Reviews

It's not horrible, but not great either

9/30/2021

It's very hard to write a review of this drama. I don't think it's a horrible drama, but it's not great either. Unfortunately, it did not hold my attention and I have decided to drop it at Ep 33. I enjoyed the first 20 or so episodes, but then I feel that the plot just keeps on repeating. It's quite a predictable drama. Nothing really excites or surprises me. I really want to find out who is the big bad wolf, but I got so bored.

The best parts about this drama are the acting of the cast and our ML and FL. Our leads are fantastic and the supporting cast is great. It's my first time watching Qin Hao, and he's quite charismatic as Prince Peng Cheng. I became a fan of Li Qin after "The Wolf" and she is just as beautiful and awesome here. Shen Li Ge has to be one of the most badass female leads in C-dramaland. She is strong from start to finish. She not only possesses great martial arts skills but is also smart! Our leads make a formidable pair. Their chemistry is not red hot, but is maturely developed with quiet understanding and loyalty. I feel that in the first 33 episodes, they don't have enough scenes together, I want to see more of them.

I do not enjoy the fight scenes. It seems like ridiculous that every time someone kicks or hits, the opponent would fly across the room. Since it's not a wuxia drama, I wasn't expecting too much to begin with. What is up with the random wind/fan blowing to show our FL's flowy hair? And a spin to take off her wedding dress and accessories? I also feel it quite unrealistic that our villain 2FL could get caught so many times, yet she is still alive. She's like this little cockroach that never dies. It's quite amazing actually.

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Silly lil drama that made me MAD

I came in thinking this would be a cute, sweet historical setting love story but ended up wasting my entire evening trying to find redeeming factors to keep going. It's 2 AM and I just watched the last episode to see how it ends (happy ending!) but I've decided not to waste more time on this.

- RANT SECTION -
I am INFURIATED. This is also probably because I started this after finishing two historical Chinese romcoms where the male leads were SO lovely and lovING, but the male lead of this drama is a B-R-A-T. I know he's young, and supposed to grow/mature, but I'm sick of seeing him treat the female lead, who is by all accounts very lovable and sweet, like TRASH. In the span of a couple of episodes, he uses her unwavering love for him (as she believes he is her childhood sweetheart at this time) to frame her as an arsonist, a thief, and worse. He pretends to befriend her but tries to get her off his back the first chance he gets so he can run away to play (in the brothel, casino, or whatever). He yells at her in public, embarrasses her, patronizes her, lies to her, and talks down to her. Just writing this makes me recognize how verbally abusive he was in only the first 6 episodes. This ain't hate-to-love y'all, this just straight up disrespect. And it wasn't funny to me.

At this point of the drama, they're not a couple, but they're "married" because of the female lead's antics. Even so, the male lead has no respect for her as a human being and demeans her (while sometimes acting like he cares in a tsundere way... NOT cute for me anymore). She, on the other hand, is still unwaveringly supportive due to her (misplaced, imo) trust in him.

Some of the reviews I read had reallyyyy high tolerance for him and brushed it aside as bullying, and that he gets better/more devoted to her. This watcher does NOT have time for that. I choose romcoms because they make me happy, and I love watching couples grow to respect and admire each other. I don't care, at this point, if the male lead does that in this drama. It's too late. When I'm a quarter into a drama, I want to start seeing RESULTS. Ooh y'all, I haven't watched dramas in a hot minute but I did NOT come back to watch a show filmed in 2020 to watch the innocent and sweet female lead get yelled at, smacked in the head, and called names by the male lead. I can't even begin to think of the ways he would have to grovel to make me like him...

Also - weird that the show had a couple of bare-chested scenes with the male lead actor. It wasn't... necessary and showed his (lack of) assets. So, um. Bleeding into my dislike of the male lead in general is his voice going super low (although it was also funny to hear). In serious situations, he would be yelling in a low voice but mannn did it sound forced/fake. Maybe that's just the dubbing. By all accounts, his acting was aight (how hard is it to act mean to a woman?).
- END RANT-

I think if you're okay with the complaints I had above, you'll be fine with this show. Personally, I have a low tolerance for characters that treat their significant others like ----.

I read spoilers for the actual plot and it seems fun and interesting. I really like the female lead, despite her naivety and cluelessness (which is low key charming, haha). She's very smart when it comes to autopsies and although I didn't see her conduct an investigation because I stopped watching right when she was about to, I read that she figures out a lot of things and is intelligent. I LOVE the male lead's father character (he's super goofy, with a big red nose and jovial face. Wonderfully casted!) and the second lead couple looked nice as well. I also read (sadly, after I started) that this was more COM than ROM, which is fine, but it's not fine when the male lead is pushing the female lead away and tells everyone she's his servant girl while we're 25% through with the drama.

A happy ending is nice, but this intro was RUINED for me by the male lead. Even if he is redeemable later on, I don't think any amount of groveling could make it okay in my books. I think it's okay that the female lead is forgiving, since that's her character, but I was VERY upset FOR her and I couldn't stomach past the first quarter of the drama. I'm super disappointed, as the jokes were cute and the drama itself seems light-hearted, but when I watch a drama, I need respect from both characters to really believe in their love.

(Note: All the ratings are set to a 5.0 default since I didn't finish the drama, except the music which I enjoyed. Thus, I do not take them into account when calculating overall score.)

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This is my first time writing a review I felt that the cinematography was amazing i loved the contrast with the the content of the show which had a lot of gore and the light background with the games that had light colors, overall the acting and music was great i just really hate the main character I expected some sort of development from him character wise it felt like he only won in the end out of luck he didn't really earn that money, this is someone who literally signed away his physical rights the loan sharks were going to take his organs and they most likely were not going to do it in a hospital so after or maybe during the process of the organ harvesting he could die he was in mortal danger and yet he didn't take that seriously even his diabetic mother wasn't enough to motivate him were it not for his childhood friend killing himself he wanted them to quit together and then what were they going to do financial wise, I felt like that didn't make any sense the writers wanted him to be a 'good' person a little too much most of the other main characters were willing to do whatever it took to survive and he just wasn't the same.

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The drama hits you hard in every pay possible..

This is hands down the best k-drama I have seen till date.
Everything from storyline, acting and OSTs are splendid. Although it has a sad ending but the actions of each character seems justified & leaves an impact in the final outcome.

Cast:
Every character has aced their role to near perfection. Conversation between all the main characters, their respective actions and following repurcussions pace the show in a very balanced way.
Eugene Choi and Go ae shin's relationship and the way of embracing each other is represented in a very beautiful manner.

OSTs:
Each of the songs hits very deep. All the songs are so beautifully composed.

Glad that I watched this masterpiece and it will have a lasting presence in my memory.
Hope to watch it again sometime...

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Everyone who likes school/youth dramas should watch this...

Watched this the 1st time back in mid to late 2020 after watching Intense Love and The Romance of Tiger and Rose because Ryan Ding (Yu xi) was in it.

So about the main reason I chose to watch this drama. Obviously because of Ryan Ding. Loved his role as ML in The Romance of Tiger and Rose and in my opionion he never disappoints. He is a master of tender looks and eye gazes and he does funny characters so well. He's got quirky & funny expressions that he makes w/ his mouth that almost seem adlib and cute. He always makes me laugh. Humor, charm, and playfulness with his FLs are what he is so good at. He easily creates chemistry and tension when needed with all the other characters as well. Don't get me wrong though he is very funny but definately delivers swoon worthy love scenes. This drama was much better than I expected and leaves you wanting another few episodes to explain unsaid parts to the story. There is another likable actor that plays a quiet 2nd ML personality and adds some competition for the FLs attention. The actress who is the FL's housemate/friend is an interesting character that has her own tragic story within the story as usual. The final few scenes, mainly with the FL in them, are sad and it gives you that gut twisting sadness that good dramas create. I started tearing up with the FL as she thinks back all while a touching beautiful song plays in the background that adds sadness and effect.

She returns to a meaningful place she spent time with the ML at & is thinking about him. It made me want to cry with and for her. (She is another underrated actress and I really liked her in this drama.)
I don't want to give anything away and I liked the ending of this drama however, it left me wishing for more explanation as related to the why things were the way they were. Guess I'll be looking for the book to find out more explanation if there is more. I didn't skip any scenes (although I wanted to so I could find out the outcome and if it had a happy ending.) I resisted though!!! Stayed watching & was anxious, interested and curious until the very end.

Want and will watch this drama again!

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Cute, satisfying, HILARIOUS historical romcom with a quirky cast!

This drama was funny and refreshing - a lovely drama for me to get back into the scene after not watching Asian dramas for a while. It wasn't perfect, but it was the perfect historical romantic comedy - with a happy ending - for me to watch.

PROS
❀ Good acting from male and female leads | Especially the male lead... shEESh, his cheekbones. I enjoyed both the actors and the female lead's facial expressions are super cute and add to the comedic factor in the show. The male lead actor is great at acting cutesy as well while balancing a somewhat darker side.
❀ Goes against the grain of ancient historical settings | In QQ's script, the Huayuan city is a role reversal of ancient China where a matriarchal society exists. (There's this one scene where a woman is like, "Wow, look at how you can see that young man's ankles in public - shameless!!") This absolutely cracks me up and really added to comedic value.
❀ Super cute romance | It's a great balance between the sweet male lead, HS, and the plotting female lead, QQ. They had so many wonderful moments, and the actors did a great job.
❀ I loved the commentary about gender equality | QQ originally writes the script to be pro-female, but ends up discriminating against guys... being in her script, she recognizes that there is no equality when either gender lords over the other. Love the lessons learned!
❀ The bromances were wonderful omg | The servants of QQ and HS... LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them. Their acting and dialogue were top notch and never failed to make me smile and laugh. They were definitely A+++ supporting characters - couldn't have asked for better sidekicks.
❀ Happy ending!! A little too short for my liking, hehe. They wrapped up the "fell into a script" plot tightly (so tight you can't ask questions, but we don't question drama plots right). Soundtrack was nice too (especially the intro music). This was also the perfect length for me at 24 episodes, which I appreciate because it's hard for me to get through 50+ ep dramas.

CONS
✕ The self-sacrificing look is not a great one... | Not gonna lie, QQ was annoying at times. She had good motive for her actions, but it was hard for me to empathize. Also I mentioned before the actress's depiction was super cute, but it got a lil stifling in some scenes. Anyway, I think this con is a reflection of the drama's need to have a plot than anything else.
✕ Dialogue wasn't perfect | There were some scenes, especially in the beginning, where I questioned the logic and motives of characters. It wasn't bad, per se, but surprising to see in a drama with otherwise okay writing. The lesson I learned, lol, was not to take anything too seriously.
✕ Misunderstanding level: 5/10 | I thought this was exacerbated by lazy script-writing but yeah, prep yourself for unnecessary misunderstandings for a couple of episodes in this drama.

OVERALL
I can see why this series is hyped, and I'm fully on board! Like I said, this wasn't perfect by all means, but it WAS a perfect historical romcom with a lovely cast and satisfying ending. Perfect for my tastes!

(Note: My rewatch value is set to 5.0 always as a default as I'm not the type to rewatch dramas EVER. Thus, I do not take it into account when calculating overall score.)

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Predictable but still a lot of fun

I was very surprised at how good this show was. I had it on my list of shows to watch for a while, but I kept putting it off because I didn't think it would be that good. Definitely one of the better dramas I've seen in a while. The story is interesting enough to keep you hooked even though it is rather predictable (I actually enjoyed the predictability of the show, made it more of an easy watch and just pure entertainment).

The characters are fantastic, and all of the actors and actresses did a great job playing their roles. The relationships between the characters seemed very genuine and the chemistry between the lead cast was great. One of those shows with character relationships that just makes you smile. Also teared up a few times watching, there are some very emotional moments.

Overall, somewhat underrated drama with great characters and an easy-to-follow plot. If you're looking for a good drama to just watch and have fun, definitely check this one out. Excited for a season two!

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Quick Watch, Interesting premise, Great Acting

8/10 is my rating. This is a 2021 South Korean Supernatural Fantasy drama with 8, 44 minute episodes.

Jo Hee-ra (Song Ji-Hiyo) is more than just the cook of a diner, she is a witch who bakes up special dishes designed to fulfill the wish of the desperate diners who come through the door. The price varies by customer as do the wishes but be careful what you wish for as the cost is something very dear. Jeong Jin (Nam Ji-hyun) is one such unfortunate soul whose price is to become an employee of the diner. Practically everything goes wrong in her life - her long time boyfriend dumps her and her job lets her go. So she figures, what does she have to lose? Jeong Jin befriends Lee Gil-yong (Chae Jong-hyeop) when she comes across a bullying situation. She sees herself something like an older sister but that is not how he sees her. He makes a mysterious wish himself and winds up a part time employee at the diner. The situation is just fine by him as he just wants to be by Jeong Jin.

Spoilers**I liked the premise of this and found the "cases" to be very interesting. It worked fine as a shorter series and was surprisingly able to completely tell the story. I think there was room to make it a longer series. It seems whomever is the witch is destined to not find her dream herself and it was disappointing that Jeong Jin and Gil-yong also followed the path of the witch and assistant. I always prefer a sweet romantic ending though. Still it wrapped up nicely, was an interesting storyline, and checked all the boxes otherwise. If you go into it knowing there will not be a romantic happy ending - perhaps it would not be as disappointing. I would recommend this as a quick and entertaining watch with an interesting premise.

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I have not watched the original Korean drama yet, but I'm glad I watched this version first. If I had watched the original first and loved it, I probably would have been disappointed by this version. This version is nothing more than a middling remake with very little to really recommend itself. As such, I feel pretty secure in the knowledge that I will most likely like the Korean version much better.

This version felt a lot like the Jdrama, Oh! My Boss!, which came out earlier this year. With the same setting of a fashion magazine and the same major sublot of needing to save said magazine from being shut down, it was kind of a redux of what Boss! had already done. And while I don't think Boss! is a particularly great drama, it did this premise better. On the same note, while I ended up not being all that interested in the romance in Boss!, at least it's couple experiences some real level of relationship development. The couple here feels like they're just jumping from story beat to story beat without anything meaningful happening in-between.

It was when the male lead fainted at the end of ep 8 that I was out. It was such strange timing to me, clearly thrown in for a little drama, and I just didn't care. I didn't care about the character's health, I didn't care about the fashion magazine, and my care for the romantic pairing was meager at that point. If I had thought the drama would do something a little creative and let the magazine be shut down, maybe I would watched the last two eps, but I highly doubted that would happen.

If you want to watch a recent Jdrama with the same Fashion Magazine Trying to Survive storyline and don't need it to be something spectacular, watch Oh! My Boss! instead. Or better yet, you could just watch a drama like Pretty Proofreader (Jimi ni Sugoi!) that both features fashion heavily And is stellar drama. A win-win, in my opinion.

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It really worked for me, but I understand how it might not work for everybody

I was very surprised when I saw that the reaction to this series has been very much mixed. I really enjoyed Peach of Time, even though I had been spoiled about the ghost part of the story.

I’m personally not much of a crier overall, but this show got me hard. I cried a bit with other shows, like Andante and He’s Coming to Me, but that happened mostly in the ending of both series. With PoT, I cried from espied 3 to episode 10 at least once in each episode. That’s a record. I don’t think the “mystery” aspect would reduce the rewatch value.

For me, something that works well in this drama is that we only have 4 main characters, so we just need to introduce side characters to help develop the 4 stories we have to follow. I enjoyed Mario’s story as much as I did Peach and Yoon Oh’s story. The mom’ story was not bad, but I felt it for a bit forced in bit forced in to connect everything, specially regarding Yoon Oh’ death. I understand that the journey the mom goes through, when he think her son might have committed suicide because of her, was important to her development and for their relationship. But the way it’s connected to the dad from the hospital was the weak point of the show for me. I would have preferred if it ended up being just an accident. Just like the mom says, some deaths don’t have an explanation or reason.

The acting is superb. All 4 main actors are great in their roles, specially Tommy as Mario. Tommy shines in both the lighthearted and heavier scenes. I know this is not the most popular opinion, but I felt like the chemistry between Jimmy and Choi Jae Hyun worked. I think it worked well for how shy/awkward, but obviously in love, Yoon Oh and Peach are with each other.

Yes, the ending is very open and a bit abrupt. It does look like a cliffhanger for a potential second season. In that aspect, I understand how it might feel like it’s not a fulfilling ending for many. It didn’t bother me too much, but at least it gives hope for them to meet again.

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I actually had this lakhorn on-hold several months ago but decided to pick it up and finally finish it.So i started to watch it all over just to remember some details."Kha Khong Khon " stars the veteran actors Pong Nawat and Nune Woranuch. Both played their characters very well, watching Pong portray the arrogant alpha-male Lak who deeply distrusts all women but despite his cynicism falls head over heels with the dancer Gluay who is portrayed by Nune. Gluay has three men that are in love with her over the course of the story,but the only one who captures her heart will be Lak, ever possessive and crazy about her. So much that he refused to give up on their marriage,refused to let go of her since he took such pride in claiming her in front of everyone.The first 6 or 7 episodes were going strong with Lak and Gluay arguing bitterly against each other all the time,while neither could ignore the attraction (who am i kiddin, think they argued until ep 14 or 15).Especially Lak who was drawn to her even from episode 1. The drama added up in every episode and it was entertaining all the way through. So much happens, but i am glad i watched it. Pong is such a handsome actor who create awesome angst in his character and he have such great chemistry with all his co-stars. Loved every scene together with him and Nune. I am also curious to check out the older versions.

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Unlikely age-gap dorama with dynamic growth of lead male

Honestly, it has been a while after HajiKoi and TBS finally brought back age gap-themed dorama. The storyline made me laugh out loud, it just didn't make sense at all when Hayame's life messed up in the span of a day. It was also ridiculous yet a little bit made sense how Issei really wanted to bully Hayame since she annoyed him once. But it was totally ridiculous how a homeless woman accepted herself to live in her bully house instead of getting help from someone else she knew.

The second lead male is super likable. Gun-chan really portrayed 29 years-old Seigo who is matured and calm. You couldn't help but root for Seigo too. An unfinished love story that goes with a new rival of 17-year-old Issei who was completely brat at first makes this dorama interesting. Unlike classic cinderella, Hayame decided not to be a bullied target, and she stood for herself and righted the wrong. I love her characteristic.

Issei also completely turned into in-the-middle-of-boy-and-man. He went softer and he fully realized he was in love with Hayame when she really run for him the moment he run from home. His acts somehow were too mean but straightforward. What I love he spoke out loud of his mind instead of restraining himself as Seigo did. I thought it was because he was so young but he proved me wrong. His consent love was so admirable for a 17-years-old-boy who has just fallen in love.

Just like Hajikoi, this one ended with the promise of marriage. Probably a special episode or even Season 2 could be better. and LISA's voice completed everything.

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It's not perfect but has it's good points

It's not perfect but has it's good points. I just read a few other reviews and oh my God some are just unforgiving. Sometimes things that appear wrong are really art and expressionism. It's probably not the case here but it does help make the experience more enjoyable... and that's what it's all about. Right? My unsung hero from this series is OLAN. I almost wanted Ben to wind up with Olan. I also felt that Jim wanted more lines and more of a script to show his talents. The Ben character, well he certainly did a good job showing his feelings for Jim. The biggest plus was the ending and how they used Truth to settle all of the Drama was great. It's a very good ending message too, especially for young viewers. Theme song was very good but a bit overused. They could have made variations and expanded the life of the theme. It was a good tune though.

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