Puppy Love that’s Sincere & True

I really love this drama. It’s relatable, fast-paced, interesting and moving. The boys in this drama are, on the whole, tall and adorable. The girls are watchable too.

Watch because:
- Ryan Ding - I loved him in Intense Love and so, I decided to watch this drama. He’s such a cute and handsome young man. He acted well and made me wish to have my own protector and ‘lover’ / sweetheart called He Xin Liang! His character in the drama is such a sweet guy who genuinely loves the girl. He does so much for her without asking for anything in return. Swoon.
- the actor who plays Ji Xiao is tall and cute too
- the actor who plays Yan Hai is funny and very relatable
- the teachers in this show made me wish that I had teachers like them in my youth - the teachers are good people
- plot is interesting and well-linked
- 31 eps at about 30 mins makes this drama very watchable
- happy ending! :)
- there are several words of wisdom in this drama too - meaningful. Eg: Learning how to be hardworking / diligent is more important than studying hard. This is because the good trait of being hardworking / diligent will stay with us for life.

I don’t talk about the girls as I don’t think they left deep impressions on me. Only the female lead, called Yan Zhe, is good enough to be mentioned and given an okay. The rest of the actresses are quite average.

He Xin Liang (Ryan Ding) really stands out in this drama though. Watch! For him! :)

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Two Cute Couples

I really enjoyed watching this show. I did some research before embarking on it and I felt that the reviews from other viewers were fairly accurate.

It’s a show that’s at times funny, at times moving, at times serious, at times contemplative ... there are layers to this show.

Watch because:
- the acting is good
- cast is well-cast
- I personally like Janice Wu - she’s not super pretty but she is quite cute and acts well, very natural
- the plot moves along fairly fast
- things are explained to viewers so that viewers don’t feel lost or feel that there’s a strange gap in the plot
- characters in the show grow up and change
- realistic show
- happy endings are my thing
- good vibes on the whole

I recommend! Watch!

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Cute Couple

I decided to watch this drama because of Bai Lu. I watched her for the first time in Lucky’s First Love and liked her. She’s not exquisitely gorgeous but she’s pretty in her own way and she’s attractively feminine.

This drama is good enough to watch. There are annoying moments and horrible characters, but of course.

Watch because:
- Bai Lu as Jiang Jun carried the show well
- the second male lead (Du Lei) is strangely attractive despite being a bad boy, ok, maybe because he’s a bad boy
- second male lead has good build and is quite handsome
- male lead is handsome but I find him too skinny
- plot is fairly fast-moving and things are explained quite fast
- the Easter Egg moments are cute and add to the understanding of the plot
- happy ending

I must complain about these annoying characters though - Lin Tai Mo: ugly and annoying ; Li Xiao Chuan: when he speaks he looks so annoying. When he doesn’t speak, he also looks so annoying. Xu Lili: acting isn’t good.

Rest - okay.

Overall, watch!!

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A long-drawn whodunit with lousy cast

I watched this as the reviews and rating were both good. I saw a few short clips and thought that this drama could be worth the while. I was wrong.

Pls don’t watch! Don’t watch because:
- The young male lead is so annoying. He is, IMO, a poor actor. He isn’t handsome so it’s even more annoying to watch him on my big screen. It’s like he sullies my screen! He is not handsome at all and the part where he went ‘Oh Kang Hee’ or something like that with a very close up shot of his thin, unsexy lips left me traumatized and it was terrible when there was a recap on it. Oh my! Double trauma.
- The female lead, IMO and I’m entitled to my opinion just like you are entitled to yours, is not good-looking too. She’s a bit weird looking. She looks like the toad in ‘Frog and Toad’. She’s not sexy and she’s not the best actress out there. Quite painful to watch.
- The plot is a whodunnit plot which is so long-drawn that I couldn’t take it and dropped this show. I’ll just get the information later on. This drama is too insufferable. I cannot continue watching it to find out. No way.
- The plot, thus far, is draggy and longgggg.

My heartfelt advice is: Don’t waste time! Watch something else! Don’t even embark on this!

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Formidable ML & Feisty FL

I am a (small) fan of both the ML and FL after seeing their outstanding performances in other dramas. Thus, I was more than happy to give this drama a go and boy, it did not disappoint and I am truly delighted about this!

What I Loved:
- ML was so tall, so handsome, so cute, so goddamn powerful and strong. I loved that he wielded such authority and yet, he did not abuse his power (in general). The fight scene where he walloped the previous Commander of the Security Bureau was extremely cathartic as well as both jaw-dropping and mind-blowing. Wow! That punch punch punch punch punch!!! Loved it!
- I loved that ML was also devoted and sincere to his lady love.
- Good chemistry between ML and FL. I loved seeing ML as well as both of the love birds on screen.
- I always love a feisty and intelligent FL and FL in this drama did not disappoint. (Of course, I suggest gently to suspend all disbelief and just enjoy the drama and the powers of what a FL can do.) She was supremely capable and plucky. She was highly intelligent and modern in her thinking. She was confident and yet, human.
- Acting was great from everyone in the drama. The supporting cast of four women acted by veterans was awesome. They definitely understood their assignment and was beyond great. Everyone else in the show like the lackeys from the Security Bureau, FL's grandmother, Shen Huan, Shen Qi, the maids, the children and so on delivered great performances. Thumbs-up!
- I liked that everything was paced very well. There was nothing draggy and there was nothing that was too quick that it was, to me, considered not properly explained or accounted for.
- Riveting and intriguing plot which made me want to watch on and on. So many interesting and suspenseful things were happening. There were elements of cute too. Great plot! Well directed!
- The music sounded very modern and catchy. I liked the tunes.
- Happy ending!

What I Didn't Like:
- The king was all sorts of crazy and had his own selfish agenda. He was also so paranoid about losing his throne and was so very bloodthirsty.
- Hua Jing was absolute nutcase number 1. She should have leveraged on herself and not constantly blamed others and desire for things out of her control.
- All the bad people such as all the abusive husbands.
(I mean I get the memo from the script writer. I'm just saying.)

Overall, Blossoms in Adversity is a superbly wonderful drama and I highly recommend it! <3
It is well-made and the cast is all great! There is also a bit of a moral in place too that we should all blossom in adversity. Adversities abound in life. How we respond/ react to adversities and how we overcome them are more important. Problem-solve and continue to blossom and grow in adversity and despite adversity. <3

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The Entire Premise & Plot are about GUI (Xiao) and LU (Chen)

The Entire Premise & Plot are about GUI (Xiao) and LU (Chen) -- Thus, the very apt name of this drama: Gui Lu.

I wanted to watch this drama because of Jing Bo Ran. He is very tall, manly, charming and handsome. Drama truly presented him in the best light possible which adds greatly to his devastating charm. In this drama, he cooked so well, he loved deeply, he behaved responsibly, he acted with loyalty as well as with integrity. I would definitely like a Lu Chen for myself.

What I loved a lot about this drama:
- Jing Bo Ran. He stole the show. I want a Lu Chen too. Charming, responsible, loving, courageous, sensible, faithful... WOW!
- Relationship between FL and ML was believable. I liked that they only had eyes for each other and truly loved each other madly and deeply. The fact that they re-united and got together after they broke up when they were young made their 'new' relationship a mature one. I liked it.
- FL's and ML's besties were also GOAT. I liked Duan Rou, Meng Xiao Shan, Qing Feng, Hai Dong and Qin Ming Yu.
- I enjoyed the breath-taking scenery. I liked seeing ML and FL in such beautiful surroundings.
- This was also a 'happily-ever-after' drama. I am a sucker for happy endings.

What could have been better:
- Editing was abrupt. Some scenes were fragmented and jumped from one part to another. At times, I went 'huh?' and wondered if I missed something.
- I was looking forward to Jing Bo Ran's shower scene which I spied on YouTube... but, I did not see it while watching the drama.

What I didn't like:
- ML's father was all kinds of f-ed up. Luckily, ML managed to deal with his father forcefully enough too and was not a wimp and he did not allow his loved ones to be hurt by an unreasonable and atrocious maniac.

Overall, I love this drama because I love Jing Bo Ran. I also love his character, Lu Chen. I highly recommend this drama because JBR! <3

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Excellent because of heart-throb -- Vin Zhang <3

I am suffering from withdrawal from the very charming and very suave and very handsome Vin Zhang as Xu Yan Shi. My O MY, he is the embodiment of gentlemanly gorgeousness! I love seeing him on my screen. He is like a god!

What I love about this drama:
- Vin Zhang, ML, as XYS. Oh goodness. He is seriously a good-looking fellow! His presence and appearance take my breath away. He is well-built and manly. (I loved him in The King's Woman and I am thrilled to see him here.)
- I like how the character, XYS, is written and portrayed. He just takes things as they come and he tries his best to do the right things and the best things possible. It is no wonder that his "underlings" adore and respect him so much. If I had such a capable and sacrificial leader, I would too.
- I like the FL as she is an excellent actress but I wonder if another actress will be even more suitable for her role. However, as she is a fine actress, she does justice to the drama.
- The many kissing scenes are exceedingly hot! Woo hoo! :)
- I like that the leads are truly into each other. They do not fool around with others after making promises to commit as a couple. I like the bit of "healthy jealousy" in that the leads get jealous when there is reason to. They are not crazily jealous and do ridiculous things. I also really like that XYS is secure and that he tells FL to be herself and to show-off her wealth and style if she wishes to.
- I like that, in this show, it is the FL in charge and in control. She is the one who has the immense wealth to be the mover and shaker. Usually, it is the ML who is the "chaebol" type and the FL is the little woman in need of saving and such. Here, the FL is fully independent and fully capable. She does not need a man to complete her life. She is whole and autonomous. I really like this! She wants to be with him because she wants him in her life and not because she requires saving or that she feels that she lacks a man.
- The supporting cast are not the best actors and actresses in my opinion but they try and they are, generally, not hateful. In fact, I am quite fond of the supporting cast. The grandpa is cute. The little "underlings" are quite cute too.
- There are plentiful things happening in the drama which serve well to keep me riveted. I like a good story.
- I like that the bad guys get their just deserts which felt really great!
- The ending is an extremely happy one (for all the good guys)! I love happy endings even if they are cliché.

What I do not fancy too much:
- Some parts are a little draggy. But, just use FF button.
- I do not like the bad guys but we need action which comes from villains.

Overall, this drama is a lovely one because of the leading man, Vin Zhang as XYS. He is such a gorgeous gentleman in the show. I want to present him with "Boyfriend of the year (2023) award" for his stunning, convincing and lovely portrayal of XYS.

I love XYS and I love Vin Zhang as XYS! <3

I foresee myself re-watching the lovey-dovey scenes which showcase the handsome ML in all his absolutely delicious glory!

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Fantasy-based Magic Martial Arts

I was encouraged to watch this drama because it received good ratings and was supposed to be good. However, I hesitated for a long while as I am not a fan of "wu xia". I finally decided to watch it because I had run out of good shows to watch and because the lead is Yang Yang. I am glad that I embarked on this "journey". It has been a ride.

What I liked:
- The leads have good chemistry. Even though I am not a big fan of the female lead, she pairs well with Yang Yang. Her acting has also improved a lot IMO.
- Yang Yang. He is a handsome lad and he looks good on my TV screen.
- Both leads are powerful in their martial arts and I especially love the fact that the female lead does not require saving by others. She is very powerful and is capable of saving herself and other people. I really love the fact that she is not a stereotypical silly damsel in distress. I like that she is smart and badass.
- The plot is intriguing enough despite the "omg are you sure" moments which border on illogical (but bear in mind that this is a "wu xia" drama.
- The acting throughout is good.

What I didn't like:
- Yang Yang's father in the drama was all sorts of insecure. I mean: Why would you cripple your son by giving him a drink to weaken him? I would only wish for my son to be a stronger person and not a weaker person. His motives were insane and inhumane.
- Yu Wu Yuan was a super villain. I didn't like him from the start because of his face. He looked fussy and hard to please. It was painful to watch him and his evil stratagems.
- Feng Ju's mother and Feng Ju were not pleasant either. Feng Ju's mother was a witch. She was positively evil. She wanted to kill her own husband to put her son as the king. I mean: Which wife does this? Also, she refused to acknowledge her firstborn son. Heartless mother and self-absorbed human being.

Overall, this drama is worth watching! :) I enjoyed the ride although I feel that the ending can be made much happier. I love happy endings (that's why).

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Exciting, Intriguing and then, Hmm.

The first 1/3 of this drama was exciting. Plenty of things were happening and there was great excitement as to what would happen next! I thoroughly enjoyed the first 1/3 of this drama.

The second 1/3 of this drama was intriguing. There was plenty of suspense and I kept guessing as to what would happen next. I am pleased to say that I truly enjoyed the second 1/3 of this drama.

The third and last 1/3 of this drama was ‘meh’ and ‘huh’ and ‘hmm’ for me. After the exciting ride at the start, the last part of this drama was quite a letdown. Despite the ‘happy-ish’ ending, the final part and very last episode felt rushed and abrupt.

What I liked:
- plenty of excitement and intrigue at the start and middle
- good-looking actors (though still young and not the most able but good enough)
- many lovely characters like Gu Yue Shuang
- the female lead was intelligent, shrewd and resourceful - I like that she wasn’t a pushover and that she had a good, strong backbone

What I didn’t like:
- plenty of bloodshed but I understand it’s a war drama so …
- patriarchal attitude from the oldies
- Pei Shao Jun and Tan Sang Yu were insufferably annoying - every time they appeared on my screen, I felt great angst

Verdict: Can watch. Much better than other dramas out there but, viewer may wish to fast forward the third and last 1/3 of this drama.

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Intense.

I was fairly intrigued by the premise of this drama and I decided to watch it because I like the female lead. She’s pretty and kind of cute.

What I liked:
- intense drama with a lot, a lot of things happening
- plenty of unexpected twists and turns
- it’s a long-drawn chess game which lasts 49 episodes
- never know what will happen so you have to go episode after episode
- the male lead is handsome (it’s my first time ‘meeting’ him and he’s quite fine
- the female lead is pretty and quite fine too

What I didn’t like:
- crazy eunuch - he’s nuts and hateful
- too many twists and turns - I was quite confused and puzzled (but things do get solved and explained which is good)
- quite bloody with plenty of deaths

A drama worth an 8/10 is a drama worth watching in my opinion. If you are thinking of whether to watch or not, I’d say watch if you have time for 49 episodes.

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Slice of life that was at times quite draggy.

I was drawn to this drama because of Liu Tao and because of the good reviews that I had read.

I watched the whole drama and I must say that I was at first impressed and intrigued but as the drama progressed, I felt quite disappointed that a show which had much potential turned out rather ‘meh’ towards the end.

What I liked:
- The actors and actresses are skilled and honed in their craft. They acted excellently.
- The show is a slice of life drama and many parts of the show are relatable and enable viewers to discuss about both real life and reel life. For instance, the part where Chen Jiao Rui suffered from postnatal depression was very raw and real. Her hatred towards her husband, who wanted a child but didn’t support her much in terms of childcare and her personal needs, touched a raw nerve.
- The characters were very human and very complex. No one is perfect just like in real life. The characters also learn and grow as the drama progresses.
- I like the strong female characters.
- It’s an adult show — in that youngsters may not fully get the issues raised in the drama.

What I didn’t like:
- The drama became draggy after one-third of it was done.
- The characters are very flawed and thus, are very frustrating. Dr Mo Ming was certainly 莫名其妙. He did many questionable things as a doctor and I wondered if he was kind of incompetent and crazy as both a husband and a doctor.
- The young adult called Yan Zhi was super frustrating. He was so immature!
- The ending was a fairly happy one but it was a quick ending. Episode 40 tried to tie up loose ends but… it did not have enough time to do a very good job at providing closure. Perhaps, drama is trying to reflect life — closures do not always happen in real life.

For me, I look at at least an 8/10 to determine if I’d watch a drama. For this, I’d only give 7.5 / 10 at the most. I would not highly recommend it.

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Glad the show is pushing boundaries and challenging stereotypes

I decided to watch this drama after reading others’ reviews and because of Xu Kai. I watched the male lead in Arsenal Military Academy and found him pretty great. (I think he’s better in AMA than in this drama though.)

Watch this drama because:
- I like that the female lead is feisty enough and that she is able to hold her own fort. She’s a force to be reckoned with without taking away her femininity. I think there’s no need to be a man to play e-sports and she shows that a woman can do the job as well as or perhaps, even better than a man.
- I like that boundaries are being pushed and stereotypes are being overturned and challenged. The person who can do the job is the best candidate for that position regardless of the person’s gender.
- The cast is quite good on the whole. Watchable.
- Makes viewers understand e-sports a bit more.
- Plot is fairly interesting.
- There is sweetness and fluff.
- I like a strong female lead and a faithful male lead.
- Happy ending.
- The second female lead is cute.

What I didn’t like:
- Some parts were frustrating (as with almost all dramas).
- Some actors took a while to get okay like Old K.
- About 3-4 episodes after ep 20 were confusing and painful to watch because the male lead was not communicative.

Overall, a good enough watch. I would not give it more than an 8/10 though.
A ‘can-watch’ drama.

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Secret Garden is my not so secret pleasure

I watched this when it was released back in 2011 and even though ten freaking years have passed, I still go back to rewatch this gem whenever I miss Hyun Bin (and Ha Ji Won).

This drama is a must watch because:
- Hyun Bin - enough said. He’s a dream!
- Ha Ji Won - she’s a great female lead / actress.
- the sizzling chemistry that feels so good and feels so real
- swoony Hyun Bin - in the drama, he is so cute and handsome and funny - love!
- the story is fantastical and yet believable
- the supporting cast is great
- the music is so well composed and lovely to listen to
- rewatchable and one of the best ‘classic’ k dramas out there

The part that I didn’t like:
- male lead’s mother is crazy


This drama is wonderful! I love it. I love the leads! I love Hyun Bin!

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truly, she is in a class of her own - holding up amidst patriarchy and the boys

I came to this drama late. Understand that it aired in 2020 and it is now August 2024. Nonetheless, better late than never. I am happy that I watched this drama and I recommend those who are wondering if they should watch it or not to dive right in.

What I Liked A Whole Lot:
- It was my first time watching the FL but she was likeable. I watched ML in "Go Ahead" and had a good impression of him. The other MLs in the form of Lei Ze Xin and Yu Le Xuan were more my cup of tea though. Well, I really liked that the cast was a bunch of handsome lads. It made me happy to watch their shenanigans. Acting-wise, they were pretty decent too.
- I really liked the growth of the MLs such as Lei Ze Xin. He turned out to be so likeable. Yu Le Xuan too. The other FLs were also not that annoying. It was a nice surprise to see that Mu Xiao Man was not a damsel in distress and that Han Shu Min was not "xin ji nu". She accepted that love could not be forced and moved on well.
- I loved the competition of shooting arrows to hit the targets to get points. It was so strangely riveting that I had to keep on watching to know the result! I loved this competition part of the show. Top marks for suspense and engagement levels!
- I liked that the drama tried to tie everything up and to link things as well as possible.
- The principal turned out to be a good guy which was a good thing. Master Wang was truly a good man from start to finish and I liked episode 36 the most when he said to let him remain clueless if there were things he should not know. Wise chap!
- There was some intrigue as to what was going on. There was humour. There was comedic relief. There was happy ending!!

What I Didn't Like That Much:
- The Lord Han was villainous. He was super self-absorbed and black-hearted. He did not teach his son the right moral values. He was warped. Thankfully, he received his just punishment.

Suspend disbelief that no one can tell that "he" is actually a "she" and the drama will be enjoyable.

Personally, I found meaning in the drama.
1) combat patriarchy and misogyny; fight for equality of the sexes - both should be able to receive good education and both should be respected; what men can do, women can probably do too (and vice versa)
2) when given golden opportunities, women can be as good as men; women should not constantly be tamped down (by society and by men) and limited by ridiculous notions that go "you're a girl, so what can you achieve"; rather, "I'm a girl, so I can surely achieve something too"
e.g. as FL Wen Bin was not restricted due to her gender, she could thrive and flourish and display her good sense and intelligence as a person/ woman; she showed that women had potential too and could do well if given chances just like the lads
3) lifelong learning and being a constant student keeps us updated and "young"

I found that this drama not only entertained me for 36 episodes, but it also shared lessons about treating others with dignity and respect and that good will triumph in the end (so, choose to be a morally good person).

I recommend this drama. It was a great ride with handsome lads to watch and I really liked seeing these (young and handsome) cuties! :o)

<3

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