Reviews

Live Up to Your Shame

Things can get really muddy when talking about the science of acupuncture, although this is a fantasy but to try and push one narrative over the other this desperately is a tough sell in this scenario. I don't think the drama managed to navigate mixed medicine practices from a modern medicine point of view successfully. In fact, the entire thing was dropped very quickly a few episodes later without being brought up again. So why did they ever bother? The first 5 episodes were enjoyable without overbearing time-travel cliches. However, everything turned to worse with episode 6, that's where they introduced your typical mundane cheese of someone who traveled in time. At this exact point, there was a harsh shift in the story, everything slowed down, and a plethora of extreme suspension of disbelief elements in contrast to the world building they had established were thrown in. Although we got brief hints of the story at the beginning from her grandpa and that one prisoner but it felt like it won't address these points until the last few episodes and that turned out to be true. Although I enjoyed the first 5 episodes but the rest were just disappointing.

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The Lame Queen Seondeok

It would have been such a good show if they packaged it into 30 episodes. They had two subplots about Hwarang side quests that were a total waste of time, they paused the main story for them. While they might have served a small tiny purpose but the drama could've accomplished that without these easily. I read somewhere that the drama was extended from 50 to 62 episodes and I can't help but wonder if there was a direct correlation between extending the drama and introducing the character Kim Chun Chu at episode 36. Because both decisions were worse than one another. What made me more suspicious that this was the case was because it felt like someone has pushed the soft reset button on the story as a whole around episode 36 and everything took a big step backward. At this exact point I was about to mentally check out. Prior to episode 36, they had this Hwarang competition which was already the weakest checkpoint at this point so what came after only made things worse. Fast forward to the last chunk of episodes, all events post Lady Mi Shil involvement were clearly an unplanned afterthought which led to an underwhelming final climax. The is exactly at the extension gap between 50-62. Away from the poor pacing, the characters showed promise until they stopped. Guess what? It happened also after episode 36, the female lead who used to be a character full of characterization became a soulless blank of wood, boring, bland and dumb. There were many other examples of characters who went through the same downgraded transformation around the cursed episode 36.

The story had one major point of disconnect that the writer blatantly swept under the rug, it single-handedly broke the story apart. The female lead came from a hermit living in the woods into her position of power immediately without any regard to any other factors concerning anything. The only justification we were given is that she read books while growing up and was raised in the streets. Her parents had no role in the process despite being the king and queen, not even for emotional support. All I see is just poor storytelling. The background music mixing was trash. Every scene started with low-ish background music, got progressively louder and became unbearably loud and intense until the scene is cut. Repeat this 20 times every episode and endure the nausea. Around midway through I was thinking this is a good 7/10 drama despite the Hwarang nonsense but it turns out that this drama was the perfect example of a drama having a good 1st half and fumbling the 2nd half so hard. I wouldn't give it more than a pitiful 5.5/10.

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Good Story - had promise - have the fast forward button at the ready

Good story but, as is usual - they drag it out for far too long. This could have been finished in 16 episodes.

Character wise - good mix of nice cast but, the annoying characters are in far too many scenes. Have your finger on the fast forward button at all times. Xiao Mi is just awful and I can't stand anything she says or, does. Very immature. Self centered. And how on god's green earth did she ever make it into college? I would worry for her if she put her head in a paper bag.

I agree with many of the other reviews. As you learn more and more about the main characters - you will wish they WON'T get together. Really? Drag it out to the last episode?

I stuck with it. I agree with others - not enough time is spent when it comes to the actual fights/tournaments - it becomes a bad edit music video. Prepare for them to spend an eternity in prep for competition and then, the actual thing being over in just a few minutes because they want to spend 80 percent of the time on junk that means nothing. They REALLY take advantage of the stock footage they created of the school grounds. They are always exercising - always doing the same thing - always sunny and blue skies - always flipping the same tires in the same spots. Grinds my gears...

There are some WONDERFUL characters and the writers gave them some great material. That is why I stuck with every episode. Pick and choose - fast forward - and, you will get through this in half the time and still enjoy the overall story.

Want to be ready?
Lazy writing. Character gets abused and used by people with money but, there is NEVER any compensation.
There is a near death and AGAIN - no money - no compensation. Everything is handled under the table and the poor people get to stay happily poor. God forbid rich bad people get in trouble in a Chinese drama. That might give the common folk some dangerous ideas to society itself.
Grandfather stays pure evil until the very end. I kept yelling at the screen for him to have a heart attack or, something.
Xiao Mi - terrible. You can safely fast forward through everything she is in and not miss a single thing to the overall story. Her stubborn immaturity is a drag on the entire series.
Child actors - why couldn't they have been traumatized by something and not speak for 34 of the 37 episodes?
The on again off again of all the relationships REALLY shows the emotional immaturity of most of the cast (as written). College? Really?

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Ja Must Go

Well, I had a little higher than usual expectations from looking at the cast members but at least it didn't take too long to realize what it had in store for us. The drama kicked off to a bad start leaving an ominous bad impression. The first 1/3 of the drama was set in the past giving us a ridiculously boring and generic backstory of the leads, starting with their parents and moving on to their birth, early childhood, and teenage years. These kids turned out to be the worst part of the drama, totally unlikable – both the characters and the actors playing them. And it didn't get any better when we were introduced to their adult versions. The romance and love triangle were downright despicable, filled with self-pity, sappy motivations, and a bunch of whiny kids. A wild suggestion, why not take the drama from the beginning of episode 39 into a different direction? Extend it with another 20 episodes, remove the romance, have the FL be the empress of her nation, and conquer neighboring nations.

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BEST KDRAMA

I love True Beauty so much. I have rewatched it 5 times and i still havent gotten bored. Seojun deserved better but in the end he became an idol soo.. Honestly what Soojin did was NOT okay, But still lover her! The story and plot was literally so good. Acting was also great but my girl can be little cringe sometimes.. OST is still so good. Starlight and Love so fine are my favs for sure. Tae Hoon and Soo Ah on top for sure. Team Soo Ho and Team SeoJun because they were both so good for her but i literally cry everytime i watch episode 16. I dont get why people hate True Beauty, like just say you hate fun cutesy dramas 🙄

Cha Eunwoo so fine 😍

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This is a very good and entertaining drama. From here on, the rest of this review is full of SPOILERS! This drama is a television series derived from the Korean manhwa of the same name but, given that it is a spin off, it has its own plot. The drama is not about a showdown of powers that the water god Ha Baek (played by Nam Joo Hyuk) and the other involved gods have; it is a fantasy romantic comedy that focuses on the developing relationship between Ha Baek and his servant Yoon So Ah (played by Shin Sae Kyeong). Taken as a romantic drama between God and servant, and other insufferable gods, this drama was nicely done. The leading lady, Yoon So Ah, is a character that carries deep wounds from her dysfunctional parental upbringing and the water god, He Baek, comes to the human realm with a mission. Both leading characters clashed for been presumptuous and self serving given the nature of their backgrounds but, as they experience adversity, tantrums from Moo Ra/He Ra (played by Krystal Jung), a goddess from the Water Kingdom and Bi Ryum / Ahn Bin (played by Gong Myung) a wind god, jealousy, and their own misconceptions, they grow to understand each other and from then on, a steadfast and nice romance develops. Although there are too many stiffed facial expressions, a leading lady that spends most of the drama in tears, quirky characters to bring comedy forth, and a spoil brat that provides some antagonistic instances, at the end of the day, the leading couple has a happy ending and there is also a smart twist to one of the gods. As said before, the drama is entertaining, enjoy it!

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A slice of life drama without the drama

It's as bare bones as it gets with this Slice of Life show. While providing incite into being a 30-something woman, having relatable workplace and human conflicts,there is little to no real plot. No melodramatics. No steamy scenes. It's just a very quick, lighthearted "Day in the life" kind of show. Episodes for 10-13 minutes long on YouTube so you can paint your nails or fold some clothes while watching. You won't miss a thing if you look away a few times either because again,there's no real plot. It still put me in a content mood after I finished so I wouldn't say it was a waste of time. I'm just glad it was honest about what it was trying to portray.

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Love this!

For real, the first 4 episodes had me hysterically laughing, I got a coughing fit every few minutes and weezed like a granny walking up the stairs! The side couple could tell a story with their mimic alone and their chemistry was phenomenel! Their little glances and touches, their syncronized movements, I fell in love at first sight!

Khao is such a great actor and can be paired up with a bag rice, I would still feel their connection and believe his love for the rice! He played Chon beautifully! Neo, ma boy, he is so talented, I love seeing him younger and in different roles, he always gives depth to the characters without loosing his charm or comedic talent. The other actors and actresses did a great job, too, I loved the way Ton got played.
Chon's mom deserves a medal for the best mom, the cussing in the last episode was hilarious! Ping is such a great friend, everyone should have a Ping! Miriam was at the beginning somewhat meh, but I really learned to love and support her!

At episode 5 the tune shifts and it gets more serious, but Ai and Ni always get the timing right for another hilarious moment. I really liked the story, it was light at the beginning, never boring ( the only thing that really got on my nerves was Amp. Girl, you lost!!! ) and the fight with oneself, to truly accept what you are feeling was beautifully portrait by the actor of Ton.

All in all, a nice drama with a lot of humor and more serious parts, a silly happy ending and sweet moments with a fresh couple and one that is already together for years. You can see the difference, and feel it, and that was so cute! I'm just a little sad that the kiss scenes from AiNi got cut in the post production, but there are a lot of sweet noments, gazes and touches that make up for it! I just like physical show of affirmation more than words, it's my way of showing love, so I naturally seek something like that in series, movies and such.

Give it a try, but I remind you: It's nothing to take seriously. Just enjoy the humour and the chemistry (between actors and characters) and their beautiful friendship!

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Yu shuxin acting skills is getting more and more wonderful, I'm not a fan of xianxia dramas but yu shuxin xianxia dramas is on another level , she is good in both xianxia and wu xia , there are many sword and fairy seasons but this one is going to be the best season with best cast and storyline, although there are many seasons but you don't need to watch another season to watch this drama , because the storyline everything is different but idk why the name is same but anyway this one of the best xianxia drama no one can defeat yu shuxin when it comes to cute looks , if anyone reading this comment and haven't watched this drama yet i would say just go for it ,also if you don't know yu shuxin yet i would recommend to check out her dramas ,she is a great actress !

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the reality check in life

Honestly, I was skeptical of this drama at first but oh wow,
this drama gave me such a reality check in my life that it is embarrassing now. first of all the cameo's in this drama made it so interesting and literal eye candy to watch and the love, family relations, and all the frustration the main lead goes through portrays a big slice of life, honestly, I agree with the fact this kind of dramas answers to the questions we don't like to acknowledge in life, the drama is well written with binge-worthy thriller, romance, action, drama. they round up the best cast for this show . It's such a short but meaningful drama that everyone should watch

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The lead characters made things interesting but ending was so poorly written (Happy ending)

When I started watching, I wasn't exactly a fan of the pairing but they both grew on me. I enjoyed some of their interactions, some were far too silly which again points to poor writing. In the hands of a good writer, this drama could have done a much better job.

The time travel element wasn't ever fully explained.
Why did it happen?
Who sent her the message?
What happened when she back?

What spoils the story is that they went so far to create a clear distinction between Lin Miao and Lin Wei Jun, so much so that it is very difficult to reconcile that they are one person. The ending is so rushed and ambiguous that the viewers are left to figure out what happened.

The simplest explanation should be: Lin Miao went back to her time 10 years in the future, during these 10 years Lin Wei Jun grew into herself becoming Lin Miao and that was who came back for Jiao Yang who waited for her.

But then so many new questions arise. Since Lin Wei Jun life was altered by her future self and Jiao Yang, wouldn't her future self have new memories? Would she be the same Lin Miao that visited the past? Or would she be more like her past self? And what does that mean for their relationship?

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Just wow!

The acting was so incredibly bad in just the first episode, I’m not going to waste time on something so cringeworthy. First rule to any type of entertainment: hook the audience in the first 10 pages or it’s not worth going further. It’s almost a slap in the face to expect people to make their first 10 pages perfect and then come out with something this horrible.

It says I need 500 words so…let’s see if I can do that and not be 100% negative. Have all the actors take acting classes. Have the current director and editor shadow someone who knows how to do the job. Make the screenwriters completely redo the script, because the dialogue is drab and the flow is choppy. The camera work is off. Oops. All negative. The main leads are handsome. That’s a positive.

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PURSUING DREAMS with DRIVE and PERSISTENCE

Dreams can take us in many directions towards a goal. Sometimes, along the way, there are obstacles: Jealousy, Greed, Self-Destruction; Self-Discovery, Survival, Triumph! “Castaway Diva” is that story. It deals with the struggles of family, and how they interact on a scale of imperfection and dysfunction, to unity and joy. It shows how misunderstandings, low self-esteem, selfishness, and loss of confidence can hamper one’s professional growth and development. It highlights surpassing those defeating thoughts, by undergoing introspection, towards survival and success. I liked the show’s definition of family-whether it be biological, career, components of the wilds, or whatever. In the end, it’s about feeling whole. I thought the initial episodes had an element of goofiness. I debated if it was the English dubbing, or simply the role of the characters. It just appeared incongruous. In the end, I was enlightened by the show. And although extended minutes to each hour, I liked that there were only 12 episodes.

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I became overwhelmed by the main characters’ cuteness

What a good way to start the year with a fluffy BL! This is extremely fun and I was already mesmerized by the charm of the main couple right after watching the first half of the pilot episode. Both of them are indeed good-looking actors with acting skills that are genuinely adorable.

The story is likable with almost no sign of cringey scenes. With only three episodes, this is enough for a worthy time to binge-watch such an entertaining show. Overflowing with cuteness and excitement. I have no major issues regarding the overall production of the show. It's just that I somehow feel disappointed or specifically demanded a lot more intimate scenes like hugging, kissing, and cuddles from the main character. Yet, there is no doubt that I Became the Main Role of a BL Drama set the bar higher for rom-com-inspired BLs. They did it properly without too much drama and a fine execution of scripts.

With this, I was once again blessed to get to know another new face in the world of BL that I will be going to stan from now on. Abe Alan, as the man running in the first place, really got my whole attention. The face card never declines but the great thing is this man knows how to act, plus he is wearing a strong sizzling aura that makes you fall in love with him. His character has an adorable personality that I always feel so fueled with happiness for his loveable nature and gestures. Akutsu Nichika is also an actor to look forward to. I like his acting and the role fits him. I was shocked by the way that the series confirmed the obvious relationship between the two actors’ managers -by showing their own bed scenes moment which were too hot and fancy.

I wanted more but I could not demand more. They already gave us a lengthy duration per episode but since the drama is so good, I am hoping for more. This is exactly the kind of feeling I want to experience each time I finish a good drama -the feeling of joy from a good watch.

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Where was this Sword and Fairy?

Like the many others I thought that you'd have to watch the other Chinese Paladin series to start this one. Luckily you don't have to do that! The series is based off of video games, and each series pretty much stands alone.

This adaptation of Chinese Paladin 6 is called Sword and Fairy, and weirdly enough it's airing at the same time of another Chinese Paladin series. Between the two I chose to watch this one because of Xu Kai,

It's not extraordinary (but it had the makings of a fantastic drama. At the beginning drama is fun and not too dense with mellow, and I can go either way honestly. I like a lot of different dramas and was skeptical because of the wondrous nature of this one. A handful of episodes in and I'm buying into how the world works and where the drama seems to lead. Which is an interesting place considering its main premise is surrounding a looming disaster brought by a demon lord that may or may not be our FL? What is even better than that is the cult that worships this Lord Ming and hilariously mistaken our FL, Qi, played by Esther Yu, as this demon lord. So her and her sworn brother (lol not buying that) are in the middle of it all trying to reclaim their (mainly Qi's identity). Surely enough handfuls of more episodes and there is a lot I can't buy into so easily. I think the show started being bad when a certain someone found out their origins. Then it was a lot of back and forth between two settings and not a lot of organic sets. I am someone that is more into real life settings and weather and etc.

I haven't seen anything like it honestly. It's unique with the costumes, and especially the dynamic between the FL and the ML. Qi is very dumb and I see the complaints about the dubbing and the 'annoying' voice, but be serious with yourself on this. This character only knows three years of life other than a reoccurring dream. She is naive and how she sounds equals to that, I have always been wary of Esther Yu because of the voice but why? It works so well here and she is hilarious. She doesn't phone in what she is playing and make it annoying, she has charm and the acting chops to fill in many diverse roles and funny and naive ones alike. Xu Kai who plays the ML, Jin Zhao, isn't as naive as her, but they are both as unfortunate honestly. They both know nothing about their whereabouts, other than that they woke up together so that makes them to be born on the same day. He is protective of her and just as skeptical as anyone that wants anything to do with her. I am loving the dynamic between them, their teasing is great to watch and that makes me excited for a potential romance at the beginning slowly falls into a mess. Their relationship isn't developed and instead you watch the other characters and their relationships. I really didn't get what I bargained for.

The mystery behind the leads is interesting, as. you don't know exactly what the two even are. Are they human? Demon? Are they bound by fate? Again, I don't know how the Chinese Paladin series really work, but I see a lot of fights, characters, and wonder if it will get heavy into plot or if they will just go place to place. The latter is what happens.. honestly a mix of both. It is hard to take seriously at times with how fake everything looks.. the effort is there but it just overall seems cheap by the end of 36 episodes.

I think about what the drama is trying to accomplish and rate based on that. So if this drama is appealing to the demographic in China it is doing very well. People are happy and better than that, this drama has been acknowledged by one of the producers from the source material. So that alone tells me it is doing something right.

Although upon watching the whole series it seems I am asking myself... what really happened? What was the point? All of these pretty faces in this drama can't amount to anything if they are barely in it by the time the series ends. Xu Kai and Esther Yu are still great.. but unfortunate.

There is a lot of what I care about and nothing of what I do. So that is really less Xu Kai and more side characters. The chemistry between the leads is the best it can do I guess.. but it's not electric when comparing to much better dramas with much better performances. It is due to the script.. because I know the leads have it in them. This story is just convuluted. There is so much happening and it is hard to keep up, but it is pretty entertaining. In the end I am wishing for more stories with more heart. This one was just a video game adaptation, that really didn't have its own unique narrative to tell. There was only so much that could happen and in the end it was pretty stale.. but it had Xu Kai and I love him to death.

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