Reviews

Investigations in the palace that failed to captivate

Yes, the cast is appealing! Yes, the cinematography is beautiful. But it stops there.
The FL (Bai Lu) lost all her family in one night and because of that doesn’t feel anymore. Yet, we see her compassionate with her assistant and falling in love (or more deep in friendship) with the ML (Wang Xing Yue), which makes the way she plays her character very robotic and doesn’t make sense. And the whole drama is like her character … it lacks development and logic.
We see an emperor not caring for his own child, but for her. Sympathizing for her but not for his concubine, etc.
The writers made the investigations complicated but at the end they lack of depth and again don’t make sense. People kill out of friendship, misunderstanding or naivety. Then, the perpetrators confess out of nowhere but aren’t condemned, except there is no fine line between their crimes and their motives, there is no moral conflict for the investigators .. yet the writers decided to deliver murderers with stories carry on for 3/4 episodes that at the end fall short … again lack of character development, depth and emotions aren’t logic which makes the whole story not plausible.

Then we have the FL & ML. And unfortunately, like a lot of time on MDL, people chose to give ratings based on their faves and not the drama itself. Truth is that Bai Lu and Wang Xing Yue are very good actors, but probably because of the script, they lack chemistry here. Their story isn’t credible at all, nor their fondness for each other. Of course, the writers added some bond since childhood which fortunately explained a bit more why the ML would be fond of her.

In brief, this drama is a fail and wasn’t worth the hype at all. They wanted to mix a lot of genre at once, thriller, crime, investigations, romance, palace…. And ended giving us a lot of chaotic short stories that fell short. I understand why some wished for a romance in this drama, cause at least it would have taken our focus off all the faults in this drama

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Jira should have ended up with the other.

I really liked this. Especially for its maturity, like it certainly had some sexy scenes. recently, the uni student shows get a bit same same, so a mature series is always a nice break from those. i thought the plot was cool. but ultimately … im not that obsessed with how it went. i went into this show knowing offgun will end up together bc they’re a working pair. however.. ive always liked dewgun. even if i didnt, i still would have wanted their characters together. because they were the couple that got together more naturally. they had such good vibes together. koh and jira felt so forced as koh was eventually forcing himself into jira’s space. so then their relationship started feeling forced and unnatural. (plus koh was toxic vibes from the start. pheem was an overall lovely character). and it was really off putting. i just think the show went too far in the direction of jira and pheem being a genuinely lovely couple, that i then struggled to be content with koh and jira.. it just became an annoying series 😭

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Slow but Beautiful

Road Home was a gentle love story between two people with nearly everyone against their relationship, especially family and friends. The pace was slow, but the actors kept this viewer's attention. The ML, especially, did a notable job with his stoic, quiet presence, mainly emoting from his eyes.

The Good:
• The cinematography was outstanding. The snowscapes were spectacular. I was bundled up in my cozy red blanket while it snowed outside my window in real life, but my view wasn't nearly as magical as a night scene in Qining with the houses reflecting colored light on the wintery snow. The desert scenes were equally majestic with mountains, canyons, and gorges dominating the screen.
• Once the ML and FL were grown, they acted like adults in love. The FL was a refreshing departure from the 30-years-old-acting-like-a-12-year-old virginal damsel. She actively pursued the ML and admired his body openly.

The Bad:
• Unless you're a completionist, there's little need to watch the last episode, as it's a rehash of previous scenes which have already been viewed multiple times, and it felt anti-climatic. Good scenes were shown repeatedly in long flashbacks throughout the drama. Cutting or shortening those repetitive flashbacks could have trimmed at least four episodes (conservatively) and tightened up the story telling.
• Chinese dramas (and Korean ones, to a lesser extent) often like to rehabilitate, overlook, or forgive the villains. A violent, abusive, alcoholic man who cheated on his wife, beat his children, and actively tried to destroy their futures realized the error of his ways, stopped drinking, returned to his wife, and became a better man. If only life worked that way!
• There's more rah-rah propaganda than action.

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First impression: stands out more for its ambition than for consistently polished execution

In its opening episodes, Sammy’s Children’s Day presents itself as an ambitious entry within the BL genre, leaning less on the comfort of idealized romance and more on a narrative shaped by contrast. Setting the story in the 1980s Kowloon Walled City is not just an aesthetic choice, as it defines the entire viewing experience. The environment is chaotic, violent, and unpredictable, and that energy carries directly into the tone, which blends crime, humor, and melodrama in ways that aren’t always perfectly balanced, but are almost always engaging.

The narrative structure stands out for its relatively brisk pacing. Unlike many slow burns that take their time laying the groundwork, the first episodes here quickly introduce conflicts, relationships, and even major turning points. This creates a double-edged effect: on one hand, it keeps the viewer engaged and avoids any sense of stagnation; on the other, it weakens the emotional impact of certain developments, which arrive before the audience has fully connected with the characters. Even so, there’s a clear intention to develop the central relationship gradually, building a steady tension that keeps the story compelling.

It’s in the dynamic between He ChuSan and Xia LiuYi that the series finds its strongest footing. Their contrast isn’t treated as a simple trope, but as a driving force of the narrative, exploring differences in personality, social standing, and worldview. Their chemistry works from the start, largely supported by performances that balance intensity with lightness. Even within a violent setting, the series allows space for humor and more spontaneous interactions, which humanize the characters and keep the story from becoming overly heavy.

From a technical standpoint, Sammy’s Children’s Day shows above-average care in certain areas. The cinematography and production design play a key role in immersion, with framing that enhances both action and quieter, more intimate moments. In contrast, the fight scenes reveal clear limitations, whether in the lack of polish in the choreography or in editing choices that disrupt the flow. The dubbing can also be distracting at times, creating a disconnect between dialogue and performance that undercuts some of the more emotionally charged scenes.

Overall, the opening episodes build a series that stands out more for its ambition than for consistently polished execution. There’s a strong identity taking shape, supported by a striking setting and characters with real dramatic potential. At the same time, issues with pacing, tonal balance, and technical finish suggest a production still searching for its footing. If it manages to better align these elements as the season progresses, Sammy’s Children’s Day has all the potential to move beyond a strong first impression and establish itself as one of the more interesting entries in the genre.

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Title: Mei Ren Gong Xin, Nan Pin Di Wang Lun Xian Le (2025) is a great adaptation from the web novel "Chuai Diao Yan Qing Nan Zhu, Gou Da Nan Pin Di Wang" by You Gong Yu with Liu Yi Long (as Quan Ming He) and Sun Lu Lu (as Shen Yu Ling) in the leading couple’s role. The leading couple had great rapport and a fantastic romantic chemistry. The cast did a good job bringing their characters to life and the plot had some differences from other versions that made the story humorous and interesting. On this version, the female lead is more emotionally invested and less of a seductress and the male lead showed his true feelings sooner in the drama; they both worked together to reach their common goals and the end is awesome, enjoy it!
In the meantime, this drama can be found in YouTube under the caption: “Actress Transmigrated & PLAYED GODDESS! ✨ One Night With Emperor, One Knife To Prince...” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXSz1SadDvM)

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A hot mess that I enjoyed as if eating melon at a bar brawl

Watching About Love was um a journey 😅 I gave it a 7.5 because I do think there's a lot that's really interesting about this drama and I don't regret watching it but I can't give a higher rating because of how flawed it is.

The director did an amazing job of portraying the more toxic aspects of the story with fantasy sequences, lighting, music choices, color story and staging. I took a lot of screenshots which you can see here: https://mydramalist.com/discussions/754333-chan-nv/148952-the-cinematography-of-about-love.

But the writing was often a mess and the entire drama went off the rails in the last two episodes.

Some of my favorite scenes include the restaurant debacle that looked like it was filmed in a literal cage, the movie theater scene with Lin Chen and Xiaoxi, and the stage play aimed at Xiu and Yu. It's rare to see this level of creativity and risk taking in a Cdrama so I appreciate the story for that alone.

My favorite characters in the drama (not in the sense of liking them but I thought they made the most sense) were Xiu and Yu trapped in a toxic marriage. Yu married Xiu, a younger man, because she found him adorable and also as a way to rebel against her mother. But ten years of Xiu being irresponsible and refusing to grow up turned Yu into a miserable harpy who was unrelentingly nasty to her husband. Meanwhile Xiu escaped into an affair with Luan Luan, an actress who justified it by telling herself she was rescuing him from a wife who didn't care about his art. Having the couple divorce and go on to find happiness solo (because of course the husband doesn't couple up with the mistress) was a "bad ending" that was actually a happy ending.

Just below Xiu and Yu is Gong who is greasy, sleazy and unashamed to flirt with and then openly go after his friend's girlfriend but (this is crazy) he was probably the person who was the most honest in the entire drama. Vengo Gao portrayed this character with a lot of charisma and made him far more likable than he deserved.

But the female lead is ugh. In a drama stuffed with problematic and unlikable people, she came out on top (I guess that's what makes her the FL 😂). I never felt like she truly loved the ML. She only wanted him as a trophy, the "perfect man" she possesses. She lied in almost every single episode and she never came clean voluntarily. She would get caught and then tell half truths to get out of it. She gets a long monologue at the end about the true nature of love and it's completely unearned! She never grew or changed. She's exactly the same shitty person at the end as she was at the start but she still gets the man.

And the male lead was also problematic. His best quality is that he looks like Liu Yuning. Aside from that he's passive avoidant and boring. He has a successful business but hangs out with a crowd of shitty, terrible people and he's mostly okay with their behavior. He never met an emotional vulnerability he couldn't run away from. He never evolves and he's exactly the same person at the end that he was at the start. Also, the ML has surprisingly little screen time and if you're watching for Liu Yuning you're likely to be disappointed.

Sen and Mingming's story was kind of meh and I was never very invested in them one way or the other.

One last thing I want to mention is the OST which is great and different from the usual syrupy ballads you get from cdramas. You can find the entire OST in this discussion: https://mydramalist.com/discussions/754333-chan-nv/148568-about-love-2026-complete-ost-music

I'd say if you're able to deal with toxic and often unlikable characters and are interested in innovative cinematography and editing then you should give this a shot. Otherwise steer clear.

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Dropped, but I'd still recommend the first 10 episodes

Truthfully, I watched this because the premise reminded me of several manhwas and manhuas that I've read. It was a pretty novel idea for a live action drama and I think the female lead was perfectly cast!

Where it lost me was that I truly could not stand the ML and watching the FL go through humiliation ritual after humiliation ritual to get this guy to love her got truly painful to watch. By the time it became clear they were endgame, I just found it hard to continue getting excited to watch it. Which is a shame because I lost sleep watching the first 8 episodes or so. I truly couldn't stop watching.

This was a case of the FL having way better chemistry with the 2nd ML (the CSO) and even the woman the ML spent most of the start trying to date. The FL and her love rival even kiss! The tropes that the billionaire CEO usually has with their love interest (buying her out of debt, sleeping in 1 bed, taking care of her family issues, etc), the FL actually had those with ChuChu? They even went on 2 dates together before she'd really gone on one with Situ Aoran.

I loved the CSO. He was such a sad character, though, because he seemed hellbent staying as the best friend to the FL and just rooting for her. It was very clear how he felt about her, he was handsome, they had chemistry, and she didn't have to go through 1/16 the number of humiliation rituals with him. This truly was a case of a show where I was rooting for these 2 to get together and hated Situ Aoran.

Given that I don't care how this really ends, I'm stopping here. Life's too short to keep rooting for the downfall of a fictional character. Peace.

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Not your typical revenge drama ...

it started like a simple revenge drama with some strategies and scheming but turned out to be more complex.

ML isn't your typical protagonist he is ruthless, calculating and always one step ahead "which bothered me in the first half of the drama " no matter how smart you are , you just can't see every move your enemy will make .
this all changed with the death of his sister bai wen , although her death scene didn't make any sense because they were looking for a man yet she clearly had a female physique yet they killed her 🫠 guess that was necessary for another plot later .

xiao wenjing character development is the greatest I have seen recently from a spoiled brat to reliable emperor " yet he chose not to rule"and a loyal brother .

the drama always kept you nervous of what was going to happen next only to discover that is was xie huai an 's game all along , even in the end they hinted that he is not really dead.

ye zheng loyalty to huai an was touching.
the way huai an tricked yan fengshan and killed him was genius only for us to to discover later that he wasn't dead and huai an had a bigger paln.

this was great on so many levels and truly a masterpiece .

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Nuclear Chemistry with a Plot Dumpster Fire

This drama is the most steamiest French kissing, lip biting, butt grabbing CD I have ever watched! Can't believe it passed Chinese censorship! The leads had to have had some lip balm and mints in their pockets because every episode is full of kissing. The actors must have attracted to each other, because it did not look like acting to me!! Beware that the ML is 100% red flag... manipulative, calculating, possessive, pushy, obsessive and absolute crazy about the FL. The ML's only soft spot is FL and the FL is strong minded in her own way and refuses to be left behind on adventures and falls for the ML on her own terms.

Now on to the dumpster-fire of a plot. It is one of those dramas that you walk away wondering "What the heck did I just watch"? One episode could be fantasy with a dragon and then the next car chases/gun fights, the next adventure quests and the next sci-fi, but romance is the central them in all episodes. It has a vertical drama feel, so expect shorter episodes with chopping episode integrations. The nuclear chemistry between the leads made this drama extremely watchable, but without them, the plot would have made me question the writers sanity. I have never watched anything like this drama and can 100% recommend it for drama fans of steamy red-flag romance.

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The series was true to its name, referencing both the Ching family cloth dyeing business and its colorful cast of characters. The use of colors and costumes was amazing. Each character had a distinctive look. The naive Wing Si wore soft pale robes, the tomboyish Dun Chu sported a simple hair bun and minimal ornaments, while the very insecure Siu Siu covered her hair in gold. Despite being the male lead, Frankie Lam wore a simple head cloth and no silk, as his character Chi Hin did not care for wealth and status. The Ching brothers all had their own color palette that complemented their respective wives. The clothing not only fit the personalities, they helped you keep track of who’s who in this huge cast.

How this show juggled so many actors in a short 20-episode run was nothing short of brilliant. The actors perfectly captured the dynamic of in-laws living under the same roof. Chi Hin and Dun Chu added to the tension with their own brand of romance. They went from contempt for each other to grudging respect, to friendship, and then fell in love without even knowing it. Annie Man was smart in her portrayal of Dun Chu. She looked slightly uncomfortable in her hanfu, true to her lot as a foreign bride who didn't quite fit in.

What I like about this show is that it didn’t try too hard to be cute, clever, or quotable. It stuck to simple themes, let the cast play off each other, and focused on showing a good story. Yes show, not tell. Watch how they introduced the main villain. Viewers don’t need other characters to tell us why this guy was a piece of trash, we just know it from this brief scene with him and a little parrot. We get his M.O. and his motive for bringing down the Ching family. The end was quite satisfying as the family triumphed over adversity.

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A Fresh and Addictive Zombie Story

I watched Happiness together with my husband, and honestly, we really enjoyed it. This was one of those series that you just keep watching — “okay, one more episode”… and suddenly it’s late. We really binge-watched it.

First of all, I just love a good zombie story, and this one felt fresh and original. It’s not just about the zombies, but also about people, fear, and how quickly things can change in society. That made it extra interesting.

The main characters, played by Han Hyo-joo and Park Hyung-sik, were honestly so good. They are both strong and cool characters, but in a very natural way. Not over the top, not exaggerated — just believable and solid. That made it easy to root for them.
And their chemistry? Really great. You can feel the trust and connection between them without it being overly dramatic or forced. It’s subtle, but strong, and that works perfectly for this kind of story.

What I also really liked is how all the characters are written. Even the side characters feel real and have their own personalities. You see how people change under pressure, and that makes the story more intense and sometimes even frustrating — in a good way.

The story itself is super exciting. There’s constant tension, and it really keeps you on edge. Even though most of the story takes place in one main location, it never felt boring to me. They managed to keep it dynamic and interesting the whole time.

Overall, this is just a very solid, entertaining, and well-made series. If you like zombie stories with a bit more depth and strong characters, this is definitely one to watch.

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Pineapple really has no place on pizza!

GREAT NEWS: If you love nonsensical dumb comedies you've just hit the jackpot!

I will preface this review by saying I came in with high expectations and a completely wrong idea of the show's mood so keep that in mind while I share my thoughts. Maybe I should start with the pros, then? Ok, here it goes: I love the premise of the whole chicken nugget ordeal and how random it all seems, that's right up my alley. I also think the acting was adequate and the casting was well done. I disagree with a few comments about the lack of logical rules of the show's universe because I view it as being the goal of the genre. So if you plan on giving this show a try, just know you're not in for anything that really makes you think. That being said, I hate dumb comedies so I kind of dreaded watching it lol But as I said before, it was my fault for going in blindly with unrealistic expectations. So, as an attempt at being fair, I refuse to give it a bad rating because at the end of the day it does well what it sets itself to do.

6.5

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Second half explains it all

Well, I took notice that this drama had quite some divided opinions when it aired. I can't remember the content of those opinions, but I do have my own issues with it. Fact is, I was definitely swept away by the second half of the show.

Things, the first half lacked were that there was just not enough information about the characters which made me question their behaviour all the time. Esp. Hong Ye (ML) was a mystery to me. His actions, the fast change in his attitude towards Xiao Yao (FL) didn't have any explainable footing for a long time. Only way later it got explained (which was, after getting to know it, actually satisfying). Regarding him being the demon king, I believe some people found him a bit too "nice". I was never bothered by that, I must say. I liked the different approach and never expected some prejudiced stereotype.

I also kind of had a problem with the FL having a somewhat too childish behaviour at first. I did like her character and all, but it was difficult to feel that "fast blooming romance" between her an Hong Ye. Even more so because he was some thousand years old. The side stories conveyed more emotion and even the brother/sister relationship of Bing Zhu (SML) and Tan were more relatable. I was also very intrigued by his character development. He took quite a rough path which caused his soul to be quite torn. I enjoyed his encounter and relationship with Pian Pian (SFL).

Third thing that bothered me in the first half, was the somewhat chaotic and non organized storytelling. Then, the story of the Realm of Mist and Void began and they invested way too much time with that, almost bringing the story to a halt.

What kept me going? The two soul demon cat Xiao Ming/Xiao Mu! ...Just kidding. Though he was great, he wasn't the only reason. I don't really know actually. There were glimpses of it getting better in the early side stories. And maybe I just hoped that it would get better since Hou MingHao wouldn't chose total trash, right?

And suddenly the second half of the story started and it got so much better. Finally things were explained, the relationship of the main couple got a deeper bond and an understandable explanation for its weird speedy development in the beginning. Xiao Yao also seemed more grown up which made it easier to feel for her and Hong Ye. The more they showed the past of the characters, the more I got invested in the romance. So much, that it did made me shed a lot of tears in the end (which I didn't expect until a certain point in the story).

They also introduced more important side characters (the dragons) and made the story more interesting, since those new people were way too charming - each of them in their own way.

I might not agree with the outcome of some characters, and the closer I got to the finale, the more it felt like the writers were at a loss to find a suitable closure for everyone at some point. Somehow it still worked, but that didn't make me less angry about it (and I'm not talking about the ending). Though that might just be my very personal impression.

Visual contradictions:
CGI and make-up were quite well done sometimes, also the costumes of the leads and some side cast were stunning, yet other demon costumes and facial masks/add-ons were just junk. And don't get me started with those obvious fake flowers, leafs, branches. On the other hand, the fake snow was well made again.

Music was great. I love those pieces where you hear bells? Though I'm not even sure if it were those or some other instrument (a flute?). Wonder if you get what I'm talking about. Those sometimes eerie sounds that make you feel like you're in the middle of some ritual.

And I just loooooove Hou MingHao's voice in songs.

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Starry Love is one of my absolute favs that I rewatch

With themes of compassion, love, overcoming trauma & family (both blood & newfound) this drama is definitely one of my absolute favorites. Now while I do think objectively this drama is more of an 8 objectively, personally I would give it a 9. For me this drama was the right amount of fun, comedic, adventuristic, emotional, romantic & overall a good experience. To me it was a breath of fresh air from the overly cliche xianxia that exist out there.

Pros:
- Probably the best thing about this series are the 4 main cast members. The chemistry of these 4 whether it be between their love interests or their other ones there is something great to find. This drama gives us one of the healthiest (probably the only one) relationship between 2 sisters. These 2 sisters never once hate each other or are against each other & it works. Then there are the romantic relationships & when I say these 2 are some of the best I really mean it. Unlike so many that I've seen before these 2 romances I understand perfectly why each fell for the other, which is something I am always on the lookout for when I watch a romance happen.
- In terms of story, I'm also really impressed bcuz it managed to subvert a lot of tropes that are constant with xianxia series. For example I didn't expect Youqian to die & therefore needed to be revived by finding 3 Fragments of his soul. Other things like the Heavenly Emperor finally getting his karma is also another good thing.
- The OST is also very good & is always played at the most appropriate times. Especially the opening OST which works so well for the epic moments.
- Comedy gold & it is heavily due to some very good directing along with very good actors like Landy Li.
- The VFX is quite good & I do like a lot of minute details for some scenes.
- The cinematography is serviceable & nothing too bad.

Cons:
- I do feel the last few ep could really turn off viewers. An open ending like that could leave one wanting more. Then there is the unnecessary "end of the world" plot that just needed to happen. While it makes some sense it also could have been done a bit better.
- I do feel that the whole revive Youqian story line might've gone off for too long.
- Some characters were probably a bit too cliche or even comedic that they sort of lacked greater depth.
- Some props looked very fake & did break immersion a few times.

Overall, one of my favorites & something I think most people can enjoy.

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