One of the best Chinese TV drama series I have ever watched, and I have watched already hundreds in my lifetime. This is my 2nd time watching multiple episodes drama (my first was "Empress Ki", a long 50++ episodes Korean period drama series). Even though there is 73 episodes, I was never bored. Instead, I kept wanting to watch the next episodes all the time. I did not even fast forward any scenes because I wanted to understand the whole story. That is how wonderful this TV drama is.
Overall, it is very interesting, complex, intriguing, heart-warming but can also be heart-wrenching, slow burning but ended up giving long-lasting warmth and good-feeling; this drama series is full of subtle and thrilling actions, lots of angst and affections - where the battles are not just out in the fields or Palace but also in the hearts, minds and homes of every characters. This drama may not be for everyone, but I totally love it. I even re-watched several episodes whenever I don't have other interesting dramas to watch.

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I did not like this drama in the end. To be honest, I liked the first few episodes where the ML was being so bossy and selfish, and the FL was fighting so hard to work with him, just to secure a job. But when he started to waver and became indecisive and while the FL continued to lie to him being Veronica Park, my interest in the drama just went down the drain. In the end, I actually watched the drama for the real Veronica Park parts only. She is hilarious and over the top. The FL and ML are OK but their story-line got quite muddled in the end. The actors worked their best but the writing could have been better.
I cannot understand why this drama got high rating when there are much better Rom-Com dramas out there.

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Beautiful and Touching Deja-Vu Drama

I really like this lakorn, as I find the story-telling, writing and directing were good and all the actors acted really well here. I've never liked Pong before, but he acted very well here and he really showed lots of emotions for his role. I have always like Esther as she is good in this type of roles (sweet, kind and selfless heroine) - I saw her first time in the Thai version of You Are My Destiny drama.
I have never watched the original Taiwanese "Deja Vu" but I read the reviews were not good. I am glad I watched the Thai version first.
There were many scenes in this lakorn that made me cheer for the heroine, some made me cry together with her, and sometimes, even made me frustrated (especially towards the last few episodes), but overall, it was a good drama about true love and how the power of true love can overcome many obstacles, even death. Overall, it was entertaining and enjoyable.

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Under the Power of Love and Comedy

I actually did not want to watch this drama in the beginning because of the poster of the young-looking lead actors vs. the rather serious synopsis. But someone persuaded me to try to watch first few episodes and eventually I was hooked. This drama has excellent cast, and everyone acted very well, even the extras. I find every episodes to be entertaining, although I admit that I fast-forwarded uninteresting and cringey parts.

The chemistry between Allen Ren (as LuYi) and Seven Tan (as JinXia) was great, and their cute sweet interactions made this drama worth watching. Their character development throughout the series, and their natural well-paced romance made this show really endearing. It did not take long for both of them to fall in love with each other (I am glad the Writers didn't take too long to execute).
Because he is a high ranking bad-ass Embroidered Imperial Guard, he is cold-blooded and heartless while doing his job. But in his private time, he is gentle and warm towards his family and friends, especially to JinXia, who has melt and won his frozen heart by her constant care and attention, her perseverance and charm, and best of all, her personal sacrifice she made for him (see Episodes 22-23). I loved their private moments together where LuYi gets to let his guard down and allow himself to secretly gaze intensely-lovingly at JinXia.

One of my fav episode is Episode 28 where he was poisoned and mentally regressed to an 8 years old kid. He was very cute as a child (mentally) and he called Jin Xia as his "big sister". When it rained heavily that night, he got scared of the loud thunder, ran to and beg his "big sister" to let him sleep with her; when she reluctantly agreed, he immediately jumped into her bed and grabbed her hand for comfort and sleeping. She cannot helped herself but adorably let him do so. Next morning, we see the adorable couple cuddling - only to be discovered by Xie Xiao (her big love admirer) who burst into her bedroom with breakfast. When he saw Lu Yi emerged from the bed cover, he was so shocked that he wanted to punch Lu Yi out, and then several hilarious arguments and scenes followed. The hilarious scenes were so funny that I laughed so much until my stomach ached. In fact, I kept re-watching Episode 28-29.

As for the second lead couple, Yan Yue (by Lu Hong) and Shang GuanXi (by Julia Ye), honestly, I was not really interested in their story; after few episodes of Shang GuanXi still pining for Xie Xiao's lost affection and Yan Yue constantly stalking her like a lovesick puppy, their story got boring really quickly for the viewer. I even fast-forwarded the scenes of them together, and rather just focus on other interesting characters such as the cunning and ruthless villain, Yan Shi Fan (played brilliantly by Han Dong), XieXiao (played hilariously by Ethan Yao), Lan DaoHeng (played by Han ChengYu) and Uncle Gai (played by Li Tin Zhe). The palace politics and power play by various parties were not heavy-handed and used nicely as good entertainment for the drama.

One of my complaints are the poor quality CGI and special effects in the show. For example: the under-water scenes where LuYi and JinXia fell from the ghost ship was poorly made (I laughed so much at this), and the river where they went raft-riding on, and the poisonous snakes on the island of Dr Lin Ling's (the poison-curer expert) were sooo fake, that I just shook my head... Luckily all these bad CGI was made up by the good story-telling and many comedy moments.

My second complaint is the imprisonment of Lu-Yi in the final episode 55, where he offended the Emperor when trying to re-instate Jin-Xia's family in order to atone his father's bad deeds. Come on Writers! Why waste the final episode this way? Even though Lu-Yi was finally set free in the end and he was greeted happily by Jin-Xia outside the prison doors, I felt the Writers should have spent the final episodes showing the Viewers some happy events like the wedding of Lu-Yi and Jin-Xia, how they awesomely spend their married life as a power couple solving crimes, fighting and catching criminals, and finally, seeing cute adorable babies of Lu-Yi and Jin-Xia.

This drama is highly recommended for its big entertainment value, and great acting and writing (except for some dumb silly plots - which were so obvious they're forgettable). To be honest, I enjoyed this drama so much that I wished there is a few more episodes to watch. I wonder if there will be a Season 2.

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Lots of Backstabbing, face slapping, shouting and crying

This is my first review here, yeah!!
In my opinion, this drama is really well-written and well directed. All the casts were all great in playing their characters; They were so good that most of the time, I wanted to scream my lungs out and about to burst my top while watching this Lakorn. The exquisite and beautiful outfits and dresses, expensive bags and jewelries (lots of Chanel product placing!) add glamour to this drama. The cinematography is wonderful, and I get to see some nice aerial view of Bangkok and also some beautiful scenic parts of Thailand by the beach and countrysides. The OSTs are not bad, but towards the end, the background music to the sad scenes were totally driving me crazy, especially the one with the cello - oh my god, I was almost pulling out my hair every time I hear the cello !! Can't the director put some violin music please.... LOL
And another thing that annoying is the cheap-looking house slippers everyone is wearing in their residences. I get it that they take off their outdoor shoes when entering their places, but there are so many better looking house slippers in the market. Why choose the ones that look like the hotel room slippers?!

Everyone who is bad and wicked was really very mean to the main female lead, Jee - played by the gorgeous and beautiful Yaya/Urassaya Sperbund, with a body to die for. Poor Jee - so many times she got slapped, beaten up, drugged, sexually assaulted, drowned, shot, betrayed, even raped (forced to have sex with Sathit), rejected, abandoned, slandered and get thrown off a horse! A weak woman would have gone mental in the end, but she becomes stronger and better that she give it all back to the wrongdoers in full measure. I am glad she is not a pushover, especially when Sathit finally falls in love with her and begs her to marry him but she made him really work for it. She even ran away from him to hide, and he had to chase after her like crazy, begging all her friends and even her mother, for help.
The main male lead, Sathit played by Mark Prin Suparat. He looks cute and adorable but he plays a tough and heartless lawyer who was deeply angry and frustrated with the injustice of losing his beloved girlfriend and fiance. His burning anger to hurt and punish Jee was driven by the hatred and grieve caused by losing his beloved fiance, just days before they got married. I can understand his pain, but I feel that he is really a hypocrite to keep claiming he is abiding by the law and yet he breaks every law in book to pursue his revenge against Jee. But slowly, when he got to know the real Jee, and seeing how many times she helped and saved him, he cannot help but fall in love her and he was conflicted because he was falling for the woman who killed his beloved girlfriend. When he found out the real reason why Jee accidentally ran over and killed his fiance, he finally let go of his hatred and started to run to Jee, but she got enough of him and ran away from him instead..... hahahaha.... serves him right!!
Best comic relief was Suki. I really loved Jee's gay manager, Suki. He is really fabulously cool, over-the-top and so funny but yet fiercely loyal and loving to Jee.
One of her loyal friend is the film director, Chaiyan played by Louis Scott. He is really a good and loyal friend to Jee, protecting and defending her against everyone who tries to hurt her. I feel sorry for him because he was married to a crazy jealous wife who does not trust him and refused to listen to him.
As for Piak (director's wife) - she is so self-centred, crazy with jealousy and so spoilt that I really wanted to bitch slap her to death. I think she is the only one not being slapped, which I think is really unfair.
As for the other characters that support the story, I will not write too much. They did their part to drive the lakorn forward and made it entertaining to watch.
After almost 30 hours of endless roller coaster of emotions and tears, I am very relieved that everyone got their happy endings.

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Need Season 3

I really like this Series of Queen of Mystery 1 + 2.... The acting, story line and crime-solving moments are amazing, IMO. The chemistry between the main male and female lead is very good. I always like the main actor and I find him to be good in being strong and yet vulnerable at the same time, to be cute and funny. I also like the main actress in her role as a female Sherlock Holmes. She has good discerning eyes and sharp senses to details. It is a pity that the society she lives in (South Korea) does not appreciate her good talent and skill in being a good detective. She would have been greatly appreciated in other countries, perhaps in USA. I don't know, this is just my opinion. I hope there is a Season 3 because so many issues were left unattended and open-ended. When will the 2 man female and male leads get together and live together or get married? Who the Hell is Secretary Kim and what is his back story --- and Why the heck is he so powerful? Please pretty Please, I beg the Korean Writers, please make Season 3!!!!!!

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The Imperial Crime Scene Investigators (CSI)

Just finished this drama and I loved it. I did not expect much when I started but it has great story-line, intense actions, interesting plots and clever dialogues, re-caps of previous episodes in the beginning of new episodes, strong friendships and bromances, subtle yet sweet romances, no boring fillers or stupid misunderstandings, no jealous bitches but supportive female leads, etc.. Kudos to great direction, writing, casts and production. Even the cinematography was good. I was never bored at all watching it, did not fast forward or skip any scenes. I even binged watched this in 2 days!! This is one of my favourite C-dramas now.
I would have given 10/10, but I deducted 0.5 points for the really rushed ending. Maybe another 1 - 2 episodes to nicely wrap this lovely drama. I would have loved to see the full wedding and later married life of Prince An and Chu chu; I would like to see if the SML and SFL finally got married. Also, I need more drama to show the events that lead to the Emperor granting Chu Chu the Imperial Coroner certificate again. Maybe there will be Season 2. Let's hope so.

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Passionate Love Story with Beautiful Classical Music

I really love this wonderful drama. At first, I did not want to watch it because of the subject matter (Secret love affair between teacher and student; married mature woman and young man; etc). But after discovering Kim Hee-Ae from "The World of the Married" (where she acted so well), I decided to watch this drama too; plus I love Yoo Ah-In's visual and acting in period drama Jang Ok Jung. The starting, I thought it was slow and boring, but as the story progressed, I got hooked by the piano music and the relationship between the main leads, and binge-watched this in 2 days. The acting and performance by the main leads were excellent, their passion for music and for each other was so intense and incredible, and I LOVE LOVE the classical music played throughout this drama. It made me love piano classical music again. This drama has a mature theme, and it is not for everyone.
But if you like classical music and forbidden love theme, perhaps you can give this drama a try.

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Come and Enjoy the Wild Fun Ride of Cops and Bad Guys

The only reason I wanted to watch this Cop K-drama was because of the 2 main male actors - Lee Seung Gi and Cha Seung Won; they were also in A Korean Odyssey and I loved the crazy funny bromance between these 2 guys. I have finally marathon-watched You're All Surrounded last weekend, and it was a wild ride. I think this is one of the best cop drama I have ever watch; felt fresh, not so boring, and has few good OST. There were lots of twists and turns, deep conspiracies and mysteries (mainly relating to why Eun Dae Gue/Kim Ji Yong's mother was murdered - the basis of this drama), complex villains, plus bits of romance thrown in. The chemistry between all the casts were great, especially between the 2 main lead couples. There were also many sad instances that brought lots of tears too. However, I have only 1 disappointment, that is, how the ending was rushed and wrapped up. I wished they have spent more time on how the main villain finally get punished, and less time on one unnecessary side-character (over-the-top loud shrieking Criminal Section Chief).
Overall, I really enjoyed this k-drama and I wished they made Season 2 immediately after Season 1 ended. I really miss these guys - Detective Seo Pan Seok and his 4 rookie detectives.

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Not the usual K-drama

This drama is actually really hilarious. At first it was weird, where the ML+FL relationship was kind of convoluted whereby the FL is fake dating the ML - after gotten dumped by her ex-boyfriend (who refused to get married) - and also going out with the handsome waiter (ML is okay with her dating others); the handsome waiter worked at her ex-boyfriend's cafe; the ML is the best friend of her ex-boyfriend and her ex-boyfriend is trying to get her back, while ex-BF is dating the ML's best friend. And then there is the ex-GF of the ML, who is trying to get pregnant without marriage; she is always around trying to break up the ML + FL relationship.
The ML is asking the FL to be his fake girlfriend in order to stop his domineering mother from pressuring him to get married, and he made a deal with his mother that if she cannot accept the woman he loves, she cannot make him marry others and must give her apartment to him permanent. He knows that his strict mother will never accept the FL as his girlfriend and future wife, because the FL is not the cheebol rich high-class elegant kind of girlfriend. However, in the end, the ML did fall in love with the FL because she is different, exciting and really interesting.
I actually like the ML and FL because they have great chemistry together and their silly constant bickering, hate-like relationship, and funny situations they ended up in. I actually had to rewatch it 2x before I find myself liking the drama. I like the part where the FL trashed the offering trays of the ML's dead father because his extended family dissed and insulted her "low class" parents and status. ... LOL.....
I recommend watching this drama with open mind and just looking for something light and funny to fill your time.

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I have watched this drama already in 2018 but yet, here I am re-watching it again now. I find that it is even better and funnier than before the 2nd time round, and I have to say the story and acting are all fantastic. Chief Kim (Nam Goong Min) is totally hilarious and Director Seo (Lee Jun Ho) is great at being the frustrated director trying to topple him. The rest of the casts are also good in doing their roles. The drama highlights the terrible conditions the workers have to put up with when the company's upper management is corrupt and heartless. Also the bullying of weaker staffs by people in power is hard to watch. But Chief Kim gallantly managed to put these bullies in place every time. It is a great K-drama to watch, if you don't watch mushy romances.

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This drama started off really nice, and the sweet chemistry between Seung-Joo (FL) and Dak Ju (ML) was warming up nicely. But by episode 14, when the FL's useless brother and ungrateful mother were endlessly using FL's undying family duty and generosity too much, up to the point that the ML has to leave his beloved mountain and revealed his true identity just to save the FL, I just decided to give up watching and just skip to the ending. This TV drama has lost its plot and it was getting more painful to watch the FL and ML hurting each other for no reasons and also being used by others for their own agenda. Plus there is so much screaming, shouting, screeching by the FL. She kept saying she is strong and independent but she ended up looking like a bitch or female cat in heat. The writers could have written the story better.

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Wasted Potential and Good Actors Talents

This drama would have been a good horror mystery if the lukewarm-lame romance were removed from it. I would have preferred that the ML stayed cold, arrogant yet strong and over-confident throughout the drama. While I was watching this drama, I find myself shouting often at the TV screen to tell the characters to keep on running or escaping or not waste time during suspenseful scenes because of the imminent dangers around their corners. There are crazy Japanese soldiers or monster running around all over the dark places! And yet, those people were busy either talking trash, or arguing or crying or just making googly eyes at each other (yes, the ML & FL) trying to foster some fake romantic vibes for the drama! There's no feeling of urgency about the danger or fear. No tension or suspense. It's like the main characters knew they were super human, they have great plot armour and they know they will survive.
Compared this with Train to Busan drama, this new drama is as scary as some B-grade Hollywood Halloween film. Even the Korean "Kingdom" historical zombie horror-drama is 2x better. LOL... hehehe...
Anyways, this is only my opinion (plus my sister's too as we watched it together).

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Jang Ok-Jung is an NOT EVIL woman

I started watching this historical drama because someone recommended that it is another drama where the King and Queen loved each other so much and there's lots of TLC, similar to QUEEN: LOVE AND WAR. Then I realized the FL is the same person in HI BYE, MAMA - which I really loved. I hope I don't cry too much after watching this historical drama.

I really loved the main female lead, Jang Ok-Jung, because she is smart, talented, hard-working and strong - due to her surviving great loss, pain and abuses. I WILL NOT SAY SHE IS EVIL. She is the product of her terrible environment and abusive experiences. She worked hard to make a living and to save her mother from slavery. However, society and circumstances failed her so many times. Just because she was considered as low-class (even though her father was a scholar and considered as middle-class), she was always being mocked, beaten, abused, betrayed, manipulated, kidnapped, almost burned alive (2x), almost murdered, and - the last straw - lost her unborn baby due to evil trickeries in the palace.

FINALLY, in the end, she realised that she needed power to save herself and her mother. She learnt to be/and became manipulative because she believed that's the only way to fully protect herself and exact revenge on those who have terribly hurt her in the past. If people say she was evil, then they must also say that her uncle, mother-in-law (King's bitter mother), the Queen's father and his accomplices, the bad palace maids, her mother's slave contractor, and the overall Josean high-class society and caste system as SUPER EVIL and Sadistic - because they all abuse the weak and the poor, and they take joy in other's pain and suffering.

What I loved most about this drama is King Sukjong's love and affection for Jang Ok-Jung. The chemistry between the main ML (Yoo Ah-In = who is sexy as hell and ohh that pouty lips) and FL (Kim Tae-Hee = she's beautiful and graceful, and she's RAIN's wife) was great and natural, and their loves scenes were so sweet and cute; at times, hot and sizzling.
l can't stop smiling whenever they flirted with each other. When they kiss, the kisses were real and passionate, not like those typical cold-fish fake kisses you see in many K-dramas.

SPOILERS:
I loved the part where King Sukjong lined the walkway to their new courtyard and house with lots of candles; it's Josean-version of romantic proposal. The part where King Sukjong told Jang Ok-Jeong that he wanted to build a separate house for her so that they can spend lovey dovey private times together and raise cute babies together, that dialogue almost made me cry. And he was back-hugging her when he told her this.
The part where he rushed to her work area, pretending to praise the workers there; he walked all the way to where she stood (she was at the end of the line) and then he turned around to face the others, blocking their view of him secretly brushing his fingers against hers, quickly yet firmly grasping her fingers before letting them go. AAHHHHH.... this scene reminded of teenagers in love and I just loved it.
The flashback when they first met when they were young; the whole scene was so sweet and cute (forget the crown prince's palace scenes - it's sad to watch). Even their young characters' chemistry was natural and wonderful. It was so bitter-sweet.
SIGH... Whenever I see King Sukjong and Jang Ok-Jung happily together, I just wished with all my heart that all the haters would just leave them alone and let them live out their lives happily.

OVERALL, this is a great historical drama, even though it has a tragic ending. Just enjoy the love story of King Sukjong and Jang Ok Jung (who became Queen Consort) and understand why she was labelled by history as evil, power hungry and manipulative. Perhaps, in truth, she was not evil after all.

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Beauty and the Beastie Fish

It is a nice fantasy movie but I wish the editing could have been better. The actors/actresses acted well, and the island of the sea demon god was nice, windy and pretty. The story and plot were interesting, and I believe all the film crew and production did their best to make this film. I really liked the look of the enormous legendary flying fish. He looks so majestic... LOL.
Overall, it is a sweet love story of a beauty and a big gigantic beastie flying fish. The beastie fish was cursed to look ugly, but pure real love released him and transformed him into a prince with godly powers.

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