Reviews

The cutest kid actor ever

I was looking forward to this one because of the good reviews, but it ended up not hitting the spot.

I've looked it up and while this show doesn't seem to be dubbed, the line delivery just felt very artificial and awkward, while made it hard to connect with right off the bat. And the way the plot develops feels very forced, especially with the annoying miscommunications in later episodes.

Both leads are okay, but I found the side characters to be pretty cliche and annoying; the SFL is your typical feminine, manipulative villain, and the SML the nice, long-term friend. I'm tired of seeing antagonists like the SFL, and the SML's character was bland and had no believable chemistry with the FL. The second couple also feels very fake and I didn't care much for them.

On the other hand, that kid actor was awesome and just SO cute. His character was definitely used as a plot device, but he was so adorable I kind of just let it slide.

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Off to a great start but that's all

This drama starts with a very promising set off. The enclosed boy who has a lot on his plate meeting an outgoing girl who dreams of being independent. Personally, I love the whole "opposites attract" trope, the hyper independent guy who wants someone to lean on and the very cared for girl who wants to gain some of her independence, fall in love and realize that what they originally wanted for themselves wasn't what they truly missed.

I was very happy with the first episodes of the drama when it started but later on it became so boring and actually non-comprehensive. Maybe I need to blame the Netflix subtitles for that cause half of the time I couldn't understand what the chatacters meant with all these allegories and philosophical talking that actually added nothing to the plot. I had a general difficulty to understand WHO was the second male lead, how was he related to the FL and all in all, why was he there😭.

The dialogs were so dull and even by the way they were executed by the actors you could feel the boredom radiating. I am saddened to rate this like that but generally the whole point of the plot was missing. Get together, break up and then repeat the same motive again and again. Also the ML's self hatred really tired me out.

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At least this got me out of cdrama slump!

Just finished this and although theres a few misgivings i had, especially towards the end, i’d say this is good that it can get me out of the cdrama slump that i was in for the past few months

By the way, this is my thought on my feed i’ve posted before.
Pursuit of jade (up till ep 27): Finally something able to drag me out from chinese drama slump that i was living in for the past maybe 6months?

Even though i still have couple episodes of fated heart to go thru before finishing it, i tried watching ep 1 of POJ and it was able to keep me going for more episodes. I was pleasantly surprised.

It was not like I was that into the love story between YZ and FCY (though it has its own sparks), but the plotline was able to grip me and make me press next episode till i was basically marathoning 26episodes in less than 2days. A complete win after almost 6months of basically 5% interest in watching chinese dramas for me. Lol

Looking forward to watching more of this. Hopefully it will stay this path and not disappoint me further ahead. Lol

P/S: tian xiwei’s acting so far is consistent. I love how she carries a tough independent girl character so far (both in this and New Life Begins



Now, on with review after completing this.
This story, for me, started out strong and captivating. Even though theres not a lot of lovey dovey moments between ML and FL in the beginning, the plot was capturing, and it makes you want to press next everytime you finished an episode. I guess this went on until about 2/3rd of the series. Towards the end, im losing the capture i dont know why. I can even stop my watching at ep38 with no problem, theres no rush to get to the end. I think it was quite a let down for something starting so strong to be like that. Tbh, i think theres no climax to the main reason everything happened in the past, the core of the conflict was weak, thus the resolution came across as meh, making the end as so and so only, rather than a satisfying plot. The supposed to be grand finale fight between QM, XZ and WY also doesn't make much sense, and it wasnt done that well, almost like a street fight between 3 gangs it seems like. I was so disappointed. I mean, QM even strolled down the aisle and just took the throne in like, 2 mins?! Tsk3

Despite the weak ending, ZLH and TXW did good. Their acting was nice to watch, and the chemistry is there. TXW is especially good in carrying out an independent woman role. Even though near the end, I dont see her being the mighty grand general as per her title. But before that, she aced the role. I dont see how the prince regent and the grand general can just settle down at the countryside like the plot portrayed, and still be in the loops, but well, maybe we just go with it. Lol.

Maybe the alternate ending they gave at the end kind of making up what they botched along the way. Overall, it was a nice watch though, dont get me wrong. At least i finished it within a week while I still have 3 more episodes to go to finish Fated Heart (it has been a couple of months since I started that. Lol)

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Boring with a capital “B”

I don’t need chamomile tea to fall asleep, since watching this drama makes me fall asleep. I’ll speed through from episode 8 to see how it ends on last episode., because I can’t stand this Kdrama anymore. The FL is lacking in this. 43 yrs old and acts like a clueless high schooler with the two men she’s dating simultaneously. The ML is stable and has cute ways. The young guy, he’s 12 yrs younger and too hot to be stuck on this 43 yr old — maybe he’s just looking for a “mommy” replacement. The second FL, is so irritating and annoying but I like the second ML. Found him more interesting to watch.

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Watchable but missing is something

This series is like following a recipe exactly but the results somehow lacks the flavor it should have when completed. It's definitely watchable and entertaining enough but lacks that emotional tug. The cast is quite good but feel they feel as if they are acting in parallel as individuals without any real connections between them.

The plot isn't terrible but it's also one of those where everything just happens to work out unnaturally. The FL, while believable as a capable person, is also just a bit overstated - especially around her "miracle" physician abilities. They do try to rationalize this aspect but for her to always confidently claim she can absolutely cure everyone is a far reach. And instead of being strategically intelligent with considerations for potential missteps, she's just always confident everything will go her way. Even when she ends up needing to be saved over and over again.

Then you have these odd situations that don't make much sense. As an example, her master died climbing the mountain trying to get a rare flower (coincidentally a day or so after her escape) and then she decides to later do the same to almost die the same way. Neither of them had any particular reason for needing this plant, yet it's worth risking their lives and plans to get it?

The highlight for me was really her main male love interest. He showed well as someone who was both loyal, intelligent, and physically capable. The interactions with his brothers felt genuine and fun. Overall, it's one of those series where it's watchable if you need a break from a binge but not really memorable.

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i dont think this should be called Siren after all

I’d give it a 7.5. I looked forward to it every week and enjoyed it, though I was a bit disappointed by the obvious culprit. I thought there might be a twist at some point, but oh well.

The soundtrack was great, especially the three main songs (~fear insiiiiiiiide!!~), and I liked the couple. they didn’t have crazy chemistry but they made it work (I was still a lil bit suspicious of her until the last 30 minutes of the last episode lol)

I do think it would have been better if some parts had been developed more, maybe with 14 episodes instead of 12. There were quite a few illogical and poorly written scenes, which I think came from rushing due to the schedule. I also think the dialogue wasn’t fully fleshed out in some parts. And the logistics, cops, insurance etc lacked consistency and realism in many ways. I took everything with a grain of salt and suspended disbelief = had a great time.

And once again, I think the siren elements were underused. I liked the painting scene about the siren at the end, but it would have been more interesting to see how the MC was viewed as a siren by all the men who were in love with her(!!!) or flesh out the sirens’ bottle stamp thing more! or anything really.

Overall, a good drama, but way too predictable for mystery thriller fans. I was a bit disturbed by PMY’s botox situation at first but quickly got used to it. in spite of the limited movement on her face … I’m sorry but she still surpasses a lot of actors in terms of body language, voice acting and emotion. I hope she is well though :(..

Some really good-looking scenes and touching moments.. ah, the crying scene in episode 11 was beautifully done. I LOVE seeing men lead cry! I cannot get enough of it, i LOVE LOVE LOVE it. Give me more, give me more. Kdramas lately don’t show men’s tears enough. (／‵Д′) Come onnnn!!! lmao

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Siren's kiss is more like misogyny's kiss

Misogyny can be very loosely summed up as prejudice or hatred of women and girls, often leading to harmful actions against them. In this show, the female lead literally doesn't do much wrong. She's just beautiful. And because of that, she had weirdos after her, often feeling like she owes them something when she doesn't. Even the male lead, whom she ends up with in the end, was initially very weird towards her and accused her of all kinds of stuff without any actual evidence.

I probably would have enjoyed this series more if they had aired episodes every day or released them all at once. However, due to the pace, I found myself losing interest at times. As such, I rated this a 7/10. It's a decent show, and now that all the episodes are out, I do recommend it.

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A messed up storyline for the beginning of a stunning couple

Total 6.5
Story 5.5
Acting and Casting 8
Music and Production 7.5
Rewatch Value 5

I’ll start this review by saying I decided to watch this series after starting Only Friends Dream On. I had been aware of the JossGawin couple for a while (and I’ve fallen in love with them in no time), but I couldn’t bring myself to embark on My Golden Blood because it didn’t seem that good. Looks like I wasn’t wrong.

I’m quite into vampires and their tropes in films, and that’s why I’m disappointed when it comes to this plot. In particular:
𝟙- The ‘golden blood’ thing seems interesting but, in the end doesn’t do much; Mark’s abilities are basically the same as before. So, this alleged power isn’t that exciting after all. The whole story is based on this element, even Mark’s attraction towards Tong. Why isn’t it more special? In addition, vampire stories are usually so charming and enchanting. This time, I didn’t feel that way.
𝟚- The ‘plot twist’ doesn’t surprise me, I have known for a while. Everything is so suspicious, it’s impossible not to notice. Of course, this works for everyone except Tong (and Mark, but his reasons are valid): how can you blindly trust someone (not even a human being but a vampire) you just met? In my opinion, Gawin’s character is too 𝖘𝖙𝖚𝖕𝖎𝖉. He is twenty years old; he’s not a high schooler anymore. He acts like a baby because he’s always been treated like one at the orphanage. And I get what the initial plan is, but it doesn’t work. This makes it extremely difficult to empathize with Tong, who’s the character that guides the viewers. The screenwriting is the problem here: it shouldn’t be acceptable to have a main character like this one, his choices aren’t possibly shareable.
𝟛- Tonkla’s character is one of the most mistreated I have ever seen in the history of BLs. There’s supposed to be a ‘friendship trope’ somewhere, but it’s not available during all the twelve episodes. Tong literally abandons him (two times – this is one of the great main character’s decisions), believing Mark over him. Clearly, who would choose to trust his childhood best friend, who he grew up with, over a sexy vampire? Tonkla and Nakan’s characters are the ones who make more sense in this series: they have an opinion, and can actually connect brain cells. I understand them more than Tong. Instead, both Mark and Tong are passive characters. They don’t do anything regarding the ‘golden blood’ plot. They don’t add their point of view, because they don’t have one (Tong is a baby; Mark blindly follows Thara’s orders – the blind leading the blind ahahah).
𝟜- Mark and Tong only care about their love story. They’re completely disconnected from reality, and only care about being together. Love is important, but in this case the plot is just unbalanced. Furthermore, the relationship itself isn’t that captivating. From my perspective, this is due to how the characters are written. As I said before, Tong’s too childish, so Mark is almost a father figure (crazy!). This love story feels sudden, not solid and a bit boring. But generally, most of the things that happen seem wrong or don’t make any sense (for example Mark’s power that stops working in some situations). I wanted to drop this project two or three times.

What made me continue? 𝕲𝖆𝖜𝖎𝖓 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝕵𝖔𝖘𝖘.

As I said at the beginning, I’m falling in love with this new couple. Before watching My Golden Blood, I’ve listened to some of their interviews, knowing how they met and what they have in common. I wanted to see them acting until the end.
I believe both of them do a good job trying to portrait the characters. I think the writing itself is what had to be improved here. Going through MGB behind the scenes, I heard Gawin saying how he tried to think of his younger self to reach Tong’s dimension. He understood what the authors wanted, but, as I said multiple times, the output isn’t great for me. I’ve seen Gawin acting before and I liked him; this time, although he fitted the role, I genuinely just couldn’t like his character. On the other hand, it’s my first time with Joss’ performance. I'm happy with what I see: he can act and his expressions are accurate for the vampire role. Nevertheless, the result is the same: he achieves the aim, and this is the problem (due to the character - but this situation is better that Tong's). I’m currently seeing OFDO, and I’ve noticed the difference between their interactions then and now. In this case, both seem more mature (for now). The casting, though, is good: Joss is accurate as a vampire. He and Gawin look very good together (faces, heights and body sizes). I have to point out one scene: their first kiss. Just fantastic.
I love Thara’s actress (Um). she’s attractive, but scaring and mysterious. And gorgeous, extremely beautiful; more than perfect for the part. Mond (Nakan)’s appearance makes him also cut to be a vampire. They both do an awesome performance; they’re my favourites. Neo (Tonkla) is also a good character (I love seeing him, Joss and Gawin together again in OFDO – do you get déjà vu), I appreciate his role so much. Unfortunately, few scenes aren’t of my liking (for example, the scene when he cries – I can say no more for the spoilers).

I enjoyed all the ‘special effects’ regarding the vampire’s world: the super-speed (this in particular), the teeth, the coloured-eyes, the ‘medicine’ power and blood smell. Also, the fighting scenes seem well acted and directed (with this cool super-speed). Nothing much to say about the photography and setting, just my favourite places are Thara’s house and the auntie’s flower shop. Gawin’s voice is wonderful as always, Joss isn’t bad either, and I like their voices together. The OSTs are good for me; nothing outstanding, but romantic and passionate.

So far, I feel like this could have been a better series if it was more balanced and just made more sense, somehow. I’m going to say this again: the writing is the problem. It's a bit a shame, because I think Joss and Gawin, in good conditions, would definitely kill it. I'm hoping to see them even more after OFDO. I recommend this show to JossGawin's fans who are curious about their first project, want to know how everything started.

𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖓𝖐 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖋𝖔𝖗 𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌

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I hate the ML

I had so much hope for this drama with its interesting premise of a butcher's daughter as the FL. In most c-dramas I've watched, the woman is polished and refined. I love that this FL doesn't fit into that mold.

To begin with, I have nothing against the actor himself. I know actors can get typecast. This is the second drama I've watched with Zhang Ling He. Do the directors make him force himself onto women in every role he has? I hated Princess Royal when he tried to sexually assault the FL. I stopped watching Pursuit of Jade after he forcefully kisses the FL. TWICE. Not once. TWICE. If a woman forcefully pushes a man away after he tries to kiss her, a good person wouldn't try to kiss her again. I will not be watching any of his other shows unless I know that his character doesn't behave like an aggressive jerk who doesn't care about getting consent from someone he supposedly loves.

Another reviewer complained that I shouldn't care about the lack of consent since this is a historical drama and women were viewed differently in the past. My response: "Since this is a historical drama, in history, could people leap over buildings and large distances because they knew martial arts? Or keep fighting at peak capacity after being stabbed/getting hit by arrows repeatedly? Having a butcher's daughter who is adept at martial arts & able to catch the heart of a nobleman is also historically inaccurate. Most of us watch these shows because they're fiction and not historical documentaries. If the writers/directors can take liberty with one plot point, they have the choice to take liberty with other plot points. I'm sick of purity culture and the harmful belief that a FL needs to be forced into anything sexual because "good women" don't have sexual desires. There are plenty of shows where consent is respected. A person who truly loves their love interest would ask for consent. They wouldn't disrespect the person they supposedly care about by forcing any form of physical intimacy. That's true regardless of the year we're in--whether it's in the past or present."

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Blue Complex: Feeling What Words Cannot Say ಥ_ಥ

Blue Complex is one of those BL series that touches heavy themes with unexpected softness. 💙
It proves that not everything that looks perfect on the surface truly is — and that the most powerful stories often hide in the quiet moments. 🌫️✨

This short vertical drama carries a weight far bigger than its length. ⏳
The understanding of the series lives in the details: the silences, the pauses, the glances, the actions that speak louder than any dialogue. 👀🤫

In such a brief frame of time, it manages to approach topics like depression, isolation, impostor syndrome, suicidal ideation, and the triggers that awaken it — all treated with a delicate but honest touch. 🌧️🤍

It’s a reminder that sometimes, the loudest pain is the one we don’t hear… only feel. 💔🌙

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Nuanced storyline, not everyone's cup of tea

Am I the only one here who came to praise this drama?! Maybe its because I never take the romance genre seriously but I loved this drama. And I knew Park Jinyoung is an amazing actor so no surprise there but Kim minju? This is the 1st drama I watched of her and maybe I was prejudiced cz most idol turned actors are never that good initially so I wasn't expecting much from her but damn did I love her acting! The rage I felt for her character 😭 I just loved to hate her! The senior cast in the drama were so good too! The acting (cast) and cinematography alone are 10/10 for me. Wish it had a better story as well so that it got more appreciation by the general audience but for sm1 like me who is not very serious about romance genre and acting is the most important part this was a great watch!

Ik the story is not very compelling for a romance genre but I really loved the story telling, not only about the main couple but but small glimpses of the lives of other characters like ML's brother, his grandparents, FL's stepmom and the 2nd FL and 2nd ML. None of them are shown in depth and mostly were surrounding the main ML/FL but still could discern their individual struggles. I see that many are complaining about the main characters actions a lot and Ik most people watch kdramas as an escape from reality but I found both their characters to be very human. Especially the ML who has struggled so much from such an early age. I think the drama is definitely worth the watch atleast once.

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A bittersweet remake with a lazy and predictable ending.

For me, one of the biggest problems is that they focused too much on the romance, when it should have been the backdrop, and the focus should have been on the suspense. Okay, it's a remake, the changes are acceptable, but it needs to make sense within the original story, because they completely ruined the quality of the script. A character overcomes the trauma quickly just because they got a boyfriend. Korea is calling viewers stupid because not even the greatest love in the world overcomes trauma, even with years of therapy.

And the killer???? My God, they changed the bartender and chose the most predictable character possible to be the killer, haha.

And I didn't find anything special in the couple's chemistry. Park Min-young's acting was apathetic, without any expression, forced crying scenes, and Wi Ha-joon managed to come across well, the only positive point.

A profound J-drama with melancholic themes of trauma, crime, and guilt, with a romantic backdrop that isn't the main focus, despite the original title being "Ice World." I already anticipated they would ruin the ending by changing the name to "Siren Kiss," since the original title is linked to it. It was swallowed up by a predictable and clichéd romantic happy ending – the famous expected script. They chose the worst possible way to end it. Why didn't they just remake a romantic drama?

It's literally a K-drama inspired by the J-drama, not a remake, as if the screenwriters took the theme of the original and discarded it.

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I guess some dramas DO deserve a second chance

Fated Hearts was… a bit of a rollercoaster for me, and not always the smooth kind. So buckle up for my long ass rant for an overall pretty okay drama. Also, sorry for the person I will become when I reach the rant part of this review.

Was it very enjoyable? Yes. Did it have flaws? MANY. Would I still recommend it for a good time? Absolutely. I find the drama world is filled with so many bs shows and it's becoming increasingly difficult for a drama to keep me engaged enough to want to finish it, so for that reason, this drama deserves its flowers.

I have to preface this by saying that I started this drama MONTHS ago and dropped it after the first 2 episodes until last week.

Now as I mentioned, going in, the first couple of episodes had me doubting my choice and the good reviews. The battle scenes especially felt underwhelming, and the whole thing looked like it wanted to be epic but kept getting stuck in beauty commercial mode. The colors, the shots, it just didn’t do the story justice. This frustrated me to no end because even within the first 2 episodes I SAW THE POTENTIAL. Add in some very questionable editing choices that completely kill the momentum of scenes, and I was already side eyeing by episode 2. It genuinely felt like a drama stuck a few years in the past in terms of execution. This desperately needed the director of Blossom. Now THAT was art.

That said, I’m really glad I gave it another shot because it did get significantly better. The fight scenes improved, the story picked up, and I found myself way more invested than I expected.

Li Qin as Fu Yixiao was a major win for me. I wasn't familiar with her acting so I didn't know what to expect going in, however if I were to choose within a sea of female generals we have seen these past few years, she is by far the most believable. She felt strong both physically and emotionally and THANK GOD the amnesia didn’t wipe her personality like some other dramas (looking at you "Are You the One"). She stayed consistent, capable, and believable and her decisions always aligned with who she was. Her stunt work was also genuinely convincing, you could tell she took those martial arts classes seriously.

Chen Zheyuan also surprised me in a good way. I was skeptical about the casting, but he delivered. Although I could never truly buy him as the cruel "Killer God" they tried to pass him off as. When he embraced his softer side was when his character truly came alive for me. His fight scenes were also pretty solid, even though I always found him a bit skinny to play a battle strong general, the period clothes helped him out a lot and I could gaslight myself long enough to get through the fight scenes.

The chemistry between the leads was also pretty solid. Their dynamic felt balanced, like actual partners rather than one carrying the other (I found the balance similar to Blossom), and the enemies-to-lovers progression was paced well, even if it started off a bit toxic (as it should). Their romantic scenes were also well done, I actually wish we got more, not intricate ones but small light moments here and there towards the end. I actually would have been even happier with the romantic scenes if it weren't for that BIG ASS LIGHT that appeared each time. Was this the directors attempt to strategically blind the censorship committee so they couldn’t see the scenes? Because if the committee can’t see it, guess what, NEITHER CAN I. I was fighting for my life trying to see what was happening.

Also… Chen Zheyuan, respectfully my dude, why are your eyes WIDE open when going in for a kiss? Please.

Now, production choices. The music...why is it so LOUD. Trying to hear the dialogue required actual labor. Also… why the aggressive face smoothing? Everyone is out here blending into the background. The cast is already attractive, we didn’t need this.

Also, the story split into two locations after the halfway point, namely Susha and Jinxiu, and at times it genuinely felt like I was watching two completely different dramas.

The Jinxiu storyline was so lucky to have Chen He Yi’s face because he carried. I know his acting got some lukewarm feedback but I personally couldn't care less because....pretty boy. Call me shallow, I've made my peace with it. The character he plays, Xia Jingshi though? Dogshit. What he did at the end to Xiyang… truly despicable. He bid his time for the throne and acted strategically but my god he has NO heart, at all. This was telling from the start, but it was incredible to see there was no saving grace for him, even for a moment. He was going off of just bad vibes and horrible decisions. My dude literally said "I SHALL NOT BE REDEEMED!" Well, consider your wish granted pretty boy.

Xiyang, on the other hand, was one of the more interesting arcs for me. I found her smart, strategic, and adaptable. Her growth felt earned to me, and I appreciated how she made the most out of her situation. She actively matured and grew a lot in Jinxiu and her motivations, while driven by petty emotion, still made sense to me considering her background and upbringing. Watching her manipulate the Jinxiu emperor was also SO nice. Women in male dominated fields. Honestly, Xia Jingshi was pretty shortsighted for not seeing her value. I'll talk more on my thoughts on her ending in a little bit, so hold off on the pitchforks, I do have some criticism for her.

However, I still don't think her character really deserved the amount of hate she got online. I thought Xiyang was pretty smart and made the best out of the situation she was in, especially as someone who grew up sheltered and not really involved in palace drama, she held herself very well. I began indifferent towards her but after her resolve in regards to Xia Jingshi, she became a very interesting person and I loved her scenes. Obviously, her hatred for Xia Jingshi was unreasonable in some places because yes, he did say time and time again he did not reciprocate her feelings and never will, but I understood her frustration and her reaction felt true to her character and upbringing. She was a beloved princess who was naive enough to believe that her sincerity would make her a small path to Xia Jingshi’s heart. I can't fault her for trying, while holding onto her feelings from years ago built on a fleeting moment of a random act of kindness from Xia Jingshi. Was this stupid? Yes. But does it also kinda make sense for her character? Yeah, kinda. Also when she was pleading with Feng Suige to marry Xia Jingshi and said “I can change him”……Xiyang, I'm going to hold your hand when I say this, no you can’t babe.

The bigger issue lies in the writing for me so... welcome to my descent into madness.

Character development was all over the place so the character shifts felt very abrupt. Murong Yao’s dad? Random personality switch with zero groundwork, not to mention for this character it would have been sooo easy... Also, Suige's little brother Changyang? Went from sheltered teen to master strategist in what felt like one episode. I was genuinely like “did I miss something?” The issue isn’t the arcs themselves but the lack of buildup. Sprinkle in some early hints, some internal conflict, anything! These weren’t bad ideas, they were just poorly set up.

The antagonists also suffered from the same fate. I just thought they weren't very well done. I really like morally grey characters and through decent backstory and motivation I can at least see things from their perspective. I don't have to agree with them but it humanizes them, makes them real instead of just characters which keeps me engaged in the plot. In Fated Hearts however, I found each antagonist undercooked and lacking proper motive. Like “When I was 5 years old the soldiers saved the future emperor instead of me and I.FELT. SAD” like… okay???… nothing else?? REALLY? Even Xia Jingshi, who had EVERY reason to plot a hostile takeover of the court, felt off. His past wasn’t laid out well for the audience and we weren't given enough to connect to him and his sufferings. By the end, he just felt like an obsessive villain and his little rampage felt jarring because it didn't really fit with his character, which was such a waste. I would have wanted to feel torn over his ascend to the throne, but instead it felt unearned. His cruelty was unnecessary and badly explained. I understood him keeping his composure all these years after suffering humiliation and having your life threatened consistently, however, I think if we saw some cracks in his composure leading up to the finale instead of this serene but hypocritical person, I could have understood his actions a bit better and him losing control and going full out lunatic mode wouldn't have felt so jarring.

The show overall felt like it was trying to do a lot within 38 episodes, and while parts of it worked, the pacing for key plot points was a bit off. It’s very much a case of strong leads carrying an undercooked script. If I’m being honest, I stayed for Li Qin, Chen Zheyuan, and their relationship dynamic, not the plot. I'm a sucker for strong leads and mature relationships. And when it came to the Jinxiu plotline, it was Chen He Yi’s face and Xia Meng’s presence doing the heavy lifting. Which… is still an achievement I guess, because I didn’t skip their scenes.

Now, the ending…

Why is Changyang not the emperor? Not to mention Suige talking about the throne like it’s a part time job saying “Xiyang can try it for a few years and if she likes it she can keep it" EXCUSE ME? You did all that for Susha to take the matter of leading it so lightly? I understand that he didn’t want to be emperor himself but my dude...

And Xiyang as empress… I like her, but where was the groundwork for that? I’m all for female rulers, give me that ANY day, but you have to build it. I fear the writers wanted it to be a girl power moment but forgot to establish this within the script. While I did applaud Xiyang for holding her own in the Jinxiu court, she is far from being a leader herself. You can't deny that her motivations were still heavily driven by emotion, pride, and petty revenge. I did not see a leader there, mainly because she wasn’t mature enough.

Meanwhile, Changyang, despite being younger, actually felt calm, strategic, and fit for the role by the end. I really wish we got a proper conversation between the siblings about what they wanted, instead of the script forcing a “he didn’t want it anyway” narrative just to justify the outcome. Did they ever show us in any part of the story that Xiyang had an ambition like this? No. Was it even hinted that she would make a good ruler? No. Like… lay the groundwork and I’ll take a female leader ANY DAY. But you have to do the work!!

That said… I did enjoy this. It gave me:

- a genuinely strong female lead (yay)
- believable chemistry
- a solid enemies to lovers plot
- eye candy second male lead
- not super boring plot that kept me watching

Am I happy I gave it another shot? Yes.
Am I still side eyeing the director for those first two episodes and the big light? Also yes.

Random note: Feng Suige’s brother is adorable and the actor lowkey looks like Rowoon.

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