A Romance Between a Quirky Princess and her Evil Husband

I went into this drama with zero expectations. I was suffering from a drought of good Chinese dramas and decided to pick this one on a wimp. I’m so glad that I did, because the storyline is engaging, the ML is a handsome hedgehog who looks eternally scary but is a gentle marshmallow; the supporting cast is equally engaging. Well, you might be wondering why I haven’t talked about the FL, because it’s obvious from the synopsis that this show is related to the female protagonist’s transmigration. I won’t necessarily call Hua Qing Ge a strong character; but she is street smart and is making the most of a situation she is trapped in. Kudos to the costume department for dressing the male lead, Ding Ze Ren in the most resplendent costumes that I have ever seen in a Chinese drama; it just adds a chilly aura to his coldhearted personality. The settings are equally grand and it makes for an entertaining watch!

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/01/25/different-princess-first-impressions/

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A Woman's Struggle Against Mental Illness

This is one those of those dramas that could be a “Hit or Miss” phenomenon. There are very few shows that are daring enough to depict main characters with mental disorders. If you have watched this show, Seo Jae Won expresses her life long suffering and anguish in the penultimate episode, while openly challenging the societal mindset and prejudice. As she rightly points out, the disorder itself causes pain to the patient and their family, to be discriminated by the society is ever more agonizing. The scriptwriter indeed hit the nail with this point; patients suffering from mental disorders are the same as others, they have every right to lead a normal life while getting their treatment. There is nothing to be ashamed about, and they should not be prejudiced, the trauma only worsens their situation. As always, Jang Na Ra does a fantastic job portraying the main character’s struggles. Let’s take a moment to talk about Seo Jae Won and her relationships, as the show revolves around them!

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/02/27/my-happy-ending-series-review/#more-574

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One of My Favorite This Year!!

One man’s yearning to express his hidden desires to his loved one led to “the catastrophe of heaven”!

“Love Game in Eastern Fantasy” premise boils down to one thing- authors can be pretty peculiar, as is Fu Zhou. Terminally sick, he wrote a novel in his childhood about his crush; in the current times, as a popular author, he published the same novel. The unexpected twist being that his supposed childhood crush, Ling Miaomiao is now his biggest fan and somehow she gets pulled into the novel where Fu Zhou himself acts as a supporting character paired opposite her. This show becomes a “revolving door” phenomenon, because of the said author’s vivid imagination; but it is by far the most entertaining transmigration story that I have watched in a long time. Esther Yu & Ding Yu Xi have a naturally affable chemistry, their romance is overrated or loud; their fights, arguments and bickering are epic. Not to be left behind, Zhu Xu Dan & Yang Shi Ze have their own somber romance that is mature and subtle.

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/11/23/love-game-in-eastern-fantasy-series-review/

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An Entertaining & Thrilling Watch Indeed

This review was long overdue, I’m glad that I finally got time to watch the show completely!

Forgoing on the dynasty politics, “Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty II To the West” sticks close to what it is best known for- solving crimes in the midst of diffident situations. Despite their initial misunderstandings in the pilot episodes, our dynamic duo are back together as they travel towards the West with their motley group. Whilst Lu Lingfeng is demoted to the position of the Sheriff, Su Wuming tags along as his personal secretary aka sounding board. The 40 episodes span across their various adventures as Lu LingFeng & Su Wuming solve mysteries in the midst of defending themselves from varied assassinations attempts. Even though they suspect the Emperor, Lu LingFeng never gives up on his principles and chooses to strive for justice. As they cross borders to reach Yunding, their camaraderie grows stronger; with Su Wuming taking a step back and relinquishing control to Lu LingFeng, who is now adept at investigations.

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/10/09/strange-tales-of-tang-dynasty-ii-to-the-west-series-review/#more-1253

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The Best Sismance in a Long Time!

This was one of those dramas that I had a “Love-Hate” relationship with!

The show was obviously promoted as sismance between the leading ladies and for most quarters, it is. Sparks fly when veteran divorce lawyer Jang Na Ra (Cha Eun Kyung) has to mentor rookie lawyer Nam Ji Hyun (Han Yoo Ri). First of all, their values are invariably different; while Yoo Ri is too straight laced and principled, Eun Kyung only believes in winning her cases, no matter the cost. Clashes are inevitable, but slowly down the line, both of them settle into an amicable professional relationship which helps them grow in different ways. Because of own custody battle, Eun Kyung learns the importance of family and gets to know her daughter better. Yoo Ri on the other hand learns to separate her personal and professional lives. The male leads didn’t have much to do, apart from supporting the lead ladies; at times, their presence was overshadowed by the female protagonists who had an impeccable sense of justice.

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/09/24/good-partner-series-review/#more-1217

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A Beautiful Romance That Traverses Time and Tide

When I watched the pilot episodes, we were led to believe something else, but the reality is all together different!

So, I remember commenting that the synopsis and plotline were misleading; sadly they weren’t. Not exactly on point and yet, unhinged. Starring Kim So Hyun, Chae Jong Hyeop, Kim Da Som, Yun Ji On, “Serendipity’s Embrace” has messy love triangles, adorable friendships and a vengeful mother hellbent on destruction. The highlight of this show is obviously the somber romance which has inevitably been dragged on for a decade. While the initial episodes dwell into Kang Hu Yeong’s supposedly unrequited feelings and longing; the second half is a mature interpretation of Lee Hong Ju’s redressal. The script is carefully curated to portray their love, struggles and inner fears, as it depicts their soulful love story. The childhood romance is blissful and angsty, yet endearing. Let’s get to know them better!

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/08/14/serendipitys-embrace-series-review/

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One of my Best Shows in 2024, Please do Watch!!!

I loved Lim Sun more than Lee Mi Jin, irrevocably and undeniably!

Frankly, I never thought that watching a middle age woman living her life to the fullest would be so much fun. Metaphorically, this story focuses on Lim Sun, Lee Mi Jin’s missing aunt but in the diabolical sense, it is Mi Jin masquerading as her aunt. How does that happen? We have a well-meaning cat to blame for it. One thing I love about the dramas in JTBC’s Saturday- Sunday slot is that the stories are always so meaningful, the casting is phenomenal, my weekends for the past few months were so heartwarming. I’m already looking forward to the next contender “Romance in the House”. Starring Jung Eun Ji, Lee Jung Eun, Choi Jin Hyuk in lead roles, “Miss Night and Day” stretches fantasy too into reality. Lee Jung Eun as Lim Sun is so inspirational and sweet, that you tend to forget about the other leads, she outshines them. That is probably the charm of this show, which portrays a 30-year-old woman trapped in a 50-year-old body. The hijinks are phenomenal, because obviously Lim Sun never acts her age; from typing sheets at a lightening speed to climbing rock mountains, she does everything perfectly and endlessly without getting tired. This was one of my favorite shows in a long, long time, so let’s debrief!

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/08/05/miss-night-and-day-series-review/#more-1069

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The Most Entertaining Watch in a Long Time

This was a long stretch, and yet I thoroughly enjoyed this one!

Adapted from the web novel “Marriage of the Di Daughter” (嫡嫁千金) by Qian Shan Cha Ke (千山茶客), the show tells the story of Xue Fangfei, the daughter of a honest county magistrate who takes over the identity of Jiang Li, Secretariat Director’s daughter, after a major upheaval, turns her life upside down. Starring Wu Jin Yan, Wang Xing Yue, Liang Yong Qi and Li Meng in lead roles, the entire show is like a clever game of chess between the two protagonists and the daredevil antagonists. While Xue Fangfei/Jiang Li remains at the center of this political melodrama, it’s her intelligent cosplay between two different identities that turns this show into an hightail adventure. While she does live and breathe as Jiang Li throughout the expanse of this storyline, at heart, our main lead still remains true to her convictions and old relationships. She fights for herself while also fighting for the noble girl who could have lived an entitled life instead of dying a miserable death in the far-off mountains. Duke Su is the icing on the cake, contemplative yet compelling and mysterious; he always reaches out whenever Jiang Li needs help but also gives her the freedom to conspire on her own. Let’s dive down the memory lane!

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/07/10/the-double-series-review/#more-1018

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I'm Going to Miss This Show For Sure

Pegged as the second highest viewership ratings of any drama in ENA history following “Extraordinary Attorney Woo.”, Crash set a personal high with its ending episode!

This was one of those shows that unexpectedly turned out to be much more interesting than I thought. With a motley crew of veteran actors that includes Lee Min Ki, Kwak Sun Young, Heo Sung Tae, Lee Ho Chul, Choi Moon Hee, the show was surprisingly consistent from start to end. The cases were handled with a conviction that depicts the team’s intolerant attitude towards road accidents. They firmly believed that accidents are nevertheless murders and bought the suspects to justice, no matter who they were. I was invested in the show right from the bat and the storytelling didn’t waver throughout. My Monday’s & Tuesday’s are going to be pretty resolute without this crime thriller experience. Let’s talk about my love for this show!

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/06/20/crash-series-review/#more-962

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Entertaining and Intriguing Indeed

I went into this show with zero expectations and came out thoroughly entertained.

There are very few shows that can boost about having a stellar casting alongside a solid storytelling. This show steals the lamplight right from the first scene, setting the tone for exciting cases hinging on the spidey senses of our Insect Detective, Tan Jin Tian (Gala Zhang). The guy has an odd sense of righteousness which always lands him in difficult situations (he totally empathizes with criminals if they were victims to horrible fates and tends to help them escape). Doesn’t make it an easy time for Sheriff Vorarit (Bie Thassapak Hsu) who joins our gutsy hero on his crusade in Season Two. Joining these two are Jin Ling (Chu Yue), Jin Tian’s official girlfriend/forensic entomologist and Ter (Nine Kornchid) whose unrequited love for his boss/partner Vorarit makes him jealous of his proximity to Jin Tian. While the cases were as intriguing as they could get, the underlying chemistry between the main leads drove the narrative forward. Let’s get started with this review because I can’t wait to share my opinion about this one!

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/06/12/insect-detective-2-series-review/#more-918

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Could Have Been If It Was Short & Sweet

After “Welcome to Samdalri”, I had high hopes from “Doctor Slump”; not that the show didn’t meet my expectations. I just feel it frizzled out in the finale week. Focusing on mental health, we had two characters who are facing mid life crisis due to different scenarios. While Nam Ha Neul (Park Shin Hye) suffered depression because of the abuse suffered at her mentor’s hands; Yeo Jeong Woo (Park Hyung Sik) suffers from PTSD because he was falsely accused of medical malpractice. Their individual traumas bring them together; as they struggle with everyday life, being jobless and lonely. The first half of the show was fantastic as the show conceded to the main protagonist’s struggles. There was also the mystery of who caused the medical accident at Jeong Woo’s clinic. Their budding romance was another highlight; but the second half turned out to be entirely boring. This was one of those shows which should have followed the Netflix’s typical pattern of having eight or so episodes. Because beyond that, there wasn’t much substance in the storyline. Let’s review the better parts of this romcom!

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/03/19/doctor-slump-series-review/

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A Mindblowing Tale of Revenge and Reconciliation

Following up on the three part prelude of “Arthdal Chronicles”, the sequel “The Sword of Aramun” is a fast paced, action packed thriller of events that happen eight years later. The first chapter that ended in 2019 had the lead characters TaGon, Tae Al Ha, Eun Seom/Sa Ya and Tanya perceivably assuming different roles. Eight years, the saga leads them on a different journey as TaGon is faced with the shocking challenge of protecting his dynasty. There is a lot of scheming and plotting happening at any given point of time; each and every character is cunning and searching for opportunities to bring someone else down. Even the dynamics between TaGon and Tae Al Ha who were each other’s strengths have vastly changed in this season. While everything else has changed, the one thing that remains unchanged is EunSeom’s righteousness and kind nature. Starring Jang Dong Gun, Lee Joon Gi, Shin Sae Kyeong and Kim Ok Bin in the lead roles, the sequel is bigger, grandeur and more complicated. Let’s dive into the character’s individual journey as we review this show!

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/02/16/arthdal-chronicles-the-sword-of-aramun-series-review/

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A Sweet and Breezy Workplace Romance

I’m not a huge fan of Chinese modern dramas; I mostly steer clear of them. If you are a regular reader of my blog, you will notice that I tend to lean more towards wuxia and xianxia dramas. As such, the only reason to start this one was- angst, lots of angst and more angst. Adapted from the novel “Dui Ni Bu Zhi Shi Xi Huan” (对你不止是喜欢) by Mo Yan Chuan (陌言川), the show stars Wei Zhe Ming and Huang Ri Ying in the lead roles, Tang Yu & Tang Xin. Yes, they share the same surnames, something that I have never seen in a Chinese drama before. I just started this drama on a wimp (because I had nothing else to watch) and surprisingly grew to like the characters as well as their individual stories. Technically, the show wades through different romances; but in the end, we only get two happy couples. The workplace setting, the premise of unrequited love adds a rustic touch to the story line and makes the characters even more intriguing. Let’s sit down and talk about my favorite moments in this sublime romance!

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2023/12/14/i-may-love-you-series-review/

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Seven Lifetimes of Love

IQIYI’s highly anticipated wuxia drama “Love You Seven Times” recently finished its run and I’m still spellbound by the storyline. Adapted from the web novel “Yi Shi Chong Dong, Qi Shi Bu Xiang” (一时冲动，七世不祥) by Jiu Lu Fei Xiang (九鹭非香), the show stars Yang Chao Yue & Ding Yu Xi in the indomitable roles of the God of War Chu Kong & Empress Cang Hai. The storyline begins with an uncanny meeting between our main couple (in the present), where Chu Kong is trying to cure his damaged primordial spirit. Chu Kong had supposedly sacrificed half of his primordial spirit to vanquish the evildoer, Empress Cang Hai, in the past. If you are questioning the logic between pairing a protagonist and an antagonist, that’s where “Love You Seven Times” does a double take and gives you an effervescent love story that spans across seven lifetimes. The show (true to its name) has seven different settings and timelines where our main couple reincarnate, face various tribulations and return to the Heavenly Realm. Distinctly intertwined with these stories is the backstory, which dates back to 30,000 years where Moluo’s were the most powerful clan and Empress Cang Hai was the “Ruler of the Six Realms”.

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2023/09/04/love-you-seven-times-series-review/

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The Worst Show of 2024, So Far

A hyped revenge saga that was bound to be good? Right?

I was so wrong when I wrote the First Impressions for this show. Starring Xu Lu, Wei Zhe Ming in lead roles, the drama was meant to fill the wide gap left behind after "White Cat Legend" & "In Blossom" finished airing. I was like "here's a good drama with a stellar casting, don't mind the mediocre settings". I really hoped that this show would be as good as the premise; unfortunately "Lady Revenger Returns from the Fire” became a stable foible of bad storytelling and wasted potential. While the show does try its best to draw intrigue with murder mysteries and encore suspense, it fails. The script is all over the place, the main protagonists though daring don't know what they are doing half of the time and the antagonists are plain stupid. Didn't make for an easy watch. So, why did I persevere to watch this horrible show? Read to find out why exactly!

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/05/18/lady-revenger-returns-from-the-fire-series-review/

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