This review may contain spoilers
Brotherhood, loyalty, family, love, karma! Enemies to lovers done absofudginglutely RIGHT!!
Warning - Several spoilers ahead!I started this drama without any expectations. I just came across a TikTok edit about strong FL in dramas, and Li Qin caught my attention, so I actually purchased a VIP membership on IQIYI to watch it. Boy, was that worth it!
This is such an underrated Gem! While reading about it, they say it got more popular months after it was released, which actually deserves more! I know the enemies-to-lovers trope has been a common theme in dramas, but this one definitely takes the cake!
I did have hesitations when I saw that CZ was the male lead here. Since reading the synopsis, it says ML is a so-called killer, ruthless general/first prince. I was like, how will a pretty-boy actually portray that one? Well, he honestly did a good job here. Although yes, he still is a pretty boy, but man can definitely command the screen every time he's in it! He did great even in his fight scenes, and yes, it actually makes you believe he is a ruthless killer, too! His stance, his walk, his aura scream Boss right there!
Let's talk about Li Qin as the red-clad female general Fu Yuxiao. Oh boy! or rather, oh girl! I have been watching Cdramas for a while now, and I can tell you this is definitely how you make a strong FL. Fu Yuxiao just hits ALL the check boxes right there. She is strong, capable, smart, and knows how to speak her mind. She even confessed first, and I was like, yes girl! Some say she looks "old" for this role, which I definitely disagree with, because I can't imagine any other actress who could be Fu Yuxiao. The character needs a mature, strong woman, and Li Qin is perfect for this one. I can go on and on about Fu Yuxiao, and I really want to thank the writer and director for creating this rare FL.
The chemistry! Another thing I loved about this drama is how both FL and ML respect each other. He lets her do her thing and just sends someone to watch her from afar, but not to the point where he always feels the need to protect her. Vice Versa, where she also lets him do his thing without interfering. But when they are together, especially during fight scenes, it is an amazing watch indeed! I love how she is always shown behind him, protecting him. I love her stance when holding that bow and arrow, ready to shoot at anyone who wants to hurt her man! How she is always behind him, protecting him. You are just rooting for this couple even before they realize their feelings for each other. How they went from trying to kill each other to being each other's most important person.
The brotherhood and loyalty! Even the side characters here are done right. How ML's right-hand men are perfectly loyal to him. Goosebumps during that scene in the final eps where Feng Battalion announced their support to him. How his men are willing to give their lives for their prince, and how the prince is also more than willing to give his life for his men! He always says he was displaced since he was a child, and his time in the Feng Battalion really made him realize what it means to have a family. Can I also say how well they wrote the siblings trope! Especially with the stepbrother. In other dramas, siblings fight each other to the death, betraying each other for the throne. But since this is our drama done right, I love how love and trust prevailed. I was initially scared that ChengYang might stray to the wrong path, but I'm glad they stuck to him being an amazing brother at the end. Even the three heroes of Jinxiu. I did get sad when Ning Fei and Yu Xiao had to k*ll Wei Ran in the end. He accepted his fate, knowing his loyalty to the prince was greater than his friendship.
The Villains! Oh boy. Our poor ML, who never gets a break. As soon as he gets his revenge, another problem arises and forces him to fight again. For this show, though, I understand some of the villain's point of view on why they had to do what they did. Except for Yao and Xia Jing Shi, who are just rotten people through and through. LOL. That final fight scene between Sui Ge and Jing Shi was definitely something! Pretty boy vs. pretty boy trying to kill each other, and I was like, Dang Yu Xiao, such a lucky girl! Every villain in this story got their karma, and it's a well-deserved ending for each of them.
Wheeew, Such a long review! I do have a lot more to say, since it's been a while since I've watched a drama this good, but for you reading this, I hope you give it a chance. Although I DID skip the scenes with Xiyang, the 2nd prince and the emperor of Jinxiu, as it's not my cup of tea. Overall, it's highly, highly recommended!!
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A Visually Rich Story that Combines Duty, Self-Discovery, and Love
This wasn’t for everyone, but it was for me.There are so many reasons why I enjoyed this. I loved the storyline—it captured my interest and delivered a romance I could really get behind. A lot of romance formulas don’t work for me (most of them actually), but I felt genuinely connected to this one. It was beautiful and engaging, and developed in a way that didn’t make me roll my eyes or lose interest. There were times in the middle where I wanted a bit more of the male lead’s early characterization—war driven and vengeful. Still, the narrative was balanced with other conflicts and subplots, so I wasn't too mad about the shift.
I also loved the darker themes, the underworld elements, and especially the strength of the female lead. Dilraba Dilmurat had kind of lost me over the course of her career, but this—and Love on the Turquoise Land—have brought me back. She portrayed her character exactly how I like my female leads: strong, powerful, decisive, and commanding. But I also appreciated the supporting cast too, even the shifty villains—some of whom found redemption, while others fell completely but still revealed a kind of moral line in the end.
And finally, the soundtrack. There weren’t many songs, but the main ones were perfect extensions of a world I loved watching. They complemented the scenes beautifully and really elevated the overall atmosphere. It was an easy escape for me. Overall, I loved this.
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Cute Storylines
at first in the beginning I was a bit sceptical and I couldn’t really relate to the characters an found 小哥 a bit annoying but once they became adults I started to really enjoy the story.小哥’s storyline lowkey hit me the hardest and the actress roommate which I never expected cause I lowkey found them the most annoying in the beginning.
I loved that the father got with his mother they’re honestly such a cute pair. I also like how we didn’t get hot romance but a softer version because it honestly would’ve been weird since they grew up together.
anyways I think the way the story wrapped up was super rushed but overall I really enjoyed this show.
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Really great
The best drama of pondphuwin, this drama deserve every success. Really great ... Humour , plot and overall everything perfectly written and characters played it very well...specially pondphuwin did an awesome job..everyone should watch this... This is the best 💕,.................................. I love this drama to the moon and back and thank you director who did this..great plot and one of the best BL dramas in Gmmtv ....Was this review helpful to you?
“Do I have an open invitation saying, ‘use me’?”
Yes, Lu Wanwan, you fucking do.Anyway, just finished a drama about a robot and an idiot apparently falling in love or something like that.
For this drama to not have been painful, it needed to be 12 episodes, 15 max (and I’ll kick my own ass for saying this cause I hate the shortening of tv shows more than anything). You know he likes her from the beginning but because they needed to stretch the story to fit 24 eps., he never tells her and it repeatedly becomes a source of conflict.
We have the same misunderstandings - the same arguments, over and over and over and over and over
I never want to see a character like this FL on my screen again. Someone would spit in her face, and she’d turn the other cheek for them to spit on the other side. No self-preservation whatsoever
They should take their poster child for a “virtuous woman” and shove her in a closet somewhere idc
She thinks smiling big is a personality trait.
Just a bag of helplessness in a human suit, paired with Mr. Robot. Completely unwatchable
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Despite FL keeping secrets, not being able to share the full story, and constantly appearing suspicious, ML was discerning and perceptive and judged her actions based on what he had seen of her true character "beyond" her appearance, so to speak. I just love an ML who is fully on FL's side, believes her, gives her the benefit of the doubt, supports her, etc. In this situation, so much of the deck was stacked against FL, and having ML in her corner literally saved her life. The way the show portrayed their relationship in the past and present is so beautifully done.
His razor-sharp attention to detail, patience, kindness and loyalty to her was so sweet and captivating, and they had really amazing chemistry. I love how intimidating he portrayed his character as, just as I loved how she portrayed her character as reserved and demure, slowly gaining confidence. Their devotion to each other and feelings for each other were conveyed so beautifully. He knew he wanted her and went for her! And thank goodness because nothing ever would've happened otherwise, lol. I loved the slowburn romance (well, as slow as it can get in a mini) and the scene where she finally confessed all was so sweet.
Highly recommend as a gem among minis. Great for binging!
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Absolutely Love this drama, and especially TIAN JIA RUI !!!
I’ll be honest—I started watching Fangs of Fortune purely because of Tian Jia Rui, and I have zero regrets. He completely stole the spotlight for me. His screen presence is magnetic, and every scene he’s in feels elevated. Beyond just being incredibly attractive, he brings a certain intensity and charm that makes his character impossible to ignore.This is only his second drama, but his acting is mind-blowing. He nailed the role with such talent and confidence that it’s hard to believe he’s still early in his career. I love him so much—he’s truly gifted and has the potential to become one of the standout stars of his generation.
The drama itself has its ups and downs, but Tian Jia Rui is the reason I kept hitting “next episode.” His expressions, the way he carries himself, and the subtle emotions he conveys make him the highlight of the entire show. Even when the plot slowed down, his performance kept me invested.
If you’re considering watching Fangs of Fortune, I’d say do it for Tian Jia Rui. He’s hot, charismatic, and absolutely worth the watch.
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If you give it a chance you'll enjoy the show.
A totally worth while drama to watch,i binge watched 11 episodes at a go and in a few days watched the last episode.Mark and Junior are an adorable pair, because i did not watch P10L and dropped Revamp.I did not have much to say about them in terms of acting but they really did well in this project.Mark projected his emotions so well in the scene where the wedding hall was a mess,i pitied him very much.I do hope they get to star in more projects because they are amazing actors their jokes landed and their reactions to situations was hilarious,Mark's reaction to the gecko situation was hilarious and Junior's reaction while pumping the balloon when he heard Kuea was coming with North cracked me up.It had been a while since i watched Ohm acting, after Between us i tried watching 369 but dropped it and wasn't keen on his projects.As for Poon we can see his growth he is kinda mature-ish and still got the mischievous vibe with him.I got the feeling he was leading Ohm in most of the scenes and was comfortable with him despite them being somewhat a new pairing.The wardrobe/costume for the main leads was AMAZING, their first wedding outfit was top tier.The locations were amazing too... Also is it because I watched it in a streaming site that i missed the ads that are normally shown in the YouTube episodes because i wondered where the 'usual' sponsors were from Lactosay,canon,the tea drink and cake there wasn't any food or drink sponsors in the scenes,why was that?
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Love it ♥️
My best actor Chen Zheyuan he looking awesome. Everyone actually was amazing. La trama, las actuaciones, la historia muy real que se vive a diario, como la tradición de las personas mas cercanas, en las que uno confia más como la familia o la que uno cree que lo es. La actuación de Zheyuan fue espectacular con ese toque de malvado que se veia super bello.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
This series had the potential to be even better if it leaned into a more tragic direction
Love You Teacher – This series had the potential to be even better if it leaned into a more tragic direction. The current story is cute and light, but it could have reached top-tier status if it explored deeper emotional themes—like the loss of hope in regaining memories or a more heartbreaking character journey.The cast is undeniably strong—Perth, Santa, Kayavine, and Sammy are all talented actors who can deliver powerful performances. That’s why it feels like a missed opportunity to place them in a more childlike or overly light theme when they’re clearly capable of handling heavier, more dramatic material.
At times, it also feels like this was included in the lineup more as a filler project, possibly to support merchandising and promotions, rather than being fully developed as a standout series.
Apart from having a strong cast and a good story concept, I think it’s also the responsibility of the network and producers to elevate the overall viewing experience. They could have taken a more distinct approach—such as an eerie, dark, or tragic tone—especially since they already have many series with similar light, youthful themes.
Overall, the story could have benefited from being more emotionally layered—portraying a conflicted, struggling character and leaning into a more intense, tear-jerking narrative to truly showcase the actors’ full potential.
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This review may contain spoilers
I really like the ArnoldTua storyline
Only Friends 2 – The story feels more rigid and contained within a smaller circle compared to the first Only Friends. This time, the narrative is centered around a stage production of Romeo and Romeo, which becomes a key part of how the story unfolds.I really like the ArnoldTua storyline—their chemistry and sweet, swoon-worthy moments are undeniably captivating and easily grab my attention. As for the other pairs, I’m not as invested. It sometimes feels like there’s too much focus on flirting rather than actually developing the plot.
They’ve already hinted at partner switching and possible infidelity, which could add drama, but right now it feels a bit overemphasized. I think the series would benefit from integrating stronger storytelling alongside the romance to create a better balance and make it more convincing and worth watching.
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childhood to adulthood journey and the friends to lovers trope
If you enjoy the childhood to adulthood journey and the friends to lovers trope, this drama is worth checking out.It’s an easy watch overall, with a decent cast and a storyline that has potential. However, some parts aren’t clearly explained, which makes the plot feel a bit messy at times. It also seems like the show tries to cover too many genres, causing it to lose focus and making it unclear what story it’s ultimately trying to tell.
As for the twins, there isn’t a strong enough distinction between them, so it can get confusing figuring out who’s who in certain scenes.
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This review may contain spoilers
Love in the time of Cholera -LITERAL -
I was initially skeptical about this drama—something didn’t quite click at first. It wasn’t until I asked whether it was worth watching and received a strong “yes” that I decided to continue. I’m glad I did.In many ways, this story explores how political and social changes shape everyday life—especially when people find themselves in the middle of a revolution. No matter which side you lean toward, it is often the people who pay the highest price.
As a Colombian, I found myself relating deeply. While this story takes place in 1970s China, it reminded me of Colombia in the 1990s—a time marked by violence, transformation, and shifting mentalities that ultimately helped shape the nation.
The narrative is simple, yet layered with complexity. It highlights two types of individuals: those who were marginalized or punished because of their beliefs, and those who were overlooked due to a lack of resources and opportunity. At its core, it is a love story—one that captures determination, resilience, and the reality of surviving with very little.
Fei Ni stands out as an idealistic young woman fighting for a simple dream: to attend university. Despite having the qualifications, she is constantly pushed aside, showing how power and connections often determine opportunity.
Fang Mu Yang represents another reality—someone forced to live a life shaped by circumstances beyond his control, banned by association, yet still holding onto hope and optimism.
Then there is Fang Mu Jing, whose only “mistake” was existing in the middle of a political shift—reminding us how innocent lives are often caught in forces much larger than themselves.
One of the aspects I appreciated most about this drama was its historical backdrop. Whether entirely accurate or not, it sparked my curiosity. Every time a concept or event was mentioned, I found myself wanting to research it further. In that sense, the story does something powerful—it encourages viewers to learn, to question, and to understand history beyond what is shown on screen.
It’s a simple story built on everyday experiences, yet it leaves a lasting impact. It makes you pause, reflect, and want to learn more about the world behind it. And at its heart, it reminds me why I’m such a sucker for love—because even now, I still believe in finding something real and genuine.
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Melody of secrets felt unrealistic
I stopped watching at Episode 2. I just couldn’t continue. The violin performance felt unrealistic and honestly hard to take seriously. The production could have really benefited from bringing in a violin expert to guide the actors for a more convincing portrayal.I also had the impression that the story would end up being dragged out and possibly boring. Overall, it feels more like a filler addition to the 2025 BL lineup rather than a standout series.
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WARMTH, LOVE THAT HEALS PEOPLE
This drama has a beautiful, gentle concept and vibe, the story tells and shows us how to protect our beloved ones in life like family, friends . This drama actually more than a 'romance' story, this drama more about life.. you can relate it a lot. it shows us how to handle problems in life, Not all of our ways of solving problems are the right ways, perfect and good for others. sometimes we need to move quick to settle problems, but we still dont know how to solve things that we still dont know the answer, i can relate with Chan so much.. Chan has traumatic past and hid life just so pityful and not happy. He suffered alone abroad, and he only has Haran to hung onto his life that time ( the moment he knows that someone also has difficult life like him).. no wonder he wanna protect Haran so bad.. the nding?? i TOTALLY LOVE THE ENDING. BEAUTIFUL and SWEET ENDING. how i wish we have more episodes to explore our 1st Lead Couple CHANRAN and Hayoung couple.. such an amazing drama, with amazing cast and amazing cinematogrphy. its A Masterpiece.. LOVE ALL OSTS AND CHARACTERS, CHANRAN COUPLE, we need more of these two together. pls bring these two together againn :))Was this review helpful to you?
