LOVE the first half, but slowly fizzles out........Still a lovely drama!

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

What a lovely Thai adaptation of the manga, and it has big shoes to fill after the beloved Japanese adaptation. I saw the Japanese drama a few years ago, and honestly, I don’t remember much. The only thing I remember was how awkward and shy Adachi was.

The early episodes of “Cherry Magic” gave me very positive vibes. It feels very Japanese and very Thai at the same time. I was in love with the first half of the drama. I love Achi more than Japanese Adachi. Achi is shy and introverted but not overly, and definitely, not as awkward as Adachi. Achi actually feels like a normal person. Karan is just as lovely as his Japanese counterpart. He’s a total Mr. Green Flag. But I do find Machida Keita more handsome and I like the more confident version of his character. Karan is sweeter, softer, more sensitive and more smitten.

The sweet, shy and adorable scenes of Karan and Achi in the first half of the drama before they officially got together was so good that I thought I might rate this a 9.0, if it continues on. I cried my eyes out during Karan’s confession scene by the boat, and the subsequent episode telling us all that he’s done for Achi behind-the-scene. My heart hurts for Karan.

Unfortunately, once the leads officially got together, the cringe started. The Japanese vibe slowly disappears and it’s all Thai cringe of sweet nothings. In a way, Karan is very cute but just a little too much for my taste. He’s just too smitten with Achi! I like the more mature and a little shyer version of Karan in the first half.

All the supporting characters are lovely and they don’t take away from the main leads. I find Rock more likable than the Japanese Rokkaku Yuta. Pai is a kickass female character and I love her shipping the leads and being the voice of reason. Min and Jinta are fine but not amazing. In the end, I somewhat lost interest in the idol storyline, the romance between Jinta and Min, and even the romance between Rock and Pai. I feel that these minor plots are not written well and not developed evenly throughout the drama.

Although the ending is lovely and more complete than the Japanese version, it felt rushed to me. A lot happened in the last episode but everything resolves and ends without much hassle.

In the end, I do recommend this lovely drama and I had an enjoyable time. I was hoping I would love this from start to finish, but that didn’t happen. At least we got good kisses and great chemistry!


Completed: 3/21/2024 - Review #419

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Sizzling Chemistry, Amazing Kisses, Beautiful Cinematography

Subjective Gut Rating - 8.75

Netflix dropped all 9 episodes of “Doona!” and it became a Doona weekend for many, including myself. Maybe because I am in the mood for a melo-healing drama after so many comedies, I really enjoyed this. The initial setup and plot aren’t that unique, but the chemistry makes it worthwhile. Though this is not a perfect drama, it gives me the feels and touches me.

The chemistry between Suzy and Yang Se Jong is sizzling. I LOVE their kisses ? and yes, I said it out loud). It’s been a while since I last saw a couple (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Thai) who gave so much emotion into these kiss scenes. We have two actors who are not shy and really participate and give me all the feels. I am not just talking about sexy/sexual kisses, but the sense of uncertainty, the should-I-shouldn’t-I type of emotions, and the love they feel for each other. Aside from the kisses, their scenes together are lovely. I really enjoy how their relationship started from strangers, who don't care for each other, to loving each other so much that they beg for the other’s affection and attention.

It takes a man like Lee Won Joon, gentle, adorable and forgiving, to deal with a selfish, emotional and broken diva like Lee Doo Na. The two of them are an odd pair in a way, yet they complement each other so well. Both are flawed (even the adorable Won Joon) and make flawed decisions. But since this is not a romantic comedy, their questionable decisions make this drama even more intriguing.

The acting is pretty good all-around. It probably wasn’t too difficult for Suzy to play a pop idol. But her emotional scenes are done well. Yang Se Jong reminded me of his character in “Thirty But Seventeen” but in this drama, there are more heartbreaking moments. I mentioned earlier about the kisses and there are a few shots where Yang Se Jong/Won Joon behaved shyly and passionately which totally made me fall for his character. I also enjoyed Ha Young’s portrayal of Kim Jin Joo. Under other circumstances, I would root for her happiness with the male lead. I felt for her and wanted her to find someone special.

The cinematography is beautiful and the songs complement the scenes well. I am actually surprised at the lack of songs played during some romantic moments. Oftentimes you would hear loud music blasted on screen for any hint of a romance. But here, there’s a lot of silence in the scenes between Doo Na and Won Joon, and that adds to the emotional impact of their acting.

On another note, I really cannot stand Choi Yi Ra, Miss Brazil. She is so loud and annoying. I wanted to mute her whenever she comes on screen, and especially when she’s with her two friends. I also find her little side romance unnecessary. I would have liked the drama to focus more on Doo Na’s relationship with her manager. Oh, and Hello Lee Jin Woo, you are looking mighty fine in that suit, acting all arrogant and bossy. ? The few flashbacks we got of Doo Na and her manager were not enough to tell me why she was so obsessed with him. It has to be more than liking him and clinging on to him as if he’s her only family. I also would like more scenes of Doo Na and Sweet Dreams’ group members (before and after).

Moreover, I also felt that the anxiety and panic attacks that Doo Na was experiencing were swept under the rug. Aside from being abandoned in a house alone, there was no talk of therapy or help. Did she miraculously heal by being abandoned, sleeping and eating a lot? Did love heal her? It seems too easy for her to set foot on stage again.

As for the ending, I want to believe that it’s a happy ending. I want to believe that after the emotional reconciliation 4 years later (and I love that scene), they came to understand each other again. That the very last scene is a very discreet way for them to meet in Japan for business individually, and having secret dates after work.

I definitely recommend this drama if you are looking for a melo-healing romance with sizzling chemistry. Fans of Suzy and Yang Se Jong should not miss it as well.



Completed: 10/22/2023 - Review #369

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Too long but Good leads chemistry

Subjective Gut Rating - 7.75

For some reason, the lakorns that I picked all have a similar plot of sibling rivalry and fighting to be the heir of a company or family fortune. Not sure if it’s me or it’s just a very typical/common plot. “My Lovely Bodyguard” is no different. Our ML has to fight off the villain to protect the company that he was asked to oversee, and in doing so, his life's in danger. Therefore, he employed our female lead to be his bodyguard. Of course, our female lead needs money to support her family (cliche) so she took the offer.

What I Like:
1. Good chemistry between the leads with a slow burn romance and pretty good kisses.
2. Good-looking cast. ML has a gorgeous smile and his eyes smile with him. FL is beautiful no matter what she wears.
Smart, independent leads who are good people and easy to root for. The secondary leads are likable characters but not super memorable.
3. Lovely relationships between uncle & nephew, grandmother & granddaughter. These foursomes brought some much fun and sweetness to the show.
4. The child actor and grandma are both adorable!
5. Enough comedic moments here and there to lighten the mood, but not typical slap kiss, over-the-top humor.
6. Acting is pretty good all around. I enjoy the villain’s acting the most.

What I have mixed feelings and don’t like:
1. Draggy plot about the villain. Not enough happened to contribute to 12 long episodes.
2. Interesting ½ of the drama, but then it slows down in the second half. I lost focus towards the last ⅓ of the drama when the villain and leads keep on going around in circles.
3. Action scenes could be better. I might have watched too many Chinese dramas. I expect fight scenes to be more hard-hitting but our female lead is not delivering.
4. Plot holes and illogical inconsistencies here and there. Just little things that if you use common sense, you would have made a different decision. Nothing major, just minor annoyances to me.
5. Last episode is too over-dramatic with the fight, injuries and hospital scenes.

Compared to a few other lakorns I watched this year, unfortunately, this drama is below average. It was unable to keep me interested and focused for ⅓ of the drama. Just this fact, the drama will get a below 8.0 rating. If not for the good chemistry of the leads and the lovely foursomes, I would have rated this lower. The draggy plot is not exciting enough to fill all these long episodes.


Completed: 7/17/2023 - Review #331

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Watch it for Jeremy Tsui or for an easy and funny historical romance drama.

Subjective Gut Rating - 7.75

“Royal Rumours” received a lot of buzz when it first aired due to having a smart female lead who can outsmart anyone. Many are captivated by the male and female leads trying to outsmart each other. But after the initial praises, no one seemed to talk about this show anymore and I am not surprised after finishing this drama. There’s a lot of fun and interesting aspects to this drama in the first ⅓ of the drama. But then, the pace starts to slow down in the second ⅓, and the tone of the drama switches to a more political and somewhat serious tone in the last third. Here’s a quick summary of what likes and dislikes.

What I like:

1. Jeremy Tsui - This man carries the show. His big and expressive eyes never fail to amaze me. A veteran and charismatic actor who can display different emotions through his eyes. Without him, this drama would not be the same. I also miss his deep voice, though the voice actor isn’t bad.

2. Smart leads - Who doesn’t like two smart people trying to outsmart each other? I don’t think either one of them really made a dumb decision. Maybe a little uncharacteristic after falling n love, but by no means are they dumb. There’s no damsel in distress as well, since our female lead can hold her own.

3. He Yuan Ting - Aside from Jeremy’s Crown Prince, HYT is my second favorite character. He is interesting and I enjoy seeing the different sides of him. In a way, he’s pitiful but he never forgot his role as the prince of a rivaling country and not let his affection for FL really clouded his decision (much).

4. Drawings - I love all the cute drawings!

5. Good parents - A C-drama with mostly lovely and caring parents? That’s a rare gem! A king who is both a good parent AND a good king? How many of those can you find?

6. Sisterhood - Another rare gem that the ladies get along so well. Even when initially Princess Tian Jia Min might not like FL that much, she was never super annoying and mean, and I find her quite likable.

7. Sad romance - Though the acting isn’t that great, I am most touched by their romance. I would have loved to see more of their shy and subtle affection for each other. I think with more experienced actors, their story can be even more touching.


What I Have Mixed Feelings or Don’t Like:

1. Hua Liu Li (FL) - This is in the mixed feeling category. I love that she’s so smart. But there’s something about her constant fakeness (needed in the story), cutesy look and talk, whiny voice that make it hard for me to love her. It’s worse when she has fallen in love. I wonder if she has a different voice actress, maybe I’ll like this character even more.

2. Villains - Their reasons do not seem to justify the actions. I also think that I’ve waited for a very long time, but nothing really happened. For most of the drama, we’re trying to discover who the villains are, but I don’t see the villains do much at all. When they were revealed, it was anticlimactic for me. I don’t think the drama did a good job in setting up and explaining why they did what they did. A few sentences here and there in the last episode do not suffice.

3. Acting - Hit or Miss in this category. The veterans are great but the younger actors pale in comparison.

Action scenes - I know this is not a wuxia drama, but they could have made the fight scenes more exciting. There are too many slow-motion scenes. And worst, none of the actors can swing a sword like they know what to do with it. I am usually very picky with my action scenes, and the scenes in this drama are below-average.

4. Pacing - For a 24-episode drama with so much going on in theory, I find the middle of the drama a little slow. If the writing is tighter, the drama could include many more useful and interesting events. There’s a whole lot of repetitive talking and planning.

5. Uneven romance screen time - I think the drama spends a little too much time on Prince Yuan Hao and Princess Jia Min. They do need more time to develop their partnership→friendship→ romance but I wish the drama has devoted a little more time on the other couples. Yuan Wei and Pei Ji Huai got the shortest end of the romance stick. They would have been so cute together. As I mentioned above, I’d like to see more of the other ‘sad’ couple.

Overall, this is an easy watch and a quick binge. A funny historical romance drama but not necessarily a well-written or well-acted drama. I though I would like the bickering couple and the romance a lot more. I’ll watch it if you are a fan of Jeremy Tsui, oh, and if you like cats. ?

Completed: 4/10/2023

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Excellent Action Scenes complimented by creative use of CGI + Good Pacing

“The Blood of Youth” is an enjoyable watch for it. It has great elements of a Chinese historical drama - good bromance, excellent CGI to complement great fight scenes, an engaging plot with good pacing, and a palace politics plot that doesn’t bore me to death. It’s no wonder it receives such high praises and has a MDL rating of 8.8 at the moment.

Comedy - I was initially skeptical as I worried the comedy would not be to my liking. Fortunately, comedic moments were sprinkled throughout the drama and not over-the-top. Thanks to Lei Wu Jie’s innocent and carefree personality and Monk Wu Xin’s sarcasm and arrogance, they brought a lot of fun and lightheartedness to the drama. I actually miss Wu Xin in the second half of the drama when the drama switches to a more political plot. There isn’t enough Wu Xin in this drama!

Fight Scenes - Since this is not a high budget S+ production, this drama is using its money wisely. The best part about “The Blood of Youth” to me is the amazing fight scenes, complemented by some creative use of CGI and fireworks. This might not be a true wuxia drama like “Side Story of Fox Volant”, but I am impressed with the fast-moving sword fights. My pet peeve is slow-motion, twirling scenes, and luckily, we don’t have those in this drama. The wire work by all actors is pretty good, and there's a lot! Most of the action scenes are concentrated in the first half of the drama, and I have to say, I miss the action in the second half until we get to ep 38’s grand finale. However, the CGI for non-fight scenes are lacking. There are a few scenes that were so low quality that I wondered if I was watching the same drama.

Acting - Acting is decent. The veteran actors are great and the younger generation did an ok good job. I do think Li Hong Yi lacks charisma to be the lead. His spoken lines not matching the dubbing bugged the heck out of me for the longest time. It seems like he's mumbling all the time. His acting and line delivery got better in the later episodes but they did dampen my excitement in the first 5 episodes or so. It doesn’t help that for the most part, he was just standing there providing commentary and character background introductions in these early episodes. It also took me a few episodes to get used to Ao Rui Peng’s portrayal of the young and naive Lei Wu Jie. But then, his acting and character grew on me and I ended up liking him quite a bit. I bet Wu Xin is everyone’s favorite character and he’s mine as well. I can’t get enough of his sassiness, even though Liu Xue Yi definitely doesn’t look like a teenager.

Characters - This drama has a very huge cast. I actually think the drama introduced too many characters in the first couple episodes. It was hard to remember everyone’s names, titles, weapons and weapons names, and the different sects. Even though you will see the same 10 or so characters consistently, introducing so many in the beginning is confusing. It’s also nice to see some very strong female characters. It’s about time we see more strong ladies who are smart, brave and can fight. They might not play as big a role as their male counterparts, but at least they are not damsels in distress.

Bromance - The bromance in this drama is definitely a lot better than romance. It was fun when Xiao Se, Wu Xin, Lei Wu Jie and Tang Lian were all together. I love their interactions and bickering, and supporting each other in the first half of the drama. Unfortunately, scenes of them together dwindled in the second half. But then we see more of Xiao Se and his brother Prince Bai. I wish the drama had more scenes of them together and show us more of their frenemies brotherhood.

Romance - They are all underwhelming. There is no chemistry between Xiao Se and Sikong Qian Luo. I understand Xiao Se is more reserved and has bigger plans, but showing more hints of an attraction would be appreciated. Lei Wu Jie and Ye Ruo Yi’s romance is a little better and cuter, but not by much. I am most interested in finding out how Tan Lian and Fairy Lady Rui met and how they fall for each other, but their screen time is limited. The more developed romance might be the one between the two Sword Deities, Li Han Yi and Zhao Yu Zhen. If you are looking for romance in this drama, you will be very disappointed.


Other Random Observations:
1. I was VERY sad when a certain character/guardian died so soon. ?
2. OST is ok, nothing impressive.
3. I like the costumes and they don’t appear cheap. They just seem very thickly layered but it also appears to be quite cold.
4. The end of the villain seems a little anticlimactic.
5. I do not like the dubbing in this drama at all. I am disappointed that most of the actors are dubbed.

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Interesting look into the BL world but writing and execution could be better.

“Lovely Writer” seems like a good way for me to peek into the world of Thai BL dramas and novels. I am not sure how much truth is in this drama, but if it’s exaggerated for the sake of entertainment, the truth doesn’t seem too far behind.

Is the drama’s intention to poke fun at the industry or to show us what it’s like? Either way, it’s an interesting topic and the main reason why I choose to watch it. I had a lot of fun watching the first few episodes when the drama was focusing on casting and filming some of the scenes. I actually would have loved to see more behind-the-scenes of the BL drama industry. Instead, I think we got more about the pressure of selling sex in novels.

This is a pretty good-looking cast, just like ‘Bad Engineers’, the BL drama in “Lovely Writer”. Kao N. who plays Nubsib is definitely good-looking. I also found Tum and Mhok quite attractive. Aoey might be a handsome guy but his character makes him very unattractive. I find Gene to be ok looking.

But when it comes to acting, it’s just so-so and inconsistent. It’s not the worst I’ve seen in a BL drama, but definitely not the best. The cast is still quite young and inexperienced, and most of them only had a few dramas under their belt. I think out of the group, Up might be the most consistent and he plays the introverted and awkward Gene pretty well.. Kao (Nubsib) had a rocky start but got better towards the latter half of the drama.

I also find the pacing of the drama very slow. There are some episodes I have to watch at 1.25x speed because it takes forever for the cast to spit out a sentence or it spends too much time using slow-motion to have the characters look around or contemplate. I also don’t think we need to watch Aoey cry for 5-10 minutes on multiple occasions, which led to my dislike of the character even more. I was waiting for the romance to develop faster, so that I can see more of their relationship challenges navigating the entertainment industry as a couple. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen until towards the end of the drama.

Overall, I do enjoy the romance between Gene and Sib and their backstory (though a little unrealistic). I think their contrasting personalities make for a fun watch. They really didn’t do much and are very domesticated. I think that’s also part of their charm and I do like their scenes together at home. They have great chemistry and have very believable and nice kisses (not forced, not overly R-rated, but just right for the moment). The concept of the reconciliation is nice, but I don’t think it’s executed well and is too short. On the other hand, I dislike the romance between the two managers. I think they are fillers and don’t add anything to the drama at all. If you cut out their romance, nothing will be affected.

Overall, I had a great time watching this due to the subject matter. I am not sure how this drama was received in Thailand during its airing. I wish BL fans can separate real life actors vs characters in a drama. These aggressive fans shipping is really toxic.


Other Random Observations:
1. My first Thai drama seeing two meals of Korean food (BBQ and home-cooked tteokbokki) and a Japanese tea ceremony.
2. Everyone is so rich. Such nice apartments and big houses.
3. I can never get used to the aggressive product placements in Thai BL dramas - drinks, facial masks, cosmetics, breath freshener, dental hygiene products, sunscreen, etc.
4. I am not liking the weird fairytale endings. They might be fun, but they are fillers to me.


Completed: 11/6/2022

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Dragged down by flashbacks, slow motion scenes and slow pacing

Completed - 7/9/2022

I was interested in watching “Age of Legends” due to the two leads, William Chan and Sandra Ma. The plot seems interesting enough, though it’s nothing new or unique. Unfortunately, my initial concern came true. 47 episodes for a modern Chinese drama is way too much. This drama is bogged down by draggy plots and flashbacks, and I would only recommend you watching this if you are a fan of either of the leads. I actually fast-forwarded many scenes, and I don’t usually do that.

What I Enjoy:
1. Hu Rong/Sandra Ma (FL) - I am a fan of a strong and badass female lead who can fend for herself. Hu Rong is not without flaws. She’s way too impulsive as a cop. But she can fight! I am actually quite impressed with Sandra Ma’s fight scenes. She did not appear weak and really did seem like she could throw a punch or throw someone over her shoulders. Hu Rong also has two amazing guys who love her enough to sacrifice their lives for her over and over again (actually a little too much for a supposedly strong female lead). I’ve seen a couple Sandra Ma’s dramas and this is the first one that she’s not whispering and I can actually hear her speak clearly.

2. William Chan - It’s William Chan that drew me to this drama. I can always count on his modern dramas to show me his fight scenes, good looks and his muscles. Instead of being a clean shaven handsome man, for most of the drama, he looks quite unkempt and unshaven. Of course there are scenes of him in a nice suit or uniform, but I quite like his man-bun look. He really doesn’t disappoint in all the action scenes.

3. A few great and likable supporting characters:
= Uncle Guo - what a lovable grandpa he is! Supportive, caring and wise. He believes in ML and never wavers even though he knows ML could have done something really bad in those 8 missing years. I also enjoy all the life and dating advice he gave ML.
= Zhou Li (Fatty) - He’s not handsome, smart or talented. He’s just a normal guy, a great friend and a good human being. I really like his character and how he stands by his friends.
= Ah Se - He reminded me of Fei Liu (from Nirvana in Fire) for some reason. Ah Se is so loyal, adorable and sweet. I needed more of him!


What I Don’t LIke:
1. Flashbacks - Why??? Why so many flashbacks throughout the show?? These annoying flashbacks probably constituted an extra 5 episodes. If you binge watch, this is incredibly annoying. However, if you watch an episode a day, maybe the flashbacks are more tolerable.

2. Draggy Plot/Pacing - The flashbacks really slow down the pace of the drama. The writing is not tight and the middle episodes about the rivalry between Liu Zi Guang and Hou Si Hai lasted too long. The scheming against Liu Zi Guang & company and conversations of Hou Si Hai and his subordinates became repetitive and predictable. I lost my attention and realized I can still follow along the plot alright if I multitask or fast-forward certain scenes. There are also many unnecessary slow-motion scenes in this drama and further slows down the pace.

3. Waste of Liu Yi Jun - What a waste of a talented veteran actor. Liu Yi Jun’s character, Ye Wang Long, spends most of his time hiding in his big house and having the same conversation over and over again with his right-hand man. For most of the drama, all he did is tell us what ML is going to do, because he knows ML so well. He was so much more fun to watch in the first few and the last couple episodes when he’s not taking a back seat to everything that’s happening.

4. Undercover operation - This has to be the worst kept secret. How could you have an undercover, dangerous operation known to so many civilians, and have civilians join in? I can’t really take this plot seriously.

5. Last episode - It’s not exciting enough and quite predictable. Moreover, when FL is handed a bulletproof vest, you know what’s going to happen. Actually, why didn’t FL wear a bulletproof vest in the first place??? After being shot, how can the villain run all the way from the base (somewhere in the woods) back into town and wait for ML? That’s quite a long walk when you are hurt. I am also confused about the last scene of the drama.

6. Dubbing - There’s a lot of post production dubbing over the original dialogs. The voices don’t match the movement of the mouths. And you can tell due to censorship that they changed many of the original dialogs.


Other Random Observations:
1. Maybe a little overdramatic, but I quite like ML’s fight scene in the rain - fighting, holding an umbrella, shielding Tina from the rain and seducing her at the same time. Oh, we got some tango background music and slow motion scenes to set the mood. I would fall for William Chan, too!
2. Good decent kiss scenes from William Chan and Sandra Ma. Chemistry is pretty good but not sizzling hot.
3. It took a while for the leads to get together but romantics like me are rewarded with enough sweet scenes. The secret rendezvous spot where the pipes are is an interesting location for a date.
4. Sabrina Chen’s CEO character is really annoying in the beginning. Thank goodness she got better.

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What happened in a relationship when opposites attract and worlds collide?

Completed - 7/4/2022 - 8.75

I didn't know I needed a second season after "To My Star". I watched the movie version of season 1, thus, those short 15-min episodes did not feel as disjointed and I liked it fine. Here comes season 2 and I am glad the episodes are longer and we are treated to 10 episodes. The longer format allows for better storytelling and more developed side characters.

Oftentimes, dramas end with what happened in season 1 - two individuals from very different worlds meet and fall in love. We like opposite attracts stories, and they always end with happily-ever-after. But what happened afterwards when you are in a relationship and the initial honeymoon phase is over? "To My Star 2" is giving us a pretty honest and realistic view of what happens next.

This drama started with Ji Woo disappearing with just a simple break up note, and Seo Joon is devastated. Even after a year, Seo Joon has not given up hope and is still looking for him. There's a lot of angst this time around and not a whole lot of cute and fluffy scenes. Emotions are raw and real. I keep on waiting to find out why Ji Woo would suddenly disappear. He must have a good reason to do that, right? Some might think his reasons are uncalled for and coming out from nowhere, as there has never been any indication that he was unhappy in his relationship. But if you think from his point of view, and take into account of his personality and past history, you could understand why he feels a certain way. Being thrust into a world of happiness and the world of a top star can be disorienting, and he's very lost. But thank goodness, his opposite is someone who doesn't give up and tries to get him back over and over again.

I really enjoy Son Woo Hyun's acting as Seo Joon. I think he did quite a good job in portraying all the different emotions. Unfortunately, I think Kim Kang Min's acting needs some improvement. His portrayal of Ji Woo in the initial episodes is quite bland. There isn't a lot of emotions when he first reunited with Seo Joon. Just a blank face. I do think he improves in the later episodes.

We are introduced to a few new side characters: Ji Woo's ex-girlfriend, old neighbor and the young daughter. I think they are much better side characters than those in season 1. I also enjoyed all the songs played and thank goodness they were not overplayed.

I guess my main criticism of this drama is Ji Woo's realization that he wants to go back to Seo Joon. He's been holding out for so long, what changed? Is it because Seo Joon finally stop trying? Is it because he couldn't get a hold of Seo Joon and is suddenly scared that he would never see him again? Why is his break over? I am not sure why. I find his realization and reconciliation with Seo Joon a little too fast. However, I don't have a problem with Seo Joon's final decision, just wish it wasn't so instantaneous.

I am giving this drama a rare 9.0 because I was moved by their story. An extra bump from 8.75 to 9.0 because I enjoy those two passionate kisses. LOL.

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Good Idea and General Plot but Poor Execution and Acting

Completed - 5/28/2022 - 7.75

I don't know anything about Tai Chi, so I can't really comment on the authenticity of the moves and fight choreography. I thought Tai Chi is basically healing and exercise for the mind and body. Little did I know that there's a whole martial arts side to it. Thanks to the crash course and the (too) fast introduction of the Tai Chi plot in the first few minutes, I realized Tai Chi is martial arts used in wars and battles before the use of weapons.

What I Like:

1. General Plot - This drama has elements of a wuxia drama set in the modern world. Instead of sects of the pugilistic world, we have different types and clans of martial arts. I enjoy the story of how the descendants of the four major Tai Chi clans try to attract new followers, break traditional and outdated customs and spread the art of Tai Chi to the younger generation. I also like the idea of a talented female lead who is so gifted that she gets to fight and protect others physically using her Tai Chi skills. It's always fun to see a group of youngsters band together to fight the bad guys and win in competitions. The academy that they are in, CMFU, is interesting and weird at the same thing. It's interesting because students can choose a major of their liking, wear fancy uniforms (if they want?) and compete/challenge against each other - reminds of Harry Potter and the Houses of Hogwarts. But it's also weird in a sense that I thought the different majors are only of traditional Chinese arts e.g. painting and Tai Chi. Then I realized it has all types of martial arts (Judo, Karate, Taekwondo, Wrestling). And then there's swimming as a major? What kind of weird Academy is this??

2. Costumes, Sets and Cinematography of CMFU - Even though the academy is weird, its setting is beautiful. The school is surrounded by beautiful sceneries - valleys, grass fields, rivers and mountains. Many training scenes take place out in nature or overlooking the water. The villas, houses and classrooms have a very traditional touch and design. The battle stage is set over the river and near a bridge where spectators are located. In the final competition, competitors all hang out in their respective boats with flags of their clans - very wuxia-style. Though the characters don't wear often, I really like the all-white, traditional fight uniform during the final competition. Every so often, the female lead would wear something traditional when practicing. I also enjoy the school uniform - black, long coat, and wish the characters wear them more often.

3. Fight scenes - I don't know if the fight choreography is real Tai Chi or not, but I enjoy all the scenes. I like the side-by-side Tai Chi practice between the characters. There is a decent number of Tai Chi practice and fight moves, though I would have liked to see longer scenes. I am satisfied and it's a pleasant surprise as I initially thought this drama is more romance-heavy, and really wasn't expecting a more serious plot.


What I Don't Like:

1. Acting - I know many of the actors are young and new, but the acting is really not good. This is male lead, Bi Wen Jun's first drama and it really shows. I actually saw him previously in "Sweet Teeth" and I can definitely say his acting has improved slightly 2 years later, though still has a lot of room for improvement. I have previously seen our female lead, Sun Qian, in "Remembrance of Things Past" and similar to Bi Wen Jun, she has also improved in that other drama. Her acting here in "Sweet Tai Chi" is just as bad (maybe a little better) than Bi Wen Jun. For some reason, I found their acting more tolerable in the first half than the second half. The romance scenes are awkward and lacking chemistry. Well, they do look good together visually. The rest of the supporting cast isn't that great either. I guess I am most surprised (in a bad way) at the acting of the two Hong Kong veteran actors who played grandma & grandma. Why do they also seem so uneasy in this drama?

2. Characters - Separating the acting from the characters, I actually still don't like any of them. If I have to choose, Chen Bing is my favorite character. He is funny and adorable, yet is mature when we need him to hold back his annoying, blabber mouth girlfriend. Our female lead, Feng Piao Piao, could be a very controversial character. I find her both funny/cute and annoying/childish at the same time. I think for the most part, she is more annoying/childish, especially when compared to the quiet, cold and mature male lead, Wei Chu. Wei Chu isn't that interesting of a male lead either. He's the typical cold genius who is smart and good at EVERYTHING. He never tells others his plans because he's the smartest of all and can fix everything.

3. Romance - The main romance is awkward and I think this is due to both the acting and the writing. There should be many shy, cute, fluffy moments, but I can't feel the chemistry at all. Even when they are officially a couple, they still act like shy teenagers uttering their lines without any display of affection. On the other hand, the secondary romance started out really clingy, stalker-ish and annoying. But at least once they are a couple, they act like normal couple. However, I don't understand why the 2ML all of a sudden is so in love with 2FL when for the most part he never shows interest in her.

Other Random Observations:
1. For someone who practices Tai Chi for years, our FL loses her balance often and keeps on falling on the ML.
2. Not sure if I would trust someone inexperienced and has no medical knowledge to be in charge of making medicine and treating a seriously hurt patient by learning from a book (even if she's getting advice over the phone from a doctor).
3. It's quite easy to guess who the masked lady in black is.
4. Men in this drama like to declare their love by announcing to the world that she is his girlfriend/fiancee without first informing the girl of his feelings.
5. I want to beat FL before her competition when she's acting childish and clingy.
6. Why are the mean girls being chased by the bad guys? What's the point of that scene?
7. Why are the mean girls on stage after the competition? When did they all of a sudden become great friends? Because they're saved by the main cast?
8. They just got engaged, why are they worrying about losing each other and being apart?

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I want to be loved and protected by Jeremy Tsui too!

Completed - 4/23/2022 - 8.25

“Be My Princess” is an interesting drama in a sense that I thought going in that this is a light, rom-com with lots of funny scenes. This is due to the fact that we have an amnesiac male lead thinking he’s a character of a drama. When you have a premise like this, one needs to forgo some common sense to be able to fully enjoy this drama. You can’t use the logical thinking that it is a totally bad idea to let ML continue to live in this fantasyland for a year and really not do anything to help him out, but let him fall in love with FL and vice versa. But give this is a fantasy rom-com, let’s just enjoy the ride.

What I Enjoy:

1. Jeremy Tsui - Probably with most viewers, we watch this because of the handsome Jeremy Tsui playing the male lead. I’ve previously seen him in “Novoland: Sky Castle 2” and the recently aired “Autumn Ballad”. His acting is definitely great here. He has the most interesting and expressive big eyes that can smize (got the Tyra Banks reference? LOL) at you and make you melt. In his previous role, he often plays the cool and aloof character. But here as Mun Yun, we see a sweet, cute, caring and slightly playful side of him. I am just as impressed and really, how can anyone not fall for the Grand Tutor who dotes on you like a princess? But then, I still can’t ignore his slightly slouching and protruding of his neck posture.

2. Ming Wei (FL) - Zhou Jie Qiong plays the character of Ming Wei pretty decently. There’s something about her acting that I am not totally sold on, but I wouldn’t say she’s bad. Maybe just not as natural? I can’t pinpoint. However, I really like the character of Ming Wei. She is somewhat quiet, not the loud, happy-go-lucky female lead. But there’s a quiet strength and stubbornness in her. She really has gone through so much in this drama, yet she remains honest to herself, rational and confident. She is no pushover and will fight back with punch lines that hit you thinking how a girl like her can come back with that! Gosh, I didn't expect to cry with and for her so much in this drama. The middle episodes just kill me! I was bawling worrying with her and for her about what’s to come, and we know what will come for sure.

3. Supportive parents - Hooray for supportive parents in a C-drama!! Haven’t we seen enough of parents emotionally abusing their adult children? Not here! FL’s parents are the sweetest and the most supportive parents. FL’s father dotes on his wife and his two daughters, and treats them like princesses. He’s so cute and sweet, and becomes a tiger when you mess with his daughters. ML’s parents might not be as sweet, but they are also supportive of ML when he has his amnesia and doesn’t recognize them at all. That has to be heartbreaking, yet they give him the space and time to heal.


What I Don’t Quite Enjoy or Feeling Lukewarm:

1. Main Romance - I don’t think there’s enough development between FL & ML and FL & 2ML for both guys to really fall in love with her. FL and 2ML barely have any interaction. FL and ML might have more scenes together, but I don’t think for a cool and aloof guy, there’s enough to justify his actions/affections in helping FL in the beginning episodes. What do these guys see in her already to be so smitten? I can understand the romance after ML becomes the Grand Tutor and is obsessed with protecting FL and then falls in love with her. Those episodes were the most fun and sweetest. As I mentioned, who doesn’t want to be protected and loved by the Grand Tutor? But the amnesiac episodes last too long for my taste. It doesn’t leave enough time for the last part when he wakes up. I want more episodes of him waking up and having a more complicated relationship with FL, and eventually wooing her back. The last segment feels rushed and I am not satisfied.

2. Pacing and Minor Plots - As mentioned above, I think the amnesiac plot is too long and the last arc is not long enough. I also feel that the last few episodes involving the Ming and Xu families are unnecessary. It doesn’t really add anything to the main plot and just wastes time. It seems to be creating conflict for the sake of it, and to fill more episodes. This drama could have been only 24 episodes + 2 extras.

3. Secondary romance - I am lukewarm about Ming Qiao and Xiao Zhao’s romance. They are OK together. I also don’t see why Xiao Zhao will fall for a young girl like Ming Qiao. Their scenes together are ok but not cute enough, interesting enough or fluffy enough. Just OK.

4. Dubbing - How I wish this is not dubbed and we can hear Jeremy’s sexy voice. But I have come to terms with that. Watch “Autumn Ballad” for the real actors' voices. I was hoping that in a modern drama, it won’t be dubbed. But what I dislike the most are the voices of the two female leads. They both have very young and cute voices. I just don’t see our mature and mellow FL having such a young voice. Maybe that’s why it takes me a little time to like Ming Wei/Zhou Jie Qiong.


Other Observations:
1. I usually find love lines and love declarations quite cringey (words spoken by Mung Yu). But for some reason, when it’s spoken by Mung Yun, the Grand Tutor, they become sincere and lovely. I totally fell for it. There’s this innocence in him that I love.
2. Why are the shoes clacking sounds so loud in this drama?
3. The first drama about the Grand Tutor seems to be a typical historical C-drama: lovers can’t be together due to politics, married someone else but still in love with each other after all these years.
4. I like the honest conversations FL has with Mung Yu.
5. I find the whole drama too bright.
6. Only one annoying character in the drama.
7. OST - there are a few lovely songs in this drama, but I feel they are overplayed sometimes.
8. Episodes 1-28 are the real drama. Episodes 29-30 is the story of the drama, The Grand Tutor.

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Not the best Sisterhood Drama

Completed - 2/14/2022 - 7.75 rounding up to 8.0

It’s hard for me not to compare “Crossroad Bistro” with other C-dramas that focus on female friendships and their experiences in life and romance. Compared to “Remembrance of Things Past” (excellent drama) and “Delicious Romance” (fun romantic comedy), “Crossroad Bistro” pales in comparison in the female friendship. This drama is more of a slice–of-life drama and it doesn’t hook me in right away like the other two dramas.

In ROTP and DR, the female characters have been friends since high school, or even earlier. They already have a very tight bond, and know each other very well. And because they know each other so well, their dialogues are meaningful and witty. However, in “Crossroad Bistro”, two women are cousins, two are friends from high school and one is not close to either of the 4 to begin with. There isn’t enough time in the drama to show us how their friendship evolves and develops for them to trust each other and venture into a business together. It doesn’t seem very believable to me. I am not saying that they have to be friends for years, but I do want the drama to show me more of this newfound sisterhood. Additionally, the 4 business owners do not have that much interaction with each other, aside from having meals at the bistro every so often. In the other two dramas, the women made you feel like you want to be friends with them, and you want to be a part of their special group. I do not feel this way in CR.

On a positive note, the acting all around is pretty good. Individually, I like and dislike some of the ladies, and that is probably due to their acting. I actually do not know any of the female leads aside from Drolman Suijun who’s in “The Rebel Princess” but I don’t remember her. I am more familiar with their romantic partners. I am a BIG fan of Wang Yang (“Because of Love”, “The Rebel”, “You are my Hero”, “Joy of Life”). I’ve seen Yang Xu Wen “Noble Aspirations 1&2”, “The Legend of the Condor Heroes“. There are also two surprising guest appearances as wel - a climber’s wife and a doctor’s son.

As characters go, the women all have pretty different personalities and career paths. In a way, that’s good as we get to see their different life experiences and choices they make. I think I might like You Shan Shan (CEO) the most, followed by Feng Xi (Bistro Manager). Bao Xue (Actress) is cute and fun in the beginning, but I feel annoyed towards the end when she’s acting a little childish. I feel a little meh about Si Meng (housewife) and really dislike Dai Xiao Yu (PR) As for the male characters, we get three really good guys that I don’t think the women deserve (except for Feng Xi) and two jerks. This is not a drama with lovable characters.

I really enjoy the music in this drama. There are a few nice songs and also musical scenes in the drama with live music playing. I’ve never seen the musical instrument that You Shan Shan plays (not sure what it’s called) but the sounds made were beautiful. Her jam session with the other artists is one of my favorite scenes.

Other Random Observations:
1. All the women in this drama are super skinny.
2. Zheng Ye Cheng looks cool, handsome and mature here - not the pale and baby-faced idol actor.
3. We have men who look like men and not young boys.
4. I want to see more of the developing romance between Feng Xi and Zhao He Nan. Everything happens too fast. This is the romance I look forward to the most.
5. I thought the Bistro serves only Chinese food - but they have steaks and sandwiches, too?
6. They really like to eat dumplings in this drama (being set in Beijing).
7. It’s very weird that the drama shows when it’s the last time the characters appear in the drama. It could be a minor spoiler if it happens in the middle of the show. And completely unnecessary when it’s the Epilog.

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Beautiful slow burn romance, excellent acting and great cinematography

Completed - 1/1/2022

My first completed drama of 2022. What a beautiful ride this has been. I think "The Red Sleeve" has become my favorite sageuk, surpassing "The Crowned Clown" and "Moon Embracing the Sun". This drama has equal parts court politics and romance.

Acting - The overall acting for the whole cast is excellent. We have the amazing lead couple, whose quiet, simmering chemistry is off-the-charts. Lee Jung Ho (ML) and Lee Se Young (FL) were charismatic and playful in the first half of the drama, and the acting switches gears to a more melodramatic and serious tone. Our second male lead, Kan Hoon, portrays a grey character well. He kept me guessing whether he's good and loyal, or bad and traitorous. Not to forget out crazy king played by veteran actor Lee Deok Hwa. There are several episodes and scenes where he just took over the screen, and you were so mesmerized with him. The strong women supporting cast from the Queen Dowager, all the Princesses/Concubines and court ladies - all act their part and make each scene believable.

Romance - As mentioned, this is a very slow-burn romance. ML loves FL for over 10 years and courted her for so long before they were officially together. We have to wait till Ep 16 for that to happen!!! You cannot deny their chemistry. It might not be sizzling hot but it's simmering from episode to episode. We started with the initial fun bantering to the quiet and loyal behind-the-scene support, and then finally talking openly about their feelings (mainly ML to FL). One of my favorite scenes was when ML was grounded by the king and has to stay in his room. Our FL quietly stayed by his side outside the door, and read him poetry from the Book of Odes. That was such a romantic scene! I was happy to see that scene again in the finale. On the other hand, I was frustrated for ML because he never openly heard FL's love confession. I understand where FL is coming from, and her choice to stay with him is an act of love. But ML confesses so many times that I think he deserves to hear those words from FL's mouth directly. In the end, the audience waited until ep 16 to finally have some happy couple moments for less than half a episode. Well, at least we got several amazing kisses (not fish kisses, thank god!) from our amazing couple.

Court Politics - The rise of the crown prince to the throne took up 2/3 of the drama. It's interesting to see another side of throne fighting. Here, we don't have other princes but only the crown prince. Yet, there's still a lot of secret meetings and fighting between factions, before ML can become king. The friendship between the Crown Prince and Hong Deok Ro is quite a tragic one. As with the romance, the complexity of this friendship is not in-your-face, but is slowly and gradually shown to the audience. The power struggle between the King and the Crown prince is interesting as well. It's quite evident that the king wants the crown prince to take the throne eventually, yet he just won't let it go. Behind all these politics, we also have women working behind closed doors. We have scheming queens and princesses, fighting for their own benefits. But the biggest villains is the secret society run by a bunch of evil court ladies. That plotline is quite interesting, as I never would have thought they could be powerful enough to influence who would be the next king. I guess it's similar to how there are powerful eunuchs in C-dramas.

Court ladies & Guards - I also enjoy the behind-the-scene look of the hard-working court ladies. The friendship developed between FL and her friends was heartwarming to watch. Without these friends, life for these court ladies is depressing. The friends also provide comic relief to a pretty serious drama. Having someone like Court Lady Seo to be by FL's side is a blessing.
She's like a mother to her. I can't forget to mention our loyal and naive palace guard, Kang Tae Ho. He is quite adorable, esp. when he's giving tips on how to court a woman!

Cinematography - This is a beautifully shot drama. I especially like the natural lighting in all the scenes. When the scenes are shot indoors at night, the light is strictly coming from the candles and lanterns. There's no fake artificial light. It makes everything so much more natural and real. The costumes are beautifully layered with appropriate accessories. Though court ladies can't wear elaborate outfits, but you can tell that all the clothes are of high-quality fabric and not flimsy ones.

Other Observations:
1. Is it really that difficult to kill a tiger??????
2. How did FL escape from the underground prison when the exit is where the head court lady is having a meeting?
3. Love the dumplings scene in the finale. I feel that the leads are trying hard not to laugh and might have ad lib lines some of the lines.
4. Ep 17 is a little slow. I wonder if it's better to keep it at 16 episodes instead of increasing it to 17. But then, the episodes are already 1.5-long, so maybe not.
5. I am not sure about the ending: somehow I wished the drama ended sooner right after the leads got together. I want to see them happy.

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Unique & Funny to start, but gets more Emotional

Completed - 11/17/2021 - rounding up to 8.0

Surprisingly, I enjoy "Dear Diary" a lot more than I initially thought. I was expecting a fairly low quality and low budget drama, but was pleasantly surprised that the production quality is not good and they filmed at different real locations. Before I watched this drama, I thought this would be a silly, over-the-top drama and I am prepared for it. But after the first episode, it's obvious that there's a more tragic undertone to all of this silliness. It is quite an emotional drama, and might be a tad melo towards the end.

What I Enjoy:
1) A unique story started by a 12-year old when she was day dreaming about a grand love story. I was a hopeless romantic myself when I was young (maybe still am.. LOL), so I can totally understand the obsession of wanting to have an amazing star-crossed love story. Instead of saying she's writing a diary, it's more like writing a romance novel. I love how this all started, and how a tragic event changes the FL's life and her view of the world. I enjoy the character growth and how she comes to accept herself and that she deserves to be loved.

2) Hot guys in Hot outfits. I have never seen our male lead, Rhydian Vaughan in any drama or movie. It shouldn't come as a surprise that he's a good-looking guy, with sexy eyes and a hot body. I apologize if I sound like a cougar. But he's one of the main reasons for me to watch this drama. He looks incredible in everything he wears (or not wear), whether it's in his Babylonian armor or his modern casual looks and suits. I never find Wang Rui Chang to be particularly attractive, but he does look really cool in this drama. He is so tall and lean that he makes all the outrageous and over-the-top suits look stylish.

3) Sismance. Our two female leads have very different personalities, but have been supportive of each other since they're 12 years old. I love scenes when they were young and writing the diary. It's so cute to see the young ZhenZhen dancing around and reading the romantic parts of the diary. Their friendship remains strong through all the ups and downs in this drama. There's no jealousy between the two.

What I don't enjoy:
1. The pacing of the first half of the drama is pretty good. But towards the last 1/3 of the drama when it becomes more serious and emotional, the scenes become very repetitive with too many flashbacks.

2. Cheesy love lines. I know it's the writing of a 12-year old, but I can't help but feel that once the three couples got together, they forgot how to talk like normal people. Their lines to each other become too cheesy for my taste. It's really like they are straight from a young adult romance novels.

3. Underdeveloped romance. This is a pretty short 24-episode drama. But if you take away the beginning and ending credits, the recap of the previous episode, then you are only left with about 30 mins per episode. I feel that there isn't enough time to properly develop 3 main romance storylines. The romance of Jiang Hui Zhen and Ou Yang Wen Shan is the weakest of the three. They started out as such a cool couple, but there isn't enough time to tell their story properly.

Other observations:
1. Fan service - there are many shirtless scenes of Rydian Vaughan, and I am not complaining
2. Acting is pretty decent all around, esp. Bu Guan Jin. I would say the weakest of the bunch is Rydian Vaughan.
3. Why are they fixing a broken mirror? How Ou Yang Wen Shan knows so much more about the modern world than Mu Rong Jie Lun and the Dragon Lady?
4. Dubbing is inconsistent and sometimes totally out of sync.
5. I didn't expect to cry so much!!

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Be patient and wait till the details are revealed via flashbacks

9/15/2021

It pains me that I have to give this drama a 7.5 rating and not higher. I am a big fan of Xu Kai and Bai Lu and LOVE them in "Arsenal Military Academy". However, I am disappointed in how the story was told and their supposedly amazing chemistry. When I review the notes I wrote down about this drama, I wrote down mostly negative things. *sigh* I like the overall story of the drama, even though it sounds like I hate it. I had high hopes since it got a 8.3 rating on MDL and it's pretty decent for a historical/wuxia/fantasy drama. Unfortunately, the visuals of Xu Kai and Bai Lu are not enough.

What I don't like:
1. Plot and explanation - Throughout the drama, I scratch my head and wonder what just happened to a certain scene. Why is it cut and immediately transitions to something else. Then I realize, after half/one episode later, they went back to the initial plot and explain what happened via a flashback. This happens ALL the time!! The drama is slow to reveal details and if you fast forward and miss a dialog or flashback, you will be completely lost and wonder why there are so many plot holes. You need to be very patient and then your questions will be answered. I am not sure I've seen a drama that uses this technique to tell a story, and personally, I am not a fan of this style. Oh, there are still plot holes e.g. *spoiler* in Ep 53 - I thought FL's lightning sword was stolen by the Captain of the Guard and given to the Golden Immortal. How come FL found it in her chest and was able to use it to kill ML's demon essence? Also, if they can all teleport, why don't they do it more often esp. when they are in danger?

2. Editing - Editing is a little wonky. Scenes have awkward and abrupt transitions, including background music cut off suddenly.

3. Female leads in the 2nd half - In the first half, we have a strong and sassy anti-heroine. In the second half when Lu Zhao Yao is reincarnated, she lost that feistiness and ended being just a regular FL who is in love with her man. Where is that badass Lu Zhao Yao? Where are her amazing fighting skills? Same goes to the other FL, Qin Zhi Yan. Where did she go in the second half? The two FLs had so much fun and chemistry when they are sharing the same identity. Once everything goes back to normal, Qin Zhi Yan becomes a character that just looms in the background.

4. Daytime or Night time - There are so many scenes that I don't even know if it's daytime or night time. When Lu Zhao Yao is visible again, you would think the sky should be dark. But no, it's quite sunny out there! I am confused!

5. Main Romance - Everyone said the leads chemistry is amazing. Unfortunately, I don't feel it. It's not bad, but just OK. Just because the kisses were amazing, doesn't mean the chemistry is good throughout the show. I do love Xu Kai's eyes. I understand why Mo Qing is in love with Lu Zhao Yao. But Lu Zhao Yao suddenly falls head over heels after realizing Mo Qing is in love with her is a little too fast and not explained well. I was hoping for more development, a slow realization and then falling in love. But because the romance took a while to enter the main storyline, I feel that the writers were rushing it a little.

6. Slow-Motion scenes: There are so many close-up slow-mo scenes that totally drags down the pacing of the drama. I am also very disappointed in the fight choreography and slow fight scenes. I know this is not a traditional wuxia drama, but still. In the last few episodes in the big battle with the Golden Immortal, the fight could have finished in 15-20 minutes. But all these slow-motion and awkward transition of scenes prolonged the battle for to 1-2 episodes.

What I Like:
1. Kisses - Xu Kai and Bai Lu don't disappoint. Those kisses by the gate are amazing. Mo Qin was so shy in the beginning but just couldn't resist Zhao Yao. *sizzles*

2. Bromance - I love the bromance between Mo Qing and SiMa Rong, and also the love/hate friendship with Gu Hang Guang. The scenes when they were coming up with proposal ideas are hilarious.

3. Loyal, Undying love - I am a fan of ML who is super loyal to FL, and will do anything for FL. Love is shown through actions and not just cheesy lines. There are other side romances where the male supporting characters are in love with their women, and just couldn't let go and move on. It might be a little much for others, but I love it.

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Slow-paced, too many side plots, can't be compared to Fuyao

9/6/2021

Listening Snow Tower is not a widely-recommended or talked about drama, and I got to know about this as I read an article comparing it to "Legend of Fuyao". I also read comments that it's a wuxia drama with great fight scenes. Fuyao is my one of my most favorite dramas and Snow Tower is not even close to the brilliance of Fuyao. (My review of Fuyao: https://mydramalist.com/profile/voicelesslove/review/152877)

The reason why I stuck with this drama and not drop it is because of our male lead Yi Qing. I have never watched Qin Jun Jie in any drama before and I am a fan now (got Spy Hunter on my PTW list). His portrayal of our sickly ML is great, though I don't find him particularly handsome/attractive at first. He shows the vulnerable side of our lead when he's not feeling well, but you can see his determination and stubbornness in his eyes as well. I feel his love for our FL when he's looking at her with quiet admiration and adoration. Even though he appears pale and sickly throughout the show, you can feel his presence as the Tower Master. He has that charisma that people will listen to him whether he's coughing up blood or just sitting quietly reading. I don't think I would continue with this drama if not for Yi Qing and wanting to know that he could succeed. I root for him and want him to have a happy ending so badly.

I enjoy the romance between our leads. I like a mature, quiet romance where our ML is showing his love through actions and not just cheesy lines. This type of romance might not be for everyone. There isn't any fluffy cute romantic scenes or banter, or big gestures to declare their love for each other, except maybe self-sacrificing themselves so the other won't get hurt. I love that our ML supports FL quietly and secretly, by helping her get stronger, and never try to change her. They understand each other's actions without saying it out loud. As much as I love this type of relationship, I do feel the chemistry between the leads could have been better. I think I am just not feeling it from FL to ML.

I like the general plot of the drama. Unfortunately, there are too many side characters and each of them have their own little romance/story. Do we need so many love-at-first-sight romance? I am fine with a decent supporting cast, but I just feel it's a little over-the-board here. This takes away from the main plot and slow down the pacing of the drama. There are so many times when they capture their nemesis, threaten to kill them, and then let them go. This drama does not have to be 56 ep long. I lost my attention in the middle of the drama, and the pacing only picks back up towards the last 5-7 episodes. Speaking of the supporting cast, I am most impressed with our villain Ming He, played by Angela Yuen. As a newcomer, she did a great job in her portrayal of Ming He/Ye Huo.

One of the most disappointing thing is the editing of the fight scenes. I really hope to find a good wuxia drama that gives me great fighting choreography. The fight scenes seem to be better in the first half of the show than the second half. I appreciate the lack of slow-mo spinning that are so prevalent in many shows. I wish to see longer fight scenes and faster movement. Our actors seem too weak when yielding their swords. There are times when some expected good fights were starting and they were cut short or transition out to something different. Our FL is supposed to be one of the top 3 fighters in the show, and we barely see her in action, or the fight scenes are so short that they don't her prowess. The best scene she had was her fight with the ML in the rain. Other than that, there's nothing memorable.

There's blood spitting/coughing everywhere. I wonder if our ML rivals Si Feng in "Love and Redemption" in the number of times these two MLs spit blood. The dubbing is not good either. There are several times where the supporting cast is speaking out the inner thoughts of the leads and explaining why they do certain things. I wonder if there's a better way of conveying the same kind of information. I don't expect any passionate kisses in a wuxia drama, but I was hoping to have at least one decent kiss from our leads. The kisses that they have are all life-saving kisses, but not a romantic kiss. The other two kisses by our supporting cast are surprise/unwilling kisses that are quite unnecessary and really did nothing to the story.

It sounds like I hate this drama, but I really don't. I have high hopes but am disappointed. There are times when MDL ratings are wrong with shows that have sub-8 ratings. Unfortunately, this time it's correct. I like it enough to not drop it but it took a lot of willpower.

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