Reviews

Court Intrigue, Healing but Lukewarm Romance, Good Portrayal of Disability & Trauma

The First Jasmine is a gripping blend of court intrigue and deep healing romance that stands out for its raw, meaningful portrayal of disability. The story centers on an unlikely power couple: Mo Xiu Yao, a bitter prince physically confined to a wheelchair, and Ye Li, a brilliantly calculating woman whose sharp mind masks her own deeply hidden mental health struggles while she meets out revenge.

First Impression

As someone who has been waiting a very long time to see Bai Lu and Ryan Cheng on screen together, my anticipation for this drama was high. For the most part, The First Jasmine absolutely delivered, living up to about 80% of my high expectations. While there were frustrating moments where precious screen time felt wasted on unnecessary subplots or underwhelming character development and utilization, the overall production quality is undeniable. You can genuinely feel the immense effort and care that went into creating this world; nothing feels cheap or artificial. The costumes were great, the fight scenes, however rare, were well choreographed. Unlike a great deal of traditional C-dramas that rely heavily on embellished, over-the-top tropes and their delivery, everything on screen feels toned down, remarkably natural and subtly realistic. The chemistry between the main leads is absolutely electric, and they are backed by an extremely talented supporting cast that grounds the entire story. Additionally, the music plays an extremely important part in this drama. It adds another layer to the story. The background score is not the typical depressing historical C-drama type that start giving you headache by the end of episode 25. It’s different and it really elevate the scenes and the actor’s performance.

Things I Enjoyed

One of my absolute favorite things about The First Jasmine is that it doesn’t just gloss over physical and mental disability for the sake of convenience to your characters into their healthiest selves. In many C-dramas, if a main character starts out disabled, they are miraculously cured by the end of the second episode just so they can jump into the action.

This drama takes a refreshingly different route: Prince Ding stays in his wheelchair for a good half of the series, which I truly appreciated. While he does eventually heal—which does feel a bit unrealistic after eight years of confinement—I understood the writers' choice of getting him up to his feet, because the narrative demanded it. Even then, he doesn't just bounce back to 100%; he only participates in two or three fight scenes and seemingly remains deeply aware of his physical limits and the need to take care of his body. I appreciated writers not overdoing it with his character after the recovery.

As for our female lead, Ye Li comes off as ruthless, charming, and calculating at first with mild psychotic tendencies, but if you pay close attention from the very first episode, it’s clear that something is wrong with her. The mystery surrounding her mental state builds beautifully over the course of 30 episodes and isn't fully unraveled until the final stretch of the drama. While improvement in her mental state, felt a little rushed toward the end—which pissed me off a bit—the last two episodes clearly show that she hasn't magically conquered her personal demons. She is still not 100%.

There’s a raw, honest portrayal of depression, and I deeply appreciated watching her grow and continue her healing journey throughout the entire show. The creators deserve massive credit for handling both physical and mental struggles with this level of care. I think this is a big achievement for C-drama in general. Usually disabled characters are always side characters. Was it perfect? Of course not. Was the portrayal very accurate? Probably not. But compared to everything that I have seen in the past, it’s still a bold step forward.

I also liked many of the supporting characters and their standalone stories. The subplot featuring Feng Zhi Yao—who was secretly in love with a foreign woman without realizing she was Princess Ling Yun—was deeply meaningful and sad. My only critique is that I wish the writers had expanded on their relationship a bit more. Instead of dumping their entire story in a span of two episodes, they should have sprinkled it across multiple episodes, which would have made her tragic death hit the audience much harder. Additionally, Han Ming Xi was a standout character for me. I previously saw Lin Mu Ran in The Pursuit of Jade, where he played one of the antagonists, and his charming, cute performance here proves he has a very bright future if he keeps landing the right projects. While I have some critiques regarding where his character arc ultimately went, his talent is undeniable.

Qin Cang’s character and his character arc started and developed great, but there were definitely things to improve about his story in the later, half of the drama, but I will talk about this in a bit.

Things that Definitely Needed Improvement

While there’s a lot to love about The First Jasmine, the drama is not without its flaws. The biggest issue was the pacing and the highly uneven distribution of various story arcs, especially the antagonists.

First and foremost, Mo Jing Li was severely underutilized. As the main antagonist, he was an incredibly important character at the start, and the writers could have deeply explored his personality and his trauma better than they did. Instead, he completely disappeared for a third of the show, only to resurface later. We are given reasons to pity him early on, but his character becomes largely unredeemable and flat by the end, save for one quality: letting his wife go so she wouldn't be dragged into his rebellion.

This issue of dropped potential extends to several other supporting characters. Qin Cang had a fascinating setup, transforming from a loyal henchman-servant desperate for his father’s approval into someone who finally saw his father’s true nature and decided to do the right thing. There was a compelling romantic story brewing between him and one of the supporting female characters. The writers set up their potential future reunion once he is on the way to exile, but we never even got a scene of them meeting up to start over. It’s a very open ending for them, like use your imagination. I truly didn’t appreciate it. It felt incomplete almost like these characters weren’t even necessary.

Basically, the writers spent so much time setting up Qin Cang’s arc but failed to deliver a proper conclusion, leaving us hanging.

Similarly, Han Ming Xi started strong with a great transformation arc, but the writers essentially erased his ending. They want us to use our imagination too to pretend that we know he gets his wish for a quiet life somewhere out there. The lack of a final scene between him and Ye Li is baffling. She was the primary influence behind his choices throughout the series and quite obviously his crush, and omitting their closure felt like the writers just forgot about him. Giving them at least one brief scene would be very satisfactory.

Conversely, the Empress Dowager was given far too much screen time. She should have stayed in the background. While her character serves a purpose—the final episode makes it clear that despite her noble intentions, she chose a bloody route—the narrative wasted massive amounts of time on her and general palace personnel only to drag the drama down. Yes, yes, I understand why we needed her character, but I think the amount of scenes she received was just going overboard. It’s not necessary to spend that much time on one uninteresting character to get the point across. That precious screen time should have been reduced and redirected to the far more interesting character arcs that were left incomplete.

Pacing

Let me expand a bit on the pacing of the drama and the issue with it. The pacing itself was a strange mix; the show would give us beautifully paced action scenes, then would slow down, then we would get more action only to grind to a halt with lengthy dialogues at the end where absolutely nothing actually happened. Those stagnant stretches were very boring to watch, and I think a lot of viewers share this sentiment. The general feeling about the pacing is that the drama keeps building up to something grand that actually never comes to fruition.

The pacing in the final five episodes, in particular, desperately needed adjustment. I think the pacing went downhill in general after the revelation of what happened at the Mountain. Since Prince Li was the main antagonist, giving more screen time to his troops invading the capital should have set up an epic, high-stakes ending with more action and more involvement from various characters. Instead, it literally took the characters a mere 15 minutes to subdue him. After that rushed climax, the show dragged out a lot, just slow-paced scenes toward the end for another episode and 3/4 of an episode with the Empress and her son once again receiving way too much unnecessary screen time.

Let’s Ralk about Romance

When it comes to the romance, the relationship between the main characters is incredibly well-done, healthy, but you need to manage your expectations. Both Bai Lu and Ryan Cheng are well-known for their insane on-screen chemistry and great skinship scenes with other partners, but expecting that same level of passion here is not a wise decision.

While there are a couple of on-screen kisses, it is a much more calm, down-to-earth romance between two people who don't go physically crazy over each other. The chemistry between them is absolutely there—there is no doubt about that—but the execution triggered one of my pet peeves when it comes to romantic storylines in general.

The romance builds up beautifully and slowly throughout the first half with a lot of great teasing scenes, and the marriage finally becomes real in the second half. Yet, once they are officially together, there is barely any kissing or physical intimacy—just a couple of hugs and that's it. After watching the entire thing, I am still wondering if they ever consumed their marriage, haha. All the cute parts are put in the first half of romantic storyline development. Later on, even when they’re sleeping together in one bed, there are very strange choices from the production team and the director where it’s clear that there’s yearning and the scene is seemingly leading up to a kiss, but it just goes nowhere, leaving viewers hanging.

But again, this is just my personal take. Obviously, the reason why the romance ended up being so toned-down toward the end is that the writers chose to strictly concentrate on the female lead healing from her trauma. But to me this seems like some kind of a backward writing. I’d much preferred the producers to move the kiss scenes from the first half of the show to the second to make the romance more well-rounded and fulfilling. My opinion remains the same for all the dramas that do that: if you include a romantic storyline that runs throughout the entire drama, romance needs to be done according to the rules of romance writing. Especially if this is the romance between main lead. So definitely keep your expectations low if you are looking for anything steamy or hot.

Another reason for this choice to keep romance lukewarm is because this is not a heavy romance drama. This is a political drama with the romance as one of the subplots. They just needed to make some adjustments to certain scenes. On the other hand, others may like this type of clean romance. To each their own.

No matter the drawbacks in the way, the romance is executed here, The First Jasmine is still absolutely worth watching because it’s a very healing story about two broken people, who get there well deserved happy ending, even if they don’t kiss at the end.

Final Thoughts

While The First Jasmine definitely has its flaws, particularly with uneven pacing and the underutilization of several key supporting characters, it is still a drama that I would recommend. It’s one of the better historicals out there, especially if you don’t like anything fast pasted and want to take it slow. The stellar acting, the mature and steady healing romance, the realistic, portrayal of physical and mental disabilities, and the meaningful overall story that teaches you a thing or two about life make it a standout project that stays with you despite its shortcomings.

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Unexpectedly good thriller with dark comedy drama

Wonder Wall starring Guo Jingfei and Ren Suxi is the most heart-wrenching facet of middle age in Chinese urban dramas. The first six episodes avoid flashy plot twists and melodramatic conflicts, relying instead on solid realism and restrained dark humour to reveal that "unexpected wealth is never salvation, but rather the sharpest mirror reflecting the true nature of humanity."

Guo Jingfei played Yu Ming, who had a failed business and felt ashamed in front of his relatives. Ren Suxi played Wen Yitong, who had a stagnant career and was not much different from her husband. They accidentally move into a large villa and discover a large sum of money hidden inside. A storm ensues, leaving them unsure whether this is a nightmare or a dream.

Faced with this "ill-gotten gain," will this couple choose to improve their lives and defy fate, or will they choose to report it to the police and uphold their conscience and moral principles? What kind of tests of humanity will they face through this "unexpected wealth"?

Casting Guo Jingfei and Ren Suxi as a couple was a stroke of genius. Their natural and comfortable acting as husband and wife is realistic, comfortable to watch and relatable to the situation. Ren Suxi's performance is always reassuring. In the scene where she glues shoes, she has no lines, yet she perfectly conveys the feeling of being worn down by life.

The performance of all the actors is top-notch. There is Chi Peng (2026 Magnolia Award Best Supporting Actress), who played Ren Suxi's mother, and Wen Zhenrong, who played the villain. The comedy will make you LOL, while the heartbreaking scenes will make you cry.

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Deeply emotional and passionate love story

Just finished this drama. I just feel so many emotions right now. It’s just so beautifully written. It’s slice of life yet the pure love makes it almost a fantasy. The characters have insecurities and doubts however they overcome it all with shared love and compassion for each other. The female main character portrayed the reality of living with physical disabilities in a society where it is stigmatised and accessibility is still scarce. The main male character shows understanding and kindness to the girl throughout even though it is not accepted well for a few episodes due to her insecurities about her illness. Her brother struggled with anticipatory grief which explains his almost toxic overprotectiveness. Despite this in the end she finds happiness in the presence of boyfriend who offers unconditional love as well as her supportive family. It sure is a tear jerker. Hats off to the screenwriter. She outdid Long Vacation. I didn’t think I would prefer this but I definitely did.

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so f****** peak

as a lover of romantasy books, this bl felt like a dream. everything about the forbidden romance, the palace set felt like a webtoon come to life. for book lovers out there, this is like twisted games but make it gay.

I was looking forward to this drama months before it was released, then I kinda of forgot about it and only just watched it now as it came on netflix. boy should I have watched ts sooner. the main relationship was SO cute I had to replay all their interactions it had me swooning.

I had seen some negative reviews about this drama being underwhelming so going in I was cautious. and yes, this is not without it's faults. the acting at the start from the side characters was quite bad and I usually don't say this. the few action fighting sequences we get with Charan acting as a guard and fighting off attackers were pretty underwhelming and felt scripted and not real. you couldn't see the strength in his strikes. maybe that's because I just watched bloodhounds and before that rewatched weak hero but idk. also although I love the main couple so much I couldn't help but think their kisses were a bit funny to watch..is that just me? idk. same with some of their spicier scenes like some bits were cute others just felt like -especially khanin- he was trying too hard to be sexy that it didn't feel authentic idk. it did at some bits too but other times both of them were cringe.

also I think the plot in general with the courts and the assassins was very weak and poorly written. the plot was so one dimensional and it felt very straightforward and uncomplex. honestly it was just too good to be true.

khanin's biological dad was just so nice that it honestly pissed me off because he had no personality other than being nice. it just felt so unrealistic that he was so kind and considerate to khanin and that he would accept him giving up his title, not competing in the competition etc.. like come on man, give us some backlash, some plot!! your sons actions quite literally affect whether you have a right to rule and your chilling??!? where is the sense of urgency?? we get a bit more substance from the grandfather's character, but still, I feel like the story could have been told better (i.e by me, I have some ideas).

we should have gotten more angst in charan and khanin's relationship due to it being forbidden (either due to them both being male or because of the class difference between a guard and a prince or both would have been interesting) and them navigating that and fighting backlash from the grandfather, the courts and the press. I feel like that would have made the plot of this drama so much more intriguing. instead of whatever the hell the plot was. the writer needs to hit me up.

and the ending in what happens to khanin as a character was honestly so underwhelming and disappointing. the way he and his father had a whole conversation and were like yeah we should have a democracy 😀👍like come on this storytelling is actually pathetic what are we 10??? like wdym your happy to give up your power that easily like for no reason. no explanation. like I said, this has been written very weakly with not enough backstory.

despite the fact that these multiple factors made me cringe quite a lot in this drama, I still was hooked and binged the entire thing in 3 days more or less. because despite all its shortcomings the romance at its heart was what kept me going and honestly now that it's over I'm distraught. all I want to do right now is rewatch from the beginning. and I rarely feel that with dramas. the episodes just kept flying by and all of a sudden I realised I was on 13 and a sudden sorrow washed over me that this was not enough!!

charan and khanin are actually my roman empire. I'm so obsessed with Charan and his stoic, strict nature, bound by duty, who slowly unravels because of his love for khanin. honestly I live for ts. I do wish we had more build up, more angst, sexual tension, longing glances and discreet touches in public before they got together. that would have been so peak. maybe I'm just inspired by Bridgerton season 2 and pride and prejudice idk. like this show was peak but it could have been even more peak😭😭so I understand why some people have negative reviews.

the second couple (ramil and his lover) omg I actually can't. I felt so bad for the lover (I forgot his name) like the poor boy does NOT deserve the coward pos ramil is omg!! every time they came on screen I was screaming for the boy to just leave him!! he deserved so much more it pained me and I physically recoiled watching their scenes. idk it just felt so toxic and icky. I am a fan of dark romance and red flags (or at least, I thought I was) but ramil's romance/obsession with his lover honestly made me physically cringe it was so repulsive. I just felt like there was a power imbalance and that it wasn't true love.

all in all, this has gotta be the longest review I've written for a drama. if you've gotten this far, props to you, and honestly please watch this drama it's actually so good if you just switch off and focus on the romance!!

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Excuse Me While I Laugh… This Show is Silly

What did I just watch? I can’t even stop laughing because huhhhh???!!! LMFAOOOO

I don’t even know what to say, it’s such a silly show, that’s just all it is. Now, to satisfy the curiosity of those who want to watch (it’s an older man falls in love with a younger cute guy trope) but it’s so untypical.

The first episode is …ummm silly?? or what’s another word for silly? It is just that.

I can’t even tell what else the other episodes would have but I may or may not keep watching lol

Don’t want to experience this alone so you better watch it too. (P.S: do not expect too much or even anything at all)

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A surprisingly funny first episode.

The story begins with a college student who is simply curious about sex rather than romance. His curiosity leads him into an unexpected encounter with a sophisticated older man—who later turns out to be the president of the company where he gets a job.

The setup is outrageous, but the comedy keeps it entertaining instead of awkward.

I haven't read the original manga yet, but the casting immediately caught my attention. Sho Sakai perfectly fits the innocent yet curious Ainosuke, while Yuki Kimisawa has exactly the mature charm needed for the company president.

After the success of Fukami-kun, it feels like Japanese BL dramas are becoming more confident with slightly bolder themes. I'm looking forward to seeing whether this series develops beyond its provocative premise.

Where to watch (Japan)
TVer (Free streaming)
DMM TV

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Did we need this?

Probably not, but it's always nice to see the characters again after the main series has finished. We got to see that Shulang's ex is doing fine, and Fan Xiao & Shulang are getting married, or they got married. Shulang helped Fan Xiao get over his trauma, which honestly took no time at all, but I get there were time constraints. I know they had to rush this special because of some problems with fans, and that we are lucky to have gotten it at all.

The only thing I wish we had gotten to see is them co-parenting Tiantian. Do I think Fan Xiao is someone you expose a child to? No, but I would have liked to have seen it regardless, and I feel like Tiantian has the same level of protection as Shulang.

"People are watching." Yes, yes, they are. Honestly, the tourists being actual tourists made it more real. So what if they gawked? I'd be sitting in the sand watching as well and squealing like the fangirl I am.

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feelings

-Dù không mong chờ gì về phim ngắn nhiều, nhưng mình không nghĩ phim tệ vậy… Thật sự là mình không hiểu nội dung thông điệp muốn truyền tải từ phim=))), dù biết nội dung là 2 người die nhưng sang bao kiếp vẫn yêu nhau. Nhưng mô tuýp nhảm…

- Mở đầu vào phim là mình đã thấy khá kì rồi, tự nhiên hai người gặp nhau rồi vô tình cùng chung sở thích, xong ông kia lôi cha kia về nhà rồi yêu nhau hôn nhau đòi múc bang nhau=)) rồi tự nhiên sét đánh này kia nữa

- Rồi đoạn ở kiếp thứ 2, tự nhiên cha kia nói thế giới diệt vong rồi hiến tế gì đó :)) rồi tự nhiên xuyên qua vô đâu đó chả biết luôn má, rồi lúc ông kia ngủm thì ông còn lại thoát ra khỏi bể bơi kiểu gì

- Rồi sao tự nhiên đầu thai rồi vẫn nhớ hết mọi chuyện được =)) nó phi logic vô cùng luôn á

- Còn nữa, tự nhiên sao có thể vì một ca khúc cũ thôi mà nhớ lại mọi chuyện:)))

- Nói chung còn nhiều chi tiết khác nữa t chả hiểu phim nói gì luôn á

- Tuy nhiên có chê cũng khen. Ờm… Phim này khen chắc được mỗi visual diễn viên chính nhìn oke, ưng mắt. Với cả cảnh quay cũng đẹp, cảnh tuyết, cảnh ở chỗ bán đĩa,… nói chung phim ngắn nhưng có đầu tư cảnh quay một chút thấy cũng cũng

*Lưu ý: đây chỉ là cảm nhận riêng của t, vì mỗi người mỗi gu phim nên khuyến cáo bạn chỉ đọc với mục đích tìm hiểu thêm thôi, mình mong bạn sẽ tự xem phim và nhận xét theo cảm nhận riêng của bạn, vì mỗi người mỗi khác

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Good drama

in my side of the story it's really good but idk bout others if u watch it's not a waste of time your just curious it includes romance and mystery and

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Comedy Done Right

Rebecca.
Chewbacca.
Olivia.
"Gwenchana, gwenchana." 😂

If you've watched this drama, you already know exactly why these live rent-free in my head.

I honestly didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did because I don't usually gravitate toward more comedy, and I rarely laugh at corny or cheesy jokes. But somehow, this drama proved me wrong. Every episode was just as hilarious as the last, and I found myself constantly looking forward to what ridiculous situation the characters would get themselves into next.

What made this drama so special was the chemistry between the entire cast. They worked so naturally together that none of the comedy felt forced. Everyone played off each other's energy perfectly, making even the simplest scenes incredibly entertaining.

I also appreciated how fresh the comedy felt. The jokes rarely felt repetitive, and the drama constantly found new ways to make me laugh. At the same time, it balanced the humor with romance and the characters' personal struggles as they worked toward achieving their dreams. More than anything, they genuinely felt like a family. Between all the banter, chaos, and unforgettable moments, there was always an underlying sense of love and support. I especially liked that, despite being a comedy, the drama never forgot the importance of friends helping one another through life's challenges.

I had an amazing time watching this, and it's one of the few comedy dramas I can confidently say I'd watch over and over again.

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Trigger Warnings for SA, rape, self-harm, drugs & alcohol, violence, & manipulation.

Even after this series has been over for months, I still see people who are obsessed with it. They post photos and reels almost daily about the show and the main actors, and after finally watching the series, I really don't understand. Overall, it was a good series, but nothing that I would put my time and energy into months after it's finished.

I have one question that I asked myself at the end, and that was, "Is this Stockholm Syndrome?" Is that the real reason Shulang goes back to Fan Xiao?

OST wasn't invasive, and when I do notice it, I like it.

I liked that they made Fan Xiao such a black flag. He's not the worst character in the series by far, but he's obsessive and possessive to a dangerous degree, and had the money to do what he wanted. All the trigger warnings are because of him. The man needs therapy to deal with his past trauma and his current obsession. They made it easy for me to want Shulang nowhere near this man, while also feeling a bit sorry for him when he's trying to be a better person, and Shulang is RIGHTFULLY pushing him away. (Sometimes my empathy is a problem; I see someone hurting and I hurt with them.)

I also like how Fan Xiao marks his territory. Sorry, not sorry.

Shulang was easily my favorite character (even though I got freaked out/worried by his hands a couple times) because of how much he reminds me of my mom. Kind to a fault, but you don't fuck with the people they love. He's stupid for going back to Fan Xiao, but I wasn't surprised either because no matter how bad the manipulation, you could tell he still loved him, and once the good things he did were brought to light, you could see that it was easily breaking down the walls Shulang built. This is why I suspected Stockholm Syndrome; he went back to him so easily.

The only thing I didn't like about Shulang was how quickly he moved on from his boyfriend that he'd been dating for years. At least I think it was years. He didn't seem affected by the breakup at all until he learned Fan Xiao's role in it.

I wouldn't blame Lu Zhen for breaking up with Shulang because he felt like Shulang wasn't emotionally available enough & he didn't see that until Fan Xiao started showing him attention. Sadly, it seemed less like he realized this and more like he liked the attention because after only the second meeting with Fan Xiao, he was already telling him that Shulang was a relative. He realized what he lost too late, and I can't bring myself to feel bad for him.

We have a relationship happening in the background between Xue Bao Tian and Zhang Cho, and I really wanted to know more about it. It was a red flag relationship that they just teased us with.

My least favorite character in the whole series has to be the brother. I don't know how old he was, but it acted like a 16-year-old who thought his brother owed him his life. Anyone who does a fake suicide attempt so they can live an easier life on the back of someone else's work should be ashamed of themselves. And his reasons made no sense. Why was he mad at Shulang for defending himself from bullies, but not the bullies themselves for his mother's death? How do we know if Shulang even defended himself? We get 1 flashback, and it didn't look like he was.

Alright, on to the things that I didn't like/annoyed me.

* The only thing that annoyed me more than it was actually a problem was that the main characters seemed allergic to closing doors sometimes. Multiple times, they just left doors open while having very private conversations or while it's freezing outside. Close the damn door!

* They smoked too much. Every time you turn around, they are smoking. Did they need to smoke that much?

* They say each other's names too much. Honestly, this goes for all Chinese dramas.

* Why are so many people speaking English? Why are so many people speaking Chinese? We are in Thailand a majority of the time, but everywhere our characters go, it's either Chinese or English being spoken. I'm not talking about the main or supporting characters either; I'm talking about the background/extra characters.

* The kissing was just okay, but the chemistry was good.

* Our main actors really didn't show that much emotion, and maybe that was down to direction so that it would be more impactful in the emotional moments. It made their acting feel stiff for the first couple of episodes.

* I didn't get invested in the story or the character until episode 8, where Shulang starts learning the truth behind Fan Xiao's lies and manipulations. For a series that is so highly rated and praised, that is too long before getting pulled in. I should have been gripped from episode 3 at least, but even after I got into the series, my feelings for it were still at "whatever". I was even a bit bored in the first couple of episodes.

* This series didn't need a happy ending, but if they had to give us one, I wish they had spent more time redeeming Fan Xiao in Shulang's eyes. Have Fan Xiao slowly redeem himself, not have them jump back into a relationship after Shulang's friend inadvertently points out that he's still in love with Fan Xiao, and that's why he can't let go. He should have already known that; what's important is Fan Xiao changing and winning Shulang over again.

* I hate that when time passes, they don't tell us how much.

* I would have liked to see Fan Xiao do some actual work, not just control & manipulate multiple people's lives, or drink & smoke.


Despite all the hype, I went into this show with little excitement or expectations, and my feelings stayed at a 7/7.5 the entire time. There was never a moment that got my blood pumping or my heart hurting so bad I cried. Nothing that made me mad or overly happy. I honestly didn't feel much of any emotion while watching this, which feels strange. I'm not going to tell anyone not to give it a try because it seems a lot of people really enjoyed it, but to me it was like throwing a pebble into the water.

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The Jokes Got Old

Do I think it's really bad? No.
Do I think we needed a Season 2? Probably not.

To be honest, the one truly carrying this season is Lee Yi-kyung. We already know how talented he is when it comes to comedy, but I didn't feel the same level of comedic impact from the rest of the cast. They certainly had their moments, but the humor just didn't land as consistently for me.

What made Season 1 so memorable was the cast's chemistry. Everyone played off each other's jokes so naturally that even the simplest scenes became hilarious. Here, that dynamic just wasn't there. Instead, it felt like the production leaned more toward casting visually appealing actors, with names like Kim Seon-ho and Moon Ga-young joining the cast.

I also noticed quite a few recycled comedy skits that had already been done in Season 1. Because of that, many of the jokes didn't hit as hard the second time around. It wasn't terrible, but compared to the first season, the comedy felt repetitive and lacked the same freshness.
I also wish they had kept at least a few more of the original cast members instead of replacing almost everyone and leaving only Lee Yi Kyung behind. I know why they did it, because he's easily the funniest character, but part of what made Season 1 work was how perfectly the entire cast complemented one another. Here, it often felt like Lee Yi Kyung was doing most of the heavy lifting.

Overall, I still enjoyed Season 2 and had a good number of laughs. It's still a fun watch, but compared to the first season, it lacked the same chemistry, freshness, and comedic impact that made the original so unforgettable.

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