Maybe a little less emphasis on strange

I'm late to this series because costume dramas is not my go-to. To be honest, there are more trash than treasure in recent memory. However, they have good reasons to renew this drama for season 2 and 3.

As the show has been out for 2 years, I'm not going to do a detailed review but rather some thoughts and observations.

1) they are all pawns in the game of throne. It is done reasonably well without too much grandstanding.

2) the bromance is real. Yes, one is the brain while the other is the brawn but the junior partner is learning to use more of his brain than his muscles. Their chemistry is a highlight.

3) on the other hand, the real romance storyline is weak. It is all about reaching an understanding. Very prim and proper. There are cute moments but don't expect much in way of skinship. At least there is no second leads to complicate things. BTW, the banter at the end of the last EP between the 2CP is surprisingly wicked. ;)

4) the murder mystery side is decent. There are times when it is intriguing but there won't be any gold star for original writing. At least the A-plot is coherent rather than just a mishmash of random encounters just so that they can stumble on bodies after bodies. However . . .

5) there is an over-reliance on quasi supernatural elements. I understand superstition and folklore plays an important role in ancient China but all the crimes are committed by humans so you quickly learn to see past all the mumble jumble. Giant animals also play too big a role. They pop up whenever the show needs a set piece fight or some smoke and mirrors to distract us from a weak plot point. Which brings us to . . .

6) a heavy use of CGI but not always to good effects. The quality ranges from acceptable to laughable.

7) the River God plot was very impactful and advanced the A-plot on several fronts. Yet it has some of the worse contrivance about crocodiles. It made me facepalm.

8) similarly, the production value is a mixed bag. Most scenes are acceptable if a bit standard issue. They probably didn't invest a lot of money thinking that it will just be another idol drama. Hopefully, S2 and 3 will fair better.

In the end, I enjoyed this drama more than I expected. Even with all its faults, it is still one of the more watchable series to date and I'll definitely check out S2.

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One hell of a found family

Found family is one of the oldest tropes in a writer-nim's repertoire. It has all the ingredients for a banging meet-cute plus bonus characters development as all the complex relationships change and evolve over time.

This drama certainly doubled down on this premise with the parents being saintly foster parents to a string of disadvantaged kids. This did not go down well with their own daughter as she sees her parents giving them more love and attention than their own flesh and blood. There is a lot of unspoken angst and resentment bottled up inside her. What is a little odd is that her BFF's are two of the foster daughters, so her feelings towards at least some of them are ambiguous to say the least.

As in dramas of this ilk, there are always secrets and double dealings. In this case, everyone is pulling double duties. It did not go down well when some of the secrets were revealed. I must admit that some of the twists were clever but there is a lack of finesse. You feel that the dice is loaded from the start.

To be honest, this aspect of the show leads to some of the best and worst plot developments. It gave us some surprise revelations and swoon worthy moments as well as misfires that pile on the angst and take us down several garden paths.

I suppose if you want to be brutal about it, there is not a lot left to the A-plot once we get past the cute and swoon-y start and sort out who's who after some surprise reveals. The middle section was stretched to fill in the allotted time. It leads to some odd plot developments which are quite contrived and added little of substance.

The ending was as sweet as you can expect. Every loose ends are tied up with pink bows. However, there is minimal fan service surrounding the OTP. Similar to shows of late, the 2CP seems to be more interesting and is given a lot of attention. I'm not complaining per se, but it does feel a little odd.

In the end, I enjoyed this show. The ML was the star for me. He looks cute in many scenes, and he will make you swoon. The FL is solid as ever, but I feel that she is in her comfort zone and is happy to stay there for now. The support cast, production and OST are all fine.

This is a solid series that delivers but there is not a whole lot to distinguish it from the rest of the pack. I’m happy to have watched it but I’d be hard pressed to remember it in a few months’ time. That is a shame.

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Master Chefs Assemble!

This j-drama was release in 2019 but was only added to Netflix in September 2024. That’s my excuse for not review this show earlier, Your Honour!

To put it simply, this show has everything. A tight and engaging script. Interesting and memorable characters. Great acting from a strong cast and more food porn than we can safely consume. It was one of the best show I've seen this year.

Ok, I might have got a bit carried away but bear with me. The show is not perfect. It is tropey and some plots are a bit predictable. The ending is a little too saccharine for my taste but I’m nitpicking.

Let's start at the top. As I said before, this show is tropey but in a good way. You know roughly what is likely to happen, but you take it in your stride. You cheered on their every success and bemoan their setbacks. You know the show is being manipulative but you want to see what happens next.

It helps that the show is relatable. Yes, we are not all chefs but the struggle is real. Once you accept the initial world building, the plot develops steadily. While the antagonist is shady, he is not evil. There are times when events can feel overwhelming, but it is never soul destroying.

This is a well crafted script. It uses tropes wisely and is not dragged down by lazy writing. So many themes are present, friendship, revenge, redemption, healing, forgiveness, growth, fulfillment, greed and more. None of these are used egregiously, yet you can recognise them like little beacons. So much is happening that it can leave you breathless. There is a little bit of romance but it is not the main theme of this show.

To be honest, the show is old school. There are hints of The Seven Samurai and other tried and tested filmic motifs throughout the 11 episodes. They are timeless and universal. Ditto the parables and life lessons provided. It mirrors the skills of a master chef. It is the expert use of fine ingredients that elevates the mundane to the sublime. A high production value and top grade food videography completes the package.

I’m also glad that our leads are mature and seasoned actors rather than young idols. They really deliver the goods. There is no shortage of solid performances. I can tell that their presence helped to lift the younger cast members and anchor their scenes. It is a good ensemble cast.

This show is definitely greater than the sum of its parts. I can rewatch a highlight reel anytime. Please give this drama a try. You won't be disappointed. C’est magnifique!

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A mishmash of sweet and cringey tropes

This show started so well. It is cute and ticked all the boxes when it comes to the meet-cute of a rom com. It was tracking well but worrying signs start to appear by mid show.

Let's start with the good bits. From my perspective, the FL is the true star of the show. She is radiant and so sweet. She is born to play a romantic lead. The premise is also nice and promising. It leans heavily into the healing drama trope with a big dose of bad boys come good motif as well. Every fawn (or is it Bambi? deerling?) has a heart of gold and they give the found family trope a good work out. ;)

However, the ML is channelling Marlon Brando a little too hard for my taste. It works sometimes, especially when he is roleplaying The Boss/tough guy. However, even though he is experienced in life and served time in the big house, he has less social skill than a lump of wood. It is jarring to see how he could stare down a mobster in one scene and be totally tongue tied (or worst, catatonic!) in the next just because the FL smiles at him. His characterisation feels too laboured. There are times when he is sweet and swoon worthy but it is more like a caricature.

In fact, most of the characters are done with very broad strokes. Some are there purely as comic relief. Others have more nuance but only fleetingly. You certainly will not be watching this show for character growth nor social commentary.

Is this a simple farce then? Not quite. There are times when the silliness will leave you breathless but there is also a serious dark edge (like many k-dramas). The senseless violence and text book mobster antics made sure of that.

If you think that I’m confused about this show, you are right. I don’t dislike it but there are moments when I question whether I should have dropped it earlier rather than persevere. This is particularly true towards the end when the show race through tropes after tropes just to cover all the bases. It would be farcical if the subject wasn’t so serious. We literally have the ML suffered a near death experience and then within a few scenes two of his bros show up to a blind date and commit social hari-kari in one of the most cringe worthy scene in my drama watching memory.

Here lies the problem with this show. It just doesn’t know when to stop. It has good bones, but bits and pieces are grafted on which doesn’t always make sense nor work as intended. It is a shame because these are good actors, and the basic premise is solid. A “normal” rom com would have worked a treat.

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Satisfying

This drama is only 8 eps long which is half the length of a typical k-drama. As such it is tightly focused on the A-plot and not weighted down by filler subplots. It almost has a j-drama feel.

The plot is straightforward yet nuanced. A chance meeting of two school friends after 10 years apart reignites a half forgotten school yard romance.

It is quite cute and swoon worthy as they rediscover the spark that drew them together in the first place. Of course, typical to this type of romance drama, it is the ML who carried the torch in silence. The reappearance of the SML who is the ex-BF of FL does complicate things. He disappeared 3 years ago without warning. Similarly, the ML immigrated to the US 10 years previous also without a parting word. As you can tell, abandonment is a theme of this drama.

Luckily, with so few hours to fill, any confused feelings and misunderstandings are steadily resolved and the leads lived happily ever after. Alas, it might have ended that way if we were in Tokyo but we are in Seoul hence things got complicated with the return of the meddling/controlling mum.

This is no loud and whiney ajumma but a classic queen bee with power and money to back up her words. It is as tropey as it gets. To be honest, this is probably the worst case scenario. The writer-nim double downed on it as well. It is challenging to watch as our leads are always respectful to her but she is willing to play dirty behind their backs. It got to the point where she is willing to entrap him in legal quagmire just to bring him to heel. It is hard to understand what she hope to gain from that approach as the ML is a well educated and a highly intelligent man. Being respectful is one thing, being cowed is totally different. It will not end well. In that regard, I’m glad that our leads are strong and mature enough to stand up to her and did not bend to her will. It will get messy, but a strong relationship needs to be tested (according to drama lore).

In terms of acting, our leads are in their elements. They have done similar roles before, and it shows. The support cast is fine. Several of them are there to provide comic relief. This is largely true for the 2CP. It is still a bit of mystery to me why the 2FL is so keen on the 2ML. He has the social skill of a block of wood and does not have a romantic bone in him. Never mind, it provides an interesting contrast to the swoon-y romance of our OTP. The writer-nim even find room for a 3CP but their relationship is tenuous to say the least.

In a sea of draggy dramas, this is a breath of fresh air. The storytelling is direct but still has depth. It is not burdened by extraneous side plots like crazed stalker or murders. The drama is not angst free but it is rewarding to watch our leads fall in love and grow stronger day by day. I enjoyed this drama and can recommend it if you want a weekend binge.

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Needs more gochujang

This is a nice and sweet romantic j-drama. It has heart and there are plenty of emotions on display, but it doesn't seem to hit any highs and flounders toward the end.

The premise of a person who can read mind is not new, but it has potential. However, in this case, I never felt the writer-san fully explore the theme. It almost feels like a parlour tick at times.

A case in point, soon after the ML met the FL, every time she read his mind, he is thinking thoughts like "so cute" or "I like you". Ok, I get it, but he is a full-blooded 20-something male . . . that's all he can think of?! Ergo, you’d think a mind reader will go far in the business world, but the FL's business is just staying afloat. I get that she wants to use her power for the greater good so why not start a charity? Read the minds of all the crooked business elites and take them to the cleaners.

To be honest, it felt like someone came up with the initial pitch and they ran with it. However, once they start to spin the yarn, they don't quite know how to close the deal. The whole story book plot is weak and contrived. It dialled up the angst and provides a way out but it is a stretch.

Ditto, the 2CP is way too “quirky”. They have next to no chemistry and no reason to be together. Yet, there they are unto the bitter end. Go figure.

Yes, this show has issues, but I loved the Korean crossover aspect, and I can't fault the ML. I’d go as far as saying that he is the saving grace of the show. If he was not there, there would be no show, mind reading superpower or not. Even then, the show could be improved with a better script. It felt a bit lame after the 2/3 mark. Thank the drama gods for the HEA ending or I’ll have to pull out what little hair I have left. It is a decent series but a one-time watch for me.

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Too close to RL or not close enough?

I think this drama will have a solid core of supporters but also its fair share of detractors.

I find myself in two minds about this show as well. Fundamentally, this series is uniquely Korean. Its main subject matter will be much more relatable to locals who has children who has lived through exam hell or spent half their youth in tutoring academies themselves. However, even then, there are those who would consider this not realistic enough and is nothing more than dramatisation.

I suppose from my perspective, this show is much more "real" than the usual romcom. Even those set in a tutoring ecosystem like Crash Course in Romance feels almost cartoon-y in comparison.

This is a double-edged sword. The day-to-day aspect is a bit dull. There is a lot of jockeying of positions and details about the Korean education system, especially the last years leading up to the all mighty CSAT. The fact that our leads teaches Korean literature makes it harder for non-Korean to form a connection. Any nuisance about a particular author or a piece of writing is mostly lost in translation.

This is not helped by a slow burn romance. There is a lot of push-pull in the beginning. The age difference and their original teacher/student status adds to the complication. While the ML is all in, the FL is very hesitant to accept his advances. While some scenes are touching and heart fluttering, the majority are mundane, and work related. This improves once they are a couple and there are more emphasis on them. Nevertheless, most episodes are dialogue heavy.

The acting of our leads definitely help to steady the ship and made it watchable. The ML is handsome in a manly way and the FL has good chemistry with him. Their portrayals are on point. The rest of the ensemble cast is a mixed bag. Most of the senior cast members did well. The grey witch’s role is a challenging one and SJY is a class act. However, some of the lesser support roles are one dimensional.

Don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed this show. This is not your typical idol drama full of beautiful people. This one will not grab you from the opening scene and hook you till the end. You have to be patient, invest your time and walk a mile in their shoes to appreciate their struggles. These are mostly normal people doing a challenging job. BTW, I’m glad that there are no murders or psycho stalker. I’m getting tired of that trope.

OST is fine and catchy. I doubt I’ll rewatch this drama anytime soon.

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What do you prefer? Style or substance

Within minutes of watching this show you should realise that this is a different beast from the usual idol costume dramas. There is a rawness and stylistic flair that is missing from many mainstream productions. This drama does not hold back on challenging themes. Confronting acts are on full display and it made no apologies.

This is a double-edged sword. No doubt the director has an unique style. Some scenes are rigged for maximum visual impact. There are bold contrasting colours, dramatic weather effects, poetic imageries and big close-ups of the leads. Get used to it.

This can be polarising. You will either be hooked by impactful scenes or be put off by the over-the-top theatrics. This show is not about finding a comfortable middle ground. For me, it was quite a ride and I was loving it! To be fair, the story does settle into a more comfortable pace towards the middle of the run.

I won't lie, the storyline is fundamentally tropey. The overarching A-plot is a classic revenge tale with a side order of the Cinderella trope and an extra large helping of palace intrigue. The writer is clever enough to mix up the plots and kept the pace fast so that we have little time to examine the plot holes. The production team is also a daft hand in hitting us in the feels which further distracts us.

It is obvious that the show is being manipulative. So much of the pain and suffering is purely there to pull at our heartstrings and to remind us that no character is safe from harm. Even a well-loved character can be killed off to get a rise out of us. It works but it is exhausting.

To wit, the FL is in no position to fight back at the start of the show. We watch and cheer on the FL as she gains strength, made new friends and plan the ultimate revenge. It is very gratifying to watch and there are certainly many bittersweet moments.

This is further aided and abetted by the ML. He might be in his early 20's but he acted well beyond his age. I am most impressed by him. I can't fault the pairing of our leads either. There is always tension between them, but it is the delicious kind. You know they are attracted to each other, but they must play by the rules. Their interactions will get the heart fluttering. While sparks fly between them, there is not a lot of actual skinship until the end of the show. It is poor reward for fans who are shipping the OTP hard.

A fundamental problem with this type of drama is that it is usually fanciful. The FL was a meek wife one minute and the next moment she is full of fight and steely determination. There are also conflicting views on societal values such as a woman's reputation. We must switch off our analytical mind to truly enjoy this show. There are just too many lucky escapes and fortuitous coincidences. It keeps us in our happy place, but it doesn't really stand up to scrutiny. It is very entertaining but a pair of industrial strength rose tinted glasses helps.

Speaking of the ending, it is both satisfying and ambiguous. All the antagonists got their just deserts. The OTP is allowed moments of bliss but then the production team went gaga on us.

It would have been a no-brainer for the story to end on a high. I'd paid to see the OTP ride off into a glorious sunset to live happily ever after. They have certainly earned it. So why was the ML shipped off to the furthest corner of the kingdom to fight a never-ending war? cliché? Yes. Dramatic? Yes. Necessary? NO!

This is not helped by the last scenes of the show which is beautifully staged but so ambiguous. Is it a dream sequence?

Acting wise, it is fairly solid but there are moments when it feels like characters changed tracks as the script shifted in a different direction but the subtle change was not communicated to the audience. The impact is not significant but can be a little disconcerting.

Overall, I enjoyed the show very much. It is impactful and engaging. The production team certainly knows how to keep our attention even if the plot itself might not stand up to close scrutiny. Some might find it too stylistic, shallow and tropey. It will be a love/hate thing. Caveat emptor, my friends.

*** SPOILER ***
There is a 5 mins postscript ep that confirmed a HEA ending but why is that even necessary?

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It is blooming good! Serious

The title of this show basically summed up the drama. It is all about one girl and her family's rise above terrible adversity and the many challenges they faced. It starts simple enough. All the main characters are introduced and the world building begins. Once the show hits its stride, calamity hits. The FL's family literally went from a position of power and influence to object poverty overnight.

Rather than just accepting her fate, the FL comes to the fore and takes charge of the situation and changed her family's fortune. Along the way, she found love and changed the lives of many people she touched.

The series is full of positive messages, and they are delivered quite effectively by an engaging storyline. Yes, the plots are tropey but the way they unfolded is well scripted and its pacing is good. You won’t feel bored nor confused.

It is a good drama overall and quite enjoyable. A large part is attributed to the solid FL character. She faces every challenge head on and uses her initiative and intelligence to overcome them. Of course, the ML is there to do the heavy lifting and lend a sharp sword. In that sense, the show is a bumpy ride, but the trajectory is always upwards. We are never left in utter despair. This is a double-edged sword as we are almost conditioned to see a silver lining around every storm cloud. The show does go dark from time to time, with death and suffering just around the corner. It is just our leads who are mostly Teflon coated.

There is a good deal of fan service in the second half of the last EP before the HEA ending arrives on cue. All the main threads are tied up with pink bows and most characters have their arc concluded satisfactory.

I am pleasantly surprised by the acting abilities of the large support cast. It would not be an exaggeration to use terms like cast of a thousand. There are so many actors with speaking parts! It ranges from highly regarded veterans to young green actors. There are the odd hit and miss but, overall, they lifted the series and provide able support to the leads when the going gets tough. The production value is good but not quite S rank. They didn't cheap out on the sets and costumes.

I believe this is the FL’s first historical drama. I have seen her in contemporary dramas. I not a real fan before this show. I find her other performances to be a bit stilted. However, she is good in this drama. The style suits her and the low-key makeup as well.

While the ML is handsome and the fight scenes are decent, his performance did feels oddly detached at times. To be honest, a bit wooden. All the actors are dubbed but his dialogue just feels too measured and flat. It is as if the lines are recorded in a vacuum. It is odd when almost every other aspect of the series is solid.

I started with low expectations but I was pleasantly surprised. It is tropey and a bit cheesy. A guilty pleasure for me. That’s entertainment!

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Who said only bad girls have all the fun

Do-over seems to be the plot du jour at the moment. While most shows in this genre would focus on righting wrongs and get revenge on antagonists, this one took a different approach.

In this case, the FL was a cruel and ruthless Queen in her past life. Her path to the top was awash with the blood of both friends and foes. In that sense, she is trying to stop herself going down the same path again and right her own wrongs! This is certainly a more novel take on this genre. I’m excited to see how will the writer spin this yarn.

This review will look at this drama from two different angles. On one hand, the series is very entertaining, full of engaging characters and it is gratifying to watch the progress of the FL in her “new” life. However, if we look at the series with more critical eyes then we can see issues with the pacing, narrative and acting.

There is no doubt that this is a S class production. Sets are lush (love to see their Hengdian bill), costumes are beautiful if a tad generic. There is a big cast so important scenes are well populated with extras.

Bai Lu has the titular role and she owns it. She plays both the evil and good roles with aplomb. My only reservation is that while she is supposed to be a maiden about 18 years old in Life 2.0, she can look and feel a lot older. I suppose that is because in Life 1.0, she did and saw things that would age any mortals. It does make her character a little out of focus in earlier episodes as she dances between an innocent teenager and the ghost of an evil Queen. The question of whether she would flip to the dark side cannot be ignored.

This highlights one of the major issues for me. The show is filled with flashbacks of Life 1.0. This is particularly true during earlier episodes where it is almost like watching a mashup of two dramas. The drama tries to distinguish them by dulling the colour palette of the L1.0 scenes. Nevertheless, this can be quite jarring as the trigger for a lengthy flashback might be a simple chance meeting and suddenly, we are watching an epic battle. Even if we don’t get a flashback, she might pause and have an internal monologue about what she did wrong and what she should do now.

These sudden scene changes can give you a whiplash and it slows the forward momentum. It is also confusing when we try to decipher the significance of each event based on snippets of dialogues and jumbled recollections. What is worse is that Life 1.0 is actually more intriguing and exciting compared to the early part of Life 2.0. She is trying so hard to be good, she is boring. I almost want to watch L1.0 more than L2.0 until about the 1/3 mark. I understand why they did it but by making Life 1.0 so dramatic and impactful, it takes the wind out of Life 2.0's sails.

What I have to say next is not going to be popular. The ML is tall and handsome but his acting left me cold. Most of the time he is stoic and occasionally he gets angry. That’s about it. His dialogue delivery feels flat. Another issue is his approach to romance is quite caveman like. It makes him looks brutish when he isn't. The sad fact is that the two other 2ML's radiate serious second lead syndrome.

On the other hand, acting from the ensemble cast is good. There are the odd weaker links, but the more senior members have certainly earn their keep.

To be honest, the series is much more enjoyable in the second half. By then, the FL's plan to change her destiny is finally in place and she surrounds herself with a group of fast friends. The last few episodes are the best. Packed with epic battles, court intrigues and swoon worthy moments. What more can you ask? The ending is satisfying with all the loose ends tired up nicely.

I commend the writer for being innovative and I did enjoy this drama. However, I was distracted by issues which I can't ignore. It lost a point because of that.

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We need Ozempic now and keep it coming!

In the olden days, you used to be able to find a good romance with ease but now we speak of them in hush tones reserved for half-forgotten legends. What we mostly find nowadays are shows burdened with angsts and sufferings to the point of needing to put Suicide Helpline on speed dial. Ditto some of those plots are so convoluted that you feel like you are watching 3 different genres at the same time and have to keep the wiki page open for reference.

Well, this Show is quite the exception. It is not perfect, and the plot can fit comfortably on the back of a small napkin, but this show will make you swoon. It is industrial grade fluff and should come with a health warning. Having said that, it is also surprisingly enjoyable.

To be honest, the first few episodes was not encouraging. I was wondering where the show is heading. It is harmless enough but also uninspired. Basically, the meet-cute comes down to the FL having a 4-year crush on her handsome boss and when she finally worked up the courage to confess, he promptly rejected her. Of course, he regretted it almost immediately, but the dice is casted.

The show really shifts up a gear when the Show flips the role and now the ML is doing all the chasing. Yes, my dear Drama Anonymous friends, it is as tropey as it sounds. What elevated the simple plot is the chemistry and visual of the OTP. The longer they interact, the better their chemistry. It is hard to pinpoint so I'll just put it down to romantic screen voodoo, c'est l'amour. BTW, they don’t shy away from skinship and there are quite a few passionate kisses. However, they (oddly) remain chaste until they got the marriage licence and then it was baby making time . . . baby!

This is further aided by the lack of any silly shenanigans involving evil second leads or non-sensical breakups. Quite to the contrary, the Show has a very positive take on romance and when relationships are made public, there are no jealous side-eyes or sly remarks. It seems the whole drama-verse is shipping them. BTW, the ML’s parents are a hoot.

There are some angst but they are due to external forces and each challenge helps to push them closer. It is a tried and tested strategy. Hey, if it's not broken . . .

If one OTP is not enough, there is a 2OTP towards the end of the show. The pairing is quite nice. Their sweet romance is easy to ship. Wait, there is more! A 3OTP literally pops into existence in the dying moment of the show which is not necessary but who’s counting. As I mentioned before, this Show is one oxytocin overload and hazard to diabetes.

Acting is good from our leads. The ML is totally in his element. The FL injects enough spunk to give her character some depth. Well, relatively speaking. Support cast earn their keeps but some do lean towards overacting. OST is nice and appropriate.

As I mentioned before, the Show is not perfect. The plot is single minded and some narrative logic are pushed aside in the name of expediency. Some might find it transparent and overly sweet. I won't argue. It might not appeal to everyone so I can only say caveat emptor. Somehow it works for me. Must be something in the water. Enjoy!

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Charles Perrault should sue

This show looked promising early on but ultimately it is a let down.

What is bothersome is that this is not a bad show. It is watchable and mostly harmless, but it is surprisingly ordinary and has little substance.

Noona romance is hardly new to the drama-verse but this show has such a pedestrian script which is not aided by the large ensemble cast of one dimensional characters.

Don't get me wrong. There is a lot happening but the A-plot and sundry subplots are mostly inane and tropey. I won’t even mind if the show is super fluffy, but it ended up trying too hard to be funny, edgy and poignant. It is not a winning combo.

We are presented with an klutzy and naive FL right from the start. There is a strong hint of the Cinderella trope. You’d rightly expect her character to grow and transform over time into something special. To the contrary, her character stays gruffy and annoying for the bulk of the run. She acts like a 39 yo virgin but in the most cringey and awkward manner.

I also find it hard to ship the love triangle. It is just not convincing for me. To wit, ML1 is a hunk 15 years her junior with his pick of beautiful girls. Yes, he said that he loves her because she is kind, sweet and cute, really? Am I watching the same show? It is a hard sell.

Ditto, ML2 has a crush on her for years. Of course, they are the worse frenemies until it is too late. Once again, ML2 is mature, talented and handsome. He also has his pick of superior female admirers, but he is loyal to the FL to a fault. Go figure.

The stories related to her two besties are meant to be saucier, but it is so predictable. Plot by plot, they have a home in this genre, but the sum is definitely less than the parts in this case.

There is a mini breakthrough in ep.9 but the good times never last and we ended up with another about face before the episode is over.

In the end, this type of drama can work and there are fine examples out there. However, this show never really engaged me and I find it hard to ship the OTP. This is a kiss of death in my book. I felt detached for much of its run. I hung in there hoping it would get better. . .

OST is functional but I find it repetitive. Rewatch? You jest.

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Size doesn’t matter, as long as you can make a joke out of it

As other reviewers have noted, this movie is not your typical weeknight drama. This show certainly pushes one “sensitive” topic relentlessly. It is not even really about sex but the awkward situation both men and women find themselves in once you get past first base and must do the “show and tell” and keep up with the Kim's.

Maybe the show is trying to milk the shock value but almost every second scene will involve a discussion/action related to the human sex organs and how well they are functioning, or more likely, not functioning. It does the trick . . . for the first 15 minutes but combined with the barely-there filter on bad languages, the dialogues can be quite one-note. You do become desensitised.

BTW, they don’t just talk about sex but there are several elaborate sex scenes. Most are centred on a softcore "starlet" (aka SFL) who is happy to bare all for her art. It is not exactly egregious, but it is pretty much done like punctuations and to emphasis that they can walk the walk. However, this doesn’t quite extend to our leads. They provide their fair share of skinship, but it is quite tame by comparison.

Once we pare back all those "extremities", we are left with a fairly basic rom-com. It boils down to the usual enemy to lover, romance/healing drama. All the typical misunderstandings and push-pulls are present and accounted for. This show leans more heavily into the comedy side with most angst radiating from the FL as she rage against the patriarchy. The movie ticked a lot of boxes but with only 100min run time, there is barely enough time to race through the tropes.

Acting is fine. The leads are charismatic and they make a nice couple. Support cast tends to overact but this is the style of show we are dealing with.

In the end, the movie is entertaining and watchable. It does deliver a fluffy romance and it all ends well. It is not as shocking as the initial premise as the show does fall back to the well-trodden path even though that path was edged with brambles. I suppose the NC-17 rating proves that it wants to be contentious, but not WAY out there.

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Mask On/Mask Off

This is a sweet little contemporary romance. It is relatively short at 14 episodes, so the pacing is tight. It is also angst light in the sense that there are no nasty parents nor psycho second leads. There are plenty of angst from a different quarter though and this forms the underlying message of the show. So, let’s talk about the love lines first.

The ML is handsome, and the FL is attractive. They are well matched and have good chemistry. They are sweet, loving and there is a decent amount of skinship, but nothing more than hugs and kisses. It is great to see that they understand the need to communicate. They talk through issues, and they trust each other. They act like mature adults and don't yo-yo between love-hate like some other dramas. It did take them a while to sort out their feelings but once they are a couple, there is no going back and no self-sabotage. They form an united front against anyone who try to come between them.

Interestingly, relationship issues are not completely off the table. The show touches on issues like jealousy, ghosting, gaslighting and some serious obsessive behaviours. It does feel a little tropey when you take it all in. It works out in the end, but it is hardly a joyride for all concerned, especially the FL’s sister.

Now, let’s talk about the rest. As the title implies, “faking it” is now such a part of modern culture that you will find it everywhere. Whether it is being pretentious or just to disguise one’s background, it is like a mask that people puts on or risk being unfairly judged and labelled.

If you think this is a great opportunity for satire then you’d be right. However, while this show is willing to poke fun at some common tropes (luxury handbags at 3 paces, anyone?), they are hardly cutting. We might get a chuckle out of it, but this is common fodder for Chinese comedies nowadays. I would almost call it a missed opportunity.

In that sense, the main theme of the show is not about fakes. Yes, there are plenty on display, but they are just props. The show is really a cautionary tale about achieving a good work life balance. This is significant because our leads certainly face that challenge and they also have to take off their masks before they can truly love each other. This is the real message of this show.

I’m glad that the show highlights such plights, but it does feel a little hollow. Nobody want their health or relationship to suffer because of excessive workload/work pressure but I have a sinking feeling that the positive messages are going to fall on deaf ears when you consider the current 996 work schedule in China and that is often the bare minimum. The pressure to conform is just too great. It is a noble sentiment, to be sure, but how many Chinese workers can achieve a healthy balance?

Putting this aside, the show is quite enjoyable. Production value is good, acting is solid and the OST is pleasant. If you are not in the thick of the rat race then this would be a very agreeable distraction while it last. Peace out.

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A solid period drama that flags towards the end

The show’s FL should be easily recognisable by drama fans. A mix of Cinderella, Belle and a dash of classical Chinese beauty. She is certainly long suffering but has the brain and intestinal fortitude to try to make a better life for herself.

Her journey is long and arduous, but she is helped along the way by some good friends but most importantly, the love of her life. The writer managed to tell her struggles and the love line well. It can get angsty but never soul destroying. Sometimes the side plots can get a bit convoluted, but it is a costume drama based on power struggle at the highest level, you can’t expect anything less. Most of the threads are untangled in the end but some will leave you feeling a little deflated.

There is humour, action and intrigue from the start. To say the show starts strongly is an understatement. The pace does slow as it progresses. Often, there is a mini cliffhanger at the end of an episode, so you’d want to find out what happens next.

The production quality is high. The set are lush and well-integrated. Costumes are of high quality and suits the characters and their style.

For the show to be good, the performance from our cast is key. Our leads are right for their roles. The FL is pretty but also intelligent and quick witted. Her life in a patriarchal society is not easy. Time and again, she hits the glass ceiling and must counter adverse public opinion. On the other hand, the ML radiates gravitas and martial prowess, but he is a sweet and gentle lover once he falls for the FL.

The OTP’s chemistry is good. Their interaction is not sizzling but still swoon worthy. There is a decent amount of skinship, but I can’t help but think they did what the script asked of them and did it with dedication but lacks real passion when it really counts.

Our leads are ably supported by the large ensemble cast. The senior members certainly pulled their weight. Especially those in antagonist roles. The younger set are fine, but there are inconsistencies.

Plot wise, this is old school. Power struggle is standard trope. Playing the long game is the only game in town. This means some of the roles are fairly one note. Subplots are mostly rehash of tropes.

How I wish the show is uniformly good from start to finish. From my perspective, the show peaked around the 2/3 mark. That is when the long game starts to bear fruit. Don’t get me wrong, it still has its moments later on, but it doesn’t reach the same height. That is largely because we know who the real puppet master is by then. If you are familiar with this type of dramas, you will recognise many of the subsequent plots. The last few episodes are filled with expositions so that every schemes and countermeasures are explained, often more than once. Is that necessary when we just watched the scenes played out not that long ago? It pads out the runtime, but it also saps the momentum. The last episode is total fan service which I appreciate. Everything is in place for the HEA ending.

Overall, it is a well made and entertaining drama. I can recommend it and I have no problem rewatching a highlight reel. OST is pleasant if a bit repetitive, especially the love ballads which tends to be on high rotation towards the end.

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