Warm on a Cold Night (2023)

An Enjoyable Show of Bi Wen Jun!

Another beautiful show has come to an end. I really enjoyed this show. The werewolf like qualities of Male Lead was the charm for me, and yes! Bi Wen Jun (Han Zheng) was the main reason I started this show, but his character was arrogant and a little bit disappointing for me but no doubt he's a magnificent actor and I adore his acting. Female Lead character was played by Li Yi Tong (Su Jiu Er), her acting was fine, but her voice was awfully disturbing in the show. Supporting cast was good. My most favourite character is General Chi Lan played by He Rui Xuan. She was smart, interesting and strong. The story was more focused on mysterious cases/ investigation and romance was slow burn. Production quality was okay and BGM/OSTs were beautiful. I wish they showed more shapeshifted Han Zheng. I felt the ending was rushed and we definitely need S2!

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An excellent Xianxia, ​​with in CL = Bi Wen Jun ❤❤❤ & Li Yi Tong ❤.

Plot: encounter between 1 weak and sickly FL (people of the Qian) and the superpowerful ML, future king of the Qi. The FL clings to the ML as the touch of his hand improves her health.

=> The storyline is clever (internal conflicts within Qi, exploitation of exiled Qi, various puzzles to solve, love triangle, etc.).
=> The production is dynamic, with no downtime, the clues are brought in at the right time to keep the viewer's attention, the fight scenes are excellent. The whole series is accompanied by very good Cpop style OSTs.
This story is brought to life by some great actors (who I'm going to follow for a while).

Don't hesitate to watch it, you will have a great time!!
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Excellent Xianxia, avec en CL = Bi Wen Jun ❤❤❤ & Li Yi Tong ❤.

Plot : rencontre entre 1 FL faible et maladive (peuple des Qian) et le ML, surpuissant, futur roi des Qi. La FL s'accroche au ML car le contact de sa main améliore sa santé.

=> La storyline est intelligente (conflits internes au sein des Qi, exploitation des Qi exilés, énigmes diverses à résoudre, triangle amoureux, etc.).
=> La réalisation est dynamique, sans temps mort, les indices sont amenés au bon moment pour maintenir l'attention du spectateur, les scènes de combat sont excellentes. Le tout est accompagné de très bonnes OST style Cpop.
=> Cette histoire est mise en vie par de super acteurs (que je vais suivre pendant un moment).

N'hésitez pas, vous passerez un excellent moment !!

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Dared too much?

First of all, let me stress this: the synopsis on both Viki and MDL is a different story from what actually happens in the show. I recommend watching the first couple of episodes to get a better idea of what it is about.

I believe that the vast majority of this drama is very good. Toward the end I was set on rating it with an 8 at least, because I really enjoyed myself while watching, for multiple reasons:
- The main plot is about a series of murder mysteries, all overarched by the tensions between the Qian and Qi people as they live side by side in the Qian capital. Like this, there are multiple themes (even more modern and close to us than one might expect) that are brought up along the way: revenge, jealousy, envy, abuse of power, and so on. There was also a good mix of more fun and relaxing moments in between, which helped easing the weight of the plot while never feeling too abrupt at any moment.
- The main characters were chosen very well and I got attached to them easily. The FL is weak and definitely not a fighter, but she compensates this by being very smart and a skilled detective, good at bonding with people and at using the right words at the right moment. The ML, on the other hand, is skilled in martial arts and has supernatural abilities that let him have the upper hand in fights and let him notice details that would go unnoticed to others, but he's not good at dealing with people because of his temper. The two complement each other perfectly and their dynamic is entertaining and endearing at all times.
- The secondary characters are interesting and well written as well, with a special mention for Chi Lan, whom I thought was shining in every scene. They all filled their roles well, I never thought they were useless, nor did I ever think that they were getting too much action compared to the protagonists.
- The well written mysteries and the development of the investigations got me glued to the screen. I'm not one who enjoys detective stories in general, so the fact that I was so invested really caught me by surprise!
- The special effects were great, in particular the fighting scenes were shot beautifully.
- The romance was VERY well paced. Seeing the character development of both Su Jiu'Er and Han Zheng was very satisfying, as well as seeing both of them gradually warming up to each other and care for each other's safety and happiness more and more. They got me all smiley and giddy multiple times.

What I believe ruined the drama in the end was the inclusion of problems that couldn't be resolved in 36 episodes. By episode 34 I realized I had to brace myself for a very rushed and unsatisfying ending. I still have lots of unanswered questions about multiple aspects of the plot, way too many, which makes me feel like I only watched half of the story and not the entire series.
One of the main flaws of the series was the lack of proper rules for the powers of the Qi people, which I was ready to let slide if the ending was good enough, but the two last episodes just made these flaws way more blatant than before.

With a proper ending this drama could have been a gem, but the ending just ruins it. Watch at your own risk.

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Warm on a cold night is a quirky murder mystery with a heavy dose of romance!

What’s to like about it… a smart female detective with a life threatening illness that only holding hands with our ML can cure. Our ML is a tad grumpy and dictatorial but after spending time with FL she softens him up. They’re the perfect yin yang.

The fight scenes and music perfectly compliment the story building, though there are a few areas where the plot lets it down. The rushed last two episodes - we find out that FL has the fire ember within her and in a blink of an eye she decides to sacrifice herself for the great good. She drugs the ML and swiftly proceeds with her plan only by him breaking his stone and giving it her does she return from the dead.

Whilst it may sound romantic that he would give up everything for her, he pretty much severed himself up on a platter. I would have prefer him to have retain some of his powers and because the King of Qi. The last episode showed him as a tired version of himself. For 36 episodes the ending could have been 100% better!

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Such a Sweet Drama

this is actually one of the few Dramas that made me cry. I connected with the female Lead fast and it was really fun to watch this stubborn duo solving crimes. it got a little annoying in the middle when those two male leads were kind of fighting over the Female lead even when it was kind of obvious that she had Han Zhang already in her heart.
But the acting in this drama is so good. The funeral scene from her Godfather made me cry. It is just a shame that we didn't get so many fight scenes. And the few we got were really good with the choreography.
But all in all a sweet Drama to watch.

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Wolves and Rabbits who learn to live harmoniously together

An unexpected hidden gem with hints of light hearted moments, comedy, romance, and mystery case solving. Overall storyline was a good idea but could be fleshed out better to maintain some more solid writing. BWJ did not disappoint as Han Zheng and has shown much improvement from his other dramas I’ve seen him in. From the beginning, he convinced me 100% he was the cool, arrogant, fierce prince of Qi who also had a sensitive side. The development of his character was consistent in comparison to Li Yitong but both played their roles well. The character of Su Jiu’er, written with a more contradicting personality style, could be a make it or break it to some with her ditsy ways outside of her work in the inspection bureau. I don’t blame LYT for the character because she convincingly played Su Jiu’er but it’s the character itself. I must admit she was intelligent when cracking the cases but I questioned too many a times when they would try to go undercover. The chemistry of the leads isn’t sizzling but enough to make you ship them. Their promo photos might actually show their true chemistry better. ? Romance though slow burn was endearing once leads finally got together. It improved the strong connection they already had from all the case solving.

The other side characters such as Wenjun, Chilan, Keha, Lao Hu and even CP make up for some good story arcs and comedy. General Chilan does not disappoint and is the true epitome of a strong and capable women. Wenjun as a 2nd ML had me worried for an annoying love triangle but he was a sensible character who was always good at seeing the bigger picture. I applaud him for being mature and fighting for SJR fairly. Not only that but despite his “big brother” being framed he was able to set personal ties aside to deal with the issue at hand. They did him dirty towards the end with the HY chick who didn’t have a good purpose. We could have done without her. But they also never went back to her character so…? Just a bit misplaced writing.

The mystery portions of the show were ok but I wished it was better connected. MY explains it all in the end but it was hard to keep up with how each case helps support the previous one. Each case gets more and more thorough which is what I enjoyed but they also become a tad bit wacky i.e, the ape like case. I do applaud the mastermind because the plot twist at the end was not what I expected. They had us played just like the characters in the show. All the countless predictions we could make and the big reveal was no where near what we thought of. The bonds of all the characters make for a good blend as they each were unique and had their own set of skills that benefitted with the cases.

Budget for this drama may have not been high like other S+ dramas but the quality of the fighting scenes in here is remarkable! Well-choreographed and beautifully shot, you would think otherwise. Not to mention OSTs, opening credit sung by OST King Liu Yiuning was good but my favorite has to be the ending credit song. It fits well with the vibe of the drama as a happy upbeat duet.

There were a few loose ends and rushed explanation of things in the end but overall a good wrap up for the main issue at hand, Qian-Qi relationship and who dunnit? . A show that I'd say wouldn't hurt checking out and feeling like time was wasted. Here's to our wolf and bunny couple! ??

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One of the best Costume Drama for the start of 2023!

I was reading the other reviews and it seemed like some were watching a completely different drama. I was completely blown away by this historical, romcom, mystery/investigative series. After trying to find a series to watch after One and Only, Love Between Fairy and Devil, Unchained Love, Lost in Kunlun Mountain, and The Wolf this drama series checked off all my boxes. It had satire, comedy, love, friendship, hate, betrayal, action, sweetness, jealousy, tantrums and the storyline. Its a 10++++++ in my book.

I'm a super fan of Li Yitong, she is beautiful, talented and her acting is really strong. Her portrayal of Jiu'er was spot on cute, witty, smart and funny. Bi Wenjun although still very new, he is a phenomenal handsome, young actor that will soon gain lots of traction. Even better than some veterans I have watched in the past. I am now a super fan of his. His portrayal of the fierce, smart, soft hearted prince HanZheng was truly amazing. His demeanor and expressions were spot on. Plus, their on screen chemistry is very in sync (not sizzling like their photoshoots but I can sense their sincerity and tenderness for each other).
The storyline for their supporting actors were also quite loving and interesting (it would have been nice to explore this more especially Chilan and Mu Yan) and diving into the Qi race more would have been great.

A lot of viewers didn't like that their onscreen romance didn't start till later in the series but it actually starts the moment they collaborate with each other to solve cases. It's exactly how two people who have a crush on each other after meeting and working together, but dear not say anything. But slowly grow to have these deep feelings towards one another such as to protect, care and feeling super excited to see each other/ never be apart from each other. Their love story actually makes it more relatable given the history of Qian-Qi relationship. And I like that her Godfather (although a dunce at times, he was comical and always straightforward) was always supportive of her no matter the situation.

I love that the cases were entangled with each other all the way till the end. Some thought the cases were not interesting enough but for the content and storyline I think it was first-rate perfect. It's not suppose to be somber like other investigative dramas or highly-charged but a little lighthearted. I saw every interaction and case pretty comical between the two leads as they solve cases together.

Chinese costume dramas have always been beautifully crafted and as a child growing up watching these films, till this day their craftsmanship always amazes me.
As far as the production team goes they did a fantastic job curating the cast, the storyline and finalizing a series that is unforgettable. I have replayed this series like 5 times and still find every scene and detail to be near perfect. For example, Blue Whisper had lots of good visual, good team and A-list actors but I couldn't till this day even finish the series. But who knows I might go back and think differently after I finally finish it.

All in all, give this series a chance. Its quite funny, sweet, the cases are interesting, lots of warmth and love.

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A rare detective rom-com that works

I watched this right after 'Starry Love' which I love very much. However, 'Warm on a cold night' is a pleasant surprise.

As a detective series, it does a great job. The plot is logical from the start to the end. All the cases make sense and they are down to a bigger motive. As a rom-com, it is fluffy and cute. Even though it takes quite a bit for the ML FL being officially together, I don't mind it at all. It suits their characters. They are still very cute and have good chemistry throughout the series. I like how Han Zheng easily get jealous ?. All the cute scenes are not forced or cheesy at all.

ML and FL are made for these roles. I usually like the ML more but Li Yi Tong left a lasting impression on me. Some may say Li Yi Tong tries too hard but I think she is cute and natural. I like the fact they use her real voice. I'm surprised to learn that she was in 'Love between fairy and devil' where she was totally different!!! For me, it is good acting when she is able to wear different hats. Other characters are very likable. Together, they also builds a great story on friendship.

I feel like there will be a season 2. Hopefully, they bring all characters back.

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A drama to watch if you don't want to binge...

This is a great drama to watch if you're looking for something about investigation, mystery, and discovery. However, there isn't much romance between the lead couple until the last few episodes.

I feel like the producers or creators tried so hard to make it a drama that's not all about romance to the point that I felt like there was little to no romance. Don't get me wrong. Warm on a Cold Night has a fantastic ending for the lead couple, but I just wished I could have gotten the chance to see more moments with them.

Also, I wanted a better explanation of the villain's story and a better ending. Why was he so kind to his "brother"? Although, he mentioned that he didn't know why he acted kindly to him. I hope they gave the villain more character by giving him more flashbacks on how he developed his affection for his "brother." I was also upset with how his side of the story ended. He'd live the rest of his life alone, while all this while, he was living in a different world with strangers to create a brighter future for his clanmates (albeit in a not-so-good way). I feel like he was a misunderstood villain.

There were times when I felt like the drama was dragging. Unlike other dramas I used to watch, I didn't have to force myself away from the screen. In fact, I needed the breaks I took because, like I previously said, there were times when the drama felt too dragging. On a different note, the drama has a good plot with many surprises that would really make you ponder and think. However, I feel like they tried to keep the suspense on some parts for too long to the point wherein I kinda lost interest and enthusiasm to uncover.

Acting-wise: it's the typical jealous, shocked, confused, and kilig expressions. Only a little breakthrough for both actor and actress, considering that I've been following them for a few dramas now. Although, I'm not sure if I'm the right person to speak about this, especially since I had high expectations of the drama.

All in all: light drama, good lighting (and no whitening filter on the actors and actresses!!!), and a good plot.

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Cute and lovely CP | Great crime and investigation scenes but unfortunately got a Half-arsed Ending!

Standing apart from the crowd allows one to calmly assess the entirety of a situation." - Han Zheng

Finally, A long overdue review. I unintentionally procrastinated watching the last 6 episodes of this drama because I got distracted reading a couple of stories from my favourite author. Another thing is that I lost my interest quite a bit because I got spoiled by the ending from watching too much snippets from Youtube. My bad! I swear not to do it again (as much as I can Hahaha).

Anyways, this is one of the dramas I find easy and light to watch as we are focused on mainly 2 things. First is the progression of the main leads love story and second is them solving cases; which made it particularly more entertaining and easy to follow because I don't really have to constantly think critically of what might happen. And although it involved various complex cases that needs to be unraveled, I just find myself watching it leisurely without really minding how are they gonna resolve it. I guess it really has something to do with it being an "Idol drama" which helped me watch it with ease and without any reservations and overly high expectations. I even came to the point where I told myself to just enjoy it as it is and stop overly thinking of the plot; and I must say that it actually worked because I got to let go of my obsession and concern on how the story will unfold.

The crime and cases are well thought and the investigation process were done impressively in a clever and entertaining way. However, I feel like they gave the spotlight and credits too much on the FL to the point where I felt weird about it after just watching the first 10 episodes. I understand that she's the main "brain" of this story but there are just so much time when I felt like the credits aren't properly given to where it's due. It never appeared to be forced because of how well it was presented however as time goes by, I developed this significant feeling that she's getting so much more compared to what she actually deserves and worked for. She got pushed so much that I find it inorganic and weird because I know that the other characters worked even harder than her yet she's receiving most of the recognition and glory from it all. Not to mention how she typically handles her cases in an amateur and novice like way as if she's new to the job. I would say that she's carefree to the point of being careless. I am just glad that the ML was always with her while resolving almost all of her dangerous cases because she might have been long dead if he is not.

When it comes to the story progression, I would say that they spent plenty of time with all the occurences on the first half of the story that they lacked a huge amount of screentime at the end to address and deal with the main antagonist/hurdle of the show. The last 15 episodes of the story was rushed and I just knew how they most certainly had a hardtime with the editing and stuff because of how time constraint they are with the #s of episodes they got approved of (I don't know much about distribution licence but it surely is connected to that). Overall this impacted the drama a lot (objectively speaking) as anyone can visibly see and feel how quick things are going on (I can't even use "dealth with" because they didn't even show that to us) and how are we jumping from one scene to another without any proper explanation of what had actually transpired and how we arrived to the result they have showed us.

In terms of chemistry, I'd say that they all fit in with perfection. I never feel any awkward aura for all the characters and I can even feel the synergy and mutual affinity of the actors of this show. The vibe of the whole production team must have been light for the drama to exude this comfortability.

Lastly, the Ending...and as I mentioned above, it really left a significant impact to the whole show. Because what do you mean we're getting the revelation of the main antagonist, Final fight, resolution and conclusion of the story at the last 2 episodes of the drama? They never even provide as a proper wedding scene. Grr!

Story - 8.5, Don't get me wrong the story is actually good and WAS on a good pace however it's the Editing Team who didn't consider the entirety of the show and have decide to screw the ending which resulted for the whole drama to look incomplete and half-arsed. What a waste of good story honestly.

Acting/Cast - 10, I won't pick on the actors' acting because they did it according to how to story required them to do so and its genre. But I would love to commend Li Yitong and Bi Wenjun for nailing their respective characters. This is my first project of them both and I like it a lot already.

Music - 10, I'm not gonna lie, I love the music! Opening is really cute, easy to listen to and entertaining; same goes with the inserts music/tunes. The placement of the songs are good too and is always on point. Kudos to the Sound/Audio Team.

Rewatch Value - 8.0, This honestly is a good drama overall and I can give it a higher rating only if they exert some more effort on showing us the ending. I still feel bad on how it was too JUMPY at the end! We missed and was robbed of a lot of scenes. Daheck!!

Overall - 9.0, Despite all of my feedbacks above, I guess I am just glad that they still end this happily and in a good note. I would at least commend them for keeping it light and easy to watch until the every end (But that was just TOO easy to watch). Nonetheless, I still hate the Editing Team for submitting such incomplete and lacking work and for the Director for approving it.

IF you find my review helpful please let me know.

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