This is going to be angsty as hell! I'm hooked!
Ep 1 to Ep 10:-----------------
This is doing amazingly well! I expected it to be good because of Zhang Wan Yi but I didn't expect much from Wang Chu Ran. I have only seen her in 1 drama so far and didn't think much of her acting in that one. But she is doing a great job in this role. I like listening to Zhang Wan Yi's voice, there's this desperation to it. (I'm weird) At least I hope that it is his voice and not being dubbed by someone else. It sounds exactly the same as his character in Cang Xuan in Lost You Forever. Okay enough drooling over the guy, back to the drama at hand.
Cui Xing Zhou is cunning and ruthless, I kinda want to be mad at him but I cannot, because I think the Liu Mian Tang who has her memory is just as bad. (The creators made is so obvious that she is the Liu Wen they are looking for) She is gonna come at him hard once she figures out he has been lying to her. (At least, I hope that happens. I hope that she isn't one of the characters, that falls in love and is like, Oh okay, I understand. He is in a tough position and couldn't' have done anything else. ) I want to feel the betrayal from her.
When I started the episode from the first scene I was thinking this is what I was talking about, they had my attention. (I was comparing it to another drama I was looking forward to but missed a lot of marks: Love’s Rebellion) I like the visuals, but a lot of the places remind me of few other dramas. For example, the corner of their shop is very similar to the shop in Lost You Forever 2 where Xiao Yao drops some herbs or something and then Tushan Jing helps her out. There's one another one that reminds me of stage where Xu Fang Fie played the Guqin that made everyone cry in The Double. (I don't know if they are same or similar, even if they are the same it is even better in my books)
My current issue with Liu Mian Tang and how easily she seems to swallow his lies. His explanations are so weird, I wonder why she doesn't question them more. (Had it not been for that, I would have rated it higher)
Cui Xing Zhou is so hilarious, the efforts he has to put in to play house with Mian Tang make it fun to watch. At the same time, you want to call him an ass because poor Mian Tang is hooked. You have got to give it to her, she has been so damn understanding of everything he does.
I do wonder what he is going to do about his betrothed or fiancée! Dammit, it doesn't seem like he is going to cancel the engagement. I'm really not into the whole suffering that the wife and concubine dynamics bring. The only people who benefit in that one is the poor excuse for a husband and manipulative wives. (Not into it, sure hope the guy wizens up)
Ep 11 to Ep 20:
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I paused the drama at episode 10 and then went to find the book. I didn't much care for CXZ in the books in the beginning and only started liking him after they got married. CXZ complex character made it a much interesting read and it wouldn't have been the same otherwise. By the end of the book, you are glad that they end up together because they are good for each other.
Fortunately for all of us, the drama has a bit more of humorous tone and has found the perfect way to balance CXZ's ruthlessness and his love for LMT. I have liked the drama CXZ since the beginning, there's one or two instances where he was ruthless as well, one of them is very clear, the scene in the first few episodes where CXZ schemed to have her carriage broken up and she fell out of it, that was bad no matter how you look at it. Later on, when he continues to hide his real identity when there are so many chances to fess up.
I feel sad for LMT who has lost her memory and is harmless puppy who only cares about her husband's wellbeing. In contrast, CXZ life is bigger & doesn't simply involve her. He has too much to think about & LMT adds to that burden. And while I understand where he is coming from, he doesn't even know LMT is Lu Wen at this point. To him she is someone who has fallen on hard times and had to become Lu Wen's concubine. If not for his growing feelings, he would have let her go. And he did with that divorce letter, but he didn't dare fess up. The only reason he doesn't is that he isn't ready to handle the repercussions.
He is warmer in the drama, his visit to LMT before he left for Jinjia pass was a welcoming change. He even apologized to her sleeping form, he never did that in the books.
I have liked and admired Shi Xue Ji since I first saw her. I wish to meet more women like her and LMT in real life, people who aren't driven by jealousy. They have bigger things to worry about. They make a decision and stick to it.
I like the development between Zhao Quan and He Zhen. Although jealousy and envy gets to her from time to time, He Zhen still comes to her senses and makes wise decisions. Her entire 1 sided thing for CXZ was pitiful to watch. I'm also glad that Zhao Quan doesn't seem to covet LMT anymore. These two are more suited for each other. I'm a bit surprised with Zhao Quan's character transformation here.
Coming to Sun Yun Er, had she only loved Zi Yu and not been so envious of LMT, it would have been fine. She kept going out of her way to ensure that LMT died even when she had forgotten everything. One of the most satisfying things in the books was when LMT catches Sun Yun Er red-handed at the time Sun Yun Er hires a guy to pretend to be Cui Jui. They let her off easy in the drama, she got beaten by LMT's maids, one of the things that she would never forget about.
Ep 21 to Ep 30:
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Things are going to tough between them for a while now. I want to see them face off, knowing each other's identities. So, he finally figured out that she is Lu Wen. He did it quite early in their relationship and he seemed rational about it. Ep 22 was more focused on Zi Yu's part of it and his play for the throne. He is more like Cang Xuan in Lost You Forever. Zi Yu has been on his own journey since the get go, which is one of the reason he decided to push away LMT. He thought that he could win her back, but that's not going to work in his favour. I'm not even worried about the preview episode 24, LMT might need some time to organize her thoughts and CXZ will win her back soon enough.
Having binged the first half of the drama, the one episodes day go painfully slow. All I know is that drama CXZ is gold! I don't know why people expect LMT to just forgive and forget easily. It doesn't happen overnight, they need time apart to sort things out. It will be better for both of them.
Yes, the drama did change quite a few things and some were for the better. I have completed the novel and I liked it. So far, I have liked the drama regardless of the changes they have made. One thing they got right was what CXZ felt for LMT. Although their relationship began as a lie, once he fell for her he was all in. Just as it is shown in the drama. The only difference is that he is a more considerate of her in drama. We might see him being more domineering in the future but he isn't a guy who would treat his partner poorly. Right now (ep 26 to 28), the drama has slowed down a bit and it seems like a waiting game for something drastic. It gives me the same vibes as the beginning of the drama. Looking forward to the last leg of the drama things are gonna be rollercoaster from now onwards.
Ep 31 to Ep 40:
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Ep 31 and 32 went as expected. There's one part in the book that absolutely love (it involves some morons getting slapped), I hope that we get to see in the coming episodes. I liked how CXZ and LMT handle his mother. I love her mind. That ending looked promising for Shi Xue Ji but I would have liked to see more of good moments between the two. One of the scenes that I liked the best was CXZ's prison break where he and LMT fought together that was the most interesting scene in this last arc.
Comparison with the novel (If you haven't read the book, feel free to ignore the following):
They have cast the right people for all the roles, especially Zhang Wan Yi & Wang Chu Ran. I'll be seeking out all of Wang Chu Ran's dramas from now on.
I feel that they left out a lot of scenes and pivotal moments from the book that could have made this drama a lot more interesting and less linear. (By lot, I do mean lot!) I'll just go re-read the book again someday.
I was looking forward to Cui Xing Di's role but he turned out to be just a very underutilized supporting character.
It would have been fun to see Li Guang Cai & Cui Fu get together, but she is sticking with her fickle husband.
Although I liked the CXZ in drama a lot better, there were times when it became too comical for me and I wanted to see more of a composed CXZ.
The title and the poster hooked me in, but I'll be watching for the leads.
Ep 1& 2: The child actors are strong, but I'm hoping we see them age up soon (maybe 10 episodes?). The drama style is a miss for me, and the family dynamics are messy, especially the mom (you've been warned!). Despite that, the leads' cute interactions is the reason I'm sticking to it.Ep 3 & Ep 4: Fast-forwarding through the annoying ahjumma plot. The FL's mom is a manipulative nightmare, but thankfully we're past that. Adult ML is a surprising goofball, not what I pictured, and the FL surprisingly clueless.
Ep 5 & 6: Oh, what the hell is wrong with the adults in this drama, they just keeping bad investments. The ML's mother is now using his grandpa's death as a collateral and all is forgiven now that she has the money? Time healed her wounds then. FL's mother is always going to get on my nerves so that's that. Why on the earth is she trying to ruin her daughter's life. And here's Park Do Ra, falling for her favorite Oppa again, only for him trying to use her. Love the last scene of episode 6.
Ep 7 & 8: Wow, Dae Chung finally realizing what the foot in one's mouth tastes like. With him, I wouldn't be surprised if it happens a third time. The romance between Myung Dong & Do Sik is so one sided, he thinks he is too good for her. The leads family are so cross with each other its going to be so damn troublesome for them to ever get together.
Ep 9 & 10: Do Ra doesn't learn from her mistakes, a trait likely learned from her mother. Why does she have to go and fall in love with a guy who doesn't want her. Ever after being rejected, she is going to be stuck on him and embarrasses herself. I feel sad that she is not giving herself enough credit.
Ep 11: I don't understand why Do Ra hasn't matured at all. We get the giddy feeling you get when you meet your first love, but she keeps badgering him even after so many rejections, refusing to hear his concerns. I like her character being the standoffish actress better than this overactive little girl. Since they got together so soon, I'm a bit worried about how many breakups we we are going to be dealing with. Especially worried about this Gong Jin Dan guy trying to ruin her because she rejected him.
Ep 12: There's only one thing I want to talk about all the parents in the drama. What on the earth is wrong with them! All of them are so chaotic, especially the shameless FL's mom and ML's greedy older relative (I'm not sure who she is to him). His father is also crazy, making one poor investment after other. Both Dora and Dae Chung were adorable together. I am a bit worried that it isn't gonna last, but then I am reminded of Dae Chung in love when he was young and the lengths he went for, so maybe he'll do the same for Do Ra. Let's find out.
Ep 13: I just remembered that he gave up on the girl once he found out that he was adopted and felt that he owed his family everything. So, yeah, it means that his family will always be first to him, if they say drop the girl, he might just do it again. Hoping that it isn't the case in the future. It is easy to feel sorry for Dora, she keeps being dragged by everyone, her mom the worst of them all.
Ep 14: Another heartbreaking episode where the worst mom of the year keeps leeching off Dora. She has gambled away so much and owes so much that poor Dora has to take a drastic step. This will be real turning point in Dora's life. She is going to be treated like crap by many people. I wonder how something this huge will change the dynamics between Dora & Dae Chung. This might be the end of them for a while. I just want to hug Dora and tell her to record a video about her mom's leeching and Gong Jin Dan's harassment. (About the story, I was wondering how the writer would keep things interesting for 50 episodes and this turn of events seems to make for a good story)
Ep 15: The episode started out so sad. Do Ra becomes the ultimate commodity, it's either the photoshoot or the guy who almost assaulted her. At the same time, poor Dae Chung, feeling so helpless at not being able to lift the weight off Do Ra's shoulders. He might have reacted strongly in the beginning but he was so understanding about it later to only have Do Ra break up with him rudely. Up to this point, I believed that she would marry the Gong Jin Dan, but things did not follow the script I had in my mind. She ran away from him and tried to contact Dae Chung. It was a given that he didn't believe her when she decided not to marry that guy for the money or the scandal she got caught up in. I have only now realized Im So Hyang is such a good actress, she did such a good job in portraying the listless, hopeless, & devastated character when Do Ra figured out that there was nothing more she could do, no one there to help her, & no one to believe in her. The only way out of it was to let go. This episode was such a tearjerker! I can't wait for the next one.
Ep 16: Last episode was amazing. But why did they have to mess up this one. I was okay with Amnesia at least since Do Ra would get to live a better life and when the doctor said her face might change, I was a bit hopeful. But that all went down the drain when they decided to pull Clark Kent/Superman disguise. Had it been some other actress, it would have easier to convince us that no one recognized her on set, especially Dae Chung. But it was Im so Hyan with a face that instantly recognizable. They could have at least disfigured her a little for it to make sense. I finally figured out who Do Jun was. Right now, all I can say about the people around her is that they are blind.
Ep 17: Come on now, the more I look at her, the more upset I get. Why couldn't they at least modify her face with makeup to make her look different? I have seen instagram vfx makeup artists do wonders, the drama must certainly have had more budget than them. Instead they just want us audience to believe that yay be happy that Do Ra Is alive, but sorry she's not recognizable because we gave her a makeover from uber-stylish to quirky. Oh, we put on the glasses for an additional touch. But since I liked the drama and our Dae Chung & Do Ra, I have decided to overlook that fact and pretend what the creators want me to. I enjoyed the episode once I started watching it with that attitude. This episode was way better than the previous one. It is surprising that things are unveiling so fast. I hope that once Dae Chung finds out the truth, he tells Ji Young about it and then tell her to go back with her grandma and live a better life away from all the crazies. Her mom will try to bleed her dry again. I would have liked for Dae Chung to go with her as well, but it doesn't seem like that's going to happen because of his career and family. He still has to find out that he has a sister.
Ep 18: I like where it is going. I get that Pil Sung is trying to keep it under the wraps, but Do Ra isn't someone who'll allow that. It is going to be a difficult road for her again.
Ep 19 to Ep 22: That was such a mess. Pil Sung either needs to tell her the truth or leave her be. What's the point of confusing her so much? I guess the guilt is getting to him & he still cares for her, but can't he see how he is playing head games. He doesn't stop even after she tells him to. She imagines this weird scenario because of the mixed signals he keeps giving her. For the part where Mari wants to marry him, that's just so horrific. Their mom needs to come clean soon and step up even if it would cause problem in the family, it can't be worse than the half siblings marrying each other. I wonder who Pil Sung's biological father is.
I liked the part where Ji Young finally got tired of the push and pull game Pil Sung was playing and told him off. It was fun to watch. And I have finally decided to not be shocked or surprised by anything Gong Jin Dan does. Pil Sung's family, especially the grandma thinks too highly of herself, it is not wonder she and Dora's mom didn't get along. They were too similar. I hope that from now on they invest more on Mari and Do Jun's story.
Ep 23 & 24: Mari finally found out that Pil Sung is her brother, thank goodness! Pil Sung is so goofy, tricking Ji Young into dates & becoming his gf. Jin Dan being true to himself & reacting so poorly to a rejection remains consistent. Mari's mom needs to stop the nonsense and just clear the air instead of putting all the burden on that poor child.
Ep 25 & Ep 26: It is ridiculous how these adults get off of treating someone like trash, when they are the ones who are the actual trash in dire need of being taken out. As if Pil Sung's family wasn't enough, here's a biological mother who abandoned him having an opinion about who he dates because she doesn't have a high status or look a certain way.
Ep 27 & 28: And here we go again. Ji Young believing everything her bio mom is feeding her. Do Jun is only biological relative worth having for her. Do Shik is problematic, I understand defending your sister but he keeps causing problems.
Ep 29 to Ep 34: Man this is going nowhere. All the parent figures in this drama have no values and only care about money. They kowtow to people who are rich, looking down on everyone else. Makes me sick. I'm watching this for Pil Sung and Do Ra, but things aren't working out for them either. I am so tired of Do Ra's mother. She is a trash of a person that needs to be hit by the dreaded Kdrama truck! But of course that won't happen to her. She is here to get on our nerves. The only parental figure that was a little bit rational has gone crazy, who would blame him though. He is just taking it out on the wrong party.
Ep 35 to Ep 48: Do Jun is the only rational character in this drama. He understands love better than his self-absorbed mother ever would. I forgot the grandma, although she is a bit looney, she is the lovable looney that sticks her neck out for you. Apart from Pil Sung, she was the first to give everything to Do Ra, expecting only love in return. So now it is her turn to be exploited by the leech that the Do family can't get rid of. Right now, I'm just glad that the madness is finally over and I can let go of the drama in just a week.
Ep 49 & Ep 50: Not surprised with the way it ended. I am just glad it did. Don't much care for Pil Seung's family that adopted him, filled with narrowminded people who should have been a support for their daughter in law in time like that but instead chose to abandon her. Pil Seung was a rock throughout the drama, an actual green flag. I didn't think that Do Shik and Pil Seung's aunt would go their separate ways but I'm okay with how it ended for them. Glad that Do Jun and Ma Ri got together, they are both adorable babies.
Things to Love: The developing chemistry between the leads & Chen Mai Dong's grandma!
Ep 1 to 3: I wasn't a fan of Zhou Yu Tong, because I have only ever seen her in one drama that was Begin Again, where her acting wasn't all that great. But 3 episodes in and I like her character, this one suits her more and her acting is on point. So far, the ML is pretending to not be interested in her or even remember her from the school days. What's more, he tries to give her a wide berth. So, we don't have much in the name of romance. Right now, I feel more chemistry between the FL and his grandma, they have cool sismance going. The FL's siblings are hilarious.Ep 4: The ML keeps insisting that he really doesn't seem to like the FL. The FL doesn't deny that she finds him attractive or liked him in the past.
Ep 5: Nothing ML's character does makes sense so far. If he is pretending to not like her or even not remember her he should have done a 180 when he wasn't in her or grandma's company but that wasn't shown properly. Instead, in this episode, we get to see him abruptly reminisce about old memories with FL, as if he never pretended that those memories didn't leave a lasting impression.
Ep 6 to Ep 8: Okay. These three episodes were so much better than the previous two, added a lot more depth to the characters. I liked the FL a little since the beginning but these episode made me really appreciate her character. It is good to see her be independent and not drop everything on the off chance that she would hit it off with a man.
Ep 9 & 10: The FL has moved backed home temporarily, which is still an obstacle between the two. Since none of them have considered moving places to make it work. So, I'm not sure what the ML has in mind when he has decided to pursue her. They'll need to reach a middle ground where that is concerned. But the slow burn between the two has been nice to watch and they did start with better chemistry than some of the dramas that I have watched. Now, as they spend more time together, it is easier to notice the sparks. (I am a bit partial to Li Xian's character, he and Yang Zi have a place in my heart since I have watched Go Go Squid) It will be nice to see how it unfolds.
ep 11 & 12: Wow the ML has some serious mood swings and the FL isn't that far behind him in that area. But they are so damn adorable. What I love the most is the kisses, the look warm and inviting to watch. I can't wait for the next episode to see how her mom reacts to catching them.
Ep 13 & 14: The mom's reaction wasn't that bad. It was pretty normal keeping up with her character. She seems to be more understanding than normal small town parents who wouldn't have accepted the current status of leads relationship. The leads are so damn adorable together, they'll make you laugh along with them.
Ep 15 & 16: I was really mad at the FL for saying what she did to the ML when he has been nothing but kind to her. Even before, he was a bit aloof but he always treated her well. But like the ML, I came to forgive her for that. It came from trauma and she even apologized for it numerous times, giving him an explanation of why she reacted the way she did. I hope they end up together and find a way to make it work.
Ep 17 & Ep 18: Nothing of import happened. Just another nice episode with the ML visiting the FL's home in ep 17. Ep 18 was mostly focused on grandma Lin so it was a bit sad to watch.
Ep 19: I couldn't help but laughs at the ending, with the way our favorite Grandma was staring at Chen Mai Dong. The rest of the episode was okay, but as of now, all of it seems like a filler and their relationship only takes the center stage for me. I like watching them be together, it makes me happy.
Ep 20: The start was so beautiful and the end was so sad. Even though there's one more episode left, I knew they had to somehow resolve their conflicts and they didn't do it. So, I thought we might have an open ending. But why did they end this episode like that? I'm worried now! On to the next episode.
Ep 21: Oh thank goodness. For a moment there, I thought that we were going to have a sad ending. Even with a sad ending, it still would have been a better drama than "Uncontrollably Fond". Both of Chen Mai Dong & Zhuang Jie made their own mistakes, including not communicating more openly. Often times, even when things were said, it felt like they both didn't understand each other. Thankfully, they were able to resolve their issues and made it.
I liked the first half of the drama better, I was more engaged with the drama. While the second half wasn't bad, I mostly loved it for the happy moments between the two. Ofcourse, if it hadn't been for the grandma, the drama wouldn't have been the same.
Tune in for laughter & second-hand embarrassment! Starts off with a bang but eventually peters out.
Ep 1: The leads look so good & they are funny! It starts with a fake police (our FL) handcuffing our sweet Mobster with toy handcuffs for a crime he didn't commit. The FL is really gutsy and crazy! First meet, she mistakes him for a guy who tried to harm a waiter with a broken bottle. Second meet, she thinks he is stealing money from the kids! As if the handcuffs were not enough, she hits him in the head from the back and runs away! She is waring a mascot getup for her part time job. The ML thinks she sells drugs because he mistook the kid candies she had for drugs. You know a drama is good when you want the first episode to be longer than 1 hour. The SML also seems to be connected to these somehow, we'll find out how. The Thirsty Deer gang is so fun to watch.Ep 2: Damn the FL has a very overactive imagination! I still can't believe she let go of him when he was about to fall. Poor guy can't seem to catch a break when he is around her. And he is already falling for her. Wow, his guy gang just couldn't take a hint that he wanted them to get out. Okay this episode was a little less crazy than the previous one, but it was nice. I honestly like the leads a lot, all three of them. I wonder what's up with the SML. Is he really the Hyeon U, she has been searching for. Their history sounds interesting. I wonder what happened between the two & if he remembers her.
Ep 3: I was watching binge-watching the cdrama "Story of Kunning Palace", so catching up on this episode was a sudden change of genres & language for me. I thought the intensity of Kunning palace might make me loose interest in this drama (I didn't want that to happen), but thankfully the ML did something that was in character for him to do, the map of India no Indonesia. He clearly was so bothered that Yeong asked her to call him if she wanted to go on a drive sometimes. Yeong knows the effect he has on women and he uses it well. Oh man, he is so adorable with the coat thing! Okay this episode was lovely & next one looks even better.
Ep 4: Okay both ML & SML made me laugh at the strangest things they did. The slide scene reminded me of Lovely Runner's slide scene where Sun Jae was trying to hide from Im Sol. I don't like FL's coworker who tried to humiliate her. Even though she is doing good career wise, she wants to bully FL because she holds something against her (No reason has been provided so far) Here's to hoping that the Thirsty Deer Crew doesn't hire her but chose to work with FL because she truly seems to care about the children.
Ep 5: These two cuties are making it so fun to watch. I'm sure no one watching the drama is Kang Ye Na's fan. From the way things are going, it is clear that Ji Hwan is Eun Ha's childhood sweetheart. But the change of name and another Hyeon U taking fancy to her needs to be explained so have to wait for the revelation. The names of the gangs are so funny, we have Bull Dog & then Meow/Kitty. That kiss was so unexpected, I wish all of it was shown from the front and not back but we'll make do. Ji Hwan's reaction was worth watching!
Ep 6: Oh, I wonder if the thing between Ju Il Yeong & Koo Mi Ho is going anywhere. He did seem like someone who has a way with women so it is hard to figure out if he is looking for than a fling. Koo Mi Ho was attracted by his looks so not yet sure she feels anything tangible as well. But they looked good together. That one flashback we got was so damn steamy & far too short. Ji Hwan is one of a kind, with the way he started flaunting his shoulders. The preview for next week's episodes look sad, I wonder where it is going.
Ep 7 & Ep 8: Ah so there's the explanation about how he is her childhood sweetheart. So the prosecutor with the same name is such a big coincidence. The gang is all so silly. Ju Il Yeong pulled the it was a mistake card! (facepalm) Poor Mi Ho was so embarrassed. I wonder how she ended up in the same hospital room as he did in the first few episodes. Ji Hwan trying to protect Miss Minnie but it is in vain. What have we learned from watching countless similar plots? They end up admitting their feelings anyways! Next week's previews look exciting, however, they seem to need liquid courage to kiss each other.
Ep 9 & Ep 10: Ji Hwan is being so frustrating. I love Ko Mi Ho, the way she confronted what made her uncomfortable was gold. I wish they had focused more on this second relationship. Oh my, episode 10 gave me lot of second hand embarrassment. Wow there, even though I like corny scenes some of these were too over the top. At least, they did not fail to give me shivers or make me laugh. I knew it was Mi Ho's test! Whose else could it have been? Ji Hwan can barely kiss Eun Ha without fainting (Lol). We finally see some sort of reciprocation of feelings from Ju Il Yeong, even though right now they are borne out of jealousy. The pregnancy might complicate things or help them out.
Ep 11 to Ep 16: Right now, I'm more interested in Mi Ho's and II Yeong's story than the main leads, because it is getting a bit too corny even for me. I think they missed the right balance here. The last two episodes were kinda sweet for the main leads, they were finally back to adorable. I think halfway through the drama lost its appeal for me. This should have been a shorter 10 or 12 episodes drama. I did adore the dynamics between Hyugnim and his bros. Enjoyed Mi Ho's love story till the end. Had they toned down the crazy a little bit the leads story would have been better. I hope to see more of Uhm Tae Goo from now on.
Here for Nam Ji Hyun & man she is back as an attorney.
I wasn't very keen on watching a legal drama since it takes a detour from the genres of dramas I have been watching lately, but since Nam Ji Hyun is here and she has very few dramas, I had to watch this one. I am so glad that I did.This is the first time I have seen Jang Na Ra in anything but she is good. I like the current dynamics between the two, they are certainly going to be fun to watch.
Ep 1: The first case, the husband and wife needed to get an divorce, what a jerk. Not only did he continued to have affairs but he refused to let the wife go. He drove that woman crazy, not that she wasn't a little crazy to begin with.
Ep 2: Whoa the cases are something, the second one was even more of rollercoaster than the first one and the way it was handled was ingenious. Although I do feel sad for the kids who lost their father. In the beginning it seemed like the adulterer were winning but thankfully one of them is going to loose. I just hated the cheater and his smug smile. He did not care about his wife or even feel any remorse.
Ep 3: The parallels between the case and Cha Eun Kyung life were so on point. I wonder how cheaters have the audacity to always pin the blame on their partner. They weren't attentive enough, so instead of cheating you could have had conversations or therapy. If that did not seem like a solution a divorce prior to getting together with someone else!
Ep 4: It is only episode 4 and I am so done with the lack of accountability on the part of the cheaters and their affair partners. It is absurd that when called out they are the ones who feel they have been wronged. They don't offer any apologies instead claim that their spouse was at fault. Eck...... (I have been using this word a little too much, but there are people like that)
Ep 5. When are the cheaters going to get their comeuppance? I would have understood them growing apart and even wanting to divorce, nothing wrong with that. But trying to frame a partner who has been loyal to you is kinda low. Doing that just to make themselves feel better for cheating. The person he cheated with is kinda trash. She has an inferiority complex and wants to take it out on the Cha Eun Kyung. The poor kid is gonna suffer because the dad was the only parent that looked after her all the while. Had he not cheated or even been a little remorseful, it would have made sense to give him the custody based on that alone. Since his wife was busy with work, he thought cheating was the solution. Having another family behind her back was the solution. Yes that will solve all the issues in your marriage and make you all one happy family.
Ep 6: Okay that ending was a boss move in terms of dealing with someone so shameless. Give her want she wanted and then take it away. Ingenious. Now, coming to the dad part of it, Kim Ji Sang is a good father and if it is one or the other I hope he gets the custody with Cha Eun Kyung getting visiting rights, because that seems like how they have been living. The only worry I have is the influence Choi Sa Ra will have on the poor baby because she isn't that keen on taking in the child.
Ep 7: Okay, it looks like Cha Eun Kyung is gonna come around and probably settle with Kim Ji Sang. Shared custody hopefully with condition that she doesn't neglect her daughter so much. Coming to what's happening between Choi Sa Ra and Kim Ji Sang, I was surprised. I thought that Ji Sang was gonna actually marry but what can you say just desserts.
Ep 8 & 9: I am never one to blame an affair partner when the partner is the one who cheated and had made a commitment. However, it is hard to find any redeeming qualities where Choi Sa Ra is concerned. Ji Sang is not going to win any nice guy competitions as well, he was all ready to abandon Choi Sa Ra and their baby. It takes two to tango my friend, you gotta reap what you sow. Here's to hoping that he'll think things over and be as decent a parent to the baby as he was to his daughter. My heart breaks for the little Kim Jae Hee who had to make such a tough decision.
Ep 10 & Ep 11: I am glad that they worked it out for Kim Jae Hee's sake. The apology for cheating was long time coming, a child had to explain it to him that what he did was wrong. Even though Sa Ra didn't seem like a good person, what happened with her was sad. I keep feeling that we haven't seen the last of her.
Ep 12 & Ep 13: The new case is terrifying. That guy has so many anger issues and he takes it out on people who are physically weaker than him. Not only does no one reprimand him but instead they sweep it all under a rug, enabling his need to abuse people. That poor woman predicted her own murder she was so sure because she knew no one was going to help her. What as sad fate. I wish this wasn't a short series but a longer drama. maybe they'll give us a second season. Each episode is so interesting to watch.
Ep 14 to Ep 16: By ep 15, it felt like the events had already reached the end. Ep 15 had an interesting case just showing us why there's a need of third party to resolve things because when tempers run high people stop caring about each other but are more concerned about their own feelings. I am glad that the couple parted on good terms since they both wanted different things in life. I did feel like we got less moments between Han Yu Ri & Jeon Eun Ho. They were cute together. At least, they'll work it out with each other. The last few episodes were a bit tame compared to the rest of the drama, but I'm glad that I watched it.
I do feel like it would have been more interesting with more episodes and cases.
The concept & Choi Jin Hyuk brought me here but both lead actresses stole the show.
Ep 1: I have wanted to see Choi Jin Hyuk as a lead in a rom-com for a while so I eagerly put this on my watchlist when I first came across this. I also loved the concept of the drama. Both the lead actresses are terrific, especially Lee Jung Eun. Wow, she made the drama so much fun to watch. Her dance moves were just amazing and comedic at the same time. She definitely has more energy than I have ever had in my life. The scene where Mi Jin falls in the well is so visually good. The cat now, half of the time I thought that it was going to take a big chunk out of her & turn this entire thing into a horror show. Wow, finally there are shows that I can look forward to this month. For a while, there was only Lovely Runner.Ep 2: Im Sun is clearly the star of this drama and it shows! The serial missing/killer cases make the drama more interesting, going from laugh out loud to being worried if your favorite character is gonna die. Gye Ji Ung brings the mystery the drama needs whereas Lee Mi Jin makes it palatable to watch. Her aunt will probably be on the missing person list if they ever recorded it and Ji Ung might help solve the mystery of what happened to her. Mi Jin's mom is so damn crazy, she wants her grandchildren now. The ending with cliffhanger was done just right! I wonder if the killers is Ko Won or one of the old guys from the Im Sun's workplace.
Ep 3 & 4: It was a nice episode. I have changed my mind about Ko Won, he isn't the killer. Mi Jin's friend is such a cutie, poor Mi Jin gets slapped and can't even blame her for it. Imagine someone showing up at your door like that and you live alone, it could be a lunatic. The next episode's preview shows that Ko Won might discover Mi Jin's secret. At this rate, it seems like our prosecutor will be the last to find out. The way they were trying to get her to quit backfired on them and it was fun to watch. Poor Mi Jin though, she finally has the job she has wanted but how long will she be able to keep it. I just love when Im Sun dances.
Ep 5 & Ep 6: They had me for a while, I thought whoa, they are doing the reveal so soon? It would have been nice. But no, gotta wait for at least the second arc of the show for the ML to find out that the FL & the ahjumma he is trying to get rid of are the same person. I like that Ko Won has someone to talk to, someone who's a bit carefree now. It was sad to see Im Sun brought down to tears because of Ji Ung. He can be a real ass. The headbutt serves him right! First a headbutt and now a kick in the face. Gotta love Im Sun. The next week's preview look exciting! Can't wait!
Ep 7 & Ep 8: Ko Won is fast and smart. He trusted his gut and found out Mi Jin's secret. I am bit confused about the real Im Sun's past. Was she Mi Jin's aunt? If so, how did her mom fail to recognize her on the first morning when they chased her out of the house. They need to give us more romance and screentime between Mi Jin and Ji Ung. That was barely a kiss before the episode ended. Pretty sure Ji Ung was surprised as hell. I have come to appreciate Mi Jin's personality, which shines through when she is Im sun as well.
Ep 9 & Ep 10: Turns out it wasn't really a kiss, boo hoo! They had me! It was nice to see more of Mi Jin and Ji Ung. It was even more fun to watch Byeong Deok going crazy over the idea of a guy dating a older woman. Ep 10 was a bit boring but not that bad. Things were more focused on the case, which is not really that interesting.
Ep 11 to Ep 14 : Mi Jin's friend is such a weirdo but still fun to watch. Both the leads frequently ending up at each other houses because they were passing through is so funny! The parents are so weird, someone stole their food and they are not even scared. I mean, I would be afraid of sleeping in the same house not sure when someone would come in! Okay, although I suspected initially that the killer would be someone from the old interns, I never thought it would be that lady. Ep 14 was much more interesting than the 11 to 13.
Ep 15 & Ep 16: I was afraid that the slump created by Ep 11 to 13 would drag down the whole drama, but Ep 15 saved the day for me at least. To be honest, the killer was caught too easily, the suspense part of the drama didn't easily mix well with the romance and fun part. But it is not a turn off for me. Now coming to the good part, I thought that they had left the reveal for too long between Mi Jin and Ji Ung, but the way it came to light was just about perfect for me. I am so glad that he was the mature person about the whole thing. I understand why Mi Jin wanted to breakup as well, but should have thought that one through before getting together with him. I liked that she confessed about her situation to her parents and didn't have worry about it all alone. Even though her friend was always there supporting her, it would have felt like a huge burden had lifted. I felt like Ko Won's character was underutilized and barely present in the last few episodes. Well it ended on a good note, all I can say is that Ji Ung is solid person and Mi Jin definitely found someone she could depend on.
The relationship between the leads is kinda adorable.
I went into this expecting a typical Ireine Song drama. She is one actress that gets typecast for such roles and I don't mind watching them once in a while. But, I do wish that her agency or she would choose to portray some somber characters that are not to be messed with. I loved her in the different princess. She was perfect for the character, she always looks like a mischievous imp having fun in all her dramas and we get to see her enjoy it. But I want her to break that mold.Ep 1 to Ep 10: This drama has been fun so far, the leads are adorable. The other characters not so much. The story is pretty tame and I wouldn't have watched this drama had it not been for Ireine.
Ep 11 & Ep 18: Okay, I kinda expected this plot to go awry because of her being prophesized to be his family's destructions. But whoa, that was angsty as hell. Once we are past the angst, we get some boring episodes.
Ep 19 to Ep 24: Things aren't picking up. I want to see how it ends so I am holding on, but I have to skip most parts of it. Qiao is again in jail and Duan Yu is of no help again.
Ep 25 to Ep 32: So Lu Zi Zheng is the enemy, not really surprised by that, but I'm shocked about the carnage at the Xiling sect. He thinks everything will reset once the FL goes back. I don't think things are going to go his way. As of now, I'm just watching it for the sake of watching. The story or the atmosphere created isn't immersive enough. I just focus on what's going on with the the leads and a few other characters.
Ep 33 to Ep 36: Whoa, now that was fun. They should have had this do over thing before and let us enjoy this second lifetime a bit more. maybe the drama would have been more interesting. But with only 2 episodes left, they'll have to wrap up things in a hurry. It was one of those dramas that won't leave a lasting impact. Something of a filler you watch while waiting on other dramas. I did the characters in ancient settings compared to the modern times.
Will the Korean Addam's Family be scammed or embrace the scammer?
Ep 1: Love it. When I first read the description, my mind immediately thought, so we are getting some version of Korean Addam's family. It just has that kind of vibe. Initially, the FL didn't leave much of an impression but as the minutes passed by and we reach the end we see the real her and that makes this drama interesting. Even more so than the weird powers all the family members have. The entire Bok Family seriously vulnerable right now and may just fall for the scamster. It was funny seeing ML's mother try to paint all the red flag FL waved into green ones. I'm excited to see how this one goes.Ep 2: Okay so much happened. First things first, the scene with the treadmill seems as if it is inspired by real life incident or some other drama, because for some reason I feel like I have seen the exact thing happen before. I can't remember where it was from though. Bok Dong Hee is so relatable right now, overeating is an affliction that's hard to break, especially when the food can make you feel so good. The ML also gives us a clear insights into depression, when he said that he is too depressed to be grateful to anyone. It can make one so selfish to ignore their child who is also suffering. Their family dynamics are such that they enable each other to avoid confrontations and that's the norm right now. Despite his addiction, the Gwi Joo's interactions with Da Hee are pretty interesting. I am still curious about the FL's family and how they come to be who they are.
Ep 3: Da Hee's family kinda got the wrong target this time around. They are trying to take advantage of the Bok Family's disorders but she'll only end up curing them. So, no pay day for them. The writers are going to keep me guessing if what comes out of Da Hee's mouth is the truth or Gwi Joo really did all those things when he went back into time. Love Ina though, in the previous episode she told Da Hee to run away from the crazy family. A call back to that was fun to watch. The ending was so damn good.
Ep 4: Each episode is another version of what will Gwi Joo's future self do only for his current self to be completely oblivious to it and I love it. It is fun to watch. Finally got to learn some interesting tidbits about Da Hee's family. And the episode ended with a good kiss. Apart from that, this episode was pretty tame compared to the previous one. Hopefully, it will pick up the pace again in next week's eps.
Ep 4: This was one of the most beautiful episode ever. The grandma is finally doubting Da Hee. I don't like that it is because her mom was ex-convict. She chooses to hold something that Da Hee's adoptive mother has done against her but falls for her poor me innocent act based on one dream. She clearly can't distinguish the good from the bad. I like Dong Hee, she doesn't let the FL's act fool her. She is also wary of FL's foster sister. I wonder if the person who saved FL was her uncle and not the ML. I'm so glad that Ina has some backbone. I wonder how it is going to play out. What an interesting episode. Can't wait to see what happens tomorrow.
Ep 6: Well they finally found out that Do Da Hee is a fraud, at least she admitted it herself rather than having someone else do it. I don't think they know what a grand wedding means, this was such a basic wedding. Ina's story is also getting interesting, I wonder though if the girl is going to bully her now. Gwi Joo really did fall for her, here I was thinking he was just going along with the flow. Next week's episode will be a bit sad, but I don't think Ina will cut ties with Da Hee, she might seek her out.
Ep 7: I gotta say this drama keeps getting better. So Gwi Joo & Da Hee at least have decided to embrace the scammer. I think the Gwi Joo's father will be okay with it to, his mother and sister might not be ready for it. This was a beautiful episode, can't wait to see the next one! Poor Da Hee gets slapped not once but twice.
Ep 8: We finally got to know more about Hyung Tae, the family muscle. He is such a softie. It was fun watching him blow the bubbles and loose at the game with Ina. The rest of the episode pretty much confirmed that it was Gwi Joo who saved Da Hee. I'm not sure what Da Hee's mom is going to deal with all of this. The tidbit about Gwi Joo's father also made him a little more interesting.
Ep 9: Why do they have to scare me like that. I though things were going pretty well for them, but all throughout the episode there was a foreshadowing of doom, as if someone was gonna die. According to Gwi Joo's mother it will be Gwi Joo, but looking at the preview of next week it seems like it is going to be Da Hee who might sacrifice herself. When the drama began, it never crossed my mind that it would have sad ending. I hope the next episode clears some things up for me.
Ep 10: Okay, false alarm. No one died yet, but I feel a sense of forebonding as if someone will in the future because why go into it having expectations up. I just hope that it is a happy ending for Ina, she deserves it after all the grief she has had to go through all her life. I hope even if Da Hee dies that Gwi Joo can step up and take better care of his daughter & if Gwi Joo dies so does Da Hee.
Ep 11: It was fun watching Grace, Da Hee, & Dong Hee kick the cheater's ass. Dong Hee was so blinded by love that she kept giving him countless chances and went out of her way to woo him & he again cheated on her. Even when he had Dong Hee by his side. I'm glad that Da Hee finally had a good talk with her mom. Now everyone has braced themselves for the future where Gwi Joo might die. I wonder what role Grace, Hyung Tae, & her mother, Baek Hong are gonna play in the future. Will they even be a part of Da Hee's family?
Ep 12: Oh, I never thought putting Dong Hee & Hyung Tae together might work but wow they look so adorable together! Ina and Joon Woo also were cute throughout the drama, often their first love was exactly what the drama needed. I am a bit disappointed with the way the story of him saving people from the fire turned out but to think about the plot wasn't all that novel. It is as expected, it started with him loosing his powers when he failed to save a person during a fire & ended with him saving his lover twice & his daughter once. The 5 year time skip is a bit much for my tastes, I detest time skips in the final episodes especially when there is a separation. At least we have cutie to lessen the blow. How do you tell your 5 year old to go back in time to get his father back? Imagine where the boy would end up, he could get hurt! Did that thought not cross Da hee's mind? Anyways, the ending was kinda meh. It would have been better seeing them together as a happy family once he returned.
A Do Over + Zhang Ling He + Zhao Jin Mai = A recipe for perfect drama!
Ep 1 to Ep 6: I have bad feeling. That it isn't really a a reincarnation trope but dream one, like the one in Scent Of Time, where by the end we figure out that there are no second chances or redos in life. You live it once, so you should live it well to not leave behind any regrets. From the first episodes, it was easy to see that there were a lot of misunderstandings between the leads. I do not like Li Rong in the 2nd episode at all. She humiliated him so much, it was disturbing to watch. That is not a lead character you root for, reminds me of Li Su Su hitting Tantai Jin when she returned back in time. Throughout the episode I kept wondering when they would figure out about their second chances, it is good that it happened earlier on. 3rd episode clarifies a few things about their previous relationship. There was such a lack of trust between them, when it was necessary to speak out for their relationship, Pei Wen Xuan remained silent . At the same time, Li Rong spoke over him, trying to save some dignity, claiming that she liked someone else. What Fools! In 4th episode, we find out that We Xuan knew that Li Rong thought he had betrayed her & didn't clarify because things weren't simple. As we get glimpses of their marriage, it does seem like he let her down a lot. He also admits it himself, maybe that's the reason he seems to like her & wants to protect her despite of the way she treated him when they started again. Zhang Ling He does so well in historical costume dramas. The glimpse of the lovey dovey memories makes me wonder when did it start going wrong. You can see that Pei Wen Xuan refuses to deny his involvement with Zhen Zhen, I wonder why though? I can only hope that he did not cheat on her. It is hard to come back from that.Ep 7 to Ep 13: Oh what a mess! The only reason things didn't work out between the two is because they refused to trust each other and depend on each other. It didn't even take much to break them apart, just a little misunderstanding. Li Rong was insecure and did not trust him, Pei Wen Xuan cared more about his ego than their relationship. If only they had talked to each other and sorted things out, but no, who wants to be mature! That conversation in the rain was a long time coming and I'm so glad Pei Wen Xuan took that lead. I kept wondering why on the earth would he listen to her nonsense. All he had to do was deny it once. But in Li Rong's defense, it did seem like Wen Xuan had unresolved feelings for Zhen Zhen. He even said that she should have waited for him to sort through it. How long after being loved by him was she supposed to deal with his feelings for other woman? Even if those feelings turn out nothing but a habit that was mistake as feelings. Their relationship status was sure as hell complicated. I just hope that if this is not a dream, both of them make it by the end. I like watching jelaous Wen Xuan, at least he is not holding it in like the previous lifetime where he just let Su Rong Qing have her.
Ep 14 to Ep 24: What Li Rong did for Pei Wen Xuan was beautiful & a long time coming. Right now, I do feel like the script has issues, but the characters & the leads make up for it. It is especially good when Pei Wen Xuan decides to act all cute. Them claiming that they are besties is good way for them to start their relationship this time around. I wasn't worried that he had died but what worried me for a bit was that Rong might accept Su Rong Qing's proposal. That was too close for the peace of my mind. Su Rong Qing is either going to be a great help to Li Rong & Pei Wen Xuan or the biggest hurdle they have to cross in their way to stay alive for which they require power. Pei Wen Xuan sure is adorable when he pouts, the man is crafty. He has to be when dealing with someone as frustrating as Li Rong. Wow, I was right there with Pei Wen Xuan when she was struggling to express her feelings, but I felt for her too. So, I just want the two dummies to get together. So, Su Rong Qing gets a do over as well, that's good though, I felt like we should have seen what he got out of poisoning Li Rong if he really did it. But that part wasn't show and we were back in the past. Now we can get to know how he felt as he was poisoning her daily. What on the earth is Su Rong Qing doing? I don't get his actions. He is perhaps anticipating Li Rong's and Pei Wen Xuan's moves incriminating them but he has himself admitted his feelings and care for Li Rong. Here's to hoping he is actually trying to help Li Rong while doing away with Pei Wen Xuan since both of them don't like each other. It would be better if they join hands.
Ep 25 to Ep 34: I want to nitpick the plot and say that a lot of irrational scenes were put in to just cater to a certain audience. However, looking at the history of human behavior, we are not all that rational. We try to be but let go of reason when in bind. We react without thinking and so a lot of things Pei Wen Xuan does aren't all that insane. Li Rong, on the other hand seems so collected and exactly what is needed in situations like these. She doesn't panic easily. Reminds of the FL from Wonderland Of Love, where she kept busting heads with ML who wanted to run away. Why can't Su Rong Qing just join hands with our duo so that his family and all of them get out of it safely. Whoa there Li Rong opened the pandora's box asking Su Rong Qing who poisoned her. The answer was like she said disgusting. I'm so afraid for both Li Rong and Wen Xuan right now.
Ep 35 to Ep 40: I have gotta say the emperor is pretty heartless with no care for his children at all. All he sees is plots against him and his quest to hold on to the power. Li Rong claims that Li Chuan betrayed her, but did she not force his hands at times and treat him exactly like a pawn, interfering where she had no business interfering. It was sickening to watch when she tried to convince Li Chuan to get Shangguan Ya pregnant, even though he didn't have a care for her. He shouldn't have married her either if he was just gonna cast her aside. But Shangguan Ya was willing to do those things. To be honest, none of the key players were saints, they were all plotting against each other trying to save their own asses. The only characters I feel bad for are Su Rong Hua, Qin Zhen Zhen / Xun Chuan, and sometimes Pei Wen Xuan. Even though he didn't betray Li Rong, he was more focused on the power as well. It did end as expected, thankfully it wasn't just a dream but they did get their second chance.
We go to see so many actors shine in their role, from Su Rong Qing to Consort Rou, they did a good job.
A reel featuring Yang Zi & Xu Kai got me here. It is nice but a bit boring.
I usually tend to avoid Xu Kai's dramas not because I think he isn't a good actor but because Ancient Love Poetry did me in. I hated his character in it. But I also loved him in "Falling Into Your Smile" in which his character was so damn sweet, so although I'm a bit wary about his dramas, I still didn't hesitate to watch this one, especially because he has been paired with Yang Zi, the cutest adorable sprite. Now, that I saw them together, the chemistry is good. They are both stunning and can light up the screen for me.This is going to be a slow burn and I'm going to enjoy it. Like one another review said that they liked FL's bf initially, I had the same thought that he was adorable. Only to have had my eyes opened to the lies. The FL is a pretty independent woman who wants to earn things herself, knowing this the guy still couldn't muster up the courage to fess up. Even if he had to be forgiven because FL is a nice person, he couldn't even say no the blind date when he already had a gf. Damn it, I understand that is hard to untangle from relationships that you have invested years in but the guy doesn't learn. He'll continue to lie about things and they are bound to break up. The bf had very little presence in ep 7 & 8, it was focused mostly on the parents and grandma.
The ML is clearly trying to some business espionage, his goals are still unclear but doesn't seem that far gone to harm people. I don't think he'll be able to harm the lovely grandma or her step granddaughter. So, the whole truth is out in the open and the ML did frame FL, leading to her demotion. This was when she asked for a transfer to a place far from him and he agreed, only to show up in that place again.
The FL's mother is so damn irritating. Why on the earth does she not care about her daughter's happiness, she decided to forgive the guy because she found out that he has money. She is not getting any better even in the newer episodes. I'll be skipping most of the scenes with her in it and continue watching it for the leads.
The FL breaks up with her boyfriend in episode 11 and it is a sad. It was a hard decision for her to make, but they just weren't right and she so clearly brought up all the points that didn't work in their favor. The bf didn't really have anything to say and didn't try hard to get her to change her mind. Thankfully, her mama was a bit understanding about it and not her usual self. Her brother and father are both such green flags. Now, we finally get some scenes with FL and ML focused on each other and they have started with bickering.
Despite the breakup and the dynamics between the family, the drama is pretty light hearted and lacks depth. Not that I mind, I like it well enough. It was just different from most of Yang Zi's dramas that are very emotionally charged. Yang Zi's character has more depth compared to Xu Kai's character, I hope that changes in the future to keep things interesting.
Ep 15 & 16: Wow, the mom wins the mug for the most self centered mom in the world. She pushes her daughter so hard to marry a guy just because his family has money. She is not even willing to think about how he would make her daughter miserable by continuing the same cycle they were stuck in. As a daughter of an Asian mother, Mai Chen Huan's words to her mother were so resonating. You put on put foot out of the line and you get labeled a disobedient daughter who deserves to be cut off. The entire family enables that woman, even her son saying you are not to blame. Come on people, if she hadn't tried to take the bait set by the Jia Liang's family, all this mess wouldn't have happened. She can't just let her daughter be.
Ep 19 & Ep 20: Wasn't expecting that! Will miss the adorable grandma for sure. I initially thought that she would leave the hotel to both Chen Huan and Zhi Ming. It is hard to guess what's going on in Zhi Ming's head, he is probably thinking how to get the hotel without affecting Chen Huan in any way. Here's to hoping they work together instead of fighting against each other.
Ep 21 & 22: So far so good. They are working together and Zhi Ming has pretty much shared everything he planned to do with Chen Huan, let's hope there isn't anything he has left out. I wonder though if he might have to leave the country once they start to get along.
Ep 22 to Ep 30: They got together and things are going smoothly with just a little hitches. The mom is the same, I'm surprised the Yao Zhi Ming gets along with her so well. It is a nice to watch, but even with two such powerful actors it might not have much of rewatch value. Xu Kai's "Falling into your smile" is a much better watch.
Ep 31 to 37: Skipped a lot of scenes, and watched the final episode without subtitles. (Just curious as to how it ended). The ending seems fine but it failed to evoke any feelings out of me. It was not a drama that you can be immersed into.
I'm a teensy bit disappointed with the drama, especially because it has such a good cast. I hope we see them all in better projects in the future, where all of their acting skills would be appreciated.
I had this marked on my calendar from the moment I heard about it & not disappointed.
I'm a fan of the contract marriage trope mostly coz majority of them go from hate to love, which is my cup of tea. So, when I first heard about this drama, I immediately added it to my "plan to watch" list.Read a few people's comments that the actress is not that good or the drama is not that good. In my opinion, the 2 episodes I have watched were good. Right now, they are more interesting than "Dr Slump" or "Flex X Cop" for me. The first episode starts out a bit slow but halfway through it and I was hooked. The 2nd episode is real deal. It kept me interested for the entire duration of the episode and now I can't wait to watch what more unfolds.
3rd and 4th Episode: How adorable can the ML be? Both episodes were so fun to watch, from him saying "I'll steal you from my brother, make you fall in love with me, and dump you" to him going "I like you" in period of 2 episodes was so funny. He was also so bothered when he decided to change his approach and set her up on a blind date. She wasn't really that bothered about the blind date, wouldn't have been if the guy hadn't turned out to be pervert.
5th Episode was pretty much the ML saying horrible things about FL. I get the enemies to lovers trope needs some of that in the beginning but the descriptions he uses for FL are not tasteful at all. The FL was pretty hurt when she overheard stuff he said about her but had to pretend that everything was okay. She didn't even receive an apology from him.
6th Episode was ML going out of his way to ignore FL because he finally accepted that he liked the FL. He tries so many different ways to get over her, but remain unsuccessful. While I didn't much like the ML in 5th episode, I couldn't help but laugh some of their shenanigans.
7th Episode was so short. I wanted more of it. Everything was good, I'm on tenterhooks, waiting for the moment when ML finds out why the FL is marrying his brother. I hope he is accepting, but from the promo's it doesn't seem like it. Just finished 8th Episode, wow, now there's only two weeks worth of episode left. I feel like why is this one so short? And yet I can't wait to reach the end. Ai yo, I see the the current dynamics between the two, but the ML still thinks that the FL doesn't know the truth about his brother. He doesn't even know that she is in it for the her personal reasons. Waiting to see how he is going to react once he finds out.
9th ep: As expected, the ML was bound to find out that FL knew about his brother and the fake marriage thing. She should have told him, but the situation is overall shitty. This is the reason, I wasn't excited about them dating each other, at least clear things up first.
10th ep: This was such a good opportunity to have everything out in the open and make things somewhat right for everyone, but no, according to the Kdramaland cliche, the leads need to separate for some amount of time before they can have their happy ending, otherwise the world would fall apart.
11th & 12th: I'm so sad that its over. They break up in 11th, we have a 1 year gap and they get together back in 12th. 12th episode was so damn good. It didn't feel rushed, the ending was a bit weird but acceptable. I do love the scene where he both FL and 2ndFL keep throwing him at each other, you take him, no you take him.
Everyone kept talking about Kim Bum cameo, but I can't get over how gorgeous Lee Soo Hyuk looks as a groom.
Coming to the actors, like many viewers I do think that Moong Sang Min can do better as an actor. He is a treat to watch, but many of scenes seemed a bit awkward and not as emotional as the character deserved. But I just can't see any other actor in the role. Hoping to see more of him in romcoms. Jeon Jong Seo was a perfect fit for her role. I wouldn't mind seeing these two work together again.
The chemistry between Xu Kai & Tan Song Yun was lit!
It started out slow, and I wondered if it is just like Best Choice Ever, Xu Kai's character being rich and coming back from a foreign country to take over the business. Then we have Tan Son Yun's character that's pretty similar to Yang Zi's character, the only difference being their professions and knowing each other when they were young. Here's to hoping that it is better than Best Choice Ever because that one also had an amazing cast but result was so underwhelming. Xu Kai and Yang Zi made such a cute pair but the story lacked depth. I started out liking that one first as well, but lost interest by the end of it.This one looks better. The best thing about Tan Song Yun is that she does her characters so well. It doesn't seem like she is acting. Her roles suit her very well. So far, I love her character & how she refuses to back down. The worst part about workplaces is when people refuse to stand up for each other & instead take pleasure when someone is down. This displayed sexual harassment & the harasser so well. When the harasser themselves try to pull the victim card, when they are called out on their obscene acts! It is sickening. How none of her coworkers see anything wrong in that is beyond me.
I'm so glad she quit that job. I agree with a lot of things Han Ting said but why on the earth is he trying so hard to alienate her? To be her position, starting a company with no support and backing requires a little faith as well. She seems like someone who could succeed once she understands where she is going wrong.
I look at women like Zeng Di in at think about how strong and resilient they had to be to reach the place they are now. But what a waste it is when such strong women resort to shady tactics when the man they like don't like them. For heaven sakes, find someone better who's into you. What a waste of good character. A few days ago, I watched Who Rules The World, Feng Xi Wu was such a brilliant character.
The breakup wasn't surprising since we knew that was gonna happen. It was sad to watch though. But Ji Xing took Shao Yi Chen for granted, hoping that he'll always be there. But Shao Yi Chen could have waited had he wanted her in his life, but like he said they wanted different things in life. Now, I think Ji Xing might be okay if there's any development of feelings between Yi Chen and her friend. With Han Ting at her side it, they can hopefully be around each other and be friends. Because Yi Chen is a nice guy.
I get that it seems like not a lot of time has passed since they broke up and he seems to have easily moved on. To be honest, he has moved on easily and that's one of the reasons why him and Ji Xing wouldn't have worked out long term. I do have mixed feelings about Wei Qiu Zi though, I get it is hard to move on from unrequited love. But she wasn't considerate of her friend's feeling. Had she waited some more and then confessed, I would have respected her. But she confessed not long after he broke up with Ji Xing. He turned her down. And once they got together, Yi Chen seems have completely gotten over Ji Xing. They should have found a proper way to break it to her. But she found out on her birthday. All in all, I think they'll work it out and be friends so all is good.
I have a feeling that Xiao might be married. Oh turns out he just had a child, I was just worried that the child came with a mother that he was still married to. Good save, but I worry that Su Zhi Zhou might change the dynamics. Worry because despite being a bit reserved Xiao seems like an okay person, SZZ is actually better but I want him to be with someone that wants to be with him as well.
They got together without any issues, so it wasn't really surprising that they had their first fight. This way they could figure out each other's line. They both were at fault with why they fought. Han Ting could have clued her in on why things had to be the way they had to be. While she is intelligent, she isn't as strategic as Han Ting and needs more time to come to the same conclusion. She shouldn't have let Zeng Di's word bother her that much. Of course she is going to feel hurt when she put in so much time and effort in the company. At the same time, Han Ting's hurt is also valid, he has been loyal to her but they need to draw boundaries and figure out what goes and what doesn't so this does not happen in future.
I am glad they resolved their differences. I'm glad that Ji Xing and Hang Ting both figured things out even though they needed a little help. I like that Han Ting actually accepted where he went wrong and Ji Xing also realized the complexity of the decision he made. I like Qin Li, he was a decent person who didn't push himself where he wasn't invited, not unlike Zeng Di. The extra episode was nice and at the same time bittersweet, at least they got to grow old together.
Such a visual treat! The characters, the costumes, the actors, and the visual art are terrific!
I went in expecting something like Mysterious Lotus Casebook and it does have the same feel to it. However, this one actually has more depth. There are so many characters, I had to go the cast list and keep checking who was who until I was sure that I could recognize them.The entry of the snake was amazing & he was in the spotlight that he seemed to like. Loved the fight scenes, the sword forest reminded me of the keys flying in Harry Potter. Baili Dong Jun's character seems so silly, kinda like Fang Duo Bing from Lotus Casebook. I am looking forward to episodes where Dong Jun starts training.
I wonder when next we are going to see Sikong Chang Feng. I liked him the best so far and hope that he is cured.
It was fun to watch Dong Jun's interaction with his family. He is such a brat to treat his father that way, but I see that there are no grudges between them. He is loved by all of them. They have fun together. His mother and uncle are also devoted to him. I'm afraid that the Dong Jun's father, grandfather, and master might die right at any given moment with the way things are going. Here's to hoping none of them die, but we know a few of them will die. Well the master's gone. Dong Jun seems like a bratty yet pretty resilient guy. I wish they would release more than 2 episodes daily. I know what's coming but Ye Ding Zhi is such a dependable person and cherishes Dong Jun so much. I don't want to see it all go awry! And at the same time, I want to know more about them.
They meet, they separate. I initially thought that they'll grow together but their paths aways diverge. What I like about Dashing Youth is that the characters are powerful and it is shown, their skills aren't nerfed the way they were in The Blood of Youth, when even the most powerful sword techniques always lost. It was good to see, Li Hong Yi as the founder. Hope we see more of him. Baili Dong Jun is kind of immature to accept Yue Yao's real identity right now. I remember Sword and fairy 4, Yun Tian He was so damn understanding and mature about everything Ling Sha did.
I feel sad for Ding Zi and Wen Ju, but it doesn't seem like the lot of them are that invested in their romances, they are much more focused on the fights and brotherhood. I get the alliance between Shadow sect and future emperor is important, but Wen Jun is just going to be a secondary consort who'll be neglected in the palace in the future. It is not even the polygamy that bothers me, Wen Jun has no choice but to marry him. She has not even the tiniest bit of feelings for her fiancé. The worst part of political marriages is that they exit! I mean do we as so called intellectual species lack even that bit of creativity or will to come up with a solution that doesn't hinge on forcing a woman or man to marry someone that would probably end up mistreating them? Nope, because we prefer it easy. I feel so disappointed in Prince Langya. Like Baili, I'm team Ye Ding Zi for this round. They did him wrong time and again, first his family now what could have been his chance at a decent family life. All for the so called greater good.
I always wondered how Xiao Yu / Prince Chi came into existence, especially with the Wenjun's if not dislike then disinterest in Xiao Ruo Jin. She has already been forced into a marriage so it wasn't difficult to follow that thread and consider that the same happened during their consummation. To this day, a lot of Asian families still force women into marriage disregarding how they will be treated afterwards. They are often married to men who think of them as property to used. So, Ruo Jin drugging her was not surprising. I'm surprised that people think it is out of character for him. Unless the writer of the novel comes out and says that's not what happened and they consummation was willingly done there is no point in defending. Ruo Jin wasn't an upstanding man in The Blood of Youth, he isn't one here either. He is going to be sacrificing his brother in future and with what happening to Wenjun, I am done. He will always be a coward in my books.
Okay, the funniest part of the drama is when they all take their sweet time showing off their moves just expecting the other party to wait and watch them build those moves. I enjoy the visuals but I'm surprised no one kills each other while that happens.
Thanks to Blood of Youth, I already knew how this one was going to end. So, no surprises there. Sometimes even in fiction the bad trumps the good. Have never liked Ruo Jin, have no idea how anyone looks at him with respect. He couldn't even get that bloody kingdom on his own, if not for Ruo Feng literally doing everything for him, while the sicko decides to invest in a fantasy that all his consorts are with him because they had a choice.
Poor Ye Ding Zhi, he was sacrificed for the peace of Beili by the righteous, long before he even decided to become a demon.
I expected an angst-ridden mess, it has some angst but the love between the leads is ever present.
I didn't expect much from it because it seemed like one of those mini dramas with no coherent plot just focused on putting the leads together. Something like the drama "Lost You Found You", which had a decent cast but a flimsy plot. The actors are wasted on such productions. They need better written scripts. Fortunately, The Fragments Of Kylin doesn't have that shortcoming. Actually it is kind of perfect in this range of dramas. It has just the right mixture of everything.I did think that FL was brutal to ML when he gave up everything to be with her but she left him. We get the noble idiocy but for me it is a stupid trope that gets everyone in trouble instead of keeping them out of it. It is hurtful to the other party no matter which one of the leads decides to be that noble idiot. But this was pretty tame, and the FL is pretty likable apart from that silly part. The ML is also a decent person. They are all just a bunch of likable characters.
Mo Lan's prejudice did not make any sense to me. In fact, he should have been the one to understand Shi Si and someone who fought against the prejudice everyone had against demons. I did not understand his character. But at least he wizened up.
Cang Xuan is the one to watch this season.
Cang Xuan's character devolvement into a jealous man is what has me on tenterhooks. His feelings for Xiao Yao are finally going to explode, the previews of the future episodes look heartbreaking for all involved. Zhang Wang Yi is such a terrific actor, no other actor could have done a better job. What I have come to like about him is that once he figured out Xiao Yao's identity he did not ever treat her poorly. He looked out for her and it was reciprocated by Xiao Yao. It is just a twist of fate that his obsession took a romantic turn otherwise the bond they shared is truly amazing. Of course there will be a redemption arc for him, but this will result it Xiao Yao loosing more years with Jing.I'm pretty sure that Xiao Yao & Ye Shiqi end up together, I'm all for it. I get why people get so mad at him, all he needed was just a little spine and he would have been a perfect character. I am not looking forward to the death of two pretty decent characters and it is hard to believe that they will be gone just like that.
Chenrong Xin Yue lost the chance to get into Xuan's good graces. Had she married him before, he would have treated her better. Now, she is here just for the prestige, her love was pretty shallow. But it is not like Xuan loves her or has the capability to do so. So, maybe they are well matched. It would suck if she doesn't pay for things that she does. I like her brother, he seems like a decent person and has been loyal to Xuan all throughout.
They went out of the way to make Tushan Jing appear weak. I'm really disappointed with the creators with regards to how they handled the final showdown between the Tushan brother. Before this, I never considered him weak, but the fight actually made it seem as if he couldn't fight at all. (I wonder if he was in a formation of some kind - I might need to rewatch the episode) But all the talk of fair fight from Tushan Hou suggests that there wasn't a formation. The fight scene should have been more charged. All the other scenes from these two episodes were more powerful compared to this one. His death seemed like an afterthought. We also finally see Fenglong do something against his conscience, taking credit for Jing's contribution. But with is last breath, he did manage to reveal the truth. I didn't want him to pay for his sister's mistakes. Despite her past, Chengrong Xin Yue had no redeeming qualities, only a brother who loved her would go to such lengths to save her life.
After completing the series, I have a new outlook on Xiang Lu. I did not like him in the first season at all, but I am not one to deny all he did for Xiao Yao. While he may not have been a good partner like TJ, he is the reason both Xiao Yao & TJ survived so far. He knew he wasn't right for her, so he did everything he could to make sure the right one ended up with her. He wasn't selfish with his love for Xiao Yao, he also made sure that she would have no regrets by leaving none of him behind. It is to be admired, the ability to love and let go. His death was gruesome and sad, I wish the rebel faction would have made better choices. But he died a hero who was loyal to his people till the end.
I agree with a lot of people, I am a bit disappointed that they treated the Xuan's killing TJ and the poisoning as an illusion, because it was in character for him to do it. I think that scene was sacrificed when the episodes were cut, so they had put in the Xin Yue's attempt on Xiao Yao's life and this scene together. It just felt that those emotionally charged scenes were all for naught. Cang Xuan's entire life was for the throne so it isn't surprising when he chose the throne over Xiao Yao. Had Xiao Yao even had any feelings for him, she would have been let down all her life.
Tushan Jing might have seemed like the safest choice for all and to some it may also feel like she settled, but Xiao Yao's love for him was undeniable. I'm pretty sure that even had she known all Xiang Lu did for her, she would have still chosen Jing. She would have felt indebted to Xiang Lu and conflicted because she did have some feelings but what she felt for TJ was far superior in her heart. Tushan Jing might not be the perfect ML that everyone wants or revers, but Like Xiao Yao I think he was gold. He was kind and ready to give up all and everything for Xiao Yao, how good for her that she fell in love with a guy like that. She needed that the most in her life.
I am bit confused about the ending though, if I got it right, XY died in their journey to compile the books. But there was no mention of TJ. I mean if XY died there's no way TJ would go on living not unless they had children. (I might have to rewatch this one again) Their visit to the Qinshui town also suggested that XY might be dead, here's to hoping that that's not the case and we get an extra episode for an epilogue.