Reviews

? Three Children, One Determined Daddy and Plenty of Trouble!

OVERALL IMPRESSION🌟
This drama attracted me from the beginning—probably because of the adorable little genius who genuinely looks as though he could be the actor’s own child! It was an entertaining combination of suspense, action, comedy and romance, with a fast pace that never felt rushed.

WHAT I LIKED💖
• I loved that the FL was no longer the submissive pushover she used to be. She returned clever, calm and capable of handling most situations.
• The chemistry between the leads felt natural, but the developing relationship between the ML and all three children was even more beautiful.
• The ML’s son immediately felt safe with the FL, while her children accepted the ML just as naturally.
• I loved that the ML was willing to accept and care for the FL’s children even before knowing their connection to him.
• Once the ML set his sights on the FL, there was no turning back! He was determined to win her over and do whatever it took to get into her good books.
• The little genius constantly challenging his father—and usually beating him—was priceless!
• The FL’s friend created a funny love triangle, with the two men trying to outsmart each other while the children openly rooted for the ML.

WHAT I DISLIKED⚠️
• The SFL’s cruelty toward an innocent child was extremely difficult to watch. She used fear and punishment to control him, causing serious emotional trauma.
• The FL was repeatedly targeted by her father and half-sister through manipulation, family pressure and increasingly dangerous schemes.
• The villains were completely heartless. Their willingness to hurt women and children made them feel less like a family and more like a bunch of vultures.

PRODUCTION AND PERFORMANCES🎭
• The child actors were adorable and shared natural chemistry with the leads.
• The little genius was especially entertaining, bringing intelligence, humour and personality to every scene.
• The romantic, comedic and suspenseful elements were blended well without making the storyline feel overcrowded.
• The actors made the growing family bond feel genuine and believable.

FINAL THOUGHTS💭
I thoroughly enjoyed this drama. The children were super cute, the ML was adorable and the FL was strong enough to stand against those trying to control her. Despite the disturbing cruelty from the villains, the humour, romance, action and wonderful family interactions made this an entertaining watch.

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The number of boardwalks, bridges, railings, and stairs on the hikes up the mountains was mind-boggling. Those were definitely not wilderness hikes. And I was hoping to see more Korean scenery, along with less complaining by Korean men. What disappoints me is that the series seems unlikely to inspire anyone to give hiking a try. Hiking is one of my favorite activities. I love the beauty, the solitude, the fresh air, the stress relief, the chance to get moving and explore new worlds, and much much more. I feel that little of that came through in this series. Instead the four expressed no desire to hike again and only Tarzan, I think, came close to explaining why many people hike.

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TJR Amazes Again

I only watched the series or miniseries for TJR. I had really no idea what it was going to be about other than a dark comedy but who and what his character was. I had no idea even when I saw him filming this with the mushroom haircut, but as soon as I found out that his character BF was a young adult who was basically a younger version of Rain Man a genius chef, but with special needs watching him play, the role was absolutely stunning. I have worked with kids with special-needs when I was basically a kid myself through the big brother/big sister foundation of America and I know just how special and amazing they are. So to see a normal young adult play one where he I am sure has never had real contact with one and do so convincingly was quite special. TJR a born talent, not just with a degree from a drama school.

I can't say the story itself all the way around was mighty special and it honestly pissed me off when FHW would call him an idiot or a dumbass or beat him up because of his own narcissistic grandiosity issues and not really understanding that the entire world didn't owe him anything until literally the last five minutes of the last episode. I am glad that he finally understood who BF was as a human being and started to respect him as one. I do think they cut a lot because the duration of each episode was all over the place or it could just be that they had originally wanted 12 episodes and it ended up being 15. Regardless, I commend TJR on a job very well done and also the about that a few days ago the actor who played FHW came to the festival where TJR was performing live on stage for the very first time with multiple songs to give him a pat on the back so it's great that he gets to work with these veteran actors repeatedly. He played the part of a person with special needs very, very well. The speech how slow it was the repetition you understood exactly who he was from the moment he opened his mouth in the very beginning. And his performances with his mother in flashbacks, just made your heart clench and tears run down your face. It was heartbreakingly, beautiful.

Would I recommend it? For him I would and it's really not bad at all as long as you can get past some of what I call verbal and physical abuse toward him and the constant diarrhea of the mouth from FHW's character with the cheesy poetry. Being a poetry author myself, I understand how the literary world works a lot better than that character. But definitely to support whoever you want to support give this miniseries a go.

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Cringe but Sweet and Cute

I think this drama or manga could have chosen a much better title than “Are the Sexy Buttocks Not Good?”. 🤣 But I guess in a way, you know what to expect. It’s a typical manga adaptation that is both cringe and sweet. Whether you like this drama or not, depends on your previous track record of similar dramas.

The plot itself is sweet and healthy. The couple does have some cringey scenes and lines, but the general plot is a sweet romance between an older guy in his 40s and a young guy in his 20s. The drama goes into a lot of self-doubt and insecurities by both of the leads, because of their age and being at different stages of their lives. Therefore, as much as they like each other, they can’t stop questioning if the relationship is going in the right direction, or if it should continue at all. I’m also glad that the drama provides us with internal dialogs for both leads, and not just one. Also in typical Japanese fashion, the pace is very fast. Each episode has them tackle a different concern and is resolved rather quickly. This makes for a quick binge. Another thing that makes this drama enjoyable is the honest and open communication the leads have.

The acting is decent and the chemistry is pretty good. I personally don’t find either one of them attractive, even for the older guy. His thick makeup and eyeliner bother me a little, and he acts way too cringe for an experienced 40-year old. The kisses are thankfully not dead fish kisses and the intimate scenes are so much better than the other Japanese BL (looking at you “Unexpectedly Naughty Fukami”). 🤣 Though there are intimate scenes, they are not very explicit and the focus is not on sex.

If you want a quick and easy binge, this is a cute watch and a stress-reliever. It’s a lot more PG-13 than the manga itself (I didn’t read the whole thing but did go and took a quick look).


Drama Completed: 9/7/2026 Review #719

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GOTTA IGNORE SOME THINGS

Perfect Match was, overall, such a beautiful and comforting drama. There was something incredibly warm about watching it unfold, and the entire story gave me strong Jane Austen vibes. The emphasis on family, marriage, social expectations, matchmaking, and the complicated relationships between different households created an atmosphere that felt both charming and nostalgic. It had that particular kind of period-drama warmth where even the simplest domestic interactions could become surprisingly entertaining.

One of the drama's biggest strengths, for me, was its collection of couples. Each couple really killed it. Every relationship had its own personality, and I genuinely found each of their stories interesting rather than feeling as though the secondary romances were simply there to fill time. Among them, Haode's story was particularly interesting to me. There was something about their storyline that kept me invested, and I found myself wanting to know more about how their relationship would develop.

But if I had to choose one favourite couple, it would unquestionably be Shouhua and Yangxi. I honestly don't even know why I love them as much as I do, but I just do. 😭 There was something about their dynamic that completely worked for me, and they ended up becoming the couple I was most emotionally attached to.

And the funniest part is that I didn't even start this drama because of Yangxi.

I came for WXY and ended up falling in love with Du Yangxi.

That was definitely not what I expected going in, but I'm certainly not complaining. 😂 Sometimes a character just unexpectedly gets you, and Yangxi was that character for me.

I also have to admit that I put off watching this drama for a long time before finally deciding to give it a chance. Looking back, I'm actually glad I eventually did because there was so much to enjoy. The drama had plenty of funny scenes and memorable characters, and some of the humour came from characters I wasn't necessarily expecting to find so entertaining.

Fuhui and her husband, in particular, were hilarious. I genuinely think they deserved more screentime. Every time they appeared, they brought another layer of humour and personality to the story, and I would've happily watched more of their interactions. Their presence was one of those little things that made the drama more enjoyable.

However, while I found the drama entertaining, I definitely don't think it was without its problems.

For starters, the drama felt a bit misogynistic at times. There were certain attitudes and situations surrounding the female characters that I found frustrating, and while I understand that the story is set within a historical context with its own social norms and expectations, there were still moments when I felt the writing leaned too heavily into those dynamics.

I also really disliked the exaggerated and impulsive characterization of Madam Li and Leshan. Their personalities often felt pushed to the extreme, and rather than finding their actions compelling, I sometimes found myself getting frustrated with them.

Especially Madam Li.

This woman just seemed to be looking for trouble every single time. 😭 Every time I thought things might finally settle down, somehow another problem would appear, and more often than not, she seemed to be right in the middle of it. It became a little exhausting after a while.

What made it even more noticeable was how often Kangning, Shouhua, Yangxi and Chai An had to step in and save their asses. They really, really relied on those four to clean up problems, resolve situations, or get everyone out of trouble. At a certain point, I couldn't help wondering how these people would survive without Kangning, Shouhua, Yangxi and Chai An constantly coming to the rescue. 😂

I also wish the drama had given us more of the second sister's story with her husband. That was one relationship where I felt there was still so much more to explore. Their story had potential, and I would've genuinely liked to understand their relationship better and see more of their dynamic. It felt like there was an interesting story sitting there that the drama simply didn't spend enough time developing.

And that brings me to one of my biggest frustrations with Perfect Match: this drama had a LOT of potential, but it wasn't always executed as well as it could have been.

There were so many interesting characters and storylines, and the foundation was genuinely strong. The different couples, the family dynamics, the humour, the conflicts and the historical setting all gave the drama plenty to work with. But there were times when the writing felt uneven, and certain storylines or character arcs could have benefited from more development and better execution.

Even with those shortcomings, though, I can't deny that I had a very entertaining time watching it.

For all my complaints, the drama managed to keep me invested. I cared about the couples, I enjoyed the funny moments, I got attached to characters I didn't expect to become attached to, and I found myself genuinely looking forward to seeing how everyone's stories would unfold.

It isn't a flawless drama, and I definitely think it could have reached its full potential with stronger execution and more balanced characterization. But at the same time, I don't think everything has to be perfect for a drama to be enjoyable. Sometimes a drama can be messy, frustrating, ridiculous and still manage to be incredibly fun to watch—and Perfect Match definitely falls into that category for me.

In the end, I came into this drama after putting it off for far too long, initially because of WXY, and somehow left with Du Yangxi and Shouhua occupying a very special place in my heart. 😭

All in all, Perfect Match was a beautiful, comforting and very entertaining watch. It had its flaws, and there were definitely aspects of the writing and characterization that frustrated me, but the charm of the story, the individual couples, the humour and the memorable characters ultimately made the journey worthwhile.

And yes, Shouhua and Yangxi are still my favourite couple. I don't know why. I just love them. 😂❤️

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A Masterpiece of Chemistry and Strategy

The Road to Splendor (2026) is one of the most mature and well-constructed stories of this year. C-dramas are often exhausting, but I felt this one did not exhaust me.
The Setup: It begins with the story of a marriage—a marriage that may decide the fate of a family and shows how a woman's marriage is used as a stepping stone to rise in politics. Fu Tingyun (Deng En xi) is a refined noblewoman who is framed and driven to death by her family. She is saved by the clever but morally grey Zhao Ling (Ding Yuxi), a salt smuggler driven strictly by survival and ambition. Here starts an unusual partnership that begins in a muddy alley but reaches the Emperor's court.
Key Highlights

Chemistry & Dynamics of the Leads: The same lead couple also starred in the drama The Melody of Golden Age, but they were not as mature as they are in this one. The outstanding partnership formed by this couple is probably the best highlight of this drama—a partnership of power and wisdom, driven by patience and love. Deng Enxi especially did a wonderful job here; she made her presence felt throughout the show. The poisoning scene where she tries to vomit at the beginning was a masterclass in acting.

Portrayal of Women: The drama sets its tone at the beginning by showing how women are used as stepping stones to rise in politics and power through marriage. It highlights the inner struggle of women—some yearn for power and standing, while others seek freedom and building a life on their own terms. A family's inner court is displayed as a secondary source of power throughout the drama, but the driving force of the narrative is the struggle for freedom.

Cinematography & Visual Texture: This drama uses realistic framing that presents nature as it is, whether in a dark alley, an ornate inner court, or a desert. There is no over-filtered, glossy look.

Cast and Characters: A well-organized cast. Everyone has their own motivation and a real role to play, rather than just being a tool to pad the numbers. The characters have believable flaws and struggles, which is an excellent touch. Their internal contradictions make them feel lifelike.

Pace: A 36-episode drama. The pacing gets slightly clogged in the mid-to-late section, but only for a few episodes. The romance is a slow burn, but other than that, it maintains a decent pace.

Drawbacks: It is a long, character-driven drama rather than an action-heavy show, so viewers craving constant action may get frustrated. The pace slows down in the late-mid stage, and the romance is not fluffy.

Final Verdict
For me, it was a wonderful journey. Anyone looking for mature, well-constructed plotting and deep internal character struggles will find it engaging.

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Short and Sweet

We Best Love was a very cute, very short drama that you could definitely watch like a long movie. Watching years after it came out definitely didn't help, since I feel like this was definitely more impactful when it first came out. Still, this was super enjoyable, pretty light, and a quick watch.

Zhou Shu Yi had spent his entire childhood earning 2nd place behind Gao Shi De. Finally, in college, he's able to escape this rivalry - until Shi De transfers to his school. Shu Yi is determined to make Shi De's life miserable until graduation, but Shi De has other plans that involve pursuing Shu Yi.

As with any drama of this length, there's only so much character development you can do. Still, the characters felt pretty real and I could understand their motivations and conflicts. The relationship is really sweet, and I was very pleasantly surprised by how good the pacing was. If you're looking for a cute romance drama that won't take long to watch, this one's definitely a good choice.

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Beautiful Vampire: missing a plot

When a Vampire/Make-up Artist with strong olfactory memory encounters a person who smells like a love from the past... a lot should happen. But the FL and ML don't have much to do—or much reason to interact—so a few things happen and, surprisingly, repeat. It all feels a bit forced and empty.

Frankly, I watched it for Song Kang, but it was too early in his career and the complexity and layering of emotion were not yet present. The script was too thin for him to invent any depth.

For those who don't need much of a plot to stay engaged, this might work...but it didn't for me.

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More exhausting than romantic at this point

I think I’ve genuinely reached the age where I just can’t sit through this kind of ridiculously contrived storyline anymore. The writers seem to put zero effort into making this drama interesting or coherent. The whole thing with the mother was handled so poorly that it felt forced and honestly pretty cringe. The events feel random, the plot is repetitive, and nothing ever seems to actually go anywhere.

More than anything, though, the drama just feels empty and painfully generic. There’s no soul or personality to it, and barely any genuine emotion. I don’t feel anything while watching it. There’s no emotional weight, no tension that feels earned, and no sense that these characters are genuinely experiencing what’s happening to them. It feels like the writers took a bunch of familiar tropes and threw them together without adding anything of their own. It’s just… bland. There’s no spark, no distinct identity, and barely any effort to add that little extra something that would actually make you invested in the story.

As for the acting, I actually think the ML is doing a decent job. You can tell he’s genuinely immersing himself in the role and trying to embody the character, especially when it comes to his trauma and anger. With the FL, though, something feels missing. Her performance feels much more flat and detached, and I rarely feel her emotions coming through. Maybe it’s the direction or the writing, but at times it almost feels like she doesn’t believe in the material herself. And honestly, I can’t blame her.

The dialogue doesn’t help either. It’s hollow, uneven, and lifeless. It genuinely feels like someone handed the actors a script, told them to memorize it, and then they just showed up and spat the lines back out. There’s no subtext, no emotional nuance, nothing underneath the words.

And then there’s the romance… what even is this? The constant misunderstandings and endless push and pull have completely worn me out. She keeps shutting him out, while he clearly has unresolved trauma and anger issues. He literally treated her horribly when she came to his house just because she saw his mother’s paintings. And I’m supposed to find that romantic?

Episode 6 was enough for me. That’s where I dropped it.

I can somewhat see the potential between these two, and I do think they have some chemistry, but the FL’s performance feels so out of sync with the ML’s that it just doesn’t work for me. He feels much more emotionally present and immersed in his character, while she often feels disconnected, which makes it difficult for me to buy into their relationship. And their dynamic certainly doesn’t help either. I see a toxic dynamic being romanticized, wrapped in a generic plot that relies on contrived misunderstandings instead of actually developing the characters or their relationship. Nothing feels organic or emotionally earned, and honestly, I just don’t have the patience for this kind of writing anymore.

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Triggers for drinking, date-rape drug use, SA, violence, cheating, & stupidity

I apologize in advance if this review is a little all over the place. I took a lot of notes, and it got to the point where keeping them organized was a lost cause.

First off, I love that this was set in the 90s. A little before and after I was born, so it was a bit of a nostalgia trip. The set design & prop crew did a fantastic job with everything.

Honestly, my only real complaints about the show were: some scenes being replayed at different angles & it just didn't look good seeing the actor do the same action again and again and again. I have a few unanswered questions that I feel are important (I'll get to this at the end), & the unwillingness to communicate. This wasn't just miscommunication; they just didn't do it. I'm also 50/50 on whether I liked the narration or not.

Normally, I would have cheating as one of the things I hated most, because it's one of my biggest triggers, but honestly, in this case it was valid. I'm not saying that because I didn't like Bei Lu Xin either; on the contrary, once she stopped being a drunk, I actually liked her a lot. I liked that she was bold, blunt, & I was 100% in her corner when she started telling off Lu Xiao Fan's family. I've never been so happy when she called Fan's family trash and shameless to their faces. No, the cheating was valid because Lu Xiao Fan was basically sold to the Bei family & there was no love there. It was also going on on both sides. Was it right? Hell no. But I didn't think less of either character for it. This is a massive first for me.

Specking of Lu Xiao Fan~ I really liked him as well. He kind of stays a doormat throughout the series, but he's one of those hard brisily ones that hurt your feet if you stand on them barefoot. He's overly polite and mild-mannered, has a hard time going against anyone or specking up for himself, & has little self-esteem. All that being said, we learn at the end that he plays the long con and will hit you where it hurts when you are least expecting it. The scary thing was that it wasn't even really done out of hate. I don't think this boy is capable of hate.

I can understand Lu Xiao Fan's actions as well when you think about everything that Bei Lu Qing was doing and planning for them to be together, but not explaining any of it, so all Lu Xiao Fan saw was Bei Lu Qing pushing him aside for someone "better" than him. Who wouldn't be hurt and have a plan of attack & a financial plan that has literally been years in the making? A lot of my unanswered questions actually got answered in the last episode, such as why Lu Xiao Fan was throwing random magazines away? Why is he collecting cardboard boxes & trash? Why is he in this random alley? Why was this random stock trader guy smirking? I LOVED seeing all of these little puzzle pieces being shown throughout the series come together to help complete a picture that was hidden within the bigger picture we were focused on. I never would have guessed Lu Xiao Fan had been planning all of that.

This show focuses heavily on family dynamics. The good, the bad, and the ugly. And in this specific case, the very ugly.

The family was its own headache. I swear they only had a few functioning brain cells between them all. Before I get too into this, I just want to say that I grew up on a farm. I still farm to this day; being a farmer means that you have to save where you can if you can, and you are going to take more losses than gains. Especially if you live and work out of a small town and sell locally. This is all to say that I have a good idea of how poor these people probably are, so I'm not judging them for being poor and wanting a better life. I'm judging them on the fact that they are money-hungry assholes, with only the mother being halfway decent. The little sister is a self-entitled brat that I'm glad we aren't subjected to for very long. The mother, as I said, is halfway decent, but she still sold her son and used him to get further in life. What made her decent is that she gave Lu Xiao Fan some money before he left, refused to take his money in the end, & took his side when her oldest son Ping and husband were trying to take advantage of Lu Xiao Fan. The husband really was just money-hungry and felt he was owed by the Bei family.

Ping gets his own paragraph because he's a special asshole. The stupid kind that never learns & leeches off others instead of doing the work himself. Lu Xiao Fan goes to Bei Lu Qing to get Ping a job, then another job; he then loses that job & his fiancée after getting a girl pregnant after a drunk one-night stand, so Fan has to ask for another job for him when all he's trying to do is get away from the Bei family. Then this asshole badgers his brother for money so he can enter the stock market & when he doesn't get it, he sells client information & takes money from everyone in his village. He loses in the stock market & leaves said village bankrupt. He does all of this and doesn't feel bad about any of it, only that he didn't make money. When Bei Lu Qing offers money for the Lu family to cut ties with Fan, he's only more than happy to sell his brother again. Ping is the perfect example of a waste of oxygen. He is one never-ending problem.

The family is also rude and ill-mannered, which has nothing to do with them being poor & everything to do with them believing they are owed the good things they are getting & everything bad that happens is someone else's fault. They have zero accountablity & that continues as far as I'm aware until Fan cuts all ties with them. They are money-hungry and an embarrassment. How did Fan turn out so sweet? I was so happy when he cut ties with them.

Lin Zi Yang is the last character I want to talk about. I didn't really expect him to have as big a role as he did. I didn't even bother to learn his name until episode 3. He turned out to be one of the characters I liked the most because, no matter how scheming, he was a loyal friend. I also found his reaction to Lu Xiao Fan pulling a meat cleaver on himself very funny. He backpedaled so fast lmao. Lu Xiao Fan is going to make him go prematurely gray.

I guess now I should get to the unanswered questions. If you know the answers, please feel free to share!

Why marry Lu Xiao Fan of all people? At one point, they make it sound like he was chosen, so who chose him? Why? I was hoping it would have been Bei Lu Qing, so we'd get a little more backstory on why he's obsessed with Fan. What did Lu Xiao Fan do with the money his mother gave him? What happened with Bei Lu Qing's mother? Why, in that one scene that we had to watch TWICE, did Lu Xiao Fan pull his pants down? What happened after? (Maybe don't answer that one?) What happened to the girl Ping got pregnant? Did she keep the baby? Was there even a baby to begin with? Did Li Wen Xi lose out on a lot of money in the end? How did Bri Lu Qing and his friends recover financially? On this, it would have been nice to see the search process for Lu Xiao Fan. What happened to the Lu family once they returned home to their now bankrupt village? What was in the box Lu Xiao Fan hid under the bed? Why was Lu Xiao Fan still wiring money to the bully/trader dude (I'm sorry, I forgot his name)? Did the trader dude tell Bei Lu Qing where Lu Xiao Fan was? If not, how did they find out? I know from the wire transfer, but how did they know about it/ come across it? They shouldn't have even known the two had contact with each other, right?

I feel like I have a lot more questions, but I just can't think of them right now. Honestly, if they had just answered the questions of how they found Lu Xiao Fan, what was in the box, & why Lu Xiao Fan was chosen in the first place, I might have given this series an 8. It was really good. The chemistry wasn't all there, & the kisses were just alright, but the story, production value, & pacing were really good.

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Another product of the mass production Asian drama industry

I started watching this drama because of the high reviews, but it quickly slowed down and became very difficult to watch.

I expected another drama-light romantic comedy built on sure bets for general public acceptance; for a moment, it seemed interesting, but it ended up as a superficial attempt to explore the challenges of adult relationships in today’s challenging world, with a hard-to-believe script.

It starts with a hard-to-believe love story between a PhD who becomes a makeup blogger, then suddenly jumps back to college to teach, establishing a romantic relationship with a bad-tempered millionaire PhD researcher who didn’t want to work in the family business. Their entire initial interaction stems from a college-day vendetta. Is that the behavior of a PhD?

From the start, a credible development of the plot wasn’t an easy task, but it went worse with scenes such as the lack of communication when the male lead went to study abroad without a word (is that really happening nowadays?), the exaggerated FL’s parents, and the unbelievable puritanical interaction between two almost 30-year-old people who like each other very much, they are also are neighbors and even sleep in the same apartment; the drama gets downgraded to a mass-produced, really basic level.

I liked the conservation message, the protection of savage species, but come on, all the plot around it seems more like a cartoon than a near real-life situation. From the dialogue, the costumes, the bad guys' attitude, and the arrest, it all felt too fake.

The drama relied too much on Esther Yu's signature cute, slightly mischievous expression, and the ML delivered a not-colorful performance, with few opportunities to show anything beyond a grey performance.

The supporting couple was exaggerated, hard to believe or explain, and so unnecessary that the drama wouldn’t change a bit if all their scenes were deleted.

Both antagonists were exaggerated and faced very poorly written characters.

For me, this was clearly a product of the mass-production Asian drama industry, meant to entertain the public, and it was only useful to wait for the next episode of the drama I currently watch, enjoying only Esther Yu’s signature expressions.

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