Reviews

WOW! What A Surprise!! I LOVED this!!!

I'm a die-hard POJ and Zhange Linghe fan, but after watching the dark and sad Overdo drama, I needed some joy in my entertainment choices.
A Splendid Match gets a 10! The plot and atory line is wonderful! I have three areas of comment but all three areas are equal in my esteem and praise: The illustrations, the actors, and the story.
First of all:
The opening & closing graphics! They are truly the most beautifully artistic and expressive I've seen! I usually skip the opening/closing graphics because, unfortunately, I don't read more than a handful of chinese characters (but "wo zhengzai xuexi zhongwen!") So, at first, the opening/closing credits & graphics didn't make much sense to me, and I skipped them. But after watching several episodes, the graphics caught my attention -- because I understood them, having become attached to the characters and the story line. Bravo to the art team!! Now I watch the opening and closing!
Next:
Ren Min, Chi Sha -- master of the art of saying so much without speaking a word! Not over-expressing or over-acting! But not under-expressing or under-delivering the dynamics. True artists! They embodied their characters with sincerity, flawless commitment, and it was beautiful to feel that sense being there in the scene, watching it unfold, never having a moment where one of the main actors showed a glitch in their craft that reminded us they were acting, not truly the character we believed was real.
And finally:
The music - no one masters drama series lyrics like the Chinese music professionals. I'm older than 60 years of age, lived in USA my whole life, and our government leads peoole to believe that China is bad. And I've been listening to my own music & TV favorites for decades! But since last year, when I discovered IQIYI, Tencent, etc, I've cancelled Spotify, Apple Music, Starz, HBO, and paused Netflix! Compared to Chinese and Korean film and music, American TV and music just dies on the vine and I feel like our country is a declining civilization. Chinese musical lyrics are intelligent, fully literate, non-cliche, well-thought-out, emotional, memorable, relatable, respectful, and beautiful. The music composure and arrangements are fabulous. It's pretty much all I listen to now.
After a year or more watching Chinese historic dramas, documentaries, and educational programs, I now speak up to others when, in ignorance, they speak ill of China. I appreciate what China is doing for the world in technology, science, education, sustainability, engineering, morals, arts and culture.
Lately, when I hear a fellow American say we should all be afraid that China may take over the world, I say that likely would be a better world.
I never would have known about so many of the advancements in China, had I never discovered their entertainment productions!
In my country, most (not all) film and entertainment professionals and productions degrade make us look like a degenerate civilization running toward a garbage pile to feast on our own waste. How lamentable. :(
In China. most film and entertainment professionals and productions bring honor to your country's reputation and challenge us to do the same. :)

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proof that perfect pacing and insane chemistry can fix your drama slump!!

Honestly going into a 36 episode drama where i usually stick to short form series is a huge commitment but cases between us actually delivered it if you are on fence about the episode count then it is worth the binge..
The narrative pacing carries the entire show it never drags to the point where you want to drop it nor is it so fast that you feel confused you know that perfect spot where every episodes keep you hooked .. talking about the dynamic between the leads is insane what makes the writing stand out is how balanced the screen time is while the main leads do have their own time ..the side characters also get the genuine depth and realistic arcs instead of just you know existing as in the background..
Also the variety the different cases kept the show going and the way the overall plot links everything together is super satisfying even though I felt a tiny plot holes but the show surprisingly addresses and clears it in the later episodes.. the cast is amazing .. esp zhaoshang being an absolute highlight
Overall it's just actual comedy emotions and realistic elements... really hoping for s2

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Utterly disappointing

I had loved Jung Hae In One Spring Night, A Piece of my Mind and Something in the Rain.But this show was such a disappointment. Despite knowing that the plot was nothing earth shattering I had watched hoping the narrative of the show would be good but no, even Jung Hae In could not make me watch any further--and to be honest--I fast forwarded at several places by the latter part of ep 3.
This show has a poor script to begin with and a lousy plot. But it isn't the only one.
I don't know why but I haven't been able to see that spark in most recent Korean shows that have come out.

I think K Drama writers and makers really need to go to their drawing board and see how to amp things up--most recent shows have had plots that are rehash of what we have already seen--even if the plot be similar the execution can make all the difference but most shows now show lazy writing, or may be they are getting too dependent on AI, though budget wise shows are often seen to grow bigger. The only show that I absolutely loved from Korean drama in recent days was Agent Kim Reactivated.

The K Drama slump seems to be real while Chinese shows are really coming of age in recent times, especially with international audience.

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Beautiful messages about life

This is one of the dramas that I put into my on-hold list because I got spoiled about the ending when I was watching it years ago. Recently I had some time to pick it up again and watch it with my mom.

I have mixed feelings about this drama. I already knew the plot twist from the start this time, so I didn't have the first time experiece with it like other viewers. I'm sure it would be less fun this way. But I still enjoyed the drama very much and I understand the messages that the screenwriter and director were trying to tell viewers through each episode. Instead, the fun for me this time was to watch my mom's experience with the drama without spoiling the twist. Plus, I paid attention and realized how everything made sense from the beginning, knowing the twist behind it.

Even though I already knew the twist beforehand, it didn't stop me from crying a lot in the last two episodes. I think the team did a great job in casting Kim Hye Ja for the female lead role. She's the star of this drama. Her acting is amazing. I would totally believe her if she told me she's really a 25-year-old young woman trapped in the body of an 80-year-old lady. Her voice is also beautiful and soothing. I think it had a big impact on making me tear up in the last episode. I also loved the acting from the others, from Han Ji Min, Ahn Nae Sang, Lee Jung Eun and especially I was really impressed by Nam Joo Hyuk's perfomance in this drama.

There are a lot of relatable messages in this drama, aiming at both young people and the elderly. I think the core and strongest message is to encourage people to embrace life and love themselves more, to live more in the present and enjoy every moment we are living.

Besides that, I can feel the struggles of young people while chasing their dreams and trying to survive in this modern capitalist world. I see the importance of a healthy bonding between parents, between children and parents, between family members, friends, and lovers. I see different types of loneliness that young people and the elderly would experience. I think this drama also did a great job in raising more awareness about aging and how the elderly view the world and other people around them.

The drama also touched a few issues in the society, such as scams and fraud targeting the elders, elder neglect, and toxic abusive parents who bring nothing but misery to their children and never deserve to be parents in the first place. It also touched a bit about the corrupt Korean police and government in the past who would frame and kill off innocent people for their own purpose.

There are a few things I didn't like in this drama. Most of them were from the comedic scenes in the drama. I think Hye Ja's loser brother had too much screentime. I mean, a lot of his interactions with Hye Ja and her close friends were funny and I enjoyed them, but at some point, it was a little too much. I also didn't like that they paired him up with one of his sister's best friends. This trope was not new in kdramaland anymore. However, I think I know the purpose of his character in this drama, so it didn't bother me very much. Without him, the drama would be much heavier and full of sorrow.

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Fun watch!

I really enjoyed this show and really only got bored duing the last like 6 episodes. I know that dosent sound like a glowing review but this show never had an dead spaces where nothing happened and it only got boring because the political plot line came to a head there and I didn’t care that much for that part. Now back to the parts that I liked. The characters were amazing, both the main, side, and villain characters. The core group of characters were so funny and interesting and the villians were very believable and you really could understand why they did what they became what we saw in the show. I was also suprised by how funny this show was. The synopsis and trailer had me thinking it was going to be and intense and angsty enimes to lovers story, it had its moments but it was manly just cute, sweet, and funny romance. Now the things I did not like, this is a little harder to talk about since a lot of them would be spoilers so I won’t talk about those. I can talk about the political drama part that became the whole show at the end. It felt very sudden and then rushed. It also was like the show became a totally different show toward the end.

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A Rewatch That Earned It an Extra Star

(long post alert)

There is something so refreshing about "The Day of Becoming You" (TDOBY henceforth). It isn’t the biggest-budget drama, but it knows exactly what story it wants to tell—and it tells it beautifully.

The script is tight; in the show there isn’t a single scene that feels like a filler; everything had a purpose. The only thing that occasionally pulled me out of the story was the product placement, which could be a little too obvious at times but i have seen this in other Asian dramas too. But what I loved most was how the drama's focus remains on its two leads.Their individual arcs, their relationship, and the way they slowly come to understand each other is what drives the plot forward. As far as the leads are concerned, both do a great job but Zhang Xin Cheng is exceptional as Jiang Yi. His eyes are expressive, and his portrayal of the FL after the body swap is so convincing that it could easily have become ridiculous in the hands of a lesser actor. But he gets all those nuances right—the expressions, the mannerisms, even the way he sits. There are moments when you genuinely forget that you're watching the ML and instead see the FL inhabiting his body. It is such a difficult thing to pull off without making it feel like an exaggeration or caricature, and he does it with remarkable subtlety.
Another thing I loved were the quiet moments between the two leads. Sometimes it is simply the two of them talking, sitting together, looking at each other, or existing in the same space. These moments make their relationship feel real. And the conversations! The drama has so many good ones—not just between the leads, but also between each of them and the people in their respective circles. There is a sense that all these characters actually know how to communicate, and that their relationships are built through conversations rather than misunderstandings manufactured for plot.
This brings me to the relationship between the ML and FL; right from the beginning it is healthy; there is affection, trust, vulnerability and respect. The story allows the two of them to like each other as people before everything else. There is no villan per se constantly lurking in the background.
The background score deserves a mention too. It adds so much to the emotional atmosphere without constantly demanding attention. And visually, while this may not be a drama with an enormous budget, it looks surprisingly good. There is a warmth and polish to it that makes the whole thing very easy to settle into.

To add, I am writing (almost compelled to write this review) when I realised how much I enjoyed the show the second time around. Over a weekend, I literally binge-watched the entire show again, and despite knowing how the plot would pan, it felt even better than it did on my first watch. Knowing where the story was going didn't take anything away from it—in fact, it made me appreciate the little things more. Truth be told, this doesn't happen very often for me. But with this one, the second watch made me realise just how well put together the drama actually is. And so I ended up adding an extra star to my rating this time around.

And perhaps that's the best compliment I can give TDOBY; I liked it the first time but after watching it again, I appreciated it more. Underneath the body-swap comedy, there is a surprisingly thoughtful story about two people getting to see each other's lives from the inside, and, in doing so, learning to understand each other in a way they probably never could have otherwise.
The show is funny without being silly, romantic without being saccharine, and emotional without melodrama. Most importantly, it respects its characters enough to let them talk, listen, grow and choose each other.

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Every situation plays out to set the final arc

I must appreciate what a well written story. I mean what I said. I haven't read novel or have no idea what happens, but this series is well made. It's not often we see them address a psychological issue underlying a usual (red/black flag) mls and try to make an effort to work on it. This series shows the progress of Lu feng through psychological lens, not the usual "love changed me from black flag to green flag".

Situation is the real enemy here. Our characters are complex, and this is their emotional journey navigating a situation, which is homophobic setting with no support to abusive environment. They were constantly seperated, gone through physical and emotional abuse, and that shows how these traumatic experience shaped two characters. One, who could navigate these situations by "giving up/running away" and one by "revolting and emotionally volatile".

Yi Chen grew up with love and sacrifices, Lu Feng grew up in abusive environment, although both the families turned out to be against their love and homophobic, with extremely controlling behaviours. That shows loving family of Yi Chen was only extended with terms and conditions, while Lu Feng father openly hated it. It clearly explains as individuals how Yi Chen and Lu feng faced the crisis.

On top of that, as Lu feng openly admitted that he had abandonment issues, it's obvious how everything played out.

The arc where he locks up Yi Chen and becomes emotionally volatile despite loving him clearly sets the stage for final arc where he's revealed to be diagnosed with Bi polar disorder with abandonment issues. And the progress of how he navigated it with a support. That is what I appreciate. He was vulnerable enough to admit and seek help, not often we see red/black flag mls. That just makes him human.

Coming to the second couple, i find it kinda ironic, how that little boy in past who was against his brother being in love with a guy, turned out to found a stable, though little quarrels, loving guy. They also play out as narrative foils to the main couple, contrasting it with sweet, loving and healthy relationship.

Special mention, Lu feng's father and Yi Chen's mother, one is physically abusive, one is emotionally abusive. Lu feng's father beat him up and sent him away in first arc of the story, first seperation, first hit, and villian of first arc. Then somehow they found their way back to each other, turns out his mother was waiting for her turn in second arc. Here, she emotionally abuses Yi Chen to a point to manipulating him into getting married, calling him ungrateful, forcing him to fit her standard of normal because somehow she can't accept her son is in love with a man.

That's selfish parenting, what both of them exhibited and it's a main concern in Asian households and how it turns out to destroy families. They expect their children to fulfill their duties because they raised them and mere fact of giving birth, so they must listen to them and live according to their will. That's how Lu Feng was kicked out of family for choosing Yi Chen, and Yi Chen had to marry someone else.

If you observe, that's how characters turned out. Yi Chen takes "emotional" hits being exhausted, while Lu Feng release it through "physical" abuse.

Finally, I have to appreciate the actors, especially Ayden, starting from intense scenes to intimate, vulnerable, sweet, charming, caring, abusive, conflicting, commanding, portraying an emotionally volatile character, he showed all the variations of character very well.

Overall, this series turned out to be different from other psychological romances I watched. And not to forget, I love watching emotionally complex characters and stories, more work for my mind, and also forbidden troupes just hit me hard.

My final verdict is, I love this story, from beginning to ending, watching it as a whole, everything plays out reasonably.

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When Oranges Fall — My Thoughts ?

I think *When Oranges Fall* is a cute and lovely series. I honestly really like the color palette and, more importantly, the authenticity of its settings. Everything feels natural, raw, and lived-in. It doesn’t have that obvious “studio backdrop” feeling, which makes the whole series very relaxing to watch. The direction is probably one of my favorite things about it.

I also like what the story is trying to say. There’s a certain warmth and sincerity to its message, and I think that works well with the overall atmosphere of the series.

That said, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the story itself felt somewhat recycled. There were moments when I thought, *“Haven’t we seen this kind of story before?”* 😂 At first, I wondered if some parts were simply filler, or if the repetition was intentional.

But honestly, knowing that **GMMTV**, in collaboration with **Studio Wabi Sabi** and **The One Enterprise**, are behind this, I don’t think they don’t know what they’re doing. I actually started thinking that maybe this kind of familiar story is intentional. It’s an easy, accessible story that younger audiences can connect with, while also giving them a chance to discover and get attached to the artists.

Because let’s be honest—we’ve seen this type of story before. It’s not necessarily groundbreaking, but perhaps that isn’t the main purpose. Sometimes the goal is simply to create something approachable, comforting, and easy to watch.

And that’s exactly how I would describe my experience with *When Oranges Fall*: **relaxing, authentic, raw, and comforting.** The direction and visual atmosphere really worked for me, even if the story itself wasn’t particularly new.

So, would I recommend it? **Yes.**

It’s not a masterpiece, and I wouldn’t say it brings something revolutionary to the genre. But between a story that is familiar yet pleasant to watch and one that feels more difficult to connect with, I’d definitely choose *When Oranges Fall*.

Personally, I’d rather watch and recommend this over *Melody of Secrets*, *Love You Teacher*, or *Duang With You*. Those series weren’t necessarily terrible—they’re more in the category of **“not very good, but not exactly bad either.”** 😅

*When Oranges Fall* at least gave me something I genuinely enjoyed: **a peaceful and authentic viewing experience.** And sometimes, that’s enough.

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