Reviews

I wish this was a J-drama

Yes, I know the title will raise an eyebrow or ten. It is intentional because while the show is good, it has issues with pacing and the quantity and quality of plot materials. Please allow me to explain.

The show starts with an odd couple trope. The mother had the FL when she was still in high school, and we see flashbacks of those trying years. It helps to illustrate her struggles and how she overcame the challenges to build a life for herself and her young daughter. Overall, it is impactful and well done but you have to paste the odd bits together to get the full picture. To say the duo have a love-hate relationship is an understatement.

There is no doubt this is a female centric drama. The mum is involved in about 60% of the plots. That is fine because she is a good actor in a strong role. However, if you expect the younger FL to be the focus then you will be disappointed.

Of course, there are male leads, and they are very good actors, but their roles are firmly in support. This is particularly true for the mum's partner. He is totally devoted to her and he is the nicest guy. Our younger OTP took a long time to get going. It definitely started as a love-hate thing. This is where my remark about j-drama becomes more pertinent.

The show did suffer from mid show drag. The pace slowed and our couples are dancing around each other in baby steps. On top of that, the show digs deep in the box of tricks and fishes out a murder mystery to fill the gap. This is why I said I wish this was a j-drama. Japanese usually do this type of female centric dramas better without having to shoehorn in unnecessary (aka murderous) side plots.

Let's call a spade, a spade. The heinous act was egregious. The poor victim is basically faceless and portrayed in a bad light. The murderer was just a shady figure in the dark. We never truly understood his motive. As soon as he is caught the plot terminates. They could have substituted any lesser crimes and still keep the plot flowing.

The use of such lazy devices is now my pet peeve. The target is always a young woman. It is mostly done to inject some (unnecessary) shock/horror. If we are lucky, it serves a purpose, otherwise it is just a momentary distraction. Of the 3 k-dramas I watched recently, this has one murder, Behind Your Touch has at least one and My Lovely Liar scored the trifecta. I don’t know how young Korean ladies can sleep peacefully at night.

If we take away the murder, we are left with a straightforward girl power motif. We certainly see good interactions between the female characters. Sisters united - will not be defeated! This extends to the unconventional ending. Yes, some are disappointed with the arrested OTP development and a lack of skinship but I can also see why they ended the show this way.

The writer used the last 2 eps to reinforce a couple of key messages. The found family you choose is more important than the family you were born into. The older ML rejected his manipulating parents, again. The sad passing of the grandma spotlights a brother who cared nothing for the old lady in life but wants her money in death. The final scene in the hotel is particularly poignant because the FL found out that the old lady actually adopted her mum so that she really is her grandmother rather than just a term of endearment.

The ML played the noble idiot card so that the FL can go back to the HQ without hindrance. It was a lie and it went down like a lead balloon. He knew it and so does the FL. The quick kiss from the FL on the day of her departure sealed the deal. He also said that he will wait for her. That is quite swoon-y without being too lovey-dovey. That's not his style.

The mum showing up at the airport was total self indulgence. She is happy to live her own life but it is a comfort to have a partner you can lean on at the same time. Win-win.

Our CP's giving each others space and respect their SO's decisions is enlightening. Yes, it wasn't quite the grand romantic gesture we had hoped, but in light of the prevailing messages, it is an appropriate and fitting finish.

Acting is solid from the experienced ensemble. OST is pleasant. Rewatch is possible but a low priority.

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A LOTS OF EMOTIONS

‼️ WARNING: THIS MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS BUT NOT IN A OBVIOUS WAY !!

STORY: 8.5, at the beginning everything is a bit confusing to be honest, and sometimes i thought like: what the fck is going on here, but it has a great plot twist and everything makes sense at end.
Acting/Cast: 9, i have to be honest: i only started watching because of Zhao Lusi, but the other actors surprised me a looooot.
Music: 10/10, honestly the music made me cry more than the story itself.
Rewatch Value: 3, wouldn’t do it again, unless someone pays me to do it.
More General Information: Okay, let’s start with the beginning: my biggest issue was that the drama has too many episodes, and tbh that is something that normally doesn’t bother me, but this time it did a little. I understand that story was very long and has a lot of things going on but for me it kinda of just started making me feel stressed. I hate how it took the main couple AGES (literally), to be together, and also understand why but at the same time WHY???? I SUFFERED so much like honestly WHY? I loved how strong ever women was in this drama, specially Niao Niao, boy she’s incredible. Apart from the tears I cried, the show has really some funny moments, honestly the interactions between the emperor wen and zisheng are extremely funny. Seeing Shaoshang growing up and her relationship with the empress was absolutely beautiful. Not gonna lie, Yuan was annoying af but goddamn i wished he had found love, but at least he did find a family, just like Zisheng. At end the everything seemed to be connected and the last scene is beautiful. It made me interested a lot, although at the end I hated how everything happened like honestly every time things were going well some bullshit happened and that is stressful. Overall I give this cdrama a 8/10.

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Why people make such a big deal about the main lead age difference is beyond me!! They are great actors & deserve all the praise for their work.

I started watching this series after Love Like The Galaxy. I became a fan of Wu Lei after watching him in Love Like The Galaxy. He is such a mature actor & good at expressing every kind of emotion at such a young age. It's astonishing.

Why were people so disappointed with the parrot scene? I mean not every C-Drama has a proper kissing scene. You can literally count C-Drama, which as a proper kissing scene. If you are so disappointed about not getting a proper kissing scene, then better watch Hollywood, they won't disappoint you, I promise.

Liked the idea of showing the comic illustration in between scenes. A unique & different screenplay. I like the cinematography.

Hated that they used voice over. Why in every Wuxia & Xianxia series has to use voice over. It's irritating.

Loved Li Chang Ge & Ashile Sun first met. It was so simple & casual. No dramatic eye contact, falling & catching nothing, just a simple look at each other. They have such a mature & understanding relationship. They didn't need to express their love for one another, they knew their love for each other. Love that Ashile Sun asked permission for Li Chang Ge's mother to marry her. Loved the scene where Li Chang Ge gets to know that A'Zhun is Tegin. Fall in love with the way Ashile Sun removed his mask with a style. Love their football game.

It was funny to see the scene where Ashile Sun holds Li Le Yan by the knife in her neck, where in Love Like The Galaxy, he is desperate to save her.

Li Le Yan is the opposite of Cheng Shaoshang. She is naive, doesn't know anything, can easily be fooled. But she changed a lot after being missing for a long time. She understood people's suffering & started on a journey to help people. Li Le Yan crying for Xiao Wu & Hao Du, becoming emotional. He fell in love with her after seeing the change in her.

A'Dor & Li Chang Ge's last scene was so emotional. Scene of Ashile Sun's mother dying was very heartbreaking, it was more heartbreaking after seeing Wu Lei's acting. He is phenomenal with his acting skills, he nailed it. The fighting scene he did after his mother's death was nicely choreographed.

Liked the fighting sequence between Li Chang Ge & Situ Lang Lang. It was funny to see Sun & Xu Feng fighting & Qin Lao eating without care & Luo Shi Ba is totally confused.

Surprised to see Du Ru Hui taking Hao Du feeling for Li Le Yan so easily. I thought he would be angry & oppose Hao Du's feelings for her, but he was rather supportive about it, even encouraging Hao Du to pursue her. The scene where Du Ru Hui included Hao Du in his family tree was so touching & moving. unexpected moment.

The look Sun gave to Chan Ge when she looked at him after finding out about the dancers.

The slap that Le Yan gave to Hao Du was unexpected & shocking. But her words were a true slap to him.

Li Chang Ge & Le Yan punishing the crown prince was a treat to watch.

Sun being jealous of Wei Shu Yu & ashamed of losing to him in front of Li Chan Ge is cute.

Sun & She Er have a complex relationship. They were close with each other & were each other's support system, but Ashile Chuobi ruined that relationship & turned it into a rivalry. But they also had love for each other deep down. Their last scene was so touching they come a long way. Their fighting sequence for Le Chang Ge was good.

On the other hand, Le Chang Ge & Le Yan have an awesome relationship. They were always there for each other. Even after Le Chang Ge's parents' death, she never blamed Le Yan nor hated her but always tried to help her.

Sun & Ashile Chuobi have a love-hate relationship. There is a lack of trust between them, but they have love for each other. Ashile Chuobi missed Sun a lot after he left & wanted to see him one last time & make amends with him. Sun also loved & respected him & saved him despite knowing he would be risking his own life.

The back story of Le Chang Ge's mother was heartbreaking.

The way Eagle Division came for Sun rescue & Situ Lang Lang, Xu Feng, Luo Shi Ba, Wei Shu Yu came to help Le Chang Ge shows true friendship.

Mimi Guli 's death was heartbreaking. Till the end she remained a loyal friend of Le Chang Ge & supported her

Love the songs, especially the tune that is played in suspicious or in fighting scenes.

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Only watch it if you want to see Kim Soo Hyun cry

After a heartfelt encounter, the crown prince of Joseon and a young noblewoman, become childhood friends, but their relationship is cut short when Yeon Woo is chosen as a potential queen candidate.

This historical drama is filled with political conflicts, power struggles, hidden identities, and threats to tear our couple apart. There’s a sprinkle of fantasy element, which makes the show feels unique and intriguing. They built up good backstories for the characters. I had a lot of fun with the young and teen versions of the characters. But once they grow up and something happen to them, I got very bored. The pacing slows down and it becomes depressing as the story solely focus on our two leads emotional romance struggle. This is not to downplay any of the adult actors and actresses by any means, because they played well. Kim Soo Hyun is always impressive with his genuine and expressive performance, and he cries really well here. I miss the younger version of the female lead, Yeon Woo, her adult version is totally different to her younger personality. She was a wise and independent thinker, but after an incident, she let herself be trampled like a rug and too self-sacrificing towards the king.

By the end, I wasn’t caring much on what happened to them. Despite the everlasting depression, I was surprised that they managed to reach conclusion in the final episode. It does feels rush, there were many plot points and time jumps, but all loose ends are tied together.

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A genreless trash!

What a nuisance tbh, you created a plot then destroyed it yourself. I think storywriters had a stroke midway through.

This drama went from fun and sweet to draggy to an absolute nonsensical bs! The ending in itself is a mockery of viewer's intelligence.

To prospective viewers, don't watch this, save your time but more importantly save your mind. Everything you're hearing in reviews and comments is completely true. If you're expecting a rom-com, this is not rom-com, it deceives you as that. If you're expecting a fantasy, there's only 1 or 2 moments that could remotely be called fantasy. This is a genreless drama incapable sticking to any single genre or plot at all. A genre that fits this perfectly is "Trap", but sadly no such genre exists on MDL.

I'm blacklisting these storywriters so that I never again have to waste my time on nonsense they spew. Giving this a 1/10 because a rating of 0/10 doesn't exist.

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"I just can't wait to be king" Ta Gon and "I just can't wait to be queen" Tae Al Ha^^

Two tribes live in a mythical land called Arth; the red-blooded humans who can't dream and the blue-blooded humanoids who can dream, and who are also faster and stronger than humans. A war for resources breaks out between the two and the humans end up winning the war through some trickery. Years later, the struggles and greed of power continues...

This drama is unique, it brings you to the bronze age. There's a lot of knowledge on anthropology, evolutionary biology, politics, civilization stages, farming, domestication, religion/mysticism. More than just entertainment, they kept me occupied intellectually. I appreciate them to realize this daring concept into a drama. The story itself is using the common fantasy trope; like a prophecy, a mysterious barrier between two tribes, and it's very plot-driven.

The characters are a lot of fun, especially Tagon, the human leader, he's morally ambiguous and dignified, at the same time he hides a dark secret which is a real high stake. I have to say his younger self gave me chills more than the adult version, he had a very cool charisma; great job Moon Woojin, I always admire you, also in It's Okay to Not be Okay, The Devil Judge, yeah). This is also my only favorite Song Jong Ki drama so far, he's magical in his dual twin roles, together with the irreplaceable Kim Ji Won. There's a lot to enjoy within their relationships and dynamics.

Overall,I think it's a really darn good fantasy. I wanted to know more, the characters surprisingly got stuck with me personally, like I think about them when i'm not watching. The first season is laying a wonderful groundwork for the 2nd season.

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What a delightful watching experience! An emotional long road trip in a vintage scarlet red Honda S800 sport car.
The drama is though slow-paced and relaxed, yet it was an enthralling and intriguing and very touching story. The drama is beautifully filmed and the director took great care in showing beautiful and serene scenery throughout the drama, and with the superb acting of main cast and great supporting cast.
Retracing back history in search of answers of mystery, and what would be uncovered was a journey well-traveled through stages of loss, grief, reconciliation, revelations, human connection and life lessons with tears, laughter and love built in the end.
A great potential hidden gem drama that I've ever watched. Highly recommended for anyone who loves slice of life drama.

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the live actor

I love the show so much the characters the acting was amazing I need season two to come out I hope in the future they can release it.❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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What Happened? Absolutely Riveting Love Story And More

Crikey!! What happened? Namkoong Min (Jang Hyun) really knows how to choose the most ideal script for himself and Ahn Eun Jin (Gil Chae), hot from The Good Bad Mother, both are absolutely meant to be in My Dearest.

A simple beginning in the first 2 episodes, of a man who is not interested in devoting himself to anything nor anyone, suddenly finds himself interested in a spoil brat of a lady who only has eyes on another man. Everything increases in momentum from Episode 3 as their King and Land is threatened by the Mongols, he suddenly finds himself volunteering to go outright to war, in order to not defend the King, but the woman he sets his heart on. How much more romantic can this get?

How about watching Jang Hyun as unfolds his ingenuity, intelligence and strength to overcome all obscurity and calamity around him to protect Gil Chae. And watching Gil Chae transform from a pampered and charming appearance, to a stronger and more mature demeanor during the war is mesmerizing to me. She is seen to be growing in depth to a woman and in this episode 8, her feelings for Jang Hyun is yet to be acknowledged.

The pace, the fighting scenes, the chase makes one await the next episode in great anticipation.

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Bland

I can't complain much about the actors, most played their roles well. The FL I hate to say isn't very good at expressing/conveying romantic feelings in this. However,the biggest issue is the story itself is poorly written. The bickering main couple have chemistry, it's just written that they are pretty much platonic, so gives more of a bickering sibling vibe on the FL's side. The ML does admirably to portray the romance, being able to convey longing, jealousy, desire, and love with a script mostly devoid of skinship and an overly childish partner. Literally has only a few episodes of hand holding, 3 kisses, and the occasional hug. Most of the side characters only pop up here and there to move the plot along, before disappearing. The FL is supposed to be cute and "innocent" , and to show this she was stupid, wore pigtails with a tshirt and shorts or a jumper most of the time, demonstrated no real desire/attraction towards men, immediately forgave everyone that harmed her, (except for the ML), literally taking every stranger as her best friend no matter what they did, pouting, and singing a silly song repeatedly like a 5 yr old. Only character that demonstrated growth was the ML. Story and characters suddenly changed out of the blue, so problems would be created and solved instantly...ie agent's storyline. She repeatedly damaged ML's career trying to break them up, not out of jealousy but because she was concerned him being in love would damage his career. She was really in love with FL's guy friend...sure that makes sense. The scheming BFF that talked FL into signing the marriage contract to get the house back, was shocked to find contract later on and realize the marriage was fake. There are more examples, but those are the worst. OST is forgettable, actual romance is lacking, will definitely not rewatch.

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Beginning was good but later terrible

Usually with romance movies that gets better towards the end, but this is not the case here. This movie was really strange because the female lead was with shao zhen ring, the doctor was a better couple than the one she ended up with. Episode 20-30 was good and the main female lead was doing ok with lei yu zheng. Then episode 30-40 the main characters weren't even talking to one another. He had a mission of trying to find out who put him in jail. The story gets super messy but there was zero romance going on for the majority of the half of the movie. There seems to be zero chemistry between the main leads at the end. This is a very disappointing story in general. And it's way too long and dragged out from episode 30 to 40. I will skip all those episodes and just see episode 41. Even then it's very disappointing!!

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Fantastic Acting by the Trio! Bai Lu is the best character!

Crime thrillers in C-dramas often lacks graphic scenes and it's probably best as one of the case is quite grotesque. Rather than focusing on the detail of the cases, the character Bai Lu is what's most captivating about this drama.

These are rather short episodes, only 20 min long so 32 ep goes by quickly although 2 of the cases were pretty average and predictable. 1st 1/2 way better than 1/2 half (common themes in C-dramas)

Bai Lu played by Li Yuan is the best that I've seen of that manly independent strong female character. She's semi broken & complex. Her comebacks can be witty or fierce.
Actor Yuan Hao is always solid in every role that I've seen him in but his screen time is rather limited.
GuYu is a forensic doctor that teams up after the first case. There's a great scene with her and Bai Lu in ep 14 that showcased both actresses acting skills.

The only thing I wished for and this goes for most crime C dramas is that the pace of solving each case should be way slower. There should be more build up finding evidence leading to suspects.

Last case circles back to GuYu but ..... kinda lacking in plausibility.

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This drama is the one time you should trust bad reviews. HANG IT UP FLAT SCREEN!

I have been watching dramas for years but this is my first ever review on this site I’m sorry I had to drop at ep 20. The drama was getting a bit too ridiculous for me. I think the cast was really good all the actors you can tell were seasoned and took their jobs seriously. However, in the end the nonsensical ass script made a mockery of that talent. Also for all the ppl swooning and crying over the ML and FL chemistry and connection are delusional. There was nothing there to root for and I’m sorry I think the two were toxic for one another more so the ML to FL. To me she did not grow at all in 20 eps even though she lost ppl and went through trials and tribulations, so what of the remaining 50 I couldn’t put myself through that. They couldn’t decide if they wanted her to be outstanding and badass or an idiot who is brash and always falls into others traps. It made me sad bc I feel like she really wasn’t the focus here and was just a prop as women usually are. They decorated her with some fighting skills and wisdom to bait us and then gave us a huge F U as the series went on. ALSO I didn’t get the deal with the ML maybe I’m slow but he seemed mentally unstable and y’all was shipping her with him ????

Also everyone cries the whole drama about fighting for the ppl saving the innocent but they kill ppl off likes flies in this thing and most time for no reason or as a plot device to push the story and it’s weird. Like if you can’t propel your story w/o killing ppl every damn 5 eps what’s the point?

Music was okay….Maybe bc I didn’t get far enough so there may have been a change in OST but the ones I heard were a bit uninspired. I love Chinese dramas for their OST bc they really show out and are usually stylistically creative but this one lacked character.

I’ve seen spoiler comments and ppl are saying don’t watch last 5 mins otherwise everything else is good. No they are lying bc last 5 is very representative of the shitshow this drama was and to me it made sense. It was just so very boring I was zoning out. I may seem like a hater but I actually was quite excited for this but here’s just another example of an overhyped netflix dramalist pick. Ratings should be much lower. Good day and good luck.

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