Already Missing This One...

Binged the end as soon as express pass was available. Didn't want this one to be over but also could not wait to find out what happens. IMO this is the best drama I've watched this year. Acting, pace, plot, etc. were great. Let's also not forget about the directing and production.. this was such a cinematic piece.

Story: I really enjoyed the pace of this drama. Aside from the first 5 episodes (which I know was needed to set up the story), I was constantly intrigued and never bored. Even all the heartbreak and angst scenes never really dragged out for more than 1-2 episodes. My only complain is the end felt a little.. random? Was satisfied with the ending but felt like there could have been more. I wanted a little more out of their reconciliation moment and could have done with a marriage/baby scene (cliche I know, but everyone else in the Cheng family got it!). What I was most impressed with was how they were really able to sway my perception of characters and understand the struggle each individual endured.

Acting; The entire cast was superb, no complaints about anyone's acting skills. I have been a fan of both WeLei and LuSi for a while now and I have to say this is their best drama yet. WuLei's emotions in this gave me chills.. the struggle/pain of hiding secrets from NN, him losing his family/aunt the revenge scenes, the battle scenes, I could go on. I still cannot believe he's only 22 and cannot wait to watch more of his future works. LuSi has really shown her range of acting in this one and all the haters need to seriously STFU. Her crying scenes in this are unparalleled. Both actors used so much emotion in their eyes, esp WuLei, and I could truly feel their chemistry.

Music: This is the first drama I've watched without an original OST with lyrics and it still did not disappointed. Didn't feel any different and the music really paired well with each scene and emotion. Traditional Chinese instruments is s just so beautiful.

Rewatch Value: I've already watched episodes 1-48 about 3x each... will continue to repeat in the next few days.

It's been a while since I've felt so attached to the characters and drama... truly thought this one was a gem and loved it. The ENTIRE cast of this (whether it be actors, writers, producers, etc.) really deserve all the recognition for this one.

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What A Mess..

Where to begin on this one. Wow. Let me start out by saying that I thought the acting was pretty well done, I have nothing against the actors/actresses in this show. I came here as a Joseph Zeng fan, and managed to actually finish a JJY drama for once. JZ and JJY had decent chemistry, none of it felt awkward. All the characters were portrayed well, to the point where you literally want to kill some of them.

The plot/writing is where it all goes wrong. The first few episodes had potential but once you reach 1/3 of the way in, you start to wonder what you're even watching anymore and why. The script writers filled episodes with unnecessary stories.. so many of them. Had this been a 20 episode drama, it might have been somewhat bearable. By episode 30, the fast forward button became my best friend. It got to the point where as much as I was trying to push through, I had to put this on pause until all the episodes were released so I could fast forward to the end.

I hate to say it but this is probably the worst drama I've watched all year. The only reason this is getting a 5 from me (and not a 4) was because I did enjoy the OST and acting.

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Pleasantly Suprised.

I came to this drama for Evan Lin and didn't have high expectations for it. I haven't really watched any of the other actors/actress' dramas but have grown to really like them after this drama. It's also my first Republican drama.

Pace of the story was good and I thought the storyline was pretty interesting. I can appreciate a drama without obsessive/despicable SLs because I've watched too many dramas with those as of late. The beginning of the story was a little "whatever" to me as I didn't really like the ML's attitude, but I pushed through and am glad I did. Writers/actors did a god job of triggering emotions in certain parts.

Overall great story, acting and the OST isn't bad either. Would I rewatch? No, but I think it's worth checking out.

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Worth The Watch...

Without revealing too much about the plot/ending, I thoroughly enjoyed this drama. I would say that the first half is better than the second half (all that drama with the director/production team is definitely noticeable), but Zhao Lusi and Yang Yang's acting (as well as all the other actors) performance was superb throughout. Their chemistry was amazing.

Typical political feuds and scheming but nothing too frustrating, did feel a bit dragged out at some points. No script/plot is perfect and while there are moments where you think "How could they not know?!", a story is a story. Loved all the fighting/battle scenes, even though I wouldn't classify this as a full Wuxia. Love story was a bit of a slow burn, but the leads portrayed the feelings well.

My fav drama of 2022 so far.

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Cuteness Overload.

I came to this drama following Song Zu'Er but fell in love with Wang An Yu. Thoroughly enjoyed this drama and was surprised I liked this all the way through. It was just enough angst but not over done (I've watched too many dramas this year with jealous, obsessive second leads). A pleasant reminder of what young love feels like, but also a great example of a healthy and supportive relationship.

While the storyline itself may not be the most realistic, it didn't really bother me. I've always been a fan of speed skating and ice-skating, so a youth sports drama with this focus was entertaining to watch. I thought the acting overall was great and writers did a good job of keeping the plot moving. I was worried that 33 episodes would be too much, but I never really felt like this was dragged out.

Shao Beisheng and Shen Zhengyi might honestly be one of my fav youth CPs. Highly recommend this if you need a light-hearted drama with LOTS of sweet moments. I loved the development of the main leads' relationship and will definitely re-watching parts! Can't believe this one is over and already missing it..

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