Did not quite stick the ending, but still a very enjoyable watch.

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25 (almost a solid 8.5)

Just as many have commented and reviewed, “A Journey to Love” was an exciting, fun, and engaging drama for most of the episodes. Unfortunately, along with other fellow viewers, I was disappointed in the last 5-6 episodes. Even so, this is still a drama worth watching.

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What I Like:

Fight/Action Scenes - It has been a while since I last watched a drama with very satisfying fight scenes that don’t rely on CGI. There are still some posing and slow motion, but comparatively, the fight scenes are fast-paced, realistic and choreographed well. There are many war scenes, as well as just regular fighting amongst each other. These scenes are also spread throughout the drama. All actors and actresses look the part and I don’t see anyone weak who acts like they are flailing around with their swords.

The Gang of Brothers - Who would have thought I will love these side characters more than the main leads. The buddies from the Six Realms Hall/Liu Dao Hall are such a fun bunch. They provide many comedic moments. Initially, I wasn’t sure if the comedy jives with the vibe of the drama, since “A Journey to Love” appears to be a serious drama of assassination, palace politics and wars. But I love these guys so much. Each of them brings something different to the group. And when the last few episodes happened, I was so sad.

Alen Fang/Yu Shi San (13) - I bet 13 is the most loved character in the drama. I’ve seen Alen Fang in many other dramas before, mostly as a supporting role. The last drama I saw him in was “The Longest Promise” and he played the beloved Zhi Yuan. Zhi Yuan is such a different character from 13 but Alen did such a great job. It’s lovely to see more and more viewers know and acknowledge Alen’s acting. He shines so brightly that Liu Yu Ning, as the main lead, pales in comparison.

Princess Yang Ying - This is my first time watching He Lan Dou and she has quite a difficult character to play in Yang Ying. I found He Lan Dou’s acting a little rough in the beginning and it took me a while to get used to her cross-dressing role. But she grew on me and I like her acting and her character more and more. It’s lovely to see little Yang Ying grow in front of our eyes. From the forgotten and timid princess to an independent, strong-willed and feisty lady of the house.

Ren Xin - A true assassin and the best of the best. She doesn’t stop killing, from ep 1 to ep 40. Finally we have a strong female character who is strong from the beginning to the end. Her romance softens her hardened heart a little, but deep down she’s still the trained assasin. I enjoyed Liu Shi Shi’s portrayal of Ren Xin. LSS exudes elegant yet arrogant charisma. Her posture and head were so straight that I wondered if LSS needed a massage after every scene. LOL

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What I have Mixed Feelings or Don’t Like:

Li Tong Guang - I like him and then I don’t like him. His obsession towards Ren Xin is a little dramatic, but it’s not like I’ve never seen this before. This is my first true time watching Chang Hua Sen and I don’t think his acting is quite up to par to play such a polarizing character. He wasn’t bad, but at times he seems to have tried too hard to act crazy, and his acting lacks maturity. Other times, I feel that he did quite a good job as someone intelligent and ambitious, yet still cares about the lives of the common people. Maybe if this Li Tong Guang is played by another actor, I might have liked him more as the default gray character of a drama.

Romance - I love all things romance, yet I am not loving the romance between Ren Xin (FL) and Ning Yuan Zhou (ML). It’s not horrible. They look good together, and Liu Shi Shi has the perfect height to stand next to the super tall Liu Yu Ning. But I am not feeling their chemistry. I think Liu Yu Ning’s acting is adequate but not amazing, and especially not good during romantic scenes. There are also way too many slow motion romantic scenes and there was one kiss that took forever for the lips to touch. On the other hand, I love the few scenes Yu Shi San has with Chu Yue. Their scenes are so limited but I feel the chemistry between them so much more. Their night of fun together brought a lot of joy. The conversation/confrontation the day after was emotional and really tugs at my heartstrings. And the last scenes of them together make me feel so, so sad.

Pacing - I was really enjoying the different arcs in the first 70% of the drama. I thought it was well-paced and I was invested and engaged. The combination of comedy, action, camaraderie, and palace politics are pretty well done. Then the last arc with the northerners happened. It’s like someone presses on the gas pedal and everything speeds up. Why was there such a rush in the end? Was the drama edited and chopped up because of the 40-episode limitation? Was that the writing’s fault? I am not sure.

Ending - Was I surprised how ‘brutal’ the ending is? Not really. I don’t dislike the ending per se. I am a little surprised by the sheer number of deaths. I’ve watched C-drama historicals enough to know not to love a character too much, as they might not make it to the end. I just wish their deaths would be spaced out. I don’t think I have the time to mourn for each death, and the drama did not take a breather before moving to the next one. This ties back to my criticism of the pacing.

Dubbing - How I wish everyone used their real voice. Unfortunately, Liu Shi Shi/Ren Xin and Chang Hua Sen/Li Tong Guang. The other main cast did and I applaud them for it, especially for Liu Yu Ning/Ning Yuan Zhou and the young He Lan Dou/Yang Ying. But all dubbing was done in the studio and none live.

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Although this drama is not perfect, I have quite an enjoyable time watching it. It’s able to hold my attention until about ep 35. If the last 5-6 episodes are paced well and the main romance has better chemistry, I would have rated this an 9.0. But now, I am just going to give this an 8.25-8.50. I will still recommend this drama for the fun bunch of guys, great action scenes and an engaging plot.


Completed: 2/22/2024 - Review #406

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Let's talk about Sex with a lot of Sex, Heart and Chemistry.

Subjective Enjoyment Rating: 8.5

This is one of the rare dramas that I think the English title better describes the drama than the original one, at least for the international audience. “Let’s Talk About Chu” focuses on the relationships and sexual experiences of each member of the Chu family. The Chinese title (愛愛內含光) is the name of the Vlog channel of Chu Ai, and focuses on sex education and her ideals on sexual relationships. The title originates from one of the verses of a poem 「曖曖內含光」meaning those with talents and positive traits shine from within (a very loose translation). How do we look past the appearance to find that special person who is right for us?

I had a very enjoyable time watching this short drama. A lot is being covered and was done at a very fast pace. I guess one of its shortcomings is the inability to really delve into the complicated relationships and spend time exploring the backstory of each character. This is also to be expected when we only have 8 short episodes.

At first, I thought this drama is similar to the K-drama “Hit The Spot” as it also has a podcast focused on sex. “Hit the Spot” actually focuses more on the podcast than this drama’s vlog. The vlog also comes at the end of the epilogue of each episode. I watched a few of them and got bored of it. The vlogs were not done in a humorous way and I found them dry and preachy.

Luckily, the actual drama is full of love, laughter and emotional moments. The acting is great and all the characters have excellent chemistry. Ok, maybe the actual acting of the sex act could be better, but that’s totally fine as they’re not porn stars. LOL. Yes, there are many sex scenes, though nothing with full-on nudity. These scenes help tell the story and I don’t find them arbitrary or unnecessary. I like that women in this show are not afraid to talk about what they want in their sex lives. They get frustrated and are not afraid to accept the fact that they’re not happy. The drama also touched on how a past trauma can affect your view of relationships and sex.

Though I am not fully invested in all the storylines, I like most of them.

* Chu Ai and Chou Ping Ke - I enjoyed their story in the beginning. I found Kai Ko (who played Ping Ke) super adorable and hot. How come I don’t remember him being so cute in “Till We Meet Again”? I must have got distracted by the pink hair. However, Chu Ai and Ping Ke’s romance lost steam towards the second half. I think Ping Ke is way too good for Chu Ai. He should have let her grovel a little more.
* Chu Yu Sen and Lee Yueh - They are my favorite! They are such an odd pair, yet they complement each other in a way. Their story is interesting and unexpected and also with a lot of heart. I love the last intimate scene. It’s making love instead of having sex.
* Chu Wei and Lin Shi Chieh - A very realistic story about married life when the initial sparks are gone. How do you keep the romance going and keep working at it?
* Mom and Dad - Not my favorite story not because they’re older, but because it’s boring.
I love that mom is watching BL on GagaooLala but Dad has no personality. I wasn't curious enough to find out if Dad has an affair or not.

Overall, this is a quick and easy watch. It doesn’t have too much time to tell a very deep story. But it touched on issues in various stages/types of relationships.


Completed: 2/4/2024 - Review #400

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Interesting premise of matchmaking but lacking in Leads chemistry

Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75

The main reason that I wanted to watch “The Matchmakers” is because of Rowoon. The premise of the drama is also pretty interesting, especially when the story revolves mainly around the matchmaking of the three sisters and not a bunch of minor supporting characters in an episodic format.

Rowoon has such a pretty face that it is really hard for me not to like him in any role. “The Matchmakers” is trying to challenge me and test my patience. I don’t think I’ve ever disliked Rowoon so much. The introduction of the Prince Consort makes it really hard to like him. He’s such an irritating and know-it-all, I-am-better-than-all-of-you asshole. It took me a while to warm up to his character. On the other hand, FL aka the goddess of matchmaking, is a lot easier to like and to root for. She’s smart and kind. I love her deducing ability and perceptive eye in matchmaking. It was quite fun to watch. But, I need to put away my brain for a little and believe that her makeup can transform her into a totally different person, who even her own brother can’t recognize her.

When we put a book smart ML together with a street smart FL, we should see fireworks. Unfortunately, the chemistry is lacking. I’ve never questioned Rowoon’s ability to act totally in love. I think I am not getting that from the female lead. They are great partners, but not great lovers. Their romance is weak and disappointing, and I didn’t care for their forbidden love.. FL’s wishy-washy indecision also drags down the pacing of the show. The secret of FL’s identity drags on for too long. When they finally kissed, we got a dead fish kiss. What a waste of Rowoon’s lips and talents! The ending is somewhat predictable because that's probably the only way they could have given it a somewhat happy ending.

The drama also spends a lot of screen time on politics and family/female roles, instead of diving deeper into the three sisters’ romance. Their marriages are central to the plot and could have delivered even more comedy. I do find Sisters #2 and #3 romances quite cute and adorable. Sister #1 isn’t my cup of tea.

On a positive note, the overall acting is good. The King is fun and the 2 young child actors are adorable. The crown prince looks a little young and might be better to cast someone older. The veteran cast definitely outshines the younger cast. The production quality is decent and I like the use of natural lighting (candles and lamps). Seeing FL’s annex is like seeing an old Korean friend. You see that set in so many saeguks. Music is ok, and mainly musical scores rather than songs with lyrics overplayed.

I will only recommend this drama if you are a fan of the actors, or if you really like matchmaking. There are better rom-com saeguks out there. “The Matchmakers” should have been 12 episodes long instead of 16.


Completed: 1/7/2024 - Review #391

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A Buffet of Romance Stories

This anthology-style drama consists of 10 romance stories that happened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Except for the last episode, you can watch the other 9 in any order, and you wouldn’t be confused. For me, I just watched it from the beginning. Even though these are stories of love, they are not necessarily all cute and fluffy. But it does give us variety and viewers will probably like some more than others.

“At the Moment” has a star-studded cast. If you watch enough Taiwanese dramas, you will recognize or have seen all of them in other dramas. It seems like the whole cast was in the “Light the Night” series, some as main/supporting characters, and others in guest roles. This is probably because director Lian Yi Qi also directed all 3 “Light the Night” dramas.

The acting is pretty good and the stories are interesting enough. I do have my favorites.

Ep 1 - Scripted Love - this is an interesting and not a bad introduction to the drama.
Ep 2 - Price for a ‘happy ending’ - this is one of my favorite ones. Love the actors and it’s funny!
Ep 3 - Blinded by love - not one of my favorites as I don’t like the female character that much. The male lead is quite good-looking though.
Ep 4 - ET phone home - this is quite weird to begin with but I like the interesting twist (thought somewhat predictable).
Ep 5 - Dodgeball - not one of my favorites because I don’t like the portrayal of the sudden change of feelings.
Ep 6 - Let’s try again - this one is OK, even though I like both leads.
Ep 7 - Hot and sexy revenge - there’s just something about Chris Wu that makes him so damn sexy, even though he’s not the typical pretty boy. Watch this for him. LOL
Ep 8 - Role Reversal - this one is different from the others. A very ‘normal’ relationship but it’s actually really sweet to see how the couple supports each other.
Ep 9 - Badminton never dies - a pleasant surprise to see the portrayal of such a relationship.
Ep 10 - I’m sorry Jie Jie 姐姐 - gotta include this trope within these 10 episodes. It was nice to have a quick recap of how everyone’s doing.


Completed: 11/21/2023 - Review #379

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Sweet, Cute and Low-Stress.....but doesn't quite set itself apart from other youth dramas.

China is the expert in producing youth dramas like “When I Fly Towards You”. Therefore, it’s really hard to have another youth drama that stands out. “When I Fly Towards You” is rated really high at 9.0 and receives glowing reviews from many. But is it really worth such a high rating? To me, not quite. It’s a good drama, but it doesn’t set itself apart from many of its predecessors.

Having said that, I have a very enjoyable time watching this. I do think the strength of this drama and what makes it different from others, is the characterization of our main leads. Su Zai Zia (FL) is bubbly and cute. She’s not naive and will fight back against injustices and those who are unkind to her. Zhang Miao Yi plays a very lovable Su Zai Zai. It’s so easy to cross the line of being cute and bubbly, into annoyingly cute and fake. Luckily, I find Su Zai Zai very easy to root for and very adorable. I enjoy all her pursuit of Zhang Lu Rang without being stalkerish.

On the other hand, Zhang Lu Rang (ML) is adorably shy. Who can resist his dimples? I’m glad to see he’s not the typical arrogant, cold genius. He’s actually just quiet and introverted, and is never mean or unkind to Su Zai Zai. In fact, he always responds to Zai Zai neverending questions and comments, though with short phrases. The contrasting personalities and family backgrounds make their romance sweet and romantic. Because of Zai Zai’s loyal and unconditional love for Zhang Lu Rang, he’s able to heal and believe in himself. In the last episode, when he is on stage answering questions from the panel, the answer/confession he made sums up their love story perfectly. Zhang Lu Rang is another Mr. Green Flag.

The friendship of the 5 friends is sweet and cute as well. However, I’ve also seen friendships like this in many other youth dramas. Each friend is given their own spotlight to tell their own (short) story. “When I Fly Towards You” is a very easy watch. It doesn't really go into any serious issues that high school students tackle such as bullying, extreme family pressure or poverty. If that’s what you are looking for, this is the perfect drama. The secondary romance is also nothing special. It’s a story that we’ve seen many times before. However, the characters are fun and very likable.

Another minor criticism I have is the pacing of the drama. In 24 episodes, we follow the characters from when they’re 16 to being adults and getting married. That’s a span of 10 years in 24 episodes and the majority of the time was spent in high school. I feel that the drama is trying to cover too much and would benefit from stopping somewhere after college. Or if they want to adequately tell 10 years worth of stories, the time spent in high school should be shortened. Otherwise, it feels like the drama is rushing through the college and adult days.

There are a few characters that need to cause some trouble, but not to the extent of them being overly annoying. There’s not enough time for the drama to dwell on these characters anyway. In fact, it’s so lovely to see a caring and lovely grandmother, supportive parents, good teachers who really care and classmates that are generally sweet.

I recommend this drama for those who are looking for something sweet and cute, without angst or misunderstanding. Everyone is really cute and fun. But if you have seen many youth dramas before, this drama might not impress you. It’ll make you smile though. ?



Other Random Observations:
1. Zhang Lei (FL’s father) - He is in SOOOOO many youth dramas either as a parent or a teacher. I’ve seen him in “With You”, “My Huckleberry Friends”, “Skate into Love”, “The Best of You in My Mind’, “Lovely Us”, and “Forever Love”.
2. Every time I see a lovely grandparent in a C-drama, I worry if anything bad is going to happen to them. I always wish C-dramas don’t kill them off. You never know!
3. So many snacks in this drama. PPL for the win!
4. As much as I love the leads, I have enough of hearing FL calling ML “Rang Rang” a billion times.


Completed: 9/6/2023 - Review #350

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Identity Crisis - A Mix of Comedy, Romantic Comedy and Melodrama

I started “No Regrets in Life” without much expectation and really am not sure what I’m getting myself into. I thought it would be a mature, romantic melodrama about second-chance romance. Well, let’s just say I am not sure ‘mature’ is the adjective I would use to describe the characters here.

Taiwanese humor is something I am still trying to get used to. So when the first few episodes bombarded me with people acting crazy, shouting over each other, and forcing two former college friends who lost touch and wanting them to be together, I questioned if I made a mistake in starting this drama. Luckily, I persisted and by episode 4, the story continues to unfold and it’s more than forcing people to do what they don’t want to do.

However, personally, only the male lead is a character that I find somewhat likable and can root for. This is my first drama of Liu Guan Ting, so I am not sure if he’s always somewhat awkward, or if he's doing an excellent job playing the role of Wang Yan. I enjoy how he plays this introverted and socially awkward character, who could easily be a pushover. After his ‘mistake’ 8 years ago, he has learned to be more decisive. His work life is fine, but his love and family lives are pitiful.

Every other character has their annoying elements, even female lead Nin You Zhu. I actually don’t think she deserves the male lead. I am having a hard time seeing things through her eyes, especially with the argument with the male lead 8 years ago. Would I be upset like her, probably. But holding a grudge like that for 8 years is a little much.

The supporting cast is made of the rest of the 7 college friends and together, they call themselves the 9 Suns. They are a loud bunch and are super nosy. They can’t help butting into everyone’s business, especially the love life between the leads. Plotwise, yes, we do need the 9 Suns to nudge the leads a little to get back together but they do more than nudging. Just because you regretted a stupid decision you made in college, doesn’t give you the right to force people to do things they don’t want to, especially causing such a big ruckus. This is one of the rare dramas with a strong focus on friendship where I don’t want these friends in my life. These friends like to emotionally blackmail others.

Wang Yan’s wife is an interesting character. Gosh, I hated her and found her super annoying at first. And then I just pity her. Aggie Hsieh’s acting is hard to watch in a good way? On the other hand, Ning You Zhu’s boyfriend is a boring character. Maybe I just don’t like JC Lin’s acting. They have no chemistry at all and I guess that’s the point.

Somewhat spoilery here - this drama is full of emotional cheating. The three couples (hexagon relationship) portrayed here are a mess. At least one person in a relationship is not faithful to their partner. They might not outright kiss, hug, or sleep with someone, but it’s obvious that they are in love with someone else.

I am not sure I can recommend this drama. If you are a fan of the Taiwanese style, you might like it more than I do. I feel like “No Regrets in Life” has an identity crisis. I wish it is either a melodrama, a comedy or a romantic comedy, but not a mix of all three. However, at least I love the songs here and I applaud some characters' ability to speak their lines really fast and able to hold back their laughs.


Completed: 8/30/2023 - Review #347

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Great chemistry and a fun watch, but with some questionable actions that dampened the mood

Subjective Rating - 8.25

When I first saw the English title of “Ousama ni Sasagu Kusuriyubi” I was like, so this drama is giving the middle finger as in “Fxxk You” to contract marriages? Well, of course, that’s not the case. The title, “The Third Finger Offered to a King” probably means the engagement finger, not the F U finger. Doh! Ok, maybe only me that thinks this way. LOL

For the most part, this is a very typical contract marriage drama with the usual tropes and cliches. But the leads have so much chemistry and are so fun together that this is really an enjoyable watch for the most part. I recently saw Yamada Ryosuke (ML) in “Ore no Kawaii wa Mousugu Shohikigen!?” aka “My Cuteness is About to Expire!?” and he was adorable with all the cute smiles. It’s funny how he’s playing opposite the female lead who’s the one with the (fake) smiles. Nonetheless, he is still so cute and gorgeous and I appreciate his acting more here as well. Female lead, Hashimoto Kanna, is supposed to be drop dead gorgeous here. She has big round eyes but not quite the drop-dead gorgeous type I have in mind.

There are many lovely side characters in this drama. A very supportive family on the FL side, especially the adorable parents. The siblings don’t have a lot of screentime, but they have a tight bond and scenes of their family are always heartwarming. The co-workers for the most part are supportive and not irritating. The ML’s side of the family is a different story and we’ll get to them in a little bit.

The acting is pretty good and considering this is a manga adaptation, it does not have the usual over-the-top comedic acting. The wedding stories are interesting enough and do not take time away from the leads. They add some flavors to the story and generally help move along the plot with the focus back on our two main leads.

However, there are some really questionable actions and/or inactions that frustrate me a little and distract from the general cute, fluffy and funny vibe of the show. Thus, I lower the rating for that.
-The actions of the second male lead when FL was drunk.
-The inaction of the FL after the second male lead openly confronted her and ML.
-The actions of the ML without communication
-The inaction of ML’s father where he could have prevented many things from happening
-The actions and obsession of ML’s mother are not quite justified

There is still so much to like about the drama especially if you are a fan of contract/fake marriages. There are also many funny scenes.
-Love the use of scenes in “The Battler” - reminded me of the good old days when I used to watch “The Bachelor”
-The dog is so cute and I am not even a dog person.
-Duck dance instead of chicken dance at a German restaurant? Interesting.
-Love the gradual increase of pictures on the shelf/mantle
-Is the drama also promoting tourism? Hakone, Gora, Premium Outlets? I feel like these are places I researched to go when I was planning my Japan trip.
-Speaking of outlets, I am not sure if I would go to the outlets to buy a present for the President of a Company….but I understand she’s on a budget.

Despite its flaws, this is a very fun and bingable drama. If you can look past some of the questionable actions/inactions of some characters, the drama is lighthearted and can put a smile on your face.


Completed: 7/2/2023 - Review #324

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For Romance lovers who like Flawed characters making Flawed decisions in Love.

Subjective Gut Rating - 8.5 (because I am obsessed with Arthur Chen)

I can see why this drama is rated so high, especially for romance lovers. I can also see why others think the main romance is toxic and the drama is not sending a positive message to young adults. Personally, I really like the romance - the longing, loving gazes, side glances, flirting, angst and heartbreaks. I am not in the tech field and know nothing about coding. So, I can’t comment on how accurate the codes are or if the tech parts make sense or not.

The chemistry is sizzling. Arthur Chen really shines in his role as Li Xun and practically carries the show on his back. My eyes can’t stop following him around and his eyes are speaking to me, showing all his emotions. I am embarrassed to say that I am crushing on him big time, especially during the college days when his hair was dyed back brown (the blonde hair wasn’t working for me). I’ve enjoyed his role in “Ever Night” but he’s so charismatic in this drama that no wonder Zhu Yun (FL) couldn’t stop following him around.

I can totally understand Zhu Yun’s adoration and admiration of him for so many years. The slow burn romance keeps me guessing and wanting them to be a couple. Yet on the other hand, I love the push-and-pull, will-they-won’t-they dynamics so much that I want the flirting and stolen glances to continue as long as possible. Zhang Jing Yi, though not quite at the same level as Arthur Chen in terms of acting, I do think she does a pretty good job as the female lead. I last saw her in “Fall in Love” but her role here is quite different. Zhu Yun might not be the smartest cookie in love, but I appreciate a smart female lead who can pull her weight and contribute professionally. As much as I admire her undeniable trust in Li Xun’s ability to change the world, I do think their romance can be interpreted as very unhealthy especially after they reunite. Li Xun rejects and breaks Zhu Yun’s heart so many times with verbal insults and embarrassment and giving her mixed signals for most of the second half of the drama. It’s really not healthy but I can’t help but love every single minute of it.

Gao Jian Hong, the second male lead, played by Zhao Zhi Wei, is an interesting and pitiful character. I feel really bad for him and what he went through. For someone who has been #1 for most of his life, meeting a genius like Li Xun and being bested by him every single time, is not something Gao Jian Hong can get past. This grudge never goes away even when they were friends then. The revenge plot takes up quite a lot of time in the second half of the drama. Overall, I think Zhao Zhi Wei did a pretty good job as the second male lead and shares the spotlight with Arthur Chen.

Well, my somewhat high rating is mainly because of how much I enjoy the main romance and Arthur Chen. But there are certain aspects of the plot that I don’t like. The secondary and tertiary romances are not as well-written. I do not understand why Xu Li Na is so in love with Li Xun when she barely knows him or has much interaction with him. Being attracted to Li Xun is understandable, but holding that infatuation for so many years is not logical. On the other hand, the small romance plot between Ren Di and her bandmate boyfriend is not well developed. You can skip that romance and you wouldn’t miss anything.

I am also not a fan of an overbearing and controlling mother. I understand where her concerns are coming from, especially when Zhu Yun was still in college. But when she’s in her mid-20s and late-20s, this type of overprotectiveness is unacceptable. Luckily, there are a few other side characters that are more likable, e.g. Professor Lin, the hacker, and the co-workers. Lastly, I really like the OST. I enjoy almost all the songs esp. Fireworks (焰火) by Zhou Shen and Light Red (轻红) by Cao Yang.

I would recommend this drama if you like slow burn, complicated romances of flawed characters making flawed decisions.


Completed: 3/24/2023

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Good Mix of Comedy, Romance and Suspense with some minor inconsistencies

It seems to be getting harder to find an original script in a Chinese drama these days, especially for wuxia/xianxia/fantasy. So, it was a pleasure knowing that “Warm on a Cold Night” is not an adaptation (it wasn’t noted on MDL). Although there are plot holes, I quite enjoy the general plot and the mystery cases, and how they all tie back to the big story. I am not an episodic-case person, thus, this type of cases/dramas are right up my alley.

Li Yi Tong is one of my favorite actresses and I believe in her acting ability. However, I am not quite sure of her choice to be in this drama. I feel that with her experience, she is way past acting as a young, cute (thank god not naive) girl in any drama. Nevertheless, I watched this because this drama was well-received and, well, I like her. For whatever reason, this is my third Bi Wen Jun drama this year after “Double Love” and “The Silence of the Monster”. I have yet to see him play a lively, active, outgoing character. His roles remain somewhat similar, cold, cool and hard to approach in the beginning. But I am glad to see his acting continue to improve and his role as Han Zheng differs in a way that I see his evil smirks and mischievous side a little.

Li Yi Tong and Bi Wen Jun have pretty good chemistry together. Bickering couples are one of my favorite tropes and I enjoy seeing two intelligent individuals trying to outsmart and work together to solve the cases. I also really enjoy seeing Bi Wen Jun/Hang Zheng’s smirks, loving gazes and when he acts all jealous. Li Yi Tong is cute as a button, and plays her role, Su Jiu Er, so well that she gains the affection of two good guys. I also am relieved to see that the love triangle is done well. It’s really hard to find the balance between bromance and love rivals, and I think “Warm on a Cold Night” did a good job in this respect. Wen Jun is such a thoughtful, caring and sweet guy and I felt bad he didn’t get the girl. There isn’t any character I hate and even the annoying 4th wheel Princess did not last too long. On the other end of the romance, I, along with many viewers, would love to see more of the story between Chi Lan and Wen Ying. If there’s going to be a second season, I wish we can see the continuation of where the drama left off.

I am actually more interested in some of the mystery cases in this drama than in “Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty”. I think my favorite is the one with the paintings. It was quite an elaborate set up with many twists along the way. But after that plot, the drama’s pace slows down a little and I lose some of my focus when binging. Overall, I am quite happy with how all these cases lead us to the finale. I was expecting a certain character to show their true colors, but not that final twist in the end. However, I think the final episode was too rushed. The transition from one scene/emotion to another is quite abrupt.

The production quality seems decent enough. Everything seems appropriate but not extravagant. Costumes, sets, lighting, etc, are just fine. The dubbing isn’t that great. Li Yi Tong continues to use her voice (she’s one of the rare ones), along with Wang Mao Lei (godfather Hu) and Li Shi Peng (Wen Jun’s bodyguard). All other actors used voice actors. The fight scenes in the first couple episodes are pretty good and I was hoping to see more. But I am disappointed that the action scenes disappear and even in the final showdown, there’s more pushing and throwing you across the room, than close combat fight scenes. There are only a handful of songs in the OST and they sound nice enough. Luckily, the songs are not overplayed.

Overall, I had a good time binge-watching this drama. It has enough comedy, romance and suspense to keep me interested. There are plot holes and inconsistencies, but not enough to dampen my viewing pleasure.

Completed: 3/18/2023

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Heartwarming and Sweet

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

There's nothing ground-breaking about this short drama. But, it makes me happy and I enjoy following along the sweet romance of the leads. The first episode, to me, isn't the best as there are things that I didn't like. But as we get to know the characters, I start to like them more and more. FL is the typical quiet and submissive Japanese character, which I dislike. However, I'm glad to see her change for the better after meeting ML. Opposite attracts is one of my favorite tropes and the drama did a pretty good job here. The leads have very different personalities, but they influence each other and their characters grow.

There are sad and heartwarming moments. A couple work harassment scenes that make me want to punch someone in the face. These scenes happen all too often in Asian dramas that they are not surprising anymore. Nevertheless, they are not easy to watch. We also get a glimpse of the leads family background and upbringing, esp. the female lead, and get a sense of why she is who she is. If you are a dog lover, you would love the big and fluffy white dog. I am not a pet person and I want to pet and hug this cute fluffiness!

If you are looking for a quick and easy watch, this is a good option. Oh and it has a couple good (non-fish) kisses.

Completed: 1/27/2023

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Simple and touching short drama with adorable kids!

8.25

First of all, the episodes are about 1 hour long, so I am not sure why MDL listed them as 1 hr and 25 mins. These four episodes are just regular K-drama length and not the long Thai drama length.

In four short episodes, "Fanletter, Please" is able to tell a story of the struggles of a top actress and a single father of a young child with leukemia. The plot itself is quite simple and predictable. There might not be twists and turns, but the acting is solid and the story flows pretty well. The stars of the show are definitely the four children. Although they are all battling different illness, they are upbeat and funny, and more mature than some adults in this drama. They are really a joy to watch. Yoo Na, the lead child actress did an amazing job displaying different emotions. Not once do I find her annoying nor super, overly cutesy.

Choi Soo Young (FL) and Yoon Park (ML) have good chemistry, not sizzling hot, but good. They play their characters well and I root for them both. I wanted some more flashback scenes of them during high school, but due to the short length of the drama, I will have to be satisfied with what I got. Their struggles though real did not seem overly depressing or realistic. I guess this could be the light version of the trauma and hardships that they are going through. The romance is quite slow burn and there aren't many cute and fluffy scenes. I would say it's more mature and fluffy. The sweetest part of their romance is in the last episode with the gifts ML prepared for FL. They are thoughtful, sweet and super creative!!!

There are a couple annoying characters, especially those two hospital moms and the cartoonish villain. FL's mother has limited scenes and I want to know more about the mother-daughter relationship. Other that than, this is an easy watch, even if the tone is not as happy as I thought it would be by looking at the poster.


Completed: 12/24/2022

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OK.. this is an interesting drama to critique. “Busu no Hitomi ni Koishiteru” is an adaptation of the 2006 version. The occupations of the characters are different, but the gist of the story is the same. I believe the scriptwriter is actually the real life male lead, Suzuki Osamu, and that’s why it seems wrong to criticize a drama that he writes about his love story with his wife.

This is a super fast-paced romance in true Japanese fashion. From meeting to getting married, it only took about 4 episodes and these are short episodes. However, Osahima Miyuki (FL) has a sunny and optimistic disposition. This makes the drama enjoyable as we don’t have someone who is always crying or acts as a victim. And due to her personality, she attracts the attention of Suzuki Osamu (ML). Miyuki brings out the best in Osamu, believes in his talents and supports him in any way possible (a little too submissive for my personal taste). Their romance is decent to me. Everything is just too fast, too soon.

Most of the criticisms of this drama would probably be the portrayal of the female lead as the ‘ugly’ girl. Miyuki is really not ugly but she’s overweight. I guess overweight = ugly in many Asian dramas. Not only is she called ugly and is bullied, the writing of all the second-hand embarrassment is overkill for such a short drama. How many times is she going to trip and fall? Do overweight people fall all the time? I don’t think I do! You get all the usual stereotypes - clumsy, easily picked on/bullied, naive, eats a lot, etc. This is definitely not a drama about body image and self-esteem.

If you are very sensitive about body image or people being picked on due to their outward appearances, I would not recommend you to watch this. This is a simple and easy watch and it’s interesting to see a drama about voice actors. But I would not go out of my way to watch.



Completed: 11/30/2022

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Crazy Fun + Strong Sismance + Drinking + Food + Laughing + Crying (rinse and repeat)

Completed - 7/30/22

This is such a crazy drama! “Work Later, Drink Now” is a highly bingeable, short drama focusing on the friendship/sismance between our three leading ladies. They met through a dance competition (all have amazing dancing skills) when they were in college, and continue to be by each other’s side through thick and thin.

The drama started off with three consecutive blind dates. Each crazier and funnier than the other. The tone of the drama continues to be fun and crazy, mixed with life’s challenges (personal, familial, professional and romantic) and A LOT of drinking. Towards the second half of the drama, things got more serious as we know more about each character, their background stories and struggles, and certain life events change this drama to be a little more realistic.

The bond between the ladies is tight and unbreakable. I like them all as they are so different yet complement each other so well. It did take me a while to get used to Han Ji Yeong’s personality as she’s quite over-the-top.They are truly there for each other and understand each other, without pressure to find out what/when/where/why. Without going into spoilers, something happened to a family member of a leading lady. The other two women not only rushed to be with their friend, but were there BEFORE the friend arrived to help take care of everything.

There are romantic subplots but romance is not the main theme of this drama. I assume season 2 will focus more on romance and I look forward to Kang Ji Gu’s romance with possibly Mr. Nice Paper, and the crazy relationship between An So Hee and Kang Buk Gu.

Everyone will notice the excessive drinking in this drama. Well, we know Koreans drink a lot but I am not sure if they do drink to this extent. But let’s not forget about the lovely dishes in this drama. There are many food shots and they make me want to try them all. There are also many guest appearances and cameos in this drama.

“Work Later, Drink Now” made me laugh, cringe, smile and cry. Ending this review of a quote from the last episode that summarizes this drama and their friendship:

“As always, we work hard not to fall down today. It’s okay if we are unsteady on our feet on our way home. So when we can drink, and when we have a friend to drink with, let’s get drunk.”

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Completed - 7/2/2022 - 8.25 rating

Such great reviews came from China regarding this drama that it hit Douban ratings at a high of 8.9 in the first week or two of its airing. Now that the drama is just done airing, the rating remains at a high 8.5 (as of 7/2/2022). I came in with pretty high expectations as I am a sucker for amazing romantic chemistry between the leads.

Plot:
“A Dream of Splendor” tells the story of three women who for a variety of reasons, had to leave their hometown for the big city. They are strong and independent, and are feminists who are ahead of their times. We follow their journeys to build their careers and find love. The pacing of the drama is pretty good. There’s enough going on to keep me interested throughout the 40 episodes. Though the last few episodes are more focused on court politics, our three female leads are intertwined in this storyline as well. Compared to another female-centric drama “Marvelous Women”, this is less slice-of-life and hooked me right from the start. But as the story goes, I think I enjoyed the weaving/embroidery plot in “Marvelous Women” a little bit more than the tea house/restaurant/music plot in “A Dream of Splendor”. However, the tone in “Marvelous Women” is more serious than that in this drama. I rated this drama higher because the romance storylines are more interesting to me than that of “Marvelous Women”. There are many comedic moments in “A Dream of Splendor” and I am not sure I enjoy them as much as others. Dai Xu/Chi Yan Nei provides a lot of comic relief, but it’s too over-the-top for my taste and doesn’t quite fit in the general tone of the drama.

Romance:
I really enjoy the initial chemistry between our two leads and I can see why everyone is raving about it. I can totally see how Chen Xiao/Gu Qian Fan is so smitten with Crystal Liu/Zhan Pan Er. Every time he looks at her, I see admiration, respect, love and desire. However, I am not sure if I can say the same for Crystal Liu especially towards the second half of the drama. Maybe I am just too critical of female leads? I find Crystal Liu’s best scenes are of her as a business woman. But as a woman in love, I can’t see that passion in her eyes. Nonetheless, their romance is mature and honest (for the most part). The leads are very supportive of each others’ careers, and will not hesitate to provide some honest/harsh feedback when necessary. There’s a lot of PDA in this drama, which is quite rare for a somewhat ‘serious’ and non-romantic comedy. Are the kisses amazing? Not really, but decent enough that I see effort from both parties. I actually really enjoy the romance between Sun San Niang and Du Chang Feng. Opposites attract yet they are quite adorable together. The way they fall in love seems natural and I enjoy how Sun San Niang takes charge in their relationship. Song Yin Zhang is probably my least favorite female character but I pity her journey to find love. Poor girl just couldn’t catch a break. There’s plenty of romance in this drama to satisfy romance junkies like me.

Production:
There are quite a few nice scenes with lanterns and candles, but not quite the quality of top-notch productions such as “Luoyang” and “The Longest Day in Chang’an”. Those two dramas have become my golden standard. Nonetheless, we have beautiful people in nice costumes, decent set designs and props. A certain popular YouTube reviewer mentioned that Chen Xiao and Crystal Liu are the most beautiful couple in a period drama in recent years. I am not sure I agree with this reviewer. They are a good-looking pair, especially for a more mature couple, but there are plenty of good-looking couples as well. In this drama, I think Jelly Lin and Claire Jia are just as beautiful as Crystal Liu (or maybe more). I do think Chen Xiao looks the most handsome in his uniform. I also want to criticize the action scenes and the camera work in this drama. There are a few fight scenes, but the camerawork is shaky/blurry (maybe intentional?). This affects my enjoyment of watching Chen Xiao fight. The director also likes to use a lot of slow motion scenes in this drama for ‘dramatic’ effects, when it’s not necessary. I want to see Crystal Liu walk at a normal speed.

Other Random Observations:
1. I like the interesting tea competition - especially drawing on tea foam.
2. It seems like everyone can just go into FL’s house/courtyard. No security at all and the door is never locked.
3. It rains all the time - at least people don’t get sick often.
4. Spinning and pouring tea is a little too cringey for my taste.
5. I like boat rides as a major form of transportation.
6. I really like Xu Hai Qiao in "Lost Love in Times" but I hated him here as Ou Yang Xu. I wish to see another drama of his to fall in love with him again.

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Let's Celebrate Everyday Ordinary Greatness and Heroes

Completed - 6/28/2022
Subjective Rating - 8.5
Objective Rating - could be 9.0+

Watching "Ordinary Greatness" reminds me of two other very realistic dramas, "The Bond" and "Because of Love". Even though these three dramas are very different plot-wise, they depict real life struggles of everyday citizens in China. Here, we follow the journey of four rookie intern cops and their mentors, as they grow and learn from each other, while helping citizens with their everyday problems.

Plot:
There is nothing fancy about this drama. We see real life struggles and somewhat minor crimes (compared to other crime shows). And this is the beauty of the show. Each case that our rookie cops encounter, you see them in your daily lives as well. We know of people who fight because of silly arguments, missing children, sexual harassment, internet scams, burglaries, noisy neighbors, stolen bikes, etc. None of these are big time crimes, and they are probably what each police officer deals with every day in any city, not just in China. I really enjoy the pairing of the mentor/mentee and how they could be so different yet they slowly bond and learn from each other. The pacing of the drama is decent. This is slice-of-life, so it's to be expected that there are slower parts within these 38 episodes. I did lose my focus a little bit towards the second half, but the drama ends on an emotional high note. I do think there are some cases that were resolved by informing the audience instead of showing us.
Similarly to my viewing experience of "The Bond", I came to the conclusion that I cannot fully enjoy dramas with annoying characters that I can't stand. The 8.5 rating is purely based on my enjoyment. Technically speaking, I could see many rate this 9.0+. I am sure there are many unreasonable people complaining to the police about very small things. And I am sure there are mothers out there who are just as annoying as the three in the drama. What I am unsure, is whether this drama over-exaggerates their annoying and despicable factors to create and prolong drama and chaos. Those three mothers (except for Zhang Run Yun/Li Da Wei's mother) drive me up the frigging wall!!!

Acting:
I watch this drama because of Bai Lu and Zhang Ruo Yun, but I am blown away by the veteran actors. Among the younger cast, I think only Zhang Ruo Yun came close to the level of the veterans, and it's probably because his character provided him with ample opportunities to showcase his acting chops. The other three rookies have lesser screen time, even Bai Lu who was listed as part of the main cast. I was expecting to see her more but not a whole lot happened with her. Bai Lu is Bai Lu, so her acting is never bad, but her character is somewhat quiet and her stories have too much of a focus on her mother and not her cases. I'm happy to see Xu Kai Cheng after "Pearl Eclipse" and to see a very different side of him. But big props to veteran actors Wang Jin Chun as the Police Chief, Ning Li as Zhang Ruo Yun's mentor and Zhao Yang as Xu Kai Cheng's mentor. These three veteran actors are amazing and they really help elevate this drama to a different level.

Friendship:
No, there is no romance in this drama. But the friendship between the four rookies is lovely and a breath of fresh air. It's really nice to see honest appreciation of each other without jealousy and rivalry. I was worried that it's going to be another drama where they will be in competition all the time and ended up hating each other. Instead, we get some comic relief and heartwarming moments of them helping each other out in their personal and professional lives.

Production value:
I echo the same sentiments in my review of "Because of Love" - realistic and appropriate sets, costumes and props. There isn't any fancy wardrobe, makeup or apartment. We see realistic portrayal of normal people living within their means. As the drama takes place in a small city, hospitals and accommodations are appropriately designed. We don't see high tech offices or modern-looking hospitals. It's the little things that put you in the right mood. Additionally, I really like the title theme song, "A Little" (一点) sung by Jason Zhang. The perfect song for heartwarming+heartbreaking moments and also the characters busy work life. The best part, no dubbing. All actors use their real voice with a combination of live and studio recordings.

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