Reviews

Class is class

Acting 10/10
Story 10/10
Direction9/10
Great watch, the cast is super and compliment the script, which is also great. I have really enjoyed the drama so far, it is a long time since I am waiting for the next episode of a drama.
If you are hesitant about starting this drama, don't put it off its real class. I hated My Demon after ep 09 everything that series lacked, this one is has in abundance. Great actors, directed by someone who has a great ability, and a script that oozes class.
I will not single out any acting performance, as they are all really top-notch. Even if you hate a character, you can always see the rounded human dynamics, as no one is truly despicable.
I don't need to finish this drama to review it, as it's that good.

Read More

enchanting!

"moonlight chicken" was a great discovery for me!

i followed the series since its release, and I only saw positive comments about it, so I needed to check it out for myself, and I simply loved it! it's a light and gentle series with an emotional storyline.

the highlight of the series for me was the romance between Li Ming and Heart, which captivated me from beginning to end and made me emotional in the scene where Li Ming translates what Heart is trying to say to his mother. i believe that despite being fictional, Heart's story can be found in various homes around the world, and that is extremely sad, but following these two together was magical. that moment when Heart goes up to his room to cry and Li Ming just hugs him made me cry too.

but, amidst such a beautiful story, unfortunately, I don't think Jim and Wen's story impacted me as much. it took too long for their story to unfold, and at a certain point, it started to wear me out, and it made me wish to see more of Li Ming and Heart, and even see other characters like Leng and his girlfriend (who was pregnant). not that Jim and Wen weren't cute together, but the story was a bit too long and the dialogues a bit too childish disappointed me.

i believe there were some events in the series that were a bit rushed, like Gaipa's mother's death, but it still affected me deeply, especially in the scene where he sings her favorite song in tears; it's heartbreaking.

overall, as i said, it's a enchanting series. despite some flaws, it still shines and moves with the teachings it leaves behind!

* and i loved the serie's aesthetic, its colors, everything about it it's extremely beautiful and gives me exactly the feeling i wanted to feel and needed to feel!

Read More

realistic take on youth

i will never ever recommend watching this to anyone looking for a fairytale romance.
story and characters: this is a slice of life. it is about youth. a very realistic portrayal of life and love, loss and separation, reunion and complex attachments that happens to most of us. it is highly relatable to many viewers. many may not like the fl because she spent over half the drama pining for the 2ml, who was busy with his own love life. but in reality we all probably know someone like the fl and 2ml, and maybe even a toned down version of the ml. obviously guys like ml are very rare, thats why this is a drama not a documentary.
we often come across someone who is in love with their best friend but never confesses and thinks they are oblivious to their love, but in fact they choose to stay oblivious to keep a precious friendship because of their own strictly platonic feelings. so many people really cant see the good things right in front of them because their heart blinds them to only see what it wants, and its not until late that they finally realize the true worth of things. how often do we see couples breaking up because of their ex coming back? there are also couples really in love but that love isnt enough to sustain their relationship and end up in a push and pull situation, thus breaking up and patching up again and again only to have an ugly separation, and possibly leaves one of them in lifelong regret. some people find everlasting love again after a messy breakup, some people don't move on even after a long time after breakup, some people give in to their regrets but never move on from that one love, some get back with their ex partners to ultimately breakup again with them and finally find their soulmate in someone else, some fall in love and get blind to others and after a long time subconsciously grow to love someone else that they have always relied on, some only just love one person forever and silently stay by their side doing everything for them selflessly just for their happiness. some of them get their happily ever after, some don't. some get their first love as their life partner, some don't get their beloved ever. this is real youth. this is what real people go through. this is what arrti portrayed through 6 characters who grow up and mature over time. growing up means separation, people go their own ways to build their lives, down the line we reconnect with some, while some are lost permanently. also lets not forget that the premise is set in pre 2000s which progresses to early 2000s during which most of the plot happens., so communication through internet wasn't exactly the best. another important part is that, i couldn't bring myself to hate any of the characters, be it lin you or huang jun.
acting: the acting was great actually. my first time watching wang ruichang as ml and this proved that he very well deserves more ml roles. 2nd time watched hu yixuan as fl and she honestly delivered her part well.
production: i wonder where they managed to find such rural looking settings that are actually fitting of pre 2000s society. they also found some pretty scenic locations too. also that song that xiaoju sang for cheng lang was my favourite ost. overall pretty decent production.
one complain is the ending. an ending like that? awful. i get that it was a happy ending but we deserved some more scenes of that.
i am not really into youth dramas, because of mostly the airheaded fls who speak in a baby voice, rich vs poor, love triangle cliches. and i most definitely never watched a slice of life before. so i am impressed by this one as it is my first time. i regret not watching this sooner. but maybe if i had watched it before, i wouldn't have appreciated it as much as i do now, since now i understand the story on a personal level. meaningful friendships, mature characters, and a realistic storyline. overall a good watch for sure.

Read More

Highschool romance drama? or existential dread?

I went into this drama with no knowledge of what it was about whatsoever. I had heard an idol i know about, Woongki, was part of the cast. I thought, hey lets check it out, go in with no expectations, enjoy it for entertainment only. Then! i was thrown in head first into reflecting on what is happiness and what must one do to make themselves, or others, 'happy'! And i am not mad about that toss, to be honest i am thoroughly and happily surprised about how much i enjoyed this drama to this extent. Casting? amazing. Cinematography? some of the best in the space (up there with icons like Eighth Sense). Script? Heartwrenching.

Highly recommend, definitely a way to start BL shows in 2024. Other countries, step up! Korea is making waves in this space!

Read More

the gentlest palace cdrama i have watched

I had no idea what to expect; I only hoped that this was NOT yanxi palace redux. While there is nothing outstanding about this drama, I think they did a good job of following through with the storylines in a rational and sensible manner. Characters acted according to themselves and not as plot devices. There were no random plot twists just to up the drama shock factor. The editing was weird in spots where I assume they snipped stuff for censorship or time constraints. No one overacted and most actors did their job credibly. No anxiety inducing melodrama or over-dramatics to induce emotions. Even the humor was understated and appropriate to the sedate tone. And I didn't mind the sedate, gentle tone at all. I loved it after watching so many insane palace dramas. Why do I care if it's realistic or not? It's a drama! I found it refreshing for my soul.

The leads were outshone by the Empress (Zhanji's mom) and Yin Ziping. They were very good. They delivered their roles of feminist icon and working class hero very well. These themes were very obvious but not obnoxiously conveyed. The women in this drama were very very good. The villains either got their comeuppance or found their humanity to repent, and they did it without hysterics. All of the characters got an ending and it was a good mix of happy and not.

It's not a five star drama (nowhere near that good) but I enjoyed it and rewatched it. I liked it even better the second time around. When I need a break from the insanity of cdrama plots, I will come back to it.

Read More

A GORGEOUS FABRIC that got SHREDDED to bits in the end

Yup.

What began with a gorgeous fabric .. was damaged beyond repair in the last 1/3 of show .. It's like the writer lost track of what design of clothing she started out with .. or maybe thought she could decide along the way??

Once I completed the drama I finally understood why most comments in the discussion thread called it a disaster.
I was SO PUZZLED .. because I was SO ENTERTAINED for 2/3 of the show.

I watched the first half of the drama (pre-palace entry .. well actually even several episodes into palace) laughing, chuckling; RELISHING every bit of Bai Lu's role as the kick ass Gang Boss, she is written SO well .. the knitting of the tension so engaging .. the various ways she outwits and keeps being Top Dog in a tough man's world.

FOXY is such a delightful way to describe her ..

And then it starts to unravel .. by the end the drama is shred to a nuisance pile of illogical rubbish; to say that there are plot holes in the second part is a compliment; there is nothing of plot left to even make a hole in it (ROFL).

The script is so schizoid !!! I was like WHAT!??

~ 8.5 /10 (pre-palace segment)
~ 7.5 / 10 (few eps of early Palace segment)
~ 4.0 / 10 (Ep 30 onwards)

Overall because
- I LAUGHED so much and ENJOYED the Gang Boss in Silver City literally "twerp" / wink her way through "wins"
- thrilled to have discovered a HIGHLY talented ML - Leon Lai - with so much potential who delivers along with Bai Lu

I felt generous enough to donate 1.5 point extra to the 6.0 I was itching to give it .. the end left such a BAAD taste.
So it's a 7.5 / 10

Have fun tripping on Bai Lu (and Leon Lai) in Silver City .. and then go glug a gin and tonic with a drama buddy and have a roaring laugh at the absurdity the drama descends into once Changan is reached.

Read More

Fast-paced, well-crafted, and entertaining, with minor flaws.

Renai Mangaka manages to weave a heartwarming and engaging romantic tale despite being on familiar ground. The plot, had clichés and predictable twists, surprisingly blossoms into a fulfilling narrative, leaving viewers with a warm afterglow.

The gradual unfolding of romance between the socially awkward yet talented manga artist, Karibe, and the lovable Aiko forms the essence of the story. The initial focus on Aiko's dating adventures injects a refreshing dose of humor, effectively balancing the tone between laughter and romance. What makes the drama particularly endearing is the incorporation of family dynamics, especially the presence of Karibe's adorable nephew, serving as a catalyst that brings the couple closer.

While Renai Mangaka isn't immune to its flaws, such as a conveniently resolved conflict and an ending that takes a somewhat exaggerated turn in Karibe's transformation, the stellar performances of Suzuki Ryohei and Yoshioka Riho keep the audience invested. Ryohei's portrayal of the moody mangaka is exceptional, and Riho's sweet and smooth performance as Aiko adds a delightful layer to the narrative.

The drama had commendable pacing, well-handled story arcs, and the palpable chemistry between the leads. Despite its reliance on familiar elements, Renai Mangaka emerges as a quirky and entertaining addition to the romantic drama genre, offering a heartfelt and enjoyable viewing experience.

Read More

Cute Series

The Series was fun to watch over all there were great characters and funny moments. The cast did a great job showing development and took us on a ride of friendship and working together. The lead's chemistry was good and a nice twin touch overall. The twin idea worked out very well and was playful yet dramatic so that you could see the differences between the actor playing the two roles. You saw the personality and the development of the brothers and the relationship growing. The only real down part was the whole Jack sleeping with his best friend, I get the concept but it just was not fun to watch, it was a hot moment but was not a friend of the idea friends with benefit for them it just felt wrong happy they stopped at the end. The two lead pairings were fun and great to watch them grow and see the chemistry form. I was not at all a fan of the mother she was very messed up.

Read More

I really recommend this series it was really good

This series was soo good i started watching it when only 4 episodes where out in the middle of the night and found myself so in love with it that i waited existed for the next episodes to come out and they did not disappoint this is one of the best bls I’ve ever watched and i would definitely recommend this to anyone starting to watch them the story was soo good the actors were amazing the cinematography was beautiful i loved this series soo much the characters were written soo well and portrayed perfectly by the cast the story was so beautiful and well made the budget was big and you could see that there weren’t any empty moments in the series every moment was so good i love the cute moments between the main characters the sad moments and the angry moments that happened

Read More

Characters have very lovable chemistry

Must watch!!!! Actings are good casts are good characters have very very great and incredible chemistry
Must watch!!!
Still ongoing but it really got me from the first episode so many twist and thats what makes it interesting so everyone must watch this given the fact thats its a romcom literally im saying this so you must really watch this….
If you see this review you must really watch this!!












































Must watch!!!!!!!! Literally must watch!!!!!

Read More

" If I am a Weapon, only you can be my Swordsman "

'Sword and Fairy' as a drama, delivers deeper thoughts than it appears on the surface. The characters are deep and complex with an integration of different backgrounds, thoughts and emotions. No matter how different their paths maybe, even if the ending is controlled by fate, they are still willing to overcome the obstacles together, because, there are greater goals to live and die for.
Unlike other wuxias, the drama doesn't really start with a backstory, so viewers may find it confusing. But I won't label it as confusing because the story actually follows the journey of exploring the backstory, the reasons of where they are today.
Still, I will be stating a little bit of introduction ( typically things you need to know) first, before going to review.

- The story basically follows Yue Jinzhao and Yue Qi, two amnesic orphans (NOT SIBLINGS) who neither remember their past, nor their roots were stranded in Wuyan Village 3 years ago. Unaware of their past, both orphans found solace in each other's presence, being emotionally bound, to the point that they could not live without each other. The duo set off on a journey to find their roots and their identity. On their voyage, they encounter evil sect 'Qiyuan sect' who try to scam them. In the process for seeking justice from Qiyuan sect, they discover that the sect may be way more complicated than just scamming. This sect may also hold secrets to their past and origin.

That was an extremely brief introduction, cause anything more than that could be a potential spoiler.
The drama has wholesome level of ANGST, no misunderstandings, and great potential TEARJEARKER!
The main leads are extremely dependent on each other, being each other's support for 3 years, they have grown a level of trust and maturity that no external forces can break.
The angst basically occurs due to the common troupe of 'sacrifice for the better world'. And ofc to protect the world, sacrifices are inevitable. Letting go of somethings are bound to happen. But there are too many sacrifices, too many to bear.

The first half of the drama brews the beautiful relation, friendship, romance, and memories to ensure worser heartbreaks, y'all HEARTBREAKS (plural) in latter half of the drama. So prepare your tissues.
Once again, the start of the drama may not be everyone's cup of tea as I mentioned before, afterall we are so used to knowing the background story in the very first episode before the main story starts, especially in wuxias. But this drama is instead about unraveling the background, the back story, cause we have two amnesic youth who have no idea about their history. Since the journey follows them finding clues to their identity, we know the story only when these two characters unravel them. So this has good amount of mystery too.

Its particularly saddening to certain extent because even the villains have a sad backstory, and so you cannot even hate them. Because their backstory and dark past are gonna rip you off everytime you are about to label them as 'black characters', yet at the end these VILLAINS are the ones who were the most SELFLESS ones from the begining. That is why, the characters are way MORE DEEP and COMPLEX than you could think.
All ' stranded threads' that you encounter in the first half of the story will be woven in the end. Everything will be in place by the end of the story.
This plot of this drama does a lots of play with emotions, so if you are able to figure out the backstory and emotions of the characters, you would actually realise that the plot and emotions run too deep. So you need to keep constant track on the dialogues, understand the meaning and emotions the every sentence represents. We gotta remember the fact that most main characters are basically in their 20s or even younger. They are forced to grow up lonely facing the antics of the society. So it has good integration of thoughts of both old age and young age, making the younger characters appear more mature than their mindset at that age should be.

I personally found the plot quite engaging, especially, since we had little bit introduction of every character posted by other fellow viewers ( I will write up the character introduction in the end), so it made my understanding of every characters' emotions very clear. The past titbits of memories, the timing of unraveling a particular mystery were well timely inserted. The pacing of story was quite good. The cgi wasn't the best, considering the fact that it's a tencent drama, but it has done a way better job than some of its last dramas. Besides the plot and the acting actually makes the CGI problem pretty much unnoticeable, and tbh it's not even that of a major issue, tho- I would label it as, has a room for improvement, since it wasn't the best.

The OSTS are beautiful, like so beautiful and once again, very well timed, earning brownie points to the scenes.
This drama, it's TOO BEAUTIFUL, and leaves too deep IMPRESSION, so do not miss it! You will definitely not regret watching!
_______________________________________________

Now, let's go for a CHARACTER INTRODUCTION ( no spoiler, but I feel you may find it necessary to understand their emotions and thoughts better)

1) Yue Jinzhao - He is a mature thinking and decision maker when it comes to the Yue pair. He has great thinking cognitive skills. But he actually very careful and doesn't trust anyone except Yue Qi.

2) Yue Qi - basically has great IQ, but 3- year old EQ. She may be naive and have childlike thoughts but definitely not on spoilt side, but she is quite thoughtful and straightforward. She values friendship and relations a lot. She appears to be adorable and cute softie, but is quite sharp, strong and powerful. Latter episodes reveal that she is probably stronger than Jinzhao. She is dependent on Jinzhao, when it comes to decision making and taking sides. She trusts Jinzhao more than anyone else and is always willing to Jinzhao.

3) Bi Luohuan - mysterious complicated character? Let's unravel what secrets does his character holds. He basically seems very engaged with the life of Yue-pair, especially Yue Qi?

3) Luo Zhaoyan - A woman dressed on man's cloth. She is an upright head of the family. She puts protection of the people and sacrifice for people above anything else. She is always considerate of others even if that causes neglection of her own happiness. Bound by the curse ' Luo family twin's death, she holds many secrets and complicated emotions'.

4) Xian Qing - A thousand year old wolf demon. Demons are not really favoured in the world of chaos, so he faces lots of struggles in the journey.

5) Ming Xiu - has a dark past, hence she hates demons, but she trusts Xian Qing, since he is her master's friend. Growing up lonely with only her master around, she is emotionally very dependent on her master and doesn't like to approach people. She appears very cold and distant.

6) Ju Shifang - An orphan, who lost his parents at an young age. His mother was a well-known genius in gadgets and mechanics, so he has always lived with the motto, to learn his mother's skill, protect his mother's only gift for him ( DouBao), continue a hierarachy and be a hero who is respected by people, because he has always been neglected and looked down upon, since an young age.
____________________________________________________________
ENDING: (spoiler)
The ending, I personally feel is very satisfying. It leaves us with a message:
" No matter what fate holds for us, in the end, we are still destined to meet "
It is beautiful and leaves a deep impression, basically a happy ending, but in a different way.
They meet again and fall for each other again. But this time, not as a swordsman and a weapon fated with a short life with heavy responsibilities to protect people, instead as normal humans with emotions, feelings and freedom to live and love like normal folks, a carefree life.
So I would conclude it as a happy ending, I mean compared to them forcibly growing up and maturing, and leading rest of their life in such 'sacrifice for the world' like motto, isn't this a better ending. This time they can live a carefree life. No need to care about responsibilities of people, of the world. Just themselves in their own little world filled with peace and happiness.

Read More

Who would she end up with?

For a drama produced eight years ago, it was still very appealing. I had not watched the Scarlet Heart produced earlier in China, which was what this drama was modelled after. But I am now inspired to do that.

Heart broken by her boyfriend and best friend who betrayed her, Go Han Jin was crying by the sea. While trying to save a drowning boy, an eclipse happened and Han Jin found herself transported back to the Goryeo era and into the body of Hae Soo. Here she witnessed the fight over the throne by the Princes.

Han Jin unwittingly attracted the attention of several of the princes and they fell in love with her. Most prominent was the 8th prince and 4th prince. The 8th prince was quietly plotting for the throne. The 4th prince was seemingly the ostracised and the least favoured for the throne, but unknown to most people including himself, he was born under the star of the King, the same as for the Crown Prince Wu.

So, who would Hae Soo end up with? The gentle loving 8th prince, the forceful 4th prince, the playful 10th prince or the righteous 14th prince?

1. The story was interesting. It was difficult to predict what might happened next. We know quite early who the next king would be but would he become the cruel king who massacred his brothers? Would Hae Soo be able to change that?

2. Character development was very evident. How a gentle soul become cunning in the face of the desire for power. How someone with no interest in the throne was eventually lead to follow his fate. How a confident modern maiden bowed down to the cruelty of the time.

3. Having only 20 episodes, the pace of the story development was fast and there were no dilly-dallying.

4. The cast was outstanding. The leads did a fabulous job. Lee Joon Gi portrayed the forceful 4th prince who was very much ashamed of the scar of his face. Kang Ha Neul had such a gentle look on his face when he was in love with Hae Soo. Hong Jong Hyun was absolute evil looking and he looked really deranged later in the drama. Then there is Byun Baek Hyun with this innocent, playful and silly look.

5. However, the drama was not without some flaws. In some instance, it was clear that the drama was deliberately made very makjang. The rather intelligent Hae Soo became brainless, weak and hesitant. And she started blaming Wang So for beating to death someone who had betrayed her trust. Of course, this was to lead to the chosen ending of the drama.

However, overall I highly recommend this drama.

Read More