Chinese Republican Era

I've never like Chinese Republican era. I don't know for sure but usually setting was too dark and this was the example - during that era where people struggled to live; poverty, war, politic and ideology division, starvation, darkest era for human's history. But I love the 2nd lead actors, Leon Zhang, saw him from different dramas and his funny side, Leon Zhang wasn't afraid for being silly, in here though his character was pretty serious - a cop who helped 1st ML to round up mystery. The land lady acted better than Shane Xiao - she nothing special. Different mysteries brought in different solutions just need to keep up what and when...there where I lost it....couldn't remember which mystery case when I had to pause or absent. I decided, after postpone it, to drop it. It wasn't interesting enough for me to get excited to watch it, curious enough want to finish the drama.

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THREE GOOD MAIN LEADS

This is the best drama of Neo Huo - character that bring the best of him. The 3 main leads are amazing, they're good looking, great acting, beautiful costumes, great setting, excellent cinematography, facial movement is spot on with the emotion/feeling that very moment. The best part is Neo Huo character did some trick that hasn't much done on C-drama "blew his finger and puff.....people fall down". This is the kind of drama that physical excises (fighting scenes) without sweat. Surprisingly I like this drama.

Things that I pay attention to:
Although this is the kind of genre that's not my favorite but I like Neo Huo, Chen Du Ling & Tian Jia Rui characters; very subtle, little humor, nice collaboration. The three of them has chemistry. Neo Huo has mesmerizing eyes, mix of amuse and kill intent and a smile that can charm a snake. Tian Jia Rui has the innocent air while Chen Du Ling has quietness of superiority.

The boy Lester Lin (Bai Jiu) is acting fake and very squeaky, jumpy, scream like a little girl, wearing heavier make up than the other 2 female actress with so much dangling head-pieces. His character doesn't speak volume....just a lot of squeaks and hide behind someone else. I think he's ruining the whole drama.

Darker site of settings, probably it's a paranormal genre. Slow motion scenes and sad music inducing emotion from demon's recollection past memories as to why/how/when they committed killing sprees. Like those demons want to justify their crimes so far it's all about reconcilable love.

Guess Stars are equally beautiful/handsome and good. This drama is calling in all talented people to support (maybe they came from the same production/agent?); Riley Wang, Ryan Cheng, Wang Duo, Peng Xiao Ran. They're the addition characters that help with development of story. Very nicely done.

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NO CHEMISTRY

Probably, I am against the popular opinion here. The MLs didn't have chemistry together, no intertwine background story to get them relate to each other, supposedly has comedy element which none shown. By a chance they met and together, YuQi as her usual acting didn't deliver her best skill.....annoying and uninteresting. She's been in the business for a while, big eyes and smooth skin beautifully, but she's an average actress no matter who she's with.
Beautiful setting and costumes, natural make up.

The Story
Very different and interesting... a promising line of story. The drama is based on the novel of the same name by You Si Jie, which tells the story of Xiao Duo, the leader of the powerful Zhao Ding Division, and Bu Yin Lou, a concubine of the previous emperor, who bravely defy fate and feudal rituals, and support each other through life and death to win their freedom. By the death of Emperor, there're selected childless concubines that has to serve accompany death Emperor to nether world, Bu YinLou was one of them although she's never met the Emperor and tried to get herself out of situation. Murong Gao Gong, a lowly surviving prince loved her and asked Xiao Dua a favor to save her for such terrible fate, he did with demand a favor in return.

Dylan Wang (Xiao Duo)
Xiao Duo's twin brother was killed by Yu Wen Liang Shi when he entered the palace for a livelihood. Although Xiao Duo had risked to try to assassinate, but ended up in failure, and finally had to take a risky move to infiltrate the palace in place of his brother, all the way to promotion, in order to have the opportunity to avenge his family. When he agreed to help Bu YinLou, he had his own agenda for personal vantage against people who killed his brother. Dylan Wang was melancholic when he's alone, powerful at work, confuse about his own feeling, available for YinLou. Up to ep 8 nothing but boring scenes about feeling, actually...... no action worth mentioned.

Chen YuQi/Bu Yin Lou
Bu Yin Lou has lived a miserable life since she was a child, and later entered the palace in place of her sister, but she has never even seen the emperor. Bu Yin Lou was not originally forced to the extreme, her father was a high official in the court, but her mother, in order to make the family get a reward, even by offering bribes, to make Bu Yin Lou go to death smoothly. To sacrifice one person in exchange for the promotion of other officials in the family. As a character, although very observant, she's naive and annoying, love to play card and no other activity to show her worthiness.

Zeng Li/Empress Rong An
If she played super strict mean mother in LLtG, here she played a cougar cruel Empress which none were likable characters. Don't like her acting here though; she chopped dialog (per syllable), with oversize robe/gown she looked shorter - dragged down by her costume and hairdo, as a cougar she's interested sexually in Xiao Duo (older woman initiating physical love is gross) so I don't think she'll win any award for her part here.

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THIS ISN'T LIKE THE BREAKTHROUGH PRINCESS AGENT

Of course this isn't. So far, this isn't amazing drama, it is an okey drama. Nothing spectacular like we anticipate it, the anticipation of being a great drama like Princess Agent. Story about Gods and Devils are overused - nothing original synopsis - we have watched hundreds of similar Xian xia genre C-drama before. As I would hope this's another great saga famously known Princess Agent, unfortunately not even close.

ShenLi or Gen Bi Chang (Zhao Li Ying) run away from arranged-marriage to earth, chose to fight for her freedom rather than accept the match. Sustaining injuries, ShenLi reverts to her original form and falls into the human world as a phoenix where she is picked up by a mortal vendor and sold as a plucked chicken at a local human market to Xing Zhi (Lin Geng Xin). With that little purchase, Xing Zhi inadvertently intertwined his fate with ShenLi. She didn't know Xing Zhi real identity, he's a God who descendant to earth for divinity as a weak mortal. He's born as a man who could predict future, many people came to see him for his vision, Shen Li involved in his life and willing to protect him from those who tried to do harm. Shen Li fallen in love but she knew they won't have future together as one was immortal and the other was just a mortal. As she got a calling back to immortality, she's gone.

Positive note: It looks like a big budged production, CGI works better than usual/generic Xian Xia C-drama. I love the opening credit, love the opening chorus.

Negative note: ** It's weird acting when they're up close staring each other without so much emotional attachment, no tenderness & sincerity in their eyes. ** 35-36 yo Lin Geng Xin were awkward act cute like a little boy "awww...awww...it's hurt". ** Xian Xia drama - God & Devil story's been used many times over, no originality in whole production. **At some point he'd bend his knee to get close to her face.

Ep 12 decided to drop it. It's over advertised..

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FIRST JAPANESE DRAMA I WATCHED

This is my first Japanese drama and like it...I rated overall 8.

It's about the Tawara family, the last shinobi clan, who lived in a traditional 'house of ninjas' in present-day Japan. Six years earlier, the eldest son died during a mission to rescue a kidnapped politician, and the Tawaras abandoned their discipline. They aim to be a normal family, but struggle with some idiosyncratic dysfunctions. Some family member were longing for action because of the boredom, separately they involved in questionable activities while the Dad, the head of family strive to hold family together as ordinary as possible. The head of the Bureau of Ninja Management insisted the Tawara family to take on mission although been rejected multiple times.

When a crisis unfolds, the family is drawn back into the shadows of its past, the son that they thought died was actually survived and recruited by the enemy. The family must take on the greatest crisis as it became personal one and that threaten the nation on political trouble.

Action, little romance, family dynamic, revenge, mystery and comedy. Japanese has special dark humor that I can appreciate.

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WHICH ONE IS THE REAL PRINCE?

The star of this drama is Kang Hoon, he's cute and adorable. 3 guys with hidden identity renting rooms for their national exam in town hosted by Yoon Dan-Oh, one of the guy was the run-away crown prince's son whose gone missing many years before with the help of watchman. The Crown Prince's son Lee Seol was survived from the coup, his parent killed by his brother taking away his seat as the heir of kingdom. Lee Seol was helped by a watchman, a mysterious man who'd protect the king, since young he went hiding and lived surround people under different identity.

3 handsome men; Kang San, Kim Shi Yeol, Jeong Yu Ha were room mates, although they're not getting on well, they're pretty civil to each other. Kang San was good with his martial art and very tart, Shi Yeol is an easy going, gambler, playboy, Yu Ha was a serious scholar and like Dan-Oh but who actually were they? When the chief of Palace guard were looking for the 'golden dust (Lee Seol) his intention was to find the watchman because he believed if he find the runaway prince he certainly would find the watchman who killed his beloved son during the coup. He suspected Dan-Oh would know who it was among the 3 guys and struck a deal with house as collateral.

I guessed it wrong, I thought it wrong, which one was the real prince amongst 3 men. Eventually the King was determined not by the real blood but by conveniences. Good ending..all had their happy ending.

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DIFFERENT JUNG HAE IN - DESERTER PURSUIT (D.P)

I came to watch this drama for Jung Hae-In, he's so adorable and the sweetest in 'Something in the Rain', the best boyfriend any girl can hope for but in this drama though he's transformed himself into a tough smart capable Private Ahn Joon-Ho. who go out on pursuit Deserters from the Korean Army with his partner Corporal Han Ho-yul (Koo Kyo-Hwan). Army deserters, young men under obligatory 2 years military service in South Korea who went through hell of being bully, abuse, harass, humiliate, ignore by their seniors in broken military system. By each case, it discovers how these bad things effect their mental health when they rather decide 'NO' other choice but to run from the Army and face the consequences. Bully is NEVER ok, Military is the place to toughen and train men/women up, to be ready in more harsh and tough condition in case of war. Many higher ranks use this form of reason, abusing their power or seniority that many become powerless and held contempt. Who's to blame? Officers that pretend not hear & seeing anything? The system that ignore the victims, encourage the abuses as form of group discipline.

Despite all that, Private Ahn Joon-Ho (Jung Hae-In), Corporal Han Ho-Yun (Koo Kyo-Hwan) and Sergeant First Class Park Bum-gu (Kim Sung-Kyun) come out as more compassionate and reasonable soldiers than the most. Corporal Han has more comedic side of him, taking his job funner with passionate approach to the problem, Private Ahn is the 'brainier' in finding deserters using logic and analysis although he did not go to collage and has a rough abusive upbringing, Sargent Park is their superior who gives orders - he sees reason behind every deserters. The story is great, the actors do amazing job, the supporting actors do nothing less than the main actors. When they chase - they really run, Hae-In really do boxing - his stance is perfect. Pack of emotion, comedy, action, smart dialog, great music (OST), no romance which is awesome. Although some of the scenes are gruesome...nothing I can find wrong to every episode, although it's only 6 episodes! End episode with shock, ehemm...what? This is the end???

I can see a mole in the corner of Jung Hae-In's lip (want to bite that), he's boxing and no smiling, tough exterior somehow doesn't erase his sweetness and charms of Seo Joon Hee (Something in the rain). I am looking forward for season 2 and hopefully it will be more than 6 episodes....oh can't wait!! I'd like to see more of Jung Hae-In in more manly impressive character instead of his brand as a romantic cute sweet lovable guy in romance drama. I like him here...a complex deep heartfelt man who has inner struggle, who wears baseball cap and a hoody than polished apparels, who doesn't smile to charm the ladies but seriousness like he's been through rough and witnessing sadness and disappointment in life.

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STAND BY YOUR MAN

One of the OST is 'Stand by your man' but this girl doesn't stand by her man. Seo Joon-Hui (Jung Hae-in) is the best candidate for sainthood for putting up with alot of s**ts of Yoon Jin-ah (Son Yi-Jin), 4 years his senior that he loves her terribly and deeply, that would protect and care to depth of his heart. The best perfect boyfriend that any girls in this world will go gaga over, his smile would brighten anyone. Both of MLs are very strong chemistry, a handsome cute 31 years old who fallen hard in love with his older sister's bestfriend - his bestfriend's sister, whose family considered them as their own son and daughter for long standing support and friendship between them. Suddenly, they're in relationship - although a secret love affair - afraid to reveal their true feelings to their family.....doubt confessing it to her mother which fairly ending the love story. Ep 10 starts with heartbreaking scenes, as the episodes progress their love puts on the line - the test that will be determined the true love.

Read the review and many don't like this drama. I love it, a love story that has depth, hope and love that would not survive when both give up on the relationship like many of us do. About the age different between them as an issue, 4 years age gap isn't bad, I don't understand the reason why her mom against their relationship. They aren't blood brother/sister, although he isn't coming from prestige family background but he adores and loves her....isn't it all matter? Obsessing with background, Mom becomes the most hated character here. Poor Joon-Hui, that guy deserves a noble award for 'best boyfriend' type.

Part of 'Stand by your man' lyric said;
But if you love him, you'll forgive him
Even though he's hard to understand
And if you love him, oh, be proud of him
'Cause after all, he's just a man
Well.....Joon Hui isn't like a type of man described on the lyric....he is the opposite. Probably, I love this drama because I can relate with my personal experience...the best and worst of being loved and in love...and when it's fallen apart.

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A SAD PATRIOTIC DRAMA

Where is Mr. Sunshine? Because we don't see him in the drama, all men were serious deep sober men, but I love this drama so much. Background story was about invasion of Americans and Japanese into Jeseon Empire and how this Eugene Choi who born into slavery, run away to America and graduated as US Marine Corps officer, he returned to Korea as Consulate officer and investigate the murders and missing rifles. This drama has the elements of dramatic suspense, a noble lady who's expert with guns and amazing sniper without anyone knew about it, she met Eugene Choi while they're both on the mission. If you're talking about man with uniform, Eugene Choi (Lee Byung-hun) is the man, with calm steady confident demeanor he's the type of person that you won't mess around while an aristocrat's grand-daughter, Go Ae-shin (Kim Tae-ri), who is part of the Righteous Army, kept herself dignify by defending her beloved country. They both fallen in love but they both born from different class not to mention Ae-Shin has Kim Hee-sung (Byun Yo-han), a nobleman who has been Ae-shin's betrothed since childhood. 3 men loved her deeply; Eugene Choi, Kim Hee-Sung, Goo Dong-Mae and none of these guys stay alive at the end.

I love the character of Kudo Hina, she's an amazing woman - Glory Hotel owner who's using her beauty and charms to move around the elites and helping the cause, with her smile and soft spoken she killed people with her gun and sword. She's braver and more dangerous than any men because she's doing it without a flinch of eye and strong determination. Blow up her own hotel to kill Japanese that resulting her own demise, the ending was so sad, everyone died and unhappy ending. The best thing about this drama is the production did not fake of anything, the actors spoke English, France, Japanese as good as their Korean without sound like gringos. This is a great drama with beautiful background setting, top notch acting and casts, beautiful flowing story line, it's simply the best serious Korean drama so far.

From this drama, I learn something about the history of Americans in Korea and in what involvements, or whether there's truth in this story line. Become a family discussion to compare notes...meticulously Americans been in Korea way before Korean War like what's in the history book told us at school. Very interesting indeed..looking inside of Korean history as well as American history in Korea.

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My two favorite guys; Chen Kun and Shaw Qu Chu Xiao (not William Chan)

Another version of Ying Yang Master played by Chen Kun and Shaw Qu, these two actors has different personalities that carry their screen characters alive. Chen Kun has strong, charismatic, firm, teasing personality while young Shaw Qu has style distinctive moves, youth freshness, compatible with veteran actors like Chen Kun, Zhao Xun, and William Chan. Bo Ya ( Shaw Qu) was ousted by Qing Ming (Chen Kun) and looking for him to restore his name and reputation. Like the other version, this one has weird creatures that got us scratch our head, but it's expected, but I like this version as much as Mark Chao and Deng Lun's one.

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Darren Chen and the other creepy guy...

I watch this drama because of Darren Chen, he was awesome in Sleuth of Ming Dynasty as magistrate. He always has the best smile and cutest face, I think beside Riley Wang, he's one of the cutest actor there is. I am not into super natural theme or super power immortal/devil kind of story line. I am sticking to this drama because Darren Chen worth to watch, well...I like him more as Tang Fan as an intelligent, chatty, childish, lanky, smiley, know nothing about martial art, and everybody's little brother. He's good at it...mirroring his personality. In this drama though he's cold demeanor, quite, respectful, upright, martial artist...25 years old that ripe to find a wife (encourage by his God-Mother). The actress is new, she's quite beautiful. The story is so so ....there're too much of visual effects that I am not fond of, there's one guy that's pretty creepy WenGu Wei Yu that got jealous with the relationship develop between Zhan Yan and Duanmu Cai. This creepy guy was always monitoring - watching Duanmu Cai although he's one of her people...with grumpy face, white robes, jealous, he's not on the best mood all the time. Darren Chen is a charmer, his sweet innocent smile hasn't change, his dimple decorates his cute face. Since he's a local hero, many match-makers try to get close to propose marriage from many local girls...too bad his heart's already belong to immortal Duanmu Cai. They shouldn't be in relationship because one is mortal guy and the other is immortal deity..but fallen in love is hard to deny. Relationship between MLs are on and off all the time...they love but trying to avoid each other - like the long last 20 episodes are getting their heart bruises. They're back 1000 years when the root of love debt calling, different background set - different supporting actors - different dimension. Expect season 2 because there isn't end of drama...

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OMG...Hilarious

Zhao LuSi and Ryan Ding were the cutest couple..their chemistry were genuine, hilarious and perfect match for each other. Zhao LuSi was cheerful, mischievous, happy, and smart while Ryan Ding more naive in the name of love but also calculated and kind, he's super jealous to Pei Heng (of course, why would his wife flirt with an old flame/ex fiance?). From the start they met till the end, it was full of sweetness, comedy, and survival techniques (for Chen Qing Qing). There're a lot of memorable scenes but my favorite was when Chen Qian Qian elected as the leader of rebel and she got drunk from celebratory feast and Han Shuo came to save her and...well it's so dang adorable and funny. I want to have best bud like Zi Rui or even Bai Ji that would fill the days with laughter. Although it wasn't a happy ending in the other dimension but a happy one in modern life. I definitely want season 2 and hope it will be the same main leads.

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Combination Season 1 and 2

Like everyone else, I watched this for Xiao Zhan and Zhao LuSi. Wish Xiao Zhan was the leading man, he's so much better than Jason Koo in beauty, and acting skills. Why can we just talk about Xiao Zhan and Zhao Lusi than other cast members? Because they brought this story together...the rating might be different if these two as a couple (almost..dang it!) although the story was not interesting at all...with LuSI smile and Uncle Bei Tang MoRan charms...this drama was better. Why on earth the Emperor went to Maid's quarter so often just for Luo Fei Fei, when someone with highest respect and power - that person won't step in or too much bothered with Maid's issues . The rest of the cast members were more less desirable.

Xiao Zhan has the tendency to be stand out amongst actors. Like this drama, the Wolf, Joy of Life, he wasn't main Lead but we wish he was and could only imagine those dramas would turned up to better than original Male Leads (not JOL though, he was Yan BingYun). His collaboration with Zhao LuSi was actually more fitting, they both look the best of themselves, LuSi was cute and Xiao Zhan was a sweetheart. I didn't care so much about the story line, none made sense, just love to see these two and none others. 2 big stars born and Hope they'll be together again in the future drama...

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The love story of Wen KeXing and Zhao Zi Shu

I would not pass this drama, it's addictive! I mean who can you not fall in love with Zhao Xu, Lao Wen, Gu Xiang, Cao WeiNing, little idiot Zhang ChengLing, and Ye BaiYi. The story is around this character and the actors delivers in the best way. You can't find Zhao Xu character from other actor better than Zhang Zhe Han or flirtatious Wen KeXing other than Simon Gong because these two main leads are reminiscence of Zhao Xu and Wen KeXing. Iam not into BL, don't like Untamed, but I love this one. Zhang Zhe Han is so gorgeously beautiful man, and flirtatious Simon Gong is so dang handsome. . . when Ah Xu started to warm up with Lao Wen and understood how much love and devotion Lao Wen has toward him, they're soft gazing to each other, smiles, barbs back forth, and helping each other to overcome emotional and traumatic past, co-parenting ChengLing. Sad ending for Gu Xiang and Cao WeiNing, too much love between Ah Xu and Lao Wen - they want to give the best life and health to the other man. I would give credit to Simon Gong I think he's the best in here, he's flirtatious in minute and cruel to people he hates in next. His chilling laugh, cold stares, tight lips, killing and revenge mood, his fan was deadly more so than BaiYi sword. The next scenes he'll be laugh happily, sparkling in his eyes, sweet smile, proud uncle master to ChengLing, concern and loving soulmate to Zhao Xu and kind master to Gu Xiang. That's why I love Simon Gong....he embodied all. Lately I realized Zhao Zi Shu seems to have a good and spoil life. His master/wife adored him and treated him like their own son. All members of the sect respected and adored him, 81 of original members died in his watch including his dear junior. He's been so much in power since 'naive and knew nothing' young man who brought the sect to serve Prince Jin and yet remaining member still loved him (in case of Han Jing) to the end. There where his guilty conscience played important role as he redirected his mind set into totally different perspective...change his life for the better but dying...this is where 'Word of Honor' story started. Where our love story and obsession began with the character of Wen KeXing, Gu Xiang, Zhang ChengLing, Cao WeiNing and Ye BaiYi. This drama will become a classic..one of the most memorable drama to many of us.

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This is the first C-drama I watch that got me hook. Zheng YeCheng and Rosy Zhao LuSi were the cutest couple and made this drama worth watching. The duo had the cutest dynamic or because Zhao Lusi is naturally the cutest actress right now - she has the freshness of youth like she just coming out from shower - her smile brighten the day. I love their interaction, the chemistry of them were purely bliss although YiCheng is the mature character in this drama - he's compatible with LuSi's cuteness. I like Er Meng's (Mao Fang Yuan) dumb character, LuSi has best interaction with him although short air time together, they are good to each other.

The rest of the cast though I don't really care, the idea of story has great potential - just that production team didn't execute it right. The technicality was terrible...we can see obvious fake visual effects, the supporting actors lousy - none of them doing their role good to bring out the best of whole collaboration. but great OST. The best for the whole production is Zheng YiCheng and Zhao LuSi became the first cutest CP....follows with Ryan Ding, Liu Yu Ning, Xu Kai Cheng..and next.

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