Reviews

reluctant hero takes center stage

This drama has topped my list as one of my favorite stories that have come out in recent years. With relatable comedy, quick witted dialogue, and likeable characters this show carries itself through with laughter at its core and life lessons genuinely expressed. A fun and silly take on the reluctant hero that is out to make money for himself but ends up creating a village around himself that gives back sincerity. In a world of bosses only looking for profit Pei Qian becomes the boss that cares for his employees and forms a formidable team of misfits to rival the biggest companies; all by accident.

Pei Qian is the type of main character that is easy to watch and root for. He is funny and relatable in the way that makes him feel realistic. The people around him are often the most ridiculous characters but every one of them grow on you as the watcher really quickly. This is the type of show that brings you joy by watching and leaves a lasting impression on occasion with its unexpected life lessons. In an effort to do the opposite of what is 'profitable' Pei Qian often ends up creating an innovative way to give others exactly what they didn't know they needed. From a game that tests your sanity but makes you ponder where you spend your time to a gym that instead of forcing body image and insecurity creates a place for rest and recharge. His wacky ideas become innovation and often have the opposite effect he was wanting but for his employees he becomes this revered and approachable person that is their protector and safe haven.

This silly show is fun and heartwarming and I highly recommend it. My only complaints are in the latter episodes that slow down the pace but it is necessary for the growth of Pei Qian's character. That and the FORCED romantic story line that is completely unnecessary.

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Be Your Kiss (2025) is a very nice heartwarming romance miniseries with Huai Wen( as Fu Zheng Ting) and Liu Jia Xi (as Zhao Xiao Ya) in the leading couple’s role. The cast did a good job bringing their characters to life and the leading characters, even though their intimacy was not shown, they had a beautiful sensual way to go about the romance that really showed how they felt for each other. The leading couple has great communication and their interactions are loving, mature, and supportive. Overall, if the viewer is looking for a wonderful relationship, this is the drama to watch!
In the meantime, this drama can be found in YouTube under the caption: “
I married a rich older man, but it turns out he's my fiancé's biological father” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pdt0YURU89s)

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Thunder, Rain, And A Love Caught In The Storm

This series really was something. I understand why many viewers say it lacks consistency. In my opinion, it feels like a slightly organized mess. There are strong elements, but they do not always work together smoothly. So let’s break it down.

{Pros}

First, the acting was genuinely good. The emotions felt real and were expressed well. The yearning, the begging, the desperation, all of it felt raw rather than forced. The actors carried the emotional weight of the story in a convincing way.
The cinematography was another strong point. The countryside scenes were warm, soft, and visually stunning. In contrast, the scenes set in Seoul felt darker and more suffocating, which matched the tone of the story. Both settings were beautiful in their own ways and helped reinforce the emotional atmosphere.
The chemistry between the leads was also solid. The tension was well done, and the kiss scenes were strong and believable. Visually, the series was very pleasing overall.
Some parts of the story were decent and had interesting ideas, but they could have been developed more carefully.
And that is mostly where the positives end.

{Cons}

This story had so much potential. Unfortunately, I began losing hope as early as episodes 1 and 2. That is always disappointing, especially for a BL with a premise that could have delivered something powerful.
The biggest missed opportunity, in my opinion, was the pacing of the relationship. The series had the potential for a strong enemies-to-lovers arc, possibly stretching the tension until at least episodes 5 to 7. Instead, the emotional and physical connection happened very quickly. The kiss and the mutual feelings felt rushed, especially considering the standards and hostility set in the first episode. Because of that, the yearning and slow emotional buildup, which are essential for this trope, were weakened.
The storytelling also feels inconsistent. In the first episode, we are given background information about the characters and their history, but later the narrative does not fully commit to that foundation. It leaves several confusing questions, how close were Seo Jeong Han and Lee Il Jo before everything happened? Were they on good terms? Did Seo Jeong Han have hidden feelings before everything began? What was their real dynamic in the past? The lack of clarity makes it difficult to fully understand their emotional connection.
Another issue is the surgery subplot. In the first 2 episodes, Lee Il Jo’s surgery seems serious and significant, but after a brief mention, it is almost forgotten. Considering it appeared to be a major procedure that would require recovery, the lack of follow-through feels unrealistic.

Overall, the series maintains a very depressing tone. There are barely any light or genuinely happy moments. The family dynamics are already toxic, driven by money and status instead of love, and this negativity carries into the central relationship. While darker stories can be powerful and meaningful, they need balance to avoid becoming repetitive. Unfortunately, this series becomes emotionally exhausting rather than engaging.
Seo Jeong Han spends much of the series chasing Lee Il Jo. I did appreciate that he was not emotionally detached or trying to be nonchalant, he begged, he embarrassed himself, and he showed vulnerability. That felt real. However, Lee Il Jo’s constant attempts to leave, combined with his emotionally distant behavior, became frustrating. At times, it genuinely felt like he did not care, even though it was clear he was also hurting. Eventually, it became tiring to watch the same cycle repeat.
The series mainly consists of sadness, chasing, and family drama. There is nothing wrong with that kind of plot, but it needs stronger execution and better pacing to remain compelling.
And I'm still wondering why they didn't just let the same actors play as their younger selves, I kept wondering who those 2 kids were, I thought it was some random side couple with no information (which at that point I wouldn't have been surprised if they did that)

{Final Thoughts}

I truly grieve the potential this story had. A slower burn and a stronger enemies-to-lovers development could have made a huge difference. Instead, the relationship progression felt rushed and uneven.
I would not strongly recommend it, but I would not call it terrible either. It has good acting, strong visuals, and emotional intensity, but it lacks consistency and narrative depth.

Overall rating: 7/10

And I am still waiting for the perfect enemies-to-lovers BL that checks all my boxes.

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The power struggle between women, revenge-driven SFL vs cunning FL

I watched this today and i liked it despite there is many scene felt too jumpy due bad editing. Actually i liked the premises

The plot tells about FL transmigrates into a drama and engages in a power struggle with the reborn original FL while also straightening out her spoiled children. FL's confrontations with the villains are incredibly satisfying, and her approach to educating the children is gradual. Moreover, it not only features a domestic power struggle but also a court intrigue storyline—the first time I've seen a princess enter the palace to seize power. The villain was also reborn to take revenge to FL so it basically transmigrated FL vs reborn SFL.

The entire drama is logically sound, morally upright, and the ML silently protects her. Basically ML in this drama was practically useless and there is no romance plot in this drama. It has a happy ending with the whole family reunited. The makeup and styling are also excellent and Huang Yunyun uses her real voice as dubbing.

Still worth to watch.

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Decent drama about cliche plot

I watched this long time ago and it was considered decent from the year the drama was released. Zhao Zhendong plays as amnesia CEO who become father of FL's children. The drama contains generic plot like one-night stand, amnesia, and even verbal sparring between FL and her family. I quite like Zhang Jinyi portrayal of FL, she is not love brain FL and not too damsel in distress when she was bullied by her stepsister and step mother.

For the chemistry, I have no doubt about Zhao Zhendong and Zhang Jinyi even almost no romance scene between them, it feels warm to see them interact with the kids especially Zhao Zhendong. So I understand why his earlier works was become dad. The comedy was there but it feels quite weak and the romance development was quite slow.

The cons was Zhang Jinyi voice was being dubbed.

Still worth to watch.

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They are so adorable.

Literally at first I thought when p'fah will know that poon likes him he won't be able to accept but lately I understood that somehow fah also likes him episode 5 was too good I really like the way he accepted phoon's love , and started loving phoon also I liked the way he teased phoon after knowing he was the person in letter . Fah was so understanding even after phoon lied to him , he knew everything but he waited for phoon to say it I loved the way phoon was so dedicated towards loving fah as a person in letters or he himself even if they stopped talking to each other fah remembered phoon was afraid of dark and thunder he came and hug him helped him overcome his fear .. I have to say fah did a lot for phoon ( finding his mom , getting rid of his father , giving him encouragement , getting rid of his trauma and more ) , phoon thought fah will be disappointed in him but instead fah was the most supportive part of this story ....

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A drag for no good reason.

Without being to curt,the drama is really dragging its audience along for no good reason.The many flashbacks aren't really necessary because from episode one its established they became good friends through their love of photography.Certain flashbacks mid-series do not add anything to the plot because we already see they have their own bubble even their own friends recognized,the flashback of Wataru on a date being dumped showed us the audience they had other people but in the end it was just the two of them.But its an 11 episode drama and we are at episode 6,and so far we've got Wataru insisting from the first episode 'they are just friends' while they clearly are not,yet Minato has been steadfast about his feelings toward him and even confessed.Despite seemingly little progress being end at the end of episode 6, preview of episode 7 hints to us viewers there is regression in the relationship.Honestly at this point Wataru is a problem for me,him being stuck in the past and and being angry towards Minato chosing a profession not related to photography and dismissing Minato's romantic feelings and being insistent on him leaving... Understandably, he might be afraid they might not work out as a couple and loose their friendship entirely but seriously he should COMMUNICATE to Minato because he seems he would anything and everything for their friendship/relationship.

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Don't!

I can't help but wonder if they had replaced Cho Myeong Gyun with Jeong Ri U how much more entertaining this would have been even with rookie Hyun Woo. We know what these scripts are like at 7 min but this ......

The guy is terrible. His low voltage drops an already limiting script to comatose level. It's either he's working for free so they use him or he's related to the producer. One would think with more exposure he would get better, sadly no. Another irritating character, the bartender (Lee Jae Sung). My skin actually crawled. Not worth the effort. My 4.5 is for the rookie. Better but marginally.

Concensus: a resounding NO!

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Well detailed mini-work

Story 8
Acting and Casting 8.5
Music and Production 7.5
Rewatch value 6

I like this story. My first thought goes to how genuinely the relationship between the two starts and grows during the show. Everything seems so natural and spontaneous, like finding your own person. Slowly, knowing each other for real. Then the spark, the confession, the strength. This plot is also well managed and structured. No waste of time with irrelevant things (the side couple is cute and has, in my opinion, the right quantity of screentime). Maybe because of the short amount of time available. This is a journey we take with the main characters. Honestly, I would have preferred to see just few more scenes with them together as a couple.
I only have one question: what’s Gu Jae Yeon’s job? He’s a stuntman but also an executive director? Because he knows about fighting? I believe so.

The performances are good. I particularly appreciate the fighting training and shooting scenes: I find them professionally portraited, realistic. My favourite scene is, undoubtedly, the ‘lockers scene’ in episode five. Everything is perfect, from the acting to the filming. The light is stunning, marvellous, idyllic. Everyone does a good job, in general. Furthermore, I like the casting choices: Oh Jin Seok and Lee Tae Hyung look so good together.

As far as I can tell, there isn’t an ost song. I don’t know how I feel about that cause is my first time, but maybe I would have preferred to hear one. However, the sound is good as well as the direction and the screenplay. I like the dialogues, they’re not silly or useless. I believe everything is carefully chosen and there is attention to details.

I recommend this series because I founf it so enjoyable. Also, it’s pleasant and easy to watch it all in one evening.
Thank you for reading,
Kisses <3

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A Great and Enjoyable Watch!!

I thoroughly enjoyed watching this that I signed up for Premium VIP on iQiYi just to get the final episodes sooner😅

Loved both Leads, they did such a great job in their roles and their chemistry was perfect!!
The sets in the Virtual Setting were so pretty and our leads were just stunning in there!!
I loved ML's commanding (and handsome) presence in his virtual fit😍🔥

I was annoyed the FL didn't want to get married😅
I would've loved a wedding scene either in real life or in the virtual world lol

Overall I would recommend this, it was a fun watch!

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Good but not amazing!

Watched this for Oliver Chen as I had just finished 'Love between Lines' and I've loved him since 'Goodbye my Princess'🥰

'The Starry Love' was visually pleasing and I liked the look of the different sets.
The villainous Empress of The Void is so stunning! I couldn't stop commenting on how beautiful she is😆 even though I couldn't stand her character lol
The Heavenly Emperor made my blood boil, I wanted to punch him through the screen🤣

Overall 'The Starry Love' was ok (pretty average).
I think if they had given me a solid ending, instead of what I felt was a rushed and unsatisfactory one, then maybe I would've rated it better.
The story itself was good, I just feel the execution wasn't great, and also the pacing was lacking.
I especially hate when an ending feels rushed and incomplete.

Hearing Liu YuNing's beautiful voice throughout was very satisfying and enjoyable though so that was delightful bonus😊

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Can This Be Two Different Movies?

I did not find this poetic or beautiful. I had so many what the hell is happening moments. I feel like these were two competing stories that shouldn’t have to have compete. I’m glad it spoke to other people. It was lost in translation for me.

The casting was great. I really feel like this did a disservice to their talent. I wanted to drop this halfway through, but I’m not a quitter and needed to see it through.

I wanted to like this so much, but sadly did not. I don’t want to yuck somebody’s yum because it seems like there were people who really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, I did not.

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