Reviews

deep, real, unconditional love. Amazing comedy and ML actor ; bad FL actress

I am watching this in april 2026 and HAVING A BLAST, THIS IS SO FUN!!!!! The first 2 episodes that is :) It is less fun / more serious later. But it was more warm and sometimes ... send me off my chair, laughing... Like... ep 5 hairdos LMAO all scenes from the hairdresser and on... LMAO LMAO LMAO the detective meeting them... colleagues commenting... LMAO

ML actor is so good at acting this role!!! so fun! charming, playful, creative, lively, alive, energetic, moving a lot, expressive, goofball, AMAZING comedian. My new fav actor! Scenes with him in glasses giving the hairy bag to FL, or him answering to SML's parents as if a gay lover, and so many other scenes, are total total comedy.
Seems like he was one of early idols or fashion models who got a screen role, adn then after that, so many fashion models started acting and most of them are CEMENT cannot act at all.
How this ML actor is acting is soooo off the rails, so crazy creative, so rich!!!! I need to watch the drama without subtitles or some super huge subtitles so that I can see all of acial expressions, body movements and his goof offs :) He is a super creative goofball, and his main strength is not his face but his lively warm goofy flirty CHARM. He is a true Monkey sign.
He is not good at acting fake soapy scenes LOL like whn he gave $2K to scammers and sat in the park... He is not acting well scenes with sad or remorseful feelings.... And he is not good at smiling :) he is good at acting charming with his lips closed or slightly smiling... he is some kind of fashion model, seems like.

The detective who was helping with scamming is GREAT at smiling. Wow that was 2015/2016 when actors with slanted eyes were considered hadsomone. Good old days before stupid plastic surgery and trying to look caucasian. That is really really stupid racism. I wish Asians to look themselves, they are pretty in their own way, WHY imitate someone else. Yeah sure, to sell the dramas more in the West since West has most money - I see why - but is it really needed????

The plot makes Louis autistic and also FL is rather .. dumb too - naive - they dont seem to learn fast to be careful

**** FL actress is terrible, cannot act! ***** I saw her in To My Beloved Thief this year and she acts THE SAME THE EXACT SAME faces, voice, etc THE SAME. omg that chick has zero skills. It is annoying to see her pretending instead of acting.

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I had FUN with the first few episodes, and by ep 7, I was about done watching it... so just in case, watched 9 full episodes, then ff through 10, 11 and then watched most of 16.
It got tiresome by the end to watch Louis and BS who did not change much. Their behaviors just didnt fit with the adults they were supposed to be by then. It's ok - it was a love between two fools :)

Had fun with the side characters, Ma Ri was fun :) the acting of that actress and also the script was hilarious - stiching before going to bed, ha? lmao

So bye bye Lous and Bok Sil story, it was lovely, and we are all sure you are living happily ever after. What an epic love story.
AND THEN LOUIS AND BOK SIL, THE TWO FOOLS, LOVED EACH OTHER MORE THAN ALL LEARNED AND SMART PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.

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But bc of ML, I am totally determined to watch older dramas. THis is so fun!!! By chance, I watched Hello Monster before watching this drama and then recognized the ML. Hello Monster also had ML from Idol I, in excellently done support role, it was clear a great actor was being born.

I loved old dramas bc there are sooo many great actors in there, and the plots and the filming is a LOT more creative and dynamic.

FIRST OF ALL, PPL LOOK NORMAL, they are physically fit, they move, they express, it is so dynamic!!! their faces are normal, they got meat on them, their skin glows, their hair glows, ppl are ENERGETIC and look more healthy and happy.

2015/2016 is a LOT sexier than 2026!!!! 2026 is skeleton actors, so super skinny, looking tired, lifeless, serious, just BORIING, no movement, so slooow... Gosh!!! SICKLY, weak, dull....
I am thinking the ML in Practical Guide to Love, he is like a stray cat, and sooo slow in every way. Even the 2ML that the women in the audience liked so much, is pretty much a stationary slow boy too...

WOW WHAT HAPPENED IN 10 YEARS THAT ACTORS GOT REDUCED TO THIS GHOST-LIKE EERIE MALNOURISHED LOOK AND VERY STATIONARY SLOW "SERIOUS BS" ROLES?????

IT IS LIKE THE WHOLE WORLD BECAME SO DULL, WITHOUT CHARM, WITHOUT CREATIVITY, WITHOUT MOVEMENT, WITHOUT EXUBERANCE AND FUN

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This drama is so refreshing testimony of true unconditional love between "two fools" - there is nothing between them that is not love

If the audience cannot see it, then I will remind the audience of the famous line from a famous story....where it is clearly spelled out what you just witnessed, so that there is no wrong guesses by the audience....

It totally reminds me of the famous Jewish story about two fools in love, usually titled "Shlemiel and Cippa" or sometimes "Schlemiel the First," written by the Nobel Prize-winning author Isaac Bashevis Singer. THE STORY ENDS WITH ESSENTIALLY THIS SENTENCE:

: AND THAT IS HOW THE TWO SUPPOSED FOOLS LOVED EACH OTHER MORE THAN ALL THE SMART/LEARNED PEOPLE IN THE WORLD
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Ok I am watching Shopaholic Louis 2015 kdrama in 2026 and I now understand how kdramas got to be so awful since 2015.

Shopaholic Louis kdrama shows compassion, the love, the connection, the message of deep belief in goodness, in unconditional love in spite of everything.
There are greater stories of great loves, involving spiritual loves, but as far as human love goes, ML and FL here are examples of how deeply humans can love. If you cannot see it - then... ??? I would recommend you read recap of this drama on Dramabeans, the best summary is the Commentary to the 16th episode: https://dramabeans.com/2016/11/shopping-king-louis-episode-16-final/

So after seeing comments of the audience how this drama was boring, SML was too old, etc etc - even ppl who "liked" the drama complaining about silly stuff, clearly not really liking it - I can see the thinking of the Western and other non-korean audience.

THIS DRAMA IS INCREDIBLY CREATIVE AND INCREDIBLY DEEP, and if your heart is closed / jaded / callous, you miss it. And anyone who watches hwood or cdramas is trained to be a callous person.... . Kdramas also train in certain forms of being rotten, such as sexism against women, portraying women as dumb, kind, losers OR villains.

Most ppl on this site are international audience, polluted by junk from Hwood and now cdramas, very bombastic sensationalistic dramatic soapy plots, very shallow, fast whizzing flashy images, etc. Hwood too, with s.x and violence instead of content. Cdramas and hwood are like alcohol, you watch them to stop thinking about the reality. So they do NOT have any transformations and character growth, and are very HEAVY, they lack lightness and humor.

kdramas DO have meanings, teachings, transformations, character growth, heavy topics treated with compassion, lightness, warmth and humor, and hope, always seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. and always moving towards it, putting effort to move towards it.

A true, real, good story has 3 parts: PART 1: FLAWS AND SUFERING FROM IT, PART 2: EFFORTS AND SUFFERING AND FIGHTS IN OVERCOMING, and PART 3: WIN AND TRANSFORMATION
Hwood and cdramas have only part 1, and all real kdramas have all 3 parts.

Hwood-style is similar to Chistians focusing only on the story of Jesus on the cross, and totall failing to put attention on his RESURRECTION. But the resurection is the critical part of that one story, and the whole point of the story :)

SO MOST INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCE WILL FIND KDRAMAS BORING AND WILL MISS THE MEANING, BC THEY JUST CANNOT SEE ANYTHING DEEPER
but they have money. So Koreans started dumbing down their dramas, and by year 2026, there are so many new kdramas in Hwood style.

And that is truly sad
and Koreans too are losing their "special feel" and becoming numbed and dumbed down.

So that part is a true tragedy - that S Korea does not produce this kind of quality often anymore,
and a true tragedy would be that kdramas go extinct.

2015/2016 has great, creative kdramas,
and by year 2026, many new kdramas are a total cesspool filmed in Western style
ALSO, the actors and actresses are all super skinny now, cannot move, lack energy and liveninss, and new dramas are o sedentary, static, serious, gloomy, with really bad characters who never experience growth and transformation. It is ... sad to see kdramas die.

What is truly Korean is left in dailies and weekenders and VERY RARE "16 episodes" dramas - which usually get lower rating.

PS - If you cannot see the very deep unconditional love and kindness in this drama adn the eforts of ML and FL to maintain it, then something went off with your own inner compass and lack of light in your mind and your heart.... And you need an emergency remedy such as watching or helping with some kittens / puppies / babies , so that you GET TO FEEL THE AWE IN YOUR HEART, THAT AMAZING FEELING OF FEELING THE LIGHT UNDERNEATH ALL DARKNESS. That sense of AWE of God's creation / karma in the life on Earth. THAT Is what kdramas are so good at, to evoke that feeling and to prompt you into your own inner transformation towards the Light.
If you are unable and/or unwilling, then ... you already live in Hell on Earth. Human life is meaningful only when we see the Light that is the Foundation for Everything, no matter how dark it looks on the surface, and when we consistently and patiently keep moving through the muck to arrive to the Light at the end of tunnel, oblivious to all discouragements, we just keep putting one foot in front of the other.
IF YOU CAN DO THAT, YOU ARE TRULY A HUMAN BEING, that is the purpose and essence of what is called "enlightment" - knowing very deeply that the laws of karma are operating even if you cannot see the results at the moment.
The Christians and communists simply have no concept of that, and that is reflected in hwood and cdramas.
Most kdramas have it - these days less and less - and most othern-than-kdramas do NOT have it

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Ah I get it..
A true, real, good story has 3 parts:
PART 1: FLAWS AND SUFERING FROM IT,
PART 2: EFFORTS AND SUFFERING AND FIGHTS IN OVERCOMING, and
PART 3: WIN AND TRANSFORMATION or to be precise WIN BY TRANSFORAMATION, the transformation itself is a win, but by paradox, there are often tangible wins too in daily life
Hwood and cdramas have only part 1, and all real kdramas have all 3 parts.

Hwood-style is similar to Chistians focusing only on the story of Jesus on the cross, and totall failing to put attention on his RESURRECTION. But the resurrection is the critical part of that one story, and the whole point of the story

I would dare even say: the resurrection is the whole point of the story even existing :) It is the meaning of the Creation :) the story of the prodigal son, of us having a free will and VOLUNTARILY aligning it with the Divine Will.


What is the Divine? for all practical purposes, it is the Law of Karma :)

in practical terms, it is us humans making decisions based on EITHER love OR fear :) there is no middle way :) it is either-or - either you do somethiing based on love or based on fear. "doing something" can be choosing to think certain thoughts and feel certain emotions. Thouths and emotions come and go totally without our control, so it is a lost game to stop them, but we DO have a choince to hang onto them or not. That is the essence of applied meditation and being enlightened, really.

And that step is missing in organized christianity, which demands that we do not have such thoughts and feelings, which is impossible, and also we are not given any tools to deal with it, and so we feel lost, hopeless, abandoned and guilty and we "try harder" but it is totally .... hit or miss bc WE WERE NEVER GIVEN ANY USEFUL INSTRUCTIONS

I think Buddhists explain it the best, and esp Tibetans have cook-book recipes for "how to"

and kdramas illustrate the efforts through fun stories. There is more to it that you dont see in a tv series ... !, but a good kdrama certainly sends people in the right direction.

I think Buddhists explain it the best, and esp Tibetans have cook-book recipes for "how to"

So yeah what we see in kdramas reflects those Universal Laws in a microcosm applied to some human lives
but it is essentially what Gurdjieff talks about as C-level influences, indirect contacts with Something Higher, and all humans crave that, so that is why we have fairy tales, etc - so that this Contact can be couched in funny entertaining stories that capture our mind and imagination and focus it on higher-level thinkinig, engaging Higher levels of the brain/mind whatever, I am not going to nitpick here on terminology - something that invokes your Heart Brain and puts you into alpha state and higher - would be my "technical" explanation

and yeah the main reason why kdramas are being targeted for extinction. They are too useful for improving one's life :)

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I think an older excentric SML was a perfect match that fits the script - an older, grumpy, spinster bachelor who finally finds some sweet spring chicken, and abuses his power position.
A younger male would never be a boss of such and important department and with the power to just hire FL without asking anyone; a younger boss would never be close to Gold family; a younger boss would never go for FL bc she was too old fashioned conservative; AND also a younger male boss would have 100000000 women chasing him and would forget this simpleton one in 2 seconds. Also, a younger boss would be closer to ML's age and FL could get tempted to consider him....

So - the boss HAD TO BE older and rather prickly and a lot less attractive than the ML. The boss was meant as a little bit of disturbance and also to help FL.... NOT for a love triangle :)

This drama is NOT about 2 young males chasing one doe and she picks between the two. FL was never supposed to even feel a flutter for this "uncle".
BUT the boss would have been an ok as a romantic partner for her, IF they had matched as personalities and the drama had planned to take a totally different route.

hey guys be realistic, there are couples out there with an older guy and a younger woman, by full consent. In fact, an older guy willing to kiss as@ and treat a younger woman like a princess is gonna win over some fickle moody proud young stud who will run after other women. So let them be

So it is irritating when ppl start spewing opinions without having considered what is going on. One solution does not fit all situations.

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Trigger Warning

**Trigger Warning:** If you can't handle gore, horror, or survival movies with graphic scenes, do not watch this film. It starts immediately with someone head busting, a class full of dead body and loads of blood and extremily graphic scenes, and is definitely gore from the first second to the last.

This movie is heavily influenced by "Battle Royale," but it is much more graphic, especially considering it was made in 2014 using CGI and advanced technology compared toBattle Royale . The scenes are incredibly detailed. While I wouldn't have minded if they'd left some details out, it's definitely a film meant for a certain type of viewer. If you’ve watched "Battle Royale" or "Signal 100," this movie falls in the same category (arguably even more graphic). Additionally, the games played in this movie appear to have inspired "Squid Game," as "As God's Will" was filmed in 2014.


Spoilers ahead ***
Let me provide a bit of background to give you some context if you plan to watch this movie.

First game :The students in the movie must play several games in order to survive. The first game is called "Daruma-san ga Koronda," which is similar to the traditional "Red Light, Green Light." In Japan, one person (the "oni" literally demon) says, “Da-ru-ma-san-ga-ko-ron-da,” while the other players move closer to them. In this movie, the oni is represented by a Daruma doll. (A Daruma doll is a traditional Japanese round doll modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism, acting as a talisman for good luck, perseverance, and goal-setting.)
The Daruma doll turns slowly while chanting “Daruma-san ga…”. When it says “Koronda!”, it turns around to face the entire classroom. If anyone moves within its sight, it opens its mouth and causes that person's head to explode.

The second game: "Maneki Neko," which features a popular figurine believed to bring good luck. In this game, the students wear mouse costumes and must fit a basketball-sized bell through the hoop on the cat's collar to win.

The third game is "Kagome Kagome," a popular children's game. One player is chosen as the oni and sits blindfolded. The other children join hands and walk in circles around the oni while chanting a song. When the song stops, the oni tries to name the person standing directly behind them.

The fourth game is "Shirou Kuma," where students must answer the white bear's questions politely. If they lie, they get killed.

The final game is "Matryoshka," which forces the remaining students to play a lethal version of "Kick the Can." One player is chosen as the "oni" and must capture the others by seeing their faces and calling their names.

The story was a bit confusing at the beginning since I hadn’t read the manga, but the film clarifies things as it progresses. It also made changes to the original games in the manga, so if you're interested, you should check that out as well. The movie plays heavily on surprise elements, starting with extremely graphic scenes, which certainly grabs your interest. While the film itself is great, it ends in a cryptic way, almost suggesting a continuation, and f you have not read the manga i felt like i missed lot of clarity, and felt like there were lot of plot holes. However this might also be due to how the movie tried to include as many game as possible. Overall it was great movie if you like supernatural horror gore movies.

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Not epic… just eye candy

I couldn’t get past episode 1—and not because it’s complex. The story is confusing and barely engaging. What stands out the most are the constant close-ups: same faces, same expressions, over and over, as if the show is more interested in reminding you how attractive the cast is than actually telling a story.

At this point, it feels less like a narrative and more like a template: handsome, nearly invincible characters, vague conflicts, and style over substance.

It’s eye candy disguised as epic storytelling.

And honestly, it’s funny how fast things move—In Search of Jade was the “phenomenon” just days ago… now it’s already forgotten. This will probably follow the same path: big hype, big “records”… and no lasting impact.

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In Your Radiant Season is a masterclass in quiet, devastating intimacy. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, the visual storytelling, using specific color palettes to transition from their "frozen" pasts to their "radiant" present, is nothing short of perfect.

Despite being a thoughtful slow-burn, the series is completely addictive; it hooks you with its atmosphere and refuses to let go. Lee Sung-kyung delivers a career-defining, mature performance, but it’s the chemistry with Chae Jong-hyeop that anchors the show. He brings such a tender, grounded energy to his role that it perfectly balances her more guarded, melancholic performance.

Watching them navigate the "seasons" of their shared trauma and eventual healing is an experience that actually respects the viewer's intelligence. It’s not about grand gestures; it’s about the small, radiant moments that make life worth living again. The 2026 production standards have peaked with this one. A beautiful, atmospheric study on how we find our way back to ourselves through others.

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The Medium is a visually intriguing but ultimately uneven horror film.

I enjoyed the documentary style of it as it seemed realistic and about Shamanism which is quite intriguing, the casting for me was also on point since their appearance and acting fits the role perfectly. However, the story could use some improvement because the story progression is kinda slow.

Though the main story itself seemed interesting enough, it still doesn't justify the long introduction. Not only is the story progression slow the ending also doesn’t justify the film’s length because, for a 2-hour movie, I expected a more proper ending, like in "Exhuma", or even a better resolution that fits a documentary style, perhaps with a text block of some sort, because it felt hanging and incomplete.

The ending was quite confusing and anticlimactic. Although I find some movies and series where the main character dies interesting, this ending left me questioning some things rather than enjoying it.

It didn’t give me chills, only a few jump scares. It also had more explicit scenes than it needed, which took me by surprise, so I skipped some parts because they felt excessive.

However, despite all of this, I still enjoyed the film, maybe because I like documentaries. Was it worth the 2 hours? No. Is it enjoyable? To some extent, yes, if you like exploring Asian shamanism and folk horror.

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Great acting but story is predictable

The Movie starts off with very high hopes as we step into the lives of characters but midway story shows lack of writing and giving clear idea of what is happening to the viewers. The backstory of one of the main characters that is the shaman is missing and we do not see his motives to help our main couple .

Overall its a mid if you really like horror movies revolving around haunted objects and rituals.

The acting was great but story was quite predictable and this movie did not offer anything new or different.
I still feel the concept of the story had so much potential but did not get churned out very well.

If you are a horror lover this might not exite you but it is surely its a one time watch.

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Growth, Grief, and the Weight of Family

I loved this drama so much. Reborn really pulls you in emotionally, especially through its characters and the way it handles growth, trauma, and family.

Qiao Qingyu’s character development was one of my favorite parts. Watching her slowly gain confidence and come into her own felt so rewarding. It wasn’t rushed or unrealistic; you could really feel everything she went through, shaping who she became.

At the same time, justice for Qiao Beiyu. Her story was heartbreaking, and it’s hard not to feel anger at everything she endured. She deserved so much better.

Ming Sheng, on the other hand, was such a standout. He’s honestly a whole “green forest”, just genuinely loving, supportive, and consistent. The way he cared for Qingyu made their relationship feel sincere and comforting, especially in such a heavy story.

The family dynamics, though, were incredibly difficult to watch. Qingyu’s mother is a complicated character; you can see that she suffered too, and by the end, it’s hard not to feel some sympathy for her. But at the same time, there’s still resentment for what she put her children through. That’s what makes it feel so real: with parents, you can recognize the harm, but still feel obligated to love them.

The father was just frustrating. Not even in a complex way, he was simply a coward. His inability to step up and protect his family made everything worse, and it’s hard not to wish he had done better.

Overall, the adults in this show were honestly infuriating, and that highlights how much the younger characters had to endure.

My only real complaint is the ending. After everything, I really wish we got at least one more episode of Qingyu and Ming Sheng just being happy and in love. That would have been the emotional closure I needed.

Still, Reborn is a powerful and emotional drama that stays with you.

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Beautiful drama but....

I think it was a beautiful drama. I liked the first few episodes because it had me thinking he was the BF and he disappeared on her after the accident and then another time, made me think because he lost his memory, he was trying to find her.
I did like that mystery part of it. It did keep things interesting.
Both leads were in a dark place at some point in their lives and they pulled each other out. He understood the struggle she was going through and did his best to make her feel joy again.
Thank you for letting everyone have a positive ending in the drama!!!! Because you got me worried for a bit with some of the characters.
Why I didn't rate this higher? There was nothing significant about the plot, same type of misunderstandings close to the end and then its cleared up by hearing the truth and then trying to find back the person and then the "happy ending".

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Not bad

I've finally finished it, I struggled through the last 5 episodes but I did it.

First of all, I've not seen the OG, so I had nothing to compare this version to, and I think that's why I rated it higher despite the negative comments here I found it entertaining.
Secondly, I like to point out that I don't watch many lakorns, but I understand they have their unique pattern, like too stretched unnecessarily, and many side characters can be killed easily, also they look like they are low on the budget with funny makeup and effects, not to mention the weak acting/editing/directing and so, however that doesn't affect how entertaining they are if you can stomach these stuff.

1- I liked the two leads and their dynamic relationship, the beginning was more funny tbh, cause the fake beard and overactive Khun Yai made me laugh so I couldn't take anything seriously and I couldn't see him scary at all also I love Toey so I enjoyed watching him in a quirky silly role.

2- nice chemistry between the leads, I don't know why some complains about the chemistry, they fit together enough to enjoy the show, one thing I didn't like was the fake kisses, I can't believe they still rely on camera angles and hair to made them look like they are kissing, but I understand that they do that in most lakorns and we still got some real light kisses too so it doesn't matter much.

3- as I said before, lakorns tend to have too many drama unnecessary making them too stretched and have too many skippable episodes which is why I struggled in the last 5 episodes, I wanted it to end at ep20 max, and it'd have too much drama already.

4- they killed many side characters, but not the ones I wanted dead lol but I can't say that's a negative thing tbh, it just bothered me a little.

5- too evil characters that tend to be unbeatable, the madam was too much, I'm thankful the overacting here wasn't too much, actually I can stomach that much, I've seen worse, but she is so powerful in a very unrealistic way.

6- too many characters in general, I don't understand why they have to cast that much side characters they added nothing to the story tbh.

Overall, entertaining lakorn, not bad but not great either, if you, like me, is intrigued by the story and like the lead then you will enjoy it ~

Final thing, I understand some people compares this version to the OG calling it worse, I wouldn't know, I couldn't find the OG anywhere to give it a try, so I respect that opinion, to each his own, but I believe this version deserves to be considered too and I think the leads did great so,... recommend show ~

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loved you in the past. love you in the present

oh man, it was really good .i wasn't expecting much from it plus the awful subtitles everywhere where i try to watch it. made me question my eyes, cause i can't understand Chinese but i know she was clearly saying a name but the subtitles tend to differ. the only place where i found a better subtitle quality was you tube but then the sound quality there wasn't good. I'm glad that i watched it cause at one hand i got something really nice to watch and on the other hand it cured my drama slump. though i wish the website would've worked for at least the final episode cause it was wonderful but i watched it on you tube but i couldn't emotionally resonate with it cause of the sound.and also we didn't really see xiaoxiao's friend who came with her to the class reunion in the past .and do the classmates also have a distinct memory of xiaoxiao now compared to before? and what happened to xie lan? i guess we'll never know .tbh i'm only thinking about it now .

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Romance drama that gives you the warm feeling but inflated ratings?

The romance is sweet and is slow burn. Both leads acted well and were absolute eye candies to look at. However while this is a good romance drama I felt its ratings is kinda inflated?

I also felt that too much emphasis was placed on the eventual breakup of the second FL’s marriage. When they’ve finally broken up, there were some hints of love blossoming between SFL and Gong Huai Cong but the drama decided on an open ending for them on the last episode while giving us lots of sweet cuddling scenes for the main leads. Nothing wrong and I get many would love these scenes but I just wished some time was given to the SFL’s relationship.

Also cannot get over how annoying the FL’s parents are to attempt to try to make the FL give up her own happiness for the death (the dad’s dead friend). Bro gotta move on.

Overall it was quite a good sweet romance drama but had some flaws which I believe could be easily overlooked with how much sweet scenes they’ve included for the main leads.

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So Good at First, Then a Bit Messy

The cinematography, chemistry, pacing, story (up to episode 20-ish), everything is top-notch. Watching this drama really made me excited for what comes next, and I was always eagerly waiting for new episodes. The female and male leads are also really good-looking. The CGI is just okay.
But in the later episodes, the story kinda goes downhill. There are a lot of plot holes, and many things are left unexplained. I even ended up reading the novel because I wanted answers, and it turns out they changed a lot of things in the drama. Maybe it’s because they had to fit everything into 40 episodes, but it ends up feeling incomplete.

In the novel, the main “traitor” is actually Fan Changyu’s maternal grandfather. Her father marries into her mother’s family and is also involved in the grandfather’s betrayal. But her mother still stays with him despite that, which makes Fan Changyu believe her father is innocent.
Meanwhile, in the drama, her father is the main “traitor”, and she believes he’s innocent because of how her parents act toward each other. Like??? Love can be blind, and maybe her mother is just a lovesick fool. The novel makes a lot more sense.
When Xie Zheng finds out that Fan Changyu is the traitor’s daughter, he just accepts it. In the novel, you can really feel his inner turmoil, and he even tries to stay away from her.
Another thing I didn’t like in the drama is the lashing scene. It was carried out by Wen Yan. He even had the audacity to point fingers at Fan Changyu’s father, while knowing he’s the real reason why everything happened. In the novel the punishment was carried out by a retainer of the Xie family under Xie Zheng’s orders. He punished himself first before getting back together with Fan Changyu.
And the final battle… that’s it?? It only lasts like 10 minutes. They also did Fan Changyu dirty. She actually fights in the novel, unlike in the drama.
Fan Changyu was adopted by Grand Tutor Tao to elevate her background, and they even have a fight because of this. But after they return to the capital, somehow it’s never mentioned?
After the final battle, General Meng was given a title. But who is he? Why is he relevant? If I didn’t read the novel, I wouldn’t know why.
There are a lot more plot holes and things I dislike, but I’m too lazy to list them all. It’s such a pity they didn’t cut down Fan Changyu’s gang or the second couple’s screen time to fix these issues.
Despite all that, it’s still a good drama, and I’d recommend it.

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realistically bittersweet love

This drama is clearly not everyone's cup of tea based on the reviews, but it's a 10/10 for me. If you want a bittersweet realistic drama and a good cry (if you're a crier), then I highly recommend it.

I feel like most of the viewers who disliked this are just not the target audience. The story was really realistic for me as it explored all the struggles and conflicts life can give you. It was full of wrong timings and misunderstandings that I feel like could've been avoided if they, or mostly Eun-a, just actually talked to Tae-seo clearly and honestly before making all the decisions they did. However, I could honestly understand why they made all the decisions they did because hey, that's just how life happens sometimes.

Eun-a might've been self-centered but I understand where she is coming. It wasn't explored well but she went through so much and had to make decisions that negatively affected the relationship. Tae-seo on another hand was pitiful, I would say. He loved Eun-a for all those years and understood her every time. But, their own lives ultimately made it hard for them to be together.

I understand the other's sentiment that A-sol should've ended up together with Tae-seo, but it was fitting that they didn't. Tae-seo loved someone so deeply and him being together with A-sol would be a cheat to how he actually felt and it would've been just a forced connection due to A-sol's feelings for him. As for Seong-chan, in a way, he really just took advantage of Eun-a's vulnerability into having the kind of relationship that they had.

All in all, they were both right. Eun-a's place was right for her and Tae-seo's place was right for him. They were just not made to live in the same place.

Props to the writers for the rather realistic story. I personally think the actors did well in bringing me to tears every time, so props to them as well! It was a heartbreaking good watch. <3

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