Reviews

Para mim, valeu apena assistir mais de duas vezes

Este foi o segundo dorama bl que eu assisti, e devo admitir que amei, desde do primeiro capítulo que fiquei completamente apaixonada pelo casal principal, assisti este dorama no final de 2022 e foi uma das melhores experiências que tive, tanto que fiquei com "ressaca de bls" e não consegui assisti nada por pelos três semanas.

Aos meus olhos, o casal principal Daonuea (Dunk Natachai) e Kluen (Joong Archen) tem uma ótima química, o bl me fez chorar, me deixou triste e contente pelo final feliz. Devo mencionar que a cada frase no final dos capítulos me deixava com uma leve angústia, as frases mexia muito com os meus sentimentos.

Enfim, eu amei o bl, amei os sentimentos que ele provocou em mim, amei o elenco, os atores.

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bad casting

I usually love First and his acting. I think Dunk is really pretty but I think he really needs to work on his acting before starring in another series.

I had some expectations before watching the first episode. But I think this is just bad casting, I don't think anyone fits their character except for Joong, he fits the role pretty good.
The acting from Dunk really brings down everyone else.
I really liked the acting by First in Not me as Yok and I loved him in that role. I felt he could have done better in this role since it's kind of similar to Yok. The difference from Not me and this series is that when First starred in Not me, he was surrounded by some really good actors. I just don't buy him as Kant.
I feel like the director of The heart killer is to blame for most things that felt off.

Everything about this feels forced except maybe for Joong.
Also everything in the story feels rushed.

I will try to continue watching this series to see the progress. If I can stand it.

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Muita doçura e fofura, é o que promete!

O primeiro episódio de Your Sky começou tão bem!
O enredo começa com o cenário clássico do campus, e a dinâmica entre o cara popular e o calouro tímido já é superinteressante, principalmente quando falamos deste tipo de temática.

Os encontros deles são divertidos de assistir — seja um encontro estranho ou um momento mais significativo, cada cena parece estar se preparando para algo realmente doce. O que eu mais amei foi como suas interações são naturais. Você pode sentir a tensão entre eles, mas não é exagerada. A confiança do cara popular misturada com o charme nervoso do calouro torna suas cenas divertidas e emocionantes. Você não pode deixar de torcer por eles!

Honestamente, é um ótimo começo. Se o resto dos episódios mantiver esse nível de energia, já posso dizer que esta série será um sucesso. Mal posso esperar para ver onde a história deles vai dar!

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Don't let the financial terms scare you

I was torn between giving Midas a 7.5 or an 8 but I rounded up because I think the overall rating on MDL should be higher. This is a pretty tightly plotted drama about the battle between Jang Hyuk's character, a person who grew up poor and became a brilliant financial broker, and his mentor, a woman who's a Wall Street veteran from a chaebol family who has no scruples and a heart of ice.

The drama's main focus is on the financial battles and it's obvious that whoever wrote the script did their homework since it's stuffed with terms like M&A, financial holding companies, hostile takeovers, white knight investors, etc. I don't think you need to understand all the terms to understand what's going on because it's generally explained in the context of the drama but I can see why this might turn off viewers. I personally found it interesting because the stakes throughout are sky high with family betrayals, stints in prison, affairs and even a few murders.

Jang Hyuk is uncharacteristically restrained here. You won't see him screaming or fighting (much) or taking off his shirt (except for one memorable sauna scene). It's still a good performance as you see the cogs turning in his brain as he tries to outwit the woman he once worshipped but who betrayed him and is now trying to destroy him.

Kim Hee Ae is terrific as the rich bitch who seems to have everything under control until she becomes locked in a battle with Jang Hyuk and is threatened by her partners, the owners of a shadowy hedge fund that launders money from illegal sources. She and JH had great chemistry and I wish her character had been romantically involved with him instead of Lee Min Jung. A love to hate story would've been a lot more interesting than the anemic romance we got (more on that below).

I enjoyed the chaebol family betrayals between Kim Hee Ae and her older brothers as their father pits them against one another to get a piece of his fortune. But the youngest brother was completely useless. You could completely cut him out of the story and you wouldn't miss a thing. I'd say the youngest sister is pretty useless too except there's a plot twist involving her that becomes very important to the story in the end.

The only thing I really disliked was Lee Min Jung as the female lead. Her character was boring and self righteous and spent most of the drama lecturing Jang Hyuk. I've enjoyed this actress in other dramas so I think it was mostly a writing problem but the actress also had zero chemistry with JH, which really became noticeable when contrasted with the sexual tension between JH and Kim Hee Ae.

A lot of people disliked the ending because it wasn't the typical "bad guys get punished" ending but I thought it worked for this drama.

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So much second-hand embarrassment BUT I LOVED IT

Unlike some viewers, I really enjoyed the second-hand embarrassment and campy style used - I found it fun and unique. The comedic effect worked well for me, and I found myself laughing throughout the series at the characters' antics. I guess I might just have a higher tolerance for second-hand embarrassment than others.

The production quality was amazing, and I loved the lighting and editing. The acting was convincing as well - there was no weak link here. I loved that Nuea actually has a personality and is actually a bit of an oddball himself.

I have to point out here that the English subtitles were THE BEST. Whoever did these ensured that nothing was missed out, even the music style was described!

In contrast with many other viewers, I actually did not have a problem with Toh's collecting behaviour - while it may have been dysfunctional at first because it was intruding on Nuea's privacy and was a symptom of Toh's insecurities and obsession, at the end Nuea shows that he doesn't have a problem with it and as far as I tell, Toh is happy and secure in his relationship. As no one is harmed by this behaviour in the end, I don't really agree with viewers who think Toh needs to see a therapist because it doesn't show that this is detrimental to anyone's quality of life. In the beginning, yeah the behaviour was problematic and needed correcting but circumstances evolved for it not to be a problem anymore.

Loved that they broke tropes - unconventional main leads, no ep 11 breakup (thank god) and positive female characters.

Hope more people give it a chance! I'm already re-watching parts of it again,

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This could have been better

There were parts of this that I really enjoyed. Then there were other parts that were so inane. It was a mixed up mess in places, particularly at the end.

Good: FL did not seem to fit the character, but grew on my. 2nd FL and both ML were really good as well as the other two couples.
Little brother was perfectly annoying as he should have been.
Sets were good and disaster sequence was also well done.
Chen was a great character and the actor was really on point with the reactions and emotions.
The little girl and her guardians were a delight. Auntie bickering in that voice. She is one of my favorite character actors.
Xiaojia character and sequences were very well done. Took me a couple of episodes to figure him out.

Bad: ongoing hallucination device became overdone and just irritating.
The music became irritating in the last half. It wasn't bad music, but using theme songs as plot devices is poor directing.
On and off and on and off. Romances were too melodramatic too often. The third couple were more straightforward until late and that was a new irritation the director/writer did not need.
The ending was an unfair, convoluted, without reason mess.

My main complaint is the story used mental health and the difficulties dealing with and the PTSD, though not named, was treated fairly well. It is a journey to overcome PTSD. One journey I've taken myself. Then in the last two episodes a sudden event? It cheapened the whole story line. And for no reason. I realize this is a book adaptation, but disappointing isnt a strong enough word. And the final scene, is it real or is it not? That was unfair to audiences. The last two episodes were just tacky and we got to see the bratty brother in trouble but not the baby?

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JUST WATCH IT.

I am so beyond picky with historical cdramas, and I don't know how to express in words just how much it takes for me to actually get through one. Even with ones I like, I can't help but skip through and watch the parts that only stick out to me more. With Love of Nirvana, this was not the case.

I have some criteria that really determines whether I watch or not. The most important, is the characters. I am impressed with all three of our main leads in this drama. Truly, the actors did a phenomenal job as each was complex, flushed out, and most importantly, real. They aren't "perfect" people, which I tend to see in a lot of dramas. That makes it hard to connect with the characters but in this case, its clear that they are driven by their own motivations, conflicted, and so human I can actually sympathize with them all. Their intentions are not always clear, sometimes are questionable, but it makes it all the more intriguing to watch and remain captivated.

The FL is such a breath of fresh air. I really can't stand spineless characters as it just makes the show too draggy and I get impatient. While I do love a really badass FL too, sometimes cdramas fixate too much on that element which really washes out the character. Our FL has her strengths and weaknesses, but is overall quite clever and cheeky. I really love her character, and how she develops through the story.

Even our ML. Initially, I found him questionable but as the story unravels its interesting to learn more about him. Additionally, the progression of the relationships with this drama are more realistic and natural which makes them more believable. The side characters too are enjoyable. Sometimes cdramas focus only on the main cast, making the rest of the world more 2D but all the characters in this show played a role making the world feel more real.

Now the plot. Generally, I find it hard to really care and engage with the world in historical cdramas. Usually whatever is happening only processes on a very superficial level for me as I am more interested in the character dynamics and chemistry (which this drama definitely has). This drama keeps you on your toes. Along with the characters, things are unclear and only later revealed it just makes you want to keep watching. Scheming, plotting, unclear motivations, puzzles and mind games executed with characters who play the role just right. Some themes are heavier which I prefer especially when they are executed so brilliantly as in the case of this drama.

Even the music. Usually, I don't notice it but this drama did well in coupling the right music with certain scenes (seriously, I never really give this attention but this drama managed to make me notice).

Anyway, just watch it. I'm impressed with how sucked into the world I got with this drama. My watch style really doesn't mesh well with historical dramas as I find their plots to be too much effort and too lengthy to involve myself in. This drama really just hooked me though.

The only complaint I have is that it does start out stronger than it ends (I enjoyed the first half more than the second half).

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Decent short Vertical drama with Good Romance and Chemistry

Saw a fellow MDL friend recommended “Evening Star for You” as a pretty good vertical drama. I was in need of a quick romance fix. Here we are, 100 episodes later (which is only about 3.5 hours long), I got my fix.

It’s true that it’s pretty good for a low budget production. I watched the compiled version on YouTube with muted music and sound. It was a little annoying, but it’s to be expected. The romance is developed nicely and quite sweet. The acting of the leads is solid and they have good chemistry together. I am a fan of contract marriage, and their relationship is healthy with good communication. Even if there’s some misunderstanding, the issue is resolved quickly and just helps to build a more solid foundation of their love. If you need a quick romance fix, this is a good one.

But of course, there are still some plot holes here and there. We have a couple irritating ‘villains’ but no one so despicable that ruined my viewing pleasure. You’ll see characters recycling their outfits and some are super cliche and laughable. But it’s all in good fun and I guess part of vertical dramas’ charms?


Completed: 11/23/2024 - Review #519

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It's messy but will have you hooked

Mr. Plankton does have several heart-warming moments but it's mostly a story of a group of people fighting for a chance at happiness even when the odds are against them. Sometimes life gives you lemons and no matter how much sugar you add, you still are left with a bitter aftertaste.

But the story is not about the end but rather the journey. Hae Jo, the ML embarks on a journey and drags Jae Mi, the FL along. He is annoying and you want to hate him but just like Jae Mi, every time you end up just pityjng him. He is a man who actually cares a lot but feels like he has to act like a jerk. He's not just trying to protect other people but also himself. And you're forced along for the ride because he can't stop fighting himself every step of the way.

The show is best watched when you aren't emotionally vulnerable yourself because it deals with some difficult topics related to health and abandonment. Unless you need to cry in which case, it might be a good watch.

On the positive side, there are many sweet moments, a decent dose of romance, action, some moments that will make you smile if not laugh and fill you with hope.

The actors have really done a great job and the cast is fantastic.

Personally I won't rewatch this because of the themes but it is a good show and definitely recommended.

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A melhor temporada do drama!

Quem não gostou da 2T de Alquimia das Almas é pq não entendeu a história.
Como sabem, Jang Uk e a Naksu são os protagonistas. Entendam: na 1T apenas o corpo era de Mu-Deok, mas quem ele amava era a Naksu, a alma dela.

Na T2 temos os desvendamentos dos mistérios e tudo se encaixando perfeitamente: como visto no decorrer da T1, existia uma sacerdotisa muito poderosa que fundou JINYOWON, chamada de Jin Seol-Ran, ela era a amada do poderoso mago Seo Gyeong (que também nasceu sob a Estrela do Rei e junto com ela salvou o mundo do caos há 200 anos). Seo Gyeong p/ salvar Jin Seol-Ran deu-lhe a pedra de gelo. No entanto ela morreu, porém Jin Seol-Ran tinha poderes divinos e previa o futuro, ela viu q o mundo seria destruído no futuro pelo pássaro de fogo. Por isso, não conseguiu partir. Assim, sua alma ficou presa na pedra de gelo (ela sabia q essa pedra seria usada mais tarde). E foi, pois Jin Ho-gyeong usa a pedra de gelo p/salvar sua primogênita q estava morta na barriga, Jin Bu-yeon. Então, a alma de Jin Seol-Ran, q estava na pedra de gelo, entrou no corpo da bebê e renasceu como Jin Bu-yeon.
Logo, Jin Seol-Ran é a mesma Jin Bu-yeon, q quando criança cai no lago ao encontrar a pegar a pedra de gelo e é levada pela água. Após isso, ela, sem memórias, foi criada por uma senhora q deu-lhe o nome de Mu-deok. Resumindo: Jin Seol-Ran q renasceu como Jin Bu-yeon passa a ser chamada de Mu-deok. Mas as 3 são a mesma pessoa.

E quando a Naksu, está ferida e precisa trocar de corpo. A sacerdotisa Jin Seol-Ran (agora Jin Bu-yeon/Mu-deok) q já havia previsto esse momento, entra no meio da Alquimia, e a alma de Naksu acaba no corpo dela, mas as 2 almas coexistiam no mesmo corpo. (A de Naksu e a de Ji Seol-Ran/Jin Bu-yeon/ Mu-deok). A sacerdotisa manipulou os acontecimentos.
Isso era preciso para q Naksu no corpo de Jin Bu-yeon/Mu-deok treinasse Jang Uk e transformasse-o no mago poderoso q ele precisaria ser, pois o mesmo (que nasceu sob a Estrela do Rei, salvaria o mundo no futuro, com a ajuda da sacerdotisa Ji Seol-Ran, renascida como Jin Bu-yeon). Logo, cumprida a missão de Naksu, a sacerdotisa precisaria voltar e fazer sua parte na história, na T2.

A troca de atriz foi necessária: o corpo da Jin Seol-Ran/Jin Bu-yeon/ Mu-deok foi petrificado depois q a mesma enlouqueceu e matou Jang Uk, tragédia arquitetada por Jin Mu. Para salvar o corpo, Mestre Lee usa a energia de Naksu, e à medida q o corpo ia se restaurando, esse foi ficando com a aparência real da alma de Naksu. Essa foi a desculpa usada no roteiro, p/ trazer de volta a atriz que fez a verdadeira Naksu (a q está no início do episódio 1 da T1). A história sempre falou sobre Naksu, Mu-deok era o corpo no qual a alma dela estava, após fazer a Alquimia.

Se pensarmos bem, se a atriz q fez Mu-deok voltasse, todos iriam reconhecê-la e persegui-la, pois a mesma causou a tragédia de 3 anos atrás. Ela seria sempre tratada como uma alma invasora e tentariam matá-la. Além disso, se ela voltasse na T2, não haveria nenhum mistério acerca da personagem Jin Bu-yeon, e Jang Uk não se apaixonaria pela mesma alma 2x, mesmo sem saber.

Tudo foi calculado no roteiro. Essa foi também uma forma de proteger tanto a sacerdotisa quanto a Naksu. Visto que o corpo real de Naksu é queimado na T1, então, todos sabiam q a Naksu jamais poderia voltar em seu corpo original. Então, esse fato de ainda ser o corpo da Jin Bu-yeon/ Mu-deok com a aparência real da alma de Naksu foi genial.

Vale lembrar q na T2 as duas almas ainda coexistem no corpo (as almas de Naksu e de Ji Seol-Ran/Jin Bu-yeon/ Mu-deok). E quando a sacerdotisa cumpriu sua missão de salvar o mundo junto com Jang Uk, ela deixou a alma de Naksu permanecer no corpo e desapareceu. Ela diz: "para a Luz que salvou o mundo, eu devolvo agora a sua Sombra. Uma Luz que abraça uma Sombra jamais se perderá na escuridão."

Logo, a troca de atriz foi incrível e não afetou o amor dos dois. Pelo contrário, além da alma de Naksu estar lá, esse corpo restaurado tem a sua aparência original. Assim, ele pôde finalmente conhecer o verdadeiro rosto de seu grande amor. Isso mostra como o amor é o encontro de duas almas, uma vez que ele a amou 2x, essa apresentando fisionomias diferentes. Logo, faz todo sentido, pois a essência do drama é falar sobre ALMAS. ❤️

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The vacation is about to end

This drama was a surprisingly beautiful journey.
I must admit I have a lot of interest in Woo Do Hwan... However, I am seeing an totally different person in here. We like an actor who tries different roles !
The male lead is reckless, selfish, immature and with separation anxiety/abandonment issues which can turn him into quite the assbutt. (trying to be polite)
I think that what I appreciated the most was the fact he is far from being perfect and they are not trying to make him perfect in our eyes. They are trying to make us empathize and the last scene forces us to finally see things from his point of view.

Anyway, in my opinion it is a must watch if you like road trips and crying.

PS : California dreamin' had a special place in my heart before, now i'm not even sure i have a heart.

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Live Each Day to Its Fullest, Don't Take Anything or Anyone For Granted & Be Mindful of UFOs

What a beautiful, multilayered journey with very complicated characters! I was watching this for LYN and I can say despite what I think is an OE/SE for his character and those that lovedhim, it is his best acting to date. Obviously the reunion with ZLS after TLB was something special to see, but this drama was about the realism of life, business and revenge more than romance. It reminded one to live life to the fullest, not to take anything for granted, & always be mindful of UFOs.

Pros: Favorite character for me was LYN as YZJ; each drama of his that comes out is such an improvement over the last and I'm so proud of just how much he gave to this character. Starting out living only for revenge as a morally grey merchant of the west. You really didn't know what his motives were at beginning other than he had a deep grudge against a ruthless bandit leader named LK, his gang of thugs, and two families the Cui's and Zheng's. He was super intelligent, filthy rich, and his plans always included contingencies. It was only when he met DW played exceptionally well by ZLS who herself was struggling just to live a moment at a time as a slave pearl diver (btw though it looked beautiful underwater, free diving is hard as hell and without proper equipment it's even more difficult, so serious props to ZLS for doing all of those scenes herself. Though for safety reasons, they should have hired a professional certified free diver) in some beyond deplorable conditions and her bargaining her life over a pearl just to get herself free and sneaking herself and a little boy named "shrimp" onto YZJ's boat that the seemingly ruthless merchant, started teaching her everything he knew about the pearl and jewelry business as a whole. He didn't just take her in slave and whatnot, but because the woman she thought was always torturing her in the cave was actually her mother (YZJ’s mom’s maid and best friend since childhood) and she taught her accounting and was particularly strict with her because she wanted her to live and her something priceless in her possession that with her dying breath she gave to DW; a blood-pearl that became an essential piece of this entire story. Turned out that the pearl made YZJ recognize DW as the daughter of his family's chief jade carver and who was slaughtered along with his own family when he was a boy as he watched them murdered by the bandits sent by the Cui and Zheng families and three (Xu, LK, & PY) other sinister and powerful figures behind them so they could take the entire jewelry business in different places over as well build the mastermind's power. Meanwhile, YZJ was imprisoned, tortured, and poisoned for 8 years until he escaped with another young boy KJ who later became his best friend and most trusted aid/guard.

I won't go into the entire story because then what would be the point of watching? But that's the essential original connection between YZJ and DW. SML or ZJR traveled undercover and had initially fallen for DW but because of their totally different worlds, he had no chance with her and instead opted to become the best friend and fellow investigator alongside the other two later on. What struck me was that ZJR, Xu, and PY had the same Shifu and were brother disciples but only ZJR was upright and just while the other two were corrupt and murderous. The three of them (YZJ, DW, ZJR) made for a great team. YZJ was the one who relentlessly taught DW how to stop being easily trusting and naive and how to be ruthless when need be. He also taught her the basics of martial arts and how to use a short sword. He saw her passion, will to live and taught her how to stand on her own two feet and rely only on herself which became essential in many situations. In the meantime, she taught him to open his heart and learn to love. She wasn't afraid to call him out on his bullshit and that was new to him. She was warm and caring and stood up for anyone that was being bullied but unlike him who hid that deep within himself, she wore it on her sleeve towards the people she cared for like ZJR, shrimp, Loud, accountant Wei, Yunxia, and the others she met both on the convoy and off of it (like Lady Wu who was her sister for life, though after their stop in Guangzhou, other then through letters, they never saw each other again). Because of that, he started to open up more to her and care/be protective of her. He recognized that they were kindred spirits in a sense.

Their love developed gradually; there were several occasions that she saved him and that's when he told her about being poisoned and that it was almost impossible to cure even more so when the only witch doctor that could cure it was killed by LK when she was also kidnapped but everything was put to the ultimate test during the ambush of the convoy when just about everyone was murdered as those bandits infiltrated the convoy so you couldn't tell who was good and who wasn't. All of it was done by someone YZJ considered to be a brother but all he wanted was the blood pearl. DW went through her lowest period because she lost everyone (with shrimp dying in her arms) and thought YZJ had tried to kill her when in reality he had shot the poisoned arrow that was aimed at her out of the way but his arrow did hit her which all things considered wasn't bad. She also didn't know that it was KJ that arranged for her to be saved by the migrating tribes.

Them reuniting in Yangzhou, the last place they would be together for this series and just how many emotions went into that. The betrayal she felt, the pain at knowing the truth but going the noble idiocy arc route that he decided to shoulder everything himself. Everything was so raw and beautiful; whether you laughed or cried. It was in Yangzhou where YZJ brought the last of the original male Cui family down with his own work. Bringing down the Zheng family proved to be more difficult and dangerous as more evil figures started to pop up as well as the original instigators of the first and second massacre; and this is where YZJ, DW, ZJR (who the entire time was conducting his own investigation with the occasional secret help of both YZJ and the emperor) plus their guards and employees came together.

CSJ started as a morally grey snob who because though she didn't have it easy, her life wasn't impossible compared to what DW went through, so I didn't pity her and wished she had less screen time though they were determined to show her for a while like that before she finally started going through really hard life threatening things that towards the end made her realize just how misguided and wrong her behavior her entire life had been and she finally came together with DW on several occasions especially towards the end to bring down Zheng big bad himself.

The emotions displayed by our leads especially during their best or absolutely worst times really made this storyline whole. The real antagonist here was YCWY aka LK (played very well by his actor); an absolutely rotten to the core human being ruthless beyond measure; even though Prince Ying (PY) was the mastermind; he was just a loud mouse in comparison. And the absolute heartbreak of the ML when in episode 39 he found out the truth, was hard to describe. Though most of us had guessed around the time the ambush happened at the sanctuary as how would bandits perfectly disguise themselves as convoy guards just as YZJ was to set out to meet ZJR and together they'd eradicate the bandits. YC knew of this plan as the master of the sanctuary; he killed the witch doctor, kidnapped DW, then set up the ambush just to get the blood pearl. And many people in the comments didn't understand how someone as smart as YZJ couldn't put two and two together. But when you go back and think about it, he was shot himself by at least three arrows, also sliced with a blade and that pesky poison, the man was barely alive. After which he was scared for DW and when he made it to Yangzhou he had to get back to work with what to do next. He couldn't just put all of that aside and think. So when that reveal happened, he was dumbstruck. He considered this man his brother because YC had done everything in his power to gain his trust and support him including financially but this was the same monster that imprisoned, tortured, and poisoned him for 8 years. I do wish they had lingered longer on his emotions upon reveal; because of just how raw they were. For once he realized how devastating this revelation was both for himself and DW. But he was just a kid when they met again and LK had reinvented himself as YCWY a sanctuary owner for merchants "hiding from the bandits." Which was brilliant for the antagonist.

Ok let's talk about that ending as it goes both in the pros and cons for me. YZJ and especially DW had exhausted all avenues in search for an antidote, his body was breaking down day by day, we saw it. LYN played a man dying of a slow acting poison brilliantly. YZJ had decided to leave and KJ had made all of the preparations for his passing and for all of his money to go to DW. That last scene he was officially in as DW was begging him not to go was heart wrenching; you could tell in his eyes that he was fighting with himself about that decision because he couldn't bear to leave her. After that scene we saw a shooting star (LYN's UFO came to get YZJ) and then next scene DW (who's wearing YZJ's ring and is visibly upset as she talks about not sharing moments with people who couldn't be with them) wins the competition and is appointed Guild head but turns it down and gives it to CSJ who's more appropriate for the position. DW then spends the next 40 years traveling the desert as a merchant as she wanted though we never see her face.

My thoughts on it is that he did leave after giving her the ring which was something he never took off even when he was held captive in the first arc and she rescued him; so it had very special meaning to him and by giving it to the most important person in his life was his way of letting her know that they belonged to each other. But the competition was only 2 or 3 days after we saw him last so he couldn't have passed away so quickly. I think after the competition, she left and met up with him and they spent some time together before he indeed passed away and KJ joined her in the traveling caravan. So to me it's an OE/SE. If he had died immediately, KJ wouldn't have left at all so that wouldn't have made sense as YZJ was his whole life and DW was I guess his sister in law so he would spend the remainder of his days guarding her no matter what. But in this situation, I have no problem with the ending at all.

Everything else was beautiful; costumes (though could've done without the Rapunzel braid for DW), sets, CGI on point, and great fight scenes.

Cons: After that larger than life pros section, this section is small because my biggest issues were with editing and writing ie production. The second arc had the most problems as it seemed scenes were cut into something and you would get a whiplash. I really wish the noble idiocy arc didn't last for 10 episodes though their paths crossed all the time and almost right away he was secretly helping her. KJ should have stepped up sooner as he was the best wingman ever. But there were many inconsistencies like where did YZJ and KJ find such a luxurious horse and carriage in the middle of the desert after the ambush that had them hiding in caves and with traveling caravans? There was never any recording of time passing especially when you had multiple people walking around a grand desert alone all Willy-Nilly like they were in their own backyard; that legitimately looked absurd. Then the absolutely ridiculous part of first a kidnapped Yunxia, then DW, and then maybe 5 minutes after the first two escaped, ZJR coming to the same inn in the middle of nowhere woods. And he's back hot on their trail to find them yet in an actual town, they miss each other by literal steps. Suspense of disbelief deployed.

Towards the end when they were running the glass business there were times when you weren't sure whether you were looking at a flashback or real time because of the way the shots kept jumping back and forth. I was very confused. The ending, I wish they rounded all of the important people out better not just left them hanging and had actually shown YZJ leaving and how much time passed between that and the competition where everyone was pretty much just left there. Even DW who supposedly traveled on a merchant caravan for 40 years wasn't shown but just a bunch of people covered in black garb on horses and camels with goods looking like Ringwraiths in the desert with an older woman's voiceover being the old DW. This way, that same UFO returned and picked up DW too! It was a bit sloppy. It should have been much tighter and satisfying, even if did become an SE. I'm fine with those, just tighten up the writing and editing.

Would I recommend it? Regardless of some sloppy and loose writing here and there, I absolutely would. This was a realistic live every moment to it's fullest and don't take life or those you love for granted story and it was rich, layered, lush, complex, and absolutely beautiful. Don't pass it by just because it has an OE/SE. It deserves the praise.

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Love Story

This is a beautiful Love Story between Gu Yi and Lian Dai Wen (LDW) who fall in love when they meet at Ounce. LDW suffers from a medical condition alexithymia "emotional blindness" the inability to laugh and they call him the "Robot". This story tells the suffering of losing your mom at young age and how it affected LDW. With the help of Gu Yi, she teaches him how to develop and express his emotions. There are many different scenes that are funny, action-oriented, and emotional. The family scenes were so intense and Gu Yi's crying scenes were unreal the Best I've ever scene. There is a lot of cliffhangers and surprising events that keep you wanting to watch more episodes. The love story is pure and it has a happy ending. We definitely need a sequel, Smile Code 2. The cinematography and music were amazing. This drama should be picked up by Netflix for international audiences they will love it. This is the Best Acting for Shen Yue in a modern drama, she deserves an award for playing Gu Yi. The rating on this drama is a 10 out of 10.

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