Completed
Light to the Night
14 people found this review helpful
27 days ago
28 of 28 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Every event has a center. Beyond it, ripples spread.

When I first saw the trailer, it immediately caught my attention, but the drama turned out to be very different from what I had expected β€” in the best possible way.

One thing I absolutely did not expect was for this drama to become such a tear-jerker. While the first 9 episodes contain many natural and genuinely funny moments, starting from episode 10 β€” and especially during the last 5 episodes β€” I cried my eyes out 😭

This is a 100% worth-watching investigation drama and definitely one of Wang Hedi’s best performances so far. His portrayal of Ran Fangxu was unforgettable.

The story revolves around the mysterious disappearance of a father and daughter at the elevator entrance of the Yuanlongli building in July 1997. The case deeply affects the lives of detectives He Yuanhang and Ran Fangxu, and it takes 18 years for the truth to finally come to light.

The drama switches between three timelines:
β€’ 1997 β€” when the father and daughter disappeared
β€’ 2002 β€” when the father’s skull was discovered
β€’ 2015 β€” when the case was finally solved

The transitions between the timelines were done brilliantly and never felt confusing.

Even though the drama focuses on only one case, the plot is incredibly complex, filled with twists and turns that constantly keep you on the edge of your seat β€” and in the end, everything ties together perfectly.

I especially loved the εΈˆηˆΆβ€“εΎ’εΌŸ relationship development between He Yuanhang and Ran Fangxu. They truly became each other’s family. The actress Ren Min, who played Xiao He (He Yuanhang's daughter), even mentioned in an interview that for Xiao He, Ran Fangxu was like a mother πŸ˜‚

After episode 10, seeing how much Ran Fangxu meant to both He Yuanhang and Xiao He was absolutely heartbreaking 😭

The drama also did an amazing job portraying grief, guilt, obsession, and the way one unresolved tragedy can leave deep scars on people’s entire lives.

β€œζ‰€ζœ‰δΊ‹δ»ΆοΌŒεΏ…ζœ‰δΈ­εΏƒγ€‚δΈ­εΏƒδΉ‹ε€–οΌŒεΏ…ζœ‰ζΆŸζΌͺ。”
β€œEvery event has a center. Beyond it, ripples spread.”

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Completed
Hospital Playlist
0 people found this review helpful
by Sp41
27 days ago
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Best medical drama, maybe the best K-drama

After watching this 8x, let me share:
Overall, this might be the best K-drama. Because it is real, no exaggerations (no mean mom-in-law, just a bit, no forced marriages, no horrible preps for college admission), simple daily life but of amazingly skilled doctors. Their friendship makes us jealous, no wonder that they do not want get married:-) The other positive reviews are great and spot-on. I would like to add what happens if you re-watch. The stories are never boring, the OST becoming more beautiful and the actors becoming even more attractive. After this series, I have become a huge fan of Jo Jung Sook. But all the other actors are fabulous, too. In the first two rounds of watching, I ignored their band performance. And then I even downloaded the OST:-) in summary, it is a bit of a modern and grown up version of Replay 1988.

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Completed
A Splendid Match
41 people found this review helpful
by Mrs Gong Flower Award1
27 days ago
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 8
Overall 7.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 7.5
This review may contain spoilers

A Drama About Politics, Humanity, Power, and Emotional Survival

I just completed A Splendid Match and honestly… this drama completely exceeded my expectations. πŸ‚βš”οΈβœ¨

I had no expectations about this drama. I also had no specific intentions about the cast. I did not think they would do a great job. I liked the plot premise but not the cast. Actually, I thought about not watching this drama at all because the cast looked average and not prominent. And I have seen this type of plot before: historical romance with clever female leads, political scheming, wealthy noble families, and the usual marriage alliances.

But somewhere along the way, this story quietly transformed into something far more interesting.

Because beneath its elegant costumes, marriages, dowries, and aristocratic politics, this drama is actually about loneliness, emotional restraint, power struggles, morality, survival, class systems, sacrifice, and the terrifying cost of living inside political machinery.

And what surprised me most is how emotionally intelligent the writing became.

────────────────────────────────────────────
πŸŒ‘ FIRST IMPRESSIONS β€” A DRAMA THAT HIDES ITS TRUE DEPTH
────────────────────────────────────────────

At the beginning, I enjoyed the drama, but I did not immediately think it would become something better than expected. The early episodes felt familiar: wealthy households, family rivalries, marriage negotiations, clever female lead, political officials, hidden schemes. And suddenly I realized this was not simply a romance drama. It was a drama about people trapped inside systems. Systems of family. Systems of power. Systems of reputation. Systems of political loyalty.

Every single character is constantly suffocating under expectations. And that is exactly what made the drama feel so human. No character here feels entirely pure. No character feels completely evil. Even the cruelest people often act out of fear, survival instinct, ambition, resentment, or emotional emptiness. This drama understands something many costume dramas forget: people are contradictions. 🎭

────────────────────────────────────────────
πŸ–€ CHEN YANYUN β€” ONE OF THE MOST COMPOSED YET TRAGIC MALE LEADS
────────────────────────────────────────────

Chen Yanyun became one of the most fascinating male leads I have watched. At first glance, he appears calm, elegant, intelligent, and emotionally controlled β€” almost untouchable. But underneath that composure is a man constantly walking on political knives. What makes him so compelling is that his suffering is never loud. He rarely raises his voice. Rarely loses emotional control. Rarely dramatizes his pain. Instead, the drama shows his exhaustion through restraint. Through long silences. Through calculated words. Through the way he quietly carries responsibilities that would destroy most people.

One of the most unforgettable moments was the undated divorce letter. That single scene revealed everything about his love for Gu Jinzhao. Instead of trying to possess her after marriage, he gives her freedom. Instead of demanding loyalty, he gives her a safe escape. That is not performative romance. That is trust.

And the tragedy of Chen Yanyun is that he understands power too well. The more politically intelligent he becomes, the lonelier he grows. After the grain scandal arc, you can feel him emotionally distancing himself from Lord Fu while realizing he may eventually stand alone in court. His relationship with power is deeply tragic because he knows survival often requires moral compromise β€” yet part of him still desperately wants to remain humane. πŸ₯€

────────────────────────────────────────────
🌸 GU JINZHAO β€” A FEMALE LEAD WRITTEN WITH REAL INTELLIGENCE
────────────────────────────────────────────

Gu Jinzhao β€” I really loved her as a smart female lead. Not because the drama constantly tells us she is smart. But because the writing consistently proves it. She understands politics, reputation warfare, commerce, law, emotional manipulation, and social psychology. What I loved most is that her intelligence never feels unrealistic. She survives because she observes people carefully. Even during terrifying situations, she remains emotionally composed enough to think strategically.

The Sun Shitao corpse-switch plan was brilliant. Her handling of Madam Wang during the tea gathering was brilliant. Her usury loan trap to neutralize Madam Wang was masterful. But despite all her cleverness, she still feels emotionally human. The night before her wedding day, the way she expressed her real self beneath her cleverness β€” I really felt it. She fears things. She hesitates. She questions herself. She feels guilt. She feels emotional exhaustion.

What makes Gu Jinzhao special is that she never sacrifices her humanity to become strong. Even when everyone around her prioritizes political survival, she still tries to protect people emotionally. Ren Min did a great job. I did not think she would play her role this perfectly. πŸ‘

────────────────────────────────────────────
βš”οΈ YE XIAN β€” THE MOST PAINFUL CHARACTER IN THE ENTIRE DRAMA
────────────────────────────────────────────

Honestly… Ye Xian’s storyline devastated me. πŸ₯² He is one of the most emotionally tragic second male leads I have seen. The drama never portrays him as merely a romantic obstacle. Instead, he feels like a man constantly arriving too late to his own life. Too late to confess. Too late to protect his family. Too late to save his father. Too late to keep Gu Jinzhao.

The wedding and funeral procession scene was absolutely heartbreaking. A bridal carriage moving toward a new future. A funeral procession carrying away an ending. Ye Xian stepping aside and yielding the road. It symbolized an entire emotional era dying.

His love for Gu Jinzhao feels less like youthful romance and more like emotional grief. Gu Jinzhao and Ye Xian understand each other deeply, but they would have destroyed each other emotionally in the long run. They are too similar. Too stubborn. Too emotionally guarded. Too self-destructive. That realization made their relationship even sadder. Ultimately, he died gloriously and just as he wanted. I cried when he was pierced and hoped he would only be injured, but his death was beautifully tragic. πŸ’”

────────────────────────────────────────────
πŸ›οΈ THE DRAMA’S BIGGEST STRENGTH β€” POLITICS THAT FEEL HUMAN
────────────────────────────────────────────

One thing I deeply appreciated is how political conflicts are never treated as abstract strategy games. Every political decision affects human lives. The grain scandal arc especially elevated the drama enormously. Two hundred thousand dan of relief grain replaced with wheat bran. That single act exposed corruption, faction warfare, bureaucratic cruelty, and the terrifying reality that ordinary starving people become disposable tools for powerful officials.

Lord Fu is especially fascinating. He is intelligent, cultured, patient, visionary, and yet terrifying. Because he genuinely believes sacrificing people is acceptable if it achieves political stability. That complexity made him far more frightening than a simple villain. Chen Yanyun is so underrated because even in the end, it is clear he was a visionary when he chose to take up his mentor’s book. Others might have disagreed, seeing it as the work of an evil man, but he understood that Fu Hailian’s policies weren’t the problem β€” it was his actions and power hunger that were evil.

────────────────────────────────────────────
πŸ’” THE ROMANCE β€” BUILT ON TRUST RATHER THAN POSSESSION
────────────────────────────────────────────

One of the best things about this drama is that the romance feels emotionally mature. Chen Yanyun and Gu Jinzhao do not fall in love through endless misunderstandings or exaggerated jealousy. Their relationship develops through mutual respect, emotional understanding, trust, political partnership, and quiet emotional intimacy. They genuinely listen to each other.

Even after marriage, the drama does not suddenly turn them into a perfect fantasy couple. Instead, their marriage becomes another battlefield. Political enemies target them. Families pressure them. Rumors surround them. But they continue choosing each other again and again. Gu Jinzhao’s love for Yanyun is evident as she is willing to take poison and die, which is incredible considering how much she values her life. ❀️

────────────────────────────────────────────
πŸŒ‘ THE CHEN FAMILY β€” A HOUSEHOLD BUILT ON SILENCE AND ROT
────────────────────────────────────────────

One of the most fascinating aspects of the drama is how the Chen family slowly transforms into something psychologically unsettling.

At first, they appear like a prestigious noble household.

But beneath the elegance lies emotional decay.

Fourth Master Chen especially shocked me. His confession about drowning the fifth brother completely changed the atmosphere of the drama. Suddenly the household no longer felt politically dangerous alone. It felt emotionally haunted.

And Chen Xuanqing’s gradual deterioration is equally disturbing.

At first, he seems like a melancholic young man trapped by regret.

But slowly: obsession replaces affection, silence replaces sincerity, and emotional instability replaces morality.

After that, he no longer feels romantic. He feels dangerous.

Especially during the kidnapping arc, the earring scene, and his emotional coldness toward Yu Wanxue.

The drama is quietly showing how unresolved desire can become destructive. πŸ₯€

────────────────────────────────────────────
πŸŽ₯ VISUAL STORYTELLING β€” POWER, LONELINESS, AND EMOTIONS SPOKEN WITHOUT WORDS
────────────────────────────────────────────

One of the strongest aspects of A Splendid Match is honestly its visual storytelling.

This drama does not rely only on dialogue to explain emotions or political tension. Very often, the directing, framing, lighting, costumes, and even physical distance between characters quietly reveal things before the characters themselves say them aloud.

And that is exactly why many scenes feel emotionally heavy even when very little is happening on the surface. πŸ‚
Contrast Between Warmth and Isolation πŸŒ“

What impressed me most is how the drama constantly contrasts warmth and isolation.

Chen Yanyun is usually surrounded by grand halls, political officials, luxurious robes, and authority β€” yet visually, he is often framed alone. Even in crowded rooms, the camera repeatedly isolates him within the frame, reminding us that power in this drama is deeply lonely. He stands at the center of the court, but emotionally he belongs nowhere.

Gu Jinzhao's scenes often feel more "alive." Her environments contain movement, warm candlelight, busy markets, family courtyards, flowing fabrics, and softer colors. Even when she is suffering, the drama visually connects her to humanity and earthly warmth in a way Chen Yanyun lacks.

That contrast becomes one of the drama's quiet emotional foundations.

────────────────────────────────────────────
πŸ’Ž THE UNIQUE CONNECTION BETWEEN ML AND SML
────────────────────────────────────────────

One thing I noticed in this drama that I have not seen in others is the connection between the male lead and the second male lead. They loved the same woman. They were love rivals. That means they must be enemies. But in their personal lives, yes they fought and were rivals. But beyond that, they worked together for the country. They served under the same ruler. They forgot their personal grudges and fought in the same battle for the empire. They were righteous. They put the people and their country before their personal grudges. When someone faced difficulties, the other helped him. They did not take revenge for love. They worked together against corruption for the sake of the country.

In episode 39, it was so heartfelt and emotional to see Yanyun embrace Ye Xian. The way Yanyun carried him. Even if they did not speak to each other as friends, they were friends at heart. I once thought the most heartfelt scene in the entire drama was the funeral procession meeting the wedding procession. But no, this was the one. Once they fought with each other, then fought together for the country, though they were destined to be enemies hated to the bone, yet Yan Yun cried bitterly for Ye Xian. Ye Xian was jealous of Chen Yanyun but held him in incredible high regard. Towards the end, he thought of him as a teacher and friend. πŸ«‚

────────────────────────────────────────────
🎭 ACTING PERFORMANCES β€” REN MIN AND CI SHA
────────────────────────────────────────────

Ren Min’s performance can score ninety points. She is charmingly playful yet natural. About the mother’s death scenes: some say she was too wooden. But I think that was just right. When her mother apologized, Jinzhao was shocked, not moved. Her lifelong belief was completely shaken. When her mother died, Jinzhao was grief-stricken but even more enraged. She had no space left to feel sadness. Only after things were accomplished, while listening to Yanyun play the xun and reading her mother’s letter, could she cry quietly. That is nuanced acting. She cried bitterly for Ye Xian, her true friend, and I hope no one criticizes her for that. Too many dramas portray detachment from second male leads who were genuinely good, as if ignoring one relationship diminishes another. He was her best friend and held a special place in her heart. πŸ‘

Ci Sha’s performance gets eighty points. His eyes are especially deep. His mouth is distinctive β€” sometimes slightly smiling, sometimes seeming not to. I especially love his emotionally exposed scenes: slapping Fourth Master, stumbling when rushing to rescue Jinzhao. His features do not fly wildly β€” fitting Yanyun’s character. As for his scenes with Jinzhao, those are the drama’s essence. Sending the cloak with eyes that drive you crazy. Confessing love directly. Once aware of his feelings, he never hesitates. πŸ˜„

πŸ”₯ FINAL VERDICT

Is A Splendid Match perfect? No. The OST is genuinely bad. Some shots are awkward. The ending felt rushed. I wish they had given us a longer ending. Even an extra 10 minutes would have been enough. We never saw Chen Yanyun receive the acknowledgement and rewards he deserved, nor did we get to see them as a couple after all the drama.

But honestly? That is exactly what made this drama memorable for me. Because beneath the beautiful costumes lies a deeply human story about loneliness, power, emotional survival, sacrifice, trust, and the painful cost of remaining humane inside cruel systems.

This drama does not simply ask who loves whom. It asks what kind of person can survive this world without losing themselves. And that question stayed with me.

Overall, it is an incredible drama. I hope the couple give us some special episodes, even if just 10 minutes.

Layered political storytelling ✨ Emotionally intelligent characters ✨ Mature romance ✨ Complex morality ✨ Beautiful symbolism ✨ Quiet but powerful acting ✨ Deep emotional atmosphere ✨

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Completed
The Dark Romance
2 people found this review helpful
27 days ago
22 of 22 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 3.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

Step-by-step manipulation

This psychological thriller series follows Yan Ling, a single mother who investigates her best friend’s suicide and ends up pulled into a dangerous web of emotional manipulation.

Suspicious and unable to accept what happened, she starts her own investigation and discovers a secret organization that teaches seduction and manipulation techniques known as PUAs (pick up artist). As she dives deeper into this world searching for the truth, she does not realize she might be slowly being prepared as the next victim.

The most powerful aspect of the series is Yan Ling’s gradual descent. She is highly educated, a university professor with sharp logic and independent thinking, yet she slowly falls into Luo Liang’s manipulative trap.

Luo Liang represents cold, precise and systematic control. Yan Ling’s submission reveals something unsettling: manipulation does not only happen to the naive or uninformed.

Her vulnerabilities, invisible to everyone else, are exactly what he targets. Little by little he weakens her ability to make independent judgments, distorts her sense of right and wrong, and builds an increasing emotional dependence on him. Every word and every interaction has a purpose: to scan, uncover her secrets and later use them against her.

He influences, controls and guides Yan Ling without her realizing it. He repeats that he is doing this for her own good. He isolates her from everything and everyone until only he remains as her source of comfort and the only person who truly accepts her and her past.

What makes it even more disturbing is his method. He takes the truth and places it inside a lie. Half truths pull you in, and before you realize it, you are trapped in a much bigger lie. It is so subtle and well executed that even the audience, fully aware of what is happening, sometimes starts to doubt.

Modern and highly relevant, the series works as a psychological thriller exploring themes that have long existed in society but are now becoming more widely recognized, such as masculinism, redpill culture and PUAs.

The performances of the two lead actors and the sophistication of the writing are truly impressive.
It definitely deserves to be watched and discussed.

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Completed
Fireworks of My Heart
0 people found this review helpful
27 days ago
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
This review may contain spoilers
First of all, the acting is good, and I especially liked all the firefighter and medic scenes. The story is also good. I loved the ML, but all the other actors also made it worth the watch. The romance is a very slow burn. It runs throughout all the episodes, but it takes a long time for them to finally get together.

However, there were a few aspects that didn’t work for me:
- There were some small mistakes in the storyline involving the firefighters and the medical staff. Considering I’m not in either of those professions and I could still spot the mistakes, someone working on the show probably should have caught them.
- The FL is written as a character who is torn between her family and the love of her life. She played this very well, but for me, it didn’t quite work in the story. At a certain point, she should have just grown a backbone.
- In the last episode, the FL’s whole family is suddenly back together again, and apparently all is forgiven. I found that totally unrealistic. Who, in their right mind, would act like that with a mother like that?
- It’s too long. Forty episodes were not needed.

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Dropped 16/53
The Song of Glory
0 people found this review helpful
27 days ago
16 of 53 episodes seen
Dropped 0
Overall 7.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 5.5

Great political intrigue

My goal to watch C-dramas is for entertainment, learning Mandarin and to laugh. This is a great political drama, not so much any comedy mixed into it. I miss that. I found it interesting but at the same time after 16 episodes I just found I needed a change to another show, I pick it up at a later date.
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Dropped 4/28
The Imperial Coroner Season 2
0 people found this review helpful
27 days ago
4 of 28 episodes seen
Dropped 0
Overall 3.5
Story 2.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 1.0

Failure of a sequel

I loved season 1. This feels like a knock off with the same cast.

Chu Chu was charming in season 1. She's very much like her season 1 couterpart... just with odd quirks she wouldn't do in season 1 (like eating things with coronors tools). Sadly she is the only positive.

What happened to Chu Chu's brother??? Wasn't he a coronor 3 years ago? Now he is suddenly something else. It’s a bit inconsistent. They could have at least said he was in some distant part of the country 2 and a half years ago because season 2 starts around the 3 year anniversary of their meeting and Chu He was in their hometown being a coronor.

Okay now to the REAL dissappointment: the cases. They just felt flat and boring. I didnt care. There's nothing more to say. I csnt express how upset I am.

Big disappointment.

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Completed
Love Punch!
0 people found this review helpful
27 days ago
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 3.5

Love Punch.. What was going on..?

I heard a new BL movie was coming out so I HAD to watch it.

First the pacing was really bad. Not even ten minutes into the movie the two main characters already are all buddy buddy? Um hello, am i missing something here because from what i know you guys have never interacted in your lives and all of a sudden you LIVE together already??? (all happen in under 15 minutes btw!!!!)

Second, who was the second guy trying to get with the blonde hair guy. He was the friend of Madoka from school but him having feelings didn't add to the plot at all?? It was just thrown in there for no reason AT ALL. Maybe it was in the book but if it literally has nothing to do with the plot I lowkey dont care because they didn't even end up talking about it after one scene.

The Main Couple

Modaka Kamei (Blonde) and Mitsuru Sato (Black Haired)

Like I said, the beginning was very fast, but it slows down and speeds up at different times. It's revealed that Mitsuru had actually fallen in love with Modaka 2 years before they actually met after his brother had attacked Modaka's brother. It was a surprising connection but I think it half worked. If you're gonna fall in love with someone for two years and have been waiting, shouldn't you show it a litttllleee more emotion.? (maybe a me thing) But they had good heart-trobbing scenes. I didn't like how they kept apologizing for literally breathing air atp, it was a part of the show, yes but they know how to make it really irritating.

In conclusion the movie was very too fast for me and i went in thinking it was enemies to lovers but it was okay, romantic scenes were good but felt pushed onto the characters, chemistry was kinda there? The fighting scenes were pretty cool too!

Not super bad but not super good-- 6/10 overall.

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Completed
Legend of the Female General
0 people found this review helpful
27 days ago
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 4.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
This review may contain spoilers

Like the sugar art Zi Lan received - beautiful yet weak

I enjoyed watching this series though at times the political plot got in the way of the core of the story - the characters!
Some episodes went on and on and just became very boring. Though the series started off strongly, it couldn't retain its momentum at the end. Frankly, it could've cut down on like 3 episodes.
It was also a pity that some characters remained mysteries until the final episodes :( - looking at you yin xiang!!!!
And then there was the unnecessary death of multiple lovable side characters for shock value. Not very original. The ending lacked a good conclusion and felt rushed which really messed up the whole watch experience for me. I don't see how this is an 8.6 series.

The cinematography was beautiful and the fighting choreography was also great but it felt like it was just there to be pretty and didn't add a ton of value to the overall story.

All in all, it was an okay series, but don't expect too much as it collapses on its own at the end.

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Completed
Us
0 people found this review helpful
by Embn
27 days ago
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

One of the most romantic dramas ever made, and not just for GLs.

This is my first time ever writing a review here, but US made me want to.
If you’re thinking about watching this drama, stop thinking and just dive in. This isn’t just one of the best GLs I’ve watched. It’s one of the most romantic dramas I've ever watched. I mean, not just gls but in general.
Everything about it feels perfect. The story is beautiful, the acting is incredible, the chemistry is unreal, the music hits at the right moments, and the cinematography makes every scene feel emotional and alive.
It’s the kind of drama that stays with you even after you finish it. Every episode made me feel something.
A genuine 10/10 from start to finish. 🀍

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Ongoing 2/9
Wu
1 people found this review helpful
by T_a_c
27 days ago
2 of 9 episodes seen
Ongoing 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.5
I love it mainly because i already read the novel bit i was scared that gmm was gonna do choppy cgi and editing but i am pleasantly surprised. 2 episodes completed. I am eagerly waiting for the 3rd. The acting and chemistry is obviously amazing. I knew that from High school frenemy. This time i wanna compliment gmm as well. Hope they keep putting work into all their series
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Dropped 16/40
A Splendid Match
7 people found this review helpful
27 days ago
16 of 40 episodes seen
Dropped 0
Overall 6.5
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 6.5
Rewatch Value 6.5
A traditional, may-december romance that promised some differences but ended up pretty boring in the end . .

My quibble is with our main male hero. There he is - a whole generation older than our female lead. Gently supporting and guiding her in the background. Always restrained, virtuous, and serious.

You keep waiting for the flip when he loses his cool or reveals how he feels, but it hasn't come as of yet and it's dragged on enough I can't stand to finish this drama.

The female lead is intelligent and spirited and is not at all a damsel in distress the impetuous young men around her who are not worthy of her have interesting personalities and actually were one of the reasons I kept watching, but as the plot goes on they get sidelined more and more.

Which just leaves our stone faced male lead. Gently chiding and pushing and occasionally slitting someone's throat. The slitting the throat part is so out of the blue its more disconcerting than creating some sort of bad boy aura. Especially disconcerting since it's over taxes.

It's true that this type of romance usually isn't my cup of tea, but there are exceptions - I loved My Dearest, but this one just doesn't appeal.

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Completed
My Journey to You
2 people found this review helpful
27 days ago
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 6.5
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 7.0

Second Couple Should've Lead the series.

My favourite part of the series was the second couple. Overall I just found their backstories and motivations to be more interesting. I love the dynamic between the two of them and the little brother. I would've liked more screentime for the second leads to explore their dynamic more and perhaps her backstory more like was she lying the whole time?

I found the main couple to be very bland and lacking chemistry especially in the beginning. Everytime the main couple were on screen I was so bored. I think the male lead was a bit immature and there was a lack of personality growth. I honestly don't mind an immature male lead like Jang Uk from Alchemy of Souls but as long as they grow and prove their worth and deservingness of their title. I hated how everyone was sucking up to Gong Ziyu and saying how he was persistant and what not like don't just say it, show it to me. Anyways after a couple episodes I started fast forwarding a lot of stuff because this show was lowkey making me mad.

I feel like the main female lead was miscast. I feel like her default facial expression is a worried expression. Esther Yu can act but I just don't think this type of role suits her natural face. I feel like they needed someone who could be a little more fierce. I think Esther Yu gave off a more cold vibe rather than fierce. I saw online someone say Zhou Ye would've been a better fit and I can completely see that.

When I personally watch shows, 60% of what i watch for is character dynamics like friendships, romance and just fun interactions. I thought that the character dynamics were not written well in this show. I thought that the main couple fell for each other way too easily like it mad no sense as to why he was so in love with her from the get go. I feel like they needed more fuel and reason like it just made me care for them even less since it didn't make sense. I also have no clue as to why everyone one was sucking up to Gong Ziyu like those Xue people and lowkey the elders too. This is another reason as to why I gravitated towards Shangjue, his thinking process actually makes sense and I love how he was willing to torture Shangguan. He's a very fair character with clear morals.

Anyways I really liked the premise and the plot of this show overall. I just found the first main couples love story to be dumb which is why half the time I was cheering for their downfall. I really liked Jinjings character and how hyper she was throughout the show. I probably wouldn't watch this show again especially since this show is really dialogue heavy like some talking scenes could last like 20 minutes between two characters.

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Completed
Gu Jin Nan Qiu
0 people found this review helpful
by estar
27 days ago
18 of 18 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 2.5
Story 3.0
Acting/Cast 3.0
Music 1.5
Rewatch Value 1.0

not great but surprisingly entertaining

tried watching this a while back (when it started airing) & my conclusion then not even 2 mins in, was that the distant half-brother needs his head bashed in - there's toxic & then there is toxic - concluded then that this not for me & dropped it, LOL.
so why did i decide today to give this a 2nd chance? bored? curious?!? either way i did give this a 2nd chance & wont lie - had to ignore the verbal & physical abuse, otherwise wouldn't have lasted the 1st ep (regardless of how short this is).

watching, in-spite of it kinda being all over the place, the overly dramatic acting & the disjointed plot - the bones were good, interesting even & if the plot had be simplified, maybe this would've turned out better then it did. but it is what it is & 1hr didn't drag on, cause there was always something going on - so wasn't bored, maybe bewildered at times dumbfounded at others & even annoyed - but entertained all the same.
the bodyguard was ridiculous & thankfully added some much needed levity to this overly dramatic plot - that some how trivialized pretty heavy subjects like sexual, physical & mental abuse... also Gu Huai Zhou's cousin was a freakin sociopath & he got to walk away after everything he did? freakin preposterous, but it just shows that when u come from money, u can get away with murder & the fact his family (specifically Gu Huai Zhou) never did anything to punish him , no matter what he did - whatever he gets up to in the future, Gu Huai Zhou will deserve.

so even though this wasn't good it was entertaining if u leave logic & common sense at the door. it was fun & as it was an open ended maybe there will be a 2nd season - i will for sure watch it just to see if the "train" will again go off the trails.

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BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky
0 people found this review helpful
27 days ago
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 5.0

Must-watch for Blinks. Also recommended for those who aren't really fans

Through the documentary you will learn more about the individual members, their relationship to each other, how hard they worked, and how their debut went and more.

I got goosebumps several times during the documentation lmao. Probably because I'm so proud of them and because we saw parts of the concert and heard songs from time to time.

Must Watch! so cute and a bit emotional. Sooo proud!!
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