Reviews

First impression

You can watch it on GagaOOLala: https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/8378/duty-first-kiss-later-2026

Japanese BLs just hit different sometimes, and this is definitely one of those times. Awesome acting and an interesting premise, I'm bought!
This series reminds me of another BL called "Love Is a Poison." Both have a similar vibe and have the storyline around law work.
Overall I really like it so far; I'm excited for more episodes.

Episode 1:
* It is so nice to see more mature Bls.
* I like the characters and the whole opposites attract thing. Takoi being a sweetheart older detective and Shiono being more of a blunt and straightforward kind of guy.
I sort of enjoy watching their bickering and little silent glances of microaggression.
* Most of the humor is pretty much typical Japanese humor with all of the exaggerated face expressions and that sort of stuff. Not bad or annoying necessarily, I just can never get used to them.

Episode 2:
* Yeah, Haruka got real creepy real fast. I'm never one to complain about a female side character who has feelings for one of the leads in BLs, but this one is just crazy.

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Story - Definitely a courtroom politics drama , but here the emperor is not just confined to palace. He roams around his country at nights and firsthand knowledge on what’s going on with his ministers and people. And he is determined to fix it. Met a street smart girl with her own ambitions and she totally shares his passion. They join hands to change the world. Fresh approach. Every character is well written and have their own agendas.

Acting - I have to say totally impressed by Chen Zheyuan’s portrayal as Emperor. He conveys a lot with just his eyes. A face that handsome and with such a confident steady performance, it’s unbelievable that it’s his first time acting as an emperor!! A veteran level acting. Wu Jinyan is also perfect with her known charm as in her previous hit dramas. The ministers and close officials are also really done their job well.

The main actors are gift for directors who like to take close up shots. Court room scenes are so majestic and realistic. This drama has close to real life cinematography. Less filters and more natural colors. Very easy on eyes.

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A Headache in Motion

I like both actors, but I struggled through four episodes before finally dropping it because it literally gave me a headache.
Apparently, storytelling has become optional, and unfortunately that seems to be the latest trend. This is yet another cliché drama that mistakes style for substance, prioritizing visuals over storytelling. Yet the visuals aren't striking at all, quite the contrary. The short scenes, constant cuts, rapid editing, endless camera movement, and relentless visual changes created nothing but visual fatigue. The editing is fragmented, the pacing frantic, and the scenes are illogical and unrealistic. Of course, we also get another female lead who can apparently do everything except be believable.
As if that weren't enough, another trend in recent Chinese dramas is loud background music that plays almost continuously, is mixed so prominently that it competes with the dialogue, and soon becomes exhausting. Apparently, every emotion now requires an orchestra, and every conversation needs a soundtrack.
I like both actors individually, but I didn't think they suited these roles together. She looked a little too old for the character, while he had too much of a puppy-faced, youthful appearance for his role.
I'll leave this cinematic rollercoaster to viewers with stronger eyes, a higher tolerance for nonstop editing, and perhaps faster reflexes than mine.

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It's been a while since I was this invested in a drama

Loved this so much.

You'll find that this drama is a bit fast-paced than most dramas, but that doesn't make it any less engaging. In fact, I think its fast pace is one of the reasons it's so captivating. This is one of those rare dramas that keeps you hooked every second, and if you skip even a few minutes, you might miss something important. Because it's fast-paced, it doesn't waste your time, which makes it even more worth watching.

Now, I also wanted to leave a note regarding the criticism about the cast's age and the age gap. I've been a fan of both Hou Minghao and Ai Mi for a while. As for Ai Mi, I've seen her in several supporting roles and already knew she had the potential to become a great leading actress. It's true that I wasn't expecting her to star in this kind of romance drama at just 17, but as long as it doesn't include overly intimate scenes or excessive kissing, I think it's fine. They're actors, after all, they're simply doing their job. And despite all the criticism, just look at how successful this drama has become.

I also hope people will look at the positive side. At just 17 years old, Ai Mi was able to deliver such an amazing performance in her first leading role in a drama like this. She was incredibly captivating. She did an excellent job, even though, like any actor, there's always room to improve. As for Hou Minghao, he didn't disappoint, as always. His emotional performance was spot on. For me, the acting in this drama was top-notch. It was also refreshing to see an actress who is nearly the same age as her character portraying the role so naturally. I loved that energy.

The supporting cast was great as well. Everyone did an excellent job. The OST was so good too. This is one of the best dramas of 2026 for me. It takes you through laughter, sadness, joy, heartbreak, and so many other emotions. I highly recommend it. You'll definitely want to give it a try.

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A STRONG LOVE STORY INTANGLED IN STORM

IT was kind of a unique story i really loved it story was also good the characters every thing was well balanced according to the situations 😁 i don't want to compln about other things because it needs a lot of patience to watch this series so I don't recommend this if u don't have patience to watch.

The story feels long some times it feels lots drop it but hearme it's worth to watch. u will feel the happiness and laugh and cry with that ghost in side of your room.

Acting is always top-notch every character was well matched and acted but my only complaint is it missed a lot of action scenes i really wanted to watch some actions. I want to mention about uncle zhou bro was like a pillar for our Main leads really that guy lost everything but never gave up on leads our leads.

music will it was good every time its good.

re-watch value it's almost 32 ep i want to watch i will watch last 2 episodes

that's it I am going to watch another drama bye bye 👋

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Oranges

Honestly? When I put aside the fact that it takes place in past and everyone is okay with them being gay, it's 10/10. It's cute, meaningdlful, emotional, the story makes sense, the actors do have a chemistry... And the ending? I didn't expect it'd expect like this, but it's really great.

I feel sorry for Jason (actor), because he didn't deserve such a big punishment for one wrong repost. It's good that they let him in last episode at least, when he can't attend the fanmeeting with other cast. At least it was so obvious that they still left some space for him <3.

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See you at work tomorrow!

Firstly I watched only because of Seo In Guk, it is not like I do not like calm romance but I choose them mostly because of the cast. This drama is not bad but comparing to other in this genre is just average. I feel like it is either too slow or there are too many too long episodes (yeah, episodes were definitely too long).
SIG was really good, his chemistry was on poin but I wished that he or his storyline appeared much more, in the end he also was a main character. But I have to admit that I am suprised with roles/dramas choices, He played so similar character in Boyfriend on demand, which was view months ago (and was so much better, sorry not sorry, but everything was better there, storyline, chemistry between cast/couple).
Park Ji Hyun - my first drama with her and she was not bad, do not misunderstand me, but she also was not the best, chemistry from her was pretty weak, maybe her character was just written badly. She was relatable in view aspects but still not my favourite character.
Kang Mi Na - she shined here, she is perfect for romcoms!!
To be honest I was more interested about PJH's parents storyline and second couple than main couple or simply main female character. But I have to admit that there were not any character who would annoy me too much.
To sum up, it is not a bad drama, people who want something calm and like this genre will like it, but in my opinion it is still too long.

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Teamwork Makes The Dream Work!

Road to Success is a heartwarming, healing sports-and-growth drama that champions mental health, resilience, and mature partnership. There is so much to root for and we get a very satisfying ending.

Esther Yu delivers a mature performance as Wan Xing, the beating heart and vocal student advocate of the story. Chen Jing-Ke plays Wang Fa, a green-flag, reserved, and deeply devoted partner whose love language is built on action and unwavering support. He’s quite handsome, too! Wang Fa is a quiet character, especially in comparison to his father and Yu Bo (Victor Ma), who have colorful personalities. But don't let that fool you--still waters often run deep! Their "Mom and Dad" dynamic gives the team a united, secure front.

The Backstory: The leads carry deep trauma, causing them to retreat to Hongjing No. 8 High School. For Wan Xing, it is a nasty set-up surrounding the death of her psychology grad school professor, in which she is the target. Under duress, she leaves grad school and becomes the high school's sports equipment custodian and soccer team manager back at her grandparents’ hometown. Wang Fa is a top tier UK youth soccer coach, who carries deep self blame for the untimely passing of a player under his wing. His initial investigation leads him to believe Wan Xing is the culprit to his player's death, so he becomes a tenant in her building for close proximity to dig further for the truth. Prior to the arrival of Wan Xing and Wang Fa, the high school soccer team was disbanded, but the members never lost their fighting spirit to return to the field. Wan Xing’s background isn’t fit for technical soccer coaching, so through persistence she enlists the help of Wang Fa, who reluctantly agrees to the position. Thus the road to success begins!

Themes: Emphasizes that real love expands your world rather than caging you, highlighted by Wang Fa's most romantic gesture towards Wan Xing to prioritize her personal dreams and growth. Did the drama need this romance? No, but I'm glad we got it! The drama focuses heavily on teamwork, perseverance through life's peaks and valleys, and the power of having agency. Life is hard at times, but it is important to remember that everything has meaning and that there is another chapter after the challenges. Having the right person/people at your side can make all the difference!

The Good: The underdog team's bond, the strong emphasis on mental health, great supporting characters like the comic relief from Yu Bo (Victor Ma) and Director Qian acting as a crucial school ally, and a wonderfully mature romance. The boys on the soccer team are good kids and I found myself cheering for them both on and off the field! Yes, there was friction but the boys figured it out and became united. Chen Jing-Ke demonstrates his athleticism and is convincing on the field as a soccer coach. Wang Fan’s arc as skeptical to completely devoted to her journey is a joy to watch. He allows her to move at her own pace, never demanding. Wan Xing’s dedication to the students and her ability to confront Wang Fan during his decision to leave the team was handled with care. It takes strength to be a safe harbor for others while you are internally struggling as well.

The Could-Be-Better: The voice dubbing for Chen Jing-Ke felt a bit off, and I wish they had kept his natural voice. The thriller-adjacent plotline involving her psycho college senior didn't fit the uplifting team-spirit energy of the drama and was just strangely done. It also would have been refreshing to see some genuinely supportive high school parents instead of the heavy focus on trauma. There's a lot of subplots going on, and sometimes the resolutions seem a bit too easy or overlooked.

Overall, it's a healing comfort watch and a drama that I will definitely return to! Maybe it resonates so much because of my own background as an educator.

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❄️ A journey worth taking, even if the destination feels incomplete. ?

*Blossom of Power* impressed me most with its outstanding production quality. The cinematography is stunning, the color palette is elegant, and every frame feels carefully crafted. It's the kind of drama that's simply beautiful to watch. The OST is equally impressive, with songs that not only sound beautiful but also perfectly reflect the characters and enhance the emotions of each scene.

One of the biggest highlights is He Yu as the Crown Prince. His performance is exceptional, effortlessly balancing charisma, authority, and emotional depth.
Also, a big thank you to Meng Ziyi for personally inviting He Yu to take on the role of
Xiao Hua Yong. She definitely has great taste, and I have to say, she made an excellent choice

As for the main couple, Meng Ziyi and He Yu may not have the most striking visual chemistry, but they fit their characters so well that it never feels like a drawback. Their natural interactions and genuine comfort with each other—likely because they're close friends in real life—make the romance feel warm, believable, and easy to root for.

My only complaint is the ending. It feels rushed and leaves several storylines without proper closure. I genuinely think the drama would have benefited from a full 40 episodes.

Overall, *Blossom of Power* is a visually stunning historical drama with excellent performances, a charming lead couple, and a memorable soundtrack. Despite its rushed ending, it's definitely worth watching.

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Speed dating on crack - fun edition.

Honestly, I had a blast watching. All the contestants were extremely unique (or at least far more unique than the usual bunch we get in shows like that) with their own distinctive charms. As individuals I loved them, as for the relationships, I had some questions.

Seeing how many couples ended up actually dating after the show, I’d say it was a massive win. Do I understand how at least some are still together? No. But then I saw just a tiny part of their interactions in a short period of a week they lived together.

On a personal level I truly liked Siwon and Jihye. They both seemed really determined and direct - knowing what they liked and what they dislike, being honest with people they interact with.

On the entertainment side I loved Jungwon - what a fox he was. I was shocked by more than one of his decisions and actions.

Pairings one, I adored Siwon and Yujin - they were such an unexpected ship for me, but I loved how wholesome their dates were.

For the criticisms, , it’s the usual: wish the show was longer - not even necessarily more episodes, but they staying together longer. One week is a ridiculously short period of time, especially since if they pick each other at the end, they are called “couples”... when they are still in the process of getting to know each other.

Then I wish there was more variety of age gaps, but also for the smallest age gap being larger than here. The catfish this season was way too young.

Overall, I liked it more than season 1 for sure.

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So so so good!!!

(Sorry for my english + its my first review)
I watched many dramas and I think this one is one of the best I've watched. Characters that are very real, not some good or bad guys, relationship progress, nice shots, good music.

Not once i felt this tightness in my chest waching this. I laughed, I got agitated, I was moved and I think thats the most important think, that I felt many emotions watching this drama.

Two main characters are very good writen, they emotions, they dialogs, everything.

One little flaw is rushen ending in last epizodem. I think if this drama had at least 14 episodes there would be better ending

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A Parody not intended to be a Parody

My rating 7.5/10

Review

If you enjoy what I would call the modern, streaming-platform interpretation of a South Korean romance, then this might be for you. If you're a longtime K-drama fan looking for the qualities that made the genre so beloved, I think you'll find this pretty disappointing.

To me, Spring Fever feels like another casualty of the recent trend of international streaming platforms trying to recreate the K-drama formula without fully understanding what makes it work. It's as if someone studied the tropes, character archetypes, and story beats, checked every box, and still managed to get almost all of them just slightly wrong. The result feels less like a classic K-drama and more like an imitation of one.

I generally don't love shorter-format dramas, although they certainly can work. Here, though, the pacing felt off in the opposite direction. The story had essentially resolved the major developments, yet there were still several episodes left, making it feel like the drama had run out of meaningful things to say before it actually ended.

More importantly, it lacks the complexity that makes so many Korean romances engaging. The characters never develop enough depth to become genuinely compelling, the emotional moments rarely feel earned, and nearly every trope feels inserted because the script thinks it should be there rather than because the story naturally arrives there.

There were honestly times when I couldn't decide whether the writers were intentionally making a parody of K-drama tropes or simply executing them poorly. The dramatic catches, the prolonged staring contests, the perfectly timed romantic moments—they happened so often, and with so little subtlety, that I genuinely wondered if the drama was poking fun at the genre. I was several episodes in before I finally concluded that wasn't the intention. They were simply trying to play the tropes straight, and for me they just didn't land. That ultimately sums up how I felt about the entire drama. It felt like it understood the checklist of what goes into a K-drama but not why those elements became beloved in the first place. Instead of feeling heartfelt or charming, many of the familiar moments came across as awkward imitations of much better dramas.

I also continue to dislike the recent trend of writing female leads who are overly bossy, excessively independent to the point of pushing everyone away, and almost impossibly unforgiving. That's simply not an attractive personality to me, regardless of whether it's a male or female character. Likewise, the male lead spends too much of the early story acting so exaggerated and awkward that it takes far too long to become invested in him.

Even the romantic dynamics never really come together. The love triangle doesn't work because the second male lead is never presented as someone worth rooting for, so there is never even a hint of second lead syndrome. The second couple also falls flat because the female half of that pairing is so consistently rude and petty that it's difficult to invest in their relationship. Even the older romance struggles because the man spends so much time treating her poorly that her developing feelings for him never feel particularly convincing.

I wouldn't recommend this to anyone. There are simply too many genuinely great K-dramas available. I don't regret finishing it, but had I known beforehand how this drama approached its characters and storytelling, I would have skipped it entirely.

Other reviewers also frequently pointed to the uneven pacing, inconsistent tonal shifts between comedy and romance, reliance on familiar tropes, and underdeveloped supporting characters. While some viewers enjoyed the lighthearted atmosphere more than I did, I found those problems overshadowed anything the drama did well.

Spoilers

I never connected with Yoon Bom (female lead) early on. Her gloomy, self-imposed isolation and the speech she gave herself about becoming withdrawn just didn't make much sense to me. I completely understood why she arrived at her new school not wanting to trust anyone. After all, none of the teachers or administrators at her previous school had supported her during the incident that upended her life, so it made perfect sense that she'd be guarded and reluctant to open up. The problem is that the writers took that understandable caution and pushed it into something much stranger. Instead of simply being quiet and withdrawn, they wrote her as oddly awkward and eccentric in ways that felt more forced than believable. I know they were aiming for comedy, but for me it just made her character feel weird rather than sympathetic.

Likewise, I struggled with Seon Jae-gyu (male lead) in the opening episodes. I understand the writers were aiming for comedy, but his exaggerated "superhero" moments simply weren't integrated well. One moment the drama would be relatively grounded, and the next he'd be flying through the air like Superman. Slapstick comedy absolutely can work, but it requires careful setup and consistency. Here, it mostly came across as cheesy rather than charming.

I understood why Bom initially assumed Jae-gyu was some kind of gangster because of his tattoos. Given South Korean cultural attitudes toward tattoos, that first impression made sense. What didn't make sense was the entire town continuing to believe that for years despite seeing him devote himself to raising Han-gyeol. Someone who sacrifices that much for a child would naturally earn a very different reputation over time.

More importantly, this contradicted how the townspeople themselves were written. One of the things I actually liked about the community was that, despite all the rumors surrounding Bom when she arrived, they got to know her for themselves instead of judging her based on gossip. They accepted her because of the person they actually met. That was part of what made the townspeople so charming. If they could extend that grace to a complete stranger, it made no sense that the very same people would spend years refusing to recognize the character of a man they had watched lovingly raise his nephew. I think the writers were trying to make Bom the one person who truly understood him, but in doing so they undermined the consistency of the entire town.

Choi Yi-joon (second male lead) never became a sympathetic rival for me. He often bordered on being more of a villain than a believable second lead, so the romantic tension never really worked. Rather than creating a compelling love triangle, he mostly came across as someone I simply wanted out of the story. One of the biggest disappointments was that there was never even the slightest hint of second lead syndrome. The writers completely undermined that aspect of the romance by making him so unlikeable from beginning to end.

Ironically, my favorite character was probably the dog. That's often true for me, but in this case the dog genuinely made several scenes more enjoyable. Whenever I found myself getting frustrated with the writing, the dog's presence usually managed to make those moments more watchable.

The storyline involving Bom's mother suddenly deciding to become protective of her daughter was one of several moments that made me think, "Oh, come on." She had never truly changed as a person and still cared more about avoiding controversy than acknowledging the abuse her daughter suffered. Because of that, her sudden possessiveness and stalking behavior felt completely unearned.

The secondary romance between Seon Han-gyeol (nephew) and Choi Se-jin (second female lead) never worked for me either. She was consistently rude and dismissive toward him, to the point where I genuinely felt sorry for him. Rather than coming across as playful banter or a tsundere personality, it simply felt emotionally abusive.

The sporting event storyline was another low point. I never fully understood why Bom became so determined to pressure Jae-gyu into helping her win. She claimed it was for the elderly woman who wanted a medal, but that motivation never felt convincing, and the drama hinted at deeper reasons without ever clearly explaining them. The end result was Jae-gyu breaking a promise to Han-gyeol in order to prioritize Bom, which didn't sit well with me.

Se-jin's entire conflict also frustrated me. Her resentment toward Han-gyeol boiled down to the fact that he performed slightly better than she did. She constantly pressured him, making him feel guilty for succeeding, and when he intentionally let her win, she became angry because she thought he pitied her. The writing seemed to be aiming for a tsundere dynamic, but instead she just came across as petty and mean-spirited. Other reviewers often described her as immature, but I thought the writing pushed her well beyond that into simply being unlikeable.

Even the older romance failed to land for me. The older man spent so much of the series treating the older woman poorly that I never found myself believing her feelings developed naturally. The drama seemed to expect the audience to overlook his behavior because romance was the destination, but for me the emotional journey simply wasn't there.

I was relieved that the storyline involving Han-gyeol's biological mother didn't go the predictable route. I was worried the drama would have him immediately believe she had always wanted him while painting Jae-gyu as the villain who kept them apart. Thankfully, the truth came out. However, I really wish the drama had followed that revelation with a heartfelt conversation between Han-gyeol and Jae-gyu. After everything his uncle sacrificed—not just raising him, but raising him exceptionally well—he deserved genuine recognition and gratitude.

Then, of course, the drama included the obligatory separation trope. I never felt it was necessary. It seemed to exist solely so Bom could further establish herself as a teacher after clearing her name. While it gave her professional closure, I don't think the romance benefited from the separation at all.

The proposal scene was actually quite sweet until Bom opened the "when you miss me" gift and immediately became upset because it wasn't expensive jewelry. That reaction completely undercut the emotional meaning behind the gift. Most people would have recognized that he was giving her something deeply meaningful—something connected both to his scars and to how they first met. Instead, her reaction came across as surprisingly shallow. Perhaps the scene could have worked if Jae-gyu had intentionally anticipated her response as part of a joke, but the dialogue made it clear he sincerely chose the gift because of what it represented.

I also wish the fire involving Jae-gyu's father had been handled differently. I could absolutely understand him choosing to save Han-gyeol first if saving both people wasn't possible. However, the way the drama portrayed the scene made it seem as though he simply abandoned his father, and that felt completely out of character. Even considering how abusive his father had been, I don't believe that matched the compassionate person the series had established.

Finally, I never bought Yi-joon's obsession with Bom's mother as a longtime celebrity fan. It's certainly possible for younger people to admire older actors, but the way this relationship was written felt awkward and unnatural. Their dynamic never really made sense, and it added yet another subplot that felt disconnected from the rest of the story.

Overall, Spring Fever felt like a drama that understood the surface-level ingredients of a K-drama without understanding why those ingredients work. It checked off the expected tropes but rarely earned them. The characters lacked the warmth and complexity that make great K-dramas memorable, the romances never became emotionally compelling, and several of the storylines felt more frustrating than satisfying. I finished it, but I wouldn't recommend it when there are so many stronger dramas that execute these same ideas far better.

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