Reviews

I LOVEEEEE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS DRAMA SO MUCH ?❤️

Completed 29/29 ; my personal rating (100/10)

no regrets watching it while it was ongoing! It’s so goooooooddd!!! There’s a plot twist in almost every episode, which keeps it exciting, fast-paced, and never boring. It’s a total emotional rollercoaster, and you honestly won’t be able to guess the plot unless you watch it all the way to the end.
The plot can be confusing at first, and you really have to think it through, but just keep watching and it’ll start to make sense. Stressful, but in the best way possible and seriously addictive!

I was bawling my eyes out from episode 22 all the way to 29 😭 The cinematography, CGI, OSTs, chemistry and visuals were all so good too. The CGI was beautifully done, the OST hits so hard, and the visuals are just stunning!!

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WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE ABOUT LOVE!

At first blush, looking at the title, I almost passed, thinking it was just another cooking themed story. I couldn't have been more worng and I'm glad I didn't pass this gem up. Such a heatwarming drama. Warms a cold heart. Emotionall touching, wonderfully filmed and acted and just an all around must view if you're into character evolution and metamorphosis. One of the best, warmest, and spiritully lifting "works of fiction" I have seen. Just what the doctor ordered! The musical score was perfect. The cinematography was exceptional, and both the main actors and support cast was very welcome in my heart. This one will stay with me for a while and I know I'll rewatch many times.

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BITTERSWEET HAPPY ENDING!!!!

This is one of those Chinese dramas that leans heavily into atmosphere, mystery, and emotional tension rather than fast-paced action. If you like slow-burn storytelling with layered characters, it delivers—but it won’t work for everyone.

😍What works well:
☑️Atmosphere & Cinematography
The biggest strength is its visual style. The cinematography is moody and polished, with a lot of attention to lighting and symbolism. Scenes often feel almost cinematic rather than typical TV drama, which helps build a constant sense of unease.
☑️Layered Storytelling
The story unfolds gradually, revealing secrets piece by piece. It mixes elements of suspense, psychological drama, and a bit of romance. The plot isn’t always straightforward, but that’s intentional—it wants you to question what’s real and what isn’t.
☑️Strong Character Focus
Characters aren’t one-dimensional. The leads—and even some side characters—have complex motivations and emotional depth. Their relationships evolve in subtle ways rather than through dramatic, obvious twists.
☑️Subtle Acting Performances
The acting leans toward understatement rather than exaggeration Small expressions, pauses, and tone shifts carry a lot of emotional weight, which fits the show’s psychological tone.
☑️Thematic Depth
It explores themes like identity, trust, betrayal, and perception of reality. These aren’t just background ideas—they’re woven into the plot and character arcs in a meaningful way.
☑️Sound Design & Music
The soundtrack is used sparingly but effectively. When music does come in, it amplifies tension or emotion instead of overwhelming the scene.
If you’re into dramas that prioritize mood and character psychology over constant action, these strengths really stand out.

Now let’s move on to the performances of the full cast--- The cast of *Veil of Shadow* delivers performances that are quietly compelling rather than overtly dramatic, which fits the show’s psychological tone. Instead of relying on big emotional outbursts, the actors communicate tension and inner conflict through subtle expressions, controlled dialogue, and body language. The leads in particular manage to convey layered emotions—uncertainty, suspicion, vulnerability—often within the same scene, making their characters feel complex and believable. Supporting actors also hold their own, adding nuance to the story without overshadowing the central narrative. Overall, the performances elevate the drama by grounding its more abstract themes in authentic, human emotion. I originally started this for Ju Jingyi—I really enjoyed her performances in *Love Under the Full Moon* and *Rebirth for You*, but after that, her other dramas just didn’t hold my attention. It always felt like something was missing. This drama confirmed it for me: what she needed was a strong script and a capable director. Seeing her here has made me a big fan all over again. I’d genuinely love to see her paired with Tian Jia Rui in a historical drama—they have great chemistry together.

❎What bothered me most was that, even though both couples got a happy ending, Li Jie’s situation felt unresolved. He lost his brother(JL) again and also ended up forgetting who he was. I also didn’t like how the story separated the Jiejie-Meimei duo—Lu Wu Yi and Wu Wang Yan and Gege-Didi duo --- Ji Ling and Li Jie. In the end, all four of them don’t even remember each other anymore, which felt really painful. The only thing left is that Li Jie still seems to feel like someone is calling out to him, which makes the ending even more bittersweet.

🗣️Verdict:A visually striking, slow-burn drama with strong performances, but uneven pacing. Worth watching if you’re patient and enjoy unraveling mysteries.

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Hated every second of watching it - would highly recommend.

And this is how you present a dark romance in a realistic manner. Perfect timing with the growing popularity of the “alpha male losers” type of behavior in society. Destigmatizing being manipulated and hurt like that no matter what someone’s gender/background or social status is was a good move on the writers and production.

I don’t think I have ever seen a better presentation of this type of psychological abuse. The way it was not exaggerated, and yet so horrifying without crossing into the telenovela idiocy territory. It was real, awful and frustrating to watch. Here I was watching every episode, knowing it would make me feel extremely angry and frustrated, feeling the cortisol's level rising with every passing minute... being abused and taken hostage by this drama... oh, look at me, compared to the female lead, I actually became a victim of my own making.

Here’s the thing though - Yan Ling was a victim, more than once. With the guilt placed on her for her father’s passing, being groomed by the family friend who was like an uncle and father figure for her, to then accidentally getting pregnant and becoming a single mother. To end with the king of the pathetic losers Luo Liang in her life. This woman could not catch a break. More than once I caught myself feeling more negative feelings towards her than Luo Liang, which only added to the already existing uneasiness I was feeling. I knew and understood that all that is happening is not her fault and he shouldn't be blamed, and yet emotionally I felt the growing frustration with how she kept blaming herself, overexplaning every action, becoming so submissive.

At the same time it was fascinating (for the lack of better word) to watch how slowly, but steadily Luo Liang dismantled her personality, confidence and life. Starting with just kindness and evoking some curiosity, to making himself a safe space, someone who would always be on her side, defend her no matter what, tell her exactly what she needs to hear. And when she was emotionally attached, slowly getting her distance herself from other people, making her doubt her every action, turning his own faults into her mistakes. And when there was no one around her, and she saw him as the only constant and familiar element in her life, that’s when he started to go back on his words, saying how she should be blamed for everything bad that happened in her life, making her feel like she is not worth of anything. Making her believe that even though it’s not easy to be with him, there is no one else, and there will never be anyone else who accept her with all her flaws. Truly tragic.

On the other side, hilarious how Luo Liang kept calling Yan Ling out on her “victim mentality” when he was the biggest pathetic constant victim of them all. I think that’s what made the show so realistic. He was not this smart, hot, competent and confident toxic gege - he was a loser. Notice how in these “teaching” scenes they always claim you will learn how to get and control any woman you want, and yet the first thing they actually teach you is how to pick the vulnerable target. Why? Because deep down they know they are just small boys with no confidence and maturity. They know they cannot get any woman, that’s why they spend so much time learning how to pick ones that are easier to manipulate. All the baby boy needed was a fucking therapy, but nah - rather be led by his trauma and bad experiences, have low self esteem for the rest of his life and target people who are vulnerable since he cannot "handle" anyone else.

And the worst thing is, you cannot win against people like that. The only way to “win” is to cut them off from your life completely. You CANNOT reason with them, you cannot make them understand your point of you. They know, they understand and they act against it to make you be in the defense position, always justifying yourself so you do not have time to question their actions. They will never respect you or view you as equal, there is no kind way to move away from a relationship like that. You cut them off without an explanation, you never look back, you do not care what they think about you.

On the bright side, big props for making sure this drama does not become too preachy “women good, men bad”. We had male victims and female perpetrators. We had psycho dudes ruining lives for fun and to feel better about themselves, and courageous and hard working men trying to stop them. Shout out to Lu Yi Feng and Paw Patrol.

Lu Yi Feng was for sure not flawless. I am still annoyed how the one night stand even happened and how it should not happen. Yan Ling was drunk, and thought he was someone else. He was not drunk. No way he would actually physically struggle with trying to control her and not sleep with her. This is this gray area that makes me feel extremely uncomfortable. I know he is a good man, he does his best to help her any way he can, he risks it all in the present timeline. He is a good father and boyfriend. But that past action will taint him forever in my eyes. And that's great. It's makes his character more interesting, it makes the show less black and white. It does not make it easy for you to decide how you feel about certain characters.

Then we had Li Zhi Heng. No, he is not this amazing badass detective, but he is what we never get in dramas - just a normal good cop who wants to do his job well and help victims get justice. Honestly amazing. Similarly, in any other drama Wang Hao Ying would be this semi-annoying girlboss who knows it all, but here she was not. She knew how to value people around her, how to work as a team. She didn’t need to be in a spotlight all the time.

As for the performances, they are ridiculously good. Not gonna lie, I did start the show for Wu Kang Ren. Was I expecting this type of role here? No. Was I disappointed? Hell nah. On one hand I totally see how he could charm all these women, on the other hand it was clear how pathetic he actually was. To deliver these contradictions was perfect. To make me feel disgusted despite his hotness? Deserves applause. We all love our hot toxic oppas/geges and we often go crazy for even serial killers in them dramas, so to give a performance so realistic and repulsive the good looks stop working? Give him an oscar.

Susan Sun was probably the one that made me feel the biggest range of emotions. Yes, mostly frustration, but at the end, when she finally saw and understood the truth and confronted Luo Liang I was full of excitement and happiness. And again - the gradual progression from hiding her pain, to having her pain being used and exploited, to accepting her pain and becoming stronger because of it - all well paced and delivered perfectly.

I think overall, the drama plays well on expectations versus reality. Luo Liang looks like a confident man, but is in fact a pathetic loser. Yan Ling looks like a confident and competent woman, but is in fact someone with many scars and vulnerabilities. Both Li Zhi Heng and Lu Yi Feng look like puppies and cinnamon rolls that need to be protected, when in fact they are really driven and brave. Wang Hao Ying looks a little bit like a snob that cannot be wrong, but is in fact a real team player and knows her limits. That’s something that can only be achieved with amazing acting and solid directing.

For the directing - masterclass. One of the examples of how they just knew how to convey the changing dynamics without literally spelling them out with dialogues: during one scene Luo Liang placed his hand on Yan Ling’s cheek, but she herself moved it to her neck... which is a far more vulnerable place and shows how submissive she became. Or how so many times she physically lowers herself in his presence - sitting somewhere lower than he is, kneeling in front of him.

What’s most important - none of that came out of ass. From the start it was clear she is not as confident and sure of herself as she presents, and he is not as kind and sane as he fakes to be. Certain reactions, behaviors, words spoken slowly build the full picture of how they are both pretending to be something they are not. So when their dynamic solidified, it did not feel weird, it was not a jarring difference from how they were at first. We just stripped the layers of lies.

Putting aside the structure of the story and its visual presentation, this drama is just pretty. Sure they overused some scenery transition scenes, but I rather they do that and use the money to make the scenes that actually matter look good, and not waste money on filming more shots of the city that bring nothing to the story.

Soundtrack wise, I don’t remember any song. That tells you nothing about their quality since usually I do not pay that much attention to OST as long as it’s not awful.

Overall, I hated the experience, and would highly recommend it to everyone. I was also surprised by how well they balance the ending. We've got the positive ending on the micro scale - the characters we grew to know got their justice, the villains got punished. But on macro scale we kept the realism - Luo Liang being punished does not mean much, because there will always be men like that, ready to take his place.

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New Customs in the Old Village

This is the first time I've watched a short drama under 30 minutes. I finished it. I enjoyed it very much. It's well-made. You can watch it without getting bored at all. Especially Pan Yi Hong, who single-handedly carried the series, gave a successful performance from beginning to end. I liked it very much. As for the plot, we can say it's the success story of a lower-class man who combines his talent with his work ethic. He does things that even make the princess fall in love with him. He makes the king submit to his wishes. It's structured in this way, and I think it's a successful narrative. However, it's not like there were any flaws. There were, but they were the kind that are forgiven and don't affect the whole series, so they're not dwelled upon. This suits the series. Because it's not an ambitious series. It's a mini-series. The flaws are either not noticeable or not given that much importance in the plot. Apart from that, I also found Zhu Rong Jun to be successful. Fan Meng was very, very good. She suited her role very well. She also acted beautifully. Mou Hai Yan ki Sun played the mother. I want to express that I liked her portrayal of a pure old woman very well. The masterful artist has captured that innocence, greed, condescension, oppression, and reckless courage perfectly. Congratulations. I recommend it to those who haven't seen it. It's a good, entertaining series.

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I just want to sincerely thank you for creating such a beautiful and meaningful drama. Watching this story was a very special experience for me.

Like the female lead, I used to wish that I could escape into a parallel world or somehow go back and change my past. I often thought about “what if” and imagined different versions of my life. That feeling stayed with me for a long time.

But after watching this drama, something changed inside me. For the first time, I felt a sense of peace and acceptance. It made me realize that running away from reality or trying to rewrite the past is not the answer. Instead, accepting life as it is can be truly freeing.

This story didn’t just entertain me—it changed the way I see my own life. It helped me let go of regrets and embrace my reality wholeheartedly. That is something very rare and powerful.

Thank you for creating a story that touches hearts and changes perspectives. This drama will always stay special to me.

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A Dream That Finds a Home

I rewatched As Long as We Both Shall Live today because I needed something soft. Not something intense or emotionally draining, just something calm that lets you settle into it without resistance.

And this really is that kind of film.

It doesn’t feel like a story that unfolds in big moments. It feels more like a quiet shift. Like stepping out of a long stretch of cold into a space that isn’t warm yet, but no longer hurts to exist in.

Miyo lives in that kind of emotional winter at the beginning. Not loud, not dramatic, just constant. The kind that slowly shapes how you see yourself. So when she’s sent into this arranged marriage, it doesn’t feel like anything is about to change. Just another place to endure.

What I liked is that the movie doesn’t rush to prove otherwise.

Kiyoka isn’t written as a sudden contrast. He’s not warmth all at once. He’s just steady; controlled, distant, but consistent in a way that slowly starts to matter. Their relationship doesn’t build through dramatic turning points, but through small, almost quiet shifts. A sense of safety that grows without needing to be announced.

The fantasy aspect stays mostly in the background, but it adds an interesting layer, especially with Miyo’s ability, the Dreamweaver power. At first, she’s treated as if she has none, which is why she’s dismissed so easily. But her ability is actually one of the rarest. It works through dreams, memory, and the subconscious, something you don’t see on the surface, but that quietly shapes everything underneath. And that fits her character in a way that feels intentional. Miyo has always been someone whose world exists internally, suppressed, unheard, unseen. So when that ability begins to surface, it doesn’t feel like a dramatic reveal. It feels like something that was always there finally being allowed to exist. Not loud, not overwhelming, just present.

Visually, the movie leans into that same softness. Muted tones, gentle lighting, and a kind of stillness that carries through almost every scene. It captures its atmosphere really well without trying too hard to impress. It just lets the mood settle.

The performances follow that same approach. Nothing feels exaggerated. Miyo’s fragility stays grounded, and Kiyoka’s restraint never feels empty. Both actors keep everything contained in a way that actually works for the story, making their dynamic feel natural.

If there’s a weakness, it’s in how much the film holds back. You can feel there’s more beneath the surface, more to the world, the politics, even the Dreamweaver concept, but two hours isn’t enough to fully explore it. What should feel layered instead comes across as lightly sketched, with key elements introduced but never given the space to truly develop.

This is where the film loses some of its potential. The emotional core is strong, but the surrounding world feels underbuilt in comparison. It’s the kind of story that hints at complexity without fully committing to it, which makes parts of it feel smaller than they could have been. It’s easy to imagine this working far better as a 10-episode series, where both the characters and the world have room to breathe. As it stands, the film captures the feeling of the story, but not its full depth.

Despite its limitations, I’d still rate it a strong 8.5, rounded up to a generous 9, not for a groundbreaking plot or narrative complexity, but because of how much I enjoyed it. And maybe it doesn’t hurt that I have a soft spot for silver-haired generals; though this time, even that blends seamlessly into the film’s calm, restrained tone.

A gentle, atmospheric movie carried by strong performances and beautiful cinematography. While the story feels larger than its runtime allows, it delivers a calm, quietly comforting experience. Even if fantasy isn’t your genre, its atmosphere alone is enough to draw you in.

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A show appealing to mostly girls?

As expected this review section is flooded with 10... and the MDL rating as of now is at a 9... and when I see that, I have to ask myself: Did we see the same show? And as usual, this review is only valid for the UNCUT version. Do not ever watch a cut version, because besides cutting nc-scenes, they also cut story-elements (which will not be that fatal in this series imho). For reasons unknown MDL sometimes seperates them and sometimes does not, but be aware on youtube you get a cut version.

While the performances overall are good, the script is crap. The series tried to walk the fine line between comedy and cringe and Duang (the character) crosses into the cringe territory almost every time, which is so annoying, obnoxious and has nothing to do with "cute". Qin on the other hand behaves like a morron because his childhood was sooooo bad *bruhuhuhu*, sorry that's not an excuse for being a jerk most of the time. They even wrote in "red flag Qin" doing the absolute wrong things and then having him emotional blackmail Duang. Sorry, that's neither cute nor necessary nor should anyone (especially teens) learn from such behaviour. The epsisodes are also uncessary long because they only drag out and don't do anything with the side characters. NorthOtto had an interesting beginning but it faded away and suddenly in the finale he (Otto's character) was introduced to all of them (with too much makeup imho) and no explaination, no talk before - nothing. If you remember, in ep 1+2 we had the "Cherrie" storyplot and nothing happened till the finale where "ups I was Cherrie, so sorry" "confession" and that's in the same scene. Overall this scene felt so forced and cringe, I can't even find the right words for it. This script was just lazily written!

There is a redeeming quality to this show: When Duang and Qin talk alone in a serious tone, it changes the whole series. It is actually well done. I think they could not decide if this should be a comedy or a drama and mixing both gave this series a great inbalance. All the dog references with the stupid sound effects are just cringe and then bringing a dog into the finale - OMG - who thinks of something like that. While the NC-scenes were tastefully made, it shocked me, that in the finale they cut the NC-scene sooo short... that's quite unusual. The second redeeming quality is the OST which is also well done. This is Domundi/Mandee so production quality was very good as well.

But even with this redeeming qualities of the series, this show can only be "average". They had a chance to tell multiple stories in a wider arc but as usual, they failed. It's more a cringe fest for over half of the series. If I ever had such a partner I would kick his ass to the moon or even farther. For me this is a series is clearly targeted to escapists and girls. Nothing wrong with it, but for escapism I don't need a series, there are a lot of other alternatives. Thai shows don't understand how to do "cute" - the last "cute" show was "School Trip" and it had not any nonsense in it (besides the behaviour of some girls and a brother), but both MLs and even their friends were very likeable. Here, I think the actors are cute and nice people, but their characters are just unlikable. That may sound hard, but that's my impression. Also Domundi could not shy away to slap us with ads in our face again, which is soooo annoying. They could have skipped the Japan trip and saved some money going somewhere inside Thailand and made a destination pay for it. But no... for some reason it had to be Japan. If they would only watch JBLs and get inspiration from there.

I wish they had forgone with the comedy part and made it only as drama. Also the should have resolved Qins Daddy/Mama-issues in a more engaging way, just 1/3 of an epsiode is not good enough. So, in the cosmos of university BLs, this was not the worst, but it was also not good.

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this series is the cutest

my emotions are everywhere, this show was so beautiful and perfect I read the novel and it so very beautiful too this show and the atmosphere is amazing SO GOOD
🐶😭🐻‍❄️ Im definitely gonna rematch this best show ever I love teeteepor so much
😭😭😭😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐻‍❄️🐻‍❄️🐻‍❄️🐻‍❄️🐻‍❄️🐻‍❄️🐻‍❄️🐻‍❄️🐻‍❄️🐻‍❄️🐻‍❄️🐻‍❄️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ 10/10 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!¡!!!!!!!!¡!!

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Review: Duang With You — A Masterpiece of Love, Healing, and Quiet Strength

There are shows you watch, and then there are shows you live through.
Duang With You is the latter.

From the very first episode to its final moments, this series proves that great storytelling isn’t about rushing to a climax—it’s about taking the time to let emotions breathe, characters grow, and love unfold naturally.

What makes Duang With You truly exceptional is its ability to balance tones so effortlessly. It’s a rom-com, yes—but beneath the humor and lighthearted chaos lies something much deeper. The series carries melodrama, trauma, healing, and emotional vulnerability with such care that nothing ever feels exaggerated or forced. Every laugh is earned, and every tear feels real.

At the heart of the story are Duang and Qin—two characters written with incredible depth and brought to life through phenomenal acting and direction.

Duang is, without exaggeration, one of the most memorable characters in bl history. He is funny, expressive, chaotic, and sometimes adorably annoying—but beneath all that is a person with unwavering emotional strength. His love is not loud in a demanding way, but steady and patient. He doesn’t love to receive—he loves to give. And more importantly, he loves without conditions.

Qin, on the other hand, carries a quiet, heavy pain. His past—marked by emotional neglect and abuse—shapes the way he sees the world and relationships. The series does not rush his healing, nor does it simplify his trauma. Instead, it allows us to witness his journey slowly: the hesitation, the walls, the fear of vulnerability. And that is what makes his connection with Duang so powerful.

Because Duang With You is not just a love story—it is a story about learning how to be loved.

Watching Qin gradually accept the care and warmth that Duang offers is one of the most rewarding emotional arcs in the series. The love that Duang gives, freely and without expectation, becomes something transformative—not just romantic, but deeply human.

Beyond the main couple, the series shines in its portrayal of friendships and side characters. Each individual feels purposeful, with their own personalities, struggles, and emotional journeys. The bonds between them add richness to the narrative, making the world feel real and lived-in.

Visually, the series is just as compelling. The direction is thoughtful, often choosing quiet moments over dramatic excess. The use of lighting, framing, and pacing enhances the emotional weight of scenes, allowing viewers to truly sit with the characters’ feelings.

But perhaps what makes Duang With You unforgettable is the way it stays with you.
It becomes part of your routine, something you look forward to, something that brings comfort. And when it ends, it leaves behind a quiet emptiness—like saying goodbye to people who felt real.

In the end, Duang With You is a reminder that love doesn’t always arrive perfectly. Sometimes, it comes gently, persistently, and patiently—like Duang himself—waiting for the right moment to be accepted.

And when it is, it changes everything.

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I don't want Duang or Qin with me

Beware reader - this is but a complete rambling, and shall (probably) not contain any decipherable opinion on Duang With You.

Because if this is what romance looks like? I don't want it!
From either POV. NO THANK YOU.
I'm not chasing my crush after they say no, in fact, I'm probably never going to confess to my crush - but that's a me thing - but if do, and they say no, I am not sticking around, like Sir, if you don't want me? Bye, I have better things to do.
And I don't even care if the guy chasing me around is handsome - you Sir, are going to jail, you stalker.

From the very first episode, I did not understand why this was something you were supposed to root for - Golden Retriever and Black Cat energy is real - but everytime Duang and Qin interact, it feels like Duang is literally absorbing all of Qin's energy (not that we get to see a lot of it anyway)

Episode after episode we see Duang going around doing the absolute most (too much) to make sure he has Qin's attention, which starts out kind of weird and kind of innocent. Sometimes you see someone and fall hard because they're attractive and talented and you get a tiny crush. And if you keep running into them, the crush gets bigger and you confess, which is exactly what happens here - albeit with the assistance of two characters with whom Duang shares his single braincell (I love them). It's all fun and antics, because Duang straight up says to Qin, 'I'm going to flirt with you'.
And Qin agrees!

But from there on out we get the worst possible love story, where Duang is doing absolutely everything. Absolutely everything in their relationship. He's all around Qin, bringing him food, drinks, helping him with performances, being the shoulder Qin can cry on - he's doing absolutely everything to get this man to go out with him. Which is either irritating, or endearing if you're Qin. Throughout all this, Qin shows no sign of ever being interested, until he suddenly is.. because they danced well?

It was unbelievable in the first place that the man whose sole expression was no expression agreed to date the energetic puppy but it only gets worse.
Because even as they date, Duang is the one putting in all the effort. According to Qin, letting someone come to you while you wait is an admirable trait, which no sir. That's not how relationships work. You can't expect to sit still and let someone worship you - but that is the exact kind of relationship they have.
They try to chalk it all up to Qin's experience with dating, him wanting to take his time before getting into a relationship because his first love got too frustrated when their relationship went nowhere after a while. Which fair, he wants to see if Duang is doing it just for the thrill of flirting with someone or if he's actually in it for the long run. Fair? Right?
NO
It would be fair if Qin barely knew Duang, but turns out, he's known him forever! He's known him well enough to know he was a genuine guy, and he still takes his time.

Maybe I can't fault him, because Qin.. Qin is a lot of things and Duang is just.. a lot.
I didn't like either of the leads, the way they were written. The trope they based their personalities on is soooo easy to mess up, and they did it royally here. They are the exact opposite to each other, so much so that both of them feel like absurd caricatures of human beings. It's too much or nothing at all.

Duang is too much. Sunshiny and ever-positive characters are almost necessary in a lot of plots, but not like Duang. Between the sniffing and the actual dog-like behaviour, his instincts to treat Qin like an actual deity can be easily ignored, but don't. That is not healthy behaviour. We don't watch dramas for ultimate reality but that is not healthy or realistic.

Qin is the complete opposite. I think his facial muscles moved a grand total of 12 times in the series. He is depicted as an entirely traumatized human being, which is again fair because he's been through some stuff, but I really hate the 'love solves all' narrative. That Duang is the only ray of sunshine in his life felt like utter nonsense. Even aside from that, Qin was a character written terribly, sometimes his behaviour really did come across as mean and narcissistic and I did not enjoy it.

Duang With You is an execution of one of my biggest pet peeves I have with literature and media - the perfect leads - no known flaws, all surface. And I don't mean flaws that are not really flaws, like "oh I read too much!"
No, how are they flawed and how does it affect their lives and the story? It doesn't have to be super deep, we are watching a romance but if you're going to have two perfect human beings on screen who do and say nothing to provoke, just simply agree.. it's not sparking any change in any of them! The only thing these characters have to grow from is a slightly sad background story that is resolved in one conversation despite them practically blaming everything that goes wrong in their life on that one thing.

We even got a side couple with just minimal screentime and maximum cringe, there was no real point to have them be a couple, except to maybe see how their pairing in the reality show would work out in a drama.

The only bright spot in this came in the form of three names - Duang, Jamie and Pae. I know I just laid into the way Duang was written, but remember the two people he shares his braincell with? I love them. Their friendship was genuinely admirable and the only healthy relationship in this entire show. They were fun, chaotic, supported each other but were never afraid to call each other out or smack some sense into each other. Their interactions were always the highlight, no matter the episode.

I don't even have the strength to rewrite it in my head, it's not a bad concept, it's just age old and so boring that I don't even want to contemplate on if anything in this could've been done better. There were tons, but I just don't have the energy to do it.

Maybe I was in a terrible mood as a watched an episode and that skewed my entire opinion of it.. but I don't think so. I just didn't like it, but honestly? It does have it's appealing qualities, they just weren't appealing to me. So instead of saying I do/do not recommend, I'll let everyone watching figure it out for themselves. My review has pretty much laid out facets of the story, it's only negative because I didn't enjoy them. So definitely find out for yourself - but for me, it was a no.

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I WILL REWATCH THIS MASTERPIECE AGAIN

I tend to not have high expectations when im watching light hearted shows. But this one really stick to me. It blown away even my highest one.
I liked everything about this show: acting, pacing, storylines, cinematography, everything.
It's perfect example how college romances should be done. And casting was perfect.
Every single actor did great. I even read novel because i couldn't endure the wait between episodes. But i have to praise Por and Tete the most. They lived the characters. I couldn't imagine who except them would do characters justice as they did. I can't wait to see them in more projects. They deserve everything and beyond.

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Romance so strong even imperial politics took the day off

I entered TLOTFG without knowing what to expect. I mostly came for Ryan, because I loved his portrayal of the emperor in ‘How Dare You’. And I genuinely spent a good time with this one.

He Yan is the kind of heroine this genre needs more of. Robbed of her identity and her achievements, she didn’t wallow. She pivoted, rebuilt, and then dominated.

In terms of romance, He Yan knew her own heart. No manufactured confusion, no forty episodes of misidentifying her own feelings. And Xiao Jue, once he untangled whatever knot lived in that gloriously complicated head of his, became completely, deliberately intentional. The tension between them was electric in the way only good slow burns manage to be. When the confession finally came, it was devastatingly cute. She said she loved the moon, but the moon didn’t know yet. He replied, later, that the moon was now hers. Whoever wrote that scene understood how love actually sounds when it’s gentle and certain at the same time.

That said, the show wasn’t airtight. Some arcs were frustratingly underwritten. Her mother, for instance, was sidelined for most of the drama, then quietly reintroduced in a way that raised more questions than the story bothered to answer. Why the poison? What was the point? It read less like deliberate narrative economy and more like a dropped thread. A minor grievance, but a nagging one.

Where the show did invest its energy, it invested it well. Chu Zhao was not a villain you roll your eyes at, he was one you understand. His motivations were coherent, his pain was legible, and the slow realization that he had become the very thing he despised was the kind of dramatic irony that sticks. His scheme to separate He Yan and Xiao Jue was also, frankly, evident. Concentrating that level of military power within a single household, in that political climate, was always a powder keg. Chu Zhao just had the presence of mind and the bitterness to light the match.

Which brings me to the Emperor. A woman infiltrating the military under a false identity, protected by the man in love with her, and it all gets quietly resolved because Xiao Jue had the foresight to loop him in beforehand? Plausible enough, at a stretch. But then that same Emperor, who had every historical and political reason to treat the concentration of military power within a single household as an existential threat, was ultimately moved to bless their union anyway. By sincerity. By romance. In that era, emperors didn’t just tolerate unchecked military power, they lost sleep over it, started wars over it, ended dynasties over it. And yet here, apparently, a genuine enough love story was sufficient to soften that particular calculation. I found it hard to believe, I raised an eyebrow. Then I consciously let it go, because the show had built enough goodwill by then. But I noticed.

What made it easier to let go was that the show was doing something genuinely thoughtful elsewhere. It had a feminism agenda and didn’t pretend otherwise, but it had the good sense not to make it cartoonish. The men in this story were not bumbling obstacles or moustache-twirling misogynists. They were products of their time, carrying biases they were taught, not born with. Some of them grew. Some didn’t. All of them felt human. It’s the difference between a conversation and a pamphlet. This show opted for the conversation.

But the detail that lingered longest with me : when Xiao Jue was forced to choose between his love and her ambitions, at no point did he consider making that her problem. He didn’t ask her to shrink, to step aside, to trade everything she had bled for so that his life could be tidier. He simply didn’t stand in her way. And somehow, in 2025, that still feels radical.

Loose ends and imperial convenience aside, TLOTFG knew what it wanted to say, it said it well, and it gave you two people genuinely worth rooting for.

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