Reviews

A Solid offering in the "contract marriage" type trope

Review

My Rating: 8.5/10 is my rating

“Would You Marry Me?” (also known as U Ju Me-ri Mi) is a breezy 2025 Korean romantic comedy that delivers exactly what fans of the genre are often craving: a forced fake marriage setup with cohabitation elements, solid leads, and plenty of lighthearted moments. 

As someone who adores arrangement/forced marriage and cohabitation tropes, I was excited going in, and the show largely delivers on that front without major disappointments. It blends romance with comedy more than heavy drama, which suits my preferences perfectly. The premise is fun and provides natural opportunities for the leads to interact, bicker, and grow closer under unusual circumstances. It’s a solidly watchable offering—nothing groundbreaking, but definitely entertaining enough that I wouldn’t change the channel if someone else had it on. Many viewers describe it as cute, low-stress, and visually pleasing, with strong performances across the cast making it an easy, relaxing watch. 

It’s one of the better recent entries in this subgenre, especially given the shortage of fresh contract/arranged marriage stories. The comedy lands well in places, the romance develops with warmth, and it avoids excessive angst. If you’re a romance fan looking for something feel-good with forced proximity and heartfelt moments, this is worth checking out. It may not be a rewatch staple for everyone, but it satisfies the itch nicely.

Spoilers

Once we get into the actual story, the show has some real strengths but also a few spots where it feels like it could have been even stronger with tighter writing or a bit more development—especially since it’s shorter at 12 episodes compared to the classic 16-episode K-dramas many of us are used to.

The main couple (Yoo Me-ri (Jung So-min) and Kim Woo-joo (Choi Woo-sik)) get together relatively early. With enough episodes remaining you wonder if there is enough left to resolve to keep the story interesting. And it did make it lag a bit for me. Although it wasn't so early that it hit the common pitfall of the romance feeling completely over once they confessed. And the timing was such that it did not play into the opposite problem of them coming together too close to the end and making everything feel rushed with no time to enjoy their relationship. That said, the payoff still felt a little lessened for me because of how the middle episodes handled their dynamic. Other plot elements keep things moving, but the romance didn't feel as earned or electric as it could have been. Many viewers note the leads have good chemistry overall, but I (and some others) felt it was a bit lacking in those deeper flirty, longing looks and moments that make the bond truly sizzle. I think it was intentional because they knew they were crossing somewhat of a line with her still being technically married. But it took away from the romance as there weren't those butterflies type romantic moments. No catch fall, no almost kiss, no umbrella - this wasn't that type of romance.

Me-ri’s reluctance to fully open up about her past frustrated me at times. Her ex was truly horrible, yet she often held back key details—like the cheating or the scam that left her nearly homeless with the apartment. It would have helped other characters understand her better if she had been more forthcoming, especially with family members. It was gratifying to see her mom stand up to the horrible ex in-laws and deliver some well-deserved confrontation, but I wished Me-ri had asserted herself more strongly throughout. Many average viewers appreciate when heroines get satisfying “standing up for herself” moments, and this one leaned a bit too passive in places. Her character was sweet but I think you can both sweet and strong.

The family and side conflicts added interest. The uncle as the antagonist (psychopathic serial killer) was somewhat predictable but was very engaging in the story. But, once his true nature and activities were revealed I would have liked some resolution involving conversations with the grandmother (Go Pil-nyeon), where she acknowledges past family mistreatment . She was not as bad as the grandfather or the random acidic comments from the aunt, but she allowed it. The reconciliation with his aunt and cousin felt nice and earned. The side romance with the doctor girl (Yun Jin-gyeong (Shin Seul-ki)) and the executive guy was well-paced and cute—many viewers wished it had even more screen time. And I agree I would have liked to see him confess to her. They were just together at the wedding so it was somewhat assumed but I thought there was enough to that romance that there should have been a heartfelt moment between them.

On the cultural side, the handling of divorce and the marriage situation felt a little off from what I’ve come to expect in traditional K-dramas. Woo-joo accepts things quite quickly despite Me-ri still being technically married, which some, including me, might see as an American-influenced spin (possibly due to the Hulu/Disney+ platform). It didn’t ruin the story, but it stood out as unusual. It made him having such sudden deep feelings for her less believable. In K-drama land he would have went through a period of internal struggle. Maybe the reason was he spent so much time in the USA but that was never stated. He just seemed to quickly accept it and not be bothered by it.

Other small frustrations: The grandmother sometimes believes the wrong people too readily instead of trusting her grandson more. She quickly accepted that her son's death was her grandson's "fault". She took the word of these two people that came to her house to talk trash over having a simple conversation with Meri. A conversation between Me-ri’s mom and the grandmother could have been wonderful—they seem like they’d click, and it would have been a natural way to reveal more of Me-ri’s story. But then I am not even sure the mom knew the full story, that he had cheated and was the cause of the break up. The company/financial storyline (with embezzlement) builds up tension but resolves a bit softly without big turnaround moments or heroic deals from Woo-joo, which felt like a missed opportunity.

Living arrangements also impacted the romance believability. The decision not to have them fully cohabitate in the prize house created gaps where they seemed to be living separate lives, making the sudden romantic intensity feel less grounded. I. think they did it because she was still married and the writer's weren't convinced the audience would be okay with them not only living together prior to marriage but living together when she was still married. So, I get that but they could have had her actually divorce by filing the paper and he is truly her pretend husband. They weren't encountering each other each day which made their romantic connection feel less intense. And this was coupled by a late-story “cooling off” mention by Meri that was followed by a quick resolution to marriage which felt odd since there was already that distance all along.

Overall, these are mostly “missing a few extra elements” issues rather than outright bad writing. The show balances its tropes well and stays enjoyable. Though it does serve as a good reminder of why 16 episodes often hit the sweet spot for development—shorter formats can feel a tad rushed on the relationship and business arcs. Still, I recommend it for fans of the genre. There aren’t enough current offerings like this, and “Would You Marry Me?” scratches that forced-marriage/cohabitation itch effectively. If you love light romance with comedy and family elements, even with some minor issues with timing and certain plot points, it is worth giving it a shot.

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7110 Sugar Sweet Life

7110 Sugar Sweet Life
This is the vanilla kind of BL series. Meaning there's no violence, abuse of any kind, toxic of any kind, or anything negative which can make you feel any kind of bitterness in life. It also means that there's no scandalous scenes of any kind. So for those who expecting some spicy scenes, ! suggest you skip this one, cause you'll be disappointed.
That being said, even though my description kinda made it sound boring, it really isn't. The main lead is a pure hearted person who doesn't have any malice in his mind. And the other one is a kind and brave police officer. Both characters brew a slow burn romance drama for the audience, which only bloom at the end of the series.

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Emasculated Sad Boy general and the wishy-washy Sovereign looking for her 23rd lover!

See i eat it up when we have a pathetic yearning ML completely a loser for the FL and I like Arthur since the time of L&P. But gosh, did his character annoyed me to the point of getting on my last nerves! There is a fine line between a MAN being yearning loser for his woman and a emasculated sad lover boy. This drama can't seem to distinguish between those two. To make it worse, he is portrayed as a ruthless general 😑 (like why would you ruin this established image of ruthless generals created by Zisheng, Duke Su etc?!). In which world, do generals behave like that? The wars are only described in 2-3 lines while he gets repeatedly harmed and kidnapped to the point of being a burder on her! Poor girl has to babysit the so called general half of the time! Half the time is spent on a pity party because he has nothing to say while the SML goes away reminding him of his worthlessness in the FL's life!

While Dilreba shows her usual grace and beauty with occasional sad yearning looks, the wishy-washyness of the character breaks the deal for me. The boy says you would forget me and i would become the 23rd and she says nothing, providing him no assurance. So, if we go by the first OE, he may just actually turn into another 23rd! Explains why i did not feel anything at their ending when i usually end up with a broken heart during such endings. I was glad that the drama is finally over.

That being said, the drama ha d alot of potential in the beginning. A mysterious woman and an skeptical genaral bound to doubt her was an interesting plot. A woma as the Sovereign makes it more unique, absolutely adore women in power. The first 10-15 episodes were good. There were problems but I expected them to be solved along the development of characterization. So, imagine my annoyance when the shows keeps going round and round with no development in the FL or ML's characters! 40 episodes of nothing!

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An intense and underratd thiller

Wow, what a ride. The start of the drama was slow, but after that I was seated the whole time. The storyline was great and kept me engaged, as there was a plot twist after plot twist. I loved the pacing, the suspense, and how nothing was predictable. Every time I thought I had it figured out, the drama proved me wrong. If you're looking for a show that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish, this is it.

Jung Woo's performance deserves special recognition. His character arc is spectacular, and the drama offers a compelling exploration of what a person is capable of doing for money. While it can be frustrating to witness his repeated lies and morally questionable actions, the narrative ultimately delivers a satisfying conclusion where everyone gets what they deserve.

I genuinely do not understand the low ratings this drama has received – it feels unjust. The intensity builds with each episode, growing progressively more gripping. Every character adds value to the story, and I honestly loved the entire experience.

Verdict: A slow burn that rewards patient viewers with an intense, twist-filled ride. Criminally underrated.

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Unlike the title the drama is wholesome lol

When i read the title i was a little pessimistic and was thinking this would be one of those short dramas that have 0 plot and pure NC but nah that wasn't true. It's pretty cute, sweet, wholesome series. Although the plot of soo simple and the series as a whole is 30 mins minus the repeating flashback it's 20 mins. So yep the depth is missing but they do tell us a story. It's not amazing but it's not bad although the ending is an open ending leaning towards happy ending. Makes sense cz they didn't have enough time to give them a happy ending. Acting wise they've done justice to the role. Let's say their looks and acting kinda covers up the flaws in the series.

Overall it's good for a 1 time watch when you're bored

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BEST ONE OF ALLL TBH

this series was the best series and if u like watching Weak Hero Class, U WILL ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS ONE!! This series shows how the kids nowadays behave to their teachers mainly and how parents are forcing there child to learn so much and giving them depression. honestly this is BANG ON SERIES!! NO NORING EPS AND NO BORING BITS! I love the acting of Ki-Joo’s, she acts so child and then she becomes a superhero who save the day!!!! SUPERB ACTING!!! And I would recommend it 100%

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Perfect mix of beauty and pain

Overall this series definitely exceeded my expectations. It had a few things that I really didn't expect, which made me even more invested. Truly an underrated gem of a series.

Things I liked:
1. Magnificent acting.
2. Beautiful cinematography.
3. Su Bai. He is a great, supportive older brother, so mature and nice.
4. Su Bai breaking up with Yi Wei. I hated Yi Wei from the start, the way he treated Su Bai and everything else. So when Su Bai finally broke up with him, I was literally celebrating.
5. Pei Jia redemption arc.
6. Main character. Yes, he made a few mistakes here and there, but he is incredible, and following his story was really nice.

Things I disliked:
1. Pei Jia.
Pei Jia treated Su Yi like trash the whole time, seeing him as nothing more than some side character in his life. But as soon as Su Yi finally stopped chasing and left him, he finally woke up and realized that he misses him.
Despite everything, he at least had a redemption arc and changed for the best.
2. Yi Wei. Oh my god, what a spineless loser.
All he does is bend over backwards for anyone but his boyfriend. And even after Su Bai broke up with him, all he does is complain about him. Su Bai really deserves better.
He has absolutely no respect for Su Bai or Su Yi, saying that Su Bai is acting childish when clearly the only one being incredibly childish is Yi Wei.
He does make changes for the best in the end, but in my opinion it's way too late, and I personally couldn't forgive him.
3. Fang Ruizhi. This one is self-explanatory.
4. The pacing was a bit too slow for my liking.
5. Not dislike, but I personally would appreciate more if there was at least half of an episode with Pei Jia and Su Yi after they got their revenge and happy ending.

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A Wonderful Character-Driven Journey

I loved this one. I loved clocking in every day to catch up with the Li family. It never felt like the type of story where the characters existed just to serve an arc. It felt like I was getting a glimpse into their lives and growing alongside them. I followed relationships that were built over time, witnessed their joys and hardships, and became invested in the characters because my connection to them was also built gradually through their everyday experiences.

This is the kind of drama that builds on character growth rather than relying on action-packed sequences or major twists. It offers a window into their daily lives, personal development, and changing relationships. It felt like a coming-of-age story without being confined to a single coming-of-age narrative, spanning years and even generations. I watched lives unfold, families evolve, people stumble and recover, and relationships deepen over time. For me, that gradual investment in the characters and their journeys is what made this drama so engaging and ultimately made it a winning watch.

Some last minute notes: Some viewers felt the romance was lacking or forced, and others thought the ending was rushed. Those weren't my impressions. I thought the romance felt natural and appropriate for the story being told. More importantly, it felt enduring and genuine. The relationships were built on years of shared experiences, and I felt that treating them as tropes would have taken away from what made the project special.

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What the hell did I just watch ???

The Scarecrow is much more than a crime thriller. Unlike many crime dramas, it focuses not only on the killer but also on the victims, their families, and the investigators whose lives were forever changed by the tragedy. The way it shows the lasting emotional impact of the case is incredibly powerful.

From the very first episode, I was completely hooked. The story is intense, emotional, and full of suspense, with every episode leaving me wanting more. The directing and cinematography are outstanding, and the camera work adds so much tension and depth to the characters' interactions.

Without a doubt, this is the best crime thriller drama I have ever watched. A gripping and unforgettable masterpiece.

10/10

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THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS BROKEN AND THESE PEOPLE SAID HOLD MY CLIPBOARD

OVERVIEW:

Imagine a Korean school system where students rule through fear, teachers are afraid to intervene, principals answer to angry wealthy parents, and even police investigations vanish under political pressure. Enter Na Hwa Jin, an inspector for the Educational Rights Protection Bureau, a government agency created to tackle the chaos. Backed by Minister Choi Gang Seok and aided by deputy director Bong Geun Dae, who frequently goes undercover as a student, Hwa Jin takes on the worst cases of school corruption and abuse. Later joined by former soldier Im Han Rim, the team brings a mix of investigation, intimidation, and brutal justice to every mission. Each episode sees the ERPB storm a different school, expose systemic wrongdoing, punish the guilty, and restore order. It’s *Taxi Driver* set in Korean schools, and it’s ridiculously satisfying.

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COMMENTARY:

The reason it never becomes repetitive or preachy is that it fundamentally understands that the problem is never just the bully. Not in a single episode. Every case peels back a different layer of the same systemic rot and what you find underneath is always something more complicated and more disturbing than a mean kid who needs to be taught a lesson.

E1 is about a politician's son who bullies with complete impunity because every adult in that building is financially terrified of his father. E2 is about a school that has essentially become a gang recruitment pipeline because nobody in authority cared enough to intervene before it got that far. E3 is about a teacher being systematically destroyed by her own student through social media manipulation while the principal negotiates a private peace deal with the perpetrator instead of protecting the victim. E4 is about a corrupt teacher quietly steering wealthy students toward exam advantages for years. E5 is about a parent who weaponized the complaint system, the very system designed to protect children, in order to torment a teacher. E6 is about teenagers who understand exactly how untouchable their minor status makes them and exploit that legal protection like it is a VIP membership card. E7 is a gambling addiction pipeline deliberately marketed to vulnerable high schoolers by loan sharks who knew exactly what they were doing. E8 is about academic pressure so suffocating that a mother was feeding her son illegal stimulants just to stay competitive. E9 is about passive exploitation dressed up as friendship. And E10 brings the entire season full circle to the murder that started everything.

TEN EPISODES, not one repeated problem. I genuinely sat back after finishing the finale and just thought about how much discipline that took and how rarely dramas actually pull that off.

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Na Hwa Jin shows up to a school on his very first day, immediately hears a student make a joke about a classmate who just died, and beats him. Not a disappointed look or a firm talking-to or a carefully worded warning about appropriate behavior. He beats the student and then puts the entire class in a plank position. ON HIS FIRST DAY. I watched that scene with my mouth literally open because you are simultaneously horrified and cheering and both of those feelings are completely valid and the show knows it.

What I love about Hwa-jin is that the drama never pretends that what he does is strictly legal or straightforwardly ethical. It leans into that tension deliberately. He operates with government authority but the way he uses that authority is so creative that even his allies sometimes need a moment to process what just happened. There is a scene in E2 where he drives two students around a parking lot in a car missing a door at genuinely unreasonable speeds while they scream and beg for mercy and he looks completely unbothered. Like he is running a routine errand. That is the energy this whole show runs on.

Kim Mu-yeol is doing exactly what this role needs. Hwa-jin is not warm. He is not funny on purpose. He does not give inspirational speeches over background piano music while a student cries and realizes bullying is wrong. What he is, is terrifyingly certain of himself and absolutely relentless in a way that makes him magnetic to watch even when you are slightly concerned about his methods. Welcome to wish fulfillment drama done right.

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I need everyone to stop what they are doing and pay attention to Im Han Rim!

Han-rim shows up in episode three. She is a former soldier. She has the scars to prove it. She introduces herself by grabbing a knife blade with her bare hand and staring a teenager off a balcony. And she operates with this cheerful, almost casual efficiency when it comes to physical confrontation that is so specific and so perfectly calibrated that I immediately sat up straighter and went "okay WHO is this woman and why is she not in everything."

The thing about Han-rim that elevates her beyond just being cool (and she is very cool, devastatingly cool, the coolest person in a drama full of people doing impressive things) is that she has a full emotional interior. She is not just competent action sequences and intimidating stares. She has a backstory with real pain in it. Her dynamic with Geun-de is warm and protective in ways that feel genuinely earned rather than manufactured. The moment in E7 where she thinks she has put him in real danger and you can see the weight of that on her face... that is not a one-dimensional character. That is someone with genuine emotional stakes and Jin Ki-joo plays every single layer of her beautifully.

If you watched this drama and somehow slept on Jin Ki-joo's performance I genuinely need you to go back and rewatch every one of her scenes because she is doing something special in this role and she deserves every bit of recognition she gets for it. I said what I said and I will not be taking questions.

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P.O plays Bong Geun-dae with this very specific earnest energy that makes you feel genuinely protective of the man even though he is a government official with a full salary and a tactical team behind him. He has an important title. He is the Deputy Director of the ERPB. He is a grown adult professional with institutional authority.

And YET, every single episode this man ends up going undercover in a school and getting beaten up, or kidnapped by loan sharks, or developing a functional gambling addiction for the purposes of an investigation, or getting his cover blown in a cybercafe while Han-rim is distracted by snacks. He is perpetually in some form of danger and he handles it with such specific, hapless dignity that I was rooting for him from episode one and never stopped. The moment in episode seven where he sends a distress signal in Morse code through a criminal gang's server from inside their hideout is simultaneously the most ridiculous and most satisfying thing this drama does and I will cherish it forever.

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I want to specifically highlight Lee Sung-min because the kind of work he is doing in this drama is the kind that is easy to overlook in a show with this much action and energy and it absolutely should not be overlooked.

Gang-seok is the political brain of the operation. He is the one who turns what Hwa-jin does in schools into policy and press conferences and actual systemic change. He is the reason the ERPB has real institutional teeth beyond the personal and extremely creative damage Hwa-jin inflicts. For most of the season he operates with this calm, controlled precision that makes him feel almost separate from the emotional stakes.

And then E10 happens. And Gang-seok completely loses his composure and tries to go after Gyu-cheol himself after seeing Hwa-jin's injuries and I felt it in my whole chest. Because Lee Sung-min has been quietly laying the groundwork for that moment all season. He has been calling Hwa-jin his son in the background the whole time in small subtle ways you might not even consciously register while you are watching. And then that moment arrives and suddenly the full weight of everything he has been carrying just comes through and it lands exactly right. That is what veteran actors do. They make it look effortless and it is not effortless at all.

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The entire ERPB exists because Ga-yun was murdered by a student she was trying to help. And the justice system gave that student two to four years and called it sufficient. Hwa-jin lost his partner. Gang-seok lost his daughter. And the show never lets you forget either of those things but it also never hammers you over the head with grief every episode in a manipulative way. It works as an undercurrent instead, quietly explaining why these two men are as relentless as they are. Why they take cases that would exhaust anyone else. Why Hwa-jin has absolutely zero interest in meeting bullies halfway or giving anyone a comfortable exit.

And then episode ten reveals the full truth of why Gyu-cheol killed Ga-yun. And the answer is so banal and so ugly and so small that it hit me hard.

He killed her because she threw away his drugs. She was trying to save him and he murdered her because she got in the way of his business. That is it. That is the whole reason. No grand motive. No complicated backstory that recontextualizes everything. Just the most devastating kind of senselessness; a good person who was trying to help someone who did not want to be helped and paid for it with her life.

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E3 with Ye-ri is the one I keep thinking about the most. Because Ye-ri is not a traditional villain with a coherent evil plan. She is a teenager who discovered that social media gives her power and that power is addictive and she used it in increasingly destructive ways because every adult around her either enabled her or refused to confront her until the damage was already irreversible. Two teachers are destroyed. One dies. And by the end Ye-ri is not triumphant; she is cornered and desperate and holding a knife she does not actually know how to use. The show does not ask you to feel sorry for her. But it does ask you to understand how she got there and that is such a morally complicated and brave thing for a drama like this to do.

E5 made me genuinely stressed in a way I was not prepared for. The sound design choice of making U-jin's mother's constant phone messages audible to us is either genius or deliberate cruelty and I think it might be both. Ji-seon's story is devastating because it is so recognizable. A person doing a genuinely good job being slowly dismantled by one parent's relentless campaign of harassment while every system around her fails to intervene. The principal asking her to just ignore the messages because upsetting parents creates problems for the school is such a specific and believable institutional failure that I felt genuinely angry watching it.

And E8. This one is going to make parents deeply uncomfortable and honestly it should. Hyeon-min's mother is not a cartoon villain. She is not motivated by cruelty or hatred. She is motivated by the very real and crushing pressure of the South Korean academic system and the genuine belief that her son's entire future depends on his CSAT results. The show does not let that be an excuse but it also does not pretend it is not a real pressure that real parents feel. Hwa-jin making her follow the exact same sleep-deprived controlled-meal no-rest schedule she imposed on her son is the most elegant punishment in the entire season. Not a fine. Not prison. The direct lived experience of what she built for her child. And the scene where Hyeon-min finally tells her he does not want to go to medical school and she just goes completely blank, processing something she never once considered possible, is some of the best acting in the whole drama. I felt so many things watching that scene. All of them complicated.

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The show handles this Han-rim and Geun-de romance thread with exactly the right lightness. It never becomes a main event. It never sacrifices plot for romantic moments or turns the whole drama into a will-they-won't-they exercise. But it does earn the warmth between them through consistent small details across all ten episodes that accumulate into something genuinely sweet and real.

Han-rim worrying about Geun-de's safety during undercover operations in ways she tries to disguise as professional concern. Geun-de being the one person who manages to reach her during the drug-induced fugue state in the finale. Hwa-jin clocking the whole situation from episode four and doing that very specific knowing older-brother energy about it for the rest of the season: saying nothing, just existing in the background of their interactions being aware and mildly amused. Gang-seok at Ga-yun's grave watching both of them pointedly try to ignore each other and clearly finding it somewhat hilarious.

These are good people becoming genuinely attached to each other in believable ways over time and the show respects the audience enough to let that happen organically. I appreciate that so much more than I would have appreciated manufactured tension and dramatic confessions and misunderstandings that exist only to delay the inevitable. Sometimes the best romance is the one the drama trusts you to notice without pointing at it every five minutes.

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One thing I want to specifically acknowledge is that it never frames the ERPB's mission as students-are-the-problem.

Ji-seon in E5 is being tormented by a parent. Hyeon-min in E8 is being harmed by his own mother. The gambling students in E7 are being deliberately targeted and addicted by loan sharks who identified vulnerable teenagers as a business opportunity and pursued them accordingly. Seong-gu in E9 is being exploited by someone he thinks is his closest friend. The ERPB protects teachers and students and parents depending entirely on who is being victimized in any given situation and that flexibility keeps the show from becoming a simple morality tale about bad kids who need discipline.


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OVERALL:

Teach You A Lesson is exactly the kind of drama that reminds you what Korean television does better than almost anyone else when everything is working the way it should. It is bold and stylish and packed with performances that make you genuinely care about what is happening on screen. It takes real social problems seriously and approaches them with actual intelligence rather than just using them as backdrop for action sequences. It delivers catharsis and satisfaction in ways that feel consistently earned. And it surprised me emotionally in ways I was completely not prepared for with an underlying story about grief and loss and what people build in the aftermath of devastating and senseless tragedy.

Is it morally complicated? Absolutely. Will it make you think? Yes. Will it also have you cheering and gasping and completely unable to stop watching? Also yes. All of those things live comfortably together in this drama and that is genuinely difficult to pull off.

The cast is phenomenal across the board. Kim Mu-yeol and Jin Ki-joo and Lee Sung-min and P.O are all doing some of the best work of their careers here and every single one of them deserves recognition for it. The writing is disciplined and smart. The pacing is excellent across all ten episodes. And the emotional core underneath all the action reveals itself slowly and hits with full force when it finally arrives.

Do not sleep on this one. The people who get it will GET IT and I genuinely think more people need to be watching and talking about this drama because it deserves so much more attention than it is getting.

I am giving this an 8.5/10.

THE SYSTEM WAS BROKEN AND THESE PEOPLE SAID NOT ON MY WATCH AND I FELT THAT DEEPLY AND PERSONALLY!!

Tysm for reading ❤️

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The Tale of Loyal Heroes and Righteous Gallants

Before Jin Yong's Wuxia heroes, there's Shi Yukun's The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants [1879]

Zhan Zhao was one of the Seven Heroes, a formidable martial artist, well known in Jianghu, a very loyal aid to Bao Zheng [Judge Bao] the Prefect of Kaifeng Prefecture in the Song Dynasty era.

My mother's love for Chinese ancient, classic Wuxia stories introduced me to Zhan Zhao's character and I fell in love with him. Zhan Zhao is truly my most favourite superhero.

During my teens, I spent my afternoon time by watching Justice Bao [1993] series.
236 episodes and none was boring.

Kenny Ho portrayed this character perfectly that for me, no other actors could surpass it, until I watched this Zhan Zhao Adventures.

As a very avid fan of Zhan Zhao character, I must say this version was second to 1993 series [for me Kenny Ho is still the best]

This production really showcased Zhan Zhao's personality.

Righteous, smart, benevolent, gentle, kindhearted, formidable, and handsome of course

We could also see Zhan Zhao's past as Jianghu's warrior, his regrets, his reasons why he avoided to kill but in the end he still ended up killing his enemy. [Zhan Zhao indeed avoided killing unless it's very necessary]

It also showed his conflicted heart, how he still believed in following the law but somehow also tempted to use his past act which was killing the villain.

Everything that I have known about Zhan Zhao was shown here in this series, including his famous red robe.

I'm truly impressed, a real embodiment of Wuxia, 37 episodes full of fighting scenes [that's what Wuxia should be] and in between those fighting scenes, we still can enjoy the story, the plot, the emotion, the conflicted minds.

Yang Yang really nailed this Zhan Zhao's version.
His expressions, gestures, personalities, and even the calm voice. He did a very good job as Zhan Zhao.

Alen Fang as Bai Yutang, a naughty, reckless, impulsive, a bit childish but a very loyal friend and compatriot.

He actually did very well job as Bai Yutang, but somehow he reminded me of Wen Kexing a bit. [gestures, expression, movement] but still a very pleasant portrayal.

As for Huo Linglong, she's an interesting character. Although young, she's quite mature and also smart, but sometimes looked like flat and lost words in the middle. Probably the script for this character was made like this.

As for other actors, all of them have done a good job, really. Even the villain can make me sad and pity them a lot.

This Seven Heroes and Five Gallants tale doesn't emphasize on romance, it's all about the journey in upholding justice throughout the kingdom.

That is why there is no romance in this series although we can see Huo Linglong's deep affection and devotion to Zhan Zhao, and Bai Yutang's ocassional tease but Zhan Zhao was either quite immune or dense.
[If you wanna know who's Zhan Zhao's wife on the Shi Yukun's original story, you can find it on the internet.]

I'm really grateful that the screen writer and the production team didn't change this into a romance series.

For Wuxia lover, you should not miss watching this series.
A very highly recommended series to be watched and to be rewatched.

仗劍三尺，江湖之外，紅袍展仁心，青峰昭律義
[Zhàng jiàn sān chǐ, jiānghú zhī wài, hóng páo zhǎn rén xīn, qīngfēng zhāo lǜyì]

Wielding a three-foot sword, beyond the martial world, a red-robed figure displays benevolence, while a green-crowned crane embodies justice and righteousness.

😊💐👏🏼

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Do azul melancólico até o laranja caloroso do verão pessoal..

Esse drama é muito bom, a história se desenvolve em um ritmo ótimo, rica em detalhes, com uma atenção muito boa as cenas, os cenários são bonitos e a equipe de produção fez um ótimo trabalho na edição e toda a composição.
Os atores foram surpreendentemente bons, a atriz Tan Yan Yan tem 30 anos e interpreta uma personagem que acabou de fazer 18 e não duvidamos dela em momento algum. Já o ator Yang Peng Cheng, tem apenas 19 anos, e seu personagem é mais velho, já que ele já é formado na universidade, então sabemos que ele tem entre 24 a 26 anos, no mínimo. Sua atuação é boa, porém em alguns momentos peca pelo excesso dramático, mas nada que comprometa muito a cena em questão.

Todos os personagens secundários foram muito bem, as atrizes mirins roubaram meu coração. Foi bonito acompanhar a história que se passa em um inverno pessoal, já que a FL tem depressão, passar pela primavera, desabrochando o sentimento de pertencimento e acolhimento, até o ápice do verão, com o coração quente pela família que se formou e marcou sua vida.

Há uma frase final indicando uma possível segunda temporada, porém não encontrei nenhuma informação de que realmente foi lançada. É uma pena, adoraria ver. São 2 horas e 20 minutos muito bem aproveitadas.

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Worse than I thought possible

Worse than I ever could have imagined. Boss is blatantly copying Pond's portrayal of Thee, and poorly. The scenes jump around with no clear indication of timeline. The production quality is bad which I could overlook if the story/acting was there but this is a miss in every possible aspect. I'm sad that BossNoeul have had 2 bad shows back to back because I do love them together.
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Worse than I ever could have imagined. Boss is blatantly copying Pond's portrayal of Thee, and poorly. The scenes jump around with no clear indication of timeline. The production quality is bad which I could overlook if the story/acting was there but this is a miss in every possible aspect. I'm sad that BossNoeul have had 2 bad shows back to back because I do love them together.
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Worse than I ever could have imagined. Boss is blatantly copying Pond's portrayal of Thee, and poorly. The scenes jump around with no clear indication of timeline. The production quality is bad which I could overlook if the story/acting was there but this is a miss in every possible aspect. I'm sad that BossNoeul have had 2 bad shows back to back because I do love them together.
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Worse than I ever could have imagined. Boss is blatantly copying Pond's portrayal of Thee, and poorly. The scenes jump around with no clear indication of timeline. The production quality is bad which I could overlook if the story/acting was there but this is a miss in every possible aspect. I'm sad that BossNoeul have had 2 bad shows back to back because I do love them together.

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