Reviews

A beautiful and healing drama

I came in watching this with no expectations cause slice of life dramas are usually not my fav genre but i'm glad i did. It is such a beautiful, healing and heartwarming drama. I was feeling a little down when I started this, so I resonated with Yeoreum so much that it kind of healed me as I watched the drama. I love it so much and especially Yeoreum is such a well written character. She is the most sweetest, kind hearted girl ever. I loved the bond that she had with Bom, it's prob one of my fav aspects of the show along with the sweet sweet grandma. Light plot but not boring at all and filled with wise wisdoms.

As for the romance, they make me giggle from cuteness. The chemistry is probably among the best i've watched and very effortless despite how subtle Yeoreum and Daebeom's interaction is. I feel like Seolhyun is incredibly good at potraying that giddy and shy girl with Daebeom that it made me root for them even more. Although, i do wished they had more romance during the show. But at the same time, i also kind of get that the writer didn't want to make it the highlight or main subject of this drama. A little kiss would've made me the happiest Yeoreum and Daebeom shipper lol.

Acting wise, i couldn't find any flaws. Both the main leads delivered very well. Seolhyun surprised me with her acting, it is so natural so it was so easy to get immersed with her character. I loved her drunk scenes so much lmao. The rest of the cast also did well.

The only complaint that i would say about this drama is the murder plot. I feel like killing the grandma was a bad move from the writer and also that the murder mystery plot was unnecessary and draggy. I feel like the healing plot was already enough to carry the drama. The grandma is such an important character in my opinion, so when they killed her i got really turned off. It kind of defeated the whole purpose of this being a healing drama. Hence, why i deducted my points for the drama. Murder plot was very annoying to watch and i also disliked the annoying library noona, she was so controlling it irked me to death.

Overall a very fun and good watch

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Love the storyline. Seems typical taken to the past to change their life for the better but still showing that there are still things that cannot be changed and we have to accept it.
Typical one of the leads with trauma that needs dealing with.
But overall fun banters and some life lessons can be found.


Acting wise;
I love everyone’s acting, very convincing but I found the Male Lead’s character insufferable. Really really hate his character always interfering and being unreasonable even when he meant well to bring his parents together. Just thought it was a bit much.
Was expecting more screen time between his parents and their romance.

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when the word 'cute' decides to manifest into a dorama.

picture this: you happen to stumble upon a handsome stranger, fall in love at first sight, spend years pining and then fate happens and you two meet again, your mutual feelings bursting out the moment you lay eyes on one another. and then it only feels right that you ride off into the sunset together...

…yeah. well. absolutely none of that happens to miss sakura nanase.

sure, the first part checks out 'cause she does meet a ridiculously good-looking doctor who sweeps her off her feet. she does spend years not seeing him. but when she finally joins the staff at his hospital, not only does he fail to recognise her—he's also the resident "devil of cardiology," an indifferent and insensitive doctor who made it his personal mission not to let any imperfection slide.

the premise sounds like a cliché because it is a cliché, let's not pretend otherwise. but 'koi wa tsuzuku yo doko made mo' is that kind of cliché that works—the enjoyable, heart-fluttering "i know exactly what's coming, but iam still squealing anyway" kind.

nanase's journey is the real gem here. watching her grow from a clumsy little grey mouse into a confident, capable nurse is highly rewarding. simultaneously, her gradual development makes her relationship with tendo kairi more profound 'cause—shocking, totally unexpected plot twist—she gets her man completely obsessed with her (as she should).

despite kairi himself following the classic dorama blueprint of an indifferent jerk becoming an indifferent loverboy, he's actually a pleasant presence to have on the screen. mostly because he never belittles nanase for no reason. instead his brutal honesty when criticising pushes her to grow rather than shrink and that is pure gold in the rom-com genre, which used to lean on humiliation for the sake of "romantic tension." as if.

safe to say that no one serves doctor x nurse power couple quite like kairi and nanase, love them for that.

full disclosure at the end: for every adorable moment, there's at least one scene that made me physically pace around my room from secondhand embarrassment. but that's part of its charm, too—it hands you romance on a silver plate, sprinkled with a bit of cringe as seasoning, and makes your heart flutter.

it's cute, easy to watch and leaves one emotionally satisfied at the end, which is all a heart of a hopeless romantic could want.

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Underworld Bureaucracy & Neon Noir

If you came here for a sweeping romance or a slick, idol-style procedural, best turn around now. Agent from Above is Taoist Noir.
It’s grimy, neon-soaked, and fundamentally cynical about the human condition while remaining deeply spiritual. It borrows the "burdened hero" trope, but replaces the guilt with the crushing weight of Karmic Retribution.

Agent from Above is an "anti-procedural." While it flirts with a ghost-of-the-week format, it quickly descends into a high-stakes, 6-hour countdown to a karmic apocalypse.
The side effects may include lotus-root-induced fever dreams.
It treats the supernatural—spirits, demons, and the bureaucratic mess of Diyu, as everyday reality. And it doesn't waste time explaining the rules.

The narrative pacing is relentless, maybe even draining. From "urban legends" to "full-blown apocalypse," the show aims at subverting expectations.
Apparently the most effective way to summon a Demon King is through layers of psychological trauma.
So, about Han Chieh. He isn't a hero; he's a man whose death status is "on-hold," an employee of the Third Crown Prince, paying off a debt with every supernatural exorcism, literally waiting for redemption. The show succeeds because it prioritizes his internal baggage over simple ghost-of-the-week mechanics.
His shirtless scenes aren't fanservice, they’re the medical documentation of the modern take on mythology.
Then there’s Yeh Tzu. I’ll be honest: she is an "annoyance sandwich." Her presence felt questionable at times, but the show manages to weave her into the found family of ghosts and neighbors.
The villains? They aren't just evil, they are master planners in a "hate triangle" that turns human trauma into demonic leverage.

Let’s be real about the CGI: it’s an acquired taste. Episode 1 is a mixed bag, but by the time we hit the later episodes, this turns into CGI central! Purple lightning, crushed bone sound effects, and hellish cityscapes are ambitious, and the show occasionally suffers from overkill.
While the camera work gets chaotic, usually in the later part of fight scenes, the aesthetics here are a visual feast!
Think neon-noir landscape with grimy urban realism, then add traditional shrines and incense smoke and more saturated glow of neon signs. And really sleek underworld vibes.
From lighting a cigarette with a divine weapon to the Golden Graffiti blessings at Dongfeng Market, the production design leans into a "Punk-Taoist" aesthetic that makes the world feel lived-in and dangerous.
And the score—specifically 'Royal Progress of the God'—is the glue holding the show’s intensity together. The use of the Suona mimics the aggressive energy of temple festivals, perfectly mirroring the internal chaos here.

Here is the drama’s secret recipe: 85% Dark, 9% Light and 6% OTT Comedy. It’s a nightmarish version of your favourite supernatural drama, it feels messy and authentic. It has pizzaz and a soul! Sure it’s also violent and there are human sacrifices, the progression into darkness is inevitable with this plot.
It balances horror (people eating burning coal in Diyu) with absurd humor (a horny ghost gets a redemption arc, and we get buddy-cop banter).
Sure it might give you tonal whiplash, but I think the comedy felt earned rather than forced.

Now, the most fascinating part: the Modernization of Myth.
In this world, the Underworld has smartphones, Ox-head looks like a bouncer, and the Third Crown Prince is a rebellious, leather-clad prick who reconstructs limbs with lotus roots. It is a uniquely Taiwanese exploration of how traditional temple culture and "Spirit Medium" traditions survive in a world of high-rises, arcades and millennials.
Watch it for the Third Crown Prince Wardrobe and Diva Aura. Watch it for the occult banter. Watch it if you like purple. Watch it if you read comics but can’t admit it to your friends. Watch this if you’re tired of Jacob Wang playing a moody doctor. You can also watch it for the meta-commentary on belief by the way.
Watch it for the Karmic Retribution arc that proves "magic cannot defeat spiritual power, spiritual power cannot defeat karma, and karma cannot defeat a wish."


Potential headlines that didn't make the cut:
- Not Your Mother’s Ghost Whisperer
- The Liver, The Bird, and The Wardrobe
- How to Cleanse a Demon with a Chupa Chup
- New Diyu, Who Dis?

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perfecting the craft of deception

let’s start of with the casting, personally loved it and was perfectly done for the storyline. you can tell the female lead has played this kinda of role a couple of times by how well she’s crafted the art of deception.

The plot itself was strong at the beginning and strong at the end but felt a little thin or flat in the middle? I enjoyed watching it but i can see how people would lose interest with it in the middle.

Overall. I it’s a kdrama i would recommend to someone who likes a show that makes your heart race a little and loves the game of deception.

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ending left a bad taste

casting: i liked the casting, i think the male and female leads made sense for the characters and very well had the faces of their characters. the younger ML and FL were perfect too!

plot: I won’t deny that this was a great plot and possible storyline - do i wish we saw a more badass side to the female lead? yes, but the story was pretty good until the last couple of episodes.

a. I hated the sudden, very obvious and uncomfortable amount of propaganda that was thrown at us in nowhere.

b. The whole war arc made absolutely no sense and added nothing substantial to the story..like genuinely why did it even exist.

c. It wasn’t in character, i personally feel like the ending was both rush and out of character for the most part 🤷‍♀️

overall: it wasn’t a bad show while i was watching it but the ending left a bad taste. so now whenever i think about it, unfortunately, i remember the absolute shitshow the ending was. I personally haven’t recommended it to anyone which is disappointing because it had all the charm to be a really good kdrama.

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It was born epic! Mark my words: In 10 years, people will still be talking about this series.

It's very rare for me to give a 10/10 rating, so you can be sure that this series is AMAZING. I'm a fan of xinxia, ​​wuxia, and xuanhuan. So when I watched this series, I was expecting something epic, meaning the chances of me being disappointed were high... but that didn't happen!

*The characters are captivating: They are well-developed, with stories developed for each one. In other words, none of them are random. I fell in love with all the characters, even the villains.

*The cast is perfect: From the children to the extras who only appeared in 10 episodes. EVERYONE seems like they were born to play their roles, because we can feel that they truly committed themselves to their characters. They gave them LIFE.

*The Story: A romance with plenty of action, mystery, and just the right amount of conflict to please all audiences. No drawn-out moments and very well-crafted storylines, making the most of every minute on screen to deliver a well-made story. No 2-minute "video clips" to justify development. Here they use time to their advantage to calmly build a character and their journey.

*Comic relief and tension exist in just the right measure. I hate stories that are only tense, and here I was very happy because, even though the story has very tense or action-packed moments, the series still managed to strategically place drama and comedy so that we don't get bored, so we can breathe and laugh a little or cry before a very grand moment.

* The main couple: Two mature people who begin a romance slowly, and we can feel how much they love each other, even when they are apart. I was very happy that they didn't use that trick of lying that one was using the other just to cause hatred in the other person, because they couldn't be together... Here, even when they are separated, they don't deny how much they love each other; we can feel it in their eyes, their actions, their words, in everything. The female protagonist is sweet, a warrior, charismatic, intelligent, funny, strong, and captivating, and she defends her man at all costs. The male protagonist is intelligent, romantic, astute, mature, a warrior, and defends his woman at all costs. LOYALTY is the word that defines this couple.

* The secondary couple: Even though they are one of the villains, I rooted for this couple a lot. I can't deny it! They managed to create two couples with great chemistry! The secondary couple stands out too much, but the main couple is so epic that even though the secondary couple is fantastic, it couldn't overshadow the protagonists. Honestly, I believe that if this secondary couple were in any other wuxia I've watched, they would have stolen the show and completely overshadowed the protagonists. This shows two things: 1) That the main couple is so fantastic and unforgettable that even the secondary couple, being so incredible, couldn't overshadow them. 2) The directors are truly committed to making a perfect series.

*Villains: They managed to create several villains throughout the plot who are both frightening and charismatic, with personality and believability. They aren't generic villains who hate for no reason and act like robots. They have ambitions, loves, hates, quirks, personality, and depth.

*Ending: I've rarely seen such a perfect ending. As soon as the series ended, I thought: "Wow, now I want to see a second season just with the story of the two children!"... (don't watch the post-credits scene; it doesn't add anything and disrupts the rhythm of the final scene).

*Technical details: The soundtrack is very good, capable of giving you goosebumps. The visual effects are above average compared to other works FROM CHINA. The choice of camera lenses was perfect for this style of series, as it gave the series a serious tone that it needed, but without being "too serious," as it needed comedic relief here and there. The cameras don't stay fixed on the characters; at various moments we see them "walking" around the scene, giving a "Wow" effect to the viewer. The chosen costumes are striking and have personality, as they gave "life" to the series. It's the type of costume that creates a "trademark." From the protagonist's outfit at the beginning of the series to the armor used, there's always something different, leaving a mark wherever it goes.

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Another Sageuk Soul Swapping

When I said this another Sageuk soul swapping, am referring to many others that has same theme - like Mr. Queen and Moon River. Another common theme is the manipulation of the king by someone he trusted and is greedy for power.
But makes this drama interesting? - perhaps the transformations of several characters in this drama as:
1. The mad king in the end listened and stepped down. It was a long journey. I should say, Ha Seok Jin played it well.
2. Eun Jo - was a petty thief helping out the poor but later on helping the grand prince to bring peace.
3. Yeol - just a prince who tried not to get in the way of the king to save himself. In a way, his transformation came when he met Eun Jo.
4. Jae In -crossing path with Eun Jo made him reflect his own lowlife yet chose to do what is right though going against his father's ways. I think he has the most transformation from being an antagonist to someone who chose to protect a woman whom he knows has her heart set on someone else.

There are very good dialogs in this drama showing how much the people can reflect on with regards to power, responsibility, equity, justice and love.
Good thing there are not much soul swapping happening as in Moon River. And both leads' characters do not have a stark difference yet recognizable when they switch.

I love the allies of the grand prince. They don't blindly follow, and perhaps they were like that because the grand prince isn't using his power to manipulate or control people. I love that Eun Jo has a lot of people sympathetic to her because they had received so much from her.

The near-death experiences kept us hooked to watch the next episode. And I am glad the main leads lived.

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Just plain

Plot is good so had high expectations , but the interactions continue to be like friends and roomates than lovers , it was like friends were forced into relationship, there's no development but randomly confessing out of nowhere ? they're good as friends,as lover the story doesn't seem interesting I don't care if they're couple or not and even after they did I still don't care ? there's literally no signs of liking eachother? i watched until the random confession with 0 development and the story suddenly moves to crime and more side characters after 9,10 eps

what I don't like
0 chemistry between ml fl more like roommate, friends than lover
creepy 2nd ml , boring 2nd couple
why chinese drama don't use any lip colour for men ? the ml is normal but the other guy in black looks like ghost and sick, colourless lips I have seen in so many CDRAMA? are they hiding the real colour or thats real colour?
there's nothing annoying in this story could've been better it feels plain and boring later,I don't feel happy or excited for couple obviously when romance is forced

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Exhilarating Ride to the End

A distraught man walks into a police station claiming he had killed a man while yelling at a CCTV camera. Jo Sooji, a single mom detective is adamant on investigating the case despite subtle threats by Jang Do Han from Seoul Prosecutor's office, until she is left devastated when her daughter fell off a building while under Sooji’s mom's watch. Further investigation shows Yu Na went into the building with a high school student who was volunteering at Yu Na's school, who turned out to be Seoul Chief Prosecutor's only son, Yoon Shiwan. Yu Na died due to complication of multiple injuries a few days later and both cases are eventually hushed. Jo Sooji goes on a rampage, holding Yoon Shiwan at gunpoint intending to kill him as the law would not hold him responsible for Yu Na's death. She iss subdued but is let loose by mysterious person during police transit. Since then, she works with Seo Bomi and Gong Kyungso and a leader none of them ever knew, to crack down past cases revolving around Chief Prosecutor, Yoon Seongro.

Man oh man, the pace of this one is too fast that I could not put down my phone even when I go to the bathroom. I finished all 32 episodes in under 2 days! Lee Siyoung has always been one of my favourite Korean actress, and of course she works wonders on this. Jo Sooji went from being a loving mom and dedicated police officer who believe in the law to a notorious fugitive who kept doing the police's work for them while breaking the law here and there, apprehending and handing out suspects that would blow up past cold cases that Yoon Seongro had been trying really hard to bury. Lee Siyoung’s action sequences have always been superb, and watching behind the scenes clips where the actress does the stunt herself is even more fullfilling.

I really liked Kim Yongkwang's Jang Do Han. He was great at pissing people (and me) off with his outlandishly peculiar antics, then managed to get me angry at his manipulating schemes, and then had me feel sorry for him for the lengths that he had to go to in order to achieve his goal. A very awkward and complicated character whose wavelength cannot be anticipated at all. You won't know whether he would go rogue or do that good deed expected of protagonist characters, cuz he is that grey character with questionable conscience.

And Lomon who played Yoon Shiwan was damn awesome. I thought he looked familiar AF, and while I was writing this that I found he was the main character of Revenge of Others! He rocks there too, I've wanted to watch his other works since I saw Revenge of Others last year, but I didnt notice The Guardians. Although he played the antagonist here, I truly enjoyed it as he played the twisted psychopathic young man really well. I am going to watch out for his other works later.

All in all I love this show. It has an open ending like they were going to do season 2, but somehow they never did. Too bad for that. Action lovers, go for this! Romance lovers should steer clear cuz there is no romance whatsoever between the main leads, exactly the way I like it.

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