This is a great and very entertaining fictional saeguk. Although there is a romantic storyline that, even if it is not a blazing romance, it is beautiful to see how Yi Hwan (the Crown Prince) falls for Min Jae Yi, and vice versa, while holding back because of all the constrains that keep them from acting up upon their romantic feelings. Nevertheless, they are both intelligent strong minded characters with a great sense of justice and righteousness that prevails throughout the entire drama. It is great to see them together as they navigate through everything that the antagonists throw at them. Although this drama centers on these two main characters, the plot is more about a group of people that truly care, trust, and support each other as they fight to uncover the truth and bring down the evildoers. The cast did a phenomenal job bringing their characters to life and the drama has a great deal of substantial characters beside the leading couple. One to mentions is Han Sung On (Sergeant, Jaeyi's fiancé, Yi Hwan's close friend) amazingly portrayed by Yoon Jong Seok. Enjoy it!

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This is a very good wuxia adaptation based on the third edition of the novel The Heaven Sword and Dragon Slaying Saber by Jin Young. This drama has great special effects and it is packed with great action scenes; it gives the viewer revenge plots, two devious and willful women as the leading ladies, a righteous male lead character (Zhang Wuji) that is too naïve for his own good but, with the help of Zhao Min, he becomes more assertive by the end of the drama. Although the drama is also under the romance genre, don’t expect the romantic plot to come with a thunderbolt. Although there is a developing love triangle and lots of misunderstanding stemming from Zhang Wuji emotional immaturity and naiveté, the romantic chemistry is not there. The last episodes are rushed and the ending, although it is a happy one, is very anticlimactic. Even so, the drama is entertaining if the viewer is not expecting a great romance.

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Dali and the Cocky Prince is a fantastic drama with a great fusion of humor, melodrama, mystery, and a very nice and flawless romantic storyline. The leading couple has great chemistry and their characters developed a love that is steadfast and charming. Everything in this drama has been done methodically with a lot of attention to detail. The dialogue is intelligent, witty, quirky, funny, and, many times, mesmerizing. Cinematography, costumes, and setting together comprise a work of art that appeals to all the senses. Great used of artistically canvassing the end of every episode as if each one of them is a piece of art showcased in a gallery. To say more about this drama in detail would be to spoil it. Watch and enjoy a really great drama!

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This drama has gotten bad reviews on MDL but the drama deserves better. It is not an epical drama but it delivers suitable performances on the thematic of historical, romance, and fantasy. The cast did a good job delivering their given characters as they were written so, if their acting is to be criticized, one must question why the writers and directors made such characterizations. This drama does not intend to bring era factual events; it is solely to satisfy fantasy historical drama followers with a nice romance. The romantic plot is not earth shattering, but it does give the loving and endearing feeling of a good romance that started with a cute but unforgettable encounter for the leading couple when they were children; and the leading couple has good chemistry. The OST is fantastic and there’s great cinematography. Overall, the drama is really entertaining!

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This review is for both “One and Only” and “Forever and Ever” dramas but the rating is different:
One and Only
This drama is really a masterpiece, almost flawless, if it would not be for the poor acting skill and expressions of one of the most significant antagonists, actor Wang Xing Yue as Liu Zi Xing. The production gives the viewer gorgeous costumes, dazzling sets, great cinematography, a leading couple that doesn’t need intimacy to immerses the viewer and evokes beautiful, heartfelt, and sorrowful emotions that leaves anyone breathless even when a romantic relationship between them was forbidden. The action scenes are well choreographed and the chemistry among the soldiers and Zhousheng Chen is strongly fused by their sincere feelings and camaraderie. SPOILER ALERT: Even with the tragic ending, the drama is still worth watching! Enjoy it!
Forever and Ever (SPOILER ALERT!)
If the viewer is looking for a drama that has a nice romance feel but lacks intimacy, then this right drama. I would not consider this drama a sequel since there is little connection to the “prequel” apart for the leading couple, flashbacks that give the viewer a glimpse of their past relationship, a leading male that belongs to an old and establish rich family with a matriarch that simulates a sovereign ruler of great power and rank, a leading female that comes from a “noble” family, and some supporting actors that can be somehow compared to others in the past life. Although the leading couple is connected to the past, find each other and fall in love, this drama doesn’t capture the intensity of their feelings like it was portrayed on the drama “One and Only”. For “Forever and Ever” been a modern romance, Zhousheng Chen’s character is almost emotionally handicap with an unrealistic innocence for a man in his late twenties, even if he has spent most of his life been a bookworm. Although the Zhousheng Chen from the past does not kiss Cui Shi Yi, he was not passive at all! So, overall, this is not a bad drama, it is just a failed attempt to bring an everlasting and passionate love to the present times.

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This is a very good friends-to-lovers drama. The actors did a great job bringing their characters to life and the leading couple has very good chemistry. Having said that, the drama could’ve spent some more time into the leading couple’s falling in love interactions than into how they developed professionally. Their emotional journey is really nice to watch. It is great to see that Xu Fang’s unconditional love and support for Lin Xi Chi is equally reciprocated even though she has been hurt by her family’s situation. Even though the drama has its share of cuteness, it is also an emotionally charged story that deals with the painful effects of parental abandonment and how it can bring feelings of unworthiness on a child all the way to adulthood. The drama works well in presenting the character’s understanding and love for one another, the aspect of forgiveness to become stronger and, at the most, understanding that “I will only deserve the best of you when I become the best of myself”. Even though the drama is not perfect, it is beautiful and entertaining.

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This drama is a fantastic historical production. The entire cast did a wonderful job bringing their characters to life to bring about the story of Prince Yeoning from years before he became Crown Prince, under much controversy between political factions, to the time that he was enthroned as King Yeongjo and his great efforts to reform the taxation system of Joseon, improve peasant’s lives and education. This drama excels in depicting political struggles within the kingdom and the treacherous actions of some individuals; it has great action, some comedy, a slight but really nice romantic story, and stellar performances all over. There were many antagonists throughout the drama but the main one was Yi Tan/Prince Milpoong portrayed by Jung Moon Sung who excels as the tyrannical lunatic prince, a character that one loathes and, no matter his difficulties growing up, is difficult to empathize; but his performance on episode 46 is brilliant. If you like palace politics, intrigue, great camaraderie, and an incredible amount of twists, you will certainly like this drama. Enjoy it!

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This is a nice romcom gender bender drama with a revenge plot where Tian Qi / Shen Zhao Er works as a doctor at Ji Heng’s manor to find her parents’ killer. Although it is supposed to be a romantic comedy, the revenge plot takes center stage and the leading couple’s romantic relationship developed too late in the drama to be marred with the cliché “is his fault” storyline. Although it is an entertaining drama and the leading couple had a lot of scenes together, the acting and chemistry was not the best. The romantic scenes could’ve been better but they were always cut short or angled that one could not see them kissing. The resolution of the major conflict (revenge plot for her parents’ betrayal and assassination) was not satisfying since the murderer killed himself and was not punished directly by Tian Qi/Zhao Er. Overall, the drama is nice to watch while waiting for a great one to come. Enjoy it!

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Age of Legends is a really good action suspense drama that has drug syndicates as the main plot and the main leads involvement, one through chance (William Chan as Liu Zi Guang) and the other through her job as a police officer (Sandra Ma as Hu Rong). This drama has a great cast and everyone did a good job bringing their character to life. The romance is nice and they showed that they truly loved each other dearly, but it is not the main story. The drama’s main plot is heavy laden with depictions of the lives and dealing of those that are directly and indirectly involved in the tug of war between drug dealers and the justice system. The drama is not perfect and it could’ve been done with a few less episodes, but, overall, it provides action, emotional moments, romance, funny moments, and it is entertaining. Enjoy it!

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This is a great fictional period drama mixed with historical facts. This is the story of Hao Lan and her struggles within the different kingdoms that led her to become the mother of China's First Emperor, Qin Shi Huang. The drama was extended from 45 to 62 episodes and in the process, it lost luster. The entire production (acting, cinematography, customs, music...) was done with accuracy and finesse but, adding the younger generation’s to extend the drama, felt short of the first part of the drama. This drama was mostly about the power struggles of three individuals (Li Hao Lan, Ying Yi Ren, and Lu Bu Wei) that join forces to accomplish great endeavors. These characters are complex and multilayered and the actors did a fantastic job in bringing out these complexities and creating memorable personifications of these historical personages. There are so many great performances that it is difficult to just select the three main persons since their characters were intimately dependent with a great array of supporting cast. Although there is a love triangle, romance is not the stronghold on this drama, which lives the romance seekers disappointed since there was a potential for a great one. Even then, it is great to see how Hao Lan accomplishes to bring down the people that Qin King’s grandfather laid out to clean the courts and become a great empire. This is a great production that, if it is not compared with others, it provides great entertainment. Enjoy it!

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This is a fun and fantastic chimerical fantasy drama. This is a modern Korean interpretation based on the book Journey to the West. The acting is amazing! The cast did a great job bringing these complex and enigmatic characters to life, especially Cha Seung Won (as Woo Whee) and Sung Hyuk interpreting both male and female siblings. There is great chemistry and romance among the lead couple, the “frenemy” relationship between the lead males is priceless, and the rest of the cast kept the chemistry going. This drama evokes all sorts of emotions and leaves the viewer with a good feel. Enjoy it!

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Ai Ya! Huang Hou Niang Niang Lai Da Gong (2023) is a fantasy drama with a slight romance between the lead couple. The male lead Sun Yue as Huo Shao Ting | General Huo and the female lead Xu Yi Zhen as Rong Dai / Empress have good playful chemistry and some nice sensual romantic scenes. The miniseries has some editing issues and a mystery about her past to be solved but it needed more time for plot development. It becomes obvious that, at some point, the male lead has some level of past life consciousness that comes clear at the end. This drama doesn’t do justice to the main actors which did what they could but the plot is not well written. The drama intends to be more comedy and the end, although it is a happy ending, is rushed and vapid.

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The Remarried Bride of a Little Girl (2023) is a rebirth story with leading male Zhang Ji Jun as Mu Yun Chen and leading female Meng Na as Shen Zhi Yi. Although it is tag as a romance drama, the leading couple’s romantic moments were constantly interrupted in a comedic way and, even though their love after rebirth was steadfast and Shen Zhi Yi was coquettish and playful with Mu Yun Chen, they lacked romantic chemistry. The revenge portion of the drama was downplayed and there was a very annoying woman that Mu Yun Chen was supposed to marry always joining hands with his equally annoying grandfather. Overall, the drama could’ve been better!

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