Reviews

How are you? -Fine, Thank you and you?

On the occasion of completing 1 year with MDL😁, I am writing my first review.
(So, forgive me if I made any mistake.)

Since this was a transmigration drama, I didn’t get my hopes up. I just wanted to enjoy the chemistry between the leads, and they didn’t disappoint me.
I loved how the transitions unfolded in the story and the way each character was portrayed.

Cheng Lei truly portrayed his character exceptionally well. He is genuinely a king of expressions ..❤️ every subtle look and emotional shift felt convincing and powerful.

Wang Chu Ran - As expected our strong lady, sometimes I was getting vibe of Liu Mian Tang. 🫣
I will miss them both ...like how calm and casual they were with each other.

I discovered a whole new side of Hu Yi Xuan here as I hadn't watched any historical drama of her before.... but I think its time to watch.😅

Tang Xiao Tian - Truly nailed it...👌 At some point I actually started to hate him.

Also gonna miss Bei Shu and A Bai... looking forward to see more dramas of Cheng Hong Xin.....😋

OSTs 🎶 —Already added in Playlist ✅

Overall.... for me, this was one of the best transmigration dramas I’ve watched till now.

That’s it for now. I’ll stop here and work on improving my reviews over time. See you next time… bye~~! 👋

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So confusing BUT I liked it

I was confused 98% of the time. I didn't get the plot at all. I watched because I love Shen Hao Nan and He Jian Qi and it was a bromance. The Untamed style bromance which I also love so it was a must watch lol.
I can usually follow the plot to costume/period dramas but this one I was like "What am I watching". Although I still liked it?
I was confused on the star thing. Ik Su Zi Yuan sacrificed himself to save Jiang Yan and basically make him somewhat healthy again cause felt like he was indebted to him. BUT then I'm like well does Su Zi know he can come back to life anyway but this time, in good health? So did he have that in mind too? It was like he was trolling Jiang Yan and finally made a grand entrance but then said I'm sorry after Jiang Yan was gonna punch him. I thought that was cute and funny. Cause Jiang Yan was passing out and getting sick after Su Zi "died" but once Su Zi came back, Jiang Yan wanted to punch him. They never hugged which was odd in my opinion.
Then was Jiang Yan actually immortal? Was the emperor his brother, dad, uncle, etc? Ik he was trying to kill Jiang Yan multiple times but Su Zi always came to the rescue.❤️ It kinda ended in a cliffhanger because was Jiang Yan and Su Zi gonna end up killing the emperor? Idek if Jiang Yan even knew if he was trying to kill him.
But for those who may read this, YES its a GREAT ending. Ngl throughout the series, you're thinking "just kiss already". The tension is crazy.
I hate watching series that has bad endings and I like to know beforehand lol.
Despite the plot, Shen Hao Nan and He Jian Qi have AMAZING chemistry together. I wish they would have future projects like this together but ik it'll be just fans wishful thinking.
ANYWAYS I'll definitely rewatch, not for the plot of course, for the chemistry and bromance going on and maybe I'll understand it better? lol ❤️❤️

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"...If we don't try hard, we won't understand each other."

I first watched this drama when I was 14 or so. Of course, a teenager wouldn't be able to completely understand the dilemma of being an adult. Every time I have watched this drama since then, I have seemed to understand it better than the last time.

I think it's hard to put this show into words, mostly because of how much it means to me. All the emotions I associate with the characters and the plot are complex. The characters have shaped my life in a great way. The way I think and feel mirrors what I have learnt from them. It truly did make me appreciate relationships and people much more.

I think everyone should what this drama in their 30s to truly appreciate the depth of the story.

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Visceral and Beautiful!

"Our Unwritten Seoul" is yet another masterpiece of 2025, definitely near "When Life Gives You Tangerines" for me. The basic plot may seem overused, and definitely is; however, it's much more than twins switching lives. There are so many intricacies of the deep-seated relationship between siblings, family and friends. What is going through your loved one's mind is something you may never know or understand, even if you make the effort to do so. The only thing you can do for them is to stay by their side and let them sort out their own feelings. You can't love others before you learn to love yourself. The juxtaposition between Miji's past mental health and Hosu's current hectic life was written incredibly.

A lot of people seem to dislike Rosa's side story, but I felt it was a great addition to the story, just another layer of characters that we can explore, whose lives seem miserable in the most beautiful way.

Highly recommend!

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Surely Villain — When the Hero Walks Into the Dark Side

What if the hero slowly becomes the villain? Yep… that’s exactly the ride this drama takes you on. 👀
One thing I genuinely appreciated is how the female lead is written like a normal, thinking human. She doesn’t blindly trust people (and honestly, why should she?). Some viewers might call her foolish at times, but let’s be real — when you’re a criminal yourself, trusting another criminal isn’t exactly a smart survival strategy.
The drama really shines when it comes to the crime planning and mind games. If you enjoy watching clever criminals operate step by step, there’s definitely something here for you. That said, I’d personally call it more of a one-time watch — engaging in the moment, but not something I’m rushing to rewatch.
Also, don’t come in expecting heavy romance or melodrama — this one stays mostly focused on the darker, strategic side of the story.
If this drama works for you, I’d highly recommend Healer (still one of the best dramas ever — and yes, it has a great love story too) and Mad Dog for similar smart-crime vibes. 🔥
P.S. – Sometimes the most interesting stories are the ones where the lines between hero and villain quietly blur. 😌

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It Grew on Me … But Not Enough

I’m sorry, folks, but this just wasn’t my cup of tea. I’m also watching the donghua and reading the novel, both of which I’m really engaged in. However, I struggled with this micro-drama and dropped it last year. After giving it another go this time around, I noticed it grew on me the longer I watched.

I think the basic storyline is interesting, and some of the details were funny or ridiculous—even unique to transmigration or “sucked-into-a-book” narratives. The ending reveal was also nicely executed and would have been gripping, putting the whole drama on its head, had I not already been spoiled. Unfortunately, though, the overall delivery and the silly banter just didn’t land for me.

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Missed the Mark on Me

I’m a huge Yan Zixian fan. I’ve watched 19 of his dramas (and dropped three of them). But I’m sorry, folks—this just wasn’t my cup of tea. The beginning was fun despite its rough edges, but then it devolved into a low-budget disappointment. The banter was funny, and I liked all the characters, especially the main leads and the emperor. There were unique nuances to the premise that made me laugh and kept me engaged. But overall, the drama felt flat. Sometimes an underwhelming production can be elevated by a strong script or a powerful storyline—if one is lacking, the other can make up for it. Unfortunately, neither was delivered here.

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A good story, poorly executed.

I had no expectations for this series, but as soon as it started, I was surprised. First, because the series is very well produced, I could see some new elements from Copy a Bangkok, such as the insertion of the characters' names introducing themselves on screen, the insertion of the characters' thoughts, and the insertion of secondary characters with more presence. These elements were not seen in their last productions, so I found it very interesting. The story as a whole is interesting to follow so far, well written and directed, nothing that leaves viewers confused.

In addition, I really liked the casting choice, because I watched Black Valentine and several actors are from that series, including Mint, who is played by the same actress who in Black Valentine had a character in love with Natty's character. In other words, it's as if Black Valentine fans could finally see what it would be like if they got together. I loved it. Also, the actor from My Imperfect Family is also in this series; He acted alongside Enjoy Thidarat last year, and I really liked his character (I hated his villain role, so he was a good actor, right?). And finally, the series director himself appears as a character. In the series, P'Cheewin plays himself and shows how a TV series works... I LOVED IT!!!

I'm loving the meta-language. Seeing a GL being built within another GL is very interesting. We can see each step of how a GL emerges, from the castings and workshops to the demands placed on the actresses, the criticism about who they date, and their sexual orientation. It's really cool to see this portrayed in the series, to open the fans' eyes to how much they interfere in the actresses' love lives.

The script was confusing and poorly developed in some parts, and the non-conformities weren't good, but aside from that, the series is enjoyable to watch. Charm is a sweetheart, it's not a toxic romance, it's beautiful and cute. The actresses improved their acting a lot from the beginning of the series to the end, and the chemistry between them also improved a lot throughout the episodes.

P.S.: They need to give the character with short red hair a GL series. I'm saying this right after the first episode!
PS 2: I think Mint and Charm have more chemistry; I'd prefer the main couple to be Natty and Nycha... but I'll wait to be sure.

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Not the highest of Thai BLs, but worth watching at least once

That series is one of those, where everything works pretty well with each other and is very enjoyable... except the plot. The plot hinges on induced stupidity and characters not questioning things around them + it's very predictable. 90% of "plottwists" in this series are matters of 2 questions main characters could have (and should have, given the context) asked in the first 3 episodes. It's a bad sign, when supernatural show's story demands more suspension of disbelief than actual supernatural elements. It's not dramatically bad, but induces eye rolls after certain point.

7-8/10 for acting, chemistry and overall experiece (music was ok, but forgetable)
6/10 for the plot

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It all begins when the sister of the lead character gets married and, ashamed of her, sends her on vacation to Jeju Island. There, she meets a handsome man with whom she falls in love, but suddenly leaves him to return home to her mother, who is hospitalized for illness caused by the married daughter's debts.
Burdened by debts (house and hospital) she applies for a permanent job but among the jury there is him, disappointed at having been rudely dumped, who refuses to hire her.
But he finds himself being her boss in this department specifically created by his sister to put him in difficulty. The team works hard and he will protect them even when it emerges that his employee isn't married and falsified her CV to get hired.
The problem is that she's been passing herself off as "married," and he becomes jealous. So, he decides to rush things by marrying the girlfriend chosen by the family. Then he discovers that his employee isn't actually married (but did it to get hired) and that her girlfriend is also in love with her "husband."
They get secretly engaged. After overcoming his brothers and putting his mother back in charge of the company, he gets hit by a car and loses his memory. He leaves her, and a year later they meet again on Jeju Island and start their relationship over again. The situation after a few years: they're married with two children, and the couple they've known are still just friends (too bad).

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Dated Xianxia that's a little too long with noticeable crappy CGI/AI technology

It’s very unfortunate that “Love Never Fails” was filmed in 2021 but didn’t air until 2025 due to former female lead, Crystal Yuan’s tax evasion problem. Even though Hu Yi Xuan did a fantastic job stepping in, reshooting many scenes with the help of AI technology/CGI/green screen and Liu Xue Yi’s help, the drama still looks dated and low-budget.


Plot:
“Love Never Fails” has a very traditional old-school xianxia plot. It’s full of angst, misunderstanding, and noble idiocies. I would say this drama has 4 different arcs. The Heaven Realm was a good (but long) introduction of all the characters. Hu Yi Xuan plays a very lovable red camellia demon Hong Ning. She was innocent and sweet, yet not annoying. Hong Ning’s character growth throughout the drama was central to the plot and great to witness. Liu Xue Yi’s Jin Xiu is the typical stoic King of the Central Heavens. The second arc is the first of two mortal realms. I like the setting of the academy and seeing a more human version of the leads. Unfortunately, I feel that this arc lasted a little long. I also did not enjoy seeing ML turn into a lovesick jealous puppy from a more reserved teacher figure. The white camelia demon also irritates me. The third arc is my favorite as it's shorter, and I enjoy a different dynamic between the leads. I enjoy seeing a more human ML who plays a general that’s not too stoic and will chase after a girl (yet not as lovesick as the previous trial). I was also glad to see that the trials are over, now I am looking forward to the background story of the leads and what the scheme the drama has been alluding to by the Heavenly Emperor. Unfortunately, it drags and I eventually lose interest in the last 5 episodes or so. Looking back, I think the character development of all the major characters is the best part of the show. They have all matured so much, little by little through their different trial experiences.


Romance:
The main romance is very eventful. Hong Ning (FL) and Jin Xiu (ML) have gone through a lot. They have some really sweet and cute scenes, and also scenes where I want to shake some sense in them. There are too many unspoken explanations, self-sacrifices and noble idiocies throughout the drama. I was exhausted. Every time Jin Xiu says he will protect his little red camellia, you know something bad is going to happen. The chemistry between Liu Xue Yi and Hu Yi Xuan is fine. I am not sure if this has to do with the changing female lead. They are both great actors, but given the circumstances, it’s really hard to expect a sizzling, fluffy or heart-wrenching romance when you have to act in front of crappy green screens and AI face swap. I also find the evil, clingy third wheel very annoying, especially when he's there for most of the drama. Many viewers like the secondary romance. I like it fine, and they do have a more fun dynamic compared to the main romance. But I feel that it’s not given enough time to fully execute.


Acting:
The acting for the four main actors carry this drama on their back. As I said, Liu Xue Yi and Hu Yi Xuan are great. A younger Ao Rui Peng shows potential that he can be the main lead in future dramas (and we’ve seen that happen). The 9-tail princess might be the least well-known of the four, but she did fine (not great). However, the rest of the supporting cast is only OK. None of them really impresses me but they are not horrible either.


Production Quality:
Unfortunately, I don’t have anything good to say about the production quality. This drama screams low-budget and old. The Heavenly Realm is blinding me with all the white! I was even missing the pastel colors from other dramas. Everyone is dubbed, even for Liu Xue Yi, and I don’t think the voice acting is that great either. The CGI is dated which makes the fight scenes look like child’s play. The AI technology/green screen is so noticeable. The costumes for our female lead look great and Hu Yi Xuan looks beautiful in her different characters. Unfortunately, the male leads look like they are wearing oversized clothing. The top knot hairstyle does not suit anyone. Thank goodness I get to see Liu Xue Yi looking fantastic when his hairstyle changes when he was dressing in simple attire during the cross of the bridge and in the final episodes.


Do I recommend this drama? Unfortunately, no. I don’t regret watching it though, because I want to support all the actors' hard work despite Crystal Yuan’s departure. It wouldn’t be fair to everyone else. I especially want to support Liu Xue Yi for reshooting scenes with Hu Yi Xuan, and her great work stepping in and probably acting in front of green screens all the time. I just wish this drama aired sooner and the technology/quality is better.



Completed: 2/21/2026 Review #668

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TOP photo shooting

I really liked the novelty of the photo shoot. It's clear the cast wasn't chosen at random. They aim for high standards of beauty, including Miss Korea, athletes, and photogenic people like models and actors. I have no complaints about it, because it's beautiful to look at, but on the other hand, I feel like they somehow "look fake" and are acting rather than truly interested in finding their soulmate.
In this season, compared to the other four, I missed the part where they get to know each other in their bedrooms, where their personalities could have emerged more (where they sleep, when they wake up, small gestures like brushing their teeth together or drying their hair...) than in the restaurant or in a group setting, where those personalities aren't easily revealed.
During the last dinner, I was disappointed that they didn't show everyone's reactions to the two taboo things they couldn't reveal: their age and job. I also found it unfair that the questions weren't asked to everyone, but almost exclusively to Go Eun.
What about the news that one of the commentators, Hong Jin Kyung, was supposed to apologize to Mina for something she said about her? Afterward, there was a real sense of self-censorship and a restraint in the comments, and I'm disappointed about that. Personally, I think they're all excellent and never inappropriate.
Mina, for sure, was a self-centered figure who repeatedly disrupted the stability of some couples just for the sake of getting attention. I also find her final choice purely selfish, so as not to go out alone. A woman like Min Gee, direct and honest, my best, would have been much better. Another woman who made us despair was Go Eun, who, the entire time, kept three men on edge before surprising us with her final choice. On the men's side, I'll definitely remember Jae Jin with his guru-like aplomb: calm, reassuring, and quite intriguing.
"Paradise," the 5-star Inspire Hotel in Incheon, was truly a fairytale.
After every reality show of this kind, I'm always curious to see if the couples hold up outside the bubble that is the show, or if they fall apart in everyday life. In this regard, I saw that six episodes of "Single's Inferno Reunion" are scheduled to air on February 14, 2026, which I absolutely must watch.

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Its a must watch!

As I watched the first few episodes and the storyline, I found the idea of losing money in a business to earn bonuses really ridiculous and interesting at the same time. Since it was unsual and healthy to see the employees treated well, I found solace and comfort by seeing them doing well. Though it was all happened in the virtual reality than in real life. It felt good.
I really like the story premise. Instead of focusing on profits and earning salary for each month, if we could find a way to inspire employees to do what they want and bring out best results without worrying about budget costs, then the real world would be a better place to live.
I also found the line very comforting when Pei Qian says to Mr Ma that in Tengda, we fullfill everyone’s dreams and help them achieving it through financial means.
It was a really good line because so many people give up on their dreams mostly because of money and financial support.
If they had someone they could rely on, so many people would have bring out something beautiful and great onto the table.
I wish Tengda was a real company. I really liked this series. The story's purpose and message has been engraved in my heart. I will never forget such a wonderful story made me feel alive after such a long time.
Thanks to the author who created this masterpiece and the screenwriter/director as well to bring out it in live action version.
God bless them all. It was a great fulfilling time for me.

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