This review may contain spoilers
Cheesy historical gender-bent Cinderella retelling
Gender-bent romance that is basically a more fluffy and cute Cinderella retelling.Don't get me wrong, this drama is one of the better historical rom-coms wth many hilarious moments and a very cute romance between the crown prince & his eunuch. I really hate gender-bent romances but this trope was well done, though I wished the identity was revealed much earlier.
Great chemistry, it was like watching two puppies fall in love. The plot moved quick but it was layered well up until the ending. The curse of the last episode struck again. There was so much building up like Ra On's rebel father, the guard's hidden identity, and the court officials involvement in the Crown Prince mother's death yet everything was immediately solved. How can the stakes be high if it look less than 5 minutes of screen-time for it to be over with? I wish there were more episodes to flesh it out.
Overall, a fun watch with beautiful OSTs, heartfelt characters, and an incredibly adorable love story.
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Please support the lakorn with likes, reposts, tags, views, and comments. it really matters!
I really like this lakorn. Please support the actors and the team who took part in creating this future masterpiece. I wish NetJj and LatteKim success and recognition.As for the lakorn itself they’re all absolutely wonderful! I’m really happy to see “Klao” gradually accepting the situation and starting to adapt to life in that time; it’s such a pleasure to watch, truly charming.
Net and JJ are simply amazing, you can really feel the chemistry between them, and it’s impossible not to notice. Whenever they appear on screen together, it’s incredibly beautiful.
And of course, I’m really looking forward to the continuation!
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a family melodrama with a side of obsession
despite anything else the marketing may suggest, The Rise of Ning is at heart a family melodrama with a few side dishes. it is recognisably tropey but brings enough freshness to feel enjoyable while being surprisingly angst-lite.the titular Ning (Luo Yining) is introduced as the legitimate daughter of Luo Chengzhang, second son of the Luo family. she was brought up outside of the family home at a country estate after the death of her mother, the wife her father didn't want. this is the root of most of the Luo family's multitude of issues, sons who were pushed into supposedly suitable marriages that didn't suit them, breeding a hotbed of infighting between wives, concubines and various children.
our male lead is introduced as the unfavoured illegitimate third son of this same second son. you will never forget his rank as Luo Yining calls for him around 864 times per episode. as a person who finds Ren Min's voice attractive, this was no burden for me, and certainly didn't seem to be for san-ge himself.
since these two are our leads, it's clear that at least one of them is in fact entirely unrelated to their purported father. the transition in their relationship was handled surprisingly tastefully, although grandmother was certainly handing out a few sideeyes relatively early on. that said, her sideeye game was prolific and her love conditional so perhaps it was for some other infringement.
as is customary with this type of drama, the politics side dish took over a little towards the end and there were five or so episodes that, while necessary for resolution of some narrative issues, I didn't love. there was very little palace drama, which I appreciated. the emperor was just some distant person we heard about.
the positive relationships were mostly sweet and uncomplicated but there were still persistent melodramatics since we had not one but two couples with some, ahem, intricate familial relations.
the whitewashing of some problematic side characters without any real restitution was perhaps my least favourite theme. while it didn't detract from my enjoyment much, it was interesting how narrative reward and punishment was so random. some people die for their sins; others are rewarded with playing happy families.
but let's get to the real talk here. Luo Shenyuan is a male lead of the attractive benevolent stalker variety. he is thrilled that his girl is an independent, self-supporting queen but he is also the surveillance king because he wants to control the environment around her (for her safety, of course!) while broadly letting her do as she pleases within the guardrails he covertly sets up. think Sang Yan for those of you who have watched the 2025 drama The First Frost.
Lu Jiaxue, our antagonist, is no benevolent stalker. he is a lonely man turned groomer turned obsessive sociopath. there was much discussion when this aired centered around whether he was a more suitable partner for Yining than Luo Shenyuan, and I can't describe the absolute horror of watching this trainwreck of a man on my screen while reading this commentary because his archetype could not be more clear.
Luo Yining was caught in a perfect storm as a vulnerable child. she was unloved and neglected and found a friend in a young man who himself had been discarded. it's understandable that she develops a crush. indeed at this early stage, Lu Jiaxue is a sympathetic character and I understand why his backstory leads people to give him more leeway than he is entitled to.
but that is where this predator was created. as soon as he is secure in her affections, his mind seems to switch gears and you hear some utterly horrific things. there is a conversation I'd like to be able to bleach from my mind where it's clear that he has actively moved into grooming mode and is testing her boundaries when he is talking about things she should eat so she can get pregnant quickly after marriage.
later, when he meets the older Yining, his obsession is glaringly obvious to everyone. she is clearly terrified of him, having grown up and realised that this was not a healthy attachment, which would have likely occurred whether or not certain third parties had been absent, but he is still determined to own her. not the young adult she is now, with her family and business and now-developed personality, but the younger version with her tame childhood interests.
the clarity with which this character is written was impressive. he might appear one-dimensional or overdramatic but he is also solidly anchored in this deeply distorted fixation in a way that I've rarely seen represented in fiction.
all three of our leads did well enough in their roles. Ci Sha was probably the standout given the material he had to work with. Ren Min held a good line that kept her Luo Yining feeling young and light but also intelligent and thoughtful. I could see why she was well-liked even if she was unrealistically perfect. Zhang Wanyi felt a bit underpowered and I wished they'd let his brief vicious arc run a little earlier and longer because it was a nice change of pace from what otherwise looked like he was operating on easy mode.
all in all, this was a creditable if not groundbreaking drama. it avoids repetitive palace politics and focuses on the sweetness of its leads. while it could have been trimmed by a few episodes, it remains an easy, untaxing watch that accidentally (or perhaps purposefully) provides a masterclass in identifying the mechanics of a predator.
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A feel-good show without much real conflict
At its core, this is a feel-good story of a likable person winning at life. Before transmigration she was sad and lonely, so we feel extra good watching her find fulfillment and happiness in this unexpected second chance. She is loved and supported by kind people around her, and she in turn lifts them up while putting bullies and villains in their places, creating warm and fuzzy vibes all around.Xia Xiaolan pre-transmigration is in her mid 30s, so it’s nice that she has a little life experience, along with knowledge of a future world and the courage of a second chance, to back up some of her amazing abilities. She’s also genuine enough, and we get enough of her interior monologue, that she doesn’t feel pretentious or too unrelatable.
That said, even with all her advantages, Xiaolan really has no business being so successful. She wins at two very different career paths. Everything she attempts goes well and everything she predicts comes true. It’s not even a matter of abilities or future knowledge at that point- it seems to be more luck, coincidence, and other random plot armor that make things happen. And she’s so confident through it all that there really is no suspense.
It’s all pleasantly low-stress, just not really that interesting to watch. I was over it in less than 10 episodes. What kept me invested was this whole business with the transmigration. I love how it stays relevant throughout the entire show, as she worries about when her dream will end and how the people she leaves behind will cope. The transmigration framework is the real antagonist of the show, not any of those cartoonishly mean-spirited, woefully outmatched opponents she squashes along the way.
But this part of the story develops incredibly slowly. I basically blew through the show at 1.5X speed just to see how it would turn out. It comes up regularly but nothing really happens until the very end, and I wouldn’t say the resolution is that satisfactory, so I don’t think it’s a good reason to keep watching unless you’re enjoying the rest of the story.
There is a romance, but it’s not as much a focus as you might expect. Zhou Cheng is capable and supportive (“just her type” haha), but he’s only one part of her life. Sometimes, especially towards the beginning, it feels like she’s more important to him than he is to her. But that might be because the narrative focus is on her. I’ve seen this sort of thing in male-focused dramas before and it’s really nice to see the gender reversal here.
Their relationship is very healthy and steady, so much so that I actually found myself enjoying its few hiccups. There is just so little drama or suspense in the entire story. My favorite character is Du Zhaohui who actually evolves some depth (and whose cheeky, Cantonese-accented snark gets more and more endearing). There are other good things about this show- some well-spoken life truths and reflections, good humor that makes you cackle, a really lovely mother-daughter relationship- I’d say it’s all things to make you feel good, though not enough to keep you riveted.
Acting-wise, I always like Zhou Ye. Here she brings a down-to-earth energy that keeps me liking her character, despite all her confidence and successes. I thought everyone else did a pretty good job too, but it’s hard for me to judge since I watched it all sped up.
I also really love the music, from the lovely background music to the 1980s Cantopop to the OST itself. The songs play to celebrate things like family togetherness, optimism for the future, and nostalgic life moments, which gives sweet and heartwarming vibes.
As for the setting... this show is set in 1980s-90s China, which made me a bit wary of CCP propaganda. I think it’s there but ignorable. The show isn’t exactly historical; the cities (eg Shengcheng) are fictional, and important Chinese political developments are not mentioned. Instead, it seems to just be trying to capture and celebrate the excitement of rapid development in that phase of China’s history. It’s all portrayed very positively, as are police and law, and the value of hard work... so take that how you will.
To be honest, a lot of the values may not resonate with all audiences in today’s day and age. I cringed a bit at the gross consumerism, shameless capitalism, and predatory marketing tactics she celebrates, and her environmentally destructive luxury real estate development rubbed me the wrong way too (as a millennial who can’t afford a house). But I do think they were a big part of China's culture at the time, and it’s fair to put out a show reflecting that.
It is still fun to see the development of technologies, lifestyles, and the city itself, over the 10+ years. Fashion too- Xiaolan’s village girl outfits at the beginning are cute, but she quickly gets very stylish. Throughout the show she parades an impressive wardrobe of fantabulous outfits, and it is fun to see them evolving with fashion trends.
Overall, I don’t want to give a harsh rating to this sweet little show, but I also don’t think I should give more than a 6 or so to something I had to watch at 1.5X speed. It’s just not that interesting and the conflicts are too easy; for most of it, I felt like I was simply trying to get through to see the ending. At the same time, this is a show that makes you feel good, and that’s worth a lot too. It’s impossible not to smile as you watch Xiaolan celebrate the joyful moments of her life and reflect on her happiness. I didn’t fully appreciate this warm glow until the show ended and it disappeared. So +1 points for making me feel good, even if I was also a little bored.
ENDING – READ AHEAD ONLY IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, CONTAINS SPOILERS
This is a happy but not exactly satisfying ending, as the tie-in to her modern life that I waited the entire show for only gets 10-15 minutes at the end.
The 1980s-90s storyline is in a pretty good place by the time Xiaolan suddenly disappears, so I was satisfied there. She wakes in the modern world again, but her experiences in the “dream” have given her courage and insight, so she is able now to fix her problems and turn her life around.
Throughout the show there are hints of Zhou Cheng’s maybe-presence all through her modern life, but they never come back to this idea. Instead, she passes by him at the end and they recognize each other. There is no explanation for it (perhaps they dreamed the same dream?) and no view of what happens afterwards. It probably has something to do with the censorship around transmigration, but I couldn't find anything online about a book ending or anything like that.
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Esther Yu acting was absolutely terrible.
This drama was completely carried by the male characters— ML and 2ML, and 3ML - the black dragon, and the villain, each with a clear and well-written motivation.
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The drama is very drawn out. There's too much ML, he is often shown in slow motion, which feels weird, like you're stuck loading.The plot involving their childhood is too hackneyed, especially given their age difference. It's as if it needed to be added into the series, and the creators did.
The detective cases are very boring, the 2nd characters are bland and forgettable.
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The ML is unrealistically lonely, despite being handsome, athletic, and a good guy.
FL is completely undeveloped; she's a shell of a woman with no personality.
The second couple is awful and simply wastes screen time.
The plot ades from the second half.
However, the chemistry between the characters is good, and the drama itself perfectly captures the winter atmosphere.
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Through a series of circumstances, each sister experiences firsthand what it means to be the other sister, the other person, and learns to solve problems and view life in a new way.
The ML here is wonderful—handsome, kind, understanding, and always ready to lend a shoulder to cry on. The supporting characters are also all great — each has a personality, motivation, unique image, and a place in the main characters' story. The cast is 10000/10
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A New Perspective on Royal History
I began this story seeking entertainment in ancient Korea, drawn by the dynamic between the prince and his historian. The drama skillfully handles romance, building a sweet and pleasant chemistry; simultaneously, it uses forbidden literature as a clever device to create conflict and intrigue. A standout element is how it immerses us in the profession of royal historians and the gravity of their role, especially by integrating women into this field. This was truly admirable, as it challenges the preconceived notion that a woman’s fate in that era was limited to servitude or marriage.I valued seeing a prince who finds refuge in writing and a female lead who doesn’t just read, but exercises real critical thinking over the texts, providing a refreshing intellectual depth.
However, I must acknowledge a blind spot in my experience: I struggled to process the political plot in real-time. I found myself looking for moments of action or battles to trigger stronger emotions, which led me to disconnect from the political threads as they felt dense or, at times, tedious. It was only upon reaching the final revelations that I realized my mistake and regretted not connecting the dots sooner.
In short, this is a unique proposal that I truly appreciated. Although my instincts craved visual adrenaline, and perhaps that ruined my experience a bit, I recognize that it is a good story centered on a balanced romance, an intricate political plot, and a woman who defies not only the conventions of her time but also the expectations of the viewer
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This review may contain spoilers
BIGGEST SURPRISE!
Gank Your HeartThis was my first drama featuring wang yibo and let me tell you, I was not disappointed at all. I think his acting is so genuine and so real and he is able to portray so many different emotions and fit so many different characters. I’m definitely going to check out more of his dramas.
Man, gank your heart was an unexpected one, I can tell you that. This was only my second e-sport drama but it truly made me fall in love with the genre. I love the teambonding, the found family, and the character development that occurred. I got pretty emotional at some parts especially at the end where you can truly see everyone’s love and care for each other. Truly truly did not expect this to be one of my 10/10s, but I couldn’t find anything wrong with it. It was so interesting, kept me hooked, I love the actors, love the story, and I love the music as well so enough said.
Episode 1: I love how Ji Xiangkong’s character was introduced during the first episode. Wang Yibo’s confident face before the game was super attractive. His almost cold smoldering type. You can tell he’s so smart and the whole team can rely on him. His support for the captain regardless if they lost the championship because of him rlly shows his loyalty.
Episode 2: HAHAHHA! Wang Yibo acting all dramatic when he knew she was fooling him. He was actually concerned at the beginning, but instantly saw through her plan. Even though he knew she was trying to take advantage of them, he helped her with that drunk man without question. Ji Xiangkong is rlly a good person at heart. I love how he defended his captain too.
Episode 4: I do feel bad for Qiu Ying. That necklace was her most prized possession and no one understands that yet. She may appear shallow minded but in actuality, she has a hidden vulnerable side. I always love the familial bonds created in Esport genre dramas. Their infinite support for each other is the best bond built. I almost cried when Gu Fang announced his retirement.
Episode 7: Even though they’re still playing tricks with each other and misunderstanding each other, Jo Xiangkong is starting to warm up and vice versa. I liked how he used another user to test Qiu Ying’s attitude in responding to hate comments and then once he saw she was humble, he started helping her and giving her suggestions. If u think about Xiangkong being a pro e-sports player helping a newbie streamer, it puts into perspective the big favor he’s doing.
Episode 10: Aww Ji Xiangkong finally starting to realize that Qiu Ying wasn’t lying most of those times. Him helping her get back to the base, tucking her in, and just showing his more gentle and caring side. I do feel bad for Qiu Ying though. She was crying the whole way even when drunk and asleep and her sleep talking to her mom. It shows how much she’s hiding and dealing with herself internally and no one knows because she always carries herself in an upbeat manner. And then him settling the whole thing with having her pay 0 dollars because he knows she already lost her job and house.
Episode 13: ugh this one really broke me. Xiangkong having to leave the team to protect everyone else because he knew Zhao Yang wouldn’t ever let him go. He would always find a way to kick Xiangkong out. Li Yixuan was the one that I really feel for. Him in the rain begging Xiangkong not to leave. That whole situation was just so messed up. Yao ge also was like idek what he was thinking. How did he think it was going to end?
Episode 14: I love Xiangkong’s morals. He refused an offer from a rlly good team because he wants to play for and represent China. I also love that he’s so supportive for Qiu Ying’s dream and his little head rub he does.
Episode 22: AHHH OH MY GOODNESS. Qiu Ying literally openly confessing her feelings towards Xiangkong while at the competition. She put so much thought into her words and her constant belief in him. They understand each other and will hold on to that promise of getting to the top of the world together. Xiangkong was moved at her words too, u could tell even though his first love Miya had just recently showed up. I rlly hope he doesn’t go back to her. I loved how Xiangkong dropped everything to comfort Qiu Ying with her brothers accident. He stayed up all night even when he had a match the next day and missed talking to Miya for the last time before she flew back. Not only that, but he knew how important her passion was for her job so he talked to Luo Tian and cleared everything up. I LOVE LOVE LOVE how he supports her in her job.
Episode 24: Even though Miya is back and trying to get Xiangkong to recollect their memories together just like the guitar tuning scene, I love how Xiangkong was just thinking about Qiu Ying. He recalled all of his and Qiu Ying’s moments together and set a boundary between him and Miya. U can tell he doesn’t feel the same way towards Miya but I’m afraid of the miscommunications I know is going to happen with Qiu Ying. I called it, the miscommunication happened. Why the heck is Miya such a plotting girl? That comment about Qiu Ying just being her copy five years ago was such a mean girl move. It made Qiu Ying insecure and feel like an idiot. And Xiangkong calling Qiu Ying his gf when they weren’t official was not a good move at all. It gave off the wrong meaning. But, at least the truth is out. I truly do believe that Xiangkong now likes Qiu Ying though. I don’t think it was ever a replacement thing for him. They don’t limit each other like him and Miya did. They support each other always. The gift was so thoughtful too of his motorcycle. UGHHH I know this part had to happen but it hurts my heart for the both of them.
Episode 25: that conversation that Miya had with Qiu Ying rlly rubbed me the wrong way. She bragged basically on their past relationship that’s OVER knowing that Xiangkong told her clearly that was past history. Qiu Ying trying to stay strong broke me when I knew she was hurting so much on the inside.
Episode 26: man, the public is harsh. Them blaming Qiu Ying for being a third wheeler when she literally didn’t do anything wrong. I really wish VNG would’ve let Xiangkong go help Qiu Ying bc u can see he wanted to and felt bad his matters were affecting her. Also, it was another mean girl move to announce Xiangkong and Miya’s past relationship in front of everyone. It makes Qiu Ying and Xiangkong’s life harder, it isn’t some big love declaration if Xiangkong doesn’t want it.
Episode 27: Awww the first thing that Xiangkong did when they finally talked again was put her hair behind her ear. The classic like just bf actions r making me so optimistic for their future, but they have to hurry up and chop chop on making up. And plus, her running and coming back to him shows how much care she still has for him no matter what. HIS PULL BACK AHHHH!! UGH, I LOVE WHEN PPL DO THAT. AWWW AND HIS MINI CONFESSION. “I like you. I don’t see u as a substitute for anyone. I don’t know when it started. Maybe it was during Rising Star, maybe at the convenience store. Didn’t we agree to reach the top of the world together?” And then Qiu Ying stating that she has always liked him but the publicity of him and Miya worries her. AND THEN THE FIRST KISS TO SHOW HIS LOVE!! UGHHH…HAVE CONFIDENCE IN URSELF QIU YING!! Xiangkong standing up for Qiu Ying when the Dragons team was talking smack. He was ready to fully fight them for her. I love how Yibo plays out the angry and protective side because he does it so well. And then him standing up for her when Qiu Ying got accused of leaking VNG’s tactics. AND THEN HIM PROTECTING QIU YING AND STANDING UP FOR HER TO THE ICONQUER COMMITTEE. He went and again showed how much he understands Qiu Ying’s hard work that goes into becoming a commentator and he doesn’t want anything to ruin her dream. YES YES YES!!! I love how Xiangkong finally made his big move. He said to all those reporters that he wants to be Qiu Ying’s bf and there’s nothing between him and Miya. AHHH AND THEN THE SECOND KISS!!! YES!! FINALLY THEY’RE TOGETHER.
Episode 28: Xiangkong, Pei Xi, Li Yixuan, Sun Yi, bro this team is going to be amazing. Phoenix is gonna be unstoppable. Power team, dream team, they literally have everything. Also, I love Qiu Ying and Luo Tian’s relationship and support for each other. I hope they can comment on esports again someday together.
Episode 29: oh I cried like a baby when Sun Yi’s whole support team showed up. Everyone coming together to show him his followers and how much support and care other ppl have for him. I love the found family in this drama. “For you guys, I will fight again” those words are so touching.
Episode 30: YES! Xia Ling is finally showing his strength and Pei Xi showing his compassion. I love this team!!
Episode 31: Her repairing her relationship with her dad was also the sweetest.
Episode 32: Ok but I rlly don’t like how Xiangkong reacted to the Miya situation. Like there’s no way he’s acting like that with his ex when he has a gf that is NOT MANIPULATIVE. He’s saying he’s gonna stay with her and completely dropped Qiu Ying. Come on now. After fighting that long to be with her, how is it Miya again?
Episode 35: “Today, I don’t think they’re fighting for themselves. They’re fighting and carrying the dream of 2 generations. The best moment in China gaming history.” Oh man, that part for some reason touched me so much. I broke out in tears when they’re representing the dreams of so many esport players. Ji Xiangkong used Qiu Ying’s strategy to rise to world champion. The symbolism and parallels are so touching. The whole team buys Blaze Rod and come together to win. Pei Xi sacrificed himself to buy the team more time, he learned to be a true team player. And then Sun Zeyi being the last one to carry the true team to victory. They worked perfectly together, trusted each other, and supported each other. Man, the emotions. I was sobbing during that ending scene. And then Xiangkong’s public display of appreciation for Qiu Ying, because they both truly did reach the top of the world together.
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I loved it at first........ Don't get me wrong it's great
Duang with you was quite nice in the first few episodes. I did quite like it. Duang was persistent and was cold and everything. Typical love story a bit cliché though But I loved it anyway. I looked forward to each episode releases which are on Saturday evenings for my region. I genuinely thought it would be a soft story but it turned out to be quite emotional. Qin had a difficult childhood and all, I get that but like I really thought he was going to be a cold top. he's actually so fragile and it always makes duang want to protect him. Also, it's always duang helping him I wanna see Qin also doing something because I don't really like the fact that Duang always has to run after him like a hopeless puppy. I know that's the whole plot but still. I hope the ending is good BTW. And one last thing WHY DO THEY KEEP CUTTING OUT THE SCENES. At this point it reminds me of china that everything has to be censored 😪. In all I really love this series and I highly recommend itWas this review helpful to you?
First Impressions: Overhyped and Underwhelming (Episode 1 Review)
I went into Rebirth with really high expectations, especially because it was being compared to Lost You Forever and linked to the same novel author. Naturally, I expected something emotionally gripping and well-crafted from the very first episode, but unfortunately, it turned out to be a disappointment.Let’s start with the acting. The female lead, in my opinion, is the weakest part of the show so far. Her performance feels immature and lacks the emotional depth needed to carry a main character. It’s difficult to connect with her, and she doesn’t fully embody the role. Honestly, she might have worked better as a secondary character with less screen time, but as the central figure, she falls short.
On the other hand, the male leads are doing a decent job so far. Their acting feels more natural and grounded, although it’s still early to judge based on just one episode.
Visually, the drama is fine the graphics aren’t bad but the real issue lies in the editing and storytelling. The first episode feels messy and poorly structured. Scenes jump too quickly without proper transitions, making it hard to follow what’s happening or where events are taking place. The pacing is inconsistent, and at times it feels rushed and unpolished almost like it was edited hastily, which really takes away from the viewing experience.
Overall, Rebirth doesn’t live up to the hype, at least not yet. The first episode, which should set the tone for the story, fails to deliver a strong or engaging start. That said, I’m not ready to drop it just yet. I’ll continue watching to see if it improves.
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I really liked the actress Arin in this project, I hope she will get the leading role in the future too.
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