Reviews

Cute and Adorkable.

I'll be honest, after the first episode of this show I was giving it 4/10, and I thought that was generous. I found it awkward, weird and very cringey. I don't think I laughed once during the first episode.
I also felt a lot of whiplash knowing this was set in the same world, with many of the same characters, as Bed Friend. Because the tone of this show almost couldn't be more different than that show.

But I wanted to give the show a couple of episodes in case it got better. Episode 2 was a 6/10.
And when I reached episode 3 it was a 9/10. And I found myself laughing and smiling through the whole thing. Where I at first found Jade's character annoying and cringey, I now found him dorky and utterly adorable. At first I thought that maybe the show had just improved over the three episodes. So I went back and watched episode 1 again, and I kind of loved it!

Honestly I have no idea what happened. I feel like I might have slightly lost my mind. But regardless, right now I am counting down the days to the next episodes.

In conclusion. I suspect that this show will be somewhat polarizing. And that everybody won't gel with it like I ended up doing. But I hope you do. Because I'm loving it!

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You will get regret if you didn't watch this!!!

Ummmm where should I start? From the beginning when I started watching this, I had many expectations for this as I wanted a drama to watch every evening. Not surprisingly, they didn't disappoint me but surprisingly, it was just more than I expected: the best watch where I enjoyed the drama every second and minute.
The story, the plot, the plot twists, the higher and higher climax, the characters, everything was just perfect. Personally, as a person who adored novels, I genuinely love this drama and how it can give me a mysterious attractive feeling like I'm reading a novel or like I'm actually in that universe sometimes from outside and sometimes from the characters.
There are many side characters who are good, loyal, evil, selfish etc. One thing that made the story better was how unique each character was and how the plot, characters, their actions and consequences are so relevant.
I don't want to say much as you would be able to taste the best feeling without any spoilers.
However, in the end, I must say the most important point of the drama which continuously pulled me towards it; chemistric romance between the female and male lead. The way they talk, look, stare, gesture, smile, hold or even kiss, all the things they do just express their thoughts, feelings and chemistry beautifully. What makes it more appealing to me is how they changed their behaviours and words as they developed feelings for each other. At first, I was curious and worried about how they would fall for each other. Nonetheless, this slow-burn love became the biggest piece of the most magnificent puzzle picture. Only with the touch or kiss between the main characters, it's worth watching!

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I'm rewatching it again, but it's unnecessarily LONG, and draggy.

TBH, I LOVE THIS DRAMA. I'm currently rewatching it again with 2x speed playback for Johnny Huang. Because he look mad hot in this drama.

Johhny Huang character? I don't really have complain about his character, not. He portrays a good military man, his actions, how he react to stuff and what he says are all good.

Xia Chu the FL, I'm not rly a fond of her character, she's a doctor but I feel like some of her actions here is not a good representation of a doctor. But she's a fair enough character (for me)

My fav character in this drama is the CAT lol

however this drama is UNNECESSARILY LONG. 40 eps? Bruh, they could've at least shorten it up a bit, esp the conflict with Zhou Ran. It's to DRAGGY...

Mi-Gu is the worst best friend anyone could get, and Xia Chu forgave her?
Zhou Ran is also such a dramatic, annoying villain.

I was expecting the villain character would be more like villain, but him? He was just annoying af.

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An Adorable Sleeper Hit

I didn't go into watching this one with high expectations, but I ended up adoring this show.
This review won't be very long just because it's a solid, fluffy romance, and given my rating, I don't have much to critique! Take this as a sign to watch Sing My Crush!

The two main leads are so fucking cute, on their own but also when they're together. They've made me laugh and smile like an actual doofus. The side characters are just as lovable (except one)!

I also got Coming of Age vibes from this series. We watch them stumble and deal with what life throws at them, even though the story only spans a few years of their lives. They learn to depend on each other through adolescent hardships and injustice, and eventually develop feelings for each other. But even apart from the romance, the main leads' friendship is just as wholesome and sweet.

I didn't at all feel like the story or episodes were drawn out. I get maybe it feels a little slow at times, but it fits the story's build-up and frankly, I liked the characters so much, I didn't mind watching them spend more time together.

There were two instances of drama I felt were a little manufactured/already overdone in the BL industry, but it didn't bother me as much, because I had faith in these characters. It's the typical "angsty" misunderstanding stuff you can expect from these slice-of-life vibe fluffy romances.

TLDR; Im Han Tae/Son Hyun Woo's smile is so bright and cute and adorable that it expelled all my demons.

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Exciting as a wet dish rag

I was really enjoying this story and Wayo was a really cool mixture of cute and a tough which I found unusual and unique. The supporting characters were also really cool and fun. I especially liked the quirky character of Forth, who was funny and playful. Ming as Wayos best friend was awesome, and the best friend anyone would love to have.

So basically everyone was great except for God Itthipat Thanit playing Phana. I disliked his cold facial expressions right from the start, but put it down to him playing a cool aloof Dr-in-training character, but as the series went on I could see the facial expressions of Kit and Beam smiling and admiring Wayo learning his dancing and thinking him cute, but Phana's face just had cold expressionless eyes that I found really ugly.

I don't know what was going on with this actor, but I think it was poor casting, as he clearly wasn't really into playing this role. By episode 5, it was clear there was no chemistry between Phana and Wayo, and romance was totally one sided from Wayo, and non-existent from Phana.

I gave up watching as it was not going to get better and I didn't want to waste more time on it.
... :~(

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A roller coaster ride for your emotions but ends well and happily

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2017 South Korean drama series with 52, ~65 minute episodes.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis
This is a drama about an average family living in Seoul. Things change when a struggling celebrity shows up claiming to be a son of the family. The series follows the family through many events from joyous to challenging. Through it all the strong family bond sustains them. Each child finds their way and pursues happiness in jobs and relationships.

Family members:
Byun Han-su/Lee Yoon-seok (Kim Yeon-cheol) He is the father and head of the household. He was a Judo athlete prior to being accused of a crime he was innocent of. Through a series of events he wound up swapping names with his friend and keeping it to mask his criminal record to avoid hardship for his family. When the son shows up it is because of this name swap and Yoon-seok takes him in out of respect for his friend. He soon sees the young man as a true son and member of the family.

Na Young-sil (Kim Hae-sook) Mother and wife of the family. She is a nurse who learned of Han su’s past when he was treated in the hospital. She knows he is innocent and helps him hide the past from the children and others.

Byeon Hye-yeong/Lee Hye-yeong (Lee Yu-ri) The eldest daughter of the family. She is a successful lawyer and has diligently worked to prove her father’s innocence.

Ahn Joong-hee (Lee Joon) is a former idol who is now struggling at acting. When he loses a role because he cannot understand the emotions between father and son he seeks out whom he believes is his missing father.

Byeon Mi-yeong/Lee Mi-yeong (Jung So-min)— A middle child of the family she has struggled to find a career path since quitting as a Judo athlete following an injury.

Byun Joon-young/Lee Joon-young (Min Jin-woong) The eldest child of the family, He has struggled for years to pass the civil service exam.

Byeon Ra-yeong/Lee Ra-yeong (Ryu Hwa-young) is the youngest child of the family. When she is not annoying her other siblings, particularly the eldest sister, she is either on social media or teaching yoga.

Review

This was a very compelling family drama that provides a roller coaster for your emotions but ends happy. The main plot point revolves around an, at first, mysterious event from the past involving the father. You are quickly let in on the secret and it is then a matter of when and how the rest will find out and if it will be resolved. There are some sad moments, but the story overall is uplifting. I would watch this again and highly recommend it. It is a relatively long drama with over 50 episodes that are over an hour but it allows time character development and believable romances.

Spoilers

Hye-young the lawyer daughter is my favorite character. She is no nonsense yet does everything with such dramatic flair it was enjoyable every time she was onscreen. Her boyfriend turned husband, Cha Jung Hwan (Ryu Soo Young), is a mama’s boy at first but watching as Hye young deals with the over bearing mother in law and the overly filial son is entertaining. He comes around and it is part of what makes him her perfect match.

Joong-hee, the idol turned actor, was also my favorite. His deep desire for a father was heart feels. It showed how famous people are still very much human beings. His romance with Mi-yeong was the highlight of the show and one of the best romances I have seen even compared to series where the romance is the key focus. Having them both drawn to each other even when they thought they were related illustrated the depth of their connection. He never gave up on himself and I loved that, I understood his anger when he found out he was deceived but I still thought the writers took it too far. He would have known the father did not know about his existence so was unaware that deception was hurting a child. He and the father had formed such a bond it was hard to believe he would not have understood the genuine nature of that connection. The father could have let Joong-hee contact him then let that fade as Joong-hee seemed ready to but he kept bringing him meals and showing up to develop a relationship. There was nothing for the father to gain from forging that tie. But people do act irrationally when they get hurt emotionally.

The kids acted so mean to Joong-hee when he was first in the house. The father kept saying my kids are kind they will accept this or that but they really were not completely kind especially in some of the situations. They acted spoiled and immature multiple times both individually and together as a group. The grandmother was so mean to him in the beginning. But that does reflect some previous generation‘s response to orphans and illegitimate children. My father was illegitimate in the US born in the 50s and he was treated poorly by the elders and society in general so it is a thing that unfortunately happens not just in South Korea but elsewhere too. It is an ugly streak in humanity to treat the innocent children poorly when the adults create the situations.

The sister-in-law, Kim Yoo Joo (Lee Mi Do) was truly horrible in the beginning. To go through sweet Mi-yeong’s memories of being bullied by her was heart wrenching. I loved the way they handled it. It was cute when Joong-hee bullied her back a bit. I did not think it would be possible for me to forgive that character because I absolutely detest bullying and have stepped in to stop bullies in the past. In my school days I was not bullied as I had a very strong personality and no-one bullied others in front of me or they had it turned on them. I even shielded multiple people as an adult subject to workplace bullies. But there was a situation where I was bullied in the workplace and have experienced how miserable those situations can be. But Yoo Joo did finally see the light and changed and offered apology in the right way so even I could understand Mi-yeoung forgiving her.

I was so conflicted about the mother, Young sil. On one hand she was a great wife and mother who was always there for her family. The way she took in Joong-hee and then all of the sons in law and the daughter in law was one of the sweetest components of the story. I felt both annoyed and understanding in the way she emotionally blackmailed Yoon-seok to take on his friend’s identity. It seriously would have felt like a sign from the Gods with the way the mix up originally happened. But it was definitely a character flaw that lying and hiding things seemed to be go to responses for her.

It was hard and I was torn about whether there was justification to deceive about his identity. On one hand he was unjustly accused, and there is such a strong, social stigma on people that commit those type of crimes that carries through to their children so it was understandable. Conversely lying is never good especially about something so monumental. The writers did a good job of laying that conflict out there and examining how the different characters thought about it, and how people in general might think about it. It was unfortunate that while we did get to learn there would be a retrial we did not know the outcome of the retrial. I felt beyond frustrated when you found out that his friend was the one that had originally betrayed him, and then he was so unwilling to talk about it even all those years later. I certainly never felt sympathetic towards that character as I thought what he had done was completely unforgivable. I loved when Hye-young lost it with him and was like look you will do the right thing or I will put it on blast what you did. The father told her to stop and was a bit apologetic about it but that dude more than had it coming. I do not think he would have been willing to testify without the threat of some personal consequences. Even if his mom had taken money he should’ve still told the truth and let the chips fall where they may. You don’t let an innocent man go down for a crime because your family member accepted a bribe. His unwillingness to help right the wrong showed he was just a completely unrecoverable character. The other piece I felt wasn’t well tied up was I would’ve liked to have seen his conviction overturned and then find out what happened to the people that had actually beaten that poor kid to death. A lot of times when that sort of thing happens, those type of people go on to commit other crimes. While Hye-young mentioned that if the conviction was overturned, they could reopen a case against the actual perpetrators we never got that level of satisfaction.


#MyFatherisStrange
#KimYeonCheol
#KimHaeSook
#LeeYuRi
#LeeJoon
#JungSoMin
#MinJinWoong
#RyuHwaYoung

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YOU MATTER - An Oportuniy to Reflect on Oneself and the World

I highly recommend watching this series, especially if you have been struggling with mental health or don´t know much about the daily lives of those struggling. However, I´d also make sure that you have someone to talk to while watching this series, as the topics are really heavy and serious and may trigger you.

I have already acknowledged many of the reviews for "Daily Dose of Sunshine" and I think that most writers share the same opinion: This series offers more than just entertainment. It opens the door to a world that is usually (purposely) hidden from most. A door that shouldn´t be forced shut, but unfortunately is in many areas of the world. Mental Health is a topic that necessarily has to be brought up in schools and any faculties. Educating about how important self-care and empathy are in a world like this seems about time to be implemented in every section of life.

This is also one of the reasons that made me like "Daily Dose of Sunshine" so much. They have portrayed several serious and not so uncommon occuring mental illnesses from both the professional outside, as well as the personal inside. I´m sure the writers and the entire set of people have done their best to give an insight on several topics of high importance, while also offering a slight bit of comic relief with the lore of Dr. Dong. As someone struggling with mental health for more than half of my life, this series made me feel more certain in continuously upgrading and adapting my self-care routines.

I´m truly thankful for everyone who made "Daily Dose of Sunshine" happen. Especially airing it at a time when the temperatures usually drop and the weather shifts, which results in unstable/ affected persons feeling more drained and down, this series is a major gift in entertainment, education, and AWARENESS.

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Lots of murders

This drama had some of the craziest twists that I have ever seen. I’m not going to spoil anything, but I definitely think that all the new plots and murders that kept popping up in the show is what really it kept it exciting.
I also really enjoyed how the ML and sometimes the FL, were really smart, especially the ML. It was refreshing to see a Thai drama that had no dumb characters and nonsense plot. The SFL was also extremely smart so it was nice when they all teamed up to try to solve things.

The best thing about this drama though, is the “villain”, it wasn’t shocking to me who it was, but the drama definitely had more than one villain, so that was pretty exciting as well.

Other than that, I liked the acting of male lead, and the female lead was okay, but sometimes I felt like her acting was a bit stiff. I also like the amount of romance in the drama, it definitely wouldn’t be categorised as full on romance, but it is there and it was nice see on how it came together.

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"Story of Kunning Palace A Drama Worth Every Second!"

WHY TO WATCH THIS DRAMA?--If I can write this much , its definitely a worth watching , you can read my review but it has spoilers .
.I WANTED TO WRITE BEST REVIEW ON THIS DRAMA COZ I LIKED IT SO MUCH , HOPE YOU GUYS CAN HELP IN THIS MATTER????

Okay, let's spill some tea about "Story of Kunning Palace." This series? It's like an addictive drug; you start with one episode, and before you know it, you're in deep, binge-watching until the sun comes up, and you're still craving more. Seriously, this drama takes you on a wild ride—imagine a rollercoaster of emotions mixed with an entire squad of main characters whose acting skills are like top-notch gourmet meals. And yeah, even the side characters? They bring their A-game too.

So, there were rumors flying around about Bailu and Zhang Linghe dating, which, honestly, had us all hyped. But whether or not they're a thing, their on-screen vibes? Straight-up fire! The chemistry between them? Chef's kiss It's like they're meant to be together on that screen.
STORYLINE/PLOT
Now, let's talk about episode one. Hold up, it hits you like a plot tsunami! Jiang Xue Ning, our lead, starts off as this ambitious queen-to-be who's playing a crazy game, messing with friendships, family, and love just to snag that Empress throne. And then bam! She takes herself out at the end of the episode, leaving us hanging like, "Wait, what?!"
But plot twist alert! It turns out it's all part of this novel set in the modern world. So yeah, we're relieved 'cause we knew that couldn't be the end. Next, Xue Ning gets a redo, time-traveling back to square one in the capital. Classic, right? But here's the kicker: this girl is on a whole mission to right her past wrongs. And trust me, it's not your average rebirth drama. Xue Ning's out here, trying to fix things she messed up in her past life, making it a real tear-jerker.

That line, "BUT IN THE FATHOMABLE
THERE'S ALWAYS AN INVISIBLE HAND THAT PUTS EVERYTHING BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL PLACE", hits different, am I right?

Then there's Xie Wei, the ultimate complex dude. He's like a walking drama of his own—cunning, dangerous, manipulative. And guess what? Our girl Xue Ning is scared of him. Like, big time! The tension between them is thick enough to cut with a butter knife. We're talking fights, schemes, and zero trust. You're there thinking, "How on earth are these two gonna fall in love?"
==============CHEMISTRY BETWEEN XIE WEI AND JIANG XUENING==========================
The chemistry between Xie Wei and Jiang Xue Ning in "Story of Kunning Palace"? Girl, let me tell you, it's a rollercoaster ride wrapped in a tornado of emotions! These two? They're like magnets, constantly drawn together despite being on opposite sides of the game.
Picture this: they start off as these fierce rivals, scheming against each other with all the intensity of a high-stakes poker match. There's this tension crackling in the air between them, and it's so thick you could cut it with a knife. Xie Wei? He's the definition of complicated—cunning, dangerous, with layers so deep you'll need a shovel to uncover them all.
But here's where it gets wild. As the story unfolds, these two find themselves teaming up against the baddies. Yep, the classic "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" situation. And guess what? Sparks start flying! Their bond begins to grow stronger as they navigate the chaos together, fighting the same battles and facing the same dangers.
Now, here's the kicker: while us viewers are shipping them like FedEx, these two are clueless! I mean, seriously, they're both doing the whole "I'm-not-in-love-with-you" dance while we're all shouting at the screen, "Just kiss already!" It's like watching a romantic comedy where everyone can see the love story except the main characters.
Jiang Xue Ning's got legit reasons for keeping her guard up around Xie Wei. I mean, she's been through some rough stuff because of him in her past life. Imagine dying because of someone—yeah, that's bound to make you a little cautious, right? Her fear of him is understandable, but man, the tension between fear and some underlying feelings? It's a whole emotional rollercoaster.
So yeah, their chemistry? It's not just about stolen glances or sizzling tension. It's about growth, trust-building, and the slow burn of emotions simmering beneath the surface. These two might not realize it yet, but their love story? It's written in the stars, and we're just here waiting for that "aha!" moment when they finally figure it out.
In a nutshell, their love story isn't your typical fairytale. It's messy, it's complicated, and it's real. And watching these two navigate their feelings? It's like witnessing a fireworks show—you know it's going to explode, but you're eagerly waiting for that moment when everything just lights up.
Yeah, "Story of Kunning Palace" isn't just about palace politics and power plays. It's about a love story brewing amidst chaos, fear, and redemption, and let me tell you, it's one epic tale.

============CHEMISTRY BETWEEN YAN LIN AND JIANG XUENING=========

Jiang Xuening and Yan Lin? They've got that childhood buddies-turned-potential-sweethearts vibe. From day one, Yan Lin's been all heart eyes for her, but she's got him locked in the friend zone.
Remember that line? "I WILL MARRY THE ONE I SPOILED???"?
Smooth move, bro! Yan Lin's got some serious romantic game, but Jiang Xuening's just not catching those feels. I mean, in her past life, she kinda used him, and that's some baggage hard to shake.
Thing is, Yan Lin's journey from carefree dude to Mr. Responsible is legit. He's out there, fighting bad guys like he's in an action movie, all while looking dashing AF. But here's the twist—he's not just added for the fight scenes. He's got a whole character glow-up going on!Jiang Xuening? She's got his back, no doubt. Risking it all to protect him in this life, showing she's a real one. And boy, does he wait for her to finally get those heart eyes in return. But dang, that friend zone's like a fortress!
Their chemistry? It's like a slow-burning candle—steady, warm, but waiting for that spark. And Yan Lin? He's not just a pretty face; he's leveling up from brooding to bro who's got it together. But hey, Jiang Xuening? You gotta stop leaving him in the friend zone, girl! ??✨.
This drama breaks the mold, especially with its male lead, Xie Wei. He's not your typical sword-swinging hero—nah, he's all about the brains, zero brawn vibe. But that's what makes him real. He's a mastermind without a clue about wielding a sword, giving us a refreshingly imperfect yet realistic character. Big shoutout to Zhang Linghe for bringing Xie Wei's complex emotions to life. His acting? Next level! ??.
============CHEMISTRY BETWEEN ZHANG ZHE AND JIANG XUENING=========
Yo, the love rollercoaster in those 20 episodes? It was all about Zhang Zhe and Jiang Xuening heating things up, making Xie Wei low-key jelly(jealous). But hold up, it was a tricky web with Xuening scared of Xie Wei while catching feels for Zhang Zhe. It had us all like, "When's the romance gonna kick in?" Drama, tension, and romance—talk about a wild ride! ??.
[EVIL CHARACTERS]
Yo, peep this drama's villains—no shortage of 'em! "Story of Kunning Palace" ain't about just one baddie; it's a whole squad of chaos creators. Xue Shu takes the cake for being the queen of despicable, stirring up drama left and right, while her pops adds to the mess in the court. That Xue fam? Straight-up bad news.
[PRINCESS]
But hold up, we've got more! The princess? She's out here, protecting our girl Ning'er, and things get intense when she ties the knot in enemy territory. And let's talk Liu Xie Ning—first costume gig and she's slaying it! This role? Made for her. Bet she's gonna crush it in future dramas 'cause, let's be real, she's stunning.
[SUPPORT CHARACTERS]
And check this—after watching this show, you won't be forgetting the side characters' names anytime soon. Xue Ding Fei, You Fang Yin, Lu Xian, Shen Jie the Prince, even Dao Qin—they leave an impression. This drama ain't about just the main leads hogging the spotlight; these supporting players? They're stepping up, shining bright, and adding their own flavor to the mix. They're the unsung heroes making this drama one to remember. ??.
===================================NEGATIVE THING===========================
Okay, hear me out—this drama's got almost everything on point, except maybe a bit less of that sweet romance between the main leads. But hold up, that's just a minor setback in a sea of awesomeness. Trust me, every hour, every minute, every second you spend on this show is a vibe!
And here's the kicker: you can binge-watch this till sunrise, forget about those dark circles—they'll bounce back. But that curiosity this drama stirs up? That's gonna stick with you until you see it through to the end. So, dive in and don't sweat the tiny stuff, 'cause this ride's worth every second! ??✨

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I thought this was pretty good

First of all, I thought the concept was very good and interesting. The problem was the script. Some parts were unnecessary, some parts were slow, and some parts were just plain stupid. Also, some of the dialogue had me rolling my eyes. But, on top of all this, I still liked it.

I loved most of the actors and I thought they did a decent job. The lead couple did very well, especially Mon. He’s adorable and can act. Thames was cute but his acting was hit and miss. The rest of the cast didn’t really stand out except for Mr. House Spirit and Grandma. Loved those two.

One of the scenes that had me rolling my eyes was the capture of Thanit. He was surrounded by henchmen WITH GUNS but after Thanit shot Ai they just stood there and let Mon take the next bullet. Worthless.

The romance was very sweet. Some may score this low because of no shirtless scenes or passionate love making but, for this series, it worked without it. It actually made them seem closer emotionally and that made it seem more real.

Even though the budget was low and the pacing was a little slow, the story is good and very much worth watching. IMO

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Would have been better

if they had focused the story on the gu-abetted men and make it a real drama instead of a “romantic” comedy. I find the FL, and a couple more female characters, to be annoyingly immature, mostly acting like she’s 12, giggling, running around. Looks like she quickly forgot she was looking for her mother.

ML is fine playing the cold face prince hiding a secret. I thought his shadow guard Xifeng did a better acting job.

The 2nd male lead, Gu Qi Shao was interesting enough, cunning and planning.

I thought the story would be more interesting but it’s already kind of dragging. I’m not sure if I’ll finish watching the whole story.

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Nothing much to rave about but certainly an interesting wrap-up

This is a sequel to the Alchemy of Souls with an open-ended and frustrating ending. At the end of the first series, Jang Uk was killed but was resurrected by the Ice Stone. Three years later in this sequel, he becomes a soul shifter killer, hunting down the remains of those who had escaped in the first series. While hunting a soul shifter, he runs into a beautiful woman who is held captive by her mother and begs him to help her escaped.

This sequel pales in comparison to the first. There are not much to look forward to. The identities are all revealed even that of this new Jin Bu-yeon is revealed to the audience. I thought the writer should hold on a few more episodes before doing that. I guess it is all to quickly allay the frustrations of those who watched the first series watching MuDeok died.

It becomes a bit of a drag - the identity of the new Jin Bu-yeon is known to the audience but not the characters involved. Jang Uk is in the dark and so are a lot of people in the drama. So the story revolves around them finding out one by one, and also how the 'righteous' people turn to the dark side.

I watched it as I wanted to know how it would all ends. So if you have already watched the first series, you would want to watch this one too.

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Missed opportunity

I was so hopeful but I can’t say I loved this one and I’m a fan of both of the leads. I like the idea of a smart career woman being dedicated and good at what she does. I love a man that follows his path as well. That being said our two leads were academically and business smart but had the social/relationship competency of 12 year olds (not cute or entertaining).


The cons: misunderstandings lasted until episode 31; direct communication was very poor, they talked more in their head than directly to each other. They texted more than they talked. I’ve never seen so much screen time on screen. It lasted until the end. The relationship remained undefined for so long and then when it was, it was a break in it.
I ML was suppose to be domineering business man but it didn’t seem to fit or maybe it was just that he never lightens up. Usually you see a change, it kept it going.

I so wonder what it would have been like, it they spoke a quarter of their internal thoughts that the viewers heard. It could have made it much better.

I can accept a misunderstanding but I hate when it’s dragged out and poor communication. Although we’d all love a smooth sailing romance, I don’t think I could say there were any swoon worthy moments. I think I got whiplash.

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Soul shifters and heart renders

The fictitious land of Daeho is dominated by two powerful groups of mages who are learned magicians: Cheonbugwan and Songrim. Cheonbugwan reports directly to the King. Songrim is a self-run organisation openly against the practice of sorcery, especially the soul shifters who are able to move from their bodies to dominate another. Soul shifting involves exchanging bodies, often with an unwilling younger person to prolong one's life and is an evil sorcery. Cheonbugwan claims a similar anti-sorcery stance but secretly rivals Songrim for power.

While running away from the pursuit of the Songrim mages, assassin Naksu finds herself soul shifted into the body of MuDeok and later becomes the maidservant of Jang Uk from a powerful elite family. Jang Uk knows that MuDeok is Naksu and uses this knowledge to blackmail her to help him lift a seal on his energy. The Jang Uk is the son of the Head of Cheonbugwan, who has been missing for 20 years but rumours goes that he is an illegitimate son from his mother's affairs.

King is plagued by the prophecy that a powerful King's Star mage would one day appears and is insecure about his position. There are dark powerful forces supporting the sorcerers and the people practicing it are in high places, who will make use of the King's and Crown Prince's insecurity. Even the Unanimous Assembly of mages is dominated by ambitious sect leaders who are secretly hoping to lay their hands on the Ice Stone which can make the soul shifting happens, while claiming to be righteous and anti-sorcery.

What I like about this drama:

a. This soul shifting story is original. There had been dramas based on soul of a person shifting to another - mostly as individuals unique cases. But this drama takes it to another dimension as a widely practised sorcery involving a cult of powerful men and women whose ambitions are to live forever and dominate the world.

b. The chemistry of the leading female character MuDeok (Jung So Min) with the first, second and third male leads is great.

c. The cast is outstanding and acted their parts well. To mention a few:
- Jung So Min - she was outstanding - whenever she was disgusted with Jang Uk, she would squint her eyes and glare at him which was often interesting to watch,
- Lee Jae Wook as the male lead - filled with a desire to break free from his bondage and to excel and at times temperamental and slackening,
- Hwang Min Hyun as the righteous mournful Seo Yul haunted by guilt,
- Shin Seung Ho as the disturbed Crown Prince knowing often that it is wrong but nevertheless unable to resist a selfish course of action.

d. Along the drama, there are a lot of secrets to be unveiled, identities to be confirmed, suspenseful moments and what would be Naksu's choices - make the story very interesting and attention gripping.

What I dislike about this drama:

a. The ending was open-ended. It takes another 10 episodes in a sequel to wrap this up. If I had watched this drama shortly after it was released, I would be cursing as the ending is so crap. But since the sequel is already released, I just hopped onto the sequel to figure out the ending.

Overall, I highly recommend this drama.

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Heroine falling in love with her older brother's best friend: such a wholesome and romantic story

This drama depicts the story of Sang Zhi secretly in love with her brother's best friend Duan Jia Xu, who is five years older than her and how their relationship build and develop itself overtime. I really liked the premise of the series as well the pacing of the scenario. There are three acts to the romance and I was particularly seduced by the first one with the introduction and contextualization of the relationship: it kinda broke my heart a little bit but in a wholesome way.

It is a really cute age gap romance and the screenwriter managed to make it sweet, believable and not creepy-like. The several part of the story are well done and allow a slow burn that I felt was quite earnest. It was super rewarding to see the male lead figuring out his feelings and the one-sided crush of the female lead evolving as well.

The two main leads were really great with a beautiful chemistry together. The romantic scenes were lovely and convincing and the character were also interesting outside of the romance, with growth storylines as individuals. The main actress make me care about her character, I liked a lot the heroine with her princess attitude, her relationship with her brother and her cuteness. It was never annoying to me and it could honestly have been too much but the actress really found the right balance even in her voice tone and all the little quirks. The male lead was just super swoon-worthy, it is impossible to not get why she fell in love with him and he is kind of clueless, just there at first as a protector which I found really lovable.

The production was quite beautiful...Some scenes were just dreamy and I enjoyed a lot the little drawings and animations over the course of the series. The OST was participating well to the surreal, dream-like atmosphere of the drama, with some appeasing and sweet balads.

I would recommend this to people looking for sweet romance with an age-gap trope done really well and convincingly without any cringe factor, just wholesome. At its core, the story is super classic. There is also not a lot to be foud in terms of secondary characters and layering of storylines. It is super simple and direct, and sometimes, that is just what you need. A wholesome romance, not too long and sweet to the eyes.

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