Reviews

A dark and depressing diamond of a detection Drama

one of the best murder mystery dramas I've seen with credible competent police investigation shown. The acting was top notch, with no duds & the 3 leads - Luo Jin in a dual role, Wang Zi Wen as the victim/catalyst and You Nan as the single-minded intelligent lead detective, all shone.
The drama was very downbeat, but realistically so. That realism showed in the color palette, the cinematography, and even the makeup. No chance of a Foundation General scandal here.

The twists and turns the story took kept me guessing, the raw emotions driving the characters, and the very matter of fact, low key smarts of the police team were all outstanding features of this excellent Drama

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Rare historical drama with medical/forensic centered plot

TBH, i just watched this for Ao Ruipeng, and indeed he served (acting, visual, performance, and etc.) But what made me stay was the intriguing chain of mysteries that slowly build into the main and final conflict. This drama actually made me feel like a detective, investigating cases alongside with the MCs, maybe that's another reason why i liked it so much. Another to note is the unusually large royal family with many princes and princesses (bc in typical royal family historical drama, they don't have much relative left due to... well bc everyone is eyeing the throne) but this one made me believe that royalty can have peace with their relatives (ofc if handled nicely). Anyway, i recommend this to those people wanting intriguing drama not just revolving unnecessary romantic angst but the actual plot surrounding the MCs. If you also want a soft, fluffy, and cute romance with so much chemistry between the leads, then this one if for you.

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Could have been so much more...

Now, in general, I really wanted to like this show. Gangster BL drama hello?? sign me up. however, it did not live up to expectations... at all.
It started out quite well with the story building and Xia Liu Yi's introduction was the coolest. And we have some great scenes like.. Chu San getting a hard on when they're hiding from the gangsters ;) And Xia Liu Yi becoming the gang leader after the death of his sister. So the show has had it's moments, but that's it. From start to finish they were just circling around each other, which can be great, but there is a line like hello.
Somehow their most passionate kiss ended up being a dream in like episode 4??? And why did Chu San say he had a disorder that made him more womanish/childish? That was one of the many things that felt so unnecessary, like Chu San's confession in ep 9, which felt rushed and unnatural, like it was put into the storyline to quicken things up. And when Xia Liu Yi was going so crazy finding Chu San in the last episode I just didn't really believe it, because it feels like their relationship hasn't has a chance to grow at all. Like I wanted to see some development between them, some more explored feelings, something. I think that's also the reason why i loved the second couple so much more, because there was that push/pull factor that made them interesting to watch. But I will say, the ending where Chu San taught the gangsters how to make money was quite funny.

So all in all, this show had huge potential to be something great, but it fell flat quite quickly and was overall just frustrating.

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Showering Chang’an with Fire and Blood

Witnessing the slaughter of his whole family, Xie Huai’an is forced to fend for himself since 10years old, moving from place to place to evade his enemies the Hubei Army with a little sister in tow and losing her later, until he came upon the remote land of Huainan where he decided to be his home. Working quietly as a small registrar, he knew he had only two ways to live, to stay in remote place such as Huainan or head to the capital to become a court official. Opportunity finally came when the son of the previous emperor (elder brother of current emperor) marched forward and captured the capital. Hearing the survival of Lie Clan Xie Huai’an, the new emperor summoned him to the capital and appointed him as his sword, to hunt down Yan Fengshan, the commander of Hubei Army and most influencial court official, which aligned with Huai’an’s mission for revenge. He gladly accepted and thus began his journey of vengeance only to find himself embroiled with a much bigger struggle than his vendetta.

Tong Mengshi who played Ye Zheng was the one that led me to this show, to my surprise it’s another of Cheng Yi’s work that I have been meaning to watch since last year and had forgotten. Tong mengshi was awesome here! I missed Joy of Life’s Wuzhu, so it’s great to see him again with a main role and real dialogues than mere robotic phrases spoken. He was very good here, acting and action-wise. His fights were fierce and forceful, and of course bloody too. And man it is such a satisfaction to see Su Changlin being taken down by Xiao Wangyu, he was such a snob after hurting Ye Zheng so badly and for using Ye Zheng’s shimei, the arrogance was a real pain to watch!

Cheng Yi has gone back up again in my rating after his flop in The Journey of Legend. Yeah I am now convinced that he fits more with roles that doesnt need romance to prop his character. And his crying here is done remarkably well compared to TJoL. Although his character Xie Huai’an is more scholarly with no martial prowess whose moves rely more on strategy than brawn, he definitely doesnt shy away from physical fights. The ruthless stabbings, whether he as inflictor or receiver, are heinously brutal. Sometimes I forget that Xie Huai’an doesnt know any martial art, cuz he doesn’t rely much on his more athletic sword-wielding friends. He makes use of the surrounding people and situations well, and he definitely doesn’t need anyone to come rescue him. This character is someone that can be thrown into a river of fire (literally) and the next moment you blinked he’s already crawling out of it somewhere in the distance where you least expected it. That is why even the King of Tiemo sees him as his biggest threat, even bigger than the invincible Yan Fengshan or the current emperor Xiao Wangyu.

The sad scenes here are considerably touching and heartfelt. It was heartbreaking when Bai Wan was recounting her earliest memories of her brother when they were on the run, while the rest of the people who listened actually knew who her brother was and where he was located, exactly next to her! But nobody said anything, as Xie Huai’an is adamant that her sister won’t be dragged into his revenge mission. OMG I was so sad for her and Huai’an. So close yet also so far apart. Though I could not understand why she is included in the main cast when her role ceased to be part of the plot even before half of the show.

I really liked the way this story is executed, the ups and downs and unexpected hits that befell on our main characters with ML racking his brains to improvise and come up with twisty strategies. What’s more surprising is I became more invested in the deposed emperor Xiao Wencheng’s interaction with his oblivious elder brother who deposed him. I really like this fake Zhang Mo character, the screenwriter managed to turn him into a very likable one as opposed to the start of the show when he ruthlessly took down ML’s beloved pageboy. His transformation and growth looked much closer to reality when despite being able to grow some spine during his adventure with Xie Huai’an’s gang, he was still torn between saving his brother or the citizen of Chang’an against Tiemo’s assault, and reverted to his cowardly nature, which cost his brother a whole lot more than a simple promise of King of Tiemo’s “to let him stay alive,”. Fake Zhang Mo is a coward by nature, although I was dumbfounded when the plot turned that way, I had to admit that this is very much expected of him according to this preset characteristics. And I must say his devotion and worry for Xie Huai’an and the elder brother who usurped his throne was very touching, and his banter with Ye Zheng never ceased to be amusing.

Love the action choreograph! They worked hard on this. Even though the plot and its twists were barely at par with Nirvana in Fire, I had to say the show is overloaded with action after action more than NiF, eventhough our ML Xie Huai’an know squat of martial art. Ye Zheng, Xie Wangyu, Yan Fengshan, Wang Pu, Su Changlin…gosh I cant even list everyone down cuz there are so many characters who had executed the action scenes remarkably well. And boy the final battle against the big boss was so fierce and gripping!

The song by Sa Dingding is so awesome i keep hearing it in my head. The lyrics are forlorn yet prideful and the melody makes you wanna hum with it.

Be warned, this is a very dark and gory show, with plot so twisty I had to rewind quite a lot to get a grip of its flow. Blood is spilled senselessly onscreen episode after episode, AND there is no romance whatsoever. Consider yourselves warned.

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Pleaseeee give us Season 2

This is such a masterpiece bl. The thing I loved the most is the visual storytelling. The way lighting is used adds meaning beyond the dialogue—contrasts, shadows, and brightness subtly reflect the inner worlds of the characters. You can sense who holds power, who is conflicted, and who is changing, just by how scenes are framed and lit. The acting, expressions, chemistry are all great. The pookie gangster and his nerdy bf have my whole heart. Every glance, every moment between them🤌🏻, it's the kind of chemistry u don't need words for, u can feel it in the silence, in the way they look at each other. The officers cp has such a different, intriguing kind of chemistry. The tension between them gives me butterflies. I really really really want Season 2 so much 😭🙏🏻.

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Story of most pitiful and unfortunate Taeso

I’ve watched quite a lot of dramas, and usually I just move on after finishing one. But this time feels different—I genuinely needed to sit down and get this off my chest.

First off, I have to say: I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more unfortunate, pitiful male lead. Not in a compelling, tragic way—but in a frustrating, almost exhausting way. His character feels mishandled throughout, and the ending only makes it worse. Personally, I would have much preferred a clean break between the leads. Instead, we get this one-sided confession where he says “I love you” and gets nothing in return, leaving the impression that he’ll spend the rest of his life stuck on her. It just feels unfair to him as a character.

I don’t hate the female lead, and I don’t think she’s a bad person. But as a gf, she was undeniably frustrating. She wasn’t honest or forthcoming about her situation with here ex (the sunbae and her business partner), and that lack of clarity kept creating unnecessary tension. One scene that really stood out to me was when she had wine with him alone in the guesthouse while the male lead was going through such a difficult time with his grandmother. That contrast was hard to ignore.

It also started to feel like her presence consistently derailed his life. His job interview gets affected because of her memory, and her interference shuts down any potential relationship he could have had with the second female lead. It creates this pattern where instead of supporting his growth, she unintentionally holds him back.

What makes this more disappointing is that the show actually started strong. I really enjoyed the early episodes—the tone, the setup, the emotional pull all worked well. But things began to go downhill for me after the female lead abruptly ended the relationship the first time. From there, the story just never quite recovered.

That said, I’m at least glad the show didn’t stretch itself out unnecessarily. It could have easily dragged on for several more episodes, and that would’ve made things even more frustrating.

In the end, I just wish the male lead had been given a more satisfying arc—something that allowed him to walk away, heal, and move forward instead of being left in emotional limbo.

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hidden gem

absolutely amazing series i accidentally found it when i did not plan to be where i am now but it is incredible i do not have words to describe how much i liked it

first teenage love real friendship first mistakes and broken hearts sincere attachment and so many wonderful things that are part of growing up

it shows how messy feelings can be and how people try to understand themselves while everything around them is changing

it feels soft and painful at the same time like growing up is both beautiful and scary and sometimes you lose things you never thought you would lose

and still there is hope in it like even after pain and confusion people keep going they keep loving they keep trying and somehow that becomes enough

i am ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE with rearrange already rewatched it 3 times 😭😭

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A Complete Trainwreck

Kudos only to the screenwriter, because the rest of the drama is a complete mess. I genuinely wonder how they even managed to secure funding for this project. Everyone in the cast, whom I’ve seen before, delivered the weakest performances of their careers.
The biggest disappointment was Kang Mi Na, whom I had considered a potential Gen Z kdrama leading actress. Not anymore. On the other hand, this was my introduction to Jeon So Young, and she actually felt more grounded than KMN. Baek Sun Ho gave off major The Heirs LMH vibes (it's not a compliment), while Hyun Woo Seok still seems haunted by his role in Cheer Up.
The directing is also a mess. I can’t pinpoint exactly what’s wrong, but something about it just feels off. I might have taken this drama more seriously if the directing was better, but the amateur execution is impossible to ignore.
It leaves me, as a viewer, questioning what the drama was aiming for. It felt less like a serious horror and more like an parody film like a Scary Movie . Overall, this drama is the worst one I’ve seen since the Cashero.
If you’re a true horror fan, skip this one.

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I do love Off and Gun in this series. They’ve stepped away from the usual cute tropes for something much darker, and they handle it so well. It’s not always easy to watch because it feels so intense, but they bring that same incredible depth they had in Not Me, just in a much more urban and desperate way. It’s all about those heavy, loaded stares and the way they interact—it feels so much more real and raw than their usual roles.

Dew as Pheem adds such a messy, chaotic energy to everything, and even when the love triangle gets a bit loud and stressful, it really fits the vibe of the story. I loved how the director focused on the quiet, desperate moments instead of trying to make everything look perfect. It’s definitely a heavy watch about people reaching their breaking point.

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never felt this attached to a series, breathtakingly beautiful.

first (and possibly the last) time writing review. sammy's children's day is such a beautiful series. starting from the plot, to the cinematography, to the chemistry between the leads, to the music, everything just sat so right. not even a second felt boring to me. especially how they placed little non-cringey comedy scenes to lighten up the mood, didnt feel out of place at all.

i loved how even in such a short time, they portrayed the change in character dynamics, both in an individual setting and with their respective partner. he chusan grew more confident. he let himself go into the darkness just to bring liuyi out of it. on the other hand, xia liuyi was ready to give up his only identity for he chusan, the xiaoqi hall. the gradual progression of their feelings for each other was so wholesome to watch. havent read the novel myself but ive heard that they skipped parts of it, for which season 2 is a must im REALLY looking forward to what more they bring us.

cant help but mention some scenes which particularly awed me, one: when chusan tells liuyi he wants to take liuyi with him out of that place, chusan is seen initially standing under the light, liuyi in the dark. but by the end, chusan says his last line standing in the dark too. "how will i bring liuyi out of hell if i dont enter it." two: when a single drop of blood falls onto chusan's white canvas shoes, indicating the entry of liuyi is his life. three: the balcony to phonebooth communication, just felt so unreal.

maybe i am biased but the chemistry between changxi and yanzhao are off the charts, both of them seem so genuine on and off screen it makes mt heart so full. even in the series, their chemistry bloomed so well. alongside, the story between second couple was left at a very awkward position but with what was shown, i can tell they sit well too.

so, yeah. a beautifully made series. a little hasty but i hope ss2 will make up for it. made me sob, laugh, then sob again. (and i absolute love the pairs arghh can never get enough of them)

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More annoying than humorous

It's too bad the FL's character is such a turn-off, which has nothing to do with the actors themselves. Otherwise, the production is gorgeous and there is intrigue in the plot so far but of course, I've only made it three episodes in.

The body swap scenario really came too quickly before the personalities of the ML and FL were really established. So while it's supposed to be dramatically humorous, the FL's behavior after the swap doesn't come off as funny for me but rather intensely annoying and unnatural. She's another one of those females who is obnoxiously demanding and supposedly fearless but really just selfish. Despite be afraid of "demons" and having been raised in a family that should understand the mannerisms of the court, it just doesn't make any sense for her to act like a spoiled three-year old child the entire time with no sense of self-awareness. I don't understand why they decided to change her character like this because she was totally fine before the swap.

With AI and easier access to creating better special effects, I'm hoping this doesn't become a new trope with upcoming series. Also getting tired of the whole female tripping or falling and then being caught in slow motion by the male.

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somewhat a guilty pleasure: enjoyable but poorly-written

This drama immediately pulled me in with its chaotic energy, strong characters, and good on-screen chemistry. It has so many tropes I usually love— found family, tension-filled slow burn, strong female lead, and action-packed scenes. While I genuinely enjoyed watching it, especially in the earlier episodes, it frustrated me because of its inconsistent writing and storytelling.

The story itself is engaging and, at times, unpredictable. There’s a certain “goofy yet intense” tone that makes it entertaining, and I appreciate how the drama tries to balance humor with emotional depth— He Yan’s chaotic personality, in particular, adds so much life to the narrative. However, this is also where it falls short. Her humor and aegyo-like behavior often feel inconsistent with the gravity of her character, creating moments that clash rather than blend with the overall tone. Her life as He Rufei/General Feihong wasn't exactly shown and explored enough, which made the shift in He Yan's personality feel unsubstantiated. It often felt like I was just expected to go along with the stark contrast, without the narrative fully bridging or justifying that change.

The Yezhou Garrison arc however stood out a lot for me. The found family dynamic there was so heartwarming— I love seeing characters form bonds that feel genuine and earned. Song Taotao and He Yan's girlhood; it's so endearing to watch. The drama also delivered on some of my favorite tropes: “who did this to you” (I will never get tired of this), slow-burn tension, mutual “folding” for each other, hidden identity / revelation arc (this didn't disappoint). The reveal of He Yan as the true General Feihong was powerful for me. It felt empowering and emotional— arguably one of the well-executed moments in the drama.

He Yan is easily one of the highlights of the drama. She’s chaotic, goofy, and unpredictable, but also strong and deeply emotional. Zhou Ye portrayed her incredibly well, especially in heavier scenes— her crying scenes hit hard and feel very real. Her crashout was particularly impactful. Even without much screen time dedicated to her past with the Eight Warriors, her emotional delivery made it convincing— despite the fact there's literally a lack of storytelling/background of her life as General Feihong. Zhou Ye saved that scene, for me. Xiao Jue surprised me in the best way. At first, he seems stoic and composed, but he turns out to be incredibly thoughtful, romantic, and emotionally expressive. I love how he keeps making excuses at first to justify his treatment of He Yan— gaslighting that it's because he’s suspicious of her— when it’s obvious he’s affected by her in a completely different way. And when he does confess? He CONFESSES.
In front of the whole royal family and officials no less: “I respect her, value her, and won’t let anyone slander her. She graces my view, occupies my mind, and claims my heart.” Find a man like Xiao Jue, seriously!

Their dynamic is one of the strongest parts of the drama. The tension is insane— even in simple banter, you can feel it. Xiao Jue constantly being bewildered by He Yan’s antics makes their interactions so fun and engaging. There’s also that underlying “almost gay panic” dynamic early on, which makes their story even more entertaining. I also appreciate that the gender reveal wasn’t dragged out unnecessarily— it allowed their relationship to develop more naturally. Their moonlit scene in Episode 17 felt like a major turning point— intimate, quiet, and deeply personal— and from there, their emotional connection only deepens. Indeed, she is his light, and he is her moon.

Despite all its strengths, the biggest issue of the drama is the writing. The script often feels inconsistent with: scenes that don’t fully make sense, underdeveloped backstories (e.g., He Yan’s master arc and how was he even able to save He Yan) repetitive or forced dialogue (especially some feminism lines that feel unnatural in execution) While I appreciate the intention behind the themes— especially the feminist representation— the delivery sometimes feels repetitive rather than organically integrated into the story. There are also noticeable plot holes, and certain narrative choices feel underexplained or poorly built up. This weakens the overall storytelling, no matter how enjoyable the drama is on the surface. Chu Zhao, for instance, is a complex character with a lot of potential. He initially reminded me of morally gray masterminds (like Ji Yong) or someone heading toward a heel-face turn driven by unrequited feelings (like Xiaosheng), but the execution of his arc ultimately fell short.

The final stretch was honestly just disappointing. The last 3–4 episodes felt rushed and poorly executed. The attempt to add depth to Chu Zhao’s character didn’t fully land— it just didn't make sense. Compared to the earlier buildup, the resolution felt underwhelming. Instead of elevating the story, the ending made the flaws in the writing more obvious. It felt like a missed opportunity, especially considering how strong the earlier episodes were.

Overall, this is a drama I really wanted to love— and in many ways, I did. It had strong character dynamics, amazing chemistry, great action scenes, powerful OST, and memorable emotional moments. But at the same time, the inconsistent writing and lack of cohesive storytelling hold it back significantly. Even if I enjoyed watching it, I can’t ignore the fact that it’s poorly-written overall. The drama was indeed an entertaining and emotionally engaging drama carried by its cast, chemistry, and production— but ultimately weakened by poor writing, plot holes, and a lackluster ending. Definitely a miss in my books. Would I recommend this? Maybe— if you’re just in it for a tension-filled romcom and can look past the inconsistencies and at times incoherent storytelling.

P.S. Knowing that the original novel actually explored and addressed many of these “plot holes” makes the drama adaptation even more disappointing. It feels like so much depth and nuance were lost in translation.

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Very funny show: A personal favourite

Sad to see recent uploads of this show such as YouTube replace the OST with generic background music. Please watch it with the original OST if you can.

I'm surprised by the low ratings compared to Rainie's other dramas. This one was my personal favourite of hers that brought lots of love and laughter. Watching the show now will look very low budget, like a soap opera. But I think that's what gives it its charm.

The story sets up as you would expect, but it was the chemistry of the characters that really made me care. I really believed Rainie was a self loving village girl who didn't care what others thought about her until she met her old friend. For once in her life, she felt inadequate. I really believed that Wilber was frustrated with her for being so naive and annoying as you might have as the audience. Then he falls for her the same way we did because as annoying as she was, we knew being yourself was more important than conforming to norms and trends. She was the underdog you wanted to cheer for.

There's a few pivotal moments that Rainie goes through that is part of her character development and the show always makes you wonder how she's going to deal with it. Some parts were in fact so touching, it could make you cry.

Speaking of crying, this was Rainie's third hit song in a row. The OST stars both Rainie and Wilber's music and both of them really adds to the emotional moments as well as the funny moments. From the first 5 mins, you'll hear Rainie's character wake up to her own real singing voice to kick off the show. Again, Please please please watch it with the original OST if you can to get the full experience.

Thinking about it now, are some of the plot points really cliche? Yes, but if you can buy into these characters, then there's a lot of comedic moments you can look forward to.

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