Reviews

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE IM LITERALLY ON MY KNEES PLEASE WATCH THIS!!!
Okay okay I've always been a sucker for a flashback type of movie or show, but this one had me laughing, crying, and kicking my feet all at the same time. It's a perfect summer movie where you can eat your ice cream while watching it in the living room.
The character development was insane and the things he did for her had me in tears.
I love how the production allowed us to see how she was still a big fan of her Idol and the realization that he kept his promise years later. They have my whole heart T^T

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Just right

What stood out most to me about this movie is how well-balanced it is in virtually every aspect. Although it has a moody tone with some heavy subject matter, it's never overly weepy or dramatic or dark. There weren't really any surprises in a good way - there was clear set up and payoff throughout; nothing too traumatic happens, and it wasn't too abstract or vague. Sometimes movies go over my head when they get too conceptual, so I appreciated that this presented its story and themes in a more straightforward way while being subtle enough that it didn't feel like it was spoonfeeding me everything and insulting my intelligence. The performances from Baba Fumika and Minami Sara were great and I loved how naturally their characters' bond developed, which is a testament to their chemistry. It's a decidedly subdued take on female friendship and what it means to love someone, and I really enjoyed it!

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A Palate Cleanser of a Show.

I just wasn't overwhelmed with this show. Should you watch it? Sure! If you need a simple story with a variety of characters, this will do.

Was every episode good? No. Did I hate it? Not really. Will I rewatch? Only certain portions and there weren't a lot.

I have complaints but I would have to go full Story-Theory-Mode and analyze the dickens out of this. And this show isn't worth that.

I watched for Tian Xi Wei. She personifies the girl who doesn't care about society's expectations. She fit this role very well. This was my first exposure to Bai Jing Ting and I look forward to seeing him in other things. I wished the show focused more on them and less on the gaggle of girls who wanted to start a restaurant. That was interesting to a point, then it just felt preachy.

I think the script had a hard time focusing on the 'newness' in this 'new life beginning.' A script should provide our characters with some break from a constant supply of new circumstances. I understand, it's in the title, but why couldn't some characters grow out from a 'newness' hurdle before another 'newness' hurdle begins? Why couldn't the wind settle before it picked up again?

The show was not dramatic. It was lighthearted and fun. I would label this as a palate cleanser show. Watch it between other shows to recalibrate your mind.

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I don't usually write reviews, but I genuinely felt the need to write one for this drama because I cannot believe I spent 36 episodes watching it.

If you're watching for romance, lower your expectations immediately. The main couple does not get together until the last few minutes of Episode 36. Not the last episode in general—the last few minutes. After spending the entire drama apart, they don't date, don't get any meaningful couple moments, and don't get any real development as an actual relationship. The drama skips straight to their engagement and marriage, and then it ends. That's it. After 36 episodes, the payoff is practically nonexistent.

What makes this even more frustrating is that the female lead spends over half of the drama chasing the male lead's best friend. Instead of building up the actual romance, the story focuses on a one-sided pursuit that goes nowhere. Most of the interactions between the leads consist of the male lead liking her while she sees him as a brother. It became increasingly difficult to stay invested when the drama seemed more interested in delaying the inevitable than developing the relationship people were actually watching for.

The side couples aren't any better. The female lead's best friend spends most of the drama with her boyfriend, only for them to break up and for her to end up marrying a completely random man. The male lead's best friend also had a romantic storyline that didn't end with the couple staying together. So if you become attached to any of the side relationships, don't expect satisfying conclusions there either.

To make matters worse, one member of the friend group literally leaves early in the drama and is never seen again. He gets on a train and essentially disappears from the story. It felt like the writers simply forgot he existed, which honestly reflects the overall quality of the writing.

By the end, the entire drama felt like it was rushing toward the finish line while somehow also dragging itself out. Storylines went nowhere, relationships lacked payoff, and almost every ending felt unsatisfying. I genuinely don't understand how this drama has such a high rating. People can enjoy what they enjoy, but for me, this was a frustrating experience from beginning to end.

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Exclusive fairytale is one of my first Cdramas, its defintley a fluffy comfort watch for when life gets rough.
It's pretty much your average childhood sweethearts, Chinese youth drama; despite the cliché storyline, they were able to deliver a total masterpiece that carries the air of youth and young love perfectly; even the slight details were done and written perfectly.

As much as I don't like the overused Fl personality, I've got to admit that Zhang Miao yi perfected the role of Xaoi Tu without making her an overbearing pick me.

I would've hoped that Wenjun gave us a bit more in terms of acting. I can't blame him too much because his personality is quiet and carefree.

Their college days were probably my favorite, it had the perfect mix of young-adult life, roommate bonding, and romance.

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A Chill kind of a Drama

I’m rating this drama strictly based on comparisons to other Japanese dramas. If you come expecting a strong in your face FL, you will rarely find them in J-drama's. Modest, passive females are part of the Japanese culture, politeness and courtesy is heavily influenced in the dramas. I do not see these J-drama's as less then any other types of drama's, but I respect and come to expect it as part of the charm of J-drama's. It's an enjoyable show if you are just looking for something light and easy to watch. This is the kind of 'no-brainer' show to me that you can enjoy when the day was tough and just want something easy to watch after work that will not require tears or tension on my part.

I enjoyed this Japanese drama because it features adult behavior with no silly, immature, child-like FL's. It has a solid plot, good acting, characters that support each other and grow with each other, plus it’s not dragged out with unnecessary filler scenes. I recommend it if you are looking for a sweet love story you can finish in three hours, with a predictable happy ending , that will leave you with a sense of calm and no tension.

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Please note that this is my personal view and opinion, and I do not mean to insult anyone with a varying judgment

Falling into your smile was my first c-drama, giving it a very valuable place in my heart. I have rewatched this drama countless times, and it has been my comfort drama for years. That said, I won't be biased with my review.

As sweet and funny as this drama is, it is still extremely cringe. When I first watched it in 2023, I thought it was a masterpiece, but looking back, it's pretty corny. They made Tong Yao's entire personality revolve around the fact that she's short, petite, and childish, sure she got a few moments when she was seen as hardworking, willful, and caring, but its not comparable since Lu Si Cheng was painted as a responsible, cold-hearted, and nonchalant guy who doesn't soften on anyone, giving them a "father and daughter" type of relationship. Also, the power difference between them isn't slim; they weren't fair with the personalities at all. The actors' chemistry is nonexistent; Xu Kai had better chemistry with wang yi jun.

The plot was written really nicely, just not executed in the best way. They shouldn't have written her as the first female esports player or a girl living alone with a bunch of guys; it was honestly straight out of Wattpad. The empowerment of females in male-dominated fields was refreshing to see.

The soundtrack honestly wasn't Spotify-worthy, but it went with the fluffy theme of the show.

One thing i really liked was the relationship and dynamic of the ZGDX team, everyone's reaction to Ming's retirement, them welcoming Lu Yue back, them celebrating, helping K with his family drama, singing and drinking together, and noticing the small things about each other, which honestly gave them all a sibling-like relationship.

The cinematics here didn't even try; it felt more like we were watching a short drama, still, it was a smart choice to cast Xu Kai as Lu Sicheng and Zhou Ri Yan as Ai Jia.

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