Reviews

Humility leads to progress, comrades. It's written on the textile factory, so it must be true.

This is a series to watch at your own pace, two episodes here, two episodes there. In between other things. Because the story doesn't really move forward much. It’s the kind of show you watch for comfort. That said, I was worried at first that we'd be presented with a revisionist take on the Cultural Revolution. But the two protagonists are actually victims of it. It isn't stated outright but framed as their courageous efforts to overcome it… And we know they will. No mystery there. A little trick to get around censorship, I suppose.

We're also led to believe that domestic violence is no longer tolerated in the new, truly socialist China. Well, I'll steer clear of that topic because it would imply that the rest of the world is subject to the same constraints. There's no reason for Chinese productions to be criticized more than others. Propaganda is produced just as much elsewhere. And C-dramas, in fact, ingeniously manage to play with the boundaries. Still, seeing Mao's portrait everywhere feels weird. Excuse me, Great Helmsman, I am an enemy of the Revolution, a rusty nail in the gears of true Socialism.

Arthur Chen played a vengeful deity in When Destiny Brings the Demon, and here he completely changes his acting style, attitude and character. A stunning transformation. He becomes a gentle, dreamy man, always ready to help.
As for Sun Qian, she plays a young woman who wants to fulfil herself through her studies, to graduate even though she is denied this opportunity, and who wishes to retain her independence. All the female characters display authority and free will... as long as one remains within the framework of marriage ; a man, a woman, everything in its place. True socialism seems awfully straight.

In this sense, there is a scene surprisingly charged with sensuality in which our dear artist traces the outline of his working-class partner in chalk on a large blackboard in front of the factory. It's highly symbolic. The two of them complement each other perfectly. A cute couple, in the full vigour of youth, unstoppable. It’s a pleasure to follow them, two angels who've found each other so perfectly. However, there was surely not enough material to fill 29 episodes. A common trait of too many Chinese productions : it drags on. (Just like my dumb reviews)

The other characters aren't all that interesting. The mathematician, the hero's sister, you just want to tell her, "Move on ! You deserve to be happy, comrade." The series has its moments, though. The humor is heartwarming. Some tragic events occur ; (tw: suicide) one character sees no future in this society and feels like he's in prison at work. C-dramas often manage to convey unexpected messages.

Do you also blurt out things like "You belittle the working class !" when you argue with your parents ? Me, I call my cat a paper tiger. That little capitalist scoundrel.

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A Chinese drama where women call the shots. They run the most renowned tea production company and compete with each other for power while all the men seek to win their favour. The roles have truly been reversed.

The sets, costumes and editing are beautiful. It's standard for these kinds of productions. So I'm quite willing to believe that at one time in China, everyone was capable of the greatest physical feats in epic aerial combat. It was commonplace to fight to the death to win the heart of a noble woman, of course. I've just summarised a good third of the series. The plot doesn't make much sense, but that's okay... for a while, because you get tired of it. But above all, don't watch the episodes too quickly, as I did. Big mistake. Nothing and everything happens at the same time. I skipped episodes after a while, the compulsion to know the ending even when you've lost faith is serious, very serious. My behaviour is utterly scandalous.

But, although the show quickly loses steam, FL is brilliant. We want to follow her adventures. She never lets anyone fool her. She has a truly photogenic presence, always elegant and noble. The actress, Gulnezer Bextiyar or "Naza", is one of the very few Uyghur actresses. She plays a character who had potential but was not exploited sufficiently. That's why I gave up halfway through, I think. (And then 36 episodes of 50 minutes ? Let's calm down. Write less, write better. That's advice I should take myself, the chatterbox.)

Oh, and the final plot twists are so silly.

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Level of graphical violence in this drama.

I liked the drama overall. The character of Haetsal / Kang Ha Yeong was portrayed outstandingly by Jeon So Nee. The way she reacted to the attacks and her expression were so on point. At some point i felt Yoo Se A was annoying for acting on her own in many things, like not listning to Bang U when in the house. Kang Mi Na gave life to the characterof nari, i hate her charactersoo much like how can you discriminate your friends, even if you have a love interest, you should listen to your other friends. Hyeong Uk being the typical high school student who will do ant thing to obtain good marks to the point to risk his own life, and using unknown app is a good start. Kwon Si Won the eltimate defination of evil! i found Do Hye Ryeong as a flexible character. anyways she was inocent until she decide to wish for others to die, but she had her reasons so its ok. its a good drama totally recommended but if you cannot take self-harm it's not for you. this drama includes eye cutting, parasites, ghosts, throat cutting, blood everywhere.

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Interesting Concept with badly written characters...

Similar to what many have mentioned there wasnt any bond built between the viewers and the characters, so if anything bad happens we are just like "ok next". This is also probably cause the characters were not unique or interesting. Its like every school drama has the same type of people, some overly kind and some just inhumane...Honestly the most interesting character in this show for me was the shaman's husband, probably the only person I was hoping survives.

Logic....logic is something definitely not found here cause I still find it weird how the phones were left untouched but there were no bodies....lol (prob a plothole). There are no higher ups involved at all like that portion of the story is fully removed. The focus is only on the kids. But...the kids are not that smart as well...the decisions they make are so bad its ridiculous...

Overall although it is a thriller, its not the exciting kind...you just want to know the end.

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These people take role-playing way too far.

I wasn't convinced at first, but I got caught up in the game. I'm weak. A lone knight like me ? Falling in love with this budding romance ? How shameful ! But that's the magic of Chinese dramas ; the pace and technical quality play a big part in it. The evil minds behind these productions are very powerful.

The story navigates between their role-playing and their IRL lives, which allows for a variety of atmospheres, but it mostly feels like two parallel series that come and go somewhat randomly. It takes some getting used to, but it doesn't last long ; at some point, it stops. What they want us to understand is that these are people who would like to be someone else and will discover that they are happier together, just as they are. Isn't that beautiful ? Be yourselves. Unemployed.

It works thanks to the two leads, Chen Xingxu and Lu Yuxiao, especially her, because they are extremely cute. They are so touching together and natural. She is clever and mischievous, a fighter who doesn't hesitate to resign when she realises she won't be given the job she was promised. He is the typical Chinese male model, a little reserved but loyal and devoted. It's a healthy relationship, they take the time to get to know each other. They don't make impossible promises to each other. No one fights to win the other over ; it happens naturally, and they already know they love each other when they finally admit it. They laugh together, tease each other, and are just happy. And in these dark times, when everything is nothing but brutality and hatred, this kind of light-hearted series where everything is fine is a breath of fresh air.

The ending unfortunately tries to create tension between them, but it doesn't work. I know. I know everything! They resolve it like adults, by talking. And this heavy secret wasn't really a secret at all. "Either tell me everything or let me go." "I've already told you everything you wanted to know."
And I wish all these characters the best and many happy years ahead of them. But I'm delusional because they're fictional characters, so what I'm saying doesn't make sense.

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I'm not saying this to show off or take the moral high ground (if you like this CDrama, good for you), but this is just not acceptable. Episode 1 is sublime, with its fights, its twists and turns, its hyper-edgy and fast-paced editing; it's spectacularly done. In episode 2, we see a man kidnapping and beating up a woman. And we're supposed to accept this enemy to lover trope ? Excuse me ? (eventually, we'll try to justify the unacceptable by saying that she's attacking him too. But this scam is starting to become obvious. Don't even try that)

No, no, no, I'm stopping here. I absolutely did not expect to see that with this poster, this synopsis, this first episode. I don't understand how anyone can subject themselves to this.

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From Promise to Disappointment: Dropped

This is a drop review—commentary on over half the season.

I hosted an end-of-year poll rating the best dramas of 2023, and this one was among the winners. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a favorite of mine, and I ended up dropping it around episode 26. While I loved the opening story and narrative, the strong female characterization, the comedic banter and chemistry between the leads, and especially the villain played by Liu Xueyi—who was beautifully layered and morally gray—I felt that by the midpoint, the rich and compelling story began to devolve. The narrative shifted to focus heavily on the main and second male leads, leaving what was supposed to be the female lead’s story in the background.

Of course, these are just my personal impressions of why it didn’t work for me. As I mentioned, it did win a group poll, so I’m simply offering the other side of the coin for this watch.

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The injustice perpetuated by Confucian society

A series about the injustice perpetuated by Confucian society, particularly in Korea. A scene in the early episodes makes this point quite clear. Furthermore, the authority figures are all, without exception, negative characters who stem from this hierarchy.

At times, the psychological and physical violence is unbearable. It’s terribly cathartic to watch. When you’re on the receiving end, all you can do is wait. Rebelling only leads to more violence. Speaking out is pointless. Nobody wants to listen to us. You learn that very quickly.
In this regard, the two disabled characters die, either by suicide or murder. It’s no scandal to anyone in the series. It could have been me. That’s what I take away from it.

The cult in this story is directly inspired by the JMS Church. I can say this with certainty because of the leader’s white tuxedos, a reference to the vile bastard who ran that utterly disgusting cult. People tried to escape and were beaten up in groups (as the series brutally depicts in episode 10) or, worse still, went missing. People reported it to the police for years, to no avail.

What sends a shiver down your spine is seeing just how pervasive the indoctrination is. Those vultures circling around people’s misfortune, and then that falsely humble and approachable leader. It doesn’t matter whether or not you believe the stories this bloke tells; it becomes the sole reason for his followers’ existence. You find yourself isolated. Those who watch over us are, above all, watching us. You convince yourself that it’s ridiculous to give up after having made so much progress, after having given so much, and you become the first spectator of your own show.

"Why don't you leave ?"

It’s an absolute nightmare. Sang-mi finds herself trapped in this cult. Leaving would mean abandoning her parents and losing them, along with the memories of her brother. And abandoning all these vulnerable, desperate people. Her father controls every aspect of her life ; both her real father and the cult leader.
Where the writing really shines is in the way it puts us on Sang-mi’s side. We’re trapped alongside her. She understands exactly what’s going on; she knows that this cult hastened her brother’s death and how everyone around her is manipulating her ; they’re using her mother against her. (Just like with her friend, the politician’s son. The parallel is brilliant) Sang-mi has no leverage; she owes her survival solely to the leader’s evil intentions towards her. It makes you want to scream when you see it. You want to shake the servile father. He is pathetic and hateful. I understand his background, but I don’t excuse him. Well, that’s what I thought at first, but after a while, I just wanted someone to finally put him out of action, because he’ll never come to his senses. We all need friends who tell us when we’ve gone too far, even if it hurts at the time. But there’s no point confronting fanatics; they lie, say we refuse to understand them, and so on and so forth. (As for the mother, we excuse her; she’s been put in a straitjacket. Like so many people who die in psychiatric hospitals amid general indifference)

It’s one of the hardest scenes to watch, when the protagonists try to reason with the cult members, the police or the politicians, and it backfires on them. There’s absolutely no point in talking to these people; they have no interest in changing. They’re there because it suits them, and they want it to continue. It destroys everyone, but these people either put up with it or profit from it. (Time for a name drop: 'Discours de la Servitude Volontaire' (A Treatise on Voluntary Servitude). The only way to abolish this is to abolish hierarchy, exploitation and dependency.)

"In this world what's real and what's false are not different. So don't try so hard to distinguish the real from the false."

A series that makes you weep with rage and sadness.
Nothing is straightforward. It’s heart-wrenching. Because it’s extremely well written and performed. The parallel between the prison-like conditions within the cult and the outside world is explored with great insight. The thirst for power and obedience. Confucian principles being used to serve scum.
The three-year time jump allows us to explore these characters in greater depth and become even more invested in them. A modern series would have skipped this first part.
It’s touching to see how hard it is for this group of boys to express their feelings.
A focus on class-based violence. The subtleties of power dynamics between people. And in friendships, depending on whether you’re poor or from the capital. Depending on the hierarchy within the cult. Honestly, the writing in this series is brilliant.

Naturally, those bloody [redacted] cops are no help at all to the victims. They’re only too happy to hand them back to their tormentors. Just like it was with the JMS Church, for that matter. They’re completely in the pocket of politicians and the cult. Very realistic. Right, they pull the ‘cops suddenly spring into action’ trick in episode 12... but the bloke interrogates the victim with her tormentors in the room. Nice work. And the young female cop makes the same daft mistake of going to confront the leader at his home on the basis of: nothing against him. Great. Very helpful.

Jeon Yeo-Bin, in one of her first roles. Already displaying great subtlety in a challenging part where she must appear to believe in her faith whilst simultaneously casting doubt on it, in order to keep her true motives hidden.

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Wasted almost 5 hours of my time.

This female investigator Su Ci, posing as a male, got assigned to investigate the government silver that got lost during transit, and met her idol Prince Qi, Pei Yanzhi during her little stint. Only problem is the ML was posing as a commoner to investigate those who had a hand in his downfall, so FL didn’t know it was him. During investigation, ML discovered that the small framed investigator is actually a female, and played along with her disguise.

I have quite a problem with female characters posing as males, cuz most productions never cared to bind their chests! The only shows that I saw that pass the male impersonation convincingly were Fighting for Love and Legend of Female General. The rest failed miserably. With this one, at first glance I already knew it’s a girl, even before i saw her face, heck that wouldve been strike two of dead giveaway with that too feminine face, but yeah, before i saw her face i already knew it’s girl, cuz of her freakin breasts. and they were small, mind you, is it really an extra hassle to prep her chest to make the male disguise a wee bit believable? 🙄🫩 what’s even funnier, they even drew her eyelids like a woman would do. What kind of a disguise is that? Which male court official actually draw their eyelids like a female would, cuz i havent seen any, unless that character was cross-dressing as a female.

Honestly I wouldve ignored this failed male impersonation like i did with The Long Ballad and the likes, had the show came with interesting plot to hook me on. Sadly there isnt one. Instead of focussing on the plot, they just went full on romance building between the main couples. FFS I really can’t stand those supposedly awkward proximity moments between the two mainleads, the underwater kiss to supposedly give air, the backcarry, the drunken trope, the facial close-up between the two etc. The screenwriters were trying too hard to create those moments to emphasize on the attraction. Oh lord, isn’t this supposed to be an investigation/mystery story? Why am I seeing these lousy ass scenes hinting at romance? I aint here for these. i like watching Zhang Linghe but even this is too much for me. Signing out now to save my face from getting wrinkles by cringing too much. 😒 This one can stand side by side with the super cringe-worthy Ancient Love Poetry.

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I just finished watching Rebirth, and I truly enjoyed every moment of it. What made this drama so special for me is how deeply I got attached to the characters, especially the male lead. Lin Yunrui as Zhuge Yue was absolutely amazing. He portrayed the role of the King of Ximeng Shadow, young master Qingshan Manor so perfectly—from being a cold and mysterious young master to becoming a powerful and responsible king. He’s not only handsome and charming, but also incredibly skilled in martial arts. More than that, his character showed depth—he was caring, protective, and a true warrior. Every scene he appeared in felt powerful and worth watching.
I also loved how he treated Chu Qiao. Their relationship wasn’t overly dramatic, but full of subtle and meaningful moments. Those small romantic gestures and quiet scenes when they were together made their bond feel real and heartfelt. Chu Qiao herself was amazing—strong, beautiful, and highly skilled in swordsmanship. Her acting really stood out and made her character even more compelling.
Another thing I appreciated was how well-written the supporting characters and villains were. Characters like Chun’er, Li Yan, the Queen of Biantang, and the Majesty of Yong added so much depth to the story. They weren’t just there to oppose the leads—they each had their own presence and impact. Even the second male lead did a great job and contributed emotionally to the story.
I also enjoyed the side stories and interactions, like the moments between Princess Helian and General Chen, and General Huan with the Majesty of Yong. These added richness to the world of the drama. The Black Eagle scenes were memorable too, and the OST was beautiful—it really matched the emotions of the story and made the scenes even more powerful.
Even though many characters met tragic endings, their journeys were still meaningful and well-portrayed. I know there’s a lot of negativity surrounding this drama, especially about the ending, but I’m really glad I watched it and formed my own opinion. For me, the experience was worth it.
Because the ending felt a bit confusing and emotional, I created my own version to give myself closure. In my mind, Zhuge Yue saves Chu Qiao on the battlefield, riding in on his horse. After everything they went through, they leave behind the chaos of war and live a peaceful, simple life together as husband and wife, raising a son and a daughter happily.
At the end of the day, this drama made me feel so much, and that’s what truly matters. And without a doubt, Zhuge Yue remains my favorite—he’s just incredible to watch.

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The Puppy Boy Who Melted the Ghost Queen’s 300-Year Frozen Heart

This is another series I absolutely adore, and I’m definitely going to rewatch it many times. Even though there aren’t many overtly sweet scenes, the series portrays the love between He Simu and Duan Xu in the most profound and delicate way imaginable. Every word and action from Duan Xu feels incredibly romantic. The main couple truly loves each other—it’s a pure, genuine love where both are always willing to do anything for one another, always respecting and supporting each other without fail.

It’s a xianxia fantasy, yet the core of the story revolves around the most ordinary aspects of human life: the five senses, meetings and partings, birth, aging, illness, death, and emotional attachments. This makes us deeply relate to the characters and realize that, for some people, true happiness can be just this simple.The leads, He Simu and Duan Xu, are portrayed perfectly. The supporting cast is also excellent—I found myself falling in love with and becoming attached to almost every character. The final stretch is emotionally devastating; I cried through nearly every episode.

Duan Xu enters to fill the 300 years of loneliness in Simu life, willingly giving up his short human lifespan so that Simu can experience the beauty of the world. In turn, Simu heals the deep childhood wound of abandonment that Duan Xu has carried. What I love most about their relationship is how they genuinely love and respect each other, despite their vastly different statuses. It’s mostly a long-distance love throughout the story, yet they never complain or pressure one another. No matter how many times Duan Xu gets his heart broken, he never gives up, never rushes, and never forces anything… It’s no surprise that this “puppy” eventually melts the heart that had been frozen for over 300 years. And most importantly, the chemistry between Dilraba and Chen Feiyu is outstanding.

The series remains quite faithful to the original novel. While some adaptations I liked and others I didn’t, overall it’s excellent. The pacing is perfect throughout—no dragging or unnecessary rushing. Personally, I loved both ending versions: the quiet eternity of walking side by side forever, and the vibrant, colorful life lived within a short human lifespan. This is truly one of the Chinese dramas that has filled my heart and moved me the most this year.

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The Best Thing: A Soft, Beautiful Journey of Healing and Serenity

The Best Thing is one of those rare series that seem designed to soothe the soul. From the very first minutes, you are enveloped in a sense of gentleness, kindness, and a kind of quiet serenity that flows through every episode. It is a modern romance that never seeks spectacle; instead, it chooses delicacy, attention to detail, and the emotional power of small gestures, glances, and silences.

The direction, refined and thoughtful, plays a central role in shaping this atmosphere. The framing is meticulous, the lighting soft, the color palette warm without ever feeling artificial. The cinematography is unusually beautiful for a contemporary drama: every scene feels crafted to convey an emotion rather than simply fill space. You can sense a desire to create a visual cocoon, a place where you breathe a little easier.

The soundtrack, discreet yet perfectly chosen, reinforces this ambiance with remarkable precision. The musical themes extend the emotions without ever overwhelming them. It’s an OST that lingers in your mind — not because it is grand or dramatic, but because it is coherent, sensitive, and deeply aligned with the tone of the story.

The two lead actors are one of the series’ greatest strengths. Their natural beauty, never ostentatious, harmonizes perfectly with the softness of the narrative. Their acting, restrained and nuanced, brings unexpected depth to a story that could have felt ordinary in the hands of lesser performers. Their chemistry is subtle, believable, almost soothing. You feel as though you are watching two people truly grow, heal, and open up.

What stands out most is the constant benevolence that permeates the entire drama. No toxicity, no artificial conflicts, no forced melodrama. The Best Thing chooses sincerity, tenderness, and a deliberately gentle pace. It is a series that comforts, that calms, that restores something inside you.

And when the final episode arrives, a soft nostalgia settles in: you simply don’t want it to end.
You want to stay a little longer in this warm universe, with these luminous characters, inside this bubble of calm and beauty.

This article was crafted with the assistance of Microsoft Copilot.

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An Amazing Build-Up Ruined by a Frustrating Ending

I went into Part 2 already knowing that the ending was bad, but because Part 1 was so strong, I still had high expectations.

At first, the drama continued well. Since Part 2 only has four episodes, it started with solid pacing and quickly pulled me back in. However, one thing that immediately felt jarring was the transition from Part 1 to Part 2. The story suddenly jumps forward by about a month with barely any explanation, and the characters’ circumstances have drastically changed. Instead of showing what happened during that period, the drama simply throws viewers into the new situation without proper context, making the transition feel abrupt and confusing.

There were also several characters who seemed important in Part 1 but were never addressed again in Part 2, which made the continuation feel incomplete and poorly planned.

Episode 2 frustrated me because of a poorly handled burden-type character whose development felt more irritating than meaningful. Thankfully, Episode 3 picked things back up, and by Episode 4 I finally understood why so many people had become attached to this drama. The chemistry among the cast felt stronger than ever, and the bond between the characters genuinely felt deep and heartfelt.

Then the final 30 minutes happened.

And everything completely fell apart.

I knew the ending beforehand, but even with spoilers, I was still left speechless by how absurdly bad it was. Instead of crying, I literally laughed out loud because the entire thing felt so unnecessary, ridiculous, and bizarre that I could not take it seriously.

It genuinely made me question what the writers and director were thinking when they came up with that ending.

How do you spend an entire series building tension, relationships, and emotional investment—only to throw it all away in the final 30 minutes?

And that is exactly why it disappointed me so much—because I actually really liked this drama. I cared about it enough to feel genuinely frustrated by how it ended. Despite everything, I still gave it an 8/10 because overall, I truly enjoyed most of it.

That is what makes the ending even more heartbreaking: not because the drama was bad, but because it had the potential to be so much better.

It is such a waste because the CGI, production, pacing, and overall setup were all so strong—only for the drama to ruin itself at the finish line.

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