Good for romance

This was a typical romance drama with a predictable plot. There are many full length dramas with similar themes that are done better (e.g. Romance of Tiger and Rose, Different Princess, Romance on the Farm, etc) but this was an entertaining watch.

The good

If you are looking for romance, this has it. Lots of kissing scenes and the main couple had good chemistry. Very heated, very electric. This drama played up the parody aspect which gave way to comedic relief. Lots of pretty people, if that’s what you are looking for.

The bad

Outside of the romance, it was a basic, recycled story and didn’t stand out or add anything new to the genre. The acting was mediocre, had bland characters and production was low budget with some editing mishaps.

I enjoy short length series as in between fillers to some of the larger productions and can sometimes find good stories with actors who have potential to make it big. This one has a lower rewatch value for me but was an okay one time watch.

Citeste mai mult

Resident Evil with a hint of The Walking Dead

This was a pretty good watch for me. It reminded me of the Resident Evil games and if the failed Resident Evil Netflix show was done right. It definitely has a slight hint of The Walking Dead with the story plot of you turn even when you die because it’s inside of them. I worry about Season 2 and that the story’s direction will change too drastically with the introduction of new characters and no real end in sight.

The Good

The acting was very good amongst the entire cast. No one person had to carry the rest. I also enjoyed the production value since they seemed to put some effort into the blood, gore and CGI creatures. Also, there was a lot of action even though it’s being filmed in one location. At times, it felt like they were in different locations because of how large the apartment complex was. They were never truly safe and it was all about survival.

The Bad

Too many characters. A lot of dramas of this nature suffer this same problem with too many characters and not enough time to focus on each. I would have loved more of backstory on some of the characters but with so few episodes, there wasn’t time for that. Also, Song Kang was the number one lead here but it’s hard to tell at times because he sometimes gets little screen time. More focus was placed on the rest of the leads. Not sure how many seasons this will be but there wasn’t much movement in the plot in this first season. Would have liked to see more on the creatures, motivations, potential cures, testing, etc.

Citeste mai mult

Everyday Relationship

Let me start by saying this was a pretty decent story that depicts an everyday type of relationship. The story wasn’t mind blowing but it wasn’t typical either. My review is based on a fresh take since I’ve never seen the original Korean version of this show.

The Good:

Adding on to my original comment about the story not being typical, there wasn’t a lot of CDrama tropes nor was this a fluffy romance tale that didn’t depict the negative sides of a new relationship. If you’re a person that likes more realism in shows, this one may be for you. The acting was okay and I feel that each character was well represented and casted appropriately for this type of story. Lastly, I enjoyed the OST as the songs were very chill and had a sense of mature romance which paired well with the scenes.

The Bad:

Although I enjoyed the story, of course there were still some nuances that frustrates or makes you question the characters/writing. This is a slow burn so if you do not like the draggy bits, this may not be for you. Next I will say again that the story was okay… it’s a good and bad thing because sometimes the characters were a little dull and either expressed odd emotions or not enough emotions for the situations. It led to a little bit of over acting or under acting at times. Lastly, there are parts where it becomes monotonous and nothing new or exciting was happening. Again, it’s a slow drama that depicts everyday life when dealing with relationships so it could be boring at times.

This won’t be for everyone but check it out and make your own decision.

Citeste mai mult

Hauntingly Tragic

Let me start by saying that the production and visuals in this show were some the best that I’ve seen in CDramas. The beautiful colors, lighting and massive landscapes made the show more real and raw. The OST was also great. Love the song about the Fox as it had such a haunting meaning behind it since foxes are known as tricksters. It summed up this story very well.

This drama takes the cake as one of the top tragic stories in CDrama that I’ve seen to date. I can appreciate the consistency with the story and the fact that it wasn’t turned into an enemies to lovers plot, which would have made no sense given the nature. The bulk of the story was well written along with the superb acting throughout but where it almost lost me was in the meat of the story.

I would say the story took a while to progress around the middle and had too much filler details within. This show could have been cut down to about 30-38 or so episodes and focus on less of the main ML’s revenge plan. They could have cut a lot of those details out and focused more on the story between ML and FL.

This story isn’t for everyone since a lot of people prefer happy endings but I’d recommend a watch if you don’t mind that.

Citeste mai mult

Story Doesn’t Flow Well

This movie had potential to be a great story as the setup of the plot was decent. The story quickly went downhill early on.

Story

As my review title mentioned, it does not flow well. The story is sort of all over the place and is confusing at times. It was hard to gage what they wanted the story to focus on or what they wanted the main plot to be. There were also parts of the story that weren’t very logical and they seemed to force some of the disputes that were unnecessary.

Acting

Acting was over exaggerated at times and fell very flat. No one person stood out or did an amazing job. It was just okay.

I can see why this movie received lower ratings but thought I would give it a shot anyways. As I always suggest, watch and make your own judgement because some will like it and some won’t. This one wasn’t for me.

Citeste mai mult

Pretty Typical High School Drama

I’ve watched several High School dramas and can say that this one doesn’t stand out from the rest. The premise is setup the same as most of the others….The FL, who has poor grades, is in love with the ML who is one of top students, aloof , most desired and doesn’t know much about love. I wouldn’t really consider this a romance drama as this was only a small subset of the overall story. There were only bits and pieces of romance sprinkled in. In my opinion, it’s more of a coming of age story that deals with school, social pressure, family, friends, etc.

The good

As expected, Ding Yuxi did a really good job as He Xinliang and stood out from the rest of the cast. I wouldn’t say everyone’s acting was great but some did a decent job. The overall show had a feel good story with a happy ending which is good to see in CDramas.

The bad

Everyone’s acting wasn’t great. 2nd FL who plays her sister was very stale and monotonous throughout. She had no real expressions. The same goes for the 2nd ML who was her original love interest. He also didn’t do well with expressions. There are more to name but will switch focus…too many misunderstandings throughout this drama and situations that seemed very exaggerated to me. The main conflict between the 3 girls seemed way too childish even for high schoolers and could have been resolved if they just all talked it out. Also, there was a sense of predictability in this drama and it’s probably because it’s a basic plot that is somewhat recycled. Next, the ending seemed rushed. Would have been nice to see more before the time jump on the final episode to answer some questions to things and situations that were mentioned. Lastly, the OST wasn’t much to write home about. Songs didn’t really stand out.

Citeste mai mult

A little disappointed in this drama but decent enough

I started this drama in 2022 not knowing anything about it or not knowing any of the cast as I was new to CDramas in 2022. I finally finished this drama in July of 2023 after having watched a lot of CDramas and several other shows by the 2 leads. Why did it take me so long to finish? I initially stopped watching this drama after about 6 or 7 episodes in the beginning because it wasn’t keeping my attention but decided to revisit it for the 2 leads.

The Story:

Despite the odd English Title for the drama, I was originally intrigued by the plot and thought this would be a great Wuxia and hopefully without a lot of the CDrama tropes we see in romance Wuxias with the strange falls leading to random kisses and the predictable love triangles. It was nice to see that they didn’t focus so much on those aspects in this drama although we may have seen 1 or 2 instances of the long stares and the awkward contact between MLs and FLs. It’s still not a romance heavy drama and focused the main story on the self discovery journey of the 2 leads.

One downfall to this drama is there were a lot of throw away episodes that made this drama longer than it needed to be. It could have been cut down to 24 to 30 episodes max. There were some side plots that dragged out too long and could have been summed up in 1 or 2 episodes but dragged out over 5 to 6 at times. Also episodes 29-34 were filler episodes as they seem to try to play more on the unnecessary romantic stories they forced on the MLs, leading to drawn out boring conversations. I enjoy a good romance, just was done poorly in this one. I did not like the ending of the final episode, it just sort left things hanging.

The characters

This is a loaded topic because you have some good with some bad. I’ll start with the female characters… none were that interesting.

Tie Xinlan was sort of just there. She was in the way most of the time and didn’t add any real value to the overall plot. Not much character growth from her as she didn’t add much in the beginning either. Her acting was also subpar…not much in the way of facial expressions.

Su Ying… I don’t even know why they added her character at the end of the show. Though she was supposed to be the match of Jiang Xiaoyu, their “love” story was very forced and the 2 actors had 0 love chemistry. Their back and forth banter was okay but still unconvincing. I adore Liang Jie in The Eternal Love series as the connection she had with the ML in there is worth a watch.

For the male characters…

Jiang Xiaoyu carried this story as his character was fun and charismatic. So much character growth from him while still staying true to himself. Chen Zheyuan did an amazing acting job here. He embodied the character well with his troubles expressions and lightheartedness throughout the show.

Hua Wuque only showed slight character growth and Hu Yitian seems to take on a lot of emotionless character roles. I thought he could have done better than hat was betrayed because he didn’t portray many emotions here. I can compare his character to Wang Yibo’s character, Lan Zhan in the untamed but although dull and tough, he expressed so many emotions without having many spoken lines.

Production/OST

Overall production value was average. Some camera shots were grainy and blurry at times but had decent fight scenes and CGI. The OST did not stand out.

Citeste mai mult

Lost me

This story lost me. Started out pretty decent with the translation vs translation app battle but it went down hill fairly quickly.

First off, this show being about top notch translations was odd. The quotes that were read at the beginning of each episode was very laughable. There were lots of grammar errors and it was poorly spoken English. I study Mandarin Chinese so I can understand that learning a language completely opposite your own is a challenge. I know my pronunciation isn’t perfect but I also don’t market myself to be the best either. Wish they could have found stronger speakers to make it more believable.

I left this show for a couple of weeks thinking I would eventually come back to it but that definitely did not happen.

Honestly, the characters in this show were forgettable and rather dull. The main conflict between the couples seemed like child’s play. It was also unnecessarily drawn out and came off very shallow. I’d like to think that most adult relationships have deeper rooted problems that keep them apart and don’t drag out over so many years but maybe that’s in my bubble. Their issue didn’t seem like it was enough for a 36 episode show. This show could’ve been wrapped up in 20 or less episodes.

Basic production value, forgettable OST, and mediocre acting. Make your own judgement and watch for yourself.

Citeste mai mult

Just no…

This show is for children. Episodes are only about 6 minutes long and after watching halfway, I had to call it quits. Everyone in here was acting like they were 8 year olds. So many unnecessary scenes that made no sense as to why grown 28+ year olds would be doing them. The comedy is just corny to the point of cringe. Cringe factor was turned up to 1000. Disappointing because the plot seemed interesting for a quick watch. If you like whiney women, grown adults who act like they are 5, people who do things that make no sense because of inexperience in relationships, then this is the show for you.

Wouldn’t recommend.

Citeste mai mult

Underwhelming

I didn’t find this drama very interesting after watching 10 episodes. The story is very underwhelming, though some may enjoy it. This one is not for me and I can’t continue it.

The Good

I watched it for the cast since they are all decent actors. This has a good line up that will definitely attract fans. The actors are also not dubbed which has been a positive to see in CDrama lately.

The Bad

It has a weak, predictable plot. This xuanhuan is definitely not a new idea. I quite enjoy xinxia’s and xuanhuan’s but there hasn’t been many good ones in recent years as most just recycle the same things and this one has done the same thing. Character arcs are cliche. They are bland and have no complexity to them. You have the peculiar girl with a bad reputation, the cold main guy who’s hiding his identity, the 2 friends, one who isn’t trustworthy and quick to betray and the other who just serves as comedic relief. The enemies are also cliche. I’m also finding this to be very boring per episode. Not much is happening in most of the episodes I’ve seen and I notice they are only filmed in 2 locations, FL’s house and market. It has an average production quality with bad sound quality. CGI isn’t that great either. Sometimes the lighting is overdone to play up romantic scenes. Also, the few times something did occur and when it seemed the story was progressing, it wasn’t that exciting due to its predictability and they seem to backtrack to nothing happening again. I also find the humor to be misplaced. There is so much dry and odd humor in here but doesn’t seem to balance well with serious moments. Wasn’t very funny either. Wasn’t feeling the constant background music in every scene. It became distracting especially when most of it didn’t fit the type of drama it is. Lastly, the acting didn’t stand out. Didn’t evoke any emotions good or bad as I watched. It was hard to connect with any of the characters.

Watch for yourself and make your own judgement. It’s watchable but not one I’d continue.

Citeste mai mult

This one isn’t for me.

I was really excited to see this drama as I’m a XZ fan and have enjoyed his dramas. He’s a great actor. I’m not as familiar with Ren Min but I think she was doing a decent job in this show and I will definitely check out more of her work. In the end, I still dropped this after 11 episodes.

The good

All the cast members did an amazing job. I’ve seen most of the main/supporting leads in other projects so I had no doubts here. The production value is really high with really great visuals. Their costumes are typical for Xianxia but they fit pretty well here too.

The bad

The story is dragging for me. I find myself falling asleep during each episode and if that happens, then the drama isn’t strong enough to hold my attention. It’s one of those slow build up type of shows which if done well, can work. I just didn’t quite like it with this drama. The story also has a typical Xianxia feel from what I’ve seen so far. It’s a love to hate story that we typically see with Xianxia following a forbidden love/doom. Lots of CDrama tropes with the way they set up the camera shot for the romantic scenes and you will find this is most Xianxias. Story doesn’t stand out from the others.

If you are okay with these things then definitely check it out or if you are a fan of the leads, then watch. Make your own judgement on the show.

Citeste mai mult

Typical

This one is not it for me. I’ve read other’s reviews about who had more screen time and chemistry and have different reasons as to why I dropped this drama. None of that mattered to me.

The Good

Costumes are nice with bold coloring. The production is decent and on the higher end. All star cast which makes the acting salvageable but that’s where it ends.

The Bad

Weak plot! This is an overused story with typical character arcs: overzealous empress, paranoid emperor, weak crown prince, lovesick 2nd ML and our main leads who continue to drag out misunderstandings. It lacks any real depth. People just plotting and vying for the throne but with no real twists and turns. Not once have I felt an “aha” moment and thought, I didn’t see that coming. The first story arc actually would have made for a more interesting story with the rise and fall of the main couple. Other weak points in this story was the acting. I’m a fan of both main leads and both have much stronger dramas. They were unconvincing in this one. Both had pretty flat affect and not once did either one of them move me or make me feel any sort of connection to their cause and/or any of their emotional scenes. Action scenes were very bland and done poorly but I overlooked it as I don’t see this as much of a Wuxia. Lastly, I found the story boring and constantly losing my attention. It didn’t make me excited to continue watching. Most of the conversations between the main leads lacked real substance and could have easily been cleared up if they took the time to hear each other. They could be a power couple and really shake things up in this second life, more so than they are now since they know the outcome but they are too busy bickering every five minutes on unimportant things. Makes for a very uninteresting story. This drama doesn’t even need to be 40 episodes as they can cut out a lot of unnecessary filler and tell a more crisp story of love and redemption.

If you are fan of the cast then watch for yourself and make your own judgement. This one just doesn’t stand out from the rest.

Citeste mai mult

Enjoyable and frustrating

This slice of life, coming of age drama was a nice watch. The plot wasn’t a new concept for high school, college dramas but this one ranks high among dramas of this genre due to the great acting, relatable topics, and realistic ending. The English title was a great choice to sum up the happenings in this show. There were many joyful light hearted and frustrating heavy moments that kept me watching. I was highly invested into each character and their story. For the time period, 90s to early 2000s, definitely brought back some nostalgia with the clothes and technology being used. The time period was well represented and the OST was very nice.

The main negatives were the overuse of misunderstandings being dragged out. This is a staple in cdramaland though.

A definite recommended watch.

Citeste mai mult