Reviews

A splendid show

Let me start this off by saying I never would've watched this show if it wasn't for Winwin, but I'm so glad I did. This show was incredible! Easily one of my favorite historicals I've watched! I loved everything about it! The characters, the acting, the costumes, the sets, and the story. It was 40 almost hour-long episodes, and I still wanted more after it was done!

Starting with the story, it kept me hooked the entire show. Whether it was focused on the love story or the other plotlines, I loved it! I loved getting to see how the characters changed over the few years of the series. My two complaints are I wish it was a little clearer how much time was passing between each event and the finale had a little bit more after the fire, but it's okay. I loved that it ended with a war as well. So much of the show, especially with Fu Hai Lian, was leading up to that so I thought it was fitting that it ended that way.

Characters!

Our main 3:
Gu Jin Zhao: An absolute baddie!! I was in love with her the whole show. She's so smart, so brave, kind, beautiful, and really pushed the boundaries of what women were able to do back then. I loved getting to see her develop friendships and go through different things over the series. I understand why she had four or five men want her throughout the show. I loved her relationship with Chen Yan Yun so much. I loved getting to see them fall in love. I loved her relationship with Ye Xian too. They really relied on each other a lot and even when they had rough times together, they always came back to each other in the end. I adored her relationship with Qing Pu!! I loved how they interacted more as sisters or friends rather than master and servant. So sweet! Her giving Qing Pu freedom and property at the end too, omg love it! I could talk about Hin Zhao forever I loved her so much. Her actress Ren Min really had great chemistry with everyone as well!

Chen Yan Yun: He did frustrate me at some moments, but I loved him overall. I loved that he never strayed away from his morals and what he thought was right. I loved how smart and brave and dedicated he was. Seeing him fall in love with Jin Zhao was so sweet. I loved how down bad he was for her I'm not going to lie. I loved his relationship with Chen Yi as well. When he died you could see how bonded they were. I liked that his relationship with Ye Xian was always changing. They didn't like each other at times but also cared and respected each other at others and I loved seeing how it was always changing.

Ye Xian: After Jin Zhao, he was my favorite character (and I'm not just saying that because he's played by Winwin). Seeing his growth as a person over the show was so cool to see. He started as this bratty guy who used his name to get whatever he wants and ended the show a true hero and I loved getting to see that. Though I was heartbroken and cried over his death, I am happy he died with so many people who truly cared and loved him in his life. His deep love for Jin Zhao was so beautiful. It started out as just a little crush, but you could see how strong it became overtime, and it was so beautiful. I loved his relationship with Yan Yun like I mentioned before. His relationship with Xian Hui (I believe that's his servants name) was great as well and when he died, you could see how much of a bond they had.

Others:
Chen Yi: I loved him. He was such a good guy, and I cried when he died. He was a little silly sometimes too which was adorable.
Qing Pu: A baddie!! I loved her so much! Her and Jin Zhao were the perfect match together and I loved seeing how they were with each other.
Chen Xuan Qing: Oh how the might have fallen. He was one of my favorites in the show and then he became such a problem. I do think he got what he deserved in the end; I just hate that he got to that point. He could have been one of the great, but he got too obsessed with the wrong things.
Fu Hai Lian: Hated him and I'm glad the king constantly saw through his nonsense. I was very happy he died in the end. He was not a good man at all, but he did love his wife so I will give him that.
Gu Lan: There were definitely moments I didn't like her, especially in the beginning, but she grew to be a strong woman like her sister in the end. By the end, even though she wasn't in the show as much anymore, I really liked her character
The king: Loved him! He was so adorable! He actually was quite wise for his age as well. I loved seeing him on screen. His relationship with Ye Xian was so sweet too.

There are so many characters in this show, but I figured I'd just talk about a few that I really liked!

Overall, this show was just incredible to me. I loved every moment and I was interested in the story from start to finish. The romance was great and I loved that we saw it build overtime and none of it came out of nowhere. I loved all the relationships between people, romantic wise or not. There was enough conflict to keep the story going but not so much it felt like they were trying to just fill airtime. I wish there was more I loved it so much. The cast all did a great job too and again just have to give a shoutout to the costumes, hair, makeup, and sets!! So stunning! A perfect 10/10 for me!!

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I hate maths - but I loved this show!

Everyone can find something to appreciate in the feel-good, heartwarming nature of Absolute Value of Romance. Every character added to the story, and it was great to see what happened each week.
Since I wrote fanfic myself when I was younger, I can totally relate. I just never wrote about teachers or anyone I actually knew, lol. I was into the plot from the get-go.

The teachers were great! Loved their differing personalities and how close they were with each other. Though we never got much backstory, they were able to convey their bond.
Eui Ju brought that sweet innocence to the show. Her emotions were always right there on the surface. She was brilliantly portrayed by the actress.

As a romanceaholic, I will always look for the romantic connections in any show like a bird seeking out seeds,
And as a dark romance reader, I’m not brand new to the teacher-student, forbidden love trope.
Though some of the viewers were hanging on for any sign that Eui Ju’s school girl crush would transpire into something real with Mr. Ga, it was obvious almost from the start, we would not be getting that.
Or even a time jump to the future where they meet as adults.

But you know what? I was not disappointed this time! I really enjoyed the connection they had as teacher and student.
His care for his students was clear.
Though, I’m with Eui Ju, I don’t get Math, either!
It was clear how he helped Eui Ju develop a passion for writing.

And, I'm always wondering what happens next with characters after a show ends, 'cause, you know, their lives don't just stop there! So, I think off screen, these characters will become great friends in the future.

If you want a sweet, low angst show to sink into, I’d absolutely recommend.
I'm clinging to a tiny bit of hope that this show will be one of the lucky ones who get a second season.

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Unexpected Favourite

There are a few tropes I generally avoid with kdramas: overly melancholic, corporate, awkward leads. This formula generally lets me down, so even though my best kdrama friend had been recommending this to me for years, I still put it off. And oh, how I wish I hadn't!

This kdrama is so worth the entire watch, from beginning to end; it has something to offer you throughout. Once you settle into its rhythms, you don't want it to end. I keep thinking that this distinct feeling can not be captured again. The delicacy of feeling the leads bring, the poignancy of everyday moments, the familiarity of love.

So much to love, this is a kdrama masterpiece.

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Ep 1 review

Ep1 of adaap was good and everyone understood the assignment. The directing leaned into controlled chaos. Not overly dramatic, not overly comedic, somewhere in that modern slice of life romcom space, the dialogues felt conversational instead of just written. That’s harder than people think. A lot of romance dramas fail because characters talk like generators. Here, the awkwardness feels human and natural,the sarcasm and irritation between characters and already establish chemistry without forcing romance immediately. Also good dialogue isn’t about sounding poetic, It’s about revealing character psychology naturally and the actors did that pretty well. The editing rhythm felt natural not hyper-fast TT editing. Not slow art-house pacing either. It understands romantic tension needs breathing room. The reaction shot, timing,pauses in dialogue,lingering awkward moments. The editor did trust silence a bit, which was wow to me.Also the transitions between chaotic and quiet scenes were smooth. That tonal control matters a lot in romcoms. Chemistry-wise we all know taynew already have tension not just romantic tension but also behavioral tension. That’s even better, cause you can feel the annoyance,curiosity,emotional resistance,subconscious attraction.
And their acting styles don’t clash visually. That’s IMPORTANT.
Sometimes one actor performs naturally while another feels theatrical and it destroys immersion. Here, the energy balance works.Their micro-expressions carried scenes more than dramatic dialogue did. Thats even good for future emotional scenes. And i was told if you want to be a good director this is an important part chemistry is not just attractiveness. It’s,timing,eye contact,spatial behavior, silence tolerance, and reaction authenticity and they understood the assignment, the cinematography,the series tone, lighting, framing, and everything was amazing I'm proud of Adaap and after Ep1, my expectations for the next episodes are honestly really high because the series already feels visually and emotionally consistent. I’m excited to see how they develop the cinematography, emotional pacing, and chemistry while slowly changing the atmosphere as the characters grow closer. If the show continues balancing soft humor, emotional heaviness, natural dialogue, and immersive airport visuals this well, it could end up becoming one of those romance dramas where the atmosphere and visual storytelling stay with you just as much as the actual plot. Big appreciation to the production team of ADAAP for such a strong first episode. The cinematography, lighting, editing, atmosphere, and overall direction already feel so thoughtful and immersive. Thank you for giving the series such a beautiful start, now I’m even more excited for the next episodes.

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Zzzzzz

Halfway through episode 5 and I was done. I had reached too many points where I lost track of what ppl were saying, what was going on, or flat out missed entire scenes and needed to go back. There's no hope of finishing if you find yourself in that state~
PBY is a phenomenal actress but the story was so incredibly out there from the beginning that it had no hope of establishing a base start from in order to fan into reality. It's a drama ya but bars of gold, international and domestic smugglers and gangs, body counts piling up, and a little itty bitty who s poo ends her time being smashed and bashed around trying to keep and protect this misbegotten loot doesn't cut it for me with an actress of this caliber and I'm pretty sure it won't for many~

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Nostalgic Laughs: A Charming Early K‑Drama Romcom

One of the early Korean dramas I watched on TV, this series was a genuine buzz when it aired — everyone I knew was talking about it. I didn’t catch every episode back then, but the handful I saw stuck with me because it was genuinely funny and charming. Recently I finally finished the whole run, and while the plot feels average compared with newer shows, the series still kept me glued to the screen.

If you enjoy romcoms, this is exactly the kind of show to watch: it’s about falling in love, it makes you laugh, and it offers a pleasant break from heavier, melodramatic fare. It won’t surprise you with plot twists, but it will leave you smiling.

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Great Show! (And best version of it)

A sister series to Summer Rose this chemistry-packed series is a pile of misunderstandings packed on top of a ML who was too immature (re:scared) to actually speak to the woman he loved. Rather, he chose to run and hide and stay married rather than possibly lose her (to his brother.) Honestly, this series makes you hate the parents whereas Summer Rose makes you love them. It proves the point that no two children have the same experience growing up even if they have the same parents/privilege. What his family did was cruel to him. In order not to repeat the same mistake of his criminal uncle, they essentially ruined his life. They wouldn't let him go into economics because they didnt want him to threaten his perfect older brother's position. He had to physically leave the continent and go to another country to make a company and name for himself. Wang Gege never disappoints and I'm happy the grandmother never saw her forgiveness. She didnt deserve it. She lied about her parents death and then covered it up using guilt as an excuse to foster her. She was in an orphanage! Either way, well-written, directed, and acted on all of the actors and actresses parts. I did like that she wore normal doctor clothes. No doctor doing rounds is wearing Louboutins. They wear sneakers or crox or hokas.
Does anyone have the friends name? She did an amazing job!

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Not special

Watched the bad buddy x tale of a thousand stars (bbxtoats) and my school president specials and it was a bunch of nothing…

The bbxtoats special should’ve been monumental, I love these characters and haven’t really seen these actors interact before. Instead it’s just them 90% lost in the woods so all the characters can communicate with each other, just lazy and bloated.

My school president special was so awful that I dropped it 10 minutes in, it’s the same thing over again but the characters swap places.

Not watching any more of these specials.

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