Reviews

Extreme love and extreme hate

Feud is a show that you have to bear with a little before you’re rewarded. Ultimately it is on the deeper, angstier side, with some philosophical tones and food for thought- I think that’s in line with this screenwriter (she’s actually the reason I watched it). But it takes some time for the layers to fall into place.

The beginning has a silly tone, complete with sound effects and funny expressions. The FL is total ditz for at least 5-6 episodes, kind of annoying but not the worst I’ve seen. Some great tragedy / misunderstanding in the past is constantly hinted at with little real information, leaving you sitting there with growing impatience wondering where it’s all going.

But it turns out that many of the things I at first thought were poor writing, plot holes, or just general inconsistencies, were actually not. Don’t get me wrong, there are some of those too. But many are actually clues. This show loves grand plot twist reveals; it also loves misdirections and confusing hints. So by halfway through, I’d been whacked so badly by plot twists that I found myself constantly and suspiciously guessing at secrets and hidden plans. It’s that kind of show.

The main plot is about the feud between the ML and FL, both resolving it in the present as well as unveiling its origins in the past. The feud is so intense that at first I thought the backstory couldn't possibly be worthy of it... but in the end, I think it is. It was bad enough to merit a lot of hate- maybe not THAT much, but debatable- and I could also see and understand how it happened. A little communication would have gone a long way, of course, but its lack here was not as outrageous as some other shows. I was satisfied with the uncovered motivation and story.

Even more, I understood both sides of the feud, and my sympathies shifted back and forth from one lead to the other. I tend to think this is a sign of good writing in setting up a meaningful and multi-dimensional conflict, involving relatable characters with sympathetic actions and emotions. And it's nice that the characters in the end are more self-aware than not, and that there are some other characters to speak the audiences’ mind.

In general, there’s a lot to unpack in this show, and some themes are carried well throughout- autonomy, karma, love and hate, etc- I’m tempted to go on about it here, but this is a review and not a critical analysis, so just know that some of the issues can get philosophical if you think about them more deeply.

Of course, a show that’s only about two people tragically broken apart by misunderstandings and unfortunate but unintended developments would probably be somewhat depressing and unsatisfying to watch. So I am glad that they came up with some final villain for them to fight together. Unfortunately, this villain is not that well constructed or explained. Their story and motivation are in line with the themes, but introduced late and kind of glossed over, especially as the show gets pretty rushed towards the end.

In fact, I waited what felt like the entire show for the two leads to make up and work together, but it kept not happening. The feud only seemed to get worse as my frustration grew. This is not the angstiest drama I’ve seen- there are some breathing breaks and even flashes of lightheartedness- but it did start to test my patience. When finally things start looking up, we are only left with a rushed last few episodes.

For better or worse, though, this probably makes the show more bingeable, because you blow through it trying to get to the part where you can finally relax.

Main villain aside, I do think the characters are generally well constructed. Like many shows that want to be deep, there aren’t that many characters to truly hate. I was ok with it here because the show and I tended to agree on how to feel. My favorite character is probably Ling’er, who has her head screwed on remarkably straight.

I also like that this show puts a spotlight on many kinds of love. The core relationship is definitely a romantic love, but many other kinds of love are shown to be just as important. I wish this weren't so uncommon.

On a less flattering note, this xianxia world is one of the more poorly constructed that I’ve seen. Some concepts or aspects of the immortals’ lives seem too lofty, others too mundane. The entire setup and world mechanics are poorly explained (and don’t get me started on that Empyrean)- I think it’s just something you have to overlook.

For the acting, I thought it’s exceptionally good. Both Bai Lu and Zeng Shunxi have some great, nuanced expressions that convey lots of different and complicated emotions. They are just as convincing for the many dramatic, emotional scenes. I also thought the second leads did a good job (Ling’er with her resigned smile!) as well as many of the side characters, like Zhao Yiqin playing three different personalities.

For other production stuff, the costumes and styling are pretty good. Bai Lu looks super pretty in this show. The CGI is sometimes not bad but, erm, mostly not that great. But for the most egregiously bad SFX, I think it was on purpose as a joke, hah. The music is alright but not really my favorite... it set the mood well enough, but I think the emotional scenes helped the music more than the music helped the scenes.

Overall, this is one of those deeper, more philosophical shows that I like. But it is more angsty than my normal preference, and it feels like a lot of the show is spent waiting for things to get better. It also has so many plot twists, clues, and misdirection, that I think by the second half when they’re mostly done with, people were disappointed by the lack of further intrigue. So it isn’t perfect, but I still liked it; it made me think and feel, even if it was somewhat emotionally taxing.

ENDING – READ AHEAD ONLY IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, CONTAINS SPOILERS





The ending is... happy? The main couple does end up alive and together, but we only get a flash of their reunion. I found it somewhat unsatisfying.

The second leads also survive, though with no romance between them. I was happy with this more realistic development and with Ling’er saving herself rather than some guy doing it for her. However, I did secretly wish she could find the love she wanted.

Many likeable side characters die in the episodes leading up to the end, which is rather sad. There is a time reversal artifact, but luckily they don’t use this cheap trick. The role it actually plays is somewhat confusing and subject to debate.

BTW, not sure if this counts as a spoiler, but I found the ML’s love brain to be super extreme, almost as frustrating as the FL’s hate brain. But somebody on reddit pointed out that she was the first thing he saw and so he imprinted on her; that made it make a lot more sense to me. As for the FL’s hate brain, I was rooting for her to let it go, but I don’t think anyone really has the right to judge. Hatred can really feed on itself. And feelings are feelings; whatever a person feels is valid, as my therapist once said.

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A Great Catastrophe: Born of the Insurmountable Obsession w/ Cai Pingshu—the De Facto Protagonist.

"To judge a person, you should not look at how good they are in good times, but how bad they can be in bad times." - Mu Qingyan

I don't think I can start this review any other way than to address how our main leads were thoroughly utilized as mere instruments to honor the legacy of the valiant Cai Pingshu and clean up after the mess of several other crooked-minded predecessors.

What I thought was a simple flashback—a tribute to their predecessors' prowess—turned out to be the main plotline little by little. It was a narrative progression I had never foreseen, and something that caught me completely off-guard. It was an element of the story that utterly bewildered me upon discovery because, as the plot progressed, it gradually took over and soon revolved heavily around them instead of our two main protagonists. This deviation overshadowed, and ultimately stole, the story's focus from our "supposed" main leads, stealthily stripping away their identity as the legitimate main characters of the story. This structural subversion significantly reduced them to being mere icing on the cake—ones who were bestowed with life and characteristics for the sole purpose of unraveling and denouncing the hidden, filthy truth behind the atrocious events of the previous generation, revisiting the connection and friendship they built, honoring the sacrifices they made, and ultimately taking revenge for Cai Pingshu—the de facto protagonist of this show.

Was I disappointed? Damn, Yes! How could I not be when what I thought to be a simple, prolonged flashback appearing every now and then—one that lasted through approximately the first 10 episodes and that I assumed ended for good—suddenly came back several episodes later and became the core narrative the story goes back to every time, and later permanently rotates around? I am still in disbelief! I felt like I was tricked, because little did I know that they simply took a quick break from those flashbacks to "somehow" develop the main leads' story, only to shortly go back to the same track again. This progression was definitely not on my bingo card when I picked this series. At this point, it won't even be an exaggeration to declare that this story is a memoir, a grand tribute to the legacy of the legendary Cai Pingshu.

One distinctive attribute of this story's writing style that utterly mystified me—and totally deserves a resounding round of applause—was their flawless ability to manage the story's flow and transitions without seemingly overshadowing the main protagonists, simply because they are still technically the ones fighting the antagonists. *Eyerolls* It was meticulously executed to the point where it may have gone unnoticed by some, unless you're like me who's extra sensitive to and incredibly invested in the main leads.

To be fair, I was not hypercritical of the flashbacks at first. It only became a concerning factor for me when they finally went overboard by investing more than half of the show's runtime in the previous generation and their unresolved conflicts, instead of focusing on the new generation's growth and journey—as they should, since they are the main leads being promoted.

That said, just because they provided an excessive amount of exposure to the previous generation—more than I think should have been given—doesn't mean the leads lacked sufficient character development. It was never like that. In fact, I can say that the leads' arcs were still compellingly realized. Their story, although highly influenced by the past generation's conflicts, was still properly developed with steady pacing, consistent growth, and a beautiful ending—all of which were nicely dissected and delved into through different means, but most commonly through flashbacks. Countless, endless flashbacks... since that is something they are experts at. Lol

At the end of the day, it's just a mix of accumulated emotions—feeling disappointed, bewildered, and in total disbelief. Imagine, even the time that should've been spent exclusively on the main leads was instead spent on yet another batch of countless flashbacks that heavily included the past generation's shenanigans. *Sighs* Mind you, I was initially curious and interested in the past generation's story too, but as time passed, I gradually got tired of it because they were just being shown way too much.

In addition, despite the good flow of the story, there really were some scenes that made my forehead crease, my eyebrows raise, and my eyes roll at the farcical plot devices. Some of those scenes include:

First, the male lead creating their own demise. Mu Qingyan repeatedly stated his desire to kill Nie Zhe once he captured him. Yet, he allowed himself to be manipulated by Nie Zhe's diversion technique, which used his emotional weakness and caused him to escape—when he could have easily slit his throat, since his sword was literally half an inch away from his neck. I understand that he still wanted to squeeze more information from him, but I never expected him to be a victim of such schemes given how smart he is.

Second, the frustration toward Cai Zhao's parents. They forced her to leave Luoying Valley to train at the Qingque Sect and enter the Pugilistic world, when all she ever wanted was to become a businesswoman—even with the infamous knowledge that their Cai lineage has been known to produce the so-called "Demoness" for the past several generations. Thus, I find it infuriating how they reacted with shock upon learning that Cai Zhao has a mutual romantic relationship with Mu Qingyan, when they should have fully expected it following their family's historical pattern. It's just ridiculous that they have the audacity to react this way when they are equally responsible for this foreseeable outcome. On the positive side, I loved how they finally grew to accept and support Mu Qingyan toward the climax.

Third, Cai Zhao's misplaced trust in her sect mates and master, Qi Yunke. It was grating to watch her stay in denial about her master's involvement and identity as the "Man in Black," even when the evidence was pointing directly at them. More so, it is outrageous how she cried and felt conflicted about what to do with him when he deserved nothing but a painful death for the countless innocent lives he took to achieve his utterly crooked revenge.

Fourth, the leads' pitiful state. It made me scoff out of frustration to see how vulnerable, weak, and miserable both of our leads were during the final fight scene of the climax. This entire situation could have been avoided if the FL hadn't hesitated to suspect or doubt her master in the first place.

Fifth, the excessive amount of blood splattering. The sheer volume of blood in this drama felt completely unnecessary. 😅

After completing this series, one issue that totally stood out to me was the production's greed to introduce most, if not everyone, in Cai Pingshu's circle of friends from her generation. This became a considerable concern because the majority of them don't even participate in the main story's timeline—and even if they did, it was just for an irrelevant, ephemeral scene—yet the show constantly jumped between flashbacks of their younger selves and scenes of their older selves in the present time. This created so much confusion because, aside from the fact that they were never given enough individual screen time to establish themselves, there are just so many of them. So keeping track of who is who became a truly overwhelming struggle for me, especially when they were all clumped together. It reached a point where I just didn't give a fuck at all by the end.

On a brighter note, I want to praise them instead for their seamless buildup and execution of the final enemy's identity reveal. Up until the very end, I didn't dare conclude who the final antagonist was until it was officially revealed—my primary suspect was Li Wenxun. The production did an impeccable job crafting Qi Yunke's identity as a righteous, pure-as-white man, to the point that I didn't dare doubt him even a little. I know that this is an extremely cliché plot device, but I have to say they did a stellar job with it; I never held any suspicions toward him, nor did I ever doubt him.

To finally conclude this review, I just want to say that I still thoroughly enjoyed this story despite all my rants, unfavorable feedback, and complaints. I love how our main leads match and rival each other's wits—he was an excellent manipulator and she was highly perceptive—leaving no room to develop any "I'm oblivious to your schemes" drama because they could see through each other's plans along the way. I also love the ending so much! I appreciate how he stuck true to his word about marrying into her family and settling down in Luoyin Valley. There is simply no better way to end their perilous journey than this.

"Cai Zhao, listen to me. We can never be separated. So what if my meridians are severed? Even if I am reduced to ashes, I will return to find you." - Mu Qingyan

Story - 9.0, The story was actually well-crafted—fast-paced and progressive. If they had at least halved the number of flashbacks, everything would have been perfect. It's just frustrating how I came here for the main leads but ended up drowning in Cai Pingshu and her generation's unresolved drama.

Acting/Cast - 9.5, I was planning to give this a 9.0 rating, but I was reminded of how the actors pulled off the excessive amount of blood splatting and vomiting, and I thought I should give them credit for that. lmao This is my first Zhou Yiran drama, but the one who captured my attention the most remained to be Bao Shang'en—despite this being my third drama of hers. Her styling here was insane! It was simple, plain, and muted, with absolutely nothing fancy about it, yet it looked exquisitely crafted for her, making her naturally beautiful features and body proportions stand out in a graceful, striking manner.

Music - 8.0, The songs beautifully accompanied every scene from the beginning until the end. I don't particularly have a favorite, but I certainly love the ballad track the best.

Rewatch Value - 7.0, Despite it being beautifully and evocatively written, I don't think I can sit through all of the flashbacks ever again. This rating is solely based on the narrative's positive aspects.

Overall - 9.0, Honestly, I think the writer and the entire production team should go back on set to film a prequel to this show focusing on the previous generation, just to fulfill their unconcealable obsession with them. Dang! I still feel a bitter distaste in my mouth whenever I think of how our leads were discreetly stripped of their roles as the main protagonists.

IF you find my review helpful please let me know.

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The Escape of the Seven: A review that sees beyond the surface

I finally finished this show and I pushed it because of the reviews I saw which were mostly negative. But I didn’t have anything to watch and I finally watched it, and here is what I took from it; (still asking myself why I didn’t watch it sooner)

When I first started, I noticed something strange. Everyone around me — reviewers, casual viewers, even some fans — kept talking about Dami.

"It's a revenge drama for Dami."
"Dami deserved better."
"The show lost its way because Dami didn't get justice."
“Why didn’t Dami come back.”

And I couldn't help but think: Did we watch the same show?

Because from the very first episode, it was clear to me that The Escape of the Seven was never about Dami. She was important, yes — her death was the spark that lit the fire. But she was never the fire itself.

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What the Show Is Actually About

At its core, The Escape of the Seven is a story about evil, consequences, and the slow unraveling of people who thought they could escape their sins.

· It's about K — the insecure, manipulative puppet master who uses everyone around him to destroy everything and the one person who threatens his identity: Do Hyuk.
· It's about the seven villains — cruel, selfish, broken people who stumble into each other's lives and slowly, painfully, begin to realize the weight of what they've done.
· It's about Do Hyuk — the reckless thug with a good heart, who becomes the target of K's obsession and finds himself caught between revenge, love, and forgiveness.

Dami? She's the sacrifice. The tragedy that sets everything in motion. The innocent life that reminds us why these villains need to fall.

But she was never the main character.

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The Love Story Everyone Misunderstood

One of the most misunderstood parts of the show is the relationship between Do Hyuk and Mo Ne.

Most viewers saw Mo Ne as a villain — cold, selfish, irredeemable. They saw Do Hyuk as a fool for loving her and forgiving her, especially after she left him to die in Season 1. (I am even angry that they didn’t really let them end together visibly at the finale)

But here's what they missed:

Mo Ne was never just a villain. She was a survivor.

She built walls to protect herself from a world that had always been cruel. Her selfishness was armor. Her ambition was survival ( remember when they showed us how her brothers treated her and her mother and why she started what she started. Not agreeing with her but bullying and whatever she did started there, if we really watched her character from the first episode). And Do Hyuk? He was the first person who saw through those walls — and stayed.

Their love story is not about grand confessions or perfect romance. It's about cracks — the small, almost invisible fissures in Mo Ne's walls that Do Hyuk gently, patiently widened until she finally learned to let him in.

And yes, she betrayed him. But that betrayal wasn't proof that she didn't love him. It was proof that she wasn't ready. Yes, she began to like him but she was still that person, the ambitious, selfish person we knew.

Do Hyuk understood that. He forgave her — not because she deserved it, but because he loved her. Because he saw the little light in her, even when she couldn't see it herself.

And by the end, Mo Ne did change. Not overnight — not in a cheap, unearned redemption arc — but slowly, painfully, authentically.

She went from a woman who cared only about money and fame to someone who would give herself up to protect Do Hyuk. (She protected him by the end afterall and redeemed herself). She went from a bully, selfish, ambitious person who would do anything to put herself first to someone who asked for forgiveness and wanted to live justly.

Why he forgave her easily but not the others when she is done arguably worse than others even to him?

when he says he won't forgive Rahee or the others, it's not because they don't deserve it. It's because he doesn't care about them the way he cares about Mo Ne. He doesn't have the emotional investment to want to see their redemption.

But Mo Ne? He wanted to forgive her. He was looking for a reason to. And when he saw even a flicker of a reason in her, he grabbed onto it — because forgiving her meant keeping her in his life.

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The Reviewers Got It Wrong

Most reviewers failed to see any of this. They got stuck on Dami. They got stuck on "justice." They got stuck on surface-level morality — "Mo Ne is bad, so why does Do Hyuk forgive her?"

But they missed the chessboard — the game K was playing, the pieces he was moving, the real story beneath the chaos.

They missed that the seven villains were never just villains. They were people — broken, cruel, worst people but ultimately human. And their growth wasn't instant or easy. It was earned. Their growth started as they feared K, but ultimately they began to know the weight of what they did

They missed that Do Hyuk's love for Mo Ne was the most human part of the show — irrational, inconsistent, and completely blind to logic. Do Hyuk didn’t ask anything of Mone, I mean it may have started as a crush but ultimately it grew into something more from his side. He was angry when he was betrayed, He was hurt, yes. But she really didn’t promise him anything, and from what I’ve seen he loved her more than he loved being right,

And they missed that Dami was never the protagonist — she was the catalyst.

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Final Verdict

The Escape of the Seven is not a perfect drama. It's messy, chaotic, and sometimes overwhelming. But it's not confusing — it's misunderstood. Anyone who went to see it knowing what they were getting into didn’t get confused because the drama told us what it was about from even the title (I am still angry that I let the reviews judge it and I let it get to me before)

It's a show about evil and its consequences. About people who thought they could escape their sins — and the slow, painful unraveling that follows.

It's a show about love that doesn't make sense, forgiveness that isn't logical, and redemption that isn't earned easily.

And if you watch it with open eyes — if you look beyond Dami, beyond the chaos, beyond the surface — you'll see something truly special.

You'll see a story about cracks and walls, about games and pawns, about broken people trying — and often failing — to become something more.

people got fixated on Dami, and that fixation blinded them to what the show was actually about.

And the actors did a great job of making us feel mixed emotions, be it the negative ones or the positive ones.

And I really don’t like people who, in order to feel that they are right, started applying the logic to real life. Because this is a drama, a fiction, if one likes Mone and Do Hyuk, that’s not how they are in real life

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An incredible journey that stays on your mind

The drama starts off quite lightly; it is fast-paced and has a very entertaining action-comedy kind of vibe. However, after a few episodes, it becomes slower, more serious, darker, suspenseful, and mysterious—keeping that tone for the better part of the remaining story. But there is nothing to fear, because, oh, what an incredible journey and an emotional rollercoaster it is! ✨

Ding Yuxi and Zhang Xincheng play their roles brilliantly. This was the first time I had seen Xincheng on my screen, and I was really impressed by his acting. However, Yuxi showed sides of his talent I hadn't seen before in any of his other works. His performance took my breath away and made me sit on the edge of my seat for the better half of the story. The main characters don't have any romance, if anyone is looking for that, but they do share a brotherly love, and that love is one of a kind. I was incredibly invested in both of their characters and still can't get them out of my head or move on. This is how big of an impact this drama—especially Yuxi and Xincheng's characters—left on me. 🥺❤️

I would highly recommend this to anyone. Even though it had a few flaws, just like any other drama, it is still a complete 10/10 from me. 🌟🏆

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A mystery-filled journey that broke and healed my heart

Southern Archives: The Nanyang Mystery is without a doubt the best drama I have watched in 2026. It is a hidden gem that perfectly blends mystery, thriller, adventure, brotherhood, friendship, and emotional storytelling.

Ding Yuxi's performance as Zhang Haixia was extraordinary. Knowing that he always wanted to act in a Republican-era drama makes this role feel even more special. Haixia's story is one of the most tragic character arcs I have seen in a long time. He suffered endlessly, was forced into impossible situations, had to go against the people he loved, and carried unbearable pain throughout the story. Watching him struggle was heartbreaking.

One of the strongest aspects of the drama is the mentor-disciple relationship between Zhang Haiqi, Zhang Hailou, and Zhang Haixia. Their bond felt genuine, heartwarming, and heartbreaking at the same time. Jiang Peiyao absolutely stole my heart as Haiqi. She was such a cool, capable, and badass mentor. I cried so hard when she died, and I cannot describe how relieved and happy I felt when she came back. Hope to see her in more roles as a main character

Zhang Hailou's character development was equally impressive. At the beginning, he was carefree, playful, and always seemed to find a reason to smile. However, the deeper he became involved with the Southern Archives and its secrets, the more that carefree side slowly disappeared. Watching him lose pieces of himself as he uncovered the truth was devastating. The emotional burden he carried, especially when forced to make impossible choices involving his closest friend, left a lasting impact on me.

The chemistry between Hailou and Haixia was one of the highlights of the drama. Their friendship, trust, sacrifices, and unwavering loyalty to each other formed the heart of the story. The brotherhood portrayed here felt natural and powerful, making every joyful moment and every tragedy hit even harder.

The mysteries were engaging, the suspense kept me hooked, and every case revealed more layers to the larger story. Combined with strong performances, emotional depth, and excellent character development.

This drama made me laugh, cry, and sit on the edge of my seat. It's rare to find a series that balances mystery, action, friendship, and emotional storytelling this well. For me, it is easily one of the best Republican-era dramas ever made and my favorite drama of 2026.

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When Crazy Meets Crazy

As a child, Seo Yeoreum (Summer) grew up in hatred and violence as he witnessed his father assaults his mother on constant basis. The final straw was when he saw his mom hang herself but he never moved to help, and eventually blamed himself as his mom’s killer, never managed to catch a sleep and constantly looking for a way to die. He lets himself gets beaten by schoolbullies because the pain takes away the pain of watching his mom die. His mom’s first love, Detective Nam Woo fostered him in out of guilt for not marrying Yeoreum’s mom when he had the chance and he tells Yeoreum to find a girlfriend so he would want to live. Feeling suicidal every single day, Yeoreum constantly gets in trouble and one day the local thugs got their hands on him. Han Gyeowool (Winter) saw the beatings and decided to help, subduing them in a matter of moments with precise skills. As if falling in love at first sight, Yeoreum finally got the deepest sleep since ages ago and found his will to live again. To make matters more interesting, the next day, Gyeowool turned up at Yeoreum’s class as a new transfer student. Things escalated when they were caught yet again in yet another altercation with schoolbullies, both fell from the rooftop and developed amnesia. Gyeowool gets hunted by a group of unknown people when a local reporter printed their news, and Yeoreum gets dragged into the chase.

This show focused more on the trauma survival of both main characters, one with his dysfunctional family tragedy while the other with her forced assassin training as a child. One badly wanted to die to atone while the other was fighting hard to stay alive to get revenge. ML and FL were both uniquely intriguing cases for psychologists, those psych people would literally drool if any of them walked into the clinic. When theyre together they conjured up fantasies to their own liking of how they wanted to live their lives.

However, the production tried too hard to paint the FL as the ultimate final weapon - they put it on the title, they repeated this so many times in the script, but apparently that’s just it - a mere label. A supposedly ultimate assassin, the best ever trained, and yet she cant even pull the trigger to save a life. If she’s really an ultimate weapon, then she should know where on the body to shoot to avoid killing instantly, if they really wanna go by the script of the assassin who never kills. But naaaaahhh. I hit play expecting Arya-like teenage assassin but saw a streetfighter wimp who is quite skilled at hand-to-hand armed combat but cant pull the trigger instead 😒🙄 So much for ultimate weapon. She only grew some spine when she realized her uncle might have been gone. Urggh much to late, sister! Like for real, I wouldnt have nitpicked this if they had just portrayed her as a common child-assassin who escaped the Company with their dirtiest secret in tow, treading the path of seeking revenge.

Honestly i am not really mad that she’s an assassin who cant pull the trigger, it’s just that I expected this ultimate weapon would showcase some awesome combat skills that look extraordinary from the usual streetfight, something like how Teach You a Lesson’s Na Hwajin fights, or even Study Group’s Yun Gamin packs his punches. But nah, she got injured while fighting Yeoreum, and even falls off the building while fighting schoolbullies, so yeah, she fell damn short from my expectation. The only thing extraordinary i could see here is the villain who doesnt feel pain, now thats really something, though they placed him much too late in the plot and appeared no more than half an hour roughly. The cat and mouse chase wouldve been much exciting had he entered the picture earlier. Things got real gory when he steps into the picture, that’s for sure. Definitely not for the faint hearted.

The story is rather shallow and easy to follow, you don’t need your neurons to fire up all over trying to figure out the plot or mysteries. It’s just about a couple of teenagers who found love while trying to stay alive while escaping from a group of demented assassins’ clutches. Dont put too much expectation, there isnt much skinship or action per se, but it is okay to fill your free time, just 8 episodes, it’s over before you even realize it!

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Really good drama, just a few shortcomings

I've seen a lot of reviews that are critizizing this drama for having a lot of plot holes and that the ending kinda doesn't make sense. And tbh I kinda agree with them. some parts of the plot made no sense to me, especially the plot line of the girl that stalks seo-ri, like why did she even hate her when she was nice in the beginning? Seo ri was supposed to move because the stalker vandalized her house, but she never does?
As for the ending and the overall plot, what I didn't understand is why seo ri is punished? also we didn't find out that she was being punished until the very last eps. All we got the whole time was that she's had a miserable life in jeoson and in the modern world. if it was something along the lines of her trying to break the cycle of her misery it would have made sense.

Besides that, this is a great drama. love the chemistry between our leads, and they're soooo cute together. I love the way their love for each other grows deeper as we watch. Also, one of things I want to mention is the fact that they don't torture us with the misunderstandings followed by break up and then getting back together again after a lot of lamentation 😂 especially when it came to se gye's family trying to use seo ri against him for their own advantage. When he finds out that Mun do was in contact with her he doesn't take it at face value and leave her, but demands why she didn't tell him earlier. I love that!

overall a lovely drama 🥰

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Short, sweet, and definitely worth your time!

I thoroughly enjoyed this drama. The story was engaging and I was locked in from the first episode. I don't know what it is about CBLs that I enjoy so much more than bl from other countries. Between the great story and the romantic moments, this show deserves so much more attention. I seen that some of the actors are new to acting and this was their first role. Even with that said, they all did a great job in their portrayals.
There were a couple times the wigs were obvious but other than that, the costumes looked very nice. The fights scenes were well done and the NC scenes were shot beautifully. If this company, director, or cast work on more projects in the future, I will definitely tune in!

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Love this Show!

This show is crazy. I love it so much. The hosts always having me laughing. Can‘t get enough of his dimples!! 🙈They are so cute together tho as hosts. love them. I didn’t know who he was at first but thought he seemed familiar, then realized he’s in one of my fave groups! 😅 MONSTA X!! ❤️❤️❤️

I literally watch this at 2am & my poor hubby gets woken up from me laughing at the hosts or going crazy over the cute couples!! episodes 1-2 were nuts. omg I loved it so much. they are so adorable!! episodes 3-4 I knew were going to end on a cliffhanger. ugh! I waited so long!! 😭 I seriously adore this show, though!! and it’s not often I make it through a dating show, let alone get this excited about it. can‘t wait to see what happens!!

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Ashes to crown is a show form of GO/ Weiqi

The show was slow to develop (even though it felt rushed in earlier episodes). I mostly liked the show after Chu Zhao returned to the capital. After the end, it felt like a long game that involved foresight to make moves, thinking 10 steps ahead, but not for an immediate win. Like losing a few battles to win the war. There were terrific mind games. Dialogues and monologues were important and nuanced; if not paid attention to, the characters' actions would be difficult to understand. The constant push-pull between Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang was an absolute treat to watch. Not to mention, Xie Yanfang stole the limelight in the last 4-5 episodes. At times, he felt like the main character of the show.
In short, it was an entertaining show about court politics (romance was secondary here).

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When Darkness Falls

I rarely give a 9/10, but this time, it's a 10/10 from me. Jimmy and Sea were superb, and delivered an amazing script. This was a BL that was not all sweetness and light, but at times, there was great sadness, as I contemplated what it would be like to lose my sight. I liked Jimmy's portrayal of the gruff thug, especially after seeing him in My Magic Prophecy with Sea. On the face of it, they (Jimmy and Sea) are an unlikely pair, but in the few shows I've seen of theirs, the magic is there. Sea was wonderful as the 'spoiled' brat with a handicap, who overcomes his fears through his interaction with Mhok - his 'care giver'. Having just watched Mark Pakin as the autistic student in High School Frenemy, it just emphasised how good an actor he is, as he plays a completely different role here. All the supporting cast - esp. Kun Kunchanuj, who played a blind man, were wonderful. The controlling mother -played by 'Cream' - I wanted to grab her and yell "He's a grown arsed man, FFS", but restrained myself. I love how the 'novel', Last Twilight, was woven into the script. There were no usual Thai NC moments, just love and tenderness, when the "first time" occurred. I can't praise this enough. I am sure there are some holes that can be poked, but right now, I cannot think of any.

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A very beautiful story, but also a very sad one

If the memories of your youth suddenly become painful because you've lost someone, I think that would be a turning point that changes your life forever. For the protagonist, she experiences the loss of her first love who also a very special friend.

The years that follow are both a journey of healing and an attempt to pursue what can be done differently. And through that sunlit youth and endless summer, the memory of one person remains.

This drama is beautiful, yet deeply heartbreaking. When a student chooses to give up on their future, they may never know that life could have become a little better, even if only by a small amount. Some choices leave behind a lifelong sense of regret for the people who love them. Even so, I understand that choice. More than anything, it reminds me that sometimes we need to reach out, to share our pain, and to let others reach us when we need help. Things can become better in the end.

The school romance in this drama is incredibly sweet as well.

Definitely give it a watch!

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I don't where it went wrong

This drama started off really strong and had an interesting premise that kept me hooked in the beginning. Unfortunately, it gradually lost its charm as the story progressed.

My biggest issue was the lead couple. Their relationship became increasingly toxic, with the same misunderstandings and arguments happening over and over again. The male lead never seemed to fully trust the female lead, which made it difficult to root for their relationship. I also never felt much chemistry between them, so instead of feeling invested, I found myself getting frustrated whenever they were on screen.

The female lead's character was another disappointment for me. Her personality in the 21st century felt completely different from who she was in Joseon, almost as if they were two separate characters. The inconsistency made it hard to connect with her journey and character development.

The pacing was also frustrating. The villain was clearly behind almost everything from early on, yet the story waited until around episode 14 to finally expose him. Despite having enough reasons to suspect him, the characters kept allowing him to manipulate situations without taking meaningful action, which became increasingly unrealistic.

What started as a funny and entertaining drama slowly lost its humor and momentum. The male lead became exhausting to watch, the female lead was often over the top, and the romance never really clicked for me.

Ironically, this is one of the few dramas where I found the supporting cast far more interesting than the main couple. Their stories, personalities, and interactions were often more enjoyable and engaging than the romance the drama was trying so hard to sell.

Overall, the plot had a lot of potential and some genuinely good ideas, but the weak chemistry, repetitive conflicts, character inconsistencies, and delayed payoff made it a frustrating watch. The supporting cast ended up carrying much of the entertainment value for me.

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Cute but awkward

So Ao Haru Ride is one of my favorite mangas and I was really excited for this one after watching a super cute FMV on YouTube (link here if anyone wants to watch it: https://youtu.be/uqdrmW9-g_8), but I think the music video turned out to be a little better than the actual movie, just because a lot of awkward line delivery wasn't noticeable.

That's the first thing that stands out about the film — it very clearly feels like a manga adaptation and like most of those, the exaggeration really doesn't work too well. The lead characters clearly have chemistry but some of the dialogue really hampers that.

I know it's hard cutting such a long story into 1.5 hours and they definitely did the best they could with it, but it still comes at the cost. The friend group doesn't feel as tight, side characters are less layered, and some of the story beats feel a bit choppy, with a few iconic scenes being cut. It's ultimately fine because I'd rather have more focus on the leads and the romance though, but it makes the stakes feel a little lower.

Romance-wise, I think this did an okay job; I'm more forgiving of Kou than a lot of people seem to be, and this was no different. I found his struggles very relatable, though I'm not sure it would come across as strongly to someone who came in without any prior knowledge of the story.

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