Reviews

The most charming Thai BL I've seen

First of all, I want to start this off by saying that I don't watch bl series that have anything else but very enthusiastic consent, and that includes one character being pursued by the other as well. So, when I started watching Duang With You, needless to say I was really put off by the first 2-3 episodes...
If you're like me, I'm begging you to watch on, those first episodes are very misleading. This show absolutely fulfills my requirement of enthusiastic consent.
I would go as far as to say that people who think Qin isn't into what Duang's doing are reading his character wrong - he shows his affectionate in a more subtle way, but the show explicitly says that Duang would stop pursuing him if that would make him uncomfortable, and Qin explicitly says that he is fine being purused by Duang.
So that's that. Duang is a little crazy, but he's not harrassing Qin and I am genuinely baffled by this reading of these characters.

Anyway, this show is insanely cute. I really loved all characters, but Duang's mannerisms and speech is especially charming.

And the sound effects!! I never thought I'd be praising the sound effect in a thai bl drama one day, as if anything they tend to be quite cringy, but in this one? Literal perfection. Whoever came up with those "pip pip pip pip Qiiin~" and "tee tee tee tee Duaaang~" jingles needs an award. Possibly multiple awards.

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
tl;dr: watch this show, it's everything I love about Thai school bls and nothing I don't. :)

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JUST GO WATCH IT!!!

Okay so...I’ve never been able to sit through a Chinese drama without jumping ahead or fast-forwarding. Honestly, same with K-dramas. I can barely make it through five minutes. But very rarely, a drama or movie comes along that makes me savor every single moment. It makes me want to go back and rewatch episodes or replay certain scenes over and over because they give you that warm, fuzzy feeling, like actual butterflies in your stomach. That’s exactly what Pursuit of Jade has been delivering since day one. Pure butterflies 🦋

I have such a big crush on both the male and female leads. Usually I get more into the second couple, but not this time. Their love story was so toxic it was actually scary. It worried me how many people (looking at those IG memes) were genuinely turned on by it. Yikes 😬 Still, it stung a little at the end when the villain finally tried to put her above his own ego and waved the white flag.

The only parts that disappointed me were whenever they brought up his uncle and that 17 years ago betrayal. Those sections felt dampening and slow, but they weren’t a huge portion of the show so I won’t complain too much.

Could this series have been finished in 32 episodes? Yes. Was there some dragging in the middle? Definitely. But despite that, it’s still my second favorite Chinese drama after The Untamed!

It’s everything. All the female characters, Changyu, the second lead girl, the princess, even the side villain’s girl, they were all so BADASS 💪 And the OST ❤️❤️❤️ It would start... and I would just be glued to my TV like... AAAAAHHHHHH this is so romantic.

This was truly Changyu’s show. The male lead, no matter what title he held, was basically playing the supportive role that female characters usually get in action shows and movies. And I loved it ❤️

Okay...but I'm a girl so... let's talk about the Marquis of Wu'an 🤭🥰
Zhang Linghe played such a beautiful character, inside and out. He’s done a lot of period dramas, but none of them stood out like this. It’s not just his face (though that man is stunning and the wig was perfect). His acting felt so controlled and natural, the love, the pain, the dilemma, it all came through so effortlessly. The director did an amazing job with the timing and those close-up shots OMG!!! Like what do you mean he is sitting in a pig shed with light hitting his face at that perfect angle making his eyes look all pretty and his face all angelic like... damn! No wonder she went to war for you. 🤭

The script made him sooo understanding and never insecure about his wife being so awesome that she might outshine him. It would melt any girl's heart. He’s stronger overall, but it was funny how he kept getting injured every time and she would just rise to the occasion. He’d get hurt saving them, recover, and do it again. The way he treated his sister-in-law like his own daughter, how he wasn’t weird or jealous about her pig slaughter squad. He was so respectful of her autonomy without being boring. All of it together was pure magic ✨ And that's why I just love his character now and I'm gonna ask you guys to recommend another awesome show of his pleaseeee.

Something I can't sit through again was the ending. The ending felt a bit rushed though. What? No final fight with the villain? Just jumping off the building covered in blood and the other guy fainting? And the emperor, what a joke. But I can ignore all that because 80% of this show gave me nonstop butterflies and made me so proud of Changyu 🥹

I love this drama ❤️ that's it! :)

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Average

I even preferred the relationship dynamics between Yiyang and Chun Chang. The drama dragged in the first 14 episodes. The actor who plays Li Wu is such an amazing actor and did an amazing job portraying his character's feelings. You can literally feel everything Li Wu's feeling just by looking at his face. He wears his feelings on his sleeve. The FL, however, beside her ML pales in her acting skills. Her expressions for everything we're basically almost the same. She even pretty cries. Like, I can't mess up my makeup. She looks perfect even when just waking up. Makeup and hair perfect. Like wtf. And I know you'll say it's normal in these dramas. I know but c'mon... It was just way too obvious in this one. She's the main reason I couldn't enjoy their relationship to the max. Li Wu carries that relationship. Not just with the acting but also literally(like in the drama of course). Cos there's an obvious power imbalance. No apology whatsoever, after 8 years for the heartbreak she caused him when she tricked him into going to the US. Now, i get why she did that cos bro kept making stupid choices, but c'mon. She says stop and that's it. She says "ok, I'm ready now" and he automatically follows along like a lapdog.

As for Chun Chang, I initially disliked her. Cos why did she keep talking and acting towards Li Wu like that? Yeah, he was legally an adult but with his level of naivety back then, her actions felt paedophilic. And then, she started going after Yiyang and I genuinely don't like those tropes where the lady chases a man because of how they portray the ladies. They always come off as not understanding boundaries. However, after learning Yiyang's character and seeing that he was no pushover himself, I grew to start liking their dynamics. Plus, Chun Chang had a bit of character development too. Her tough girl act would literally all just melt away with him. Lol. I liked that.

Cheng Rui pissed me off when he got bullied to go after Li Wu in highschool cos no matter how they explained his reason for doing that, bullying is never justified. Apart from that, he was such a darling. His relationship with Wanwen was cute too.

Chinese mums... Omg. If you're Chinese or know anything about the culture, please answer this. Is it normal to just show up at your kid's house without any announcement whatsoever and actually have access to their house? I couldn't get over that part. Like, no privacy and someone's already punching in your door code. What the hell? Is that real?

With that being said, I also don't like that in cdramas, the kids get wronged by their parents but the kids are expected to make the effort to understand them and patch things up. I hate that shit. Makes my blood boil.

Well, that's all my thoughts on this drama. Bye.

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LOVED IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT

An absolutely captivating drama from start to finish. The plot immediately drew me in from the very first episode, and I especially appreciated the pacing of the enemies-to-lovers dynamic—it felt natural, engaging, and genuinely rewarding to watch unfold. Each character had a clear purpose within the story, which made the overall narrative feel well-balanced and intentional.
Visually, this drama was stunning. The cast was exceptionally beautiful, and the costumes only enhanced that, adding an extra layer of elegance and immersion. The soundtrack was another standout element—I rarely sit through intro songs, but this one was so beautiful that I never found myself skipping it.
I found myself feeling a great deal of sympathy for Situ Ling. His love for Ming Xian, though initially sincere, gradually transformed into something more obsessive, to the point where he lost his sense of rationality and self-preservation. That progression was both compelling and tragic to watch. On a lighter note, I absolutely loved Ji Bozai’s nanny—she brought so much charm to the story, and I only wish we had seen more of her.
The emotional arcs and storyline were wrapped up in a very satisfying way by the end, which made the overall experience feel complete. That said, my main critique would be the slow communication between characters. This was especially noticeable in the princess’s relationship, where decisions made in the name of protection often ended up causing more harm due to a lack of openness. Similarly, I felt Ming Xian could have revealed the truth earlier, though it’s important to consider that her understanding of her own identity and the political pressures surrounding her heavily influenced her choices.
Overall, this was an incredibly enjoyable watch that I would happily revisit. The romance was genuinely sweet, Ji Bozai was the definition of a devoted lover, and the sacrifices made throughout the story were deeply moving. If anything, the drama leaves you with a simple but powerful takeaway: many conflicts could have been resolved through honest communication.

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WHY AREN'T MORE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THIS DRAMA

. . . . . . . . . . . um . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . so this is a masterpiece and i have genuinely no idea how it's not more popular with dozens of comments underneath. the plot could have EASILY been adapted to a long drama idk if it's a vertical inspired by a long drama but god it is so so good. if it weren't a vertical short cdrama and it had a larger production budget and more fleshing out of the side characters and the male lead's personal emotional turmoil about his mother and father instead of making him a little 2-dimensional in wanting to help the fl as his sole motivation it could be mistaken for a movie. those criticisms i don't usually have for dramas i like that are Much lower quality but i mention it here because they did such a good job i wish it weren't constrained by the limitations of a vertical short lol. like her childhood friend, the friends to found-family to strangers dynamic with two major side characters (i'm trying not spoil), and the intelligent, decisive fl were all so so good that i want more ;-; i'm being so serious right now criticisms and flaws are easier to point out than the good and mentally impactful parts that make the lasting impression on a viewer. the female lead's acting is incredible and had me sobbing audibly in the last 30 minutes (i'm a sucker for dramatic parent-child relationships).

to be clear it's a happy ending it's just a very dynamic plot where the side characters actually have meaning and substance to them so it's like life where you win some you lose some and in this drama, all things considered, the leads came out on top.

i can't believe i stumbled upon this magnificent opaline work of Art because i was going through huang you tian's dramas because i like his face 😭i cannot recommend this enough

watch if you want:
- an incredible plot
- movie-like script
- a badass fl
- a puppy ml
- a loving father of the fl that only ever loved her mother, never remarried, never had more children, never felt the need to have more despite having only 1 daughter, and never blamed his only daughter for not being a son
- quick, decisive revenge
- romance, but it's not integral or the focal point of the plot

there's sexual tension in some scenes but it's not a romance-focused drama where the rules of reality bend around the fl and ml's relationship to make their love more charming to the viewer by using tropes.

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When exactly did we turn into monsters?

Moral depravity, villainy, greed and filthy politics - this drama is a cesspool of damaged people destroying themselves and others in the name of ugly survival.

Manipulative, cunning, ruthless and power hungry Bang Tae Seop would stop at nothing and no one to be one of the top dogs in the political sphere. With his moral compass in the ground, he is not afraid to use and discard people, and eradicate his own pride to get what he wants. Ju Ji Hoon plays him with extreme nuance; bringing about a maelstrom of emotions in his portrayal.

Chu Sang A, played by Ha Ji Won, equal parts victim and devil, is a complicated female lead. All she’s taught is that her femininity and vulnerability will be used against her so she wields that as a weapon when it serves her. Innocent on the surface, she is a real serpent underneath, not hesitating to throw people under the bus when it serves her.

Ha Ji Won played this role beautifully and I couldn’t help but wonder how many parallels were there with her real life. The life of a celebrity is shown to be brutal, 50% in the hands of the media and 50% on the casting couch.

Looking frail, with her bones protruding out, as she throws up her meals and looks sadly in the mirror, constantly under a vicious microscope; she is the picture of an imprisoned show pony. I couldn’t help but feel for her despite everything she’s done.

The truth is regardless of being terrible people however, the two come out to be quite pathetic and pitiful most of the time. They are like wild animals backed into the corner, suppressed by those at the top and no matter how much they try to claw out on the surface, they still have one more boogey man willing to stomp them.

Of course the biggest boogey man is our comical, OTT, petty antagonist Lee Yang Mi who is as hateful as she is entertaining. Ten steps ahead of everyone, and morally black she is a constant thorn in our main couple’s side, never to be defeated.

The whole storyline with Nana was quite interesting for me. While not the best actress, I think she delivered quite well. The sapphic plot line was done quite well too in my opinion, even though it vastly diluted my main ship.

Cause quite frankly, the highlight of the show for me is the chemistry and subtle understanding between the main couple. They are two sides of the same desperate coin, each trying to drag themselves to power in their own way. While there is no love lost between them, there is a sense of camaraderie. Especially on Bang Tae Seop’s side- because even though he uses and sacrifices her for his own ambition, in the end, he still loves his wife enough to never completely throw her away.

Their fight for greed is endless and hard to watch as they constantly have to debase themselves and push themselves to the extreme. Unfortunately, for them, even coming out on top gives them no peace.

The drama could be a social commentary on how people are in an endless rat race for power, only to realise it is all hollow when you reach the top. Because by then, the damage to the soul is too much to bear.

Ofcourse, this drama is an acquired taste. There are no good people here. No idealistic happy endings. Sex is often used as a weapon of suppression and exploitation.

I won’t say everything is perfect here. Because in its quest to be as ugly as possible, the writing does take a hit at times. The pace messes up. There is a repetition of some plot devices.

That said, it’s still one hell of a ride with some seriously brilliant acting.

Mature, raw, emotional and quite honest, this is a slow burn noir thriller that is to be enjoyed slowly, one episode a week, with your moral scruples out the door.

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Second Lead Couple deserve a happy ending

Although I loved the storyline between Jihyeok and Darim, I was disappointed at the SLC's storyline. Seonu is such a red flag and keeps driving away Hayoung, and Hayoung keeps chasing after a man who can't even give her a slightest importance or appreciation, especially after all she have done for his son and even defending him from her family. I also felt sorry for Darim's sister. She also deserve a redemption arc. The writers were just too focused on the main couple.

Nevertheless, I loved the drama's setting in Jeju Island, especially the glow-in-the-dark beach. Also loved the OST, and the black credit card plot twist, which has also been iconically and hilariously featured in previous hit dramas such as Business Proposal. It's still worth watching though, so I'll still give this drama a 7.5 rating.

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A GRAND SCHEME!

This is definitely one of my favorite cdramas right now! I absolutely adore everything about it. The plot may seem familiar at first glance—palace politics paired with a rebirth trope— but it is executed so well that it completely stands out. It truly embodies the saying: it starts strong and finishes even stronger.

The storytelling is incredibly gripping. It constantly kept me anticipating the next episodes and what would happen next in the story. Because of this, I became deeply invested in uncovering the truth behind the Duke of Ding’s death. What I especially appreciate is that the “plot twist” isn’t forced or overly grand just for shock value. Instead, the real twist lies in the careful orchestration of events— the Emperor’s scheme alongside Ji Yong. I love how everything was so meticulously planned that it will only inevitably lead to Qing’s rebellion and the exposure of corrupt officials.

Ji Yong— I'm gonna take a moment appreciating his character. I didn’t expect him to be the mastermind all along. While I know for sure he has something up his sleeve, the fact that he operated as a double agent made him even more compelling. I’m glad I trusted him; he wasn’t purely evil, but rather morally complex. He even shows emotions he doesn’t fully acknowledge, especially through his subconscious feelings for Dou Zhao. While their relationship could have remained beautifully platonic, I still love the way his character was written— he realizes that he, too, cannot control his emotions.

Finally, the love story between Dou Zhao and Song Mo. It was also beautifully written. I love how equal they are— always standing beside each other, protecting and supporting one another. Their relationship truly is destined and they were meant for each other. Dou Zhao becomes Song Mo’s guiding light, helping him resist hatred and revenge and not to be consumed by it— reminding him that justice will eventually prevail. In turn, Song Mo saves Dou Zhao from her fear of marriage and love, showing her that they can build what their parents never had: a family rooted in love, trust, and peace.

What I appreciate most is how Song Mo never makes Dou Zhao feel inferior. He respects her choices, prioritizes her feelings, and never tries to control her. For instance, he asked the Emperor a decree that allows Dou Zhao the freedom to choose her own husband, when he could've instead asked a marriage between them. He is truly the definition of a green flag. Their yearning and chemistry are also incredibly well portrayed— the tension is already there from their very first interactions, even when they are technically at odds (mostly on Song Mo’s side). Even the slightest interactions between them were filled with so many sparks. Their romance never felt forced; instead, it unfolds as a natural and deeply satisfying slow burn.

I also love the characters beyond the main couple. They all feel deeply human. The girlhood between Dou Zhao and her friends— Zhangru, Ansu, Sulan, Suxin, as well as the Crown Princess and Dou Ming— was well written. It genuinely moved me. Even the slight misunderstanding between Dou Zhao and Ansu was insufferable to watch, but I’m so glad they resolved it maturely and didn’t let a man ruin their friendship. Ansu choosing to walk away from that toxic relationship was especially satisfying and empowering to see, even at the end where she chooses not to have a husband. Song Han, on the other hand, is a character full of potential that ultimately went down the wrong path. If only he had made better choices early on, he could have had the life he wanted. But instead, he fell into paranoia, insecurity, and greed. It was indeed a doomed love story between them.

The ending also didn't feel underwhelming— which is always crucial for dramas as most fell short in this aspect. I truly appreciate that they showed Dou Zhao and Song Mo's life with their daughter. I was absolutely satisfied with the last episode— it wrapped up everything nicely.

The cinematography is also stunning— you can immediately tell it shares the same director as POJ. Every shot feels intentional, not just visually appealing but also meaningful. As for the OST, it didn’t immediately stand out to me, but it gradually grew on me, only in the later episodes though.

Overall, this drama is incredibly well-written and well-executed. The episodes may feel short, but everything is wrapped up properly— neither rushed nor dragged. It completely held me in a chokehold from start to finish. I love it so much, and it absolutely deserves the hype and recommendations it’s getting. I will never shut up about this drama— and about my Shougo and Yantang.

P.S. I’m also really excited for Meng Ziyi and Liu Yunrui’s next drama together! Their chemistry is undeniable— they suit each other so well.

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Good but not what I hoped for

I felt this whole reverse time travel was unnecessary with and ending like that in the main story where the story ends with "Did you call for me Jom?" and a hug. I was expecting the special episode to be more about Yai and Jom's life after reunion not an alternative universe where they get yet another sad ending🙃🙃

Also i feel Yai's personality has changed a lot in the specials compared to the main story. In the main story Yai was a lot composed now he just seemed kinda dumb. Like they had sofa back in the day too why would Yai a nobel born try to sit on the floor??

Anyways 2 things i was hoping for in specials 1 life after reunion and links between Jom, meen and others in the modern timeline and 2nd thing would be their 1st timeline where Yai had a mustache so that we'd get some context on why this time travel thing started and why it was Jom who time traveled and why weren't they both born in the same timeline instead of time travel and stuff . So yeah although it was fun i didn't like this much.

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My obsession for a month

Acting:
My favorite role of 田曦薇 and 張凌赫! I was absolutely addicted to their romance and so cheering XZ on getting the girl. BOTH OF THEIR JEALOUSY AND ANGER AT EACH OTHER WHEN SEPARATING. WHEN HE PROPOSES TO HER AND GETS REJECTED AND THE DEVASTATION ON HIS FACE. The sparring scene when they finally make up (me crying tears of joy). THE BATTLEFIELD SCENE OF HER GETTING PICKED UP. Cinematic masterpieces and absolutely amazing angles and filming.
The side romance of GSY and QS was so sweet and long awaited. The tragedy of YQQ and QM. They all ate it up.
But it does really bothers me how people are really into QM because he's hot. The whole point of his story is the tragedy of obsession with power and control over others. He never truly loved her, he thought he did, and only at the very end does he realize.

Music:
Amazing. On repeat. Give me more. 張碧晨 is such a goddess and her vocals do this drama so much justice.

Story:
I think this was ultimately why I can't rate this drama above a 8.5 even though the acting and music are phenomenal. I think the plot is very strong and well paced for the first half of the show. Once FCY joins the military, everything happens too quickly and without enough depth to really continue driving the story forward as compellingly. I had problems with how she just got away with breaking so many military laws? How she's allowed to command soldiers or lead people with no military knowledge? I love how strong her character is but some things just felt unbelievable.
I also wished we got more fleshed out battles. I didn't ever feel like we were really seeing a large scale war. I think I've been spoiled by Who Rules the World, Legend of the Female General, Fated Hearts, Wonderland of Love with the epic battle scenes.
I think part of the problem is that 33% of the drama was well covered in 20 episodes and they squished the last 66% in the final 20 episodes because of the episode limit. I would've been perfectly fine with the drama being split into 2 seasons to fully do the story justice.

Overall totally recommend! Definitely worth a watch.

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