Worth your time and probably the best in 2021

Excellent drama in terms of story, cast, soundtrack, equally humourous and touching scenes. Lost 1 point because battle scenes and dance scene were erm unsatisfactorily in manga form and the lack of kissing scenes (aha, c’mon admit it … most of us here allocate 20% of our investment for these scenes in dramas..)

This show left me with a feel-good feeling. I get where most reviewers are coming from about the rushed ending but personally, I’ve had the closures I needed for the characters that mattered to me. I think it's also because I'm not a big GeSun shipper.

There were a bit of fillers and drag in between, but nothing more than 5 episodes I would say. Still a whole lot better than many of the c-dramas out there with their fillers and misunderstanding arcs.

Actors - Dilireba, Leo Wu, Zhao Lusi, Liu Yuning, Geng Le and the ministers were superb. They have such amazing chemistry all round. I have to say upfront that Dilireba and Leo Wu's romance is not the sweep-off-your-feet kind of romance that you've seen Dilireba in her previous shows. Zhao Lusi will cover that for you in this drama. Remember, Dilireba plays a heroine in this show so she's a bit more "boyish". In terms of age gap, I didn't really see it being so obvious between Leo and dlrb so no issues here.

Just want to end this review by saying this show has one of the best soundtracks imho. When you see Zhang Bi Chen do a track you know it’s gonna be a good drama. Love the ending theme just as much too. It fits the scenes between Chang Ge and Ah Sun sooooo well. <3

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Excellent Historical Drama

I really like this show. I’m surprised that it’s not a hit and it’s received quite some bad reviews. I find that the production is of really high quality from the actors to the costumes and war scenes.

It starts off light and funny with serious undertones. The characters are all unpredictable so I don’t know what to expect next (which gives me some suspense).

Towards the middle, things get serious. I thought these fights were really good even though they were typically between the empress/concubine, prince/uncles. The backstabs, the wars, the tactics.

This seriousness continued right up to the end with even the next generation. All in all there are 4 generations of rulers in this series.

In the first arc, you see Tang Wei and the male lead’s journey up until they got married. This arc was funny, sweet and innocent. Then the 2nd arc goes into the male lead’s battle for the throne with his uncles. 3rd arc is his son’s reign, fall and reign again. I personally enjoyed the 1st and 3rd arcs the most and the 2nd arc is really good too (Zhu Yawen is an excellent actor). The 3rd arc had a lot of tough lessons to learn from and Lay portrayed his character as the fallen emperor really well. The emotions towards the last few episodes got me bawling (in a good way).

Favourite characters ? Yu Qian and Xu Bin!

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Deep and patriotic

The best part of this drama for me is the suspenseful missions that they undertake. This alone I can give 10/10 because they actually get me off my seat and are perfectly executed.

43 episodes is just about right. Thank god this is not another 70-episode epic which most of the times drag on unnecessarily.

Vert aptly released in the year of the CPC's 100th anniversary. It captures the sacrifices made to bring China to victory. Whenever someone on the show gets sacrificed, you can see the pain and despair in Zhu Yi Long's eyes.

In terms of acting, the veteran actors did it for me. Old Gu, Old Chen, Old Ji were my favourites. Surprisingly I didn't feel the chemistry between the FL and ML. It's not a romance drama, I understand. But I still didn't get any feels from the main couple. Instead, the camaraderie between the veterans and the ML were the star chemistries in this show.

Why I can't give it a 10/10? It's typically not my favourite genre due to the heavy and depressed undertones. Also the ML-FL chemistry falling flat for me. Everything else is fine and I'd recommend it.

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Veterans for the win

This is the best Chinese cop drama I've watched to date and it brings back so many memories of the good old TVB days from the 90's-00's.

The veteran actors are the real highlight. All my favs are literally in there. You can never go wrong with Wu Gang and Wang Jin Song. The other veterans are superb too and especially with Simon Yam in the recipe. Young actors - Huang Jin Yu definitely did a good job. The girls were a bit meh and weak to me but they're not that important since this is not a love/romantic drama.

It is not without flaws. There are plot holes and the ending was a little rushed but overall, the directing and execution were very very good. The action, the emotions, the yelling (lol).

I really recommend this if you're looking for a police drama.

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Twisty Light On Series

Among all the Light On Series' I've watched, this is my favourite. It's my fav because I like crime shows with a twist and this is it. For the other LOS's, most of the time, the murderer is already known from the start and the entire 12 episodes are more of a cat and mouse game between the cops and the criminals (albeit, still very well done).

The cast list caught my eye and indeed, they performed. Expect no less from Zhu Yawen, Liu Yi Jun and Geng Le. I've not watched any of Jin Chen's dramas and I like her in this show too! She starts off as this annoying teen but you see her morph and change as the twists unravel themselves. There's also a sweet little love story which is important for the decisions made in the show. Overall very touching.

I would say the twists are well-thought out. Whatever questions I had were answered towards the last few episodes.

My complaints for this show would be just 2 things;
- the main plot was a little draggy ie. the kidnapping could have been cut short.
- confusion over which is the main plot.
There were 2 sub-plots I identified that were not expanded on enough. In fact one of the sub-plots felt more like the main plot.

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Chen Kun is a star

This show is proof that Chen Kun can pull off an entire show 100% on his own.

Don’t take this as a spy drama and you’d be happy with the production. It is a story of family ties, brotherhood and love.

Most of the characters/actors are pretty forgettable but Chen Kun is really something. He can pull off playing the main (playful, witty and street-smart) character so well. I initially thought that his character was going to be a bumbling fool for the entire show but I enjoyed seeing him grow into a family-loving man.

He also plays his twin brother who is the polar opposite - a nerd, awkward and highly-intelligent physicist. Pretty amazing.

Story wise is fair. It’s basically the spy game between the KMT and CCP but there’s really not much of it until the last 10 episodes. ¾ of the drama is on the family and Chen Kun’s manoeuvring both parties who use his skills.

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Amazing acting

Wow this show. It’s the only k-drama that can catch my attention for the full 16 episodes and keep me wanting for more.

The acting is superb. Main actors were definitely completely suited for the role and i love the supporting characters just as much. They’re highly entertaining and great performers. Seo Ye Ji completely outdone herself. You watch her go from cold to flirty to obnoxious to raw and hurt to loving.

I just love how this show is comedic yet serious when it needs to. It explores serious mental health issues that are very real and does not hold back. It can be heart-wrenching to watch the conflicts at times and that’s the only thing that held me back from giving this a 10/10. Sometimes i feel the show can get a little too heavy for me.

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100% FL/ML chemistry and worth the watch!

Came here without knowing who the cast were, never watched them before and super love them! The FL and ML pairing is so so good.

The show starts off slow and I honestly wanted to drop at episode 1 especially during the high school scene because I don’t see where this was going. Glad I held on til at least episode 3 and binge watched in 3 days.

The zombies are not as crazy and intense as Kingdom where is was just non-stop. The zombies here are a lil docile, I’d say. There is gore still, seeing how this is a K-drama. But if you can handle Kingdom, you can handle this.

The supporting characters are what made this show shine on top of the leads. They are SO GOOD at being such hate-able characters! The doctor and the building rep homg. You really see how selfish humans can become when faced with a crisis.

The pacing overall is good except for the rushed ending.

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Needs to be watched Twice to fully appreciate

Don’t go in expecting 11/10 and you will be fine.
That was my mistake which is why I will give it a 8.5/10.
*edit - rewatched and giving it a 9.5/10. I appreciate it more now but still not a 10.
Rewatching allows you to appreciate all the nuances and easter eggs. Worth the time.


Story & Plot:
It is a good revenge story with a pretty tight, and slightly unrealistic plot. The last 2 episodes were a little rushed too.
Unrealistic because she wouldn’t have been able to achieve her goal without her rich doctor boyfriend. Let’s be honest. Also, everything she does is not new. We can kinda predict.
I did like the buildup and how each episode ends with a cliffhanger that does not immediately get explained within the first minutes of the subsequent episode. You need to be patient and watch through their flashbacks.
For the good parts - she’s smart, she’s determined, she’s hardworking, and she knows her strategy.

Acting & Emotions:
This gripped me. Song Hye Kyo and Lee Do Hyun both made me cry with their acting. More of SHK. I love how calm she is facing the abusers (most of the time) but put her mom in front of her and she loses it.
The last episode attempted suicide scene was one of the more heart wrenching and unexpected scenes to me (also, unrealistic how she got saved). It just hits so hard.
SHK also carried a lot of emotional and challenging scenes by herself. Kudos to her.

Cast & Chemistry:
The Abusers are fun and hilarious to watch but they probably should stop screaming so much.

Dong Eun/Yeo Jung - they make a nice couple. The age gap was a little glaring to me but not a major issue or problem.

Dong Eun/Do Young - I ship them. It’s wrong, but I wholeheartedly ship her with this oppa. His gaze, my god.

Park Yeonjin - I want to rant that her bitter end was not harsh enough considering 16 episodes of buildup.

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Light and Sweet

Simple, light and sweet melodramatic romance.
I picked this show because of Song Hye Kyo and was not disappointed.

Not many complications and lame misunderstandings, thankfully. The FL and ML had a pretty strong love for each other. It would have been better if the show had say .. 4-6 episodes less as I felt things getting a little dragged out from ep 11 onwards.

I love the supporting characters. The driver, the secretary and even the ex-husband were all quite likeable. They made the show a lot stronger.

My only complain is the chemistry between the FL and ML. It wasn’t very sizzling and felt a little flat for me.

Overall a recommended watch if you want a light show. Minimal crying, I assure you.

Oh, and it’s a happy ending.

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Beautiful love story

A must watch. It's a good blend between romance and the palace politics genre.

Non-Spoiler Section:

Slow paced at the start but with many little sweets. Things start to pick up from around episode 10 onwards. Best part? It’s only 24 episodes long. Right at a sweet spot without being draggy with fillers again like all other shows.

Story-wise, It’s not just all romance but also royal schemes and politics. In fact, the royal schemes form the backbone of this show. Super exciting and ruthless! I really liked how intense the schemes were (even if it tore our couple apart). It's nowhere near Nirvana in Fire, but it did remind me of NOF.

We can’t possibly do this review without talking about the leads. This is my first Allen Ren show. Bai Lu didn’t impress me much previously (from The Legends) but their chemistry and relationship in this show is 200%. They are so respectful and subtly sweet towards each other. I particularly love the flashbacks where they remember small little sweet moments like waiting to have a meal or drink tea together. It’s not sizzling romance but respectful love. The gazes that Allen Ren gives are so indescribable... they're just very comforting eyes.

All the supporting characters are also very good. I’ve never seen any of them before in other shows yet they all act so well and have really nice chemistries with each other.

Special mention to Shiyi’s mother. She is such an upright family-name-first yet loving mother.

The production/edits are also very good. Everything flows beautifully in order, there are no unnecessary and repetitive flashbacks. No long stares. Quite perfectly done. Except some battles which were a little odd if you look closely but if you don't pay attention, they're perfectly fine. The ending felt a bit rushed to me considering how slow-paced the first few episodes were but I suppose this is normal in c-dramas.

Just gonna end this with some self-absorbed awards I’m giving to the characters lol.

Uncle of the Year - Zhou Shengchen!
Wingman of the Year - The Monk
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SPOILER SECTION:
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I’m just glad his death wasn’t so graphic and it was a lot more acceptable for me. Shiyi's death on the other hand was tragic and hard for me.

And yes, I see the Game of Thrones references. Zhou Shengchen dressing up like a Night’s Watch and the Red Wedding massacre.

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Can never go wrong with Qin Lan

Disclaimer: I’m a huge Qin Lan 姐 fan and I watched The Rational Life (TRL) right after We Are All Alone (WA3).

Also a heads up. They get together really late in the show (eps 20+) but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. One, you get to cut the unnecessary misunderstandings. Two, they squeeze all the lovey dovey moments in the last few episodes. The buildup however is rather long and torturous.

Honestly when I read the synopsis, I was skeptical about how it’d turn out because the storyline sounds very typical and I’ve never watched any of Dylan’s shows. Also, how dragged out is a jiejie’s love story going to be over 35 episodes? It must be so lame and boring to have to watch through the perennial younger, lower-earning male partner issues over 35 episodes.

But I was wrong. First, I must say you will never go wrong with Qin Lan. She did WA3 so perfectly and this was no any less. She plays this rational (no pun intended), single, career-woman who is caught between office politics but she plays her politics well. Her expressions and 100% on point. You can see that she is a true professional actress and not just an idol + pretty face. Also side note, I love her calm voice. It’s probably the calmest tv voice I’ve ever come across.

Then her chemistry with Dylan. It’s impeccable. He plays this young, bashful but intelligent assistant who tries to protect and cover her from the mean office politics. And guess what? They actually make a really good couple! Their age gap in real life is 19 years. Their age gap in show is 10 years. Honestly, they only look 5 years apart to me. Qin Lan is ageless. Their scenes together are so sweet. I love watching how he takes the initiative all the time but as Ruoxin started accepting the fact that he is her boyfriend, she started taking the initiative and flirting with him herself.

I just gotta say though, Ruoxin’s mother is really psychotic. I wanted to smash my head every time she comes on screen. But I suppose that means the actress who plays her did a good job then.

As for the side character and stories, I honestly skipped them all because I’m really here just for Qin Lan. But I get that the side stories explore important societal issues, such as couples who cannot agree on whether to have a baby, couples with financial and career disparities.

Honorary mention is Boss Xu. As much as his character instilled a lot of fear and jealousy in me for chasing after Ruoxin and being arrogant about it, the actor who played him is really good.

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Excellent murder mystery

Binge watched this over CNY and loved it! The mystery really kept me hooked from start til end. I wish C-Ent will make more mini series like this to keep things tight and edgy rather then long-winded 70+ episode dramas.

If you're a fan of Agatha Christie, this is for you. I won't name which mystery this show is very close to avoid spoilers. ;-)

This drama starts off with a dead victim - Zhong Mei Bao (Angelababy). Two detectives are tasked to solve the mystery and they start off with interviewing residents of the condo that she was murdered in, which then expands to digging further and further into Mei Bao's family ties, history and possible suspects. Plot twists galore too!

Characters - I like ALL of them. Angelababy is particularly good considering she gets trashed a lot for her acting. I think she did a great job as the lead (?) in this show. She made me bawl my eyes out in the final 3 episodes.

Special mention to the 2 detectives. They typically paired a senior and a rookie but you see how they both teach each other so much. This show also gives the 2 detectives airtime for their personal lives which I'd like to applaud so that you get to take some time off the main murder.

I felt the first half started off a bit slow, but I do think it was necessary to also build the plot. This show is very rewatchable simply because it's short and you feel like you'd wanna re-watch the episodes to catch clues you might have missed. Highly recommended from me.

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Great production but bad pacing and ending

Overall a recommended watch from me if you don’t mind a long show. I would say it’s worth it. I’ll say upfront though, the ending is batshit.

This has the potential to be a great show. But it is not without flaws.

First up with the positives;
The production is GREAT. The scenes, effects, and cast are all pretty good. I really like the chemistry between the few CPs like Muyun Sheng/Pan Xi, Han Jiang/SYN.

My gripe is with the editing and drawn out slow conversations. The scenes always cut at the wrong moments which don’t even create suspense at all and relies too much on flashbacks to explain things. Then there are unnecessary and reeeeeaaaaallllllyyyyyy long, drawn out conversations. *heaves long sigh* . You get the gist.

Also, there are way way too many characters. As you can imagine, this leaves a lot of loose ends after episodes of character build-up.

SPOILER ALERT.



Ending:
This was crazy as hell. ‘That Man’ who was only mentioned once every 30 episodes ends up becoming the main villain? How convenient LOL.

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