Reviews

I love it!!!

The storyline is refreshing, different, and beautifully executed. It doesn’t rely on the usual clichés, which makes every episode feel intentional and meaningful. The pacing is slow, but in a way that allows you to truly connect with the characters and absorb the emotions behind each scene. It may require a bit of patience, but it is definitely worth it in the end.
The casting is absolutely top-notch. Every actor fits their role so naturally that it feels like the characters were written specifically for them. There is a strong sense of chemistry among the cast, and it elevates the entire viewing experience.
The female lead completely nailed her role. She brought depth, grace, and emotional intensity to her character effortlessly. Beyond her acting, her appearance is truly otherworldly, there’s a rare, ethereal beauty about her that makes every scene she’s in even more captivating. Her expressions, body language, and delivery were all on point, making her performance both striking and unforgettable. Dilraba outdid herself here!
Arthur Chen is the perfect lover boy. He carries his role with such charm, warmth, and sincerity that it’s hard not to be drawn to him. His performance feels effortless yet impactful, and he brings a soft, genuine energy that balances the story beautifully. The emotional connection he builds with the female lead is believable and heartwarming.
Overall, this drama stands out for its unique storytelling, strong performances, and emotional depth. It’s not just something you watch, it’s something you experience.

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Simple just cute

This one is a real fluffy one. Their relationship is also surprisingly a healthy one, I did go into this thinking that there would be some problems with the whole boss X employee troupe, there's some misunderstanding, but it doesn't dragged out for too long because they talk it out with each other, which I appreciate much about a drama. There is enough sweetness and the chemistry is on point between the two ML. I feel like I am missing something about the story I just can't quite pinpoint it, it lost me at points due to there not being a lot of drama for a drama. It simple yet adorable which is why it's so good. It doesn't need the intimacy that you see in other countries BL it shines by being adorable.

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Crowned By Ambition And Fire

Perfect Crown already feels like one of those dramas people will either obsess over or complain about every week, but still never stop watching. The whole modern monarchy and chaebol marriage contract plot sounds dramatic in the best way possible and honestly, IU and Byeon Woo Seok already look too good together for this drama to fail completely.
IU looks perfect as Seong Hui Ju because she has that cold but emotional vibe that makes you want to understand her more. She feels like someone who has everything except the one thing she really wants. Byeon Woo Seok as Prince I-an looks soft, lonely and kind of trapped in his own life, which is exactly the type of character he does best. Their chemistry already feels strong from the teasers alone and the tension between them looks like it will carry the whole drama.
The story itself gives old-school royal romance vibes, kind of like modern royalty dramas mixed with chaebol family fights, power struggles and contract marriage chaos. It feels like the type of drama that will have pretty visuals, emotional scenes, jealous second leads and those moments where you know they are in love before they admit it.
I feel like Perfect Crown could become one of the biggest romance dramas of this year if the writing stays strong. Even people who were unsure after the trailer are still curious because the cast and storyline are too interesting to ignore.


SPOILER ALERT !!!!!!!!

Episode 1 was honestly such a strong start. It gave rich family drama, palace politics and that typical “they hate each other now but will fall later” energy. Hui-ju is already one of my fav female leads because she is not soft or innocent all the time. She knows exactly what she wants and she literally decided that if businessmen are not enough for her, she will go for a prince instead.
The whole palace dinner scene was so tense. Prince I-an showing up late in hunting clothes while everyone was watching was iconic. And then Hui-ju wearing red at the royal event like she did not care about palace rules at all... she really knows how to make an entrance. I loved that both of them are rebels in their own way.
The fire scene was probably the best part of the episode because suddenly everything became darker. When Prince I-an got triggered because of the past king dying in a fire, it made his character more interesting. And when the Queen Mother slapped him in front of everyone, I actually felt bad for him because you can tell he is treated like a threat instead of family.
The ending was crazy too because Hui-ju straight up proposing marriage to him in episode 1 was not something I expected this early. Plus the little reveal that he remembered her from school and secretly changed the rules because of her made their connection feel deeper already.
Overall ep 1 was a bit long but never boring. IU and Byeon Woo-seok already have chemistry and the drama feels expensive, dramatic and addictive. I am already seated for the contract marriage chaos

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Y'all relax. It's decent but it should have been a HIT

Its sole problem is that it looked too good in the beginning. The posters rock, the summary captivates, the cast is stellar.

Three top actors, a suspenseful plot, an enemies to lovers romance with the art world as a background? I was seated.

So what's the issue?

Cowardice.

Of the writers, not the characters. Let me explain: we were promised a morally grey, fascinating heroine that embodied the siren archetype, luring men into their deaths. But we got a tortured woman who was very capable at her job and shouldered all the tragedy stoically. This isn't half as interesting. She was always right, or wrongly accused! They were too afraid to make her misstep or exhibit even a shred or fallacy. She was a starved saint in gorgeous jewelry.

If there was a more nuanced approached to her character, we would fall in love with her; now we sympathize with her. And it's not as if PMY can't do charming but human--look no further than Forecasting Love and Weather. She can make weather sound fascinating, she has that in her. But here her performance was intentionally subdued, and that would work if the character had other avenues to showcase emotional depth, but she wasn't given the chance to save for ep4. The methodical, strong revenge heroine is easy to be a hit with me, but it must be done more like the Su Ryeon in The Penthouse way: grounded in her experiences, choosing to raise hell and clashing with a handsome man in the process.

Speaking of handsome man, I was giddy to see WHJ in a romance after rewatching the beauty that was The Midnight Romance in Hagwon. The man can do action like no other (Worst of Evil), but he always imbues it with emotional weight. He tried in this story, but he quickly lost the push-and-pull dynamic after going fully boyfriend mode. I love love, but even with two of my favourite actors, i struggled to get the romance. I understood it, but i didn't swoon like i did when he was making out in cars (those who know, know).

TL;DR: The plot is satisfying, it will keep you guessing and it will resolve. The romance could use a boost. Watch it!

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Beautiful but slow. Interesting but biased.

Quite polarizing drama. It has as many very strong, even superb attributes, as well as a portion of well earned critique. It's hard to weight them objectively, so everyone should judge for themselves. It honestly can go either way for any viewer.

The strongest points of this production are pictures and acting. Scenery is gloomy, beautiful, giving justice to any wuxia classic. Well matched with beautiful and talented cast. If you see your favorite on the list, don't hesitate. There are no weak performances among them.

Premise of the story is also very strong. Martial art mafia infiltrates secluded stronghold of rival family by sending death soldiers as brides for new generation of young lords. Pared with :
1) quite unique rules and dynamics inside the sect
2) mysterious plot triggered by arrival of female assassins
3) compelling stories of 4 leading characters, that each have their own battle to fight

We're really hooked from the very start.
Would the girls survive and succeed? Will the boys fell for their tricks or catch them in the act? I could not even tell who I was rooting for.
And that's another huge strength of this drama. Unknown and ambiguity that keep us interested even through slugs. We don't know what anyone is thinking, but figuring it out is part of the fun.
Plus few satisfying reveals and we get overall well executed mystery.

As for weak parts, well it's simple. Middle part is just very slow and boring. Nothing new, but here it really made me skip forward quite a lot. It is abnormally slow paced for even the most tolerant standards. Easly we could've had 5 episodes less. It feels like
95% talking while drinking tea
4% everything else
1% proper action

As for the root cause, it's more complicated, but allow me this little rant.

Dead got more attention than a living.
Can't say I love watching song long flashbacks every time director wats to shove sad emotions down my throat. Also, ML and his dead father got more closure and resolution than our male leads after discovering their brides are spies. It's like director is scared of conflict and confrontation. It's called drama for mmm sake.
For the show that bored to death with side stories, too many arcs are left underdeveloped and unconcluded. Only in the end we learn that second FL actually all along had the same mission as the first FL. That means she really was acting on her own most of the time. I couldn't tell with all the choices she made in the end and how plain evil she seamed to be. So many of her motivation were presented as senseless.
That brings me to the root of all issues...

Sexism. In drama based around female story there is very little female perspective. We have brotherly love, fatherly love, puppy love, and patriotic love. Love for duty, and love for heroism. All the loves attributed to male centered stories. There is very little sisterly love, almost none motherly love, and all are tainted.
The only women in the picture are 3 assassins, 1 caricature and comic relief, 2 dead mothers, and the rest are faceless maids or nameless villains. While male characters are mostly pure and honorable, they all got to have their own interests, quirks and motivations. While women basically either live for evilness or for a man. To be fair, there are hints for something bigger. Forth house of the backhill, FL backstories, most elusive female boss of martial art mafia, and of course the ending. It all points to the women of the story being purposefully hidden from us. With a promise to be shown later. I'm just not sure if based on what we saw, it could've been really delivered to my satisfaction.
But if the second part was created, I would still watch it.

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Why so underrated?

After reading the reviews here I doubted if I would watch it. But boy was I glad I did! The story wasn't shallow, as commented by many of you. On the contrary. Jang UK has a hard time because of what happened and it's only natural that he is aloof and cold. His love for Jin Buyeon grows because she reminds him of Mu Deok. She looks completely different, but has her feisty moments and I don't agree with those who say that she's just a pretty face and cries a lot. She was confused too. The memories that came back didn't seem to be hers. There are a lot of layers here. I didn't find any big plot holes either.

SPOILER ALERT:
Mu Deok actually had 2 souls. It was Buyeon's body, but when Naksu entered her, the soul of Buyeon remained as well. This was possible because Buyeon's mother had used the ice stone to keep her unborn child alive. Thus Buyeon's was the reincarnation of JinSeol Ran the great goddess. The soul of Buyeon's prevented Naksu from getting wild. That only happened because Jin Mu controlled her with a special drink and bells. He had done the same to her father and other opponents.
After Mu Deok killed Jang UK she started to was petrify, so her body could not be repaired. But spirit and soul were still alive. And so was Buyeon's soul. But the body was beyond repair, so master Lee used Naksu's energy to make a new body. With both souls again.
When the council wanted Buyeon to take the ice stone from Jang Uk (which would cause him to die), she refused, because there was one soul changer he had not killed yet (meaning herself). Jin Mu the big badass, wanted use the firebird from Jinyeong to dry up the world, in order to obtain the icestone from rain. They stole the bird and awoke it, so it could wreak havoc upon the world. Jang Uk and Naksu then had difficult choices to make. Only Buyeon had divine powers, so she could stop the chaos. But that would mean Naksu would disappear. Jang Uk could prevent that, but then the chaos would prevail. They both choose to save the world, and (I think because of that, they are rewarded and Naksu returns. She is no longer a soul changer then, because the body was made with her energy and soul.

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Surprised me.

First time I've been out of synch with one of Bijou's reviews. But appreciate the different perspective. 😗. I thought the performances were true to character. I'm at a solid 10.

On the fence with WKM. Not really a hard core fan. But really, is there anything Wang Nan can't do? Both ML characters were bigger than life, although different types of flamboyant unhinged extremes. One was intentional; one was psychotic. If anything, I thought Wang Nan and Wang Kaimu displayed master level craft skills and reigned in their characters making them almost too close to IRL people? Way overwhelming if the rest of the cast hadn't truly supported them. Could go into way too much detail. I found lots to be impressed by.

IMO... This really crosses the boundaries of a big screen production. Locations, sets, wardrobe, etcetera are veritable eye candy. Cast selection and performances are perfection. Would love to see this on a big screen. Saved to rewatch.

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A solid watch. I definitely recommend

I just finished Can This Love Be Translated?, and yeah, this is a solid 9/10 for me.

I’m gonna be real for a second, a lot of the complaints I’ve seen about this drama feel incredibly surface-level. It’s like people walked in expecting a light, spoon-fed romcom and got frustrated when the show asked them to actually sit with its pacing and read between the lines. Not everything is meant to be loud, fast, and immediately gratifying, and this drama definitely isn’t trying to be that.

The pacing? I actually thought it was great. It takes its time, but in a way that lets the emotions settle and the characters feel real instead of rushed. If anything, I wish it had more time. 12 episodes felt a little too short for what it was trying to do. This easily could’ve stretched into 14 or even 16 episodes if they wanted to explore certain moments more deeply.

And the chemistry? Yeah… undeniable. Kim Seon-ho and Go Youn-jung absolutely carried. Their performances weren’t over-the-top; they were controlled and subtle, and honestly more impactful because of it. You could feel everything in the pauses, the glances, the silence.

Also, calling this just a romcom feels… wrong. The Hong Sisters didn’t just write a fluffy romance; they built something way more layered. There’s this really delicate balance between romcom and melodrama, with just a hint of tension running underneath the whole time. It’s soft, but it cuts when it needs to.

At the end of the day, this drama isn’t about big, obvious moments; it’s about nuance. About miscommunication, emotional distance, and the way people try (and fail) to understand each other. If you’re not paying attention, yeah, it might feel slow or underwhelming. But if you are? It hits.

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A Love Worth Fighting For A Story That Broke Me and Healed Me at the Same Time

I just finished watching Love in the Moonlight, and wow… I’m honestly still emotional. This drama is so beautiful and powerful. It really shows the true meaning of love not the easy kind, but the kind you have to fight for.
One thing I loved is how it teaches us to choose ourselves. We don’t always have to live to please others. Sometimes, being strong means standing up for who you are and what you feel, even when it’s hard. The story also shows that loving someone whether it’s a man or a woman is something personal, and no one has the right to judge that.
I’m not going to lie, the father made me really angry at first. The way he reacted was painful to watch. But at the same time, I could understand him. He comes from a different generation where this kind of love wasn’t accepted, so his mindset was shaped by that. It doesn’t make it right, but it makes it real.
What touched me the most is that he changed in the end. He accepted his son and his boyfriend, and that moment was so powerful. It showed that people can grow, and that love can be stronger than fear or judgment.
The characters felt so real, and the emotions were so deep that I actually cried a lot. I’ve never cried like this for a drama before. It wasn’t just sad, it was everything at once.
This drama is not just a love story. It’s about acceptance, courage, and fighting for what truly matters. And honestly… I’ll never forget it.

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A Weird Mix of Good Writing and Terrible Writing

I am really disappointed in this drama it could have been so much better. The mortal sets commonly looked lived in but the heavenly realm looked bare and - well - like they were lying about the amount of people there. It felt low budget when they weren't in the moral world. And the Marriage Pavilion? Where does everyone work exactly usually? I know we get a few scenes of them working but a lot of the time their "workplace" is empty. Where are they working then?

Okay maybe I expect too much fantasy realism and immersivity.

I dropped this a few times but kept coming back to it until now. I just couldn't forget it and the reason is that there are sparks of charm and good writing in this amongst the terrible writing. I was undecided on what to do with this for so long because of it.

STORY
In some parts the writers did a good job. The emotion hits well and the story feels immersive... And then you get slapped in the face by the sometimes fake emotion. Suddenly nothing had any emotional weight or real consequences to the characters. I was left confused and disappointed. I grew to hate a lot of the Heavenly realm scenes because the characters felt bland. It didn't feel lived in and it was like all emotion was an act. And then you'd go back to the mortal realm and it would be almost polar opposite at times.

It started getting good again around episode 26. I don't have much hope for the story after episode 35 though. I think I've seen the peak. I can guess where it's going from spoiler clips and the situation. I don't want to watch anymore.

There's also a plot hole created around episode 30 regarding spiritual power. If you watch it and spot it, you'll get what I mean.

CHARACTERS
Until around episode 26 I thought the FL was annoying. Her character felt inconsistent and whiny. She couldn't do anything herself. She kept trying to pout and act cute... and she looked like an ill-behaved child the parents were ashamed of. The reason I kept dropping this was partially because of her... And then it reached a certain arc and suddenly the character was awesome! Well, at least in comparison. It's a shame it feels like she reverted back after, though.

The ML felt like a cardboard cut out in a lot of the heavenly realm scenes in like the first half of the series. He kept going "Hmmm?" to get people to back off. And then in other scenes and arcs he was a great character.

ACTING & ACTORS
I feel sorry for Yang Chao Yue having been given this kind of whiny character. The only issue is when she tries to cry or talk when crying. A lot of the time it is obviously an act. It's a shame.

There are certain moments where Ding Yu Xi shines but I also think he could have been given a better character.

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I think this is the first drama I didn't like one single thing

Things I loved

1 I thought the premise was good and of course due to the promise and the blurb that it would be romantic, funny, original, full of tropes in a good way, basically a decent rom com. How fool I was.

Things I disliked

1 The 2ML. I didn't like that he fell for the FL. Why? I didn't see a single thing that could make me believe he was in love with her. She didn't do anything that was remotely interesting or smart or anything. Of course, people can fall in love with dull, stupid people in real life, so why not in a drama? You got me there.

Things I hated

1 The outfits of the leads, but especially the FL. What on earth was that? I'm okay with wearing whatever you want, but in a drama, what you wear has to be meaningful. So, I'm curious what was supposed to convey the way she dressed? That she was a 35 years old ready to take the vow? That she had a job that required for her to be dressed as a nun? That she wanted to convey an image of a pure soul? Whatever the heck they wanted to show it irritated me non stop seeing her dressed like a 70 years old grandma.

2 The acting of the FL. Even when she tried she was incapable to convey any feelings. She cried, I didn't care. She laughed same thing. She played the happy in love person, it left me cold. She managed one thing though. Every time she put her hands together in her lap I wanted to scream at her. Kudos for that performance. It was consistent all the way.

3 The ML. I've never seen a more dull, uninteresting, old fashion, boring male lead. I feel bad to trash both leads since they probably are good people and maybe also good actors, but in this drama they failed miserably.

3 The misleading poster, title and blurb. I was expecting a rom com or at least a lighthearted romance. I got two leads who don't know how to act other than boring. A script that had no reason to exist. What was the point of all this? There was no humor, there was no chemistry between the leads, there were dramatic moments that were more laughable and without any development, conflicts without any flavor, and the list goes on.
Honestly after having watched dozens of dramas I cans ay that this one could win the trophy of the most boring hands down. It's unfortunate, but the Koreans don't know anymore how to write a rom com or at least a fluttering romance. Even when they have the premise right, they ruin it with the cast and the directing and of course the plot.
I watch in parallel a Chinese rom com Legally Romance, and the contrast is so big, it hurts. I laugh every other line, my heart fluttered ten times already and I'm only in the fourth episode. The leads have so much talent and chemistry, I just can't get enough of their interactions. Where was all this in this drama? Nowhere.

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Highly rated BL, but the ending is a bit disappointing.

PLOT: Jom, an architect, renovates an old house and stumbles upon strange things. At this time, his lover, returns after two years to announce his marriage (his girlfriend is pregnant). Drunk and desperate, Jom has a car accident and falls into the river. He finds himself in 1920, taken in by Ming, a servant in an aristocratic family. Yai, the son of this family, takes him under his wing as a butler (and as his lover). But being LGBT+ and/or a servant in that era is tough!

+++ Bright and Nonkul are fantastic ლ(´◉❥◉｀ლ): sensitive, subtle, with superb chemistry.
+++ The era is well described, the mentalities, the very harsh living conditions (especially for servants and women).
+++ Flawless execution: not just the sets and costumes—props, jewelry, etc.—but the cinematography with its filter, pacing, alternation of emotions, and suspense maintained until the very end. Kudos!
+++ Excellent OST

### The separation storyline drags.
### Unexpected and unexplained HE. Disappointing!

=> Fantastic actors, but they deserved a well-written story right to the end
***************************************************************
PLOT: Jom, architecte, rénove 1 vieille maison et tombe sur des choses étranges. //t, son lover revient après 2 ans, pr lui annoncer son mariage (fille enceinte). Ivre et malheureux, Jom a 1 accident de voiture et tombe ds la rivière. Il se retrouve en 1920, recueilli par Ming, domestique d'1 famille aristocratique. Yai, fils de cette famille, va le prendre sous son aile, comme majordome (et comme lover). Mais être LGBT+ et/ou domestique à cette époque, c'est dur !

+++ Bright et Nonkul sont fantastiques ლ(´◉❥◉｀ლ) : sensibles, subtiles, avec 1 superbe alchimie.
+++ L'époque est bien décrite, les mentalités, les conditions de vie très dures (en particulier des domestiques, des femmes).
+++ Réalisa° sans défaut : pas seulement les décors et les costumes - accessoires - bijoux - etc. , mais la cinématographie avec un filtre, rythme, alternance des émotions, le suspense maintenu jusqu'au bout. Kudos !
+++ Excellentes OSTs

### Des longueurs dans l'arc narratif de la séparation.
### HE inattendue et inexpliquée. Décevant !

=> 2 acteurs fantastiques, mais qui méritaient une histoire bien écrite jusqu'à la fin.

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It's like the heat is radiating off the screen

In my view, Speed and Love is not unlike those classic dark romance novels from the old days that I'd forgotten about, but nonetheless happy to have received in this format. It's one of those dramas that I didn't know I needed and now that it is in front of me, wouldn't have it any other way.

The story begins with Jiang Mu (Esther Yu) traveling to Thailand for the sole purpose of rediscovering Jin Zhao (He Yu). As children they were inseparable. Though not related by blood, they were a family. But their bond was ripped apart when the adults parted. When they meet again at the present time 10 years later, Jin Zhao is like a stranger, worlds different from the person Jiang Mu looked up to, who had protected her and indulged her like a big brother. He has intangled himself in street racing and underground fights; immersed in a lifestyle she could not have fathomed. But it's obvious he's been living a difficult, empty life, without really feeling and not realizing he's starving for affection. Jiang Mu quickly inserts herself into his life, determined to extract him from his sinister world.

As absurd as the plot is, the execution made all the difference. The characters feel real. The action and racing scenes are well done. There is this melancholy yet romantic atmosphere throughout, and the setting and music enhance this so well. Going in blind I had no idea it was filmed abroad. As someone who has visited Bangkok, I recognize the major landmarks in some scenes, but it's the parts unknown that seamlessly blends in with the story. It's charming in a vintage, nostalgic way.

Jiang Mu's simplicity and cheerful nature gives her a childlike naivete. But she's also thoughtful, and her genuine care is apparent. She makes these unexpected, declarative statements, revealing her unwavering devotion and Jin Zhao's reaction both warms and breaks my heart. In spite of his bad boy image, I don't recall there ever being a moment where he says or does anything remotely mean to her. As their relationship turns romantic, the chemistry rivals those of uninhibited web dramas. The acting, the directing, the cinematography, the music (that beautiful, beautiful OST) all come together to make these scenes electrifying. The pull is so strong I don't even realize I'm so close to the screen at times!

I was concerned the third act of the drama would ruin the experience but I was needlessly worried. There's a flashback in a later episode that reveals Jin Zhao's thought process that explains his decision and it's a story that is both touching and heartbreaking to listen to. The crux of the matter has always been that Jiang Mu is so precious to him that he doesn't feel worthy. So as much as we all hate noble idiocy trope, I felt like it was logical at that point in the story. To me, it's the good kind of angst. And alongside the inevitable heartbreak, this arc gives each an opportunity to grow and become respectable, educated adults with careers and new lives. Usually at this point in dramas, I'd be bored and skip around to get to the end. Instead, the drama remains compelling that I lost sleep because I could not stop myself from consuming episode after episode.

The drama peaked my interest from the promo posters and these photos did not mislead me at all because they perfectly capture the vibe of the drama. I've always liked Esther Yu, while He Yu has to be one of the most talented actors I've ever come across, not to mention, hot as hell. His ability to clearly convey his emotions in any scene has me completely smitten with him, as well as admire him as an actor. I enjoyed watching different looks flash cross his face as Jin Zhao: desire, jealousy, playfulness, rage, heartbreak. It's wild because their chemistry somehow strikes this amazing balance between innocence and delicious sexual tension, like he's going to strike any moment and devour her. And I don't even know why I was worried about the last arc. From start to finish it was absolutely amazing. To me, the feelings evoked by the drama parallels the male lead's journey: at first melancholy, then flirty then downright hot, and in the end completely enamored that it's hard to let go, as if we're experiencing his gradual emotional transformation. I joined late but the hype is valid. This drama will sit up there for me as one of those unique take on the beloved romance genre and remain unforgettable.

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