Reviews

Same old Chinese historical romance template

Underwhelmed. Liu Xue Yi's acting is solid as always, but the female lead couldn't keep up. The story is nothing new.

I think the most interesting romance was between the king and the princess. I cannot stand their age-gap, but their acting really sold their love for one another. The female actress brought out the princess's natural youthful naivety. The emperor's romance arc was written and acted out well. The actor was able to convey the character's care and concern for the princess outside of her beauty and how seamlessly it developed into the deep love they eventually have for each other.

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Terrible. Too many misunderstandings for my liking.

*MASSIVE SPOILER*
I got to episode 5 and dropped it. BUT I was wanting to see if misunderstandings were ever cleared so I waited til episode 10 came out then skipped around. It took 8 episodes. Than just forgives Akin from keeping everything from him, leaving, not letting Than explain, and being a complete ass to Than.
I was rooting for Pond and Don. Really the only reason that I even got to episode 5. I don't understand why they just killed off Don like WTF was that for. It was so random and uncalled for.
Pond crying so hard then at the wedding too. Breaks my heart that the writers would do that. Knowing Pond and Don had up and downs. I thought they were gonna overcome everything and be end game, then it was like nope sorry.
Also Than being obsessive of Akin and the past, like let that bs go. I mean I get he wants to know why Akin left but Akin was set on not telling him. Moving in next door. Come on now. I was cringing so hard.
The only scenes I really watched were the ones with Don and Pond and with the employees at the company. The employees were great and kept the series going too.
ANYWAYS it was a terrible show for me. If you care more about the second main couple (Don and Pond), I don't recommend to watch since it doesn't end well. Ngl I wish I just didn't start it back up after 5 so I wouldn't be so disappointed about Don and Pond. 😭
Also, I RARELY write reviews. I had to on this one cause it pissed me off.
Despite all this, the acting was good for everyone. They all had chemistry.
I'm strictly reviewing it based on the plot. There's more to the plot that made it bad in my opinion BUT I'm not getting into that. The death was the number 1 in my book. Some say it was good and I respect that SO respect my opinion as well for giving it a low rating. We all have our preferences.

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✨ Unique story with nice CP and their peaceful mutual friendship in their love story ✨

Okay… Finally finished it... So here is my opinion. Who got it got it, who don't don't. Its okay...

I cried a couple of times in last eps. OMG I didn't thanked I will honestly... I finished last 7 eps in one take. They wrapped it up well. It didn’t feel rushed. Er Lan is beautiful in women’s clothes and makeup. Younger was beautiful too. The makeup was amazing. That little girl, Flower, looks so much like Zhou Ye, it’s insane. I was like, why this plot now? But they wrapped it up well with Younger and her love for flowers and the poison cure.

I am so pissed about how she died. So pissed she died in such a stupid way, and they let her go like that.

I knew the whole time Mr. Bei was him under the mask — I was just waiting for that heartbreaking part. CL did an amazing job in the last scene of episode 30. The pain and madness were so well done. Him with long, messy hair is the best — such a shame they didn’t show that look more often. Chu Ran is such a beauty, I don’t even have words for her. CL was great as Dan, but I definitely can imagine some another actors playing him with a darker, more intense script also as WY. I think he could do much more with this too, also more darker, but they just didn't, they make him more cute than mad. Couple times he was like mad tyrant. I love Ryan really I do! Now I like CR because it was first time watching her. Still, he was cute and did such a good job. Both of them did. 👏

Bo got what he deserved — he went crazy. That leg thing was unexpected. 👏
Poor little doctor will forever live in the illusion that Younger is alive. I don’t like it. He deserves to know the truth. Giving him false hope doesn’t sit right with me… 💔
The ending part, when they all look at her as she walks toward him and cries, had such beautiful emotions — it makes your heart flutter. ✨

I liked the ending book scene; it was beautiful. But what was that real-world ending? I just knew it would be short… but it was SO short. 😡 I wanted more. What’s the point of that kind of ending if they have a happy ending in the book? I don’t get it. Are they back immediately or what? 😵‍💫 Help, give me an explanation… I hate when they leave us to figure everything out. Did they die in the book as old people and then go back? Or immediately? They should have given us one special episode in the real world. How much times I must say in big dramas I wont forgive directors or scriptwriter fort this fast ending scenes. I even dont even care anymore. Maybe because of that I started to have less faith in bigger dramas from last half of a year. Maybe because of it my thinking of rating will be different this time.

Don’t blame me, but I must say I didn’t feel overwhelming passion — I felt chemistry and a lot of friendship chemistry. My heart didn’t flutter when they kissed, but I felt peace. It was that typical friends-to-lovers thing, which I love. It felt natural. For me, honestly, they felt like a true friendship couple — which isn’t bad at all. It’s actually really good, and I love that.

In the end, I want to say it was a nice drama. It had a bit of a boring political part — I watched some of it on 2x speed. I’ve started doing that more with big dramas because they can be slow and I want to save time. From halfway through, I felt like something was slightly missing — not in a bad way. Maybe I just wanted more, but that’s on me.

The last episodes were really great, and after the ending, I knew what rating I would give it. For the first time in a long time, I might give a drama 9.5 and not 10 — just because it feels right. Sometimes I give microdramas or mini dramas a 10 and then think, why did I rate this lower? But that’s just how it resonates with me. I can’t explain it. It’s not the script, not the acting, not the actors — I loved them. I just feel this rating is right from my point of view. If you ask me why, I can only say it’s my feeling and intuition telling me to rate it that way. I just know my consciousness after 3 years of watching cdramas is different and my taste became so picky or I just get bored because I now see how cdrama works. I need excitement more, not just quality. I need to something to make me think of it every day and cant wait to watch it as some dramas did. I didn't lost interest. I still watching just cdramas. Nothing else. But I cant deny I enjoyed. Its after so long I finally finished some big drama. Thats good enough for me. Definitely is 9.5 because of some things I would like to be different or better portrayed. Even tho. I recommend this unique story because it was lovely.

I loved when and how they used How are you and Thank you, and you sentences. 💕

Kudos to all of them — and of course to the costume designer, makeup artists, and hairstylists. It was a great journey, even though I didn’t read the novel. Thanks to the writer for such a unique story. ✨💕🥰

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Eight Episodes Were Not Enough

I finished The Art of Sarah with two feelings living side by side. One was frustration. The other was gratitude. Frustration because this story clearly wanted more room to breathe than Netflix allowed it. Gratitude because even inside those constraints, I was given one of the most astonishing acting performances I have seen in years.

I wanted to do my usual dissections for this kdrama, but instead I opted for a mini-review. Not because the drama lacks ambition, but because the writing itself does not sustain that kind of structural scrutiny. What it does sustain, and what it commands attention for almost the entire runtime, is a performance so commanding that it recalibrates how I experienced the show minute by minute.

Let’s get this out of the way early. This drama lives and dies on Shin Hae-sun. If you are here for airtight plotting, ensemble balance, or narrative elegance all the way to the finish line, you will feel the cracks by the end. If you are here to watch an actor bend time, identity, and emotional gravity around herself, you will be glued to the screen.

And I was.

She plays Sarah Kim, our titular character, while also inhabiting Kim Eun-jae across different points of her life, and at times slipping seamlessly into Mok Ga-hui. On paper, this already sounds demanding. On screen, it becomes something far more unsettling and immersive because of how she approaches it. She does not rely on loud transformations or obvious markers to distinguish these identities. Instead, she works in micro shifts. A change in breathing before a sentence. A slight adjustment in posture. The way her voice settles lower or softens at the edges. Even the way she occupies silence feels different depending on who she is in that moment.

What impressed me most is how completely she erased her own acting fingerprints. Most actors, even excellent ones, carry signatures that resurface under pressure. You recognize the cadence, the emotional posture, the familiar rhythm when scenes demand intensity. Shin Hae-sun does not do that. Each character feels built from a different internal logic, and because that internal engine changes, everything else follows naturally. By the time the drama reached its final stretch, I genuinely found myself unsure who the real Sarah Kim even was anymore. That confusion did not feel like a flaw. It felt intentional, almost inevitable, as if the illusion had grown strong enough to take on a life of its own.

I do not say this lightly. This might be her strongest performance yet. Not because it chases spectacle, but because it remains emotionally coherent even when the writing around it begins to compress and strain. When the story rushes, she steadies it. When structure tightens too quickly, she absorbs the impact. She does not fix the script. She makes it survivable, and there is a meaningful difference there.

Opposite her is Lee Joon-hyuk as Park Mu-gyeong, the detective trying to unravel Sarah Kim. This casting matters more than it might seem at first glance.

Here is the hill I will always kill-on, Shin Hae sun is a supernova level talent. More often than not, I barely notice her co leads because she redefines the gravitational field. Everything around her is pulled inward. Co leads who cannot rise to her level simply disappear in comparison. There are very few male actors who can stand next to her without being devoured. Ji Chang-wook managed it in Welcome to Samdalri. Kim Jung-hyun did it memorably in Mr. Queen. Lee Joon-hyuk now earns his place in that quiet pantheon with his work here.

His Park Mu gyeong is calm, controlled, observant. A sharp contrast to his work in Stranger, and proof of his range when given room. He does not try to overpower her scenes. He listens. He reacts. He lets tension sit in silence.

The last two episodes make the smartest decision this drama ever makes. They narrow their focus. They put these two in a room and let them trade dialogue, breath, and micro expressions. Those interrogation scenes are some of the strongest acting exchanges I have seen in a long time. No music cues screaming at you. No camera gimmicks doing the emotional labor. Just two actors holding eye contact and daring the other to blink first. There is no romance here, yet the chemistry is electric. Not attraction, but friction. Curiosity. Mutual recognition. Lee Joon-hyuk matches her beat for beat, and that is no small achievement. Perfect co lead casting.

From a production standpoint, the audio and OST are functional and unremarkable. They do not distract, but they do not linger either. The visuals, however, do far more heavy lifting. The drama makes effective use of negative space, framing characters against empty rooms, glass walls, and long corridors. Luxury is often captured in slow motion, not to glorify it, but to emphasize its artificial stillness. These visual choices align well with the story’s fixation on surfaces, wealth, and constructed identity, and they trust the actors to carry the emotional weight within the frame.

The camera often pulls back when you expect it to push in, letting silence stretch. It trusts the actors to fill the frame. When you have Shin Hae-sun and Lee Joon-hyuk, that trust is well placed.

Narratively, The Art of Sarah begins with confidence. The present day murder of Sarah Kim anchors the story, while the past unfolds through Park Mu-gyeong’s interviews and investigations. The structure invites you to piece things together. It withholds answers. It respects your attention. For a while, the mystery holds. And then the format starts to bite.

Eight episodes. Thirty to forty five minutes each. That is not enough time for what this story wants to do. As the final acts approach, the plot tightens correctly on paper, but emotionally it feels rushed. Revelations arrive before they have time to land. Key moments appear as snippets and flashbacks rather than fully embodied scenes. This is a drama that deserved a full sixteen episode, one hour treatment. I wanted to see those final turns actually acted by all the players, not summarized through edits. The ending reaches closure, but the road there feels compressed, and that compression introduces inconsistencies. They are not catastrophic. But they are noticeable. And yes, they bothered me.

There is another irony here. The two leads are so strong together that they eclipse everyone else.

This is not a knock on the supporting cast. Names like Bae Jong-ok, Kim Jong-tae, Lee Yi-dam, and Park Bo-kyung are more than capable. They serve their roles well. They do what the script asks of them.

The problem is scale. Next to Shin Hae-sun and Lee Joon-hyuk, their stories fade. Not because they are weak, but because the drama itself pulls focus so aggressively toward its center. If you asked me now to recount specific supporting arcs, I would struggle. Ask me about the interrogation room scenes, and I can replay them shot for shot.

That imbalance is another casualty of the short format. With more time, those characters could have breathed. Here, they exist largely to reflect light back onto Sarah Kim.

I am famously intolerant of inconsistencies, whether in narrative logic, character behavior, or plot twists that confuse chaos with cleverness. I have eviscerated dramas for far less. So why did this one still work for me. Because when the structure wavered, the emotional anchor never did. Shin Hae sun remained constant throughout. She felt like a lighthouse in rough waters, steady and unflinching, guiding me through the storm even when the sea grew messy.

Verdict: Compared to my other hyped 2026 watches, Dear X and Can This Love Be Translated, The Art of Sarah is the first drama this year that truly lived up to its anticipation for me. Not because it was perfect, but because it delivered honesty in its ambition and excellence in its craft. It should have been bigger. Longer. More patient. The narrative needed that space, the two leads deserved it, and I, as the audience, wanted to stay in that world far longer than the format allowed.

What we got instead was still a deeply satisfying watch, carried squarely by a tour de force performance from Shin Hae-sun and scaffolded beautifully by Lee Joon-hyuk. Their presence together is so magnetic, so precisely calibrated, that I found myself already hoping for their next project the moment the screen faded to black. They are, quite frankly, terrifyingly perfect together.

Recommended, with asterisks.

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I am obsessed!!

I knew nothing about this drama other than the title and main leads, The title is beautiful and I really like both actors a lot so I didn't care to know anything else.

The first episode is so confusing, I was with my eyes glued to the T.V making sure I wasn't missing any details, wheels turning in my head trying to guess what was going on. Is this an Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind situation? She seems to have forgotten him, but he was the one involved in an accident, or some fantasy element, parallel worlds? He seems to have switched personalities entirely so it's either that or the dead boyfriend is possessing his body, wait! Is this man a demented stalker?!! I was going crazy trying to figure it out.

Second episode starts and doesn't waste any time in spoiling the mystery, unfortunately. Although I would've liked to be kept in the dark for just a little while longer, I absolutely adored these two episodes and will definitely continue to watch the story unfold.

Episodes 3-4 were leagues better than 1-2 so much so that I just had to come and Adjust my rating. I was worried initially that the whole mystery part was thrown at us too fast and that it would just be an average Rom-Com and yes they did and well it is, there's more to this drama, there's still more to uncover and the romance part so far is working marvelously.

The supporting cast is amazing, love all the side characters but, my favorite has to be Hadam and her perfect boyfriend, they're adorable.

Omg!! Why was episode 6 postponed?! I'm dying 😫😫 This has become my favorite of thr ongoing dramas, I am addicted and need, beg, that the ending is worth it because I plan to binge watch the whole thing when all the episodes come out.

I Began this review complaining and actually a bit hurt that we weren't kept in the dark a bit longer, but 7 episodes in and I am done complainin. I am obsessed and I need the rest of the episodes to air so I can go back and binge in one sitting. I love, love, loooooove this drama!

The ending was absolutely adorable, however, it was rushed and I wanted more. There wasn't enough screen time with the side couples which is a shame because I am sure we all agree that all 4 couples were equally loved. This would've been a 10/10 if the conflict hand't dragged so long and it should've been at least 14 episodes. I still loved this drama and Will watch again and again.

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Average drama.

I watched this because i want to check Wang Yilei drama and somehow it was average to my liking.

Compared to the show's popularity, the actual viewing experience is somewhat average. FL's effective rebirth and the strong, happy ending for both the ML and FL are still satisfying. Both are non toxic person so you wont get your blood tension high or neck stiff. The acting from Wang Yilei and Liu Nian was decent but not to make me engaging to this drama. It was predictable and it feels like you already open your birthday gift before your actual birthday.

I just realized this drama is from Tinghuadao and they tend to make plot looks good outside but shallow inside. I appreciated the nice styling from FL especially her wedding gown.

Only for hardcore fans.

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Stellar Performances & Dynamic Storytelling

This was truly a wonderful watch for me. The performances were consistently strong. Both the leads and the supporting cast delivered a full range of difficult emotions and scenes, making it hard to distinguish between major and minor roles. And I found the entire narrative and the performances incredibly dynamic, with a variety of filming techniques that elevated how the story translated onscreen. That’s largely what made this drama work so well.

Notably, its gripping storytelling kept me on the edge of my seat and fully immersed. The color palette was equally compelling, shaping the overall experience and how deeply I connected to the scenes. And the cinematography complemented the narrative, with a stepwise progression to the truth that follows a non-linear structure, moving back and forth in time in a way that kept the story from ever feeling sluggish.n

Overall, I found this drama haunting and frustrating in the best way, stirring a wide range of emotions as I watched. I often found myself sympathizing with characters who were, at different times, both villains and victims. By the end, it felt like I had experienced an epic journey, despite the drama being only 18 episodes long.

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Travel, Culture, Food & Genuine Bonds

I initially started watching Random Tour for a few specific actors, but it quickly became much more than that. The combination of travelling, cultural exploration, local food, and celebrity interactions turned out to be a surprisingly wholesome and engaging experience.

The concept is simple yet effective: six celebrities are divided into two teams and travel to different cities across China, exploring local culture, heritage, food, and scenic spots. Every two episodes focus on one city, ending with creative presentations about their experiences. There are also special episodes filled with games, reflections, and extra interactions that add depth to the show.

What makes this variety show stand out is the authenticity. The cast doesn’t feel overly scripted or excessively performative. Instead of exaggerated praise or forced humor, their interactions feel natural—sometimes awkward, sometimes chaotic, but very human. Over time, you can clearly see their growth as a group. They begin cautiously, but as the journey progresses, they open up emotionally and form genuine bonds.

The travel segments are beautifully filmed and serve as subtle yet powerful tourism promotion for lesser-known locations in China. From deserts and grasslands to seafood cities and musical hotspots, each destination offers something different. The cultural immersion, traditional activities, and food explorations make it both entertaining and informative.

Emotionally, the later episodes are the strongest. The desert trip and the final grassland episodes especially highlight vulnerability, self-reflection, and support among the cast. The sibling-like dynamic between some of the members caring, teasing, encouraging that adds warmth to the show. Moments of reassurance and quiet concern feel sincere rather than staged.

There are minor flaws: sometimes the presentations feel repetitive, and occasionally certain members come across as overly image-conscious. However, as the show progresses, most dynamics improve, and the cast becomes more comfortable and balanced.

Overall

Random Tour is a great watch if you:
Enjoy travel and cultural exploration
Like seeing celebrities in a more relaxed, real-life setting
Appreciate organic friendships and emotional growth
Want to discover beautiful (sometimes underrated) parts of China

It’s not just a travel show it’s a journey of connection, reflection, and growth. A warm, entertaining, and surprisingly heartfelt experience.

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Finally it's over. Not bad. Not excellent either.

The first 30 episodes are great. What a refreshing trope to see again. After Queen's House, where the FL became fierce and strong from being dumb and gullible, I was happy to see something that depicts an anti-hero. However, the story dragged in the middle. The important reveals were too early and from eps. 50-80-ish, the characters simply ran around in circles with the same goal. To take down Jin Tae Seok. Sadly, this bastard was super slippery, and when it was time to finally take him down, his punishment was anticlimactic. Didn't even suffer, just straight up dead.

It was exhausting. But hey, I'm a completist, so I didn't skip a single episode. I love some of the character developments, though. Especially Gong Nan Sook. She's the gold in this show. His scenes with the medium chef are pure comedy! I love it! That's the redeeming factor for me, so I didn't give this a rating below 5.

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Satisfaction Guaranteed!

This show's plotline is one of my favorites. I love a good revenge story, especially if the main character is reborn with their memories intact. This show started out slow with the first two episodes still trying to set the tone and characters, but once the main character - they couldn't have picked a more perfect lead than Ji Sung - started on his second life/chance, everything picked up. This show is very fast-paced. You won't get bored or feel restless waiting for something to happen. I loved the "Judge Avengers" circle! This was such a satisfying show to watch. Seeing the comeuppance of those deserving happen one after another and the way they did brought so much satisfaction. I think they could have made this series into a 16-episode instead of 14 because the last episode felt a little packed and rushed but still really ended well.

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Shouldn't have put this off for this long.

I had put off watching Start Up for a long time because of what my friend said about it. Disregarding his comments, this was a really solid show. The writing was great. And this premise of a person in love with someone even though they are two different people, in a more mature setting would have given us a more robust and voluptuous story. In this playful and colourful show it served its role well.

The first few episodes where slow, but I can see that the writer had trust in the viewer that they will stay, even tho I felt like this wasn't a story that really could foster that trust.

The story was nothing revolutionary, the premise is interesting for sure, but the story itself is no great white horse.

The music was amazing. It's probably the first time i have actually enjoyed some OSTs and liked the songs.

Solid show. Whatever this storyline could have given us, I think they give it all.
Ciao.

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Just Perrrfect

I can honestly say it’s the best drama I’ve ever watched in my life. The characters and the setting were completely different from all the other Chinese dramas I’ve seen.

After experiencing losses, we watch the character’s inner struggle — how they retreat into their shell, and then slowly come back out of it by forming new friendships and meaningful bonds. It was such a realistic, down-to-earth drama that I didn’t feel like I was watching a show at all; it felt like I was witnessing real life.

The characters were very mature and understanding. There were no unnecessary dramatic twists, breakups, or ridiculous misunderstandings. It simply portrayed life as it is — raw and real. I’ve watched it so many times that I’ve honestly lost count ☺️ And I’m sure I’ll keep rewatching it every single year. It’s worth watching even just for that beautiful village atmosphere alone.

P.s. : Grandma will always be my favorite. 💜

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Smart FL, I Love It

The drama was definitely very good. What really pulled me in were the smart female characters. Well… you could say the male lead was smart too. It’s truly a slow-burn drama, but it’s absolutely worth watching. Yes, there was quite a lot of politics, but the way the story progresses doesn’t exhaust the viewer.

It’s not something you watch just for the romance — even the characters’ clever decisions alone make it worth it. I’m not very familiar with the actress from her other dramas, but I can confidently say she was excellent in this one, especially in the crying scenes. They felt incredibly realistic to me.

Ahh, I don’t want to give spoilers, but that side character did not deserve what happened… I was sobbing so hard during that part 😢

Additionally, this drama won my heart in a special way because it showed married life — even if it was just for one episode — and what happens afterward.

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