Completed
Ashes of Love
0 people found this review helpful
Mar 30, 2026
63 of 63 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 4.5
Story 4.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 2.0

Team Run Yu

I’m not going to lie, but this was the first Chinese drama on Netflix that sucked me back in 2018, and I started watching more dramas after that. As soon as he played it on Netflix, I was ADDICTED. My husband created a monster. He watched it, too. It was pretty long. There were just too many things going on, so it got too draggy. The most interesting character for me was Run Yu, the Night Immortal, played by Luo Yunxi. He was such a great actor here. I was not a fan of the main leads, to be honest. I had the second male lead syndrome with this drama. There were so many side couples, it felt like it wasn’t about the leads anymore. I found myself skipping sometimes. I wanted to drop it midway, because I was so annoyed at Jin Mi and Xu Feng, but then I really wanted to know Run Yu, the Night Immortal’s fate in this story, so I had to finish it. I’m not going to lie, but even though Yang Zi’s character was like a child at the beginning, I understood why later on. I started watching some of her past dramas after Ashes of Love, like Immortal Samsara and Lost You Forever. While I hated the storyline, the actors did a wonderful job and delivered their roles perfectly. The villains certainly got under my skin and I kept cussing at the screen every time they were plotting something evil. The music stuck with me as well. It was a whirlwind romance, but they ended up with a happy ending. Go ahead and watch it and judge for yourself. As much as I wanted to love this story, I couldn’t.

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Completed
My Boss
0 people found this review helpful
Mar 30, 2026
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.5

not much to say than its a comfort watch for me

This show has a couple of plot "holes" where an issue happens and it's suddenly resolved off screen but overall it's a bubbly fun show with a well-done grump vs sunshine trope. Definitely more on the entertainment side than cinematic masterpiece but I like that it does the silly entertainment well.

Even with the basic script, it put Zhang Ruo Nan on the map for me.
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Completed
Si Jin
0 people found this review helpful
Mar 30, 2026
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

a premise with promise, but an ending that fell short

This show was a “happy accident”. I had it on my list for a while but I got impatient with my list and started several first episodes. From the first episode I was 50/50 about the show just because I wasn’t sure the direction it was planning to take. However, the acting was compelling and even after starting other shows, I chose to come back to Si Jin.

The best parts about this show:
- Excellent romantic chemistry between the main leads. Jiang Si & Yu Qi / Yu Jin were a romance I ate up. I love when a man is smitten and Yu Qi walked so his Prince self as Yu Jin could run. When he gave her all his flowers, one by one I was a goner. His devotion to her was elite, but I will say I wish she had a bit more romantic gestures on her end. *Just a tad more near the end*. But still, I loved it and you can tell she loved him since she literally jumped off a cliff to save his life in their first lives.
- I love the relationship between Jiang Si, her brother, and her father. It was sooo cute and very sweet to see them support and love one another even with all their family drama
- The overall drama that happens *before* the imperial specific issues
- Jiang Si’s flashbacks. I am pretty against flashbacks, but these ones had me curious as heck
- Jiang Zhan was such a cutie patootie himbo at the start and even after he trains to become a fighter, he is too cute. I loved his pure heart for his family and ofc Lu Chu Chu. So happy he climbed up the ranks and became general of territories.
- While the sisters were pretty scheming and the grandmother was frustrating to say the least, I did like the character development and dynamics of the Jiang family. It was toxic but you see them all grow as Jiang Si fights for a better life for herself and every member of the family, even her insidious aunt.

The weakest parts about this show:
- Jiang Si as the Saintess. I get the use of it but I don’t feel it was used to it’s full potential in this show considering the “war” between the two countries.
- I am not sure I get the sacrifice origin story for the Saintess. Does that mean Yu Jin killed her in their first life on purpose? I was pretty sure he didn’t realize it was her when he shot her with an arrow her from behind. But then the ending of the show mentions: nán wū gǔ shù // ruò zhí niàn zhòng dié // kě yǐ zì jǐ de xìng mìng // huàn suǒ ài zhī rén wàn fēn zhī yī // zài shēng zhī jī // shì yù jǐn // shì tā dǔ shàng xìng mìng // huàn wǒ gǎi biàn // mìng yùn de jī huì // duì // tā fù chū de dài jià bù zhī shì xìng mìng huán yǒu chè dǐ wàng jì nǐ
- Even with translating the subtitles over it makes no sense how Yu Qi / Yu Jin triggered Jiang Si into becoming the Saintess. This is not a case of subtitles/translation, but I feel more poor execution of the overall Saintess plot and logic
- Jiang Si’s past. While the flashbacks made me curious to keep going, by the end I was still a bit confused because how was she with Yu Qi in her past life if she was married to Ji Chongyi who she spends the first part of the show trying not to marry? Also, curious if this means in her past life, when she fell into the water, Yu Qi saved her but went on his way because *she wasn’t the Saintess yet* which changed how her and his first life played out.
- I know villains are evil, but I like my antagonists with layers. Madam Xiao was supppper annoying but she had more layers than both Princess Rong Yang and Cui Ming Yue. I will say while Cui Ming Yue and her mother are pretty one dimensional, there are a decent number of antagonists with different personalities and roles to make the overall show interesting.
- The ending, while a HEA romantically, did not really feel complete nor make sense to me fully
- Princess Rong Yang’s death monologue pissed me off. She claims no one ever understood her and no one ever loved her, but she was able to get away with so much specifically because the Emperor saw her as a sister. Her husband didn’t love her, but that was her own fault for forcing an engaged man to be with her. Plus, she cries a river about her daughter, Cui Ming Yue, dying, but she gave 0 effs about the several families she broke and damaged. From killing Jiang Si’s mother, to forcing Consort Xian to abandon her son to the war torn boarders.
- Princess Rong Yang did not deserve to have a post-humorous title. I don’t care that they were probably trying to cover just how messy she was but her and her daughter (Cui Ming Yue) both did not deserve to be given any good title, they should have been marked as evil and disloyal to the Emperor.
- We don’t hear anything about the two princes that died when Rong Yang usurped the throne
- The Emperor just decides to let the 7th prince be Emperor and everyone is okay with it after he was labeled bad luck by the woman that they post-humorously defended with a stupid princess title.
- The Emperor was ready to kill Jiang Si but then decides she can be Empress?
- Jiang Si is able to fix centuries of war with basic trade teaching? I think that whole thing with the Nawu fell flat at the end.
- The Elder is learning from Jian Si like she’s never heard of the words barter and trade which is highly ridiculous
- It looked like they are a community only made up of like 100 people so how have they been “beating” Zhou? They could have used all the extras to fill in the space or had the people on screen be just the “leaders” or something. Small nit, but after all the buildup it matters.
- Why are they kinda portrayed a bit like “savages” as if trade was never an option? I feel like it must have been at some point but Zhou must have cut them off of resources or something.
- I feel bad for Arong and worse for Aman. Aman was sooo cute, I think the actress did so good. I wish they at least found her body after she jumped off the cliff.

Overall, this was a very fun show with “twists and turns” but also emotion and heart. I loved the main leads as characters and their romance was moving. That said, the ending was a tad unsatisfying with how some things are just rushed over. The biggest weak points were the lead antagonist and Jiang Si’s role as Saintess. Both just felt underutilized and oversimplified as basic plot devices.

### Original Thoughts & Ideas
- This show does a good job with the narrative of evil acts being born out of misgivings and jealousy. The examples below are all different fonts of the same story: evil is not exactly innate, but when left unchecked can fester and cause more harm than peace
- Yi’s husband was led astray by the allure of being the husband to a princess and maybe finally appeasing his always complaining mother. His mother actually liking Yi (and defending her as a wife) was a fun twist lol. Jiang Yi’s husband at least has his redemption because a) he was stopped early on b) he confronted *his own* accountability in his downfall
- Aunt Xiao couldn’t stand the judgement and inferiority of being from the second branch. She redeems herself by finally finding contentment and no longer comparing herself to the first branch or with what she doesn’t have. Her death was actually saddening because she had finally grown.
- Princess Rong Yang killed Jiang Si’s mother for thinking an affair was happening (even though it wasn’t). Princess Rong Yang’s hatred was not only left unchecked but generationally passed down to her daughter (Cui Ming Yue). The two of them wreak havoc on society mostly for sick entertainment.

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Completed
Coroner's Diary
0 people found this review helpful
Mar 30, 2026
38 of 38 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

for the love of mystery & so many cuties

What a duo. Shen Wan & Yan Chi really outdid themselves as a pair of elite and self assured people. Landy Li and Ao Rui Peng bounced off each other flawlessly. Their story from strangers to peers to lovers was perfect and I would rewatch the show just for that aspect alone.

Both Shen Wan and Yan Chi are focused, brave, AND smart. It’s the whole package and it’s even better that they are so equally matched. They both respect each other’s choices and perspectives. It was these features that makes the no second act break up expected and luckily it was delivered. They stay together even as things get messy and they persist.

Yue Ning and Yan Li were maddd cute and I shipped them the second Yan Li appeared on screen and Yue Ning was like “what a playboy”. HAHA. It’s me – I’m the problem. But no I really loved how they each were solidly written and executed character while also getting to see how they matched well with each other. So freaking cute. I loved how we watch them go from frenemies, to friends, to lovers.

Yan Sui did such a good job! What a cute little prince. I am so happy that he was surrounded by the crew to help him but that his innate self was not tragically twisted like someone like Yan Ze who really done LOST his mind. Yan Ze knows his mother was murdered so I get that rage, but the other deaths and destruction he caused in the name of retribution was maddening. I hate when the bad guy’s origin story is being a victim so he makes every one else the victim. There is a sick irony between Yan Ze and Emperor Yan Huai. Both evil due to wrongdoing but rather than trying to heal, they hurt everyone else and cause more pain and suffering. Their deaths were definitely symbolic.

Qin Xiang was madddd stubborn and stupid that her death was truly no surprise, but it was pretty unfortunate. I will say, I feel they jumped Qin Shuang being single to married and pregnant that I was like “did i miss smth” but no I think the plot kinda just jumped on that storyline rather than ease into it.

Plot wise, I enjoyed the mini-mysteries that folded into the overarching mystery of Wan’s parents death as well as Prince Jin. That said, while the ending made sense the twin trope felt a bit like a fake out. Again, it made the most sense compared to anything else, but I feel like I was hoping for something juicier. I can’t say what since the story was built on this end point so the clues only make sense with this ending lol.

### Original Thoughts & Ideas
- Self righteousness vs revenge vs justice: Yan Ze and Emperor Yan Huai are both evil due to wrongdoing but rather than trying to heal, they hurt everyone else and cause more pain and suffering. While Huai was abandoned, he wasn’t left to die. But he felt cheated and betrayed by his family. Which is FAIR. But what isn’t fair is that rather than seeking justice, he seeks revenge. Ze’s mother is unlawfully murdered, but rather than just trying to get revenge on the killer her creates a whole cult and even tries to kill Yan Li as part of his revenge. But Yan Li is as innocent as Ze’s mother was when she was killed. Both Ze and Huai are blinded by their own indignant, self-righteousness. Both claimed they were just trying to right the wrongs done to them, but the deaths and pain they both cause is proof in why revenge is not equal to justice & why justice is important. I loved that they both died by each other’s hand, it really symbolized the endless cycle of revenge that only leads to self destruction.

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Completed
Hidden Love
0 people found this review helpful
Mar 30, 2026
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers
SECOND WATCH REVIEW
(i never wrote a review the first time i watched it, but would have gut rated it 9.5-10)

This show was one of my first c-dramas! I remember enjoying it a lot and really finding myself to be a fan of Lu Si. She is a phenomenal actress. That said, its been at least two-ish years since I first watched it. So after watching Chen Zhe Yuan be fantastic in Fated Hearts and re-entering this “universe” via The First Frost, I decided it was time for a rewatch.

I want to say, this romance is excellent! They are cute and adorable and caring toward each other. In my memory, the age gap wasn’t that big of a deal – and while it’s true it wasn’t “creepy” because Duan Jia Xu was **not** romantically into her at all until she was 18, this re-watch had me noticing that some phrases and wording were … interesting. As always, I’m not sure if it’s because it’s being translated to english. But even once they are together, the show chose to kind of romanticize Sang Zhi’s childhood crush. It doesn’t help that the actress that played her for when they first met looked 8 rather than 13?

Also I wish they let Lu Si drop the baby voice once she got into college. It’s like the writers REALLY wanted their age gap TO BE an issue even though it wasn’t? Idk I do think this aspect while not horrible, could have been better. He still refers to her as kiddo randomly which is *not* equivalent to her calling him old, it just isn’t. So little things like that were eh. IDK if this is a reflection on the story or the romance? I am leaning toward story only because again, he wasn’t into her until she was older and if he was, this would be more of a horror than a romance tbh.

Honestly, no offense to Duan Jia Xu, but I don’t understand why him and him mom did not take the dad off life support. We only see the dad in one flashback in which he confesses to his family he hit someone and ran, then jumps off the balcony. We have no background as to if this was an unfortunate blip or if Duan Jia Xu’s father was always a dead beat? I think after watching The First Frost, I have such a low tolerance for shitty parenting that I’m being more nit-picky, but other than the man being his birth parent, we get no insight on if he was a good father. If he was a good father and it was a literal one day disaster, I think it would explain why they even kept him on life support. Idk if its maybe a Chinese law or something that was why the man wasn’t just *not* given life support – but 9 years at $100K a year for a man that, if he woke up, would be sent to jail, does not make sense at all? Again, I think I’m being nit picky after hating Wen Yi Fan’s mother and extended family in The First Frost.

Alas, I think the way these two interact and fall in love from start to finish is pretty wholesome. **Sang Zhi** definitely “fell in love” first, but I would say **Duan Jia Xu** fell in love much harder – not to diminish Zhi’s love. She is consistent and persistent in getting Duan Jia Xu to recognize he is a good person and should not bare the weight of his father’s mistake. She is ready to support him which was cute and funny because girl let him make that dough. But from a dynamics perspective is really adorable because Duan Jia Xu has never had anyone look after him. After the accident he had to look after his mother, father, and the victim’s family. He literally has been grinding nonstop so to find a woman that sees him for who he is and not what he can provide was important. Duan Jia Xu’s love on the other hand, was an inkling at first. He was like she’s actually pretty cute inside and out. But from there he really dived into loving her. While he did kinda suck at pursuing her when he was working, I liked that he just could not think about anyone or anything but her. Near the end, once everyone is questioning their relationship, he is literally thinking about how to set them up for marriage. And while I’m sure Zhi has imagined being together forever, he is the one that actually verbalizes and plans around that longer term commitment.

Also, the proposal is cute for the face value reason but also with the realization that he contacted her friends and all of them figured the best way to trick her was to have her think she is helping set up Ning Wei’s proposal.

### Original Thoughts & Ideas
- To what end is a parent a parent vs a burden. When it is “guiltless” to sever or let go of those familial bonds?

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Pursuit of Jade
8 people found this review helpful
Mar 30, 2026
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

My Favorite Drama so far!!!!!

I love this drama!!!!!!!! Both the actors are on fire 🔥
My best best drama so far💯💯💯💯 congratulations to Tian xiwei and Zhang linghe….. Thank you for the masterpiece 🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶😍🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶
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Completed
Last Twilight
0 people found this review helpful
Mar 30, 2026
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.5

Take a Second Chance...On the Last Twilight.

I'll keep this review fairly short so that I don't give spoilers. This story is about second chances, dealing with loss and the fact that no matter how dark it gets, there's always a ray of light. I love all the characters and that there was no villain, there was just complex characters and scenarios. It spoke about forgiveness and how to deal with changes. Everyone is on their own journey.

My favorite was the relationship between Night and Day, Day x Mok, Day's family dynamic and Phojai being the best girl. I also love seeing how Day handled his friendships such as the one he had with Gee and August. The acting was great overall, especially between Day (Sea) and Mok (Jimmy), I could feel the chemistry from their first interaction and they both did such a great job of bringing their characters to life. I also really liked On who was Day's first blind friend and master.

My only little tiny complain was the ending, it wasn't the worst but it left me with a feeling of "....What is the meaning of The Last Twilight?"

Would I rewatch it? 100% yes, in the end I score it a 9.5 out of 10 and I've become a big fan of Jimmy, I love his Cheshire grin, he makes me think of a black cat.

What does the Last Twilight mean to you?

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Completed
You Are My Secret
0 people found this review helpful
Mar 30, 2026
32 of 32 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.5
This review may contain spoilers

a good show with its gem moments

Wow! I was not expecting this show to be so endearing. While it is a romance and more on the “drama” side it still has lots of cute silly moments that make you wanna squeal. I will say, I feel like this is a drama I would put on and rewatch for comfort BUT there are some sad aspects to this show. The ML’s mom has cancer from the onset but her passing was still so sad and made me tear up. As well as Rao’s own issues as she unpacks them.

First, I wanna say even though they were the secondary couple Zhao Fang Gang and Rao Jing are my “rivals to lovers” icons. Their love story was SO cute and super smooth. It didn’t feel abrupt and I love that neither of them (or the other characters) feel one dimensional. Rao has her trauma that keeps her guarded but she loves as fiercely as anyone else. Zhao was a bit petulant as an employee at the start but really grows into himself as a leader as well. Excellent dynamic between them.

Ji Yu Heng as the main lead is the definition of a cinnamon roll hottie. He cooks and cleans and most importantly absolutely adores Tu Xiao Ning! He is basically perfect. They made it so that his flaw is having to be an adult from an early age because of his dad’s suicide and his mom’s inability to grieve properly. That said, my heart really went out for him while he struggled with accepting his mom’s failing health and her death.

Tu Xiao Ning is a straight up cutie and sweetie pie as a main lead. She isn’t a push over but she also still give people grace (including the woman trying to steal her man). She is hard on herself to succeed and it plays out in a way that feels really relatable.

I loved that Tu Xiao Ning’s parents play a decent role as supporting characters without feeling cliche or boring. They aren’t like my parent’s exactly but their banter and commentary felt authentic.

Ling Wei Yi and Qi Yu were a cute couple but I’m not sure what to do with their story or make of it. I thought the break up scene was it but then they see each other again after - does that mean they try *again* or that they have accepted their differences are too deep to overcome? I was curious to see how they would mediate the relationship since they truly were at a very realistic impasse which I can appreciate, but idk I’m a sucker for happy so I wish they figured it out or we got to see them figure it out with someone else.

### Original Thoughts & Ideas
- Ling Wei Yi and Qi Yu are a great representation of “young love meets reality”. I hated how Qi Yu ‘s dad spoke to him and of him but with their break up I am not sure if the message was that we should agree with him. I think Qi Yu’s desire to earn money makes sense but I wonder if they could have met in the middle somehow. Ling Wei Yi learning the value of money was really great but she wasn’t wrong to say she has money so why should she struggle over money that she does in fact have. The point of working hard is to be comfortable, she is lucky enough to be comfortable so why should she not use her father’s money and live there. It’s a great example of why Islam recommends you marry a woman with the same or less money than you because sustaining her lifestyle does matter at the end of the day.

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Our Universe
1 people found this review helpful
Mar 30, 2026
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 3.0
Story 2.0
Acting/Cast 6.0
Music 2.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers

Our universe...

This drama is really bad... full disappointment why it was written like that, cos wdym she'll take custody for her nephew but proceeds to find love instead?

It was awful to the point that I skipped the parts which Uju aren't in it. I love the actors tho, they really did a good job portraying their roles but choosing their scripts isn't their forte... I think 🥲

Music? I can't remember, the storyline is so awful to the point that all I can remember is Uju's cuteness all throughout.

I will definitely not rewatch but watch tt edits of Uju to make my day 💗

Lastly, I'm literally speechless for this drama... and the reviews, too. People are blaming the actors but please blame the writers or whoever produced this drama. We're annoyed in the FL and that's surely because she can act (hence, the annoyance) but the terrible scripts and why the drama spiralled like that? Blame the one's behind the film and the management of the actors who can't choose the best for their actors.

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Completed
Beyond the Bar
1 people found this review helpful
Mar 30, 2026
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 10
Rewatch Value 7.0
This review may contain spoilers

Were we just cinematically edged and why am I okay with it??

Nobody promised me romance, I didn't expect it, and yet it was there....but still so far away. And then the end. Me = gagged.

I really enjoyed the law aspect and found each case to be very intriguing--- with the exception of that whole B plot with Atty Kwon's justice thing, which was really just not that captivating to me. Acting was excellent for the most part-- again, I had issues with Atty Kwon and some of the side lawyers, but not even a huge issue.

The romance, or lack thereof...so different from what I usually watch. I'm used to the first couple episodes establishing an interest between the ML and FL, then building tension, a kiss scene, the breakup scene, the makeup scene, and round it out with a happy ending. This did not have that, but we still managed to build that same pressure and interest between the ML and FL, so each episode I was expecting that kiss scene or typical kdrama trope to pop up...and it didn't!! It was infuriating but also y'all better be writing that second season because I need moreee!

The age gap...in the words of my role-model and muse Britney Spears, "gimme, gimme (more)." Looove to see it and love to see it done tastefully...although, we never really got a full-blown relationship in this drama, but the carrot was definitely dangling in front of us. Hopefully there's a season two and hopefully this is explored more <3

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Completed
Always Meet Again
0 people found this review helpful
by San
Mar 30, 2026
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

The ending felt very hanging ?

I just finished it today, but why was the ending like that?
The finale needed clearer explanations.
For me some parts felt unclear and incomplete.
Is it only eight episodes?
Is there no continuation?
The ending felt very hanging…
Hope there is a special episode or second season that explains the events before and after for the some parts are “missing”😩😩😩
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Completed
Pursuit of Jade
27 people found this review helpful
Mar 30, 2026
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

A jade totally worth pursuing ❤️

What a wonderful joy ride this drama has been, and this is coming from someone who's read the novel multiple times and is able to make the comparison between the drama and novel.

I'll start with the visuals and the cinematography, I'm just in awe of how amazing this director is with his craft. As a fan of Blossom, I knew his cinematography would not disappoint, but dang, he seriously up an entire level with POJ. Every scene, frame, and transition is with thought and purpose. His style of filming, especially during the first arc of the village life really made me feel like I'm immersed in their world. The glimpses we get of people's lives in the village, really gave off a sense of authenticity and tranquility and just so captivating. I will continue to follow this directors work for sure!

Casting. I cannot emphasize how perfectly casted to have ZLH and TXW as the cold but handsome marquis and the sweet, whimsical, straight forward, no BS, and strong butcher girl, respectively. To not only have 2 visually stunning actors take the lead but also matching the novel's descriptions of them both, is simply peak casting!!! ts almost like the characters were written with them in mind. I'm curious if the author had a say in the casting 🤔.  TXW really stands out from start to finish, she carried out this role exceptionally well and has definitely lived up to the character of Changyu. TXW's emotionally range and versatility is something we don't see in most Cdramas. Bravo my girl! ⭐️⭐️

POJ has had the best overall casting that I've seen in a long time, aside from ZLH and TXW , all the supporting characters, even the child star has had their spotlight moments, every actor/actresses carried out such memorable performances. I'm confident to say that this drama has given a much needed career boost for alot these talented actors.

As for the storyline and plot, I would say the drama follows about 60-70% of the drama at most. In the beginning it appears the drama was choosing to faithfully follow the novel,  besides the early development of Changyu and Xie Zheng's relationship in the village (a very welcome change 🤭), everything else was pretty much on par with the novel's progression in the first arc. Honestly, I think the first arc up to when they reunited at the camp was just excellently done 👌, the pacing and development was so engaging. Unfortunately, it is when they hit the military and Changyu's general arc that it started deviating from the novel and while I don't mind some of these changes, in fact, I even enjoyed some of them,  I just felt there were certain parts they should've been faithful to: an example is when they changed the part where Xie Zheng chooses to break up with Changyu after finding out about her family, how he torments himself physically and mentally, and then goes chasing to be with her after accepting punishment. This was such a emotionally powerful arc that was not portrayed on screen and its such a missed opportunity cause ZLH would've slayed it. 😢 Another scene I would loved to see on screen is their official wedding, it was such a symbolic ending to the novel as the leads started with a fake marriage and ends up falling in love, going through thick and thin, preservere  and finally having their happily ever after. A full circle moment. ❤️

Last but not least, our CP 😍🔥🔥🔥🔥. Seriously don't even know where to start as I'm sooo obsessed with their chemistry!! Even a glance at each other is making my toes curl - yes, big credit goes to the director for his emotionally impactful direction, but like I said before, there is only so much that camera angles and filters can help with bringing out the chemistry, the leads' acting is as equally as important as the director's artistic vision. ZLH and TXW has elevated the level of chemistry in Cdrama and will be hard to match for me. I'm really praying for a second collaboration between this two !!! 🔥🔥🔥😭😭

This is definitely one that I will re-watch ♾️!!!! 😭⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Heart Code
0 people found this review helpful
Mar 30, 2026
7 of 7 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Hilgy recommended

This series liked it so much
And I rewatch it more than once .
Beautiful actors ; have beautiful chemistry between them .
I liked the story of the series
I liked the acting ; the script ; the dialogue ...
Really this series is so beautiful in all catogeries
I enjoyed it a lot and for gl fans I highly recommended ..
I'm thinking to watch it for the forth time 😁😁
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Dropped 4/36
Unchained Love
0 people found this review helpful
Mar 30, 2026
4 of 36 episodes seen
Dropped 0
Overall 5.5
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 4.0
This review may contain spoilers

Started off well until it stopped making sense

The production quality is great and the acting is above average so far. The pacing of the story is going well and is actually quite interesting. So why am I dropping this so early on? Because the entirety the plot is meant to be around the FL and ML - and the character of the FL is making less and less sense.

The FL was quite charming initially but they built up the relationship between the two far too quickly and she gets away with too much. It stopped making sense when she suddenly starts acting incredibly arrogant in front of the princess when she only just met her. Then she feels comfortable throwing tantrums in front of the ML despite his "reputation" and not knowing anything about him. The Queen kills a maid for touching her candle yet the FL has no repercussions for setting her dress on fire? And she sneaks out of the mourning hall just like that without anyone trying to stop her? Despite her not wanting to die but yet acting with such shameless fervor and not actually even being intelligent about it... just killed her character for me. When the little prince dies, she has no empathetic reaction to it despite having met him. Then approaches the ML and just quite simply asks him if he's the culprit? They severely emphasized how easily people are killed for nothing but the FL just happens to get away with this narcissism? Having experienced being a concubine previously, one would think that she would know to at least pretend to be humble.

It's a shame because it has nothing to do with the actors but rather the character they are trying to paint. If they wanted it to be humorously believable, then they should have just gone that route fully instead of the very somber setting for the first impression.

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Completed
Wishing upon the Shooting Stars
6 people found this review helpful
Mar 30, 2026
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.5

wishes, regrets and love

Overall: this series got me in the feels several times. 12 episodes about 35 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala, https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/6336/wishing-upon-the-shooting-star-2026-e01 (not available in Japan, Taiwan or Korea); Viki https://www.viki.com/tv/41438c-wishing-upon-the-shooting-stars#about and Youku https://www.youku.tv/v/v_show/id_XNjUxNzIyOTU1Ng==.html ; and iQIYI https://www.iq.com/album/wishing-upon-the-shooting-stars-2026-1ytj5n9hiid?lang=en_us

Content Warning: I'm not sure what it exactly was (update: attempted suicide, it was complicated), you can start episode 1 at 1m5s to skip it and then start episode 12 at 17:45, beaten up/fight/punches

What I Liked
- ocean side, small-town vibe
- supportive uncle
- some mystery
- a character who was forthright at the end of episode 2
- intimacy
- the fortune teller like woman/author had a very unique style that we rarely see in media

Room For Improvement
- I was a bit confused who the two characters were in the flashback but I did get it figured out
- episode 6 was too delayed to show what the deal was in the past
- didn't make sense why he would agree to pay that giant fine
- cliche female character in the past
- in the finale they tried to do too much with the scifi/fantasy element and it felt corny

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