Mr. Magic is a stud muffin...
I prefer series with a bit more depth than this one. It was a bit saccharine and sentimental, but for what it was - it worked. Even the sound track was enjoyable. I'm a sucker for magical special effects, so I was able to excuse the simplistic message and just enjoy the visuals. I know the poor kid didn't have a mother, but someone needed to tell Ah-Yi to keep her mouth closed and trim her bangs. For 4/5ths of the series she could have done with a personality transplant. She was a little too bland and vapid for my taste. On the other hand, Ji Chang-Wook more than made up for it. When he says, "Do you...believe...in...magic?" it's to die for.Was this review helpful to you?
Emotions can make you overlook untouched potential
I rated this drama higher than it deserved if you look at facts only. It had a way of understanding disabilities and everything that comes with it that it sometimes was able to pick me up right from where I stand.But it didn't lead me far in that regard. Because all those messages lacked soil to grow roots into and a sky to rise up to. All it was was a fresh summer breeze in rustling green leaves, the sweet smell of ice cream and the sound of nostalgia wrapping you in a blanket that's oddly heavy to wear.
I feel like this drama doesn't have a pacing problem that so many critical voices mentioned. I'm fine with all nostalgia vibes and taking it slow because I liked them.
I just feel they placed a spotlight and turned it brighter and brighter when there shouldn't be any spotlights to begin with. I wanted this to be a story about all the characters, not just the mains. Instead of setting background and depth in the beginning and stumbling from event to event in the romance plot later, I wish they were interwoven more skillfully. With so much screentime available and such a great foundation, they didn't make use of everything they set up for it.
ML and 2FL were the most interesting characters by far, not only in background but also in their relationship dynamics. ML and his family's dynamics in general were a huge selling point along with the disability for me. And it all had to take a step back for FL, whose story, in comparison, felt rather mid. It feels like she was only put into the story because they needed a romantic interest for ML when there was never really space for her to begin with. Now, don't get me wrong, I also liked that the disabilities weren't the sole focus in this drama because, well, life goes on, and while disabilities shape a lot of our paths, they don't define who we are as a person entirely. But even without FL there would have been plenty to tell.
The whole plot got wrapped up in the typical Kdrama way: rushed, glossed over and with a ton of open questions. That ending just proves that they would have needed screentime to wrap up their strings and messages nicely but wasted it elsewhere instead and it is leaving an aftertaste I am not sure ruins the drama or is mild enough to overlook.
That being said, I binged this drama whenever I had a chance to. The nostalgia, the music, the friendships, the happy moments together, seeing them all deal with hardships differently were addicting. I was happy for the characters when they were and cried when they did. Despite the focus still not being exactly where I would have wanted it, I liked that the romance didn't have the main role here either. I love that I didn't like Han I Chan yet still was able to care about him deeply. Because you can't like everyone, not even if they're the "good" main characters. But you can feel for them.
It's a mood-based drama that lives off the atmosphere it creates and the hopes and dreams it dangles in front of you. I'm fine with dramas like that. It was a fun and emotional ride. But it also could have been so much more. Instead of serving the typical clichés, I wish the drama had dared to stay a bit more unique. Because whenever it did, it did so well.
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Yeon Tae Seo and his family are the only shining characters in this series
DisclaimerWhat I am writing here are my views and thoughts about this series. Some of you may not like it. That does not give you the right to try to come at me with your opinions on why this series should get a higher or lower score and why it is better/worse than I think it is. You have your own opinions, and I have mine. Kindly respect that.
I am just going to come out and say this – I am a bit disappointed with this series. I can safely say that the saving grace for this series was how Park Jinyoung was able to portray the character of Yeon Tae Seo. When he was in scenes with the other actors who portrayed his grandparents and his brother, they were beautifully done. He is an actor that is able to portray emotions so well, and he did that with this character. A good example of this was when they broke up the first time – he portrayed his emotions so well there.
I liked this series in the beginning when they now met and up to when he entered college. Then, we got them ten years later. And I just lost interest in them as the episodes progressed (which is a first for me in watching anything that Park Jinyoung has starred in). Clearly communication was an issue with them, as we, the audience, saw throughout the series. I am shockingly okay with the ending, as they didn't end up together or with the SML/SFL (who I also felt nothing for or was even rooting for them to end up with the main characters).
In the end, it was nice watching another series that starred Park Jinyoung as he did an excellent job (along with the actors who portrayed his family) with his character, even with the few flaws that he had. However, I don't see myself recommending this series to others, unless you are a fan of the actors, because of how it didn't hold my interest for the whole series.
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Lackluster FL and plot flow
Having come off a great series previously, I wanted to check out another series with some repeat faces. Unfortunately, despite having a great cast of actors, the dialogue and pacing has been subpar in comparison.Sometimes despite having some flaws, there's still enough of a combination to keep the interest there. But while this one has all of the ingredients, the plot flow didn't blend well and the characters weren't very consistent. One of those situations where someone is supposed to be highly analystical and intelligent but then becomes ignorant the next. The FL in particular also hasn't grown on me yet. For such an evidently flawed character herself (with access to her past life and choices), she does way too much lecturing towards everyone around her. She lectures women victims by convincing them to do what she wants because it's what they "should" do and then spews some long-winded comfort words that comes off condescending. The acting in her constant flashbacks were also not great.
If the FL doesn't bother you the way it did for me, I think it would still be a decent watch just based on the rest of the cast.
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My guilty pleasure
This drama is not for everybody. The phone staying intact after dropping from the top of a building does point to some details being pure fiction. It is makjang like in that YuCi changes hats as necessary to gain justice from those who wronged her. It is definitely more character driven than having a specific logical plot line. What I absolutely loved about this drama was the tension and interaction of the characters. YuCi transforms herself from the downtrodden rich girl that had her life stolen from her to a VP of Lysen. She has no support from her friends or family and her best mentor was hiding out at the mental hospital where she found herself forcibly admitted. The big question was if miracles could happen for good people? Was that even remotely possible where people were used as steppingstones and all circumstances manipulated to prevent any hope of surviving much less getting justice. YuCi is faced with seemingly insurmountable odds but refuses to stay where they bind her. Pure grit and brains help her find the ones she needs to assist her and cause the biggest blows to her opponents. The back and forth is intense and brutal. Both sides are all in for the win. I was glued to my chair for every episode just to see what happened next. The actors do an excellent job of making their characters liked or hated. We are drawn in to both worlds, the machinations of a company where the bottom line is burn all bridges to get ahead vs those cheated by signing the contract and having their life savings and livelihoods stolen and trampled. Yu Ci brings it right to them by using their vices against them. This is strongly countered and the odds are always against her. In spite of that, she is determined to get justice and make the Lysen group give back to the community as well as make money. Watching this transformation was an exciting and interesting adventure.Was this review helpful to you?
Not what i expected!
This was a great story, it was somtething completely else then i expected when it started.Unfortunatly the time jumps were not done very clear, so that was a bit confusing.
The visuals were stunning and the music beautiful.
The actors did a good job, the moments with emotions were done very good. Unfortunatly the "normal" acting felt a bit flat, you could see they still need a bit more experience in acting to grow and act natural troughout the whole drama.
The mains had amazing chemistry and kisses and the intimate scenes were great too. They show quite a bit, but not too much. The last intimate scene was filmed so beautiful.
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Cute
Devo dire proprio carina. Molto semplice, molto easy, insomma, una serie che merita il pomeiggio che ho occupato a vederla. Mi sono piaciuti molto i protagonisti e il loro rapporto, come è cresciuto gradualmente, ma in maniera sempre costante. Oggettivamente è più un 8,5 che un 9, ma la ho apprezzata, ho apprezzato la stoaria e dev dire che ho deciso che non mi interessa più non sovrastimare i voti che do. Nel senso che se ho voglia di dare un voto altro lo do, fine della storia. Mi sono piaciute anche le piante grasse che sono praticamente diventate dei personaggi paganti.E niente, una storia piacevole, ma con un twist che si apprezza devo dire.
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This is Opium Drama
You know when i write this long drama review on my duanju diaries means this drama was like opium.I am Tian Xiwei silent watcher since New Life Begins and Wrong Marriage and feels she was overlooked actress while for Zhang Linghe i never finish most of his dramas since his acting was not my cup of tea. (1 Bailu , 2 Esther yu's, 2 Zhao Jinmai's, 1 Xu Ruohan) and this is the first time i ever finished Zhang Linghe dramas. The chemistry between them is like Coca cola and Mentos experiment. I quite like FL character growth since it was quite consistent and contrast to popular belief ML got his character growth not based on his fighting skill (he always injured but still give his best) but for emotional intelligent. One thing i found rare in Chinese Long drama is having strong emotional FL who not really depend of Love over all.
The beginning of the drama (Ep 1-18) are too strong and well written since they want to focused on Linan arc. They successfully make all of supporting characters got the spotlight (for example: Mrs Kang, Magistrate Daughter). But somehow they kind of losing the actual purpose on Episode 23-26 and the most thing i couldn't accept is Jin secret love to Changyu. It was kind of annoying can the scriptwriter make the relationship more platonic. I want to see more Xie Wu and Xie Qi relation to the Fan's Sister and it was overshadowed by Mr Jin. Man Di death was unfortunate but they kind make not realistic by not letting Changyu had proper farewell to him (They cut the plot too often so most of usual watcher will confused).
I love Deng Kai acting but scriptwriter-sama please reduce the second CP moment on the last 30 episode (yeah Snow Kong and Deng Kai got chemistry but the limited of drama duration should to give the Main lead backstory) and Su Yuanqing with the cousin scene was unnecessary too. Lin Muran acting's is make me gasped since he is quite young star.
The weakness of Zeng Qing Jie works related to political arc on this drama based from his previous work (General He drama, Wei Yan backstory, How Xie Zheng know Chang Yu real identity) but he give some color scenery that reminds me of Lord of The Rings trilogy so i kind forgive him for the lack of Political aspect on this drama.
Despite of all of my rambling about political aspect, i still recommended this drama~
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A Fun Mix of Comedy, Romance & Drama
I don’t know why there are so many negative comments. For someone like me who enjoys comedy, romance, and drama, this lakorn is really enjoyable. The storyline may be simple, but it’s entertaining, full of humor, funny moments, and light-hearted scenes that make it a fun and relaxing watch overall.Was this review helpful to you?
The first thing that stands out is how the plot's ambition far outpaced the post-production budget (or talent). In a story where monsters and cosmic powers are fundamental, encountering digital effects that look two decades old completely breaks the immersion.
For those who haven't read the webtoon or the novel, the sheer amount of world-building rules (coins, attributes, stigmas) can feel overwhelming within the first 30 minutes.
The "disrespect to the author" criticism is not an exaggeration. By altering key events and oversimplifying the "scenario" system, the film betrays Sing Shong’s core message. They have attempted to turn a deconstruction of the genre into the same kind of empty commercial product that the original story itself criticizes.
My personal recommendation: Now that you have the character´s faces in your head, run to read the Webtoon or the Novel. You will realize that the movie barely scratched the surface of what this story truly is.
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A Forbidden Love full of Yearning (and a little toxicity)
What a journey this was. These 37 episodes flew by so fast I didn’t even have time to get bored or drag myself to the finish line. I was hooked, on the edge of my seat throughout the entire drama. Very few c-dramas manage to capture my attention like this.TROPES:
Wuxia
Past influencing the present
Forbidden love
Strong, smart FL
Manipulative, scheming ML
Flirty, clingy ML
So what is it about? The story follows Cai Zhao, a spirited, lively girl who joins a sect to train for a year (reluctantly, she’d much rather stay home, have fun, and run a business). There, she grows close to Chang Ning, a boy whose family fell victim to a massacre. But Chang Ning isn’t quite what he seems…
Cai Zhao, our female lead. Aka my future wife. Or bestie, at the very least. I love this girl so damn much. She is PERFECT. She’s highly skilled with a sword, so she is absolutely NOT a damsel in distress. She’s also NOT a dumbass. In fact, she’s intimidatingly smart. Sharp, clever, and not easily fooled. She knows when to be serious and when to be playful. She’s genuinely such a fun character.
Mu Qing Yan, our male lead (the one pretending to be Chang Ning), is an absolute meal. Yes, I said that with a straight face. He may be a red flag, but I am colorblind. And honestly? Even if I weren’t, I wouldn’t give a shit. YES, he’s toxic and I love him. Not despite it, but because of it. He is MY brand of toxic, okay?!
My husband over here was playing chess while everyone else was busy with checkers. Manipulative. Cunning. Scheming. (And every other adjective you can think of with negative connotations, he is all of them.) But do you know why I love him? Because manipulative little bitches are attractive, of course.
But also because he manipulated everything to be with her. (And yes, also for his revenge, but never mind that.) Time and time again, we see that she matters far more to him than vengeance. He would give it all up if she just promised to stay with him. His chain of schemes left me astonished. Some I could see coming, but others? My jaw was on the floor.
He is SO obsessed with Cai Zhao (he calls her ZhaoZhao HOW CUTE AHHHH). And I mean it. He had me pacing around my room, hiding my face in my hands, blushing and giggling because MY GOD, this man loves her to death. He is completely shameless in his pursuit. No matter how many times she rejects him (and trust me, it was a LOT), he never once thinks, “Maybe I should have some self-respect and give up.”
No. He persists. He flirts constantly, finds every excuse to be near her, to hold her hand, to hug her and just... to BE around her. He thrives in her presence. He even says the only time he feels peace is when he’s with her.
Shameless, relentlessly obsessed men who will manipulate the world itself just to be with their women?
Ahem.
Okay some people didn't like that he also manipulated Cai Zhao herself but LOOK (me getting ready to defend a red flag guy) he did not manipulate her in order to like... harm her. He only did it so she would be with him. And yeah, yeah he threated to kill people if she left him BUT he did it because he LOVED HER. That... makes everything better right?
*hiding in my corner of shame*
I am ENTERTAINED by a man who will rearrange the universe like a deranged chess god just to keep his girl, is that so wrong?
This man was willing to abandon everything for her. And he DID abandon so much. Even she admits that his devotion to her far surpasses hers to him.
And what makes it even better is Cai Zhao herself. They’re from enemy sects. They cannot be together. The world would never accept them. So she tries to take the practical route and stay away from him (and fails, because she does love him, no matter how much she wants to deny it).
But Mu Qing Yan? He doesn’t care. He wants her. So she pushes him away, and he clings tighter. MY FAVORITE DYNAMIC EVER.
And yet, whenever he’s injured or on the brink of death, she forgets everything, everyone, and runs to him. To protect him. To save him. To take care of him.
I love these two so much. They are perfect to me. I love how far he’s willing to go for her, even when it crosses every line, and I love that she’s strong enough to stand her ground anyway.
Aside from the main leads, I also really enjoyed the stories of the previous generations. Cai Zhao’s aunt also fell for a demon sect member—and so did another ancestor. All of their stories ended tragically, which only reinforces why Cai Zhao tries so hard to stay away from Mu Qing Yan.
MY MINOR COMPLAINS:
The editing was a little off-putting, especially in the earlier episodes. It felt choppy at times. I also found out the director worked on The Double, which explains those… interesting camera angles.
I was also confused till the very end about who was who. There were just so many characters, and I could not keep their names straight. Half the time, I had no idea who people were talking about.
I would have preferred a higher budget. The cinematography could have been better. I’m used to high-tier dramas with intricate sets, detailed costumes, and stunning shots. But these are minor complaints, and they didn’t significantly affect my enjoyment.
CONCLUSION:
Overall, this drama made me light up inside. It gave me butterflies. Definitely one of my top dramas of the year.
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Underrated drama
I actually don't want to watch this drama when it was released since i didn't have any mood to watch this. But the recent duanju release was so dull nowadays and i decided to watch it via tiktok (Tiktok got duanju series? it was nice). This is no romance and no BL so you can skip this. Zeng Hui and Wang Peiyan gave a great performance. The two team up to hunt ghosts and raise a child, going from enemies to risking their lives, redefining family. episodic ghost-hunting adventures, the theme is fun and engaging, heartwarming and healing, with a touch of humor. This is basically Tinghuadao gathering so most of the artist are from tinghua (i think Jiang Shiqi has already left tinghua back then since most of her recent work are not related to tinghua artist now). There is few plot hole but i can tolerate it since it was first trial and error from tinghua to get this fantasy drama. The poignant love story in the cat demon tale, the deep sisterly bond in the rabbit demon tale, and the unwavering devotion of the MLs mother are all incredibly touching, yet not overly sentimental, just the right amount to bring tears to your eyes . It's a very comfortable watch, and the little girl's performance is also very lively; the sibling bond is subtly hidden amidst the laughter and playfulness. It was unfortunate because it was quite underrated drama and it actually has potential to get season 2 but market are more important nowadays.Recommended if you want non romance drama
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1“More Than Just a Love Story”
I gave The Love in 1970s a 9.5/10 because it was one of those dramas that slowly pulls you into its world and then never lets go. At first, I thought it would just be another simple romance drama set in the past, but it turned out to be much deeper than that. It had romance, family emotions, struggles, friendship, dreams, and that nostalgic feeling of old times that made everything feel more special.What I loved most about this drama was the atmosphere. The 1970s setting was done beautifully. From the clothes to the streets, houses, music, and even the way people talked, everything felt very real. It really looked like the drama team put a lot of effort into making viewers feel like they were living in that era. Sometimes while watching, I forgot that I was watching a drama because it felt so natural and believable.
The main leads were amazing. Their chemistry was one of the biggest reasons I enjoyed this drama so much. Their love story did not feel rushed or fake. It was slow, emotional, and very realistic. You could see how much they cared for each other even in the smallest moments. Sometimes they did not even need words because their expressions were enough. Their relationship had a lot of ups and downs, but that is what made it feel real and emotional.
The female lead was probably my favorite character. She was strong, kind, hardworking, and someone who never gave up even when life was difficult. I liked that she was not shown as a perfect person because that made her feel more human. The male lead was also very good because he was caring, loyal, and always tried his best, even when he had his own struggles. Together, they made such a beautiful pair that I could not stop rooting for them.
Another thing I loved was how emotional the drama was. There were so many scenes that made me smile, but there were also scenes that made me feel sad and emotional. The family moments were especially touching. The drama showed how difficult life could be in those times, but it also showed how people stayed strong and supported each other. It was not only about romance, it was also about family, sacrifice, dreams, and never giving up.
The side characters were also very memorable. Usually in some dramas, I only care about the main couple, but here even the side characters had interesting stories. Some characters made me laugh, some annoyed me, and some made me emotional. It felt like every person had their own purpose in the story, which made the drama feel even richer.
The music was beautiful too. The OST matched the mood of the drama perfectly. There were some songs that made emotional scenes even more powerful. Even after finishing the drama, I still remembered some of the music because it stayed with me.
The only reason I did not give it a full 10/10 is because there were a few parts in the middle that felt a little slow. Some episodes could have been shorter, and there were a few scenes that felt repetitive. But honestly, these small issues did not stop me from enjoying the drama because the overall story was so good.
Overall, The Love in 1970s is one of the best Chinese dramas I have watched. It is emotional, beautiful, realistic, and full of heart. It made me laugh, cry, and become attached to the characters. If someone likes romance dramas with a nostalgic setting, strong emotions, and meaningful relationships, then I would definitely recommend this drama. It is the kind of story that stays in your heart even after you finish watching it.
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Good for a Part 2 but cannot reach the supremacy of Season 1
Bloodhounds 2 was in my opinion a solid continuation of of the original, with familiar faces from season 1 as well as new characters, good or bad, and high-rated cameos (All I gotta say is Park Seo-joon!!!)Here are my thoughts on Season 2 and why it was good:
- new villains were more brutal and interesting than in Season 1. Especially the hacker and Tae-geom were very interesting characters…
- less death cases of characters, as well as less defeats. I felt like in season 1 they constantly lost! It almost drove me crazy. In season 2 there was a bit more of an even chance of winning for either sides.
- The cameo of Park Seo-joon was HILARIOUS!!!
- The ending of this season was definitely more thought through. Season 1’s last epiosdes and ending were so weird. They probably had to change the plot last minute because of what happened with Kim Saeron…
And here are some reasons why I don’t think that Season 2 was as good as Season 1:
- No cliffhangers… For me the crazy cliffhangers of Season 1 were the reason why I got so hooked on that drama! Season 2 didn’t really have that. Which was better for my sleep cycle but in the end it didn’t really leave auch a lasting impact on me as the original.
- Despite the great choreographed fighting scenes (especially Gunwoo’s scenes with Rain), there was a tad too much unnecessary violence… the ripping off the ear, biting the bath tub and shaving off the skin etc were all unnecessary imo… I had to close my eyes more often in this part than in the first one…
- I didn’t understand the need of bringing back In-beom… like what was the reason??? they wanted to use him to lure gunwoo but they never did that… Part of me thinks they just wanted to lure him out to have more reason for more brutal violence… I didn’t like that… In-beom should have stayed in season 1… I wanted to see more background info of the green-haired hacker…
- Overall plot seemed messy and uncreative at times… especially using the mother and/or his friend(s) again to lure Gunwoo… And then the fact he stayed so calm in the end when his mother ended up getting kidnapped was a bit strange… Woo-jin was sadder than Gunwoo… I was actually quite confused…
- I wanted to see a revenge scene of Min-beom (Choi Siwon) on the villain (Rain)… but all we got is a hint on Season 3 and Park Seojoon’s real motive…
- Just the feeling of a found family was not as big in this drama as it was in Season 1 with Me. Choi and Kim Saeron’s character 🥺🥺🥺
All in all it was a good drama with old and new characters, extreme violence and hot men displaying their muscles 😅😅😅
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Push and pull
Jin young as the male lead was a good choice. His acting was great. Female lead, so-so. There were scenes where you dont feel any emotion from her at all. I hate the character basically. I dont see the sense of second male and female leads also. It felt like their role was there as needed. Doesn’t jive with the storyline. I ended up fast forwarding most of the episodes as I really find it boring. Good thing it is only 10 episodes and I waited for the series to finish before watching it. 😩Was this review helpful to you?
