Really good acting and music

Story: Especially at the beginning, some parts of the story are being thrown at you, but it does get better throughout. Honestly, some parts were confusing, mainly because they introduce characters by name before you see what the character looks like or their personality (but could also be translation errors). The dynamics between the characters are very well-written, and although some misunderstandings change the course of their relationship they end up working it out eventually. Also made me realize how psychologically torturing being an assassin is.

Acting: Exceptional especially for the antagonist and protagonist but honestly every actor/actress did amazing, including the parts where the characters are desperate and suffering. You can feel the emotion in their voice. Even when there isn't anything verbal going on. In particular, the main characters' facial expressions and how they move still give the scene weight to it.

Music: A lot of the OST music I would listen to on repeat, particularly the intro song. And I know a lot of people love it for the same reasons I do. It fits the relationships between the characters in the story and the cadence of the singer really describes the emotion of the song. They do milk it a lot in the episodes but it is a moving song so, it's not as annoying as you would think..

Rewatch: I generally don't rewatch shows unless they are amazing shows/mystery genre. I feel like this show is a one-and-done situation, but I did enjoy it while it lasted.

TLDR; Story is a bit confusing at first but it flows throughout the show. Acting is phenomenal and is amazing a portraying emotion even when they aren't talking. Music is beautiful and melancholy. Most likely won't rewatch it, but it was an interesting experience.

Citeste mai mult

Personally, not very picky about shows

Honestly at first, I was a bit skeptical because the plot summary makes the show sound a bit bland. But it was a lot different from the mystery genre I'm used to that includes a murder, and they try to figure out who did it etc. This one is very different and then the ending is very conclusive, although we never figure out why or how they got into the time loop.

For story: Like I said, it is very creative in how they tell a mystery using a time loop. It might sound repetitive, but every loop is a little bit different from the last when they get more information to figure out how to fix the time loop. It also involves a lot of perspective on the accused side of how they deal with things and process sticky situations. As for romance, it's a little slow but there are some bite-sized romance stuffed in there, and it's not overly dramatic/cheesy.

Acting: AMAZING!! The actors definitely know what they're doing and they portray every emotion and personality perfectly. I comment on the acting a lot for the episode reviews lol.

OST: I don't know why but I especially love the ending song because it kind of fits with the main characters' relationship but also the other relationship too (that you'll see if you watch this). The singer also did a phenomenal job of singing the emotions of the song.

Rewatch: Usually, I don't rewatch things unless they're really good but for mysteries I like to watch them again to see the little details I didn't catch the first time because I know what happens.
TL;DR Amazing show with a spin on the mystery genre with slow but sweet build-up of romance and the ending has good closure on all the characters that leaves a little bittersweet feeling when you watch a good show.

Citeste mai mult

good characters, amazing music

Just a foreword, the actor for Wei Ya Nei is different but is still spot-on with the original's mannerisms and expressions, so I don't mind it. Also, a possible reason why they changed it was the love interest, which seems weird if it was done with the original since she is clearly a lot younger. With the new actor, I feel like the students are actually supposed to be teens and not adults lol. Also if you're watching on yt the eng dub isn't amazing and the subs stop starting at the 15th ep but reappear and disappear sporadically. I've posted my side-rant in the comments; the spoiler is at the very end.

TLDR; There is a definite budget increase, which is evident based on the music and the backgrounds/more CGI and green screen backdrops. Story is a bit better in part because they make some bold choices, and although the acting of the main characters is similar to the original, the supporting characters make it more interesting. Music is a definite upgrade from the original. It's a lot shorter than the original, but honestly I don't know if I want to watch it again because there are some heartbreaking moments I don't want to relive. I'm probably going to go into Yuan Hao's character in another post.

Story: It's a bit more convoluted than S1 imo. I think the main reason for the lower ratings on S2 is that there are a lot of references to Chinese mythology/folklore that I'm not familiar with and that could also be lost in translation. I'm rolling with the punches like Wei Ya Nei fr. Even though the comedy in the original is well executed, I think they improve it esp when they stop the music right before it swells to climax to deliver the bit; I love it when shows do that 😆. Can I just say though, Yuan Hao is such a good villain. They make some bold choices that compensate for the lack of good eng subs.

Acting/Cast: Honestly I don't think much has changed and the acting is still the same to me. I think most people feel that it has improved just because there's more opportunity for them to act more emotional moments. I will say the new characters are amazing.

Music: A definite improvement to S1, especially with the orchestral renditions of the originals. I love it when games/shows slightly change the main theme based on the mood. Of course, they also use the original music, which is refreshing. Honestly, I could listen to the whole track multiple times and not get bored of it.

Rewatch value: Although it's shorter, I don't think I could meet new characters with hindsight, but that's just me. Also, the eng subs aren't great, esp near the end.

Citeste mai mult

good drama, good characters and acting. also good romance

TLDR; Despite being a long show, it was worth it because of the characters and how they each solved it differently. There were a lot of plot twists and turns that kept me wanting to know the truth. There's a fair bit of comedy and romance mixed in, and the acting separates the different characters, each with their own distinct personalities.

Story: Because there are so many characters, it's sometimes hard to keep up with who relates to whom, but there's definitely an emphasis on mystery here. There are also some moments where they throw a lot of information at you, and I feel like some parts were a bit rushed. It's not always serious though and their comedy is just perfect to relieve some of the tension in the show. In terms of romance, this might be my favorite just because of how they interact in the beginning. I'm also a sucker for love-hate relationships because it's interesting to see their reaction once they realize they love each other.

Acting: I love the acting in this because each character has their own distinct personality and yet this group meshes well together because each can compensate for the other. I especially love the facial expressions and overall acting of Yuan Zhong Xin and Wei Ya Nei because they're probably the most expressive out of the group.

Music: The music definitely set the mood, and I could tell when there was a comedic scene happening or something bad was going to happen. I'll be honest though, it wasn't particularly memorable, but it wasn't terrible either.

Rewatch value: Out of all the shows I've watched so far, this might be the one I would rewatch because I feel like I could catch clues because of hindsight, but it also has 42 episodes, each at least 40 minutes long, so it is a bit of a commitment.

Onto season 2!

Citeste mai mult

Good drama with amazing characters and story

Production: For being low-cost I thought the costumes were well-made and high-quality, and I thought the outfits they wore looked cool. If they used wigs, it looked like they used a lot of hair gel, but the hairstyles were nice, and the makeup wasn't too over-the-top.
Story: I could tell the story was well thought out, and it requires a lot of piecing together to solve the mystery. I'm not big-brained enough to figure out who did what, but they explain the process after the big reveal. What I like the most about this series is the character dynamics; the main female lead is not helpless and plays a big part in actually helping the main male lead figure out the crime. When the characters get into misunderstandings, they are very mature about it and resolve it within the episode and aren't dramatic about it. The romance is a bit cheesy at times but it works somehow because the chemistry between the characters is adorable. The female leads work together and never get into big fights; the same thing is true for the male leads too. As far as I could tell, every episode had a purpose and there were no filler episodes. Each minute was used and none was wasted, which added to the suspense and substance of the story.
Acting: In the parts where the characters feel emotion, the actors portray it very well and their reactions make you feel things. Also, the chemistry between the actors is there. Especially the actor who played Jing Yi; I could tell he enjoyed playing that character and is low-key my favorite character because of his personality.
Music: There are some songs that I would listen to on repeat because the lyrics and the way they sing is expressive and sound good.
TL;DR Despite it being low-cost I think they did pretty well. The wardrobe and makeup were perfect. A fluid story with lots of stuff to piece together and excellent acting that fits each character. The music is expressive, and when they put it in the episodes are appropriate for the scene/context. Since the insurrectionist was someone I didn't expect, I wouldn't mind watching it again to see the little details I missed the first time, though I wouldn't go through that whole rollercoaster again if I wanted to.

Citeste mai mult