Reviews

Fresh and unique genre with stunning visuals

The first parts were kind of slow to me i would say it become really really fun from ep4.5/5 ish. Loved Ep5 and Ep6 so much i would say the highlight of this show to me.

Storywise, it is good for me but i didn't really like how the plot twists were too overdone to the point it kind of deducted points from me abit. I loved the grandma plot twist so much. The arc for the crown prince was the main plot of this drama right? But i feel like the reason for his anger was too weak considering how he was cursing and killing everyone . He was THAT angry because his father killed him and because he wanted to be a king? What about the other princes that was killed by him, why weren't they THAT angry too? It was questionable for me. I feel like the other people in the story were more wronged than him, hence they should be the bigger villain, no? The story felt like it was spinning at one point i was so confused i had to pause a couple of times. Were they doing too much, idk tbh. But, i really loved, saenggang and gucheon's backstory which were key plot points to the story. The story for the other spirits were also very fun.

Acting wise, it's mixed for me. The king and the queen dowager absolutely killed it with their performance. The creepy vibe that Jang Youngnam carried along with her acting was phenomenal. But for the leads, gucheon and saenggang, i find their acting in the early episodes abit weak and unconvinving but luckily midway through they became pretty good.

Chemistry wise, although there were barely any romance, i feel like they were the strong points of this drama that made me stay. I really loved gucheon and saenggang's dependency on each other. I loved that they were willing to risk their lives for each other , it was kind of romantic haha.

Cinematography was stunning, and absolutely gorgeous. They managed to bring that creepy and haunting aura so well to the screen. I also enjoyed the CG very very well.

Maybe, cause i'm a sucker for well done sageuks, despite the negatives i still find this show good enough to rank 9.5. A good enough plot, engaging story, strong acting, a hard to not ignore chemistry, mindblowing visuals both from the cast and also the cinematography, strong scoring. I also loved the spirit storytelling, the shamanism and all. Most of all ggeomeoksalli the cute creature. A solid drama.

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Compassion, Faith, and Love— Perfectly told.

It's so rare to find a story that leaves nothing but gratitude when it ends, a story told with so much sincerity that every moment felt real. Living in a predominantly Catholic country, it resonated with me in a way I've never expected, did not ask to choose between faith and love.Instead, it invited reflection on compassion, humanity, and the kind of love that understands before it judges. Most BL series leave me hoping for another season, but this one left me with peace. It felt complete, exactly as it was meant to be. maybe some stories are not meant to be longer they're just simply meant to be remembered 🥹. Best BL for mah boys GemFourth!!

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don't drop drama by reading reviews..!!

those who watched and enjoyed xianxia(fantasy drama ) before ,this is a must watch drama for them...and its one of the best drama...im sure if you start watching, you are gonna love it ...dont drop drama judging reviews ,,not everyones thoughts are same ,you watch a few episode and choose yourself,,,,in either way ,cdrama basded on wuxia and xianxia needs a bit patience,,,if you can be patient and complete ,you wont never be dissapointed to any drama ,,,,for this drama you just watch 4 ep then you decide to continue or drop...! the drama is not for beginner of fantasy world!

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I wasn't expecting The East Palace to be THIS good

I finished this drama in just 2 days because I seriously couldn't stop watching. I only started it because this is Nam Joohyuk's comeback drama after military service. His last drama was back in 2023, and finally seeing him back in 2026 already made me excited. Turns out I got way more than I expected.

I honestly thought I was just going to enjoy it because of the cast, but this drama ended up being so much better than I imagined. I knew it was directed by the same director as Bulgasal, but I still wasn't expecting it to be this good. The whole evil spirit hunting inside the palace was done so well, every episode kept the tension high and I could never predict what would happen next. The cinematography was absolutely insane too. It honestly reminded me of Sweet Home, but somehow even more beautiful.

What I loved the most was how the story kept tricking me. I was so convinced the Queen Dowager was the real villain because of everything surrounding the pond spirit. Then they dropped another twist with the King and the Crown Prince and I genuinely didn't see that coming at all. Every time I thought I had figured things out, the drama proved me wrong.

In the middle of all that darkness, Ggeomoksali ended up being one of my favorite characters. Even though he survives by absorbing Yang energy from humans, he was honestly so adorable. Seeing him always sticking close to Gucheon added just enough cute moments without ruining the serious atmosphere.

I also spent the whole drama preparing myself for a sad ending because this kind of story usually ends that way. Instead, they gave us an open ending that clearly leans toward a happy one. Watching Gucheon and Saeng Gang begin their journey together to break the ancient chain connecting Gucheon with Gwimae actually left me smiling instead of heartbroken.

Now the only thing I'm upset about is the fact that it's only 8 episodes. This world and these characters deserve so much more. I really hope they give us a season 2 because I'm already missing this drama. And shout out to Nam Joohyuk for such a great comeback. Waiting three years was completely worth it, and I honestly couldn't have asked for a better drama to welcome him back.

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Don't be fooled: ML is not the main character, ML is barely in the show.

The ML had not but almost 10 minutes of screentime episode 5. Every episode has been the exact same amount of screentime for him as well. I'm so done with this show favoring the fl who's being an absolute b word to him, complaining, being a snob and having 0 facial expressions getting ALL the screentime and plot revolving around her, over the ml actually doing anything at all. This is getting a 6 from me, I should know better than to trust mdl comments in hopes the show will get better... lol but it isn't at all.

Don't advertise Nam Joo Hyuk on the poster and trailer if he isn't even the main character. Every plot point has been about her but she's insufferable, and I'm not exaggerating that. I've never seen him in anything before and wanted to besides 25-21 because I know how it ends, but the guy isn't even here besides getting grilled by the fl. It's getting irritating and tiring, fast.

The Guest is great, but I feel the writers are horrible at writing tolerable female characters that don't b*tch and moan at the ML for absolutely no reason when they're trying their best, as shown with this show (I'm no curser, but that's how strongly this fl is annoying me).

All style, no substance. Nothing is explained when events occur and it's an absolute mess. Cgi nothing burger fest. Poor poor development and 2D characters to boot. I waited a long time for this in gleeful anticipation, but am deeply disappointed. I think this was written as a full length series but got cut short to 8 episodes, I'm not kidding you NOTHING makes any sense and you're not sure what you're watching.

Waste of a show. Roh Yoon Seo should be on the cover solely by herself, because that's all this show is, and she can't act to save her life. I bet my life on it that she has over 80% of the scenes, which would've suited it if you actually had originally advertised her as the lead so we'd know what we were signing up for, but this was misrepresented badly to draw viewers in with the lead Actor.

ML is here to be the FL's punching bag for everything and nothing more. This feels more like watching a so called "girl boss", but instead let's make her be rude to everyone around her and excuse it for being a "strong female lead."


The acting in it is quite bad too from most parties from leading roles to side characters, there's a couple actors here and there who did well, but it feels like B acting 90% of the time. It's very second-hand embarrasment to watch if I'm being completely honest. I'm wincing at the performances.


Skip on this if you don't want to waste your time. It's an incoherent mess and misleading in it's advertisement of what we originally saw of the show and how they marketed it, which is completely wrong and cheap to do.

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Don't watch if you don't like being left on a eternal cliffhanger

I'M PISSED!

Before I get into why I'm pissed, the OST was good, and the acting was fantastic.

I really liked Arisa & Kraam, while I couldn't stand Anan.

I did really hate the cheating, but Kraam and May as characters I still liked. They just have very poor judgment. I may have hated Anan, but I don't like that to happen to anyone.

I also really didn't understand May's logic with some of her treatments. I'm not getting into Joey because I don't know enough, but why did she never try to drain the infection out of Jack's leg? Why was it never elevated above his heart? She drained a blood clot that honestly would have been better left alone because it was far enough away from the heart that she could have just let the body absorb it naturally, but no, let's do that and do NOTHING for the infected leg. After a certain point, the leg should have just been cut off, but that was never considered either because why would it be!?

Now then; WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT ENDING!? I'm assuming they planned on doing a season 2, but it never happened because the actor for Kraam, Beam, passed away. Understandable that they didn't want to continue the project. I'm not mad about that.

I'm mad because I don't understand what the fuck happened.

The writing for this series started really strong, but it seemed like once it got to the mystery aspect of the story, it started to crumble. The foreshadowing didn't connect with what we are being told at the end. Which was honestly a little of nothing. The whole time I kept thinking some Island spirit was trying to cleanse the Island of sin since we kept focusing on the wrongs the characters committed. But that's not it? I'm still not sure because we don't really know anything about Kraam's dad, who seems to be like the fake Professor Lin.

I also think some kind of loop is happening. As Kraam went through the gate as a baby, he can't leave the Island; he goes back through the gate, maybe leaving his baby on the other side. Does this baby belong to both worlds? Will it be able to leave the Island? Is Kraam part of both worlds?

This other world is clearly an alternate universe, but did the same tsunami hit in both worlds? If so, why isn't the Island completely submerged? And as for the other world, Joey: is he alive in this world because he died in the other? Are only people who died in this world? Will Jack be there? Can you only travel through the gates if your other self is dead? Wait, Joey knew Kraam, so that means there would have been a version of Kraam in this world, but how is that possible if this was the world Kraam was originally from?

Also, how did Kraam not drown? Not once, but twice, he should have drowned, but didn't. At first I thought that at least his father was a merman and he could actually breathe underwater or something, but we never see how he gets out of the truck in the beginning & he just wakes up near the end like he wasn't breathing while unconscious underwater. Why didn't he drown? What more is going on? Is it because he went through the gate, or does it have something to do with him? I'm assuming him since his mother died not long after passing through the gate.

Honestly, trying to figure out anything in this show gives me a headache. The point is, they didn't explain anything to us and left us on a massive cliffhanger. It's sad, but if I had known this was how it was going to end, I never would have watched it. I don't like unanswered questions or cliffhangers, and that's all this series left me with.

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An Above-Average Fantasy Drama That Knows How to Entertain...

Reborn Rookie (2026) is an enjoyable fantasy drama that blends comedy, corporate politics, sports, and family relationships into an easy-to-watch package. it succeeds in delivering enough humor, emotional moments, and engaging performances to keep viewers invested. Its greatest strength lies in its entertaining premise, although the execution occasionally falls into familiar K-drama conventions.

The story is good but it become predictable in some episodes by repetitive conflicts and predictable twists, which makes it stretchy at times. Although the body-swap concept provides plenty of entertainment early on, the series occasionally plays it too safely instead of exploring its full potential.

Despite these shortcomings, Reborn Rookie remains an enjoyable watch. Its blend of comedy, family drama, and personal redemption offers enough heartfelt moments to enjoy the series.

Reborn Rookie is a pleasant fantasy drama elevated by strong lead performances, but with predictable storytelling and uneven pacing prevent it from reaching its full potential, it remains an entertaining choice for viewers who are looking for a light, inspirational series with a mix of humor and heartfelt emotion.

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I'm a C- Drama convert

It is true that I haven't seen a full fledged Chinese historical wuxia romance drama until I sat down and devoured 40 episodes of this series. I loved the storyline, the chance meeting between a fallen noble and an unlikely butcher's daughter warrior in a heroic, sweeping romance filled with traditional, not fantasy martial arts staged in a sea of political intrigue and mystery. What began with a fake - marriage - turned - true love then united together in the battlefields served with gritty realism for revenge and retribution makes great viewing and entertainment, more than that, it makes me appreciate the cinematography, snow cladded fields, frozen landscapes with the contrast of the warm and earthy Xigu Alley, its neighbors and shops.... to the cold, calculating scheming within the palace walls. I just love the chemistry between Zhang Linghe who portrayed the cold-hearted Marquis of Wu'an, Xie Zheng and the strong female protagonist, Fan Chang Yu, played by the effervescent Tian Xi Wei. Great acting along with prolific writing and direction has made this become one of the highest rated series so far, breaking records in viewership, helped along by the streaming giant Netflix. It will take an extraordinary effort to eclipse this series, for me.

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Same Team, Same Problems.

I’m at episode three, and will be giving them another episode or two. I figure that it will either be more of the same and I’ll drop it, like I should have with My Stubborn; or they’ll manage pull themselves up by their bootstraps, and make it worth persisting. There are stupid devices being used here, that make the writing look like sabotage. The direction is very inconsistent, to the point where Oat’s bad acting is screaming and waving its arms in one scene, then he’s being directed into almost naturalistic acting in the next. Even the absolutely stellar chemistry between the leads isn’t making itself heard over the cringe-factor. I’m not optimistic.

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a more serious short series

I gave this an indie bump. Aired on MLV Film Production YouTube channel episode 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-85qqL0L64I and episode 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR04gRBtTWc&t=8s

Content Warnings: intimate partner abuse, bullying, past death/blood, child abuse/choking, death

Watch Suggestions
- to take out most content warnings start episode 1 at 9:30 and episode 2 watch 13-end

The subtitles stopped partway thru episode 1. And auto translate mistakenly thought the language was Indonesian in part 2 so I have no idea what was said. I appreciated that they showed the realistic struggle that many people go to with not having the money for basic needs. For the end, either his mom died and he did see his friend/love interest? or his friend died and he hallucinated seeing him at the end. I couldn't tell without knowing what he said.

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Everything happens for a reason ! Watch carefully, and you will understand.

I never really understood why this drama received so much hate. Most of the criticism centered on the male lead being labeled a "red flag," the female lead chasing him after abandoning him years ago, and the story being called slow pace and boring. However, if you watch the drama with patience, you'll find that nearly every criticism is addressed as the story unfolds. The characters' actions are carefully explained, and their motivations become much more understandable.

The male lead initially comes across as cold, dismissive, and emotionally distant toward the female lead. But honestly, who wouldn't be deeply hurt after being abandoned without a single explanation by the person they loved the most? On top of that, he also carries painful memories of how the female lead's family humiliated and mistreated his own family in the past. Those wounds never truly healed. He spent years trying to forget her and move on with his life. Even after they reunited, he didn't immediately accept her back. His hesitation wasn't because he had stopped loving her, it was because he knew exactly how difficult their relationship would be. More importantly, he wanted to protect her. If they were going to rebuild their relationship, she first had to be willing to face her controlling family and accept the consequences of choosing him. He refused to repeat the mistakes of the past.

Many viewers also describe the male lead as arrogant and self-centered because of the way he treats his fellow firefighters. In reality, his strict attitude is a product of his harsh upbringing and the dangerous profession he chose. He pushes his team hard because he knows that even the smallest mistake during a rescue operation can cost lives. His discipline isn't driven by pride but by responsibility. As the story progresses, his colleagues gradually come to understand that his harshness is simply his way of protecting them and ensuring everyone returns home safely.

The female lead also had strong reasons for leaving him years earlier. She was only a recent high school graduate with no power to stand against her controlling adoptive family. She believed leaving him was the only way to protect him from her manipulative and abusive adoptive mother. Choosing to continue her education instead of rebelling was probably the wisest decision someone her age could make. After all, despite her adoptive mother's cruelty, it was still her adoptive family that had raised and protected her since childhood, making her situation far more complicated than simply walking away.

Both leads also experience meaningful character development through their careers. The male lead gradually earns the respect and understanding of his team as they realize the true purpose behind his demanding leadership. Meanwhile, the female lead is initially viewed as an emotionless doctor who relies on her family's influence to advance her career. As the drama unfolds, the reasons behind these misconceptions are revealed, allowing her to grow into a more compassionate doctor who earns respect through her own abilities rather than her family background.

Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the drama is the female lead's family. Her stepbrother is genuinely unsettling. His obsession with his stepsister goes far beyond normal sibling affection, becoming possessive and unhealthy (WTH he love her stepsister, he has a sister complex. it's absolutely disgusting). Because their mother controlled every aspect of their lives, he became terrified of being abandoned and desperately wanted his stepsister to remain trapped beside him. His overprotectiveness stems from years of emotional manipulation, but that doesn't make his behavior any less disturbing.

The female lead's adoptive mother is the true source of almost every conflict in the story. She is incredibly controlling, stubborn, and manipulative. Whenever things don't go according to her wishes, she is willing to hurt anyone, including her own children to get what she wants. The only disappointing part of the drama is that even by the final episode, she never receives consequences that truly match the pain she caused. That lack of justice leaves a bittersweet feeling.

The supporting cast is another major strength. The interactions between the two leads and those around them feel natural and entertaining. Yang Yang's bromance with Wang Yan Lin is especially enjoyable to watch, particularly for viewers who previously loved seeing them together in You Are My Glory. The firefighters, doctors, and hospital staff all contribute meaningfully to the story, while the male lead's family, especially his cousin, adds plenty of warmth and humor throughout the series.

Visually, the drama is outstanding. The cinematography during the rescue missions is particularly impressive. Whether it's flood rescues, earthquake disasters, or large-scale emergency operations, every sequence is filmed with remarkable realism and intensity. These moments showcase not only the technical quality of the production but also the courage and sacrifice required in both professions.

The chemistry between Yang Yang and Wang Churan is also far better than many people give it credit for. Their romance isn't built on instant forgiveness or dramatic confessions. Instead, it slowly rebuilds from years of heartbreak, misunderstanding, and lingering affection. The pacing may feel slow for some viewers, but that's exactly what makes their emotional journey so rewarding. As they gradually learn to understand each other's pain, they rediscover the love they never truly lost. By the end, they finally choose to face the future together, supporting one another through every challenge instead of allowing fear and family pressure to tear them apart again.

This drama is not a flawless drama, and its deliberate pacing won't appeal to everyone. However, much of the criticism directed at its characters ignores the emotional context that the story carefully develops. If you're willing to look beyond first impressions and give the characters time to grow, you'll find a mature second-chance romance about healing old wounds, overcoming family trauma, accepting responsibility, and finding the courage to choose love despite overwhelming obstacles.

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