Reviews

Is family more important than anything ?

I put this title because I sensed while watching this drama that the writer wanted to try, try is the best word for this, to tell us to forgive our parents whatever they do, for that they put 3 differents family drama focusing on one particularly.

The most important one : Qiao Qingyu and her awful family. All of her family members are awful. From her grand-father to her little brother. I personally hated, HATED, her mom. And listen carefully to me, no... read me carefully, it's not based on the famous thought that "mom should love her kids so if there are some conflicts she's at fault", no no no nothing like that. I hated her because she knew from the beginning that her in-laws were crazy, she understood how much of a coward her husband was when they took her daughter and he said nothing but she stayed. She stayed and added kids until she had a boy to satisty her monstruous in-laws, but when the story begins she's making the whole story about her, her feelings, and what she can bare for that moment : nothing. She's an awful mom, i don't even have an atom of empathy for her, i really hated all her shmilbliks about how her daughters were wronging her or whatever. I'm most probably too harsh but all the scenes when she's on the rooftop looking down at the street i was hoping she jumps so we could be relieved from her presence. The moment my hate for her went through the roof was when she offered money to the guy responsible for her daughter's misery, i was appalled. If you read this after watching it you'll think i'm wrongly directing my anger on her instead of directing it on the dad or his family, but i have to tell you you can't and don't have to engage with crazy people, but if you choose to and let them walk all over you and let them bully someone you care for because of you, you are to blame. We can't change crazy people but we can distance ourselves from them. The mom should've divorced a while ago and took her daughter back but she chose not to for what ? Nothing but tragedy. The scene when the little bro blamed his sister for their parents possible divorce is when i decided that poor Qingyu had no one on her side except her friends Ming Sheng and Mumu. I'm letting all out i hope it's readable at least, but i had to say that the mom is more certainly a victim of a system she put herself in but she's the bully of her daughters, so i can't empathise with her, she deserve every bit of guilt she's feeling. I'm just sad they didn't divorce finally because why have enemies when you have this husband.

The second one : Ming Sheng and his full misunderstanding family. I have to admit i skipped most of his scenes with his mom, but this family was the only one which was redeemable. He hated his dad all his life thinking he was the cause of his mom's departure so we watch him navigate through his feelings of care for his dad while hating him, because his dad never wanted to explain the situation to him, until his mom (who abandoned him) told him what really happened. It's the only acceptable family, both parents love Sheng and it shows.

The last one : Mumu and her Stockholm addicted family. Her alcoholic dad hits her and her mom everynight, but one day it's gone too far and Mumu is sent to hospital and miraculously her dad decided to stop drinking. However, to our shock --', he's diagnosed with last stage of liver cancer. he apologised and Mumu decides that enough for her to forgive him and try to pay for a surgery.

My take on these pov and the ending of all family dramas is the writer wanted so bad to pass a message of "whatever your parents did you have to forgive them and between family members too" we see it between Qingyu and her parents, her dad ans his parents, Ming Sheng and his dad and Mumu and her dad. However the only understandable one is Ming Sheng and his dad cuz his dad never did anything bad to him. You don't know how much frustration i felt watching Qingyu being held responsible for adults' faults, and how much i hate this kind of messages because that's not true we don't have to forgive our parents if they're awful, they chose to be awful no-one is forcing them. That's also why the writer chose that era of china to write his story so they can force the parents of Qingyu to stay together even if they should've split up long before the beginning of the story.

The only tearful moments i had were the teacher and the earthquake and Qiao Beiyu's video. Oh that poor girl ! She's the only one i pitied and empathised with. I was so sad for her. I don't have the words to describe how much i felt her pain and her distress.

BUT ! I can't say the acting wasn't on point ! Qingyu's Mom is an incredible actress same for the dad and Beiyu, the leads were rightly chosen nothing felt wrong in the story acting wise.
Romance wise i think they should've introduced it earlier slowly instead of puting it in the end like when you forgot to put salt in your meal so you add it at the end, but the taste isn't right.

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Not Perfect, But So Much Fun to Watch!

I didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did! 😆 Xia Yan and Fang Yun somehow end up inside a novel as supposedly doomed characters—Fang Yun stuck as the devoted wife of the scheming Gu Bo Chuan, and Xia Yan thrown into the villainous Gu Wang’s orbit. It sounds tragic on paper, but in practice? They’re secretly living it up, indulging in every luxury while putting on a perfectly tragic act. Watching them scheme, flirt with chaos, and just survive in style is half the fun.

The couples may lack strong romantic chemistry, but honestly, it’s fun to watch them trying—their efforts make their scenes entertaining and add charm to the story. The absolute highlight is when Shen Mian Mian returns and Xia Yan and Fang Yun team up to escape the story’s tragic ending—chaotic, clever, and full of surprises! 🎉

The plot can be confusing at times, especially with the transmigration premise. Storytelling is a bit uneven, pacing is chaotic, and some emotional moments don’t fully land. In my opinion, it’s still a totally binge-worthy and fun ride. 💖

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Wow

I have to admit that it's close to impossible for me to watch a full Chinese series without skipping or dropping it, no matter how great it is, the last show I remember that I managed to finish was the prisoner of beauty, and I skipped a lot while watching, I remember rating it less than it deserves cause I had a thing or two I didn't like.
Also I'm a serial binge-watcher "if that even make any sense lol" so I get bored when I watch a show while it is being aired.

But I guess I found the perfect formula to enjoy long Chinese series cause that's how I managed to finish and enjoy this show.
A couple of episodes every other day.

Now the real review, the beginning was very strong! I was really mesmerized by the FL she was so beautiful and of course the ML, the reverse damsel in distress was a nice touch, if it wasn't for the way they overdid it, I mean a butcher's daughter who can fight is one thing, but to kill a very strong worrier "a leader nonetheless" who is an expert during a war when she has always lived her life in a small countryside Is just a stretch, I could understand the whole saving the ML thing, but not that.
However, I loved her character, her stubborn personality, her relationship with the ML and their great love.

The whole fighting for power was boring to me, but it was well written so I have nothing to complain about, I knew this isn't my cup of tea from the beginning, and I was watching for the bits that I like so that's completely fine, I can't have my cake and eat it too.

The comedic relief was amazing, I had a few good laughs while watching specially in the beginning.
And the way everything ended was amazing.

One thing I didn't like but still couldn't decrease my rating was the Hypothetical scenario in the end where the massacre did not happen, I loved every thing about it except for the second couple "QianQian and QiMin" and how they ended their story, I mean I loved them together, I completely loved how they ended them in the original timeline, he deserves it, but the second scenario, I don't understand why couldn't they end it happily.

I still found it unnecessarily stretched like most Chinese shows, but again, it's what it is, I can't buck the trend ~~

Overall I think it was a good series, I recommend it for whoever likes the genre ~~

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Totaly in love with this drama!

The first half was everything I didn't know I needed. Watching Xie and Fan slowly fall in love felt natural—tender, unhurried, and deeply satisfying. I loved that she was strong enough to stand on her own, and I loved even more that he was always there, quietly watching, but never stepping in unless she truly needed him. There was something beautiful about that.

The humor caught me by surprise. I laughed out loud more than once. The falcon became an unexpected favorite, and their little found family warmed my heart. I loved their pig butcher squad—it really showed how they became a family and always took care of each other. Gongsun was a delight—always teasing him about being a married man. And Qian? Her story stayed with me. Qi Min played her possessive partner so well. It was messy and painful, but I loved that the drama didn't sugarcoat it. Sometimes love is toxic, and this one showed that honestly. And the children? They brought such lightness. Every scene with them felt like a small gift.

I was hooked from episode one. Twenty episodes flew by like nothing. The costumes were stunning, the fight scenes were insane, and I literally finished the whole thing in two weeks because I couldn't stop watching.

It took me a few episodes to recognize who was who, as the characters all looked quite similar at first. But I got there eventually, and finally understood the court intrigues.

If I have one regret, it's that the drama was too short. I never thought I'd say that, but an extra10 episodes would have given the story room to breathe. The second half felt rushed at times, as if certain moments were brushed past too quickly. I'm grateful they took their time in the beginning—that slow pace was where the heart of the drama lived.

The ending caught me off guard. I didn't expect to feel for the villains, but I did. When you think about it, just a few minutes of your live could changed everything. And when the truth came out about what happened 16 years ago? I was crying. The glimpse of what could have been broke my heart.

I'm going to miss Xie and Fan. Their chemistry was undeniable, their pairing unforgettable. This one left a mark.

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Finding jade is hard

There's a promise of something exciting and swoon-worthy in the opening episodes of this show, but it ultimately suffers from the typical trappings of an idol period drama, with the more political and court intrigue side of the story leaving much to be desired. There's nothing particularly bad in all departments, but there is also lack in all the major areas as well - in acting, writing and even directing.

Still, it's an enjoyable romance tale primarily, and the director certainly excels in this area. Tian Xiwei makes an appealing performance as Fan Changyu, who certainly will go down as one of the more charismatic and layered strong female leads in recent years. Her story from peasant butcher lady to formidable general is probably the most well-constructed character in the show. Unfortunately, Xie Zheng's story is not developed as thoughtfully, and Zhang Linghe's performance is too nondescript to leave a lasting impression - at least for me. He's certainly capable of more (he's much more lively and memorable in Love Between Fairy and Devil and The Princess Royal).

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Bell-Bottoms, Bicycles & Butterflies: A Love Story That Takes Its own sweet time

Set against the dusty charm of 1970s China, Love Story in the 1970s is the kind of drama that doesn't rush to impress you, it just quietly wins you over, like a slow cup of tea you didn't know you needed.
Let's be upfront: this is not a drama for the impatient. If you need car chases, misunderstandings every episode, or a second male lead stirring up unnecessary chaos ...look elsewhere. The pacing here is gentler than a Sunday afternoon bicycle ride. Some might call it slow burn. Others (me, briefly) might call it "why is nothing happening yet?" But stick with it, because what unfolds is genuinely worth the wait.

And then a line like this hits you: "I like you. The moment I first saw you, I liked you. I carry this feeling, across half of China."
No grand gestures. No dramatic music swell needed. Just a man, his truth, and an entire country between them. That one line is the whole drama in a sentence , and it's the reason I stayed for every slow, beautiful episode of it.

The leads are the real soul of this show. Their romance doesn't rely on drama or manufactured tension it's built on something almost radical in C-drama land: actual communication. They talk. They listen. They understand each other. It's so refreshingly healthy you might feel personally attacked by how functional their relationship is compared to your own life.
The acting is stellar across the board. No overacting, no melodrama just grounded, honest performances that feel lived-in. The entire cast clearly understood the assignment.
Production-wise, this drama did its homework. The costumes, the settings, the textures of everyday 1970s life all of it feels authentic, not like a prettified Pinterest version of the era. The clothes alone are a love letter to that decade, and not in an ironic way.
Is it slow? Yes. Is it honest? Absolutely. Is the romance so wholesome it made me briefly reconsider my whole personality? Possibly.
Rating: A beautifully unhurried 8.5/10 = for those who believe love stories should breathe.

At the end of the day, Fang Muyang and Fei Ni are not just victors in love they are the most simple 'light chasers' of their era

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When Love Comes Too Late ⚠️Spoiler⚠️

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Between the Lines
igiam’s reflections on drama, character and hidden meaning
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There are dramas that hurt because they are unfair… and others that hurt because they are true.

“Kill Me Love Me” belongs to the second.

What drew me into this story was not just the romance, but the emotional mystery behind the male lead. I didn’t fall for him easily — I wanted to understand him. Every decision, every hesitation, every contradiction made me question who he really was beneath everything.

And that is where the story becomes powerful.

Because this is not a story about pure love.
It is a story about consequences.

Knowing the ending would be tragic did not stop me from watching. On the contrary, it made me more attentive to every step that led there. And when it finally happened… it didn’t feel unfair.

It felt inevitable.

What hurt the most was not only his fate, but hers. I expected him to pay the price for his actions — but I didn’t expect her to be part of that cost. And yet, that is what made the story feel even more real.

Their relationship was never stable, never peaceful… but it was undeniably strong. A bond that could not be easily broken, even when everything around them was.

After finishing the drama, I looked into the original novel — and what I found changed my perspective completely.

In the novel, the male lead is far more cruel. He uses her, mistreats her, even poisons her… and only realizes her true value after her death. His punishment is not death, but something far worse: living with the knowledge that he destroyed the only person who truly loved him.

That is the author’s idea of justice.

And suddenly, everything made sense.

The drama adaptation softens his character, allowing the audience to connect with him. But at its core, the story still carries that same message:

Sometimes, justice is not redemption.

Sometimes, justice is regret.

And perhaps that is why this story stays with you.

Not because it gives you what you want… but because it shows you what happens when love is understood too late.

Final thought:
Some stories don’t break your heart.
They quietly teach you to value it — before it’s gone.

igiam | Observing Stories Between the Lines

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Amazing bl

This is my second rewatch, I'm currently reviewing a lot of stuff I've seen some time ago. Ok where do I begin the OST is super peak and one of my fav OST's, the music in general AAAH. I love it.

I love the roles of Gene and Nubsib. Gene's role as introverted person reallyyyy suits the story and it's acted so realistically. Also Nubsib has amazing acting. I find it kinda sad this is their only work out there. I love how they also had that bad engineer thingy. It reminded me of my engineer and they clearly put a lot of effort in it. I FUCKING HATE AEY, yes I felt bad for him sometimes but most of the times he came on the screen he just made me wanna trow my laptop around the fucking room.

The whole industry was so realistic aswell and I'm happy they showed the good and bad sides of the bl industry. It also shows how lgbtq is actually treated within the industry including the unnecessary NSFW scene's that Gene was forced to write. I fucking love how much consent there is between Gene and Nubsib. To be very honest, Nubsibs's character didn't really stick with me since some of the romance (like first meet) seemed a little of the top especially from his side.

One of things with this drama is, is that you just need to be the target audience. I don't know how to explain it but I think you need just give it a go and see what you think about it. I personally love this bl extremely much.

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Not the ending you think it is

There’s a deeper meaning to the ending or that is how I personally see it. Lee woojin is still dead regardless of the timeline, it’s like a canon event. You may think he’s alive but he’s actually not. In ep 7 towards the end woojin says “reminisce you in your art” thinking of hyeseong, when hyeseong told him that he’s going abroad to pursue his studies. I think the last scene in ep 8 is hyeseong’s way of remembering his late lover through the pebble he gave him that has a basketball drawing on it. We see hyeseong wearing white and woojin wearing a black coat, that in on itself says a lot and the main leads didn’t even get to touch each other, this maybe a sign of hyeseong’s delusion and desperation to see/remember his late lover in his own way.

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A ten year secret crush finally sees the light of the day

A refreshing, non-melodramatic story with a unique perspective, a story of mutual unrequited love that seemingly ends a decade ago due to various coincidences. A new opportunity unexpectedly brings the two back together.

Ruan Yu, the FL, used the unrequited love from ten years ago as the creative material for her new book. Before her new book's release it's embroiled in plagiarism accusations.
And for Xu Huaisong, the ML, 'a text RYXHXHS' sent by his sister changed everything! It turned out that the girl he had a crush on had also been secretly in love with him all along.

Even though he knows they have a mutual crush, he plays a little game to get closer, not reckless but with eyes full of affection. While helping her with the case, he brings their decade-long deep love and tenderness to life. It turns out that a mutual commitment, ten years overdue, was still incredibly exciting!

Wei Zheming's portrayal of Xu Huaisong paired with Zheng Hehuizi's Ruan Yu, is a perfect match, complementing each other beautifully. The emotional fluctuations between the two are frequent and intense.
Their sweet, back-and-forth interactions are always just right making it very comfortable and enjoyable to watch.

Supporting cast: I love the character Liu Mao! He's used as a scapegoat by Xu Huaisong all the time but he is absolutely loyal to Xu Huaisong. Their playful banter is hilarious. Xu Huaisong's sister and her classmate are a playful pair. Ruan Yu has a realistic best friend Shen Mingying. Cen Si Si is the trouble maker. Li Shi Can yet to appear (4 episodes in) The actors performances are all on point and the cinematography is great.

With such a super interesting plot and characters, amazing acting and cinematography I can't wait to watch how the ten year mutual crush finally sees the light of the day. If you are a fan of mutual crushes, sweet love stories and light hearted comedy, this one is for you.

Review after Episode 19
Still watching and enjoying the show. It's silly, funny, entertaining and relaxing overall.
Special mention to the bgm and sound effects for funny scenes. Afterall it elevates the already good comedic timing of the actors.
The overall narrative of the story shows promise. However, the pacing seems to have slowed down somewhere in the middle around episodes 14/15. Rather than advancing the plot, the story often repeats the same kind of events with fillers. I thought it would have been far more interesting and engaging for viewers if there was more focus on the side stories of Liu Mao/Shen Mingying and Xu Huashi/Zhao Yi.

The final 5-6 episodes let us see some great advancement in the leads romance storyline, professional success, resolved family conflicts, development to the side stories, bringing a structural, definitive and happy closure to the series. Absolutely enjoyable series.

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The Lie That Built a Life

If I had to summarize Pursuit of Jade in one sentence, it would be this: a butcher girl picked up a half dead man in the snow and accidentally picked up a marquis, a war, political conspiracies, and the love of her life along the way. The story follows Fan Chang Yu, a butcher’s daughter who becomes the breadwinner after her parents’ death, and Xie Zheng, a fallen noble hiding under a fake identity while seeking revenge and justice. What started as a fake marriage slowly turned into real love, but fate and war had other plans. Chang Yu eventually carried her butcher’s knife onto the battlefield while Xie Zheng reclaimed his title and fought to protect his country and the people he loved. In the end, they reunited through war, politics, and bloodshed, uncovering the truth behind the past while choosing each other again and again.

What made this drama special for me from the very beginning was Fan Chang Yu as a character. She is strong but not overpowered, kind but not naive, capable but still very human. She is not book smart, she makes mistakes, she struggles with money, she gets tired, she cries, and that makes her feel real. Watching her butcher pigs in the morning, fight debt collectors in the afternoon, and worry about her sister at night made her one of the most grounded female leads I’ve seen in a costume drama. Tian Xi Wei really carried this role with so much charm. She can look cute, funny, fierce, heartbreaking, and charismatic all at the same time. One moment she is carrying a grown man on her back through the snow, the next moment she is sitting properly because she realized the man she saved is handsome. That duality is exactly why Chang Yu is so lovable.

Then we have Xie Zheng, also known as Yan Zheng, the most handsome matrilocal husband in drama history. Zhang Ling He looks insanely good in this drama, probably his best costume drama look so far. But what made his character work is not just the visuals. Xie Zheng is smart, strategic, calm, and ruthless on the battlefield, but in Xigu Lane he becomes someone soft, awkward, and quietly in love. The way he fell for Chang Yu was very gradual and believable. It was not love at first sight. At first he trusted her, then respected her, then admired her, then slowly loved her. One of the most beautiful parts of their relationship is that Chang Yu respected the Marquis Wu’an before she even knew Yan Zheng was him, and Xie Zheng fell for Chang Yu before she knew he was powerful. They loved each other as people, not because of status.

Their relationship progression is honestly one of the best parts of the drama. From fake marriage, to awkward newlyweds, to partners, to lovers, to fighting side by side on the battlefield. Their romantic scenes were full of tension even before they officially became a couple. The silhouette scene, the measuring clothes scene, the cheek kiss, the tangerine candy kiss, the iconic teardrop, the forceful kiss in the snow, the gua sha scene, the bathtub scene, all of them were memorable. Their chemistry was not just romantic but also emotional and strategic. They trust each other with their lives, not just their hearts.

The side characters were also very memorable, and this is actually one of the reasons the drama stood out to me. Qi Min and Qian Qian in particular provided a very interesting parallel to Xie Zheng and Chang Yu. Both Chang Yu and Qian Qian saved the men in their lives, but the relationships that followed went in completely different directions. Chang Yu and Xie Zheng’s relationship grew into mutual respect, trust, and partnership, while Qi Min and Qian Qian’s relationship turned into something much darker and more obsessive. When Qi Min made advances toward Qian Qian, she often had to play along as a way to survive and protect herself, but when Xie Zheng tried to flirt or push Chang Yu, she would literally smack him or push him away. The contrast between these two relationships was very strong, and it made both arcs more interesting. One relationship showed what love built on respect looks like, while the other showed what happens when love turns into control and obsession. It was also impressive how the drama made viewers emotionally invested not just in the main leads, but also in side characters like Qi Min and Qian Qian, whose story was tragic, frustrating, but very memorable.

Another thing I really loved about this drama is Xigu Lane. The Fan sisters, Uncle Zhao, Madam Zhao, the neighbors, the pig butcher squad, all of them made the drama feel warm and alive. A large portion of the early episodes focuses on Chang Yu and Xie Zheng’s life there, and those episodes are honestly some of the most charming and heartwarming parts of the entire drama. Because of that, when the story later shifted into politics, revenge, and war, the change felt quite sudden. I sometimes wished the drama had sprinkled more political developments or court conflicts earlier on so the transition would feel more gradual rather than switching from slice of life to political drama almost all at once.

The cinematography in this drama is honestly one of the best I have seen. The director plays a lot with warm and cold tones, framing, symbolism, and camera angles. Xigu Lane is always warm, golden, and lively, while the palace, battlefield, and revenge arcs are often cold, blue, and distant. Some scenes feel like paintings. The snow scenes, the lantern festival, the massacre and war scenes, the fire scenes, the Yin and Yang composition bathtub scene, so many wallpaper worthy shots.

Interestingly, the drama also did a very good job with Chang Yu’s action scenes. When she finally stepped onto the battlefield, she did not feel like a random civilian holding a weapon. She moved like a soldier and fought like a general. Her fight scenes were sharp, decisive, and powerful, and Tian Xi Wei really managed to give Chang Yu a very commanding and empowering presence in those moments. You could believe that soldiers would follow her into battle. However, this also made the contrast with the rest of the war scenes more noticeable. For a story filled with generals, battles, and military strategy, many of the large scale fights and duels felt surprisingly restrained. Some confrontations that should have felt desperate and intense ended up looking more stylized than dangerous. As the story moved toward its political climax and final confrontation, the scale and urgency never quite matched the amount of buildup. The rebellion, the revenge, and the palace showdown should have felt explosive, but instead some parts felt smaller and less intense than expected. This is probably where the drama felt the weakest, not because the story was bad, but because the execution of the final conflict did not fully match the emotional and narrative weight the drama had been building for so long. Episode 39 in particular felt like it should have been bigger, more chaotic, and more emotionally explosive.

However, episode 40 gave a very good closure. We finally learned the truth about what happened in the past, and it turned out many characters were victims of the late emperor’s tyranny. Wei Yan was not purely evil, Qi Sheng was just a puppet emperor who went mad, Qi Min and Qian Qian finally had closure, Bao Er becoming emperor felt like a new beginning, and the best part was Chang Yu, Xie Zheng, and Chang Ning returning to Xigu Lane and becoming a real family with the Zhao couple. When Chang Yu called Uncle and Madam Zhao mother and father, that scene really hit me emotionally. It felt like everything came full circle. The love knot tree scene near the end perfectly describes Xie Zheng’s love. He wrote his name on many love knots so that no matter where Chang Yu throws hers, it will still land with his. That is basically his character in one scene. He does not control her, he just makes sure that no matter where she goes, he will always be there.

Overall, Pursuit of Jade is a drama that starts warm, becomes intense, then ends warm again. It has romance, comedy, politics, war, action, friendship, family, and very beautiful cinematography. It is not a perfect drama, especially near the climax and war execution, but the characters, relationships, emotions, and visuals make the journey very worth it. More than politics or revenge, this drama is really about finding a home, finding people who choose you, and choosing them back no matter how chaotic the world becomes.

And honestly, who would have thought that a butcher’s knife could shine brighter than a general’s sword.

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