Reviews

Flawed, but I Fell in Love Anyway

I fell in love with this show so unexpectedly. I went into it thinking it would be just another rom-com, but it ended up being so much more than that. There are deeper and sadder things going on underneath all the romance and fluff, and I genuinely enjoyed it so much. It’s definitely a drama I can see myself revisiting because it isn’t just a typical lovey-dovey rom-com. It’s fluff, angst, sadness, yearning, and eventually a happy ending—and I loved it.

The show is definitely not without its flaws. The editing can feel quite choppy at times, and there were moments where I genuinely felt like something was missing. Certain parts could have been written or directed better, and some things weren’t wrapped up as nicely as I would have liked. I heard the drama was originally supposed to be 32 episodes but was cut down to 29, so maybe that explains some of it. I’ll give it that. Despite all of these issues, though, the drama is still so beautiful—and the chemistry carries it so well that I can overlook almost all of its flaws.

Now, the star of this show for me: Lu Xiaxiao. THAT MAN YEARNS. He reminded me of Sang Yan in the best way possible.

His character genuinely surprised me because I fully expected him to become a red flag. After everything that happened, especially after ten years apart, I expected a revenge arc. I expected him to hate her, punish her, or make her suffer. But he never did. He was the biggest green flag. He loved her through everything. He gave her chance after chance. He stood by her no matter what she did. Even when he said he would make her cry and make her regret leaving him, he could never actually bring himself to hurt her.

Even after ten years, he couldn’t hate her. He always loved her. He always forgave her. He always stood by her side. He did exactly what he had always said he would do: if she was willing to come back to him, he would forgive her.

I LOVED that.

He was never stubborn for the sake of creating unnecessary conflict. He was always there for her. But at the same time, my heart broke for that man SO badly, and a huge part of that is because of Daniel Zhou’s acting. I’ve watched him before, but never as the main lead, and honestly—give that man ALL the roles.

He moved so naturally between being a loving man, a yearning man, a successful and mature man, and then suddenly this childish, funny, playful character. At the same time, he was able to portray someone deeply depressed and broken. He had so many amazing scenes, but one of my absolute favorite scenes of the entire year has to be when he was dancing under the fireworks while hallucinating that he was dancing with her. That scene had SO much depth. The acting, the emotions, the visuals—everything was amazing. I loved it so much.

His pain also made complete sense to me. He had already been abandoned as a child, and that was a scar that never truly healed. Then the person he loved most chose to leave him too. It wasn’t exactly the same as what his mother did, but to him, it felt like being abandoned all over again. It completely broke him, and Daniel Zhou portrayed that brokenness so beautifully.

The phone call scene absolutely destroyed me. When he told her, “If you say you love me, I’ll forgive you,” and then later said he would make her regret it… Oh my God. His acting was incredible.

Also, his styling in this drama? Beautiful. I genuinely enjoyed seeing him on my screen so much.

As for Bao Zhuowang, I loved her character too. I know a lot of people blamed her, but I always understood where she was coming from. I kept trying to put myself in her shoes, and because of that, I could never hate her for the choices she made.

One line basically explains her entire character and everything that happened: “I’m only 18. I can’t do this anymore.”

She was SO young.

After the stabbing, everyone came at her—the grandfather, the mother, the father—and everyone told her that they shouldn’t be together. She blamed herself for him getting hurt, and she was left completely alone. In her mind, the best way to protect him was to move away from him. She had no one supporting her, and she was already so broken that I understood why she made that choice, even if it was painful and even if it wasn’t necessarily the right one.

I actually loved that, in this relationship, she was the red flag and he was the green flag. It was such an interesting dynamic, and somehow it worked so well.

Her acting was also very good, especially during her more emotional scenes. The scene where she got hurt was amazing. There were a few moments where I wanted a little more from her, but whenever she had a truly heavy scene, she delivered. Her funny scenes were also great, and she is just SO cute and beautiful.

And THE CHEMISTRY.

Oh my God.

The chemistry is genuinely what carries this show. I don’t necessarily think the drama itself is a perfect 10 because I do have issues with it, but the chemistry carries it SO well that I can overlook those issues and still give it a 10. They were electric together.

I absolutely DEVOURED the first part of the drama when they were young and still in school. I loved the high school arc so much. It was fun, sweet, emotional, and so enjoyable. More than anything, it really made me feel like I was watching these two people grow up together.

One of my favorite lines from him when he comforted her when her grandma died, he was telling her it’s OK. I will grow up with you instead.

That line perfectly captures their entire relationship. This really feels like a love story spanning more than ten years because we actually watched them grow up together. We saw their youth, their love, their separation, and then who they became as adults. Although I do think ten years apart was a little too long for the story—maybe five years would have worked better—I still loved their journey.

My biggest complaint is that I simply didn’t get enough of them. I wanted SO much more. I wish we had more scenes of them together because I genuinely could have watched another ten episodes of them just being happy and lovey-dovey. Their chemistry was that good. Also talk about a well made ending. Very beautifully done… especially when they addressed the audience directly. 

I also wish we had seen a little more of his “hate” era. Since the show teased the idea that he would make her regret leaving him, I think that part could have lasted a little longer if the drama had more episodes. But at the same time, I also love that he could never truly hate her. That was completely true to his character.

The side characters, unfortunately, weren’t that interesting to me. I didn’t really care about most of them, and some of the parents were genuinely annoying. I also didn’t love the brother’s character, although I do want to see more from the actor. I don’t think his acting is amazing yet, but I definitely think he has potential.

Some storylines also weren’t wrapped up properly or were resolved too quickly. There were moments where the drama seemed to just fast-forward through things, and I wish those parts had been handled better. Still, the show did such a good job of making me feel like I had genuinely witnessed their entire journey—from youth to adulthood—that I became incredibly attached to them.

There are also SO many beautiful scenes in this drama. The cinematography was gorgeous in certain moments, and some scenes had a surprising amount of emotional depth.

And the OST? OH MY GOD.

There are at least three songs that I absolutely love. The music made the emotional scenes hit so much harder and added so much to the atmosphere of the drama. I genuinely loved the OST.

I also really liked the costumes. I noticed that some outfits were repeated, which actually made the drama feel more natural and realistic. People repeat clothes in real life! It gave the characters a more believable, lived-in feeling.

The story itself is honestly nothing especially new or groundbreaking, but I would still absolutely recommend giving this drama a chance. It gave me one of my favorite couples of the year, so many memorable scenes, beautiful cinematography, an amazing OST, and a romance with genuine emotional depth.

You can also tell how natural the chemistry between the cast is. After watching some of the behind-the-scenes content and their variety show appearances, I genuinely get the feeling that they had so much fun filming this drama together, and I think that natural connection came through on screen.

This show has flaws. There are things I would change, things I wish had been explored more, and things I wish had been wrapped up better. But I loved it anyway.

The chemistry was electric. The yearning was everything. Lu Xiaxiao completely stole my heart. Their journey made me feel like I had grown up with them, and I already know I’m going to miss them.

Definitely one of my favorite couples of the year—and a drama I would absolutely recommend.

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When Light Fades, Hope Remains: A Deeply Moving Journey Through Love, History, and Resilience

Three episodes in, and When Light Fades has already become one of those rare stories that quietly settles into my heart.
Every season brings dozens of new dramas. New faces, new romances, new stories that promise to be unforgettable. Most of them leave an impression for a little while before slowly fading away. But every now and then, a series comes along that doesn't need to be loud to be heard. It simply reaches you. Somehow, When Light Fades did that from its very first episode.

What continues to captivate me isn't just the story itself, but the way it's told. There is a quiet confidence in its writing. It doesn't rush emotions or force dramatic moments simply for the sake of making the audience react. Instead, it allows every silence, every conversation, every lingering glance, and every small gesture to carry its own weight. It trusts us to feel alongside the characters rather than telling us what to feel.

Perhaps that's why every episode lingers with me long after it ends.

One of the aspects I admire most is the way the series intertwines fiction with history. Choosing to set this story against the backdrop of one of Thailand's darkest chapters—the aftermath of the 6 October 1976 Thammasat University massacre—is both courageous and meaningful. History here isn't simply decoration; it shapes every decision, every fear, every dream these characters hold onto. It serves as a reminder that behind historical events were real people whose lives were forever changed by injustice, violence, and the hope that someday things could be different. I deeply appreciate the care with which the series approaches such an important part of Thailand's history.

The relationships are equally compelling.

The connection between the two leads isn't built through grand declarations or dramatic confessions. It's something much quieter, something that grows naturally through trust, understanding, and the unspoken emotions that exist between them. Some of my favorite moments are nothing more than two people exchanging a glance that somehow says everything words cannot. Those are the moments that stay with me.

The friendships feel just as authentic. These characters are fighting for justice, equality, and a future they believe in, all while trying to hold onto their own dreams. They don't always agree with each other. They argue, misunderstand one another, and sometimes allow fear or frustration to get the better of them. But when everything begins to fall apart, they always find their way back. They continue to stand beside one another, reminding each other that even in the darkest moments, no one has to carry the weight alone. There is something profoundly comforting about that.

The performances deserve every bit of praise.

Lhongchang delivers an astonishing debut performance. If I hadn't known this was his first acting role, I never would have guessed. There is such sincerity and vulnerability in the way he portrays Rawin that every emotion feels genuine. Nothing feels exaggerated or artificial. His performance is quiet, deeply human, and incredibly moving. I truly hope this is only the beginning of what will be a long and successful career.

Bas did great as always. He has a remarkable ability to communicate so much through the smallest expressions. His portrayal of Yue feels gentle, thoughtful, and emotionally grounded. Rather than overshadowing his scene partner, he elevates every shared moment between them, allowing their relationship to develop with remarkable authenticity.

The supporting cast deserves just as much recognition. Every character feels important, every performance feels sincere, and together they create a world that feels alive rather than simply existing around the protagonists.

I also want to applaud everyone behind the camera. The directing, cinematography, editing, soundtrack, costume design, and overall atmosphere work together beautifully. Nothing feels excessive. Everything serves the story. You can genuinely feel the passion, care, and respect that the entire cast and crew have poured into this project.

What When Light Fades has given me so far is exactly what I hope to find every time I begin a new drama.

It has made me smile, laugh, cry, and sit in silence while processing everything I had just watched. It has frustrated me with the injustice these characters are forced to endure, only to restore my hope through their resilience and unwavering belief in one another. There are moments so quiet, so intimate, that they leave me with goosebumps—not because anything extraordinary happens, but because the emotions feel so profoundly real.

To me, that is the greatest strength of storytelling.

Not creating perfect characters, but creating people whose joys begin to feel like your own, whose heartbreak hurts, and whose hope becomes something you quietly start hoping for as well.

Only three episodes have aired, and I already know When Light Fades will stay with me for a very long time.

To Lhongchang, Bas, every member of the cast, the director, the writers, and every single person who worked behind the scenes—thank you for creating something so sincere, thoughtful, and emotionally rich. Thank you for telling a story that treats both its characters and the history that shaped them with such care.

I cannot wait to continue this journey.
10/10.

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A match made in hell

A disempowered woman seeks a relationship dynamic where she can feel wanted, and in power. This is what the age stuff is really about- younger people tend to look up to those who are older, and she clearly had an advantage in the relationship with the boy compared to that of her boyfriend who was an abusive, ugly, angry slob. It doesn’t justify how she seduced the high school kid though- that scene in the karaoke booth was incredibly disturbing- to think that she would do that to a kid who’s never had experience with that, and it’s just taking advantage of the power dynamic- but yeah it becomes a match made in hell really. With the kid who has been traumatized by that early sexual encounter and abuse by her, he acts out the unresolved trauma of the boundary violations later. Sexual abuse always results in rage and unresolved anger in the victim, no matter how much it is denied, and the poor kid uses that same act back at her to try to regain control. His life becomes confused, as she injects her own confusion into it. It is a sad predicament- and yeah even though she seem to be together in the end, is it really a choice, or grooming by the abuser? I can understand the feelings of the disempowered, invalidated woman, but I also understand the feelings of the victim and this is not a match made in Heaven, that’s for sure. Dysfunction begets more dysfunction.

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Laughter, Comedy, and Variety of Expressions

This drama is all-in-one consisting comedy, drama, and a lots of expression. Every single episode contains good comic relief to a bit of melancholy. Each and every actor has done a great job. The cooking scenes add much more flavour to the episodes.

As usual, Park Jihoon has done a fantastic acting, understanding the character well. His character, Kang Seong-jae, is such a sweet and fun character. Starting as a depressed rookie to a confident cook, shows the great portrayal of a good character development.

For me, it was such an entertaining series, I enjoyed every bit of it. Hoping that they make another season of it.

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Lost in translation

Based on a Japanese novel series, The Legend of Rosy Clouds seems great on paper but has had a fitful journey to make its way on screen. Apparently set back with copyright issues, complying with censorship (I'm sure it was a bear trying to readapt this story to fit better with Chinese culture), and numerous edits, the final product is largely a convoluted mess but still with its charms.

Filmed 3 years ago, the main cast have since grown in the industry and moved on to better projects. Still, it is fun to see them here in a mostly lighthearted show. The supporting cast in particular bring a lot of humor and warmth, including some veteran actors who are simply hilarious and fun to see in a different light.

Ultimately, even without cutting out some of the backstory and forgiving all the edits, this drama suffers mostly from its incoherent writing, lacking in organic development of character arcs and plot lines. In adapting the original source material, critical things were changed that should ultimately change the trajectory of certain key characters and thus reshape the overall plot, but it seems that the writers still wanted to hold onto original beats without clearly thinking through the logic. Also lacking is the development of key themes: the oppression/liberation of women, the philosophies of government, and other themes could have been more thoroughly explored. And don't get me started on the romance writing - it is borderline insulting to anyone who has actually been in a romantic relationship.

Highlights are Zheng Shi and his grandfather's scenes and certain aspects of the Zheng family/Jing City arc. The music is actually very enjoyable, with my favorite songs being the opening titles song and Liu Yuning's angsty one.

Take a chance on this one if you need something to make you laugh (at least the first half of the show) or if you a fan of the cast. But there are many better dramas out them that better represent what the cast is capable of.

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not perfect, but the acting and intense storyline make it worth watching

okay… buried hearts was honestly a drama that had me so conflicted because the potential was there from the start. the story, the revenge plot, the power struggles, and the whole “who can you really trust?” feeling were all things that pulled me in.

the biggest strength of this drama is definitely the acting. the cast carried a lot of heavy scenes, and you could really feel the anger, desperation, and emotions behind the characters. some of the characters weren’t just simply “good” or “bad”, which made watching them more interesting because you could understand where their choices were coming from, even when you didn’t agree with them.

the cinematography was also really good. the drama knows how to create a tense atmosphere, and some scenes genuinely felt intense because of the way they were filmed. the darker tone matched the story really well.

but… i do think the pacing was a little frustrating at times. there were moments where the story felt like it was moving slowly, and some parts could’ve been explained or handled better. the drama had so many interesting ideas, but sometimes it felt like it was trying to do too much at once. a few characters also felt like they deserved more depth because they had so much potential.

overall, buried hearts is not a perfect drama, but it’s definitely one that keeps you thinking. it’s the type of show where you might get annoyed at some choices, but you still want to know what happens next. if you like revenge stories, political/business fights, morally grey characters, and a darker k-drama vibe, you’ll probably enjoy this.

not everyone will love it, but i think it’s worth giving a chance. the acting alone makes it stand out, and even with its flaws, it’s a drama that stays in your mind after finishing it.

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He is the best!

This guy is a wonderful role model- he basically stepped off the rat race and the chess board of life and started to live and act with presence rather than performance- social performance, career, and family performance. It is so freeing to watch and live through Morimoto’s life as he escapes the ego gridn and offers others a sanctuary of space. It says he does nothing, but actually what he gives others is truly a gift that cannot be put into words. He gives the gift of himself, his presence, and his light. Obviously those in the rat race around him would never understand what he is doing, and how he navigates all this like the parents, wife, and kid is part of the story.

The life of “non-doing”- a spiritually high state that one should aspire to.

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Pseudo-incest, cute couple

As with most dramas it starts well and loses its tempo after a while. The wrap-up was somewhat ok though. Anticipated (and would have enjoyed) an overflow of different near-intimate scenes, but, alas, this wasn't the case. But the existing scenes were ok (though repetitive)!

Yes (yes-yes!!!)
Love the widowed sis-in-law - brother in law forbidden love. The ML-FL couple does bring to life the relationship.
ML gives a good overall performance, with some moments of more refined acting.
Storywise, besides the bitchy antagonist 3FL there is also another antagonist 2FL who is cool (sister power vibes).
The actor playing the ML's subordinate was interesting actingwise.
Settings and costumes not the best, not memorable, but good enough most of the time.

Not so much yey...
Some repetitivness and boring writing did allow for some yawnings, and at times camera angles really didn't do justice to the actors.
Also, felt that the director could have helped FL and ML bring out a range of more, and more subtle, facial expressions, given the many layers of antithetic feelings the two characters faced and the two actors' performances.

A decent watch.

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The best of reality

Actually when this first came out I wasnt really gonna watch it , I didnt knew why but when I watched it it deeply resonated with me. I am from the music industry. A producer and eventhough unlike Dongman its just five years I still havent released my own songs. And I gave up in that dream and currently surviving life.
Beside that what deeply resonated ith me was in Ep 6. When hs was struggling to save his brother in the bathroom. It reminded me of my childhood, the helplessness, the want to scream loud and ask for help. My mother once tried to take the lives of my sister and me and her all together because of problems, since that day, what I always checked in the morning was both of them were breathing. This is something really personal but I realized watching this drama, so there are actually people suffering just the way I am, and..? Yeah I was a bit relieved. Call me selfish, I acually felt relieved that I wasnt the only one feeling this way, struggling this way. Always trying not to break down cause I dont know till when I could hold on, thats what I thought. But I am still holding on. Dongman actually reminded me of myself. A self that I didnt want to acknowledge. Eventhough I am not as straightforward as him, his character had this unexplainable warmth. A drama that will make you cry but laugh at the same moment.
From acting to production to the OST(ofc melomance is the best in this) I enjoyed every second of this. Every minute. Eventhough I won't step in to the music industry again, I think this is a great drama for those who are still walking without loosing hope, and also giving us the reality of doing it. They showed the reality of friends around us, because none of us are perfect, each have their own toxic trait, and yet they would still show up. Growing Up means having less friends, so yeah we need to cherih them alot. i dont know how else to praise this drama, I will rewatch this and rewatch again.

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Only one star makes for a pretty boring sky

I have such conflict over this show given how much I loved it for the first half vs where we ended up at the end. (mild spoilers ahead)

This started as such a fresh take on old tropes. We didn't have to watch Ye Li carefully explain to her maids (or the audience) all of her carefully laid plans. What was going on in her world was a mystery for the viewer to solve on their own through clues and actually watching what was happening. The amount of fun it was to speculate with other fans was worth the price of admission, at least in the first half.

So far as the rest of the show goes and I feel like this goes for any story along these lines: The best way to make your main character more awesome is to have everyone else be awesome as well. Moli decided the best way to have Ye Li be awesome was to make sure to not let anyone else be interesting for longer than five minutes.
Before anyone gets mad at me, think about when we (know knowing her methods) watched her set up that whole scheme against her father. Then all she got out of it was a blank piece of paper. That was like a gut punch. We felt her despair; we watched her pick herself up and come back to that crazy climax of a showdown etc. I was high on life and cdrama giddiness about that for *days*.

Compare that feeling to watching her win her conflicts in a one-sided fight like a grown ass woman pushing down toddlers in a playground. Because that is how it went for the second half.
It was alright at first because you’re still very involved in her trauma at that point, but after the Linshan Mountain storyline wrapped that was it. That was the last of anything interesting happening in the show. We limped along till the end with a standard mid-level cdrama plot other than then occasional toddler carnage while we went down a checklist of Ye Li being the best at everything she tries. There wasn’t enough time to build a last arc plot and there were too many eps left as an “epilogue” to the main story.

It didn’t have to be like this. We were shown so many things that never got used or barely got touched on because it seemed like the camera always always had to swing back to Ye Li only. Even after switching to mid-level drama plot in the middle I think the show could have still survived with a high satisfaction level, but there was no one interesting left for her push over. Almost every side storyline was wrapped up in a way that felt like the writers were bored and just wanted to get it over with to rush back to Ye Li.

It felt like a waste of Cheng Lei and a pretty solid supporting cast. It felt like a waste for some of the best acting and a crazy intriguing character for Bai Lu too, but at least no one can argue about who or what the show was about. It just could have been so much better for everyone, including her.

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It wasn't that bad or that boring.

I got some good laughs out of it. Not sure why so much bad reviews. Atleast they didnt know each other when they were small...
Do Ji Ui had his issues and because of Ji Ui's past lover, he took to heart what happened and it was hard for him to get over the past.
Yook Ha Ri had her own little problems but they found each other and their little dynamics worked.
There was no unnecessary love triangle.
Yong Ju Cheon and Um Jeong Seon stole it for me though, they were so cute and even though they were silly together, their chemistry was amazing!
What I would wanted to see more was Ji Ui maybe doing 1 or 2 plastic surgeries....

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Rebirth, revenge, cute couple, bad scripy

Writing this review because I felt it was unfair that the actors, and everyone else, were really dragged down by the poorly written story. I would recommend watching it only if one wishes to see the actors' work evolution.
It's the standard rebirth and revenge trope, the FL getting revenge against 2ML, in a school setting, while finding her true beau simultaneously. The script is very-very heavy on the sadistic part and very light (almost non-existent) on the romantic (erotic) part.

Pluses:
Acting fairly good, given the poorly written dialogues and characters, and the young actors' ages 'n' relevant experience. I also liked the FL-ML chemistry and flow. The support characters had good positiong and movement skills too.
Though an evidently low-budget production, the costumes and settings seemed to have been chosen with care, not in a generic way. Nothing great to look at, but decent enough to carry the story (without my eyes rolling now 'n' then with great question marks!).
Storywise, it was nice that though the 2FL was nasty, she stopped being so, upon learning the truth. No catfights there.
There were some nice directional choices, especially some camera angles and staging during the first sequence.

Minuses
The script. Firstly, it is totally devoid of logic at many points, important ones for the story included. Moreover, the FL and the 2FL are very inconsistent characters.
Secondly, there is no balance, it is a drama for 16+ in terms of violence and dark themes and deeds, but a story for 8 year olds romantically-wise. Apart from the heart-wretching first sequence kisses, since there was no strong romantic tension to counter all the negativity, the whole thing felt, well, negative really. (But the FL and ML really did their best to overcome the script problems).

All in all, everyone tried to overcome the badly written story, and I feel much respect for their effort.

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Its all about the way the male lead looks at the female lead the rest is kind of meeh

This drama is a bit hard to rate, it start off sweet fun with great leads nice cinematography biut also a promise that this will end keeping the suspense alive for a just a little bit to long as the whole break up (we know from the start is going to happen) kind of feels off. and disproportionate to all that came before it...

That said the way the male looks at the female lead is a solid 10, his playfulness, his obsession, everything about him is a lot of fun to watch. Not healthy or goals in any way but dude looks at the female lead like Homer Simpson looks a a donut. And it is adorable.

Ha also has some pretty decent and honest lines here and there.

Chemistry is good, kisses phenomenal there are decent side characters main plot is kind of meeh seen this before and brings nothing new to the table.

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