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I've seen that one before. I don't really like the fact that they kept her real identity a secret until the end. It's unnecessary. I can understand that at the start but to drag it out. Plus why does the ML never tell the FL that he's helping the female villain because of his brother? It's hair pulling stuff.

This one is so bad that it's hilarious. Oh man... It is a trope fest from start to finish. It's as if someone threw all the tropes into a concrete mixer and popped this out. The FL has got to be the dumbest person to walk the earth. At least it has Du Yafei who is great in the make out scenes. I like this one... even if it's probably longer than it needs to be. But the ML is on the ball here and the storytelling doesn't feel as insulting. This one's okay too... Better than a lot of other period ones I've seen lately which just has me rolling me eyes. At least it focuses on the relationship between the leads.

This show is soooo good. I like everything about it. The writing is just pitch perfect. Even in three episodes there is already so much payoff. I like it so much that I don't even mind that Park Sung-hoon is playing a psychopath again. He does whatever he does so well. Whether he plays good guys or bad guys he nails it with a wrinkle or a stare. Besides I can understand him taking a break from playing good/nice guys in his last two dramas. :P The drama certainly boasts an incredible cast including Kwak Dong-yeon and Lee Mi-seok. I saw a short clip of the drama on YT and it piqued my interest immediately. It was the boar shooting scene and Kim Soo-hyun looked pretty 帅 and it has managed to get me out of the douyin rut that I'm in. It hasn't been easy finding something in K drama territory that would interest me but yes, this did it. In some ways it's not that surprising because there are many elements of a douyin drama in this. A snobbish and very dysfunctional conglomerate family that's recently become the target of all kinds of plots and conspiracies. Caught in the middle is their intelligent but sensitive grandson-in-law who is entangled in all their problems because he naively believed it was enough that he married the love of his life. It is a fairytale where Cinderella... or Cinderfella didn't exactly get his happily-ever-after. Instead he became the family's laundry cleaner and it's destroying his soul. The woman he thought he would love and protect for the rest of his life has become the bane of his existence. I wondered for the first couple of episodes what happened to this couple who liked each other. The show seems to suggest that they have forgotten what it was that brought them together but it's perhaps more likely that the family dysfunction, conflicting principles and neglect are the primary culprits. For me the highlight is that this is beautifully written story about marriage. It's highly relatable and the psychology is right on the money. Marriage is far more than feelings. It is commitment to a set of vows with trust at the heart of it because feelings come and go. Even when Hyun-woo pretends to be an attentive husband, by the very act itself he is changing the dynamic. Sure he wants out because he feels stifled by his demanding selfish in-laws but by his recent actions, he is recreating the marriage that they both had anticipated but went by the wayside. Not all of Hyun-woo's goodwill has ended up in the ash heap. Deep down inside he still cares and he was already a compassionate and decent person to begin with. But marriage is work... hard work at times so when the two people in it stop working at it... they stop caring. It's really that simple. Considering that they both come from very different family backgrounds, they definitely had their work cut out for them. On the acting side of things, it's a pleasant surprise to see Kim Ji-won in a completely different role to the one she played in My Liberation Notes. She's really very good. And I have loved Kim Soo-hyun for a very long time and he's very funny here. Episode 1 was hilarious. I laughed out loud so many times.

I've recently discovered this pairing in a couple of different dramas. The chemistry is fantastic and the leads are also very good actors. In this first one, the sassy FL is kidnapped along with a well to do boy. She takes them down and is mistaken for being a kidnapper. Someone knocks her over the head. She's taken back to the disabled CEO's home to convalesce. Since the boy has taken to her, the CEO offers her a job as the boy's carer. As she has crippling debt (who doesn't) she jumps at the chance of earning some big money. It doesn't take long before she concludes that someone in his family is trying to poison him to death. After a series of near death encounters the leads develop feelings for each other. The upside of this show is that it doesn't rely on the same group of villains all throughout. It often gets rather ridiculous that the same antagonists continue doing the same thing over and over with repercussions. It is unique that the story focuses on the ML's family dynamic rather than on the FL's. Also the boy is not the offspring of a previous one night stand. There are also a couple of mysteries that need to be uncovered related to 5 years ago when the ML was in a vehicle accident. It's well directed. This other one with the same duo is a revenge melodrama. Tonally it's different from the first. The FL attracts the attention of two men -- father and son -- as she plots to avenge the death of her parents. It's really the father she's after because she remembers him at the scene of the crime all those years ago. Of course there's more than meets the eye. She single-minded but the ML soon cottons on to her game and true identity. The actress is quite fantastic here as the troubled tormented vigilante. navigating a dangerous tightrope He has an agenda of his own and his father suspects that the two of them might be having an affair behind his back. This is a classy production that often feels more like a film than a tv show. It does keep the viewer on the edge of of their seat. These two productions are of high quality and the stories don't follow the usual templates,

A couple of recommendations that came through last night... This is a well-written, well-made repackaging of the contract marriage, revenge tropes. It's always a delight to see an intelligent, scheming FL at work. She first attracts the ML's attention at a blind date event and takes on the biggest gamble of her life. They enter into a contract marriage because she needs his clout to avenge her parent's death and escape an unwanted marriage as well as her uncle's household. On top of that she doesn't have a whole lot of time left. She's been poisoned for much of her life and is not expected to live long. The ML's just returned from overseas and is trying to shake off a marriage alliance. I wasn't familiar with the ML prior to this but he's very attractive and likeable. His name is Li Shiyao. 李是侥 Right off the bat she is surprised at how protective he is considering they are only a transactional relationship. As they gradually develop feelings for each other she is torn between early impending death and her fear of falling for him. The way they look after each other is very pleasing to watch. All in all the romance is quite lovely. This is a good example of how a hidden identity story can work with a bit of care and thought. Thus far all the Republican era ones have been decent. The actress is excellent and the chemistry is good. An actress at the height of her success from present day has an incident with a chandelier and dies on the spot. She travels back in time and her soul transmigrates into that of a blind young woman who has been ill used by her family. Having taken possession of the body she ceases to be blind but carries on the charade to protect herself. The dead young woman was betrothed to be married to the 少帅 military commander. One night a man with a blood stained shirt enters her room while she's about to have a bath. Later on she meets him again this time as the military commander's aide-de-camp donning a mask. She recognizes his voice instantly. There are many people who don't want this marriage to take place including the FL (although she changes her mind later) who has to navigate a snobby mother-in-law to be, a noisy and irritating 情敌 as well as her own family. What works for me is how the hidden identity is effectively used as a vehicle for the ML to observe and fall in love with the FL of his own accord. It's a fairly straightforward story that sees the leads avoiding traps and trashy people while she lives with the future in-laws. FL: Zhu Moyan ML: Li Hao

7 blooming years... for this pairing to see the light of day again The CGI actually looks half decent and it sounds like that they're using their own voices.

I don't remember watching this one before but yes, that's the brother of the male lead in The Imperial Coroner. Hard to miss. Very tall. Here's another one with Gangster ML Zhen Ziqi 甄子琦. The FL The chemistry is excellent here. He's such a great actor despite the weak set up with the ML's motivations very unclear at the start. It's important to establish motivations early on so you can root for the right people. But it's still a fascinating premise with the ML and his mute lover. The FL iis also very good in the role. They've been contract lovers for a couple of years and one day she tells him that her family is in talks to form a marriage alliance. She tells him that she's willing to back out of it if he asks her so. He seems not to care and she ends up being engaged to his nephew. So that's interesting reversal of the usual hot uncle trope.

Oooh... I like this one. Don't know the leads but the chemistry sizzles. ML is hot. FL is badass. A good child hunt. The Green Tea is quite evil in this one. Ugh. Child trafficking, child abuse. I don't think he really knew his own heart TBH. My feeling is that although he forgot, there's a part of him that remembered her. They both made mistakes. He was at the tail end of a break up and she was willing to go with the flow up to a point. But in the end, she didn't feel secure and he made things worse by his seeming indifference. It's not just the classic case of poor communication and mistrust but when they started their relationship there were no clear parameters or stated expectations. I also think they got back together from that ending. She's pretty hung up on him and now that he's trying so hard to be with her it opens the door to a new start... perhaps with a more equal footing in terms of the fact that he wants to be with her. Yay... I like this actor. His drama where he had amnesia and tried to stop his wife from leaving him was so adorable. I've watched it a few times.

This is not bad. I love Ye Ting. The FL is so-so. A supernatural romance featuring a Yin Yang couple. She starts off as a substitute bride because he is a sickly fellow. Gangster ML aka Zhen Ziqi in a contract marriage Beauty and the Beast story with the FL who is blind at first... then pretends to be blind. She's the only surviving member of a once prominent family. She marries into the Bo family to the oldest son who is a bit of a bad boy loose cannon. She later makes a deal with his dad to whip him into shape and become the heir to the family business.

Ooh ooh... The hot and spicy drama -- have I seen it? Do tell. My appetite has been whetted. I finished a couple of entertaining ones this afternoon. This one is a rebirth revenge. I like this ML and even though the show is full of ridiculous elements, it's a fun watch. The FL has magic blood and mad surgical skills. The ML is a disabled CEO and it's interesting how his disability is used in the show. He doesn't recover until the final act and his real power is in his wealth, status and clout. He's no fool either. The leads are more allies to start with but they gradually fall in love through a nice partnership. This one is a well-made, well-written one-night stand storyline with a cute kid to boot. The lad is one of my favourite of the child actors from the platform. I'm not sure how old or new it is. It just popped up on my feed this afternoon. There also be birth secrets and amnesia in the mix. It does just about everything right. It's also surprisingly hilarious.

I caught this one over the last couple of days. Love the chemistry between the leads and both the actors are very likeable. Meng Na can be relied upon to pick up decent projects. Unlike a lot of other shows, this one feels a bit too short. The romance barely takes off and the story is over. With that kind of chemistry and only one kissing scene, it's such a waste. Visuals are striking and these two are a good fit for each other. I have actually watched a few that I like. Mostly rebirths one. It is true about the styling but not all MLs are suited to be in historical dramas either so there's also that. It's somewhat true about FLs as well. Meng Na is probably one of the few that can do both well.

Here's one with Wang Chenpeng and another FL. Her name's Zhao Xixi. She's a doctor and he's a commercial pilot in this drama They work for the same organization. They've been sleeping together for a couple of years and she's looking for more. They break up momentarily and then she finds out she's preggers. Word of warning... Lots of push and pull. And you'll be sweating angst. The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger but could be interpreted as an open ending. And... it's 4 hours. But I like it a lot and it showcases Wang Chenpeng's acting. I actually like this one... it's repackaged from a few different storylines and does a couple of things differently. The little girl is precious and thankfully she's not abused for the whole 2 and a half hours. Apparently the ML is very popular.

I found out his name is Zhen Ziqi 甄子琦. That particular show had potential as a rebirth story but it was all over the place. The chemistry is good and there were some good make out scenes but the storyline is scatty. It lacks direction and meanders. Didn't do much for me sadly. But I persevered for Zhen Ziqi. I wish they had been reborn during the old days when he was the general. This one is so-so. A bit bland but the FL is cute and of course the male lead is adorable.

In general I find these hidden identity spouse tropes rather silly. Who marries someone they've never met? But this one is okay for the most part (it doesn't take forever for either of them to realise who they are) although it is ridiculous that the male villain who is supposed to be in prison keeps getting out for one reason or another. The leads' chemistry is quite good as well. What's even more surprising is that this has a good ending. However, there's no denying that Wang Chenpeng sizzles in all the make out scenes. The guy is hot stuff. Very very hot. I think the glasses just adds more temperature to the room. And he has a nice voice as well. I've seen him in a few dramas already but it's nice to know his name. Thanks for the recommendation. I skimmed through quite a few historical rebirth ones last night. I really like this ML -- the actor and the character -- although the FL is quite frustrating. I don't mind the story too. It's quite different from the usual rebirth stories. This is another with a hot uncle

Here's another likeable pairing with good chemistry. A rebirth story with good teamwork and a mature dynamic. A very overpowered FL which doesn't really make sense but it's still fun. I don't mind this second chance story... The ML although starts off being a scumbag finds out the truth pretty early and embarks on his redemption arc early as well. The father-son dynamic is cute and moving.

I really enjoy this pairing... although this is a very familiar rebirth story. The team work is good. I discovered the name of the actor... finally. I've seen him in quite a few dramas now. He's great at generating chemistry with his FLs. This FL is terrific -- she looks like she's enjoying herself. ML: Wang Nan 王楠

This is a visibly older rebirth story with Wang Hanyang. Wonder how old it is? He certainly looks a fair bit younger. Not too excited about the FL though.

Thanks for that. I'm not a fan of the hidden identity stories. 2 to 3 hours of a couple playing hide and seek and finding out who's who only 5 minutes before the end. The ML is a good versatile actor though so it's not surprising if he shows up in mainstream shows. Some more recommendations... A decently made revenge story. Some interesting twists. Quite well acted. I don't know any of the cast but the main MLs are particularly good. At least the FL and ML cooperate here and there. I liked this one too. Came for the ML and stayed for the story and the ill-mannered boy. This is a cute dual timeline one. Period rebirth story. Man wakes up in contemporary China, acts like an emperor and is in search of his empress.

I just saw that drama last night and I've only ever seen the other one where they have twins together. That was pretty sweet as well. I'd be interested to know what the other 2 dramas might be. Is this the same actress? I'm a bit confused.

Thanks for the recommendation. It was a good watch. Although the FL was never that convincing as a 傻子, the ML caught on quickly and she is a really lovely actress to watch. I also like the way she delivers her lines. I've seen her previously in a rebirth drama as well. A few recommendations from me that I caught on the weekend... This was quite different. Feels like an Agatha Christie style story. Watched it for the ML but he ends up being a side character. This is very much a female dominated show and quite well done. At least it's doing something different rather than recycling the same o'l same o'l. I really like this ML. I've been hunting for more of his shows and I finally stumbled onto one. Also a rebirth story like his previous one. This is a disabled CEO story. The ML is very good looking too and reminds me of Han Dong. He's quite funny but the whole thing is a hoot. The FL protects him all throughout.

This is a good one. Quite unique. The tragic ending is quite fitting. The male lead is pretty hot stuff and the FL is kinda cute in that Audrey Hepburn kind of way. I don't like the brother who is pretty useless. He's more trouble alive than dead. I wouldn't mind watching another show with him in it. The ML is very talented. He's got that rebel without a cause aura to him. I wouldn't be surprise if he makes a career of playing antiheroes. @NiteWalker Saw the triplets one last night. I quite liked it. It's not as crazy as some others of the type. The kids are just master manipulators. Very good acting from them.

Rebirth stories that are reasonably good. At least they don't frustrate the heck out of me. It's quite unusual that the ML takes centrestage and is reborn with the FL. F L：王子怡(Wang,Zi-Yi) ML：肖 涵(Xiao,Han) This one has a past timeline. The kid is gorgeous even if he doesn't look 6. :P But seeing the ML in period costume gave me ideas. Would love to see him doing historical dramas in mainstream shows. This one has a good story although the acting is a mixed bag. The ML is so-so. It has the "hot uncle" trope and some good teamwork between the leads. I quite like it although I think they drag out her identity a bit longer than they should. But there's little doubt that the leads are good together. I also like this male lead and he brings a different kind of edge to this role. The FL does better than the other actresses with the "fool" arc.

The show is watchable until the last couple of episodes. The last episode in particular makes me wish that I hadn't watched the show. If the show was going to go down the road, it should have changed course sooner. But I did like it for the leads.

More multiple births fun... This may end up being my favourite yet. Nothing like a good quins drama. I really like how the ML is written and depicted here. I can't remember if I've posted this one but I like the time travel element. It's pretty sweet.

This is actually a good drama. The ML is well cast (he looks like a gangster) but the script is quite excellent for a douyin show. I consider this story one of my favourites because of the healing/redemption story. It's like Beauty and the Beast. The FL learns to tame the monster and when she changes her attitude towards him, he changes too. The chemistry is good and they have such lovely hug scenes. Once they get past the rough patch, they are a good team. She's also smart enough to know her own limitations. Trust changed everything for them. There's a lot of kissing in this one. And I mean A LOT. Every 5-10 minutes. The ML is pretty hot admittedly. I quite like it because of him. but there's a lot of rough stuff that's a bit off-putting. He sure knows how to romance his co-star. I remember her from a drama with Shu Tong. There just aren't enough Shu Tong dramas out there.