[Chinese BG novel] 假千金她只爱钱[万人迷恋综] by 夹心饼干123 / Fake heiress only loves money

I saw this and inexplicably thought of author who created "All Villains show" an dthe whole "Three rebellious brothers" drama.

But I must warn anyone that they should not expect the same level of entertainment or drama or depth. It has some good parts, you can feel the author trying to do better, but there are many parts that are lacking. So in the end I have such conflicting feeling about it, I liked parts that I liked and I can criticque parts that I find flawed.

I will skip the summary and explain the premise as shortly as possible: Yu Qingzhi is the "fake" heiress of the story who is thrown out at 24, because she's not needed anymore. Very dramatic. Then to make money she is offered to play a foil in a dating show with the original heiress where she promised to get all the hate.

But things didn't turn out the way she planned.

#reverse harem, true/fake heiresses, melodrama, open ending

With such an overly melodramatic settings we start the story.

But the part that made me feel of that author is the feeling of some conflict and deeper drama that hides behind the initial impression we get.

The beginning is very tame, everyone gets to know each other and before you know it almost every male guest at this show in one way or another expressed an interest, even if they did not, they will later.

Yu Qingzhi may be beautiful and her face is imeccable, so she gets a lot of questions about that. But those male guests knows that she has more depth to her character than what she tries to show.

This is how she starts by trying to act like a douch, but eventually becomes a heartthrob. 

Her reputation at first positive is slowly erroded by none other than bad marketing and the face behind it is none other but her adoptive mother. What kind of grudge do they have for her to almost seethe with the desire to destroy her adoptive daughter?

The true heiress starts from the bad start, good thing is that this story is not a cliche type where they continue to oppose each other, eventually they learn more, especially the true heiress who still doesn't know what kind of fire pit is the Yu family.

With the errosion of her reputation thanks to marketing campaigns she is now known more as vain, Yu Qingzhi herself openly claims that she loves money, but while netizens claim her as a gold digger the men who now know her more refuse to believe she is so shallow.

Because it's a true reverse harem, these men do vie for her attention. Author really balances between different pairings and I had the impression that I'm getting into it. Like why a girl should make a rash decision, everyone is so good, it's so hard to decide. because everyone goes through different accident which showcases different sides of these characters. They may not start from the point of liking her, but some go through the process of seeing her good side. The bad part is how it felt unreal.

Eventually, even with women she builds a good relationship, except the true heiress no one had ill feelings towards her, also women came with their own agenda instead of falling in love, though I say there was not enough of female friendship, it was changed for more content about interactions between Qingzhi and the male guests. This is how it's not only a reverse harem, but they developed a friendship after this show.

Good points: developing relationships takes a lot of space, but eventually you feel for the characters. there is no obvious male lead and this is done for the open ending, because she doesn't choose anyone. although it does feel like they're ready to give her anything, she may not reciprocate feelings, but she can do other things for them. her teasing and playful parts have reasoning behind them, same as her reluctance. I didn't have the nasty feelings as if she was playing with the human hearts when I was reading it. at times it was more her giving in, because male guests knew she has a kind heart.

Bad points: all come from technical level ofthe world I suppose. Like what is the time and level we're living in, because they included some VR technology and they presented it as if they were in full virtual reality. technical stuff like the bungy jump of three people or a dance of several people. and by everything I mean the description, I stumbled because of descriptions many times, like who is acting how, that type of technicality. Story-wise the build-up for the past or any sort of explanation behind Qingzhi's unhappy time with Yus took too long. there is a lot of small stuff I think author did not think through. Like the true heiress almost instantly mentions how Qingzhi "stole from her" but no one dug that family drama or dragged it to light, though it was a juicy gossip, the internet articles were too one-sided most of the time, which felt too convenient. The part before ending is truly insane. The melodrama was turned to the max.

SPOILERS:

Lin Yanhan. He is the CEO of his own company. Because of his status he must ve very rigorous when chosing a wife. But from his assertive nature he slowly develops feelings for Qingzhi. She talks back to him few times because he acts quite arbitrarily, while she doesn't like him imposing his own ideas on her. Only later he realized that she's not really vain. He is like a representative of logic and reason (before they fail).

Zhou Chengyu. The youngest of the bunch, but actually not just a student. He represents the vigor of youth and passionate feelings. He is attracted to Qingzhi instantly and plays the role of green tea puppy, in front of her he is like a pitiful cub, but when others try to take her attention away he starts digging holes for others.

Chu Youze. Known photographer, but also not a simple personality. he is more frivolous and a playboy, but something in Qingzhi attracted him. His initial interest might have been shallow and later when he found her more and more inetersting this is how he got hooked.

Ju Jingchuan. Might sound like a simple lawyer, but he's not. He has an interesting arc because he has a talent for seeing visions of future (sudden, I know) where he saw himself being madly in love with Qingzhi, but he didn't like the aspect of it, since he saw her interest in money and shallow attitude and he didn't want tobe manipulated. Those visions sent him into a panic mode, so he tried to stay away from her. Worst first impression along with Lin Yanhan. It's only later visions and reality mixed together.

He Yanqiu. He is a forensic. Actually a half-brother of Lin Yanhan and they share some past together involving Yanqiu's biological mother, who left him and his father for the wealthy Lin family (both hate her). Because of his mother he developed a severe trauma that grew with time, he tried to see psychologist but it didn't help, so he decided to do something drastic. He never planned to fall in love, but Qingzhi was there for him when she noticed his condition, she never asked questions or acted disgusted, instead she made a lot of small moves that made him feel better and eventually he realized she's the one.

Zhu Yuqian / true heiress. If only she knew she lived with the lie of her parents. Because of her conviction and belief in those words she was partially manipulated to hate Qingzhi, only with getting into contact she realized that the image she sees and the one she was told to have a strong dissonance.

Mother Yu is actually a pretty abusive and hateful woman, you can sympathize with her, but she is vile. From childhood she brainwashed Qingzhi, before later they basically paraded her like a prized pony waiting for the highest bid to win. When Yuqian appeared they saw a better opportunity.

But there is a catch about these two sisters, because they're actually indeed half-sisters. I know, very dramatic.

This is where the last part comes in, from dating show to almost a suspence.

That's why I am very 50-50 about it. Like I realize all its' flaws, but still kinda felt the potential?

RATE: 3/5. Despite my enjoynment I had a ot to criticize when it came to connecting glue of the story that happened in the background. A lot of it was simply unreal (like stuff that was dangerous). But the relationships, despite the lack of real depth were balanced to make a reverse harem work.

[SHORT REVIEWS] #29 (with a bit of ranting)

Well, I feel a bit off and must emphasize that my opinions this time around, if identified as such, should not be taken too seriously. After all the characters I discuss did not do anything substantial, but this won't stop me.

Also, random, I have no idea what exactly creates the noise upstares, it feels like a high-pitched screech (I hope it's a door), I can't help myself I am gossipy, I am nosy and I don't like my neighbors for dropping a lot of heavy shit on the floor, that's in case if they're not falling themselves (I guess they have a kid and like to do martial arts.. or in other words wiping the floor with their bodies), since I hear everything. I want to give them a carpet tbh.

NOVELS

CHN

[BL] 绿茶男配只想咸鱼[穿书] by 第五熙 *JJ

(mtl: Scheming supporting male character just wants to be lazy)

Status: Completed

#ch: 90+4

Year: 2024

Progress: 1-25 (DNF)

Summary: Gu Zhen transmigrates into a world of a novel where everything is revolving around a young man Ye Cheng, the shou of this story, he is handsome, has good greats and a great personality, his smile attracts the people surrounding him (protagonist halo buff). But Gu Zhen is not in the picture, since he will be ruined by another protagonist gong, for some underhanded moves he did. So Gu Zhen tried really hard to stay away from both protagonists, which proved to be really impossible and tried to not spread any negativity or make any moves, he really wanted to survive.

WHY I DON'T LIKE SUCH CHARACTERS OR DEVELOPMENTS all caps yeah

My new pet peeve is how MCs in such stories overdramatize their own situation. Gu Zhen should be young, but not dumb not to even consider a possibility that his fears are baseless. It's teh OG Gu Zhen who will be retaliated against, not him. He didn't do anything remotely deserving such harsh retaliation, not to mention he should know better than anyone that the future is dynamic and not statis, he is not forced by the plot or some outside forces. Ye Cheng is a really good guy, he doesn't have a system or anything, he's just a protag with halo buff. Gu Zhen did not continue pester him or anyone else and started to change. But weeks and weeks later he is still afraid of ML because he figured he is original gong of this story. This wuss annoyed the hell out of me. He has no qualities to him to be honest, some may find his actions funny, but I don't. Another side of him that annoyed me is how devotedly he believes that both gong and shou are meant together and they are "taken" because story told him so, he sometimes thinks so patronizing, sounding like a jerk really. Don't these characters proved they have their own free will? 

The ML of this story is Ji Tingyu, the OG gong of the supposed perfect match, handsome and super accomplished senior that lives next to Gu Zhen and his roommate Chen Qi. This circumstance allowed Gu Zhen plotwise get closer to Tingyu without knowing his real identity at first. OG Gu Zhen is described as a bit of a sleazy person, which I instantly don't like because it puts down the OG character so much and elevates Gu Zhen who arrived without him doing much.

Gu Zhen realized he knows nothing about his major and decided to concentrate on his studies, very motiovated young man, thus he meets with Tingyu who helps him, thus the connection. We feel the attraction that Tingyu feels, though he doesn't say anything, but tbh.. what did Gu Zhen actually do? Was hardworking? Who is not? He is handsome? Others are too. It felt like Gu Zhen got the attention out of nowhere and for no particular reason.

I bet this feeds into the idea of - you know, you don't have to do anything, your other perfect half will feel for you even if you do nothing.

The plot, which actually doesn't exist (since it's all daily life and interactions) moves at a slug pace. I just looked back and thought to myself - wow, I read 20 chapters and nothing substantially happened, wow. Why am I here?

Anyway I will read a bit more and then I'll decide. I know such romance books should not be anything more, but I want them at least do something for me than be average. And this feels okay at all times (can't judge the overall story), but it also feels like many other stories too.

[BG] 这个男人能谈吗 by 东风吹来 *JJ

(mtl: Can I really date this man?)

Status: Completed

#ch: 81 + extras

Year: 2025

Progress: DNF

Summary: Tang Zhaojing received a message from her mother with a profie of a man who is too good to be true. As an "expert" in this (after watching someone's else analytical video of blind date market) she deducted that this man probably lied at least about something or everything.

This was before Tang Zhaojing met with Xie Yanzhou, all those specs of of age, height and muscles seem to be true, graduate who returned home from abroad and started a business.

There definitely must be something wrong.

I'll be honest, this Tang Zhaojing can go fuck herself. 

I am aware that the fraud marriage that involves gay marrying heterosexual women because of many issues like parental and social pressure, the need to produce a heir etc. But this is the first thing she thought when meeting this man and knowing he has no dating history is that he's actually gay and she repeats it several times as if she is so sure about it. And it's the first date. The number of women who were swindled into this type of marriage is approximately in millions (compared to billion population indeed feels like not much, but it is a lot), but I think the modern problem of loneliness and no dating history is pretty spread phenomena too. 

Yanzhou did nothing for me to criticize him, from the summary he had a crush on Zhaojing since school (me wants to ask - why?)

Zhaojing is also described as a humorous girl, but the only humorous part before she turned nymphomanic in front of a handsome guy but still thought he was a fraud is how she was lying on a couch and scrolling videos and laughing. had no idea such a criteria existed of judging humorousness..

Yeah I know I'm nitpicking, but I opened it and closed it. I don't care since nothing hooked me up.

Honestly, I feel like these authors could do better than writing an average, forgettable story, at least make the old story interesting.

[BG] 大佬拒绝恋爱脑[快穿] by 蓝海i *JJ

(mtl: The boss rejects romance)

Status: Ongoing

#ch: 

Year: 2025

Progress: arc 1-5 (DNF)

Summary: Well, aren't we surprised? I am not. Also, false advertisement for romance, because girl, what romance? This is like no CP

I honestly wonder why authors tag it in romance category whenever it has such anti-romance sentiment. I understand that romance is more popular than no-CP tag, but this honestly feels like fraud. FMC doesn't understand love and helps those whose life were destroyed by love to salvage their fates, but despite her saying love is possible, you should not lose yourself in it, we never see her in a relationship, she will be girlbossing.

This story has nothing bad for me to say about it. I just have nothing to say at all. It's unfortunately plain with too many things that were done before and a lot of nonsense that is not even funny.

This is a basic transmigration novel, but there is a part that left me question the intention.. Luo Yi (FMC) is a transmigrator with excellent score, she also doesn't understand love, at least losing yourself in loving someone, before she receives a task of saving someone who regretted being too in love and losing the best opportunities their life gave them. So in her hightened state she accepted the task instead of having a leisurely retirement.

One good point is how some OGs tried to salvage the situation, but unfortunately it was futile.

The bad part to me is how to elevate the main character of Luo Yi there is always subtle comparison in the text, it's not that vivid, but it's everywhere. I love when women are women, but this comes at the expense of someone else.

Luo Yi starts to work out, having a regular schedule and sleep, routines and healthy lifestyle and in between it's a dig at the OG of this body to me for dieting, staying up late etc. Even visually. You know the gist, like she's so OP, even if OG is pretty with her aura she is a fairy that makes even women bend into mosquito coils.

Author, I get it, she's so good. Please stop.

But also your story is THIS boring, author. I just couldn't get hooked on it and I opened it for the sake of reading some senseless stuff, since I have such a lousy mood these days. But no. The writing style lacks soul, it's more like an explanatory rampage and has this reiteration of the same information over and over which drives you nuts. There is nothing to lament about, everything is pretty basic. Even beyond basic, if it's even possible.

One good thing is this novel is free. 

At least at the moment of me typing this it has free access. I know some may post free novels, but others post free for a while and then lock under vip access.

[BG] 我没想捧红他们[娱乐圈] by 柯四六 *JJ

(mtl: It wasn't my intention to make them popular)

Status: Ongoing

#ch: 

Year: 2025

Progress: 19

Summary: Jian Yao is a Transmigration Bureau worker, she has only one world left before her retirement and only one point away from her goal, The next world is D-level entertainment / showbiz, she is a CEO of a company on the verge of bankruptcy, while her bdy was in a coma, the vice president took away the core staff and jumped the ship. With only few employees left for one or another reason.

Achieve the goal and become the legend in the entretainment world - reward 100 points.

Failing mission - Bankruptcy within a certain period - rewarded 1 point.

Seeing this Jian Yao of course decided to... bankrupt the company, it's the retirement on the line.

But who knew that all her plans to sabotage the projects will turn into great successes.

 Well, I noticed the plot and decided to try and so far it's good and deservedly fun, though a bit silly. The plot reminds me of that novel where a wife wanted to bankrupt her husband and spent so much money on everything, but she achieved unpresedented success. This is why I thought I might like it, the idea is similar (of course it's not a copy-paste story).

我都要死了，打你怎么了！ by 千萌

(mtl: I'm about to die, so what if I hit you?!)

Status: Ongoing (should be, this novel is free btw)

#ch: ~39

Year: 2026

Progress: 39

Summary: Qi Qingzhu walked out of the hospital with a diagnosis of liver cancer, she doesn't have much to live, so she looks back at her life and it's not like she is oblivious to why it got to this point, because for the sake of future she always was forebearing. In her weird family where her father is a complete selfish scumbag, submissive mother who for some reason favors adopted daughter over her biological, a brother who protects the adoptive daughter and all four are oblivious to white lotus / green tea adoptive daughter whom she really wanted to beat up for a long time, who always stole her things, not to mention the affection of her entire family. Even thinking of this made her blood boil and her liver ache.

Not to mention her always problematic best friend who became a love-struck fool for abusive man and her filandering fiance with whom she thought she had a deal and used him as a shield, but still it came with a price.

All of it can go to hell, she doesn't care anymore.

  I actually liked this one a lot. It is melodramatic in a sense, but it also is more layered than average tropey book.

SPOILERS: 

The ML of this book is Tang Jingyun, step-brother of her best friend Tang Ya, he comes into the picture early on and we see his love and care for her, even if no one knows her diagnosis, but with him she feels at home, loved and needed. Even if she says she doesn't care, she strives for a good environment for herself because she doesn't really want to spend all of her time on the hypocritical family at home.

Her best friend Tang Ya gave her a lot of headache but despite not much description you can feel the relationship and the feeling of helplessness when Qingzhu finally realizes that despite the help and trying to free Tang Ya from her toxic relationship Tang Ya chooses her abusive boyfriend because she is so starved for love, that she almost has a perverted feeling of satisfaction when this man cries and calls for her to come back.

As for her family it is even more melodramatic. The adoptive daughter Qi Shilin is actually an illegitimate daughter of her father and his first love, but she has no idea about her origins, so she misinterprets the actions of both parents and thinks she is not worthy to marry into wealth in their eyes. Her half-brother is actually in love with her (yes orthopedics) and has no idea she is his half-sister. He only knows that both parents treat him as scrudge when it comes to Shilin. What no one knows is that all kids have to step back when it comes to Shilin, their father will choose to side with her above anyone else. While their mother is a submissive wife who listens to her husbands, since she has nothing to herself apparently. She treat his illegitimate daughter better than her own, knowingly forgives everything including obvious cheating etc. All beacuse her lifeblood is her husband.

These details is what Qingzhu figured out but stayed silent about it. But now she doesn't care to reveal it, she wants Shilin who obviously aims for a place as a young mistress of some wealthy family to seduce her own half-brother unknowingly and let the situation become messier.

This is, you may expect that she wil go crazy, but I don't think it's the right course of action. It's not like she continues to endure, but she chooses her steps. Let's not forget she is sick (as she thinks and as we assume), I honestly think author might pull 180 on us with this one.

At first you might think that he situation with her fiance is also on the list of things, but actually it's an open agreement between the two to play the role of meeting up, faking some sort of connection to appease both parents and wait for a better moment to annul the engagement, since both see nothing in this business marriage.

So there are a lot of characters, a lot to unravel. This is why I think it's such a pity that author did not update for some time.

And the last webnovel will get a separate post, it was a nice and weird find, because it is kinda likable from one side, but still has a lot of parts waiting for improvement.

MANHWA

빙의했더니 괴담이 돼 버렸다 / My possession became a ghost story

OMG Have I never mentioned this one? It's insane.

You may find the FMC annoyingly oblivious at times, but the overall story is just crazy.

Basic idea is that FMC wakes up after a funeral, she possessed a body of a young noble woman, sh ehas no idea if it's one of those novels or not and who are protagonists, so she makes up her own mind, especially when staff around her shivers when they see her, so she assumes she was really bad, having absilutely no idea in what everyone around her actually sees.

Fantastic idea, really wins from being a manhwa and has a striking artsy execution, really stands out as a story and visually.

SPOILERS:

But this is actually revealed only with time that how FMC sees the world and how others see FMC is two different points of view and they are very different. This is how we get the idea that FMC is actually not simple, but who is she and what is she doing here is a whole different story we yet to find out (I knwo there is a novel this is based on, not reading, because I loved the visual representation).

(I added both manhwa and novel covers, because look at that cover, damn~)

To the perfeck Duke / 완전무결한 공작님께 

I feel like I mentioned this one, but I will repeat, this is good. I consider it's good so far, it's on-going and relatively new.

I like the idea that FMC is not a transmigrator or a reborn person, she grew up and felt with her body what it feels like to live under a roof with abusive family, where your mother was schemed against and died with bad reputation and now FMC also lives with ad reputation, not a single soul knows what she went through or what her suffering is really like. All they see is her beauty that can't be described.

Until one day she strikes a deal with a Duke, he needs a partner, he s pragmatic, she needs a cover and a person who can protect her from this hell. 

Before she can stand so high and finally unleas her vengeance.

Although some see FMC as "weak", but I don't think so. She is pretty strong to play this game and not turn completely submissive, although she has some inevitable consequences that generated from her trauma, but I'm sure future years with her duke will help her deal with it.

ML (the Duke) is actually such a sassy character at times. He is the epitome of perfection, but he is not dull at all. It's the type of man when you feel like you're about to swoon when he shows his other side under all that prim and proper image. Woohoo. But he is actually reliable and is quite protective and active with FMC, so you can feel his good heart.

TV

KDRAMAS

My Royal Nemesis

I saw this randomly and was attracted to the premise of a famous figure traveling to modern times. The premise is not new overall, but I want to know the KDrama take on it. Good old stuff never gets old to me, it can still be good if it's a good story.

Though I'll be honest I have low expectations. I keep them low so not to be disppointed. I think it will premier in a few days of me typing this.

Had never seen anything with these actors (I think). So I'm intrigued by this aspect too.

Typhoon Family

Just from the main actor Lee Jun Ho, just look at him, this is what I call when the charm is on, it's the moment when I feel the connection. 

(just look at him~)

I had no idea what this was about and still mainly don't, it's my plan before watching it, I took a peek at the first episode and I liked it. Surprised it was set in the 90's but the vibes were great.

Gyeongseong Creature

Well, I really should watch it, for Park Seo Joon. And the premise sounded interesting. The drama with him (abuot Secretary Kim) revived my interest in KDrama, so props to him. 

US

Severance (Season 2)

I really need to get my shit together. I was so impressed by the first season, liked it so much, that I am actually kinda afriad of touching the second season.

I always wanted to write a separate review for season 1, but what's the point except gushing out and repeating what was said so many times - I love the concept, I loved the story, I loved the twists, I loved the visuals.

It's such a good show, that I honestly felt like I am watching the perfect version of backrooms (even before the movie came out, I am pretty sure the movie itself won't beat the feeling I got from this show when I watched all those endless corridors that feel like a maze that will never end and with unknown corners).

Such a fantastic and almost dystopian concept of separating your life into two lives that have no idea about what you do outside and what you do inside. How each part develops a sense of self. What will happen if one side rebels?

There are so many things about this show that make it great.

ANIMATION

The Summit of the Gods

I just saw a post on YT shorts and it looked great and the story felt intriguing.

I think I never watched something about mountains. Except for that manga from Sakamoto Shinichi I guess. But I always had small interest in the topic. Doesn't mean I'm not open to it if the story will happen to be good.

[CDRAMA] HOW DARE YOU!? / 成何体统 (2026)

This was a great surprise.

(decided to go for lesser known poster, but they look so good together!)

This CDrama has a little of a backstory of how I found it and why i watched it. Before watching I had no idea what the story was about, from the moment I saw the trailer last year, which was the sole reason I was so interested in watching this show (I mean the trailer was edited smartly and attracts your attention with all good parts it has to offer), I only figured they actually had a donghua made from the same story and that was it, no spoilers, no plots, nothing just like I usually like to know only the bare minimum. Only in February when YT again gave me a recommended video I realized they started broadcasting it on their official YT channel (who knew the 32 episodes would be released in the span of the month), so I planned on watching. I was truly apprehensive despite having good first impression, because once again I was afraid it will end up like other dramas I've watched, seemingly interesting at first but I lose the drive to watch.

Go in with low expectations and be surprised is everyday motto I try to repeat.

The story is nothing to marvel about at first, the FMC is transported into a book and becomes a demon concubine who will not survive till the end. She wants to change her fate and thus she plans to at least befriend the one person who could potentially help her - the Emperor. But to her surprise she finds that the Emperor uses modern Chinese when he mumbled something under his nose, exhilirated she asks him a question in English - How are you?!

Imagine my hysterics when I saw this filmed with him being dramatic on the verge of tears and cgi of fireworks in the background when he answers - Fine. Thank you.

This is the best part for me in the story - we have two transmigrated characters who will become allies, besties and lovers. Even if it's not the first story I see where several people are transported from the outside world, but the difference is the take on it. That two are from same place and it bonded them a lot.

This CDrama is such a journey, which is mostly light-hearted and humorous, but not without sad and heart-felt moments.

I think the main male character Xiahou Dan is the most flashed out of them all, his story is the most profound and interesting out of all characters (at least blame the drama for making it so). The way we had no idea about his past and his struggles before the story makes a reveal about how he survived in this place for years made his story arc just heart-wrenching. The two main characters also take most part of your screen time. Which came to me not as a surprise, but I felt it was a pity that many secondary characters did not get more screen time, they were fun to watch. There was some symposium with heads of main channels and there it was said dramas should be more down-to-earth and not rely on looks a lot, although no names were said but the drama whch was overtly criticized is "Pursuit of Jade" (especially the discussion around the "foundation general" with perfect skin for a person who returned from a battle), but I think it's too shallow, because this topic is so extensive not to mention that we do not follow only looks, outside of main cast an entire cast of actors exists and two main don't float in isolation, for example, I liked the character of Physician Xiao, although I felt it was a pity he did not get much of our time, but I think he was truly a great character and was played well, I even shipped him a little with Xie Yong'er. So let's not assume that we all chase only looks. I am pretty picky about looks, although I can admit that this or that guy is handsome or this or that girl is like a doll, but I still will end up with a person I feel a subtle connection, visually and story-wise.

Offtopic: but for start we need to make authors not describe their characters as the most beautiful in the world "handsome, broad shoulders, long legs, square jaw, sharp look" or for women with "small faces, slim figures, bright eyes, red lips and white teeth and their shiny hair", because almost every novel describes their main characters like that, with rare exceptions when the FMC just looks pleasing.

Overall there are some settings that need a beautiful person, for example in this cdrama Yu Wanyin should be a demon concubine, well-known for her beauty, should they have found someone average instead? of course not.

The story itself was nice, when two characters with little to no real power try to struggle in the on-going political struggle between two main faction of Empress Dowager and Prince Duan and try to stay alive. While they also try to move the court and the country away from the never-ending conflicts and let it face the brighter future. Honestly liked how they wrapped it up.

The on-screen chemistry of two main characters is incredible, they were really fun to watch and follow. From how they first came to know each other to how their relationship evolved.

The acting is okay, most of the time it's good, but sometimes I blame the makers for some misses. Because every drama is not without flaws and I think this is one of them. Not saying acting is bad, just some places were too over the top. Maybe because it has a theatrical/staged feel to it instead of a movie? It's not my turn to point fingers, but the best example I have is fake blood and the use of it, because of filters it looks especially bright on screen, but also they use a lot of powder to make lips look "pale" but instead it looks unrealistic. I know it's the point of not being gruesome, but sometimes I think about what if sfx was a bit more real. It's the same as actors never looking bad. You know how they portray wounds as small smudge of red paint. It reminded me of one scene where a character named Wang Zhao was sent as envoy and we see his final scene in the desert, but the actor moved his hands so weirdly as if he was afraid to dig into sand, while in that situation I can imagine the character doing so and he spread his palms as if he was afraid to dirty them. Stuff like that took me out from the scene not once.

The actors ansemble is also nice, a great variety of characters with their own perks. Again, some of them are a bit comical even, but what can you do.

Production is great when it comes to costumes, locations etc. All except fights, those always look silly to me, though I know they did their best, but all those fights on wires with spliced editing to make things look cooler made me giggle. But beauty-wise.. ah those costume were so gorgeous they were a true eye-candy, I know they used a lot of modern materials, but it looked so good, plus this is a fictional world, so it didn't matter to me how accurate it was. Oh forgot to mention some props and that stone.. oh my god that stone made me laugh the hardest. Duing the scene of confrontation during the procession following to lay Empress Dowager to her final resting place on Mount Bei, three main ministers from Emperor's faction and Imperial guards try to push down a huge stone and it looked so fake it couldn't have looked more fake. I was wondering who was in charge, can't you do just a realistic boulder what was the problem? Yeah I have my own places to be picky about.

I mostly described everything, not going for spoilers, though included a lot of those in the text anyway.

I wanted to finish with one point that made me a bit off too, but this is me being nitpicky. The thing is about the soundtrack, there were several scenes where I think emotions could have been shown differently and would have been more impactful instead of using some dialogues, when a person is on the edge of being offed and it is always followed by loud song, this trick was used several times. As if every scene should be so lound and epic. If they used different music and not the same three songs on repeat I'd bawl my eyes out at some scenes, kid you not, but they spoiled the experience for me.

All in all, great and fun time spent. I feel a bit of a loss when typing this because when something is over, something that brought me so much joy I feel like when ever I will feel the same joy again.

RATE: 9,5/10.

[MUSIC] Ayumu Imazu - BASSLINE

While others prefer hyped music, I enjoy sudden finds like this. What type of track is this I enjoy it so much❤

[SHORT REVIEWS] #28

Let's roll with a new one, what I found, what I read, what I watched during this period and what I'd like to read/watch in the future. As per usual let's start from books.

NOVELS

CHN

[BG] 重生后被五个大佬团宠 by 七夕是大头喵 *JJ

(mtl: Reborn and pampered by five powerful figures)

Status: Completed

#ch: 90+1

Year: 2020

Progress: DNF

Summary: Qiu Man loved Jiang Jun her whole life and only after death she realized that she was just a supporting role in his life, she wasted her love, almost being subservient to him, but the male lead is destined for the male lead. She was reborn and now didn't want to follow the same path. She is the daughter of her family, why she should act like that because of a man?

I dnf'd it basically because I kinda got bored of it. It's the same old story, though this one has a bit more melodrama involved. Instead of being clean and sharp Qiu Man still shows a bit of melancholy towards the wasted years and feelings, like she hasn't lost them comepletely. Her family also is in some strange melodramatic situation, but I'm not mad at some parts. For example, she lived with her grandparents since her mother's death, there is no big secret, but she forgot everything of that day, including that her mother protected her. But because she lived away a lot of rumors were floating around and they said she caused the accident and this is why her entire family doesn't love her. Her father worked a lot but it's the obvious pattern of a man forgetting to take care of his children and especially his daughter, since she believed those rumors as well. Her reputation was worst for some reason, FMC had no idea it's all caused by her new stepmother. I don't know it's the type of FMC who realized something is not right too late in her previous life and this stepmother (who was originally helped by her biol. mom) caused their family a lot of financial distress. When they dealt with her I thought that the way they didn't make it plain was actually interesting, since this woman could not be brought down just for the sake of it, she could have gone mad and do something extreme, so instead they parted ways in a more decent way instead of usual - let's bankrupt or arrest someone right now. Although it wasn't bad, but I didn't feel for it eventually and kinda felt it was slow and had no good story. The male lead of FMC is connected to her ex, the usual plot where a guy is in love with a girl, but she has no idea.

But feel free to read it.

[BG] 系统迟到三年，阴湿反派是你老公 by 啃一块酱大骨 *Qidian

(mtl: The system is three years late and I'm already married to the villain)

Status: Ongoing

#ch: -

Year: 2026

Progress: 1-22

Summary: Light-hearted story of Yu Qingqing who transmigrated into the story, but the system disappeared for three years and she had no idea who is the main female characters who are main male leads, everything was confusing, so she associated with several figures that might be male leads, but their relationships were a bit extreme, so she switched to other guy next.

Eventually she got married thanks to arranged marriage and her husband became Pei Wenshen. Mr Pei is also a peculiar person, he doesn't show his sharp edge, he likes Qingqing so he doesn't want to scare her with his behavior, this is why he acts very gentlemanly and has a taste of a green tea. A pitiful little flowe Wenshen and Qingqing with her kind heart actually believed that how can her good husband be the villain of the story? The system is insane.

The system indeed returns only three years later and starts releasing tasks like "be in approximate closeness to the villain, at least 10 meters, mode: hell mode", while Qingqing waits for a car which will take her home to Wenshen.

What I liked is that it has that trashy feel that I like. Also a notable part that surprised me is how no one tells Qingqing that she cheated or called her named for previous relationships. Because one of her exes is named Pei Yu, related to Wenshen, although he says some dumb stuff, but when he finds she really married his uncle he didn't jump around calling her names that she belongs only to him yada-yada.

If I'm not wrong I've read one book from this author, something about good pregnancy, a pretty sweet novel that has having kids as main goal, but actually isn't bad and was pretty sweet. This is why when I first read few chapters of this one I thought - well, I can read smth like this. 

[BG] 满级大佬拿了祸水剧本 by 琪琪家的鹿 *Qidian

(mtl: Max-level boss got a "femme fatale" script)

Status: Completed

#ch: 

Year: 2020 

Progress: 1-95

Summary: Well, this was garbage. Sorry.

Jiang Si binds the system to travel the world, she activated the story mode, thus she basically needs to say certain things or do certain things to get a pass.

For some reason even ML and FL of the stories start falling for her. This story also has a male lead, but FMC simply ruins the experience for us. It's cool that she is so motivated, but she doesn't allow anything to hinder her progress, love included. You may love her to death, but she won't ever appreciate it. SO for few arcs it was like this, the male lead loved her, but she only thought about her mission and I completely forgot why it mattered to her.

Oh wait, I remembered, she is a phoenix and in her own world she became a demon when her body and blood were used by people who knew it's like a tonic for cultivation, later she blackened. She had only one person to care for and probably he's the one who followed, but honestly.. It's so-so. FMC is groundlessly attracting everyone around her, plots are plain, nothing new or interesting, plus the FMC is unlikable.

[BG] 和塑料竹马闪婚了 by 北途川*JJ

(mtl: I had a whirlwind marriage with my plastic childhood sweetheart)

Status: Completed

#ch: 62+18

Year: 2023

Progress: not much~

Summary: Liang Simin was always against Ji Yang, from the very first meeting till these days they always argue, fight or give each other snarky comments when they meet. But lately there were rumors that both Liang and Ji family might unite through a marriage, but most of the people do not consider that they union will be between Simin or Yang.

But when these two tried to make each other miserable they found that their situation became more complicated and it bcame even harder to explain why they do things as they do when their own families start to believe there is something going on between them.

"Alright! Who doesnt marry is a dog!"

I can say that the writing style and overall impression I get are refreshing. I get the feeling like - oh, this author with their own writing style that doesn't resemble copy-pasted stories all over the place.

The characters are lively, the relationship is fiery, so I will happily continue reading this one, I liked the beginning.

Update: I've read like a third of the main story, it's actually quite nice. Maybe because I had opened some other works that had "weak, wimid, frail" type of FMC that I was happy Liang Simin in this story is quite fiery. The bickering is there. But at some point I thought it gets a bit repetitive. Anyway they progress. I also managed to spoil myself the ending and I must say I was a bit surprised, though I shouldn't have been. It has a bit of a TV drama edge to it.

[BL] 豪门前妻（重生） by 橘子舟*JJ

(mtl: Ex-wife of a wealthy family)

Status: Ongoing

#ch: -

Year: 2026

Progress: 1-20

Summary: You will not believe who returned :'D I bet you have no idea who Tangerine Boat is. I reviewed her works several times on this blog dating few years ago. She had a series of novels that had a childbirth in BL works, she kinda likes it I believe. But she had not posted any new work for a very long time and started thinking they retired from writing, but who knew they will be back with another one.

And it's again trashy, ridiculous and melodramatic, so old-fashioned it should reek like an old closet, but here we are.

So the plot follows rebirth of Xu Yin, he lived his past life pretty miserably because he was entangled with his fiance, who claimed to have had amnesia and because during the amnesia period he fell in love with another man he also brought the man home. So Xu Yin had no truly solid place in this family. Not to mention that his own family is no less ridiculous, he was sent away because his family adopted some random kid from mother's friend who dies, but because master said that Xu Yin will suppress him they sent their own kid away. No matter how Xu Yin tried to fit in later on was inevitable. Before rebirth he came to terms of losing love in life and became indifferent to it all. But then he was reborn. He had no feelings for his so-called fiance, or his own biological parents or brothers. They can all go to hell.

The only thing that connects him to the Xiao family (family of his fiance) is his relationship to Xiao Sheng, the current acting head of the Xiao family and the protection of the Grandpa Xiao he needs so much while he is surrpounded by vile people.

Update: this feels like such an old-school drama ahaha

Update 2: author.. how can you write this type of ML in this day and age? what does the "forcing" mean? You can't be serious. Although the plot is so melodrama, but honestly the ML with his advances towards MC will give you the ick. Nobody knows that these two were married for a short period of time, later they divorced (still no info and I'm 30 chapters in) and the ML still crawls into the bed of his ex-partner from now and then. MC partially resist but gives in, this sounds so bad.

US

(published)

(future releases)

 

I always add a little, since I haven't finished many books I put on my personal tbr; But when it comes to "wants" I really want to get to the new Rachel Gillig book, The Book Witch intrigued me as a concept, after all travelling to books is mainly what I read so much about anyway, I want a western take, will it bring something new.

All Hail Chaos is a book I've been waiting since last year when I first came across Long Live Evil, book not for everyone, but honestly I loved it how chaotic it was.

Harvest Season will continue on Tourist Season and it's a dark romance I enjoyed, again not for everyone.

Heir of Prophecy was a random find tbh, but it intrigued me as well. I actually have a huge list of bookmarks from Goodreads and the number already reached 200, it's the pending list of things that I edit from time to time, some things stay as I still want to read them, some go. I don't really like that it's so long.

MANHWA

For Your Murder

Ongoing manhwa about an elementary school teacher who tries to navigate her life when the parents of a school bully promise to ruin her life, she meets a lawyer who accepts to solve her case, but things go weird from then on. 

I liked the dark tone of it. Will see where it goes.

Update: This is.. actually amazing, it's a drama and I think a thriller type of story, absolutely crazy when it comes to story so far, but this is what makes it interesting to follow even if the man on the cover, Inseop, is a perpetrator and a crazy dude, but being just a viewer of a manhwa the story keeps you on your toes.

The Male Leads were stolen by the Extra

Korean take of how the extra replaces the female lead. Some don't like FMC here, I didn't really care, it's an okay read, though on-going too.

In spirit it's close to many other stories where someone has the power to influence important characters of the story for their own goal or vanity or any other reason you may think or find. But set in a romantasy world where FMC does not dwell why the main characters turned away from her when she woke up after three months of coma.

Update: This is quite interesting, but again close to the stories of this type.

TV

HOW DARE YOU!? / 成何体统

SIMPLY THE BEST 10/10

I watched only 9 episodes, but I'm in!! I'm so invested in this story. the chemistry between the two main leads is off the charts. The visual part looks gorgeous, the scenery, the atmosphere, the looks. It's just top. And the story, oof, love it. Especially the humorous parts. But the serious parts are touching too.

One of few times I'm thankful for YT recommendations, because otherwise I'd have no idea this show existed.

Update: I'm on episode 20 and I must say it does not disappoint, I was honestly afraid either my enthusiasm will fade or something in the drama will happen that will put me off, but actually I'm continuing with great interest. I honestly love the character of Xiahou Dan the most, he's the most interesting (though also most flashed out too).

Update: I finished watching it and it was amazing, I feel sad that the experience is over, I liked it more than I anticipated. The review is up.

ANIME

Tongari Boushi no Atelier / Witch Hat Atelier

The only anime I'm watching this season, IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL!! It's on a movie level of detail. And the story is truly amazing. I'm happy they invested so much hard work in it, it's truly worth it. It bceame my weekly safe haven and I enjoy it so-so much.

Actually I progressed a bit with Jujutsu Kaisen S3 and also suddenly watched almost an entire season of Fugou Keiji Balance: Unlimited, which is a pretty ridiculous story when it comes to beginning, but it soon takes a sharp dramatic turn. It's very easy to watch type of show.

[MOVIE] EXIT 8 (2025)

Exit 8 is based on an anomaly game of the same title that was hyped on the internet like last year. The idea of it is you're stuck in a corridor where if you take a turn you'll see the same corridor again with a sign "Exit 8" hanging above and your goal is pretty simple, when you see an anomaly you return and when you see no anomaly you walk forward to progress the game and finally reach the exit.

I never dove into the fandom of this game and have no idea how far it spread or how popular it is (although when you see a movie based on it, it means it reached some level of popularity). But I consider it the most successful among the games that are based on anomaly search. It can serve as a metaphor to something else and movie actually includes some of it in the plot (more in spoilers).

For those who played or watched playthroughs of this game will see several biggest homages to the game's anomalies (e.g. blood dripping from the ceiling or my personal favorite - eyes on the posters that follow you).

But the movie team decided to expand and added a story to it, which although was a bit predictable ended up quite okay and I think it tied in all the parts quite nicely together. So this movie might be a horror, but any of that was just an appendage to a story for me and wasn't scary at all. I think Exit 8 leans toward psychological side of things more.

If I were to rate according to some sites, I'd say:

• Story - 7/10 (a bit predictable, but still good when you finish it)
• Visuals - 10/10 (the replica of the game is insanely accurate, it's simple but top-notch; visuall effects are fine)
• Operator and director's work - 10/10 (the best part of it to me, since it looked insanely good, I have no idea who came up with that storyboard, the way it was shot looked really good)
• Actors - 7/10 (the main goes to the male lead, I think I know him. The middle-aged man played well, I don't wait for any profound play from a child, the rest is a bit plain and some over the top parts)

Personal advice: Don't watch any trailer. I usually skip trailers anyway, but most of the time they spoil things too much.

The Lost Man

The movie is separated into three parts, the first one that comes after the intro is titled The Lost Man.

Unnamed man is standing in a subway car and listened to a famous classical piece "Bolero" when he witnesses a man harassing a young woman with a young child by shouting at her and telling her to shut her baby. Everyone in the car pays no attention to it.. and so does the man. He declines incoming call once. He accepts when he is now on his way out and we see from the 1st POV how he walks up the stairs while answering his phone. His ex-girlfriend tell him she is pregnant. And she doesn't know what to do. The man is shocked, he is also.. lost. When we see that something around him is changing and he looks up to see the sign - Exit 8.

The man starts walking, seeing some strangely looking middle-aged man turning around the corner and walking in the opposite direction, the man doesn't talk and moves like a programmed person. The man turns around the corner, passes the lockers and a photo booth, there is a big sign with directions, but a number 0 at the top. The man pays no attention to it. Only to find himself in the same corridor, with the same sign Exit 8, same middle-aged man walking towards him. This is how a spacial loop is closed. He walks forward and finally notices the information / rules hanging on the wall: If you see anomaly - walk back, if you see no anomaly, move forward. With each correct turn the number on the big sign changes. But if you make the wrong choice - it turns to 0, losing all progress.

There is no need to think much about what this part can mean and the movie as a whole, after all it is called Lost Man. With the sudden news of unexpected child you see the reaction of this man is uncertainty and inability to make decision right there - does he want this child or not?

I see this corridor for him as a mind loop, when you ask yourself the same question over and over and try to see the exit.

Same here, he tries to find the exit and panics at times, especially when the progress is lost. The most touching part in here is how he confesses to his actions at the beginning of the movie - standing and acting like everybody else when young mother needed help.

But suddenly he meets a boy and thinks he is an anomaly too, but when he turns and notices the loss of the progress he realizes that the young boy is just like him - lost.

But while the two decided to walk together, we switch to..

The Walking Man

The middle-aged man who tugged the young boy along and was also lost in the corridor is of lesser significance story-wise to me. It's more like a character that shows that you can indeed lose, lose yourself eventually and become part of this place.

The one who walks towards him is a young woman, who suddenly talk to him and asks him if he's also lost, this place is strange, are we dead she asks, maybe this is hell. before the young woman glitches and it is evident she's still an anomaly.

While they walk forward we see the young boy stand near a door that obviously has a door handle in the middle (anomaly), but the man disregards it and walks forward, obviously losing all progress. Having a mental breakdown he walks forward and finaly sees the exit, he believes it's an exit, but the young boy refuses to follow and returns. He walks forward and lees the 'lost man'.

I loved how they made it feel like a timeloop and also spacial loop. Because we see the boy's perspective when the lost man first saw the boy. The boy follows and points at the middle-aged man, when the lost man says - he's no longer human. Interesting how they linked the beginning and ending in such a way that he we see him say this phrase twice, at the beginning when he first met the boy and after the boy met him and we as viewers witnessed what happened to the middle-aged man.

So..

The Boy

The boy is the last arc that now shows the lost man and the boy walking the corridors and slowly making progress. The man notices that sometimes the boy actually is more perceptive of anomalies than him, so he pays attention to him.

They also talk.

The boy says he is lost, he got lost on purpose, wanting for his mom to find him.

The man asks him - what about your dad? The boys said he doesn't have a dad.

At this point there is no need to be a genius to figure out that the boy is this man's future son. It's as if this place gave him the chance to make a choice.

The man decided to lead the boy to the exit. The boy gives the man a shell as a lucky charm.

They do make progress and when they're almost there they suddenly hear the siren and the flood keeps pouring in. They might be swept by the sheer amount of water at any moment when we're switched to a diferent picture, a beach and a family of three. The man saves the boy, lifting him up to grab the hanging sign, while he disappears.

The boy wakes up among the debris and mud, he stands up, walks in the right direction and is close to finding exit, though we don't see it happening.

We switch back to the man, who survived, he sees the turn, sees the exit and sairs that lead downwards, he picks up his phone and makes a call, walking down the same corridor he walked at the very beginning, his ex-girlfriend picks up the phone, he asks where she is and says he will be there right away.

He enters the subway car, we see the same scene from the very beginning, the young woman with a crying child and a man shouting at her. The man looks forward with his eyes glistening with tears and he turns towards the young woman.

Movie ends.

I left out some jumpscare and metaphorical parts. Jumpscare are present, but some of them contradict to what already happened, the character's reaction. Because at one point the man is pretty decicive when it comes to seeing anomalies and turning back, but at two or so moment it was as if he got stuck just so we could witness the "horror" part.

The idea of this movie is pretty simple, the beginning was a bit tedious I must say, but when it came to loops and at the walking man part it started to become visually interesting, especially the camerawork and how they created a loop in the movie.

I think the story itself is okay, it's predictable, but I liked how they tied together the idea of this man losing himself and looking for an answer and the boy being there for him to make the choice.

I also find that the movie can still be open for interpretation if you insist on it. Did the man ever leave the car, did that all happen in his head? Or on the contrary, did he ever find the exit? I believe in the happy ending of it all. 

Another interesting part that many don't know about, but I think is a pretty fine coincidence. I have no idea if this director ever watched a cartoon title "Bolero" by Ivan Maksimov, which uses the same classical music piece that was used in Exit 8. I'll include it here. The point of this small cartoon is a creature that walks in a loop following its' own tail, maybe not even knowing the tail belongs to it. I just think it's fun that it also has idea of being in a loop here too.

RATE: 7/10.