Reviews

BETTER than Not Me or Theory of Love, but still flawed

Theory of Love has lots of realism to it, but it has a big Off’s character redemption arc that it not believable for multiple reasons, so this makes the series way less realistic that it could have been for the sake of fairy tale happy ending typical of the BL genre.

Not Me (2021) is unique and outstanding conceptually for many reasons, but the details of what and how it happens are not believable, they demand lots of “suspend disbelief”.

This series, being also faulty, is not even a BL:
1. No multiple couples
2. No stupid sound effects
3. A love triangle.

And it is way more real than nearly everything out there.

In regards to the question of the “AI”, which is actually just neural networks (JNN), versus art.

I call it all JNN because they can not reason, derive causality, understand anything. There are attempts to combine them with algorithmic logic to imitate thinking, but this is a rigid thing that comes from the 1980s and it is nothing alike to what an actual person can do.

In the future alive human artists will still have a niche as performers who can draw quick sketches or even bigger works in real time in clubs and galleries. Of, at the very least, have their works in expositions with certified multi-angle video shoots of the whole painting process. Maybe even some analogue or provably simplistic digital cameras will be certified and offered for rent to artists to prove the authenticity of their work as being done by their own hands.

The “AI”, as described above, can not think, it is just an aping of parroting tool that can rehash what it was trained on. It can produce works that can be perceived as made by a human, but it is not different from e.g. stones in nature randomly situated in a way that can be read as meaningful.

So if we define art is an act of an artist that includes thoughtful consideration, the neural networks can not do it. But if we define art is some object itself, then it does not matter if a human or nature or a neural network has made it.

* * *

Details and drawbacks are noted in a comment with spoilers below.

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Beautiful and Sad

I was expecting this to have a similar atmosphere to something like Dream Songs but it wasn't as hazy or dreamlike and I think it would've done this some good to borrow those aspects from Dream Songs. Ah, that's a bad note to start this on. Anyways, this is the story of a girl searching through another world for her best friend. It was a lot more sad and heart wrenching than I expected. The way it depicts depression reminded me really of something like Love for Love's Sake or Love in the Big City. Absolutely not a happy ending so if you're strict about only watching things that end happily, this is a skip.

However, if you're ok with sad endings and heavy topics, I would say it's worth a watch.

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Bit formulaic if I’m honest

There’s lots to like and plenty to dislike in this drama.
Likes:
The actors were great, even if the FL was very grating to begin with. The character development was spot on, the chemistry between the FL & ML slowburn and realistic (with its up and downs honest and believable) and the subplot of the embassy shenanigans was uncovered layer by layer which added intrigue. The production values and costumes were great even though the FL’s hair looked plastic.
Dislikes:
Although the ML quickly worked out whodunnit for each crime after a while I wished there had been less of them to solve as after a while I got a bit bored and I will admit that I skipped a few chapters (ok, about half). Additionally, the English accents and intonation was hilariously awful.
Would I watch this again, no.

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MUST WATCH DRAMA

No Pain No Gain is such a wonderful drama to start the year with. I really enjoyed it. It’s the kind of comedy I’d love to rewatch as a comfort drama. The humor feels fresh and genuinely entertaining.
The story also makes us question which side we should take — Pei Qian, who deliberately tries to make the company lose money for his own benefit, or the employees, who pour their hearts into their work and unintentionally help the company earn more profit, which goes against Pei Qian’s goal.
For the last episodes, I feel like some scenes were a bit dragging, while others felt rushed. Or maybe it’s just my feeling? I’m not sure. It seems like something was missing, but I can’t quite explain what it was.
ANW THIS IS DEFINITELY MUST WATCH DRAMA!!!

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FL was the scumbag

I am curious about dramas that are about robots and AI. I found this drama on youtube so decided to watch it. This is essentially a cheating drama. I didn't enjoy the drama.

What I liked:
1. Supporting characters - I appreciated Assistant Xu's protectiveness of his boss. I also liked ML's father.
2. Acting - I quite liked Chen Chu Huan's acting.
3. Length - Just 90 minutes.
4. Antagonist's action - I liked the scene where FL was told off by the antagonist. She blamed him for ruining her marriage but he set the record straight.

What I disliked:
1. FL - She cheated on her husband by kissing another man. Then she blamed the other man for ruining her marriage. Silly woman.
2. The other man - Yes, I disliked him not just for pursuing married woman but for taking credit for a project he didn't lead.
3. Sci-fi - Unfortunately there were many sci-fi scenes in this drama as it focused mostly on FL's arc.
4. The ending - I disliked it.

Favourite scene
When male antagonist told FL about her mistakes

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It felt unnecessary

Watching this felt really unnecessary. The movie (part 1 of the storyline) felt like a complete end. I still wanted to watch this in hope it had a good story but it felt really short on all ends. The fight scenes were really unrealistic all the time, him winning eventhough his opponent was way bigger/ stronger/ better at fighting. While watching you also really felt like it was supposed to be a movie turned into a small serie which again felt weird since the first part was a movie. The acting/actors were good though, some part of the serie felt of, as in scenes that were suddenly very light/fluffy without any reason, in my opinion.
Also the end scene was a bit confusing so i still hope for another part so i can know how it ends.

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So well done. Incredibly funny dynamic thriller and hillarious comedy

Miss Hong is a gold mine for comedy bc it is LOADED with excellent actors and practically every scene has tons of it, it is FILMED In a way that just creates scene after scene that is totally memorable and most are hilariously funny. The plot is not transformational but more action oriented but there are some transformations. There are love interests that weave through the interactions between characters and influence the drama and transform the characters, but the main focus is on business tasks. Team A of good guys and Teams B C D E F G etc of bad guys :) and all the independent players jumping to one or the other side....

So... corporate politics, financial shanannigans, and stealing $$$ take priority while the romantic interests are raging in the background :)
These business interests lead to a forced situation that *is* transformational, 4 women and a kid who would have NEVER met otherwise come together by chance and form a strong bond, and they all transform.

Lots of excellent actresses in complex roles, which is rare, and a realistic porttrayal of friendship between women and their kid.
The female thief Bok Hee who becomes a helper is an amazing transformation and that actress is absolutely amazing in this role

The drama does not put artificial emphasis on the growth, and there is nothing sugary or unrealistic. The whole drama is matter-of-fact.... For example, ML and FL love each other, but he is a criminal, she hates that, so that is that, look-but-dont-touch, the ship has sunk before it sailed. The other guy is handsome and rich but too inexperienced... The third guy is ... and so on.
There is nothing sugary about the female friendship either, it is realistic too... There is nothing sugary about obligations and keeping integrity....

Some scenes are filmed as hillarious makjang in utmost exeggaration - and so that is a clue that what is happening is not really critical but provide a context... Some scenes are "as if in real life" acted seriously, and those are the deep important moments...

Side actors make the drama super spicey hilarious and fun and mysterious, for example one scene of Cha and Albert's dad at the computer is only 2 minutes but *extremely* memorable HILARIOUS

So the entire drama is like that. Scene after scene is all masterful and memorable.

It is one of the dramas that you have to rewatch to see all the gold offered to the audience. Every scene is packed with precious information.

Truly a piece of art that needs to be studied.

After doing my own amateur studying - since I have no formal training nor ANY technical knowledge about making dramas or films - I concluded that the script can provide so much, and then the director, the camera. the video production need to direct and CATCH good actors in just the right moments to convey tons of information with just one screen or one scene.
That makes the plot very dynamic, as it moves fluidly and flawlessly.
****You dont need extra dialogues to explain what is going on.**** I learned that the hard way, watching No Tail to Tell ep 10 - where characters SPEAK what is happening and the drama just drags.... then I watched Miss Hong and SAW how you can eliminate so much dialogue just by picking the right scenes to film...

The script of Miss Hong is wickedly tight :) There is no telling what is going on and new suspicions and new information and twists keep happening :) We the audience HAVE NO IDEA what could happen next, but we do know all the clues are there so we keep watching and guessing :) This is truely a treasure hunt that is very exciting :) Looking for Waldo LOL

Overall, I am very impressed :)

I want to send the camera/directing/video/script people of dramas Radiant Days and Love Phobia and No Tail to Tell to this drama to CAREFULLY study it and learn. Radiant Days and Love Phobia have such choppy camera and super fast random scenes it is like a whirlwind... Like Energizer Bunny on Steroids feeling.... it is supposed to impress you and surprise you but it is like someone threw a whole bunch of cofetti at ya face.... and NTTL drags... the actors are forced to SPEAK what is going on in the scene

To be honest, I am not sure if it is a masterpiece. Bc I do not really remember it much.
Masterpieces have SOMETHING that makes them stick to you.
Like, My Mister kdrama

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Good but not amazing

It's an okey movie, the main character has some good developments in the movie. and it has a satisfying ending. Some of the fight scenes are long/unrealistic, but overall it was a fun watch. I really like the main character and his attitude to certain things. Like the not giving up during a fight, but still not really wanting to fight as he would rather just live a peaceful life. I really like the second lead (the mentor guy), I felt like he was kinda in the jail just doing his own thing and then he was like you know what I like this kid and then he is like jupp no one touch him he is mine. Which was cute. Also with the little info we had of him I felt like he was in the jail unjustly but maybe that is just my interpretation of the small info we got.

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Beside Motorcycle scene, this drama was awful.

I watched this because i like Wang Kaimu and Ma Lejie and almost their drama have one problem, they tend to have great in first half but sometime plot was deteriorate on the latter part with abrupt ending.

The story isn't particularly original; the main attraction is Wang Kaimu and Ma Lejie. This third collaboration is highly anticipated, but unfortunately, they didn't choose a good script. The makeup and styling of the two leads in the drama are great; Wang Kaimu's motorcycle outfit and leather jacket look are especially handsome. Every scene where theML takes the FL on a motorcycle ride is incredibly beautiful and cool. The acting and chemistry between Ma Le Jie and Wang Kaimu was okay to watch but amnesia plot was too boring and the editing feels disjointed so i ended up fast forwarding the drama.

Only for hardcore fans

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A Beautiful Pairing in a Flawed but Interesting Series

I was genuinely excited to watch this series because of this particular pairing. I’m not usually a big fan of transmigration plots, but the strong chemistry between the leads and the powerhouse cast convinced me to give it a try.

Overall, the story has a unique concept and could have been incredibly engaging — but unfortunately, the execution fell short. The editing felt uneven, and the pacing of how the story unfolded made it hard to stay fully invested. I struggled through several parts and often felt tempted to skip scenes. The prologue of Zang Shan, which I know is meant to be important, was difficult to follow and connect with since it appeared only in scattered episodes. There were also many conflicts, villains, and side characters introduced throughout the story, to the point that I forgot some of them by the time the ending came.

There were moments when I found myself browsing on my phone while watching, which to me is a sign that some scenes could definitely have been trimmed or tightened.

But despite its weaknesses, the casting is truly the saving grace of this series. Every actor — even the supporting ones — delivered credible and compelling performances.
* The actor who played Prince Duan was outstanding: charming on the surface yet convincingly villainous.
* The actress for Xie Yong Er also did a wonderful job.
* And both actors who portrayed the male and female versions of Bei Shu were an absolute delight to watch.

The Main Leads
The biggest joy of this drama is undeniably the main couple. Their chemistry feels natural, warm, and deeply comfortable — like they fully understand their characters and each other. Some of the early comedic scenes felt a bit awkward, but as many great actors say, comedy is one of the hardest genres to master, so that’s understandable.

I’ve always been a fan of Wang Chu Ran — beyond her stunning beauty, she consistently chooses roles that showcase her strengths. I genuinely don’t understand why she receives so much hate simply for being beautiful; if anything, she continues to prove her talent and versatility with every role.

Cheng Lei, however, was the biggest surprise for me. I had only seen him before in The Legend of Female General, where he didn’t stand out as much. But in this series, he delivered a real breakthrough performance. His role required him to portray a wide range of personas — tyrant, cheeky, apathetic, flirty, authoritative, vulnerable, furious — and he transitioned between them effortlessly.

One moment he’s a playful, lovestruck CEO Dan; the next, he becomes a terrifying emperor capable of commanding fear. His emotional control in the scene where Wan Yin goes missing — shifting from a desperate man begging Mr. Bei to save the woman he loves, to an intimidating ruler — was particularly memorable.

And his chemistry with Wang Chu Ran? Off the charts.
WCR has played flirty, vixen-type roles before, but here she truly embodied the character of You Wan Yin — both demonic and angelic, regal yet deeply human. Together, they felt like a genuine married couple, not just romantic leads.

Final Thoughts
Despite the messy execution of the plot, the performances of the main leads: Cheng Lei and Wang Chu Ran — alongside the strong supporting cast — made the series worth watching. I would love to see these two reunited in another project, preferably one with stronger writing and direction that can fully showcase their incredible acting range.

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Well Orchestrated Chaos

If love is a battlefield, then In Between is the no man’s land where everyone gets hit at least once.

This modern urban drama follows a group of young adults trying to find love, stability, and themselves in the middle of career pressure and emotional chaos. He Zhi Nan longs for romance, Han Su prioritizes survival and ambition, Qu Yi Peng is laser focused on climbing out of poverty, and Gao Peng, born into wealth, wants to prove he can carry real responsibility. When emotion clashes with reason, when practicality shakes hands with passion, every choice creates a ripple. They stumble, they cheat, they grow. And in the end, each of them discovers a different version of what “winning” in life really means.

Episode one threw us into the deep end. Names, traits, relationships, dynamics. Info dump galore. I had to clutch my popcorn and my attention span at the same time. Ironically, despite all the chaotic introductions, the cinematography and dialogue made it feel almost slow. I was this close to boredom, but something about the tension kept me seated. From the very first episode, you can smell it in the air. Cheating. Emotional instability. The calm before the storm.

He Zhi Nan’s wavering loyalty annoyed me instantly. One handsome stranger smiles at her and suddenly her seven year relationship looks like a limited time trial version. Gao Peng was not any better. Distant, inattentive, the classic “busy boyfriend who forgot he has a girlfriend.” And then there was Qu Yi Peng. My first impression? Gold digger with WiFi. Calculative, observant, always scanning for opportunity. The only one I felt no irritation toward was Han Su. Career driven, proactive, ambitious. Girl was focused. I related.

As the episodes progressed, the layers thickened. Qu Yi Peng’s relationship with Han Su was a walking red flag factory. She stayed up finishing his work. He played games. She built networks. He built excuses. Yet somehow, their dynamic was painfully complicated. He depended on her financially and emotionally, yet his pride and insecurity constantly leaked out in small, ugly ways. When Han Su decided to move to Hong Kong, I supported her like I was her campaign manager. She deserved better.

Then we have Sun Han Han and Zhou Bin. The hunter and the hunted. Except sometimes the hunted thought she was the hunter. Sun Han Han wanted to marry rich. No shame in wanting a better life. But Zhou Bin was operating on master level manipulation. Act of service here, emotional bait there, wife hidden in the background like a plot twist waiting to explode. Their arc felt like a cautionary TED Talk on why you should Google a man before dating him.

One of the most unique storytelling choices was the theatrical skits inserted as epilogues. At first, I found them peculiar. Like, is this drama or stage play? But slowly I started loving them. The metaphor about men being better actors than women hit harder than it should have. The “Hunter and the Hunted” skit. The one about heartbreak and savings. Stylish, witty, sharp. These scenes were like poetic commentary on the chaos we just witnessed.

The emotional highlight for me was Han Su and Qu Yi Peng’s breakup dinner. That scene was art. Calm voices. Controlled expressions. Underneath, an emotional earthquake. She outgrew him. He felt abandoned. He loved her in his own flawed, transactional way. For a materialistic man to choose a hardworking woman who struggles alongside him says something. Their love was real, just misaligned. When they confronted each other’s insecurities at that table, I held my breath. When they cried separately and then wiped their tears and moved on, it felt brutally realistic.

Meanwhile, karma delivered its package when Qu Yi Peng realized the “rich heiress” was not He Zhi Nan. His stunned face? Chef’s kiss. Yet somehow, even after being ghosted, He Zhi Nan kept spiraling between passion and security. Gao Peng matured significantly once he took over the family business. Suddenly reserved, responsible, attractive. Character development glow up unlocked.

The heart of this drama, however, is the female friendship. He Zhi Nan and Han Su going from romantic rivals to genuine best friends was my favorite arc. Their friendship breakup in episode seventeen hurt more than any romantic split. Friendship breakups hit different. When they reconciled, I felt relief like I personally survived something. Watching the three women have happy hour together later gave pure women empowerment energy. Messy love lives aside, their bond felt real.

Yes, the drama leans heavily on infidelity. Almost every thematic road leads back to cheating. Insecurity, poverty, falling out of love, materialism. All roads somehow pass through Betrayal City. It is convincing, sometimes uncomfortably so. I did find it frustrating that love driven women were portrayed as naive while career driven women were painted as controlling or intimidating. Realistic perhaps, but the pattern becomes noticeable.

The second half had some awkward cuts where conflicts escalated and resolved a bit too quickly. Emotional beats did not always get enough breathing room. I wanted to sit longer with certain feelings before being pushed into the next twist.

Casting wise, they nailed it. Tian Xi Wei made He Zhi Nan frustrating yet lovable. When she cried, I felt it. Zhou Yu Tong as Han Su was magnetic. Elegant, composed, strong. I became a fan through this drama. Xi Yun Lai portrayed Qu Yi Peng with just the right amount of charm and toxicity. Yuan Wen Kang made Zhou Bin so convincingly annoying I wanted to throw my slipper at the screen. Zhang Zhe Hua’s evolution as Gao Peng was satisfying to watch. And the green flag duo, Wang Zi Lu and Luo Ma, were refreshing breaths of air in a room full of red banners. I only wish we had more backstory for them. Good men deserve depth too.

I loved how this drama explored all the different perspectives and complexities of the six characters. All the characters had fully explored personalities. The OST also deserves a mention. Warm, nostalgic, sentimental. The kind of songs that play and suddenly you are staring out the window contemplating life.

By the final episode, everyone ends up exactly where they need to be, not necessarily where they first wanted. Careers prioritized. Toxic ties cut. Growth acknowledged. The airport scene where He Zhi Nan faces her past self felt symbolic and earned. They stumbled, they messed up, they hurt each other, but they grew.

In Between is messy. Tangled. Sometimes frustrating. But it is also addictive and strangely relatable. It explores not just romance, but ego, pride, insecurity, survival, and the quiet fear of being left behind. I was hooked episode after episode, constantly asking myself why these characters made such terrible decisions and why I sometimes understood them anyway.

Well orchestrated chaos with a side of emotional damage. And honestly? I loved the ride.

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AS CUTE as My School President, but with a major narrative drawback

Overall, this series about as cute as Bad Buddy and My School President, filmed around the time of this series. It has made me smile nearly the whole time I have watched it.

However, there is a MAJOR DRAWBACK IN THE NARRATIVE (see below in a comment with spoilers).

Besides, a boring PSA: never engage in motorcycling (even legal) if you want to be whole and alive. However genius you think in controlling your bike the tiniest thing you *not* controlling would make you flying. This kind of transportation is incredibly dangerous and there is nothing that can save you, unlike what even a car can do with its airbags and cage.

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Weakness in script overshadows strong acting

Starring Shin Hae Sun, The Art of Sarah revolves around Saram Kim and her wish to embody luxury, even if it meant fake.

While the story had great potential, the outcome was pretty standard murder mystery, with an overly complicated but standard ending. The drama critiques society's obsession with status, luxury and appearances. Hae Sun as Sarah Kim is amazing and it is her acting skills that made me watch this drama.

The problem lied with the narrative and too many loopholes in the storyline. Too many points introduced without logical explanation and then left unattended (especially with the corpse in the lake) to shift to another direction. Additionally, the ending felt overly convenient and ultimately unconvincing. While I appreciate the intended message, its delivery seemed rushed and would have benefited from clearer development rather than relying on a convoluted “con-within-a-con” twist.

Although the conclusion aligns with the central theme, the final episodes lacked cohesion and narrative payoff.

Overall, The Art of Sarah is still a decent one-time watch - it's short, well-acted, visually strong and offers thoughtful social commentary. The writing and pacing are the weaker parts of the drama which restricted it from reaching it's peak. Do not set higher expectations while viewing is all I conclude with.

My Rating : 3/5

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