Frustrating yet strangely addictive . . .I may come back to this one

He Fanxing is figuring out what she wants from life and relationships - to be true to herself or societal/community approval. But, once it appeared all 40+ episodes would be He Fanxing stumbling around unsure, I considered dropping the show . . .

Positives: When He Fanxing and Yuan Song (young love interest) shared a screen there is great energy, and you could see why they are drawn to each other. There is surprisingly little screen time devoted to Yuan Song, and there's a lot more that could be done with the character. . .

Negatives: Ye Luming (older love interest) has 'red flags' written all over him from the start. He lies, stalks her, ingrates himself with her parents, is very physical and grabby, and uses all the pressure in the world. This is excused as just being an alpha/domineering CEO, but his hostility toward women that cry and fantasising/dreaming about stabbing them was a bridge too far. Once I realized he was staying on through the show, I stopped wanting to watch . . .

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Slow and aimless and fails to introduce new conflicts...

I knew from the first episode this show probably was not for me. I kept watching because 'secret longing' is a favorite character trope of mine, and if this show had a defining theme it's 'secret longing.'

But, even all the yearning and pained glances, couldn't keep me watching this. The conflicts are highly typical from the school portion: 'failure to communicate' 'absentee parents' and 'being looked down for being poor' and the adult portion: 'failure to communicate' 'insecurities and jealousies regarding failure/success.'

There's a lot of nostalgia for their school years that feels unearned. Indeed the flashbacks pick moments from all five years of their relationship and yet don't show any relationship development. No stray touches or being able to communicate in an easier way; there's no sense that the relationship was ever lived in.

A five year 'everyday relationship' is more than studying and a few school pranks and awkward and stilted interactions. But that's all we got in five hours, five hours is double the length of a movie!

Perhaps for some, the warm familiarity and predictability paired with better budget and cinematography is enough. For me, it felt too much like drifting without a compass.

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I was excited to see the actors from Yanxi Palace starring in a new drama, unfortunately it quickly became disappointing...

I liked the premise. One ambitious woman (Li Hao Lan) and two men who love her - one older merchant (Lu Bu Wei) who has shifty morals and will sacrifice anything to win, and a prince (Ying Yi Ren) who tries his best to act with decency and honor. Which path will she choose?

By Episode 15, however, I had lost patience. Lu Bu Wei had attempted the same scheme numerous times, claimed that he was going to betray and ditch her multiple times, DID leave her behind, and then she still had to help rescue him and appears to be attracted to him.

Ying Yi Ren always protests about Lu Bu Wei 's morals, but always goes along for the good of his kingdom - and the pattern repeats.

As a result, I rapidly got fed up with all of them - and the tension no longer held my interest.

I have other criteria I score by:

Complex Themes - 8
(The themes are introduced regarding ambition, loyalty to romantic love vs. kingdom and family, revenge, betrayal etc. but it never moves forward)
Character Growth -3
(It felt like it was never going anywhere)
Nuanced Women -5
(There were plenty of women in significant roles, but they tended to be all typical dramatic stereotypes)
Cinematography/Production Values - 7
(A lot of money was spent, but it doesn't have the creative beauty of Yanxi Palace or the sweeping outdoor shots of Nirvana in Fire 2. The costumes are all a boring cream/white/gold up through Episode 15 )

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You can find love in unexpected places . . . but do you want to?

Due to hijinks, Qin Shi and Yang Hua decide to pretend to be husband and wife. They both 'could do worse' and are attractive . . and so why not move from fake to real? The suspense comes from Qin Shi being a known quantity, but Yang Hua is a mystery to the audience, why does he know so much about finance? why does he have such an odd attitude towards relationships? What makes him tick?

It's not the most compelling plot, but there is an eagerness in seeing him finally lose his cool, or revealing some of the mysteries of the past.

But, I am dropping this series because I absolutely can't stand the secondary couple. They are both miserable, but the woman doesn't want to let go, and the man is incapable on his own. The family tries to encourage the woman to stay as she is a steadying, good influence on him and the family business. This is the story of every dysfunctional relationship ever, and by all accounts has been going on for years . . . what are we supposed to be learning from this? It's beyond the we fight and make up phase.

They are showing every single sign of a completely failed relationship, physical violence, emotional and/perhaps sexual cheating, demeaning and derisive comments about each others characters. It may turn out that there is a relationship lesson down the line, but for now it seems to hint that they are some sort of Romeo and Juliet, instead of a couple who should have split up years ago before people got hurt. I started skipping their scenes, but the pros are small and cons large for this series, and it's time to give up.

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Full of potential, but got too repetitive and lost momentum . . .

I loved the premise of this. Two people whose marriage soured and ambitions failed are given a second chance to do it all over again. It's especially sweet and interesting that Pei Wen Xuan, our male lead, is clearly head over heels in love with our head strong, somewhat enfiruatiing, highly capable female lead Princess Li Rong.

But after the initial action paced 10 episodes, the plot curdles. Pei Wen Xuan and Li Rong's romance does not progress. The court political plots are all the same and add no tension. The secondary romance has a lot of potential, but then one half is sent off for a bunch of episodes.

This is the first C-Drama in quite awhile were I was excited and addicted to keep watching, but everything fizzled out. I'm dropping . . .

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Beware if you didn't like Joy of Life . .

I gave this a chance because I really appreciated Joy of Life's production and cinematography even though I couldn't get into the plot. Yet, here I am again, bored. There is no tension.

Xu Feng Nian, our main lead, is destined for triumph, and the show makes this clear from the beginning. Clever, strategic and good hearted, beneath a playful exterior is a deeply capable person. Determined to be a 'better man,' than his father he twists and turns to avoid his fate to inherit his legacy as a military leader and martial arts talent.

What is the point of watching? Perhaps for some, there is satisfaction in watching a world where everything has a reason, and talent paired with a good heart always wins in the end.

There is good acting, lots of memorable side characters and very high production values . . . but bland themes and no tension do not hold my interest.

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Dramatic Doomed Love Premise Fizzles in Execution

I love vampire romances due to the fact that the vampire presents one face, but behind that face is centuries of secret pain and history. This show operates on a similar concept, except I couldn't buy in. I'm not sure whether it was due to the acting, script or combination of both.

Lee Dong Wook and Jo Bo Ah have little chemistry and feel like they are from two different dramas. Lee Dong Wook plays his character playfully, exaggerated and a bit campy, whereas Jo Bo Ah plays like she is in a very serious teen supernatural show constantly overwhelmed.

It didn't help that the production values, cinematography, and action scenes were all a bit lackluster and unattractive and there just wasn't anything to keep my interest. . . .

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Everyone loses everything . . .

Touching characters and heartfelt acting are the reason to watch. In the first 10 or so episodes, we spend a lot of nostalgic 'golden' time, experience the innocence and courage of youth. Hae Soo inspires the brothers to hope that palace life could be different, and you the foolish audience member begins to hope too . . .

But, by the end, the show is racing through a Wikipedia of historical events with Hae Soo barely present. Scenes are chopped and spliced until the plot turns into simply everyone loses everything. Objectively, there's lots wrong with the show not just the plot, the themes are unclear, action scenes weak, and perhaps worst of all the romance between Hae Soo and 4th prince on paper is underdeveloped, toxic and not particularly inspiring. Despite the mess, the strength of the chemistry and the acting kept me watching.

It is worth sticking it out for some key touching moments: Hae Soo's song becoming a legendary classic sung throughout the land or the 14th prince revealing his commitment and deep love for Hae Soo all along.

Does this drama deserve it's legendary status? Overall no . . . but I'm glad I watched. These characters are going to live on in my head for years to come. And that made this drama a rare and precious watching experience.

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Addictive and a whole lot of fun . . .

Modern love storylines often suffer from a lot of unrealistic danger, whereas historical/fantasy storylines often suffer from outdated romance ideals. So, what if you combine them?

This drama concept isn't new, but it's very well done. The leads have great chemistry, the plot is fast moving, there's lots of protectiveness/rescuing/sacrificing scenes blended with a lot of humor. As with all great dramas, I was reluctant to leave the characters and universe behind.

Music was competent, and while endearing, I'm not sure I'd ever be tempted to rewatch.

I grade on other criteria as well:
Complex Themes - 5
The clumsy (though well-intended) theme is exploring equality in gender roles for both society and relationships. The better executed themes are around learning to be your authentic self and trusting others, as well as what makes a kind and generous person.
Character Growth - 7.5
Both main leads grow and change as a result of the relationship and are transformed as people by the change from a fake relationship to a real one. The rest of the characters are fairly fixed, and second sister's character development is sudden and clumsy.
Complex Female Characters - 8
There's lots of relationships between women, women in leadership roles, and women with complex personalities. The city leader was a great blend of calculating and cruel vs. protective and generous
Production - 7
It did not get in the way. Limited sets and shooting outdoors, everything was shot fairly straight on, costuming was lower budget but in good taste.

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Creative and visually stunning, but a few steps short of perfection . . .

The set-up and mythology is very different and fun to watch. From the idea of a ghost inn, to a goddess with many avatars/faces, to the beauty & the beast type romance with the genders switched. I was blown away for the first eight episodes.

But, while the historical plots tie up nicely, the modern storylines were wrapped up quickly with no real suspense making the last couple episodes complete filler.

As to actors/characters, two of the main female characters are complex and multifaceted: Jang Man-Wol and the Goddess Mago. But, the main male character Koo Chan-Seong is especially flat and uninspiring as the person who always does the right thing.

The music fits well with the show, but it doesn't linger in my memory. There were no special scenes that I feel the need to rewatch.

I grade on other criteria as well:

Complex Themes: 7.0
The biggest letdown of the show. The theme is letting go leads to peace, and you should do it, even if terrible things happened to you while alive. But there isn't a complex inspection of this, forgiveness is just always the right thing to do - and always works out for the characters that do it.
Character Growth: 8.0
The transition from vengeful to letting go is especially touching for Jang Man-Wol, the housekeeper and the receptionist. It's a shame that Koo Chan-Seong gets no complexity or real transition at all. There are also very short, abrupt plot points for the bartender, Sanchez, and Lee Mi-Ra.
Complex Female Characters: 10.0
Jang Man-Wol is great playing vengeful and cynical, with a romantic heart. She is fascinating throughout the show as she develops increasing humour and sensitivity. A very well-rounded character. The housekeeper and the Goddess Mago also have great complexity. Indeed, generally the female characters and storyline were much better developed and well-rounded then the male ones.
Cinematography/Production Values: 10.0
It's gorgeous. Truly the most beautiful TV show I may have ever seen, the colour palette is vibrant and unusual, the clothes budget for Jang Man-Wol must have been unlimited, and there's a beautiful use of camera angles, movements and framing. It has a very stylistic, fairy-tale feel.

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Binge Watched Despite Numerous Flaws . . . . (I really liked it despite myself).

The plot has an intriguing premise with the split personality element. But in practice the plot is: Overly-serious protective male lead, with spirited, loud female lead - what fun! (and it was fun - and addictive).

The main leads are what makes this show worth watching. Despite the overacting, they are endearing to watch, show some range, and are very at ease with each other. You believe that they are in a relationship together with lots of little looks and gestures.

I also liked the friendship between the maid Jing Xin and Qu Xiaotan.

The music, surprisingly, is pretty good esp. the end credits song.

Warning: There's definitely some ethical issues surrounding Qu Xiaotan's use of Qu Tan'er's body that are somewhat laughed off.

I score by other criteria as well:

Complex Themes - 3
(There could have been a lot of complex themes regarding two people sharing one body - but they don't really touch on that. There is no real theme besides be a good person and be loyal to who you love)
Character Growth -7
(As the show goes on, the main actors and characters do show some range, and the split personality part is done well)
Nuanced Women -7
(Lots of points for strong female friendship, but otherwise .. what nuance?)
Cinematography/Production Values - 3
(No money was spent, the costumes are terrible, there's only a few sets. The only reason this isn't a '1' is the producers/director seemed to realise their own budget limitations. )

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I have hopes for Season 2 . . .

This is a really fun, unique premise and world. 2 friends from the outer borders make their way to the capital city to make their fortune.

In 60 episodes, however, it only barely starts .. . the show spends too much time on the multiple worlds and their hundreds of characters instead of really building and focusing on the main relationships.

My main issue is that Sang Sang was standout actor and character for me in this series, and she gets barely any screen time. Instead, there's more side characters than one can keep track of (including 12 spiritual siblings), plus a whole host of other characters from class mates, to mentors, to an emperor and various inner palace politics.

In addition, a lot of the quests are 'mental' quests, where one just watches the main character scrunch his brow a lot and stumble around - which isn't particularly appealing.

Other Criteria I score by

Complex Themes - 5
(There may be more in Season 2, but in Season 1 not so much. Some small themes of being true to who you are, and not being confused by fancy words/wealth/sophistication).
Character Growth -5
(None really, our main characters act the same in the beginning as they do at the end, but there's some hints this will not be true by Season 2)
Nuanced Women -6
(Though there's lots of women, none of the women get enough screen time to form a really nuanced portrayal, except Sang Sang - and even she is only beginning to show different sides of her personality.)
Cinematography/Production Values - 9
(This is beautifully done, a good mix of CGI and real world scenery, well choreographed fight scenes etc. It's not as aesthetically pretty as say Yanxi Palace or Rise of the Phoenixes, but it's a big budget done well).

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The romance here is so good, and so strong, I could overlook a lot . . .

Byeon Woo-seok as Ryu Sun-jae steals the show as the ideal traditional romantic male. Putting our main character's safety above his own, being strong, handsome, and famous while still earnest, honest and sentimental. Kim Hye-yoon as Im Sol has great chemistry with him, but her character and acting is a bit one note on its own.

This drama will go down as one of my all time favorite romances, but unfortunately not one of my favorite shows overall. The premise of a 'groundhogs day' is somewhat unique to start, but there's a lot here rehashed from the K-Drama plot bin including serial killers, slapstick comedy about working class people, etc. as the scenario repeats, and repeats, and repeats it starts to wear thin.

BUT YET! I could watch Ryu Sun-Jae being in love with Im Sol for 50 episodes if need be, that's how good the romance is here. It's worth a watch despite the flaws. Music is strong and there's some scenes worth a rewatch.

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Starts off strong, good moral themes . . . but a chore to try and finish

As the younger generation tries to negotiate new ways of organizing government, society and marriage, we get to feel the satisfaction of our main characters doing the right thing and never losing their way. But, this premise has no conflict, or tension, or character development, and at 40 episodes it's just way too long.

One strong point was a very accurate depiction of domestic abuse.

The main characters are all likeable enough, but the acting is very on the surface, and chemistry is more like good buddies trying to do a group project. Music was adequate and there isn't really anything to rewatch.

I grade on other criteria as well:

Complex Themes (7.5)
Why are we wasting the talents and strengths of women and failing to recognize their obvious complementary strengths? Why indeed. I am all for this theme, though it was bit simplistic done. I did deeply appreciate illustrating the pitfalls of trying to leave an abusive relationship in a traditional, patriarchal society and why leaving isn't easy.

Complex Characters (3.0)
Just no. There were too many characters and they all had one distinctive personality trait.

Complex women and relationships (8.5)
While all the characters are simply drawn, there were lots and lots of women collaborating and being in friendship, and it was a joy to see that so front and center.

Cinematography/Production values (7.5)
Average for a historical show produced in the last couple years. Nothing really stands out.

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The propaganda is too strong in this one . . .

This is full stop an advertisement for joining the firefighting service with a nod to other frontline emergency services. All the plot and lingering scenes are devoted to their heroic ever sacrificing adventures. There is no overarching plot or theme, just an 'episode of the week' emergency.

In the background is a truly addictive romantic plot, with the female lead's family being truly villainous in keeping our two main characters apart. The actors do have charisma and chemistry. But, this is stretched out so long and given so little time, that at 22 episodes in I just can't stick with it.

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