need a fleshed out ending that neatly ties off all the stories,
3) You haven’t watched any of the many other very popular legal comedies (Suspicious Partner, One Dollar Lawyer, Welcome 2 Life, to mention my personal favorites)

Now to some other things I’d like to mention.

Story:
- The ending gets rounded off, but I personally wished they had spent 1-1.5 episodes more to really focus in on what was supposed to be the “big bad”. There’s a lot of setup for a brief climax, I think.
- The device of “show, don’t tell” is an art form, and maybe I wasn’t paying attention, but I swear I was. The drama will quite frequently neither show, nor tell. I feel like I had to assume how “A knew X”, usually it would be a chain of seeing/hearing B, C, D which leads to knowing X.

Acting/Cast:
- The acting truly carries the drama. The main leads’ interactions are great, the interactions between the leads and the primary side characters are great. Truly, I got invested in so many characters, and I usually don’t. This is probably a reason why I wish they had invested more in the ending, because I wanted more time to see what happened with everyone.

Music:
- I had a really hard time figuring out what to score the music. The music “design” is great, it’s fresh, fun, varied, and very different from other dramas. But, the “application” of these designs were jarring at times, the volume in some scenes would genuinely completely overpower the important dialogue that is happening.

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I found *Teach You a Lesson* to be one of the most frustrating school dramas I've watched. Instead of presenting a balanced look at the relationship between teachers and students, the series often felt like it was written to defend abusive and unethical teachers while placing most of the blame on students.

Throughout the drama, there seems to be a strong effort to justify old-fashioned attitudes toward education, including the idea that harsh treatment and physical punishment somehow help children. Rather than seriously questioning these practices, the story often appears to excuse them or portray them as necessary. As someone who believes students deserve respect and protection, I found this message deeply uncomfortable.

What bothered me even more was how the drama handled accusations and misconduct involving teachers. Whenever a teacher was accused of inappropriate behavior, the narrative seemed determined to prove the teacher innocent while casting suspicion on students. The show repeatedly pushes the idea that teachers are misunderstood victims and that students are dishonest troublemakers. This creates a one-sided portrayal that ignores the reality that authority figures can abuse their power and that students can be genuine victims.

The drama also suffers from an unhealthy tendency to treat teachers as morally superior simply because they are adults or hold positions of authority. Students are frequently portrayed as irresponsible, malicious, or criminal, while teachers receive endless sympathy and understanding. This imbalance makes it difficult to take the story seriously, especially when it asks viewers to excuse behavior that would be unacceptable in real life.

What makes this even more frustrating is that it feels like part of a larger trend I have noticed in some recent dramas. More and more, I see stories that seem determined to romanticize or justify harmful behavior instead of challenging it. Some dramas appear to defend the physical punishment of children and teenagers. Others push the message that women should be pressured into motherhood regardless of their own wishes. There are also stories that blur the line between consent and romance, portraying situations involving intoxication or impaired judgment as if they were romantic rather than deeply troubling. Whether intentional or not, these narratives often come across as attempts to normalize ideas that should be questioned and debated, not celebrated.

A good school drama should explore both sides of conflicts and recognize that both teachers and students are capable of making mistakes. Unfortunately, *Teach You a Lesson* often feels more interested in protecting the reputation of authority figures than honestly examining the problems that can exist within schools. Instead of encouraging accountability, it seems determined to defend those in power at almost every opportunity.

In the end, I came away feeling that the drama was less about education and more about justifying outdated beliefs about discipline, authority, and unquestioning respect for those above you. While some viewers may appreciate its perspective, I found it biased, unrealistic, and at times disturbingly dismissive of student experiences. For me, it was a disappointing watch that failed to provide the balanced and thoughtful examination of school life that it could have been.

As Episode 3 demonstrates, many of the adults in this story do not seem interested in helping children grow, learn, or overcome their problems. Instead, they appear more concerned with blaming students for every issue and using their authority to settle personal grudges. The episode gives the impression that certain teachers view students not as young people who need guidance, but as targets for their frustration and resentment. Rather than acting as mentors, they often come across as individuals seeking revenge for their own disappointments, projecting their anger onto children who have little power to defend themselves.

This is one of the reasons I found the drama so frustrating. The story repeatedly expects viewers to sympathize with authority figures while ignoring how unfairly students are treated. Even when adults behave unprofessionally or abusively, the narrative often shifts the blame back onto the children. The result is a drama that feels less like a thoughtful examination of education and more like an attempt to justify adults who misuse their power while portraying students as inherently problematic.

Episode 3 particularly reinforced my belief that the show's priorities are misplaced. Instead of focusing on how teachers can support and protect students, it presents an environment where children are constantly judged, blamed, and punished. The message seems to be that students must earn basic respect, while teachers deserve sympathy regardless of their actions. I found that perspective both unrealistic and deeply troubling.


and thank you for your advices to rate it higher and how i am wrong and you all are right and this drama is Greatest thing ever happen .

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Exactly why i love time travel stories

As someone who has always loved time-travel stories, this drama felt like it was made for me. I was completely invested in both timelines, not just the historical storyline but also everything happening in the present, which made the whole experience even more engaging. The way the two narratives connected kept me curious from start to finish, while the romance was full of longing, trust, and genuinely emotional moments. The chemistry between the leads was fantastic and made it impossible not to root for them, adding so much emotional weight to both the romantic and more dramatic scenes. What really sealed the deal for me, though, was the finale. After everything these characters went through, the ending felt satisfying, rewarding, and exactly what I wanted from this kind of story. Romantic, immersive, emotional, and incredibly entertaining from beginning to end.

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so worth the wait

I really don't even know what specifically to touch upon with this series, I'm kinda in awe after the last episode.
Net and JJ did such a fantastic job, Domundi really does put in the effort.
The yearning you feel watching both NetJJ and LatteKim's character stories is addicting imo.
I personally love period drama's, and this one did not disappoint.
JJ's character is such a goofball but I was so here for it, I truly did not expect him to pull a 180 with the scenes where the character is being killed/harmed.
I have to make a point about Latte and Kim, I was really impressed with them. Kim is absolutely gorgeous, the final episode had him all glammed up and I was here for it.
The NC scenes were done so well too.
I think, personally, the last episode felt a bit rushed. Everything happened so fast with the memories reveal and all the things leading up to Nakun going back in time and returning to the present day, I was not expecting Phop to have already been waiting. I really did like how they handled the time travel bit, I just wished it was prolonged a little more maybe?
It's still a fantastic series in my eyes and I am looking forward to what both NetJJ and LatteKim bring to the table moving forward.

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Firstly i noticed how bad male lead ouji suzuka acting is. His underdog bullied era is not that sad and miserable bro looks blank. then his revenge era has no confidence and menace aura. the mma fighter play by Noritaka Hamao has better cool expression. the taekwondo fighter play by kentaro maeda who is pretty boy himself looks more creepy. Even his friend the producer play by Araki sugou has better emotions. The hamaki school bully in the webtoon he is supposed to be very hot influencers. Why the series makeup him to look delinquent from start. then even minor roles has goki maeda who has much better range of acting.. for the storyline i feel like yea it's fast and im actually immune to it coz Many jdrama has done that. But the final episodes redemption from every villains coz they support ml to fight the biggest tyrant is weird, it's not in the webtoon and too random. viral hit is supposed to focus on how they record and produce contents, it's abt influencers but this series focus too much on fights only. This is my first time I'm writing here proves how bad this live action is

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Honestly shocking.

I am not the type to watch historical C-dramas, but I wanted to give this one a try because of POJ (Pursuit of Jade). Usually with historical dramas I tend to drop it due to the complexity of it and a lot of plot twist, but this dramas was very very good. I would still prefer POJ than this, but this is a very close second. The actors are amazing and their chemistry is off the charts. The plot at the end did seem to confuse me and made me want to skip which is why i didnt give this a 9-10. I have dropped many historical dramas, but the enemies to lovers, fake dating, and their willingness to die for eachother is what brought this show to life and I highly recommend this show to people who want to get into historical dramas or just watched POJ and want to indulge in more historical settings.

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Stayed only for plot

When i started the series, maybe it was fine a few episodes since i was trying to adjust to the story and environment. But then it just felt like the story is going in circles.

Some actors did a good job, and it was hard to tolerate some actors.

But the direction, the execution needed solid improvement. Someone said that this series doesn't make you feel scared and i could totally relate. The bloody night didn't feel scary as a viewer. The fight scenes were very poorly executed, it felt like watching my school classmates fighting with each other.

I gained some interest after Supremo and Zein started getting more screen time and their story developed. I was keeping up only for the plot.

I gotta say, i wasn't very disappointed. I liked the plot twist. So it wasn't a complete waste series for me.

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Very Recommended!!!

I don't know why most of you doesn't like this drama. Because, when I watched it, in my opinion it is much better then the OG (doesn't mean I don't like the OG). This drama seem more realistic and understandable, so I dont't feel like this is a incest, because they always said from the start that they aren't a REAL family. That 2 brothers also have a different gestured form the start, like the romance gesture and sibling gesture. Also, you have to reminded that they already separated for 10 years. ITS A LONG TIME!!! they also get awkward after a long time bcs of that.

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Interesting to pathetic plot

Alright the first episodes were realistic and interesting. Loads and loads of drama, and even though some parts were cringe, they were pretty realistic so i watched it.
But after 7th episode, the story just went overboard.
I was like "what's with the pathetic excuse of a plot" it's like they were trying extra hard to make things worse in the story.
People with weak heart don't watch it. The plot is very dark and i felt it was full of unnecessary grief and all other negative emotions u could name of.
Anyways, i thought it was a waste of time and i could've just avoided feeling all heavy.
But things to be appreciated, the chemistry between the couples are super good. The actors are veryyyyy handsome and attractive and I loved their acting and almost everything..... except the PLOT 😭.

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The MASTERPIECE

after last twilight this is the one i got too involved wholly in this beautifully series main leads especially jj who have carried the more weighted/content on his full fledged series is wonderful had lot of emotions to reflect and net no words to appreciate his acting we all know his thing for series acted on the whole. All character on this drama portrayed very beautifully. I have no words to ill on this drama a completely filled and happy. I am so happy that i didnt ignore watching this. Thank you for the production, direction teams to make this happen thank you so much

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Life in Zha Zha Ting is Never Flat

Truth to be told, I wasn't really interested in "Dazzling" when the promotional poster came up in MangoTV Conference 2025 or 2024 or whatever year it was, as the story gave off that kind of summer carefree vibes that I couldn't bother to discern. Moreover, the plot is quite simple - 2 high school teenagers meet in a coastal village, and their lives are turned upside down - that sort of set up has been recycled multiple times by other youth dramas and I perfectly know how this drama is going to fare with its predecessors. Nonetheless, I started watching because it is written by the same author who pens "Speed and Love", Shi Jiuyuan. Since y'all know I have a deep affinity for "Speed and Love", I can't possibly miss "Dazzling" despite being starred by the two leads that I particularly don't like at all. Let's rock, shall we?

The story revolves around two troubled youths, Qing Ye and Xing Wu. Qing Ye, a high-and-mighty pampered germaphobic little princess from Beijing, is sent away to Zha Zha Ting when her father's business empire crumbles and is particularly unhappy with this arrangement as she has been used to living like a grand princess in the city, not in a modest and unassuming small village with all of its obnoxious inhabitants, ranging from noisy neighbors, creepy perverts, and even her ostentatious aunt, Li Lanfang.

Meanwhile, Xing Wu is Qing Ye's cousin (they are not blood-related, as Li Lanfang was previously adopted by Qing Ye's grandparents before she ran away after being found pregnant with Xing Wu inside her belly). Having lived under torrents of piling debts scraping here and there to make ends meet, Xing Wu decides to suspend his studies and focuses on making money to help his mother put food on the table. Because of that too, Xing Wu develops an indifferent attitude towards other people and dislikes Qing Ye on their first encounter as her prickly personality often gets under his skin. However, beneath the hardened bad boy shell, he's actually good in the heart and often helps other neighbors in need, sometimes without charging money from them. Whenever Li Lanfang gambles the money away to play mahjong, Xing Wu will always look for more opportunities to earn more money. Aside from that, he's also deeply passionate about Qing Ye and wishes to stay by her side forever.

Meanwhile, Xing Wu is Qing Ye's cousin (they are not blood-related, as Li Lanfang was previously adopted by Qing Ye's grandparents before she ran away after being found pregnant with Xing Wu inside her belly). Having lived under torrents of piling debts scraping here and there to make ends meet, Xing Wu decides to suspend his studies and focuses on making money to help his mother put food on the table. Because of that too, Xing Wu develops an indifferent attitude towards other people and dislikes Qing Ye on their first encounter as her prickly personality often gets under his skin. However, beneath the hardened bad boy shell, he's actually good in the heart and often helps other neighbors in need, sometimes without charging money from them. Whenever Li Lanfang gambles the money away to play mahjong, Xing Wu will always look for more opportunities to earn more money. Aside from that, he's also deeply passionate about Qing Ye and wishes to stay by her side forever.

Heavily marketed as a summer drama, "Dazzling" does it job pretty well by showcasing the mundane life of the coastal villagers and how their interactions impact the whole society. Despite the fact that the leads always end up getting into multiple troubles, the screenwriter does a nice job in concocting the resolution and how they still persevere through sheer tenacity and nominal sum of money. The neighbors are surprisingly kind-hearted, jovial, amiable, and supportive of the mismatched family, often lending a hand when they are in dilemma (to the point of letting them staying at their houses in the arson case arc). I also like how the screenwriter portrays the leads to be sanguine in spite of their predicaments and the way they pull themselves together. Most families would've wallowed in grief, frustration, anger, or even a combination of those. They also have a healthy friendship bond with the teenagers there, ranging from the boisterous Hao Chenggong/Huang Mao, the loyal Fan Tong, the art enthusiast Shi Min, the 'bitchy' Cao Fan, and the lovesick straight-A student Ye Yingjian. Together, they establish a study group in preparation for Gaokao with Qing Ye becoming their tutor. Oh yeah, I also love grandma as she is one of the most crucial pillar in the family's little house as the moodmaker of the day.

I understand that this is a coming-of-age teen drama with tons of recycled cliche scenes to display the sizzling chemistry of the main leads amidst the hustle and bustle of the coastal village. I also have a perfectly-timed premonition when a cliche is to be applied and even make some mental notes to embrace myself in the repetitive cycle of rinse-and-repeat. Honestly, a simple high school drama's material isn't that much to begin with, so the screenwriter needs to rake his/her brain and find several feeble excuses to make the episode's counts longer than necessary, including the issues that the family must face in every single episode. From piling debts, salon's vandalism, the neighbor creep, the laptop robbery, arson case, Cao Ping's inability to redeem himself, and lastly dear daddy fetching her back to Beijing, the couple seems to be plagued with endless problems that come out of nowhere as if there were such coincidences in the world.

What is more, I've noticed that "Dazzling" has a myriad of similarities with "Speed and Love", in terms of characters, plots, and even their personalities. I'll list down everything below:
1. Qing Ye's high-and-mighty attitude VS Jiang Mu's spoiled princess act
2. Xing Wu's fondness of fixing miscellaneous stuffs VS Jin Zhao's omnipotence in repairing mechanical things
3. Hao Chenggong and Fan Tong's bond VS San Lai and Jin Fengzi's
4. Li Lanfang as an irresponsible and selfish parent VS Jin Qiang
5. Ye Yingjian's infatuation to Qing Ye VS Pan Kai's lovestruck mode towards Jiang Mu
6. Shu Han is Wan Qing 2.0, minus the brother
7. Qing Ye's daddy VS Chris (Jiang Mu's stepfather)
8. Arson case VS vandalism case
9. Both FLs have the same mindset to set the MLs' path to the bright side
10. Officer Xu VS Officer Lu

As for the acting, I guess I find several problematic points here. Firstly, I'm not fond of Li Yunrui since the catastrophic "Go Back Lover", and I feel that I'm not really liking his model student or even adult vibes - but, he conveys the emotion pretty well during the burnout scene plus his bleached hair is like an icing on top of a cake - he would make a good street punk in another time. Secondly, I feel awfully cringy with Gabriella Guan's acting because she attempts to create several histrionics which doesn't bode well with her character's personality, especially the salon's promotion in the marketplace and him taking her away from the cafeteria after her uniform is stained by food. Moreover, she seems to force her voice to be pitch-high and tries to enunciate every word in a very-slow-mo pace (oh my god, seriously?). Another thing is that Qing Ye is such a sweet talker, and I hate sweet talkers the most because their words often hide ulterior motives beneath and I'm not going to be fooled a second time. For other casts, I have no idea of who they are, except Bian Tianyang (always goes all-rounder playing sidekicks in every drama he stars in) and Wang Jiaxuan (the guy who plays Meng Ruihang, another lovestruck boy who falls in love with Qing Ye - previously, I had seen him in "Amidst a Snowstorm of Love" as Yin Guo's younger cousin, Meng Xiaotian and in "A Journey to Love" as Li Tongguang's attendant). Their acting is quite fine, I must say, because they really embody the village atmosphere so well that I feel I have been thrusted into the same society as well. I may not have grown in a village like them, but I settle down in a suburban area of my city, so we naturally cherish every precious moment in our lives, especially my friends in school.

The OSTs are meh if you compare them with "Speed and Love". Liu Yuning's is the best out of the 6 songs, but I still end up deleting it from my device because it disrupts the flow from "Sing Me to Sleep" by Alan Walker to "Easy Love" by Sigala. Liang Yongqi's is a tad of cringy, but it grows on me after multiple listens. Li Yunrui and Gabriella Guan's is a no-no to me and don't ask me why I say this. Duan Aojuan's is the most cringy song I've ever heard from this drama, as if the melodies were distorted, truncated, or whatsoever. Yao Chen's is too melancholic to my taste, as if I had been listening to a maudlin farewell song. Jeffrey Dong's is decent and has me singing it on loop.

Overall, a not-so-good experience of binging through "Dazzling". However, if you are into heartwarming family drama or realistic romantic relationship, then this drama may be designated for you. One more thing, you'll have to suspend your disbelief for a little while as things can get unrealistic (I mean the conflicts). For me myself, I won't be watching it for the second time since it's not that worth it. That's all for my review, good luck and happy watching!!!

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Honor to Tian Xiaojie!

I enjoyed this not only because of the until-now obscure craft of ink production and use, and the very genuine portrayal of what was involved, but the strong family relationships. Maybe I missed it but I have seen no review that mentioned Tian Xiaojie, who stole the show in my opinion. He was the vehicle for family ties, for family honor, for deep love of his son and grandchildren, for love of his craft. This would be a much poorer production without the depth this actor brought to his role. He was a major mover of the action, Zhen's inspiration and mentor - and he played the role to perfection.

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