Counters trapped in a maze of their own creation

May be I'm swimming against the tide but I have some serious issues with this show.
Not saying that it is a bad show and there were certainly elements which were very well done and some scenes were thrilling, heart warming, uplifting or gut wrenching but it is not perfect, far from it.
One of the biggest problem with the plot was the writer laid down rules that counters must obey while they are hunting evil spirits so that they have minimal impact on the human world. The problem is that the counters kept on breaking them because the bulk of the story is about them seeking revenge or meddling with societal issues. It got very awkward and painful to watch as they constantly tried to bend the rules or fix damages a la wiping people's memories and healing the wounded baddies. The writer ended up just throwing the rules away mid show by having the counters appeal to their handlers to let them have a free hand. It made half the show felt claustrophobic.
Another issue were the villains used. In the beginning of the show, school yard bullies were the main antagonists. It starts with typical bullying and extortion but it quickly escalated to attempted murders. Just remember these are technically minors. The Rules made all the counters' corrective actions meaningless. Those bullies were behaving worst than the thugs and gangsters used later on in the show without being possessed by evil spirits so why were they so nasty? It got real bad for the junior counter until the problem was pushed aside by his ultra rich benefactor. So all the special powers of the counters achieved nought but money and connections did. Consider how much the show was about money, corruptions and secrets, this was sending a very confused message.
Most shows have plot holes but this show have more than its fair share. For instance, after the counters were assumed killed, they closed their restaurant but continued to live openly inside. The thugs showed up once, rattled the door a few times and said no one is here so they must really be dead. Geez, anyone could have chance upon them for the longest time. Similarly, the level 4 evil spirit was being chased by the police as a mass murder and his face was on TV and posters everywhere. However, once they faked his death and the police made the announcement, everyone seemed to forget he existed. He was walking around everywhere without any disguise. Why didn't anyone noticed? There are a number of other holes or subplots that went nowhere.
The effect of these problems made the middle section of the show seemed adrift and suffer from some kind of identity crisis. All the characters were there and there were great fight scenes, more death and destructions and the odd funny subplots but it doesn't feel like it had much to do with the original uncanny counters concept (aka super heroes vs evil spirits). Maybe uncanny eco-warriors, uncanny thieves? They expended so much energy setting up the central theme and yet it was underused for a good half of the show.
There was also a writer change after 12th episodes. The standard "creative difference" reason was given. There was definitely a change in the plot and tone with the last few episodes. The bulk of the last episode was very much sugar overload with resolution of plots and closures for all main characters and even a MiB style makeover for the team.
Generally speaking, the acting were good. The junior counter probably had the most growth but then again, he was stuck in self pity mode for half the show so it was expected. The found family trope was well used and there were good warmth between the fab four. There was little romance, certainly nothing more than wishful thinking.
OST was good, I probably won't rewatch it as the problems would annoy me even more on a rewatch.

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Short and Sweet romance with a decent plot

I have only watched a few Thai dramas and this is another good 'un
Let's be honest. this is no high drama. It is low angst, low impact drama by any measures. It is a rom-com that can be easily binged as it is only 13 episodes long (about 45 mins each). Because of the short run time, the pacing is good and the plot moves along without too many deviations.
What I did like are the OTP's chemistry, they are hot together. Yes, lots of push/pulls in the beginning. The development of their relationship was well paced. It is not like they hated each other for 80% of the show and then just jump into bed because they ran out of time or ideas. You can see from their expressions and their private musings that they were falling for each other as the show progressed. They also have this easy going sexy vibe with each other.
I also like how the writer used the dirty tricks cooked up to harm the OTP as catalyst to push them closer together and take their relationship further. This is so much better than just set them up as the OTP early on and then throw roadblocks at them until the inevitable breakup. In this case, you still get the impact of the misdeeds but it was also a positive force and you can enjoy their growth as well. Nicely done.
What I didn't like was how the antagonist was used. She got away with too much. Even after being called out again and again, she just kept escalating her scheming. Yes, it moves the story along but she was not really punished in the end (she paid a price but it was a fraction of the pain she brought unto others) and then she even gets a happy ending. This is a pet hate of mine. Many dramas allow the antagonist a free run, give them a slap on the wrist and then hands them a happy ending as bonus. Not really sending a strong message, are we?
Support cast did a fine job. Some were a bit one dimensional but that is to be expected in such a short run show. They served their purpose by introducing some angst. The main support roles were more fleshed out. I loved the BFF of the FL. She was such a perfect foil for the FL. The 2ML (Tawan) was too weak for my liking. He enabled the antagonist ceaselessly, called her out repeatedly and then just hanged around like a love sick puppy (which he was).
All in all, an enjoyable watch. Nothing amazing but well worth the time to binge it and recharge with some swoon worthy moments.

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Genre bending wuxia rom-com that takes irreverent fun to the next level

A word of warning. If you are a wuxia aficionado then you probably should skip this show. The setting is familiar and the characters played roles that are instantly recognisable but almost everything in between have been flipped and turned around so that it became irreverent and very tongue-in-cheek.

The plot is classic wuxia. I would even go as far as saying it was old school. All based around sects, secret sutras and the attainment of the highest level of martial art form with special powers and lots of flying around. The basic plot was the typical blood feud that spanned years and wicked plots to secure the secret sutra. However, that storyline was largely used as the skeleton for the meat of the story which was the romance of the OTP.

Here I am going to on a tangent because it has been bugging me. From the first episode to about the 1/3 mark, the show gave me strong "What's wrong with Secretary Kim" vibes. I know the setting is completely different but if you look at the basic outline then you can see quite a bit of WWwSK's DNA in this show. The handsome and VERY narcissistic boss (ML), beautiful, long suffering and super efficient assistant (FL) who had been with him for years. Once the boss realised the FL was going to quit, he decided that the only way to keep her was to marry her. There was even a childhood trauma which the FL only vaguely remembers and a "brother" that saved her which could be either the ML or the 2ML. Curious, no?

Anyway, back to the review. The romance was the focus of the whole show and luckily, the writer kept a steady hand on the wheel and did not allow the show to go from rom-com to melodrama at the blink of an eye. Yes, there were death, injuries and destructions but the Love is strong with the OTP. Once you get past the standard wuxia storyline, the writer really got "creative" with the subplots and twists. It was Sillyville for much of the show. Everything from slapstick, funny dialogues to visual gags were thrown into the mix. Even the presentation was not spared. We had scenes shot like black and white silent movies and even a cartoon segment. You certainly have a feeling that there were some influence from webtoons.

Was the show funny? A fair bit of the time and there were even the odd hilarious moments. Some jokes did fall flat but that is to be expected. Most of the plots were telegraphed in advance so it is almost like having laugh tracks, you know something weird and crazy was going to happen soon. Credit goes to the writer and director for sticking to their guns. The humour didn't stop until the last scene.

It did get a bit draggy during the second half of the show as it was a long retelling of their courtship but from a different perspective.

A lot of the main support cast were there as comedic foils so their characters were deliberately one dimensional or exaggerated but they earned their pay. It was not an easy gig.

Yes, it is a silly show and you are not talking about fantastic acting, intricate plots or heartfelt emotions (most of the time) but in a sea of same-same dramas, it is a nice change of pace and it did have some cute and funny moments. I enjoyed it more than I expected and that surprised me. Rose-tinted glasses helped a lot. :)

The OST is weird. Not much Chinese music, almost themed like a Benny Hill show (look it up if you don't know that reference ;) ). Rewatch value is there if you want a break from heavy going dramas.

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Text book rom-com with a love of clichés

The TL;DR version: it is a very tropey, cliché laden rom-com that failed to hit any heights and ended up meandered for too long before a predictable ending.

The longer version: This show started fine. Very tropey setup with cold, rude CEO ML and feisty college student FL in a contract marriage. The logic behind the plot was questionable but we'll let that pass for now. It was set up and running within the first 2 episodes. Consider the show runs for 30 x 30+ mins episodes, you would think that there is lots of time to develop the characters and watch their relationship blossom but alas, the real confession didn't happen until late in the show and nothing much happened (drama wise) between those two points. It was overstuffed with every colour of clichés that I wish I was a cliché spotter! Time and time again, just when you see the obvious set up and waited for the ML to utter the 4 immortal Chinese words (我喜欢你) and seal it with a kiss, the scene faded to black and they took a collective step back.

They did amped up the sugar moments after the confession but it was all bait and switch as the writer threw even more CP roadblocks in their way and culminated in the predictable plot arc. If you think that I'm talking about the OTP both dying in a plane crash then you should get a job with them because you are way more creative.

I'm not saying that every rom-coms have to be full of original ideas but better ones handle clichés like delicate building blocks, be creative with them. This show used them with extreme prejudice and with little return. It was like they took the "Chinese Rom-com for Dummies" to the pitch meeting.

Acting was patchy. The FL is fine. A feisty college student is bread and butter for young actors these days. The ML suffered from the Chinese idol syndrome. They have the looks and the physique but his acting skills are limited. Stoney face might be ok for the cold CEO role but when the role expanded and he couldn't stretch to meet the demands then we have a problem. The FL's BFF and one half of the 2OPT was problematic as well. It was almost painful to watch her in some of the lovey-dovey scenes with the 2ML. There was little chemistry with the second pairing but they can be cute together. There was a decent amount of skinship with the CP's but not a whole lot of passion. One surprise was the ML's mum. She was a scene stealer and a fount of wisdom and so sweet and understanding. Shame that she didn't have a bigger role.

There was little growth in the characters, more like Jackal and Hyde personality changes. This was especially true for the ML and not in a good way.

The ending was sugar coated and the FL's male junior did the honourable thing but the happy ending was never in doubt. It was a decent conclusion. I'm not too sure why they did the CGI chapel in the end. Seemed a bit unnecessary.

OST was serviceable. Rewatch value is low.

I started off enthused, gradually became irritated (aka almost dropped) and then finally settled on resigned indifference.

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More of the good things and a few niggles

Oh, so much I loved the Dr Romantic's drama-verse. It was a little microcosm of a perfectly crafted world where love, skills, compassion and friendship can overcome all evils. Dr Romantics 2 certainly had that in spades but there were awkward moments with the storytelling, a bit like your dog peeing on the rug while your friends were visiting. Do you ignore it or not?
As an ensemble drama, this show is second to none. The old hospital was a great setting and the main/support cast were always superb. You can pretty much just watch them chat while washing dishes and it would be ok. ;) However, where DR1 was a wonderful journey as we observed how the team grew, worked and played together, DR2 had the hospital well and truly humming along (still short staffed and poorly funded) but a lot of the enjoyment was just seeing the regulars in their roles. Some of them were angrier, some were more stressed, they all got older and one had to retire. The pacing was so fast and furious that you don't have time to worry about the in between bits.

Some reviews lamented that this is not DR2 with the same cast. I understand that but I don't think there is a dire need for that. DR2 is strong enough to be judged on its own merits and the time and plot have moved on. This left us with a time shift and 3 new doctors. Two of the new doctors were very flawed and scarred individuals. It was good that they came to Doldam Hospital because Dr Kim saw their potentials and he made them whole again.

That worked but because it included the OTP we had to deal with their romantic subplot. It was true that the ML had a crush on the FL since their med school days and we were left with no doubts by the flashbacks. Her feelings towards him was a lot more ambiguous. In a way, backstory stuff was a bit redundant as they were the classic trope of opposite types being thrown together in high pressure situations. You can literally get a spark off two wet sponges. No surprise then that after lots of push backs from the FL, she fell head-over-heels for the ML. It got the job done as the plot goes but it felt heavily scripted. On the other hand, the 2OTP were cuter and felt more relatable but they didn't get enough screen time, IMHO.

Another niggle is that after many episodes of trials and tribulations showing us the M/FL's personal issues, it all got resolved too easily so that it lost a lot of the impact. The main antagonist (Prof. Park) was a bit grey, neither truly evil nor chaotic. Deus ex machina was in full force at the end of the show where most of the evil plots and scheming were largely resolved in one stroke. It was a most satisfying conclusion but I couldn't help but felt like I was the only one left out of a prank.

Don't get me wrong, when this show gets it right (and that was most of the time), it was a masterful piece of medical drama. So many heart warming as well as gut wrenching moments. I still felt a bit choked up when I recall certain scenes (no spoilers!). But I do feel that the writer-nim succumbed to the demand of a romantic plotline and the desire to give us a happy ending at all costs.

The OST was great. Rewatch value is high.

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Cute, watchable youth drama with a hard edge

At its core, it was a youth drama, a college romance but it was also a modern take of a wuxia drama which got me interested.
The core story charted the FL's growth in her tai chi skills and the romance between the FL and ML who was her college senior as well as tai chi teacher. Yes, that was an over simplification as a lot of it was tied up with the ML's plan to modernise the teaching of tai chi and the competition/bad blood between different Kung Fu styles/clans/sects. If you are thinking that tai chi is taught around the world right now so what's the big deal then you will have to watch this and see for yourself. ;)
The likes:
* The aesthetics was beautiful. One of the best looking c-drama I have seen. The cinematography and sceneries used were superb. No CGI required. There was an almost calming, ethereal quality to it with old architectures and lots of Chinese arts on display. The colour palette was warm and natural.
* The main cast were so good looking. The guys won, by the way. ;)
* Most of the fight scenes were expertly choreographed. Looks amazing and impactful.
* The story was not draggy (see discussion below).
* It was relatively angst light (see dislike below) and a lot of the misunderstandings were resolved fairly quickly with some straight talking.
The dislikes:
* While the aesthetics was beautiful, it did have its inconsistencies. The classic was the B-roll showing ancient tile roofs and in the background were high rise buildings shrouded in fog/pollution. Some scenes transition between rooms can feel weird. Like a really modern room (with digital wall switches) to a traditional Chinese sitting room that was suppose to be part of the same building. Not impossible but . . .
* I initially thought the production deliberately downplayed mod-cons like TV to keep that ethereal feel but then towards the end of the show, the OTP switched on the TV and started singing karaoke. Hmmm
* While the skinship was kept very much in the G rated realm, the fighting did get graphic and bloody (especially towards the end). Some themes were also very dark. It did felt odd that death and major crimes were ok but skinship was not.
* The romance was there and we even had 3 couples but they were all very restrained. There were chemistry (sort of) but there was little progress. A bit of hand holding, side eyes and a hug or two. We didn't even get a proper kiss for the whole show. The 2OTP is where the writer usually have more freedom to play with emotions and passion but we only got more angst and little passion. The word chaste came to mind.
* Costumes was a real mixed bag. The worse was probably the ML. His costumes went from standard sombre street wear to weird baggy Chinese trad/mod fusion. I won't call them stylish. For the OMG moment. Check out his costume for the final fight in the dying minute of the show. It is straight out of a video game.
Acting:
I thought the FL looked familiar and then it dawned on me that she was the FL in Dr Cutie. She did better in Dr Cutie but I think a lot of that was due to the script and the character had more freedom to express herself (and improvement in her acting abilities over time). She did a good job here as a young feisty college student.
The ML did ok for the most part. I believe he is an idol so we can't expect too much acting skills. As to be expected, he was supposed to be cool and aloof but at least he managed to appear more aloof due to his senior tai chi rank rather than just being a stuck-up. He was a bit out of his league with his wooden delivery during some big emotional scenes.
The rest of the support cast were mostly young and they did a decent job. Most have fairly straightforward roles.
I just realised I kept saying "towards the end". The reason is the last few episodes just felt odd. The directing, subplots and acting all felt misaligned. Episode 22 was the turning point for me. There were scenes and editing that didn't make sense. The tai chi dojo was supposed to be trashed but we saw none of that. A couple of girls got rescued but why? The cliché breakup that wasn't a breakup?
The National martial art competition was the main focus towards the end and it was done well. Lots of awesome fight scenes. There were also plot holes but you sort of just go along with it. It hit me later on that the competition was suppose to have lasted over 30 days?! That is ridiculously long. Even Wimbledon only lasted 2 weeks.
Episode 24 was mostly fan service but it felt underdone. We have the big dramatic scene (not spoiling) then relationship doubts then happy group scenes with cameo of the Japanese actor (for no reason). Final twist at the send-off was poorly handled and if it was meant to be a surprise then it landed with a thud. It just felt like a mishmash of scenes and messages. Something happened to the script writing for the last few episodes and it was not good.
Oddly enough, episode 1 was a bit like that. Things just happened that didn't felt connected. If I had only one word to describe it then it would be messy. Just as well things got a whole lot better for the next 20 episodes.
OST was quite good, especially when it matched well with the beautiful sceneries. Dubbing was a little patchy at times.
I would rewatch it for its aesthetics, the cute moments and the fight scenes but it is not a high priority.

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Sweet ensemble cast (some with 4 legs) that delivered

Very few drama trope can stir your emotions like those involving animals and with 6 furry pets involved we are guaranteed emotion and cuteness overload.
To be honest, the movie didn't break any new grounds and everything was fairly low key in the drama department but it was written that way so it delivered as expected. The stories were nice and sweet but it can hit you in the feels when it wanted to and I was really saddened by one of the stories. The rest were sweet, heart-warming and uplifting so mission accomplished.
Best to watch it with family or SO and your own pet on a lazy day.

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Too many villains spoilt the plot

The premise of this show is centred around a ML who can't forget and a FL was suffered from some memory loss due to PTSD and their journey to find love and heal each others emotional wounds. Let me say up front that there are lots to like about this romance/healing drama and I enjoyed it overall. The acting of the leads were superb. I was most impressed by the ML (his first drama role was in the Coffee Prince!) who nailed his character from a serious news anchor who radiated gravitas to the vulnerable boy friend seeking love and reassurance. The FL appeared sweet and simple on the surface but required her to emote a whole range of complex emotions as the story progressed. Most of the support cast also did a good job with veteran actors given solid roles. The 2OTP was a super cute pair and their couple time was so sweet. Unsurprisingly, they were allowed to fall in love organically and just be two people in love without all the crazy sub-plots.
The OTP had great chemistry and their couple time was often swoon worthy. The problem was that the writer just won't let them be. It was like a game of marbles. The OTP was constantly bombarded by trials and tribulations. I know it is standard trope to throw obstacles in front of the OTP but we are talking about a stalker/murderer, a copycat stalker, burglary, return of the stalker/murderer, an unethical doctor and then a revenge seeking journo to round things out. When you consider the show was only 16 episodes long, the villains are having more screen time than the main cast.
I accept that the initial stalker plot, while tropey, was a reasonable device as both M/FL had lots of emotional baggage and it all started with that chain of horrible events. There were lots of flashbacks so we knew full well what happened eight years ago and the impact on them. To have the stalker plot repeated again and the new stalker copying the first one's modus operandi just felt lazy. The show then passed the baton back to the original stalker was an odd decision that gave him way too much exposure with minimal gains. Due to this parade of trouble makers, the show just didn't have time to address their arc to my satisfaction. Yes, they were punished but that tends to be a rushed footnote before the next villain was hurriedly wheeled in.
All this evil-doing sucked the oxygen out of the script. The OTP was constantly getting together and then breaking up and then reunited again with all manners of broken promises and forever apologising to each other and re-re-reaffirming their undying love. When we watch a romance/healing drama like this, the viewers need some kind of reward for shipping the pair. In this case, these were few and far between. It was rather draining to see the pair suffer yet another set back. Romantic scenes were great, even the breakups were wonderfully acted but we need to see a path out of the quagmire. That was one thing that the show failed to deliver.
In the end, we were gifted with the happy ending we all craved but it was so rushed and to be honest, a bit abrupt. They didn't communicate at all for 2 years (even though there were multiple options) and then the first time they set eyes on each other in Korea it was full on again as if they just had a lover's quarrel and made up a day later. Yes, I'm thankful for the unicorn moments but it was just too expedient. The OTP tried to say that they don't care about gossip and scandals anymore but they were strong 2 years ago and they walked away from that relationship. What gives?!
If I were to rate this drama purely on story/plot then it would have been a borderline 7 but the acting was so good that they deserved a solid 8.
The OST was fine, sad and sentimental mostly. Rewatch value is a mix bag. I wouldn't mind just cropping all the couple moments from both OTP's together and just rewatch those. The rest can stay on the editing room floor.

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It is more than an e-sport drama

TL;DR version: This is an amazing drama. A must watch. One caveat; if you hate gaming or e-sport then give it a miss.
The long version: this drama combined two fully realised dramas into one. What is even more impressive is that it was an ensemble cast of well over ten leading characters. All those characters were three dimensional and acting was great and on point.
With such a complex and interwoven plot there were definitely issues but the show just took you on such a rollercoaster ride that you just hung on tight and enjoyed it.
The promise of the main plot is some kind of temporal anomaly that linked the lives of two crossfire game players, one lived in 2008 while the other in 2020. To help identify the two parallel plots, I'll refer to one as -08 while the other as -20.
First we must address the elephant in the room. If you are concerned about the butterfly effect or time paradox then be assured that the show took a bazooka to them and walked all over their ashes. The show used the time anomaly as a convenient plot device whenever they see fit. All kinds of time shenanigans happened but they all seemed to have minimal impact to the timelines or the world as a whole. Just tell your cognitive functions to go on a paid vacation.
As I mentioned earlier, with such a complex plot(s), there were issues which you can either take umbrage or just shrug your shoulders. The perfect example was the recovery of ML-08 from a prolonged illness. Totally unrealistic but they had to take that route or the show will grind to a halt. Ditto, 2ML-20 which was all nicely set up as a love triangle for OTP-20 and he just disappeared after a couple of episodes. See memo re cognitive functions.
On the whole the 2008 timeline was better written and acted. It just felt more raw and gritty. It started fast and furious and didn't let up until the halfway mark. The 2020 storyline was more like a youth drama with a hint of "The King's Avatar". It could have formed the basis of a standalone c-drama if they wanted. It was well told and well acted but paled in comparison with the 2008 storyline. The 2020 ensemble was still strong but felt a bit cookie cutter (the cosplayer was a standout).  
Around the 20's episodes mark, it did turn very dark and the various plots took a breather while the writer sort things out so that the two timeline can meld into one stream in 2021. A lot of the personal relationships were resolved and cemented around then.
Speaking of relationships, there are three key pairings, one in '08 and two in 2020. They all grew organically and didn't steal the limelight from the main plots. Unsurprisingly, I found the romance of 2OTP-20 was more engaging and funny and they were allowed more latitude with their courtship with several really funny moments while in game. However, having said that, the kiss of the OTP-08 in ep.33 was one of the best c-drama kiss, ever. The penned up longing and passion was overflowing and it was so natural. Swoon.
Speaking of funny moments, it was very clever of the show to use a mix of in-game graphics but more importantly, have the real actors dress up as their game characters and do the fight scenes. There were some tense moments but some of the funniest scenes were done in that alternative game world. Look for ML-08 teaching the FL-08 the game and the bromance scenes later on. Classic, totally classic. I won't be surprised if they recreated some championship games as they were really good matches.
The villain of the piece was also done well. I am a bit tired of the tropey hidden mastermind or Psycho killer with questionable motives. The show's villain suffered a chain of events that got him deeper and deeper into trouble. He was nasty and despicable in the end but you went on that dark ride with him and can empathise.
Kudos also goes to the writer for putting ML-20 in a wheelchair. As a gamer myself, I have been fascinated by the idea that online games are the ultimate leveller when a disabled person can live a full life in a virtual world without hindrance nor discriminations. Ditto giving real gamers cameos and showing photos of past greats in the end credit.
One small gripe is the last 7 mins of the show skipped ahead 5 years but you don't feel anything has changed and there was no obvious character developments. The show hinted is that everyone just cruised along for 5 years which is unrealistic (not even their hairstyle?). After making so much effort to make the timelines feel authentic, those last few minutes just felt out of place. If they have done a 1 year skip and gave us an update on the team/individuals then it would have been a more satisfying conclusion and gave us closures.
OST was good. A mix of battle music, love songs and incidental music. High production value all round.
In conclusion, I suppose I am a bit biased but even if you tone down the gaming side, it is still a good drama. Definitely recommended.

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You will either love this or drop it because it is polarising

You know how some dramas gives you a rollercoaster ride as the story develops and race towards the conclusion. This drama starts off like that but then it hits the flat bit and never goes up an incline again which is a shame as there were potentials but it got bogged down by "messages".

On the surface, it was a story about 4 pairs of lovers. Some have a fairly smooth run, others much more torturous. In between there were corporate battles and business shenanigans. If that was not enough, gun toting drug runners created havoc along the way. Did that sounds confusing, yes, it was.

Like many c-dramas, the start was promising. The first episode was like an action movie. Guns, stunts and explosions filled the screen. It was done well and definitely not your typical meet-cute.

The first half of the show largely settled down to more standard rom-com plots with the usually push-pull and discovering of new feelings. It was also quite interesting to see the progress of designing a new garment and the steps it took to turn the design into a successful product. If the writer stuck to the same plot then I would have given it a much higher score.

The wheel start to fall off around the half way mark. The plot took a silly turn with the drug king pin running amok which reinforced certain "messages" and allowed the ML to play the gung-ho hero one last time. That was pretty much the end of the 1OTP's romantic development though. By then, they were so fated, it was casted in iron and encased in concrete. The problem is that the focus now moved to the other 3 pairs and unfortunately, two of the three pairs were more than a bit cliché with Ning Weikai scoring the worst own goal I have ever seen in any drama! C'mon, writer, you can do better than that. I won't spoil it but it involved a dress and a letter. On the other hand, the relationship between Chen Yayi and Chen Zheng's was fun and organic. Quite refreshing compared with the other pairs. Chen Yayi was outstanding and her characterisation was even better than the FL at times. How she refused to play ball with Chen Zheng just because he was a rich playboy made her a much stronger character. Even as the two developed feelings for each other, she was always grounded and put Chen Zheng in his place when he tried any tricks on her. Honestly, if they separate out their storyline, jazz it up a bit and turn it into a 16 episodes drama (a la k-drama), I would happily watch it.

As I mentioned before, the process of developing a product in the fashion industry was quite interesting but a lot of that disappeared around mid show. While there were some dirty tricks being played between competitors from the start, the second half was all talking. scheming and a race to see how low can their tricks go. Lots of planning and boardroom scenes but there is not a lot of meat. A few drawings were pushed around and a whole product line was created by the next episode including swanky shops. Everything boiled down to scheming and backstabbing. I suppose that would be okay if the show was 40 episodes long (instead of 50) as you can actually see where all the plots converged around that point and if they had stopped it there, it would have been a decent conclusion. However, the "message" really took over the last ten episodes.
I suppose it is time to talk about these "messages". It is not unusually for c-drama to push some messages about Chinese culture or pride in Chinese achievements but this show had many such messages and they were pushed quite hard and with little subtlety. While they were ever present throughout the show, It really amped up in the last ten episodes. When instead of just talking about faceless scheming foreign companies, they actually hired two blonde haired Chinese speaking foreign actors to play the villains and they were bad to the core. Obviously, the domestic audience might well love the patriotic storyline but others might find it too heavy-handed and sounded like propaganda. Your mileage will differ. When seen from that angle, It was odd to see Audi cars everywhere as they were obviously a major sponsor as were other international brands that appeared as PPL.

The OST was ok. Fairly generic love songs and background music. Nothing jarring with the audio which was a plus.
Re-watch value is low as it was a simple, well telegraphed plot. Some of the early action sequences might be worth a second viewing.

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Superior Chinese period rom-com

While the plot summary sounds kind of same-same to a number of period romance/rom-com where a cool, handsome ML meets and falls in love with a cute, feisty FL, the actual story telling and pacing placed this show well above most of the pack.
You might groan a little as the show opened with the FL cross dressed as a guy and running amok in the city's marketplace but it soon took a different track as more of her background was revealed. The fact that she actually accepted the arrange marriage and decided to turn it to her advantage was refreshing and very engaging. There were quite a few laughs in the first few episodes when she lorded over her shell shocked new husband even though he was a famous general with a killer reputation.
Another welcomed change was when they put in the typical divorce/breakup trope very early in the show and gave it a nice positive spin resulted in more laughs and character growth. This is a major contrast to when most c-drama would settle into a few episodes of despair and silent longing.
The OTP had fantastic chemistry. The FL was a strong character who stood up to bullies, will not accept defeat and willing to fight for her goals. Just as well that the ML is cool (not heartless) but smart and knew that she was his soulmate and gave in to her completely. Once the push-pull and doubts were settled, their love was true and deep, their trust unwavering and unquestionable.
Overall, the support cast were solid. Some of the younger actors were a little weak but they are not carrying a lot of weight so it was ok. Some of the cuteness came from the secondary pairings once the OTP settled into their married life. Even then there was still a decent amount of skinship and feels. Just a little less flirting.
The OST was surprisingly good. The main theme was well matched to the show and was used extensively.
Now for the not so good bits. The second (or was it third) sister was very annoying and a real trouble maker. That is typical for this type of drama but once again, she went unpunished even though her big mouth got the whole family into serious trouble. All was forgiven by the end of the show and everyone moved on as if nothing had happened. Weird to say the least.
Speaking of ending, the last episode was mostly rainbows and unicorns and tied up all the loose ends. That is all well and good as fan service goes but the plot leading up to it was surprisingly weak and contrived. Contrasted this to the writing for the whole show which was solid, well paced and consistent. It was a little disappointing.
Overall, enjoyed it very much, highly recommended.

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Entertaining mix of horror, romance and comedy

Before I get to the actual review, I must ask for a bit of indulgence. Bring it on, Ghost was my first k-drama. After following for years tv shows like NCIS and House, BiOG was a revelation. It was more than a cultural shock but the fact that the whole series fit inside sixteen episodes just blew my mind. There was so much happening in every episode, I just had to binge it. This was the start of my journey into dramaland and as the saying goes, I went down the rabbit hole! :)
It is no surprise then that this show held a special place for me. It may be through rose tinted glasses but I still think that this show is very entertaining. There is a good mix of horror (nothing over the top), comedy and romance. The OPT has great chemistry and the fact that the pair fell in love not once but twice was a lovely twist. In hindsight, I'm surprised that the show actually has few of the typical k/c/t-drama tropes. The pacing was great, the ensemble cast was above average, there were action scenes as well as swoon worthy ones between the OTP. It might not be up there with the top dramas like Itaewon Class and When Camellia Blooms but it stands on its own merits and is binge worthy.

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More sugar ball than odd ball

It is a bit zany and it didn't follow the usual t-drama path 100% which is a good thing. Using the live streamers as main characters is also added nice contemporary touch. However, it is not all good news as it had its flaws as well.
Put simply, this is a rom-com through and through. It is low angst even though it did touch on a couple of heavy themes but those are resolved surprising quickly and without the heavy melodrama usually attached to similar dramas. It is a surprisingly light touch but one that worked with the plot. Like some other similar shows, the main OTP has a decent amount of chemistry but I won't call it amazing. More sweet and cute than passionate. A decent amount of skinship but constrained. The more passionate love affair was (once again) left to the 2OTP. They had more angst but also burnt more brightly. By the end of the show, there are multiple pairings and it was a little over the top but it is a rom-com after all. On top of that there was one of the most fully developed bromance in many a c/t/k-dramas. It ran from first to the last episode and full of gags and feels. A definite highlight. There are also lots of feels from friendships that are supportive and genuine.
On the whole, acting was good. There were definitely some overacting (as per t-drama play book) but the comedic payoff was there. The ML and FL may be seen as a bit one dimensional and I would agree to a certain extend as their growth came later. Especially the ML who was a classic man-child for most of the show.
Interestingly, where the show dropped the ball is not the usual mid show drag (it is only 20 episodes long) but odd plot developments that felt a bit jarring and contrived. The ending is also very corny (a typical t-drama trait). There seemed to be a lack of story material towards the end and they used a fair amount of flash backs to fill time and the weakness in the story was fairly obvious by then. Maybe they could tighten it up and cut a couple of episodes. Not a deal breaker but it was telling. Honestly, by that stage, you are just watching the show for the romance and feels. Plot? What plot.
Overall, it was an entertaining show. Low angst and high on sugar content. There are LOL moments and lots of feels.

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All about the feels

This show is all about the feels. :) The OTP is just so amazing together. Sure, there is the cliché love-hate beginning but it is the growth that hooks you. I have to say, as their love grows, the show will grow on you (or you'd have dropped this by then). The writer took their time to explore the many phases of falling in and out of love and how love grows and matures. It starts with the attraction, then a spark. Infatuation, longing and obsession all got explored in a mature way. Ultimately, the show took us beyond the typical total episodes minus one "will they, won't they" formula and allowed us to watch their characters grow while in love.
BTW, I like Dilraba so much more in this drama than Pretty Li Hui Zhen. She gets to play a mature woman with strong character and great personality. Some might say a bit naïve but she is trusting and will not say a bad word about anyone. She has so much chemistry with the ML it is swoon worthy in most scenes after their confession. They just behave so naturally around each other. I would believe it if someone tells me they are dating in RL. I would ship them in an instant. Their interaction is so natural. From the teasing to casual touching, it does not feel scripted which is an achievement in a c-drama where the odd awkward kiss is the norm.
The OTP carried the show. The main plot is ok, very heavy on the scheming and make the fashion industry looks a bit grim (maybe it is all true! LOL). Certain scenes are almost contemplative. Thoughts and ideas are expressed by the characters like snippet of life lessons. The 2OTP is good but the 2ML lacks that natural charm that Johnny has in spades. It does allow the writers to explore other aspect of love and loving though. My one negative are the moms. Boy, did the meddling moms get a run for their money, not 1 but 3! Why all the moms are so one dimensional and controlling? I get they want to get some angsts happening but not all moms are like that, surely? They all have their redemption at some point but it is very monotonal.
Two minor gripes, so much PPL and they are everywhere and a couple of minor plots seemed to disappear into the ether and then got a quick scene in the last episode. To bring some closures? In conclusion, if you want big dramas, explosive plot twists and suspense galore, go watch something else, if you want to see two mature, stubborn and charismatic people fall heavily in love (for realsies) and live through a slice of their lives with them then pull up a chair. You will get your romantic fill.

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Oh how close to being great

Oh how I wanted to give this show 10/10 but it just can't stick to the fun stuff that was the initial promise. For the first 20 or so episodes, it is a funny, happy gender bending rom-com but then in the middle stretch, it become a darker melodrama filled with court intrigues (2 kingdoms' worth!) and endless scheming and plotting. Not saying that it was bad writing per se but it totally sidelined the OTP and you only get the occasional scenes with them. I can understand that the writers needed to fill 60 episodes but that is so typical a problem with c-dramas, the mid show drag is real when the original story line runs out of steam and new plots are grafted on to keep things moving. The show does pick up towards the end but you can't recapture the earlier vibes. I would have much preferred the show to focus on the OTP and take them on more adventures and allow them to form a partnership that was always hinted at but never fully realised. If they did that, I can easily sit through 60 episodes, no problem. On the plus side, the acting is great all round and the fight scenes are good. The OTP is terrific. There were some issues with the OST earlier on but it was ok towards the end. I would definitely recommend it but if the exposition and cliché scheming gets too much then the fast forward button is recommended.

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