Reviews

The Action Movie Made in China, not as Hong Kong Action Movie

It was hard to get this movie when you’re living outside mainland china! I need intense browsing whishing someone upload it before I found it few weeks ago.
First, if you love something romantic, sentimental, good looking ML & FL, rich with all modern things china have nowadays, then I’m sure this movie it isn’t for you. On the contrary, if you like realistic, real life, daily routine ordinary peoples with all of their struggle live, so this movie worth watching.
Second, you must change your view and have in mind, the movie happened in the developing country China around 90’s, when there was no handphone, internet connection, private luxurious car and all modern things as nowadays. As normally communism countries before 2000, not too open, bit close from outside world, bit slow in the industrial development and etc, so did China. That is why I like this movie because it also contain bit of historical things.

The story told about a young policeman Bi Zhengming (Wang Anyu) whom become policeman coz his experience in his youth when he saw the pickpocket occupied daily train in china that almost cost his life, how they operating to steal and avoid got catch by policeman. Later he become obsessed to liquidate the pickpocket gangster, no matter it have cost his leg. With his chief mentor in the police department, he did undercover and join in the small pickpocket gang which the chief girl named Da Baitao (Zhang Tian Ai), to learn their trick and skill. Bi Zhengming did everything to create steady and safety public area and transport, especially in the train. It cost a lot of effort, money and also life.

The director successfully transferred the real operation of pickpocket in developing countries at 90’s into a movie. Collaboration, structural, managerial such a corporate organization. Each bunch having their own chief, their own area territory that cant be trespassing by others, their own operation method that could be harsh and cruel for the victim, but also each bunch must respect each others. In 70’s – 90’s era, it was the era of big gangster occupied country such as Mafia in Italy, Yakuza in Japan, Triad in Hong Kong, Kartel in Mexico/Brazil and so on. As normally a gangster, they have godfather, the mighty highest leader that chosen by each chief of bunch. So did what also in this story, even just bunch of pickpocket, they also have a godfather.

This movie was rich of characters development, Bi Zhengming with his chief mentor whom always support him, his opposed mother whom prefer him to be a cloth seller than a policeman (especially after it cost his leg), Da Baitao pickpocket girl who has felling for him (that of course will never happen coz in in the real life, it bit impossible that a policeman married ex pickpocket girl – realistic). She also have her own issue with her biological mother whom also ex part of pickpocket, and how she beg Bi Zhengming to give chance a better life for her best friend (the deafmute pickpocket) after he serve his punishment, in where Bi Zhengming fully agreed. The cruel pickpocket whom obsessed to be a godfather and did everything to make it come true, base also on his youth experience. How one bunch tried to be a biggest and superior one that normal happen in the gangster world. The differences and similarity performance and enforcement between police department and gangster club. I would say, must give big appreciation to the director to do such a rich story for just a 2hrs movie, and especially coz it is a low – moderate budget movie.

I like Wang Anyu in this movie, he didn’t care at all his visual, very contrary as normally see him deadly handsome, clean, attractive, charming prince and so on. I’m sure he can do more (come on Anyu, don’t hold your talent!). Zhang Tian Ai did good job, witty, cheerful, smart ass pickpocket girl. The antagonist ambitious pickpocket, enemy of Bi Zhengming also did good job, he damn cold blooded, cruel one without emotion.
The cinematography is quite good, old fashioned train, crowded, not clean enough station and road (normal in the developing countries in 90’s era), pager and public phone (instead of handphone), and other 90’s look like. Even I doubt that it was look like that exactly coz it seems in the movie look bit modern than reality, some scene miss there and here (not much), but is ok anyway. Need bigger budget to do exactly as reality

What I don’t like most in this movie is the title, OMG why oh why always have name there? It is a movie, should be something more mean, like “Railroad Journey” or “The Bunch” for example. The opening would be more interesting if begun with bullet train journey then slowly year by year back to the 90’s train. In the end, I do like that kind of movie, realistic life, emotion of each character, very realistic romance, and Wang Any in different character and outlook!

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Leads were newcomers but wow their chemistry was sizzling. Kisses better than the other version

This drama appeared on one of my favourite youtube channels. I randomly clicked on thumbnail to read comments - generally positive. Decided to watch it on Monday afternoon to destress. This is another version of She Is the Only One starring Zhao Jia & Chen Si. I must say I enjoyed this one more than the more famous version.

What I liked:
1. Acting - Gao Hai Zhou & Peng Hui Ying are both new to the industry but individually they did alright in their roles. However as a couple, I'd say their chemistry is sizzling. They seemed hot for each other. I also liked the height difference with Gao Hai Zhou always bending when he kissed Peng Hui Ying.
2. Romance - Damn hot kisses 🔥. There were many kisses and physical touch was definitely their love language. There were sweet moments like ML cooking for FL and them talking about their relationship.
3. FL characterisation - I also liked the FL in this version compared to the other version. She never once saw ML as sugar daddy or an escape from her situation.
4. Styling - Despite being low budget, I liked most of the clothes worn by FL and ML.
5. Visuals - Wow, Peng Hui Ying was gorgeous! Gao Hai Zhou had this facial features that remind me of a Korean. Both are definitely striking.
6. ML characterisation - He was Mr Nice Guy overall. I liked that he respected FL in her decision making. Never meddled except that help for smoother divorce process. I also liked that he had his personal battle to overcome.

What I disliked:
1. Antagonists - FL's ex husband & mother-in-law were nasty. Pity ML for having to deal with selfish mother and her relative.
2. Make-up - FL seemed to be wearing foundation a shade lighter than her skin tone. Obvious when you compare her face and the neck.
3. First meet - It was odd that ML barged into FL's hotel room then kissed her. He blamed on being drugged but hhhhmm coerced sex is not sexy.

Favourite scene
When FL & ML were in the kitchen

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a certified comfort watch

nobody does an ensemble bl like gmmtv. i ADORE this cast and all the couples, they were so sweet and so fun to watch. the best part of this series was the cast and their precious little friend group. i could just tell that they had sooo much fun filming this series, and their happiness was infectious.
there's not a whole lot of plot happening here, but it didn't bother me much. i was more invested in the characters, their friendship, and their dynamics anyway. plot? who cares.
the acting was mediocre at best and pretty awful at worst, much to my dismay, considering that i love all these actors and characters. it wasn't unwatchably bad, but there were definitely some moments of acting so terrible that i was kind of taken out of the viewing experience. i think phuwin particularly gave quite a weak performance when it came to his acting. it's disappointing, because i know phuwin is a very strong actor and a talented person. he had moments where he shone, and peem remained an enjoyable character nonetheless. i do want to give kudos to boom and satang tho, they were absolutely the best actors in this whole cast.
that doesn't mean i loved the rest of the characters any less, tho. this whole crew was so charming. even the characters with less screen time. mick, beer, and matt all still found ways to shine. every character, acting performance aside, was loveable in their own unique ways.
i have one final critique about the chemistry between the couples. this pretty much goes back to my acting comments. phuwin's acting was lacking a bit, and i felt that pond carried the brunt of phumpeem's chemistry. i wouldn't even be complaining about this if i wasn't fully confident that phuwin can give a MUCH stronger performance. i've seen him do it, i know he's capable. i obviously still enjoyed the couple, but i can't help pointing it out. i also had slight qualms with qtoey. i've already praised satang, i think he did really well as toey. winny played q very well as a character, but i didn't find his chemistry with satang to be believable. qtoey overall felt a bit wobbly. they were super cute as a couple and their story was touching, but some of their interactions were plain cringey.
i hate to complain so much in the same breath that im claiming to really like this series. LOL. regardless, i honestly would recommend this series to a friend. it was nice to come home from and watch this after chaotic shifts at work. it's lighthearted, silly cheesy romance. a laugh and a good time guaranteed. it's definitely for easy watching, tho. just turn your brain off and don't think too hard, you'll have a great time.

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Plot was better but the dual couple presence were too weak.

I watched this version on the time of the released because of Zhang Xuan only and it was him who make me stayed (and Cha Yi Chen). Plot wise it was more better than Wang Nian Jiang Cheng one but for the chemistry i feel this version lacks and i feel the Zhang Xuan character way colder than other version which is better but for the couple dynamic there is none can appeal in my eyes.

As usual they make Younger sister so annoying, i cannot stand her character like they make spoiler brat and the housewife persona was not really good. The father in this version slightly better than first one. For the chemistry, both of the leads lack chemistry and sparks. I don't have a problem with the Younger brother but he lacks something on the character. He may look young but lack of playful character which this version was quite boring. I feel bad for Cha Yichen since only her tried to build up the plot but Younger brother in this version really lacks.

I wont rewatch this version.

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Mushy, light and rewatchable

There's always something wrong in every drama, and this one is not entirely perfect either.

IMO, ML dint get enough screentime in the first half, and was kinda just there without much to do... but then again, the ML is Seo In-Guk, so he still makes doing nothing look ridiculously sexy and good.

Having said that, it's still totally worth watching and even re-watching after some weeks or months.

It's a good escape series between some serious ones. A drama where you don't need to think or be too focused. It's light hearted, mushy, cushy, cozy and every episode brings a smile on your face somehow. I like how non-judgemental the characters are amongst themselves. Be it friends, colleagues, clients, and/or significant others.

The silliness is a welcome change. The young are wiser, and the relatively elder are childish most times. This dynamic age group really works for the drama.

I enjoyed it, I hope everyone just kicks off their shoes, and unwinds with this one. I'd say instead of trying to find deep philosophical meaning to the script, just grab some pop-corn, cozy up with your loved ones (friends or SO), and share a few moments of contemplation along this journey.

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Karma, Sins, and Lies - It'll All Return

Over the past month I was swept into the twisted, gritty, dark world of the crime, legal & noir thriller, Return. This was a drama I'd been planning to watch for a while. It was similar to Penthouse, my favorite k-drama (at least, one of them), I love a good murder mystery, and I'd never really watched a legal thriller k-drama before. But I didn't get around to watching it till last month. By the time I pressed play on episode 1, I was intrigued by the characters, the plot, and the setting. Then I was on episode 2. Before I knew it, I was a quarter-way through the entire show! The structure made it fairly easy to watch, too- 30ish minutes per episode. I watch daily dramas, so I'm used to it.

Now, onto the drama itself. This is an unfortunately realistic reflection and perspective on the legal system in South Korea. It is unknown if the events that occured in the drama are based on real life, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was. Generally it's close to reality. Chaebols (and politicians), hell, anyone rich anywhere gets away with some of the most horrific crimes and are never brought to justice. Simply because of who they are, their social status, who their parents are, what they do, and how much money they have in their bank account. And more often than not, the poor are screwed over by these types of rich people. There are Kang In-Hos in real life, narcissists who can never truly take responsibility for their own actions. There are unhinged psychopaths who use the law to cover up their crimes with blood money, like Oh Tae-Seok. There are disgusting, immature scumbags like Kim Hak-Bum in real life. And there are enablers, but damaged individuals like Seo Jun-Hee in real life, too. Not a single person in this drama was truly a good person- not even the impulsive, short-tempered, but justice-seeking detective Dok Go-Young. This is the most fascinating part of the drama to me, everything that happened was a cycle. It captured the very title, "Return". What one does to others shall be done to them. It is not vengeance, nor justice, but karma that punishes or rewards the people and their fate.

First off, I have to applaud all of the actors in this drama, who did an amazing job portraying their characters (even with the off-screen drama.) Shout out to BOTH actresses who played Choi Ja-Hye. Contrary to some of the rude things said on here & other sites about Park Jin-Hee in Return (who did this while PREGNANT... insane), I think both women pulled off her character extremely well. In fact, I'll go as far as to say that the second half was even BETTER than the first half, and I heavily preferred Park Jin-Hee's portrayal- and it made me a fan of Park Jin-Hee, too! So I'm definitely checking out more of her dramas in the future. Go Hyun-Jung did great with her performance, too. No need to put 2 amazing women against each other. Lee Jin-Wook... it took me a while to realize that he was the guy from Squid Game season 3 lol he looked totally different! His portrayal of Detective Dok actually grew on me after some time. He was still frustrating, but somewhat rootable. A great foil to Ja-Hye. Jung Eun-Chae... okay, so I didn't care much for Geum Na-Ra in general, but she definitely had that good underdog arc. I guess I just didn't understand it till I got to the last episodes. She wasn't a bad actress, fairly alright.

Then, we have the 4 evil princes. Or 4 bastards/assholes, as I love to call them. We gotta start with Oh Tae-Seok, the entitled, psychotic, and twisted CEO. This man drove me insane, I loved how ruthless, selfish, and evil he was, but I also hated it too. Shin Sung-Rok did TOO GOOD of a job portraying him, it's almost like he enjoyed it! His performance was chilling! (I am aware he's not like this in real life lol, I'm just passionate about him now.) Definitely checking out more of his dramas too. Tae-Seok got the ending that he deserved. Now, Kim Hak-Bum! The biggest scumbag of them all! He's done downright abhorrent things, especially to women. Bong Tae-Kyu really impressed me here, I didn't think he'd be able to pull off playing a nasty sociopath like Hak-Bum, since he usually does comedic roles, but... he did. He was probably the second-best actor in the cast. Kudos to him. Next up is Seo Jun-Hee... and again, has Yoon Jong-Hun ever, and I mean, EVER been truly happy in his dramas? This is the THIRD TIME I've seen this man portray someone do something horrible and then get put through the absolute WRINGER for the rest of the show! GODDAMN! *PLEASE* LET THIS MAN BE HAPPY IN A K-DRAMA FOR ONCE! 😭😭 I love him so much! Jun-Hee was one of the most tragic characters in the entire drama, and at least he had a conscience! I'm starting to feel bad for the actor himself! Finally, Kang In-Ho, our... flawed anti-hero? I guess? Perhaps he's a villain of circumstance. But he becomes the main suspect in Yum Mi-Jung's murder, which complicates his life. Park Ki-Woong played him flawlessly- a cowardly narcissist who hides behind his money and his family's name. He was very, very complex.

As for the root of all evil, Yum Mi-Jung, I hated her. I was actually relieved when she died. And even happier to find out who actually did it! She did a great job in pissing me off. I liked the side characters too, especially Kim Dong-Bae, his blind mother, Ja-Hye's paralegal, Kang Young-Eun (I think), and Kim Jung-Su. I think I've already covered the themes. But I will say this: this drama is what happens when the legal system fails due to the power and influence of wealth. It breaks people, causes injustice, and radicalizes them. Just like what happened to Ja-Hye, who ended up being an extremely tragic figure. I didn't mind having no romance in this drama (I personally am looking for MORE k-dramas without romance or ones that don't really focus on it.) I'd definitely recommend this one.

The BGM/music was probably the best part of this drama lol, specifically the BGM. I loved the main theme too! And the directing was incredible. There were some minor pacing issues and a bit of filler that was annoying (mainly the comic relief/weird commentary with the officers & detectives at Go-Young's police station), but I didn't mind it too much. My verdict? A 10/10 drama for me right now. Yes, even though the ending broke my heart. It was still a great watch. The rating might change, overall I loved watching this drama. I 100% recommend it to anyone looking to get into crime dramas! Don't let the recast scare you away! They're nothing new in TV shows lol

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Almost about firefighters

I have to admit my disappointment with this drama.

The cast is amazing, the potential for stories with a subject like a fire station is enormous...

In the end, many episodes are spent talking about internet backlash. When there are fires, the writers don't know how to tell a story... they just film empty scenes without any plot.
Managing a fire depending on the location, the type of building, the teams, the evacuations of the injured, the deployment of resources, the strategy implemented... there's so much they could have told, but it's completely empty.

We see images of people drinking and eating between explosions, but the story has no substance.

What a shame.

Then... the annoying things:
- I have a big problem with inconsistencies, and yet I also have a margin of tolerance, but the girlfriends waiting for their boyfriends at the barracks... even worse, when they get off the truck... I don't know many countries where families are allowed, and in China, military tradition forbids civilians from wandering around as they please!
- The whole bit with the petty squabbles between female characters... It's a cliché I could do without in 2026...
- Everyone walking on the wooden floor of the dance studio with shoes on... It's a small detail, but it wasn't hard to think of. Speaking of which, it's a shame they didn't cast an actress with some dance experience (they must have existed) because it's terribly obvious that she doesn't know anything about it (or they should have found her another job... she should have gone into theater).
- Is there an hospital where no doctors are here or at least come when the patient wakes up to explain the situation ? Apparently here it's the coworker and the coworker's girlfriend who do it. (why was is also tagging along in the most inapropriate place ... ?)

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Only stayed for Younger Brother-Older Brother story,

I watched this first since visual wise was more okay than other version and i liked Xue Ziqi and Wang Nian Jiang Cheng but too bad they are not couple in this version.Whoever cast Wang Nian Jiang Cheng and Xiang Shuai has eagle eye since the looked like siblings. But i need to say the plot was unbearable to watch. The father kidnaps and drugged his sister, and the father's character was one of baddest character in all version i watch. Luckily this drama only has 59 episodes, the fewest of all the versions. There are very few sweet kisses, the pacing is fast, and the ending isn't as good as the others, too abrupt. Its only advantage is the high visual appeal of the four main characters.

Wang Nian Jiang Cheng is good-looking, but he doesn't feel like older brother at all, lacking maturity and his lack of chemistry with He Tian Tian was so obvious too watch. Fortunately, his younger brother, Xiang Shuai, is more youthful and his chemistry with Xue Ziqi were more satisfying to watch it feels watching Omega Man with Alpha Woman. He Tian Tian character was so annoying, i couldn't stand her childishness and i just stay for Older Sister and Younger Brother story.

Recommended only if you are hardcore fans of the actor.

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Another generic plot with okay ending

I watched this last year because of advertisement. The plot is indeed generic trop, ML and FL were spouse with her son but SFL comes to ML and badmouthing FL, FL tolerated him 3 times and told her son if ML never prioritize them. They will leave her dad yadda-yadda. She resigned from ML company and started new life. ML realized FL and her son are gone and pretend to be good person. In the end her own son called ML uncle since he never cared about him. ML and his hypocrisy are so annoying to watch. Both leads acting are okay but not making them engraved. I enjoy this but i don't want to rewatch anymore.

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Just what you’d expect from a rom com but with a couple of great character flaws

What’s not to like about a rom com whodunnit?

In the beginning the story centres around the love story of Jiang Xinbai (Luo Yunxi) and Yan Nanxing (Song Yi) who are thrown together by fate as they seek to discover the mastermind behind the illegal distribution of a pernicious drug called zornia. As the plot unfolds we find out that they also met as children when they were abducted by ‘bandits’. Xinbai smacked his head on a rock and became face blind when they tried to escape whereas Nanxing is fed poison which led to her being able to shapeshift.

Before long we meet two other (eventual) couples Soulou (Sabrina Chen) a duchess and the jaded sister of Xinbai & Liu Ruoqian (Gu Zi Cheng) an intelligent, sweet and kind slave and Shang Beili (Ryan Chang) sceptical commander of the Zingu Guards & Tong Saier (Huang Ri Ying) a simple yet loyal country girl. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that these four will also end up pairing off though due to many challenges their road to happiness is paved by massive obstacles.

What’s to like?
There are plenty of funny bits (the male protagonist’s mother’s tantrums were excellent). There were several layers of baddies before we found the mastermind who wasn’t who I was expecting. The main pairings were complex with plenty of character growth. There were more weddings than you could shake a stick at and there were some really sad bits the most heartbreaking of all was when the ML finally found the FL at the end.

What frustrated me?
I found the first couple of episodes very strange and put this drama on hold for a while but I’m glad I picked it up again a few weeks later and tried again. The wooden kissing scenes (which were few and far between thankfully as they were cringe worthy - and we all know LY can do it if you’ve seen Love is Sweet) detracted from the chemistry of the main leads who were otherwise on point and so in love. There was a weird and pretty pointless (on the whole) price war between the FL’s beauty parlour and another across the road which just irritated me.

Would I watch again? Probably not but on the whole it was a pleasant way to pass time.

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A Pleasant Surprise

I’ve been wanting to watch this series for about a year, but life has been incredibly busy lately. I usually release my list of favorite BL series around this month, but I still have 3-5 more series to finish before finalizing it. 😅

Honestly, I didn’t expect to love this series as much as I did. After watching School Trip and finishing Love in the Moonlight back-to-back, my mood toward BL series was a bit mixed. I wanted something light, but not as light as School Trip. And I guess Top Form ended up meeting that expectation.

I wasn’t familiar with Smart before this series, and I believe this is Boom’s first time as a main lead in a BL. So for me, they were practically a new pairing, and I didn’t have many expectations going in. But their chemistry? Way beyond what I anticipated. It really surprised me in the best way.

For the record, I didn’t realize the series only had 11 episodes, so I was genuinely confused during the final scene between Jade and Akin. I kept thinking there would be at least one more episode to explain what was happening. Maybe they’re saving it for another season? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

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A Jade Worth the Pursuit, Worth the Wait...

My inner critic says this drama deserves a 10/10... 100/10, but my superstitious side rating it li'l lower cause I don't wanna jinx the remaining episodes. We will talk about that once the finale is delivered.
Anyway I am sure whosoever follows chinese drama bites on insta and other platforms knows the buzz around this drama was insane. And as any TXW and ZLH admirer I was also waiting for it desperately, but ...Was it worth the wait .. ?
Ans: yes .. totally... Without a doubt ..100 percent...

And here's why ...
Plot and Characters:
In a small village on the outskirts of a country constantly threatened by war, our FL runs a pig-butchering business. She has brute strength that can overpower even trained martial artists, and on top of that she is beautiful, intelligent, kind, charming, and funny. She is also the head of her family.
Our ML matches her well: handsome, kind, righteous, smart,respectful-and-respected and true to his words and goals.
The drama presents multiple villains, from ruthless psychopaths to selfish schemers. Supporting characters vary too, showing many shades of personality. The plot moves smoothly, and few episodes especially deliver an extra adrenaline rush.


Cast:
Tian Xiwei and Zhang Linghe are amazing as the leads, both bringing their absolute best to the screen. Their looks fit the roles perfectly, and their acting truly brings their characters to life. On top of that, their chemistry is beautiful and calming in a uniquely satisfying way.. Honestly, I would love to see this pair reunite in another project because their on-screen dynamic is something worth experiencing again.

There are also some well-known faces in the supporting cast like Snow Kong, Yang Yue, and Deng Kai. Altogether it’s a decent cast, and what I appreciated most is that the screen time is shared quite fairly. The story doesn’t revolve only around the protagonists while everyone else stands like decorative palace pillars. Side characters actually get their moments too, which makes the overall narrative feel balanced and alive.


Music / BGM:
The BGM and songs are amazing, especially the track 'WHATS DONE IS DONE'... Such a beautiful piece 🥺🥺❤️ It carries this emotional softness that quietly sneaks into your heart...AHH!! Right now it’s basically living on loop on my phone… . 🥺❤️

Costume Design and styling:
The costume design is also done well. Every attire and styling felt very appropriate for the specific role and situation. Whether it’s the leads or the supporting characters, the outfits match their personalities and status nicely, adding an extra layer of authenticity to the drama’s world.


In a nutshell.. i love everything about this drama and I can see myself re-watching it multiple times in future. This is definitely gonna be one of my go-to dramas.

edit : changed it to 10/10. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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This fantasy cdrama is a MASTERPIECE ♾️/10

When I first watched Till the End of the Moon, I was blown away. This is by far the best cdrama I’ve ever watched. I didn’t expect to be so drawn to these characters, Tantai Jin and Su. It wasn’t a surprise that this cdrama had so much amazing chemistry between the leads, top-notch production, great acting, and phenomenal casting.
After I finished the drama, I found out about the novel, which was also very well received. The directors did an amazing job showcasing the three different lives and marriages. It felt like I was watching multiple storylines in one, and that’s what made this cdrama (for me) untouchable.
This drama is so good that I’ve been thinking about watching it a second time just to see if there were any scenes I might have missed. Usually, if I watch a drama more than once, it becomes one of my ultimate favorites.
I understand that some fans were upset about not getting their “happy ending” like in the novel, but at least during the cliffhanger it was shown that Tantai Jin will come back to Su and their daughter. So, in order for me to feel satisfied with a happy ending for my favorite rollercoaster-ride cdrama couple, I read the last chapters of the novel and I was satisfied.
I wouldn’t mind seeing Bai Lu and Luo Yunxi work together in many more dramas in the future. I honestly can’t get enough of their incredible chemistry. This cdrama is truly a masterpiece.

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