Jina
United States
This review is about the first half (aka s1) and the second half (aka s2) of this show.
(I came to watch this because of Simon Gong (after seeing him in Lost Love in Times) and I really enjoyed his performance as Zhong Wumei--a tsundere with a bad temper. In Lost Love in Times, he was a lot more cheerful and lighthearted, so seeing him as this stern face guy was interesting.)
This show is mainly carried by the good acting and chemistry between the actors. The plot is also not bad and is well-paced, but there is definitely a tone shift between the first half and the second half. The first half was lighthearted and comedic like the romcom that it is. The second half takes it deeper by bringing in the heartaches, tears, and angst. Personally, I thought that was a good move on the plot. In the first half, there weren't really any risks yet. It was still just Lin Luojing thinking about the game as a game and accomplishing tasks. In the second half, however, we move away from that as Lin Luojing becomes more entangled with the characters and plot and as she falls in love. As much as I enjoyed the first half, the second half is what makes this show memorable and move away from a "otome game" plot. The story then becomes more immersed in what Lin Luojing gains/loses if she ends the game.
Lin Luojing's personality, at first, is a bit annoying as she drools over hot guys and mutters to herself a lot about game-related stuff. However, that aspect doesn't show up as much near the end of season 1 (around episodes 7-9, I'd say). Her character becomes more serious and makes her more likable. I loved her by the second half and enjoyed her very much.
Zhong Wumei's bad temper was almost a bit too much and it creates misunderstandings, but it's resolved in a timely manner. He becomes a complex character that makes him very endearing.
Liu Xiuwen became a more complex character, which was great, although towards the end, he seemed a bit repetitive. However, he was still likable.
Jiang Xuanyu and Swordsman Hua probably received the shorter ends as their characters are not as fleshed out evenly throughout the series, but they are given decent screentime and backstories that make them likeable.
This drama is for those who enjoyed the dramas like "The Sweet Girl", "To Get Her", and those kind of type of shows where the plot may not be the greatest of all time, but it's good enough to support the romance and obstacles the characters face. The show has good heartfelt moments and good chemistry between the characters. In the end, the show is enjoyable enough.
(I came to watch this because of Simon Gong (after seeing him in Lost Love in Times) and I really enjoyed his performance as Zhong Wumei--a tsundere with a bad temper. In Lost Love in Times, he was a lot more cheerful and lighthearted, so seeing him as this stern face guy was interesting.)
This show is mainly carried by the good acting and chemistry between the actors. The plot is also not bad and is well-paced, but there is definitely a tone shift between the first half and the second half. The first half was lighthearted and comedic like the romcom that it is. The second half takes it deeper by bringing in the heartaches, tears, and angst. Personally, I thought that was a good move on the plot. In the first half, there weren't really any risks yet. It was still just Lin Luojing thinking about the game as a game and accomplishing tasks. In the second half, however, we move away from that as Lin Luojing becomes more entangled with the characters and plot and as she falls in love. As much as I enjoyed the first half, the second half is what makes this show memorable and move away from a "otome game" plot. The story then becomes more immersed in what Lin Luojing gains/loses if she ends the game.
Lin Luojing's personality, at first, is a bit annoying as she drools over hot guys and mutters to herself a lot about game-related stuff. However, that aspect doesn't show up as much near the end of season 1 (around episodes 7-9, I'd say). Her character becomes more serious and makes her more likable. I loved her by the second half and enjoyed her very much.
Zhong Wumei's bad temper was almost a bit too much and it creates misunderstandings, but it's resolved in a timely manner. He becomes a complex character that makes him very endearing.
Liu Xiuwen became a more complex character, which was great, although towards the end, he seemed a bit repetitive. However, he was still likable.
Jiang Xuanyu and Swordsman Hua probably received the shorter ends as their characters are not as fleshed out evenly throughout the series, but they are given decent screentime and backstories that make them likeable.
This drama is for those who enjoyed the dramas like "The Sweet Girl", "To Get Her", and those kind of type of shows where the plot may not be the greatest of all time, but it's good enough to support the romance and obstacles the characters face. The show has good heartfelt moments and good chemistry between the characters. In the end, the show is enjoyable enough.
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