Reviews

Silly and cute romcom

Overall I found this very fun. Mostly your typical CEO romcom plot.

It is definitely a vshort style drama.

One thing I found interesting is that this drama seems to have given more thought to the transmigrator concept. Most dramas are just like "and then she was transported" and its probably never mentioned again -- just a mysterious maybe-godly force? But in this, the link between the worlds feels like a real part of the fantasy landscape, there is a reason for it and practical ways that it works.

As far as the characters, the ML is pretty basic. He turns a bit too sharply into the romance but its a short so whatever.

The FL is a bit more interesting, as she is a cultivator from another world she is literally a warrior. Only occasionally does this seem to be forgotten, tbh I was impressed because most dramas would drop that premise quickly. But throughout this, her posture and movements and attitude are almost always informed by her actual background. She holds herself like a warrior and walks like one.

I was also glad to see that consistent characterization because the other red flag that starts sticking out is that as soon as she is dressing modern, she is almost always dressed in a child-like manner. Which is... a bit sus. But amusingly this just means that she acts like a warrior even though she has pigtails and overalls or whatever. Haha

The other piece worth mentioning is so many satisfying slaps. ngl its my favorite part of vshorts

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Very real and raw and bittersweet

Overall I found this drama to be very moving, and tackling subjects that are rarely engaged so directly. And I am not just talking about the CW parts, but the complexity of the underlying emotions and challenges and things you have to live with.

If you haven't watched it yet, I do think you may want to know that...

Check the genre tags before assuming anything based on the imagery -- This is not a romance genre drama.

This is not a romance. In either theme or content. The cover may make you think this is a GL, but the story is not about love at all, or at least not about *romance*. This is really a situation where maybe they're romantically connected and maybe they are sismance / friendship connected. Trying to put it in a box is not really useful though, the story is not ABOUT romance, this is really more about HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS.

And it is good. Really good.

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Generation to Generation C-Drama ??❤️

This drama is simply incredible; in terms of its story, cast, characters, music and the sheer beauty of "generation-to-generation" theme; I truly cannot put it into words! 🥹🫠🤌🏻

The moment I watched the first episode, I was completely obsessed. 😍 I feel that, following *The Untamed*, this is the second drama where I’ve encountered this "generational" concept—and honestly, I absolutely loved it. ❤️ And the truth is that not a single episode of it is boring—I didn't skip a single part. And even the story of the first generation isn't boring.

I have compiled a list of all the characters in this drama, and have also noted down their connections to help remember them.

I’ve already made plans to rewatch this "generation-to-generation" drama. 🫶🏻

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A capable FL, a flustered ML, and a plot that clearly did not get the memo about pacing

A wuxia mini drama that has more going for it than it sometimes deserves credit for and more problems than it sometimes acknowledges.

Ling Xuan is the kind of FL this genre needs more of. Capable, sharp, and never once reduced to waiting to be rescued even when the plot tries very hard to arrange it. Her ML is a trained killer who completely falls apart around her, which is both very funny and surprisingly endearing. Their dynamic carries the show through its uneven middle stretch and the middle stretch is genuinely uneven.

The romance moves faster than the writing earns it, the villain gets shortchanged, and the ending wraps things up more than it resolves them.

Secrets of the Shadow Sect has genuine highlights — the leads, the identity thread seeded patiently from episode one. But highlights alone cannot carry a drama with uneven writing and a story that loses the plot in its own middle stretch. Whether the good moments are enough will depend entirely on your tolerance for uneven storytelling.

7/10 - fun when it works, genuinely maddening when it doesn’t.

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The most disappointing drama in a long time

I’ve been looking forward to this drama ever since it was in the talks, since IU is my favourite leading lady and Byeon Woo-Seok is my favourite leading man. The two did everything they could with the terribly written script, but even they couldn’t save it. I think a lot of people are mistaking bad writing for bad acting - there’s only so much the actors can do when the material they’re given is garbage.

I wanted to see an alternate universe Korean monarchy plot done well ever since The King: Eternal Monarch flopped, but the ball has unfortunately been dropped again. Maybe it’s just not meant to be.

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Toxic love, gratuitous wickedness, and repetitive script.

Bad boy meets good girl. Nothing original in the sea. Since Rebel without a cause, the pattern has been used in so many films and dramas. But in this case, ML is not only rebellious, but also rude and arrogant. Even after what happens to his family or to the 3 years in prison, he behaves exactly the same as before. There are no regrets, or a different attitude toward the FL, friends, or colleagues. He is the same. Seems a privileged intelligence gives the right to behave badly with the inferiors (for him: all except him).

FL is a nice girl who seems attracted to ML's intelligence. Her role could be even worse and more naive, but she defends her own capacities and intelligence. So, in that sense, we can save her. However, she believes everything that ML says or does. She doesn’t need explanations, nor does she need to be asked for her opinion. If he says or does anything, she believes him and follows him as a puppet. Even when he screams at her or defies her parents. If that is not a toxic love and a big red flag….

Her mother is especially snobbish and square-minded, but that doesn’t justify how he treats her parents. Even when we know he does what he does for her best interest. Who is he to decide for her?

Mention apart from the the 2 seconday male roles (Old Gao and Fang Zhijing). What on earth is someone going to believe such a level of hate and at such a young age? Nobody has suffered a bullying guy at school or university, or a jerky colleague? Does that justify even the intention of murder or the willingness to imprison a person? Old Gao has a serious problem of complex insecurities that made him absolutely crazy. No matter how the ML is, his attitude and actions cannot be justified or redeemed in the last two episodes. He needs psychiatric help.

In 36 episodes, everything is the same: bad guys, a good girl, and her nice friends. Well, I want to mention the role of her man friend: Tian Xiu Zhu. I imagine his name is Tian (Heaven) because indeed he is the only “angel” in the drama.

Love? I don’t see any love. Despite the fact that there are people like the main characters in the world, we can not romanticize them. Or at least, if we do, let’s do because they change and show love and mercy. One last episode doesn’t solve the previous ones.

I didn’t like. In fact, this drama made me feel uncomfortable. However, I waited until the end to see if there was any change, and endured all episodes because of the great performance of all actors and actresses. They were superb. Specifically: Arthur Chen, Zhao Zhi Wei and Zhang Jing Yi.

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A Suspenseful Drama with Great Twists but a Confusing Story

I really enjoyed If wishes could kill and I ended up giving it an 8.5/10. I really liked the characters of Ha Joon and Se Ah, and I got attached to the whole friend group as well as Ha Joon’s brothers-in-law. One thing I especially loved was the plot twist where the drama makes us believe one specific person created the app, when actually that wasn’t the case at all. That reveal genuinely surprised me.

I also really liked the atmosphere of the drama. For something involving deaths and a supernatural app, I thought the mood and tension were handled pretty well overall. Even though some of the special effects looked a little awkward at times, it didn’t completely ruin the experience for me.

However, I do have to admit that the story became a bit messy toward the end. Sometimes it felt like the plot didn’t fully know where it wanted to go, and I found it complicated to understand why the app suddenly became “alive” and how everything actually worked. Some explanations felt confusing or underdeveloped, which made certain moments harder to follow.

Still, despite those flaws, I found the drama entertaining, suspenseful, and emotionally engaging because of the characters and relationships.

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Interesting plot with sub-optimal execution.

Overall:
Apparently this is controversial compared to existing reviews, but this drama is only worth 6-6.5/10, in my opinion. Whilst the plot pulls you in at first, it becomes dull extremely quickly, and only pulls you back in for the ending. Truly a loss. Furthermore, quite a few characters are unlikeable – especially Xin Mei which is an issue considering the amount of screen time she is given. However, Lu Qianqiao is an interesting and easy-to-root-for character who holds much more depth than XM. He has an interesting backstory which fuels his ironclad resolve to 'fit in', somewhere or another, through whatever means possible. This motive makes it easy to follow his intentions, and even easier for the audience to reel themselves in and root for him. While his backstory is described, it wouldn't hurt to have focused more on him instead of XM. If such was possible, the rating could be much higher as the plot does hold potential.

Story/Characters:
At the start of the drama, this plot is quite intriguing and motivates you continue watching, but that only lasts until Xin Mei's revenge arc for Lu Huai ends, with the beginning of her amnesia. The revenge is refreshing and really sets expectations for what Xin Mei's character is like: stubborn in her own morals. It is especially compelling considering her introductory 'detached' character which only seeks to marry a death-row prisoner. As she goes on a killing rampage, the audience feels a need to root for her to clear out these corrupt officials who wrongfully accused an innocent man to death by a thousand cuts. But that's about as much as her character goes. With the start of her amnesia, she grows to become a dull, stubborn, selfish, and self-righteous character who centres the entire world around herself. Bold claim, perhaps, but when she is blinded by her confidence and stubborn morals, she becomes unlikeable. From injuring Lu Qingqiao because she found out about his identity as a War Ghost to lecturing the sect disciples about good v. evil, she somehow has this unwavering confidence that she is always correct, therefore others must listen to her. It is exactly this unwillingness to consider the perspectives of others that makes her unlikeable.

Lu Qianqiao is an interesting character. He seeks to become human because he wishes to fit in somewhere, after living his entire life as neither this, nor that. It is exactly through this that we can understand his character and what is to be expected from him. His mother and father were spies from opposing forces who came together to create LQQ, meaning the fragmentation of his identity is inevitable. He is constantly forced to choose one side, yet he cannot, because he cannot belong entirely to one. Thus, he begins on his quest to truly become a human – it is this motivation that makes the audience want to root for him, becoming interested in the plot. What a pity that the drama decided to (arguably) give more time to XM instead, although even that was poorly-executed.

While this is disputed, I enjoyed A Sheng's character. Whilst she was not likeable, you could understand why she acted as she did, thanks to her entire backstory. This, in clear contrast to Xin Mei who has no explicit backstory aside from a couple lines about her being the only one left in her family, makes it easier to gravitate towards A Sheng. A pitiful child yet cunning child who turns the tables. Even as part of the main character group, she commits her own evils, especially towards Jin Lun, showing that she is not perfect nor does she have to be. She grew up in an environment where you either kill or get killed, so it's no wonder she's so heartless. Again, this ruthlessness and imperfection makes her character interesting. Not good, but interesting.

Overall, the plot has potential. I don't expect much depth nor nuance from idol-dramas, so this plot did exceed my expectations. The introduction of various determinants of good v. evil have the audience unsure about whose side to take. An ally today may become an enemy tomorrow, and vice versa. A clear contrast between the beginning, where the sect disciples are hunting down our main character group, and the final fight, where the sect disciples have allied with the main character group to retaliate against the final evil, the sect leader. It is impossible to fully determine what is good and what is evil, and this plot manages to touch upon that grey area. So much better than a plot where the villain is clear from episode 1, and they are evil for the sake of being evil. However, the middle of the drama drags on and the pacing is a bit odd, making them feel like filler episodes instead of actual plot. Scenes which could have progressed much faster are filled with the characters conversing, even when arguing during action/battle scenes.

Acting:
To start off with the male lead, Ren Jialun as Lu Qianqiao, his acting was fitting for this drama. He is able to accurately create the gradual change from War Ghost to human, as LQQ slowly begins to acquire a more humane understanding of the world. Whether its his childlike wonder for food, or his curiosity about the human experience, the subtleness is there and well-executed, making his character interesting. His range of emotions is the best part about his acting because he doesn't use the same expression or face for sadness, happiness, anger, fury, disappointment, disgust, etc., and actually creates some nuance. To be human is to feel multiple feelings at once, and he portrays that. While this may be the entry-mark to acting, to do so well is difficult, and the bar is considerably low nowadays.

Wang Herun as Xin Mei has absolutely no appeal. I am unsure whether this is a result of her poor acting, XM's confusing character, or both. When I watched the first episode, I had to double check who the female lead was as I felt absolutely no interest towards her; she simply felt like a guest character, no main character sentiments at all. The only time I was even vaguely compelled to focus was the shift from detachment to absolute fury XM faced when Lu Huai was unjustly killed. Such contrast created an actual incentive for me to focus on the story as we watched her unleash her wrath. However, even throughout that storyline, the actress was still lacking that final fit of rage. This feeling of lacking something continues with the rest of the drama, because it seems that she has three expressions: happy when she's with LQQ, sad when something happens, and an inexplicable overconfidence when she is lecturing others.

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anticipated this drama so much…but it just not up to expectations.

After finishing this drama, I’m truly not a fan of this screenwriter. TDHR might be popular among many but not me. I just don’t like how the writer wrote it. She unable to make me sit throughout the different plots, which is the same for FCY. I fast forward many scenes due to dull dialogues and weak buildups.

I’m a fan of Guo Hu’s works but I realised his work reflects better with good scriptwriters. this was reflected wonderfully in One and Only & MLC.

The CGI was superb, set up and casts were wonderful. what could be wrong?

It was when Xin Mei delivered super long speech at Chongling Valley, I knew it. At that time, I swear that was the longest boring dialogue I’ve ever heard in a drama. to add, the short screen time of ML at the start bothered me. and with more and more characters introduced, story became more on the surface and unable to go deep. the story involves immortals, humans and war demon. yet the end goal was about immortals insecurities towards human inventions? pfft…

I’ve been following some of RJL works and I’m not surprised because his works are more of my type of dramas I’ll watch. I just feel Lu Qianqiao character is very deep, potentially can be expanded further. he’s such an interesting character to study. he’s a war demon, lived for 200 years. and he’s the only war demon left? I just wish writer wrote about remaining war demons rather than perished all of them.

romance part, I never bothered if it’s RJL’s dramas. used to it. however, he needs to stop giving me the same expressions he’s been showing since One and Only days. also, I felt Wang Herun overact a little like a little girl when she’s in love lol. like gurllll, act your age. unless you tell me she never had a crush which is not, since her first crush was Bai Zongying.

shoutout to Bai Zongying & Chu Ying. they are my favourite characters throughout the show.

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This may become your comfort movie

Haru was such a lucky find. I was genuinely surprised to come across this movie because it is quite old and not something you hear people talk about often. Released in 1996, it offers a deeply nostalgic experience, especially for anyone who grew up in the 90s.
The cinematography, pacing, and color palette perfectly capture the atmosphere of films from that era. Watching it brought back so many memories and made me nostalgic.

Plot**
The story follows Haru and Hitoshi, who meet though an online movie forum. They begin exchanging emails and grow close when Haru discovers that Hitoshi is actually a girl. Their correspondence continues for a long time as they share their lives and support each other

What makes this movie truly unique is that around 85% of it consists of email exchanges. You literally read their messages on screen, which gives the movie an almost book-like feeling, like reading through letters. The story is great and could easily become someone's comfort movie.

This film resonated with me deeply because it reminded me of my own experience with online friendships many years ago.
About 25 years ago, I also had an online friend with whom I exchanged emails weekly. We created precious memories together and supported each other throughout our school years. Watching Haru brought back a huge wave of nostalgia and emotions I had almost forgotten.
What makes the movie even more fascinating is remembering the time period in which it was made. In 1996, not everyone had access to computers or the internet, so this type of story must have felt incredibly modern and unusual.

Another aspect I appreciated is that Hitoshi and Haru don’t share everything about their lives; they only reveal certain parts. This limited sharing creates a sense of mutual support that sustains them in things that truly matters to them. For instance, Hitoshi never mentions the guy who was stalking her but does talk about a man who proposed to her. Perhaps, on some level, they both sensed their growing feelings for each other and wanted to gauge each other's reactions.

Overall, Haru is a wonderful film, especially for fans of older movies and slower, emotionally driven storytelling.
I think 90s kids in particular will truly cherish this experience because the raw cinematography and atmosphere feel like a postcard from that era. It captures not only the aesthetic of the 90s, but also the emotional loneliness and warmth of early internet connections in a way that feels timeless.

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Sweet and cute and pretty funny

Overall I enjoyed watching this. It was sweet and cute and fun to watch.

Absolute best sister. <3

Vicky is a genuinely interesting character. One of those characters that even the slightest difference in the portrayal could make her a very different character. But to me, she ended up being quite compelling.

The only real criticisms I have are that the camerawork feels a bit more web-drama level than polished. And the writing is a bit clumsy at times.

But it still tells a pretty sweet story and the story and emotions involved are actually pretty interesting, the history, the insecurities, some actual thought put into the emotional beats.

Oh and for some reason the OST is all like 90s sitcom style soundtrack? LOL not saying its bad but it is ...weirdly specific in the vibe that it brings.

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