Reviews

A visually exquisite drama with a heart-stealing lead couple.

Important clarification: I haven't read the novel, so my opinion is based solely on what the drama offers. And what it offers, in general, I quite enjoyed.

"Pursuit for Jade" is, above all, a feast for the senses. From the very first episode, the photography, cinematography, set design, and costumes transport you completely to ancient China with impeccable quality. Every scene is meticulously crafted, every garment seems lifted from a painting, and the visual direction imbues each shot with weight and beauty. It's one of those dramas that can be enjoyed even with the sound off, simply for its aesthetic appeal.

It's not the first time I've seen a work by Tian Xi Wei or Zhang Ling He, but seeing them together has been a real treat. Their chemistry is palpable and, at least from my perspective, stands out as one of the drama's strongest points. They manage to build a dynamic that balances romantic tension, humor, and emotional vulnerability with a naturalness that makes you invested in their relationship from the very beginning.

That said, there are details I would have liked to see explored in more depth: the discovery of his identity, when she discovers he is the Marquis, the conflict is resolved too quickly. I would have appreciated more time for her anger to fester, for her not to forgive him so easily. A well-managed grudge would have created more emotional tension and made the reconciliation more cathartic.

The fear of the Marquis: throughout the series, we are told that everyone fears him, but there are no scenes that truly show why. His reputation is told more than shown, and this somewhat dilutes the impact of his character at certain moments. And the political plot: there are moments, especially when political and strategic matters are discussed, where you have to pay close attention to avoid losing track. It's not that it's poorly developed, but it demands a level of concentration that contrasts with the lighter tone of other moments. It's not a flaw in itself, but it might throw off those looking for a more relaxed viewing experience.Despite these minor issues, the drama skillfully balances its different registers: there are genuine laughs, heart-melting romantic moments, poignant scenes of sadness that tug at your heartstrings, and twists of betrayal that maintain interest. This variety prevents the story from becoming monotonous and keeps the viewer hooked.

However, I felt the ending was a bit weak compared to the rest of the journey. It's not bad, but perhaps it's resolved more hastily than the story built up to that point deserved. Even so, at least we got a happy ending for the protagonists, which is no small feat in this genre.

Special mention for Li Huaian, one of my favorite characters. I was glad that he also got closure and that the drama didn't leave him forgotten. The secondary characters, in general, are well-developed, and all the actors are gorgeous and deliver top-notch performances, which contributes to the overall feeling of solidity and care (although I would have liked to see what happened to the princess and the strategist).

It's a drama that's enjoyed with both the eyes and the heart. The production is top-notch, the lead actors have captivating chemistry, and its ability to blend genres makes it highly entertaining. It suffers from some plot developments that could have been explored further and an ending that feels somewhat rushed, but overall it's a very satisfying experience. Ideal for those looking for a historical drama with romance, charismatic characters, and impeccable technical execution.

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Watched the Japanese version first and it put the Thai drama to shame

I read a few of the reviews for this drama and realised my views are entirely different. Starting from the fact that I did NOT enjoy the Thai boys chemistry AT ALL. At times I felt like laughing and other times I was cringing. But let's review all my criticisms with this show properly.

The Thai (uncut) and Japanese drama are almost identical plot wise but the Japanese version is superior is many ways. Mostly because of the acting and the way the scenes are shot. Spoilers ahead.

What I disliked:
- The younger ML acts so childish. It was an immediate turnoff. Especially the way he speaks. The other boys and girls (his peers) are not this cringe. This is the main reason I just couldn't get into their relationship. The way he spoke was just awful to hear.
- In ep1, opening scene older ML is hit on his back but he is clenching his stomach after that.
- In ep1/2 older ML wakes up in the hospital after being hit by a car and is able to run all the way to the younger ML's home. Fastest recovery ever!
- There is a scene in ep 2 where the younger ML jumps on top of the ML and was moving around too much to get a look at his scar. Are you being real? Who behaves like this? My friend said he looks like he's looking for lice. Lol! At least that would have been believable! Japan just did this better.
- In one scene, the younger ML is sitting in the cafeteria talking to himself out loud and instead of just doing that, they show him hopping seat to seat back and forth acting as if he is two different people. The most cringe scene! So ridiculous!
- There is a scene where the 2 leads are standing in the middle of the road (crosswalk) and the younger lead is yelling out to him instead of just going closer to talk. Plus he gives this huge speech and I'm like, "you know you could just go closer so if a car comes, you can just die together." My whole focus was on the road and watching to see if any car was going to come.
- Don't get me started on the paper cup scenes. The only way that works is if the string is taut but half the time you'll notice the string is very loose and I doubt that would work unless you both are hearing each other from a close range like the final scene. Not likely to work if you're in two rooms speaking in a soft voice.
- I didn't really enjoy most of the side characters. I only liked a few of them. Because of that I felt like watching a lot of scenes in 2x.
- The date that the 2 MLs go on was so lame. They just spent their entire time on the claw machine and then took pictures in a photo booth and the older guy says it was the best day ever. Come on man. Again this was much better in the Japanese drama.
- The fiancee comes and slaps the younger ML in a cafe and none of the other customers in the background so much so as bat an eyelid. In today's day and age, most people would have immediately picked up their phones and started recording.
- Frankly, I just didn't like the romantic scenes. Again because of the whiny younger ML. Older ML was nice. His acting was decent. But I just didn't see their chemistry and didn't feel their emotions.
- Coming to the mother which a lot of other viewers also complained about. So toxic and bizarre. But the worst part is that the father just shows up at the end and the brother agrees to switch places with the older ML. And also says he'll now marry his fiancee. Are you guys okay? Japan handled this very well.
- The friend who has the superpower - why does he have it?, are there other people with superpowers? - nothing is explained.
- Friend's superpower is exploited by the guy he likes. So casual.
- I hate when a character is looking at something and is becoming more and more horrified or upset and the other character only looks at his face and asks "what's wrong?" instead of looking at what he is looking at. The direction is just weak.
- The video created by the older ML was just too damn long. Also who stopped the recording, sir?
- There is always a nasty girl trying to ruin the relationship. When will they retire this trope?

So what did I even like about this drama?
- The opening theme song is genuinely great.
- The plot concept. I'm a sucker for these types of shows and movies.
- The friends of the two MLs. I liked them the most but mainly the mind-reading friend.
- In the Japanese version, they don't always show what the person is thinking but in the Thai version they did which I liked.
- The older ML acting as multiple versions was nice.
- The other versions of the younger ML who weren't as cringe were okay.
- In comparison to the Japanese version, ep 1 was less confusing and events were easy to understand. Some of the dialogues are also clearer in the Thai version so I only understood a few scenes after watching the original Thai version.

Now there are many reviews mentioning the older ML's stalking. TBH they don't really show much of that so it didn't make much of an impact on me. Plus, other versions of the younger ML were also stalking the older ML, leaving food at his door, hiding behind plants watching him, etc. I didn't see them ever go overboard but I do want to kmow how the older ML knew the younger ML's passcode? That's the only thing that really made me raise my eyebrow. Was it from watching other versions of himself?

If you want to see a good version ofnthis drama, just watch the Japanese drama. The NC scenes are similar. The Thai has one extra scene at the end if I'm right. But I think the Japanese drama scenes are longer.

Overall the plot is decent. I liked the way in which the ML learns of parallel worlds. It was a new concept. But sadly the show was a let down in my opinion.

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Still Shining offers a visually pleasing experience with its wholesome cinematography. The first two episodes, in particular, feel almost like a movie—polished, immersive, and emotionally engaging, which is something we’ve come to expect from high-quality K-dramas.
However, the storytelling quickly falls into familiar and somewhat frustrating patterns. One of the biggest drawbacks is the unnecessary inclusion of the second male lead. Instead of enriching the narrative, his presence feels forced and, at times, annoying. As a viewer, I was more interested in seeing the chemistry between the main leads, but the constant focus on the female lead and the second male lead disrupts that emotional connection.
The drama leans heavily into typical K-drama tropes—love triangles, lingering ex-relationships, and repetitive emotional conflicts—which makes it feel predictable. The story progression could have been handled better, with tighter pacing and more focus on meaningful character development rather than relying on overused plot devices.
Overall, Still Shining is watchable for a one-time viewing, mainly because of its aesthetic appeal and strong start. However, it highlights a broader issue within the K-drama industry: the need to move away from recycled storylines and forced romantic complications. It’s time for fresher narratives that prioritize authenticity over cliché.

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Good Action, Yearning Romance, Amazing Acting

I actually didn't expect much from this movie, no hype about it or anything like that, yet it turned out to be one of my favorite watches of 2026 so far.
The story itself isn't what keeps you engaged, but rather the raw action scenes and the characters who were extremely interesting (actors are amazing omg). The Politics and other topics are not so hard to follow, but it felt like the movie was lacking more advanced plot in some areas.
Cinematography was great, I loved the whole ambience of it.
The glimpse of romance and yearning was the best part in my opinion, and it's been a while since I've watched this type of love on screen.

NOTE!!!!!! Humint is very brutal and heavy watch (I love action, thriller and crime kdramas and movies, though this one was rough, violence targeted mainly towards women)
Overall, 9/10 or even 9.5/10 for HUMINTTTT MUST WATCH

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What it means to be a human? And why do we fight...

When you dream of something there's always going to be days when it hurts, but rest of the time, it gets you going!

I really like this show, and compared to other Kamen Riders, I would put this show into one of the better Rider series out there. This series have some flaws here and there, but overall I liked it a lot. It's an amazing story about what it means to be human and why we should follow our dreams.

It's very slow at times, but I don't think this is necessarily bad. Most characters are very fleshed out. We are not just watching them follow the monster of the week, but them eating dinners, going on a date or an amusment park ride. Towards the end of the show, I really cared about these characters and I felt hurt when they were hurt. I hated Takumi at the beginning of the show, but towards the end, I understood his past behaviour and liked him alot. Acting is great too! Everyone did an amazing job I think.

There are some things I didn't like as well. I don't like the ending. It doesn't resolve some of the major plot points and leave you hanging there. I didn't like the monster suits either. Even though some of them are very cool, the monochrome design looks very bland.

Overall, I give this show a high rating. It's a must watch if you want a more character driven story and dive into personal relationships. However, I wouldn't recommend this show as someone's first toku/kamen rider show. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

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Netflix and kdramas

We are witnessing a genuine K-Drama crisis and this was the beginning for me. The shift away from the traditional 16-episode format is ruining the writing. There is no set rule that says a drama must be shorter now—writers have the free will to take the time they need. If you can't wrap up a story properly in 12 or 14 episodes, don't force it. Why cram an entire series worth of resolution into the final hour? It’s pure sabotage, and you did it yourself.

The influence of Netflix on these shows has destroyed the pacing. This left huge gaps in the story:

: It was painfully obvious to everyone except the FL that the ML wouldn't have cared about the contract. Instead of addressing it, we just watched him suffer in silence. (Though, let’s be honest, we do love to see the yearning—so we can let that slide, actually)

The Forgotten Sister: The sister was the literal catalyst for the entire plot, yet she vanished without a peep by the end. How do you ignore the person who started it all?

Unfinished Business: The second couple . Are they together? The audience shouldn't have to guess.

This is what you get when you try to act new with your 14 episodes.

It’s wild that they forgot the sister entirely. When the literal "reason for the season" gets ghosted by the writers, you know they were just checking boxes to finish the contract. Do you think this "14-episode trend" is just a way for studios to save money on production days, or are they genuinely convinced that modern audiences have no attention span?

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My fault for picking it ig

We are witnessing a genuine K-drama epidemic. As the traditional 16-episode format vanishes in favor of shorter streaming seasons, the writing is clearly suffering. While we don't always need 16 episodes, this new trend of 12 - 14 episode runs is leaving plots feeling hollow and rushed.

Wasted Potential and Shallow Themes
On paper, this drama was a goldmine. It raised heavy, classic questions: Mortality vs. Immortality, the corrosive nature of Human Greed, and the age-old debate of Money vs. Happiness. The tragedy is that the show raised these issues only to abandon them. It never truly explored the philosophy behind these themes, leaving us with a surface-level experience instead of a meaningful, coherent emotional journey.

Kim Hyeyoon Deserved Better
It is devastating to see such incredible leads, like Kim Hyeyoon, stuck in a project that doesn't do them justice. People are criticizing the acting, but the reality is that no actor can save a script that lacks character depth and logical progression. Hyeyoon is a powerhouse, and this project is a poor representation of what she can do. Since "re-pairings" are so rare in this industry, it’s a shame this was the project they were given. I will not stand for the hate against her based on just this drama.

Choice: The Subverted Trope
To give credit for a "first," the show subverted the standard Gumiho trope. Usually, the immortal sacrifices their divinity to grow old with their human partner. In a controversial twist, the FL chose to remain immortal. While this is "new," it ultimately feels shallow. By refusing to make that sacrifice, it makes the central romance feel surface-level—as if their love wasn't worth the weight of a human life and the difficulties it brings. I dont understand what message they were trying to send with that.

When a drama feels more like a collection of "cool ideas" but there is no follow-through on the themes, it just becomes a frustrating waste of time.

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Horror App

I am not a real horror fan, but I am still interested in watching horror stories from time to time. In this movie, the horror comes through a phone app that reveals or invokes bloodthirsty ghosts. The movie has six standalone segments tied together thematically, as they all relate to the ghosts and the scary app, which mostly serves as a warning that we are about to see a ghost.

To me, the stories are too short — each could easily be an intro to a fuller feature-length story. The connection between them feels too vague, and the end product is just an omnibus of six very short and not particularly original horror stories. At least they give us some mystery to think about, because they don’t explain plainly why and how the ghosts appear and do what they do.

1. Unlocking (잠금해제) – This is the prologue. Some students test the app and things don’t go according to plan. It got me excited for the movie, but it has no real substance.

2. Night Shift (새벽출근) – I was still quite interested in the story here, but the end result was too common to be memorable.

3. Bus to Goseong (고성행) – This one was strange. Nothing happens until it suddenly does, and I liked that.

4. The Collector (콜렉터) – The premise is interesting: repairing phones and secretly copying their files for your own purposes. But what if the phone “remembered” a ghost?

5. Oneself (자신) – This was weird and gory. I didn’t get it at all. The male actor was very good, though.

6. Ghost Gate (귀문방) – A bland story but quite atmospheric. The appearance of the ghosts made for a strong finale for the entire movie.

Verdict: The movie had my interest at first, but as one famous reviewer would say, I will forget it in T-minus one day. Yeah… already have.

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Cliche and Boring

It wasn't the worst but it wasn't the best. I mainly stuck around for the casting I enjoyed the regular scenes were they were living normally.

There's lots of things they dont really do well in this show.

FEMALE LEAD:
- She views humans as weak, so it would’ve been a powerful moment to show her strength as a human. Instead, it felt frustrating to see her become helpless and fearful when attacked by them. While that role reversal is interesting in theory, given how she treats humans, it becomes repetitive when she continues to fall into a damsel role that constantly requires the human male lead to step in. For example, the male lead getting shot to protect her could have been a defining moment for her to fight back and prove her capability to be powerful as a human. Considering she’s lived for over 1,000 years and mastered countless skills, it feels unrealistic that she never found an interest in learning basic combat/martial arts? Even if she didn't, you don't need strength to be strong, so it would've at least been better if she was more smarter to assess dangerous situations and be able to figure out how to safe herself or help others. In the end, it feels she's only most powerful with her fox powers which helps her feel protected, and act cocky because she knows she's stronger than humans. But is weak as a human, and rely on a human for protection.

ENDING:
- I don’t get why writers assume every story needs a happy ending. Sure, audiences say they want one, but that doesn’t mean it should be taken so literally every time. There’s a reason sad or bittersweet endings tend to be more memorable, they leave a stronger emotional impact and stay with you longer. Happy endings can still be powerful, but only when they feel earned and not like the typical “they all lived happily ever after” cliche. When that trope is overused, it becomes predictable, repetitive, and ultimately less meaningful.

- I honestly think she should’ve died, especially since the story makes such a big deal about fate being unchangeable, with the heavens and deities enforcing consequences for anyone who tries to alter it. Yet somehow, those rules don’t apply to her. Because she sacrificed herself for the one she loved, she’s suddenly exempt, allowed to live on and even keep her powers. It feels inconsistent and undermines the very stakes the story tried to establish.

- The villains were built up to feel intense and threatening, they drove the entire climax, but the payoff went nowhere. After all the buildup around soul-eating, killings, and the shaman’s power, everything gets resolved in an incredibly anticlimactic way. It doesn’t feel earned, and it weakens the stakes the story spent so long establishing. On top of that, the moment meant to push the female lead toward her “death” falls flat. Instead of a powerful or meaningful turning point, it comes down to a weak human with a rifle missing the shot, only for the male lead to step in and take it for her. It turns what should’ve been a high-impact, character-defining moment into something predictable and underwhelming like bruh.

- I understand that she chooses not to give up being a fox just to be with a human, but the story doesn’t clearly define what that choice means for her in the end. It lacks proper closure and skips over the emotional weight behind it. Before, being a fox had a clear meaning, it represented her freedom, her independence, and her defiance against the deities and the fate her older sister accepted. That identity was strong and intentional. But by the end, that meaning becomes unclear. Being a fox is her idenity and she doesn't want to sacarfice her idenity for love, but the story never explains what about it matters so deeply to her now. What does her fox identity truly mean in this new context? Why does it hold enough value that she’s willing to outlive her lover and accept her immortality? What does immortality mean to her?

Her acceptance feels surface-level, without showing the emotional consequences or growth that should come with such a heavy realization, making her character arc feel incomplete. Does the story provide enough depth for us to truly understand and appreciate the female lead’s decision to remain a fox?

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Not perfect but entertaining and a strong finish over the last few episodes.

Not perfect. The characterization of the ML was almost cartoonish (cold, emotionless stoic-to-a-fault CEO) at times and often not really believable as someone anyone would like. And the SML & SFL characters and romance was often very annoying and fueled with tropes. The script writing was very good up to episode 20 and then took a nose-dive over episodes 21-24. But then it bounced back and was pretty solid through the final 9 episodes and especially the last 3-4.

In particular, Xue Shanshan's steady growth as a character carried the show even through the low points of the story. She has very visible and realistic growth from the bubbly naive young girl at the start to the mature woman she is at the end. Yet even as a mature woman she still retains the charm that entranced the ML (and the viewers) from the beginning. Ziao Li Ying delivers a fantastic performance in a role that is very, very different from say, the grumpy overly-serious swordswoman of Legend of Fei, or the clever, revenge-motivated assassin of Princess Agents.

The rest of the cast is solid. I do think that Zhang Han was given a rather tough role to play as the near emotionless Feng Teng. The script writers made him so extremely tightly wound at times that it was painful to watch Zhang struggle to make him seem like a human and not a cartoon character. I don't blame the actor. You can tell that the script that was given defined him this way. It's (as mentioned at the start) probably the biggest drama trope weakness of this series. But fortunately it was more than balanced by the fun of watching FL's counter point character. And even the ML character finally showed a lot of growth over the last few episodes to make sense.

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Great watch.

Loved this series start to finish. Love both
leads Male and female. The acting was first
class The script was fab. Welldone to the writers. Kim Jae-young ML looked like an idol.
The Korean visuals I like. Not like some actors
who lose their asian features and look westernised... I did look at his age and couldn't
believe how young he looks. My other bias was
Jung jae kwang.. Loved the female lead. All round... great series.. Didn't want it to end..
These series are what makes bl dramas super to watch.. We need more like this.. ❤️

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I was honestly afraid that I wouldn't enjoy it at all, but I was extremely hooked from the beginning (which is surprising). At the beginning, it was so interesting, mysterious and breathtaking that I didn't need to lower the rating (plus my Boun appeared there, my love). But after a while, when the mysteries started to unravel, we came to solutions and new mysteries appeared, it seemed so overly complicated and secretive that I simply had to take one star off the rating. At the same time, it could have ended so beautifully if it hadn't gotten so unnecessarily complicated. But that's just my personal opinion, otherwise I think that the mood of the story itself was original and it was brilliantly crafted. Even the characters were each original (which I was happy about) and each had an important role in the series, so they weren't completely unnecessary.

I recommend the series to all lovers of detective stories and thrillers. It's the perfect one for you, even if it gets a little more confusing towards the end.

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