You cheat me & I cheat you be like

September seems to be a very busy month for all platforms despite airing mid-to-low-budget dramas. Youku also aired two dramas simultaneously which are In Between and Hero Is Back. It was quite a difficult choice, but I ended up skipping Hero is Back in favor of In Between. Of course, months before the airing, I had completed the novel though I skipped most of the second couple's scenes. I do admit that only insane people will watch this kind of drama because it's not your typical fluffy sugary drama such as Amidst a Snowstorm of Love or perhaps the recently completed You Are My Lover Friend. Okay, I'm not going to dilly dally anymore and let's get going into the review.

The best aspect for In Between must be the amazing production - every prop detail is shown meticulously, and the breathtaking cinematography is just... captivating (and don't get me started at the enamoring cities - I've got tons of praises for them lol). Aside from that, I also feel that the story is very realistic and stems away from your usual old-school-trope (you know what I mean). As you can see, we get a darker and moodier romance while also exploring the complex emotions of humans when they're experiencing love, self-discovery, growth, break up, cheating and so on. Well, sometimes you'd want to punch them on their faces when they're making dumb decisions for themselves especially the women (not of Han Su though, at least she still knows her bottom line), while the scumbag men are taking advantages of their indecisiveness.

Now, I'm going to explain the intricate relationship chart and see if you can understand it...

1) He Zhinan - Qu Yipeng
Zhinan and Yipeng accidentally encountered each other as they worked in the same building despite being in different departments. Yipeng thought that Zhinan was a rich girl and kept pursuing her and even had intimacy with her. However, after learning from Sister J that Zhinan's family condition was just average, Yipeng immediately left from her world and ran away to Tahiti to search for Zhinan's former colleague, whom Sister J claimed to be the rich one (Yipeng is an absolutely gold digger man that everyone needs to avoid, but still... Zhinan becomes the hunt of his prey).

2) He Zhinan - Gao Peng
Actually, Zhinan had a seven-year relationship with Gao Peng since their college years. Later, Gao Peng studied abroad in the UK and lost touch with Zhinan. After they met again in Hong Kong where Gao Peng had become a CEO for his company, Zhinan felt that he had changed a lot over the past few years and didn't seem to care her very much (you'll notice this when Gao Peng squandered his money to buy Zhinan tons of unnecessary gifts). In the end, they broke up peacefully and became normal friends... just normal friends.

3) He Zhinan - Wang Zilu
Zhinan and Zilu once encountered each other in an online platform, but it didn't leave a good impression on Zhinan. Hence, when she met him again, she decided to make his life more difficult. However, as they spent more time together, Zhinan found Zilu redeeming qualities, and she began to have feelings for her, even willing to invest in his doll universe when he even couldn't pay a large debt. I can't say their relationship is official for sure, but they still maintain a good relationship in the final episode.

4) Sun Hanhan - Zhou Bin
Nah, this is your typical older man-younger woman romance. Not much to expect about them, but I really dislike Zhou Bin and his abusive behaviors towards Hanhan. Hanhan is also a naive girl and lets herself being manipulated over and over again. But, in the end, she still gets her own freedom while Zhou Bin's career is shattered after Hanhan and Zeng Cheng team up in the law court (nice one, Hanhan).

5) Zeng Cheng - Zhou Bin
They were a married couple for 10 years before Zhou Bin knew the existence of Hanhan. But it was not a happy marriage though. Zhou Bin relied on Zeng Cheng's vast connection to build his career mainly took advantage of Zeng Cheng's position. Later, Zeng Cheng knew that her husband was cheating and had a cold war with Hanhan to extent of sacking Hanhan from the advertising company. However, Hanhan wasn't discouraged and attempted to explain herself to Zeng Cheng until she was convinced that Zhou Bin was actually a cruel jerk.

6) Han Su - Qu Yipeng
They were college sweethearts and as usual, Yipeng also took advantage of Han Su. After knowing that Han Su wasn't really serious in their relationship plus her insistence on moving to Hong Kong, Yipeng immediately broke up with her. Thank goodness Han Su could see through Yipeng's ulterior motives.

7) Han Su - Luo Ma
Both of them accidentally met each other in a bar and Han Su approached him because of playing truth or dare with Zhinan and Hanhan. At first, they thought it was a pure coincidence, but it turned out to be fate when Luo Ma moved to Han Su's law firm. However, Han Su didn't want to fall in love anymore and that was her reason of rejecting Luo Ma repeatedly.

8) Han Su - Gao Peng
Not long after he broke up with Zhinan, he was attracted by Han Su and pursued her nonstop despite her wariness. Han Su knew that Gao Peng wasn't her type of man and immediately rejected him too (still a peaceful break up though).

Kudos to every member of the casts for creating such an engaging masterpiece. Their micro expressions and the scenes when they're crying... it's just so natural and convincing. Anyway, they're too good in portraying cheating men and women lol...

OSTs and BGMs are pleasant to hear and don't sound distorted and I find myself keep humming to the song lol.

Overall, a ten out of ten. Give this a shot if you're not bothered with cheating/infidelity because this is such a rare masterpiece. As for rewatch, I may have to reconsider given that this drama only airs in China through Linmon channel which really exasperates me (same goes with A Journey to Love). Good luck in finding your true way and happy watching!!

P.S.
Don't imitate their actions or you're going to be a cheater FOR REALL!!!

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A fantastic show for a newbie in k-drama

Truth to be told, this is the second k-drama that I completed after Vigilante. Like everyone else here, I was attracted by the hot visual of the leads and the intriguing storyline. So, I decided to venture into this show and here we go.

If you're a veteran in K-drama, you will find this boring and cliche in every way. Nearly everyone has noticed that this show only copy paste titbits of here and there (What I mean is all sorts of fantasy K-drama that already existed before). But, to me, it's still acceptable though they need to cut those slow-motion sleeping scenes. How many scenes do we need for every single episode?

The characters are either perfect or lackluster (I can't tell for sure). Kim Yoo-jung (Do Do-hee) and Song Kang (Jeong Gu-won) did pretty well in their roles although there may be some flaws. However, there are some delulu characters in here as well. For instance, the cousin of Do Do-hee (Ju Seok-hoon) and the dancer that was hired by Jeong Gu-won (Jin Ga-young). Both of them had feelings for the leads, but unfortunately, they weren't reciprocated by the leads and became more toxic in each episode. FL's adoptive mom had a good dynamic with the FL though. I love it when they joked and teased each other. LOL!

Never paid attention to the OST but I'm sure it's a good one.

If you want to rewatch, just have a sneak peek on the clips. I don't think I can stand another 16 hours for this show. Go for it for the mystery thriller fantasy plot (not so much to make me intrigued).

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The most chaotic F6 that has ever existed

FYI, I badly wanted to watch this drama since the first time I scrolled through Xin Yunlai’s profile. Then, suddenly I realized that the platform is MangoTV (very well-known for their so-called atrocious subs) and that’s why I delay for a very, very long time. After completing Dashing Youth at mid-August, I have nothing else to watch since most of the platforms air mediocre dramas which are not my cup of tea (exception for Are You the One, though). So, I just blast through this show without any expectation, but wow – it’s a very underrated gem buried beneath those so-called highly-rated dramas.

Set in the countryside city of Tieyuan, the story revolves around the rebellious Gao Yang alongside his best friends – the introvert Ye Xiaowen, the energetic and lovely Jin Beibei, the nerdy Tian Meng, the athletic Mi Jia, and the straightforward Zhao Jiabao. Together, they become faithful friends and experience ups and downs in their lives.

If I must say, the story is nothing new, but what matters the most is the EXECUTION! Every scene delivers a depth of layered emotions and you can feel the emotions of the characters there. I also like the dynamic between Gao Yang and his father Gao Bin – they always seem to have something to bicker about. Special commence to the Jin family too – can’t stop laughing when Jin Doudou pulls up some tricks to his hot-tempered sister and also when Principal Jin starts yapping at Beibei’s grades. The comedy scene doesn’t feel forced and everything is quite natural – which is a refreshing breath for me (I’ve seen too many crappy shows which loves to force a slapstick comedy despite nothing funny happens).

Kudos to the whole assemble of the casts and production team for creating such an underrated gem. This is my first time watching Xin Yunlai and he really NAILS the role of Gao Yang very well (an unruly and carefree boy he is). Previously, I’ve seen Chen Youwei in Tiger & Crane and A Journey to Love (this show is one of his earlier works). Considering that he was still a rookie actor at that time, he had already captured the gist of Ye Xiaowen’s character – a quality in which most of the rookie actors lack. Both actors also have high-octane bromance within their relationship too (perfect for bromance lovers since BL love is now banned).

OSTs and BGMs are overshadowed by the audio that MangoTV attached. I can only hear the dialogues but not the music lol.

Overall, a ten out of ten from me. However, I must apologize that I skip from ep 22 straight to the final episode because of my very cruel schedule plus I’m hearing that Xin Yunlai’s other drama (In Between) will tentatively air at September. So, you see how busy I am :<

Don’t be disheartened by the rating and just give it a go if you love high-school drama with family bickering, slice-of-life vibes, and of course without the usual romance trope. Good luck and happy watching!!!

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'I’ll drag the whole world down for the sake of you'

After marking Dashing Youth as completed on Friday, I’ve been putting this review on-hold because I can’t seem to find the precise outline for the review. After guessing the whole night in my sleep, I was reminded of Ye Dingzhi and Yi Wenjun’s tragic love story, so I decided to pick this title among a bunch of other titles. Moreover, I’m also reminded of One Direction’s song 'Drag Me Down', which has equivalent meaning with the story (if you notice the dialogues). Alright, let’s get back to the review.

Dashing Youth aka 少年白马醉春风is the prequel of the much-beloved wuxia series The Blood of Youth. Back in 2023, it became the year’s dark horse and garnered high viewership and buzz due to being one being one of the most extraordinary wuxia dramas that incorporated CGI to fighting scenes, which is no different to a xianxia or xuanhuan drama. Following its predecessor, Dashing Youth also attains the same reputation with the aid of bombastic promotion from Youku, despite having a more mediocre plot (if you compare it with The Blood of Youth).

The story is about a spoiled and arrogant young master of the Baili Family, Baili Dongjun and his sworn brother who is supposed to be executed long ago, Ye Yun aka Ye Dingzhi, and a street-smart wanderer who wields spear, Sikong Changfeng. Joining the trio are the astute former princess of Beique, Yue Yao and the daughter of the Shadow Sect and also Ye Dingzhi’s love interest, Yi Wenjun (though she’s confined in her residence all the time, still I don’t get why they put her on the main poster lol). Together, they traverse through the jianghu and discover their growth and unique talents and make their names to the world.

If I must say, the plot is nothing new in terms of a wuxia drama. You’ll get those friendship, brotherhood, loyalty, adventure thingy so it can be predictable some time. The plot is well-craved, and the dialogues are meticulously written and the witty banters between the leads are just hilarious, until the story goes downhill on the second half of the show, where Dingzhi and Wenjun’s love story becomes the main priority of the story. The palace politic is dull and very obvious if you compare it with Joy of Life Season 2, furthermore the apathetic grand eunuch sometimes drives me mad, to be honest. The emperor’s actions are similar to that of Xiao Ruojin, I can’t say he’s a good ruler but at least you’re better than a bloodthirsty and cruel monarch. One of the best aspects of this show would be the grand entrances of the characters, which kick off with their signature moves/techniques (they sure spend a lot of money for these scenes). In addition to that, most of the casts are eye-candy actors, which is the reason why many people watch this show.

Of all the characters, the one I like the most is Master Li Changsheng aka Nangong Chunsui. He’s the most savage master I’ve ever seen and an unruly one, not even the emperor can restrain him. The second goes to Xiao Ruofeng, the Prince Langya and also Master Li’s seventh disciple. In the comment section, many people claim that his actions are questionable, but I think he is put between a rock and a hard place, so I understand that he’s forced to choose the best option for the greater good and can’t pick ‘sides’ or show favoritism to others. However, it’s a pity that he refuses to become the emperor and is willing to give that position to his brother. If he were one, I’m sure Beili wouldn’t be in such a chaos in the future (for reference, check out The Blood of Youth and you’ll know why). Other characters that I like are Sikong Changfeng and his fiancée Feng Qiuyu, the Eight Young Master of Beili, and the Baili Family (I can’t explain all of their lore one by one lol).

Now, let’s delve into the romance. Though it serves as the side dish, the romance feels underbaked over time and I can’t feel the chemistry between Dongjun and Yue Yao, not even Dingzhi and Wenjun’s. If I am to choose, I’ll pick Changfeng and Qiuyu’s love story – they seem to have little spark of chemistry, though not an explosive one. Except for a kiss, we only got several hugging and staring into space and boring dialogues, though I must say Dongjun is such a persistent boy while waiting for his girl to come back.

As for the second couple’s issue, I’ll put the blame on Wenjun for being such a selfish, useless, and gullible woman. For the sake of your other child in the palace, you’re willing to abandon Wu Xin and Dingzhi. Why, just why? And how can you trust a stranger’s (Feizhan) word and be manipulated so easily? Just because you have a bad dream doesn’t mean it’s happening in the real world. Because of you, poor Dingzhi turns into a demon and vows to drag the world down for you. Because of you, the world becomes a bloody and chaotic hell. Boy (I mean Dingzhi), I get you’re a very loyal person and only wants to spend time with your beloved ones, but this is not the best option for you. Moreover, she chooses to stay at the palace on her own will and one more thing, she doesn’t deserve your love either!

I have no problem with the acting, though. Neo Hou pulls off Dongjun’s character seamlessly, but he’s not such a complicated character, so I’ll let this pass (really like him at Back from the Brink tho). Don’t get me wrong, I really like Hu Lianxin as Rongrong in Fox Spirit Matchmaker, but I can’t connect to her character whether it is Yue Yao or Yin Luoxia – there’s problem with the script, I guess. He Yu is the MVP of the show by executing the most complex character of the show – his micro expressions are on point too. As for Jiang Zhenyu, she’s still a newbie and has room for improvement, but I don’t blame her either – it’s the script that gets screwed. The former idol Xia Zhiguang surprisingly does well too, given that he has no acting background (based on my understanding). Kudos to the rest of the casts too for their efforts to bring the characters alive.

One more con that I've yet to mention is the ENDING! In my opinion, it should be a bittersweet ending given how the situations go through. However, the ending isn't fleshed out properly like the one we always fantasize. We never get to see how Dongjun accidentally kills Yue Yao, how Lei Mengsha and Li Xinyue died, how Xiao Ruofeng is executed, how Wu Xin is sent to Muyun Abode, and blah blah blah. Overall, a very unsatisfying ending indeed!

CGI, sets, backgrounds, and costumes are visually appealing and miraculously gorgeous. The budget sure goes a lot to these departments.

The rock and bombastic OSTs are wonderful, and I like four out of seven songs. BGMs are nice to hear too.

Will I rewatch in the future? Absolutely! But I’ll only watch the beginning of the show and avoid the second half at all costs. Because of the inconsistent plot and the lackluster romance, I’ll have to dock one point off from the rating. I may not be a heavy sucker for romance, but still, I love sizzling chemistry and stuffs like that. It’s such a pity that they fail to execute the romance department, which also happens at The Blood of Youth. This is going to be my longest essay to date and I’ll end it here. Good luck and happy watching!!!

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This is the best depiction of a BADASS & SHAMELESS couple

I've never expected much of this drama, but after reading the synopsis, I was hooked up entirely. Assassin-themed plot is my favorite and given the visuals of the supporting casts, I was more than encouraged to start this. Alright, let's just begin, shall we?

A Journey to Love was set in two fiction neighboring countries, An and Wu, who have borne longtime grudge. Okay, so the reckless Emperor of Wu decided to attack the An and look what it had become... he was kidnapped by the An who put a bounty on his head.

Meanwhile, a retired leader of Liu Dao Hall - Ning Yuanzhou, was requested to seize back his position and immediately lead the Wu diplomatic team to negotiate with the An with the hope of getting back their emperor. Aside from that, Ning Yuanzhou also encountered a badass yet shameless former An assassin (Scarlet Guard), Ren Ruyi aka Ren Xin. She grudgingly agreed to become the part of the diplomatic team after he ensured that she could leave wherever she wanted as long as she explained all sorts of things regarding the An.

Eventually, their teams consisted of the flirty Yu Shisan, the clever teenager Yuan Lu, the stoic Qian Zhao, the cheerful Sun Lang, and also the lonely princess of the Wu, Yang Ying. Together, they embarked on a journey and shared the moments of joy and sorrow together. At the country of An, their band expanded to the brave Chu Yue and the delulu Li Tongguang.

Eventually, the mastermind would be the Emperor of An and the second prince of An whose mother was Ruyi's former superior. It is quite predictable, but of course, we need evidence and proves to make sure they're the culprit. Nonetheless, it's still very twisty, though.

The bloodbath in the last episodes was unnecessary at all. Why should you kill those characters who only had their developments after venturing into An? To me, it's unacceptable. However, the writers perhaps thought that they've died as patriotic heroes and have no regrets to die for the country. In my opinion, Ruyi and Yuanzhou could've been dead after the attack of the Beipan. I previously thought that they were going to live in seclusion after everything was settled. But fate was playing a cruel joke on them. That's my only disappointment, though.

Acting is bearable and I've got no trouble regarding it. In fact, I didn't feel the main leads' chemistry despite their flirty actions. On the other hand, I would like to appreciate Liu Shishi for playing such a badass girl like Ruyi. She is fit for this kind of character and I'll will be waiting for her in 'Kill My Sins' and 'Fox Spirit Matchmaker 2'. Liu Yuning did perfectly in his first ever lead role and he looked charismatic too. The MVP here might be Yang Ying, portrayed flawlessly by He Landou. She has the most character development here, from the shy and lonely princess to a brave and decisive prince. Special mention for Chang Huasen who played the delusional Li Tongguang too perfectly. I really rooted on him and couldn't help to like him. The master-disciple dynamic between Ruyi and him is one of the good aspects of this drama. I can even feel their chemistry. :)

Opening OST is the best, which is sung by Liu Yuning (aside from beautiful voice, he's good in acting. He's an excellent all-rounder (reminded me of Mo Qingcheng in Love Me, Love My Voice)).

Despite the bloodbath, I still love this series. Overall, a ten out of ten. However, I need to use fast-forward button in order to watch quickly (due to my tight schedule and exam last year). If you love this kind of plot, you won't regret this. My suggestion is to give this a shot and you'll be entertained in no time. Good luck in watching.

P.S.
Surprisingly, I didn't use the fast forward button in Li Tongguang's scene. He's just too pitiful to be skipped forward. Wkwkwkwkwk.

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Fighting for justice in an injustice world

Vigilante is based on a webtoon with the same name. Prior to watching this, I've read the webtoon to get better understanding but stopped halfway after I completed the series.

To date, this is, perhaps, one of the best miniseries in k-drama land. It blends action, thriller, psychological, and crime genre perfectly. It uses 'fighting for justice in my own way even though it's wrong' trope heavily. We see the ML (Kim Ji-yong) had a traumatic past as his mother was murdered and the murderer got a short-sentence in prison. After ML grew up, he came across the murderer again and beat him brutally. At last, he made up his mind to become a vigilante (a serial killer, to be precise) - to protect the world and the innocent people from injustice by dealing with the criminals with his own hands since the law couldn't be trusted anymore.

Nam Joo-hyuk portrays Kim Jiyong seamlessly and expresses various emotions versatilely - he's as good as a pyscho, I really love it. Yoo Ji-tae also does well as Cho Heon - a detective who was sent to arrest the vigilante. I'm really impressed by Kim So-jin - the one who acts as Choi Mi-ryeo - she's maybe some kind of lunatic, but she still got her own sense of justice and was willing to help the vigilante as she could as possible. Lastly, Lee Joon-hyuk as Cho Kang-ok is a great fan and a big support of vigilante as well - like his funny banter with Ji-yong...

I've no more words to describe it anymore - but yes, this dark tale deserves more attention from the public and the rating could've gone higher. After Vigilante, another miniseries, which is 'A Killer Paradox', tries to duplicate it, but falls short compared to this one. If you love pyscho plot with a blend of action thriller genre, you can give this a shot. Warning: Lots of bloody and violent scenes, don't try it at home.

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A mixture of action, thriller, mystery, and investigation

In my opinion, this is, perhaps, the best wuxia drama throughout the world of c-drama. This is also the second Cheng Yi's project that I've ever watched after got hooked up by 'Love and Redemption'.

The plot is craved perfectly and executed well. There is no single filler in every scene. The actions are... WOW!!! If you tread the story carefully, you can see that every case intertwines with one another - from trivial small cases to important great cases. In the end of the show, there is a little twist and turn which will determine the ultimate villain and the main lead (Li Xiangyi) real identity. I'm impressed at how the main leads try to solve the cases even though each case is a bit illogical in modern times (maybe people at those times believe more in superstition). I even paused for a little while to figure out how to solve the cases, but ended up being puzzled. If you just want to enjoy the show, you can ignore those illogical stuffs and keep going on. Anyway, it won't deflect you from watching this masterpiece.

We have 3 main leads (Li Xiangyi aka Li Lianhua, Fang Duobing, and Di Feisheng) with different personalities and styles. So it's no wonder why they always bickering. Previously, Li Xiangyi was an arrogant and selfish boy with great martial arts skills, who only wanted to be the best in the martial arts world and never cared how other felt towards him which would lead his friends distrust him. However, he still had a good side of him which was being wise when making decisions. Now living in Li Lianhua's persona, he has turned into a sly old fox (as how Fang Duobing branded him) and become more deceitful. No matter how deceitful and sly he was, he just wanted to live a good life in his remainder days (this is the reason why he decided to leave the martial arts world for good). Cheng Yi once again showed off his cool acting skills and he really is a versatile one, showing ranges of emotions in every scene.

Fang Duobing was a young master of Tianji Manor. He was a typical spoiled little brat who recently ventured into the vast world. He trusted people too easily which got him into troubles many times. As the show progress, he started becoming mature and make a skillful detective in Baichuan Court. Joseph Zeng nailed his role quite well and his baby face fitted his character as well.

Di Feisheng is Li Xiangyi's arch nemesis. After Li Xiangyi's downfall, he began to investigate this case secretly and found out that Li Xiangyi was still alive. His purpose of living was to have another duel with him. Di Feisheng might not be your typical antagonist, although he was considered as the king of demon in Jinyuan Alliance, he still had a kind personality beneath. Xiao Shunyao did well in here and I'm impressed by his portrayal of Di Feisheng.

How about the rewatch value? Of course, it's going to be a high one. So far, I've rewatched 3 times and I still can't move on from this show. The ending is either a happy or a sad one - I don't want Li Lianhua to die just yet so let's just say he has now lived in a secluded life and is now enjoying his days (I feel sorry for his 2 friends, I wish they could be together and reunite once more).

Don't hesitate to watch this masterpiece. You won't regret your time. I guarantee you, soooner or later, you will be captivated by the engaging plot. Happy watching!!!!

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A masterpiece ruined by a bad script

I've been anticipating Wonderland of Love when I was just a newbie in c-drama. I even read the titbits of the novel posted on the discussion forum of MDL. However, things weren't as good as it seemed to be and you will know why as you scroll down my review.

This drama tells about 2 generals of the best armies (Zhenxi Army and Cui Army), Li Ni and Cui Lin. At first, they tried to be one step ahead of each other and resulted in both bickering nonstop. Li Ni was a prince trying to hide his identity from the others. Only the Zhenxi Army knew the real identity of his. Meanwhile, Cui Lin was a woman in disguise. She called herself Lieutenant He in the Cui Army and had an adoptive brother to take her identity. What I liked the most was the funny banter in the Zhenxi Army (including those gangs of bandits). The plot sounds perfect for me, but there will always be loopholes in it and brace yourself for the outweighed cons.

Halfway through the show, I started to fast forward 2x because the story was so, so INFURIATING and I wanna knock some sense into the characters. Li Ni's dad was perhaps the DUMBEST emperor I've ever seen. He couldn't even see that his two elder sons were plotting against him. Cui Lin's adoptive brother, Liu Chengfeng (or what other user called him as Lost Cause Fruit Loop) turned into a delusional and obsessive character as soon as he found out that Cui Lin had no feelings towards him. He always TRIED to get Li Ni killed by plotting everything from the beginning to the end (how I wished to strangle him to death). Prime Minister Gu's daughter, Gu Wanniang was an obsessive character as well. When Li Ni didn't reciprocate her feelings, she began to feel resentful towards Cui Lin and also want her killed. Prime Minister Gu's arc wasn't the best if you compare it to Sun Lang's arc. His character wasn't powerful enough and there wasn't any backstory for his plot with a certain tribe (sorry, I've forgotten the name, whatever it was called). This may be caused by lazy scriptwriting and the writer perhaps wants to add fillers so that the drama looks rather long. It could've been cut into a shorter one.

The chemistry between the leads (Xu Kai and Jing Tian) are super hot and you will love the flirting between these two. Also, honorable mention to the second couple, Tao Zi and Xie Chang'er - they're the best second couple and a green-flag one too. The Consort (forgotten her name as well) does well with Sun Lang too.

Opening OST is the best one and other OSTs aren't quite memorable.

No rewatch value for me. I can't stand this drama anymore. One time is enough, there's no need to watch for the second time except if you're in a drama slump. Overall, a decent show ruined by a bad script and filled with dozens of delulu characters.

P.S.
I apologize if my review is a bit offensive.

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A topsy-turvy show splashed with frustrating yet shitty characters

(Disclaimer: This rant is purely based on my opinion, so please don’t take it wholeheartedly and come bashing at me, okay?)

As we can see very well, Go Back Lover’s title is hinting on second chance romance trope, which is no stranger to C-drama veterans. To be honest, I’m not a great fan of this trope because in my principle, if you’re having a relationship, there’s no turning back. So, I’m quite surprised by this theme and wonder how these ex-lovers are going to reunite and resolve their past misunderstandings.

In addition, to make the show more unique, the writer decides to introduce a romance/dating variety show as the catalyst for the plot development. In fact, a dating variety show is somehow rare in C-dramas nowadays and I must say it’s such an interesting premise. However, it quickly goes downhill and becomes a mere plot device to fill in the draggy episodes. I don’t know why, but there’s a lot of things happening outside the variety show too, with some of them being irrelevant or unrelated to the show itself.

And don’t get me started at the horrible dumbass characters! Some people say that they’re not without flaws (yes, I do agree with that), but at least they have to realize their own mistake and being unaware of it makes them look like a bunch of 10-year-old-kid especially main leads and second couple (the SFL, to be precise).

(Note: I'm not going to mention the acting since my review has become an endless rant. However, I still appreciate their acting skills for embodying such characters, so kudos for all of you.)

The first couple is a pair of ex-lovers who broke up after ML had a private brawl with FML (fourth male lead), which the FL didn’t appreciate very much. They accidentally encounter each other again in the airport when FL is attempting to find a male guest for her variety show. Rumors later spark out of nowhere and many people obviously want them to be together once again after ML’s failed proposal in Race Against Time (another variety show which was produced before FL went to German). The ML was indeed thrilled when he saw FL again, but his feelings wasn’t reciprocated at all. The FL keeps repeating that she is forced to do so because she wants her variety show to gain more popularity, while the ML begins to behave like a simp out of nowhere, even loses his self-respect for FL. This push-pull dynamic drags out for the whole 18 episodes until the elderly rural couple manage to convince the FL of marriage. I understand that FL has suffered from PTSD because of her parents’ failed marriage, but as the saying goes,' You won’t know unless you try.' So, she should’ve taken the initiative instead of letting the ML hanging on the thread. She’s also a horrible hypocrite (today she says she wants to be together with the ML, and the other day she pushes him away) and keeps dilly dallying for time (in a very harsh way, she regards ML as her plaything and will dump him whenever she feels necessary) when all they need is a proper communication or heart-to-heart talk instead of doing everything in a roundabout way. It’s just so, so frustrating to watch them and I just keep sighing exasperatedly whenever they pop out of my screen. By the way, they also remind me of Binary Love's main couple which is more or less similar as them.

Same goes for the second (divorced) couple – however, SML still knows his boundaries well and only wants to treat his wife better, but his so-called wife never gives him the chance to redeem himself. Throughout the show, they just keep yelling and shouting at each other (a perfect example of a bickering couple), which is not a very good option. By the way, SFL always acts like a pouty selfish girl who wants better treatment from SML yet never telling him what she wants exactly, which often leaves the SML baffled and confused (they also need proper communication so it relieves me when SFL apologizes to him and they ultimately fix their ruined relationship and become more tolerant towards each other). Since the second couple isn’t the main focus on the show, I think I can skip my rant about them right now.

Third couple is the healthiest couple in this show. As someone who is a shy and introverted person, I can understand what does it feels like to have your daily lives exposed to the public. At first, they’re uncomfortable of it, but they manage to overcome their fears together and become a couple while strengthening their trusts between each other.

Unofficial fourth couple must be the worst out of the couples in this show. FML is FL’s snobbish know-it-all male friend and the biggest rival of ML. He has a secret crush on FL so he deliberately provokes ML which doesn’t succeed, anyway. FFL is the bitchy lawyer and former arch-rival of FL since their high school time (as the saying goes, she's a wolf in the sheep clothing). Feeling resentful of being the third to best (don't forget, there's TML in the second place), FFL resorts to underhanded tactics to ruin FL’s career (what a baffling and cliche execution lol).

I have no idea whether inputting past events with the present one is good idea, but the writer seems to have change the entire script and doesn’t put much emphasize on the former, which is quite disappointing because I love that part better than their present lives.

The sets and backgrounds are quite pleasant while the costumes are sort of… weird? Do people nowadays have to wear baggy coats and professional suits to shoot variety shows, huh?

OSTs are meh and I won’t be bothered to give them second chance.

Overall, it’s a 6.5 out of 10. Unless you’re a fan of ML or FL or perhaps you need some brainless watch after days of working out, you can give this a shot. However, if you don't want to waste your precious brain cells, NEVER watch this HOT MESS even if the world is turning upside down. Goodbye and good luck!

Side note:
Does funeral and divorce need a ceremonial party? WTF are they thinking about? It's beyond common logic, isn't it?

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Another stereotypical show saved by the leads' sizzling chemistry

It's been long since I completed this show months ago. I've been delaying this review because I can't think of anything about this show except for the leads' chemistry. Finally, I get to write one today and this may be a short review concerning I have nothing much to say.

The plot falls to the same old face swap trope, same old newlyweds trying to hide their real identities, and blah blah blah. Though the plot is not that great and seems to be recycled, the actors' performances make up for it. I particularly like the first couple, especially Ryan Cheng - it's my first show of his and I can't wait for his next project 'Shadow Love'. I don't recognize other actors except him, but they've done a great job too.

Even though it's a mini drama, I still end up using fast-forward button to complete it in one go. If you're a fan of tropey shows, then this might be suitable for you. Since the duration is kinda short, it also fits for those who want to watch lighthearted and stress-free shows. As for the rewatch value, you'll have to consider it yourself.

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The badass female tai chi prodigy and her grumpy-wolf master

Actually, I’ve heard of this show long ago, but never have the courage to pick it up because the plot sounds simplistic and a little cliché. Few weeks ago, when I was scrolling through the review section, I read someone else’s review about this show, so I decided to give it a go. The funny thing is that I coincidentally watched it together alongside Link Click and there is the yet-to-be-aired Treasures Around, which means that I have been watching three of Bi Wenjun’s works in a row. I don’t even know if this is a coincidence or fate hahaha…

As I’ve said above, the story is really, really simple. To me, it is just a typical university romance plot which is targeted to younger audience, I suppose. It tells us about Feng Piaopiao (FL), a new transfer student at CMFU who took art and calligraphy major. Before I continue, I must say that CMFU is kinda out of place compared to other normal universities. Aside from art and calligraphy, CMFU had some ridiculous majors such as tai chi, judo, boxing, karate, taekwondo, and even swimming. Where can we find such a university in these days, bro?

Despite entering art and calligraphy major, Piaopiao never took interest in those things, and she only entered after having ‘stolen’ her grandfather’s artwork. Because of her grandfather’s flawless painting, Piaopiao was loathed by everyone and accused of cheating. One night, Piaopiao sneaked out to ‘borrow’ another of her grandfather’s painting, as the latter had been ruined by her rival, Jin Rou and Ai Jia. Unexpectedly, she met Wei Chu, the leader of CMFU’s student council who was also the heir to the same tai chi clan that her grandfather once betrayed. Unaware of his identity, Piaopiao rescued him after confronting the students of boxing major.

Wei Chu gradually grew suspicious of Piaopiao’s identity after several encounters. A little accident occurred, and Wei Chu’s legs were paralyzed and couldn’t walk for the time being. Feeling very guilty to Wei Chu, Piaopiao offered to help him do the household chores. In other words, she had become his ‘slave’.

Later, they developed a master-disciple relationship after Piaopiao’s grandfather acknowledged Wei Chu’s background. In addition to gruesome training, Piaopiao still had to do chores nonstop and face her grumpy yet demanding master. However, after spending some time together, Piaopiao and Wei Chu finally saw eye to eye and became more understanding towards each other.

The acting may not be top-notch since this show was produced back in 2018/2019, when they were still newbies or rookie actors. Despite them not being able to deliver their lines outstandingly, I still love their characters and am sure that there is still room for improvement in the future. I especially like Feng Piaopiao, the adorable yet badass little sweetie. Sun Qian embodied her role and captured the essence of Piaopiao’s character. I surely will look out for her future works. As for Bi Wenjun, he’s neither good nor bad, but mediocre at best. However, I think that he had done his best considering that this is debut role, but sometimes I feel that his expressions are a bit of wooden. Supporting casts are so-so, but still love them though. Also, the tai chi fighting scenes are executed well. You can see that the actors put much effort to bring out the essence of tai chi or so.

What makes me drawn into this show is the beautiful scenery of nature and the profound traditional Chinese arts and culture. You can see that every shot is taken meticulously, and view is breathtaking and refreshing while also incorporating the in-depth culture of Chinese. I suppose the production is reducing budget on the costume because they keep wearing the same clothes from time to time, but I do like the traditional hanfu that they wear at the competition. I have a slight complain on the ML’s outfit – why does he always wear tight-fitted sweaters? Is he having a cold or what?

Overall, a nice and fluffy watch. If you’re looking for some fluffy shows without many conflicts to relieve your boredom, you can give this a shot though you have to be aware of some illogical stuffs and plot holes. However, don’t expect heavy romance – the leads have few intimate contacts and only kiss 4 times throughout the show. I’m not here for the romance, so why bother? But, if you want some kind of heavy wuxia drama, you can skip this. Good luck and happy watching!

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The dark side of the so-called virtual reality game

Love Crossed is one of a bunch of dramas that I've dropped long ago. After watching 16 episodes, I had no urge to continue and immediately dumped it. Now that I'm in a drama slump, I decide to pick it up again and binge the last 20 episodes by randomly skipping here and there. I'm going to share my thought about this show and whether it's worth to watch or not.

The adjective that might suit for the show's plot is INGENIOUS. Virtual reality game can be considered as a new concept in a rom-com show. There is also an undeniable plot twist which is mixed with mystery, action, and thriller (just like a crime drama). Okay, so the plot centers around an ordinary part-time worker Jiang Kele (FL) and the Love Boys (Lu Xiao, Xu Nian, Su Lie, Luo Ke), a four-member boyband that exists in the virtual reality game. Nobody bothers to know if they existed in the real world or not. It was Jiang Kele who discovers the real ones have been trapped in a dream-like manor by their abductor, Xu Guanghan (the villain who wants to use their popularity to gain more money and fame for himself). Aided by her bestie Guan Qianya and Granny Fushun, Jiang Kele sets out to set the four boys free and makes them realize what the real world looks like.

There are a lot of newbie actors in this show, but everyone has utilized their best acting skills, so kudos for them! I really adore Jiang Kele. She's fiercely independent, self-reliant, and on top of that, she's also witty and has a lot of tricks up her sleeve. I can feel a sizzling chemistry between Dai Luwa and He Luoluo. I think that his portrayal of Lu Xiao is a bit of lacking, but since this is his debut role, I can say he did quite well. Second couple Zhang Linghe and Fan Shuaiqi has a more mature relationship, so naturally things will be predictable, hence I skip most of their scenes. One more thing, they have tiny spark of bromance too and all of their antics are hilarious as well. Similar as Fox Spirit Matchmaker, the villain's intention is also exposed to the audience. From the very start, we've known that he's not going to let them off easily, but he has numerous ways to torture them and make them look up to him. His assistant, Lei Na, is equally scheming too.

Highly recommended for those who want to see a refreshing plot among a bunch of stereotypical shows! Good luck and happy watching!

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Similar with part 1 but much better

Before starting this series, I've read the synopsis back and forth - wondering whether I should give it a try or not. The answer is yes, I do give in. After watching the first episode, I didn't feel anything worthy and only watched ML's scene. Even I skipped lots of scenes involving the FL (she's a bit of hypocritical, I must say).

Other characters are not worthy to be mentioned. I just jump all of their scenes because they have a high amount of screentime.

Considering this is one of Jiu Lu Fei Xiang's works, it should be a breakout - but sadly, due to the bad script and supporting characters' high screentime, it falls short in every aspect.

Edit for part 2: The storyline is much better compared to the first part. I like the torturing part the best. Other than that, the ending does satisfy me. However, the others are meh.

If you want to watch something better, you can try The Legends, Love Between Fairy and Devil (although it's not my cup of tea), Back From the Brink, Love You Seven Times, The Legend of Shen Li (which will be airing next week).

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Watch it only for the ML... and the rest... you can skip or fast forward

Before starting this series, I've read the synopsis back and forth - wondering whether I should give it a try or not. The answer is yes, I do give in. After watching the first episode, I didn't feel anything worthy and only watched ML's scene. Even I skipped lots of scenes involving the FL (she's a bit of hypocritical, I must say).

Other characters are not worthy to be mentioned. I just jump all of their scenes because they have a high amount of screentime.

Considering this is one of Jiu Lu Fei Xiang's works, it should be a breakout - but sadly, due to the bad script and supporting characters' high screentime, it falls short in every aspect.

If you want to watch something better, you can try The Legends, Love Between Fairy and Devil (although it's not my cup of tea), Back From the Brink, Love You Seven Times, The Legend of Shen Li (which will be airing next week).

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An unexpected good watch

Firstly, I came here without any high expectation and only watched this to kill my time as there was nothing to watch back in January (after I dropped Sword and Fairy 6). I only find my time tonight to work on this review. So, this is a live adaptation based on 'Cream-Flavored Unrequited Love' by Zhu Yi who also writes Hidden Love, When I Fly Towards You, and First Frost.

The story is set in the college times of Lin Xichi (FL) and Xu Fang (ML). Both of them attend the same university but taking different majors. FL is a veterinary medicine majoring whereas ML enters the university with special admission due to him being an archer. The plot is a simple one, exploring the love life of the leads and how insecure they feel on the inside. You will expect all of the college drama tropes used here, so there's no surprise as this is a typical college drama. I love the bickering and banters of the main leads - also feel the superb chemistry and have butterflies in my stomach. (giggle... giggle...)

We have SML (Ye Shaowen) pursuing the FL and SFL (Xin Zhidan) doing the same to the ML. At first, they may come off toxic, but fortunately, the leads state that they only like each other and reject them outright. After getting rejected, they realize the truth and acknowledge and become supportive of their relationship. It solves pretty fast after 2 or 3 episodes - they're not annoying out of my hell, anyway.

Second couple (Jiang Zhengxu and Nie Yue) has a healthy relationship and support each other when one of them is in the darkest moment of his/her life. I'm moved by how Nie Yue defending Jiang Zhengxu from those debt collectors - it's just so, so heartwarming. Also like the way he proposes to Nie Yue before they graduate.

Third couple (Lin Xigeng and He Liyang) get off on the wrong foot when they first meet but slowly begin to attract each other. He's just so protective towards his girlfriend and his sister too. He's a good husband material. The girl is quite independent too, however after a motorbike crash, she will be a cripple, but that doesn't stop her from wanting to become a professional racer.

Annoying parents trope is played heavily if you notice the unstable relationship of the FL's dad and mom. I hate both of them and skip their scenes. Thank goodness, ML has more supportive parents and they immediately accept the FL without further ado.

This is one of the best college dramas I've ever seen even though the rating is kinda low in MDL. Happy watching and you can also check out Zhu Yi's other works (I will be waiting for First Frost - maybe until 2025 or longer than that TT).

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