Be ready for a slowwwwwwwww paced drama.

I got into watching this drama because some friends said it was good but despite forcing myself to watch it, there was honestly nothing special about it.
An unpopular opinion but it's a drama that doesn't leave an impact on you.
The acting, other than the female antagonist in the show, was quite poor. The male lead had almost no facial expressions and the female lead was so "naive" to the point that her slow-witt got me quite annoyed.
The plot was VERY slow, as it, almost every episode it's the same thing over and over again. The male lead will chase the female lead and the female antagonist will chase the male lead but only to be turned down. I got to episode 8 and there's literally no progress.
If you're looking for a drama that can keep you hooked, this is not for you. But if you want something in the background while studying, this is perfect for you since it doesn't take as long to get what's going on.

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Is is a bird? Is it a plane? No, ITS A TOXIC ALERT!!

Although it was intended as the main storyline of this series, personally I wouldn't watch this drama for 2 main reasons:

1. The toxic relationship between the male and female lead
2. The amount of ? moments in the drama that kinda make you go huh?

Unfortunate to say, but I did finish this series only because I was hoping for it to pick itself up at the end but it didn't so it was relatively disappointing.
The utter tyrrany, manipulation, obsession, corruption and toxicity radiating from this series is just not healthy and it's definitely hard to preservere through the drama knowing that it's there in every episode.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend the drama if you're looking for a healthy and lovable one although, if this is your kind of trope, by all means, it's possible one of the best ones in that category.

Happy Binging!!

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It's a generic kdrama, if you're looking for something that's different, it's not for you

I decided to pick up this drama because of the hype going around it and I briefly read the webtoon however I personally found it difficult to engage with.
Personally, I'm a viewer that enjoys dramas that stray away from the 'narcisstic guy fell for the kind female lead' because at some point I feel that it gets dragged on for too long (maybe that's just me though because I've seen a lot from that trope). I found it difficult to engage in after seeing a 'Business Proposal' because the romance aspect of the show was dragged on for too long and there wasn't any power-duo that kept me wanting to watch more.
For the viewers, if you're looking for a drama that's different from the generic kinds of romance plots or has seen a LOT of romance kdramas, I wouldn't recommend this drama for you.
However if you're a newbie in the kdrama world, this drama is a good one to get you going.

Happy Binging!!

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It's a good drama overall, but not the best and most productive use of time

So at the beginning of this drama, I'm talking the first 15 or so episodes, it was certainly a drama that any historical-drama lovers would want to binge. The plot, romance and setting was fresh in its own little way which made it easy to watch. With the addition of an amazing cast, it really incited the "butterflies in stomach" feel.
The reason as to why I am rating this show as only 4 stars is simply because of the noticeable discrepancies within the series. The biggest one of note is the inconsistency of the romantic relationship between the leads and their sudden change in personalities after the city setting switched from Song to Wei. After the setting was switched, it felt like the series was split into 2 separate storylines and the memories of the both the male and female lead were wiped or something even though there were no signs of such a thing ever happening. Whatever romance occurred between the two leads seemed to have disappeared entirely, making the second part of the drama difficult to comprehend since they had to rebuild their romantic interest for each other from rock bottom.
Furthermore, the series was dragged on for a tad bit too long. Stopping the series around the 30 episode mark would have been perfectly fine because everything from there onwards was repetitive scheming formed from greed and political power struggles from the antagonist and male lead.
Overall, I wouldn't recommend this drama if you're looking for one that's worth your time and if you're looking for a fluffy, romance-fileld drama, because unfortunately, this drama won't be able to provide that. However if you're still interested in this drama even after reading this review and other reviews, I suggest watching the episodes before the setting changes from Song to Wei (you'll understand what I mean when you get there ?) coz those were really good.

Happy Binging!!

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A must watch wuxia drama

This drama was definitely something. Usually I personally like to watch dramas in the background while doing something else but while watching this drama, I actually had to put everything else down.

From the acting to the OST, everything just felt perfectly in place. The romance of the main lead is not something you would see a lot of, considering that their relationship was established pretty early on in the drama compared to other dramas who make the leads' love story the main plot for the entire show. Naturally, this early establishment of their relationship gave much more time for them to go through different adversities together and realising their mistakes, adding to the depth of their affections.

However, their love story was not the main thing that kept me watching this drama - it was brotherhood and the character development of all the main characters. While watching this drama, you'll gradually get attached to each and every one of the characters because of the liveliness and humour they bring to the plot.

The 9.5 rating is just more of a personal preference as I didn't like the ending as much (you will know what I mean once you get there) but otherwise the drama was well executed and engaging to watch.

Happy Binging!

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what you need to know

I've seen the other reviews on this drama and I'm not entirely sure why it got less than 8.5 for a lot of people. I'm not new to the xianxia genre of cdramas but they're not my go-to genre if I must choose however, because of certain people in my life who are very picky when it comes to cdramas who recommended this to me, I just had to come and see what the hype was about.

STORYLINE: A lot of watchers who are considering to watch this drama even though you haven't seen it's prequel, 'Ancient Love Poetry' or read the novel 'Hidden God', you are not disadvantaged in my opinion, if anything, it gives you a chance to see this masterpiece in it's fullest. The storyline was fulfilling; it portrayed each of the characters' development as well as honing in on the individual struggles that they face, with the main focus on the main couple of course. There weren't a lot of plot twists, rather, there were originally devised plans created by the antagonists that were meticulously elaborated and altered to suit the storyline as the drama progressed. I really commend this, considering a lot of other dramas would add in irrelevant side issues that honestly have no purpose of being there except for filling excess time. The intense love between the leads make for a heartbreaking story at times as their love is constantly being tested, exploited and manipulated. It comes to show how important trust is in a relationship, especially when superficial aspects such as status and third-parties intervene. The friendship that is formed between the four main leads also leaves quite the impact as their chemistry on screen is immaculate.

CASTING: I have no idea why people are hating on Wang Anyu because I thought the execution of his character was exceptional. He acted childish when he had to and you will notice that he does mature as the drama progresses and same goes for Zhao Lusi's character. She had to act childish at the beginning because she literally just hatched from her egg; she knows nothing of the world so her innocence and naivety is expected but when the time came, she was able to be cold and indifferent. Anyways, the chemistry between the two was incredible; you would've thought they were lovers in real life. The sheer joy and sadness you will feel while watching these two will have you swirming and squealing as well as cry your eyes out. Furthermore, you know the actors are good if you want to pull their hair out. The actress of the character Hua Shu (i forgot her name, my apologies) who was one of the main antagonists, was able to convey her character so well that when it got around to watching the behind-the-scenes, I could not fathom that these two people are the same. It's hard to visualise hatred and envy on one's face without it looking so fake but she did it perfectly that I have no complaints.

OST: I am a SUCKER for shows who go above and beyond delivering the bare minimum. When I say this, I mean that they got the actors and actresses to sing their respective OSTs. Jaw-dropping, earth-shattering music to my ears. The theme music was sung by Zhao Lusi and the ending credits was sung by Wang Anyu with the other main leads singing their OSTs. Whenever the OSTs play up in a scene, it just adds another layer of sentiment and emotion in that scene, making it even more impactful on the audience. It shocks me everytime that they all have such amazing singing voices; I am hooked on this dramas OST and I haven't heard a soundtrack this good since "Till the end of the moon".

Rewatch Value: Yes. Just yes, although you'll have to wait a bit so you can forget the main plots and stuff. It won't hit the same if you remember all the important scenes.

It's a pleasure to have watched this drama and I really hope you don't go comparing it to it's other counterparts i.e. the prequel and novel. It's a wonderful standalone drama with all it's little hidden gems that also deserve to be recognised.

Happy binging!!

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Worth every minute of my time.

This drama has now become my all-time favourite. After seeing "Until the end of the moon", I really thought that no other drama can top it in terms of storyline, ost, casting and acting but I have finally found the one to do that.

This drama itself takes place in the Liang state where Wei Zhao (also known as Xiao Wuxia, played by Ren Jia Lun) seeks to find the truth about his father's and family's downfall. Whilst on this journey, an unfortunate girl, Jiang Ci (played by Landy Li) unintentionally foils his plans, leading to their fates intermingling for the rest of the drama. Based on this description alone, you can discern that this is an enemies-to-lovers trope, and it is, and by far, it is my favourite representation of this trope in all the c-dramas that I have seen.

The characters in the series also play their roles extremely well and there was no particular complaint that I could make regarding the acting or execution of these characters. There weren't any plot holes in terms of motive or background of the characters and this made it such a more enjoyable watch as everything that the characters did had a purpose. The actors did an exquisite job in playing their characters -- I really don't think there could be another cast that could pull off this drama as well as this one did. There was a point where I really hated Pei Yan (you'll understand if you watch the drama) so you can really tell that they were mastering their roles.

The plot of the series was also interesting. As it is a historical c-drama, you can expect a lot of politics however, unlike the other c-dramas that bombard you with a bunch of irrelevant side quests that the characters go through, I didn't feel this way about this c-drama. All the politics in this drama served their role wonderfully and it was actually comprehensible and beginner-friendly for all those who are new to this genre of c-dramas. The romance, of course, is there. I don't know how else to put it but it's just the perfect amount of angst, yearning, passion and sincerity.

The ost of this drama OH MY GOODNESS. I cannot express how well they chose their ost. All of the songs as well as where they were placed throughout the drama made it all the more beautiful as the osts really capture the moment on screen; they made the heartwarming scenes even more cutesy and the depressing scenes even more heart-wrenching. They're definitely going into my favourite ost playlist!

All in all, should you watch this drama? Yes. Should you give it your full attention? Yes. Is there any advice I would give to future watchers? ???

Happy Binging!

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It's a fresh and enjoyable uptake of a historical Chinese romcom

This drama in particular has left such a massive impression on me for the sole reason of the music and acting of the actors.
The actors cast in this drama were so carefully selected and their chemistry with one another was immaculate. Zhao Lusi has been an actress that I've been eyeing for a while because of her natural talent of captivating and entertaining the audience. She plays her spunky and mischievous character in the series so well that it's difficult for you not to go and look for her other dramas. Because of her natural talent, you're always clicking to see the next episode since you can almost never predict what she might do next. The male lead who is also acting with her is also very lovable but hateable at the same time if that makes sense, which is perfect since that's the personality of the character that he's playing.
This drama has no doubt made me go on an emotional rollercoaster and left me wanting a season 2 ?.
Go watch it. RIGHT NOW!!

Happy Binging!

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it's a hot mess

I headed into this drama with high hopes after watching Seo Yea Ji's other completed drama which was a big hit, "It's okay not to be okay" however it was quite the disappointment.
The storyline left me feeling quite icky and during some parts of the drama, it was straight up disgusting.
The main plot of the story was seeking revenge to get back those that harmed the character Seo Yea Ji was playing however the methods in which she decided to seek revenge did not sit well with me. Destroying someone's family by being the mistress was repulsing.
I wouldn't recommend this drama who anyone who's against adultery as a means of seeking revenge, so save your eyes if you're one of those people.
This is just my personal opinion on the drama so by all means, watch it at your own risk.

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It's a classic with a twist

I can surely say that even after so many years, this drama still has such an amazing storyline and cast.
It's not your generic power-struggling male lead which only has eyes the throne and the storyline is a regression into the past which we don't see too much in dramas.
The storyline encompasses the notion of everyday struggles of someone who is seen as a 'monster' simply because they are slightly different from everyone else, whether that be in their appearance or their personality and highlights that we all need that extra someone to help us get through those difficult times.
Because of the nature of the storyline, the cast needs to have good chemistry with one another and they were able to display on screen which made it even more difficult not to get emotional during some parts of the series.
There are not too much complaints on this series, personally I am content with everything (other than the depressing ending ?).
Overall, it is recommended if you're looking for a light and fluffy yet relatable romance series.

Happy Binging!!

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A masterpiece for the eyes

This sent me on a roller coaster of emotions this drama.
At times it may seem like things were dragged on for too long but then they were justified accordingly.
It isn't too heavy on the idea of romance as 80% of the drama was more so focused on the struggles in power.
There were constant plot twists and not a lot of them were predictable so it makes it engaging.
The biggest warning I'll have to give you about this drama is the heartbreak and tragedy that occurs throughout it. Left me needing therapy fr.

Happy Binging! (makee sure to have a tissue box with you)

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It's a MUST watch

For anyone who hasn't seen this Kdrama series yet, let me tell you, you don't even need to consider whether you're gonna watch it or not. It is simply too outstanding not to watch it.
Everything from the storyline down to the cast has been meticulously planned and it all flows so well with each other.
The two main leads of the series displayed so much chemistry with each other, making it so much more enjoyable and the way the producers and directors portrayed the antagonist(s) doesn't really make you hate them later down the line ?.
The series really takes you on an emotional ride with one episode making you cry and another making you laugh until your stomach hurts.
Overall, you NEED to watch this series if you're into heart-wrenching romance with an air of mystery and thriller.

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