Reviews

Sometimes, when trouble comes knocking, you have to stand and fight.

This was emotional, entertaining, action driven, humorous and a fitting S2. Keeping most of S1 formula with minor improvements. No lagging. A more ruthless villain. The gore, agony, broken limbs and fight scenes were epic. Not going to pretend that it was too graphic, for me it was perfect. They delivered again, one hundred fold.

Sometimes unknown adversaries attack. Your only choice is to fight back. S1 Geon U's mother created the initial access. S2, without provocation or invitation, they came for Geon U. They got beaten but always got back up. The heart of a boxer. What Geon U had to learn the hard way, nasty opponents have to be fought in the same vein.

The brotherhood was stronger than before and beautifully portrayed. U Jin's love for Geon U's mother and vice versa, was heartwarming. The support they gave each other without jealousy was wonderful. Every actor delivered in their performances. The ending would suggest a S3 and I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully, we get to see more of Du Yeong and his knives.

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Lighthearted boy love disguising as bromance

I watched thia drama after Reach for the Stars because I wanted to feature them in my new reddit column, Drama Duo. I prefer Reach for the Stars.

What I liked:
1. Duration - This drama is under 2 hours.
2. Tone - Lighthearted with some funny moments. Different from Reach for the Stars which was more melodramatic.
3. Dynamic - I found this drama presented itself more as bromance unlike the other version.
4. Styling - Outfits for Ye Hao Ran really suited him - are those his dailywear? I also liked the outfit of antagonist's assistant - seem like something typical ML would wear.
5. Supporting characters - I really liked antagonist's assistant. Zhou Yi Li's assistant was adorable.

What I disliked:
1. Antagonist - He was possessive of Shen Ji Xing.
2. Writing - I felt that the relationship between the two leads and antagonist's arc were on the surface. If I had not watched Reach for the Stars first, I would say the antagonist posed no harm towards the leads.
3. Acting - Both Ye Hao Ran & Duan Mei Yang were ok in their roles but their chemistry was lacking even for bromance. I didn't sense any 'I'd die for you' vibe from those two.

Favourite scene
When Shen Ji Xing gave the password

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I watched so many episodes and it never manifested into anything.

I wrote this review some time ago. Apparently the drama just made me angry. I watch Asian dramas every day, so believe my ratings and words. Where to begin and end. I gave it a 4 out of 10 because I would watch a 2nd season if she gets with 2nd male lead and they make it better. The strong female positions in this movie were great, but a little overdone. If you watch this, there are about 10 episodes, 30 through 42, that you think will go somewhere but they don't. I can say that the fight scenes and cinematography were fairly good, but not great.

At times, I was confused about who the male lead was, and I think the writers were too, not to mention the director. He did not know how to direct the lead characters to be believable and in love. At no point in this story did I ever root for the male lead and actress to end up together. I just wanted him to die; he was just a bad person. Seriously, most of the time, they just insult the viewer's intelligence. What woman would want a man who keeps her slave bell as a memento, really! Just remind me that I am a slave. The 2nd male lead was meant for her, and once they realized that people were getting more into them, they did an about-face and started making the 2nd lead look bad. They told us in the beginning she had special powers, but they never surfaced. Romance, what romance, when will directors understand what makes a great drama? If there is no romance, it just falls short. This had the potential to be a great story and drama, but it fell way short. There are just many unanswered questions and a bad direction.

The rape scene for the princess was so unnecessary that I almost stopped at that point. I hate to see a rape scene in dramas. I will chalk it up to writing for ratings and nothing more. It is not a happy ending, not even satisfying

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Brilliant Social Commentary That Stumbles at the Finish Line

I’ve always had a soft spot for Nanno—there’s something uniquely satisfying about watching a cosmic entity dismantle human ego. "The Reset" feels like a double-edged sword, though. On one hand, the acting is powerhouse-tier, but the narrative steam definitely starts to peter out toward the finish line. In the series, Nanno seemed like an angel doll to me (soft and kindhearted), compared with the original, who is a creepy and unpredictable mystery.

The season started with incredible momentum, tackling visceral, "ripped from the headlines" social issues before stumbling in its final act.

Episode 1 (8.5/10): A searing look at bullying. It felt timely, uncomfortable, and exactly what I want from this show.

Episode 2 (8.0/10): Again, very relevant to current social dynamics, though the pacing felt a bit frantic—I wish it had room to breathe.

Episode 3 (10/10): The absolute masterpiece of the season. The exploration of social media vitriol and the unfair destruction of innocent influencers was chilling. It’s the gold standard for what Girl From Nowhere can achieve.

Episode 4 (6.5/10): A noticeable dip. The concept was there, but the execution lacked that signature Nanno "bite."

Episode 5 (5.0/10): This is where I started to lose interest; the narrative felt a bit stagnant.

Finale (5.0/10): For a season titled "The Reset," I expected a bang. Instead, the election plot felt uninspired and, frankly, a bit boring due to a certain love interest. It lacked the high stakes needed for a finale.

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I get the hype!

Pursuit of Jade is by no means a perfect show.
There are loopholes and nonsensical shortcuts. The ending is rushed, as is often the case in C-dramas. I would have liked for the pacing of the overarching plot to be more even.

That being said, it’s a viral show I really don’t regret watching. Overall it’s quick and fun. The plot moves quickly and doesn’t waste time on too many filler moments.

The main leads have great chemistry and are beautiful to look at separately as well as together. The main draws of the show are Zhang Linghe and the romance, and both deliver. I don’t think I’ve ever watched another C-Drama and commented as many times upon ZLH’s sheer handsomeness.
- I loved that Changyu had her own arc, including a very mundane one in the early part of the show (getting to keep her house, setting up her small business!). She is a Mary Sue-esque character, but for the most part, she remains lovable throughout the show. I liked how grounded, practical, and also warm and cheerful they made her.
- Likewise, I loved that Xie Zheng is portrayed as kind, caring, reliable, and supportive. He is always finding ways to help FCY and not stifle her. He never seems to be threatened by her, and I enjoyed how he learnt to let his defences down and depend upon her.
- The other characters are fun. I especially liked the relationship and banter between Xie Zheng and Gongsun Yin.

Plot arcs and pacing
- I really liked the first arc in Lin’an town. It establishes the characters, the broader intrigue, and it makes you care about the romance and about the nice, laidback village life (in spite of the gossip and social hierarchy. It’s something to look back to with nostalgia during the show. Like Fan Changyu, it makes you long for home and for the old Yan Zheng.
- I enjoyed the middle part when Changyu discovers Xie Zheng’s identity. This is where there is the sweetest hurt/comfort, and where both characters are the most emotionally honest with each other.
- The last 10 episodes were the weakest for me. It would have been better if there had been an extra 5 episodes to develop the backstory of the older generation better, so we don’t get an exposition dump at the end.

Other points:
- I liked that the drama addressed issues like social class differences (especially at the beginning between Yan Zheng and Changyu).
- I loved the soundtrack, and the use of instruments like the suona.
- The costumes have been praised. I totally agree that they looked great.
- I thought the drama was a nice showcase of different aspects of Chinese culture. For instance, the Spring Festival episode was heartfelt and so well-shot.
- I thought the drama’s attitude to sex was frank and refreshing.
- The parallels between the healthy, egalitarian relationship of FCY/XZ vs the toxic, twisted one between Qi Min/Yu Qianqian was interesting.

Overall, a 红 drama which deserves the hype!

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