I wanted to like it, but Hyun Bin can't save this drama

I am here to rant because I do not understand why people love this drama. I watched this after watching Crash Landing on You because I think I might actually be in love with Hyun Bin, but then I started this drama in which I spent 14 episodes hating his character. He is degrading and possessive, and he both sexually and emotionally harasses her and for some reason she likes it? I mean to each their own, but why would you fall in love with someone who says things like "she's temporary"? Ugh, in the end I finished it and I'm happy I did if only because Hyun Bin is such a good actor he even plays this narcissistic jerk well. Gil Ra Im is a badass but acts like a punching bag for Kim Joowon so I ended up sorta disliking her. I enjoyed the times when they switched places the most because Hyun Bin was adorable as a girl. I do not believe they share any chemistry and am wondering if I watched the same drama as the people giving this a 10/10? Please, don't ever date someone who treats you like Kim Joowon. On the other hand, the secondary couple are slightly more interesting, and Oska is a freaking gem.

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So much better than Eternal Love

I quit Eternal Love in the middle because I found it extremely depressing and there were too many obstacles/misunderstandings. I felt like the main characters barely spent any time together, but I had enjoyed these two as the second leads so I decided to give this a try. I was immediately sucked in to this love story and hooked for the first time since The Untamed. Finding out these two are engaged in real life explains so much because the chemistry is palpable. fWatching Feng Jiu mature into herself and the depth of Dong Hua's emotional growth was a huge payoff. I did not get annoyed by any obstacles and just saw them each growing independently into a person (immortal god?) that was capable of giving themselves to each other without losing who they are. Feng Jiu is a great heroine who loves Dong Hua selflessly and without expectations of reciprocation, and I enjoyed that in the end it's Dong Hua who has to try to prove he deserves her rather than her begging for his love. They are adorable and I will definitely be rewatching this. If you, like me, did not understand the hype around Eternal Love, I suggest you give this a try. It's really quite a beautiful love story.

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I really loved W and I'm a romance fanatic, but this would be 10x better if they toned down the romance. The multi-verse plot/murder plot is so well-written and interesting and I don't mind that they are in love, but taking entire episodes for them to wander off on a date made me less interested. And I LIVE for romance, so I'm saying this exclusively for this story. It does not feel organic, I don't know if it's lack of chemistry or they haven't known each other long but it ruins the pacing for me. If you want an exciting drama, watch this and try to power through the annoying fluff scenes. It'll be fine because Lee Jong Suk's beautiful face can get you through ANYTHING. Watch it for sure!

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Almost Perfect

This drama is incredibly well-directed. Easily the best "BL" production to come out of Korea but this feels a little more special than that. It does not feel fan-service-y or cringeworthy in any bad ways. Instead it will make you feel shy and sad and hopeful and all those things that your average romance drama will make you feel. The issue with this drama is unfortunately the writing. it's good but it's not as well-written as it needed to be for such a heavy topic. They did everything they could with the material. The direction will make you forget that for the most part. The MLs are both great and their chemistry is very authentic. If you're a lover of love check it out. But it has some heavier grief-related subjects so it may be harder for some than others.

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So, I had just caved to everyone's suggestions and fell into a spiral of obsession as I finished the novel Mo Dao Zu Shi. The plot and characters have a depth that you rarely find in any story, and a conspiracy that unfolds throughout the novel that is so compelling, I literally could not put it down. I am sad that they censored some of the content as there is actually very few chapters with any kind of skinship in the book, but it does not matter because even completely removed, the story is FLAWLESS. I was worried because the book is not told chronologically as it is in the drama, but it was a necessary decision. I mean I have never read a book and then watched an adaptation and felt no ounce of disappointment whatsoever before. It's perfect. The casting is perfect, the acting is perfect, the main characters are perfect (sans some character changes in Wei WuXian but it doesn't matter because Xiao Chen is my LOVE), everything is perfect. Any changes made to the story held value and did not at all take away from my enjoyment of the series. It will rip your heart out and put it back together leaving you wanting more. It was my gateway drug to all other asian dramas, and I have to actively fight the urge to rewatch it on a daily basis because there's so many other stories! Am I sad that the romance is removed for my personal enjoyment? Yes. But if doing that brings MXTX's brilliant writing to more viewers' faces than I wholeheartedly support that decision. GO WATCH IT NOW!!! You will not regret it.

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It's really beautiful but I wanted it to stick a better landing

Before I whine about the few things that bothered me, I would like to say that I am deeply in love with this drama. This is my first non-BL Taiwanese drama, and woah is it a whirlwind of emotions. I haven't felt this many emotions since Goblin, expect this time it didn't feel like it was purposely torturing me, but still brace yourself for FEELINGS. I appreciated that it told the experiences of a variety of ages and that Alice Ke is phenomenal. I haven't been this compelled by a plot in a long time and I acted like a detective throughout the entire series (as I always do) and I have watched a lot of television and am pretty good at predicting relatively what will happen next, but I was unsuccessful at solving the mystery of this plot before it happened from beginning to end. It is so intricate it is difficult to explain but everyone is so perfect, the music is perfect, the minor plot holes did not bother me at all (like where is Huang Yu Xuan's family?) but what I can say is that not a single person will regret watching this drama. I legit will listen to the OST of this drama for maybe forever. So watch it, but if you have already watched it, then please proceed to the next section where I nitpick...



So I was obsessed with this show from beginning until about halfway through ep 12. Everyone is perfect. All three leads are excellent and Xie Zhi Qi is a compelling villain, but I feel like it needed to delve into what was going on with the real Chen Run Yu long before it did, because by that point I didn't care enough about her to warrant her just appearing and taking over the final two episodes (also how does she even do that? = plothole). If they had showed her struggling throughout the show then I feel like I wouldn't have been so annoyed by her play-acting and wouldn't have just thought she was being selfish and petty (which granted is actually very realistic considering the emotions she is experiencing). I know when you are suicidal you are not capable of thinking of anyone besides yourself at that moment, but in front of her she knew that dying that way would lead to Mo Jun Jie's imprisonment and suicide and so I kept yelling things like "just don't do it while he's around!" but I know logic doesn't exist in moments like that. Poor Mo Jun Jie, he deserves the world. Also Xie Zhi Qi is a super compelling villain but like ends up not even mattering in the end of the story? Also how creepy is it that he taught himself to be a murderer? It's a whole chicken and the egg situation going on there. Also, last thing there's a song in the OST that sounds like Pure Imagination from Willy Wonka and I both liked it and simultaneously thought, "copyright issues here?".

Finally, assuming Mo Jun Jie successfully wins over Chen Yun Ru, and Li Zi Wei ends up with Huang Yu Xuan, are those besties dating doppelgängers? I would like a spin-off comedy series along those lines. Okay, go watch it!

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