Reviews

Blossoming well, with the right care

A snowy night. A fated encounter. A book of records. An arrow shot.

And then, young Dou Zhao woke up from a dream that seemingly foretold her entire life. The book of records and the new birthmark she got seemed to tell her not to take this lightly.

Will things be different this time?
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It’s yet another rebirth themed story. But with well paced exposition and pacing of the story introducing the characters and background, I quickly immersed into the story. Dou Zhao quickly got into my favourite female characters list, with her wisdom, emotional maturity and capability. I like that her outlook in life which, influenced by her grandmother, went beyond palace politics and family entanglement. Even if that was hard to do with her family lineage, Dou Zhao always tried her best to protect and to live her life well.

I enjoyed the romance progress between these two for the most part - from strangers to comrades to admiration to couples. Different from other rebirth story themes, Dou Zhao in “the first life” had minimal involvement with Song Mo, our male lead. And the book of records she held only consisted of poems that require Dou Zhao to unravel the meaning. The blossom did well to highlight the exact moment and dialogues between Dou Zhao and Song Mo shared which prevented the latter from heading towards the path of no return as life kept beating him down. Whether the dream that Dou Zhao had of them was their past life or not, Dou Zhao became the guiding light that Song Mo needed in this life.

While I really liked Meng Zi Yi’s and Li Yun Rui’s CP and their chemistry, the after marriage scenes in the middle did felt a little flat, losing the sparkly tension in the beginning. I am alright with innocent secondary school kids cute fluffs, but the whole everyone is preventing me to kiss my wife troupe is a little overused. What I usually look forward to in an idol romance drama funnily felt like unnecessary fillers for me. They still have quite the improvement when it comes to their acting, especially Meng Zi Yi - but it’s good enough to make me believe and root for Dou Zhao’s and Song Mo’s romance.

Some parts of the story were a little choppy. The change of sides and motivation for some of the characters also felt abrupt and too easy, though highlight scenes were given to these supporting characters. What’s fortunate was Director Zeng’s resourceful and the cast’s dedication, from actors & actresses to screenwriter, making this point negligible. And thankfully, the last part of the story picked up the pacing and intrigue we had in the beginning, closing most of the loops and questions.

Speaking of Director Zheng, the cinematography of the Blossom was one of the more one of the more revered ones we have seen in a long while. Though it’s Director Zeng’s first long filmed television series, he utilised his best strength to enhance the visual storytelling of the shots, giving Blossom a fresh look and nice upgrade in the voluminous ancient idol romance genre.

All in all, the Blossom has grown well this winter, with each and everyone’s care. It’s Director Zeng’s first long firm production; it’s Meng Zi Yi and Li Yun Rui’s first leads show; it’s a story which talks about enduring the storms and grow strongly with a little help from others - and they all deliver.

Hope all these will win this cast another collaboration.

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What flower is this? Fourth Lady seemed to cherish it a lot.

‘Purple wreath (九重紫)’, a type of wildflower. Duke Heir doesn’t have to worry about it, it can endure countless storms and can grow strong independently.

I believe that it can, but I also believe that it will blossom quicker with a little help.

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Chemistry was amazing and I did enjoy.

First of all, I love the storyline and Brain twisting work. Almost everyplace they show in this series where are supposed to be other universe did really impress me. Main lead can really pull out their chemistry and showing love through their eyes was Amazing! But a little disappointing thing is that too many ads in the series like drink and potato chips other than that this series doesn't really have cringe scenes at all. It's worth watching! So I watched Last twilight before this vice versa and I can confirm that vice versa can't beat last twilight at all but it's has its own good things and fun to watch. Well, Jimmysea has really good relationship and I'm hoping to see their forward work and next series.

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HE SHOULD'VE MOVED OUT!

just a public service announcement to inform you that i have transformed into a d1 yim si-wan fan!

no but seriously this show had me TWEAKING at ungodly hours of the night; truly a testament to the extremely eerie (and well-executed) ambience that this show exhibited! i really enjoyed how the premise of the show was rather simple-- broke guy moves into cheap apartment inhabited by interesting neighbors-- but the story kept on building in complexity as we realize the true identities of surrounding characters. it also held a great balance between gorey, adrenaline-boosting moments and subtle commentary on the fragility of the human condition; how does societal ostracization and suppression of anger make one go mad? i ended up skipping through a few of the episodes towards the end (the show was starting to get slow and i just wanted to watch joon-woo go cuckoo crazy ASAP), but episode 10 was truly such a satisfying pay-off-- THAT TWIST! overall, highly highly recommend for those looking to scratch that hannibal itch and/or a nuanced and very, very bloody thriller.

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A moral dilemma drama

This is a show about two people with strong values, trying to do the right thing. If you're reading this review before watching, just know that it's a very good show, that happens to have two men with feelings for each other. The focus on romance is just one aspect, not really the focus. It's quite serious, though there's small moments of humor and happiness, which I believe add more dimension. Without the moments of peace and joy, the characters would have been very flat. It is on the slow side, but I didn't find the pacing to drag. Eight episodes was perfect, imo. It told the story without any unnecessary side plots. If you're in the mood for something to make you think, give Spare Me Your Mercy a try.

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Really enjoyed this one, but the ending was too confusing.

This drama was hilarious, in a weird way. I really enjoyed it. The acting was great, and the story was really quite good, except for the last episode.

I'll try to summarize the ending here, as I was looking for this in other reviews before watching, but couldn't find anything. Huge spoiler alert!

It's really confusing, but in the end, after waiting 50 years for the girl to turn back into a human, the main guy is met with a decision to either continue on living with her as a chicken nugget, or time travel back in time 50 years to before she turned into a chicken nugget, but lose all his memories from those 50 years.

This is the option he ends up choosing, and at the very end is the scene from just before the girl turned into a chicken nugget, as they had traveled back in time.

What concerns me though is... isn't the same exact thing going to happen again? The girl is just going to go back into the machine and turn back into a chicken nugget...

This ending just doesn't do it for me. I was not left satisfied after watching.

What I also noticed was other reviews mentioning that the girl's father died after waiting all that time. I watched the whole drama, every epsiode, and this didn't happen??? At the end, they showed him at 105 years old, still alive and well. Maybe I missed something. I'm not sure.

I know this is more of an ending summary than a review, but sometimes I like to know the ending before I watch a drama, so I hope this review is of use.

Highly recommend this drama, just keep your expectations low for the final epsiode!

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waisted potential...

Okay, finally done with this one and I have mixed feelings about it, but one thing I'm sure about is : Perth carried the show. The start was fire and really interesting, but it quickly lost that energy after ep 4 or 5...I feel like the plot was better imagined than executed. So first of all KangSailom, I loved the enemies phase but didn't believe the romance at all tbh, especially the intimate scenes, kisses were just meh (Perth really tried but Chimon wasn't there tbh), the almost NCs were also just weird, especially the bathtub post credit finally one (I was like WTF is happening...), the only scene that maybe did it for me was the crying in the shower one, but most of the scenes could've been waaay better. I think Chimon is a great actor as I've seen him in other series but he's not the romance type, and I really think that perth can give better with a different partner in a romance drama.

The NameSaifah side story had sooo much potential but it was totally ruined and disregarded in my opinion, we could've had an interesting enemies to lovers story (jack and jocker style) but we unfortunately didn't.

The other side stories/couples were just rushed in my opinion and weren't given enough time to give more than what they did.

And the worst thing in this drama was that weird NapdaoPimfah whatever was it...it's just a NO for me.

So the serie overall is watchable, and I enjoyed some parts and finished it all, but wouldn't rewatch for sure.

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The details of Hu Minghao's acting from tears to fingertips in Big Dream are truly amazing!

Every tear from this big devil character is so contagious.

Every facial expression is so precise and every detail conveys deep emotions that make people sink into it.

Hu Minghao has fully explained the life of patience and endurance of this big devil character named ZhaoYuanzhou, and it must be said that his acting skills are extraordinary.

The series has ended, but the evil character of ZhaoYuanzhou will always exist! We look forward to Hu Minghao surprising us with more projects.


_ Excellent cinematography
_ Excellent fighting moves
- Good comedy
- Excellent acting by Hominghao;  Beautiful music

- I don't think Zhao Yuanzhou
final death scene was meaningful enough for Zhao Yuanzhou death, they could have watched it much better, he lost his life for the world, I think they ended it in a hurry

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Interesting dystopic universe but lacking on many points

The premise of the drama is super strong: in a world were men birthrate is ultra low, women must compete on a reality TV show to gain the right to be in a relationship with the rare men available. I found it quite fun with some of the games played by the participants of the competition. It also attempted to approach deeper societal topics to which the habitants of this dystopic universe are confronted to. However, I found it overall too surface level and the resolution felt like a quick fix to reach an outcome but without really addressing all the societal issues approached.

I also some whiplash with the abrupt shift of tones : the drama oscillates between heavy over-the-top comedic moments and heavier situation...I did not find the balance between those very well done. The acting did not impressed me. It was okay overall but clearly there was a bit too much overacting for me for some of the characters. I particularly had some issue appreciating the female lead character "Day". I found her acting quite stupid in a lot of situation. There was a lot of Deus Ex Machina to help out the character all along the series, which I did not enjoy. The main romance was not my favorite part of the series but I truly loved some of the side relationships with the friendship and family bonds.

The production value was great. The sets of the "TV show" part of the drama, with the various games were super colorful and beautifully made. The scenes in the "real world" were also very well conceived with a very believable urban vibe. It totally made the world convincing. The soundtrack was okay, nothing that memorable, some jazzy tunes as well as indie ballad.

I would recommend this to people that are looking for a different type of series. It has some strong YA dystopian book vibe, so if you are an adept of the genre, I would suggest to give it a shot. In my opinion, it is lacking on many points: romance, acting, writing but I cannot deny the fact that it was pretty entertaining to follow, with a great production value.

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Great Characters, Fine Acting, Wonderful Story

When I started watching Blossom, I had no prior attachment to any of the actors. I picked it as a filler between other dramas I was following, but to my surprise, it captivated me right from the beginning. By the fourth episode, I was completely engrossed, and I rated it a solid 10/10. The compelling storyline and standout characters, particularly Song Mo, made me seriously consider naming it my costume drama of 2024.

What I Loved
The plot revolves around the concept of a second chance at life, taking different actions to alter past events, and ultimately changing the fates of key characters. While the characters’ previous lives ended in tragedy, Dou Zhao (played by Meng Zi Yi) uses hindsight to navigate her new life. Her strategic decisions reshape not only her fate but also the lives of those she cares about, even though she cannot reverse her mother’s tragic circumstances.

The two main characters, Dou Zhao and Song Mo, were exceptionally engaging, but the supporting cast also stood out. Characters like the grandmother, Ji Yong, Song Mo’s loyal sidekicks, and even the Crown Prince’s wife (who makes a brief yet memorable appearance at the end) added richness to the story.

Li Yun Rui’s portrayal of Song Mo deserves special mention. While this was my first time watching him in a leading role, his acting had already impressed me in Love Like the Galaxy, particularly the unforgettable scene where he reacts with shock as Niao Niao punches herself. His nuanced performance in Blossom further solidified his fine acting skills.

The drama is filled with details and subtle humor that make it even more enjoyable. One of my favorite scenes is when Song Mo and Ji Yong end up together in a bridal carriage. Another standout moment is when the Crown Prince’s wife scolds her husband with sharp wit. These instances reflect the charm and depth of the storytelling.

What Could Be Improved
As much as I adore Blossom, I found the second half of the drama overly smooth for the main couple, Dou Zhao and Song Mo. Once they marry, the narrative becomes more of a romance, with fewer twists and challenges. The pace slows considerably, and the lack of angst makes it feel predictable at times. While it’s heartwarming to watch Dou Zhao thrive in business and Song Mo succeed politically despite his enemies’ schemes, the absence of significant tension left the latter half feeling less dynamic.

A Word of Caution
If you’re planning to watch Blossom, I’d recommend not pairing it with Story of Kunning Palace. That was a mistake I made, as the two dramas share several similarities. For instance, both male leads are estranged from their fathers, while the female leads have troubled relationships with their mothers. Both female leads are also business-savvy, and their respective male leads share close bonds with maternal uncles who serve as top generals. Switching between these dramas occasionally caused confusion for me, so it’s best to watch them separately.

Final Thoughts
Blossom is an easy-to-follow drama with a satisfying storyline and minimal angst. The main couple gets together midway through the series, and their journey afterward is relatively smooth. Dou Zhao achieves financial success, and Song Mo triumphs politically, making this an ideal pick for romance enthusiasts.

The title "Blossom" feels somewhat uninspired compared to the Chinese title, which references a hardy wildflower capable of thriving in any environment—much like Dou Zhao herself, who grows resiliently despite her lack of a sheltered upbringing.

Overall, Blossom is a delightful watch, particularly for fans of romance and character-driven storytelling. While it may not be perfect, its charm and heart more than make up for its flaws.

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It's HEA that fell short for me....

I really wanted to fall in love with this drama because the story felt fresh. However, you know something is off when I'm enjoying the portion of the show where their relationship is completely based on lies more than the real deal.

I understood the initial part of the plot and why the ML has to keep the pretense up. At the same time, I have to agree with some reviews here that it felt a bit like her personality underwent 3 phases that were very different:
1. Amnesic, weak yet very loving wife who has accepted everything her husband told her about her previous life.
2. Vengeful cold fierce heroine who will take no sh*t
3. Strong loving and more grounded lover who has forgiven and supports the ML.

I almost love the first two more than the last phase. By the final episode, I wasn't satisfied with how many things were resolved. Something had been missing since they got married.

I haven't seen others mentioning this but my biggest gripe with the drama is that after the CP gets together, I was expecting the chemistry to grow but the show went the opposite route with: "Yup, that's a wrap on the romantic things, let's go to the political intrigue." Before the wedding up to the wedding night, we had a lot of kissing, hugging, hand holding, etc... Afterward, they barely even touched.

I don't necessarily need mindblowing kisses, but can you show me that these two people I've been so invested in watching them get together are more than two friends using terms of endearment?

ML's acting was really good. I didn't know ZWY before this drama and I'm a fan. FL was beautiful, smart and acted well too but again for me, it felt like something was missing. between them

Similarly, the other two relationships felt unresolved as well. Could we at least have seen more than hints?
I'm not sad per se but I don't feel contended even though it's a happy ending.

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Not bad, just bland

In the world of Sammon related series, which now I’ve watched 6, Spare Me Your Mercy is better than DFF or Bite Me, but it’s no Manner of Death. Its biggest flaw is maybe being the most boring one, even with just 8 episodes.
The cast is by far the best part about this series. JJ and Tor were the perfect choice for Tew and Kan. Their individual scenes and most non-romantic scenes together were always great.

But I feel like the script got in the way of the scenes where we needed romance/feelings. The romance feels extremely rushed and forced. It could’ve worked in a plot where every move had second intentions. Which maybe was the idea, but not with a great execution. It’s a bland cat and mouse dynamic. No one is ever two step ahead. I never understood if Tew was too gullible, stupid or just pretending to believe everything Kan was saying. Tew caught Kan in lies several times, but always turned around and came back to Kan. So I have to say he’s half gullible and half stupid.

Unfortunately, by the end I feel like Spare Me Your Mercy is basically a watered down version of Sammon’s very own MoD or the sublime HIStory Trapped. It kinda would make more sense, since I never really believed their true love, for Kan to never confess and the couple to end up apart.

I’m really curious to read a Sammon story and find out if her endings are all super rushed as in the adaptations or the shows she acts as a screenwriter.

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a bittersweet ending indeed

okay... *takes a very deep breath* WHY THE HELL WAS THE ENDING LIKE THAT NO 😭😭😭 there were so many loopholes on the ending, tbh. i wish they had a reunion, an update of what happened to some of the characters like to kaist and dr. go... and the most excrutiating thing is...... WHY MY POOR BABY HANYANG ENDED UP LIKE THAT 😭😭😭😭😭😭 i get it that not everyone would have a happy ending, but it's too painful for my heart... coz i expected so much.. let alone that this is a comedy so atleast give us a happy and satisfactory ending 🥹😩 i can only dream of that.. there will be no season 2.. the ending would be perfect if all of them went to je hyeok's comeback in baseball, those minor details would be enough to make this as one of my favorite show.. too bad, the sole ending made my rating drastically low real quick because it ruined everything 😭 i just wanna see all of them happy.. was it that hard to give?

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