#cdrama review

[silviakundera]

the 'big surprise' cdrama for me in 2023 that clearly didn't hit for anyone else but strangely I was all about it: Love You Seven Times

"This way, in the next life, and the life after that, you'll be able to find me."

"I may forget who I am, but I will never forget you again."

tbh 80% of the times I enjoy myself a xanxia but by the end I don't ship it. The couples torment each other too much and I emotionally disinvest. I started out already prepared to not care too much about the Love You Seven Times relationship, before one of them starts stabbing the other in the heart while marrying someone else. And then these bastards kept... not doing that? They sucked me in!

(Spoiler-heavy review)

When we are introduced to the 2 leads, they seem like your prototypical xanxia main characters. She's a super young cloud spirit. He's a jaded, cold & arrogant god of war who is impatient and derisive towards her hapless accidents & naivete.

But what's eventually revealed is that you aren't seeing the beginning of their story. These are actually the second incarnations of the essential characters - an immortal couple who are absolutely ride & die for each other, come hell or high water - and who cannot be kept apart or made to betray each other, no matter what tribulation they transmigrate into or how their memories are restricted.

We get:

* their original rom com to tragedy story, where they are wronged by the villian but never wrong each other

* a god arc [the story's bookend] where they are both missing their memories but come together again

(reborn as baby animals 🐯)

* mortal arc where she is transmigrated into a story and he is trapped in-character

* mortal arc where he transmigrated into a story and she is trapped in-character

* body swap mortal arc where they are both aware transmigrators

* demon realm arc where they are deep undercover and lie to each other while trusting implicitly

* a secret 8th thing, cause their love never dies

Usually the 'love trial'  arcs get a heavy fast forward from me. But here you have to invest or not watch at all. And I got interested because while per usual the mortal personas are Not Them... They then carry the collection of personas with them. Those experiences change them and actively linger. And the way the couple occupies these stories is fun - playing it straight, playing along, role swapping, cat demon petting...

This xanxia's lore says that the person's essence, the heart of them, is present deep-down: regardless of the outline proscribed by the Fate Book. And these guys are so very extra that they skew every trial they participate in. I liked how near the end, FL says do you know who I am? and ML lists all of her different identities she's carried. In Eternal Love, I was super annoyed by Ye Hua telling Bai Qian that I know you, you're Su Su. Sorry but to me Su Su has nothing in common with Bai Qian. But here, by the end, I did feel like all of those people are a part of FL and she feels that too.

"Who are you this time?"

For these two, I can believe it doesn't matter.

#cdrama #love you seven times #cdrama review

[starcrossed591]

CDrama Year in Review 2023

I'm still very much a CDrama beginner--I just started watching them in the summer of 2022--but since this is the first year I got into them in earnest, I figured I might as well do a year in review a la @dangermousie (whose lists I have found incredibly helpful in deciding which CDramas I really, really need to go back and watch as part of my CDrama education--so thank you!). So, without further adieu, here is my ranking of 2023 CDramas, in order of least enjoyed to most enjoyed*.

(See also: KDrama Year in Review 2023)

*Disclaimer: *not* a measure of objective quality

10. Royal Rumours: This drama was not great? Meng Zi Yi and Jeremy Tsui were fun, but the story started out messy and got messier. For some reason I still finished it, I think because I had a lingering cold and it was all my brain could handle at the time *shrug*

9. Gone with the Rain: I actually really enjoyed this one! The pacing was inconsistent, but Zhang Nan was fun as the irreverent Mo Xi, and we love a grizzled general. Special shout to the teacher who was not actually evil, just a sad lesbian whose gf disappeared on her

8. Love You Seven Times: Intriguing concept, not a strong enough FL to carry it through. The reincarnation stuff really worked for me at first, especially in their first mortal tribulation (as people, not CGI animals), but I got tired of it pretty quickly. I admit, the gifs of Ding Yu Xi as a sexy cat demon *did* pull me back in, but not enough for me to actually finish the thing, alas

7. Destined/Chang Feng Du: Started out really strong, and then stalled out on me. I think I only got up to about episode 22 or so, after their epic desert crossing and new start in a new state--they lost all narrative momentum for me there. I stopped watching and then just...didn't start again. I do, however, remain a big Bai Jing Ting fan, and will be keeping on eye out for whatever he does next

6. Hidden Love: (Contemporary) Age gap romances are hit or miss for me, but Zhao Lu Si absolutely stole/carried the show for me in this one. Although more fun imo when the main couple are in the the will-they-won't-they phase than in the family melodrama after they get together, still the only contemporary CDrama to get me to give it a go this year--and I'm glad I did

5. My Journey to You: Featuring my favorite murder girlies Esther Yu as Yun Wei Shan and Lu Yu Xiao as Shanguan Qian! Gorgeous costumes and sets, sweeping cinematography, and plot that kept me on the edge of my seat. Full disclosure, I have not actually watched the last two episodes because I got busy and then saw weird chatter about them, so I have no comment on the allegedly weird ending

4. Till the End of the Moon: Look, I know the ending wasn't ideal, but for the majority of its run, this drama owned my entire soul. It also introduced me to Bai Lu as Li Su Su, who inspired my first actual tumblr post (that wasn't a reblog) because I was so obsessed with her. And everyone knows that Tantai Jin is the CDrama ML of the year. 10/10, no regrets at letting it take over my life (and the OST my Spotify) from April to May of this year

3. The Story of Kunning Palace: More Bai Lu is always a good thing, and she's extra fun here as the transmigrated former evil empress and totally-over-your-nonsense Xiang Xue Ning here. The reverse haremness of it all totally shows why Bai Lu is the chemistry queen, especially with the princess (Liu Xie Ning) and cranky, morally grey, would-fail-gym-class strategist Xie Wie (Zhang Ling He). So glad this drama made it out of the CDrama vault and didn't languish indefinitely in censorship hell

2. A Journey to Love: Finished this one two days ago as of this writing and am still not normal about it. Ren Ruyi (Liu Shi Shi) and Ning Yuan Zhou (Liu Yu Ning) lead an exceptionally strong ensemble cast in this wuxia that explores the complicated relationships between love, duty, loyalty, loneliness, and companionship. Ruyi and Yuan Zhou are far and away one of my fave OTPs of the year, but just as compelling are the relationships between friends/brothers/fellow assassins Yu Shisan, Yuan Lu (ugh my heart), Qian Zhou, and Sun Lang. This drama definitely has one of the strongest ensemble casts of the year. And the character growth of Yang Ying from little princess abandoned in the cold palace to who she becomes by the end will stick with me for a long time. Plus another 10/10 OST!

1. Lost You Forever S1: I'm not normally a reverse harem girl, but the longing, loss, and hard resolve portrayed to perfection by Yang Zi as Xiao Yao really did it for me here. This whole drama struck an emotional chord for me, and where TTEOTM consumed my soul, LYF took over my heart. Xiao Yao's relationships with her power hungry, overprotective cousin Cang Xuan; hot snake demon Xiang Liu/playboy archery shufu Feng Feng Bei; and perfectly devoted Tushan Jing are all equally compelling to me, and while I may know who she ends up with in the end, who I *think* she should be with changes based on who's on screen at any given time. And A'Nian, my favorite bratty princess who really just needs some strong parenting, holds a special place in my heart. I know we may never get S2, and even if we do, censorship means it probably won't be what the drama makers are capable of, but I'm so glad for this little piece of absolute perfection. And, again, a top notch OST!

Fave Drama: Lost You Forever, by just a hair over A Journey to Love. See above.

Least Fave Drama: Royal Rumours--truly why did I finish this, what was past me thinking

Biggest Disappointment: 2023 is also the year I read Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir, my very first CNovel! But then I didn't even bother checking out its adaptation, Romance of a Twin Flower, because it got rid of everything that made the novel such an addicting read, including a brilliant, strategic, ice cold FL and an ML who actually kind of sucked at the beginning, only to grow on you very, very slowly over time. I'm grateful that the chatter around the drama is what brought the novel to my attention, but other than that, hard pass.

Favorite Male Character: Lots of good ones this year, but I'm gonna go with Cang Xuan (Zhang Wan Yi) from Lost You Forever. The conflict he faces between getting enough power to protect the people he loves the most and that power making him incompatible with those loved ones is so compelling, and his yearning for Xiao Yao even when she's right in front of him is wrenching. Full disclosure, I also just really love the sound of his voice

Favorite Female Character: This could easily have gone to Li Susu (TTEOTM), Xiao Yao (LYF), or Ren Ruyi (AJTL), but I'm gonna go with Bai Lu's Xiang Xue Ning in The Story of Kunning Palace. Something I really loved about this character was just how jaded Xue Ning really was, even in her second go round at life. Yeah, she wants to make amends for the harm done in her previous rise to power, but that has hardly turned her into a good--or even pleasant--person. Instead, she's incredibly skeptical and still plays most things ice cold, especially with her family. As a bonus, we got plenty of Bai Lu's fantastic side eye as she basically had to do high school all over again when she gets called into the palace despite her very best efforts not to be.

Favorite Ship: Ren Ruyi and Yuan Zhao from A Journey to Love have got to be it. They balance each other out so well, and over the course of the drama, learn to communicate effectively with each other whenever they have a problem. They also recognize that not all problems can be solved by ~love~, which makes their relationship even more compelling when they decide to prioritize each other in a way that respects what the other wants from life.

Favorite Secondary Ship: Little princess Yang Ying and Yuan Lu absolutely broke stole my heart in A Journey to Love. Doomed love even more than the main OTP, these two's youthful romance was such much fun to watch, especially as they egged their respective mentors on in their own romance. Yang Ying's recognition that her first love did not have to be her only love is also something I always love to see, even as it broke my heart that (spoiler) she and Yuan Lu never really had a chance at an HEA. Their relationship really exemplified a key theme of this drama: that you should love the people you love while they're still with you because tomorrow is never promised.

Non-2023 Dramas that I Watched: Two non-2023 dramas I watched that deserve a special shout out are Love and Redemption and The Sword and the Brocade. Love and Redemption prepared me to really appreciate the big swings that Till the End of the Moon took, and The Sword and the Brocade went a little way to filling the Story of Ming Lan shaped hole in my heart. The Sword and the Brocade also had absolutely searing critique of the concubine system, even as it featured one of the most genuinely good-hearted FLs I've seen. Would recommend both!

Most Looking Forward To: Yes, I'm a sucker and the censors (not to mention the characters) will probably break my heart, but I'm still crossing my fingers that Lost You Forever S2 will live up to the promise of part one. See above: still a CDrama beginner, have not yet had all the optimism knocked out of me. Sue me.

#CDrama #year in review #Lost You Forever #A Journey to Love #The Story of Kunning Palace #My Journey to You #Hidden Love #Chang Feng Du #Destined CDrama #Till the End of the Moon #Love You Seven Times #Gone with the Rain #Ren Ruyi #Yang Ying #Yuan Lu #Bai Lu #Meta #CDrama Review

[mirageofadesert]

So I watched most of Luo Yunxi's (allegedly) mediocre filmography ... here are some thoughts.

⭕️Ashes of Love (dropped it, will come back for it later) ❤️ ✔️Princess Silver ❤️❤️ ✔️ And the Winner is Love ❤️ ✔️ Love is Sweet ❤️❤️❤️ ✔️ Broker ❤️❤️ ✔️Lie to Love ❤️ ✔️Light Chaser Rescue ❤️(❤️) ✔️Till the end of the moon ❤️❤️❤️ ❌ Immortality 🤡🤡🤡

First off, the words (allegedly) mediocre and "TTEOTM" or "Love is Sweet" are not allowed in the same sentence. That's why I wont discuss them here. These dramas are talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique ... next question.

As for the rest... I have some thoughts and I'm willing to share them:

First of all, I enjoyed all of them and that came as a surprise. I had seen fans joke about his filmography with one smiling and one crying eye, voicing that they hope he would soon be a position to pick better scripts. However, on paper I think the scripts weren't bad per se, but the execution is a bit questionable.

The kind of roles he picks ...

... are actually really great. He seem to gravitate towards deeply conflicted and complex characters, that allow emotional and nuanced portrayals. Non of them are perfect, but they try. Sometimes, the script or directing doesn't allow the characters to be as convincing, as they could be. In other cases, the actors he share a scene with, are utterly unconvincing in their performances.

I appreciate that all his chosen dramas have actual plot besides the romantic story and I didn't have to sit through something as boring as a pure romance without any substance (looking at you, Hidden Love). I also would guess, that he chooses his show based on the roles he plays, because those are often considerably better than the script overall.

Trapped by lackluster writing ...

... is a serious problem, especially when it involves cringey lines as well as wattpad level backstories. I think "Lie to Love" had the weakest script, "Broker" had some really over the top and cringe backstories, while "Lightchaser Rescue"'s biggest problem lies with the directing and production. "Princess Silver" was great overall and I wish he played a bigger role. I'm still not sure what went wrong with "And the winner is love", but I guess it's a combination of everything. Kudos to the actors, that pull off these bad or cringe lines with the same level of dedication and passion... I'm sorry, that I had to skip them anyway.

Acting circles around other actors...

... it's not a regular thing, but it tend to happens with some of his FL. It's not even that they are bad actresses per se, but often written with so little character, that there isn't much anyone can bounce off of. Su Xieyi (Cheng Xiao in "Lie to Love") and Chong Xuezhi (Yukee Chen/Chen Yuqi in "And the Winner is Love") are particularly guilty of this. It's also not something that can be blamed on lacking chemistry between the lead actors, as those two did not convey any chemistry with anyone in their perspective shows. A lot of the female characters in cdramas are hard to watch - and it's the main reason I have not been able to watch Ashes of Love yet.

I recently read a reddit post, that pointed out that Luo Yunxi always has good chemistry with his FL, but that those don't necessary give back the same energy. This leads to his characters always seeming more in love with their romantic partners. Luo Yunxi sells every love story... I really wish he would be paired up with more emotive actresses portraying well written characters.

His strengths ...

... lies in costume dramas for sure. He just looks like he came right out of a painting. This is also where his dance background shines the most. His wire and fight scenes are always excellent. However, I do understand that those are strenuous to shoot, particularly in the summer. In addition he excels in portraying suffering and a storm of conflicting emotions. He is a great actor, with exceptional facial expression and good voice acting. As an audience, you can feel his commitment to all of his roles. This becomes even more obvious, once you find out how often he was injured on set and still pulled through. I wont forget that one leaked clip of him doing wire stunts with his wheel chair waiting on the side ...

What I want to see him play in the future....

... is a more comedic costume drama. "Love is Sweet" but with long hair and fight scenes! I also would love to see him as a villain (again), but I guess he has outgrown these roles - at least in dramas. I also need another show similar to TTEOTM, that is more mature than most dramas of this genre and doesn't focus on the romance. Lastly, a 3rd drama with Bai Lu would be great!

What I learned from this going forward ...

... is to give less popular shows a try. So far, some rather popular or loved dramas (Hidden Love, Ashes of Love, Immortal Samsara etc) failed to impress me. I also learned that I need at least one character to latch onto, while starting a show or I will not get into it. A lot of shows sadly lack these convincing and obsession-worthy characters.

#luo yunxi #cdrama #till the end of the moon #love is sweet #lie to love #broker #cdrama review #and the winner is love #princess silver #light chaser rescue

[kdramacrybaby]

My favorite drama couples

In no particular order and some minor SPOILER warning!) → Feel free to add your own favorite couples to the post, so we can share the love.

Sh**ting Stars (Oh Han-byul / Gong Tae-sung):

They are one of my absolute favorite couples in any drama I’ve watched so far. I don’t know what it is about them, but they are just so good together! (And it doesn’t hurt that the actors have an amazing chemistry). Enemies to lovers is a guilty pleasure trope for me, and this does it perfectly – they bicker so much in the beginning, but slowly realize that they actually make a great team, and they come to rely on each other a lot. They actually communicate properly, sharing their worries without being judged, and the drama never relies on something as silly as miscommunication as a point of drama for them. It’s not often a drama makes me actually smile like a complete lovesick idiot when watching, but this just goes straight to my heart. The drama might not be my fave overall, as it has its own issues, but I’ll watch it 100 times over for them.

Hidden Love (Sang Zhi / Duan Jiaxu):

At first, I didn’t think I was going to like this drama too much as I was unsure about the whole age gap thing, but oh my word. This drama had me giggling like a teenager with a crush, and I was unable to stop smiling for most of it. They are so stinking cute together, and the fact that they actually communicate their thoughts and feelings with each other throughout it all is so important – especially with how their relationship started. I feel like I’m just repeating myself from what I said about Sh**ting Stars, but both of these couples just make me happy to watch. This relationship in particular has raised my standards so high, I’m probably going to end up single for the rest of my life. This drama really is all it’s hyped up to be and more.  

Happiness (Yoon Sae-bom / Jung Yi-hyun):

A fake marriage of convenience between two best friends, who both secretly have feelings for each other ?- sign me the fuck up. Two strong people who support each other through everything (in this case, an outbreak of zombies in their complex) – what more could you ask for? They just get each other, and both are willing to walk through hell and back for the other. We sadly don’t actually get to see them together all that much after they’ve finally confessed, but they acted like a couple anyway, so I’m not too sad about it. 

Fight For My Way (Ko Dong-man / Choi Ae-ra):

They have known each other for so long and, though they bicker, they are always the first to defend the other no matter what. They support each other’s dreams the best they can (though Ae-ra does have a problem with the fighting, and she tries to make him quit by making him choose between her and fighting, which I am not about, but I do get she’s just scared he’ll get hurt again). Either way, there is just something so pure about their love and the way they both slowly realize just what their feelings have evolved into as they grew up together.   

Doom at your service (Doom / Tak Dong-kyung):

These two had a rocky start, but I also feel like it only made them work better as a couple. The iconic lines: “So my plan is to love you, then I'll be able to live without losing anything.” / “Then let's do it right, love me to the point that you want to destroy the world for me.” are forever ingrained in my mind. It’s about both of them learning what life could actually be if you let yourself feel and live for yourself instead of living for everyone else. They help each other through it all until they both realize they deserve love, and I find that really beautiful.

#drama ranking #kdrama review #cdrama review #kdrama #sh**tings stars #hidden love #happiness #fight for my way #doom at your service

[a-fantasy-lover-surfing-the-net]

Till the end of the moon review

I recently rewatched the drama and felt like reviewing the first Cdrama I ever watched. After watching some cdramas in the past 7 months since I first watched the drama, I now trust myself to write a decent enough review after somewhat familiarizing myself with the genre and overall cdrama space.

Rating: 9.5/10 (1000 bonus points for searing itself in my mind and staying there even after 7 months)

Acting: 10/10

Story: 9/10

Chemistry: 100000000/10

OST: 10/10

Costumes: 10/10

Hair & Makeup: 9.5/10

Production/Set Design: 10/10

Visual Effects/CGI: 10/10

Rewatch Value: 10/10

Li Susu, an immortal time travels 500 years into the past to prevent the ascension of the Devil god, who goes on to destroy the world in the future. It's a story of love and hate, good and evil, redemption and damnation. The characters are very well conceptualized and depicted beautifully by talented actors, stunning costumes, really good hair and makeup, and great cinematography. The amazing production and set design along with impressive visual effects and CGI really immerse the audience in the world of TTEOTM. This was a high budget drama and it shows... each and every frame of the drama, it feels lavish. If you are even a little bit interested go watch the first episode and l promise you'll be hooked and end up finishing the drama.

Now unto my spoiler filled thoughts:

I find it interesting that the typical backstory themes and some character arcs of the male lead and the female lead have been swapped here. The FL usually has a dead parent or abusive household or terrible luck and so on. The ML usually comes to the FL's rescue or stands up for her and so on. We all know that Tantai Jin is Disney Princess coded given his dead mother, abusive and neglectful upbringing and his animal telepathy powers. LSS both as Ye Xiwu and LSS repeatedly saves TTJ and stands for him. While TTJ also saves her many times, he does not get a chance to stand up for her because she usually takes care of herself and she is not suspected or wrongfully accused where she would need someone to support her. Also, TTJ basically became a part of LSS's family as her uncle took him under his wing and he promised to stay in Hengyang Sect with her in ep 35 before all hell breaks loose. And who can forget that LSS marks TTJ with her Phoenix mark, typical ML behavior.

Their romance is my ultimate enemies to lovers pairing. It has just the right amount of fighting, messiness, animosity and angst for me. I feel that other pairings don't have enough of it for me to consider them as an enemies-to-lovers couple. Their visuals, their chemistry, their acting and the story everything was so great. Who else has three epic weddings in one drama? I am still not able to move on from this couple and drama.

While the misunderstandings were obviously supposed to lead to a turning point in the story, I feel like it was in character for them to jump to conclusions and assume the worst without fully thinking things through and which then led to them acting rashly. I mean both TTJ and LSS had bad history between them so in the early stages of their relationship where their trust in each other was shaky, it's understandable that they were prone to misunderstandings. Also, they're both not good at communicating with each other. In the mortal arc, LSS was never fully honest with TTJ and they never addressed their past misdeeds properly (like OG Ye Xiwu was very cruel to TTJ and he never talked to her about it and just brushed it off). In the immortal arc, TTJ deceived LSS when he became the Devil God.

For the most part the story was gripping, progressed at a good pace and conveyed many themes that become apparent on rewatches. Though it was obvious that the last 5 episodes and the ending were rushed because the censorship rules changed as they went into production. This was one of those dramas that needed at least 5-10 more episodes to properly flesh out the story. It was a missed opportunity that we didn't get to see LSS ruling the Demon realm and Ami's antics.

Another victim of the decreased episode count is the arc of the second leads. Tbh, I wish that Pian Ran and Ye Qingyu were the SLs but I think I would have enjoyed seeing the complete character arc of Xiao Lin/Gongye Jiwu and Ye Bingchang/Mo Nv and the resolution between them. That said it was appalling that they didn't bring back Pian Ran and Ye Qingyu in the immortal arc. I really missed their dynamic with each other and with the main leads. It is disappointing that they didn't even get an open/ambiguous ending to give us some closure and satisfaction.

The actress did a phenomenal job in making us hate her as Ye Bingchang and Tian Huan. Those characters as villians really worked as they were in a way the ones who had the markings of the female lead (these characters at the start of their stories could easily be heroines in any other story) but they turn into villians. Tantai Minglang was a good, serviceable villian and the actor did a lot with how little he was given. Di Mian was selfish and manipulative traitor who was almost scarily competent. I mean he did achieve what he wanted by becoming the Devil God and opening the Tongbei formation. The point of Devil God as a villian is not his character and his motivations but rather he represents our inner demons and how each of us has the power to overcome them.

Out of all the dramas I've watched, only TTEOTM's entire OST is on my regular playlist to listen to. Every time I listen to "Let's be like this for 10,000 years", I feel the love and tragedy of Sang Jui and Ming Ye's story all over again. It's impressive that a song can make you relive those feelings and the story every time you listen to it. All the songs fit wonderfully in the scenes they're played over and also make us feel those emotions again when listening to them separately.

On my first watch, the dream arc felt a little out of place and jarring, which, in hindsight, was probably due to the fact that it was my first cdrama. Upon rewatch I've come to appreciate that it gives a look into the age of Gods and it shows that the Devil God was so powerful that to stop him the Gods had to sacrifice themselves and only Ming Ye was able to survive. The action sequences here are just magnificent to watch and they definitely seem movie level. It also serves as a warning to the audience, LSS and TTJ that they could also have a tragic end if they don't learn the lessons from it. Unfortunately, in the mortal arc they did have a tragic end. However, in the immortal arc, TTJ is able to learn from his experience as Ming Ye and succeeds in defeating the OG Devil God and becoming the Devil God himself with control over his own destiny.

One of the most prominent themes of the drama is redemption and that love and compassion are powerful enough to change a person's fate. The themes of Taoism and Buddhism are evoked throughout the drama. There are also many other minor themes like the food is used as a guesture kindness (when LSS first gives TTJ a proper meal), affection/care (when TTJ gave LSS the goose themed meal), love (when LSS gives badly cooked meals to TTJ), betrayal and trickery (the poisoned porridge) and comraderie, friendship, brotherhood and familial love (when TTJ shares meals with his sect brothers and master). Both TTJ and LSS have dead moms, terrible fathers and great adoptive dads (Zhao You and Qu Xuan Zi), these are just some observations I made.

I may not love the ending but I don't hate it either as it was obvious to me that they reunite once again and live happily as a family (the audio ending really makes it clear). Even though I'm irritated we don't get to see it, I'm still satisfied that we get a hopeful ending rather than a tragic one.

Until now I've mostly been lurking in fandom spaces by liking and very rarely commenting and reblogging but never posting my own original post. The fact that my first ever post is on TTEOTM shows how much I love it. I'll probably be posting more TTEOTM analysis stuff so be on the look out for that if you're interested. Also, I welcome your recommendations as I'm still a newbie to cdramas and kdramas.

You can also check out my costumed cdrama rankings here.

#till the end of the moon #tantai jin #ye xiwu #luo yunxi #bai lu #cdrama #cdrama review #tteotm

[namjhyun]

DRAMA REVIEW | When I Fly Towards You (2023)

When I Fly Towards You manages to capture the fleeting moment in life when possibilities are endless. Back when we say goodbye to childhood and we become young adults going out into the world to expand our understanding as we discover ourselves through others.

On a technical aspect the cdrama is shot digitally but there are snippets filmed with an analog camera, visually making you understand you are being told this story from the POV of someone remembering. This adds a layer of nostalgia. Smart and beautiful to watch.

The acting is what I expect from a youth drama that understands itself: good natured, solid and well-rounded performances of characters growing up as we see them going through different every day experiences involving school, friends, family and love.

Overall, I fully enjoyed this cdrama that features an easy to cheer for characters, with good chemistry, learning about life and themselves. This is why I love youth dramas, they can be a source of joy and energy.

When I Fly Towards You is available on Youku and Viki.

#when i fly towards you #cdrama #zhou yiran #zhang miaoyi #bian tianyang #jiang zhinan #review #cdrama review

[convenientalias]

West Out of Yu Men/Parallel World Review

Bc I just finished watching it yesterday!

I really liked it :D

I think it had a very unique aesthetic. It's set in the desert or in cities located near the desert for the most part, and you really feel it. The characters don't always look like they're hot, but there's always a dry, gritty feeling to the air. The fashion, tooo, was pretty unique. Ye Liuxi is very rough and tumble action girl with a little bit of sexy thrown in; Chang Dong mostly dresses kind of generic, practical and understated; Ding Liu dresses kind of cutesy-garish, loosening up both in attitude and in fashion as the show progresses; and then everyone in the parallel world dresses like they're in some historical fantasy with a touch of apocalyptic. So that's all just fun to watch. I love when a show has a unique visual feel to it.

In terms of plot, the show is a little wandering and not super tight, but that makes sense for a show about two characters both investigating a mystery and traveling through a different world. It's about discovery, meeting people and seeing wonders--eventually with some political intrigue as well. I honestly wish it could have been a little longer. Give it another five episodes, and I think we could have tied up some loose ends and gotten a more satisfying ending for a couple characters (specifically I'm thinking of Gao Shen and Jiang Zhan, but even Liuxi... well, I could watch several hours more of just Liuxi lols).

The acting was all pretty good. I have to admit I was not equally invested in all characters. This is definitely the Ye Liuxi show. Everyone else can be as cool and complex as they want, but we're all here to watch Ni Ni beat people up, open up portals, drive through the desert, cut melons, flirt obnoxiously, make threats, and so on and so forth. Previously I had only seen Ni Ni in The Rise of Phoenixes, and she's good in that but more of a trickster character, clever but not exactly intimidating. I love seeing an actress in a role where she's really allowed to dominate everyone around her, and I hadn't known Ni Ni would be so good at that. Now I want to finish watching The Rise of Phoenixes at some point but I don't know if I'll feel disappointed seeing her in a role that's less absolutely tyrannical.

The other lead actor is of course Bai Yu.

Tumblrites probably know him as Guardian's Zhao Yunlan, which is also where I first saw him. In this show he's much more subdued and serious, which I think is necessary to counter such a powerful presence as Ni Ni's Liuxi. He and Ni Ni have great chemistry. It's less sexy and flirty, and more familiar and comfortable, though slow-won. There's one scene where Liuxi pokes a brooding Chang Dong with a stick until he takes the end of it, and when he lets go of it she pokes him until he holds it again, and they just sit together in silence. For me, that's kind of what their relationship is about. They understand each other and offer each other comfort and support. At the same time, they have a strong sense of physicality for a cdrama. Again, not necessarily in a sexual way, but Liuxi is the kind of person who will just drape herself on someone, hook an arm over their shoulder, rub legs like an obnoxious and kind of sexy cat... it adds to the warmth of their relationship. (Though I would also have been fine seeing the two remain platonic, but as ships go, it's rather nice.)

That said. This show also had a couple ships it did not need! Gao Shen/Ding Liu is okay but underdeveloped and kind of just background noise; Fei Tang/A He is where I enter "okay, so now you just need to pair up EVERYONE" territory. None of the ships were annoying exactly, but apart from Liuxi/Chang Dong, I just feel like you could have left them out and you wouldn't lose much. If you're going to include them, give them some damn development! That's all I can say on the matter.

I enjoyed the villains a lot. There's a variety here: Some typical shady bureaucrats, a scheming woman to serve as Liuxi's foil and rival, and a man from Liuxi's past who has a complicated relationship with her. My favorite was the last of these three, Jiang Zhan! And I won't give more spoilers than that but can I just say: Jiang Zhan deserved better!!! Will someone please write hurt-comfort fic for my boy!!

Anyway! I recommend West Out of Yu Men if:

-You like Ni Ni or Bai Yu and want to see them doing something a bit different.

-You would be interested in an atmosphere of urban fantasy meets desert epic.

-You want to see a woman playing the amnesiac "chosen one" warrior trope (and with flair).

-You like to see an ensemble go on a road trip, gathering members along the way and getting into magical shenanigans. (If you HATE road trips, though--not a reason to skip. Travel is an aspect but there's still plenty of plot to go around.)

-You want to see Ni Ni cut a melon with a big knife (you can get this in episode one. Just one episode to appreciate the glorious THUNK of a melon being cut with a large knife).

You can also watch it if you want to write fanfic for it to satisfy my current cravings for 1) femslash and 2) anything about Jiang Zhan. (I haven't talked about the possible femslash ships bc they are pretty much my imagination but Ding Liu is very cutesy and friendly with Liuxi and also that female villain I was talking about above HATES Liuxi in a way that is quite fun, so. There's that.)

Now I have to find another badass woman show to satisfy that particular mood. If you have any recs along those lines, let me know ;)

#west out of the yumen #parallel world #cdrama #cdrama review

[ionazeva]

If you like mystery costume cdrama, well written plot and smart characters solving interesting mysteries, watch ‘In Blossom’.

It’s too dang good.

No cringey/ cliche stuffs. (Bonus: the characters don’t really believe in ghosts/ superstitions, so there’s no weird action fighting scenes that involves magic or inner power or unfathomable martial art skills(?))

No repetitive scenes, and I believe there’s NO FILLER EPS. It’s only 32 episodes!!

The acting was superb. It’s a gem. The female lead was too good. She’s an eyecandy!! She acts unbelievably well for two different person.

It’s just too good. I rate it 100/10.

If you watched Blood of Youth, the handsome bald monk is the MAIN CHARACTER in this series. And what’s better, HE HAS LONG HAIR in this one. Imagine the handsomeness. He’s such an eyecandy. Almost everyone is an eyecandy in this show. Even the second male lead is handsome.

There’s friendship, loyalty and strong sense of justice in this series. And it’s just good good.

Go watch it now!

#cdrama #cdrama recs #cdrama review #in blossom #historical #mystery

[sonatahikari86]

— When I Fly Towards You/当我飞奔向你 (2023)

“I would think of that scene over again. She stood under the roof with her shining eyes looking at me through the rain. That glance seemed to hint to me that my light was coming.”

A series that gives me so much warmth. It's not only about romance but also the stories of friendship, family, dreams, growing up, and changes in life. A beautiful youth drama that made me want to experience it if I could turn back time.

Their story really starts at the beginning of their youth. A sudden meeting under the rain led to so many moments together in their future as friends, lovers, and then married couples.

They are basically each other's opposites. That sunshine girl and the midnight rain boy, but slowly, she gave him light and made him shine brighter than before.

Zaizai is that one-of-a-kind girl who is full of courage and strength. She isn't afraid of anything, always stands up for herself, and is the kindest person to people around her. She is really the sweetest character to begin with. It's so easy to fall for her.

Rangrang looks cold outside because of his so-not-good family environment, and his encounter with Zaizai led him to a new world that made his gloomy world more colorful.

Let alone the time when he proposed to her. He really prepared that video all this time. From the time Zaizai wasn't aware of his feelings to the time they were together. This alone says so much that his love is as big as her love for him.

I could never be Zaizai, who has so much courage to express her love for someone she cares about the most. From the start, she wasn't afraid to show her affection for Rangrang, whom she had felt in love with since their first encounter. She is always true to herself, never shields her feelings, and makes sure that her feelings reach the one she loves.

And her genuine feelings really reached Rangrang. He didn't speak too much, but his actions alone could tell how much he also cared about Zaizai. For three years, he kept his love in his heart and confessed to her at the right time. The moment when he finally told her that he'd liked her all along is one of the sweetest confession scenes that I've ever watched.

Guan Fang's relationship with Nainai is the one that made me totally envious. Nainai's warmth and patience made him into a good and kind boy. He changed for the better, and meeting with the others made him even better. His determination to stay with his Nainai in the end brought tears to my eyes. He is so right; time is tickling, and the best thing we can do is spend it with the one we love the most.

And here's one of the best second couples! Gu Ran, who is mischievous and playful but is kind and sweet to the people he cares about the most, couldn't express his feelings to Jiajia because he was afraid it would ruin their friendship. I'm glad they got their best ending and had a chance to express their affection for eo.

Youth drama is always beautiful when it also highlights the friendship between the characters. And I'm not gonna lie, the five of them are one of the best friendship tropes. Their kindness, care, and trust for each other are truly one of a kind.

It's so beautiful because their friendship really started at the beginning of their youth and continued until they grew up into fine adults. They go their separate ways after high school graduation, but they still stick together till the end. There's maybe some misunderstanding between them, but they could make it pass.

Their long-lasting friendship is the only thing I could relate to in this drama. It was such a pleasure that we could stay with people who were always there for us for such a long time. Not everyone could have this kind of long relationship. So looking at them still strong together after all this time is so heartwarming.

This drama also managed to portray the beauty of the high school era. They captured so many moments that could only happen in our youth, which made me, as a viewer, feel nostalgic.

They are also able to describe the hurdles that we face when we turn into adults, be it at university or in our work lives. Life is like candy; sometimes it's sweet and other times it's sour. And we could see this when Zaizai and Rangrang faced their adult lives. It's so good because they became each other's shelter and shoulder to lean on. And this development is one of the best things that has happened in their relationship.

The warmth that this drama gave me this summer indeed made my day more beautiful. It may be exaggerated, but I really spent the most beautiful day watching this drama. Not only the drama alone, but its OST also gives me a good feeling every time I listen to it.

So, once again, I want to say thank you so much for coming to me this summer and making my day brighter. I hope this heartwarming feeling will last a long time. I am sure I'll come back again when I need a warm hug.

#When I Fly Towards You #当我飞奔向你 #Zhou Yiran #Zhang Miaoyi #Bian Tianyang #Jiang Zhinan #Guo Zhe #cdrama #cdrama review

[cryptidafter]

Now that I’m finished with The Rise of Phoenixes, I’ll give a little review!

I’d rate it a solid 6.5/7 out of 10. Acting, set design, costuming was all phenomenal.

It’s about the long-lasting and devastating consequences of revenge. How the quest for power is always going to lead to pain: for oneself and countless others. It’s about the unchosen circumstances of birth and how the grudges of one’s parents effect the lives of their children. The only curse being the blood that runs through your veins. It’s about not being able to escape from the ties that bind you. It’s about duty and sacrifice and the loneliness of maintaining a stable nation. It’s about sacrificing your own happiness for the sake of the people. It’s about familial bonds being broken beyond repair. It’s about grief and loss and hatred. It’s about how the love was there but it wasn’t enough. A wide cast of characters who all feel very human and distinct, even some of the more minor ones. Finally, a drama where the majority of the female characters are actually fully fleshed out people with their own thoughts and desires! My one gripe is that most of them die but, then again, this is a show where there’s a lot of fighting and murder lol; I understand. (Also not an LGBT show but I choose to believe Feng Zhiwei wasn’t making 🥺 eyes at all her sworn meimeis for nothing). There were a few plot points that I’m still unsure about (characters that just sort of…disappear) but I’m sure a rewatch would give me some better clarification on things.

At times, the pacing was a bit off. There were certain episodes that dragged and a few plot points that I think could’ve been tightened up or reworked but nothing egregious. I wasn’t a huge fan of all the flashback sequences; I won’t speak for most people but I can retain enough previous episode information to not need to be reminded of key elements. Let the audience figure some things out on their own. Especially because a lot of the twists in this show were genuinely interesting and I think would’ve been even more impactful without those little winks and nudges.

Most of the negative reviews I’ve seen are in regards to the ending and I honestly think if you’re looking for a straightforward romance, this isn’t the show for you. It’s a very realistic ending to the series, especially when you keep in mind all the points I listed above. If you’re a fan of political thrillers, of highly emotional and character driven storytelling, then I think you’ll be satisfied.

(Unfortunately it leaves Netflix on the 13th of this month so uh…if you have other means of potentially finding it…you know…do that and maybe let me know…lol)

Bleak, beautiful, heart wrenching. I will be thinking about it forever, thanks.

(Shoutouts to some of my favorite characters: Ning Yi, Feng Zhiwei, Hua Qiong, Gu Nanyi, Headmaster Xin, Yale, and Zhao Yuan! And a big thank you to @sirenofthegreenbanks for the recommendation 💕)

#cryptid’s thoughts #the rise of phoenixes #cdrama #cdrama review #天盛长歌 #strangers to lovers to enemies to idk it’s complicated is such a delight lol #choosing to believe they definitely [REDACTED] in the last episode - nobody can convince me otherwise 😌😂 #yes I have also written a fic lol - needs editing but I’ll post it soonish

[cdramaaaaa]

Cdrama Review (Spoiler-free)

Drama: Story of Kunning Palace (2023)

Genre: Historical, Romance, Fantasy, Political

My Rating: 9.5/10

The Good:

Insane Chemistry

Jiang Xue Ning has chemistry with all of them, including the girls! 1 vs 3? More like 1 vs 5. There's one that likes her, the one she likes, the one she's afraid of, the one that dotes on her and the one that's loyal. I keep switching lanes whenever any of them has screentime with our female lead.

The duality of the main leads! They can be cute 🥺, they can be toxic 🚩. I just want to replay their scenes.

Acting

Best acting I've seen from both Bai Lu and Zhang Linghe. These complex characters were well portrayed by both of them. The rest of the cast also did a good job at being lovable.

Family

There were touching moments between family members that made me cry.

The Plot

I'm not one who enjoys politics but the politics in this one are interesting and witty. I love how the main leads discuss and strategize with each other.

Funny and Cute Moments

From funny side characters to Xue Ning's whining, it's entertaining to watch.

Character Developments

There were parallels of the past life and their current life and the decisions they make that showcases their growth.

Satisfying End for Villains

I liked that the villains get what they deserved and in a satisfying way.

The Best Ending Ever

Happy Ending ✅️ Eating with friends ✅️ Cute lil moments ✅️ Marriage ✅️ Kids and a Pet ✅️

The Bad:

An Unnecessary Death

The reason and the way that character died was unnecessary. Couldn't they make it a near death instead?

Need More of Secondary Couple

I wanted to see more of them, about how they handled their situation and how he makes up for it.

Overall, this drama is now my #1 cdrama, it's good from start to finish and has a very satisfying ending unlike most cdramas I've seen.

#story of kunning palace #ning an ru meng #宁安如梦 #cdrama recs #cdrama review #zhang linghe #bailu #wang xingyue #zhou junwei #cdramaaaaa review

[missfinemess]

Now that I'm finally done with Love You Seven Times, these are my thoughts:

I LOVE DING YUXI

proceed only if you have completed watching or just skip to the last part if you want my review, includes spoilers.

What happened to Immortal Li???? I was waiting till the end for him to show up again or at least for then to tie up that loose plot thread but absolutely nothing? My funny charming just there for the plots sake Li js gone? Ah I miss this guy

I love and absolutely adore their costumes during the demon arc cause chu kong's hair is to die for and xiangyun's eyeshadow is a masterpiece. Their entire costumes are just top tier.

The colors of this drama OMG. each and every scene has such freaking pretty colors and no scene is bland as such like just amazing

Even the power thing like each character has their own power color and the colors looks so awesome good plus the scenery the background the entire set deserves appreciation on it's own!!!

Not gonna talk about the obvious xianxia problems that occurs in these drama iykyk

Thank god xiangyun's friend cum colleague showed up in the last ep cause otherwise idk it would've just been weird

Can we talk about how all the characters have such good accessories and then haoxuan is just dressed up in simple one or compartively simpler one's? Serves him right.

Their first arc about the boar/pig with the tiger is the cutest and will be the cutest out of all, you can't change my mind. Plus the way they jeep hinting at it even in the last ep>>>>

I wanted to see ming yue get some closure girl just existed for the plot I feel so bad for her she just wanted to spend time with her sister TT

The mortal arcs were super fun esp the 2nd where xiangyun is just playing around with chu kong and the 4th one with the body swap

Is it just me or is it that the cast for this drama is small? Like other dramas have a super long cast with drawn out side plots but I think that aspect was kinda missing in this drama I didn't find a good amount if side characters it was just the same ones repeating again and again

BUT the entire story is so cute and lovely even with all the plot holes.

It just makes you feel warm

Ding yuxi has done it again, that man has carried the entire show in his shoulders and has done it amazingly well.

If I were to rate it out of 10 I would give it a 8? Mainly and mainly for the amazing colors which you would NOT find in other dramas and the costumes I love the costumes.

Would I recommend you to watch it? Yes but don't take it as serious drama. It's a lighthearted xianxia with amazing costumes and colors💫

#love you seven times #ly7t #ding yuxi #chu kong #xiangyun #xiu ming #jin luo #jin lian #cang hai #ly7t text #cdrama #cdrama review #spolier alert #end of the drama review

[mirageofadesert]

First Impression: Love is Panacea

I have just finished the first 4 episodes of the drama on Youkou. It took me over an hour to get the app to take my money, so this better be worth it.

The drama is project for Literature and Art of the Sichuan province and co-produced by Youkou and CCPTV. Therefore, we can expect a lot of national propaganda in the show, especially since it’s not only a medical drama, but also about international medical aid and foreign aid. Lou Yunxi seems to really take his nickname as Sichuan ambassador seriously! ;-)

Cast and Characters (so far)

Zhang Rua Nan as Su Weian: A medical school dropout on a quest to enjoy her life, struggling to make ends meet overseas. She becomes a translator at the local Chinese Medical Aid hospital.

Luo Yunxi as Dr. Gu Yun Zheng: A passionate but cold doctor working in Chinese Medical relief/aid in North Africa. He is Su Weian former teacher. He is initially very skeptical of the FL intentions and abilities.

Wang Yiting as Jiang Muying: Su Weian’s best friend, that travels to see her after a long time.

Li Jiahao as Fang Mingfan (Nian Baiyu!) doctor and assistant and love interest of Jiang Muying. I expect them to be the 3rd couple of the show.

Shawn Wei as Dun Yuncheng: As the CEO of a pharmaceutical company. He had a one-sided crush on the FL and is the half brother of the ML. We haven’t seen them interact in the present yet, but there is a nice build up to an interesting dynamic.

Mild Spoiler

The first arc of the show takes place in a small city in North Africa. Foreign actors in Chinese Dramas are always … something, and this is no difference. The dubbing is also noticeable different compared to the rest. I do, however, like how the show approaches different languages and the language barrier. Dr. Gu only speaks Chinese and English and needs a French translator to communicate with patients and staff – this is where Su Weian comes in.

There is a lot of unintended comedy, because of the way they are depicting the foreign country. While some is just silly – for example the way they are throwing $ bills around as if it was Yuan, other times it relies too much on exoticism. So far, they haven’t crossed the line to straight out racist stereotyping, so that’s something. It does, at times, make a lot of the scenes feel over the top and cringe. However, no matter the country of origin, very rarely do productions get other languages and culture right. China in Western media is often just horrible, so I’m not going to hold it against them. The medical stuff is also mostly fine, it’s not accurate, but it’s not so wrong, that I’m getting angry. So the framing of the show is okay, I think it will get better once they are back in China.

Dr. Gu is a typical character played by Luo Yunxi: Serious, passionate, troubled and very in love with a woman. He excels in this role, as always. His English is also amazing! Su Weian is so far the more interesting character. She is everything I want from a FL: strong, independent, witty and smart. So far, we were only introduced to 3 side characters, that have not shown any depth yet. I’m just really happy to see Tantai Jin and Nian Baiyun reunite on screen – still being master and assistant. I do miss their costume so, because the styling in this show is… different.

The cast of the show is so far the best part. While the script relies on a lot of cliché tropes, it’s the dynamic between the actors, that make the show engaging. I’m rather pessimistic about the script so far, it might end somewhere between “Lie to Love” and “Broker”. However, the acting and the chemistry between the leads is significantly better!

One of my favorite things is, how self-aware the show is at times: Be it the supporting cast admitting being the side characters of the leads' life, the subverting of stereotypes of Chinese eating strange things like insects or the nurses watching costume dramas on the Youkou apps and taking dating advice from it. So I’m holding out hope that the overly cliché romantic tropes are an attempt to mislead the audience into thinking this is just a romantic show.

I’m going to talk about the ending of the show next. Please just stop reading here, if you don’t want to get spoiled!

Major Spoiler

On a personal note, I was misdiagnosed with a deadly disease earlier this year. While I’m incredibly lucky, that it turned out a misdiagnosis, for a couple of months I had to live with the belief that I was going to die early and in a lot of pain. So this show hits on a different level and that's why it’s important to me, that the novel ending stays the same. (Spoiler!!)

I’m a bit nervous about it, because not only did they cut out 6 full episodes, they also changed the name to “Healing Lover”. I don’t want the FL to be healed. There is no cure for her disease in real life, so there shouldn’t be one in the drama. Suffering from life altering disease is part of many people's life, that affect not only them, but also their family and friends. It would feel insulting, if they change it. I want to see a drama, in which the cast has to come to terms with the FL death. I want her husband and son to find a way to cope and live on. I want maximum angst. No rainbow at night.

#luo yunxi #cdrama #zhang ruonan #love is panacea #cdrama review

[kdramacrybaby]

Hidden Love (2023)

Genre: Romance, Comedy, Youth

Synopsis: As a young girl, Sang Zhi falls in love with her older brother’s best friend Duan JiaXu. Oblivious to her feelings, he treats her as nothing more than a sister, and eventually, Sang Zhi realizes she has to give up on her feelings after getting hurt too many times. Years later, Sang Zhi now a legal adult, the two meet again, and old feelings start to resurface for Sang Zhi, who desperately tries (and fails) to push them back. This time, though, she might not be the only one catching feelings.  

Episode info: 25 episodes / Runtime around 45 minutes

Lead cast: Zhao Lu Si (Sang Zhi), Chen Zhe Yuan (Duan JiaXu), Victor Ma (Sang Yan)

Link to watch: You can watch on Netflix for Dramacool

Drama rec masterlist | Drama rant thread (beware of spoilers)

(I watched this while on my exercise bike, so that’s why there’s no drama rant for this drama (but I would have been absolutely freaking out if there was one)).

The first thing I want to address is the age gap between the characters, something I was very wary about when first starting out the drama - I think using a younger actress in the first few episodes while still using the same male lead made it a lot worse than it actually was too - but it still took a little convincing to root for this couple. Which is also why I didn’t really take the drama that seriously at first, it was just something Netflix had recommended and a drama that could be sort of cute to watch while I got some exercise.

I want to refer to this post by teaandsojupod, because I think they really made a great point. Yes there is an age difference that might make some people raise an eyebrow, but that is the point and the drama is well aware of this fact. It is addressed multiple times throughout the drama - both the lead characters have their own thoughts and worries about the age gap, and they discuss this with their friends and family. Nothing is done without thought and care, and they both take their time to reflect on their feelings for the other before making a move.

What I love the most about their relationship, is how they always take the time to communicate their thoughts and feelings to the other, so there is no room for misunderstandings. They never hide their worries from each other - and even if they try to because they don’t want to worry the other, they know each other so well that they notice immediately and support each other through it. They protect each other in their own way and I love to see it. This is everything I want to see in a healthy romance and more. And the actors have amazing chemistry.

Other than the fantastic romance, I want to list a couple of points that only made the drama even better:

The sibling energy between Sang Zhi and her big brother is everything

The friendships in this drama are everything 

The actors are all phenomenal 

The writing / story is actually good and feels natural

I really did not expect to like this drama as much as I did, but it just made me smile so much, and I even ended up binging the last couple of episodes off the bike because I couldn’t wait to see how it ended.   

This is a drama that I will definitely be comparing future romance dramas to in terms of how much I like the couple. We don’t need every male lead to be a rich prince on a white horse, sometimes they can be just a normal dude with normal real-life struggles.

Yes, there are some things they maybe gloss over a little bit (some b-plot with Sang Zhi’s friends, how the whole thing with Jiaxu’s past got resolved, Sang-zhi’s parents), but I really don’t think it takes away that much from the central story.

Highly recommended watch! 

#hidden love #cdrama review #cdrama rec #cdrama

[a-fantasy-lover-surfing-the-net]

Modern Cdramas I watched in 2023

This was my first year in Dramaland (both Chinese and Korean). And I have to say that for the most part I have enjoyed my journey in discovering the dramas. This list includes dramas that were released before 2023 as well.

9. Love of Replica

This one of those dramas with lookalikes where the female lead impersonates her lookalike and solves the mystery about her backstory. Also, it's a bodyguard romance so I definitely expected some things going in. It's full of cliches and tropes some enjoyable and some irritating. I have to praise Yu Yue (actress portraying the female lead), she really made me believe that lookalikes were two completely different people. The chemistry between the main couple is fire. I did not enjoy the secondary characters' romance. However the overall squad energy and their team dynamic was great. I kinda guessed the twist but was surprised by how dark the drama went. Overall, I liked most of it and I was disappointed how some of the characters ended up. If you want a bodyguard romance with kinda obvious twists with very good cast chemistry then you'll probably like it.

8. Parallel Love

This is a time travel drama (you'll see more of these in this list) where Lin Miao, the female lead travels from 2020 to 2010 and she must help Jiao Yang, who is the Vice President of Hong Yu, become the president of the company within 3 months otherwise she will disappear forever. What I liked most about is that Lin Miao is very competant and smart, even if she is not experienced for the task she will still try her best and give it her all. I enjoyed the romance and the dynamic of the main leads. It definitely has plot holes regarding time travel and the rules were not properly explained. They also did not really focus much on the time travel part and did use the potential things that they could do with time travel. However, the interaction between the present and the future Lin Miao was very well done and something that many people would be able to relate to. The business plot was medium and not very interesting. The main leads' personalities and character arcs was the reason why I enjoyed the drama. However, they left the ending ambiguous so if you don't mind open endings then you'll enjoy this time travel/corporate romance drama.

7. Love under the Full Moon

Another time travel drama with a twist that Lei Chu Xia (female lead), who has time travelled 10 years into the future can't leave Xu Xiao Dong side beyond a certain distance. Together they work to recover her memory to unravel the mysteries of the past decade. This drama has great romance, unique time travel premises further in the series, good character development for the main and secondary cast, an antagonist that seems like a real person which makes it seem like we could meet someone like them in real life and a plot with unexpected paths. However, it does have a bittersweet open ending which could make some people hate the drama. Despite that I really liked the drama.

6. Mr. Bad

One day, Nan Xing, an online novel writer makes a wish for an "unforgettable love" in a wishing pool. Then, Xiao Wu Di, the villain of her story, suddenly appears before her! She tries to avoid him, but Xiao Wu Di finds her and threatens her into taking care of him. Unfortunately for him, Nan Xing's wish comes with a special power: whenever she needs help, Xiao Wu Di teleports next to her to fulfill her wish. It's fun, fluffy and sweet with not much angst. The romance is cute and the dynamic with the secondary cast is enjoyable. The ending frustrated me but I assume they did it to pass the censors so I just pretend the last 7 mins don't exist. This is one of those shows you can watch when you just want to turn your brain off and watch a sweet story.

5. My Lethal Man

It's premise is similar to Love of Replica however here Shen Man Ning, an art student takes the place of Zhuang Xin Yan, granddaughter of a business tycoon. Yan Xing Cheng, the mysterious male lead is ruthless in pursuing the mastermind behind the threats and is not really sympathetic to Xin Yan but as they face the difficulties together they fall in love. The romance is so good and their dynamic is very different from typical ones. I found the secondary characters' romance weird and poorly done. The plot was really good and the pace kept moving along nicely. Except for the secondary romance, I had a great time watching it, I really recommend this one if you want a drama that balances mystery/thriller and romance and does a good job at both aspects.

4. Love in Time

A time travel drama again ! This is the last one though. This one is unique because the appartment in which He Zhen Yu has recently moved into merges with it's past one. This is how he meets a rookie reporter Chen Jia Lan who is a former tenant from four months ago, and through some miracle, they are able to see each other. When they attempt to prevent future misfortunes by changing the past together, their romance blossoms. Their romance was so good that I really ended up hardcore rooting for them to get their happy ending. I don't want to give away too much so all I'll say is that the time travel and its consequences were handled very well for the most part and the plot was interesting and took surprising turns. He Zhen Yu's character arc was very well portrayed on the other hand while in the beginning I related to Chen Jia Lan, in the latter part of the drama I was frustrated with her choices and how she didn't have a character growth moment. All the actors did a good job but I have to say that the main leads' acting was very good and made me very immersed in their story. All in all, I had a very good time watching it as the ending brought it all together for me.

3. Lucky's First Love

It's one of those office romances which has a light tone for the most part. Xing Yun is competent and hardworking who was there with Xia Ke when he started the company. They have been working together for years and have deep understanding of each other and work well together. Thankfully, Xia Ke is not one of those CEOs who are jerks and cold hearted. He may be reserved but he is quite caring (not in an overt way) not only towards Xing Yun but also his employees. Xing Yun does go out with someone else in the start but it doesn't last long and love triangle shenanigans are not long drawn out. The main leads' romance is sweet and depicts their daily interactions and they have great kiss scenes. The secondary couples are also great. This drama has character development for main and secondary characters, wholesome workplace and family dynamics, no over the top melodrama, lifelike workplace and relationship issues, slice of life interactions and very little angst. This is a great watch for when you need something short and sweet that's not too heavy.

2. Ordinary Greatness

The show mainly focuses on novice police officers that are starting their one year long mentorship. They soon discover that the grass-roots work is different from what they imagined, and, after some struggles, they're gradually moved by the sense of achievement and honour gained in their work. Throughout the show we explore their characters, their comraderie with each other, with their mentors and with other police officers at their station. We also get to know their mentors and other police officers at the station which immerses the audience in the show deeply. It is a slice of life type drama, where most of the cases are not major crimes. All actors knock it out of the park with their emotional as well as subtle portrayals. This show depicts how even small acts and seemingly tedious and insignificant work really have great impact on people's lives and that the people doing such grassroots work contribute just as much and are just as important to the society if not more as the people doing big acts like taking down criminal gangs. While some situations and cases are specific to China, everyone will be able to relate to majority of them. I must say this is a must watch drama.

1. Arsenal Military Academy

This is a Republican era drama in which Xie Xiang assumes her brother's identity to join the Chinese army and is accepted in the Arsenal Military Academy. While she is the main lead the story also follows Gu Yan Zheng(main lead) - a spoilt quarrelsome rich kid, the gentle and introverted Shen Jun San, Qu Man Ting - a famous actress and singer and secondarily other cadets, their teachers and other locals. It has great comedy, really good romance (including their hilarious bickering), enjoyable action and entertaining dynamic of the cast. All the actors did an excellent job here, the standouts being Bai Lu, for portraying being able to convincingly play the female role and the female disguised as male role all while knocking out her emotional and comedic scenes and Xu Kai, who can forget his electrifying performance as a lovable troublemaker. I have to warn you that the story gets serious in the last 10ish episodes and that the love triangle does drag out a little bit longer than it should but it's resolution is still good. To me the drama didn't seem overly patriotic so I didn't have a problem rooting for the characters and their goals of protecting and improving their country. This ranked first because it's romance, characters and their comraderie won me over completely.

You can also check out my costumed cdrama rankings.

As I'm still a newbie to cdramas and kdramas, I welcome your recommendations.

#I was supposed to post this in the second week of jan but instead it went into the #tumblr void #i rewrote and posted it as soon as i realised it #sorry #that you're reading a #2023 retrospective #a month into #2024 #cdrama #cdramas #modern cdrama #cdrama review #arsenal military academy #ordinary greatness #lucky's first love #love in time #my lethal man #mr. bad #mr bad #love under the full moon #parallel love #love of replica

[namjhyun]

DRAMA REVIEW | Hidden Love (2023)

Hidden Love it's a beautiful love story about love, overcoming grief, guilt and building a family. The acting is really good and the OST fun. I don't know where scriptwriter Shen Fei Xian has been for the past 7 years but, God, I am so glad she's back!

This drama had two MVPs: Sang Yan for opening his home and always being a good friend and brother, and Qian Fei for helping Jian Xu figure out his love life. Where would our leads be without them? Probably still pining for each other.

Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan carry the drama with ease and sizzling chemistry. It was a joy to see their characters fall in love and dealing with everything that came their way as a team with a deep understanding of each other. They made an effort to communicate and this made them stronger and smarter as couple. Wonderful.

If you enjoyed this drama, you might want to check out Love O2O. Shen Fei Xian was also the scriptwriter responsible for that adaptation to the screen and she clearly very talented. And if you have already seen both dramas, then good news: she's already working on her next project!

#cdrama #hidden love #namjhyuns review #review #cdrama review #zhao lusi #chen zheyuan