Jealous Love Rivals Galore!

Rebirth For You actually started off quite well as viewers are told that the male protagonist is quietly investigating his mother’s murder. But just as we begin to think this would be an investigative romance drama, it takes a different turn and third parties’ obsessions and jealousies become the central focus. Basically, it gets tiring watching endless schemes by these jealous people trying to tear the main couple apart.

The problem with this script is that you don’t have 1 or even 2 highly obsessed love rivals. You have 4 people going around trying to stop Bao Ning and Li Qian from being together. Emperor Zhao Yi and Zhao Xiao are in love with Bao Ning and they are extremely jealous of Li Qian. Tong Xin is in love with Emperor Zhao Yi and hence, she has an axe to grind with Bao Ning since the man she loves has deep affections for our princess instead. To add more jealousy to the plot, Miao Rong loves Li Qian immensely and hates Bao Ning for snatching her man away.

Well, just from that brief summary above, you should have an idea what to expect from this drama. 4 jealous people are certainly enough to make a 40-episode drama but the question is do you really want to sit through never ending efforts to create trouble for a loving couple?

In Dire Need For A Better Script
As mentioned, the drama begins with Li Qian seeking an answer to his mother’s death. That is the overarching plot that viewers are given in the first 2 episodes which could have been developed into something much better just like Maiden Holmes. But for the next 30 episodes thereafter, this storyline disappears. It is replaced with the antics of the jealous antagonists. In fact, the leads have given these people a direct rejection a number of times but they just couldn’t take no for an answer.

Li Qian’s mother’s case resurfaces only in the last 8 episodes and that is also interspersed with more schemes to cause the main couple harm. No doubt toxic love rivals are common in historical romance dramas. You can find one in A Female Student Arrives At The Imperial College as well as One And Only. But Rebirth For You has taken it to the extreme by giving too much attention to the schemes of these villains that the romance has taken a backseat when it is supposed to be a love story.

Therefore, the drama suffers from poor scriptwriting which fails to balance out the romance, investigation, and jealousy for a more pleasant watch. To me, if you want to build almost an entire drama on jealous love rivals, there need to be more depth to these people’s stories. As it is, their stories are very superficial as the focus is on their schemes and obsessions.

The Romance Is Lacking
Bao Ning and Li Qian is depicted as a very loving couple in the drama. You know that they love each other a lot but the romance doesn’t have the intensity and passion to make it more memorable. They are sweet at times but that is about it. I don’t know if passionate kissing scenes might help to elevate the romance but they are certainly missing from Rebirth For You. So, all you would get are simple pecks.

Personally, I would have preferred a more matured and intense romance because that would be consistent with the fact that they are a married couple with a deep love for one another. Some stories don’t need such scenes and they still evoke deep feelings in viewers such as The Long Ballad. But Rebirth For You just doesn’t have that same quality to be able to make do without more passion in the romance. As a result, the main couple’s romance becomes muted against the nonstop onslaught from jealous love rivals.

Leads’ Chemistry
While the romance is lacking in the drama, it doesn’t mean that the couple has no chemistry. I would say Ju Jing Yi and Joseph Zeng have good chemistry between them and they are easy on the eyes as an on-screen couple. Their sweet scenes are perhaps the bright spot of the drama amidst all the toxic characters but they are too few to really make an impact. Neither do they stick in your mind once the episode is over.

I know Ju Jing Yi doesn’t do intense kissing scenes which then brings to question if they have done the casting right given the script on hand. I guess she does have that mischievous look which is required for this role. She has played more or less this kind of adventurous character in Legend Of Yun Xi and The Blooms At Ruyi Pavilion and Bao Ning in Rebirth For You just seems another of the same.

My Verdict – Find Something Better
I just wish Ju Jing Yi and Joseph Zeng had picked a better script to showcase their talent and looks. They couldn’t save this drama despite their popularity. I guess if you don’t want to sit through the endless evil schemes of those delusional characters, you can watch the first 12 episodes and then skip to the last 4. But then, what is the point of watching when you are skipping more than half of the drama, right?

Anyway, the ending is also a little rushed. The produces tried to cram too many things into the last 2 episodes to wrap the story up that the pacing quickens considerably. Some of the fighting scenes are also laughable because what it is supposed to be a war between 2 nations is reduced to a gangster fight. I don’t know if the producer is constrained by a low budget or other reasons but the final battle is anti-climatic to me.

For this Rebirth For You review, I could only give it a score of 6/10. It may be a little harsh especially for the fans of the leads but the drama is really lacking in substance. If you don’t mind watching jealousies of bitter love rivals, then this would not be so bad. Their evil schemes are interesting at times and you will be waiting for the day they get just retribution which would be the main motivation to continue watching. But overall, Rebirth For You is not a drama that will leave you clamoring for more. In fact, you might even regret starting on it because there is only so much delusional jealousy that one can take!

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Another Jealous Love Rivals Drama

Frankly speaking, I think I chose the wrong drama to watch right after completing Rebirth For You. There are similarities in both with jealousy being a big part of their plot. The only reason I gave A Camellia Romance a slightly higher score is because the drama is much shorter. As such, it is more tolerable as there is only so much jealous third parties that you can take in a story.

I guess if you see this as a filler drama with low expectations given the not so popular cast, then perhaps you might enjoy it better. But if you start hoping for originality and really fluffy romance, this would be a disappointment. It has shades of a rom-com but it is definitely not a angst-free watch like General’s Lady or even Your Sensibility My Destiny. The reason is simple – it uses jealous love rivals to drive the show.

Cliche Plot (Spoilers Alert!)
Basically, A Camellia Romance is about a rich and handsome young man who is a great catch for a husband. However, he only has eyes for one woman who is the love of his life. So, what you will get is 3 jealous women going after our hero with each subsequent one being a bigger threat than the one before. The first woman is the man’s cousin and she appears from Episode 7 to 9. The second one went to school with him and she takes the spotlight from Episode 13 to 17. The last one is a ruthless princess and she wreaks havoc for the main couple from Episode 20 to 24.

On top of that, you will also have a jealous childhood friend of the female lead who can’t stop eyeing her for himself when he appears from Episode 5 onwards. Hence, you can see clearly the focus of this drama. It is all about 4 people breaking the couple apart because they want the man or woman for themselves. These schemes are interspersed with sweet interactions between the leads and the investigation into the male lead’s father’s death.

I think the kisses and sweet moments of the couple do help to make this rom-com more watchable. At least, there are enough of these scenes to balance things out a little because the endless jealousy is annoying to watch. However, it also doesn’t detract from the fact that A Camellia Romance is another rom-com with a cliche plot of jealous love rivals with their wily schemes.

An Independent Female Lead
If there is one good thing worth mentioning about this drama, it would perhaps be the female character, Chun Chun. She is a very independent and assertive lady with an ambition of building her own business. While she is not as matured and smart as the female lead in Jun Jiu Ling, at the very least, she is not someone who is timid and waiting to be rescued. Chun Chun is a woman who knows what she wants and go for it.

As for the male character, he is smart but also tends to hide problems from his beloved in the name of love and protection. You will find this in many romance dramas and the male lead does this a few times in A Camellia Romance. I get why he does it but then, you will also start to feel that all these is yet another romance drama trope that you have watched time and time again if you are an avid Chinese drama viewer.

Chemistry
Guo Zi Fan and Li Mo Zhi have somewhat good chemistry as romantic on-screen partners. To me, it is good enough for a low budget rom-com. If they could feed off each other’s energy better to up the chemistry to a sizzling level, perhaps the drama could be more highly rated. After all, there is no shortage of kisses and hugs for this couple.

Personally, Li Mo Zhi looks slightly more matured than Guo Zi Fan at times in this drama. This is not surprising as she is 4 years older than him in real life. It doesn’t exactly mar the couple’s visuals but you don’t get the feeling that this is a perfect match either unlike the Liang Jie and Xing Zhao Lin pairing in The Eternal Love Season 3 and Dilraba Dilmurat and Leo Wu in The Long Ballad. Simply put, they are passable as a main couple but doesn’t leave a lasting impression once the story comes to an end.

My Verdict – Nothing Special
I have to admit that love triangles and jealousies are not my cup of tea for a romance drama. Hence, I find it annoying watching A Camellia Romance especially towards the last quarter when there have been other possessive love rivals gracing the screen for most of the episodes. So, I’m also thankful that they have kept this short rather than dragging it out for more delusional jealousy and angst for the viewers.

Of course, you might have a different view if you do not share the same bias as me. Furthermore, the ending is nicely wrapped up with no complications or confusion for the viewers. It has a predictable ending but I dare say it is also what most romance drama fans would like to see when the curtain comes down.

Before I end this A Camellia Romance review, perhaps a word of warning would be good. This is not a pure fluff romance drama in case you are looking for one. There will be annoyances and angsts. You might also plough on once you start because you want to see the villains getting just desserts for their evil schemes to break up a loving couple. So, whether you like it or not, you could end up sitting through it because you want the feel good factor of seeing the villains punished even if the story isn’t that great to begin with.

Overall, I would give A Camellia Romance a 6.5/10 score for this review. I don’t think I can rate it any higher give the cliches and a very average production. I guess it is still watchable if you don’t mind the jealousy theme. Otherwise, it is really a waste of time if there are other dramas on your ‘To Watch’ list.

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Surprisingly Addictive !

Personally, I find The Sword And The Brocade to be addictive. I kept watching one episode after another and completed the whole drama within 3 to 4 days. What made me hooked is the way the story is told and the smart female character. It is a bit like Word Of Honor whereby the story execution could make or break a drama. In this case, it is a romance drama and the relationship between the male and female lead follows a slow but smooth progress. It is different from a lot of romance dramas whereby the leads just fall in love at first sight or after a short period of bickering like Overlord and The Wolf Princess.

Therefore, I find that The Sword And The Brocade has a unique charm because the romance is kind of gentle and gradually persuasive. It has a very different flavor from the usual to make it a compelling watch for me. However, I also understand why some people can’t relate to this drama as the male character is written to be cold especially towards his concubines.

A Cold Male Lead
The main male character, Ling Yi, has a few concubines besides an official wife. So, this is a drama that features a lot of schemings by revengeful and jealous concubines. It does have that element of stereotyping. This is not helped by a mother-in-law who practices favoritism. If you are not into this kind of set-up, this drama may appear unattractive. That was what I thought too but the female character saved the day for me which I will elaborate later.

Basically, a cold male lead is not new. Legend Of Yun Xi and Ten Miles Of Peach Blossoms also start off with an aloof male lead. But because Ling Yi has a few concubines, some viewers may have issue with the way he treats them. In the drama, Ling Yi simply has no affections for them. So, he tends to neglect his concubines especially after the female lead comes into the picture. You can say that he is pretty unfair when it comes to the amount of attention he lavishes on his wife versus the rest of his women.
Personally, I’m fine with it because I can relate to his situation as the head of a very traditional family and why he ended up having to marry them. He is also repulsed by their schemes and over-eagerness to curry favor with him because he is just not that type who would fall for their wily behavior. If you look at it this way, then Ling Yi will become a more palatable male lead.

An Astute Female Lead
Shi Yi Niang’s ability to read the situation and seize it to her advantage is what makes her character interesting to me. So, yes, it is a typical concubine and mother-in-law historical drama whereby they try to make things hard for the female lead. But Shi Yi Niang is not that poor woman in need of her man’s help. She is smart and astute to know how to turn the tables on them. In a way, the female lead carried the show for me. Rather than a sob story with a pitiful female character, she blazes the trail with her independence and courage to take risk.

Hence, if you like watching strong and smart female characters in your dramas, The Sword And The Brocade will certainly qualify as one of them.

A Sweet And Gentle Romance
The plot starts off with Shi Yi Niang wanting to investigate her mother’s death. As the drama progresses, it switches to the relationship between Shi Yi Niang and Ling Yi with the investigation remaining relevant as a sub-plot. I think some might find the romance unrealistic that Ling Yi seems to tread on eggshells around his new wife when he is an experienced married man. I guess it is needed to slowly build up the romance. So, you will find him remaining respectful and a gentleman when it comes to romancing and sleeping with Shi Yi Niang.

Thus, if you want to enjoy this romance drama, you will need to put aside a dose of realism. But that is how it is with most dramas out there anyway. For me, the romance is the slow burn type but charming nonetheless because Shi Yi Niang doesn’t fawn over Ling Yi like he expected her to. She beguiles him and after getting to know her better, he ends up adoring her. Hence, it is gentle progress as they build a foundation of trust after various experiences and start to admire each other’s good qualities. It has a positive feel in a way that is both sweet and satisfying.

My Verdict
I know many people are watching The Sword And The Brocade because of the leads. Seven Tan is a talented actress who tends to have great chemistry with her co-stars. She did well in Under The Power as well as Go Ahead whereby she is paired with someone younger than her. As for Wallace Chung, he has been around for a long time and is a highly experienced actor.

Both of them did manage to generate enough chemistry in The Sword And The Brocade for me. I guess it really depends on whether you find them to be a matching pair appearance-wise as there is a big age gap between them. If you don’t, then the chemistry will feel forced just like the pairing in Dating In The Kitchen and the drama will lose its shine altogether.

Nevertheless, I would still recommend a watch with a score of 8/10 for this The Sword And The Brocade review. Perhaps it could have been shortened rather than stretched to 45 episodes as the women’s schemings can get tiring. But the plot keeps it going as the investigative element and feud with the Ou family offer more variety to the story while remaining closely tied to the romance. That is why I find it to be an addictive drama overall. Watch it if you want a different feel to a romance rather than the usual. Also, the OSTs of the drama are really beautiful to listen to especially the one by Zhou Shen which fits the drama to a tee!

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I came to Hikaru no Go after a string of romance heavy dramas because I was needing a bit of a break. It turned out to be just what I needed as it lands solidly on every level.

I do, so, adore a show that knows what it is and just breathes life into the space its meant to fill. The story is based on a manga of the same name and its souce material is definitely apparent. It feels like a sports anime in its narrative beats and pacing. We have an assortment of stock characters: our scrappy outsider savant protagonist, our rival who drives him to succeed, a handful of supportive friends, a prickly mentor, etc.

The show, however, doesn’t ever rest on its tropes or its archetypes. The story hits familiar narrative beats but stakes are real, victories feel earned, defeats are crushing; there are no shortcuts or hand-waving through the plot.The main characters are fully realized and fleshed out and portrayed wonderfully by their cast. They are flawed, prone to mistakes, sometimes selfish, sometimes selfless, earnest in their desires and often falling short of them, which is to say they feel human in the best sense of the term.

At the heart of the story is Shi Guang, who winds up bound to the spirit of an Ancient Chinese Go master, Chu Ying. The master proceeds to continue his love of Go by both playing vicariously through Shi Guang and by teaching him. Through him, young Shi Guang winds up crossing paths with Yu Liang, also a talented Go player, and the interaction creates a rivalry between them that spans years.

These two relationships, that of Shi Guang and his mentor, and Shi Guang and his rival are the fuel that move Shi Guang through the story as he comes of age and learns to find his own place in the world. Both relationships are portrayed with such nuance and skill, rendered with a loving care that would put most romances to shame. The relationships are never static, and are multi-layered and complex.

At times Chu Ying is Shi Guang’s best friend, sometimes a pouty child needing to be mollified, or his stern teacher expecting the best. Through all these the genuine love these two feel for one another is palpable. What binds them is more than just a shared love of a game, but a genuine affection and care for one another. They can build each other up and break each other’s hearts.

The relationship with Yu Liang is more tense, obviously, but is wonderful in that it demonstrates how competition and a rivalry can at one level foster personal growth, but also create its own intense form of intimacy, unique in its nature. While it is possible to see their relationship through a romantic/bl lens, and it is fun to do so, the show leaves room for interpretations on that point which feels like the right choice for them.

When we leave them there is still so much life for them to live, so much ahead of them. Apart from that is a gaggle of delightful and compelling side characters and relationships. There really is so much to love about this show. At 36 episodes it never felt like it dragged on too long, it never felt drawn out or overwrought. When trying to find a fault I’m left wanting.

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In my opinion, this is one of the most meaningful tv shows that have aired this year because of the impactful storyline. The acting felt real and each character impacted the overall delivery of the story. There were no unnecessary distractions and the show kept close to the storyline. “The Comments” is a story about the impact of various people on Papang (played by Aye Sarunchana Apisamaimongkol), a high school student’s life ultimately leading to her death.

Although it sounds gruesome, there is no gore or explicit details about her death. This way, the audience picture it themselves without going through the pain of watching the deed happen. The story deals more with the emotional stress and depression faced by Papang rather than her end. I liked this aspect of the story that makes it more interesting and relatable. In each episode, the show deals with a different character’s impact. Although it seems very similar to the US tv show '13 Reasons Why, it is different in terms of character development and the setting, as it is set in an Asian setting.

Papang is the top student of her school. She is considered good looking, has a caring personality and is excellent in sports and academics. This is why her brother, Khan (Played by New Thitipoom Tacha-Apaikun) could not understand why she chose to commit suicide. Since he lived in Bangkok, he had no idea about his younger sister’s life at home, and even when they visited each other, she never showed signs of distress. The police shut the case after the first investigation since everyone’s alibi checked out, and the only reason they could deduce was that it was a copycat suicide committed since Papang’s idol, Gina had done the same two weeks earlier.

Although it seems like a plausible reason, Khan does not believe that his sister would do so just because of a celebrity, so he tries to investigate further. He later finds out from a male student that Papang was actually cyberbullied by a group of people on Twitter. Whenever the school Twitter account posts about Papang’s achievements, a mysterious account would heckle the post and try to worsen her reputation. Slowly many of Papang’s classmates followed in the account’s footsteps and turned against her. They hated her for being a good person and the top scorer.

The show tackles the most important issue in today's world, which is abuse in social media. That each comment has a consequence and a psychological impact. (Spoiler) It is later revealed that Papang’s best friend, Theerata (played by Film Rachanun Mahawan) was actually behind the accounts and caused her this pain due to her jealousy. Moreover, Papang’s other best friend, Nan (played by Ciize Apichaya Saejung) used Papang’s identity to catfish boys on a dating app to feel validated .

When Papang found out that those closest to her ruined her image and worsened her mental health, she turned to her favourite celebrity, Gina (Played by Jennie Panhan). Gina is a transgender stand-up comedian, who faced a lot of hatred for dating a famous celebrity. She was also cyber-bullied and treated as an outcast. Since she couldn’t handle it any longer, she held a silent Instagram Livestream before taking her life.

Papang felt hit from different sides all at once and started to shut people off. She was removed from her position as student council leader and class representative as her peers were envious and loathed her. As she did not have her friends by her side any longer, she gave up her positions voluntarily and Theerata was appointed in her place. Finally, as she returned home one day, she saw her mother with a junior’s father. Due to her mother’s affair, she had already lost respect in school, and the junior fought with her on many occasions. Her mother was seen as a mistress but that did not stop her, which only worsened her state.

Although all these reasons felt like valid ones, the real reason was that Papang felt as if it was her fault. In the last episode, Khan receives a letter from Gina's agency. It was the letter Papang left to Gina before passing away. As Khan read the note, he understood that the reason why she committed such a deed was that she felt she had caused problems to each and every character in her life. That she was the reason everyone else suffered and she was guilty.

The story ends here but the problem doesn’t. Many students go through this every year and there are stories from everywhere in the world. It's not just students, it's celebrities, adults, children and all because people don’t control what they say on social media. I would like to end my review with something I heard ‘Don’t comment on something you cannot change in the next five minutes.

Thank you for reading!

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It has been a long while since crime drama has kept me at the edge of my seat, excited about how the story was unfolding. Not since Flower of Evil, almost a year ago. It has especially been a long while since not one but two crime dramas have managed to do so. As a crime genre lover, it has been a wild ride and I am living!! I will talk about Mouse in another post but since Beyond Evil is going to end this week I thought I should talk about it first.

Why you should watch it:
1. Fantastic OST
I usually talk about the cinematography and OSTs at the very end of the review but OST was the first thing that I noticed about Beyond Evil so I wanted to talk about it first. The drama starts with a piece of very upbeat music that looks out of place for a crime thriller. For at least two episodes I kept feeling weird about the OST choices because why are they playing such a happy sounding music

For at least two episodes I kept feeling weird about the music choices of this drama because why were they playing a very loud song after someone died? But as the story progressed – it just made sense. The OST of Beyond Evil is phenomenal and a masterpiece. It is very rare for a crime thriller to have an OST quite like Beyond Evil. I had a feeling that a lot of people might want to turn it off because of the song choices but I think you should watch this drama for the added craziness of the scene because of the OST.

2. Shin Ha Kyun and his smile
I don’t think I have to talk about how amazing Shin Ha Kyun is. Whenever he is on the screen, he sucks you in the world of the character and keeps you there. So let’s talk about the character he is playing in the drama – Lee Dong Sik. Lee Dong Sik is surrounded by mystery and suspense. When you look at his face you can actually see that he knows more than he is letting on. When he cries you want to believe him but when he smiles you want to run away.

The drama is going to finish this week and I still don’t know whether I am rooting for him or I am afraid of him. If I can describe Shin Ha Kyun’s acting in one word, it would be – outstanding. There is no other actor who would have been able to give life to the character of Lee Dong Sik other than Shin Ha Kyun.

3. Yeo Jin Goo
I have seen Yeo Jin Goo in many dramas playing many different characters but dare I say, this might be his best work to date. There is just something about the way he is standing out and shining in Beyond Evil, especially when you consider that he is sharing the screen with Shin Ha Kyun and other veteran actors. This role suits him so well and also looks amazing in the drama.

Yeo Jin Goo is playing the role of Han Joo Won who is an uptight, law-abiding detective. He is not friendly, he says what he means and does what he wants. From the outside he is the complete opposite of Lee Dong Sik but, like Dong Sik, there is something about Joo Won that doesn’t fit. I can’t explain how wonderful it is to watch Joo Won throughout this drama and actually see his character development.

4. Rest of the cast
Beyond Evil is the kind of drama where you will suspect every single character that is on screen – including the main leads. These may look a certain way, they may act in a certain way but there is always something that they are not saying. So needless to say, like our two main leads, the drama has great actors to play those characters. The team of Beyond Evil has done a wonderful job casting these characters.

5. Writing and Cinematography
The reason I absolutely love crime investigation kdramas is that this genre needs a very tight plot that does not leave a space for plot holes. When you have a strict 16-20 episode time to wrap every plot and make it make sense – it makes for a great viewing experience.

Like I have said earlier, this drama is made in such a way that every single character feels suspicious and it feels like there is something that is right around the corner but you can’t see. The drama is purposefully written and shot that way and it is mindblowing. The director and screenwriter made a choice to not show the audience everything. They are playing hide and seek with us. Trying to keep making us guess what will happen next. All this with an addition of an incredible OST this drama is an experience that you can only understand when you watch it.

6. A perfect drama to binge watch
Beyond Evil is about to end this week and if you have not seen it yet, lucky you! This is the perfect time to watch. Beyond Evil is made to binge-watch. Every single episode ends with a cliffhanger and you don’t have to spend your week pulling your hair out waiting for the new episodes. Get your snacks, turn off your lights for ambience, turn off your phone and start watching Beyond Evil.

CONCLUSION
I am planning on making a separate spoilery in-depth review of this drama because there is just so much that I need to talk about Beyond Evil that I can’t talk about here. So once you are done with this drama, make sure to come back and scream with me, please. In conclusion, if you are a crime genre lover like me, do yourself a favour and don’t miss out on Beyond Evil.

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Is It Really That Bad?

After watching all the 36 episodes, I can understand why Overlord has its fair share of negative reviews. I think it starts off well with a refreshing storyline but the screenwriters failed to carry that through to the end. So, from Episode 21 onwards, the plot moves back to the usual palace power plays and jealous third parties. Whether that could retain your interest would really depend on your appetite for evil schemes of palace officials, concubines, and love rivals.

Plot Lost Its Shine (Spoilers Alert!)
Personally, the second half of the drama is a letdown as it reverts back to being the usual fare. There is some surprise in the unmasking of the real mastermind behind all the bad deeds but apart from that, there is nothing inspiring in the later plot. Certain things are also not properly explained such as Qing Liu’s dizzy spells with the opposite sex and Ao Yi’s father’s death.

I think the revelation that Qing Liu is a prince is where the whole plot starts to lose its shine. The drama starts off with him being a merchant and to suddenly transform him into a prince just leads viewers down a predictable path of palace politics. Furthermore, with only half of the story left to be told, the palace power plays doesn’t have a strong plot development to give it more depth. Hence, viewers are given a superficial tale of the royal court affairs compared to dramas with a focus on palace intrigues.

The ending itself is acceptable but it doesn’t leave me with a truly satisfying feeling either. The way the bad guy is defeated feels like an anti-climax. The time jump towards the very end just seems like a lazy way to finish up the drama. It feels forced as they wrap things up for the required happy ending. Well, the good thing is, at least, there is no ambiguity whatsoever unlike the ending in Dance Of The Phoenix and Love Of Thousand Years.

Slow Burn Romance
Overlord is not a romance-heavy drama which means it could be really boring for those who want more skinship and romantic moments. By the time they are sure of their feelings for each other and express them, they already have to separate due to unforeseen circumstances. Well, the love is there and the viewers know it. But the couple also tends to bicker especially in the initial stages of the relationship. It takes a while for them to acknowledge their feelings for each other which is very different from dramas like General’s Lady whereby the love is recognized early.

I guess whether you would enjoy Qing Liu and Ao Yi’s love story would depend on your liking for slow burn type of romance with under the surface feelings. So, if you expect a more expressive male lead and an intense romance, Overlord is not the right drama to watch.

Can’t Feel The Chemistry
To be honest, I can’t feel the lover’s vibe between the two leads. Perhaps I’m spoilt after watching Bai Lu with Leo Luo in Love Is Sweet whereby their chemistry is off-the-charts. It is not that Bai Lu’s and Leon Lai’s acting is bad in Overlord as they do fit their roles well enough. Bai Lu gives Ao Yi a thuggish look with the right amount of swag as a gang leader. Leon Lai’s portrayal of Qing Liu is also right on the dot for me as a reserved and stoic man.

I think where the 2 leads fail in the romance department is that their chemistry remains stuck in the bickering stage and they couldn’t raise the bar as their relationship progresses. It has nothing to do with the lack of smooches although some viewers might think more skinship will give off better chemistry between the leads. It is not necessarily so as Allen Ren and Seven Tan pulled it off very well in Under The Power which is a 55-episode drama with hardly any kisses. In Overlord, something is just missing in the couple that I can’t feel the sizzles.

In fact, some viewers think Alen Fang should have been the male lead instead. But Alen Fang has such a warm and pretty boy look that makes him more suited to rom-coms like the role he played in The Love By Hypnotic. It will indeed be interesting to see how he will stack up if he is told to portray a cold and emotionless Qing Liu.

My Verdict – Is It Really That Bad?
Well, Overlord is not really unwatchable despite the weaknesses that I have highlighted above. Perhaps 36 episodes is too short for a historical drama that wants to feature a slow burn romance, palace politics, and investigations all rolled into one. The result is a drama that couldn’t make me feel totally invested in the story. But the positive side to it is it doesn’t get dragged out and that should please viewers who prefer a shorter drama. There are no complicated subplots here. While the royal court facet doesn’t have a strong story development, it should delight those who hate long drawn out evil schemes that tend to exist in palace dramas.

Watchable But Forgettable
Furthermore, the cast did a good job in portraying their roles. At the very least, you don’t have to cringe at their acting. Although I feel that the chemistry between the leads is lacking as a romantic couple, the upside is Overlord is not meant to be a heavy romance drama just like The Blooms At Ruyi Pavilion. In other words, a sizzling chemistry would be a bonus but the lack of it would not really take away much from the story that also focuses on the investigation and corruption aspects. This is very different from a modern rom-com like Perfect And Casual whereby the chemistry is what drives the drama.

For this Jiu Liu Overlord review, I wouldn’t say it is unwatchable but neither would you miss much if you skip it. If you are a diehard Bai Lu or Leon Lai fan, then go ahead and watch it. Their acting shouldn’t disappoint you. Also watch it if you like a gutsy and unconventional female character and an uncomplicated plot. Other than that, it is a forgettable drama that wouldn’t linger on your mind once you are done.

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A Gripping Start

Lie To Love starts off strongly with a heavy dose of suspense. You are not told why the male protagonist is frail and crippled. You also do not know what exactly he is up to except for the general idea that he is against his uncle. The female lead also has a mysterious air about her which the male lead finds intriguing as he tries to unravel her background and motive.

Therefore, the story is pretty riveting and the tussle between the male lead and his uncle is like a chess game with moves and counter-moves to bring down each other. That is until the story takes a different turn in the last 10 episodes or so which kind of mar the strong start to me.

A Great Plot That Is Almost Well-Executed (Spoilers Alert!)
In essence, Lie To Love is about seeking justice. Both the leads are investigating the deaths of their own father and want to bring the culprits to book. The evildoer is identified early in the drama and a lot of screen time is used to show viewers how both camps try to outwit each other. If you like plots with strategies like Fall In Love and Stand By Me, this would be something that might interest you.

However, once the first evildoer is caught in Episode 19, that gripping feeling dissipates and is replaced with some level of annoyance and impatience. In short, there are 2 villains in the drama. The ultimate villain is not revealed until the first one is taken out. It is not a whodunnit kind of drama but more on how these villains are eventually caught for their crimes.

So, the first arc of taking down the first villain is well-executed. It is all about greed for him and hence, all his moves are very rational. As such, it is exciting to watch all the plotting with some tense moments. But the second arc has a darker undertone as the villain is delusional and obsessed over the female lead. He is shown to be so manipulative that he could mislead 3 women to trust what he says. That is where the annoyance comes in because these women including the female lead are then reduced to being too naive and trusting.

A Creepy Villain
The ultimate villain has plenty of screen time in the drama and he is shown to be controlling, manipulative as well as creepy. What this means is you would be feeling impatient to have him arrested and disappear for good. It is the kind of drama whereby the villain is loathsome to watch. I guess the actor really nailed his role as a psychopath to make us hate him as required. Therefore, just be aware that Lie To Love isn’t exactly a breezy watch as the strong villain that will increasingly get on your nerves as the drama progresses.

Average Chemistry
The acting is on par to me for this drama. Leo Luo’s skinny appearance alone makes his character more realistic and convincing as someone who has just recovered from a serious injury. He displays intelligence and resilience through his eyes and pensive expressions. I think Leo Luo has always been great at melancholic roles including the one in Princess Silver.

Cheng Xiao definitely has less acting experience than her co-star but she still did reasonably well to me in Lie To Love. At least, I think she did better here than in Falling Into Your Smile whereby her acting seemed rather bland. She has more varied expressions here but the stiffness is still there at times. Hence, there will be emotional scenes whereby the acting looks rather forced.

This pairing doesn’t have full-blown chemistry to me. Perhaps Leo Luo’s partnership with Bai Lu in Love Is Sweet is too mesmerizing that it is hard for another actress to match up to that standard with him. His chemistry with Cheng Xiao is passable and I think the nature of the story makes this factor less of an issue. If Lie To Love had been a pure romance drama, then perhaps the lack of a sizzling chemistry will be more obvious.

My Verdict – Worth The Time
Overall, Lie To Love is a drama that deserves a watch. The suspenseful nature of the story will keep you going. You would want to know why certain things happened and how they happened. The thrill is there when the protagonists and antagonists are trying to outwit each other. Although the last third of the story degenerates into a psychopath’s obsession, it is not something that would render it unwatchable. It still has a logical flow to the story and a sensible reason why it happened. There are still exciting and tense moments to engage viewers. It is only that the villain is a hateful character to watch.

Also, just be aware that Lie To Love isn’t a fluffy romance drama like Love At Night or Once We Get Married. The romance shares the limelight with the fights between the leads and the villains. There are sweets moments and kisses in the drama but nothing too steamy like in You Are My Glory. You will also find the typical romance drama tropes of fake amnesia, fake relationship, and hiding-the-truth-to-protect-her excuse. But on the positive side, they don’t dominate the story and the romance as these issues are settled pretty quickly.

Before I end, I would give this Lie To Love review, a score of 7.5/10. I would say watch it because it is intriguing with enough excitement. I also don’t think you will be tempted to drop this halfway through because it does evoke a certain level of suspense and curiosity. But once you are done, the rewatch value would not be high either because the suspense is gone and this is not a typical Chinese romance drama that relies on sweetness and fluff to drive it.

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Prepare Tissues!

Because Of Love is not your typical fluffy romance drama like To Fly With You or Love At Night. This has a more matured and depressive mood to it with a past heartbreak and a struggling mother who is always short of money to treat her sick son. The plot is not anything groundbreaking with a link to the past as young lovers before circumstances forced the girl to initiate a breakup which actually reminds me of Here To Heart. Then, of course, the pair meet again and all the pain is then brought to the fore. In short, this is a second chance romance story with tissues needed along the way.

So, my guess is it could be slow-moving and predictable for some. But it is also a very well-executed drama that effectively moves you and touches your heart. Just like Shining For One Thing, this is achieved through a brilliant cast, great cinematography, and a very apt setting which enhance the overall angsty mood. It is the whole package that makes Because Of Love very real to the audience. It may not have a refreshing plot but it is exactly the seemingly ordinary that makes the story relatable.

Having said that, there are also two weaknesses in the drama that I think are worth highlighting – the way the flashbacks are told and a faltering last third of the story.

Constant Flashbacks
Because Of Love relies on intermittent flashbacks to tell the viewers what happened in the past. So, the scenes will flip between the present and their student days whenever the leads are triggered into reminiscing about the past. This happens quite often in the first 8 episodes or so. It is done without warning at times and you will have to adjust to the change in time setting before it reverts back to the present just as quickly.

Therefore, if you prefer flashbacks to be told in one long sequence rather than in a back and forth manner, then Because Of Love could start off being highly annoying. Personally, it did take a few episodes for me to get used to the story telling technique. I guess this is done to heighten the viewers’ angst and to emphasize that the leads are still thinking of each other after all the years apart. So, don’t get turned off when you start watching and discover all these constant flashbacks. The story will grow on you and leave you with a strong desire to see the couple reconcile.

A Not So Great Last Third (Spoilers Alert!)
To me, the first 20 episodes of the drama is highly engrossing. But it starts to lose its intensity and falter in the last third. The mental regression suddenly changes the tone of the drama and Yu Sheng’s recovery looks too simplistic to be real. The couple is then shown to be back together after the real culprit is exposed which has nothing to do with Yu Sheng’s father.

However, the viewers are shortchanged here as there is a lack of scenes of the couple towards the end to address everything that has happened in their lives. At the very least, there should be a heartfelt communication between them after all the misunderstandings and pain. Unfortunately, there is no such satisfaction for the viewers.

As for the side couple, their ending is also a bit rushed with no proper accounting of Vicky’s thought process on how she arrives at the decision to leave. It is not a bad conclusion to the drama overall but there just seems to be a few missing scenes here and there which could have increased viewers’ satisfaction and fulfillment.

Wonderful Acting
The casting director deserves accolades here for picking the right people for the roles. The last time I caught Wallace Chung was in The Sword And The Brocade which is a period drama. In Because Of Love, he delivers as usual with a very convincing performance as a pensive and melancholy doctor who can’t seem to get over a lost love. He is not a handsome hunk here and he doesn’t try to be. Instead, he gives the character a sort of depressive vibe. The pain and yearning are written on his face that viewers will automatically feel for him.

Li Xiao Ran is also excellent as Tan Jing to me. This is a very steely but sad character due to her circumstances. So, you can see it through Li Xiao Ran’s impassive facial expressions which show her determination and stoicism on the surface but her eyes will tell you how she is suffering inside. Her chemistry with Wallace Chung is also impressive as both of these veterans know how to take advantage of their characters’ anger and longing for each other to set the mood in their scenes together.

Li Xiao Ran’s chemistry with the child actor is also worth a mention. They manage to bring out a very special bond of mother and son and for his part, Mi Ke is a joy to watch as a viewer. For someone so young, Mi Ke delivers his lines so well and with an innocent charm that fits the character perfectly. Mi Ke and Morni Zhang’s scenes are also extremely touching as both young and old seem to have a natural affinity for each other.

A Stoic And Cold Female Character (Spoilers Alert!)
I suspect that Tan Jing may not be a likable character to all. This is because she is cold and impassive on the surface and her actions may not be agreeable to some viewers. For instance, she didn’t tell Yu Sheng that Ping Ping is his son which is grossly unfair to him. She also didn’t trust him in her custody fight with his father. Hence, Tan Jing is a flawed character with a lot of stubbornness and pride in her. Her coldness might also not win her any supporters.

Personally though, she is not a hateful character to me. Whether you can relate to her will depend on your ability see things from her perspective. I can understand why she broke up with him and kept quiet about her pregnancy. That is because she didn’t want to drag him down with her so that he could fulfill his potential. Moreover, his father’s involvement in her father’s death is a major barrier for her. When they meet up again, she just isn’t prepared to confront the past as that would be opening up old wounds. Moreover, he is dating Vicky then.

Basically, Tan Jing is not that type of person who can easily forgive and forget. If you can accept this flaw in her, then her pain and actions will be easily understood. Otherwise, she will seem too cold for a female lead character and that will take away some level of enjoyment from this melodrama.

My Verdict – Watch!
Because Of Love is definitely worth watching to me. It moves away from the typical substandard romance dramas that are getting too common like Meeting You Loving You and I Am The Years You Are The Stars. It is hard to get a matured love story that is well-executed with great acting and this is where Because Of Love shines. The couple’s past is also revealed bit by bit and this also helps to make it intriguing. As this is a serious romance drama with the lead couple being in their 30’s, it will resonate better with a more matured audience. In fact, I would think the younger viewers might find the pace to be too slow and hence, boring.

If you are worried about this being a tearjerker, then I would say that it is not as sad as it seems. If you can tolerate One And Only or Go Ahead, this should be less taxing on the emotions. Yes, some scenes will make you cry and tissues will be needed. But they don’t weigh you down considerably and it is not all sadness and tears throughout the whole drama. Some scenes are touching rather than truly sad especially those that feature the little boy. Thus, don’t let the tearjerker label stop you from giving this a go.

For this Because Of Love review, I would give it a score of 8/10. Watch it for the acting and simple story that successfully evokes deep feelings in the viewers. The plot is really nothing great. But this is a more of an emotionally driven romance drama that relies a lot on the acting skills of the cast to move viewers which was effectively achieved. This is what you will be signing up for when you get on the ride!

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One of the biggest and most expansive hits in the South Korean cinemas, Kim Yong-hwa offers a filmic version of a wildly popular webcomic of the same name in this first half of the story. Already the second-most viewed film in South Korean film history and either nominated or winning numerous Korean Film Awards, Kim’s first installment, with part 2 due to arrive later in the year as well as a television adaptation occurring in the meantime, appears poised to explode when it arrives on American shores.

During a nightmarish building fire, firefighter Kim Ja-hong (Cha Tae-hyun, from “My Sassy Girl”) finds that he was killed in the line of duty and forced into the afterlife. Faced with three guardians, Haewonmak (Ju Ji-hoon, from “Asura: The City of Madness”) Gang-rim, (Ha Jung-woo, from “The Handmaiden”) and Lee Deok-choon, (Kim Hyang-gi, from “Thread of Lies”), he is soon put through a series of tests in order to determine his worthiness in order to be reincarnated in the next life. As the trials commence and he goes further into the afterlife, a complication emerges that puts the entire ordeal in jeopardy and must be resolved before he can pass to the other side.

Frankly, taking one look at “Among the Gods” reveals many reasons for its popularity. Writer/director Kim Yong-hwa has crafted an ingenious tale that offers plenty of enjoyable elements. The original story, laced with a fine action-based subplot featuring the escaped spirit, offers a fascinating folktale about death and the spirit after we have died. Utilizing the basic framework of a multiple-layered Hell and the spirit going through trials in each said level, the film offers a novel and enjoyable variant on those types of stories. The second storyline, about Gang-rim tracking down the escaped family-member turned renegade spirit interrupting the trial, is a stellar secondary piece.

With the guardians afraid of what it would mean to their process if word got out about the being creating a bad name for the family, this sense of urgency to stop it before the trial is affected is a great bit of suspense throughout in the race to stop it. Likewise, the film itself is simply beautiful to look at. The production design by Lee Mok-won is absolutely stellar, traversing the various places in the Afterlife and creating many memorable and lasting settings. From the sea of volcanoes where they hold a court meeting inside an active lava-flow and a waterfall-based cliff overlooking the giant grounder on the island below, to the meeting being conducted in the middle of a giant forest or overlooking a coliseum composed of jagged, massive rocks, the different locations here are impressive and manage to feature plenty of intriguing locations.

Captured beautifully by cinematographer Kim Byung-seo, ‘Along with the Gods’ features a presentation that rivals mainstream Hollywood fare with the presentation of the different worlds or the epic sense of scale generated by the action within. From massive falls and plunges to swordplay and even full-on battle scenes, this packs in a fine action quotient to manage the fantastical storyline.However, it’s really the cast and acting here that impresses more than anything. Ha Jung-woo is incredible as Gang-rim, the man in charge of Ja-hong’s trial. Initially appearing to be a strict and determined being trying to ensure the process goes smoothly, the more they uncover about his life the more he reverts back to his human persona in terms of recklessness as he tries various tactics to help Ja-hong.

The film, however, still manages to make him likable and sympathetic as they traverse the various stages due to his level-headed charisma and ability to keep his emotions in check. His right-hand man, Haewonmak is played by Ju Ji-hoon as a somewhat more reckless, but still respectful individual who clearly wants the best for Ja-hong but treats this as part of the job. Despite his importance, he doesn’t view Ja-hong as being of the deemed status bestowed upon him and tries to keep his level-headed reserve for the job in check as they continue through the trials.

However, it’s the last two who deserve special mention here. Kim Hyang-gi is phenomenal as Lee Deok-choon, the apprentice-like being to Gang-rim as she is shown the ropes of how to garner souls through the afterlife. Spunky and optimistic, she begins with an infectious attitude that doesn’t denote the ordeal ahead, but gradually becomes invested in the process. She looks genuine in her concern for Ja-hong and the boldness she displays during the latter parts of the trial add to her likability which is what really brings us to the process. Lastly, Cha Tae-hyun works wonders as Kim Ja-hong, the firefighter being shown his life before his eyes. Initially, he appears completely overwhelmed bin what’s going on, but as we get to learn the series of tragedies in his past the more emotionally invested the audience becomes. It’s a testament to his talent that the drama weighs out nicely and the finale almost becomes tear-inducing as we learn the truth about him which is what helps to sell the action so well.

Even with all these elements present, it does have a few minor flaws. The most apparent is the film’s ungodly length as the weighty running time does feel every bit the near two-and-a-half hours. The trials here really take their time, as both the guardians and the prosecutors are given full-reign to speechify in order to give their full arguments before the Superior Beings in charge of each location. These scenes really could’ve been trimmed down to the actual points in order to move the pacing up. Likewise, the secondary subplot about the vengeful spirit potentially-harming the process could’ve been dropped entirely. This injects the film with action, but in doing so also forces the film to halt the action in order to determine the cause of the spirits’ actual death. Despite the rational motivation for the vendetta, the subplot was unneeded until the very end and just adds to the overlong length of the film. There’s not a lot to say about how to integrate it, but it adds a heavy drama that makes the film feel overlong more than anything.

In the end, the film is a stellar and wholly worthwhile Fantasy/Action/Drama epic that really seems to embody what the best of South Korean cinema has to offer. It’s big-budget look and feel offers worthwhile counterpoints to mainstream Hollywood, and yet the regional twist in the storyline and attitude towards its characters, the film emerges as a fine effort for those willing to take a chance on that material or fans of Korean cinema in general, while the running time might be the only aspect that would make others heed caution here.

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Here To Heart is one long drama for the romance genre. Compared to K-drama rom-coms such as Her Private Life and Something About 1 Percent, this mainland drama is indeed more long-winded and melodramatic. You must have the patience to sit through it because there is a lot of back and forth in the push and pull relationship between the 2 leads. However, the acting of Hans Zhang and Janine Chang is full of emotions and their chemistry is evident. An example is a scene whereby they sang the Here To Heart drama song, Without You, during a karaoke session. The tears just flowed. Without this on-screen chemistry, this drama could well be one big bore.

I guess the producers of this drama probably wanted the viewers to be able to feel deeply invested in the love life of the characters. So, they dragged out the interactions between Wen Nuan and Nanxian as the 2 characters explore their feelings and start a guessing game as to what the other wants. It’s kind of frustrating to watch at times because they could have easily solved their problems by having a heart-to-heart talk like adults rather than torturing themselves unnecessarily.

However, I suspect that the novel probably contains a lot of internal dialogues that describe what the characters are thinking and feeling. This is pretty standard in romance novels. Hence, you can understand their motivations and relate accordingly to each of the scenes as you read. But on-screen, it is hard to make viewers fully understand merely from facial expressions and conversations. So, the drama feels long-winded as the different characters interact. Because it could not effectively flush out all the internal dialogues and emotional turmoils within the characters, you may end up being frustrated over Wen Nuan’s insecurities and scratching your head over Nanxian’s actions at times.

Should You Watch Here To Heart?
I won’t go so far as to say that I wasted my time watching it because I like the chemistry of the 2 leads. But I definitely won’t spend another 40 plus hours to re-watch. If you like a slow burn kind of romance drama, Here To Heart might be your cup of tea. A lot of patience is needed to follow the ups and downs of this love story. You can fast forward or skip certain episodes as you won’t lose the plot. But you won’t feel as emotionally invested in the characters then. This is because certain scenes might seem boring but they are done to slowly build up on the sufferings of Wen Nuan and Nanxian and how much they love one another in the viewers’ mind.

So, if you plan to watch it, I would suggest that you dedicate over 40 hours of your time to watch it from start to end. I don’t think the drama would be able to bring out that kind of emotional satisfaction and flavor if you skip some episodes even if it seems long-winded. It would also make you understand Wen Nuan and Nanxian’s relationship a bit better. The bottom line is Here To Heart is a long-drawn-out drama that aims to bring you on an emotional rollercoaster. So, be prepared for a long ride with some boring stretches in between once you get on!

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Honestly, I can understand the hype and why this drama got high ratings on douban. Imma give this drama an 8.5/10. I think the highest I’ve ever given a drama is a 9/10, but those were usually for historical/fantasy dramas. I really enjoyed The Day of Becoming You.

The body-switching trope is such a tired plot gimmick. I didn’t even consider watching this drama until I heard about the positive reviews, and so I was curious as to what the hype was all about. I’ve never watched the lead actors in anything before, so I went into this drama with minimal expectations. The first episode was slow. The male lead is in a boyband and the female lead is an entertainment journalist. Not really my thing. The chemistry was minimal too. Very meh. Nearly dropped it.

But then after a few episodes and a series of events, they switch bodies, and Steven Zhang’s acting begins to pique your interest. I was slowly drawn in and continued watching it to see where it would go. His mannerisms are really good, from his vocal control to his posture to his gestures. He really does feel like two different people. Liang Jie is good too, but Jiang Yi’s character also isn’t difficult to emulate. To “be” Jiang Yi, she mostly just speaks in a monotone voice and stuffs her hands in her pockets to emulate the “masculine” stance. However, I do think Jiang Yi is a bit more complex and nuanced than the typical stoic and brooding ML, but Liang Jie was believable enough as Jiang Yi.

They also switch back and forth several times (and I won’t spoil the reason why here). So it was interesting to see how their relationship grows when they’re forced to switch back and forth. Each time they switch, their relationship grows stronger and deeper as they gain more understanding about the other.

There were a lot of laugh out loud moments, and scenes that make you cringe (in an entertaining way) because of the nature of the body-switching genre. I also liked how the drama was mature and talked about adult topics, but at the same time, it still catered to your inner teenager. A lot of us have fangirled over boybands and other celebrities when we were in high school, so the drama made me reminisce about those times. I probably would have swooned over this drama when I was in high school, but now at 25, I’m enjoying this drama from an older and different perspective. Regardless, it’s still a really cute and fluffy drama.

But, I’m also the same age as Steven Zhang, so I can’t really bring myself to swoon and idolize over someone my age because I’d think about how we could have gone to school together (not really since we’re from different continents, but in theory), so it feels weird to admire him and other actors my age the same way that I used to admire an actor who’s older than me. Maybe I have an inferiority complex, but now that more and more leading actors and actresses are my age and/or younger, I’m realizing that I’m enjoying dramas differently than I used to.

I don’t immerse myself as much into a drama (which is a good thing because watching dramas now are less emotionally draining and demanding). Maybe it’s just me. Or maybe it’s part of the process of growing up and becoming more mature. I no longer idolize and fangirl over people, but I admire them as a peer. Does anyone else go through this phase in their mid-20s when suddenly people your age are dominating pop culture, and so you feel closer to them, but at the same time, more emotionally distant?

The period plotline was great. I loved how they talked about heavy flow, the frequency of changing hygiene products, staining your clothes and not wearing white, and swollen breasts. Period is more than just cramps and moodiness, so I’m glad they explored the topic more in-depth. The only other thing that they could have talked about in addition would be period diarrhea and constipation, but I guess that would be too TMI.

Characters, Chemistry, and Relationships
I don’t think any of the characters or their relationships frustrated or annoyed me me. They all made rational decisions. The plot flowed logically. The supporting characters were great. Yu Sheng Sheng’s parents were such perfect, model parents. They were so unconditionally loving and supportive. There were also no misunderstandings, no angst. Jiang Yi and Yu Sheng Sheng had such a healthy, non-toxic, transparent, and supportive relationship. And their chemistry never grew stale either. Even until the last episode, their relationship was still growing and they were still working through obstacles together that had a meaningful impact on their relationship. Yu Sheng Sheng was bubbly and optimistic, but she was never obnoxious. She also isn’t perfect either. She has people she dislikes, gets jealous, and can be selfish, but she’s also relatable. She’s not a “sha bai tien”. Jiang Yi was reserved, but never haughty or uncaring. Overall, A really great couple that grows on you. I’m going to miss watching them.

Ending
But this also brings me to talk about the last 5 minutes of the drama. It turns out that all the characters and their relationships, especially the relationship between Jiang Yi and Yu Sheng Sheng, were idealistic for a reason. Everything was just from the FL’s novel that she finished writing. I completely forgot about this setup at the beginning of the drama where the FL is struggling to write the ending of her novel. And so the final minutes of the drama reminds us that this was just all a fictional story within a fictional story. I was kind of disappointed because it took the magic out of Jiang Yi and Yu Sheng Sheng’s relationship.

We learn that the FL got the idea to write a body-switching story because she got into a fight with her boyfriend, Yi Jiang, who told her that she needs to walk a mile in his shoes. We also learn that similar to Jiang Yi, Yi Jiang was in a boyband, but unlike Yu Sheng Sheng in the novel, the “real” FL met Yi Jiang after he disbanded from his group. She also tells her editor how they frequently get into arguments and would stop talking to each other as a result, but things have changed for the better recently because Yi Jiang decided to change his outlook on things, similar to how Jiang Yi changed his outlook on life.

But in the “novel”, Yu Sheng Sheng and Jiang Yi never had a serious argument. They were always very transparent with each other and had strong communication. So the fact that we’re told that Yu Sheng Sheng and Jiang Yi aren’t real, even though their story is based on “real” characters, was disappointing. We’re reminded that their relationship is idealistic, even by cdrama standards. What a wake-up call. So that was my biggest gripe with the drama.

Overall Impressions
A cute, fluffy, funny drama. It has a consistent plot all the way through and doesn’t drag. I didn’t get completely hooked until episode 7 though, because that’s when Jiang Yi starts to fall for her, so the drama does have a slower start than other romcom dramas. Someone on reddit said that this is a “wine-type” drama, and I agree. It’s not a drama that you would be in a hurry to binge, but it does make you look forward to sitting down with your dinner in the evening to watch it.

Although the body switching genre is an old one, I actually haven’t watched too many so I can’t compare it to others. But I think the drama is worth watching for the relationship between the leads alone. It’s also a self-aware drama that pokes fun and references kdramas and the alpha-CEO dramas.

Other notes
After watching the first 12 or so episodes of the drama, I also realized who Steven Zhang reminds me of. He reminds me of the Youtuber Danny Gonzalez. They both have big eyes, straight noses, long faces, and petite, dainty lips. I mean, they both give off such playful, wholesome vibes.

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Drama Review Score: 9.5
Story || Romance || Acting || Ending
★★★★ ||★★★☆ || ★★★★ || ★★★☆

Phupha develops feelings for Tian over time during A Tale of Thousand Stars.
To cut to the chase, A Tale of Thousand Stars is a phenomenal BL drama and it’s up there with one of the best series in this genre. Each episode delivers heartfelt emotions, introspective character development, and a delightful romance that will have you smiling from ear to ear.

The characters feel authentic, and they are not solely defined by their relationship drama. Both Tian and Phupha have fully fleshed out characterization, and the romance is just one part of their well-rounded lives. They have hopes, fears, aspirations, and backstories, all of which are explored in depth.

A Tale of Thousand Stars makes a memorable first impression with an action-packed opening episode, filled with high emotions and high adrenaline. The next few episodes are equally strong, featuring some powerful moments of character development and self-introspection. All the stories felt intimate, inspirational, and intricately crafted.

After an engrossing start, A Tale of Thousand Stars suffers from a few missteps in its second half. One of the prominent storylines isn’t mapped out well, and the progress of the romance starts to drag near the end. Nonetheless, this drama earned so much goodwill with the first few episodes that any shortcomings can be easily overlooked.

A Tale of Thousand Stars exceeds all my expectations and sets a new standard of excellence in BL dramas. From the rich storytelling to the authentic acting, A Tale of Thousand Stars is a masterclass in every aspect of its production. The quality is so incredible that I’m almost left in a state of disbelief, like I can’t believe a BL drama is actually capable of being this good.

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Wasted Potentials Galore

Legend of Two Sisters in the Chaos (Chinese title: 浮世双娇传) had a promising premise: In a fictionalized Later Zhou Dynasty, two daughters of the Fu family become intertwined with the political turmoils of their country after a folk song prophesied that a woman with the surname Fu is destined to become empress. The sisters, Fu Yuzhan and Fu Jinzhan, subsequently fall for two different men who both have claims to the throne. Together, they navigate their family through a time of strife, and protect their country from certain ill-intent forces from within.

Sounds amazing, doesn’t it? Between the general idea of the story and the fact that this drama stars not one but three actors I like, Legend of Two Sisters in the Chaos had been on my must-watch drama list since Meng Ziyi, Wang Zhuocheng, and Aarif Rahman’s character posters first came out. Sadly, for all my anticipation, I was rewarded with a half baked letdown.

Good Story, Bad Plotting
The first few episodes start out well enough. There’s a slowness to the initial pace, yes, and certain scenes linger on showy fight choreographies longer than necessary. But the drama establishes the setting, the characters, the context, and various seedlings of conflicts with enough care that I brushed the flaws off as the typical problems first episodes of most drama series have. As the episodes go on, though, it becomes harder to excuse the dragging pace and repetitive dialogue. The characters, who all have really interesting backstories and agendas, barely grow beyond the template personalities the first few episodes set up for them.

Legend of Two Sisters in the Chaos has a lot of great stuff to work with, but the drama does not meet its potential. Instead, what should’ve been thrilling story arcs are rendered obvious and predictable because of the way the drama handles mysteries and reveals—upfront, with no sense of suspense or nuance. This makes certain points in the drama (like the Emperor not decreeing a crown prince as soon as he falls sick, which could’ve saved everyone so much headache; to the Elder Princess’ inexplicable trust in the Emperor’s head eunuch) come off rather stupid. Basically, the writers behind this series seemed like they had no idea what to do with what they were given, and simply gave up half way through.

Likable But Infuriating Main Characters
Each of the four main leads straddles the fence between endearing and annoying in their unique ways. I could be biased because I like the actors from their previous works, but the positives of their characters generally outweigh their shortcomings. Generally. Fu Yuzhan is by far my favorite out of them all. Her soft-spoken intelligence and steadfast personality were some of the few things Legend of Two Sisters successfully show instead of tell. The drama did do a disservice by making her wishy-washy about her love for Xue Rong, but her reasoning makes sense within the world of the drama, even if it’s a drag narratively.

Given Xue Rong is played by Aarif Rahman, Legend of Two Sisters would’ve had to screw the character up big time for me to hate him. Luckily, he’s alright as well. Xue Rong’s childishness and paranoia are frustrating at times, but the drama never went overboard with them. As far as emperor characters go, he is surprisingly and pleasantly a trusting and kind one. Jiang Shao is the one with the most straightforward agenda, and therefore the easiest to track and follow. There’s not much to nitpick with his character, partly because he has such a muted and mellow personality. My main point of frustration came from his and Jinzhan’s decision (but really, it’s his idea) to swap the brides in episode 7. Sure, it’s perfectly possible for anyone to have done that in his shoes, but it’s narratively annoying to have a main character make a completely avoidable mistake like that.

Lastly, and certainly least, Fu Jinzhan. What can I say about Fu Jinzhan. This girl has guts, a heart of gold, a free spirit… and zero consideration and respect for the wishes of her loved ones. She seems unable to understand that there are consequences to her actions—consequences that other people who are not her may have to suffer.

This is a glaring fault of hers early on, so you’d at least expect that she’d learn from her mistakes, right? Well, no. Her inability to grow up and respect her family and friends’ boundaries causes so much unnecessary miscommunication and trouble for the other characters that I was left wondering whether we were even supposed to like her at multiple points in the drama.

What’s even more infuriating is that the plot itself coddles her as much as her sister does. There are several instances of her going against someone’s request for her to not do something, only to have things work out in her favor. Almost every attempt by other characters to teach her the negative repercussions of her thoughtlessness are rendered useless either by her just not accepting that what she did was wrong, or by her turning the punishment into another way she pushes back. Luckily, she’s a likable character when she’s not making stupid and inconsiderate decisions, especially whenever her clever side kicks in.

An Ehhhhnding
The drama becomes increasingly reliant on cliches to drive the story forward with each episodes, such as the Elder Princess, a compelling villain with understandable and even justifiable reasons for her villainy, getting replaced by her less than impressive son, whose whole reason for turning evil boils down to him not getting the girl. Not to mention the Noble Consort and Princess Shou An’s team up to kill Fu Yuzhan… I don’t even want to get into how unimaginative and vaguely misogynistic that whole mess is.

This all culminates in an ending that you can see coming a mile away: Jiang Shao and Xue Rong’s trap for Li Huaijin is as subtle as a thirty-ton boulder, and such as it is, void of emotional impact. When the attempted coup was over, I thought “okay” and moved on with my life. It was that dull to watch. Fu Yuzhan’s death is sad. But more importantly, it’s unnecessary, which renders the “sad” part ineffective. I kept wondering why the hell the writers decided to do that when they didn’t have to.

Final Rating and Recommendations
Do I recommend Legend of Two Sisters in the Chaos? Hard no, unless you really, really want to see more of Meng Ziyi, Wang Zhuocheng, or Aarif Rahman and have watched everything else they acted in. (And I guess Li Yitong as well, but I only knew her from her minor role in season 2 of Cinderella Chef. She was all right in that.)

Legend of Two Sisters is a good story that’s executed poorly, and a cast of incredible talents that somehow have very little chemistry with each other. The plot is riddled with pacing issues and cliches. The characters are unable to either communicate with each other, or respect each other’s choices and wishes, or both. A lot of the scenes and dialogues are redundant more often than not, and you can see certain “twists” coming a mile away.

On the other hand, if you really want more content from any of the four main actors, or if you just want something playing in the background or enjoy nice looking ancient Chinese costumes and set designs, Legend of Two Sisters may be worth a watch. If not, you’re not missing anything by giving this one a pass.

My Rating: 4.5/10

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Satisfactory

Jun Jiu Ling is the type of drama that is good enough to watch but nothing compelling to make it really stand out unlike The Long Ballad. The story is there and easy to follow but it doesn’t give you that adrenaline rush or enough anticipation to make you crave for more. Once you start watching, chances are you will continue on because you will want to know when the female lead’s identity as a princess will be revealed. But once you get there, it kind of falls flat.

Furthermore, along the way, the investigation aspect seems to take backseat as Jiu Ling goes through her life as Zhen Zhen and a doctor. So, it starts strongly as if the focus will be on investigating the protagonist’s father’s death. But as you watch, numerous sub-plots will emerge to take the attention away from the main storyline. By the time you are taken back to the murder case, it is already very late in the drama. That is why I find something is lacking in Jun Jiu Ling and it is a pity because the story could certainly be better executed.

A Revenge Plot
Basically, Jun Jiu Ling is a drama about getting revenge. But it is not a depressing watch. Conversely, it is relatively stress-free for a revenge drama whereby a princess has to hide her identity to avoid danger. The face changing part reminds me of Love Of Thousand Years although this is not a xianxia drama either. Thus, you will find there are certain elements in the plot that would seem rather farfetched. You will need to ignore those parts to enjoy the drama. If you take it too seriously, then this will lose its attractiveness and logic.

Personally, the plot is okay to me and I’m not one who will nitpick on plot holes. The subplots are there but thanks to the good pacing, the drama doesn’t fall victim to long boring stretches. It would have been better if the screenwriters have tightened the storyline and increased the suspense. As it is, the story still flows along rather well but just lacks a more effective approach to give viewers a more persuasive and satisfying watch.

A Strong Female Character
I think viewers nowadays would prefer to see smart and talented female characters rather than weak ones waiting to be saved. So, you will get your wish fulfilled with Jun Jiu Ling. The main female character is a strong and courageous individual. She has both brains and beauty. She also displays maturity with her patience in her quest for revenge as well as her forgiving nature. Hence, Jiu Ling is a character that is quite well-written and developed.

As for the male characters, they are also portrayed very differently to give viewers some contrasts. Zhu Zan is playful, Yun Qi is cold, Yun Zhao is noble, while Cheng Yu is the most innocent of the lot. While these 4 characters do not have the same depth as Jiu Ling, they still have important roles to play to help drive the story.

Chemistry Between The Leads
The chemistry between Peng Xiao Ran and Jin Han is good and they display enough of it to give viewers something sugary when it comes to the romance. But it is nowhere near explosive and I doubt this on-screen couple will stay in the viewers’ mind for long. Their interactions have a flirty feel at times but also cringey for some scenes. There are not many kisses in the drama and thus, don’t expect this to have The Eternal Love Season 3 kind of smooching.

My Verdict – A Decent Watch
I would categorize Jun Jiu Ling as a decent drama overall. It is watchable despite the plot holes. The ending isn’t particularly great either as some scenes should have been included to give viewers a better explanation and closure. For instance, we are not told exactly what happened to Chu Rang and Yun Qi for their crimes. Basically, you will get the feeling that there is not enough time to squeeze in greater details for each character’s ending.

Overall, it is enjoyable as long as you don’t demand all the little details to make sense. As an example, it is unrealistic that they could get ready for war within a day towards the end of the drama. So, if you are the type who likes to scrutinize all details in the plot, this may not pass your high standards. But if you can overlook them to just appreciate the main story, then this would become an enjoyable drama.

While Jun Jiu Ling seems like a love story, the romance isn’t particularly intense. This is not General’s Lady kind of historical romance drama. It is kind of light for the most part and the couple only officially start dating in the last quarter. It doesn’t roil your emotions the way One And Only does. Hence, I’m not so sure if this would be perfect for those who are looking for pure romance dramas.

In conclusion, I would give this Jun Jiu Ling review a score of 7.5/10. Don’t dive in just for the romance but an overall adventure of a princess looking to avenge her father’s death and the detours that come with it. It is satisfying enough to give it a go but insufficient to term it as great for me.

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